Kevin Federline’s brother Chris says he not only had an affair with Britney Spears, but fathered her oldest son Sean, according to a new bombshell tabloid report. Christopher Federline, as reported by the National Enquirer, filed for a restraining order against Britney on December 18 in U.S. District Court in Tampa, Fla. Claiming The X Factor judge stole from, blackmailed and harassed him. Obvi. “She is out-of-control and a maniac,” Chris Federline said in the court docs. Say what now? Well, he explains, or at least tries to … Chris claims Britney recently “went to Kevin’s house to pick up Sean Preston and Jayden James , and [his] wallet was on Kevin’s coffee table.” Britney, he says, “opened it up and stole [his] Capital One credit card.” C-Fed says Britney racked up $4,500 in charges, and also “laughed at me [and] told me my brother Kevin ruined her life, and made fun of me and told me I have a small penis.” That covers all bases right there. As for the illegitimate he claims he fathered, Chris says he got the pop star pregnant while she was married to K-Fed – and that SHE threatened to expose it. “She also blackmailed me and told me if I tell the police that she stole my credit card, that she will tell the world I’m the true father of Sean Preston, not Kevin.” “I do confess I slept with Britney, and I am the true father, but the public does not need to know,” he admitted … to a f–king celebrity gossip magazine. Makes perfect sense to us. Yet, when he asked for his card back, she “just laughed” and “threatened to tell Kevin she and Chris had sex while she was married to Kevin … and tell everyone.” It’s unclear how many times they allegedly fornicated while both were married, but Chris says he regrets the affair with Britney and didn’t want it to get out. An insider says, “Chris says the fling was a mistake” and he “always felt bad and kept it to himself because he didn’t want Alisha, his wife at the time, to know.” If the recent Britney split rumors are true, she and Jason Trawick are on the rocks. Maybe she and Chris can patch up their differences … in the sack!
This video is a play by play of My Bieber Experience. December 1st, 2012 was the best day of my life. I’m a 21 year old Belieber and I was extremely excited when my dad told my sisters and I that we got amazing seats plus meet and greets for the Toronto show. Finally the day came and we were on our way. We were running late and the Toronto traffic was super bad. We had planned on checking into our hotel, getting ready and then head over to stadium, but at 4 p.m. we were driving by the Rogers Center and that’s when we found out the meet and greet was at 4:30. We pulled in, got changed and ready in the parking garage then zoomed to the gate to pick up our tickets and wristbands. After we got them, we were beyond excited when we walked into the stadium with our orange wristbands. Since we were late we were near the end and there were hundreds of people in front of us. We were told we had to take the picture with a group of 6 so my two sisters and I joined up with a girl (@thebieberbarbie) and then two others. There were SO many people and we waited for a while. While waiting we saw Pattie, Diane, Bruce, Alfredo, Kenny etc. The wait didn’t seem too long but once I turned the corner, saw the black curtain and knew Justin was behind it, I was in shock. They told us it was our turn to go in. I remember I made myself lean over and look Justin in the eyes. He said, “Hey” then double looked at me and then said, “How are you” and then we took the picture. I was holding his arm which was behind the girl beside me (@thebieberbarbie). After the picture was taken and we were ushered out, it was pretty quick. I have some regrets about not saying anything because I was in shock but it was still amazing. I remember looking at his flawless face not believing I was seeing it in real life. I honestly didn’t even know he was wearing a hat until our meet & greet was posted online. Alfredo was at the exit of the meet & greet and was filming everyone’s reactions which was cool. After the meet & greet we went outside, found our gate and headed to our seats. We were shocked to see how amazing they were. We were right beside the catwalk. We got wristbands that allowed us to stand right next to it during the concert. When Justin came down in those wings I almost lost it, we were so close we could see his eyes under the sunglasses and literally count the sweat drops on his forehead. After Justin sang ‘Be Alright’ and ‘Fall,’ he tossed the guitar pick he was using into the crowd. I remember thinking, there’s no way I’ll get it because I can’t lose my spot along this fence. I turned to look at the lucky person who caught it and that’s when I saw my dad bent over and to my surprise he stood up with the pick in his hand! ! My sisters and I freaked out. We have his guitar pick! (6:24 in the video) During ‘One Less Lonely Girl’ Justin touched my hand and I got video footage of it (9:13 in the video). He also touched it again during another song but I didn’t get it on video. We got to go backstage and meet up with Pattie and Diane during The Wanted,’s performance and we actually saw them coming off stage on the way back to our seats and took a picture with them. Overall it was an amazing experience. I still can’t believe I can say “I met Justin Bieber”. I tried to get tickets for the 2013 Summer Toronto shows but was unsuccessful. I’m still hopeful because of what Justin has taught us – Never Say Never right, and you’ve gotta believe. -@nicholedouble Visit link: This video is a play by play of My Bieber Experience. December…
Dear Bossip , First let me tell you I like that you are always giving it to people real. Tough love is the best way to get through a thick skull. Mr. Dean I am in a struggle with my mind and my heart. I have friend whom I have been friends with for over 12 years and I do not agree with most of her lifestyle choices. Normally I am not bothered by those choices because they do not directly affect my life, but most recently she has asked me to be in her wedding. My problem is I am a strong believer in marriage and I believe those who cannot be faithful should get married. My friend is one of those people. Since she has been engaged she has slept with two rap stars (one of them is also recently engaged), an ex-boyfriend, a friend, and she has had not 1, not 2, not 3, but 4 abortions. None of those pregnancies were by her fiancé either. I tried to talk to her to show her without coming off as a hater that she is not acting like a woman who is engaged to be married. But, it is like talking to a brick wall. She claims that once she says, “I Do,” that her cheating ways will be behind her. I do not buy it. The man she is engaged to seems to be a really committed man. They have one child together and she has a child from a previous relationship that he wants to adopt. Every time I think what she is out there doing I want to knock her over head because she putting this man and her child’s lives at risk, not to mention a lot of women have a hard time finding a good man. I am in a struggle with my morals and my duty as a friend. I do not want to be in a wedding that goes against everything I believe in and I do not think I can attend the wedding either. I am not sure if when the pastor asks, “Does anyone know a reason these two cannot be wed” that I won’t scream, “I object.” I am deep in my faith and I cannot watch my friend lie before God. So, my question to you is should I walk away from this friendship so I do not compromise my morals or just stand in line at her wedding asking God to forgive me? – Confused Friend Dear Ms. Confused Friend, Chile, mind your business. Mind your business. Mind your business. I understand that she is your friend and you are concerned about her and her judgments as a woman. But, she is grown. She is an adult. And, the choices she has, and is making are a result of something much deeper than what you hope to object to in her being married. Who knows what she is dealing with emotionally and mentally? Something could have happened to her as a child and this is behavior is a result of that, or those incidents. She probably hasn’t, nor won’t tell you about them because she may be too embarrassed to discuss. But, let’s discuss the fact that you have been friends for 12 years, and you mean to tell me that in all those years you did not say anything to her about her behavior and lifestyle choices? After four abortions something should have told you that something is not right with her, and she needs some serious therapy and psychological help. Also, the fact that she is sleeping around aimlessly with various men should have also clued you in that she is dealing with issues that are deeply rooted emotionally and mentally. Or, perhaps you were benefitting from her relationships and living vicariously through her as she was spreading her legs from the east to the west coast. If she is screwing rappers, and she is benefitting from those relationships, then guess who else is benefitting from them? You are! You’re her friend, and when she comes to you with some free tickets to a concert, or hanging out in VIP popping bottles, and she’s tricking off his money, guess who is right there with her enjoying those benefits? You are! So, did it bother then, or did you 12 years later develop some morals and values and think you’re better than her? So, she is getting married, and her fiancé may or may not know about her lifestyle or past. What are you going to do about it? Reveal to him what she has been doing and break up their relationship. Maybe he knows. Maybe she has been forthright with him and it doesn’t bother him. Maybe he has his demons as well and she is willing to accept his, as well as he accepts hers. Just because you think he’s a nice guy that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a past. We all have a past. So, whatever arrangements the two of them, it has nothing to do with you. Their relationship is not your concern. Their relationship is between them. It doesn’t involve you or concern you. MIND YOUR BUSINESS. I’m here to tell you that interfering in someone else’s relationship is a recipe for disaster. You may have good intentions and want the best for all parties, especially for your friend, but putting your nose into something you know nothing about, or don’t have all the details or information about, then do what you do best, MIND YOUR BUSINESS. Because if you say something, and get too involved in their relationship, and they end up breaking up, and she tells him what you said, but they end up working things out and get back together, then guess what? You’re the a**ed out friend who butted into their business, and they both will shun you and not invite you to their wedding. MIND YOUR BUSINESS. If it bothers you that much what she is doing, and you don’t approve of her life or choices, then end your friendship. Don’t go to the wedding and you won’t have to be offended. Don’t sit up there in the front with your bridesmaid gown on rolling your eyes and sucking your teeth. Save your money, and wish her the best and move on with your life. And, unless she has asked you for your opinion about her life, and what she’s doing, and whom she’s doing, then you talking and giving your opinion and advice is all in vain. I am a firm believer that unless someone asks you for your opinion and advice, then you do not offer it. Sometimes folks just like to vent, or share, therefore, you should reserve all your judgments and opinions because it has nothing to do with you. It doesn’t affect your life, situation, or circumstance. If they ask you what you think, then say something, but until then keep your mouth shut, and MIND YOUR BUSINESS! If she asks you for your insights, then you can let her know that you support her, and you want the best for her, but you cannot support her choices and decisions because they are detrimental to her and others. And, you truly want the best for her, and for her to have a happy life. And, if this is what makes her happy, then as my grandmother would say, “If you like it, I love it.” Don’t take her drama and issues with you into the New Year. Leave them in 2012, and you move on with a new attitude for 2013. – Terrance Dean Hey Bossip Fam, what do you think? Share your opinions and thoughts below! Also, e-mail all your questions Terrance Dean : loveandrelationships@bossip.com Follow Terrance Dean on Twitter : @terrancedean “LIKE” Terrance Dean on Facebook , click HERE! Make sure to order my books Mogul: A Novel (Atria Books – June 2011; $15), and Straight From Your Gay Best Friend – The Straight Up Truth About Relationships, Love, And Having A Fabulous Life (Agate/Bolden Books – November 2010; $15). They are available in bookstores everywhere, and on Amazon, click HERE!
Weezy speaks on the Newton, CT school shooting Lil Wayne Says He Regrets Catching A 2007 Gun Charge Following Sandy Hook Shooting YMCMB bossman Lil Wayne rarely expresses regret for much of anything, but when recently asked to talk about the tragic Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings, he revealed that it made him wish he could take back being popped for gun charges back in 2007. via MTV News Lil Wayne isn’t the type of guy who lives life with too many regrets, but the Sandy Hook tragedy has him reflective. Turns out if there was one thing Weezy could take back, it would be his 2007 gun arrest. “Before I leave, I want to say you mentioned that in 2010, I was locked up for a weapon. If there was anything I could do in my life that I could ever change, it’d be that,” the Young Money boss said when he appeared on “Jim Rome on Showtime” this week. “Sandy Hook Elementary, my heart goes out to you.” If there’s one thing Weezy seems to be genuine about, it’s his 9786 kids, so it’s we’re not surprise to hear that this is how he feels. Do you think Weezy was being sincere?
The Real Housewives of Miami make a “Healing Hole” in their season finale. Who’s making up? Who’s breaking up? And who’s making babies? We break it all down in THG’s +/- recap! Karent made it home to see her ailing father but the rest of the ladies are stuck in Bimini Bay. Plus 15 . I could think of far worse places to be stuck in, even with the rain. With no sun shining and time to kill, Marysol suggests a healing ritual recommended by her mother. Plus 10 . What do they have to lose? Well the water might be a little cold but the flowers are pretty and that crystal blue water is just stunning. Marysol asks the ladies to make sure their minds are blank. Plus 12 because with this crowd that shouldn’t be hard. Adrienne asks to heal old wounds and start fresh with lots of love. Lisa wants to start a family. Marysol needs to remove the obstacles and move on. Ana wants the strength to let go. Joanna realizes she loves Romain and wants all the negativity gone from their lives. And Lea…well Hell. Her life is damn good the way it is so she just wishes the rest of the ladies well. Plus 20. But honestly, the entire healing hole ritual was just a snore fest. Minus 25. If it weren’t for that gorgeous ocean it wouldn’t have been worth filming. The Housewives finally make it back to Miami and Adriana and her son perform a piano duet. Plus 11 . It was quite lovely. Frederic and she announce the news that they plan to get married next Spring…and live on the boat. I’m holding off on awarding points because that silly boat might blow this thing before it ever sails. Joanna arrives home to find Romain down on one knee proposing…again. I guess since the first one didn’t take he thought he’d try it again with a diamond necklace this time. Plus 15 because it was pretty darn romantic. Joanna even said yes to setting a date this time. But with all of this wedding talk there are plenty of break ups too. Ana finally signs the divorce papers after two years. She thinks Robert’s making light of it all to make her feel better but personally I just think he’s an ass. Minus 13 . Marysol’s finally willing to officially call it quits with her ex but since we haven’t seen him all season do we really care? Minus 11. Then she heads out to lunch with momma Elsa and they’re both wearing leopard prints which prompts Marysol to share that she can’t take off her jacket because she’s not wearing a bra. Minus 10 . I didn’t need to know that. And what is up with the restaurant they’re at? It’s connected to a gas station and the emergency cut off switch is even on their door. Weird. Lea visits with Lisa and gives her some good advice. Perhaps her whole world shouldn’t revolve around Lenny. Maybe she should find her own passion and become a little more independent. Plus 16 . But if Lisa can’t have a baby, apparently she’ll put all of her motherly instinct towards Daysy. Ugh. Minus 18 . Why would anyone want to stand around and watch Daysy’s tummy get liposuctioned. That was just gross. Lisa really does need a life. And back at home Karent was taking care of Dad and still defending Rodolfo to Mom. But thankfully she may have come to her senses. As the season closes, Marysol throws a final blowout party and Elaine Lancaster shows up to perform…but honestly, does anyone really care? Maybe that’s just the way you bury the hatchet in Miami. With a drag show. At the close of the episode we learn several things… Lisa’s still not pregnant. Lea’s writing a tell all book. Elsa predicts Marysol will marry again…and again. Adriana is still planning her wedding. Joanna is not. She and Romain have gone on yet another break. Ana is still fool enough to be doing Robert’s laundry. And Karent finally broke things off with Rodolfo. Are Joanna and Romain over for good? Is Ana separating Robert’s colors from his whites? Will Alexia screech I told you so to Karent? For that and more fussing and fighting check back next week for the big reunion show. EPISODE TOTAL: +22! SEASON TOTAL: -280!
True to her word, Lady Gaga has sent along a package of gifts to Daniel Borowy, a teen shot on the first day of school at Baltimore-area Perry Hall High School. Yes, sadly, school shootings are a relatively commonplace thing. This one took place before the now-infamous Newtown, Connecticut school shooting . After the Perry Hall shooting, a grass-roots campaign attempted to catch Gaga’s attention, which hopes that the star would visit Borowy in the hospital. Though a visit wasn’t to be, insiders reported that the pop star’s camp had promised to get at least something from her to him. And it happened. Borowy’s father, Milton, posted about the special care package that arrived from Team Gaga on the “Lady Gaga Please Visit Daniel” Facebook page: “I would like to start by thanking everyone for their thoughts and prayers for Daniel,” he said. “I was waiting for an appropriate time to share this and feel that we need some good news! With that said I would like to share that he has received a package from Lady Gaga .” “It is pretty cool that someone in her position took the time to make a complete stranger happy.” “The package included T shirts, cd’s, a personally autographed message to Danny, a picture and 2 tickets to her upcoming concert (I believe they are front row)!” “To see the smile on his face is overwhelming. Thank you Lady Gaga and thank you to everyone else who had a hand in making this happen!!” Indeed. Have fun, Daniel. And get well soon.
Call it a desperate plea for human salvation. Just two hours before December 21, the day that marks the end of the world according to the Mayan calendar, MTV pulled the plug on Jersey Shore for good. Last-minute peace offering to the gods? We’ll find out, won’t we?! Yeah buddy. For now, let’s break down the grand finale Jersey Shore in all its fist-pumping, STD-ridden, GTL’d glory … THG style! Like the season as a whole, it was relatively uneventful, but Situation, Snooki, Pauly D, Sammi, Ronnie, Vinny, Deena and JWoww went out in style. A bonfire on the beach required some hard wood courtesy of Vinny, and not the kind he’s used to displaying whenever Snooki is around. Plus 20 . This farewell bash felt like exactly that. Everyone’s friends and families joined, and had a blast, but it felt like they were all about ready to move on. The sober Mike tells us he is “in the best shape of my life” about 100 times. And then is absolutely torched by Jionni LaValle in beach football. Plus 30 . Roger Mathews and Jionni – “The father gorilla and a little baby ape” according to Vinny – arrive with flowers for their ladies. They’re good guys. Plus 30 . The last day of “work” at the Shore Store was bittersweet. So many good memories of being hung over and pretending to have to work there. Minus 20 . Snook says little baby Lorenzo will work there one day. Aiming high. Plus 10 . “I’m fighting back the tears right now,” says Danny. “Tears of joy.” Plus 50 . Paula Pickard left a card and cake for her ex Mike to celebrate his birthday, which felt like a pathetic move until we realized she had a plan the whole time. More on that shortly. Vinny reflects that he never thought he’d call a tanned guido his best friend. Pauly puts it, “Never judge a book by its blowout, son.” AWW! Plus 20 . Vinny and Pauly decided to take Ron’s air mattress outside as a prank, but then Vinny popped the mattress which made it kind of a bad idea. Minus 40 . They put it back in the room, after which Ron and Sam thought the prank was just deflating the bed … and tried to fill it back up with air for a long time. Even . The next day was July 4 – Mike and Pauly’s birthday – and Ronnie still wasn’t over the bed drama and Sam for pranking Vinny in the first place. Minus 30 . As with all Sam-Ron fights, things got heated, they threatened to break up with each other, then kissed and made up and smushed in like an hour. Plus 60 . During the crew’s final GTL session, Paula’s coworker at the salon asked Mike’s roommate (while he was in the tanning bed) if they ate the cake. They did not, as only Mike, Deena and Pauly ate some. Then the girl displayed a photo of some dude teabagging the cake. Yes, full-on balls up in there. Paula Pickard FTW. Plus 70 . Mike tried to call Paula about that “nutty situation,” but she kept pretending she couldn’t hear him, Mike became enraged and smashed the duck phone. Not cool Mike. So not cool. RIP Wood Duck Phone (2009-2012). Minus 180 . The gang’s last night together was spent with filler / memories. Using the hot tub the first night, Snooki getting punched in the face by a guy at the bar, to Pauly and Jenni’s hookup, welcoming Deena into the house. It’s been a good run. But it’s time to end it right here and now. “I thought this was the biggest mistake of my life,” says JWoww of her first summer in the Shore house, but now, she says, it’s made her life “perfect.” “You can’t take away what we’ve done together,” adds Pauly. No you cannot. Bags were packed and loaded into giant black SUVs. Tearful goodbyes were said. Even The Situation cried bidding farewell to his Jersey Shore “family.” Grab the Kleenex. And the motherf–kin’ condoms. Plus 100 . EPISODE TOTAL: +200! SEASON TOTAL: +430!
Twenty-two-year-old Samantha Bark s may have been destined to play Eponine in Tom Hooper ‘s ambitious Les Miserables film adaptation, given that she’d warble the iconic character’s songs into the mirror at age six and, years later, would go on to earn acclaim playing the tragic innkeepers’ daughter in London’s West End and in Les Miz ‘s 25th Anniversary concert. But Barks really knew she’d made it when she found herself sparring with onscreen dad Sacha Baron Cohen on the Les Miserables set: “I can’t believe I actually spat in Ali G’s face!” Barks’s Eponine is a standout among Hooper’s cast of known triple-threats and familiar faces, but the production required her to undertake perhaps the most difficult transition of all – adjusting from playing Eponine onstage in front of thousands to translating the character’s heartbreaking devotion to rebellious student Marius ( Eddie Redmayne ) for the intimacy of the screen. Her version of ” On My Own ,” filmed in a long, rainy shot per the film’s more virtuoso numbers, might be the umpteenth time Barks has sung the iconic ballad in her career to date, but as the Isle of Man native told Movieline , “every time I hear that song, or perform that song, it just sets my heart on fire.” I love Eponine — she’s one of the best roles in Les Miserables , the one I identify with most. How does it feel right now to be at this point in your journey with her, this being your first film and a character you’ve lived with for so long? I feel ecstatic because I played this role on the West End for a year, took it to the O2 Arena for the 25th anniversary, and now to the film — it kind of feels surreal to have had three different experiences of this wonderfully iconic role. Each one has been different, but I’ve spent over four years of my life making her really the most consistent thing that’s been in my life for the last couple of years, and I feel so proud just to be a part of her. I happened to be on Twitter the night Cameron Mackintosh made the surprise announcement, onstage after your show in front of an entire theater, that you had landed Eponine in the film . There were Tweets left and right and it sounded like quite a magical way to learn that you’d won the role. Take me back to that moment. How do you remember it? Oh, gosh. It was the most shocking, amazing piece of news I could receive, but done in the most unique way I think you could ever find out you’ve got a role, you know? It was very unheard of to find out like that! I was in a state of shock. He walked onstage as I was taking my bow and he made a speech about Oliver Twist and Charles Dickens, and he managed to segue onto the fact that I’d won the role of Eponine in the Les Miserables film! And that reaction of mine — I was just completely speechless. It’s also exciting for me to actually be able to watch that clip; I’ve seen that clip on the internet, and it’s kind of proof that the moment actually happened. If you had to guesstimate, how many times do you think you’ve sung “On My Own” in your life? [Laughs] It’s hard because I’m rubbish at math, but basically… eight shows a week for a year, and then the O2 performance, and then some rehearsals on top of that, plus another definite 15 takes for the film, and rehearsals — so there’s a lot of singing that song! [ Ed. note: That puts Barks’ number at 400+. ] And it’s funny because every time I hear that song, or perform that song, it just sets my heart on fire. It’s such a tragic tale. It’s a role I relate to so much that getting to perform that song every single time makes me feel so alive. I feel so lucky to get to sing it. You’ve played Eponine opposite Eddie Redmayne ’s Marius — not to mention Nick Jonas’s Marius — but what do you see at the core of these two characters’ relationship that makes it so compelling no matter who’s playing the role? Girls can relate to unrequited love and that’s one thing, but what not a lot of people can relate to is exactly how dark Eponine’s life is. She has a line in a song where she says, ‘Without a home, without a friend, without a face to say hello to,’ and that’s her life — Marius is really Eponine’s everything and it’s not just about falling in love with somebody on a teenage level, it’s also about somebody being your only piece of light in a very dark life, and that’s heartbreaking about Eponine. Was Eponine always the character you loved and identified with most? When I was six I would sing ‘On My Own’ into a hairbrush in front of a mirror and wanted to be Eponine, which is crazy because she’s got such a tragic life! It doesn’t make any sense that I’d want that for myself but it’s one of those things where you’re a young girl, ‘I want to be Eponine! Or Cosette, or Fantine, or whatever. This is your first film, and there’s a significant difference between how performers modulate their performances for the stage versus for the camera. Did film acting come naturally to you, or did it feel alien? Having never done a film before it was definitely something I had to learn, how to play it. I’d done the stage version of Les Miz , but for me when you come to the screen so many details shine through on camera, so you need to be a lot more detailed with it — you can’t have loose ends like you can in a theatrical piece because it’s heightened. With this you need to be more specific, you need to be detailed, and we’re so lucky to have Victor Hugo’s fantastic novel there to add those details and depth to these characters. You know in the book, Eponine spends a couple of months in prison. That gives you more of an insight into the background she comes from, and that’s why it’s more miraculous when she does eventually do a good deed. How helpful or challenging was it to be immersed in those environments filming musical scenes in long takes, as you did with ‘On My Own,’ literally in the rain, 15 times?I imagine it’s quite a different experience than performing it on a stage without cold water and elements being thrown at you. It was hard. The challenges were physically very difficult. Singing under a rain machine, you’re shivering all day. Someone on set was like, ‘What’s that sound?’ ‘Oh, it’s Sam’s teeth — they’re chattering!’ I can’t help it! These long takes were really fantastic because it meant that you could really build that musical arc throughout the song organically. The hard thing was sometimes Tom would say, ‘Ok guys, build a barricade — Action!’ And you’d have to build a barricade from pianos that were flying out of the windows. The adrenaline that goes through you is intense. They actually dressed up cameramen as students and sent them out amongst us. And what [Tom] does is he captures these real moments of fear that are so fantastic to be a part of, because when he yells ‘Cut!’ the adrenaline flowing through you is just like no other. It’s incredible. What was it like to have Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter as parents? When I first found out that I was going to be playing their daughter I thought, that’s a pretty cool claim to fame! They are the coolest onscreen parents I could ever wish for. And working with Helena — she’s so quirky and the most unique person I’ve ever met. The things she says are so fascinating and wise, it’s incredible. And Sacha is a comic genius — I grew up so obsessed with his work. Did you watch Ali G? Oh yeah, I used to watch Ali G in da U.S.A. ! He was phenomenal. And actually, the scene we had wasn’t very comedic at all, because in the scene he slaps me and I spit in his face. And he actually slapped you? Yeah! We went for realism. I was like, ‘Bring it on!’ So I can blame no one but myself. I left the day with a very sore, red cheek, and he left feeling extremely gross because I’d spat at him all day. And I was like, ‘I can only apologize for that.’ I can’t believe I actually spat in Ali G’s face! READ MORE ON LES MISERABLES : Eddie Redmayne On ‘Unlearning’ ‘Les Miserables’ & Prince William’s Singing REVIEW: ‘Les Misérables’ Hits High Notes, But Also Skitters Early Reaction: Oscar Race Heats Up As NYC Screening Of ‘Les Miserables’ Prompts Cheers & Tears Follow Jen Yamato on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
Judd Apatow has conquered comedy. Will Broadway be next? In an interview with GQ magazine that appears in the January issue, the This Is 40 director tells writer Amy Wallace that he’s writing his first play. And it may not be funny. Here’s the passage from Wallace’s profile: “I have a great idea. Maybe like the best idea I’ve ever had,” he says. “It requires me to create characters and situations that have absolutely nothing to do with my experience.” When he reveals the idea, off the record, I can see what he means. The subject matter (all he’ll let me say about it is “It’s about victims of the criminal-justice system and the challenges they face”) is unlike anything he’s tackled before. It’s not remotely autobiographical. It’s complicated, relevant, political even. “I am excited to write something which has a social conscience,” he e-mails me later when I push him to reveal more. “That is not something I have attempted before, and I hope I am up for the challenge.” Will it be funny? “I don’t know yet,” he says. “I think it will. But it might stop being funny.” The idea sprung from Apatow’s wish that “there was another part of my relationship with the crowd,” he tells GQ. “I miss doing something where I’m interacting more with the audience. I like the idea of writing something and rewriting it every night based on how it’s playing.” He could call it 12 Funny Men. If it’s funny, that is. [ GQ ] Follow Frank DiGiacomo on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.
The Guilt Trip is a film as familiar as a mother’s voice, in more ways than one. Playing a frustrated son and his overbearing mother, Seth Rogen and Barbra Streisand elevate a formulaic script with their easygoing chemistry in this road-trip mom com. They produce as many laughs as they do cringes, but the film’s feel-good message is undermined by its ultimate purpose: As a vindication of the rights of Jewish mothers to annoy their children as much as they please. Rogen plays Andy, a schlubby organic chemist who’s having trouble selling his invention, a nontoxic cleaning spray. The product, clumsily named Scieoclean, is a would-be bestseller, but Andy makes a worse salesman than Tiger Woods shilling monogamy. With the last of his savings he plans a last-ditch effort to drive across the country pitching Scieoclean to several big box stores. Andy spends the day before his Jersey-to-Vegas trip with his well meaning but tirelessly chatty mother. Joyce (Streisand) is the kind of older widow who’s found a routine that’s nice and busy enough for her post-retirement years, but one that doesn’t include the emotional risks of dating. Over dinner, Joyce confesses to Andy that the love of her life was the boyfriend she had before meeting his father. A quick Google search shows that this long-lost beau also happens to be an advertising exec in San Francisco, a discovery that leads Andy to suggest Joyce join him on the eight-day trip. Of course, he casually leaves out the detail that their final destination has been moved to California, and that he hopes her ex-boyfriend will help him market his floundering product. Joyce and Andy’s travels lead them through some very familiar road-trip movie situations. Their car breaks down during a freak snowstorm, one of them takes up the challenge to eat a big chunk of cow in a Texas steakhouse, and they wonder aloud about how long they’re supposed to respectfully marvel at the Grand Canyon. These are pleasant diversions, made enjoyable by Rogen’s gregariousness and Streisand’s twinkling, gamine eyes, but amount to very little. Their journey finally gets into gear when Joyce stops her mindless nattering about sock sales at the Gap and confronts her son about his semi-hidden scorn for her. Again, the emotional beats are entirely predictable, but the rapport between the actors make them convincing. Rogen has more to work with: Andy’s a focused and ambitious adult who hasn’t yet realized that he has more growing up to do. He has a lot of hurt in his life, and it doesn’t help that Joyce’s idea of keeping in touch mostly consists of her (unknowingly) reminding him of his professional and romantic failures. Rogen also does the comedic heavy lifting here. His sarcastic one-liners are so spontaneously and perfectly delivered they have to have been improvised on the spot. (Streisand reportedly improvised some of her lines too, but she lacks her co-star’s effortless droll wit.) Streisand has much less to do, but manages to add spark to her limited material. She sells Joyce’s phobia of dating with just a few gestures and skillfully mines the character’s contradictions. There’s a lovely moment halfway through the trip when a handsome stranger approaches to court her. Andy watches the scene unfold from some distance and gently teases her about it afterward. Flustered by the unexpected male attention, Joyce squeaks out an admonishing but embarrassed, “Don’t be disgusting,” even though she’d shown nothing but eagerness to discuss his girl troubles. The script needs more of those intimate, role-confusing moments to pull the character out of her shell and make her more than just “Andy’s mom.” That we have no idea what Joyce has done in the three decades since meeting Andy’s father and taking this trip is a particularly glaring omission. Though Andy undergoes the bigger transformation, it’s safe to say it’s the Jewish mother — the archetype, not Joyce — who gets her revenge in the film. She fights dirty too, by appearing in the guise of a nice, attractive sexagenarian without a sadistic bone in her body. As the latest iteration of the Oedipal nightmare that is mothers who try to stuff their sons back into their wombs, Joyce is only an honorary member in that pantheon of disapproving control freaks. She isn’t a Talmudic scholar on the art of maternal passive aggression like Debbie Reynolds in Albert Brooks’ Mother or the sharp-eyed crones in Woody Allen films — she’s much too harmless and boring. But if Joyce isn’t much of a scold, the film sure is. In fact, The Guilt Trip can feel like one long, occasionally funny, occasionally haranguing reminder to love your mother. It dings Andy pretty hard for being exasperated by his mother’s penny-pinching and cluelessness, and the basic lesson he learns from their week together is that his mother has all the right answers to everything. The film even lays the source of Joyce’s most wounding behavior, her inadvertent twists of the knife already lodged deep in Andy by life and failure, at his feet. If you’d only call , the film says, I’d know not to hurt you . Oy vey. Inkoo Kang is a film critic and investigative journalist in Boston. She has been published in Indiewire, Boxoffice Magazine, Yahoo! Movies, Pop Matters, Screen Junkies, and MuckRock. Her great dream in life is to direct a remake of All About Eve with an all-dog cast. Follow Movieline on Twitter .
