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Tag: Jim Carter

  • Celebrity birthdays for the week of Aug. 17-23

    Celebrity birthdays for the week of Aug. 17-23:

    Aug. 17: Actor Robert De Niro is 82. Guitarist Gary Talley of The Box Tops is 78. “Downton Abbey” creator Julian Fellowes is 76. Actor Robert Joy (“CSI: NY”) is 74. Singer Kevin Rowland of Dexy’s Midnight Runners is 72. Bassist Colin Moulding of XTC is 70. Country singer-songwriter Kevin Welch is 70. Singer Belinda Carlisle of The Go-Go’s is 67. Actor Sean Penn is 65. Jazz saxophonist Everette Harp is 64. Guitarist Gilby Clarke (Guns N’ Roses) is 63. Singer Maria McKee (Lone Justice) is 61. Drummer Steve Gorman (The Black Crowes) is 60. Singer-bassist Jill Cunniff (Luscious Jackson) is 59. Actor David Conrad (“Ghost Whisperer,” “Relativity”) is 58. Rapper Posdnuos of De La Soul is 56. Actor-singer Donnie Wahlberg (New Kids on the Block) is 56. TV personality Giuliana Rancic (“Fashion Police,” ″E! News”) is 51. Actor Bryton James (“Family Matters”) is 39. Actor Brady Corbet (“24,” “Thirteen”) is 37. Actor Austin Butler (“Dune: Part Two,” “Elvis”) is 34. Actor Taissa Farmiga (“American Horror Story”) is 31.

    Aug. 18: Actor Robert Redford is 89. Actor Henry G. Sanders (“Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman”) is 83. Drummer Dennis Elliott (Foreigner) is 75. Comedian Elayne Boosler is 73. Country singer Steve Wilkinson of The Wilkinsons is 70. Comedian-actor Denis Leary is 68. Actor Madeleine Stowe is 67. TV news anchor Bob Woodruff is 64. Actor Adam Storke (“Mystic Pizza”) is 63. Actor Craig Bierko (“Sex and the City,” ″The Long Kiss Goodnight”) is 61. Singer Zac Maloy of The Nixons is 57. Musician Everlast (House of Pain) is 56. Rapper Masta Killa of Wu-Tang Clan is 56. Actor Edward Norton is 56. Actor Christian Slater is 56. Actor Kaitlin Olson (“The Mick,” ″It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”) is 50. Comedian Andy Samberg (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” ″Saturday Night Live”) is 47. Guitarist Brad Tursi of Old Dominion is 46. Actor Maia Mitchell (“The Fosters”) is 32. Actor Madelaine Petsch (“Riverdale”) is 31. Actor Parker McKenna Posey (“My Wife and Kids”) is 30.

    Aug. 19: Actor Debra Paget (“The Ten Commandments,” “Love Me Tender”) is 92. Actor Diana Muldaur (“Star Trek: The Next Generation”) is 87. Actor Jill St. John is 85. Singer Billy J. Kramer is 82. Country singer-songwriter Eddy Raven is 81. Singer Ian Gillan of Deep Purple is 80. Actor Gerald McRaney is 78. Actor Jim Carter (“Downton Abbey”) is 77. Singer-guitarist Elliot Lurie of Looking Glass is 77. Bassist John Deacon of Queen is 74. Actor Jonathan Frakes (“Star Trek: The Next Generation”) is 73. Actor Peter Gallagher is 70. Actor Adam Arkin is 69. Singer-songwriter Gary Chapman is 68. Actor Martin Donovan is 68. Singer Ivan Neville is 66. Actor Eric Lutes (“Caroline in the City”) is 63. Actor John Stamos is 62. Actor Kyra Sedgwick is 60. Actor Kevin Dillon (“Entourage”) is 60. Country singer Lee Ann Womack is 59. Former MTV reporter Tabitha Soren is 58. Country singer Clay Walker is 56. Rapper Fat Joe is 55. Actor Tracie Thoms (“Cold Case”) is 50. Actor Erika Christensen (“Parenthood”) is 43. Actor Melissa Fumero (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine”) is 43. Actor Tammin Sursok (“Pretty Little Liars”) is 42. Singer Karli Osborn (SHeDaisy) is 41. Rapper Romeo (formerly Lil’ Romeo) is 36. Actor Ethan Cutkosky (TV’s “Shameless”) is 26.

    Aug. 20: News anchor Connie Chung is 79. Trombone player Jimmy Pankow of Chicago is 78. Actor Ray Wise (“Reaper,” ″Twin Peaks”) is 78. Actor John Noble (“Lord of the Rings” films) is 77. Singer Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin) is 77. Singer Rudy Gatlin of the Gatlin Brothers is 73. Singer-songwriter John Hiatt is 73. Actor-director Peter Horton (“thirtysomething”) is 72. “Today” show weatherman Al Roker is 71. Actor Jay Acovone (“Stargate SG-1”) is 70. Actor Joan Allen is 69. Director David O. Russell (“Silver Linings Playbook,” “American Hustle”) is 67. Actor James Marsters (“Angel,” ″Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) is 63. Rapper KRS-One is 60. Actor Colin Cunningham (“Falling Skies”) is 59. Actor Billy Gardell (“Mike and Molly”) is 56. Singer Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit is 55. Actor Ke Huy Quan (“Everything Everywhere All at Once,” “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom”) is 55. Guitarist Brad Avery of Third Day is 54. Actor Misha Collins (“Supernatural”) is 51. Singer Monique Powell of Save Ferris is 50. Actor Ben Barnes (“Westworld,” ″Prince Caspian”) is 44. Actor Meghan Ory (“Once Upon a Time”) is 43. Actor Andrew Garfield (“The Amazing Spider-Man”) is 42. Actor Brant Daugherty (“Pretty Little Liars”) is 40. Singer-actor Demi Lovato is 33.

    Aug. 21: Guitarist James Burton (with Elvis Presley) is 86. Singer Jackie DeShannon is 84. Actor Patty McCormack (“Frost/Nixon,” “The Ropers”) is 80. Singer Carl Giammarese of The Buckinghams is 78. Actor Loretta Devine (“Boston Public”) is 76. Newsman Harry Smith is 74. Singer Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple, Black Sabbath) is 73. Guitarist Nick Kane (The Mavericks) is 71. Actor Kim Cattrall (“Sex and the City”) is 69. Actor Cleo King (“Mike and Molly”) is 63. Singer Serj Tankian of System of a Down is 58. Actor Carrie-Anne Moss (“The Matrix,” ″Chocolat”) is 55. Musician Liam Howlett of Prodigy is 54. Actor Alicia Witt (“Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” ″Cybill”) is 50. Singer-chef Kelis is 46. Actor Diego Klattenhoff (“The Blacklist”) is 46. TV personality Brody Jenner (“The Hills”) is 42. Singer Melissa Schuman of Dream is 41. Comedian Brooks Wheelan (“Saturday Night Live”) is 39. Actor Cody Kasch (“Desperate Housewives”) is 38. Musician Kacey Musgraves is 37. Actor Hayden Panettiere (“Nashville,” ″Heroes”) is 36. Actor RJ Mitte (“Breaking Bad”) is 33. Actor Maxim Knight (“Falling Skies”) is 26.

    Aug. 22: Newsman Morton Dean is 90. TV writer/producer David Chase (“The Sopranos”) is 80. Correspondent Steve Kroft (“60 Minutes”) is 80. Guitarist David Marks of The Beach Boys is 77. Guitarist Vernon Reid of Living Colour is 67. Country singer Collin Raye is 65. Actor Regina Taylor (“The Unit,” ″I’ll Fly Away”) is 65. Singer Roland Orzabal of Tears for Fears is 64. Drummer Debbi Peterson of The Bangles is 64. Guitarist Gary Lee Conner of Screaming Trees is 63. Singer Tori Amos is 62. Keyboardist James DeBarge of DeBarge is 62. Country singer Mila Mason is 62. Rapper GZA (Wu-Tang Clan) is 59. Actor Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (“Oz,” “Lost”) is 58. Actor Ty Burrell (“Modern Family”) is 58. Celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis is 55. Actor Melinda Page Hamilton (“Devious Maids,” ″Mad Men”) is 54. Actor Rick Yune (“Die Another Day,” “The Fast and the Furious”) is 54. Guitarist Paul Doucette of Matchbox Twenty is 53. Rapper Beenie Man is 52. Singer Howie Dorough of the Backstreet Boys is 52. Comedian Kristen Wiig (“Bridesmaids,” ″Saturday Night Live”) is 52. Actor Jenna Leigh Green (“Sabrina the Teenage Witch”) is 51. Keyboardist Bo Koster of My Morning Jacket is 51. Bassist Dean Back of Theory of a Deadman is 50. Actor and TV host James Corden is 47. Guitarist Jeff Stinco of Simple Plan is 47. Actor Brandon Adams (“The Mighty Ducks”) is 46. Actor Aya Sumika (“Numb3rs”) is 45. Actor Ari Stidham (TV’s “Scorpion”) is 33.

    Aug. 23: Actor Vera Miles is 95. Actor Barbara Eden is 94. Actor Richard Sanders (“WKRP In Cincinnati”) is 85. Country singer Rex Allen Jr. is 78. Actor David Robb (“Downton Abbey”) is 78. Singer Linda Thompson is 78. Actor Shelley Long is 76. Fiddler-singer Woody Paul of Riders in the Sky is 76. Singer-actor Rick Springfield is 76. Actor-producer Mark Hudson (The Hudson Brothers) is 74. Actor Skipp Sudduth (“The Good Wife”) is 69. Guitarist Dean DeLeo of Stone Temple Pilots is 64. Singer-bassist Ira Dean of Trick Pony is 56. Actor Jay Mohr is 55. Actor Ray Park (“X-Men,” ″The Phantom Menace”) is 51. Actor Scott Caan (“Hawaii Five-0”) is 49. Singer Julian Casablancas of The Strokes is 47. Actor Joanne Froggatt (“Downton Abbey”) is 45. Actor Jaime Lee Kirchner (“Bull”) is 44. Saxophonist Andy Wild of Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats is 44. Actor Annie Ilonzeh (“Chicago Fire”) is 42. Musician Sky Blu of LMFAO is 39. Actor Kimberly Matula (“The Bold and the Beautiful”) is 37.

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  • Wonka’s Saccharine Tincture Will Give Those With Functional Tastebuds A Stomach Ache

    Wonka’s Saccharine Tincture Will Give Those With Functional Tastebuds A Stomach Ache

    It is said that one is supposed to get more jaded (read: wiser) with age. That’s obviously not so with director Paul King, best known to most as the writer-director of Paddington and Paddington 2. But to those who really know his style before it became obfuscated by the sugary sweet stylings of those two films, it was Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace and The Mighty Boosh that lifted King up the ranks of British pop culture. Indeed, those two works were undeniably his launching point for writing and directing his own full-length feature, Bunny and the Bull, released in 2009, two years after The Mighty Boosh ended (but that didn’t stop Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt from appearing in King’s debut). 

    By aligning himself with the “quirk” and “offbeat stylings” of these two series, perhaps it became too easy to forget that he didn’t write them. That his own sense of “quirk” and “offbeatness” was entirely different. Entirely more attuned to the, shall we say, saccharine. And while that trait worked quite well for Paddington and Paddington 2, when applied to Wonka, it’s liable to give anyone with working tastebuds a stomach ache. Alas, it appears as though few people have their sense of taste at all anymore, with critics largely praising the movie via such sentiments as “Chocolate Factory prequel is a superbly sweet treat.” Many also seem to think that eradicating all traces of Road Dahl’s signature brand of darkness and cynicism is just dandy. As many also thought the same about censoring his work and then reprinting it for the purposes of adhering to “sensitivity reading.” In fact, in the same review that calls Wonka a “superbly sweet treat,” it is also said, as though it’s a good thing, “Timothée Chalamet leads a beguiling cast in a backstory that rinses away all sourness from Roald Dahl’s embittered chocolatier.” Does anyone care that that’s actually the worst possible interpretation of Willy Wonka, “origin story” or not? And, if Wonka is the so-called origin story it claims to be, where exactly is the part that’s supposed to tell us how he eventually came to be the child-hating (though that’s just good sense) misanthrope that we see him as in Gene Wilder form? Or hell, even in Johnny Depp form (to be sure, it’s been a real surprise to find that Tim Burton’s 2005 adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is more redeemed now than ever as a result of Wonka‘s existence). What’s more, at least Depp’s Wonka had an actual origin story involving his father being an oppressive dentist who would never let him eat any candy, hence his adult enthusiasm for making it.

    The absence of darkness (or what darkness there is being presented with a sense of “levity”) in Wonka begs the question: are people so starved for blind hope in the world that they can view the movie as a “much needed” beacon of light rather than taking note of how it not only eliminates the essence of Willy Wonka, but also inflicts a sort of terrified Pavlovian response every time one can feel another song coming on? Especially when it’s from Chalamet. To that point, there’s clearly a reason why the trailer for the movie did its best to conceal the fact that Wonka is a musical. Should viewers have expected that thanks to 1971’s Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory? Perhaps. But one of many glaring differences between that version and this “companion piece,” as King calls it, is that the songs in the original film actually slap, while the ones in Wonka are either totally forgettable (save, of course, for the few they repurpose from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory) or you wish they would please, god, please just end. This includes Calah Lane, who plays the “orphaned” Noodle, and Chalamet singing the ultra-cheeseball “For a Moment,” featuring such lyrics as, “For a moment/Life doesn’t seem quite so bad/For a moment/I kind of forgot to be sad.” Worse still are Wonka’s attempts at rhyming Noodle’s name with something, as he claims nothing rhymes with “Noodle” (clearly forgetting about “canoodle”), but, in truth, nothing rhymes with Wonka unless you turn “donkey” into “donka.” As in: Wonka sucks donka dick, and is a major insult to Dahl’s original character. One who would never, no matter how young and unjaded, sing, “Noodle, Noodle, apple strudel/Some people don’t and some people do-dle/Snakes, flamingos, bears and poodles/Singing this song will improve your moodle/Noodle-dee-dee, Noodle-dee-dum/We’re having oodles and oodles of fun.” If that doesn’t make one vomit into a bucket, it’s hard to know what will. Apart from King and his co-writer, Simon Farnaby (another The Mighty Boosh alum), incorporating a mama’s boy element into the script. 

    That’s right, of course Willy is suddenly a mother-obsessed man-boy who only dreams of making chocolate and selling it at the Galeries Gourmet because that’s what he told his mother (Sally Hawkins) he would do. She, in turn, promised she would be right at his side whenever he finally did. Unfortunately, her untimely death makes that all but impossible. That is, if this were a more realistic film. But again, as the critics have praised, Wonka utterly whitewashes and sanitizes everything for the sake of “effortless consumption.” Even the overt intermingling of Black and white characters at a time in history (“fantasy” or not) that wouldn’t have made it look so natural is yet another major signal of the movie’s overall sanitization. This being part of a larger trend in pop culture that might end up doing more harm than good in the long run as audiences are encouraged to pretend that racism never existed, and therefore doesn’t even exist now. 

    Nor does any trace of Dahl’s wryness. And sure, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory will always have the unbeatable benefit of being adapted for the screen by none other than Dahl himself (though he later disowned the script after it was given an uncredited rewrite by David Seltzer and then altered by director Mel Stuart). Not to mention the dark edge of Wilder portraying Wonka. In Paul King’s version, it isn’t just the unbearably corny nature of everything that makes it insufferable, but also the dreadful miscasting of Chalamet (and Hugh Grant as an Oompa Loompa, for that matter), who makes Wonka read like an impish, dick-gobbling (remember: Wonka sucks donka dick) twink. Really, it looks like he just ate a big mouthful of shit from someone’s arse every time you see him…which doesn’t do much to make the chocolate in the movie seem appetizing. 

    Beyond that issue, there’s the wielding of the town’s Chief of Police (Keegan-Michael Key) as a source of “comedy” for being fat. A big “no-no” in today’s world, and one of the many details that have actually been extracted from Dahl’s books (that is to say, even mere use of the word “fat”). Nonetheless, the Chief of Police is portrayed as a weak-willed fatso who becomes fat because he’s being paid off in chocolate bribes by the Chocolate Cartel (not exactly high praise or good PR for the candy biz). This group consists of Arthur Slugworth (Paterson Joseph), Gerald Prodnose (Matt Lucas) and Felix Fickelgruber (Mathew Baynton), all clearly based off Boggis, Bunce and Bean, the greedy triumvirate from a different Dahl story, Fantastic Mr. Fox (which Wes Anderson did a far better job of adapting than King has done with Wonka). Another “nod” to a Dahl story is Noodle, so overtly the “Matilda figure” of this narrative. But rather than succeeding as a “heartfelt homage” to Dahl’s work, Wonka is more like a hodgepodge of saccharine candies you didn’t really want, but you guess you’ll gorge on them because they’re there. 

    Genna Rivieccio

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