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Archive: December 2009 (241-250 of 461)

Dec 12 2009 09:00 AM ET

This Week on Stage: Mamet's 'Race' and 'So Help Me God' open

Categories: Stage/Theater, This Week on Stage

The past week saw the opening of two new shows in New York City. The first is a new play from David Mamet, Race, which EW critic Lisa Schwarzbaum awarded a C grade and called “a four-person dramatic tap dance about the lies blacks and whites tell each other about each other.” The other—without a doubt, much lighter fare—is a lost backstage play called So Help Me God starring Kristen Johnston that EW’s Jessica Shaw gave a B, commenting that “Johnston seems to relish every second” of her time on stage, “strutting around the stage in diva-worthy capes and lacy gowns, flicking her hand when she wants to dismiss a company member from her presence or, worse yet, the playwright.” Seemingly, a character that Johnston was made to embody.

But, of course, Race and So Help Me God are not all that’s on the boards right now. Looking for something else? Check out the EW.com Stage hub for up-to-date news and reviews; or consult this handy guide below, which includes links to all of our stage reviews of current shows. (Note: The reviews are typically of the show’s original casts.)

BROADWAY

The Addams Family — Musical; opens 2010

Billy Elliot — Musical; opened 11/13/08; EW grade: B+

Burn the Floor — Musical; opened 8/3/09 – 1/10/2010; EW grade: A-

Bye Bye Birdie — Musical Revival starring John Stamos; opened 10/15/2009 – 1/24/2010; EW grade: C+

Chicago — Musical Revival; opened 11/14/1996; EW grade: A+

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Dec 12 2009 12:01 AM ET

'Ugly Betty' Bites: The 11 quippiest gems from last night's episode, 'Be-Shure'!

by Tanner Stransky

Categories: About Last Night, Fall TV, Mini TV Watch, Television, TV Recap, Ugly Betty

Good news! The crazy-good creative surge on ABC’s Ugly Betty hasn’t stopped. Last night’s episode—the final new hour of 2009, before the show moves to its new Wednesday night timeslot on Jan. 6—packed quite the emotional punch, between (SPOILER ALERT!) the double-threat of pregnancies for the Suarez sisters, Hilda and Archie’s break-up, and Claire’s trip to South Dakota to find her long-lost son. And, damn, damn, damn Adam Rodriguez! Your smokin’ self would keep me coming back no matter what else was going on with the show. Good riddance to Archie! (Even though I do love you Ralph Macchio!)

Seriously, Betty couldn’t be moving to a better timeslot at a more opportune time, with all it’s got going on. Let’s just hope that those Modern Family and Cougar Town viewers stick around to see what’s up with the Suarez clan and everyone else at Mode, come January. But now, let’s celebrate the show’s beautiful writing—specifically, its always-delightful one-liners, collected here for your pleasure:

“Potato latkes swimming in oil. Apparently grandpa wants me to be a house by New Year’s.” —Justin, as Ignacio makes a greasy batch of potato latkes for his pan-religious celebration that evening

“Officials are searching for the money. Let’s hope enough of it turns up to buy Willy a belt. After all, Ms. Slater, a waist is a terrible thing to waste.” —Suzuki St. Pierre, on Willy’s decision to wear a blue jumpsuit

“What was she thinking?! I’ve seen actual blueberries look less round.” —Claire, after seeing Willy in a blue jumpsuit

“She was the Symbionese Liberation Army to my Patty Hearst. She even bought me a beret.” —Marc, dealing with Stockholm Syndrome after Willy left Mode

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Dec 11 2009 07:09 PM ET

'Survivor Talk': Dave calls Shambo 'deranged' and gets angry at Jenna Morasca and yours truly

by Dalton Ross

Categories: EW.com Video, Reality TV, Survivor

“Danger” Dave Ball seemed like a calm and collected cat after being voted out of Survivor: Samoa. No longer! He’s hopping mad! And who’s on the receiving end of his ire? Well, there’s Shambo (whom he calls “deranged”) and John (whom he mercilessly picks apart as a simpleton). But he doesn’t stop there. Next up on his hit list? Me! According to Dave, I have no right to question his moves in the game, and neither does my guest co-host Jenna Morasca—yes, the same Jenna Morasca that won a million dollars and the title of Sole Survivor. Dave’s point is actually well taken…to a point: Viewers like you and me are at an obvious disadvantage not being out there, and can only go by what we see. But a bad move is a bad move, and Dave certainly made a few of them during his stay in Samoa. (Sorry, dude.) In any event, the end result is one of the most entertaining and explosive Survivor Talks ever. Dave certainly brings his Danger, and oh so much more. Click the video to see for yourself. (Note: No, we haven’t forgotten about Monica. Our Survivor Talk interview with the bikini queen will be up on Monday as she discusses whether she regrets threatening Russell with her jury vote, and if she plans on carrying out that threat. Oh, and don’t forget to get all your Survivor scoop by following me on Twitter @EWDaltonRoss.)

Dec 11 2009 06:30 PM ET

Happy Hanukkah!

by EW staff

Categories: Happy Holidays, South Park

Happy Hanukkah, PopWatchers! I am celebrating with this classic (and R-rated) South Park clip.

I just can’t play the Adam Sandler song again. I…just can’t.

Dec 11 2009 05:36 PM ET

Site of the day: Seger Button

by Margaret Lyons

Categories: Music, Site of the Day, Tech

Push button, receive bacon. Wait, no, I mean, push button, receive Bob Seger video. Now excuse me while my hippie friends and I make a Seeger button that points you to Pete Seeger songs. Fridays!

Single-serving sites aren’t played out yet, are they, PopWatchers?

Dec 11 2009 05:34 PM ET

TNT teases its 'Southland' launch

by Wendy Mitchell

Categories: Television

Sweet relief – Southland is back soon. As we all know by now, NBC dropped the show and TNT subsequently picked it up. Despite the cop drama’s short run on NBC, I was already enthralled with these characters – and I will watch Regina King in whatever she does.

So (via The Wrap) here’s TNT new teaser for the Jan. 12 kickoff (commercial free). Although I’m sick of seeing that crawling baby in the street, this does get me excited to see the pilot again on Jan. 12. What about you?

Dec 11 2009 04:59 PM ET

Weekend Box Office Poll: What will you see? 'The Princess and the Frog'? 'The Blind Side'? 'Invictus'?

by Tanner Stransky

Categories: Movies

The weekend has arrived, PopWatchers, so the question becomes: What entertainment are you going to be consuming for the two glorious days off? Specifically, what movies are you planning to see? Our EW box-office expert Nicole Sperling is predicting a rather big win for Disney’s The Princess and the Frog, which she says is poised to possibly rake in $24 million. Behind that she says the week’s top-five box-office toppers will be filled out by The Blind Side, Invictus, New Moon, and Brothers.

But I wanna know, through my totally unscientific EW poll, what you plan to see — not what the predictors are prognosticating. So it’s that simple: What movie is going to get your butt into a theater seat this weekend? Is there more than one you’re dying to check out? Tell me about it in our poll (and the comments section) below! Happy weekend!

Dec 11 2009 04:56 PM ET

'Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore' trailer: Damn you, Jack McBrayer

by Mandi Bierly

Categories: Animals, Movie Trailers, Movies

I’ll be honest: I never saw 2001′s Cats & Dogs even though I have a stuffed Mr. Tinkles from the film in my office. (I made that the nickname for my former cube mate, so now I’m stuck with it for sentimental reasons.) That said, I’m kinda into the sequel, which, in addition to cats and dogs working together to stop the evil (and naturally hairless) Kitty Galore, features 30 Rock‘s Jack McBrayer (!), former Grey’s Anatomy veterinarian Chris O’Donnell, and SNL‘s Fred Armisen in the flesh. Suck it, G-Force.*

Who else hates to admit they’d totally watch this?

* Though I kinda wanted to see that, too.

Dec 11 2009 04:10 PM ET

Guess how far an Amazon employee has to walk just to get you your damn book?

by Kerrie Mitchell

Categories: Happy Holidays, Ridiculata

HuffingtonPost has up a link to a job posting for holiday workers at an Amazon.com warehouse in Kansas. Among the rigorous requirements for the job — among them, the ability to stand for 8-10 hours while continually bending and lifting, the wherewithal to call the warehouse a “fulfillment center” without snickering — there was one in particular that popped out: You have to be able to walk the equivalent of 10 to 15 miles a day. A day! All those endless choices to be had on the clean, easy interface of amazon.com really only means one thing: That there’s an equally endless warehouse where hardy Kansans are walking 75 miles a week to get you your wares before Christmas. Have you been inside one of these places? What’s the scoop?

Dec 11 2009 03:38 PM ET

Chace Crawford vs. Taylor Swift: Who bangs better?

by Annie Barrett

Categories: Gossip Girl, Grooming, Hollywood Hate Crime, This or That, Those Crazy Kids!

BREAKING: In an effort to keep the number of wispy hairs shielding the faces of teen-ish hearthrobs in check, Taylor Swift has stolen Nate Archibald’s bangs. Calls to Swift’s camp asking for confirmation of coiffurial transference went unanswered. OMFG.

JK people! Nate Archibald is imaginary, and research suggests that Chace Crawford the actor has been wearing his hair swept off his pretty little face like this outside of the Gossip Girl bubble for months. It’s especially extreme in today’s Women’s Wear Daily profile of Crawford, which Mandi accidentally came across during her daily 2-3 p.m. search for glamour shots of Taylor Lautner and Alexander Skarsgard.

Can you tell it’s Friday? Vote below. (Use this pic for reference.)

Photo credit: Crawford: Elder Ordonez/INFphoto.com; Swift: Dario Alequin/INFphoto.com