It’s been 24 hours since the 2014 Emmy nominations were announced, which means Twitter users have had time to vent their outrage over those snubbed (no Tatiana Maslany?!?!?!), while the stars have had time to let the good news sink in. Below, we present a number of excited/funny/grateful reactions from those up for the gold on August 25: Matthew McConaughey, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series :” I am honored to be nominated with such a talented field of actors. This is a tremendous category filled with some riveting performances. Thank you for this recognition.” Lena Dunham, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series : “It’s an honor to be recognized with this incredible group of fierce and funny women. This list of nominees would also be the list for the best dinner party in history. Many thanks to the academy and to HBO.” Matt LeBlanc, Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series : “Wow it’s early…it’s still dark outside but thank you to the academy! I’m truly honored to represent a project I’m so very proud of. And equally thrilled that our writers Jeffrey Klarik and David Crane were also nominated.” Mayim Bialik, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series : “How incredibly humbling to be nominated not only a third time but among a group of such exceptionally talented and critically acclaimed actresses. This is truly proof that among women like this, the third time will NOT be the charm for me!!!” Christina Hendricks, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series :” I am so grateful to the Academy for the incredible amount of support shown for Mad Men. To be nominated is a huge honor and I am thrilled that the show itself has been highlighted in so many other areas as well. I am so thankful.” Kerry Washington, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series :” I’m so honored to be nominated. And so thrilled for Joe Morton and Kate Burton! I’m crazy grateful that the TV Academy has acknowledged our show in these ways.” Jon Hamm, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series :” I can only humbly thank the Television Academy for again including me in such a talented group of individuals as well as express my sincere gratitude for the recognition of not only the show, but my fellow cast members Christina Hendricks and Robert Morse as well as our stellar crew who were recognized. Thanks to the Academy and the nominating committees. Ricky Gervais, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series : “I am over the moon. I cannot wait to fly to L.A. to see Louis C.K. win. Genuinely though, I am absolutely thrilled.” Josh Charles, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series : “I’m so proud of the show and humbled by this nomination. I’m thrilled for Julianna, Christine, Dylan, and our casting director Mark Saks for all of their respective nominations as well. It’s an honor to be mentioned with such a great group of talented actors.” Billy Crystal, Outstanding Variety Special, Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special and Outstanding Picture Editing for Short-Form Segments and Variety Specials : “So happy with these nominations. This breaks my ‘I can’t believe what happened to Brazil funk.”
Rap Genius announced today that it has entered into a licensing arrangement with Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG). UMPG is one of the leading music…
SNL is adding a lot of color to its staff … SNL Adds Black Female Writers To Staff Via Dallas Black reports: Hot on the heels of the news that “Saturday Night Live” will hire their first Black comedienne in 5 years, the sketch comedy show will also add two Black women to their writer’s room, according to The Hollywood Reporter. LaKendra Tookes (left) and Leslie Jones, were discovered during the show’s recent secret auditions in New York and Los Angeles, held specifically to cast Black women, after the show drew criticism that it’s cast lacked diversity (because, really, that was enough of Kenan Thompson playing every. single. Black. woman in sketches). While Tookes and Jones were passed over for the acting role that eventually went to Sasheer Zamata, their new appointments are undeniably just as important. The show seriously needed a shakeup in point of view in that writer’s room or else the sketches would’ve been more of the same anyway. Even the funniest actor or comedian can only do so much with dry material (Exhibit A: Kevin Hart’s widely panned appearance on the show back in March 2013)! Actress-comedian Tookes, is a former news reporter from Florida who has performed at iOWest (watch her character reel here). While Jones is an actress (“The League” and “Sullivan & Son”) and stand-up comedian who has performed at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles as well as written for and appeared on “Def Comedy Jam” and “1st Amendment Stand Up.” In 2010 she starred in a comedy special “Problem Child” was broadcast on Showtime. I’m excited to see Black women working in entertainment, especially on a show that’s known for launching huge and lasting careers in the past. But to be honest, I’m still not sure how I feel about SNL’s antics. That it took a national outcry for them to go through binders full of Black women and fit these limited spots…five years after having a Black woman on the show? Hmm…. But there’s more incentive than ever to tune into the show this month. Tookes and Jones start work next Monday, to write for the first episode that Zamata will also make her appearance in, January 18th. As we previously reported, Drake will host that episode. Will you be watching January 18th?
LisaRaye says her playing a skripper for a movie role isn’t as bad as black women acting a fool on reality tv…do you agree? LisaRaye Addresses Negative Portrayal Of Black Women On Reality TV Actress LisaRaye has been making her media rounds recently in anticipation of the new season of”Single Ladies,” and she recently gave her two cents on the often negative representation of black women on reality tv. via S2S Magazine She’s portrayed a stripper once or twice, but LisaRaye McCoy recently clarified that the roles she accepts as an actress are one thing, and being turnt up on reality TV is another. “I have a skill. I’m an actress. So, that means anytime the writers write something, I breathe the life into those words. That’s my part of the job,” she told Sister 2 Sister. “Reality ain’t never been that. Reality is, ‘Turn the camera on. Act the fool if you will or do what you want and we’re going to film this.’” Despite having her own reality show on TVOne at one point, Ms. McCoy also says she would never engage in violent behavior for the sake of the camera. “Single Ladies,” which returns to VH1 next year, is one of the network’s few scripted series, and it features successful, liberated, stylish women of color living the high life in Atlanta. In contrast, Lisa said reality shows don’t portray women in such a flattering light. “I almost feel like when given an opportunity or a check, we’ll sing and dance, and it’s like, ‘I thank ya, master,’” she said. “I don’t appreciate it as a woman because, you know, kids are watching this.” “People are walking over tables and slapping people. I’m thinking that would never happen to me because there wouldn’t be no more show. It would be over after that. I couldn’t understand that fighting and the cussing,” said Lisa who starred in her own TV One reality show. Hmmm. Do you agree with LisaRaye that actresses who agree to play raunchy or violent characters in scripted projects aren’t as bad as women on reality TV who engage in similar behavior? Let’s discuss, Bossip fam.
Bryan Cranston has three Emmy Awards on his mantel. But it may end up being a framed letter that becomes the actor’s most prized possession. Two weeks after the Breaking Bad finale that rocked the television universe, Cranston received a written message from Sir Anthony Hopkins that gave the AMC show, its crew and its cast the highest of praise. It also said Cranston put on the “best acting” Hopkins has ever seen. And this man has seen some acting in his time! Scroll down to read the full letter from the Academy Award-winning legend: Dear Mister Cranston. I wanted to write you this email – so I am contacting you through Jeremy Barber – I take it we are both represented by UTA . Great agency. I’ve just finished a marathon of watching “BREAKING BAD” – from episode one of the First Season – to the last eight episodes of the Sixth Season. (I downloaded the last season on AMAZON) A total of two weeks (addictive) viewing. I have never watched anything like it. Brilliant! Your performance as Walter White was the best acting I have seen – ever. I know there is so much smoke blowing and sickening bullshit in this business, and I’ve sort of lost belief in anything really. But this work of yours is spectacular – absolutely stunning. What is extraordinary, is the sheer power of everyone in the entire production. What was it? Five or six years in the making? How the producers (yourself being one of them), the writers, directors, cinematographers…. every department – casting etc. managed to keep the discipline and control from beginning to the end is (that over used word) awesome. From what started as a black comedy, descended into a labyrinth of blood, destruction and hell. It was like a great Jacobean, Shakespearian or Greek Tragedy. If you ever get a chance to – would you pass on my admiration to everyone – Anna Gunn, Dean Norris, Aaron Paul, Betsy Brandt, R.J. Mitte, Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks, Steven Michael Quezada – everyone – everyone gave master classes of performance … The list is endless. Thank you. That kind of work/artistry is rare, and when, once in a while, it occurs, as in this epic work, it restores confidence. You and all the cast are the best actors I’ve ever seen. That may sound like a good lung full of smoke blowing. But it is not. It’s almost midnight out here in Malibu, and I felt compelled to write this email. Congratulations and my deepest respect. You are truly a great, great actor.
Lil Twist was allegedly living the high life early this morning when he was pulled over by police behind the wheel of Justin Bieber’s fancy car. As previously reported, Lil Twist was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving when officers spotted his vehicle speeding around 3:30 a.m. in Calabasas. But TMZ now claims the 20-year old rapper was booked for smoking marijuana – and was even holding a lit joint when first approached by the cops. What a moron. Lil Twist spent about eight hours in custody and had nothing to say upon his release. But we have something to say, dammit! Justin: if you really wanna turn your life around and stick with Selena Gomez this time around, it’s time to cut yourself free from this dangerous baggage. Don’t you agree, Beliebers? What do you think JB should do about Lil Twist? Stand by him! Ditch him! View Poll »
Amanda Seyfried doesn’t believe in trusting her heart. When considering whether or not she has a future with a member of the opposite sex, the actress tells the latest issue of Elle : “Everybody I’ve dated I’ve been sexually attracted to immediately. Sparks don’t grow – your vagina doesn’t become more inclined to wanting someone just because you’re around them.” Well… alright then! Seyfried has sex on the mind these days because she is starring as Linda Lovelace in Lovelace (watch the Lovelace trailer now!), a biopic of the famous porn star. “I read the script and I was like, ‘Wow, this is the riskiest thing that’s happening [in Hollywood] right now,'” she says of the part. “The first thing you think about is that it could have ruined my career. At the same time, I was like, ‘This is my chance to show them, to show the industry, to be recognized.'” Lovelace hits theaters on August 9 and the August issue of Elle arrives on newsstands July 23. We may need to buy it.
When I wrote about the Sharknado trailer this week, I said there was no was no way on earth I’d be watching this cinematic masterpiece. Well, as I’m sure it will with plenty of others, curiosity got the best of me. Even though I’ve watched it and am writing about it, I’m still not quite sure if it was a good idea. Let’s go ahead and tackle the incredibly deep, complex plot of Sharknado . See, there are sharks, and these sharks find themselves sucked up into a hurricane and the subsequent tornados the hurricane spawns. And then… nope, that’s it. That is the entire plot. Wait, there was an early scene in which we are party to an illegal shark fin poaching operation. Complete with man of presumable Asian descent there to purchase said shark fins. At first I thought, oh, this might be a statement on the awfulness of shark fin harvesting. No. Apparently that was just the best way the writers could think of launching into this story. How on earth can this be anything but spectacular? Well for one, the acting. Ian Ziering tries so hard. So, so hard. It’s like he has taken all the acting energy that he hasn’t been using in the years since 90210 and put it into this film. Amazingly enough, that doesn’t equate to much. Granted he was playing Fin, a surfing bar owner whose ex-wife and children seem to hate who ends up being the rappelling hero of our shark tale. His ex-wife? Oh that’s Tara Reid. The greatest thing she added was her first scene in which she stood on a staircase next to a framed picture of herself. Who has framed pictures of just themselves? It wasn’t her at some type of natural wonder, nope. It appears as if Tara Reid ‘s character went to the Glamour Shots knock-off and got her a pretty picture. So weird. Then there’s Fin’s children. His daughter hates him. Like legit, hates him. While there is a shark swimming around the her living room eating her mother’s boyfriend (who she apparently adores), she just scowls. Call me crazy, I’d be freaking out, but then again I’ve never been in a situation in which there was a shark swimming around my living room eating people, so I guess I can’t be too sure of my reaction. Fin’s son is apparently in the Coast Guard. In flight school I guess. No one has told his father this because the new boyfriend thinks it isn’t any of his business anymore. Who does this new boyfriend think he is? Frankly, he deserved to be eaten by a living room shark. Good riddance. Of course there is also a best friend. Best friend was one of the first victims of the shark invasion but instead of being literally gulped by the shark like one of the poor shark poachers in the first scene (no, seriously – do sharks inhale their prey like that? It looked like Joey Chestnut taking down 69 hot dogs on July 4th) he was merely nibbled upon. When in the midst of a sharkpocalypse what self-respecting shark nibbles? Come on, get it together shark. Sharknado Trailer (Official) Rounding out this rag tag crew is the doe-eyed barmaid who for some reason feels it necessary to literally throw herself at her boss while standing behind the bar during business hours while the bar patrons look on. To say this love interest angle (I’m assuming that’s what they were going for) fell flat is on understatement of epic proportions. One of those bar patrons is none other than the dad from Home Alone , John Heard. He is mainly a non-player until his shining moment as he is being actively consumed by a shark and he says, in a very even tone of voice, “Ow, no. Get off of me.” Again, I haven’t been eaten by a shark so I can’t assume to know my reaction but I’d hope there’d be at least a little bit of screaming. Some honorable mentions have to go out to the small roles in this delightful film. To just get an idea of their incredible contributions let’s look at some of their inspired dialogue: “That’s Johnni with an ‘i’.” — Weather reporter in the middle of the sharknado right before she meets her bloody end. “$15K a year, no benefits, and screaming kids!” — Bus driver as he is being hoisted from bus to higher ground. “My mom always told me Hollywood would kill me.” — Same bus driver who just escaped a shark attack only to be drilled into the ground by flying pieces of the Hollywood sign. “The government knows when I pee and my favorite kind of cheese. Pepperjack.” – Gas station attendant with a very topical concern of the government’s knowledge of our private lives. Not dialogue, but special shout out to the man being eaten by one shark only to have another fall from the sky and land on his head. For all the incredible performances given by actors, it would have meant nothing without the real stars, the sharks. Oh, this group of sharks gave a performance of the ages. They are met at every turn by cars trying to drive over them as they swim by on seemingly dry land. They are just out for a leisurely flight through Southern California when all of a sudden there’s Ian Ziering with a chainsaw. All they want is to take a nice cool dip in a pool, is it their fault that people have managed to ignore ‘Johnni with an ‘i'” and the people screaming, and the MASSIVE TORNADO FILLED WITH SHARKS and kept on swimming? In the end, that is the truly amazing aspect of Sharknado . When there is a regular tornado, most people head indoors. Apparently the people of Los Angeles just laugh in the face of Mother Nature. Well, joke’s on them because Mother Nature sent her sharks to put them in their place. See if they ignore her again! Ha! Of course it would be some sort of crime if I didn’t mention the visual effects. They were about as awful as one could imagine. There, I’ve mentioned them. No, that’s not fair. This is a movie about flying sharks and frankly it could be Michael Bay (please god don’t let Michael Bay make a flying shark movie) and it would still look like crap. However, I would like to think someone like Michael Bay , or anyone else really, would give a second thought to the physics involved in a storm like this. It’s like the makers of Sharknado have never, ever seen a body of water. Water does not just randomly, in the middle of a place with zero water one second create a monsoon type wave the next. It just doesn’t happen! Nor does a car just spontaneously combust just because it’s leaking a bit of gas. Out of everything wrong with this movie, this puzzled me the most. For all it’s faults, and there are many, I actually enjoyed Sharknado . I don’t really know how as it quite possibly was the dumbest thing I have ever watched, but I did. The filmmakers obviously cared very little about actual story but when your story is about a tornado filled with sharks, does it really matter how much it builds on that idea? Congrats to SyFy though. Because of their big ol’ balls in putting it on air in the first place, they surely have a hit with Sharknado that people will talk and laugh about for at least a couple days. Bravo, SyFy and Sharknado!
When I wrote about the Sharknado trailer this week, I said there was no was no way on earth I’d be watching this cinematic masterpiece. Well, as I’m sure it will with plenty of others, curiosity got the best of me. Even though I’ve watched it and am writing about it, I’m still not quite sure if it was a good idea. Let’s go ahead and tackle the incredibly deep, complex plot of Sharknado . See, there are sharks, and these sharks find themselves sucked up into a hurricane and the subsequent tornados the hurricane spawns. And then… nope, that’s it. That is the entire plot. Wait, there was an early scene in which we are party to an illegal shark fin poaching operation. Complete with man of presumable Asian descent there to purchase said shark fins. At first I thought, oh, this might be a statement on the awfulness of shark fin harvesting. No. Apparently that was just the best way the writers could think of launching into this story. How on earth can this be anything but spectacular? Well for one, the acting. Ian Ziering tries so hard. So, so hard. It’s like he has taken all the acting energy that he hasn’t been using in the years since 90210 and put it into this film. Amazingly enough, that doesn’t equate to much. Granted he was playing Fin, a surfing bar owner whose ex-wife and children seem to hate who ends up being the rappelling hero of our shark tale. His ex-wife? Oh that’s Tara Reid. The greatest thing she added was her first scene in which she stood on a staircase next to a framed picture of herself. Who has framed pictures of just themselves? It wasn’t her at some type of natural wonder, nope. It appears as if Tara Reid ‘s character went to the Glamour Shots knock-off and got her a pretty picture. So weird. Then there’s Fin’s children. His daughter hates him. Like legit, hates him. While there is a shark swimming around the her living room eating her mother’s boyfriend (who she apparently adores), she just scowls. Call me crazy, I’d be freaking out, but then again I’ve never been in a situation in which there was a shark swimming around my living room eating people, so I guess I can’t be too sure of my reaction. Fin’s son is apparently in the Coast Guard. In flight school I guess. No one has told his father this because the new boyfriend thinks it isn’t any of his business anymore. Who does this new boyfriend think he is? Frankly, he deserved to be eaten by a living room shark. Good riddance. Of course there is also a best friend. Best friend was one of the first victims of the shark invasion but instead of being literally gulped by the shark like one of the poor shark poachers in the first scene (no, seriously – do sharks inhale their prey like that? It looked like Joey Chestnut taking down 69 hot dogs on July 4th) he was merely nibbled upon. When in the midst of a sharkpocalypse what self-respecting shark nibbles? Come on, get it together shark. Sharknado Trailer (Official) Rounding out this rag tag crew is the doe-eyed barmaid who for some reason feels it necessary to literally throw herself at her boss while standing behind the bar during business hours while the bar patrons look on. To say this love interest angle (I’m assuming that’s what they were going for) fell flat is on understatement of epic proportions. One of those bar patrons is none other than the dad from Home Alone , John Heard. He is mainly a non-player until his shining moment as he is being actively consumed by a shark and he says, in a very even tone of voice, “Ow, no. Get off of me.” Again, I haven’t been eaten by a shark so I can’t assume to know my reaction but I’d hope there’d be at least a little bit of screaming. Some honorable mentions have to go out to the small roles in this delightful film. To just get an idea of their incredible contributions let’s look at some of their inspired dialogue: “That’s Johnni with an ‘i’.” — Weather reporter in the middle of the sharknado right before she meets her bloody end. “$15K a year, no benefits, and screaming kids!” — Bus driver as he is being hoisted from bus to higher ground. “My mom always told me Hollywood would kill me.” — Same bus driver who just escaped a shark attack only to be drilled into the ground by flying pieces of the Hollywood sign. “The government knows when I pee and my favorite kind of cheese. Pepperjack.” – Gas station attendant with a very topical concern of the government’s knowledge of our private lives. Not dialogue, but special shout out to the man being eaten by one shark only to have another fall from the sky and land on his head. For all the incredible performances given by actors, it would have meant nothing without the real stars, the sharks. Oh, this group of sharks gave a performance of the ages. They are met at every turn by cars trying to drive over them as they swim by on seemingly dry land. They are just out for a leisurely flight through Southern California when all of a sudden there’s Ian Ziering with a chainsaw. All they want is to take a nice cool dip in a pool, is it their fault that people have managed to ignore ‘Johnni with an ‘i'” and the people screaming, and the MASSIVE TORNADO FILLED WITH SHARKS and kept on swimming? In the end, that is the truly amazing aspect of Sharknado . When there is a regular tornado, most people head indoors. Apparently the people of Los Angeles just laugh in the face of Mother Nature. Well, joke’s on them because Mother Nature sent her sharks to put them in their place. See if they ignore her again! Ha! Of course it would be some sort of crime if I didn’t mention the visual effects. They were about as awful as one could imagine. There, I’ve mentioned them. No, that’s not fair. This is a movie about flying sharks and frankly it could be Michael Bay (please god don’t let Michael Bay make a flying shark movie) and it would still look like crap. However, I would like to think someone like Michael Bay , or anyone else really, would give a second thought to the physics involved in a storm like this. It’s like the makers of Sharknado have never, ever seen a body of water. Water does not just randomly, in the middle of a place with zero water one second create a monsoon type wave the next. It just doesn’t happen! Nor does a car just spontaneously combust just because it’s leaking a bit of gas. Out of everything wrong with this movie, this puzzled me the most. For all it’s faults, and there are many, I actually enjoyed Sharknado . I don’t really know how as it quite possibly was the dumbest thing I have ever watched, but I did. The filmmakers obviously cared very little about actual story but when your story is about a tornado filled with sharks, does it really matter how much it builds on that idea? Congrats to SyFy though. Because of their big ol’ balls in putting it on air in the first place, they surely have a hit with Sharknado that people will talk and laugh about for at least a couple days. Bravo, SyFy and Sharknado!
Has Alex Trebek been hosting Jeopardy a little too long? Conan believes so, as evidenced by a recent montage. On last night’s episode, the host shared some pretty interesting footage from recent Jeopardy episodes, and it seems like either Trebek or his writers are … Well, either they’re on something or losing it. Watch: Alex Trebek is Insane We’ll take Utter Nonsense SMH Clues for $1,000 Alex!
