Have progressives had enough yet?
We’ve already seen several character actors get attacked on the mean streets of New York City, including Steve Buscemi of “The Sopranos” fame. “Saturday Night Live” even made an unfunny bit about it. (Does it make any other kind?)
The City of Angels is no better.
Los Angeles denizens have faced similar woes thanks to the city’s pillow-soft-on-crime rules. Recently, “General Hospital” actor Johnny Wactor died after confronting thieves attempting to steal his car’s catalytic converter.
There’s more.
Fellow actor Jonathan Tucker had to step in during a neighbor’s home invasion nightmare this week in Los Angeles. Luckily, no one was hurt, and Tucker proved heroic when the family in question needed him.
Now, one of the most mainstream, apolitical souls is sounding the alarm over the sorry state of affairs.
Jay Leno blasted L.A. officials for treating catalytic converter thefts like a misdemeanor, helping spark the current crime wave. Elections have consequences. Blind party loyalty does too.
Will Smith’s slap-happy slump
Does Hollywood have another summer bummer on its hands?
The industry is still reeling from the under-performing duo of “The Fall Guy” and “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.” Who knew a Mad Max movie without Mad Max might struggle at the box office?
Now, Deadline reports the fourth film in the “Bad Boys” series could join them. “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” once again starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, could bring in as little as $30+ million.
That just won’t do for an action-packed sequel that cost $100 million.
This is Smith’s first populist film following “The Slap Heard ‘round the World,” and that will get some of the blame should “Ride or Die” underwhelm.
Maybe.
It could be a movie-going public exhausted by both endless sequels and sanctimonious stars. Or they’re willing to wait until the film hits VOD sooner than later. You can watch “Fall Guy” at home now and “Furiosa” by month’s end.
Jon Stewart’s moment of MAGA
Jon Stewart said what a good progressive shouldn’t say. Again.
Remember how much fire he took from fellow liberals when he suggested COVID-19, which began in Wuhan, China, may have been created in a virus research lab in Wuhan, China?
He also got singed after he suggested President Joe Biden wasn’t the second coming of Abe Lincoln during his return to “The Daily Show” faux anchor chair.
Now, he’s committing the ultimate far-left sin: admitting the legal system is rigged against Donald Trump.
Stewart told fellow comedian Tom Segura that the system had to get rid of Trump one way or another.
“Everything other than just have a better idea.”
The 61-year-old retreated to his far-left talking points Monday on “The Daily Show.” Maybe he hoped his base wouldn’t see the Segura interview and miss a rare “truth to power” moment from the fading comic. Those comments still could go viral at the worst possible time for his party.
Let’s hope so.
Lupita Nyong’o’s press junket hell
Oscar winners sure have it good. Fame. Fortune. Celebrity. Did we mention fortune?
For Lupita Nyong’o of “12 Years a Slave” fame, there’s a downside, and it’s “a torture technique.”
Waterboarding? Starvation? Watching a Hannah Gadsby special? No, it’s undergoing a day’s worth of interviews from a mostly fawning press. She recently whined about enduring press junkets, events where a star is questioned by dozens of journalists who come in waves from around the country, if not the world.
“Different people are being ferried in … You have to give each one of them attention, focus, and an articulate answer that you just gave to the person before. That’s irritating.”
There’s a grain of truth in what she said. This reporter participated in many press junkets in the early 2000s. Some of the questions posed were dumb. Others proved downright insipid.
Still, complaining about irritating Q&As is like saying the cruise ship’s crème brûlée wasn’t as tart as the one from your favorite French bistro.
Christian toto, Hollywood, Culture, Toto recall, Align, Entertainment
