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Spanish 101
You might spot a familiar face at McKinley High when classes resume in the New Year.
Ricky Martin is reportedly being wooed by series creator Ryan Murphy to guest star on an episode of Glee scheduled to air in January. The Latin superstar would be playing – wait for it – a gorgeous Spanish teacher with a killer voice to match. What could this mean for Will, McKinley High’s resident Spanish teacher? Well, the show choir director shouldn’t be too worried, considering Martin would be joining the show for only one episode. Then again, Gwyneth Paltrow parlayed her guest appearance as substitute teacher Holly Holiday into a three-episode arc on the hit series. (That same role won Paltrow an Emmy for Best Guest Actress in a Comedy earlier this year.)
I’m still waiting for (the newly engaged!) Anne Hathaway to make her debut as Kurt’s aunt, but I wouldn’t mind seeing Ricky Martin tear up the stage at McKinley High in the meantime. The “Livin’ La Vida Loca” singer is certainly an inspired choice for the role. Whether or not Martin impresses, you can bet your bon-bon that people will tune in to watch him shake his.
Are you feeling good about this news? Would you rather see someone else as McKinley High’s new Spanish teacher? Who else would you like to see join the McKinley High faculty?
Anne Getting Married
Just like Princess Mia, Anne Hathaway is finally getting her happy ending.
Hollywood darling Hathaway and her beau of three years, Adam Shulman, are making it official. After the actress was spotted rocking an engagement ring out in Brooklyn over the weekend, the happy couple has announced that they are planning on tying the knot. Hathaway met Shulman shortly after her relationship with Italian businessman Raffaello Follieri ended amid controversy. (If you recall, Follieri was convicted on fraud charges in 2008, and he was sentenced to four and a half years in prison.) By Hollywood standards, Hathaway has kept her relationship with Shulman, an actor and jewelry designer, relatively quiet.
Is there anyone alive who’s not happy for Hathaway? (I dare that person to come forward!) The actress, who stole our hearts in such films as The Princess Diaries and The Devil Wears Prada, is well-liked by her peers, and adored by her fans. I personally was thrilled to hear the news, and I couldn’t be happier for the pair. Congratulations, Anne!
Mind Your Ps and Q
The cat’s out of the bag.
Following weeks of speculation about who’s who in Skyfall, Daniel Craig’s third outing as dapper superspy James Bond, we’re finally getting some answers. We now know for sure that up-and-coming British actor Ben Whishaw, perhaps best known to American audiences for his lead role in Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, has been cast as none other than the gadget guru himself, Q. The iconic character has been absent from the franchise for nearly a decade, ever since the blond-haired, blue-eyed Craig slipped into Bond’s signature tuxedo for Casino Royale.
Whishaw has large shoes to fill – the ones once occupied by Welsh actor Desmond Llewelyn, who portrayed the role for nearly forty years. (After his sudden passing, John Cleese briefly took over the role in Die Another Day.) Llewelyn equipped five James Bonds (Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, and Pierce Brosnan) with such memorable gadgets as the Aston Martin DB5 with ejector seat in Goldfinger, the underwater Lotus Esprit in The Spy Who Loved Me, and the high-tech Q Boat in The World is Not Enough. Llewelyn’s Q was more than just a colleague, he was also an important ally, mentor, and friend of 007.
Whishaw is twelve years younger than Craig, and just a wee bit younger than Llewelyn, so we can safely assume that their relationship will be a lot different. However, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Too much tinkering with the formula is never a good idea, but I’m really digging the idea of Whishaw’s Q as a sidekick to Craig’s 007. Besides, Dame Judi Dench’s M has assumed the role of Bond’s mentor in recent flicks. Word is the head of MI6 will take a front seat in Skyfall, which will delve into secrets from her past.
Are you excited to finally meet Q? Are you pleased with the decision to cast the much younger Whishaw in the role? Who would you have liked to play Q?
Warp Speed Ahead
I know for a fact where Sheldon Cooper will be when the clock strikes 12 on May 17, 2013. He’ll be at his local movie theater, with just about every other fanboy, catching a midnight screening of the yet-untitled Star Trek sequel.
You read that right, Trekkies! It was bound to happen eventually, but Paramount has finally announced a release date for the much-anticipated sequel to their reboot of the Star Trek movie franchise. For those of you who don’t know, J.J. Abrams has officially signed on to direct the film with a script written by Damon Lindelof, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman. (Orci and Kurtzman are the screenwriting duo who penned the original Star Trek, and Lindelof is one of the co-creators of Lost.) Details about the plot are being kept under wraps, but rumor has it Abrams is courting Benicio Del Toro to play the film’s villain. It has also been confirmed that the next installment in the series will be filmed in 3D.
It’ll be a while before the Starship Enterprise lifts off again, but I’m looking forward to that moment nonetheless. One thing’s for sure, Abrams has set the bar awfully high. One of the summer’s breakout films in 2009, Star Trek was well received by critics and audiences alike, grossing $385 million worldwide. No surprise there. The sci-fi flick had great casting (Zachary Quinto as Spock – enough said), a worthy story, and stellar special effects. Another of the film’s strengths is its tone, which speaks volumes about Abrams’ talent as a filmmaker. Star Trek is modern, yet classic, and nostalgic, yet not corny.
Are you a fan of J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek reboot? Are you excited for Star Trek 2? Who would you like to see as the villain?
Tickle Me Katy
Katy Perry and her infamous bust are making their triumphant return to Studio 8H on December 10. The twist? The pop singer, who’s been riding a wave of hit singles ever since “California Gurls” crashed the charts last summer, will not be performing on the acclaimed late-night sketch comedy series. Instead, she’ll be handling hosting duties, while her recent tourmate, Swedish popstar Robyn, rocks the Saturday Night Live stage.
I’m still a little skeptical, but I can get on board with this decision. Perry is, after all, no stranger to comedy. She previously guest-starred on an episode of How I Met Your Mother, and her husband is British comedian Russell Brand. She’s also proved that she’s a good sport by mocking her controversial appearance on Sesame Street when she was a musical guest on SNL last season. In the sketch, Perry donned a cleavage-bearing top with a smiling Elmo on the front.
Are you excited to see Katy Perry host Saturday Night Live? Are you disappointed that she won’t be performing?
Farewell Regis, I Hardly Knew Ye
This morning, I managed to catch the heartfelt final moments of Regis Philbin’s last day on his eponymous morning talk show. I’m really glad I did. I don’t watch Live! regularly, but it’s no secret that I’ve always had a special fondness for the show. I began tuning in shortly after Kelly Ripa signed on as co-host in 2001, and I have many fond memories watching with my mom on days off from school and during the summer. One thing I’ve always enjoyed about the show is the chemistry between the co-hosts. They couldn’t be more different, but I believe that only added to the appeal of the show. Because I’m a huge fan of Kelly’s, I plan on watching the show after Regis’ exit, but Gelman had better choose someone special to replace him. (My top choices are frequent guest co-hosts Neil Patrick Harris and Jeff Probst.) In honor of the legendary talk show host’s decades-spanning career, I thought I would share with you my experiences visiting the Live! set.
1) February 23, 2004 – The audience experience that wasn’t: I had sent away for tickets on a whim, and I was ecstatic when I received a letter in the mail inviting us down for a taping. Long story short: we never made it onto the road. On the day that my family and I were leaving for New York City, my father slipped on a patch of ice in our driveway, cracking three ribs. I honestly don’t know who was more upset, him or me. (Just kidding.)
2) March 4, 2008 – Braving the cold: On our first family trip to New York City in nearly a decade, I insisted we attend a taping of Live! We hadn’t reserved tickets, so our only option was to wait in the standby line. I wasn’t taking any chances, so I woke my mom up at 5 AM in order to make it to the studio before 6 AM. We were the first ones in line (duh!), but we were faced with another problem. New York City was experiencing unseasonably cold weather that March, and we weren’t dressed for the cold. My mom ended up paying a taxi driver $100 to park outside the studio, and we took turns warming up in the back seat. (Mom, I love you.) Thankfully, we were admitted to the taping. Unfortunately, Regis wasn’t filming that day; All My Children’s Cameron Mathison was standing in for him. The special guest was Tracee Ellis Ross, the star of the UPN sitcom Girlfriends.
A couple things from that day have stuck in my mind. (1) The anticipation on the cab ride up to ABC studios on the Upper West Side. (2) The discomfort from standing outside in the bitter cold. (3) The surprise upon noticing how small the studio appeared in person. (4) The amazement at how quickly the time went by. (5) The excitement upon spotting the interns working backstage.
3) May 27, 2009 – My brief encounter with Regis (or, how I learned that my friend Adam is awesome): Adam and I had taken a Greyhound down to New York City following our Marianopolis graduation. It was Adam’s first time in the Big Apple, and I was excited to show him around. We crammed a lot into a four-day period: a comedy show, three museum visits, a Broadway musical, and a movie premiere. On our last morning, I coaxed Adam into accompanying me to a taping of Live! Sarah Jessica Parker was scheduled to promote Sex and the City: The Movie on the show that morning. I’ll never forget the sight of Adam standing on the sidewalk outside the studio in his blue hoodie at 6 AM, exhausted, hood up, head down, and totally silent. He didn’t complain because he knew how much I wanted to be there. At one point, the Southern woman standing in front of us in line turned around and asked, “Is your friend alright?” I told her not to worry. While we weren’t admitted to the taping with Sarah Jessica Parker, we were invited to stay for a second taping with Cynthia Nixon. After we had cleared security, and while we were waiting in the lobby for the first taping to end, who should stroll into the building but Regis. As it turns out, Regis was performing in Mississippi that night, so Pat Sajak was replacing him on the show that morning. Regis was gracious and unassuming. He chatted up his fans, and he even agreed to pose for a couple pictures. All in all, a real class act.
PoP1010 