World reacts to Liam Neeson 'disgusting' confession he wanted to kill a 'black bastard' https://t.co/DHXh8aaf3n
— The Independent (@Independent) February 4, 2019
-Jeez, that Liam Neeson interview that everyone’s talking about is a MESS. I don’t understand why he would chose to tell this story (in which he recounts that after his friend identified her rapist as a black man he “went up and down areas with a cosh [bludgeon], hoping I’d be approached by somebody – I’m ashamed to say that – and I did it for maybe a week, hoping some ‘black bastard’ would come out of a pub and have a go at me about something, you know? So that I could kill him”), why he chose to tell the story in this way (with an unsuspecting costar junketing along next to him), or why a psychologist is interviewed to help contextualise his racism. Yes, he expresses regret but even feeling the freedom to tell a story like this in such a seemingly offhanded way is an insane display of privilege and I’m not sure what he expected the fallout to be. (Spoiler alert: it ain’t good.)
-This is an interesting addendum: the journalist tweeted the backstory on the decision to run the interview and all the legal and editorial hand-wringing that went with it.
-Goop is expanding into original content, with Gwyneth Paltrow inking a deal for a docuseries on Netflix. You know, the one place that probably won’t layer in any sort of editorial control or responsibility. Swell.
-This Pamela Adlon article in the New Yorker navigates the tricky Louis CK connection so well. As complicated as her feelings and reactions are, I do like that she points out that his female colleagues are being called to task more than he has been. “Anybody who has any association with him is peppered [questions.] Sarah Silverman is his fucking spokesperson.” I like her and love her show, I get why she doesn’t want to work out her feelings about it in public, and think she’s done pretty well after being dealt a shitty hand. She immediately severed professional ties with him, stopped speaking to him, and fired their shared manager Dave Becky. A lot of Becky’s other clients, including Jameela Jamil, Kevin Hart, Maya Rudolph and Amy Poehler, seemingly have not (which very much bummed me out every time the end credits of Russian Doll rolled).
-My god. Soulja Boy is being accused of kidnapping and assaulting a woman, according to TMZ.
-After yesterday’s halftime show, a lot of people have pointed out the double standard between Adam Levine and Janet Jackson’s controversial nipple exposure.
-Speaking of the Super Bowl, it gifted us with a ton of new movie trailers, including Avengers: Endgame, Toy Story 4 and Captain Marvel.
-In terms of commercials, I really liked the Chance the Rapper/Backstreet Boys team up, and the Sarah Michelle Gellar horror spoof. Here are some more of the best and worst.
-Wait, so Pete Davidson and Kate Beckinsale are actually a thing? They were spotted holding hands? I seriously did not believe the stories of them flirting at the Golden Globes because…how?!
-I love that Lizzo is covering the latest issue of The Cut. I have woken up and immediately listened to “Juice” every day for the last two weeks.
–Jussie Smollett performed in public this weekend and spoke out on inaccuracies surrounding his attack.
-Now Rami Malek is saying that Bryan Singer‘s alleged victims “deserve to have their voice heard”. Man, Oscar campaigning is a wild ride, huh?
-If you only have time for one long-read this week, make it this one in the New Yorker about a suspense novelist who duped everyone. You know it’s going to be a good one when the reporter calls an editor for the story and he responds with “My god, I knew I’d get this call. I didn’t know if it would be you or the F.B.I.”
-I guess if you have Anthony Rapp on your cast, you gotta do a Rent parody. Well done, Star Trek: Discovery crew.
–Cardi B‘s former history teacher defended her political knowledge. I’m not surprised. Remember that Caity Weaver profile in GQ when Cardi gushed about how her fave president is Franklin D Roosevelt because he started social security with the New Deal, and then had Weaver quiz her about the order of presidents? I’ll take political commentary from her over basically any other celebrity — and a lot of politicians.
-Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge got the Vogue 73 questions treatment.
-FX’s John Landgraf gave his annual state of TV address at the TCAs, and he warned what we already know: Netflix is “not telling you the whole story” when it comes to the way the ratings statements they chose to release. While Netflix self-reported that You would end up being watched by 40 million households in its first month, Landgraf says Nielsen data (which, let’s face it, is also problematic) indicates it was averaging 8 million viewers an ep.
-Landgraf also let it slip that Atlanta’s third season is delayed .
-Also at the TCAs, the TV adaptation of What We Do In Shadows announced its March premiere date and debuted its first trailer. Critics who’ve screened the first two episodes seem to universally love it. It seems to retain the movie’s vibe, so I’m in!