Pop culture
In these trying economic times, it’s tough to see mediocrity rewarded with piles of money. Whether the benefactor is a banking CEO or, well, an actor, there’s a certain amount of headshaking. Which is why I was struck by Forbes list of Hollywood’s top-earning actors for 2008.
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George Clooney, who rose to entertainment fame and prominence as Dr. Doug Ross in the first few seasons of NBC's "ER," returned to the drama Thursday night to help the vaunted series move toward its conclusion in April.
Clooney was featured in a storyline that also featured the return of his longtime paramour Carol Hathaway (Julianna Margulies), Dr. Peter Benton (Eriq La Salle) and Dr. John Carter (Noah Wyle) in a tale of donor organs, history and decisions that change lives.
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It's been a long time since Dr. Doug Ross was seen on "ER."
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Clooney spends half the episode talking a grandmother (played by Susan Sarandon) into donating the organs of her brain-dead grandson to needy patients, which includes Dr. Carter, who is awaiting a kidney.
Overall, for all the hype, the end result was less than thrilling. After all the drama that swirled around Dr. Ross' return -- it was a pretty flat return. Once the organs had been harvested, both he and Hathaway were only seen again in a passing moment, once they learned the organs had been successfully used (but never learned one of those organs went to old-time friend Dr. Carter). Did the storyline help the overall conclusion to the series finale? Yes. Was it worth the heralded wait? Ahhhhh ...
On a final note, as someone who lives in Seattle, there was one big faux pas that stuck out. Margulies, as Hathaway, who is now affliated with the organ donor network -- calls Spokane (pronounced Spo-CAN), Spo-CAIN -- please. If she's been living in Seattle for the past 5 years or so, she won't make that mistake (and the show producers shouldn't have either).
What did you think of Clooney's return to "ER"? Was it worth the wait, or did you also ask yourself "is that all there is?"
In the spring, I met up with a group of girlfriends for dinner and drinks before going to see the "Sex And The City" movie. Being a big fan of the HBO series, I was looking forward to the film. Two hours into the two-and-a-half hour flick, I thought, eh, it's OK and it's a bit too long.
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As the entertainment editor at msnbc.com, it's my job to keep up on the latest celebrity news, from Heather Locklear's arrest to Britney's tour plans, possible move to New York, continuing court appearances ... well, you get the idea. And while gossip and celebrity news are not the only stories we produce for our section, it is among the most viewed content on the entire msnbc.com site.
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I love Coen brothers films. In fact, except for “Intolerable Cruelty” and “The Ladykillers,” Joel and Ethan Coen have made nothing but excellent movies. Where it gets tricky is in ranking them. Some Coen fans lean toward the comedies: “The Big Lebowski,” “Raising Arizona.” Others, and I’m one of them, love the drama and genre stuff, “Blood Simple,” “Miller’s Crossing.” It’s actually a great way to start an argument with a friend.
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I awakened early this morning to the news that comedian Bernie Mac had died at age 50 of pneumonia. Mac, born Bernard McCullough, was hospitalized late last week and, despite suffering from sarcoidosis, an inflammatory lung disease, he was expected to be released and to recover. All of which made this morning's news that much more surprising and sad.
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After a thrilling season of “So You Think You Can Dance,” the right person took home the prize. Joshua Allen, smile bigger than ever (especially without his braces), seemed more surprised than anyone that he actually won the prize.
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I used to be embarrassed by the sheer number of magazines I subscribed to. I imagined the mailman trudging up to my door weighed down with a giant bundle, swearing under his breath about the lunatic who lived there. Since we've added baby Kelly to our household last October, I've let a lot of my subscriptions lapse. Now that she's sleeping longer, I'm starting to pick up some of my old favorites again. But my reading time is at a premium, and I'm not about to waste it.
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The photos of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's twins, Knox and Vivienne, hit the newsstands on Monday in the latest issue of People magazine (the cover photo went live on the magazine's Web site Sunday afternoon and can be seen here). People paid a reported $15 million for the photos, which will be featured in a 19-page spread in the magazine.
The magazine's editors hope interest in the celebrity babies will be strong enough that folks will plunk down their diminishing discretionary dollars to buy the issue. Will you? Do you plan to buy the latest issue of the celebrity magazine? Or will you merely look at the photos while standing in the check-out line instead of buying a copy?
Much has been made of Katharine Heigl's comments that she wasn't worthy of an Emmy nomination this year because the "Grey's Anatomy" writers didn't give her an Emmy-worthy storyline to work with. Mark Harris makes a very thoughtful argument in defense of Heigl in the July 25 issue of Entertainment Weekly (page 18 if you have a copy. I'd post a link but EW.com doesn't have it up yet). Some have argued that the comment was a ploy by Heigl to get herself written off the show so she can pursue her movie career (hopefully with movies much better than "27 Dresses"). Rumor has it that the "Grey's" writers will give Heigl her wish, they are going to give her character, Dr. Isobel "Izzie" Stevens, a fatal brain tumor. All is can say to that is ... YES!
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