Will And Jaden Smith Given Razzies For Worst Actors By Golden Raspberry Awards

March 2, 2014, 6:25 am

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Will and Jaden Smith have something they can bond over. They were both awarded Razzies for their performances in "After Earth."

Jaden was selected as worst actor for his starring role in the sci-fi flop about a father and son stranded on an untamed earth, while the elder Smith was chosen as worst supporting actor at Saturday's Golden Raspberry Awards, which lampoons Hollywood's awards season on the eve of the Oscars. The duo was also selected as the worst screen combo by online Razzies voters. Razzies organizer John Wilson noted the pair was "stranded on Planet Nepotism."

"After Earth," which was directed by M. Night Shyamalan, tied with "Movie 43" for the most prizes with three awards. The raunchy comedy anthology featuring the likes of Halle Berry, Richard Gere, Kate Winslet and Naomi Watts earned Razzies for worst picture, screenplay and director. Apparently, it took a village to craft something so loathed. The Razzies noted that "Movie 43" is credited with 13 directors and 19 screenwriters.

Tyler Perry also didn't receive any good tidings from the Razzies . Perry — as feisty alter-ego Madea — was picked as worst actress for "A Madea Christmas," while Kim Kardashian was designated worst supporting actress for her role in the drama "Tyler Perry's Temptation."

Despite being the year's biggest box-office bomb, "The Lone Ranger" lassoed just one prize: worst remake, rip-off or sequel.

Uncharacteristically, Adam Sandler went home empty handed at this year's Razzies. Sandler's "Grown-Ups 2" originally led the hate-fest with eight nominations, including worst picture and actor for Sandler, but the comedy sequel wasn't awarded a single trophy. Sandler previously made Razzie history in 2011 by winning both the worst actor and actress prizes for his brother-sister cross-dressing comedy "Jack & Jill."

The winners of the 34th annual Razzies were announced Saturday night at a conference center a few blocks away from the Dolby Theater, where the 86th annual Academy Awards will be presented Sunday evening.

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Follow AP Entertainment Writer Derrik J. Lang on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/derrikjlang

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Cate Blanchett Preps For Oscars At Dinner With Sally Hawkins

March 2, 2014, 6:30 am

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Cate Blanchett hits the red carpet at the Sony Pictures Classics 2014 Oscar Dinner held at STK Steakhouse on Saturday (March 1) in Los Angeles.

The 44-year-old actress was joined at the event by her Blue Jasmine co-star Sally Hawkins, as well as Before Midnight star Julie Delpy.

Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard Are the Cutest Red Carpet Pair

March 2, 2014, 6:36 am

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Kristen Bell cracked up alongside Dax Shepard at Saturday's Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, with Dax copying her over-the-shoulder pose on the red carpet. The actress wore a blue strapless Reem Acra dress for the occasion, all smiles while posing for pictures.

Paula Patton Steps Out After Split At Independent Spirit Awards 2014

March 2, 2014, 6:39 am

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Paula Patton steps out looking absolutely gorgeous while attending the 2014 Film Independent Spirit Awards held at the beach on Saturday (March 1) in Santa Monica, Calif.

Watch 'House Of Cards' Opening Credits Get A 'West Wing' Makeover

March 2, 2014, 6:46 am

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Wasn't the theme song to "The West Wing" always so rousing and inspiring?

Well, now thanks to YouTuber Wayne Wolfe, you can still get those patriotic chills from the sweeping theme, but this time with characters from "House of Cards," which is pretty much the political polar opposite of "The West Wing."

Watch the new opening credits above, and pray that President Bartlet steers clear of Frank Underwood.

Why the Red Carpet Really Does Matter!

March 2, 2014, 7:07 am

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Fashion Whip is a political style column in the Huffington Post by Lauren A. Rothman, inspired by Lauren's experience as the founder of Styleauteur, a style and fashion consulting firm.

Tonight is one of Hollywood's biggest nights. Academy Awards royalty will be crowned, but perhaps just as important, footprints of style success will be left on the red carpet.

As we turn on the tube or log on to social media to catch red carpet arrivals, we can't help but be hypnotized by the beauty and glamour. We all become social voyeurs, wondering aloud at our Oscar viewing parties or on the phone with a bestie, "Will he bring his mother as his date? Is that couple still together amid all those divorce rumors? Her dress is amazing ... Look at his ponytail!"



What many sitting at home in the comfort of skinnies and flats (or sweats) don't often consider about this scene is that while it may appear glamorous and seamless, it actually takes a lot of hard work, prep and an extremely talented style squad.

The red carpet is still an office runway of sorts as Oscar nominees, presenters, performers and even stylists prepare for one of their biggest moments in the limelight. This red carpet appearance will become part of their digital resume and portfolio of looks to be recapped, imitated, judged and knocked-off for the next few weeks. Our favorite celebrities can't control who will win the golden statues at this point, but the pressure is still on to win best-dressed!



Style as much as substance matters at the Academy Awards, from the way a dress moves, the opening of an envelope (the Academy upgraded from Staples products in 2011 to custom ones by Marc Friedland), the poise of an actor and even the floral and culinary artistry at the Governors Ball. Our personal votes may not influence the outcome on Oscar Sunday, but they are certainly cast long before anyone walks up to the podium to receive a statuette.

Just as First Lady Michelle Obama can help seal the fate -- and future -- of a designer based on her wardrobe choices, she has also taught us it's not just who you wear but how you wear it -- your poise and confidence. Style influencers of this caliber are rare, but the Academy Awards' red carpet offers designers, stylists, hair and makeup artists, trainers, and even spray tanners a chance to land in the spotlight vicariously through their well-dressed clients.



The right look can truly cement you a spot at the front of the line! Lupita Nyong'o is this year's standout style star on the red carpet. Her stylist, Micaela Erlanger, has made those flawless choices catapulting both thespian and stylist to the forefront of fashion media. While Nyong'o's performance in "12 Years a Slave" is critically acclaimed and has her the predicted front-runner for an Oscar, she has already won the hearts of fashion darlings and style experts with her impeccable red carpet looks.



What happens to this year's best-dressed royalty? Look for top trends to make their way to a department store near you. Prom season, The White House Correspondents Dinner and bridal season are all around the corner and will most definitely be impacted by Oscar winning styles!

Oscar Rehearsals Bring Out Hollywood's Biggest Stars

March 2, 2014, 7:17 am

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Before the big show, the Oscars have a casual day.

That's when the superstar presenters who will dazzle fans worldwide on Sunday practice walking onto the Dolby Theatre stage and delivering their lines in front of a small audience of show workers and rehearsal actors. Instead of glamorous gowns and tuxedos, most stars rock jeans and sneakers. Will Smith's sneakers were a shiny silvery-pink. Wearing a puffer vest, a thermal and jeans, Smith cracked up the crowd by reading his presentation in a jokey kid voice. During a second pass, he read normally, then declared: "I killed that one!"

When a pair of rehearsal actors stepped on stage to collect the award he was presenting, Smith pretended to toss them the prop Oscar used for rehearsals: a wooden version of the real thing.

Some of the other 45 celebrity presenters rehearsing Saturday included Goldie Hawn, Harrison Ford, Robert DeNiro, Sally Field, Penelope Cruz, Viola Davis, Jennifer Garner, Jessica Biel, Kevin Spacey, Glenn Close, Tyler Perry, Anne Hathaway, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Anna Kendrick, Bradley Cooper and Daniel Day-Lewis.

Garner, who wore her show-day shoes with a blazer and jeans, offered some advice to first-time Oscar presenter Benedict Cumberbatch.

"This is my fifth or sixth (show)," she told him. "My first one was with Mickey Mouse, so I had to look at a green stick, as one does on live TV."

She assured him he'd be great.

Jennifer Lawrence, who arrived wearing no makeup, all black clothing and her short hair slicked back, shimmied and waved as she walked out on stage. Afraid to read the contents of the prop winner's envelope, she jokingly presented her award to Ryan Seacrest.

When told she was meant to actually read the name inside the envelope for rehearsal purposes, she confessed, "Oh, I didn't know!"

She did, and when rehearsal actor came on stage to claim the prize, she hugged him.

Veteran presenter John Travolta also wore all black, from his jeans and tennis-shoes to his button-down shirt and ball cap.

"I was just about to get some popcorn," said Oscar producer Neil Meron said when he spotted Travolta backstage. "And look who walks in: Mr. Popcorn himself!"

Kristen Bell and Michael B. Jordan needed a moment to collect themselves after looking at all the seat-saving placards in the audience that indicate exactly where the industry heavyweights will be sitting on Oscar night.

"Will Smith. Jamie Foxx. Christian Bale," Jordan said, reading the placards aloud.

"It feels strange, yeah," Bell responded.

She wore towering platform heels on stage, but changed into a pair of sneakers as soon as she walked off.

Kerry Washington, who wore a loose white blouse over cropped jeans with sling-back silver stilettos, delighted the college students who will carry the Oscar trophies on stage when she greeted them before her rehearsal.

"I hope you're having fun," she told them. "There's no stopping you!"

Channing Tatum, who helped select the students with Oscar producers, bonded with them backstage.

He showed them iPhone photos of his 9-month-old daughter, saying, "She's just starting to get cute." He also confessed that his Oscar debut last year, when he danced with Charlize Theron, was "the most nerve-racking thing ever."

"I wish I could get in on this at y'all's age," he told the group of 19- to 22-year-olds. "Y'all have fun."

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Follow AP Entertainment Writer Sandy Cohen at www.twitter.com/APSandy .

Academy's Makeup And Hairstyling Event Gets A Surprise From Johnny Knoxville

March 2, 2014, 7:29 am

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BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — "Bad Grandpa" is at the Oscars.

Johnny Knoxville surprised the crowd at the motion picture academy's headquarters Saturday by appearing on stage alongside makeup effects artist Stephen Prouty at an event honoring the makeup and hairstyling Academy Award nominees. Prouty is nominated for transforming the "Jackass" leading man into his gonzo "Bad Grandpa" character Irving Zisman. Knoxville readily admitted that the hidden-camera film featuring the 42-year-old actor-stuntman pranking unsuspecting folks as a naughty 86-year-old geezer isn't typical Oscar fare.

"We're basically slightly above a student film in the way we execute things," Knoxville said. "But our makeup is stellar."

Prouty of "Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa" is up against Joel Harlow and Gloria Pasqua-Casny, who turned Johnny Depp into Tonto for "The Lone Ranger"; and Adruitha Lee and Robin Matthews, who respectively transformed Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto into an HIV-positive rodeo cowboy and transgender woman for "Dallas Buyers Club," at Sunday's 86th annual Academy Awards.

"We took an extra effort not to overpaint and go too theatrical," said Prouty of the "Bad Grandpa" style, which had to not only stand out on camera, but fool victims. "It had to look real to us inches away from us."

Knoxville said applying the makeup, which included 11 different prosthetics on his noggin, took three hours each morning of the 60-day shoot. He said listening to Prouty and his team's "filthy jokes" every morning helped him to get "completely in character as a dirty old man."

So how long did it take to remove all that effects makeup?

"About two beers," Knoxville joked.

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Online:

http://www.oscars.com

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Follow AP Entertainment Writer Derrik J. Lang on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/derrikjlang.

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Academy Awards 2014 Winners List: '12 Years A Slave' & More

March 3, 2014, 6:45 am

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List of winners at Sunday's 86th annual Academy Awards presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Best Picture: "12 Years a Slave." Actor: Matthew McConaughey, "Dallas Buyers Club."

Actress: Cate Blanchett, "Blue Jasmine."

Supporting Actor: Jared Leto, "Dallas Buyers Club."

Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong'o, "12 Years a Slave."

Directing: Alfonso Cuaron, "Gravity."

Foreign Language Film: "The Great Beauty," Italy.

Adapted Screenplay: John Ridley, "12 Years a Slave."

Original Screenplay: Spike Jonze, "Her."

Animated Feature Film: "Frozen."

Production Design: "The Great Gatsby."

Cinematography: "Gravity."

Sound Mixing: "Gravity."

Sound Editing: "Gravity."

Original Score: "Gravity," Steven Price.

Original Song: "Let It Go" from "Frozen."

Costume: "The Great Gatsby."

Makeup and Hairstyling: "Dallas Buyers Club."

Animated Short Film: "Mr. Hublot."

Documentary Feature: "20 Feet from Stardom."

Documentary (short subject): "The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life."

Film Editing: "Gravity."

Live Action Short Film: "Helium."

Visual Effects: "Gravity."

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Honorary Oscars:

— Peter W. Anderson.

— Film-processing labs over past century.

— Angelina Jolie.

— Angela Lansbury.

— Steve Martin.

— Piero Tosi.

Oscars After-Party Photos Are Entertaining, As Usual

March 3, 2014, 6:50 am

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The 2014 Oscars were a success, as were the star-studded after-parties.

Celebrities came out to celebrate Sunday night's achievements at Elton John's AIDS Foundation Oscar party, Vanity Fair's Academy Awards bash and the Governors Ball. From winners Matthew McConaughey and Cate Blanchett to other A-list stars like Jennifer Lawrence and Ben Affleck, the Oscars after-parties were as entertaining as ever -- and so are the photos:

Janelle Monáe's 'Simply Irresistible' Gives Classic New Life

March 3, 2014, 6:50 am

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Janelle Monáe is so fine, she put a new spin on the classic '80s hit "Simply Irresistible." The 28-year-old singer reworked Robert Palmer's track for the E! Network, for inclusion in the station's Oscars coverage. Monáe's version is lively and fun, taking the old track to a funky new level. Listen to her "Simply Irresistible" below.

Ben Affleck And Jennifer Garner Are As Adorable As Ever At Oscars After-Party

March 3, 2014, 6:57 am

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Everyone's favorite couple looked glam and gorgeous at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Graydon Carter on Sunday, March 2.

Ben Affleck escorted his wife Jennifer Garner down the red carpet as she wowed in an Oscar de la Renta dress and bag with Forevermark jewelry. Garner attended the award show without Affleck as she presented and was a member of the cast of "Dallas Buyers Club," which was nominated for Best Picture. Affleck's film "Argo" took home the prestigious title at last year's ceremony.







"I've been able to really just enjoy my good fortune in the last couple of weeks and sit back and kind of just take it in and not do anything, just eat ice cream on the couch," Affleck told reporters at the 10th Annual John Varvatos Stuart House Benefit following the 2013 Oscars. "It's been a really nice time to hang out with my wife and that sort of thing, so we're just enjoying it."

Garner's co-stars, Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto, took home the Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor Oscars, so let's hope she celebrated alongside her "Dallas Buyers Club" cast and crew.

Kevin Hart Shoots On Manchester City's Goalie With A Surprising Ending

March 3, 2014, 6:58 am

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Two of the most famous Hart's went head to head this week, and the result was less predictable than you'd imagine.

While visiting Manchester City's training complex, comedian Kevin Hart decided to try his hand at a little soccer against England's top goalkeeper, Joe Hart.

As you could probably guess, Kevin did a bit of smack-talking as he lined up his shot.

"I suggest you brace yourself, Joe," he warned his "cousin."

The truth is, the 6-foot-5 Joe looked a lot more like the 5-foot-2 Kevin's father than anything else. As the cameras rolled and Joe got into his stance in goal (wearing flip flops), the Hart challenge was underway.

What do you think happened?

Correction: A previous version of this article stated Joe Hart played for Manchester United. He is a member of Manchester City.

This Might Be The Most Awkward On-Air Rap Performance Ever, But Juiceboxxx Still Wins

March 3, 2014, 6:59 am

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Well, that could have gone better.

Milwaukee's own Juiceboxxx got to perform on a local Wisconsin news station recently, and the results were... questionable.

Despite not being able to wrangle in his ear piece, having instrumentals he could hardly hear, creeping out the anchors and dealing with a camera man who wants to take pictures on his smart phone -- Juiceboxxx still gave it his all.

The rapper, who has performed in Japan, Europe and Australia, gave a brief interview before performing his song "Like A Renegade" live on the air. It's not entirely fair to judge an artist by one live performance, and you can check out the recorded version of "Like A Renegade" if you're interested to see how it matches up.

Selena Gomez And Vanessa Hudgens Go For Gold At Oscars After-Party

March 3, 2014, 7:09 am

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Former Disney darlings Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens aren't likely candidates to win Oscars themselves, but that didn't stop them from taking fashion cues from the coveted statue.

Gomez and Hudgens both turned up at Oscar parties in gold gowns looking like a million bucks. Gomez turned heads at the Vanity Fair after-party in a gold embroidered halter neck gown by Emilio Pucci, while Hudgens looked ravishing in a strapless Philosophy dress at the Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party.





The golden gals met up later in the evening and cuddled up for a cute photo together, which Gomez posted to Instagram, and captioned, "@vanessahudgens my only, official party buddy for life ;)"

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Cate Blanchett Lets Hollywood Know Women Are Not A 'Niche' Audience

March 3, 2014, 7:35 am

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Cate Blanchett has done it again.

As if there weren't already enough reasons for us to love Blanchett, last night she stole our hearts all over again with a gracious yet enlightening acceptance speech for Best Actress at the Academy Awards.

Our favorite moment? When she called out Hollywood's sexist tendencies and reminded everyone that people really do want to see films with female leads:

And thank you to... those of us in the industry who are still foolishly clinging to the idea that female films, with women at the center, are niche experiences. They are not -- audiences want to see them and, in fact, they earn money. The world is round, people.

Yes Cate, the world is round, and we are so very happy you're in it.

Check out the entire speech below and click here for more of our favorite moments from the 2014 Oscars.

Kevin Spacey Brought Frank Underwood To The Oscars And It Was A Delight

March 3, 2014, 7:41 am

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Politician Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey) left his "House of Cards" in Washington and joined the power players of Hollywood at Sunday's Oscars ceremony, and the results couldn't have been more delicious.

Here is Spacey giving an Underwood introduction with that famous Southern drawl:



Here is Jennifer Lawerence's reaction to seeing her favorite slimy politician:



Underwood slithered around the Dolby Theatre during the telecast. Being part of the epic selfie:

How did I end up back on the edge of the frame? The #Oscars are so overrated. pic.twitter.com/HIa14ydl4h

— Frank Underwood (@Frank_Underwood) March 3, 2014

Grabbing a slice of pizza that Ellen gave out during the telecast:

For those of us looking for a little pizza at the #Oscars, there is but one rule: hunt or be hunted.

— Frank Underwood (@Frank_Underwood) March 3, 2014

Underwood's used to fake pleasantries in Washington, but the world of celebrities is a different game:

You have no idea how hard it is to speak in a Hollywood accent. #Oscars

— Frank Underwood (@Frank_Underwood) March 3, 2014

Though not everything went according to plan:

Seth let me forgot the flag lapel pin for my tux. Heads will roll. #Oscars

— Frank Underwood (@Frank_Underwood) March 3, 2014

How long until the Emmys, again?

Why I Am No Longer a Belieber

March 3, 2014, 7:41 am

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When Justin Bieber: Never Say Never hit theaters in early 2011, I went to see the movie a mere six times. Surrounded by crowds of other purple-wearing, braces-clad tween Beliebers and their mothers, I cheered and laughed and sang along with the 3D Justin who reached his hand out of the screen to try and hold mine. When he made a heart with his hands, I made one with mine... I was one less lonely girl. It was the beginning of a love story that millions of other equally awkward, per-pubescent 13 year-olds were experiencing at the exact same time.

Fast-forward three years and I have matured out of my awkward stage, have straight teeth and have joined the ranks of every other New Yorker by wearing black. Justin Bieber, on the other hand, is wearing orange. That's right. Everyone's make-believe boyfriend was arrested for a DUI.

Justin Bieber is the most followed person on Twitter and has apparently created an authoritarian regime over his 49 million followers. His adherents respect, honor and retweet his every word and selfie, no matter how cocky, ridiculous or blurry. In the wake of his arrest, a worldwide trending topic on twitter was "#PrayForBieber." Thinking maybe he had announced he was dying of cancer via music video, I clicked on the hashtag only to find thousands of tweets from girls all over the world defending their idol's criminal activity. They lauded him for smiling in his mugshot, dissecting it as a message to all his fans that they should stay strong during hard times... I think he was smiling because of certain substances, but hey, you never know. Some blamed the media for his arrest, and others added the hashtag "#freejustin."

After reading these absurd and often grammatically incorrect outpourings of affection for Bieber, I couldn't help but notice the irony of his career. At age 19, he has made millions of dollars probably convincing girls that he is in fact in love with them and characterizing himself as the ideal boyfriend. So why is it that he continues to act in such a way that contradicts his money-making image? If I brought home Justin Bieber: the tattoo-covered, egg-throwing boy, wearing sagging pants and no shirt, now out of prison on $2,500 bail, to meet my parents as my boyfriend, and he wasn't an international celebrity, they would probably faint right there.

Yet I don't entirely blame Bieber, for he is like a spoiled child to whom no one ever said no. It is partly the fault of his rabid fan base, who crowded outside the Miami jail in which he was detained just for a glimpse of him. It has been proven to him time and time again over the last five or so years that no matter how badly he messes up, his fans will still keep running after him (literally). So he has learned that he can pull crazy and dangerous stunts without losing a cent. Many Beliebers are forgiving; never voicing any concerns. Justin Bieber has raised a generation of girls who have learned to be subservient to a boy. If he was actually their boyfriend and they were personally affected by his antics, would these girls stand up for themselves? What is it about Justin Bieber that has hypnotized 49 million girls?

I no longer wish to see shameless Justin Bieber propaganda for two hours straight, six times in one month. While I appreciate his catchy songs of the past, I do not idolize his behavior. I am proud to say I have broken free of the Belieber fandom. I hope others my age (and younger!) do too, before they are "#praying" for Justin after his drunk driving leads him to actually injure or even kill someone.

It scares me that I could very easily be one of these obsessed fans. I fit his ideal demographic. But while others continue to waste their time, energy and 140 characters worshiping Bieber, who seems to me (no offense) like a lost cause, I remember the good old days when his side swept hair and purple zip-up hoodie made my heart beat quickly inside my undeveloped chest.

One Year After 'Enlightened' Was Unjustly Canceled, Why Netflix Should Revive The Beloved Comedy

March 3, 2014, 7:44 am

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One year ago today, we lost a dear friend in Amy Jellicoe. Amy was 40 when she returned from a California holistic-treatment facility that provided a vital spiritual awakening after the mega-meltdown she'd had at work. A few of us invited Amy into our homes, watching her newfound fulfillment grow even as she struggled to shed lingering resentment toward the cards life dealt her. Then, just as we applauded her for blowing the whistle on corporate abuse within her decidedly unenlightened company, Abaddon Industries, she became homeless. An inevitable demise followed.

So it went with HBO's "Enlightened," the Laura Dern-fronted dramedy that concluded its second season on March 3, 2013. The show should have had a long shelf life, but two weeks later, it joined the accumulation of prematurely canceled series. The show's small but passionate viewership was devastated. It first premiered to much acclaim, but Season 2's reception was even more magnanimous. Entertainment Weekly's Ken Tucker wrote called it "extraordinarily good: funny and moving and constantly surprising." The Huffington Post's Maureen Ryan labeled it "a work of precision craftsmanship." And it was TIME's James Poniewozik who perhaps framed it most fittingly: "HBO has the best thing TV is doing right now --a show no other network would probably make, telling a story that the movies couldn't tell, not at such length and depth. ... HBO doesn't owe it to us to keep 'Enlightened' on the air; HBO owes it to itself."



How can a show with reviews this flattering bite the dust after a measly two seasons? Dern won a Golden Globe for the first season and garnered an Emmy nomination for the second, but that wasn't enough to amplify the show's viewership, which averaged 200,000 to 300,000 per episode. Those figures are paltry, even for a premium cable channel that relies on subscriptions. (The show's second season retained only a third of its lead-in audience from "Girls.") But its fan base remains voracious -- many suggested a Kickstarter campaign to revive "Enlightened" when news of the cancellation first broke -- and we know there's life yet to be had for the show. We may never know how many more eyeballs have discovered it through DVDs and HBO GO, but that's no matter: It's time for Netflix to give some serious consideration to breathing the soul back into Amy Jellicoe.

Creator and co-star Mike White has said the third season would center on Amy's legal battles with Abaddon now that she's brought the company's hierarchical corruption to light via a Los Angeles Times exposé. Considering how riveting Season 2 was -- the perfect blend of human drama and workplace hilarity -- imagine watching Amy cross swords with the corporate miscreants who once mocked her environmental crusade. Considering how frequently Amy misjudges her own words, watching her go to battle with a group of wealthy executives who abhor her (and possibly win the lawsuit) would be enchanting television as well as the conclusion long-standing fans deserve.



So what's Netflix's stake here? In addition to having been a bastion for last year's splashy "Arrested Development" revival and the upcoming final season it ordered for AMC's "The Killing," the streaming service, by never revealing ratings, has developed the first landscape that doesn't equate success with numbers. Almost every major piece of Netflix original content -- "House of Cards," "Orange is the New Black," "Hemlock Grove," "Aziz Ansari: Buried Alive," "Mitt," etc. -- becomes event television because the buzz behind it feels so fresh. As of a mid-February, Netflix reported 5 million more subscribers than the 42-year-old HBO. Resuscitating a show with A-list stars (Dern is joined by Luke Wilson, Diane Ladd, Molly Shannon, Dermot Mulroney and Michaela Watkins) and a half-hour format that's easy to engage with is no tall order given Netflix's glossy programming, and because the Internet buzz surrounding the service's entities gives everything the impression of popularity, Netflix can bridge a gap with its ostensible competitor and attract a legion of fans who will tune in to see the the beloved dramedy's continuation.

Of course, that would all require Netflix and HBO to put aside the jabs its executives have thrown at each other recently. It would also require HBO to lease its content to an external service -- something it's notoriously reluctant to do. (While we're at it, don't "Sex and the City" and "The Sopranos" seem like mandatory additions to the Netflix library?) But this would set a new precedent: out -- more or less -- with the fatuous wars and in with the subscription services' amplified presence across platforms. It's a healthy brand choice for HBO, and one that needs to happen pronto, while the "Enlightened" actors are young enough to rekindle the storylines.

With this, I beseech the Netflix gods: Please shed at least one more light on Amy as she bungles her way through the corporate bloodshed we desperately wanted to witness. Like many critics have asserted, "Enlightened" was further proof of the great television apex we've been applauding for a few years. Don't squander something that advances the cause. Like Amy Jellicoe, we're on a crusade for television enlightenment. Bring this show back.



Still not convinced we need an "Enlightened" revival? Here are eight reasons concocted by HuffPost TV critic Maureen Ryan just days before the show was canceled.

E! News Correspondent Asks Mindy Kaling What 'Color' Guys She Likes

March 3, 2014, 7:46 am

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Mindy Kaling was not nominated for an Oscar Sunday night, March 2, but she definitely wins for "Best Response to an Uncomfortable Question."

The "Mindy Project" star was hanging out before the Oscars (looking stunning in a sparkling Salvador Perez dress, might we add) when she was approached by E! News correspondent Alicia Quarles to chat about the night. The two began talking about Kaling's FOX hit comedy and the men her character romances.

"So who's your type?" Quarles asked Kaling.

"Who's my type? Good looking," Kaling responded, not skipping a beat.

"Okay, so any color?"

"Yeah," the actress said, laughing.

After the uncomfortable exchange, Twitter users were quick to respond with their thoughts.

This E! presenter literally asking Mindy Kaling what color guys she's into: http://t.co/PPKNtMVEic

— Sara Lang (@SaraLang) March 3, 2014

An E! reporter just asked Mindy Kaling what color guys she's into. Did not know Lego Movie was up for awards but I hope she said royal blue.

— Emily McKenna Winter (@EmilyMcWinter) March 3, 2014

.@mindykaling and I have the same taste in men: "Good-looking." http://t.co/pDMezZvVLp (Also E!, time to get some better reporters.)

— cjoanporter (@cjoanporter) March 3, 2014

wait...did someone on E! ask mindy kaling what her favorite color guy was? and this was on television? i have to find this now. brb.

— amysusanne (@sabrinaobscura) March 3, 2014

Not okay, not *ever* "E! Presenter Asks @mindykaling What 'Color' Guys She Likes" http://t.co/rjxMjHuI4T #OscarWomen via @Jezebel

— Reel Grrls (@reelgrrls) March 3, 2014

Earlier, Kaling joked about what people might think when they see her walk by on the Oscars red carpet, saying: "That's that girl from that show where she kisses all the white men."

[h/t Jezebel]