#source: the kennedy center mark twain prize for american humor

[overheard-at-hogwarts]

Sirius: [to the Marauders] What can I say, I like making memories! Sometimes I do crazy shit around you guys just so you can tell other people I did it.

[incorrect-esmp-quotes]

Oli: [to the other Emperors] What can I say, I like making memories! Sometimes I do crazy shit around you guys just so you can tell other people I did it.

[incorrect-losers]

Richie: What can I say, I like making memories! Sometimes I do crazy shit around you guys just so you can tell other people I did it

[outfitandtrend]

[ad_1] As POPSUGAR editors, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. If you buy a product we have recommended, we may receive affiliate commission, which in turn supports our work. The thong-pants trend has received a special Skims twist, courtesy of Kim Kardashian. On Sunday, the founder posed poolside in a nude sports bra and matching high-waist briefs peeking above slouchy sweatpants. "Sunday in my @skims ☀️," she captioned the series of images. While she was highlighting the two-piece set, fans immediately directed their attention to the pants. Some suspected they belonged to her boyfriend Pete Davidson — speculation that wasn't totally unfounded. With their oversized fit, elastic waist, and floor-sweeping hem, the sweatpants seem like they could definitely be "borrowed from the boys." Simone Harouche, Kardashian's stylist, planted the seed when he wrote "My favorite pants!!!" — a statement that prompts one to wonder what exactly makes them so special. "And Pete's sweats🤔😂 so cute either way! 😍" one commenter remarked under the post. Others commented on her laidback vibe and natural makeup, with one user writing, "[S]tarting to look a lot like Pete davidson energy." It's not uncommon for couples to coordinate looks, whether intentionally or not. And while the 41-year-old star hasn't admitted to pulling pieces from Davidson's wardrobe (yet), she may be taking notes from his generally relaxed fashion sense. After filing for divorce from Kanye West, Kardashian is entering a new fashion era, possibly trading her Balenciaga uniform for a more casual look that involves ripped jeans, flame catsuits, and midriff-baring sets. So, does this mark the beginning of the duo swapping outfits or getting inspired by each other's style? Only time will tell. Kardashian's poolside post follows a joint outing where the couple — who have been dating for six months — attended the 23rd Annual Mark Twain Prize For American Humor at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. The two were spotted in all-black outfits, with Kardashian in a round-neck sequin gown and Davidson in a classic suit. Ahead, shop similar Skims pieces to recreate Kardashian's look. window.fbAsyncInit = function() FB.init( appId : '175338224756', status : true, // check login status xfbml : true, // parse XFBML version : 'v8.0' ); ONSUGAR.Event.fire('fb:loaded'); ; // Load the SDK Asynchronously (function(d) var id = 'facebook-jssdk'; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; if (typeof scriptsList !== "undefined") scriptsList.push('src': 'https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js', 'attrs': 'id':id, 'async': true); (document)); [ad_2] Source link

[womenofcolor15]

Dave Chappelle’s Scoops Up THREE Emmys For Sticks & Stones’ Comedy Special, Does Triple Date Night With Common, Tiffany & Claressa Shields

Dave Chapelle’s Netflix comedy special Sticks & Stones nabbed three Creative Arts Emmys this year. Celebrate with the comedian king, plus see flicks from his triple date night with Common, Tiffany Haddish, Clarissa Shields and more inside…

Welcome to the winner’s circle…again!

Dave Chapelle’s Netflix comedy-special “Sticks & Stones” earned him not one, not two, but THREE Creative Arts Emmy Awards thoughout the week. The Creative Arts Emmy Awards held several ceremonies over the past week and Dave nabbed quite a few statues.

”Sticks & Stones” won for Outstanding Variety Special (pre-recorded), Outstanding Writing – Variety Special and Stan Lathan (Sanaa Lathan’s father) won the Outstanding Directing – Variety Special award for his work on the special.

He beat out fellow comedians Tiffany Haddish, Jerry Seinfeld, John Mulaney and Hannah Gadsby in the Variety Special (pre-recorded) category.

In total, he was nominated for six EMMY Awards for "Sticks & Stones," and two for "Dave Chappelle: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize For American Humor."

Yesterday...

        View this post on Instagram

                  Success! I literally had a ball yesterday ! These pics are great but don’t really explain how much I laughed and freaked out yesterday! Thankful to be around like minded, successful, real people! #CouplesOnly #claressashields #GWOAT #davechappelle #sheready : @candytman

A post shared by ClaressaTheGWOATShields (@claressashields) on Sep 19, 2020 at 8:55am PDT

  The famed comedian enjoyed a triple date night with his wife Elaine Chapelle, Oscar winner Common, his girlfriend Tiffany Haddish, boxer Claressa Shields and fitness guru Tony Richardson at the Wirrig Pavilion in Yellow Springs, OH:

        View this post on Instagram

                  Show 51 tore the roof off the muthasucka @davechappelle @aliwong @tiffanyhaddish @michelleisawolf @realmoamer @donnellrawlings @djtrauma @talibkweli @common @claressashields @jokoy shot on #LeicaQ2 #ChappelleSummerCamp #covidfree #covidtested

A post shared by Mathieu Bitton (@candytman) on Sep 19, 2020 at 12:10am PDT

        View this post on Instagram

                  Get 'em high like noon or the moon! @common #ChappelleSummerCamp @leicacamerausa

A post shared by Mathieu Bitton (@candytman) on Sep 19, 2020 at 1:36pm PDT

        View this post on Instagram

                  What can I say I haven’t said already. Tonight may be the most epic night I can remember. Within minutes, I’m filming Dave’s Emmy acceptance speech at the end of #ChappelleSummerCamp show #51 (3 wins for Sticks & Stones tonight) and Julien, my boy, my baby, my light, literally my savior for two months - turns 18. 18!!! How did that happen. I can’t make a speech as brilliant as the one Dave just gave you but I can tell you the most important thing. And that is that I love you had an so proud of you. You’ve risen to the occasion this summer like never before. Tell you the truth, I’m so happy I broke my arms because we would never have had this summer. @milesbitton first and then you came to rescue my and save my summer like Dave saved our summer first. You are and incredible man. Now we party. I’m so glad your mom @rebeinstein is here with us. Your best qualities are hers. Wish Miles was here too. Happy birthday @julien.bitton!!! Thank you @davechappelle for making all this possible for us. We are family. : @realmoamer & @donnellrawlings

A post shared by Mathieu Bitton (@candytman) on Sep 19, 2020 at 11:03pm PDT

        View this post on Instagram

                  You did it again Dave! 4 Emmys to your name! So beyond honored to be a part of this incredible @netflixisajoke special that is “Sticks & Stones.” Congrats @stanlathan on your win. Congrats #TeamChappelle @msrikki and @sinasadigh1 for your wins! Shot on stage tonight at #ChappelleSummerCamp on #LeicaQ2

A post shared by Mathieu Bitton (@candytman) on Sep 20, 2020 at 1:05am PDT

Congrats!

Be sure to stay locked in to TheYBF.com for the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards tonight at 8pm EST.

Photo: Kathy Hutchins/Shutterstock.com

[Read More ...] source http://theybf.com/2020/09/20/dave-chappelle%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%98sticks-stones%E2%80%99-comedy-special-scoops-up-three-creative-arts-emmy-awards

[youngandhungryent]

Dave Chappelle Accepts Mark Twain Prize At The Kennedy Center

Source: ALEX EDELMAN / Getty

Dave Chappelle returned to his Washington, D.C. area roots on Sunday to accept the Mark Twain Prize at the Kennedy Center. The star-studded event featured some of the comedian’s favorite musicians and his peers lavishing praise upon him.

Joining Chappelle in celebration for the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor was his wife and children, and longtime friends Q-Tip, Yasiin Bey, and others. The honor comes after a whirlwind year for Chappelle and a triumphant return to the stand-up comedy stage on the heels of five well-received, if controversial Netflix specials.

Chappelle opened up his acceptance speech in his usual deadpan fashion by jokingly announcing to the Kennedy Center crowd that he was gay, adding with a wry smile that he hopes the news will enhance his career. Obviously, Chappelle’s career is doing just fine and a host of other stars thanked him for his contribution including Sarah Silverman, Kenan Thompson, Tiffany Haddish, Morgan Freeman, Aziz Ansari and a host of others all appeared onstage.

The event was recorded and will be televised on PBS on January 7, 2020.

—

Photo: Getty

source https://hiphopwired.com/826366/dave-chappelle-mark-twain-prize/

[landacez]

Jerry Seinfeld on Julia Louis-Dreyfus & "Seinfeld" | 2018 Mark Twain Prize Jerry Seinfeld honors Julia Louis-Dreyfus during the 21st Annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at The Kennedy Center. An outstanding lineup of ... source

[gossipamericanews]

Mark Twain Prize: Watch Tiffany Haddish, John Legend, Aziz Ansari, Jon Stewart, And Sarah Silverman Honor Dave Chappelle

Mark Twain Prize: Watch Tiffany Haddish, John Legend, Aziz Ansari, Jon Stewart, And Sarah Silverman Honor Dave Chappelle

Source: ALEX EDELMAN / Getty

Dave Chappelle Honored By Comedians And Friends At Mark Twain Prize Ceremony

Back in October BOSSIP reported that Dave Chappelle was honored with the Mark Twain Prize for comedy at the Kennedy Center his hometown of Washington, D.C.

Several of Dave’s friends were called to honor him including Tiffany Haddish, John Legend, Jon Stewart, Sarah Silverman, and Aziz…

[smash-block-tv]

Dave Chappelle Accepts Mark Twain Prize |

Dave Chappelle Accepts Mark Twain Prize |

[ad_1]

Source: ALEX EDELMAN / Getty

Dave Chappelle returned to his Washington, D.C. area roots on Sunday to accept the Mark Twain Prize at the Kennedy Center. The star-studded event featured some of the comedian’s favorite musicians and his peers lavishing praise upon him.

Joining Chappelle in celebration for the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor was his wife and children, and longtime…

[todaynewsstories]

Louis: Dreyfus vows ‘Veep’ character true to self until the end

PASADENA, Calif. (Reuters) – Don’t expect Selina Meyer to hold anything back in the upcoming final season of “Veep,” star Julia Louis-Dreyfus said on Friday.

FILE PHOTO: Comedian and actor Julia Louis-Dreyfus poses for photographers on the red carpet as she arrives to be awarded the Kennedy Center’s 21st annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, in Washington, U.S., October 21, 2018. REUTERS/Mike Theiler

Meyer, the self-centered and foul-mouthed former president and vice president at the center of the Emmy-winning HBO comedy, will be trying to work her way back into the White House when the show returns on March 31 for seven episodes.

“She is truer to herself, as true to herself as she can possibly be by the time this season ends,” Louis-Dreyfus told reporters at a Television Critics Association event. “I’ll leave it for you to determine whether or not it’s a good thing.”

A send-up of Washington power brokers, “Veep” has aired on AT&T Inc’s HBO since 2012, but the show took a hiatus after Louis-Dreyfus began undergoing treatment for breast cancer in late 2017. The former “Seinfeld” star said last year she was cancer free.

Producers said they had decided to end the show with the upcoming seventh season before the cancer diagnosis.

In one clip from a future episode, Meyer questions part of the pitch to voters that her staff has prepared for her.

“I’m not sure about this part where I say I want to be president for all Americans,” Meyer says to an aide. “I mean, do I?”

Upcoming scenes also showed Meyer, who often insults staff with blunt and off-color remarks, being confronted with anonymous complaints about her workplace behavior.

Louis-Dreyfus said Meyer is unlikely to change her ways in the show’s final episodes. “I’m not sure that evolution is necessarily her game,” she said.

“I think where our show ends up ultimately is a place I’m very happy about, and I think it will surprise viewers too,” she added.

“I think it’s the right ending for America,” joked executive producer and writer Dave Mandel.

“Veep” has won the Emmy for best comedy series three times, and Louis-Dreyfus has earned six consecutive best actress Emmys for the role, surpassing the totals of past female comedy icons like Mary Tyler Moore or Lucille Ball.

Also an executive producer of “Veep,” Louis-Dreyfus said the show’s writers have had to work harder to push boundaries and generate laughs in the face of the unconventional style of real-life U.S. President Donald Trump that dominates the news.

“It is now a tad more challenging, but we were able to do it,” Louis-Dreyfus said. “So get ready.”

Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Bill Berkrot

Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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The post Louis: Dreyfus vows ‘Veep’ character true to self until the end appeared first on Today News Stories.

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[nicholerestrada]

Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Reaction to Seeing Her Eighties Hair Is Priceless (Exclusive)

Being honored with major awards is always a good time for celebrities to reflect on how they got where they are today.

But, in Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ case, she’s looking back at her now cringe-worthy (hair) roots!

ET caught up with the 57-year-old Seinfeld icon before she accepted the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. on Sunday, and we couldn’t resist showing her our first interview clip with her back in 1982, shortly after ET’s launch.

In the clip, Dreyfus introduces herself before sharing that she has a cat named Wally. Asked what advice she would give that younger self, the comedian didn’t hesitate.

“Fix your hair!” she laughed, before adding, “I’m not kidding.”

Dreyfus played Elaine Bene on Seinfeld, which was led by Jerry Seinfeld and ran from July 1989 to May 1998.

“I always felt like she was the diamond,” Dreyfus reflected about Elaine. “She was the sparkle of the show that really made it the right chemistry, the right formula.”

She has since starred in Saturday Night Life, The New Adventures of Old Christine and Veep. The Mark Twain award sees her join a group of comedy elite including Eddie Murphy and Tina Fey.

“It feels like a lot and I’m quite overcome, so I’m nervous, but I’m delighted to be here,” she said before accepting the honor.

“Everybody needs to laugh, so the fact that I’ve had the opportunity to make people laugh for a living is one of the many blessings I have received in my life,” she added.

But while being able to bring laughter to fans around the world may have earned Dreyfus the accolade, she shared how it was her own ability to laugh which helped her through fighting stage two breast cancer.

Diagnosed with the illness last fall, the comedian completed chemotherapy in January, then underwent surgery in February.

“I’m just happy to be here,” she added about how the difficult health battle has changed her. “I cherished my life before and now I cherish it all highlighted, cherish it.”

Earlier this month, Louis-Dreyfus talked to ET about how she decided to tackle her illness with humor.

“I normally wouldn’t share such a private thing publicly,” she admitted. “[However], I knew it would get out there because I knew we had to shut down production [on Veep] for a number of months in order to accommodate my situation. So, then I thought, ‘Well, I’m just going to embrace this and attack it and try to do it with a sense of humor. I was really pleased with the reaction.”

The actress’ former co-star, Jerry Seinfeld, came out to support her as she was honored at the event, which was also attended by Bryan Cranston, Tina Fey and Stephen Colbert. But before watching her take to the stage, Seinfeld reflected on his favorite memory with Louis-Dreyfus back in the Seinfeld days.

“I think it was the Festivus scene,” the 64-year-old actor told ET, referring to the show’s fictional holiday, meant to be an alternative to the Christmas season. “Yeah, that big table and we were all exhausted and it was Yom Kippur and I was fasting and we were just, we were a wreck, you know, and we’re trying to do this scene, we were just laughing. Her makeup was running.”

See more Louis-Dreyfus and Seinfeld below.

RELATED CONTENT:

EXCLUSIVE: Julia Louis-Dreyfus Talks Her ‘Kick Cancer in the Ass’ Mentality

EXCLUSIVE: Jerry Seinfeld Recalls His Favorite ‘Seinfeld’ Memory With Julia Louis-Dreyfus

RELATED: 12 Celebs You Didn’t Know Guest Starred on ‘Seinfeld’

Related Gallery

  Source link

Source: https://hashtaghighways.com/2018/10/23/julia-louis-dreyfus-reaction-to-seeing-her-eighties-hair-is-priceless-exclusive/

from Garko Media https://garkomedia1.wordpress.com/2018/10/23/julia-louis-dreyfus-reaction-to-seeing-her-eighties-hair-is-priceless-exclusive/

[michaeljtraylor]

Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Reaction to Seeing Her Eighties Hair Is Priceless (Exclusive)

Being honored with major awards is always a good time for celebrities to reflect on how they got where they are today.

But, in Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ case, she’s looking back at her now cringe-worthy (hair) roots!

ET caught up with the 57-year-old Seinfeld icon before she accepted the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. on Sunday, and we couldn’t resist showing her our first interview clip with her back in 1982, shortly after ET’s launch.

In the clip, Dreyfus introduces herself before sharing that she has a cat named Wally. Asked what advice she would give that younger self, the comedian didn’t hesitate.

“Fix your hair!” she laughed, before adding, “I’m not kidding.”

Dreyfus played Elaine Bene on Seinfeld, which was led by Jerry Seinfeld and ran from July 1989 to May 1998.

“I always felt like she was the diamond,” Dreyfus reflected about Elaine. “She was the sparkle of the show that really made it the right chemistry, the right formula.”

She has since starred in Saturday Night Life, The New Adventures of Old Christine and Veep. The Mark Twain award sees her join a group of comedy elite including Eddie Murphy and Tina Fey.

“It feels like a lot and I’m quite overcome, so I’m nervous, but I’m delighted to be here,” she said before accepting the honor.

“Everybody needs to laugh, so the fact that I’ve had the opportunity to make people laugh for a living is one of the many blessings I have received in my life,” she added.

But while being able to bring laughter to fans around the world may have earned Dreyfus the accolade, she shared how it was her own ability to laugh which helped her through fighting stage two breast cancer.

Diagnosed with the illness last fall, the comedian completed chemotherapy in January, then underwent surgery in February.

“I’m just happy to be here,” she added about how the difficult health battle has changed her. “I cherished my life before and now I cherish it all highlighted, cherish it.”

Earlier this month, Louis-Dreyfus talked to ET about how she decided to tackle her illness with humor.

“I normally wouldn’t share such a private thing publicly,” she admitted. “[However], I knew it would get out there because I knew we had to shut down production [on Veep] for a number of months in order to accommodate my situation. So, then I thought, ‘Well, I’m just going to embrace this and attack it and try to do it with a sense of humor. I was really pleased with the reaction.”

The actress’ former co-star, Jerry Seinfeld, came out to support her as she was honored at the event, which was also attended by Bryan Cranston, Tina Fey and Stephen Colbert. But before watching her take to the stage, Seinfeld reflected on his favorite memory with Louis-Dreyfus back in the Seinfeld days.

“I think it was the Festivus scene,” the 64-year-old actor told ET, referring to the show’s fictional holiday, meant to be an alternative to the Christmas season. “Yeah, that big table and we were all exhausted and it was Yom Kippur and I was fasting and we were just, we were a wreck, you know, and we’re trying to do this scene, we were just laughing. Her makeup was running.”

See more Louis-Dreyfus and Seinfeld below.

RELATED CONTENT:

EXCLUSIVE: Julia Louis-Dreyfus Talks Her ‘Kick Cancer in the Ass’ Mentality

EXCLUSIVE: Jerry Seinfeld Recalls His Favorite ‘Seinfeld’ Memory With Julia Louis-Dreyfus

RELATED: 12 Celebs You Didn’t Know Guest Starred on ‘Seinfeld’

Related Gallery

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[garkomedia1]

Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Reaction to Seeing Her Eighties Hair Is Priceless (Exclusive)

Being honored with major awards is always a good time for celebrities to reflect on how they got where they are today.

But, in Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ case, she’s looking back at her now cringe-worthy (hair) roots!

ET caught up with the 57-year-old Seinfeld icon before she accepted the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. on Sunday, and we couldn’t resist showing her our first interview clip with her back in 1982, shortly after ET’s launch.

In the clip, Dreyfus introduces herself before sharing that she has a cat named Wally. Asked what advice she would give that younger self, the comedian didn’t hesitate.

“Fix your hair!” she laughed, before adding, “I’m not kidding.”

Dreyfus played Elaine Bene on Seinfeld, which was led by Jerry Seinfeld and ran from July 1989 to May 1998.

“I always felt like she was the diamond,” Dreyfus reflected about Elaine. “She was the sparkle of the show that really made it the right chemistry, the right formula.”

She has since starred in Saturday Night Life, The New Adventures of Old Christine and Veep. The Mark Twain award sees her join a group of comedy elite including Eddie Murphy and Tina Fey.

“It feels like a lot and I’m quite overcome, so I’m nervous, but I’m delighted to be here,” she said before accepting the honor.

“Everybody needs to laugh, so the fact that I’ve had the opportunity to make people laugh for a living is one of the many blessings I have received in my life,” she added.

But while being able to bring laughter to fans around the world may have earned Dreyfus the accolade, she shared how it was her own ability to laugh which helped her through fighting stage two breast cancer.

Diagnosed with the illness last fall, the comedian completed chemotherapy in January, then underwent surgery in February.

“I’m just happy to be here,” she added about how the difficult health battle has changed her. “I cherished my life before and now I cherish it all highlighted, cherish it.”

Earlier this month, Louis-Dreyfus talked to ET about how she decided to tackle her illness with humor.

“I normally wouldn’t share such a private thing publicly,” she admitted. “[However], I knew it would get out there because I knew we had to shut down production [on Veep] for a number of months in order to accommodate my situation. So, then I thought, ‘Well, I’m just going to embrace this and attack it and try to do it with a sense of humor. I was really pleased with the reaction.”

The actress’ former co-star, Jerry Seinfeld, came out to support her as she was honored at the event, which was also attended by Bryan Cranston, Tina Fey and Stephen Colbert. But before watching her take to the stage, Seinfeld reflected on his favorite memory with Louis-Dreyfus back in the Seinfeld days.

“I think it was the Festivus scene,” the 64-year-old actor told ET, referring to the show’s fictional holiday, meant to be an alternative to the Christmas season. “Yeah, that big table and we were all exhausted and it was Yom Kippur and I was fasting and we were just, we were a wreck, you know, and we’re trying to do this scene, we were just laughing. Her makeup was running.”

See more Louis-Dreyfus and Seinfeld below.

RELATED CONTENT:

EXCLUSIVE: Julia Louis-Dreyfus Talks Her ‘Kick Cancer in the Ass’ Mentality

EXCLUSIVE: Jerry Seinfeld Recalls His Favorite ‘Seinfeld’ Memory With Julia Louis-Dreyfus

RELATED: 12 Celebs You Didn’t Know Guest Starred on ‘Seinfeld’

Related Gallery

  Source link

from RSSUnify feed https://hashtaghighways.com/2018/10/23/julia-louis-dreyfus-reaction-to-seeing-her-eighties-hair-is-priceless-exclusive/

[funnythingshere0-blog]

Julia Louis Dreyfus says politics isn't funny anymore

New Post has been published on http://funnythingshere.xyz/julia-louis-dreyfus-says-politics-isnt-funny-anymore/

Julia Louis Dreyfus says politics isn't funny anymore

Actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus said in an interview with Hill.TV’s “Rising” that she doesn’t think the state of politics in the U.S. is funny anymore.

“I’m very worried right now about where we are as a country, and I have a feeling like I want to get our country back,” Louis-Dreyfus told The Hill’s Judy Kurtz on Sunday. The interview aired on Monday.

“I don’t think it’s that funny anymore, to tell you the truth. If you want to get funny, watch ‘Veep,’ ” she said, referring to HBO’s Emmy award-winning show.

The “Veep” star was at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., on Sunday to accept the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

She was supported by her former “Seinfeld” co-star, Jerry Seinfeld, who has chosen to largely remain nonpolitical in his comedic performances.

Seinfeld told Kurtz that while he cares about politics, he does not find the topic appropriate for comedy. 

“Comedy to me is a higher calling than political influence, so I care more about comedy than I do about politics, even though I do care about politics,” Seinfeld said.

“When I start talking about Raisinets, I just feel funny just as soon as I start talking about it. So that’s [how] comedians pick their subjects, it makes them feel funny. So politics just doesn’t make me feel funny, no,” he added. 

— Julia Manchester

Source: https://thehill.com/hilltv/rising/412520-julia-louis-dreyfus-says-politics-isnt-funny-anymore

[recentnews18-blog]

New Post has been published on https://shovelnews.com/julia-louis-dreyfus-slams-kavanaugh-and-his-weird-wall-calendar-in-mark-twain-acceptance-speech/

Julia Louis-Dreyfus slams Kavanaugh and his “weird wall calendar” in Mark Twain acceptance speech

Drawing the spotlight away from her own accomplishments, “Veep” star Julia Louis-Dreyfus got political in real life during her acceptance speech for the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor as she bashed the recent confirmation of Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court.

As it turns out, Louis-Dreyfus is an alumnus of the same high school that Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, who accused Kavanaugh of attempted rape in the 1980s, attended. The actress was one of 600 women from Holton-Arms in Maryland who signed a letter in a gesture of solidarity with Ford. Ford and Louis-Dreyfus attended the all-girls high school at the same time, according to HuffPost.

“I attended Holton-Arms – a girl’s school in the Washington area,” the outlet quotes Louis-Dreyfus as saying Sunday night. “It has been in the news lately. Back in Fourth Grade, as a matter of fact, I was in a very serious Holton-Arms production of ‘Serendipity.’ You know it’s funny with us Holton girls: I remember every detail of that play. I could swear to it under penalty of perjury. And, yet, I don’t remember who drove me to the show or who drove me home. Or if Squee or Tobin were there. Or if Brett put it on his weird wall calendar.”

“This, by the way, is totally true and not some kind of subtle attack on our newest Supreme Court justice,” Louis-Dreyfus added. “For God’s sake, the man has suffered enough.”

The letter about Kavanaugh, which was drafted on Sept. 17 to Congress, stated:

We, of the Holton Arms Class of 1984, are writing on behalf of our friend and classmate, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, to attest to her honesty, integrity, and intelligence; and to contend that her decision to provide information pertaining to a sexual assault is not a partisan act. It is an act of civic duty and the experience she described in her letter needs to be seriously considered. We represent all political parties and we support Christine bringing this matter forward.

We stand with our friend Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and admire her honesty and resolve on behalf of our nation.

Louis-Dreyfus was not the only comedian to get political Sunday night. Tina Fey, who introduced the Mark Twain recipient, also did not shy away from the opportunity to talk about the Trump administration.

“Everyone talks about all the parallels between ‘Veep’ and the current administration, but I think it’s more like ‘Seinfeld’ — just a bunch of selfish dicks who don’t give a crap about anyone but themselves,” said Fey.

In reference to Holton-Arms, Fey added, “Anyone who knows Julia knows she cherished her high school days boofing out on the quad, playing devil’s triangle with her girlfriends – a classic American childhood!”

Louis-Dreyfus, best known for roles the shows “Seinfeld,” “The New Adventures of Old Christine” and “Veep,” is the 21st recipient of the Mark Twain award. According to the Kennedy Center, the prize is given to those who “had an impact on American society in ways similar to the distinguished 19th century novelist and essayist best known as Mark Twain.” She joins the estimable list of recipients that includes Carol Burnett, Lily Tomlin, Carol Burnett, Whoopi Goldberg and Tina Fey.

The actress had taken a leave of absence from “Veep” last year, due to her much-publicized diagnosis with breast cancer, but recently announced that she is cancer free, adding that humor got her through a trying time.

“Cancer is not at all funny but a big part of dealing with it has been finding the funny moments,” this year’s recipient of the Mark Twain prize for American humor, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, says laughter got her through a battle with breast cancer. pic.twitter.com/I2H350xWl3

— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) October 22, 2018

“Cancer isn’t at all funny, but a big part of dealing with it has been finding the funny moments. The old cliché about laughter being the best medicine turns out to be true,” Louis-Dreyfus said, according to CBS News. “Which is good, because that’s what the current administration is trying to replace Obamacare with.”

Source: https://www.salon.com/2018/10/22/julia-louis-dreyfus-slams-kavanaugh-and-his-weird-wall-calendar-in-mark-twain-acceptance-speech/

[newsintodays-blog]

Tony award-winning U.S. playwright Neil Simon dies at 91

New Post has been published on http://newsintoday.info/2018/08/26/tony-award-winning-u-s-playwright-neil-simon-dies-at-91-2/

Tony award-winning U.S. playwright Neil Simon dies at 91

(Reuters) – U.S. playwright Neil Simon, who became one of Broadway’s most prolific and popular playwrights as he combined humor, drama and introspection in works such as “The Odd Couple,” “The Goodbye Girl” and “Lost in Yonkers,” died on Sunday at the age of 91, his representatives said.

Simon died at New York-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City of complications from pneumonia, Broadway theater representatives DKC/O&M said in a statement on Sunday. Simon was admitted to the hospital a few days ago and the pneumonia was in his lungs, Simon’s longtime publicist Bill Evans said in a Sunday phone interview. Evans said he gave Simon a kidney in 2004.

“It was wonderful to be in his life and for him to be in my life,” Evans said, calling Simon a major figure in American culture. “It has been so great to be part of all of it.”

Simon drew on his tumultuous New York Jewish upbringing in many of his works.

A new Simon play almost every theatrical season was a Broadway staple from 1960 through the mid-1990s, placing him in the ranks of America’s top playwrights. He wrote more than 40 plays that were funny, moving and immensely popular – sometimes shifting from slapstick to melodrama with the turn of a phrase.

At one point he had a record four plays running simultaneously on Broadway.

Simon was called “not just a show business success but an institution” by one New York critic. While his voice and comedy were decidedly East Coast and often reflected an ethnic Jewish experience, Simon’s works played to packed houses around the world.

He won Tony Awards for “The Odd Couple,” “Biloxi Blues” and “Lost in Yonkers” and a fourth for his overall contribution to American theater. He was nominated for 13 other Tonys.

“Lost in Yonkers” (1990), a painfully funny story about the relationship between an abusive mother and her grown children, also won the Pulitzer Prize for drama in 1991.

Simon’s childhood was marred by the breakup of his parents. At first he was reluctant to draw on that pain, fearing it would make his plays too dark.

Later in his career he would use his own painful experiences, such as in the semi-biographical “Brighton Beach Memoirs,” to give his work more depth.

But being entertaining was his primary goal.

“When I was a kid, I climbed up on a stone ledge to watch an outdoor movie of Charlie Chaplin,” Simon once told Life magazine. “I laughed so hard I fell off, cut my head open and was taken to the doctor, bleeding and laughing.

“… My idea of the ultimate achievement in a comedy is to make a whole audience fall onto the floor, writhing and laughing so hard that some of them pass out.”

Simon’s plays made him a wealthy man and many were turned into films, which made him even wealthier and earned him four Academy Award nominations. Among his works appearing on movie screens were “Barefoot in the Park,” “Plaza Suite,” “Brighton Beach Memoirs,” “Biloxi Blues” and “Broadway Bound.” “The Odd Couple” was even made into a successful television sitcom.

Early Simon works were sometimes deemed too sentimental or commercial by critics but as his career entered its third decade, the plays grew more serious, more mature. Frank Rich of the New York Times wrote of “Biloxi Blues” (1985) that Simon “at last begins to examine himself honestly, without compromises, and as a result is his most persuasively serious effort.”

Marvin Neil Simon was born on July 4, 1927, in the New York City borough of the Bronx, son of Irving, a garment salesman, and Mamie Simon.

After attending New York University and the University of Denver and serving in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, Simon and his mentor, older brother Danny Simon, worked together in the 1940s writing comedy sketches for radio performer Goodman Ace.

Simon and Danny, whose living arrangements once inspired Neil’s “The Odd Couple,” then moved to television, working with such popular entertainers as Sid Caesar, Phil Silver and Jackie Gleason, and with other writers including Mel Brooks and Woody Allen.

FILE PHOTO: Playwright Neil Simon arrives for a program honoring him as the 2006 Mark Twain Prize recipient at the Kennedy Center in Washington October 15, 2006. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

But Simon did not like television work and in 1960 came up with “Come Blow Your Horn,” which became a modest Broadway hit. It was followed by “Barefoot in the Park” in 1963, which ran for more than 1,500 performances. Simon would go on to dominate the 1960s with “The Odd Couple,” “Sweet Charity,” “Plaza Suite” and “The Last of the Red Hot Lovers.”

In the ‘70s he turned out “The Prisoner of Second Avenue,” “The Sunshine Boys” and “California Suite” while his ‘80s works included “Brighton Beach Memoirs,” Biloxi Blues,” “Broadway Bound” and “Rumors.” Simon continued into the next decade with “Lost in Yonkers,” “Jake’s Women,” “The Goodbye Girl” and “Laughter on the 23rd Floor.”

His semi-autobiographical trilogy – “Brighton Beach Memoirs,” “Biloxi Blues” and “Broadway Bound – was a fixture on Broadway in the 1980s.

CREATIVE ‘PINBALL MACHINE’

Simon once compared his own creative process to a pinball machine, such as when he was writing “Lost in Yonkers.” The creative concept, he said, began “to move circuitously around in my brain, bouncing off one neuron to another, like a pinball that hits every number of the board repeatedly, rolls down, hits the flippers and goes bouncing back up for another go at every bell-ringing number again.”

Simon’s plays were usually set in New York with characters whose problems were similar to those experienced by Simon.

“Chapter Two,” for example, dealt with a writer whose first wife had died, trying to open himself to love a new woman. Simon’s wife of 20 years, Joan Baim, died of cancer in 1973, after which he married actress Marsha Mason, who starred in the 1979 film version of “Chapter Two.” Mason also won an Oscar for 1977’s “The Goodbye Girl,” another Simon play he adapted for the screen.

Simon received Kennedy Center honors in 1995 from President Bill Clinton for his contribution to the arts and to popular culture in the 20th century.

“He challenges us and himself never to take ourselves too seriously,” Clinton said in presenting the award. “Thank you for the wit and the wisdom.”

Simon was married five times, twice to actress Diane Lander. He is survived by wife Elaine Joyce and his three daughters from different marriages, Evans said.

FILE PHOTO: Screenwriter Neil Simon at the Paramount Studios lot in Hollywood, California April 6, 1998. REUTERS/Fred Prouser/File Photo

Reporting by Bill Trott; Additional reporting by Suzannah Gonzales in Chicago and Jill Serjeant in Los Angeles; Editing by Diane Craft and Lisa Shumaker

Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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