Celebrity splits don't always have to be messy, icky or ugly affairs with lots of mudslinging or drama.
13 Celebrity Exes Who Love (But Aren't In Love With) One Another
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Jennifer Lawrence and the Rebels Look Ready for Battle in New Images From 'Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1'
A handful of new images from Mockingjay Part 1 remind us that there’s a lot to look forward to in the next Hunger Games installment. Some of those things are known quantities.
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The Entire 'Survivor' Crew Had A Crush On Elisabeth Hasselbeck
These days, Elisabeth Hasselbeck is best known for her feud with Rosie O'Donnell and making questionable political statements, but before "The View" and "Fox & Friends," there was "Survivor." And it turns out she had a very different reputation in the Australian Outback.
"Survivor" host Jeff Probst chatted about Hasselbeck in a Wednesday conversation with HuffPost Live's Roy Sekoff about Forbidden Passage, the newest installment in Probst's series of children's books. Though Hasselbeck is often maligned in the media today, Probst said she was the apple of everyone's eye on the "Survivor" set.
"When she was on the second season of 'Survivor,' I will tell you this: Every guy on the crew fell in love with her. Every guy. We watched this young girl mature into this fighting phenomenon, and everybody wanted to date her. They thought about marrying Elisabeth. It was all in our fantasies," he said.
Hasselbeck placed fourth on "Survivor," then she became the only contestant to launch herself to legitimate fame outside the show.
"We were so happy when she got on 'The View,' because that's incredible. But I will say, Elisabeth's politics have certainly changed over the time, and I'm not sure what to make of where she stands," he said of her conservative viewpoint.
But he is sure of one thing: Hasselbeck makes great television.
"I'm not saying I align with her, but I like that she does not back down, ever," Probst said. "I can see why she's still working, why she got another job quickly, because she's compelling to watch. You've got to give her that."
Catch the full HuffPost Live conversation with Jeff Probst here.
Sign up here for Live Today, HuffPost Live's new morning email that will let you know the newsmakers, celebrities and politicians joining us that day and give you the best clips from the day before!
"Survivor" host Jeff Probst chatted about Hasselbeck in a Wednesday conversation with HuffPost Live's Roy Sekoff about Forbidden Passage, the newest installment in Probst's series of children's books. Though Hasselbeck is often maligned in the media today, Probst said she was the apple of everyone's eye on the "Survivor" set.
"When she was on the second season of 'Survivor,' I will tell you this: Every guy on the crew fell in love with her. Every guy. We watched this young girl mature into this fighting phenomenon, and everybody wanted to date her. They thought about marrying Elisabeth. It was all in our fantasies," he said.
Hasselbeck placed fourth on "Survivor," then she became the only contestant to launch herself to legitimate fame outside the show.
"We were so happy when she got on 'The View,' because that's incredible. But I will say, Elisabeth's politics have certainly changed over the time, and I'm not sure what to make of where she stands," he said of her conservative viewpoint.
But he is sure of one thing: Hasselbeck makes great television.
"I'm not saying I align with her, but I like that she does not back down, ever," Probst said. "I can see why she's still working, why she got another job quickly, because she's compelling to watch. You've got to give her that."
Catch the full HuffPost Live conversation with Jeff Probst here.
Sign up here for Live Today, HuffPost Live's new morning email that will let you know the newsmakers, celebrities and politicians joining us that day and give you the best clips from the day before!
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This Haley Joel Osment Tribute Will Freak You Out
It's best not to ask why anyone would do this. Just go with it ... feel your feelings.
Via Wooden Nickel Shorts
Via Wooden Nickel Shorts
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James Franco Finally Explains James Franco By 'Making A Scene'
The answer has to do with an Alien.
In a small press event to promote his new project, an AOL On Originals series entitled "Making a Scene with James Franco," the actor, director, artist, writer, musician, producer, teacher (and, at any given moment, probably another half dozen things) finally explained his deal to the room of journalists. Asked by a Twitter user, "What role have you played that you think has the best resemblance to your actual personality?" Franco responded:
"I did a movie called 'Spring Breakers.' Harmony [Korine] was just like go and act, just be yourself," he said.
For those who have not seen Korine's 2013 film, Franco played a cornrowed rapper and gangster named Alien. The character is famous for lines such as "Come on y'all, why you actin' 'spicious" and "My real name is Al, but truth be told, I'm not from this planet."
Is James Franco from this planet?
![TK TK gifs]()
In what may help to further explain Franco's persona, earlier on in the Q&A, the actor said that much of the work he churns out at seemingly prolific rates, including the project he was promoting, is designed to get audiences to like him more. The goodwill Franco engenders then allows him to get approval to do things he really cares about:
The room then proceeded to watch a clip from the new series called "Dirty Dancing Dogs." It mashed up the films "Dirty Dancing" and "Reservoir Dogs." As it played, Franco leaned his face hard onto the side of his wine glass.
Later in the event, immediately following the screening of a clip called "BatJuice" (a combination of "The Dark Knight" and "Beetlejuice"), Franco remarked on his frustration about the project not turning out the way he hoped:
"Those beeps are so lame. Why is it being censored? It's so stupid."
![james franco]()
Other notable moments from the night included Franco admitting to have seen the whole "Twilight" franchise along with DVD commentaries, that he'd play Batman if given the chance and that people trying to accomplish his level of success should "just work hard."
A recurring theme of the night: Franco's concern about what he's actually allowed to do with "Making A Scene." When talking about a "When Harry Met Sally" video Franco would like to release, he expressed worry that fans would not be able to see the short as he intended. (It apparently features a climax in which Franco has "stuff that got all over [himself] and [his] eyes and mouth.") According to Franco, the clip was "too dirty for AOL." (AOL is the parent company of The Huffington Post.)
"Maybe the fans can petition AOL for them to not be so ... PG," said Franco.
James Franco, Alien at heart = Not PG.
AOL On already has the first four episodes of "Making a Scene" ready to stream, with more videos to be released in the coming weeks. Watch the full event below:
In a small press event to promote his new project, an AOL On Originals series entitled "Making a Scene with James Franco," the actor, director, artist, writer, musician, producer, teacher (and, at any given moment, probably another half dozen things) finally explained his deal to the room of journalists. Asked by a Twitter user, "What role have you played that you think has the best resemblance to your actual personality?" Franco responded:
"I did a movie called 'Spring Breakers.' Harmony [Korine] was just like go and act, just be yourself," he said.
For those who have not seen Korine's 2013 film, Franco played a cornrowed rapper and gangster named Alien. The character is famous for lines such as "Come on y'all, why you actin' 'spicious" and "My real name is Al, but truth be told, I'm not from this planet."
Is James Franco from this planet?
In what may help to further explain Franco's persona, earlier on in the Q&A, the actor said that much of the work he churns out at seemingly prolific rates, including the project he was promoting, is designed to get audiences to like him more. The goodwill Franco engenders then allows him to get approval to do things he really cares about:
[Sighs] If I do this and I do other comedies, in a weird way it ... it creates a space for me to do something that contrasts with this. If I, in a weird way, comedy creates good will... For whatever reason in my case, if I do the things like this then it's sort of like one for them and then I get to do maybe a Faulkner adaptation that's for me or something.
The room then proceeded to watch a clip from the new series called "Dirty Dancing Dogs." It mashed up the films "Dirty Dancing" and "Reservoir Dogs." As it played, Franco leaned his face hard onto the side of his wine glass.
Later in the event, immediately following the screening of a clip called "BatJuice" (a combination of "The Dark Knight" and "Beetlejuice"), Franco remarked on his frustration about the project not turning out the way he hoped:
"Those beeps are so lame. Why is it being censored? It's so stupid."
Other notable moments from the night included Franco admitting to have seen the whole "Twilight" franchise along with DVD commentaries, that he'd play Batman if given the chance and that people trying to accomplish his level of success should "just work hard."
A recurring theme of the night: Franco's concern about what he's actually allowed to do with "Making A Scene." When talking about a "When Harry Met Sally" video Franco would like to release, he expressed worry that fans would not be able to see the short as he intended. (It apparently features a climax in which Franco has "stuff that got all over [himself] and [his] eyes and mouth.") According to Franco, the clip was "too dirty for AOL." (AOL is the parent company of The Huffington Post.)
"Maybe the fans can petition AOL for them to not be so ... PG," said Franco.
James Franco, Alien at heart = Not PG.
AOL On already has the first four episodes of "Making a Scene" ready to stream, with more videos to be released in the coming weeks. Watch the full event below:
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Alanis Morissette Goes Blond, Chops Off Signature Long Locks
Now this will make you do a double take.
Alanis Morissette has always been known for her long, flowy, always-ever-so-gently-blowing-in the-breeze locks:
![alanisgif]()
But the "You Oughta Know" singer totally switched it up when she debuted her dramatic hair makeover on her Instagram account on Wednesday. The 40-year-old captioned the photo: "New hair. Girl needed to have a little fun ;) ps-- blondes are, in fact, treated differently. This is one of the many effects of work addiction recovery :) #spontaneity #easybreezy #makeupforlosttime #healing." Her now shoulder-length hair is mostly blond, save the untouched brown roots that remind us of what once was:
Alanis Morissette has always been known for her long, flowy, always-ever-so-gently-blowing-in the-breeze locks:
But the "You Oughta Know" singer totally switched it up when she debuted her dramatic hair makeover on her Instagram account on Wednesday. The 40-year-old captioned the photo: "New hair. Girl needed to have a little fun ;) ps-- blondes are, in fact, treated differently. This is one of the many effects of work addiction recovery :) #spontaneity #easybreezy #makeupforlosttime #healing." Her now shoulder-length hair is mostly blond, save the untouched brown roots that remind us of what once was:
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Cinderella's Evil Step-Sisters Try To Get Into Heaven, Are The Worst People Ever
Would Cinderella's evil step-sisters Anastasia and Drizella make it past Heaven's pearly gates? You wouldn't think so, considering they have "evil" right in the name.
However, in Above Average's ongoing "St. Peter Meets" series, ol' St. Pete (played by George Basil) has a really hard time shutting down the incredibly terrible sisters, played by "Orange Is the New Black" star Lauren Lapkus and actress Jessica Lowe.
See how the ditzy duo finagle their way into Heaven above and then see how Ursula from "The Little Mermaid" fared in her episode.
However, in Above Average's ongoing "St. Peter Meets" series, ol' St. Pete (played by George Basil) has a really hard time shutting down the incredibly terrible sisters, played by "Orange Is the New Black" star Lauren Lapkus and actress Jessica Lowe.
See how the ditzy duo finagle their way into Heaven above and then see how Ursula from "The Little Mermaid" fared in her episode.
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Kendall Jenner Reportedly 'Bullied' By Models During Fashion Week
Kendall Jenner, the only member of the Kardashian-Jenner clan (other than her father Bruce) who is trying to be known for something besides being famous, was reportedly "bullied" by "bitchy" models during New York Fashion Week, according to In Touch.
The reality star's roots were allegedly working against her, as a source told the tabloid that other models who "worked so hard to get a spot on the runway" didn't think it was "fair" that Jenner was walking alongside them in shows for Diane Von Furstenberg, Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan New York and Tommy Hilfiger.
Displeased with Jenner's presence among them, the models "started acting bitchy," the source told the magazine, and -- quelle horreur! -- "some even put out their cigarettes in Kendall's drink!"
Now let's break this story down for a moment. "Started acting bitchy" could mean any number of things, sinister and not. For what it's worth, a fashion industry insider told HuffPost Entertainment, "I can say that I've never heard of models 'bullying' other models. They might have talked about her behind her back, but they wouldn't bully her."
Seriously, this isn't "Showgirls."
Request for comment from Jenner's rep has yet to be returned at this time.
The reality star's roots were allegedly working against her, as a source told the tabloid that other models who "worked so hard to get a spot on the runway" didn't think it was "fair" that Jenner was walking alongside them in shows for Diane Von Furstenberg, Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan New York and Tommy Hilfiger.
Displeased with Jenner's presence among them, the models "started acting bitchy," the source told the magazine, and -- quelle horreur! -- "some even put out their cigarettes in Kendall's drink!"
Now let's break this story down for a moment. "Started acting bitchy" could mean any number of things, sinister and not. For what it's worth, a fashion industry insider told HuffPost Entertainment, "I can say that I've never heard of models 'bullying' other models. They might have talked about her behind her back, but they wouldn't bully her."
Seriously, this isn't "Showgirls."
Request for comment from Jenner's rep has yet to be returned at this time.
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Don Omar Charged With Domestic Violence, Threatening Girlfriend At Gunpoint
Less than 24 hours after reggaeton star Don Omar was arrested in Puerto Rico on allegations of domestic violence, the artist was charged, fined and ordered to wear an ankle bracelet before being released Wednesday night, according to El Nuevo Herald.
William Omar Landrón, known artistically as Don Omar, was arrested around 1 a.m on Wednesday morning in the neighborhood of Vega Alta for allegedly threatening his girlfriend, local authorities told El Nuevo Día.
By Wednesday night, Judge Jessica Morales from the Court of Bayamón had charged Landrón, 36, with domestic violence, abuse, threat of abuse, illegal possession of a firearm and for pointing a gun at his ex-girlfriend Rebeca López, 26.
A $600,000 bail was also imposed on Landrón, of which he paid $200,000 before being released wearing an electronic ankle monitor. The remainder of the bail, according to Primera Hora, will be paid through the Office of Services to Advance Judgment.
One of the singer’s legal representatives, Edwin Prado, said he found the bail “excessive” considering the charges, according to El Nuevo Herald.
“A $600,000 bail is a bail for murder,” Prado said as he left court, the Florida newspaper reports.
Attorney Mibari Rivera presented the charges against Don Omar on behalf of López and detailed the former girlfriend’s accusations.
“The charges against Don Omar are grounded on two incidents between August and September of this year,” Rivera told reporters outside of court, according to Primera Hora. “In August he pointed a firearm [at López] and in September there was psychological verbal abuse and via text messaging.”
On Thursday morning, the reggaeton star tweeted out "In the circus they have more than enough clowns to make us laugh" and signed it with his first initial and last name followed by the hashtag #laughs.
William Omar Landrón, known artistically as Don Omar, was arrested around 1 a.m on Wednesday morning in the neighborhood of Vega Alta for allegedly threatening his girlfriend, local authorities told El Nuevo Día.
By Wednesday night, Judge Jessica Morales from the Court of Bayamón had charged Landrón, 36, with domestic violence, abuse, threat of abuse, illegal possession of a firearm and for pointing a gun at his ex-girlfriend Rebeca López, 26.
A $600,000 bail was also imposed on Landrón, of which he paid $200,000 before being released wearing an electronic ankle monitor. The remainder of the bail, according to Primera Hora, will be paid through the Office of Services to Advance Judgment.
|@DonOmar quedó libre, pero llevará un grillete electrónico http://t.co/aET7pfzq8d pic.twitter.com/Ppyo9kOB6c
— Infobae América (@infobaeamerica) septiembre 18, 2014One of the singer’s legal representatives, Edwin Prado, said he found the bail “excessive” considering the charges, according to El Nuevo Herald.
“A $600,000 bail is a bail for murder,” Prado said as he left court, the Florida newspaper reports.
Attorney Mibari Rivera presented the charges against Don Omar on behalf of López and detailed the former girlfriend’s accusations.
“The charges against Don Omar are grounded on two incidents between August and September of this year,” Rivera told reporters outside of court, according to Primera Hora. “In August he pointed a firearm [at López] and in September there was psychological verbal abuse and via text messaging.”
On Thursday morning, the reggaeton star tweeted out "In the circus they have more than enough clowns to make us laugh" and signed it with his first initial and last name followed by the hashtag #laughs.
"En el circo lo que sobran son payasos para hacernos reir" W. Landrón #Rie
— DON OMAR (@DONOMAR) septiembre 18, 2014↧
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Jack White Lambastes Rolling Stone, Slights Foo Fighters In 'Kanye West-Esque Rant'
Jack White held little back during a four-minute diatribe at his show at Fenway Park in Boston on Wednesday, taking a shot at fellow rock heavyweights Foo Fighters and bringing the hammer down on Rolling Stone.
Opening up, White shared his distaste for those who have defiled the sanctity of the live performance, stating how "most performers don't use microphones anymore, you know ... singers don't use microphones that have cords." Next up was Foo Fighters. White commented how the band uses a second guitarist "playing the same parts" so as to cover up any mistakes that might be made while performing.
Last on his list was Rolling Stone, and White had plenty of say about the magazine's online content, announcing that it was “brought to you by the Kardashian family.” He made up a number of listicle-based faux articles, like "15 Outfits That Will Blow Your Mind That Taylor Swift Wore This Month" and "12 Reasons Rolling Stone Won’t Put A Black And White Cover On The Cover Of Their Magazine Unless You're Dead." White was also sure to mention that one of the co-founders and editor of Rolling Stone, Jann Wenner, is also the current owner of US Weekly.
“OK, I’m officially supposed to stop now, because this is becoming a Kanye West-esque rant," White said in conclusion. "Because apparently, nowadays, you aren’t allowed to speak to your own fans about anything, lest it be a rant.” He concluded, “So forget ISIS, forget the war in the Middle East, forget any problems at home, forget gay marriage, forget everything you ever thought about everything. This not a rant. This is just me saying, HELLO CLEVELAND!”
Listen to White's fury below.
[h/t Pitchfork]
Opening up, White shared his distaste for those who have defiled the sanctity of the live performance, stating how "most performers don't use microphones anymore, you know ... singers don't use microphones that have cords." Next up was Foo Fighters. White commented how the band uses a second guitarist "playing the same parts" so as to cover up any mistakes that might be made while performing.
Last on his list was Rolling Stone, and White had plenty of say about the magazine's online content, announcing that it was “brought to you by the Kardashian family.” He made up a number of listicle-based faux articles, like "15 Outfits That Will Blow Your Mind That Taylor Swift Wore This Month" and "12 Reasons Rolling Stone Won’t Put A Black And White Cover On The Cover Of Their Magazine Unless You're Dead." White was also sure to mention that one of the co-founders and editor of Rolling Stone, Jann Wenner, is also the current owner of US Weekly.
“OK, I’m officially supposed to stop now, because this is becoming a Kanye West-esque rant," White said in conclusion. "Because apparently, nowadays, you aren’t allowed to speak to your own fans about anything, lest it be a rant.” He concluded, “So forget ISIS, forget the war in the Middle East, forget any problems at home, forget gay marriage, forget everything you ever thought about everything. This not a rant. This is just me saying, HELLO CLEVELAND!”
Listen to White's fury below.
[h/t Pitchfork]
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Jessica Simpson Will Not Have Any More Ridiculously Adorable Children
Jessica Simpson has no plans to add any more children to her family.
The star, who has two kids with husband Eric Johnson -- daughter Maxwell, 2, and son Ace, 14 months -- opened up in a recent interview for "On Air with Ryan Seacrest" about the couple's future plans.
"Oh, we are done," she said. "I say we're done. I don't want to accidentally get pregnant one day and then that poor kid feels like it wasn’t meant to be or something. We’ve got the girl and we’ve got the boy."
The singer wed Johnson, her longtime partner, in a ceremony this past July 5, and told Seacrest the two have since felt like they are in a new chapter of their relationship.
"We have felt like ever since we got married, we’ve been kind of living on this honeymoon," she said. "Life is better."
![simpson johnson family]()
The star, who has two kids with husband Eric Johnson -- daughter Maxwell, 2, and son Ace, 14 months -- opened up in a recent interview for "On Air with Ryan Seacrest" about the couple's future plans.
"Oh, we are done," she said. "I say we're done. I don't want to accidentally get pregnant one day and then that poor kid feels like it wasn’t meant to be or something. We’ve got the girl and we’ve got the boy."
The singer wed Johnson, her longtime partner, in a ceremony this past July 5, and told Seacrest the two have since felt like they are in a new chapter of their relationship.
"We have felt like ever since we got married, we’ve been kind of living on this honeymoon," she said. "Life is better."
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8 Facts You Didn't Know About 'Sesame Street'
Sing of good things you didn't know, not bad. Sing of happy, not sad.
In its almost 45-year history, "Sesame Street" has won 159 Emmys, multiple Grammys and, as of 2009, as many as 77 million adult Americans had watched the show as children. Over three dozen countries have a version and many more air the dubbed American show. In short, millions of people the world over have discovered how to get to Sesame Street.
In celebration of its many milestones, here are a few (The Count would say there are eight) little known facts from "Sesame Street":
1. Many of the main characters have completely changed.
![sesame]()
It's understandable that characters have gone through updates since the show's inception. That written, a few of these updates have been considerably radical. A few examples:
Image Left & Center: Muppet Wiki / Image Right: WikiCommons
2. The Count's love of numbers isn't exactly just a play on his name. Vampires are supposed to have arithmomania -- a strong need to count surrounding objects.
![count sesame street]()
In some versions of vampire folklore, a way to ward off the attacker is to throw "rice, millet, wheat or red lentils," as the bloodsucker will need to count the grains before moving on. In Europe, people would place "poppy seeds, millet or sand" at the graves of suspected vampires as a pre-emptive defense.
But is the Count even a vampire?
The puppet was originally modeled off Bela Lugosi's Count Dracula, and he certainly appears to be a vampire (the fangs, the cape, the creepy castle and the bats all certainly point to vampirism). But "Sesame Street" canon is actually divided on the subject. According to the "Muppet" fan wiki, in some accounts the character has been described as a "number-friendly vampire" and a "Numerical Vampire," but in at least one instance it was insisted: "The Count is not a vampire."
The Huffington Post contacted "Sesame Street" PR who pointed out that Count is "not named specifically as a vampire" in his bio. Perhaps it isn't possible to shed more light on this mystery as vampires hate that.
3. The show was almost all about Bert and Ernie.
![TK TK gifs]()
In the original pilot, the scenes between human and muppet characters were separated, as child psychologists worried that mixing fantasy and reality would mislead children. The muppets that dominated the show were Bert and Ernie, the only characters that tested well during screenings. As soon as the program would cut away to just humans, children's attention levels plummeted.
It is rumored that a decision was almost made to cut everything but Bert and Ernie and have the show focus around them. These testings led to the creation of Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch and Snuffleupagus, according to Edward Palmer, one of the founders of "Sesame Street."
4. Oscar the Grouch actually fell in love ... with the Wicked Witch of the West.
![count sesame street]()
The trashcan dweller may be known for usually just loving "crummy weather," but he has actually fallen in love. In a now banned episode that was deemed too scary for children, the Wicked Witch of the West made an appearance on "Sesame Street" and was crushed on by Oscar. Unfortunately, the relationship didn't take off.
For what it's worth, Oscar did also fall in love with a new, trashy neighbor named Germaine the Grouch in a short children's book. The green grouch struggles to woo the pink grouch when he tries to flirt, and therefore isn't grouchy. When he loses his temper in frustration, his true grouchiness comes out though and the two have a disgusting picnic together. True love!
Image: WikiCommons
5. Snuffleupagus was initially Big Bird's imaginary friend, but then became real so kids wouldn't fear bringing up sexual abuse.
![TK TK gifs]()
Until 1985, the adults on "Sesame Street" believed Snuffy wasn't real. Whenever Big Bird would try to introduce the character, the adults would just miss meeting him (Snuffleupagus would walk out of the scene before their arrival, the adults wouldn't turn their heads in time or other similar gags). Besides Big Bird, only a few other muppets, kids and guest celebrities (such as Judy Collins) could see Mr. Snuffleupagus.
The character was finally introduced to adults in Episode 2,096. According to the "Muppet" fan wiki, Martin P. Robinson, the person who played Snuffleupagus, said in the documentary "Sesame Street Unpaved" that the introduction was due to high-profile cases of pedophilia, which convinced writers that children shouldn't be afraid adults won't believe them. Dulcy Singer, the show's executive producer, said at the time, "We didn't want to do anything to discourage children from going to their parents."
Also, on a much less serious note, did you know that Mr. Snuffleupagus' first name is Aloysius?
6. "Sesame Street" develops special features for military families and for children with an incarcerated parent. Also, Elmo's dad was deployed overseas.
![sesame]()
"Talk, Listen, Connect" is a special installment of videos for military children that helps explain both long absences and the possibility of parents returning with injuries or even not returning at all. According to a U.S. Army sergeant quoted on the Sesame Workshop site:
The materials are free and available online.
Similar kits also exist to help children with an incarcerated parent, as well as many other potentially devastating scenarios such as hurricanes or familial financial struggles.
Image Left: USO Image Right: Sesame Workshop
7. The Elmo puppet was initially just a background extra and was given up on as a workable character.
![TK TK gifs]()
Elmo didn't officially debut until Season 12, although the muppet had already been used as a random extra in scenes for quite some time. Initially this "new" character only communicated with "sounds rather than words."
Apparently, one of the early voices of the character, Richard Hunt, tried to perform Elmo with a gruff, caveman voice, but eventually abandoned the concept. According to legend, he tossed Elmo around, only to have Kevin Clash pick up the muppet and create the beloved character.
The red 3-year-old ended up becoming the only puppet or non-human to testify before Congress in 2002, advocating for increased funding for music programs.
8. "Sesame Street" is named after the "Arabian Nights" phrase "Open, Sesame!"
![sesame street sign]()
According to Sesame Workshop, a show writer named Virginia Schone proposed the word "Sesame." Its use in an "Arabian Nights" tale, she said, made it feel like it was loaded with a sense of adventure. The show was already set on an urban street, so "Sesame Street" just clicked.
Producer Jon Stone claimed “the name was set at the 11th hour and 59th minute.” Apparently, names such as "1-2-3 Avenue B" and "Fun Street" were also considered. The former was ultimately rejected as it would appeal less to children outside of New York City.
Everyone on the staff initially disliked the name, fearing children would have a hard time pronouncing it, but obviously those worries ended up being put to rest.
BONUS: Cookie Monster did not become the Veggie Monster.
![TK TK gifs]()
That was a hoax! In 2005, Cookie Monster did start to focus slightly on eating right -- he can be seen eating fruits and vegetables occasionally -- but the character still devours cookies like nobody else. Cookie Monster went on "Today" in 2006 and explained his new diet to Matt Lauer:
The misconception is partly credited to a new song entitled "A Cookie is a Sometimes Food," although Hoots the Owl actually sings the song to Cookie Monster, and at the end Cookie Monster declares: "NOW is sometimes!"
All images Getty unless otherwise noted.
In its almost 45-year history, "Sesame Street" has won 159 Emmys, multiple Grammys and, as of 2009, as many as 77 million adult Americans had watched the show as children. Over three dozen countries have a version and many more air the dubbed American show. In short, millions of people the world over have discovered how to get to Sesame Street.
In celebration of its many milestones, here are a few (The Count would say there are eight) little known facts from "Sesame Street":
1. Many of the main characters have completely changed.
It's understandable that characters have gone through updates since the show's inception. That written, a few of these updates have been considerably radical. A few examples:
- Mr. Snuffleupagus used to be unintentionally super scary looking. Snuffy had yellow slits for eyes that made him look like a monster and had a much more ghastly body with less padding.
- Cookie Monster used to have big pointy teeth, although this was when the puppet was used in commercials before the beginning of "Sesame Street."
- Oscar the Grouch was orange.
- Telly Monster initially had antennae coming out of his head and his eyes would spin whenever he watched television.
- Caroll Spinney, the actor who played Big Bird since the beginning, described the character as not looking "too keen." Spinney said the bird was "one of the ugliest things" he had ever seen.
Image Left & Center: Muppet Wiki / Image Right: WikiCommons
2. The Count's love of numbers isn't exactly just a play on his name. Vampires are supposed to have arithmomania -- a strong need to count surrounding objects.
In some versions of vampire folklore, a way to ward off the attacker is to throw "rice, millet, wheat or red lentils," as the bloodsucker will need to count the grains before moving on. In Europe, people would place "poppy seeds, millet or sand" at the graves of suspected vampires as a pre-emptive defense.
But is the Count even a vampire?
The puppet was originally modeled off Bela Lugosi's Count Dracula, and he certainly appears to be a vampire (the fangs, the cape, the creepy castle and the bats all certainly point to vampirism). But "Sesame Street" canon is actually divided on the subject. According to the "Muppet" fan wiki, in some accounts the character has been described as a "number-friendly vampire" and a "Numerical Vampire," but in at least one instance it was insisted: "The Count is not a vampire."
The Huffington Post contacted "Sesame Street" PR who pointed out that Count is "not named specifically as a vampire" in his bio. Perhaps it isn't possible to shed more light on this mystery as vampires hate that.
3. The show was almost all about Bert and Ernie.
In the original pilot, the scenes between human and muppet characters were separated, as child psychologists worried that mixing fantasy and reality would mislead children. The muppets that dominated the show were Bert and Ernie, the only characters that tested well during screenings. As soon as the program would cut away to just humans, children's attention levels plummeted.
It is rumored that a decision was almost made to cut everything but Bert and Ernie and have the show focus around them. These testings led to the creation of Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch and Snuffleupagus, according to Edward Palmer, one of the founders of "Sesame Street."
4. Oscar the Grouch actually fell in love ... with the Wicked Witch of the West.
The trashcan dweller may be known for usually just loving "crummy weather," but he has actually fallen in love. In a now banned episode that was deemed too scary for children, the Wicked Witch of the West made an appearance on "Sesame Street" and was crushed on by Oscar. Unfortunately, the relationship didn't take off.
For what it's worth, Oscar did also fall in love with a new, trashy neighbor named Germaine the Grouch in a short children's book. The green grouch struggles to woo the pink grouch when he tries to flirt, and therefore isn't grouchy. When he loses his temper in frustration, his true grouchiness comes out though and the two have a disgusting picnic together. True love!
Image: WikiCommons
5. Snuffleupagus was initially Big Bird's imaginary friend, but then became real so kids wouldn't fear bringing up sexual abuse.
Until 1985, the adults on "Sesame Street" believed Snuffy wasn't real. Whenever Big Bird would try to introduce the character, the adults would just miss meeting him (Snuffleupagus would walk out of the scene before their arrival, the adults wouldn't turn their heads in time or other similar gags). Besides Big Bird, only a few other muppets, kids and guest celebrities (such as Judy Collins) could see Mr. Snuffleupagus.
The character was finally introduced to adults in Episode 2,096. According to the "Muppet" fan wiki, Martin P. Robinson, the person who played Snuffleupagus, said in the documentary "Sesame Street Unpaved" that the introduction was due to high-profile cases of pedophilia, which convinced writers that children shouldn't be afraid adults won't believe them. Dulcy Singer, the show's executive producer, said at the time, "We didn't want to do anything to discourage children from going to their parents."
Also, on a much less serious note, did you know that Mr. Snuffleupagus' first name is Aloysius?
6. "Sesame Street" develops special features for military families and for children with an incarcerated parent. Also, Elmo's dad was deployed overseas.
"Talk, Listen, Connect" is a special installment of videos for military children that helps explain both long absences and the possibility of parents returning with injuries or even not returning at all. According to a U.S. Army sergeant quoted on the Sesame Workshop site:
We had a triple amputee come in recently who had not seen his 3-year-old daughter since his injury and was afraid of how she would react ... I gave him the 'Talk, Listen, Connect' outreach kit and explained the materials to him. He was so happy he started to cry with joy.
The materials are free and available online.
Similar kits also exist to help children with an incarcerated parent, as well as many other potentially devastating scenarios such as hurricanes or familial financial struggles.
Image Left: USO Image Right: Sesame Workshop
7. The Elmo puppet was initially just a background extra and was given up on as a workable character.
Elmo didn't officially debut until Season 12, although the muppet had already been used as a random extra in scenes for quite some time. Initially this "new" character only communicated with "sounds rather than words."
Apparently, one of the early voices of the character, Richard Hunt, tried to perform Elmo with a gruff, caveman voice, but eventually abandoned the concept. According to legend, he tossed Elmo around, only to have Kevin Clash pick up the muppet and create the beloved character.
The red 3-year-old ended up becoming the only puppet or non-human to testify before Congress in 2002, advocating for increased funding for music programs.
8. "Sesame Street" is named after the "Arabian Nights" phrase "Open, Sesame!"
According to Sesame Workshop, a show writer named Virginia Schone proposed the word "Sesame." Its use in an "Arabian Nights" tale, she said, made it feel like it was loaded with a sense of adventure. The show was already set on an urban street, so "Sesame Street" just clicked.
Producer Jon Stone claimed “the name was set at the 11th hour and 59th minute.” Apparently, names such as "1-2-3 Avenue B" and "Fun Street" were also considered. The former was ultimately rejected as it would appeal less to children outside of New York City.
Everyone on the staff initially disliked the name, fearing children would have a hard time pronouncing it, but obviously those worries ended up being put to rest.
BONUS: Cookie Monster did not become the Veggie Monster.
That was a hoax! In 2005, Cookie Monster did start to focus slightly on eating right -- he can be seen eating fruits and vegetables occasionally -- but the character still devours cookies like nobody else. Cookie Monster went on "Today" in 2006 and explained his new diet to Matt Lauer:
Cookie Monster: Me like fruit.
Matt Lauer: And there you have it. Cookie Monster likes fruit, and not cookies.
Monster: No! You members of the media blow story way out of proportion! Me still like cookies!
Lauer: Then why fruit?
Monster: Why not fruit? It delicious! And healthy. Me still eat cookies, like me world-famous for doing, but now me eat other things, too.
The misconception is partly credited to a new song entitled "A Cookie is a Sometimes Food," although Hoots the Owl actually sings the song to Cookie Monster, and at the end Cookie Monster declares: "NOW is sometimes!"
All images Getty unless otherwise noted.
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Maisie Williams To Play Victim In 'Cyber Bully' Because Arya Stark Can't Catch A Break
Winter is coming ... for cyber bullies.
Maisie Williams, who already has to deal with Lannisters and outlaws on "Game of Thrones," is now going to play a victim of online stalking. The 17-year-old is set to star in the new hour-long thriller "Cyber Bully" from the U.K.'s Channel 4.
The actress will play Casey Jacobs, a teenage girl who has to battle with a cyber-stalker in real-time. A Channel 4 press release states: "The plot of 'Cyber Bully' is inspired by dozens of real-life cases. What happens to Casey is extreme, and framed in a dramatic format."
With the casting choice, cyber stalkers may want to rethink their plans. Williams started her role on "Game of Thrones" when she was just 14 and, after learning to "stick them with the pointy end," she's been kicking butt ever since.
On Williams playing the lead, director Ben Chanan said:
"Cyber Bully" is set to premiere in early 2015 on Channel 4.
Maisie Williams, who already has to deal with Lannisters and outlaws on "Game of Thrones," is now going to play a victim of online stalking. The 17-year-old is set to star in the new hour-long thriller "Cyber Bully" from the U.K.'s Channel 4.
The actress will play Casey Jacobs, a teenage girl who has to battle with a cyber-stalker in real-time. A Channel 4 press release states: "The plot of 'Cyber Bully' is inspired by dozens of real-life cases. What happens to Casey is extreme, and framed in a dramatic format."
With the casting choice, cyber stalkers may want to rethink their plans. Williams started her role on "Game of Thrones" when she was just 14 and, after learning to "stick them with the pointy end," she's been kicking butt ever since.
On Williams playing the lead, director Ben Chanan said:
The audience will be trapped with Casey for a full screen hour and we need an exceptional actress to play her. I couldn’t imagine anyone else in the role. Maisie Williams is not only remarkably talented, she also has an immediately likeable, feisty screen presence which makes you root for her instinctively.
"Cyber Bully" is set to premiere in early 2015 on Channel 4.
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Listen To Michael Jackson And Freddie Mercury's Unearthed Duet From The '80s
Last year, news broke that three duets featuring Michael Jackson and Freddie Mercury would soon be released. According to the Times of London, the songs had been recorded in 1983 at Jackson's home studio, but the singers never worked on a larger project due to conflicting schedules.
NME reports that all three of the songs will be featured on Queen's new album, "Queen Forever," due out in November. A William Orbit-produced version of one of the tracks, "There Must Be More To Life Than This," is now available on YouTube. Written by Mercury during sessions for Queen's "Hot Space," the ballad uses the original vocals recorded 30 years ago.
NME reports that all three of the songs will be featured on Queen's new album, "Queen Forever," due out in November. A William Orbit-produced version of one of the tracks, "There Must Be More To Life Than This," is now available on YouTube. Written by Mercury during sessions for Queen's "Hot Space," the ballad uses the original vocals recorded 30 years ago.
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'You're The Worst' Finale Scoop And Much More From Creator Stephen Falk
When I told Stephen Falk, the creator of "You're the Worst," that I had been hesitant to give his show a try, he laughed.
"I'm very familiar with your reaction," he said. Whether it was the show's name, its marketing campaign or some other factor that prompted potential viewers to think the show wasn't for them, in the course of the comedy's first season, he's come across a number of people who thought it might be, as he put it, "overly hip and potentially annoying."
I was one of them, but as I wrote previously, I fell hard for "You're the Worst," partly because it's just funny, deft and intelligent, and partly because it has such recognizably human dilemmas at its core.
In the show, Los Angeles residents Gretchen (Aya Cash) and Jimmy's (Chris Geere) one-night-stand keeps getting extended once they realize how compatible they are. Both have a wealth of insecurities beneath their shields of sarcasm, however, and they found a number of ways to sabotage their relationship almost before it began.
The lives of their best friends, Edgar (Desmin Borges) and Lindsay (Kether Donahue), are just as screwed up, but their friends are much more willing to exhibit their own loopy brands of sentiment and optimism. If you saw the season finale, you know that Lindsay possesses a deep well of confused emotions, which, in a way, makes her the emblematic "You're the Worst" character -- she not a bad person but she's pretty good at spectacularly crashing into the obstacles in her path.
All the characters on "You're the Worst" are trying to navigate one of the main truths of adulthood: Life is full of compromises. What compromises are worth it, and which ones kill your soul? The writers and cast of "You're the Worst" surely have many more thoughts about that question, which is why I'm very much hoping it gets a second season.
In a recent interview, "You're the Worst" creator Stephen Falk, who previously wrote for the Jenji Kohan shows "Weeds" and "Orange Is the New Black," had plenty to say about the show, and the specifics of the Season 1 finale.
I think I was wary of "You're the Worst" because so many shows that are described as having abrasive or difficult characters just end up being annoying. What is it that causes those shows to fall short? Do the networks get nervous?
Yeah, I definitely think that networks, particularly broadcast networks, tend to be very gun-shy about any potential character being unlikable in any real way. You end up getting weakened, watered-down versions of someone who may be abrasive or truth-telling. They always have to have really glaring, obvious virtues that balance their narcissism or bad qualities. You can see that, as an audience member. I think audiences are really savvy, and maybe they don't know exactly what it is, but I think very often they can see the network notes. They can see where punches were pulled or things were over-explained or where characters were forced to have a "redeeming" moment that maybe doesn't ring true and feels manipulative.
It is a difficult tightrope to walk, as a writer, but you have to have the right actors, who have an inherent likability. Otherwise it's just going to feel like what the network was afraid of -- harsh and off-putting. So you have to have someone very charming who can pull that off, and I think that with both Aya and Chris, I hit the jackpot. Even though [Gretchen and Jimmy] are "bad people," I think they always remain likable. If you write to the honesty of a character, it doesn't really matter how bad their behavior is. Our jobs are not to make [characters] that the audience likes, our jobs are to make [characters] the audience gets on board with and is entertained by.
Was it a really difficult show to cast?
It definitely was hard to cast the show. [Although] having been through a traditional pilot season trying to cast a show during that craziness, it didn't feel difficult, because I didn't have the same pressure. You probably have heard this before, but I can't explain how anti-creative [the traditional pilot process is] and what a disservice it does to the ability of a showrunner to cast a show [while] everyone is gunning for the same talent pool at the same time. It's crazy-making. The perceived stock of an actor goes up because other shows are interested in them, agents use leverage, and you end up overvaluing actors that maybe you wouldn't in an off-cycle time.
So doing it in an off-cycle helped, but that said, the characters were very, very difficult to cast. I was threading a lot of small needles all at the same time. I went through some names, "offer only"-type people, and there was a male actor who I was interested in who had just got off a show. He chose to do something else instead, and I'm really glad he did. I was probably despairing at a certain point, until I got Chris' tape from London. Immediately, after the first few sentences, I knew that was the guy. It's a cliche but it's true. Aya I had some familiarity with -- I was into her pretty early. When they did a "chemistry read" together, it was pretty clear how fantastic they were together.
You and the writers have done a lot to make Lindsay and Edgar very central to the show. Can you talk about that a little?
To be honest, I have a deep aversion to and I'm very uncomfortable with the romantic-comedy cliches, but they're there for a reason. So the [cliche of the] supportive best friend who cares way too much about the lead character's relationship is one that I haven't felt fully comfortable with. To see what Desmin has done, particularly with the veteran stuff but even when he's just being a supportive friend, has been super-gratifying.
Being a student of the romantic comedy -- no kidding, I was watching "Serendipity" before you called; [Jeremy Piven's character] is very much the supportive best friend and the same with Molly Shannon -- they're just running around trying to help these two find love. And in reality, we don't give that much of a shit. We may counsel [our friends] and listen to them cry over a breakup, but everyone's selfish. As it should be. We are all the stars of our own series. There's an inherent need in a romantic comedy to service the lead characters more than the supporting characters, which is why I wrote that scene where side characters become self-aware that they're side characters. I wanted to address the elephant in the room.
Why are mainstream romantic-comedy movies so bad? I can't watch them any more.
I probably have not seen many in the last decade as well, because I don't have a great affection for most of the romantic-comedy leads in the last 10 years. What it feels like to me is that we have come to and witnessed the death throes of the early '90s to 2011 romantic comedy feature [with] the New York setting, the Louie Armstrong music, the unhappy career woman. There's a lot of falling down. There are so many pratfalls.
There was a definite lack of willingness to take risks, and the thought was that if you took the "When Harry Met Sally" DNA and just a put a different story on to it but kept a lot of same elements, [that would work]. There's a lot of brunch. A lot of weddings. Concerned but wisecracking parents. That [kind of movie] just fizzled out. There was no magic and spark in it, no matter how many dresses you put in the title. The audience is smarter than that.
As a result, the studios and the networks have been afraid of the romantic comedy. "You're the Worst" is not a self-conscious attempt to revolutionize the genre, by any means. But if the show has a small hand in that, I would be very happy.
I think there's a deeper level to it which may account for people's love for the show -- it's about a romance, yes, but it's also about people who have been hurt, who are in a bunker, so to speak, and trying to learn to live with being vulnerable. That can be hard, no matter where you are in your life.
Yeah, I think my goal is really not so much about romantic comedies but really about creating a show that displays real human behavior and does not feel the need to adhere to a three-jokes-a-page rule. We have a wide storytelling palette, and we're not afraid to go dark or to go serious. At the end of the day, I'm just trying to create a show about realistic human behavior -- certainly heightened, because it's a comedy.
But yeah, it's about people's vulnerabilities and fears and protectiveness. It's fun for me also to explore how they got that way. I think we're going to continue to have fun exploring how they got that way without sort of saying, "And once you realize this about yourself, you can completely change!" Because I don't think [that's true]. One of Jenji's themes in "Weeds" was that no one ever really changes, and I have that ingrained in me pretty deeply.
But it seems to me, having seen her shows, that she does think people can evolve. And sometimes just trying to evolve can be so meaningful. It's about the effort to recognize these things and maybe evolve to some degree.
Sure. The effort is often all that really matters -- that you're trying. If there's any message in the love story in "You're the Worst," it's just that it's kind of admirable and beautiful that we try to connect even though we've been hurt and statistics say, it's probably not going to work out. It's not about the goal, because there is no end point in a relationship. There's no prize. The fact that we keep endeavoring, that we keep struggling, is the point itself.
The most romantic thing about Gretchen and Jimmy's relationship is that they don't judge each other, fundamentally. Sure, they'll gripe and argue about dumb little things, but they can do things or try things or reveal awful shit about themselves, and it doesn't elicit judgment. I think that's kind of beautiful.
Can you talk a little about what you'd want to explore in a second season?
I think at the end of the finale, you see structurally how the show is going to change a little bit, but hopefully not change tonally that much. I think [in Season 1], we were happy with the balance between comedy and drama, and them being comfortable in a relationship and then rebelling against it. I think they're complex enough that there's enough to explore in this new arrangement.
It seemed as though Edgar was developing feelings for Lindsay during her karaoke moment.
I think there's still unfinished business to explore between Lindsay and [her husband] Paul. There's something really nice about the energy [of Lindsay and Edgar]. In the diner at the end of Episode 4, when she rescues him from buying drugs and he makes her feel better about the size of her butt, they have a nice little scene, ending with her teaching him the beauty of dipping fries into a milkshake. I was surprised and tickled by the sweetness of their energy together.
I think that's something I wouldn't want to torpedo -- I wouldn't want to make it so we could never use that again. But in the finale, when Lindsay's singing Kate Bush's "This Woman's Work," you do see Edgar kind of see her for the first time maybe in that way. But there is something really fun in longing, and that's something that would be fun to play with before anything happens. Lindsay needs to figure out her marriage -- when we last see her, she's 12 hours out from Paul saying he wants a divorce, and there's more to play with there.
Speaking of "This Woman's Work," how did you get to use that? Kate Bush songs do not get licensed very often.
I wrote a really impassioned letter to her. I don't know exactly [what happened] -- it wasn't like she wrote back saying, "I will give you the rights to the song." Word came down from the music supervisor that she agreed. I don't know if it was a magic letter or she happened to be in the [right] mood or whatever. She hadn't seen the show. We probably sent her an episode but we hadn't shot [the finale], obviously.
This was a tough get and a tough buy, financially, but I think it was worth it. It's really silly and melodramatic but kind of perfect and Kether has a great singing voice. Every time I watch it, it makes me laugh, because she's so serious about it. It's also so goofy and it's kind of everything I love comedically, all at one time. It kind of doesn't make sense, it's kind of dumb, it's kind of smart. I'm very gratified we got that.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
To listen to the entire interview with Falk, in which he talks more about Edgar and Lindsay and other topics, check out the latest Talking TV with Ryan and Ryan podcast, which is here, on iTunes and below. Ryan McGee and I also talked about the show on these two recent podcasts.
"I'm very familiar with your reaction," he said. Whether it was the show's name, its marketing campaign or some other factor that prompted potential viewers to think the show wasn't for them, in the course of the comedy's first season, he's come across a number of people who thought it might be, as he put it, "overly hip and potentially annoying."
I was one of them, but as I wrote previously, I fell hard for "You're the Worst," partly because it's just funny, deft and intelligent, and partly because it has such recognizably human dilemmas at its core.
In the show, Los Angeles residents Gretchen (Aya Cash) and Jimmy's (Chris Geere) one-night-stand keeps getting extended once they realize how compatible they are. Both have a wealth of insecurities beneath their shields of sarcasm, however, and they found a number of ways to sabotage their relationship almost before it began.
The lives of their best friends, Edgar (Desmin Borges) and Lindsay (Kether Donahue), are just as screwed up, but their friends are much more willing to exhibit their own loopy brands of sentiment and optimism. If you saw the season finale, you know that Lindsay possesses a deep well of confused emotions, which, in a way, makes her the emblematic "You're the Worst" character -- she not a bad person but she's pretty good at spectacularly crashing into the obstacles in her path.
All the characters on "You're the Worst" are trying to navigate one of the main truths of adulthood: Life is full of compromises. What compromises are worth it, and which ones kill your soul? The writers and cast of "You're the Worst" surely have many more thoughts about that question, which is why I'm very much hoping it gets a second season.
In a recent interview, "You're the Worst" creator Stephen Falk, who previously wrote for the Jenji Kohan shows "Weeds" and "Orange Is the New Black," had plenty to say about the show, and the specifics of the Season 1 finale.
I think I was wary of "You're the Worst" because so many shows that are described as having abrasive or difficult characters just end up being annoying. What is it that causes those shows to fall short? Do the networks get nervous?
Yeah, I definitely think that networks, particularly broadcast networks, tend to be very gun-shy about any potential character being unlikable in any real way. You end up getting weakened, watered-down versions of someone who may be abrasive or truth-telling. They always have to have really glaring, obvious virtues that balance their narcissism or bad qualities. You can see that, as an audience member. I think audiences are really savvy, and maybe they don't know exactly what it is, but I think very often they can see the network notes. They can see where punches were pulled or things were over-explained or where characters were forced to have a "redeeming" moment that maybe doesn't ring true and feels manipulative.
It is a difficult tightrope to walk, as a writer, but you have to have the right actors, who have an inherent likability. Otherwise it's just going to feel like what the network was afraid of -- harsh and off-putting. So you have to have someone very charming who can pull that off, and I think that with both Aya and Chris, I hit the jackpot. Even though [Gretchen and Jimmy] are "bad people," I think they always remain likable. If you write to the honesty of a character, it doesn't really matter how bad their behavior is. Our jobs are not to make [characters] that the audience likes, our jobs are to make [characters] the audience gets on board with and is entertained by.
Was it a really difficult show to cast?
It definitely was hard to cast the show. [Although] having been through a traditional pilot season trying to cast a show during that craziness, it didn't feel difficult, because I didn't have the same pressure. You probably have heard this before, but I can't explain how anti-creative [the traditional pilot process is] and what a disservice it does to the ability of a showrunner to cast a show [while] everyone is gunning for the same talent pool at the same time. It's crazy-making. The perceived stock of an actor goes up because other shows are interested in them, agents use leverage, and you end up overvaluing actors that maybe you wouldn't in an off-cycle time.
So doing it in an off-cycle helped, but that said, the characters were very, very difficult to cast. I was threading a lot of small needles all at the same time. I went through some names, "offer only"-type people, and there was a male actor who I was interested in who had just got off a show. He chose to do something else instead, and I'm really glad he did. I was probably despairing at a certain point, until I got Chris' tape from London. Immediately, after the first few sentences, I knew that was the guy. It's a cliche but it's true. Aya I had some familiarity with -- I was into her pretty early. When they did a "chemistry read" together, it was pretty clear how fantastic they were together.
You and the writers have done a lot to make Lindsay and Edgar very central to the show. Can you talk about that a little?
To be honest, I have a deep aversion to and I'm very uncomfortable with the romantic-comedy cliches, but they're there for a reason. So the [cliche of the] supportive best friend who cares way too much about the lead character's relationship is one that I haven't felt fully comfortable with. To see what Desmin has done, particularly with the veteran stuff but even when he's just being a supportive friend, has been super-gratifying.
Being a student of the romantic comedy -- no kidding, I was watching "Serendipity" before you called; [Jeremy Piven's character] is very much the supportive best friend and the same with Molly Shannon -- they're just running around trying to help these two find love. And in reality, we don't give that much of a shit. We may counsel [our friends] and listen to them cry over a breakup, but everyone's selfish. As it should be. We are all the stars of our own series. There's an inherent need in a romantic comedy to service the lead characters more than the supporting characters, which is why I wrote that scene where side characters become self-aware that they're side characters. I wanted to address the elephant in the room.
Why are mainstream romantic-comedy movies so bad? I can't watch them any more.
I probably have not seen many in the last decade as well, because I don't have a great affection for most of the romantic-comedy leads in the last 10 years. What it feels like to me is that we have come to and witnessed the death throes of the early '90s to 2011 romantic comedy feature [with] the New York setting, the Louie Armstrong music, the unhappy career woman. There's a lot of falling down. There are so many pratfalls.
There was a definite lack of willingness to take risks, and the thought was that if you took the "When Harry Met Sally" DNA and just a put a different story on to it but kept a lot of same elements, [that would work]. There's a lot of brunch. A lot of weddings. Concerned but wisecracking parents. That [kind of movie] just fizzled out. There was no magic and spark in it, no matter how many dresses you put in the title. The audience is smarter than that.
As a result, the studios and the networks have been afraid of the romantic comedy. "You're the Worst" is not a self-conscious attempt to revolutionize the genre, by any means. But if the show has a small hand in that, I would be very happy.
I think there's a deeper level to it which may account for people's love for the show -- it's about a romance, yes, but it's also about people who have been hurt, who are in a bunker, so to speak, and trying to learn to live with being vulnerable. That can be hard, no matter where you are in your life.
Yeah, I think my goal is really not so much about romantic comedies but really about creating a show that displays real human behavior and does not feel the need to adhere to a three-jokes-a-page rule. We have a wide storytelling palette, and we're not afraid to go dark or to go serious. At the end of the day, I'm just trying to create a show about realistic human behavior -- certainly heightened, because it's a comedy.
But yeah, it's about people's vulnerabilities and fears and protectiveness. It's fun for me also to explore how they got that way. I think we're going to continue to have fun exploring how they got that way without sort of saying, "And once you realize this about yourself, you can completely change!" Because I don't think [that's true]. One of Jenji's themes in "Weeds" was that no one ever really changes, and I have that ingrained in me pretty deeply.
But it seems to me, having seen her shows, that she does think people can evolve. And sometimes just trying to evolve can be so meaningful. It's about the effort to recognize these things and maybe evolve to some degree.
Sure. The effort is often all that really matters -- that you're trying. If there's any message in the love story in "You're the Worst," it's just that it's kind of admirable and beautiful that we try to connect even though we've been hurt and statistics say, it's probably not going to work out. It's not about the goal, because there is no end point in a relationship. There's no prize. The fact that we keep endeavoring, that we keep struggling, is the point itself.
The most romantic thing about Gretchen and Jimmy's relationship is that they don't judge each other, fundamentally. Sure, they'll gripe and argue about dumb little things, but they can do things or try things or reveal awful shit about themselves, and it doesn't elicit judgment. I think that's kind of beautiful.
Can you talk a little about what you'd want to explore in a second season?
I think at the end of the finale, you see structurally how the show is going to change a little bit, but hopefully not change tonally that much. I think [in Season 1], we were happy with the balance between comedy and drama, and them being comfortable in a relationship and then rebelling against it. I think they're complex enough that there's enough to explore in this new arrangement.
It seemed as though Edgar was developing feelings for Lindsay during her karaoke moment.
I think there's still unfinished business to explore between Lindsay and [her husband] Paul. There's something really nice about the energy [of Lindsay and Edgar]. In the diner at the end of Episode 4, when she rescues him from buying drugs and he makes her feel better about the size of her butt, they have a nice little scene, ending with her teaching him the beauty of dipping fries into a milkshake. I was surprised and tickled by the sweetness of their energy together.
I think that's something I wouldn't want to torpedo -- I wouldn't want to make it so we could never use that again. But in the finale, when Lindsay's singing Kate Bush's "This Woman's Work," you do see Edgar kind of see her for the first time maybe in that way. But there is something really fun in longing, and that's something that would be fun to play with before anything happens. Lindsay needs to figure out her marriage -- when we last see her, she's 12 hours out from Paul saying he wants a divorce, and there's more to play with there.
Speaking of "This Woman's Work," how did you get to use that? Kate Bush songs do not get licensed very often.
I wrote a really impassioned letter to her. I don't know exactly [what happened] -- it wasn't like she wrote back saying, "I will give you the rights to the song." Word came down from the music supervisor that she agreed. I don't know if it was a magic letter or she happened to be in the [right] mood or whatever. She hadn't seen the show. We probably sent her an episode but we hadn't shot [the finale], obviously.
This was a tough get and a tough buy, financially, but I think it was worth it. It's really silly and melodramatic but kind of perfect and Kether has a great singing voice. Every time I watch it, it makes me laugh, because she's so serious about it. It's also so goofy and it's kind of everything I love comedically, all at one time. It kind of doesn't make sense, it's kind of dumb, it's kind of smart. I'm very gratified we got that.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
To listen to the entire interview with Falk, in which he talks more about Edgar and Lindsay and other topics, check out the latest Talking TV with Ryan and Ryan podcast, which is here, on iTunes and below. Ryan McGee and I also talked about the show on these two recent podcasts.
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Bill Murray and the Roles That Got Away
Bill Murray has been doing things his own way since the beginning of his career. Not only does he operate without an agent or manager, but he seems to make it virtually impossible to contact him. He has a PO box somewhere in America, and if you're lucky enough to figure out where it is, you can mail your scripts to him. If you're extra lucky, and we mean lottery-winning lucky, he may actually check his mail that year. It's a small miracle that he learns about any offers at all.
It's not that Murray doesn't want to work. It's just that his way of playing the Hollywood game is distinctly different from the way everyone else plays it. This isn't necessarily a star trip, either, for he liked to keep people guessing long before he was scoring at the box office with hits like Ghostbusters (1984).
For instance, Murray was so uncommunicative with the production crew of Caddyshack (1980) that they had no idea if he was going to show for his first day of shooting. Finally, just moments before his first scene was to begin, he arrived ready to bring the memorable Carl Spackler to life.
It may be an indifference to success that keeps Murray from being too readily available. Fame baffled Murray when it first struck, and he's admitted that the enthusiasm of his fans back in the 1980s was scary. "There's definitely a lot of trash that comes with the prize of being famous," Murray said. "It's a nice gift, but there's a lot of wrapping and paper and junk to cut through."
Murray's casual attitude towards the movie business has occasionally cost him roles. Some of the top directors and producers in the industry have sought him out for major parts in their films, only to be turned down or totally ignored. A commonly heard phrase in Hollywood is "We wanted Bill Murray, but couldn't find him."
As we celebrate the rascally Murray's 64th birthday, let's take a quick look at some roles he missed or passed on, and wonder what might have been.
BILL MURRAY: FISH LOVER
Along with such stars as John Travolta and Michael Keaton, Murray turned down the lead role in Ron Howard's Splash (1984), the so-called "Cinderella story about a man and a fish." The producers then chose relative newcomer Tom Hanks. Murray, busy enough that year with his ghost busting activities, might have made the movie funnier (strike that -- definitely would have), but I can't quite imagine him as a lovelorn fellow pining over a mermaid, even one played by the striking Daryl Hannah. Still, it would have been fun to see Murray do scenes with the late, great John Candy!
BILL MURRAY: ACTION MAN
Maybe I shouldn't count the time Murray auditioned for George Lucas, who had yet to cast the Han Solo role in a little sci-fi project called Star Wars (1977). Smirking Bill Murray in control of the Millennium Falcon? Even I think that one's a stretch. Besides, Bill was virtually unknown at the time -- but of course so was Harrison Ford. Then there was the time Tim Burton considered Murray for the role of the caped crusader in the 1989 version of Batman. This isn't as strange as it sounds, since the initial idea for the production was to echo the cheeky vibe of the old TV show. Murray as a sarcastic Batman? It might've worked like ghostbusters -- I mean gangbusters.
BILL MURRAY: FAMILY ENTERTAINER
Director Robert Zemeckis and producer Steven Spielberg wanted Murray for the role of Eddie Valiant in Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988) But as has often happened in Murray's career, they couldn't reach him. Bob Hoskins, who wasn't known for playing comedic roles, took the part. Tim Allen also stepped up happily when Murray passed on playing Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story (1995), as did John Goodman when Bill rejected the role of Sully in 2001's Monsters, Inc. It's actually open to debate whether Murray really turned Sully down. He'd tested for the role and seemed interested, but then, (surprise, surprise) director Pete Docter couldn't find him to offer him the part. Oh well, at least Murray committed to the role of Garfield the cat. Twice.
BILL MURRAY: SENSITIVE INDIE STAR
It's hard to imagine anyone but Steve Carell playing suicidal Frank Ginsberg in 2006's Little Miss Sunshine -- or is it? Truth is, the part was actually written for Murray. He would've done a great job, and maybe injected some extra nuance and poignancy into the character, but he didn't accept the role. It's a shame, really; Bill's presence would have brought a little extra "Sunshine" into all our lives. A year earlier he missed out on another intelligent drama, The Squid and The Whale. Director Noah Baumbach wanted Murray for the part of Bernard Berkman, eventually played by Jeff Daniels. We'll give you three guesses why didn't Murray get the part. That's right! Because Baumbach was unable to contact him. Bill: Pick up the phone, or better yet, get a phone!
BILL MURRAY: BROTHER IN NEED
This is an occasion where it wasn't Murray's fault that he didn't score a role. Dustin Hoffman had worked with Murray in Tootsie (1982) and for Barry Levinson's Rain Man (1988), campaigned hard for him to play his brother, Charlie Babbitt. The producers, however, opted for one of the hot young stars of the moment, Tom Cruise. While Cruise turned in a respectable performance, one wonders what wise guy Murray might have done with the part. I say plenty. Of all the film roles Murray missed, this is truly the one that got away.
BILL MURRAY: JUST A LITTLE SIMPLE
Bob Zemeckis was still trying to hire Murray to star in a movie, and actually got in touch with him for 1994's Forrest Gump. Unfortunately, Murray didn't care for the script (so I'm not the only one), and turned the title role down flat. So, Tom Hanks nabbed it and scored his second Oscar. Hanks should send Murray a thank-you letter every year for turning down Splash and Gump. On second thought, sending Bill a note might not be a good idea -- he'll never receive it!
Bill Murray may be less than accessible to the big Hollywood players, but he's always been accessible to us, his public.
Best Movies By Farr gives you the best movies to stream, rent, or buy with just one click! We go beyond the expected, spotlighting outstanding titles you may have missed, overlooked or forgotten about. Start watching wiser today -- find your next favorite movie with Best Movies by Farr.
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Lauren Conrad And William Tell's Wedding Picture Is As Pinterest-Perfect As You Imagined
We never doubted it for a second: Lauren Conrad's wedding photo is definitely Instagram-worthy, and it's just as Pinterest-perfect as you imagined.
Conrad wore a custom-designed Badgley Mischka Couture gown to wed William Tell on Sept. 13, and she later changed into a Monique Lhuillier gown for the reception.
The former "The Hills" star said "I do" in front of friends, family and 10 bridesmaids, because as she explained on her blog, "The more the merrier!"
Exclusive! See a photo of Lauren Conrad's stunning couture wedding dress: http://t.co/TmLoPBD3ot
— Us Weekly (@usweekly) September 19, 2014Conrad wore a custom-designed Badgley Mischka Couture gown to wed William Tell on Sept. 13, and she later changed into a Monique Lhuillier gown for the reception.
The former "The Hills" star said "I do" in front of friends, family and 10 bridesmaids, because as she explained on her blog, "The more the merrier!"
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Do You Remember? A Micro History Of 'The Happiest-Sounding Song In The World'
"Do you remember?" is a lyric from the classic Earth, Wind & Fire hit, "September," that is practically impossible to forget. But just in case fans wanted to know more about the wedding staple as it enters its 36th year this fall, the song's co-writer, Allee Willis, spoke to NPR's "Morning Edition" on Friday, and gave something of a mini history of what she called "the happiest-sounding song in the world."
"As a white Jewish girl getting a break, you could not get better than Earth, Wind & Fire," Willis recalled to Dan Charnas for NPR.
As Willis noted, singer-songwriter Pharrell Williams revealed during his tearful interview with Oprah Winfrey in April that Earth, Wind & Fire was among his biggest influences. The "Happy" creator played his inspiration track for Winfrey's audience on his iPad: It was "September."
Willis, who also co-wrote the theme song for "Friends" -- "I'll Be There for You," performed by The Rembrandts -- recalled the one part of "September" that didn't fill her with joy: bandleader Maurice White's nonsense lyric, "Ba-dee-ya."
White's response to the word being gibberish: "Who the fuck cares?"
"September" (which, despite its name, was actually released in November of 1978), went on to sell more than a million copies for the Chicago-based band, peaking at No. 8 on the Billboard chart.
As for the specific date mentioned in the song, Willis said the 21st day of September has no special significance.
Still, it's something we all remember.
Listen to full interview at NPR:
"As a white Jewish girl getting a break, you could not get better than Earth, Wind & Fire," Willis recalled to Dan Charnas for NPR.
As Willis noted, singer-songwriter Pharrell Williams revealed during his tearful interview with Oprah Winfrey in April that Earth, Wind & Fire was among his biggest influences. The "Happy" creator played his inspiration track for Winfrey's audience on his iPad: It was "September."
Willis, who also co-wrote the theme song for "Friends" -- "I'll Be There for You," performed by The Rembrandts -- recalled the one part of "September" that didn't fill her with joy: bandleader Maurice White's nonsense lyric, "Ba-dee-ya."
White's response to the word being gibberish: "Who the fuck cares?"
"September" (which, despite its name, was actually released in November of 1978), went on to sell more than a million copies for the Chicago-based band, peaking at No. 8 on the Billboard chart.
As for the specific date mentioned in the song, Willis said the 21st day of September has no special significance.
Still, it's something we all remember.
Listen to full interview at NPR:
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5 Celebrity Uses for New iOS8 Features
This piece originally appeared on Celebrity Watchdog.
In the last almost 24 hours, masses of people are deleting everything on their phone to make room for iOS 8even though they don't realize you can just download it from your computer and not have to free up almost 6 gigabytes of space, but your loss man.
While there's plenty of great updates and new features for us common folk, we've let the creative juices flow to figure out the real importance of this update: How can it make a celebrity's life easier? Well, it's time to take a peek.
1. Safely Send Nudes with New Quick-Videos
During Celebgate at the end of August, a variety of stars had their privacy disrespected when nude photos of them ended up online, after possibly having their iCloud accounts brute-hacked. iOS 8 is stealing a feature from popular self-destructive messaging system Snapchat, by giving users the option of sending temporary videos.
In the new messages screen, if someone holds the camera button, two options will come up: Above your thumb there will be a camera button which takes-and-sends a selfie (without any confirmation, so caution there), and to the right of your thumb is a video button that will allow you to record and send a video in the current message. Default settings will delete these messages after two minutes, and the sender can easily see if friends decide to "keep" the video.
In the interest of fair disclosure, 5 Seconds of Summer boy-bander Calum Hood did recently have his Snapchat video nudes leaked to the world, so self-destructing is not always foolproof either.
2. Send Voice Messages, Not Screenshot-bait
Note to celebrities: Rather than going on phone tirades to vocally voice your frustrations, drunk thoughts, or racism, you can now raise your iPhone to your ear and speak your mind. The best part? Like the above videos, it will be deleted two minutes later.
In the past, Alex Rodriguez, Jesse James, and Tony Parker have been caught cheating through text messages, but if there's virtually no conversation to be had... There's nothing to trace. Cheating scandals aside, there are other celebrities who have their texts hacked for other reasons as well.
It eliminates the incriminating 48 minute phone call, while also leaving no screenshot-worthy evidence for prying eyes.
3. Emergency ID...Well, Helps Them in Emergencies
Let's try to avoid jokes about this one, because Emergency ID is one of the most important features Apple has ever added to their iOS. Considering the number of sudden celebrity deaths, the benefits of having an emergency contact, as well as a quickly-acessible list of necessary information for a bystander or paramedic, are boundless. This feature can certainly save lives with the option to include information such as current medications, allergies, prior medical conditions, organ donor status, and blood type.
While we always assume paramedics are doing everything they can for sudden celebrity injuries and deaths, you never know if having all the information there could have changed things.
4. Health
Branching out from just Emergency ID, to the new health features as a whole, we definitely see a lot of celebrity usage in this one. Between tracking calories burned and steps taken, it can begin working to replace sometimes-bulky fitness trackers, or make room for an Apple Watch on the user's wrist (which may or may not cost $5000 for the premium version). Whether bulking up to appear in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, or simply slimming down for a role, the app can act as a vast database for all health-info.
The app includes a storage area including: Sleep analysis, flights of stairs climbed, resting calories, the ability to track nutrient intake such as calories and caffeine, oxygen saturation, inhaler usage, and number of times fallen.
There's also a Blood Alcohol Content piece to it. We aren't quite sure what app or iOS enabled hardware would be collecting it, but it'll be definitely good to know, for certain celebs out there.If only Lindsay and Paris had this ten years ago.
5. Apple Pay
Gone are the days of celebrity belittlement. How dare someone propose that a C-list star pull her payment information out of her overpriced clutch to hand to a cashier making $9 per hour, that's embarrassing and definitely not safe. Well, good news is at supported NFC Payment Terminals, all the celeb will need to do is hold their phone against the terminal, avoid eye-contact, and continue on with their day. Since McDonald's drive-thru windows are supported we expect to see a few nights of drunkenly rude Justin Bieber waving his phone (or wrist) through the window.
Apple Pay is also supported for some online retailers, meaning that there's no need for the online merchant to ever receive your billing information. Apple Pay won't make it's grand debut until October and an iPhone 6 (plus or not) or Apple Watch is required for use.
In the last almost 24 hours, masses of people are deleting everything on their phone to make room for iOS 8
While there's plenty of great updates and new features for us common folk, we've let the creative juices flow to figure out the real importance of this update: How can it make a celebrity's life easier? Well, it's time to take a peek.
1. Safely Send Nudes with New Quick-Videos
During Celebgate at the end of August, a variety of stars had their privacy disrespected when nude photos of them ended up online, after possibly having their iCloud accounts brute-hacked. iOS 8 is stealing a feature from popular self-destructive messaging system Snapchat, by giving users the option of sending temporary videos.
In the new messages screen, if someone holds the camera button, two options will come up: Above your thumb there will be a camera button which takes-and-sends a selfie (without any confirmation, so caution there), and to the right of your thumb is a video button that will allow you to record and send a video in the current message. Default settings will delete these messages after two minutes, and the sender can easily see if friends decide to "keep" the video.
In the interest of fair disclosure, 5 Seconds of Summer boy-bander Calum Hood did recently have his Snapchat video nudes leaked to the world, so self-destructing is not always foolproof either.
2. Send Voice Messages, Not Screenshot-bait
Note to celebrities: Rather than going on phone tirades to vocally voice your frustrations, drunk thoughts, or racism, you can now raise your iPhone to your ear and speak your mind. The best part? Like the above videos, it will be deleted two minutes later.
In the past, Alex Rodriguez, Jesse James, and Tony Parker have been caught cheating through text messages, but if there's virtually no conversation to be had... There's nothing to trace. Cheating scandals aside, there are other celebrities who have their texts hacked for other reasons as well.
It eliminates the incriminating 48 minute phone call, while also leaving no screenshot-worthy evidence for prying eyes.
3. Emergency ID...Well, Helps Them in Emergencies
Let's try to avoid jokes about this one, because Emergency ID is one of the most important features Apple has ever added to their iOS. Considering the number of sudden celebrity deaths, the benefits of having an emergency contact, as well as a quickly-acessible list of necessary information for a bystander or paramedic, are boundless. This feature can certainly save lives with the option to include information such as current medications, allergies, prior medical conditions, organ donor status, and blood type.
While we always assume paramedics are doing everything they can for sudden celebrity injuries and deaths, you never know if having all the information there could have changed things.
4. Health
Branching out from just Emergency ID, to the new health features as a whole, we definitely see a lot of celebrity usage in this one. Between tracking calories burned and steps taken, it can begin working to replace sometimes-bulky fitness trackers, or make room for an Apple Watch on the user's wrist (which may or may not cost $5000 for the premium version). Whether bulking up to appear in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, or simply slimming down for a role, the app can act as a vast database for all health-info.
The app includes a storage area including: Sleep analysis, flights of stairs climbed, resting calories, the ability to track nutrient intake such as calories and caffeine, oxygen saturation, inhaler usage, and number of times fallen.
There's also a Blood Alcohol Content piece to it. We aren't quite sure what app or iOS enabled hardware would be collecting it, but it'll be definitely good to know, for certain celebs out there.
5. Apple Pay
Gone are the days of celebrity belittlement. How dare someone propose that a C-list star pull her payment information out of her overpriced clutch to hand to a cashier making $9 per hour, that's embarrassing and definitely not safe. Well, good news is at supported NFC Payment Terminals, all the celeb will need to do is hold their phone against the terminal, avoid eye-contact, and continue on with their day. Since McDonald's drive-thru windows are supported we expect to see a few nights of drunkenly rude Justin Bieber waving his phone (or wrist) through the window.
Apple Pay is also supported for some online retailers, meaning that there's no need for the online merchant to ever receive your billing information. Apple Pay won't make it's grand debut until October and an iPhone 6 (plus or not) or Apple Watch is required for use.
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Kendall Jenner Shares Racy Photo On Instagram
Kendall Jenner shares a sexy photo on Instagram.
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