You’ll never guess who had a real dumb take on ‘And Just Like That …’ (It’s Meghan McCain.)

Therese Odell

4 years ago

All Other TV News

The Oscars have opted to cut eight categories from the broadcast in an effort to improve ratings. This year the awards for documentary short, film editing, makeup/hairstyling, original score, production design, animated short, live-action short, and sound will not take the stage to receive their Oscars.

And people are super pissed!

The holy grail of the Oscars has become this imaginary ABC viewer who is eagerly waiting for there to be fewer awards, no old people, no artsy movies, a super-fast pace, and Spider-Man. And I guess the Academy is going to chase that mirage right over the edge of a cliff.

— Mark Harris (@MarkHarrisNYC) February 23, 2022

NONE of these categories are being televised? You're giving in to short-term ratings panic and forgetting what The Oscars are all about.

— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) February 23, 2022

Radical idea, how about we try making the Oscars for people who love movies instead of trying to trick the Masked Singer crowd into accidentally watching for 30 seconds.

— Barbara VanDenburgh (@BabsVan) February 22, 2022

Definitely keep chasing viewers who don't like the Oscars by alienating viewers who do like the Oscars, you brilliant brilliant minds.

— Joe Reid (@joereid) February 22, 2022

Would love to meet an actual single person who wasn’t going to watch the Oscars, but now will because Best Editing will be pre-taped to make room for a “we ❤️the movies” montage

— Caroline Darya Framke (@carolineframke) February 23, 2022

I can't believe we have to relitigate this every year. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for many of the people impacted and there is only one takeaway, which is "you're not as important to film as others in your industry." There's always fat to cut elsewhere in the show

— Will Mavity (@mavericksmovies) February 22, 2022

Dear @TheAcademy,

You can give away the Best Editing, Production Design, Sound, and Makeup/Hairstyling #Oscars off-camera.

But only if you do the whole show in one static shot.

Of an empty stage.

Without sound.

And none of the presenters can wear makeup or do their hair.

— William Bibbiani (@WilliamBibbiani) February 23, 2022

To play Devil’s Advocate, I would point out that the Academy has always picked “favorites” for the broadcast. There’s an entirely separate, un-televised ceremony for the scientific and technical awards, and I’m sure all of those folks would also love to have that “once-in-a-lifetime” experience of accepting an Oscar on the big stage. That said, I am very cynical that making these cuts will make the ceremony shorter or more interesting to watch, and ultimately will only serve as an insult to these talented people who deserve to be recognized.

Megan McCain had some dumb thoughts about And Just Like That …: namely that she was irritated at how “woke” it was by including ~checks notes~ people of color and queer characters in a show that takes place in New York City.

She went on to whine, “One of them [the new characters] is — of course — queer and nonbinary. Because it’s so boring and un-evolved to be a straight white woman.”

As a straight white woman, I am here to say there is nothing more boring than straight white women.

Anyway, the cast of And Just Like That … had some thoughts on McCain’s dumbfuckery:

Nicole Ari Parker, who plays Lisa Todd Wexley in And Just Like That, then took a more personal swipe at McCain, adding, “Comments like that say more about the person saying them.”

“What’s too much? Maybe in your living room or when you step outside, it looks the same as inside, and you go to the grocery store, and it’s the same,” she said, addressing McCain directly. “Maybe it is too much for you. For these characters in New York City, it’s not.”

McCain, who is just always looking for attention, was just pleased they were talking about her.

Honestly, I'm just entertained the cast of "and just like that" took time to respond to my column.

I continue to disagree and felt the reboot was a missed opportunity (as do many longtime fans) but that's ok, and what's so great about freedom of opinion in America! https://t.co/4XftgDfWz6

— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) February 21, 2022

After four months, and just in time for the premiere of America’s Got Talent: Extreme, Johnathan Goodwin was released from the hospital after sustaining injuries on set.

According to James Gunn, Peacemaker came to be entirely because of just how good an actor John Cena was in The Suicide Squad.

A background actor on Euphoria is spilling some tea about how grueling filming the series is.

Peaky Blinders might be ending, but the spinoffs and movies aren’t.

La Brea is going to be extra long this season. What a pity I won’t be blogging it.

The U.K. is looking into revoking the broadcasting license of RT in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Hey, FCC: thoughts?

Wendy Williams suggests that she might return to TV one day. Get better, Wendy!

A couple of days ago, a comedian tweeted a not funny, uninformed take on Ted Lasso viewers that she clearly thought was “edgy” or something:

I’ve never seen an episode of Ted Lasso but its fans have big “childless adult whose entire personality is predicated on their love of Disneyland” energy

— Megan Beth Koester (@bornferal) February 20, 2022

All it did, predictably, was piss off Ted Lasso viewers, childless adults, and fans of Disney, all of whom lashed out in her replies.

This screenwriter does a great job in a very long Tweet thread explaining why her tweet is just insulting, not funny, and contributes to this irritating trend of comedians acting like they’re the victims when people don’t like their material. It’s worth clicking through and reading the whole thing.

1) Okay, I was staying out of the TED LASSO bullshit, but this actually leads to an interesting discussion about comedians vs. normies and public spaces, so here we go.

— John Rogers (@jonrog1) February 22, 2022

3) First of all, this isn’t even criticizing the show, Let’s knock the top level right off. This is just insulting people who like something she doesn’t know anything about. Plenty of people have said “here’s what’s wrong or funny about [beloved thing] “ and not been dogpiled.

— John Rogers (@jonrog1) February 22, 2022

But also, just fucking watch Ted Lasso before you start spouting off about it, you halfwit.

Going Viral

Last week:

This week:

These numbers are clearly moving in a very positive direction. I mean, obviously more than 60,000 people hospitalized and nearly 2,000 deaths a day isn’t great, but we are definitely seeing the tail end of Omicron. All I ask for is a calm spring and summer before we have to start worrying about variants again.

Oh, and beginning next month, we no longer will have to wear masks on airplanes.

More great news: the booster shot is so effective, if you’re not immunocompromised, you might not need to get another shot for years. Now, that is dependent on you getting the booster shot in the first place, and from what I’m seeing, only 28% are boosted. Dammit all to hell, go get your shot already.

Breaking news: Horse paste not only doesn’t cure COVID, but it can also actually make you sicker.

An update on the Oscars: Performers and presenters don’t have to be vaccinated, but nominees and guests do? What nonsense is this? More importantly, who is the anti-vaxxer they want to present so badly? Joe Rogan? It’s Joe Rogan, isn’t it?

Queen Elizabeth IS NOT DEAD. That said, she does have COVID (thanks, Prince Charles) and is now canceling even virtual meetings, so that’s a bit worrisome.

Neil Cavuto is back on Fox News after battling COVID pneumonia in the ICU for weeks.

Cavuto also told viewers that “the vaccine didn’t cause this. That grassy knoll theory has come up a lot that I really have to put it to rest. My very compromised immune system did. Because I’ve had cancer and now have Multiple Sclerosis, I’m among the vulnerable three percent of the population or so that simply cannot sustain the full benefits of a vaccine. In other words, it doesn’t last.

“But let me be clear, doctors say had I not been vaccinated at all, I wouldn’t be here. It provided some defense, but that is still better than no defense. Maybe not great comfort for some of you. I’ve got to be honest, frankly, it was not great comfort for me either!”

Justin Bieber has tested positive and had to postpone at least one concert.

Evangeline Lilly needs to cut it out already. It’s so disappointing to see her support a movement that is so ignorant and that has been co-opted by the violent right.

Renewals

The Blacklist has been renewed for a tenth season on NBC.

In Development

Superfan, a musical game show, has been given an order at CBS.
Smile, a vampire film, is being made at Netflix.
The Latecomer, a funny family drama, is being turned into a TV series.
A scripted series about Andrew “King Bach” Bachelor is in the works.
An animated Smallville sequel series might be in the works.

Casting News

Emmy Rossum has been cast as Tom Holland’s mother in The Crowded Room on Apple TV+. She’s 10 years older than him. Also joining the cast are Sasha Lane, Christopher Abbott, and Emma Laird.
Michael Chiklis will star in Accused on Fox.
Juliana Harkavy will co-star on L.A. Law on ABC.
Brett Gray, Kara Young, Allius Barnes, Olivia Washington, Mike Epps, and Carmen Ejogo have been cast in I’m a Virgo on Prime Video.
Aly and AJ Michalka will guest star on The Good Doctor on ABC.

Mark Your Calendars

The Man Who Fell to Earth will premiere on Showtime on April 24.

Upload returns on Prime Video on March 11.

Phoenix Rising will debut on HBO on March 15.

The Kardashians premieres on Hulu on April 14.

Here it is pic.twitter.com/eVpUpOcsbJ

— . (@Danirex_29) February 22, 2022

Black Crab will debut on Netflix on March 18.

Wasteland will debut on Paramount+ on February 24.

That Dirty Black Bag will debut on AMC+ on March 10.

Taylor Tomlinson: Look at You will debut on Netflix on March 18.

Buried in Barstow will debut on Lifetime on June 4.

Siesta Key returns on MTV on March 10.

Byron Baes will premiere on Netflix on March 9.

The Snoopy Show returns on Apple TV+ on March 11.

Beyond the Dark will premiere on VOD and digital on April 1.

The Wilds will return on Prime Video on May 6.
Selling the Big Easy will return on HGTV on March 11.
The Newsreader will debut on Roku on March 18.
Game Theory with Bomani Jones will premiere on HBO on March 13.

R.I.P.

Gerald “Jerry” Rubin, Entertainment lawyer and CBS executive

Mark Lanegan, Lead singer for the Screaming Trees

Johnathan Edward Szeles, Magician and stand-up comedian known as “The Amazing Johnathan”

Gary Brooker, Lead singer of Procol Harum

WATCH THIS

A Million Little Things: Gary and Maggie go on a road trip in the winter premiere. 9 p.m., ABC

Snowfall: Season premiere. 9 p.m., FX

Frederick Douglass: In Five Speeches: Nicole Beharie, Colman Domingo, Jonathan Majors, Denzel Whitaker, and Jeffrey Wright perform five of the anti-slavery activist’s most powerful speeches. Premiere. 8 p.m., HBO

Late Night:

Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Tracee Ellis Ross, Jabari Banks, Koffee
Late Night with Seth Meyers: Billie Eilish, Mayor Eric Adams, Stevie Nistor
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: John Heilemann, Mark McKinnon, Jennifer Palmieri, Russell Howard
The Late Late Show with James Corden: Dave Grohl, Hilary Duff, Carlie Hanson
Jimmy Kimmel Live: Tyler Perry, Usher, Ari Lennox
Watch What Happens Live: Sherri Shepherd