Created by Seth MacFarlane, Family Guy has been one of the edgiest shows for over twenty years, pushing the boundaries of television ethics to their limits. Unlike The Simpsons and most other animated sitcoms, which also emphasize satire over subtle jokes and references, Family Guy blatantly mocks everything and everyone, and does so in an extremely unapologetic manner.
MacFarlane's show does not try to build its identity on insults, but instead mocks all stereotypes and approaches sensitive topics with humor. However, this does not change the fact that it is sometimes quite controversial, and many of the show's moments proved to be too much to put on the air. Let's take a look at the 25 craziest deleted scenes in Family Guy history.
25 Deleted Scenes from Family Guy
1. Peter's racist tattoo (Season 6)
2. Quagmire's hallucinations and Roe v. Wade joke (Season 12)
3. 10 rounds of… chemo? (Season 12)
4. Meg's death (Season 12)
5. Asian in-laws (Season 7)
6. How...
MacFarlane's show does not try to build its identity on insults, but instead mocks all stereotypes and approaches sensitive topics with humor. However, this does not change the fact that it is sometimes quite controversial, and many of the show's moments proved to be too much to put on the air. Let's take a look at the 25 craziest deleted scenes in Family Guy history.
25 Deleted Scenes from Family Guy
1. Peter's racist tattoo (Season 6)
2. Quagmire's hallucinations and Roe v. Wade joke (Season 12)
3. 10 rounds of… chemo? (Season 12)
4. Meg's death (Season 12)
5. Asian in-laws (Season 7)
6. How...
- 5/14/2024
- by louise.everitt@startefacts.com (Louise Everitt)
- STartefacts.com
Timmy who? There’s only one name on Cosmo and Wanda’s minds when the first family of fairies returns to Nickelodeon in their brand-new series — and that name is Hazel Wells.
The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish relocates the colorful couple from Dimsdale to — wait for it — Dimmadelphia, where they come out of retirement to help a young girl in need. As revealed in TVLine’s exclusive trailer above, the new series also features a “reimagined” version of the original series’ Fairy World.
More from TVLineLive-Action Scooby-Doo Series From Greg Berlanti in the Works at NetflixThe Office Reboot Adds...
The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish relocates the colorful couple from Dimsdale to — wait for it — Dimmadelphia, where they come out of retirement to help a young girl in need. As revealed in TVLine’s exclusive trailer above, the new series also features a “reimagined” version of the original series’ Fairy World.
More from TVLineLive-Action Scooby-Doo Series From Greg Berlanti in the Works at NetflixThe Office Reboot Adds...
- 5/1/2024
- by Andy Swift
- TVLine.com
So what can be said about Andy Dick that the paparazzi and nearly every Judge from West Virginia to Los Angeles hasn’t already said? He was once a rising star in the comedy world with lovably nerdy characters on hit TV series before his demons grabbed a hold of him and took him down an over 25 year path of endless headlines with his name often times preceding the word “arrested.” In those years, he has compiled more Mug Shots than Head Shots and went from Star on the Rise to Registered Sex Offender. Yeah, I don’t know how else to say this other than: Wtf Happened to Andy Dick?!
But as always we must begin at the beginning and the beginning began on his birthday, December 21, 1965 in Charleston, South Carolina. After graduating high school in the suburbs of Illinois, Andy would study at the famed Second City and...
But as always we must begin at the beginning and the beginning began on his birthday, December 21, 1965 in Charleston, South Carolina. After graduating high school in the suburbs of Illinois, Andy would study at the famed Second City and...
- 4/2/2024
- by Brad Hamerly
- JoBlo.com
There had been drill sergeants in movies before Louis Gossett Jr. played one in “An Officer and a Gentleman” in 1982. There would be a lot of them afterwards. But it’s a role that Gossett made his own, and the movie role that, more than any other, came to define him. Gossett, who died on March 29 at the age of 87, was a great actor who imposed his presence; just watch the ferocious way he plays an alien soldier, under a mask of beaded make-up, in “Enemy Mine.” But in “An Officer and a Gentleman,” Gossett took the showpiece role of a tough-nut drill sergeant and invested it with such flourish that he made it mythological. He took possession of the role, infusing the very idea of the drill sergeant with a richness, a soul and wit, and a touch of something that no other actor ever brought to it — a quality of mystery.
- 3/30/2024
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
From Garrett Bradley: Devotion, published by MIT Press. In this interview from 2019, the art historian Huey Copeland speaks with the artist and filmmaker Garrett Bradley on the occasion of the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston exhibition Garrett Bradley: American Rhapsody. This text first appeared in the exhibition catalogue.America.Huey Copeland: I’d like to begin by talking about the ways you’re engaging the archive in your work, recruiting a range of different materials, even outtakes from your own films. Your process—mixing and working on different projects simultaneously—seems to resonate with but also exceed what scholar Saidiya Hartman calls “critical fabulation” in terms of posing the question, “How do we return to and engage the archive in order to reframe it with all of its liabilities and possibilities”?1 In this sense, your work also resonates with what I’ve recently called “black auto-citational practice,” a modality that...
- 3/25/2024
- MUBI
Ella Beatty, currently appearing in the FX series Feud: Capote vs. The Swans, will make her Broadway debut in Appropriate when the hit Branden Jacobs-Jenkins play transfers to the Belasco Theatre next month.
Beatty will take over the role of “River” from Elle Fanning, whose engagement with the Second Stage non-profit production ends when the play closes its run at the Hayes Theater on March 3. The commercial transfer at the Belasco runs from March 25 through June 23.
Beatty, the daughter of Warren Beatty and Annette Bening, plays “Kerry O’Shea” in the Gus Van Sant-directed, Ryan Murphy-produced Feud. She’ll next be seen in the A24 film If I Had Legs I’d Kick You with Rose Byrne and A$AP Rocky.
Directed by Lila Neugebauer, Appropriate stars Sarah Paulson, Corey Stoll, Michael Esper, Natalie Gold, Graham Campbell, Alyssa Emily Marvin, Lincoln Cohen and Everett Sobers.
Appropriate is produced by Ambassador Theatre Group,...
Beatty will take over the role of “River” from Elle Fanning, whose engagement with the Second Stage non-profit production ends when the play closes its run at the Hayes Theater on March 3. The commercial transfer at the Belasco runs from March 25 through June 23.
Beatty, the daughter of Warren Beatty and Annette Bening, plays “Kerry O’Shea” in the Gus Van Sant-directed, Ryan Murphy-produced Feud. She’ll next be seen in the A24 film If I Had Legs I’d Kick You with Rose Byrne and A$AP Rocky.
Directed by Lila Neugebauer, Appropriate stars Sarah Paulson, Corey Stoll, Michael Esper, Natalie Gold, Graham Campbell, Alyssa Emily Marvin, Lincoln Cohen and Everett Sobers.
Appropriate is produced by Ambassador Theatre Group,...
- 2/21/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Gear up for an educational and exciting episode of “Fishing University” airing on Outd at 9:30 Am on Monday, February 26th, 2024. In this installment titled “Hot Wi Fishing and Boating Safety,” the focus shifts to the important topic of boating safety.
Join hosts Charlie and Ben as they welcome Precision Sonar pros Jordan Hartman and Ryan Kirkpatrick to the show. Together, they dive into the essential aspects of boating safety, sharing valuable tips and insights to ensure a safe and enjoyable fishing experience on the waters of Wisconsin.
As fishing enthusiasts themselves, Hartman and Kirkpatrick bring their expertise to the table, discussing crucial safety measures, equipment recommendations, and best practices for navigating the waters with confidence.
Whether you’re a seasoned angler or just starting out, “Hot Wi Fishing and Boating Safety” offers valuable information that can benefit anglers of all levels. Tune in to Outd at 9:30 Am on Monday,...
Join hosts Charlie and Ben as they welcome Precision Sonar pros Jordan Hartman and Ryan Kirkpatrick to the show. Together, they dive into the essential aspects of boating safety, sharing valuable tips and insights to ensure a safe and enjoyable fishing experience on the waters of Wisconsin.
As fishing enthusiasts themselves, Hartman and Kirkpatrick bring their expertise to the table, discussing crucial safety measures, equipment recommendations, and best practices for navigating the waters with confidence.
Whether you’re a seasoned angler or just starting out, “Hot Wi Fishing and Boating Safety” offers valuable information that can benefit anglers of all levels. Tune in to Outd at 9:30 Am on Monday,...
- 2/19/2024
- by Jules Byrd
- TV Everyday
The Super Bowl has long been known as the Big Game, but some people out there are treating it like a smaller one.
Advertisers typically plunk down millions of dollars for a 30- or 60-second ad in the Super Bowl telecast on the broadcast network showing the annual NFL extravaganza. This year, for the first time, they have some intriguing alternatives. Some have chosen to run commercials only on Univision, which has the rights to air the game in Spanish. Others are relying on ads that will appear only on kids-cable favorite Nickelodeon, which is running a telecast aimed at families. At least one advertiser, Ally Financial, has placed an ad only in the Paramount+ stream of the Super Bowl, rather than on CBS.
These niche telecasts “entice brands that either aren’t willing or haven’t the desire to reach that many people and spend that much money in one fell swoop,...
Advertisers typically plunk down millions of dollars for a 30- or 60-second ad in the Super Bowl telecast on the broadcast network showing the annual NFL extravaganza. This year, for the first time, they have some intriguing alternatives. Some have chosen to run commercials only on Univision, which has the rights to air the game in Spanish. Others are relying on ads that will appear only on kids-cable favorite Nickelodeon, which is running a telecast aimed at families. At least one advertiser, Ally Financial, has placed an ad only in the Paramount+ stream of the Super Bowl, rather than on CBS.
These niche telecasts “entice brands that either aren’t willing or haven’t the desire to reach that many people and spend that much money in one fell swoop,...
- 2/6/2024
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
American football player Sam Hartman might not be a top quarterback prospect for the 2024 NFL draft, but he certainly has the experience and skills to play in the National Football League. After years of college football, the Charlotte, North Carolina native is set to continue his football journey in one of the world’s biggest sports leagues. Hartman ended his college career with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team of the University of Notre Dame in December 2023, opting out of the Sun Bowl championship to prepare for the 2024 NFL. While Sam Hartman’s football aspirations have gained a...
- 1/12/2024
- by Banks Onuoha
- TVovermind.com
Norman Lear‘s official cause of death has been revealed.
Earlier this month, the TV legend passed away on Tuesday, December 5 at the age of 101.
Now nearly two weeks after his passing, Norman‘s death certificate was released and his cause of death was revealed.
Keep reading to find out more…
According to the death certificate obtained by TMZ, Norman died from cardiac arrest. Congestive heart failure was also listed as a contributing factor.
Norman was a television writer and producer responsible for hits including All in the Family, Maude, Good Times, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, and The Jeffersons.
Norman is survived by his wife, Lyn Davis. He also had six children – Ellen, Kate, Maggie, Benjamin and twins Brianna and Madeline – and four grandchildren.
Our continued thoughts are with Norman Lear‘s loved ones.
Earlier this month, the TV legend passed away on Tuesday, December 5 at the age of 101.
Now nearly two weeks after his passing, Norman‘s death certificate was released and his cause of death was revealed.
Keep reading to find out more…
According to the death certificate obtained by TMZ, Norman died from cardiac arrest. Congestive heart failure was also listed as a contributing factor.
Norman was a television writer and producer responsible for hits including All in the Family, Maude, Good Times, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, and The Jeffersons.
Norman is survived by his wife, Lyn Davis. He also had six children – Ellen, Kate, Maggie, Benjamin and twins Brianna and Madeline – and four grandchildren.
Our continued thoughts are with Norman Lear‘s loved ones.
- 12/19/2023
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
Writer-producer-developer Norman Lear, who revolutionized American comedy with such daring, immensely popular early-‘70s sitcoms as “All in the Family” and “Sanford and Son,” died on Tuesday. He was 101.
Lear’s publicist confirmed to Variety that he died at his home in Los Angeles of natural causes. A private service for immediate family will be held in the coming days.
“Thank you for the moving outpouring of love and support in honor of our wonderful husband, father, and grandfather,” Lear’s family said in a statement. “Norman lived a life of creativity, tenacity, and empathy. He deeply loved our country and spent a lifetime helping to preserve its founding ideals of justice and equality for all. Knowing and loving him has been the greatest of gifts. We ask for your understanding as we mourn privately in celebration of this remarkable human being.”
Lear had already established himself as a top...
Lear’s publicist confirmed to Variety that he died at his home in Los Angeles of natural causes. A private service for immediate family will be held in the coming days.
“Thank you for the moving outpouring of love and support in honor of our wonderful husband, father, and grandfather,” Lear’s family said in a statement. “Norman lived a life of creativity, tenacity, and empathy. He deeply loved our country and spent a lifetime helping to preserve its founding ideals of justice and equality for all. Knowing and loving him has been the greatest of gifts. We ask for your understanding as we mourn privately in celebration of this remarkable human being.”
Lear had already established himself as a top...
- 12/6/2023
- by Chris Morris
- Variety Film + TV
On November 14, 2023, at 10:00 Pm, Vice TV brings viewers the latest episode of “Dark Side of Comedy,” shedding light on the life and tragic fate of the iconic comedian Phil Hartman.
This episode delves into the life of Phil Hartman, a beloved figure in the world of comedy, known for his roles on “SNL” and “The Simpsons.” Despite his squeaky clean image on-screen, Hartman’s personal life was shrouded in turmoil due to a toxic marriage that ultimately ended in a heart-wrenching murder-suicide.
“Dark Side of Comedy” explores the stark contrast between Hartman’s public persona and the private struggles he faced. This episode takes an unvarnished look at the complexities and tragedy that surrounded his life.
For those interested in the often-hidden aspects of the entertainment industry and the lives of beloved comedians, this series provides a factual and sobering account. Tune in to Vice TV on November 14 at...
This episode delves into the life of Phil Hartman, a beloved figure in the world of comedy, known for his roles on “SNL” and “The Simpsons.” Despite his squeaky clean image on-screen, Hartman’s personal life was shrouded in turmoil due to a toxic marriage that ultimately ended in a heart-wrenching murder-suicide.
“Dark Side of Comedy” explores the stark contrast between Hartman’s public persona and the private struggles he faced. This episode takes an unvarnished look at the complexities and tragedy that surrounded his life.
For those interested in the often-hidden aspects of the entertainment industry and the lives of beloved comedians, this series provides a factual and sobering account. Tune in to Vice TV on November 14 at...
- 11/7/2023
- by Jules Byrd
- TV Everyday
Julius Wu, Dominic Bianchi and James Purdum‘s Family Guy season 22, episode 1: “Fertilized Megg” centers around one of the series’ main protagonists, Meg Griffin (voiced by Mila Kunis), agreeing to give birth to the surrogate child of the series’ LGBTQ couple, Bruce and Jeffrey (both voiced by Mike Henry).
After months of burdening her family with her needs, Meg eventually gives birth to Bruce and Jeffrey’s baby, whom they name Liza Judy Barbara. Upon worrying that they can’t handle the responsibility of raising a child, Bruce and Jeffrey allow Meg to take care of her for a few days, much to the dismay of her mother, Lois (voiced by Alex Borstein).
To this episode’s credit, the plot was executed well as it effectively showed the struggles of pregnancy while also ending with an insightful message of how a good parent can come from anywhere.
There were...
After months of burdening her family with her needs, Meg eventually gives birth to Bruce and Jeffrey’s baby, whom they name Liza Judy Barbara. Upon worrying that they can’t handle the responsibility of raising a child, Bruce and Jeffrey allow Meg to take care of her for a few days, much to the dismay of her mother, Lois (voiced by Alex Borstein).
To this episode’s credit, the plot was executed well as it effectively showed the struggles of pregnancy while also ending with an insightful message of how a good parent can come from anywhere.
There were...
- 10/10/2023
- by Alessio Atria
- Uinterview
On several occasions, including during a 2020 video interview with Vanity Fair, prolific voice actor Billy West has explained his inspiration for the role of Zapp Brannigan, the sexist, egomaniacal, blowhard starship captain on "Futurama." He noted that Zapp is what would happen if actor William Shatner ran the U.S.S. Enterprise and not Captain Kirk. Shatner, West noted, was an odd man with a large ego ... just like Zapp Brannigan. Zapp gave West a chance to employ some juicy vocal histrionics.
West plays multiple roles on "Futurama," including the feckless delivery boy Philip J. Fry, the elderly coot Professor Farnsworth, the impoverished crustacean Dr. Zoidberg, and dozens of other smaller, incidental roles. West is one of the titans of his craft, and entire scenes can elapse with West having conversations with himself. Fry, West said, was modeled on his own voice at age 25, while Dr. Zoidberg was based partially...
West plays multiple roles on "Futurama," including the feckless delivery boy Philip J. Fry, the elderly coot Professor Farnsworth, the impoverished crustacean Dr. Zoidberg, and dozens of other smaller, incidental roles. West is one of the titans of his craft, and entire scenes can elapse with West having conversations with himself. Fry, West said, was modeled on his own voice at age 25, while Dr. Zoidberg was based partially...
- 10/8/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Before the season, most people would have guessed that the No. 11 Notre Dame Fighting Irish would be highly ranked. Now ask those same people if they thought the No. 17 Duke Blue Devils would not only be ranked at this point, but also undefeated. The answer would be much less, if any. Can the Blue Devils continue their torrid start to the season against a top-flight opponent on Saturday, Sept. 30 at 7:30 p.m. Et at Wallace Wade Stadium? See you yourself on ABC with a 5-Day Free Trial of Directv Stream.
How to Watch the Duke Blue Devils vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish When: Saturday, Sept. 30 at 7:30 p.m. Et Where: Wallace Wade Stadium | 110 Bassett Dr, Durham, Nc 27708 TV: ABC Stream: Watch with 5-Day Free Trial of Directv Stream. 5-Day Free Trial $74.99 / month directv.com/stream
Save $30 Over Your First Three Months of Directv Stream.
About the Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs.
How to Watch the Duke Blue Devils vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish When: Saturday, Sept. 30 at 7:30 p.m. Et Where: Wallace Wade Stadium | 110 Bassett Dr, Durham, Nc 27708 TV: ABC Stream: Watch with 5-Day Free Trial of Directv Stream. 5-Day Free Trial $74.99 / month directv.com/stream
Save $30 Over Your First Three Months of Directv Stream.
About the Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs.
- 9/30/2023
- by Jared Macarin
- The Streamable
Film Independent is currently in the middle of a Matching Campaign to raise support for the next 30 years of filmmaker support. All donations make before or on September 15 will be doubled—dollar-for-dollar up to $100,000. To celebrate the campaign, we’re re-posting a few of our most popular blogs.
From Olivia Colman’s fraught sojourn to the Greek Isles in The Lost Daughter to Jessie Buckley’s terrifying trip up the M5 to the English countryside in Men and M. Night’s bummer beaches in Old, taking a little “me time” away from home is often the single biggest mistake any movie character could possibly make. Horror, psychological drama, comedy, mystery, rom-com. The genre hardly matters. In film, the simple act of taking a vacation is rarely the relaxing, restorative interlude one hopes that it might be, placing uneasy personalities in uncertain—even harrowing—circumstances.
So with Labor Day weekend upon...
From Olivia Colman’s fraught sojourn to the Greek Isles in The Lost Daughter to Jessie Buckley’s terrifying trip up the M5 to the English countryside in Men and M. Night’s bummer beaches in Old, taking a little “me time” away from home is often the single biggest mistake any movie character could possibly make. Horror, psychological drama, comedy, mystery, rom-com. The genre hardly matters. In film, the simple act of taking a vacation is rarely the relaxing, restorative interlude one hopes that it might be, placing uneasy personalities in uncertain—even harrowing—circumstances.
So with Labor Day weekend upon...
- 9/1/2023
- by Matt Warren
- Film Independent News & More
Get ready for a college football rivalry. On Thursday, Aug. 31 at 7 p.m. Et, North Carolina’s top private universities go head to head in the first week of scheduled NCAA football. Watch Wake Forest and Elon University at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium, exclusively airing on Acc Network. The channel is available on a live TV streaming service and here’s all the information you need to watch the game including a free trial
Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. Elon Phoenix When: Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023 at 7 p.m. Et Where: Wake Forest’s Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C. TV Channel: Acc Network Where to Stream: Watch with 5-Day Free Trial of Directv Stream. 5-Day Free Trial $99.99 / month directv.com/stream
Save $30 Over Your First Three Months of Directv Stream.
While the Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. Elon Phoenix game will be streaming on Acc Network (which...
Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. Elon Phoenix When: Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023 at 7 p.m. Et Where: Wake Forest’s Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C. TV Channel: Acc Network Where to Stream: Watch with 5-Day Free Trial of Directv Stream. 5-Day Free Trial $99.99 / month directv.com/stream
Save $30 Over Your First Three Months of Directv Stream.
While the Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. Elon Phoenix game will be streaming on Acc Network (which...
- 8/31/2023
- by Mike Nelson
- The Streamable
This story about the Emmy-nominated songs first appeared in the Down to the Wire: Comedy issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine.
In the Emmys’ Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics category, it pays to be funny. After all, this is the category where the winners include “Antidepressants Are So Not a Big Deal” from “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” “It’s Not Just for Gays Anymore” from the Tony Awards, “Dick in a Box” from “Saturday Night Live” and, um, “I’m F—ing Matt Damon” from “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”
Over the past two decades, comedic songs have won more than two-thirds of the time. Most years, they’ve landed the majority of the nominations.
This year, four of the six nominees are from comedies: “Fought & Lost” and “A Beautiful Game” from “Ted Lasso,” “Your Personal Trash Man Can” from “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and “Now You Know” from the TV movie “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story.
In the Emmys’ Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics category, it pays to be funny. After all, this is the category where the winners include “Antidepressants Are So Not a Big Deal” from “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” “It’s Not Just for Gays Anymore” from the Tony Awards, “Dick in a Box” from “Saturday Night Live” and, um, “I’m F—ing Matt Damon” from “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”
Over the past two decades, comedic songs have won more than two-thirds of the time. Most years, they’ve landed the majority of the nominations.
This year, four of the six nominees are from comedies: “Fought & Lost” and “A Beautiful Game” from “Ted Lasso,” “Your Personal Trash Man Can” from “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and “Now You Know” from the TV movie “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story.
- 8/11/2023
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Mitchell Travers likened being a costume designer on the set of “George & Tammy” to being “a host at a party.”
“I get to work with everybody,” Travers said. “I get to work with production designers, hair and makeup, sound and I feel I get to make introductions between these departments. It would be impossible to do this without that collaboration — in a way that A.I. can never take from us.”
During Variety’s Creative Collaboration: The Nominees brunch the Emmy-nominated panelists of directors, costume designers, editors and other vital members of this season’s favorite programming discussed the power in partnership in every aspect of creating outstanding TV. Because, well, there is no “I” in Emmy.
When putting together the 2023 Oscars Award ceremony, director Glenn Weiss wanted to create an “immersive” experience for viewers on the opposite sides of TV screens. This was only possible if he worked with...
“I get to work with everybody,” Travers said. “I get to work with production designers, hair and makeup, sound and I feel I get to make introductions between these departments. It would be impossible to do this without that collaboration — in a way that A.I. can never take from us.”
During Variety’s Creative Collaboration: The Nominees brunch the Emmy-nominated panelists of directors, costume designers, editors and other vital members of this season’s favorite programming discussed the power in partnership in every aspect of creating outstanding TV. Because, well, there is no “I” in Emmy.
When putting together the 2023 Oscars Award ceremony, director Glenn Weiss wanted to create an “immersive” experience for viewers on the opposite sides of TV screens. This was only possible if he worked with...
- 8/9/2023
- by Sophia Scorziello
- Variety Film + TV
It says everything about who Paul Reubens was – and just how much of the curtain surrounding him he was comfortable opening – that the obituaries marking the brilliant 70-year-old comedian’s death Sunday night make his name inseparable from that of his most-famous character creation, Pee-wee Herman. It’s not “Paul Reubens” but “Paul Reubens, best known as Pee-wee Herman” or “a.k.a. Pee-wee Herman.” The man would have been honored that this was his legacy, as he always seemed much more comfortable being the bizarro dude with the signature flattop haircut, grey plaid suit and small red bowtie. I mean, his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame reads “Pee-wee Herman” and not “Paul Reubens.” If we’re judging success based purely on how inextricably linked our identity is to a fictitious persona we created, that must be a grand slam.
Reubens died after what was termed “a private bout with cancer.
Reubens died after what was termed “a private bout with cancer.
- 7/31/2023
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
Paul Reubens, known best by his character name Pee-wee Herman, died Sunday after a private six-year battle with cancer. He was 70.
“Please accept my apology for not going public with what I’ve been facing the last six years,” Reubens wrote on an Instagram message posted today. “I have always felt a huge amount of love and respect from my friends, fans and supporters. I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you.”
The post’s caption, written by his estate, reads: “Last night we said farewell to Paul Reubens, an iconic American actor, comedian, writer and producer whose beloved character Pee-wee Herman delighted generations of children and adults with his positivity, whimsy and belief in the importance of kindness. Paul bravely and privately fought cancer for years with his trademark tenacity and wit. A gifted and prolific talent, he will forever live in the comedy...
“Please accept my apology for not going public with what I’ve been facing the last six years,” Reubens wrote on an Instagram message posted today. “I have always felt a huge amount of love and respect from my friends, fans and supporters. I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you.”
The post’s caption, written by his estate, reads: “Last night we said farewell to Paul Reubens, an iconic American actor, comedian, writer and producer whose beloved character Pee-wee Herman delighted generations of children and adults with his positivity, whimsy and belief in the importance of kindness. Paul bravely and privately fought cancer for years with his trademark tenacity and wit. A gifted and prolific talent, he will forever live in the comedy...
- 7/31/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Paul Reubens, who disappeared behind a tight gray suit and bright red bow tie to create and star as the awkward man-child Pee-wee Herman onstage, on a groundbreaking kids TV show and on the big screen, has died. He was 70.
His death in Los Angeles was announced Monday on his official Facebook page.
“Last night we said farewell to Paul Reubens, an iconic American actor, comedian, writer and producer whose beloved character Pee-wee Herman delighted generations of children and adults with his positivity, whimsy and belief in the importance of kindness,” a statement read. “Paul bravely and privately fought cancer for years with his trademark tenacity and wit. A gifted and prolific talent, he will forever live in the comedy pantheon and in our hearts as a treasured friend and man of remarkable character and generosity of spirit.”
Reubens created Pee-wee (named for a brand of harmonica he had when...
His death in Los Angeles was announced Monday on his official Facebook page.
“Last night we said farewell to Paul Reubens, an iconic American actor, comedian, writer and producer whose beloved character Pee-wee Herman delighted generations of children and adults with his positivity, whimsy and belief in the importance of kindness,” a statement read. “Paul bravely and privately fought cancer for years with his trademark tenacity and wit. A gifted and prolific talent, he will forever live in the comedy pantheon and in our hearts as a treasured friend and man of remarkable character and generosity of spirit.”
Reubens created Pee-wee (named for a brand of harmonica he had when...
- 7/31/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Paul Reubens, the actor who portrayed beloved character Pee-wee Herman that amused kids and adults of multiple generations, died on Sunday night at the age of 70. The cause of death was an unspecified cancer.
“Last night, we said farewell to Paul Reubens, an iconic American actor, comedian, writer, and producer whose beloved character Pee-wee Herman delighted generations of children and adults with his positivity, whimsy, and belief in the importance of kindness,” a post on the actor’s official Facebook and Instagram accounts read.
“Paul bravely and privately fought cancer...
“Last night, we said farewell to Paul Reubens, an iconic American actor, comedian, writer, and producer whose beloved character Pee-wee Herman delighted generations of children and adults with his positivity, whimsy, and belief in the importance of kindness,” a post on the actor’s official Facebook and Instagram accounts read.
“Paul bravely and privately fought cancer...
- 7/31/2023
- by Althea Legaspi, Ej Dickson and Kory Grow
- Rollingstone.com
Screen stars Joe Mantegna and Eva Longoria, each with a passion for helping those with special needs, have agreed to co-chair Morgan’s Ambassadors, a group of celebrity advocates in support of Morgan’s Inclusion Initiative of San Antonio.
Morgan’s Inclusion Initiative coordinates planning, fundraising and communications among a “family” of ventures designed with those with special needs in mind and built for everyone’s benefit. These include unique Morgan’s Wonderland, the world’s first and only Ultra-Accessible, fully-inclusive theme park; award-winning Morgan’s Inspiration Island splash park; Morgan’s Wonderland Sports complex, providing fitness and fun for athletes of all abilities; Morgan’s Wonderland Camp, offering a summer-camp-type experience year-round; and the Multi-Assistance Center at Morgan’s Wonderland, or The Mac, bringing together more than 30 community-based organizations in one location to provide coordinated medical and non-medical care to children and adults with special needs.
“We’re truly...
Morgan’s Inclusion Initiative coordinates planning, fundraising and communications among a “family” of ventures designed with those with special needs in mind and built for everyone’s benefit. These include unique Morgan’s Wonderland, the world’s first and only Ultra-Accessible, fully-inclusive theme park; award-winning Morgan’s Inspiration Island splash park; Morgan’s Wonderland Sports complex, providing fitness and fun for athletes of all abilities; Morgan’s Wonderland Camp, offering a summer-camp-type experience year-round; and the Multi-Assistance Center at Morgan’s Wonderland, or The Mac, bringing together more than 30 community-based organizations in one location to provide coordinated medical and non-medical care to children and adults with special needs.
“We’re truly...
- 6/7/2023
- Look to the Stars
Norman Lear showed solidarity to the striking writers Tuesday by posting a sympathetic message on his Instagram page.
The legendary writer-producer, who turned 100 last July, reminded folks that while he has served “other posts” in Hollywood, “I have been, at my core, a writer.”
“A writer who struggled and anguished to put words to paper that would provoke, create conversation, humanize us, help us see each other — words that would matter. I wrote in the very first year of television, when writers were revered. I now watch talented writers struggle to earn a living wage without the path to a career like mine.”
“The stories we tell, the stories I can now watch on any device, are the stories that connect us, engage us, make us laugh and cry together, and inspire understanding and compassion. That is something to be protected and cherished.”
“I stand with writers and the Writers Guild of America,...
The legendary writer-producer, who turned 100 last July, reminded folks that while he has served “other posts” in Hollywood, “I have been, at my core, a writer.”
“A writer who struggled and anguished to put words to paper that would provoke, create conversation, humanize us, help us see each other — words that would matter. I wrote in the very first year of television, when writers were revered. I now watch talented writers struggle to earn a living wage without the path to a career like mine.”
“The stories we tell, the stories I can now watch on any device, are the stories that connect us, engage us, make us laugh and cry together, and inspire understanding and compassion. That is something to be protected and cherished.”
“I stand with writers and the Writers Guild of America,...
- 6/6/2023
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
If Vin Diesel is famous for anything, it's his sincerity. People may make jokes about how often he says "family" in these "Fast & Furious" films, but Diesel himself never gives any indication that he thinks it's a joke. He takes Dom's character arc seriously, even if nobody else does, and that's a big part of why we're still tuning into these films long after they've long since lost their foot on reality. Do we agree with Diesel when he says this franchise is the "Lord of the Rings" of action films? Not necessarily, but we're glad Diesel has this much confidence in these movies.
Not all the actors in this series have quite as stoic an approach, however. In the latest film, Jason Momoa is clearly having the time of his life as the unhinged, chaotic new villain Dante. The guy is basically this series' version of The Joker,...
Not all the actors in this series have quite as stoic an approach, however. In the latest film, Jason Momoa is clearly having the time of his life as the unhinged, chaotic new villain Dante. The guy is basically this series' version of The Joker,...
- 5/20/2023
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
After threatening to quit his musical career if he lost the case, Ed Sheeran was, to say the least, highly relieved Thursday (May 4) when a federal jury ruled that his song “Thinking Out Loud” (co-written with Amy Wadge) doesn’t infringe on the copyright of Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On.” But the entire community of professional songwriters was also watching the case closely, and with no small degree of trepidation. “If this case had turned out differently, it would have completely changed the landscape,” says James “JHart” Abrahart,...
- 5/8/2023
- by Brian Hiatt
- Rollingstone.com
Before becoming one of the most divisive filmmakers in horror with the likes of Halloween and The Munsters, Rob Zombie was just a musician trying his hand at the film industry. House of 1000 Corpses came together fairly quickly following a failed attempt to reboot The Crow, but the rock star’s Hollywood career almost never was due to post-production controversy that left his directorial debut on the shelf for three years.
Production on Corpses was completed in 2000 before Universal Studios refused to release it due to its objectionable content. MGM later came on board to distribute it in 2002 until a tongue-in-cheek remark by Zombie caused them to cancel the deal. Finally, Lions Gate signed on and released it in April of 2003, launching Zombie’s film career as well as a franchise that would be followed by 2005’s The Devil’s Rejects and 2019’s 3 from Hell.
Unsure if he’d ever...
Production on Corpses was completed in 2000 before Universal Studios refused to release it due to its objectionable content. MGM later came on board to distribute it in 2002 until a tongue-in-cheek remark by Zombie caused them to cancel the deal. Finally, Lions Gate signed on and released it in April of 2003, launching Zombie’s film career as well as a franchise that would be followed by 2005’s The Devil’s Rejects and 2019’s 3 from Hell.
Unsure if he’d ever...
- 5/5/2023
- by Alex DiVincenzo
- bloody-disgusting.com
Rainbow Wedell, Nick Pugliese, and Peyton List in ‘School Spirits’ season 1 episode 5 (Photo Credit: Paramount+)
Episode five of Paramount+’s School Spirits opens with Wally (Milo Manheim) trying to get the other ghosts pumped up for the Homecoming game. It’s 10 hours until game time, and Mr. Martin (Josh Zuckerman) encourages the ghosts to sign up for the prep committee.
Rhonda (Sarah Yarkin) is doing her best not to be a Debbie Downer, now that she’s decided to move on to a new plane of existence with Mr. Martin’s help. Charley (Nick Pugliese) would rather go track down Maddie but instead, he remains in the gym to help Wally pump up balloons.
Meanwhile, Claire’s crew has set up an impressive booth and are busy urging their fellow students to vote. Maddie (Peyton List) and Simon (Kristian Flores) have been tailing Claire for a week but still haven...
Episode five of Paramount+’s School Spirits opens with Wally (Milo Manheim) trying to get the other ghosts pumped up for the Homecoming game. It’s 10 hours until game time, and Mr. Martin (Josh Zuckerman) encourages the ghosts to sign up for the prep committee.
Rhonda (Sarah Yarkin) is doing her best not to be a Debbie Downer, now that she’s decided to move on to a new plane of existence with Mr. Martin’s help. Charley (Nick Pugliese) would rather go track down Maddie but instead, he remains in the gym to help Wally pump up balloons.
Meanwhile, Claire’s crew has set up an impressive booth and are busy urging their fellow students to vote. Maddie (Peyton List) and Simon (Kristian Flores) have been tailing Claire for a week but still haven...
- 3/23/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
Milo Manheim as Wally, Peyton List as Maddie, and Nick Pugliese as Charley in ‘School Spirits’ episode 4 (Photo Credit: Ed Araquel / Paramount+)
Maddie (Peyton List) is desperate to find out why Mr. Anderson has cash stuffed in his wall, and why he believes he gave her some, as Paramount+’s School Spirits episode four opens. Class is underway as Maddie tries to figure out how to get into his phone. Remember, School Spirits‘ ghost rules allow the dead to manipulate items without the living realizing they’ve been moved. Mr. Anderson has no idea Maddie’s got his phone and is trying out passwords.
She begs Simon (Kristian Flores) to tell Mr. Anderson (Patrick Gilmore) to check his email. But Simon knows that would look weird and doesn’t comply. Instead, he seizes the opportunity as the bell rings to grab Mr. Anderson’s phone without being seen and races from the classroom.
Maddie (Peyton List) is desperate to find out why Mr. Anderson has cash stuffed in his wall, and why he believes he gave her some, as Paramount+’s School Spirits episode four opens. Class is underway as Maddie tries to figure out how to get into his phone. Remember, School Spirits‘ ghost rules allow the dead to manipulate items without the living realizing they’ve been moved. Mr. Anderson has no idea Maddie’s got his phone and is trying out passwords.
She begs Simon (Kristian Flores) to tell Mr. Anderson (Patrick Gilmore) to check his email. But Simon knows that would look weird and doesn’t comply. Instead, he seizes the opportunity as the bell rings to grab Mr. Anderson’s phone without being seen and races from the classroom.
- 3/16/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
If you weren't alive during the 1970s or don't have a particularly strong connection to the era, you may not recognize the name Louise Lasser. For a few years in the mid-'70s, Lasser was as popular and ubiquitous a TV star as Mary Tyler Moore or Carol Burnett. But unlike those comediennes, Lasser's unique blend of comic wit, ingenue charm, and unfathomably deep, ponderous melancholy hasn't had as much lasting power in the cultural psyche.
That may have less to do with her impact as the star of the boundary-breaking, ahead-of-its-time soap opera satire "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman," and more to do with what the stress of producing five episodes a week per season did to her. "Mary Hartman" centered on an insecure, terminally cheerful yet chronically depressed Midwestern housewife who's never even encountered the concept of depression. The show was developed by Norman Lear as a kind of canny,...
That may have less to do with her impact as the star of the boundary-breaking, ahead-of-its-time soap opera satire "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman," and more to do with what the stress of producing five episodes a week per season did to her. "Mary Hartman" centered on an insecure, terminally cheerful yet chronically depressed Midwestern housewife who's never even encountered the concept of depression. The show was developed by Norman Lear as a kind of canny,...
- 3/9/2023
- by Ryan Coleman
- Slash Film
The Pioneer Woman star Ree Drummond has been posting on social media about her experience as a new empty nester. She’s trying to handle everything with humor, but it seems like it has been challenging for her and Ladd to adjust to an empty house.
“For many parents, the transition to an empty nest can be difficult,” Kalley Hartman, the clinical director at Newport Beach, California-based Ocean Recovery tells Showbiz Cheat Sheet. “It is a major life change that requires adjustments and shifts in routines. This adjustment period may bring up feelings of loneliness, sadness, or even loss. Additionally, it’s common for parents to feel both proud and scared at the same time–proud of their children’s accomplishments and scared for them as they embark on a new chapter of life.”
Showbiz Cheat Sheet reached out to experts and asked them to share their best tips on...
“For many parents, the transition to an empty nest can be difficult,” Kalley Hartman, the clinical director at Newport Beach, California-based Ocean Recovery tells Showbiz Cheat Sheet. “It is a major life change that requires adjustments and shifts in routines. This adjustment period may bring up feelings of loneliness, sadness, or even loss. Additionally, it’s common for parents to feel both proud and scared at the same time–proud of their children’s accomplishments and scared for them as they embark on a new chapter of life.”
Showbiz Cheat Sheet reached out to experts and asked them to share their best tips on...
- 1/29/2023
- by Sheiresa Ngo
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
There's a reason why Phil Hartman's always at the top of the lists for best "Saturday Night Live" cast members. Yes, he was one of the funniest cast members of his time, but he also kept things rolling whenever he wasn't playing the funniest character in a sketch. "People like Phil make it safe for people to be crazier," Julia Sweeney, who played Hartman's character's wife in the famous "Van Down By the River" sketch, told Grantland in 2014. "They're the gravitas. It's not going to go completely off the rails if Phil's in the sketch."
"Matt Foley: Van Down By the River" is famous not just because of Chris Farley's performance, but because of the way almost every other character on the set can't help but break. The only one who manages to keep his composure the whole way through is Phil Hartman, who maintains an air...
"Matt Foley: Van Down By the River" is famous not just because of Chris Farley's performance, but because of the way almost every other character on the set can't help but break. The only one who manages to keep his composure the whole way through is Phil Hartman, who maintains an air...
- 1/28/2023
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
At one time, Paul Reubens and Phil Hartman had a symbiotic friendship, as many in Hollywood do.
Speaking with Westword's Simon Abrams whilst promoting his 2016 movie "Pee-wee's Big Holiday," Reubens remained as dedicated to his iconic man-child character as ever, and refreshingly hailed Russ Meyer's "Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!" as "one of the most underrated American films ever made." Looking back on his career, the American writer-comedian reminisced on his many collaborations that seem out of left field, including that with the late, great Hartman.
A fellow member of the L.A.-based Groundlings comedy sketch troupe when Reubens joined in the 1970s, Hartman (who joined the improv team in 1975) quickly hit it off with him. When the beginnings of an obnoxious character, inept at stand-up comedy, began to germinate in Reubens' mind, it was Hartman who helped him develop the character into the bowtie-wearing nerdball Pee-wee Herman. The...
Speaking with Westword's Simon Abrams whilst promoting his 2016 movie "Pee-wee's Big Holiday," Reubens remained as dedicated to his iconic man-child character as ever, and refreshingly hailed Russ Meyer's "Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!" as "one of the most underrated American films ever made." Looking back on his career, the American writer-comedian reminisced on his many collaborations that seem out of left field, including that with the late, great Hartman.
A fellow member of the L.A.-based Groundlings comedy sketch troupe when Reubens joined in the 1970s, Hartman (who joined the improv team in 1975) quickly hit it off with him. When the beginnings of an obnoxious character, inept at stand-up comedy, began to germinate in Reubens' mind, it was Hartman who helped him develop the character into the bowtie-wearing nerdball Pee-wee Herman. The...
- 1/16/2023
- by Anya Stanley
- Slash Film
Some of the best "Saturday Night Live" sketches are the ones that, on paper at least, shouldn't have worked. The David S. Pumpkins sketch was so dumb it could've easily been dismissed the moment the idea was introduced in the writers' room, but Tom Hanks committed hard to the bit and they pulled it off. It ended up being so popular it was given an animated Halloween special the following year.
Another dumb idea that shouldn't have worked was the classic Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer sketch. It features cast member Phil Hartman as a caveman who'd been frozen in ice 100,000 years ago, discovered and thawed out by scientists, and then went on to become a lawyer. The joke is basically that the caveman talks and acts like a sleazy lawyer, while also constantly mentioning how scary and confusing he finds the modern world to be. "Sometimes when I get a message on my fax machine,...
Another dumb idea that shouldn't have worked was the classic Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer sketch. It features cast member Phil Hartman as a caveman who'd been frozen in ice 100,000 years ago, discovered and thawed out by scientists, and then went on to become a lawyer. The joke is basically that the caveman talks and acts like a sleazy lawyer, while also constantly mentioning how scary and confusing he finds the modern world to be. "Sometimes when I get a message on my fax machine,...
- 1/15/2023
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
Comedian Dana Carvey appeared as a regular cast member on "Saturday Night Live" from 1986 to 1993, and it could be argued those were some of the best years of the long-running sketch comedy show. And many of the accolades from that era go to Carvey. The list of his memorable characters is long and led to two successful "SNL"-inspired films, "Wayne's World" and "Wayne's World 2." Party on, Garth!
But Garth Algar is just the tip of the iceberg for Carvey's "SNL" career. President George Bush Sr., presidential candidate Ross Perot, Johnny Carson, and Tom Brokaw (Brokaw's pre-tapes remain one of my favorite "SNL" skits) were some of his memorable impersonations. Original characters included Hans from the weightlifting Hans and Franz duo, The Grumpy Old Man, and singer/songwriter Derek Stevens (you know you sang along about "Choppin' Broccoli").
But Church Lady ... oh, Church Lady. The indelible host of the fictional...
But Garth Algar is just the tip of the iceberg for Carvey's "SNL" career. President George Bush Sr., presidential candidate Ross Perot, Johnny Carson, and Tom Brokaw (Brokaw's pre-tapes remain one of my favorite "SNL" skits) were some of his memorable impersonations. Original characters included Hans from the weightlifting Hans and Franz duo, The Grumpy Old Man, and singer/songwriter Derek Stevens (you know you sang along about "Choppin' Broccoli").
But Church Lady ... oh, Church Lady. The indelible host of the fictional...
- 1/10/2023
- by Travis Yates
- Slash Film
The late Phil Hartman voiced two of the funniest characters on "The Simpsons." First, there was the ambulance-chasing lawyer Lionel Hutz, who's like Saul Goodman minus the competence, and then Troy McClure, a washed-up movie star reduced to hosting informational videos. With a trademark pink sweater and forced grin, McClure would always introduce himself with, "You may remember me from such movies as..."
Both characters debuted in season 2, Hutz in "Bart Gets Hit by a Car" and McClure in "Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment." Hutz was the more prominent of the two, as the Simpsons were no strangers to lawsuits and Hutz was their go-to representation. McClure's parts tended to be simple cameos when characters watched his films, though he did have a starring role in "A Fish Called Selma." It turns out that McClure's had bad luck getting work because the public learned of his fetish for fish.
Both characters debuted in season 2, Hutz in "Bart Gets Hit by a Car" and McClure in "Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment." Hutz was the more prominent of the two, as the Simpsons were no strangers to lawsuits and Hutz was their go-to representation. McClure's parts tended to be simple cameos when characters watched his films, though he did have a starring role in "A Fish Called Selma." It turns out that McClure's had bad luck getting work because the public learned of his fetish for fish.
- 1/8/2023
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
By the time Stanley Kubrick came to direct "Full Metal Jacket" in the mid-1980s, his legendary status had been well and truly established. At that point, most of his filmography was behind him. "Full Metal Jacket," released in 1987, would be his penultimate film, followed by "Eyes Wide Shut" in 1999 — the same year the director passed away. But Kubrick had long since ascended to a status in Hollywood that few other directors ever had or would reach. Naturally, actors were eager to be a part of his Vietnam War epic.
Kubrick, ever the informed and calculating artist, was well-aware of his reputation and took a characteristically unique approach to casting "Full Metal Jacket" by playing on that reputation. The director had always put the story first on whatever project he was working on, and as such was diligent about getting the right actors for his roles. As "Full Metal Jacket...
Kubrick, ever the informed and calculating artist, was well-aware of his reputation and took a characteristically unique approach to casting "Full Metal Jacket" by playing on that reputation. The director had always put the story first on whatever project he was working on, and as such was diligent about getting the right actors for his roles. As "Full Metal Jacket...
- 12/31/2022
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
Steve Hartman — whose feel good stories have become a staple for CBS News programs — is hoping his long-gestating special will send an important message to CBS. In The Gift: Kindness Goes Viral (Wednesday at 10 p.m. Et), the longtime news personality not only plans to show that kindness can spread (he even asks an MIT professor to come up with a formula), he hopes his bosses at the Eye will take notice that programs like this can make a difference to viewers.
The special examines how one simple act of kindness can create a ripple effect, whether it’s giving a haircut to a homeless man or helping pay for an adoption. Hartman’s popular On the Road stories that show up on the CBS Evening News and CBS Sunday ultimately inspired the special.
“First, I think if everyone watched, this Gift could change America for the better,” Hartman tweeted.
The special examines how one simple act of kindness can create a ripple effect, whether it’s giving a haircut to a homeless man or helping pay for an adoption. Hartman’s popular On the Road stories that show up on the CBS Evening News and CBS Sunday ultimately inspired the special.
“First, I think if everyone watched, this Gift could change America for the better,” Hartman tweeted.
- 12/27/2022
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
One might find that there are very few films that venerate and celebrate the Vietnam War (1955 - 1975). Filmmakers looked at the quagmire in Southeast Asia, and discovered no small amount of horrendous violence, idiotic governmental bluster, and soul-hollowing atrocities. Oliver Stone's "Platoon" won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1986, and that film seemed like Hollywood's final exposé on the topic. The following year, however, Stanley Kubrick came in to deal a death blow to any and all films that seek to glorify war or venerate the soldier's experience with "Full Metal Jacket," a film so bitter, one might be tempted to call it a comedy.
"Full Metal Jacket" is a two-part drama. The first part of the movie takes place entirely during Marines basic training, overseen by Sgt. Hartman (R. Lee Ermey), the drill instructor from Hell. He screams, berates, insults, cusses, and hits the soldiers in his charge.
"Full Metal Jacket" is a two-part drama. The first part of the movie takes place entirely during Marines basic training, overseen by Sgt. Hartman (R. Lee Ermey), the drill instructor from Hell. He screams, berates, insults, cusses, and hits the soldiers in his charge.
- 12/22/2022
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
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“War,” trumpets the first lyric of Paramore’s new single “The News.” Lead singer Hayley Williams gets to the point: this will not be a delicate return to music.
“The News,” which dropped late last week, is the band’s second one-off after taking a five-year hiatus. However, the gap in time isn’t slowing them down. “It’s a scary, exciting feeling,” Williams tells Rolling Stone over email,...
“War,” trumpets the first lyric of Paramore’s new single “The News.” Lead singer Hayley Williams gets to the point: this will not be a delicate return to music.
“The News,” which dropped late last week, is the band’s second one-off after taking a five-year hiatus. However, the gap in time isn’t slowing them down. “It’s a scary, exciting feeling,” Williams tells Rolling Stone over email,...
- 12/16/2022
- by Kyle Rice
- Rollingstone.com
“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” may be looking into the internal affairs of its own showrunner.
Writer-producer David Graziano, who oversees the hit NBC series, was at the center of a Los Angeles Times report alleging a toxic workplace environment. More than a dozen people accused Graziano of mistreating colleagues, making inappropriate comments towards women and people of color, and having a bad temper. Allegations against Graziano cite events spanning over a decade.
The exposé was published the same day as “Svu” star Kelli Giddish’s final episode aired, with Giddish’s exit rumored to be due to salary disputes with series creator Dick Wolf.
“Law & Order: Svu” stars Mariska Hargitay as Captain Olivia Benson, the leader of a Special Victims Unit in New York City that investigates sex crimes. The beloved procedural has been airing for 24 seasons.
Graziano joined “Svu” as a writer, executive producer, and showrunner...
Writer-producer David Graziano, who oversees the hit NBC series, was at the center of a Los Angeles Times report alleging a toxic workplace environment. More than a dozen people accused Graziano of mistreating colleagues, making inappropriate comments towards women and people of color, and having a bad temper. Allegations against Graziano cite events spanning over a decade.
The exposé was published the same day as “Svu” star Kelli Giddish’s final episode aired, with Giddish’s exit rumored to be due to salary disputes with series creator Dick Wolf.
“Law & Order: Svu” stars Mariska Hargitay as Captain Olivia Benson, the leader of a Special Victims Unit in New York City that investigates sex crimes. The beloved procedural has been airing for 24 seasons.
Graziano joined “Svu” as a writer, executive producer, and showrunner...
- 12/9/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
David Graziano, who was named the new showrunner of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” ahead of its record 24th season, has been accused of creating “toxic” work environments and of inappropriate behavior and comments on his previous series, the Los Angeles Times reported on Thursday.
According to the article, the allegations of bullying date back at least 10 years.
“The implication that Mr. Graziano created a hostile work environment, or is sexist, inappropriate and unprofessional is false,” his spokesperson Alafair Hall told TheWrap. “‘Please,’ ‘thank you,’ and ‘excuse me,’ are words seldom heard in writers’ rooms where the focus is murder.”
When the news that “Svu” had tapped Graziano broke, Amy Hartman, who worked as a script coordinator on his Paramount drama “Coyote,” wrote on an email thread, “Graz is super toxic and I’ve never run from a job so fast in my life as I did when I Sc’ed for him.
According to the article, the allegations of bullying date back at least 10 years.
“The implication that Mr. Graziano created a hostile work environment, or is sexist, inappropriate and unprofessional is false,” his spokesperson Alafair Hall told TheWrap. “‘Please,’ ‘thank you,’ and ‘excuse me,’ are words seldom heard in writers’ rooms where the focus is murder.”
When the news that “Svu” had tapped Graziano broke, Amy Hartman, who worked as a script coordinator on his Paramount drama “Coyote,” wrote on an email thread, “Graz is super toxic and I’ve never run from a job so fast in my life as I did when I Sc’ed for him.
- 12/8/2022
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
Making a movie with Stanley Kubrick could be an exhausting experience. The perfectionist filmmaker was notorious for subjecting actors to take after take until he'd drained the acting out of the scene. He still holds the Guinness World Record for racking up 148 takes with Scatman Crothers and Danny Lloyd for the "shine" sequence on the set of "The Shining." And people generally put up with this because it was an honor to work with the reclusive director, whose every movie was treated as a cinematic event.
For his 1987 classic "Full Metal Jacket," Kubrick rounded up a group of young actors who worshiped him, and flung them into two separate hells: a Parris Island boot camp and Da Nang during the Vietnam War. Kubrick shot the Vietnam half at the abandoned Beckton Gas Works in London. The sprawling location had been used in films before (it's where James Bond disposes of...
For his 1987 classic "Full Metal Jacket," Kubrick rounded up a group of young actors who worshiped him, and flung them into two separate hells: a Parris Island boot camp and Da Nang during the Vietnam War. Kubrick shot the Vietnam half at the abandoned Beckton Gas Works in London. The sprawling location had been used in films before (it's where James Bond disposes of...
- 11/15/2022
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Galling Oscar snubs are often as well remembered as the actual winners. R. Lee Ermey's performance as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Stanley Kubrick's "Full Metal Jacket" is a legendary one, but it was totally unrecognized by the Academy. Ermey, a former Marine and drill instructor himself, drew on his past life to play the psychopathic Sergeant. Hartman goes above and beyond what's required of him, speaking in a constantly raised tone and saying nothing but bigotry and abuse. In the end, he pushes Private Leonard Lawrence (Vincent D'Onofrio) too far and gets a personal taste of how successful he was at making the boy into a killer.
When awards season came around, the best result Ermey came to was a Golden Globe Best Supporting Actor nomination (he also won the Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor). Matthew Modine, who played the movie's protagonist Private...
When awards season came around, the best result Ermey came to was a Golden Globe Best Supporting Actor nomination (he also won the Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor). Matthew Modine, who played the movie's protagonist Private...
- 11/14/2022
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
September 7, 1940, was a beautiful warm day in London, with many people enjoying the fine weather (via Newham Photos). That all changed around teatime when the air raid sirens wailed and over 300 German bombers, supported by over 600 fighter planes, swarmed over the city. One of their main targets was the industrial hub in the East End and Docklands, and the sprawling Beckton Gas Works was hit with high explosives and firebombs.
By the time the all-clear sounded around dawn the next morning, 146 people had lost their lives. That day became known as "Black Saturday" and marked the beginning of the Blitz, with another 56 consecutive nights of bombing rocking the capital. After the war, the Beckton site underwent a huge reconstruction project and became one of the largest gas works in the world until its closure in 1976. Then, over 40 years after the Luftwaffe tried to level it, an American director named Stanley Kubrick...
By the time the all-clear sounded around dawn the next morning, 146 people had lost their lives. That day became known as "Black Saturday" and marked the beginning of the Blitz, with another 56 consecutive nights of bombing rocking the capital. After the war, the Beckton site underwent a huge reconstruction project and became one of the largest gas works in the world until its closure in 1976. Then, over 40 years after the Luftwaffe tried to level it, an American director named Stanley Kubrick...
- 11/13/2022
- by Lee Adams
- Slash Film
He's been the Sheriff of a Texas town and oversaw the investigation of John Doe, but to scores of moviegoers, the late R. Lee Ermey was America's favorite dehumanizing leader.
A United States Marine Corps staff sergeant with experience in South Vietnam from 1968 through 1969, Ermey was medically discharged in 1972 but found a second life as an intimidating authority figure on the big screen. The Kansas-born actor would soon serve as technical advisor to Francis Ford Coppola on the epic 1979 war drama "Apocalypse Now," wherein he also played a 1st Air Cavalry helicopter pilot. But it was in Stanley Kubrick's confrontational war drama "Full Metal Jacket" that Ermey carved out a role so iconic, that when misfortune visited Ermey during the film's shooting, the notoriously perfectionist filmmaker paused production rather than recast the role.
For those unfamiliar with the 1987 movie, its story follows Marine Privates J.T. Davis and Leonard Lawrence...
A United States Marine Corps staff sergeant with experience in South Vietnam from 1968 through 1969, Ermey was medically discharged in 1972 but found a second life as an intimidating authority figure on the big screen. The Kansas-born actor would soon serve as technical advisor to Francis Ford Coppola on the epic 1979 war drama "Apocalypse Now," wherein he also played a 1st Air Cavalry helicopter pilot. But it was in Stanley Kubrick's confrontational war drama "Full Metal Jacket" that Ermey carved out a role so iconic, that when misfortune visited Ermey during the film's shooting, the notoriously perfectionist filmmaker paused production rather than recast the role.
For those unfamiliar with the 1987 movie, its story follows Marine Privates J.T. Davis and Leonard Lawrence...
- 11/13/2022
- by Anya Stanley
- Slash Film
On "Saturday Night Live," breaking is a complicated thing. Back when Jimmy Fallon was a cast member, for instance, he cracked up on camera so often that it became a nuisance to both the audience and his fellow cast members. Tracy Morgan described Fallon's schtick as "taking all the attention off of everybody else and putting it on you, like, 'Oh, look at me, I'm the cute one.'" Morgan apparently forbade Fallon from breaking in any of his sketches — "I told him not to do that s*** in my sketches, so he never did" — which seems to imply that Fallon's laughter was more of a calculated act than he might've wanted us to think.
Other times, the sketch is so funny that you can't really blame the cast member for laughing. Sometimes, the cast members breaking actually elevates the sketch, turning it from something that might've been forgettable...
Other times, the sketch is so funny that you can't really blame the cast member for laughing. Sometimes, the cast members breaking actually elevates the sketch, turning it from something that might've been forgettable...
- 11/11/2022
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
In modern parlance, a jerk refers to a cruel, mean-spirited, or hateful person. In 2022, "jerk" is synonymous with "bully" or "a**hole." In 1979, however, when director Carl Reiner, Steve Martin, and screenwriters Carl Gottlieb and Michael Elias were making their comedy film "The Jerk," the word referred to a fool or a buffoon, someone who was clueless. Navin R. Johnson, Martin's character in "The Jerk," is most certainly clueless, seemingly unable to fully perceive the world around him. In a long tradition of well-meaning comedic fools, Navin sees the world as a glorious place, even as he encounters crime and horror. He is a modern-day Candide, fecklessly roaming the countryside, hastily discovering success and love, then just as quickly losing them through his own hubris and idiocy. In his book "Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life," Martin himself compared "The Jerk" to Dostoyevsky's novel "The Idiot."
It takes a very...
It takes a very...
- 10/31/2022
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Actor, comedian and “I am who I am” proponent Chevy Chase has let it slip that he is suffering from memory loss related to heart failure in 2021. Appearing on a recent episode of Dana Carvey and David Spade’s Saturday Night Live-centric podcast “Fly on the Wall”, Chevy Chase’s abnormalities in speech and thought let it slip that he is suffering from memory loss.
About halfway through the episode, Chevy Chase tries to recall a story about Richard Pryor, who hosted Saturday Night Live early on. Chase fumbles the dates a bit before pausing and saying, “I’m trying to remember why I started that [story]…I have a little pain in my heart.”
At that point, Chase’s wife, Jane, interrupted the gang. “I should’ve told you this ahead of time. In February last year, Chevy had heart failure…Basically, he was rather out of it for a while.
About halfway through the episode, Chevy Chase tries to recall a story about Richard Pryor, who hosted Saturday Night Live early on. Chase fumbles the dates a bit before pausing and saying, “I’m trying to remember why I started that [story]…I have a little pain in my heart.”
At that point, Chase’s wife, Jane, interrupted the gang. “I should’ve told you this ahead of time. In February last year, Chevy had heart failure…Basically, he was rather out of it for a while.
- 10/21/2022
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
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