Monday, February 1, 2021 at 8:00AM 6 random things that happend on this day, February 1st, in showbiz history
1929 One of the earliest movie musicals Broadway Melody premieres in Los Angeles. The following year it would win Best Picture at the 2nd annual Oscars, the first sound film to do so...
Tuesday, November 17, 2020 at 3:03PM by Baby Clyde
I’m not sure if I believe in life after love (whatever that means) but I definitely believe in love at first sight. I first saw the love of my life in a dingy dive bar 1981. She stood there, pint in hand surrounded by an intimidating girl gang, dressed to the nines in black leather with gold hoop earring and Jungle Red nail varnish. I watched in awe as she slunk over to the jukebox all back combed hair and gum chewing attitude. Her name was Cherilyn Sarkisian and she changed my life forever.
I was not even 10 as I watched the video for Meatloaf’s single Dead Ringer For Love. A notorious flop in America it was a Top 5 smash hit in Britain at the tail end of 1981 in no small part because of Meat’s duet partner...
Monday, April 23, 2018 at 1:00AM by Nathaniel R
Do people even watch trashy daytime talk shows anymore? Haven't they all been replaced by trashy reality tv shows that follow shameless people around in their "real" life for full seasons rather than inviting them to walk on to humiliate themselves for a single episode? No matter. RuPaul's Drag Race revels in nostalgia week after week while simultaneously living in the now when it comes to drag trends (notice all the flat chests this year? An about face from the breastplate rage a few seasons ago). For this week's maxi-challenge the queens were tested on their improv skills as guests on "The Bossy Rossy Show." The show was curiously believable (i.e. it's easy to picture Ross actually hosting such a thing) but the skits were so bizarre (marrying a cactus? fear of pickles?) that it seemed less an improv challenge than a comedy skit-writing challenge.
As a result the episode felt messy and forced as if all the contestants were nervously scrambling to reposition themselves as viable contenders given that each of their strengths and weaknesses seem almost shockingly visible now. And not just to our eyeballs at home, but there in the room, too...
Friday, January 13, 2017 at 3:47PM In this weekly feature from Murtada we follow Oscar contender appearances and interviews. With Oscar balloting closing today, who did we enjoy on the campaign trail.
This was the last week of campaigning and contenders did not disappoint. Some got a boost from the Golden Globes, while everybody continued to cram in appearances. Amy Adams got her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Natalie Portman made headlines about gender wage disparity, for No Strings Attached of all her films. Many sang “I Will Survive”.
Today ends what is termed as Phase 1 in Oscar campaigning, the nomination portion. This phase started on Labor Day Weekend as films were unspooled at the Venice and Telluride festivals. So who made it through almost 5 months of interviews, appearances and came out on the other side surprising, charming and endearing to those of us who follow these things closely? Here are our favorites...
Monday, April 18, 2016 at 11:46AM
Murtada here. Graham Norton always manages to coax stories out of his visiting guests that somehow they never divulge on this side of the Atlantic.This week his guests included Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant, selling Florence Foster Jenkins. Norton brings up a recent interview in which Grant claimed all his co-stars hated him. Julianne Moore, Rachel Weisz, Emma Thompson, Sandra Bullock and Drew Barrymore are name checked. Clearly the Music and Lyrics (2007) set was not a happy one as this is what Grant said about Barrymore:
She made the mistake of giving me notes. How would you take that?
Meryl's response is perfect and gets the biggest laugh. Deservedly. She knows how to land a line!
Meryl divulges the one movie in her oeuvre she isn’t happy with. I thought it would be Still of the Night (1982) which she has spoken about before. But it’s actually The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981).
It's a fun talk show moment. And wouldn't we all love to get a glimpse of Renee Zellweger's 48 pages long emails. Do it Hugh, put them on twitter! Is The French Lieutenant's Woman really Meryl's most dubious moment on screen?
