Success in Hollywood - Cosby style

Written by Michael Vass

Child stars are notorious for their pitfalls as they grow older. Alcoholism, drugs, early deaths and a lot of jail time seem consistent in all their lives. But there are exceptions like Ron Howard, Drew Barrymore (once she passed the low road mentioned previously), Jessica Alba (though she is still young), Tatyana Ali, Christina Applegate, Sean Austin, and others make up for the far more prevalent Danny Bonaduce’s of the Hollywood machine.

But one thing that I have noticed is that there is only one program from television where all the child actors have gone on and become professionals of high standing. Only one show I can think of where ever child actor has not succumbed to drugs and violence and self-destruction. And that is the actors from The Cosby Show [ok, Lisa Bonet was a bit touch and go for a while but then she calmed down – like Barrymore].

Each of the original, and then subsequent, child actors has gone on to do further work in Hollywood. Several have had multiple hits, like Malcolm-Jamal Warner who has been in Jerimiah and Malcolm & Eddie. This says nothing of his directing and musical abilities.

Tempestt Bledsoe has been in constant work, after she got a degree in finance from NYU. Her most recent appearance was on TNT’s Raising the Bar.

Raven-Symoné Christina Pearman is still huge, though on the Disney channel and this time starring in her own show.

Sabrina Le Beauf (far older during the show but still a child actor/young adult) owns an interior design company, and is a graduate of UCLA and Yale School of Drama.

So you may be wondering who is left.

Keisha-Knight Pulliam. If you don’t recall then name check the video (I like this version better)

Yep I mean Rudy. What has she been up to?

Well she is going to be starring in the next Tyler Perry film Madea Goes to Jail. Considering that Perry is at no loss for talent when it comes to his highly successful films, that says something about Pulliam. Add to that the fact that she has not been in a single headline for any negative and you have a full house with a queen to spare. I call that impressive.

By the way, Pulliam is not just starring in the film. She is departing from the Rudy character and really showing some depth as her role is the least likely to be expected. I’ll keep the suspense going but here is a trailer of the film

and here is what the play was like

So this could be a breakout role.

All in all it’s pretty impressive to see that so many have done so well off of one show. It seems that Dr. Cosby knows what he’s talking about.

Australian movie exec calls Forest Whitaker ‘ugly, black, unbankable’

Written by Michael Vass

Australia is an interesting nation. The people I have met from that nation have been pleasant and good natured. They have provided America with several excellent entertainers, most notably Mel Gibson (who is American but grew up in Australia).

Yet that nation had, and continues to have many problems. The interaction with the native Aboriginal population is in many ways similar to the slavery issues that were found in America. Even to this day there are extreme racial conflicts between the 2 groups, though the distance to the rest of the world helps to ensure that most of this news is unseen.

It is perhaps because of this racially derisive past and present that an Austrailian film executive felt the need to claim this about Forest Whitaker

“Even if he wins the Oscar he’s ugly, he’s black and he’s unbankable.”

Bollocks! Who the hell is this executive?

I realize that Australia, along with neighbor New Zealand, have gotten quite a bit of attention from Hollywood in recent years. I understand how they might see their importance growing with this greater influence. But that does not justify such comments.

Forest Whitaker is an acclaimed actor, director and producer. His credits include:

• Last King of Scotland – where he received an Oscar, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, and BAFTA Awards
• Color of Money
• Bird – Cannes Film Festival Award and Golden Globe nomination
• Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai - an exceptional film that I recommend people see
• The Shield
• Fast Times at Ridgemont High
• Good Morning Viet Nam
• Platoon
• The Crying Game
• Prêt-à-Porter - National Board of Review Award for Best Acting by an Ensemble
• Panic Room
• The Great Debaters
• A Rage in Harlem
• Waiting to Exhale

I could go on as his career spans 26 years. In fact he will be working steadily into 2010, where he will be directing and acting in It’s A Wonderful World about Louis Armstrong. There aren’t many actors that can be assured of leading roles 2 years in the future, and those that can are the best in the entertainment industry.

Somehow I think the fact that Whitaker is this successful, in all aspects of film, does not only make him bankable – it makes him one of a few actors that are bankable over decades.

To say that Whitaker is ugly is just a base, moronic, and unrealistic comment. It’s similar to the inane argument made by racists that people (usually implying Whites) will not go to see a film starring an actor/actress of a different color. The financial success of films by Will Smith, Denzel Washington, Samuel Jackson, Jamie Foxx, and Forest Whitaker to name but a few prove that to be absurd drivel.

Now the issue at hand was the upcoming movie Winged Creatures, directed by Australian director Rowan Woods. To the credit of Woods he fought to have Whitaker as the lead. He believed that the ability, look, quality, and bankability of Whitaker would be an asset to his film. And he would not budge on his choice of lead.

The Australian entertainment industry responded to this with a racially based slap-in-the-face. The initial budget of the film was $11 million, it was cut to $4.5 million. Who did the racists want? Al Pacino or Michael Douglas. Now I personally don’t think that Al Pacino was ever the most handsome leading man. And Michael Douglas is a good looking guy, but his age shows through these days. So the reality was that they just wanted a White face as lead.

To the credit of the director, Woods, he was able to fill out his cast – on a budget that was a pittance of the initial target – with actors of high quality. I have to believe that each of these actors had no problem with a Black man, and more importantly a quality actor who happens to be Black, as the lead. The other actors are:

Guy Pearce, Kate Beckinsale, Dakota Fanning, Jeanne Tripplehorn and Jennifer Hudson

Racism is a despicable thing in any nation or part of the world. It is usually based in unfounded, illogical, small-minded, envious, mindsets. It is the reason that so many are persecuted by so few. It is the worst image of any group of people.

Again I note that the Australians I have met have been great people. The director of Winged Creatures helps to show that not every Australian is the closed-minded, repugnant, imbecilic racists that seem to populate their entertainment industry (and more than just a few in Hollywood too).

But I think that future directors should think twice before going to Australia for a film. Because if the film has anyone that is Black it seems they will shun the film. And in an industry that is supposed to represent the boundless depth of the human imagination, this repressed limited and potentially psychologically damaged view is a cancer that sours the best of work.

**I want to thank the owner of 1800blogger for bringing this to my attention, and D.C. Moviegirl for speaking on this**

Entertainment and politics: do they mix?

Written by Michael Vass

So have you seen An American Carol yet? If you have not you are hardly the only one. And the question is why is that.

An American Carol is a parody film by David Zucker of Airplane! and Naked Gun fame. So the question is not if the premise works. Considering his input, the writing is also not that difficult to imagine as being solid. And the acting includes Kelsey Grammer, Bill O’Reilly, Jon Voight, Dennis Hopper, Trace Adkins, Leslie Nielsen, and many other celebrities and entertainers. So it is solid on that footing as well.

So what is the issue?

Well there is the fact that while the film started off in over 1500 theaters across the nation, many people can’t get to it. In Binghamton, a hub city in the Central New York State area, you can’t see the film. Not one theater will carry it. In fact you have to travel to Ithaca to see it – about 2 hours away. And as far as I am aware that is the only place in western New York that is carrying the film.

Would more people see the film if it were available to them? We will never know as Hollywood hates the film and its subject. The film is a satire of far-left political nuts like Michael Moore. It is the only film of its type made with major stars and major money in maybe 2 decades.

Yet in this year alone there have been 4 pro far-left-wing movies (including the abominable W by Oliver Stone and the Kevin Costner flop Swing Vote, oh and the John Cusack flop War, Inc.). Last year there was Redacted, Lions for Lambs, and several other films in far more theaters. And while each of the films has lost money like a spitball trying to avoid a blackhole, there are half a dozen more films planned for next year.

So I have to wonder, the public loves to hear about the lives of celebrities and entertainers. Paris Hilton learns to tie her own shoes and there are videos on the internet showing and discussing every aspect of it. Britney Spears gives up on her career and children and paparazzi follow every moment as the hair hits the floor. But are politics of limits?

It’s a tough question, as all the movies of the far-left and right have failed horribly. Yet films like Apocalypse Now (which I feel is an anti-war movie), Dr. Strangelove (which did not do well in it’s first run but has since done exceptionally well), and M.A.S.H all have made money.

So maybe we just don’t want to see these entertainers play acting at politics. Sean Penn, Angelina Jolie, Chuck Norris, Oprah Winfrey and others are fine in the real world – but slamming the messages down our collective throats is just too much. I agree with that thought. And considering that Hollywood has more than enough of a problem creating new ideas these days I think they can leave their messages on their high horses. No matter the political preference.

I just was thinking about that. Or am I wrong and you love the political advertisements posing as entertainment?

George Carlin dead at 71

Written by Michael Vass

I know that there are many looking forward to an image of the latest Spears child. Some are anticipating news about the latest Jason Statham film or clues on the plot of Cranked 2. Maybe there is interest on how R Kelly will exploit his freedom now that a jury botched the verdict at his trial.

But I want to take a moment and delve into something a bit more serious. It’s not gossip but news about a well-respected entertainer. George Carlin died Sunday night, apparently of heart failure.

George Carlin was 71, and was probably best know as a social commentator. Whether in interviews, on stage or in movies he was a presence that always challenged the norms, in Hollywood and culture. Few comedians ever rise to the national consciousness, and even fewer are able to count that time in the global eye in decades. George Carlin could.

Like Lenny Bruce and Richard Pryor, he was able to see the everyday life and pull out the absurdities so we could laugh instead of cry. He took our failures and missteps and made us look forward to the next with an eagerness and understanding we didn’t have before.

Only the very best can look at the spectrum of American culture and issues and politics and filter it to not only make a joke that we can laugh at, but also provide fodder for deeper thought long after we have left the comedy show. I can name comedians live that in one hand, and those that I’ve been able to hear in my lifetime with fingers to spare.

It’s a hard day in Hollywood today, and far worse in Boston I would wager. One of our bright lights has burned out and we won’t be the same.

My condolences to the entire Carlin family and their friends.