To quote SCTV’s Count Floyd, the latest news about the much anticipated SCTV reunion set for Netflix isn’t so “scary” after all. The internet was abuzz after SCTV’s Joe Flaherty, who played Count Floyd, said in a Facebook posting that, after a discussion he had with SCTV developer-co-producer Andrew Alexander, the reunion special had been “shelved” and he was feeling “deflated” by the news. A fan in the U.S. even started an online petition to save the show. But now a spokesperson for Toronto’s Insight Productions, who shot the reunion with director Martin Scorsese, says that was “a bit of a misunderstanding; the project has not been shelved; just delayed due to Mr. Scorsese’s other production commitments.” Shot three years ago at Toronto’s Elgin Theatre, the reunion, which was also supposed to air on CTV in Canada, saw the entire cast (except for the dearly departed Harold Ramis and John Candy, the latter whose character’s name Johnny LaRue was emblazoned on one of the camera cranes) including Flaherty, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short, Dave Thomas and last minute addition Rick Moranis, together for the first time in over 40 years.
Arts & Entertainment
It seems that Joe Rogan has plenty to say when it comes to COVID-19. On the April 29 edition of the Joe Rogan Experience, Rogan said “Canada’s fucked” because the country is “so locked-down and I don’t understand why they think that’s good.” Speaking with Canadian chef Matty Matheson on the podcast, Rogan agreed with his guest that Canada is “juiced” and “f—–” because of the lockdowns. Matheson told Rogan there’s a lot of overreaction when it comes to the coronavirus. He also called Ontario Premier Doug Ford “a piece of s—.” Responding to Matheson, Rogan went on a rant about the strict lockdown orders. “You can’t do that to Canada,” he said. “You can’t do Canada where you have Gestapo pulling people over for your papers. ‘Why are you out of the house? There’s a cold floating around. Why are you out of the house?’”
Well, now it’s come to this. Two San Francisco “journalists” (read activists) are taking umbrage at Disneyland’s new Snow White’s Enchanted Wish ride at the famed California theme park. It seems “journalists” Katie Dowd and Julie Tremaine were appalled by “a kiss he (the prince) gives to her without her consent, while she’s asleep (in the story he thought she was dead, but nevermind that), which cannot possibly be true love if only one person knows it’s happening.”
Winter is coming — and it’s bringing more incest and silver wigs. HBO has released the first images of the first “Game of Thrones” spinoff series — and so far in the images, it looks like life’s a beach. Called “House of the Dragon,” the series will be set around 300 years before the events of “Game of Thrones,” and it will follow members of House Targaryen. So, expect lots of dragons, silver wigs and dalliances that keep it in the family. The show’s stars are Emma D’Arcy, who plays the king’s firstborn child Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen; “The Crown’s” Matt Smith, who’s playing Prince Daemon Targaryen — King Viserys’ younger brother and the heir to the throne; Rhys Ifans as Hand of the King Otto Hightower, who is at odds with Daemon; Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower (Otto’s daughter); and Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon (also known as the Sea Snake), a nautical adventurer and the lord of House Velaryon. So, if you’re looking for that classic “Game of Thrones” feel, the Hightower duo will provide the political intrigue that Varys and Tyrion got up to in the early seasons.
The Oscars ratings are in, and this year’s ceremony landed with a resounding whimper. About 9.85 million viewers tuned in, according to Variety, which is a more than 58% drop from last year’s all-time low of 23.6 million viewers. 2019’s ceremony garnered 29.6 million viewers. The ceremony landed a 1.9 rating for adults in the coveted 18 to 49 age demographic, a 64.2% drop from 2020. Despite the dismal viewership, the 2021 Oscars were full of several surprises, shockers and charming moments. In the “charming” category was Daniel Kaluuya’s speech when he won Best Supporting Actor for “Judas and the Black Messiah” — and made an off-the-cuff sex joke about his parents, much to his mother’s dismay, judging from her reaction in the audience. “Nomandland” director Chloé Zhao also earned a historical win as the first Asian woman to take home the Best Director trophy. “I think the understanding and trying to see the world from the other person’s perspective is the only way we can survive as a species,” she said in her speech.
The city of Los Angeles allegedly kicked homeless people out of an encampment next to this year’s Academy Awards venue to present a glitzy “image” while in the national spotlight, according to a report Sunday. Scores of homeless people — many living in tents near the Union Station building in Downtown L.A. — were allegedly threatened and ordered to leave in the days leading up to the star-studded event, according FOX 11 Los Angeles. “They came to us about a week ago saying that we had to move by Friday 6 p.m. because they were trying to clean up for the Oscars,” a homeless man identified a DJ told the station. “They told us if we didn’t move, they were gonna just demolish our stuff and [that] if you have warrants we’re gonna take you to jail.” Some homeless folks were relocated to a nearby hotel in an effort to clean up the area’s look before Tinseltown A-listers flock to the 93rd Annual Academy Awards, which will be held Sunday at Union Station. “They were coming and harassing us three or four times a day…They forced us to go to the Grand Hotel on 3rd and Figueroa and they kicked everybody out of Union Station so it looks better for the image.”