Is a 30-Year Delay Better than Inaction?
In 1993, Ted Danson, known for his role on “Cheers,” executed a controversial blackface routine. At the time, he was dating Whoopi Goldberg, and they performed together at the New York Friars Club, a venue popular among comedians.
Interestingly, while Goldberg was a rising star—having recently won an Oscar for “Ghost”—Danson wasn’t a stand-up comic. He had aspirations to be a “performance artist,” even donning full blackface to explore themes surrounding interracial couples.
He admitted, “Your intentions don’t matter. What matters is the impact you have on people,” during a discussion on the podcast of W. Kamau Bell, a well-known comic.
Despite the backlash, this incident hadn’t derailed Danson’s career. In fact, he has remained quite active in television, starring in shows like “The Good Place,” “Becker,” and his latest, “A Man on the Inside.”
No Joy in View Ville
Did Joy Behar just become the Wally Pipp of daytime talk?
For context, Wally Pipp was a famous New York Yankees first baseman who lost his position after taking a day off, leading to Lou Gehrig’s legendary streak. Behar has stepped away from “The View” to work on a play titled “My First Ex-Husband,” which is making its debut in the West End soon.
Her peculiar blend of ugly humor, misinformation, and perceived ignorance seems hard to replace, at least temporarily.
Enter Kara Swisher, a journalist with a reputation for her tech coverage. On her debut on “The View,” she made waves by comparing Army Secretary Pete Hegseth to a talk show host, implying he lacked combat experience—ignoring his impressive military credentials that include two Bronze Stars and other commendations.
Moreover, Swisher suggested that Scott Perry’s dismissal from “60 Minutes” was merely an attack on the media rather than a consequence of his public criticism. She also came to the rescue of Senate candidate Graham Platner amid a sexting scandal.
Good luck, Joy. Swisher’s clearly aiming to shake things up…
Nothing to Do with the Crow
You might think that reaching their peak in the 1990s would inspire a sense of humility from the Black Crowes, but that hasn’t happened. Known for hits like “She Talks to Angels” and “Jealous Again,” the band recently returned for a Florida tour stop, where the stage visuals included their logo: a crow dressed as Uncle Sam.
As the crowd erupted into chants of “America, America,” lead singer Chris Robinson, instead of embracing the moment, critiqued the audience. He remarked, “Thank you for the geography lesson…I don’t know what you’re so proud of right now,” which didn’t sit well with spectators who responded with boos.
In his defense, Robinson added, “Some of you booing us aren’t afraid,” reinforcing a stance that might leave fans divided.
Quentin Unchained
Quentin Tarantino, once a video store clerk, has had enough of what he calls Hollywood’s lack of quality. In a recent passionate essay, he shared his thoughts on the current state of cinema, describing the releases post-pandemic as disappointing.
“Since the pandemic, it seems almost impossible for a new movie to emerge that I wouldn’t want to die for. Each new release feels like a product of a bland sausage factory, riddled with flaws and absurdities,” he expressed.
Currently, Tarantino has pledged to stop directing after completing his tenth film. Following the success of “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” he finds himself stuck on his ninth project. His anticipated last film won’t see the light of day in 2024, amid various criticisms regarding his cinematic choices.
