Category Archives: Entertainment

Jeremy Renner: Steve McQueen In New Film

He just may be talented enough to pull this off….

From HuffingtonPost.com:

A newly famous action star isn’t just embracing superstardom, he’s kicking expectations to a whole new level.

Two time Oscar nominee Jeremy Renner is set to produce and star in a biopic of legendarily rebellious actor Steve McQueen, the Oscar-nominated icon who helped define the modern action film. Renner’s new production company, The Combine, will be behind the film, to be based on Marshall Terrill’s book “Portrait of an American Rebel” and “The Life and Legend of a Hollywood Icon.”

McQueen, whose career was launched to true stardom with the TV show “Wanted: Dead or Alive,” featured in a slew of popular action movies through the 60’s and 70’s, including “The Magnificent Seven,” “The Great Escape,” “Bullitt,” and “The Thomas Crown Affair,” amongst many others. He became at one point the highest paid actor in the world; his obsession with racing led him to do many of his own stunts and cemented his reputation as fearless leading man.

Renner has been on an epic run of his own; scoring back-to-back Oscar nods for action-filled dramas “The Hurt Locker” and “The Town,” he’ll appear in the new “Mission Impossible” film this summer with an eye on taking over the series from current headliner Tom Cruise. He’s now playing Hawkeye in the comic book epic “The Avengers” with director Joss Whedon, and he’s the choice to take over the “Bourne” films from Matt Damon.

via Jeremy Renner: Steve McQueen In New Film.

Leave a comment

Filed under Entertainment, Movies

Royal Wedding Proves Worldwide Gay Population Vastly Under-Reported

From Bill Maher via Twitter:

“Its being reported that a third of the world watched the royal wedding – and yet they claim gays are only 3 pct of population?”

Leave a comment

Filed under Entertainment, Gay

Happy Birthday, Patsy Stone!

I mean Joanna Lumley, the incredibly talented actress who played Patsy in “Absolutely Fabulous”, one of my favorite TV shows…

Even though, in those years Pats and Eddie hit a little close to home on occasion….

Joanna Lumley really is more than Patsy Stone.  She’s an incredibly talented British stage and film actress.

But she will forever be known to many as “Pats”.

Leave a comment

Filed under Entertainment, Television

Secret shame: Paula Deen hides diabetes from fans while continuing to promote high-fat recipes | Mail Online

Is anyone truly surprised by this?

Everyone knows how unhealthy our native Southern cuisine is…

And Paula Deen’s version is Southern Cuisine on Steroids….

You can’t blame her from trying to hang on to what made her rich and famous…

Still, you also would think she would start preaching a little moderation…

A family friend of Deen’s told the Enquirer: ‘When Paula was diagnosed with diabetes I think she was worried that if her secret got out, it would make her look like a hypocrite.

‘Ironically, the very thing that made her rich and famous turned her into a poster child for what could happen if you follow in her footsteps.’

One of Deen’s most famous dishes is the Lady’s Brunch Burger, which is a hamburger topped with bacon and a fried egg and served on a glazed donut.

Her devastation at allegedly being diagnosed with diabetes went further than her career – the friend told the Enquirer that she simply loves to eat high-fat, high-calorie foods.

The source said: ‘At first she resisted doctor’s orders to drastically change her diet, but eventually she realised that if she didn’t it would put her into an early grave.’

Her health conscious husband Michael Groover is said to have helped to persuade Paula to change her ways, added the source.

This thing is disgusting….

INGREDIENTS OF PAULA’S BRUNCH BURGER

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

3 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley leaves

2 tablespoons grated onion

2 tablespoons butter

3 eggs

6 slices bacon, cooked

3 hamburger buns

3 English muffins

6 glazed donuts

via Secret shame: Paula Deen hides diabetes from fans while continuing to promote high-fat recipes | Mail Online.

Leave a comment

Filed under Entertainment, Food

The First Royal “Wedding of the Century”: Grace Kelly to Prince Ranier of Monaco

Here is the newsreel coverage of the marriage of Grace Kelly to Prince Ranier….

I can’t help but think Kate Middleton, the new Duchess of Cambridge, drew some inspiration from Grace’s dress and veil…

Leave a comment

Filed under Entertainment, History

An Over-the-Top British Wedding: And Not the One You’re Thinking of-“My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding”

I just read about this British series and had to look it up on YouTube…

It’s called “My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding”….

This just might over shadow the Royal Wedding as Kate won’t be able to top these dresses!

The whole series is on YouTube if you become fascinated….

1 Comment

Filed under Entertainment

Happy Birthday to the Kitten with a Whip

Otherwise known as Ann Margret….

I can’t believe she’s 70 today…

Here she is in “Viva Las Vegas” with some guy….

Leave a comment

Filed under Entertainment

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell?

Hat Tip to Towleroad.com…and to Budweiser!

Debate amongst yourselves….

Leave a comment

Filed under Entertainment, Gay

Happy Birthday, Ella Fitzgerald

What is it with so many great singers/performers having their birthdays so close together??

There must be something to astrology after all….

The late, great Ella Fitzgerald would have been 93 today.

Leave a comment

Filed under Broadway, Entertainment, Movies, Music

“Steel Magnolias” at Triad Stage

I just came in from seeing “Steel Magnolias” at Triad Stage here in Greensboro.  And it was good.

I know Triad Stage and other Regional Theatres need to do crowd pleasers like “Steel Magnolias”.  They bring in a large audience, that will hopefully come back again for other shows and help to build an audience for live theatre.  Shows like this also bring in a lot of cash.  But they also create an interesting experience for Season Ticket holders, like me, who would not have gone to see “Steel Magnolias”  if it were not part of the Season.  It gives us the chance revisit plays from our pasts. And sometimes these new visits surprise us.

As usual, at Triad Stage, the production values were wonderful and the acting was excellent- all that we expect from Triad Stage.

The problem, for me,  was the play.

I’ve probably seen “Steel Magnolias” too many times, both on stage and film, but it has been several years since I’ve seen it.  I’ve probably also heard the lines too many times, but in this production, there did seem to be some laugh lines that were missed.

And you know what?  It just wasn’t as good a play as I remembered from seeing it  years ago.

Don’t get me wrong, there is a lot of heart in this show, some memorable characters and some funny lines.  You can’t help but be drawn into the lives of and care about these upper middle class Louisiana women.  But don’t look too closely at the play itself.  The first scene, in particular, goes on way too long…

I was also surprised at how rooted “Steel Magnolias” was in the 1980’s and how dated it seemed now.  Times have changed so much more than I realized since the times in which this play was set.   I’m not sure the cultural references make sense to anyone under 40, but then that’s not “Steel Magnolias” audience.

And it was almost a full house on Easter Sunday.

If you love “Steel Magnolias”, go see this production.  Especially if you’ve never seen it on stage and only know it from the movie.  You won’t see a better production with so many fine actresses around here any time soon.  It’s definitely a pleasant evening in the theatre and it received a standing ovation at the end of tonight’s show.

Just don’t be too surprised, either,  if the magic just isn’t there.  It’s not that they don’t try and succeed, on so many levels, at Triad Stage.  It’s just that the play itself isn’t as good as I remembered it being all those years ago…

And that might be the adjustment that I’m struggling with…

Leave a comment

Filed under Entertainment, Theatre