Ahead of La Brea‘s Season 2 premiere (this Tuesday, Sept. 27 at 9/8c), TVLine invited the cast to dazzle us with superlatives about the NBC hit’s freshman follow-up — and they did not disappoint.
In the rollicking cast Q&a above, Natalie Zea (who plays Eve), Nicholas Gonzalez (Levi), Eoin Macken (Gavin), Zyra Gorecki (Izzy), Jon Seda (Sam), Chiké Okonkwo (Ty), Tonantzin Carmelo (Paara) , Veronica “Pow-Pow!” St. Clair (Riley) and Jack Martin (Josh) took turns playing hype man for Season 2, which picks up not long at all after the Season 1 finale, in which Josh and Riley vanished into a light portal and leaped from 10,000 B.
In the rollicking cast Q&a above, Natalie Zea (who plays Eve), Nicholas Gonzalez (Levi), Eoin Macken (Gavin), Zyra Gorecki (Izzy), Jon Seda (Sam), Chiké Okonkwo (Ty), Tonantzin Carmelo (Paara) , Veronica “Pow-Pow!” St. Clair (Riley) and Jack Martin (Josh) took turns playing hype man for Season 2, which picks up not long at all after the Season 1 finale, in which Josh and Riley vanished into a light portal and leaped from 10,000 B.
- 9/25/2022
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
Better Call Saul ended last night with a wonderful episode that brought the entire Breaking Bad universe to a satisfying conclusion. We recapped the finale and spoke with Saul co-creator Peter Gould, but we’re not ready to say goodbye to the classic AMC drama just yet. So here are 10 moments from across the series’ run that remind us why a spinoff no one — including Gould and co-creator Vince Gilligan — seemed to think was a good idea at the start turned out to be as beloved in its own way...
- 8/16/2022
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Rollingstone.com
The Challenge: USA said goodbye to another two competitors on Wednesday's shocking episode.
Derek Xiao and Shannon St. Clair were the unlucky duo thrown into the elimination.
Shannon believes she hurt her place in the game by revealing her injury, but she maintains that she only meant to say that to Derek.
"But I'm really loud. Like, I scream when I talk. So, they could all see me danging. I got my sneaker caught in the rope ladder, and that's when I pulled my hamstring," St. Clair tells TV Fanatic.
"That was my first mistake, saying it too loud so everyone could hear. I knew there was a target on our back, but then again, we finished, and many people didn't even attempt and got disqualified."
Shannon revealed that David and Desi pulled her aside and let them know they were being put in, something Shannon "appreciated."
"That was a little behind the scenes.
Derek Xiao and Shannon St. Clair were the unlucky duo thrown into the elimination.
Shannon believes she hurt her place in the game by revealing her injury, but she maintains that she only meant to say that to Derek.
"But I'm really loud. Like, I scream when I talk. So, they could all see me danging. I got my sneaker caught in the rope ladder, and that's when I pulled my hamstring," St. Clair tells TV Fanatic.
"That was my first mistake, saying it too loud so everyone could hear. I knew there was a target on our back, but then again, we finished, and many people didn't even attempt and got disqualified."
Shannon revealed that David and Desi pulled her aside and let them know they were being put in, something Shannon "appreciated."
"That was a little behind the scenes.
- 8/12/2022
- by Paul Dailly
- TVfanatic
A twist during the elimination in the August 10 episode of The Challenge: USA seemed to give one team the advantage… until their strategy failed them. After Survivor‘s Desi Williams and Big Brother‘s David Alexander won the daily challenge, they sent in Love Island‘s Shannon St. Clair and Big Brother‘s Derek Xiao to face off with the losing team, Love Island‘s Justine Ndiba and Big Brother‘s Enzo Palumbo. Each team had to move stacks of tires from one platform to another, and St. Clair and Xiao while had five fewer tires after Justine misspelled a word backwards (the twist), they built theirs too high. St. Clair and Xiao open up about that elimination and revealed what wasn’t aired. During the daily, Shannon, you got hurt. Do you regret calling attention to that? Or would you have been sent in anyway? St. Clair: I think...
- 8/11/2022
- TV Insider
A hot new bombshell has entered the villa – and that villa is New York City’s meatpacking district.
Peacock hosted a “Love Island USA” pop-up event in the Big Apple to celebrate the launch of season four, which is available for viewing exclusively on the streaming platform. Without leaving the concrete jungle, guests of the July 21 and July 22 event were made to feel like a true islander amongst the sandy beaches, lounge seating, umbrellas and cabana staff offering refreshments and misters. It was just like being on the show – except no Pto requests were needed and there was no 100,000 prize up for grabs.
Just outside “the villa” doors, guests and passers-by were encouraged to pose for the ultimate photo opp in front a giant heart. “Love Island USA” Season 2 star Cely Vazquez and U.K. islander Kem Centinay tested it out during the press event (see below). Other “Love Island...
Peacock hosted a “Love Island USA” pop-up event in the Big Apple to celebrate the launch of season four, which is available for viewing exclusively on the streaming platform. Without leaving the concrete jungle, guests of the July 21 and July 22 event were made to feel like a true islander amongst the sandy beaches, lounge seating, umbrellas and cabana staff offering refreshments and misters. It was just like being on the show – except no Pto requests were needed and there was no 100,000 prize up for grabs.
Just outside “the villa” doors, guests and passers-by were encouraged to pose for the ultimate photo opp in front a giant heart. “Love Island USA” Season 2 star Cely Vazquez and U.K. islander Kem Centinay tested it out during the press event (see below). Other “Love Island...
- 7/25/2022
- by Emily Vogel
- The Wrap
Sarah Edwards, creative director and senior vice president of global unscripted entertainment at Sony Pictures Television International (Spt), has departed the company, Variety can confirm.
Edwards stepped down last month with a view to taking a break for family reasons. However she will continue to independently consult on global formats, trading under a company called Edwards Power.
Edwards joined Spt International in 2012 where she oversaw game shows including “The Weakest Link,” “Can’t Touch This” and “Take Me Out” as well as well expansion into new media, such as a partnership with chef and adventurer Kiran Jethwa on “Kiran Jethwa: Fearless Food,” a YouTube channel featuring both new series and previously aired content.
In 2018 she set up a formats unit within the company. Before joining Spt International, Edwards worked at Talkback Thames and 12 Yard.
Laura St Clair, vice president of format sales and production consultancy, will oversee the international unscripted...
Edwards stepped down last month with a view to taking a break for family reasons. However she will continue to independently consult on global formats, trading under a company called Edwards Power.
Edwards joined Spt International in 2012 where she oversaw game shows including “The Weakest Link,” “Can’t Touch This” and “Take Me Out” as well as well expansion into new media, such as a partnership with chef and adventurer Kiran Jethwa on “Kiran Jethwa: Fearless Food,” a YouTube channel featuring both new series and previously aired content.
In 2018 she set up a formats unit within the company. Before joining Spt International, Edwards worked at Talkback Thames and 12 Yard.
Laura St Clair, vice president of format sales and production consultancy, will oversee the international unscripted...
- 7/4/2022
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
Chris Cummins Nov 16, 2017
A timely episode of Riverdale mixes the serious with the supremely goofy. Spoilers ahead in our review...
This review contains spoilers.
See related The Punisher episode 2 review & nerdy spots: Two Dead Men The Punisher episode 1 review & nerdy spots: 3Am The Punisher spoiler-free review
2.6 Death Proof
Tonight's episode began with another obvious yet still true observation from Jughead - that we often wear masks that cover who we really are. Although this episode was written and filmed before the Harvey Weinstein/Louis Ck/et al stories broke, its impossible to view it outside of the context of that news cycle and how it gave rise to the #metoo movement. There's a lot going on in this week's episode but the most important element here is far and away the Cheryl/Nick/Veronica storyline. Last week we saw Nick St. Clair go transform from New York City-based textbook case...
A timely episode of Riverdale mixes the serious with the supremely goofy. Spoilers ahead in our review...
This review contains spoilers.
See related The Punisher episode 2 review & nerdy spots: Two Dead Men The Punisher episode 1 review & nerdy spots: 3Am The Punisher spoiler-free review
2.6 Death Proof
Tonight's episode began with another obvious yet still true observation from Jughead - that we often wear masks that cover who we really are. Although this episode was written and filmed before the Harvey Weinstein/Louis Ck/et al stories broke, its impossible to view it outside of the context of that news cycle and how it gave rise to the #metoo movement. There's a lot going on in this week's episode but the most important element here is far and away the Cheryl/Nick/Veronica storyline. Last week we saw Nick St. Clair go transform from New York City-based textbook case...
- 11/16/2017
- Den of Geek
Former Scream star Willa Fitzgerald has been tapped as the lead of E!’s pilot #Fashionvictim, an hourlong dark comedy from Heathers writer Daniel Waters, who wrote the script, and his brother, Mean Girls helmer Mark Waters, who is set to direct. The pilot, which hails from Universal Cable Productions and ThinkFactory Media, centers on Anya St. Clair (Fitzgerald), an angelic squirrel of a girl who works tirelessly as an associate editor of popular Vie Magazine and is the…...
- 11/8/2017
- Deadline TV
It's all over but the shouting for Maggie and Emma. USA Network has cancelled its Playing House TV show after three seasons. The comedy starred Lennon Parham as Maggie Caruso and Jessica St. Clair as Emma Crawford. After Maggie's marriage ends, Emma helps her lifelong best friend raise her daughter, Charlotte, back in their hometown of Pinebrook, Connecticut. St. Clair tweeted a video with her and Parham announcing the end of Playing House on USA Network. Check it out. Read More…...
- 10/30/2017
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
It's the end of the road for the heartfelt comedy Playing House. The series has been canceled after three seasons, USA Network announced on Monday.
Created by and starring Lennon Parham and Jessica St. Clair, the show centered on two best friends, Maggie (Parham) and Emma (St. Clair), who move in
...
Read More >...
Created by and starring Lennon Parham and Jessica St. Clair, the show centered on two best friends, Maggie (Parham) and Emma (St. Clair), who move in
...
Read More >...
- 10/30/2017
- by Keisha Hatchett
- TVGuide - Breaking News
Totes unkewl: USA Network has cancelled Playing House, stars Jessica St. Claire and Lennon Parham announced Monday.
RelatedCable/Streaming Scorecard: What’s Renewed? What’s Cancelled?
“Guys, Playing House is not coming back for Season 4,” St. Clair said in a video posted to both her and Parham’s Twitter feeds.
For our beloved fans: Some news about our show, @PlayingHouseUSA. #jammer4life #playinghouseusa #keepingitreal @Jessica_StClair pic.twitter.com/yoPxy5d50p
— Lennon Parham (@lennonparham) October 30, 2017
“We had three beautiful seasons and we just wanted to thank you guys,” Parham added.
RelatedQueen of the South Scores Season 3 Renewal at...
RelatedCable/Streaming Scorecard: What’s Renewed? What’s Cancelled?
“Guys, Playing House is not coming back for Season 4,” St. Clair said in a video posted to both her and Parham’s Twitter feeds.
For our beloved fans: Some news about our show, @PlayingHouseUSA. #jammer4life #playinghouseusa #keepingitreal @Jessica_StClair pic.twitter.com/yoPxy5d50p
— Lennon Parham (@lennonparham) October 30, 2017
“We had three beautiful seasons and we just wanted to thank you guys,” Parham added.
RelatedQueen of the South Scores Season 3 Renewal at...
- 10/30/2017
- TVLine.com
This week Blood Relatives spotlights the savage stabbing to death of Paul Skinner and at the attempted murder of his wife Mara, all arranged by their teenage daughter Tia Skinner. Nov. 2010 in St. Clair County and Paul Skinner and his wife Mara suffered a home invasion from armed attackers. He managed to chase them from the house but he then died from the stab wounds he’d been given during the attack. Mara survived despite having been stabbed more than 25 times. Their adopted daughter Tia Skinner was in the house at the time and detectives soon discovered she was...read more...
- 10/12/2017
- by James Wray
- Monsters and Critics
An upcoming "RuPaul's Drag Race" contestant is thumbing his nose at the judge in his DUI case by going to werrrrk in Los Angeles ... TMZ has learned. Sources tell us Andrew Bryson -- whose drag name is Blair St. Clair -- is currently taping in L.A. as a contestant for season 10 of 'Drag Race.' That's in clear violation of a court order stating he must stay in Indiana following a DUI bust this year.
- 10/6/2017
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
If you experienced a range of emotions during Season 3 of USA’s “Playing House,” you’re not alone. Creators and stars Jessica St. Clair (Emma Crawford) and Lennon Parham (Maggie Caruso) spoke to TheWrap about the recently concluded season of their comedy, which aired its finale on TV earlier this month after the entire run was made available for streaming in June. This season featured Emma’s cancer diagnosis in a storyline that mirrored St. Clair’s real-life battle with the disease. And as might be expected, filming the hospital scenes brought back tough memories for the actress, who first discussed the illness in.
- 8/2/2017
- by Ryan Gajewski
- The Wrap
Sony Pictures Television has two new stars. Deadline reports Jerry O'Connell and Sydney Poitier have joined the studio's upcoming TV show Carter.From writer Garry Campbell and John Tinker, the crime procedural "centers on Harley Mackay (O’Connell), a detective on a hit American TV show who is forced to return to his sleepy hometown after an embarrassing public meltdown in Hollywood. Once back, Carter taps into his acting experience to become a real-life detective, partnering with long-time friend and no-nonsense veteran of the force, Sam St. Clair (Poitier)."Read More…...
- 7/4/2017
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
This season of Playing House, the USA Network comedy created by and starring Jessica St. Clair and Lennon Parham, is special for many reasons, including the clip below. In addition to a Tina Turner drag queen performance of the iconic song "Proud Mary," St. Clair and Parham wrote in St. Clair's real-life battle with breast cancer into the new eight-episode season premiering Friday, June 23 at 11 p.m. on USA Network. It wasn't an easy decision, but the two best friends felt the story needed to be shared. "I would not have survived without Lennon, I would not have survived without my best friends, so I wanted to show how f--king kick-ass women are for each other because there's nothing like...
- 6/23/2017
- E! Online
While doing press in January for the third season of “Playing House,” co-creators, writers, stars and real-life best friends Jessica St. Clair and Lennon Parham hinted that they shared a major bonding experience that they had written into the show. But they decided to keep mum about it until early May, when St. Clair revealed in a post on the StandUp2Cancer website that she had underwent treatment for breast cancer, with her best friend by her side every step of the way.
Read More: Summer TV Preview: 20 New and Returning Comedies Worth Watching
The duo had worried that introducing such a serious storyline into the show wouldn’t feel organic or that it would overpower the comedy, but that fear was unfounded. “Playing House” is funnier, more in tune with its beating heart of comedy than ever, because of how the battle with cancer brought the two friends closer together.
Making the series after that was an exercise in gratitude, and the show exudes positivity, hope and joy through every line and scene. If anything, “Playing House” balances out its humor and multiple storylines so well that it’s actually easy to forget that the cancer plot is coming until it happens. And then bam — right there amidst the laughter — a feeling of being blindsided and stunned. And then come the tears.
This is what sets “Playing House” and a few other powerful comedies apart from the pack — their ability to bring genuine pathos and character growth into a genre that usually favors cautious inertia. The series is fearless: It’s unafraid to change, to evolve, to grow up.
When the show began, Maggie (Parham) left her cheating husband just before she’s about to have their baby. Her best friend Emma (St. Clair) leaves behind her job overseas to move in with Maggie to help raise the baby together. But this season, it’s Maggie who’s supportive of Emma through the hard times. In between single motherhood and cancer, the friends are consistently there for each other through all the changes: reentering the world of dating (with a hot new British doctor played by Ben Willbond), turning 40, having a healthy relationship with exes, career changes, and raising children. Aging isn’t a cause for mourning or denial, but is celebrated and yes, mocked mercilessly.
Read More: ‘Playing House’: Jessica St. Clair Reveals Real-Life Breast Cancer Battle Featured in Third Season
Early on in Season 3, when Emma is considering sleeping with an ex she knew in high school, the following exchange takes place:
Real talk: do penises age? Asking for a friend.
Check out this first look at Season 3! We're dying a little with excitement. pic.twitter.com/TfxtuxfNo9
— Playing House (@PlayingHouseUSA) June 22, 2017
What’s beautiful about their relationship is that Maggie doesn’t even hesitate to answer in the most earnest and detailed manner possible. Oh yes, “Playing House” is crass, inappropriate, silly, but most of all vital. This season might be about embracing all the ups and downs of age 40, but it doesn’t act its age. Emma and Maggie’s lust for life and sharing is infectious, so much so that a new character introduced in the first episode gets visibly verklempt after hearing about the extent of the women’s friendship. Nobody is immune to the power of their triumphant and gleeful bond.
As strong as their friendship is though, it is not exclusive. Characters on the show get swept up in their wake, only to be embraced as extended family. And while some of the scenes featuring these characters without the benefit of the Bff presence or chemistry falter a bit, that too is part of the growing and learning process. This season we see more of exes Mark (Keegan-Michael Key), Bruce (Brad Morris), Zach (Zach Woods) and even Tina, aka “Bird Bones” (Lindsay Sloane), among a slew of others who are game to ditch their dignity for laughs. And in a way, we the audience are invited into that circle of friends as well.
St. Clair and Parham deciding to incorporate their partnered cancer battle into the show isn’t just brave or smart; it’s generous. And that’s true of how the show has operated from the beginning. Sure, their friendship is a pleasure to watch and even aspirational in its strength, but sharing it in all of its imperfect glory — warts, tumors and all — is the ultimate in honest communication, trust and building a community. We’ve been invited into the house to play, and it’s exactly where we want to be.
Grade: B+
Watch this exclusive sneak peek of the bloopers from Episode 2 below:
“Playing House” premieres with back-to-back episodes on Friday, June 23 at 11 p.m. and the entire season will be available on VOD on Saturday, June 24.
Stay on top of the latest TV news! Sign up for our TV email newsletter here.
Related stories'Better Call Saul' Review: Rough Times for Jimmy Are Bad News For Everyone Else'Playing House': Jessica St. Clair Reveals Real-Life Breast Cancer Battle Featured in Third Season'Psych: The Movie' Is Real, as the 'Psych' Cast Reunites for a New Case This Christmas...
Read More: Summer TV Preview: 20 New and Returning Comedies Worth Watching
The duo had worried that introducing such a serious storyline into the show wouldn’t feel organic or that it would overpower the comedy, but that fear was unfounded. “Playing House” is funnier, more in tune with its beating heart of comedy than ever, because of how the battle with cancer brought the two friends closer together.
Making the series after that was an exercise in gratitude, and the show exudes positivity, hope and joy through every line and scene. If anything, “Playing House” balances out its humor and multiple storylines so well that it’s actually easy to forget that the cancer plot is coming until it happens. And then bam — right there amidst the laughter — a feeling of being blindsided and stunned. And then come the tears.
This is what sets “Playing House” and a few other powerful comedies apart from the pack — their ability to bring genuine pathos and character growth into a genre that usually favors cautious inertia. The series is fearless: It’s unafraid to change, to evolve, to grow up.
When the show began, Maggie (Parham) left her cheating husband just before she’s about to have their baby. Her best friend Emma (St. Clair) leaves behind her job overseas to move in with Maggie to help raise the baby together. But this season, it’s Maggie who’s supportive of Emma through the hard times. In between single motherhood and cancer, the friends are consistently there for each other through all the changes: reentering the world of dating (with a hot new British doctor played by Ben Willbond), turning 40, having a healthy relationship with exes, career changes, and raising children. Aging isn’t a cause for mourning or denial, but is celebrated and yes, mocked mercilessly.
Read More: ‘Playing House’: Jessica St. Clair Reveals Real-Life Breast Cancer Battle Featured in Third Season
Early on in Season 3, when Emma is considering sleeping with an ex she knew in high school, the following exchange takes place:
Real talk: do penises age? Asking for a friend.
Check out this first look at Season 3! We're dying a little with excitement. pic.twitter.com/TfxtuxfNo9
— Playing House (@PlayingHouseUSA) June 22, 2017
What’s beautiful about their relationship is that Maggie doesn’t even hesitate to answer in the most earnest and detailed manner possible. Oh yes, “Playing House” is crass, inappropriate, silly, but most of all vital. This season might be about embracing all the ups and downs of age 40, but it doesn’t act its age. Emma and Maggie’s lust for life and sharing is infectious, so much so that a new character introduced in the first episode gets visibly verklempt after hearing about the extent of the women’s friendship. Nobody is immune to the power of their triumphant and gleeful bond.
As strong as their friendship is though, it is not exclusive. Characters on the show get swept up in their wake, only to be embraced as extended family. And while some of the scenes featuring these characters without the benefit of the Bff presence or chemistry falter a bit, that too is part of the growing and learning process. This season we see more of exes Mark (Keegan-Michael Key), Bruce (Brad Morris), Zach (Zach Woods) and even Tina, aka “Bird Bones” (Lindsay Sloane), among a slew of others who are game to ditch their dignity for laughs. And in a way, we the audience are invited into that circle of friends as well.
St. Clair and Parham deciding to incorporate their partnered cancer battle into the show isn’t just brave or smart; it’s generous. And that’s true of how the show has operated from the beginning. Sure, their friendship is a pleasure to watch and even aspirational in its strength, but sharing it in all of its imperfect glory — warts, tumors and all — is the ultimate in honest communication, trust and building a community. We’ve been invited into the house to play, and it’s exactly where we want to be.
Grade: B+
Watch this exclusive sneak peek of the bloopers from Episode 2 below:
“Playing House” premieres with back-to-back episodes on Friday, June 23 at 11 p.m. and the entire season will be available on VOD on Saturday, June 24.
Stay on top of the latest TV news! Sign up for our TV email newsletter here.
Related stories'Better Call Saul' Review: Rough Times for Jimmy Are Bad News For Everyone Else'Playing House': Jessica St. Clair Reveals Real-Life Breast Cancer Battle Featured in Third Season'Psych: The Movie' Is Real, as the 'Psych' Cast Reunites for a New Case This Christmas...
- 6/23/2017
- by Hanh Nguyen
- Indiewire
Jessica St. Clair says she was an emotional wreck when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in September 2015 at age 38.
“I was sobbing like a baby bird,” the actress says in the current issue of People.
Learning she had stage 2B estrogen positive cancer was tough — especially because her husband, playwright Dan O’Brien, was out of town at the time — but St. Clair was able to lean on her friend and Playing House costar Lennon Parham.
“She held me as I was crying, Everyone at the doctor’s office thought we were a couple! When my husband showed up everyone was very confused,...
“I was sobbing like a baby bird,” the actress says in the current issue of People.
Learning she had stage 2B estrogen positive cancer was tough — especially because her husband, playwright Dan O’Brien, was out of town at the time — but St. Clair was able to lean on her friend and Playing House costar Lennon Parham.
“She held me as I was crying, Everyone at the doctor’s office thought we were a couple! When my husband showed up everyone was very confused,...
- 6/22/2017
- by Patrick Gomez
- PEOPLE.com
Jessica St. Clair was feeding her 23-month-old daughter Cheerios in September 2015 when she sensed something just wasn’t right.
“I touched my own boob — I don’t know why,” the Playing House star says in the current issue of People. “I felt a lump and I instantly knew something was terribly wrong.”
Four days later, the then-38-year-old was diagnosed with stage 2B estrogen positive breast cancer.
“I was sobbing like a baby bird,” she says of being told her diagnosis. “But I remember thinking, ‘I will do anything and everything I need to do to stay alive for my...
“I touched my own boob — I don’t know why,” the Playing House star says in the current issue of People. “I felt a lump and I instantly knew something was terribly wrong.”
Four days later, the then-38-year-old was diagnosed with stage 2B estrogen positive breast cancer.
“I was sobbing like a baby bird,” she says of being told her diagnosis. “But I remember thinking, ‘I will do anything and everything I need to do to stay alive for my...
- 6/21/2017
- by Patrick Gomez
- PEOPLE.com
There's nothing funny about cancer, but for Jessica St. Clair and Lennon Parham, the stars and creators of Playing House, writing it into their USA Network comedy series made sense. Even if they hesitated. "Yes, who wants to write about cancer? You've seen, obviously, season one and two—there are moments where we go sad…real stuff that people deal with in their lives. And also stuff that friends deal with it. It had just happened and it wasn't fun or funny," Parham said during a question and answer sessions (moderated by the writer of this story) at the 2017 Atx TV Festival about writing in cancer. "Although," St. Clair interjected. "Funny things happen. Like when...
- 6/12/2017
- E! Online
One fascinating aspect of today’s media landscape is that many creators and executive producers enjoy using Twitter to engage with their audiences, share behind-the-scenes information about their shows, chat about politics, and otherwise communicate about what matters to them. So, each week, we’ll compile some of our favorite exchanges representing the wide variety of discourse seen on social media.
Last Week’S Tweets: Save ‘Underground,’ And Don’t Piss Off David Simon
This week: The executive producer of “Lost” gets a turn behind the camera, and Baz Luhrmann makes us miss “The Get Down” even more than before.
Disney Sure Knows How to Celebrate Pride
These photos shared by “Once Upon a Time” producer Jane Espenson and writer Leah Fong are pretty delightful. Cupcakes! Mickey!
Good times on the lot! Rt @leahfong: Celebrating #Pride2017 on the Disney lot with the #OnceUponATime staff. pic.twitter.com/plyNSq1irH
— Jane Espenson...
Last Week’S Tweets: Save ‘Underground,’ And Don’t Piss Off David Simon
This week: The executive producer of “Lost” gets a turn behind the camera, and Baz Luhrmann makes us miss “The Get Down” even more than before.
Disney Sure Knows How to Celebrate Pride
These photos shared by “Once Upon a Time” producer Jane Espenson and writer Leah Fong are pretty delightful. Cupcakes! Mickey!
Good times on the lot! Rt @leahfong: Celebrating #Pride2017 on the Disney lot with the #OnceUponATime staff. pic.twitter.com/plyNSq1irH
— Jane Espenson...
- 6/10/2017
- by Liz Shannon Miller
- Indiewire
Playing House stars Lennon Parham and Jessica St. Clair are not shy about incorporating real-life experiences into their USA comedy and a scary cancer diagnosis is no exception. St. Clair, in an essay for Stand Up To Cancer, revealed that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer back in 2015, and in the upcoming season, her character Emma will also be dealing with the same issue and undergo the same treatment that she did. During a Q&A session today at the Atx Television…...
- 6/9/2017
- Deadline TV
Read More: ‘Orange Is the New Black’ Season 5 Trailer: Inmates Run the Prison After Rebellion at Litchfield Penitentiary
The third season of USA’s comedy series “Playing House” will tackle the show’s most serious subject matter yet, as actress-writer-producer Jessica St. Clair recently revealed that her real-life battle with breast cancer has been written into the show’s upcoming season. Her character Emma Crawford will go through the same cancer treatment that St. Clair did after being diagnosed with stage 2b estrogen positive breast cancer in September of 2015. St. Clair stars in the show alongside fellow actress-writer-producer Lennon Parham, also her real-life best friend. St. Clair wrote about the experience in a post for StandUp2Cancer.
“Shortly after I finished chemo, but during my 12 weeks of radiation, Lennon and I returned to work on the third season of the show we write, produce and star in, ‘Playing House.’ Again,...
The third season of USA’s comedy series “Playing House” will tackle the show’s most serious subject matter yet, as actress-writer-producer Jessica St. Clair recently revealed that her real-life battle with breast cancer has been written into the show’s upcoming season. Her character Emma Crawford will go through the same cancer treatment that St. Clair did after being diagnosed with stage 2b estrogen positive breast cancer in September of 2015. St. Clair stars in the show alongside fellow actress-writer-producer Lennon Parham, also her real-life best friend. St. Clair wrote about the experience in a post for StandUp2Cancer.
“Shortly after I finished chemo, but during my 12 weeks of radiation, Lennon and I returned to work on the third season of the show we write, produce and star in, ‘Playing House.’ Again,...
- 5/10/2017
- by Graham Winfrey
- Indiewire
2017-05-10T06:56:38-07:00'Playing House' Star Reveals Breast Cancer Battle
Jessica St. Clair's real-life battle with breast cancer will be a new storyline for her character, Emma Crawford, in the third season of Playing House. The actress revealed her diagnosis for the very first time in an emotional essay for Stand Up To Cancer, which was published on Tuesday, May 9.
"In the new season, my character, Emma, gets diagnosed with breast cancer and undergoes the exact treatment I did. We were worried about bringing such serious subject matter to a comedy show, but we’ve always written what we’ve lived," St. Clair, 40, wrote.
Read the rest of this article at Us Weekly.
Jessica St. Clair also appeared in Bridesmaids.
Jessica St. Clair's real-life battle with breast cancer will be a new storyline for her character, Emma Crawford, in the third season of Playing House. The actress revealed her diagnosis for the very first time in an emotional essay for Stand Up To Cancer, which was published on Tuesday, May 9.
"In the new season, my character, Emma, gets diagnosed with breast cancer and undergoes the exact treatment I did. We were worried about bringing such serious subject matter to a comedy show, but we’ve always written what we’ve lived," St. Clair, 40, wrote.
Read the rest of this article at Us Weekly.
Jessica St. Clair also appeared in Bridesmaids.
- 5/10/2017
- by EG
- Yidio
Playing House actress Jessica St. Clair has revealed that her character will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the upcoming third season, a storyline that mirrors real life for St. Clair. In an emotional essay Tuesday for Stand Up To Cancer, St. Clair shared that she had been diagnosed in 2015 with stage 2b estrogen positive breast cancer, which she successfully beat through reconstruction surgery, 16 rounds of chemo, and radiation. In her essay, she writes that her Playi…...
- 5/10/2017
- Deadline TV
Jessica St. Clair is getting candid about her battle with breast cancer in an effort to share some support and helpful advice with other women facing their own daunting cancer struggles.
The creator and star of Playing House penned a funny, powerful essay posted by Stand Up to Cancer on Monday, where she detailed her experiences with undergoing a mastectomy and 16 rounds of chemotherapy, and how she came out on the other side stronger and happier than she ever imagined possible.
"On September 15, 2015, I was diagnosed with stage 2b estrogen positive breast cancer. I was 38 years old, with no family history (that I knew of at the time)," she wrote. "I was feeding my daughter Cheerios the morning I found it. I used to joke that since breastfeeding my boobs looked like an old athletic sock with some loose change at the bottom, so when I felt a lump the size of a marble I knew something...
The creator and star of Playing House penned a funny, powerful essay posted by Stand Up to Cancer on Monday, where she detailed her experiences with undergoing a mastectomy and 16 rounds of chemotherapy, and how she came out on the other side stronger and happier than she ever imagined possible.
"On September 15, 2015, I was diagnosed with stage 2b estrogen positive breast cancer. I was 38 years old, with no family history (that I knew of at the time)," she wrote. "I was feeding my daughter Cheerios the morning I found it. I used to joke that since breastfeeding my boobs looked like an old athletic sock with some loose change at the bottom, so when I felt a lump the size of a marble I knew something...
- 5/10/2017
- Entertainment Tonight
The upcoming third season of USA Network’s Playing House will be the most personal one yet for star Jessica St. Clair.
RelatedSuits, Playing House, The Sinner Get Summer Premiere Dates at USA
In a heartfelt essay for Stand Up To Cancer, the actress on Tuesday revealed that she was diagnosed with stage 2b estrogen positive breast cancer in 2015, which she beat through surgery and chemotherapy.
What’s more, St. Clair revealed that Emma, her Playing House character, will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the show’s upcoming third season; even Emma’s course of treatment will mirror St. Clair’s.
RelatedSuits, Playing House, The Sinner Get Summer Premiere Dates at USA
In a heartfelt essay for Stand Up To Cancer, the actress on Tuesday revealed that she was diagnosed with stage 2b estrogen positive breast cancer in 2015, which she beat through surgery and chemotherapy.
What’s more, St. Clair revealed that Emma, her Playing House character, will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the show’s upcoming third season; even Emma’s course of treatment will mirror St. Clair’s.
- 5/9/2017
- TVLine.com
Perhaps not all films are suited for the Duplass brothers treatment. Take Me, an amateurish directorial debut from actor Pat Healy, working from a script by Mike Makowsky, attempts to shoehorn a screwball comedy into the kind of drama where the action breaks for long scenes that easily might stretch 5-20 pages on paper for exposition. The effect is designed to create sympathy for characters in situations that find themselves in troubling situations of their own making, which is difficult when both characters prove to be so unlikable at their core.
Many bad, low-budget indies have been shot in the basement of many filmmaker’s parents’ houses, often about an abduction, but despite the presence of professional production values, Take Me does not add to the canon. The film first finds Ray Moody (played by Healy) seeking a bank loan for his business Kidnap Solutions LLC, a Los Angeles-based one-man...
Many bad, low-budget indies have been shot in the basement of many filmmaker’s parents’ houses, often about an abduction, but despite the presence of professional production values, Take Me does not add to the canon. The film first finds Ray Moody (played by Healy) seeking a bank loan for his business Kidnap Solutions LLC, a Los Angeles-based one-man...
- 4/30/2017
- by John Fink
- The Film Stage
Earlier this week, CBS announced that former One Direction member — and latest addition to the Christopher Nolan Players — Harry Styles is slated for a week-long residency on “The Late Late Show with James Corden.” For four consecutive nights, starting on May 15, Styles will serve as the resident musical artist.
With that “Dunkirk” appearance on the horizon and a solo music career still in its early stages, you could do worse than Styles when picking someone to hand the keys to an entire week’s worth of late night. And having been through the process of a breakneck sketch show schedule, he’ll probably be a capable comedy sidekick for Corden.
But what if this residency is a smashing success? Which other bands and artists would be ripe for tenures of their own on the other major daily late-night shows?
Jon Batiste and Stay Human hold down the fort for “The Late Show.
With that “Dunkirk” appearance on the horizon and a solo music career still in its early stages, you could do worse than Styles when picking someone to hand the keys to an entire week’s worth of late night. And having been through the process of a breakneck sketch show schedule, he’ll probably be a capable comedy sidekick for Corden.
But what if this residency is a smashing success? Which other bands and artists would be ripe for tenures of their own on the other major daily late-night shows?
Jon Batiste and Stay Human hold down the fort for “The Late Show.
- 4/27/2017
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
Pierce Brosnan is opening up about learning how to be a dad without having had a father in his own life.
The former James Bond star recently sat down with Esquire for a photoshoot and a candid interview about his turbulent life, while promoting his new AMC Western drama series The Son.
In the series, set in Texas during the Mexican Revolution, Brosnan plays Eli McCullough, the head of a cattle baron dynasty who begins to shift his family's interests into the burgeoning oil business.
The series deals heavily with family legacies and the relationships between fathers and sons. Eli's character struggles with the impact of growing up with an absentee father -- an experience Brosnan can relate to.
Watch: Pierce Brosnan Takes His 3 Handsome Sons to Premiere of 'No Escape'--See the Family Resemblance!
"I know what it's like to bring up sons," said the 63-year-old star, who has four of his own. "It can be...
The former James Bond star recently sat down with Esquire for a photoshoot and a candid interview about his turbulent life, while promoting his new AMC Western drama series The Son.
In the series, set in Texas during the Mexican Revolution, Brosnan plays Eli McCullough, the head of a cattle baron dynasty who begins to shift his family's interests into the burgeoning oil business.
The series deals heavily with family legacies and the relationships between fathers and sons. Eli's character struggles with the impact of growing up with an absentee father -- an experience Brosnan can relate to.
Watch: Pierce Brosnan Takes His 3 Handsome Sons to Premiere of 'No Escape'--See the Family Resemblance!
"I know what it's like to bring up sons," said the 63-year-old star, who has four of his own. "It can be...
- 4/5/2017
- Entertainment Tonight
Peak TV is coming to Austin, Texas.
The Atx Television Festival announced Thursday a robust number of television panels and screenings joining its lineup of already impressive programming. John Singleton’s upcoming crack cocaine drama “Snowfall” gets the honors of being the Opening Night screening. Other FX programs that will be featured are “The Americans” and “Fargo.” Other new shows added include HBO’s “The Leftovers” and “Girls,” in addition to “The Walking Dead” on AMC.
Read More: ‘The Comeback’ Reunion and ‘This Is Us’ Panels Added to Atx Festival
Check out the full list of new TV panels and screenings below.
Premieres
“Snowfall” (FX)
John Singleton’s new series set in 1980s Los Angeles traces the early days of the crack cocaine epidemic. “Snowfall” will be the festival’s Opening Night screening, followed by a panel discussion with producers and stars of the show.
Screenings
”Fargo”
FX will screen...
The Atx Television Festival announced Thursday a robust number of television panels and screenings joining its lineup of already impressive programming. John Singleton’s upcoming crack cocaine drama “Snowfall” gets the honors of being the Opening Night screening. Other FX programs that will be featured are “The Americans” and “Fargo.” Other new shows added include HBO’s “The Leftovers” and “Girls,” in addition to “The Walking Dead” on AMC.
Read More: ‘The Comeback’ Reunion and ‘This Is Us’ Panels Added to Atx Festival
Check out the full list of new TV panels and screenings below.
Premieres
“Snowfall” (FX)
John Singleton’s new series set in 1980s Los Angeles traces the early days of the crack cocaine epidemic. “Snowfall” will be the festival’s Opening Night screening, followed by a panel discussion with producers and stars of the show.
Screenings
”Fargo”
FX will screen...
- 3/23/2017
- by Hanh Nguyen
- Indiewire
Are you overwhelmed by how much television is available right now? Is life getting in the way of keeping up with the shows you wanna try out? We feel your tube-related pain. Here’s a handy feature that’ll help you locate the hidden gems in this era of Peak TV.
Review
Network | Comedy Central
Created By | Andy Daly and Charlie Siskel
RelatedPeak TV Treasure: 12 Monkeys
Number Of Episodes | 19 over the first two seasons
Episode Length | 30 mins.
Premise | Daly stars as TV personality Forrest MacNeil, the host of show-within-a-show Review. Instead of critiquing TV, film or books, Forrest uses his...
Review
Network | Comedy Central
Created By | Andy Daly and Charlie Siskel
RelatedPeak TV Treasure: 12 Monkeys
Number Of Episodes | 19 over the first two seasons
Episode Length | 30 mins.
Premise | Daly stars as TV personality Forrest MacNeil, the host of show-within-a-show Review. Instead of critiquing TV, film or books, Forrest uses his...
- 3/15/2017
- TVLine.com
Yes, we know you’d like a Season 3 premiere announcement date, Playing House fans. (So would we!) This… is not that. But in the meantime, how about listening to stars Lennon Parham and Jessica St. Clair invoke Brienne of Tarth while fielding a seemingly unrelated wardrobe query?
RelatedPlaying House Season Finale: Did Emma and Mark Finally Get Together?
In the exclusive, just-for-fun video released ahead of the USA Network comedy’s third season, Parham turns a fan question about date-appropriate clothes into a riff on the Game of Thrones heroine and her weapon of choice. It’s just slightly Nsfw,...
RelatedPlaying House Season Finale: Did Emma and Mark Finally Get Together?
In the exclusive, just-for-fun video released ahead of the USA Network comedy’s third season, Parham turns a fan question about date-appropriate clothes into a riff on the Game of Thrones heroine and her weapon of choice. It’s just slightly Nsfw,...
- 3/1/2017
- TVLine.com
Warning: Spoiler alert.
Meryl Streep’s performance in Florence Foster Jenkins is shaping up to be yet another highlight of the incredible actress’s long career. The irony that one of America’s greatest living actresses would wind up playing a woman known as one of its worst singers seems staggering, which is why Jenkins’ incredible life deserves a closer look.
Jenkins was born — appropriately — Narcissa Florence Foster on July 19, 1868, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. The city’s population and industry were booming after the discovery of coal in the region; Woolworth’s, Planter’s Peanuts, Bell Telephone and Luzerne National Bank...
Meryl Streep’s performance in Florence Foster Jenkins is shaping up to be yet another highlight of the incredible actress’s long career. The irony that one of America’s greatest living actresses would wind up playing a woman known as one of its worst singers seems staggering, which is why Jenkins’ incredible life deserves a closer look.
Jenkins was born — appropriately — Narcissa Florence Foster on July 19, 1868, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. The city’s population and industry were booming after the discovery of coal in the region; Woolworth’s, Planter’s Peanuts, Bell Telephone and Luzerne National Bank...
- 1/23/2017
- by alexheigl
- PEOPLE.com
Meryl Streep is good at just about everything, but in Stephen Frears’ crowdpleasing “Florence Foster Jenkins,” she turns her talents to being bad. The fact-based film follows the remarkable final months of Jenkins, an American socialite and arts patron who spent many years having a go at her own musical career, despite being thoroughly terrible at singing.
Her turn as the lovingly deluded Florence is anchored by Simon Helberg as Jenkins’ dedicated pianist and Hugh Grant as her hard-to-pin down hubby, St. Clair Bayfield. A struggling artist in his own right, St. Clair is tasked with, in Grant’s own words, being the “master of ceremonies” in Florence’s wild world. While Frears’ film shows St. Clair is clearly devoted to his older wife, it also finds the time to chronicle his longstanding affair with another woman and doesn’t skirt the self-dealing reasons for his affection for the tone-deaf heiress.
Her turn as the lovingly deluded Florence is anchored by Simon Helberg as Jenkins’ dedicated pianist and Hugh Grant as her hard-to-pin down hubby, St. Clair Bayfield. A struggling artist in his own right, St. Clair is tasked with, in Grant’s own words, being the “master of ceremonies” in Florence’s wild world. While Frears’ film shows St. Clair is clearly devoted to his older wife, it also finds the time to chronicle his longstanding affair with another woman and doesn’t skirt the self-dealing reasons for his affection for the tone-deaf heiress.
- 1/18/2017
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
“Florence Foster Jenkins” is having a harmonious early awards season, nominated for Golden Globes including the Best Motion Picture in a Musical or Comedy. Stars Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant are also nominated for the Best Performance by an Actress and Actor in a Musical or Comedy.
Read More: ‘Florence Foster Jenkins’ Review: Meryl Streep Shines As the World’s Worst Singer in Tricky Drama
The film is based on the true story of Florence Foster Jenkins (Streep), a New York heiress who dreamed of becoming an opera singer, despite having a terrible singing voice, and her long term companion St. Clair Bayfield (Grant).
“I knew that Meryl would be brilliant, because she’s never been anything less than sheer genius in any film,” Grant said in a behind-the-scenes featurette Paramount shared exclusively with IndieWire. The film co-stars Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Helberg, Nina Arianda and John Kavanagh.
In a separate featurette also shared with IndieWire,...
Read More: ‘Florence Foster Jenkins’ Review: Meryl Streep Shines As the World’s Worst Singer in Tricky Drama
The film is based on the true story of Florence Foster Jenkins (Streep), a New York heiress who dreamed of becoming an opera singer, despite having a terrible singing voice, and her long term companion St. Clair Bayfield (Grant).
“I knew that Meryl would be brilliant, because she’s never been anything less than sheer genius in any film,” Grant said in a behind-the-scenes featurette Paramount shared exclusively with IndieWire. The film co-stars Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Helberg, Nina Arianda and John Kavanagh.
In a separate featurette also shared with IndieWire,...
- 12/23/2016
- by Graham Winfrey
- Indiewire
Hugh Grant was recently nominated for a Golden Globe and SAG Award for his role as St. Clair Bayfield, devoted partner and protector of Meryl Streep’s title character in Florence Foster Jenkins. Simon Helberg, of The Big Bang Theory fame, showed off his musical talents and also is nominated for a Golden Globe playing Cosme McMoon. But before the nominations began rolling in, both appeared as part of Paramount’s presentation at our big annual awards-season event The Contend…...
- 12/21/2016
- Deadline
Wehrenberg Theatres will host its 31st annual “Cans Film Festival” to benefit The Salvation Army’s “Tree of Lights” campaign. The event will take place Saturday, December 3rd. Guests who bring five canned food items to a Wehrenberg Theatre will receive free admission to any movie that day starting before 5 Pm. Bring three canned food items to the St. Clair Cine in Fairview Heights for a free admission for a film starting before 5 Pm.
Guests who bring an additional ten cans or more per person (15 or more total per person or 13 or more at St. Clair 10 Cine) will also receive a free movie pass for a future visit. In addition, Wehrenberg Theatres will again award a year-long movie pass to the single largest donation received in the theatre circuit.
Cans Film Festival, the area’s most popular food drive, stocks the local food pantries every year during the holiday season...
Guests who bring an additional ten cans or more per person (15 or more total per person or 13 or more at St. Clair 10 Cine) will also receive a free movie pass for a future visit. In addition, Wehrenberg Theatres will again award a year-long movie pass to the single largest donation received in the theatre circuit.
Cans Film Festival, the area’s most popular food drive, stocks the local food pantries every year during the holiday season...
- 11/22/2016
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
A Michigan dog that sat on death row at an animal shelter following the death of a Pomeranian in August has been cleared and sent home thanks to a DNA test. Fox 2 News reports that the Belgian Malinois named Jeb was released to his owner Kenneth Job on Wednesday.
Jeb was implicated in the dog’s killing, Fox 2 said, when he was seen standing over the dead body of Vlad, a neighbor’s dog, on Aug. 24. in St. Clair Township.
According to The Times Herald, who also reported the story, district judge Michael Hulewicz ruled in September that Jeb was...
Jeb was implicated in the dog’s killing, Fox 2 said, when he was seen standing over the dead body of Vlad, a neighbor’s dog, on Aug. 24. in St. Clair Township.
According to The Times Herald, who also reported the story, district judge Michael Hulewicz ruled in September that Jeb was...
- 11/4/2016
- by amyjamiesonweb
- PEOPLE.com
When she finished making Waiting For Guffman, Parker Posey was “devastated.” After all, that was the end of her time with Corky St. Clair, Christopher Guest’s small-town theater maven. Posey was Libby Mae Brown, his devoted, gum-smacking ingenue. “I had never worked in this way that felt so real and felt like family. I loved Corky so much. I was so sad to lose him,” she told The A.V. Club during a recent phone interview. “I cried in the van on the way home, and he held my hand, and I didn’t think I’d see him again.”
But Posey got to reunite with Corky in Mascots, Guest’s new film, in which he reprises his role and she plays another acolyte of his (the movie just started streaming on Netflix). Posey steps into the mask of Cindi Babineaux, a mascot/modern dancer/performance artist at a...
But Posey got to reunite with Corky in Mascots, Guest’s new film, in which he reprises his role and she plays another acolyte of his (the movie just started streaming on Netflix). Posey steps into the mask of Cindi Babineaux, a mascot/modern dancer/performance artist at a...
- 10/17/2016
- by Esther Zuckerman
- avclub.com
by Daniel Crooke
In honor of Christopher Guest’s long overdue return to the mockumentary – the costumed cheerleader saga Mascots, hit Netflix at midnight – let’s take a moment to celebrate some of the most indelible characters in his filmography. This collection of ordinary folks in extraordinarily amusing niches – small town actors with big city dreams, obsessive dog owners, outdated folk musicians, awards show hopefuls – could easily be milked for laughs through condescending jabs. Instead Guest and his repertory cohort of improvisational comics imbue their creations with rich empathy and heartfelt humor, no matter how ludicrous their worlds. This marks theirs as a distinctly humanist cinema that revels in personal idiosyncrasies rather than repelling from them, and chooses ironic optimism over sarcastic defeat. While refreshingly full-bodied, they’re, above all else, very funny.
For me, all roads lead back to Libby Mae Brown, the spirited, slack-jawed (low-fat or non-fat) Blizzard queen from Waiting for Guffman,...
In honor of Christopher Guest’s long overdue return to the mockumentary – the costumed cheerleader saga Mascots, hit Netflix at midnight – let’s take a moment to celebrate some of the most indelible characters in his filmography. This collection of ordinary folks in extraordinarily amusing niches – small town actors with big city dreams, obsessive dog owners, outdated folk musicians, awards show hopefuls – could easily be milked for laughs through condescending jabs. Instead Guest and his repertory cohort of improvisational comics imbue their creations with rich empathy and heartfelt humor, no matter how ludicrous their worlds. This marks theirs as a distinctly humanist cinema that revels in personal idiosyncrasies rather than repelling from them, and chooses ironic optimism over sarcastic defeat. While refreshingly full-bodied, they’re, above all else, very funny.
For me, all roads lead back to Libby Mae Brown, the spirited, slack-jawed (low-fat or non-fat) Blizzard queen from Waiting for Guffman,...
- 10/13/2016
- by Daniel Crooke
- FilmExperience
Stop what you’re doing right now and watch this trailer. I don’t want to hear any excuses. Done? Ok, now we can move on. Yes, that is the first full length trailer for Christopher Guest’s upcoming mockumentary Mascots and, yes, it does look amazing. Glad we can agree on that.
Mascots does exactly what one would expect from the director of Best in Show and A Mighty Wind. Guest’s trademark mockumentary style and gang of brilliant comedians are all on display in this trailer, reminding us why we love Guest and his crew so very much. The general outline is there: documentary-style talking head interviews, interspersed with the weird world of dog competitions, folk music, community theater, or, in this case, mascot competitions. But more important is the meat of the matter, where the comedians get to cut loose a little bit and form their own strange,...
Mascots does exactly what one would expect from the director of Best in Show and A Mighty Wind. Guest’s trademark mockumentary style and gang of brilliant comedians are all on display in this trailer, reminding us why we love Guest and his crew so very much. The general outline is there: documentary-style talking head interviews, interspersed with the weird world of dog competitions, folk music, community theater, or, in this case, mascot competitions. But more important is the meat of the matter, where the comedians get to cut loose a little bit and form their own strange,...
- 9/1/2016
- by Lauren Humphries-Brooks
- We Got This Covered
The first trailer for Christopher Guest’s Mascots is here, and here’s the thing: It sure looks like a Christopher Guest movie, in the best way possible. It’s centered around a bizarre ritual, the World Mascot Association Championships. The old gang is back, doing talking-head bits: Ed Begley Jr. reminisces about his days as an anatomically correct donkey. Fred Willard makes obliviously awkward conversation. Jennifer Coolidge makes a reference to someone defecating on her head while Bob Balaban stares on lovingly. Classic! Plus, Parker Posey’s character, whose mascot alias is Alvin The Armadillo, sounds an awful lot like her Libby Mae Brown from Waiting For Guffman. And, hold on a second, is that Guest as Corky St. Clair sitting in an audience? Yes, apparently it is. There’s a Guffman cinematic universe now!? Praise be.
There are also some new faces: That Zach Woods should join Guest...
There are also some new faces: That Zach Woods should join Guest...
- 9/1/2016
- by Esther Zuckerman
- avclub.com
Florence Foster Jenkins is playing in theaters now.
Set in 1940s New York, Florence Foster Jenkins is the true story of the legendary New York heiress and socialite (Meryl Streep) who obsessively pursued her dream of becoming a great singer. The voice she heard in her head was beautiful, but to everyone else it was hilariously awful. Her “husband” and manager, St. Clair Bayfield (Hugh Grant), an aristocratic English actor, was determined to protect his beloved Florence from the truth. But when Florence decided to give a public concert at Carnegie Hall, St. Clair knew he faced his greatest challenge.
Read Cate Marquis’ review Here.
One grandprize winner will receive a giftbox!
For your chance to win passes to see the film in the St. Louis area, enter:
Your Name And E-mail In Our Comments Section Below. We Will Contact You If You Are A Winner.
Official Rules:
Winners Will...
Set in 1940s New York, Florence Foster Jenkins is the true story of the legendary New York heiress and socialite (Meryl Streep) who obsessively pursued her dream of becoming a great singer. The voice she heard in her head was beautiful, but to everyone else it was hilariously awful. Her “husband” and manager, St. Clair Bayfield (Hugh Grant), an aristocratic English actor, was determined to protect his beloved Florence from the truth. But when Florence decided to give a public concert at Carnegie Hall, St. Clair knew he faced his greatest challenge.
Read Cate Marquis’ review Here.
One grandprize winner will receive a giftbox!
For your chance to win passes to see the film in the St. Louis area, enter:
Your Name And E-mail In Our Comments Section Below. We Will Contact You If You Are A Winner.
Official Rules:
Winners Will...
- 8/16/2016
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Could singing so bad it provoked laughter raise the spirits of a nation at war? In the case of Florence Foster Jenkins, an heiress and patron of music, it did, although many of her fans did not realize that Mrs. Jenkins didn’t know she was being funny. She really did think she could sing.
This strange but true story is the basis of director Stephen Frears’ Florence Foster Jenkins. The film stars Meryl Streep as the deluded Mrs. Jenkins, Hugh Grant as her solicitous manager/assistant/second husband St. Clair Bayfield, and Simon Helberg as her beleaguered accompanist Cosme McMoon. Actually, there may have been a reason beyond ego for Mrs. Jenkins’ belief in her singing voice, as a tragic illness might have impacted her hearing. A promising pianist when young (whose performances reportedly included one at the White House during President Rutherford B Hayes’ time), her wealthy father...
This strange but true story is the basis of director Stephen Frears’ Florence Foster Jenkins. The film stars Meryl Streep as the deluded Mrs. Jenkins, Hugh Grant as her solicitous manager/assistant/second husband St. Clair Bayfield, and Simon Helberg as her beleaguered accompanist Cosme McMoon. Actually, there may have been a reason beyond ego for Mrs. Jenkins’ belief in her singing voice, as a tragic illness might have impacted her hearing. A promising pianist when young (whose performances reportedly included one at the White House during President Rutherford B Hayes’ time), her wealthy father...
- 8/12/2016
- by Cate Marquis
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
In the opening scene of Florence Foster Jenkins, an awkwardly serious Meryl Streep is belayed down tentatively onto the stage, clad in an eccentrically angelic outfit. She makes her appearance to sing and inspire her songwriter husband (St. Clair Bayfield, a delightful Hugh Grant), she proclaims.
Though the rest of the film does not stray far from this first sequence’s comfortable mold—Florence Foster delivering a borderline ridiculous but charmingly funny performance at the side of her indulgent mate—director Stephen Frears’ finished product is nevertheless a complex and touching exploration of the importance of pursuing happiness in the face of silent adversity. The movie is, in a nutshell, a surprisingly thought-provoking biopic that ranks at least as high as Julie & Julia in the canon of Ms. Streep’s brilliant career, even as it induces deep discomfort in the truth-valuing viewer.
Florence Foster is a historical figure that lived...
Though the rest of the film does not stray far from this first sequence’s comfortable mold—Florence Foster delivering a borderline ridiculous but charmingly funny performance at the side of her indulgent mate—director Stephen Frears’ finished product is nevertheless a complex and touching exploration of the importance of pursuing happiness in the face of silent adversity. The movie is, in a nutshell, a surprisingly thought-provoking biopic that ranks at least as high as Julie & Julia in the canon of Ms. Streep’s brilliant career, even as it induces deep discomfort in the truth-valuing viewer.
Florence Foster is a historical figure that lived...
- 8/12/2016
- by J Don Birnam
- LRMonline.com
There often seems to be two different types of Meryl Streep movies. One type is the serious awards vehicles, where she’s consistently nominated for Oscars. The other type is when she seems to be letting her hair down and having a good time, usually to be ignored by Academy members. Rarely do those two types of films intersect, but this week, it appears like that might be the case with Florence Foster Jenkins. Not only is Streep getting top notch reviews for her performances, but the film itself, despite being on the lighter side, is getting a bit of Oscar buzz as well. Perhaps this is the sort of flick that can be a crossover success for her. The early word actually indicates that yes, it can in fact be. The movie is a biopic/dramedy about title character Florence Foster Jenkins (Streep), a New York heiress who had...
- 8/11/2016
- by Joey Magidson
- Hollywoodnews.com
Meryl Streep has a ball giving her all to the title role of Florence Foster Jenkins, the Ed Wood of delusional opera singers. Like Wood, whose talent for filmmaking fell hilariously short of his passion for the game (see Plan 9 From Outer Space), Jenkins lived in a pumpkin shell where she's kept very well by her protective common-law husband and manager St. Clair Bayfield (Hugh Grant). In the social circles of 1940's Manhattan, Bayfield persuaded sympathetic socialites and bribable critics to indulge his wealthy wife's fantasies by lining up vocal coaches,...
- 8/11/2016
- Rollingstone.com
On Monday we attended a press conference with Meryl Streep and her two costars Hugh Grant and Simon Helberg for their new film Florence Foster Jenkins. Also in attendance was director Stephen Frears, who in years past did The Queen and Philomena.
Streep plays the title character, a notably bad singer who lived in New York in the 1940s but who, in part thanks to her immense wealth, was able to sing in Carnegie Hall. Grant plays Florence’s partner, who normally shielded her from the truth about her talents by mockers and scoffers, and Helberg played her hapless piano teacher, who must deal with the aloof student.
The conversation with the talent covered everything from whether they identified with their characters, to working with each other, and world events. Here are some of the highlights.
What was your first introduction to Florence Foster Jenkins, when did you first hear of her?...
Streep plays the title character, a notably bad singer who lived in New York in the 1940s but who, in part thanks to her immense wealth, was able to sing in Carnegie Hall. Grant plays Florence’s partner, who normally shielded her from the truth about her talents by mockers and scoffers, and Helberg played her hapless piano teacher, who must deal with the aloof student.
The conversation with the talent covered everything from whether they identified with their characters, to working with each other, and world events. Here are some of the highlights.
What was your first introduction to Florence Foster Jenkins, when did you first hear of her?...
- 8/11/2016
- by J Don Birnam
- LRMonline.com
Chicago – For nine seasons, Simon Helberg has graced the television screen as Howard, on the number one comedy hit “The Big Bang Theory.” As the show nears the end of its run, Helberg is breaking out a bit, starting with a vital supporting role opposite Meryl Streep in the new film, “Florence Foster Jenkins.”
The film tells the based-on-truth story of the title character, a wealthy women of society who desires only to sing opera, but cannot carry a tune. With the help of her husband St. Clair Bayfield (Hugh Grant) and her piano accompanist Cosmé Moon (Helberg), she manages to get all the way to a performance at Carnegie Hall, and the subsequent recording of that 1940s concert has become one of the most requested and popular to come out of that legendary music venue.
Simon Helberg as Cosmé Moon in ‘Florence Foster Jenkins’
Photo credit: Paramount Pictures
Simon Helberg...
The film tells the based-on-truth story of the title character, a wealthy women of society who desires only to sing opera, but cannot carry a tune. With the help of her husband St. Clair Bayfield (Hugh Grant) and her piano accompanist Cosmé Moon (Helberg), she manages to get all the way to a performance at Carnegie Hall, and the subsequent recording of that 1940s concert has become one of the most requested and popular to come out of that legendary music venue.
Simon Helberg as Cosmé Moon in ‘Florence Foster Jenkins’
Photo credit: Paramount Pictures
Simon Helberg...
- 8/11/2016
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.