Image Credit: Suzanne Hanover
Over the weekend, Bridesmaids pulled in an impressive $24.4 million at the box office. But, an even more impressive feat was how it made many of those moviegoers shake with uncontrollable, gut-busting laughter.
When I saw Bridesmaids for the first time — yes, you read that correctly, first time — it was the scene where we first meet Melissa McCarthy’s character that did me in. READ FULL STORY »
Image Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
As you already know, on Conan last night, Jon Hamm took a swing at Donald Trump’s inability to laugh at himself at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Well, inevitably, Trump — never one to pass up the opportunity to knock anyone who breathes (unless they’ve got knockers) — has gotta swing back, right? Problem: I’ve been trying to think all afternoon about how one could even attempt to insult real-life awesome person Hamm, and I’m coming up completely empty. As EW’s Darren Franich says, Hamm “has the sense of humor of an incredibly ugly stand-up comedian, but he also looks like Superman.” He’s got a bubble! READ FULL STORY »
If EW’s grade-A review of Bridesmaids hasn’t convinced you to see the movie, watching Jon Hamm laugh while watching a fresh clip of himself and Kristen Wiig on Conan last night might seal the deal. Watch the nine-minute interview below. They talk about the film at the very end, and Hamm giggles at the mention of his character — the “unrepentant douchebag” who is Wiig’s boyfriend. It’s a genuine laugh that only builds when he talks about their awkward sex scene that opens the picture (good to know, don’t show up late!), and climaxes after the clip is shown of him suggesting Wiig take a nap in his lap while he’s driving.
Seriously, it could be the best he’s ever looked. The entire interview is charming, particularly when Conan does his Jack McBrayer impersonation and Hamm describes himself and EW cover boy Zach Galifianakis sitting at the table behind Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents Dinner and laughing “very loudly” at the president’s Trump jokes while The Apprentice star did not. READ FULL STORY »
Image Credit: Frank Ockenfels 3/AMC; Fern/Splash News
This, to the left, is Jon Hamm on Mad Men. And this, to the right, is Jon Hamm on vacation from Mad Men.* Any questions? Besides, when, oh when can 2012 get here?
*Yep, still handsome. And, lucky Hamm, being the subject of the first post in history to tag both “Sexytimes” and “PoopWatch.” HAMM!
Follow Kate on Twitter: @KateWardEW
Read more:
‘Mad Men’ cast: What are they doing during their hiatus?
‘Mad Men’ is a done deal! AMC drama is renewed with Matthew Weiner on board
Matthew Weiner defends ‘Mad Men’ standoff
‘Mad Men’ casting cuts? Who could you not live without?
‘Mad Men’: Season 5 airing in 2012
‘Mad Men’: Season 5 likely to be delayed
January Jones on ‘Mad Men’ future: Relax, people!
‘Mad Men’ returning for season 5, says AMC
Matthew Weiner on his expired ‘Mad Men’ contract: ‘I am not looking for a new job’
Now that the protracted Mad Men negotiations are finally over, the show’s creator is looking ahead to the show’s future — and, surprisingly, already seems to have a conclusion in mind. Exec producer Matthew Weiner tells TV Guide that he only sees the show lasting for another three seasons: “I think that’s how long the story is…I want the show to end before the machinery has worn out.” It’s unclear if Weiner has run this plan by his network: AMC had no comment on the three-season plan. Weiner’s reps wouldn’t respond to EW’s calls for confirmation, but the 7th season cut-off seems to make sense. Weiner and the cast are currently only signed through season 6, but given that everyone involved with Mad Men has made their career off the show, it seems logical that everyone would be onboard for another season. (Although we can likely expect some fun season 7 contract negotiations.)
So now we have to start asking the deeper questions: Is seven seasons too few for a show this good? Or is it too many? Should the show go out earlier, before the flab starts settling in? And are you ready for the invasion of the ’70s mustaches? READ FULL STORY »
Image Credit: AMC
There’s trouble brewing at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner and AMC are at loggerheads over his next contract, and the cable station announced today that season 5 of the Emmy-winning series, once hoped to arrive this summer, will be delayed to 2012. The two parties remain at odds over creative issues related to monetizing the revered but modestly-rated series, and some reports claim that AMC asked Weiner to ditch two characters in a cost-saving measure. Everyone in last year’s cast is under contract for season 5, but after that, who knows?
If true, I’m immediately in Weiner’s corner — no matter that he refuses to take a reported $30 million offer that would make him the highest-paid showrunner on cable television. If there was ever a series that made the most of a deep cast, it’s Mad Men. Take, for example, affable Ken Cosgrove (Aaron Staton). He was missed when he was left behind after the break-up of the original ad agency, making his return in the middle of season 4 like greeting an old college chum. READ FULL STORY »
When we heard that Season 5 of Mad Men won’t be premiering until early 2012, we were thrust into a deep despair. What are we supposed to do this summer if we can’t follow the ups and downs of Don, Peggy, Joan, Roger, and the rest of the SCDP gang — watch Wipeout? Go outside, for Pete’s sake? (Oh, Pete, we may miss you most of all!) Ugh. Who else needs a drink?
Thankfully, the horizon isn’t totally bleak. Mad Men‘s explosive fourth season was released on DVD and Blu-ray today, and it’s packed with extras — a three-part documentary called “Divorce: Circa 1960s,” a featurette detailing “How to Succeed in Business Draper Style,” and, of course, commentaries for all 13 episodes that feature series creator Matthew Weiner, along with his cast and crew. Maybe, just maybe, watching every second of footage on each of these four discs will make the long wait ahead just a bit more bearable.
Lucky for you, EW is giving away 10 sets of Mad Men Season 4 on DVD. They’re courtesy of Lionsgate, and available while supplies last. Can’t wait to get your grubby little paws on one of these fabulous prizes? Then look below for instructions on how to enter our contest. READ FULL STORY »
Image Credit: Michael Yarish/AMC
In honor of Jon Hamm’s 40th birthday — and in celebration of my editor considering me spending time Googling Jon Hamm “work” — here are links to 40 photos of him. (This is more a gift for us than him. But whatever.) READ FULL STORY »
Image Credit: Michael Kovac/WireImage.com
The rules for any roast demand that the roasters should have genuine affection for the roastee. You never rib someone you don’t like. But at the taping of The Comedy Central Roast of Donald Trump last night in New York City (airing on Comedy Central on Tuesday March 15 at 10:30 pm EST) not all of the comedians on hand had love in their hearts for the Trumpster — including Lisa Lampanelli, who had established that roasting rule in the first place. “Well, I broke the rule because the money’s really good,” the Roast veteran jested to me on the red carpet. Whitney Cummings, who’s quickly becoming a Comedy Central MVP, added, “Donald takes himself very seriously. I think he’s a clinically diagnosed narcissistic egomaniac. I think we’re dealing with a real sociopath here.” First-time roaster Anthony Jeselnik predicted, “They say you only roast the ones you love, so this is going to be short.” Sure others played nice — namely Larry King, who gushed “The Donald…what a guy!” more than once during the show — but it was the nasties, led by Roastmaster Seth MacFarlane, who ruled the night…and proved that gotta-like-the-roastee rule irrelevant. READ FULL STORY »
Image Credit: Hamm, Johansson: Jennifer Graylock/AP Images; Kras
Theater mavens know that staged readings — i.e. intimate, paired down (often to just a few tables and chairs) presentations of unproduced plays — rarely grow into full Broadway productions featuring the same actors. For every How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (which Daniel Radcliffe read in 2009 and is now headlining), there’s a Promises, Promises (which Anne Hathaway read in 2008 and Kristin Chenoweth starred in the next year). And that’s if the show ever makes it to a theater in the first place. READ FULL STORY »
