Monday, September 30, 2024
‘The Hills of California’ Broadway Review: Jez Butterworth Delivers Another Modern Classic
Maybe it is the near-vertical two flights of stairs. Maybe it is the mother whom none of us would want to call our own. At first viewing of “The Hills of California” in London this year, I thought Jez Butterworth had written the British “August: Osage County,” Tracy Letts’ Pulitzer Prize-winning play from 2008. Having now seen “The Hills of California” on Broadway, where it opened Sunday at the Broadhurst Theatre, I realize Butterworth has written something much more significant and moving. In crossing the Atlantic Ocean, he also cut a plot detail from the third act — and it’s…
Sunday, September 29, 2024
Dana Carvey, Jim Gaffigan and Andy Samberg Set for Duration of ‘SNL’ Season 50 as Biden, Walz and Emhoff
The “SNL” Season 50 premiere was predictably star-studded with a cold open that revealed Dana Carvey as Joe Biden, Jim Gaffigan as Tim Walz and Andy Samberg as Doug Emhoff alongside Maya Rudolph’s previously announced return as Vice President Kamala Harris. But these were no mere one-off cameos — Carvey, Gaffigan and Samberg are set to play these roles for the duration of Season 50, TheWrap has learned. Carvey takes over the Biden role from Mikey Day, who played the President last season. Jim Carrey famously played Biden during the 2020 election, but stepped out of the role after Biden…
Saturday, September 28, 2024
Bill Maher Jokes the Constitution ‘Wasn’t Written by Taylor Swift,’ but It’s Still ‘Probably the Greatest Legal Document Ever’ | Video
Bill Maher gave a lengthy defense of the U.S. constitution and also basic American values during his “New Rules” segment on Friday’s “Real Time.” And while the bulk of the commentary was a somewhat tedious expression of inchoate frustration with Gen Z activists, the main point was a celebration of how the constitution ” makes life good” even for the people who hate the people who created it. Maher’s entry into the topic was to refer to Kamala Harris’ speech at the Democratic National Convention in August. “the smartest thing Democrats did this year was finding their patriotism again. If…
Friday, September 27, 2024
Stephen Colbert Loves Sam Elliott’s Pro-Kamala Harris Ad: ‘It’s Morning Again in America, Bitches’ | Video
In his monologue on Thursday’s episode of “The Late Show,” Stephen Colbert made it clear he enjoyed the hell out of the campaign ad Sam Elliott did for Democratic nominee Kamala Harris. Especially because of the swears. In fact, Colbert loved the ad so much he compared it to one of the most iconic American political ads of all time — with some profanity thrown in. Ok, for those who haven’t heard it, the ad, produced by The Lincoln Project, features Elliott’s narration, during which at one point he says, “are we really going down that same f—ing broken road…
Thursday, September 26, 2024
‘Salem’s Lot’ Review: The Latest Stephen King Remake Raises the Bloody Bar
If you’re going to remake a classic Stephen King adaptation, you’d better do it right. Nobody’s ever topped Brian De Palma’s original “Carrie,” no matter how hard they tried. “It: Chapter One” knocked it out of the park, but “It: Chapter Two” brought it back into the park and poured manure on it, so they more-or-less cancel each other out. The TV mini-series remake of “The Shining” isn’t as bad as everyone remembers, but let’s not go nuts. It’s pretty grim when the 2019 version of “Pet Sematary” is your gold standard, since quality-wise even that’s just a lateral move….
Wednesday, September 25, 2024
Paramount Plans to Lay Off 66 More Employees in New York This December
Paramount Global plans to lay off 66 employees in New York this December, according to a notice posted by New York’s state government, as part of the company’s plans to to cut its United States workforce by 15%. A notice filed with the New York Department of Labor indicated those forthcoming layoffs will take place in three phases on Dec. 6, Dec. 13, and Dec. 16, with the vast majority being laid off effective Dec. 16. Sixty-four of the employees are at the company’s New York City headquarters and were notified on Sept. 17. The New York state notice, amended…
Tuesday, September 24, 2024
Jimmy Kimmel Weighs in on Mark Robinson Scandal: ‘Where Is Kanye When You Need Him?’
Jimmy Kimmel’s monologue on Monday was as crowded with topics as the news was at the end of last week. There was the series of unhinged statements Donald Trump made over the weekend. There was the journalism ethics scandal stemming from the affair between RFK Jr. and New York Magazine reporter Olivia Nuzzi. And of course the generally insane scandal in North Carolina involving Lt. Governor and current gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson. The Robinson stuff had Kimmel particularly baffled, leading him to joke, “Where is Kanye when you need him?” “There’s a relatively new character in the mix, Mark Robinson,…
Monday, September 23, 2024
‘Matlock’ Release Schedule: When Do New Episodes Air?
Kathy Bates is taking on the iconic legal eagle “Matlock” in one of the best new shows of the Fall. From “Jane the Virgin” creator Jennie Snyder Urman, CBS’ reboot of the classic procedural stars the Oscar- and Emmy-winning actress as Madeline Matlock, a new take on the defense attorney originated by Andy Griffith in the 1980s original. CBS is giving audiences a September sneak peek of the fondly reviewed series before it kicks off for real in October, so if you catch the Sept. 22 airing and you’re wondering when you can expect the next episode, we’ve got you…
Saturday, September 21, 2024
Olivia Nuzzi’s Affair With RFK Jr Lasted Almost 9 Months, New York Magazine Editor Tells Staff
In an email to New York Magazine staff on Friday, editor-in-chief David Haskell addressed the scandal surrounding star reporter Olivia Nuzzi, who conducted a secret romantic relationship with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and is now on leave while the matter is being investigated. Among other things, Haskell told staff that the relationship lasted nearly 9 months, ended a few weeks ago, and that management only learned about it this week; He also confirmed that they learned about it before Nuzzi came clean. According to Haskell, NY Mag “learned about the personal nature of Olivia’s relationship a few days ago. She…
Friday, September 20, 2024
Jimmy Kimmel Argues ‘Meaningless’ Presidential Polls Are ‘Like the Kardashians in a Lot of Ways’ | Video
Jimmy Kimmel doesn’t really trust presidential polling. As he explained to his “Jimmy Kimmel Live” audience during his monologue Thursday, the major presidential polls don’t really tell us very much about how Kamala Harris is doing compared to Donald Trump. “We’re now 46 days away from Donald Trump claiming he won the election,” Kimmel said. “Whether he did or not.” “Kamala Harris appears to have momentum. I think. The polls say she does. But they also say she doesn’t. I don’t know. A slate of new polls have been rolling out over the last few days,” Kimmel explained. “The Morning Consult says Harris…
