Theatre, Film & Broadcast

‘Pee Pee’ Puns, Putin: ‘SNL’ Takes on Trump Conference

In Donald Trump’s America, the jokes seem to write themselves. The president-elect gave “Saturday Night Live” writers a tall task this week: how to parody a press conference that already offered its own macabre humor, from “golden shower gate” to Trump’s plan to barely-not-really separate himself from his businesses to his insults directed at the […]

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International, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA

Dick Gautier, best known as Hymie the robot on ‘Get Smart’, dies at 85

To some, he was the voice of Rodimus Prime on the mid-1980s animated TV show “The Transformers,” or Serpentor on the animated “G.I. Joe.” But for baby boomers, Dick Gautier was best known for his deadpan performance as Hymie the robot in the ’60s spy spoof “Get Smart.” Gautier’s daughter Denise told the Hollywood Reporter

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Obituaries & memorials, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Famed ‘Exorcist’ author, filmmaker William Peter Blatty dead at 89

WASHINGTON, January 14, 2017 – Screenwriter and novelist William Peter Blatty, who won widespread fame as the author of “The Exorcist” (1971), died Thursday morning, January 12 at a hospital in Bethesda, Maryland, the Washington, D.C. suburb where he lived. He was 89. William Friedkin, a longtime friend and colleague who directed iconic 1973 film

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Obituaries & memorials, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Lunch with ‘Bad Jews’

By Jana Mazurkiewicz SAN DIEGO — Cygnet Theatre organized an informal lunch conversation earlier this month about Joshua Harmon’s comedy Bad Jews that will premiere in San Diego on January 12th. The meeting gathered journalists, theater enthusiasts, and cultural activists representing Jewish organizations based in San Diego. Cygnet Theatre’s artistic director, Sean Murray, and the marketing director, Autumn

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San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Movie review: ‘Patriots Day’ is blunt, but effective

“Patriots Day,” Peter Berg’s film about the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, lands with all the subtlety of one of the deadly explosions that claimed three lives and injured 264 others. Terrorism, bad. Law enforcement, first responders, marathon runners and onlookers — as embodied by the fictional, Boston-proud composite character played by Mark Wahlberg who just

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Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Actress Natalie Portman: Women Are So Often Objectified

American actress Natalie Portman has spoken out against women being objectified “in business, in government, and in storytelling.” The Jackie star, who was nominated for a Golden Globe award for her portrayal of the late Jacqueline Kennedy in the new biopic, said she believes Hollywood, like all industries, has a long way to go when

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Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Bishop presides over classy MiraCosta theater program

By Eva Trieger OCEANSIDE, California — College students and their parents, often look forward to the start of the new school year, the moving of grown children out of the house and into their dorms, the structure of a day with classes and homework, no logy teenager sleeping until noon, nor having that interminably empty stomach

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Eva Trieger, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Everything That Donald Trump Thinks Is Overrated

During her acceptance speech for the Cecil B. DeMille award at Sunday night’s Golden Globe Awards, Meryl Streep took a rather large swipe at Donald Trump. “This instinct to humiliate, when it’s modeled by someone in the public platform, by someone powerful, it filters down into everybody’s life, because it kind of gives permission for

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Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

He’s a lion, hear him roar

By Cynthia Citron LOS ANGELES — The slice of life that he brings to the stage is his own.  Filled with pain and anger, hostility, loneliness, and alienation, it is, nevertheless, a solo performance that in the end brings the audience to its feet in a well-deserved minutes-long standing ovation.   Benjamin Scheuer, playwright, songwriter, and performer,

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Cynthia Citron, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

‘Hidden Figures’ is a hit, nearly tying ‘Rogue One’ for No. 1 box-office spot

LOS ANGELES — The new movie “Hidden Figures” tells the uplifting true story of a trio of women who defied expectations as they helped the U.S. space program. Now the tale is also beating the odds at the box office. The Oscar hopeful surpassed industry projections in its wide-release debut over the weekend, collecting $21.8

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Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Meryl Streep denounces Donald Trump, defends persecuted Hollywood actors at Golden Globes

Meryl Streep used almost all of her acceptance speech at Sunday night’s Golden Globes to denounce Donald Trump and sports fans, and to place Hollywood actors among the world’s most persecuted people. Miss Streep was garlanded with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) lifetime achievement award and said that in addition to losing her voice,

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Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Alec Baldwin took another jab at Donald Trump with one hard-hitting Instagram post

Alec Baldwin didn’t have time to tease Donald Trump on “Saturday Night Live” this week, but that didn’t stop him from trolling the president-elect anyway. On Friday, Baldwin mocked Trump on Instagram with one savage selfie. Baldwin shared a photo of himself wearing a Trump-esque hat that reportedly reads “Make America Great Again” in Russian,

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International, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Film mogul, power broker, ex-spy, Arnon Milchan is central to Netanyahu graft probe

Israeli Hollywood producer reportedly keeps the PM supplied with fine cigars, and the PM’s wife with champagne. Illicit benefits or just gifts from a good friend? By Times of Israel staff and Stuart Winer Hollywood-based billionaire Israeli film producer Arnon Milchan, who is at the center of corruption allegations now being investigated by police against

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Middle East, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA