Welcome to Better Know a Guest, your weekly guide to the wonderful and diverse array of personalities appearing on ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ each week.
Hello, Hubsters!
Welcome to a brand-new “Better Know A Guest”, where we tell you all about the exciting guests Stephen will welcome on the show this upcoming week. November has certainly got off to a great start – I personally still need to recover from the Bond sketch – and I can promise you this week will be just as amazing!
So, how about we skip the formalities and dive right into it, shall we?
Monday, November 9 (2015)
Ethan Hawke (Actor)
The Tony Award-winning American actor and director, who made the headlines last week for participating in the New York City Marathon, has most certainly been keeping himself busy lately.
He plays the iconic blues musician Chet Baker in the bio-pic “Born To Be Blue”, which was presented at the Toronto Film Festival and has recently been acquired by IFC for distribution in the United States. “Born To Be Blue” wasn’t Hawke’s only project at the Festival: Hawke also stars in Rebecca Miller’s romantic comedy “Maggie’s Plan”, which will open in theaters in May 2016.
The actor has also taken on the role of detective Bruce Kenner in the Spanish-Canadian psychological thriller ‘Regression‘; the late release for the United States is set for February 2016.
Hawke is also part of the remake of the classic movie “The Magnificent Seven”, which is not Hawke’s only Western due in 2016: “In a Valley of Death”, which was initially supposed to open in December, has been postponed to the new year.
Lastly, Hawke stars in the sports drama “The Phenom”; the release date, however, is still unknown.
Claire McCaskill (Senator and Author – “Plenty Ladylike: A Memoir“)
Claire McCaskill is the senior United States Senator for Missouri and a member of the Democratic Party. In August McCaskill published her memoir, “Plenty Ladylike”, in which she recounts different aspects of her life: from slammed doors in her face to making a family, from fighting sexism to a failed marriage, all while trying to make it in the political world and find happiness.
Sheryl Sanderg (Facebook COO and writer) has praised the book, applauding Senator McCaskill for being “a role model for women who aspire to win on their own terms”.
McCaskill has also been on the front-lines of the fight against on-campus rape and, in particular, to protest the Safe Campus act, which would not allow colleges to take action against sexual assault unless the victim has filed an official report to the police. Moreover, even with the involvement of the police, any measure from the college would not take place unless the investigations have been closed. McCaskill has written letters to the leaders of the fraternities which have been lobbying in support of the Safe Campus act, voicing her concerns and inviting the students – who belong to her Alma Mater, the University of Missouri – to discuss together her own bill, the Campus Accountability and Safety Act, a bipartisan legislation the Senator introduced in the beginning of the year.
Furthermore, the Senator has recently accused Senator Ron Johnson, the chairman of the Senate Homeland Security committee, of neglecting to disclose certain details regarding Hillary Clinton’s email scandal in an attempt to favor the former Secretary of State. She has therefore challenged Johnson to release all the documents in his possession, request to which the latter has agreed, although nothing has been made public yet.
Amy Klobuchar (Senator and Author – “The Senator Next Door: A Memoir from the Heartland“)
Amy Klobuchar is the representative for the State of Minnesota and a member of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer Party. She published in August the book “The Senator Next Door: A Memoir from the Heartland”, in which she tells her journey and the obstacles she encountered along the way: from her parents’ divorce and her father’s struggle with alcoholism, to politics and the world of Washington D.C.
Klobuchar has been an important advocate for new mothers’ right to stay in the hospital at least 48 hours after giving birth, since the Senator herself was kicked out of the facility while her newborn daughter was still in intensive care. With “The Senator Next Door” Klobuchar aims at proving that anyone can make a difference, which is why the Senator has been vocal about urging young girls to “take that plunge and take those risks”, because – as she told ABC News – “it’s worth it. You can actually lead and get things done and you have to imagine yourself in that role. And the second thing is that you have to have a thick skin. You’re going to get attacked and you have to be ready for it, but then you have to move on and look at the good things.”
Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats (Album – Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats“)
Nathaniel Rateliff, a singer song-writer from Missouri, has teamed up with Joseph Pope III, Mark Shusterman, Patrick Messe, Luke Mossman, Wesley Watkins, and Andy Wild, under the name of “Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats”. The band released their rock/blues self-titled album on August 21, with the main single being the song “S.O.B.”. The track, however, was never meant to be a single: as Rateliff told BBC, “We had no intention of it being a radio song at all. At first we didn’t really want to record it. It was a joke song at the end of our shows and I didn’t know people would respond to it”. The public responded incredibly well though, which led the band to record the song and choose it as single, any reservation about it being “a joke song” notwithstanding.
The group is currently on a world tour which will end in March 2016.
Tuesday, November 10 (2015)
Aziz Ansari (Comedian, Author and Actor – “Master of None“)
The comedian will be on the show to promote the new Netflix show he co-wrote with Parks and Recreation writer Alan Young, “Master of None”. The series finds Ansari’s character, Dev, trying to understand what he wants his life to be really about. Dev, a 30-year-old actor who lives in New York City, is, as described by Ansari to the New York Post, a “totally different character than what I’ve done before and I don’t think I would have gotten a role that was this deep on my own”.
Ageism, growing up as a first-generation American, sexism, racism, and dating are some of the topics “Master of None” covers, some of which were an important part of Ansari’s 2015 book and stand-up tour, “Modern Romance“. The show is, in fact, loosely based on the actor’s life, which led Ansari to ask his real mother and father to play the part of Dev’s parents.
The 10-episode show debuted on Netflix on November 6 and has received critical acclaim for its “tone and execution” that makes it almost feel “like a show in its fourth or fifth year”, for its “multidimensional characters”, and its “heart and humor”.
Shonda Rimes (Writer – “Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person“)
The producer and writer – famous for being the creator of the hit shows Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, and Scandal, and the executive producer of How To Get Away With Murder – is releasing on November 10 her first memoir, “Year of Yes”.
Rimes is known for her powerful and bold female characters who will never stand down, so it might come as a surprise to readers when they find out the writer is actually an introvert who constantly declined invitations and suffered from panic attacks caused by being under the spotlight.
“Year of Yes” is exactly the story of Rimes’ severe struggle and her liberating journey to overcome her fears and finally say “yes”, achieving things she would have never dreamed of – from becoming healthy again to giving the Dartmouth commencement speech.
In the memoir Rimes’ also explains the importance of saying no and how it can be saying yes to yourself sometimes, recounting how speaking up caused pivotal moments in her life and career – such as that time she managed to get Sandra Oh cast as Cristina Yang in spite of the studio’s wishes and, therefore, to give life to one of the most beloved characters of Grey’s Anatomy.
Bruce Campbell and Lucy Lawless (Actors – “Ash vs Evil Dead“)
The actors have teamed up for the TV show based on Sam Raimi’s “The Evil Dead” horror trilogy, in which Campbell starred as the protagonist, Ash Williams, who went to a cabin with four friends and accidentally unleashed evil flesh-possessing demons.
The TV show, Ash vs Evil Dead, has Campbell returning to the role of “horror’s favorite grizzled, chainsaw-handed S-Mart employee”, Ash, who is now a middle-aged man who hasn’t really accomplished much in the last thirty years and who finds himself facing the Deadites, hordes of undead monsters created by a plague.
Lawless plays Ruby, “a mysterious figure who is myopic in her quest to hunt down the source of the recent evil outbreaks” and who ultimately blames Ash.
Ash vs Evil Dead premiered on Halloween and has received great reviews so far for the “seamless transition from big screen to small” and its “good scares and big laughs”. The pilot episode was directed by Sam Raimi, who co-produces the TV show with Campbell and with the original trilogy producer Rob Tapert, who is also Lawless’ husband.
Ash vs Evil Dead is not the actors’ first time working together: the pair collaborated on Xena: Warrior Princess, where Campbell played Autolycus.
Ash vs Evil Dead airs every Saturday on Starz at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
Wednesday, November 11 (2015)
Viola Davis (Actress – “How To Get Away With Murder“)
Viola Davis is an American actress and producer who recently earned a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for the role of Professor Annalise Keating on ABC’s “How To Get Away With Murder”, becoming the first black woman ever to win it.
“How To Get Away With Murder”, produced by Shonda Rimes and created by Peter Nowalk, tells the story of Law professor and defense attorney Annalise Keating, who creates a team of five students – Wes, Connor, Michaela, Asher, and Laurel – to intern at her firm and work with her associates, Frank and Bonnie.
The TV show is built on two different timelines, showing flashbacks and the present, and unveiling murder plots and affairs.
Season 2 began on September 24 on ABC and airs every Thursday at 10p.m. EST.
Brian Greene (Physicist and Author)
Brian Greene is an American theoretical physicist, an author, a researcher at Cornell University, and a Professor at Columbia University. Greene specializes in superstring theory and is recognized for various important discoveries in the field.
He is particularly known to the general public for his bestselling books, on which he also based PBS specials. The special based on his first book, “The Elegance of the Universe“, earned him a Peabody Award and three Emmy Awards nominations.
The physicist is also the co-founder of the World Science Festival, a five-day event which takes place in New York City every year since its creation in 2008.
Greene’s aim with the Festival and his work in the media is to bring science to a wider public and spark an interest. The World Science Festival foundation also developed an online learning platform, World Science U, on which Greene features in digital content aimed at explaining various topics in a more approachable way.
George Ezra (Album – “Wanted on Voyage“)
The young English singer and songwriter released his debut album, “Wanted on Voyage” in 2014, which contains the singles “Budapest” and “Blame It On Me”, that have earned Ezra recognition and acclaim. Rolling Stone describes the album as a “post-Spotify wonder, triangulating herky-jerky indie rock, the rustic strum of Lumineers-style folk and the blue-eyed R&B of his tour mate Sam Smith”.
Ezra will be playing five live shows across the United States, starting in New York City on December 2 and ending in Dallas TX on December 15.
Thursday, November 12 (2015)
Jennifer Connelly (Actress – “Shelter“)
The American actress stars in “Shelter”, in which co-stars alongsider Anthony Mackie.
Connelly plays Hannah, a drug addict, who falls in love with Tahir (Mackie), who is Nigerian immigrant. However, both of them are homeless people living in the streets of New York City. The film explores their past, while Hannah and Tahir try to hold on to each other and find a way to make their future look brighter.
On November 9 the two actors will make an appearance in New York City for a screening of “Shelter”, where they will also try to increase awareness about homelessness. “Shelter” has in fact teamed up with The Coalition for the Homeless and Connelly and Mackie will attempt to engage the audience in a discussion about the issue during the event.
The film which is also the directorial debut of Connelly’s husband, Paul Bettany opens in theaters on November 13.
Judd Apatow (Comedian)
The filmmaker returns to his roots and, more precisely, to stand-up comedy.
This week Apatow will be in New York City, performing a “lengthy set” at UBC Chelsea show “Whiplash” on November 9 and then at Carnegie Hall on November 14 for Comedy Central’s New York Comedy Festival, where he will present the show “Judd Apatow and Friends”, alongside other comedians.
The Long Island writer has admitted to The New Yorker that the Carnegie Hall appearance is “a huge overreach for me to do it, but I couldn’t be more excited that I’m going to get the chance. It is a real dream come true.”
Apatow has also published his book “Sick In The Head” in June 2015, which is a collection of conversations with other fellow comedians, among which Stephen is included. In “Sick In The Head” Stephen has in fact explained to Apatow why he decided to leave the conservative pundit character behind and has recounted his famous George W. Bush roast at the 2006 White House Correspondents’ Dinner. The two also compared their experiences of trying to score an internship at the Late Show with David Letterman.
Apatow has revealed to the New Yorker he is collecting new interviews for the paperback edition and is considering doing a sequel.
The Internet (Album – “Ego Death“)
The Internet is a soul band formed in 2011 by member of the hip hop collective Odd Future and other musicians. They published their latest album, “Ego Death”, in June, and since then it has received great reviews, praising the lead singer Syd Bennet’s voice according to the TIME, it’s a “handshake between sensuality and swagger—melting incantations of love and lust”. “Ego Death” has also been applauded for being their “best work yet”.
The Internet are on a worldwide tour, and will begin the European leg on November 20.
Friday, November 13 (2015)
Mark Ruffalo (Actor – “Spotlight“)
The American actor and humanitarian stars in the drama “Spotlight” as the reporter Michael Rezendes. Redenzes is part of the “Spotlight” team of investigative journalists of The Boston Globe, who uncovered the Massachussets Church sex abuse scandal in 2002, in which the Catholic archdiocese of Boston was involved. The Globe won a Pulizter Prize for Public Service in 2003 for the coverage of the cases.
Ruffalo recently shone a light on the journalists’ motives for USA Today: “All of them really see [journalism] as the last crux against tyranny in a democracy, that it’s essential. There’s definitely a higher calling and that’s what’s driving them: Something bigger than myself, that I’m fighting for people who don’t have a voice”.
For Ruffalo, the themes of “Spotlight” hit close to home. The actors has in fact revealed to reporters at the film’s Boston premiere that he has friends who were victim of abuse by clergymen and that he “grew up Catholic and the hypocrisy of it and the dogma of it had chilled my relationship with it very early on. Even as a boy, I could feel it. There was a cruelty in the way the nuns treated us. It just didn’t jibe with the teachings of Christ that were being taught, you know?”. Ruffalo, in fact, struggled with the cruel way the nun who was teaching him as a child handled his dyslexia.
“Spotlight”, directed by Thomas McCarthy, opened on November 6 and has been welcomed by positive reviews. The Wall Street Journal called the film “Blazingly bright, fearlessly focused”, praising Ruffalo for being “marvelously twitchy and dynamic”.
John Cleese (Comedian, Actor and Writer – “So, Anyway…“)
The British comedy legend has just finished a U.S. tour with Monty Python mate Eric Idle, bringing the “John Cleese & Eric Idle: Together Again At Last … For The Very First Time” show on American stages for a month, from October 1 to October 31. He’s now on a promotional tour for his 2014 memoir “So, Anyway…”. In fact, he published in June the paperback edition of the book, in which he describes his life, from his pathologically anxious mother to his first public performance, from moving constantly to Monty Python. “So, Anyway…” balances struggles and hilarious moments, and has been described by The New York Times as “having a long lunch with an amiable, slightly loony uncle. Who also happens to be John Cleese.”
Michael Flatley (Dancer – “Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games“)
The iconic Irish dancer is back to the United States for the last time before officially retiring. 2015 is in fact the last year before the closing curtain for the dancer, due to various health issues he has encountered to his bones and muscles. Flatley will debut for the first time on Broadway on November 7 with the show “Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games”, which is renewed version of the signature show “Lord of the Dance”. Aside from a troupe of talented performers, the performance features new technology, acrobats, lighting effects, and holograms. The score is composed by Gerard Fahy, and Flatley will do a special appearance at the end of every evening show.
“Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games” will run until January 3.
Better Know A Guest – November 9 – 13, 2015
Hello, Hubsters!
Welcome to a brand-new “Better Know A Guest”, where we tell you all about the exciting guests Stephen will welcome on the show this upcoming week. November has certainly got off to a great start – I personally still need to recover from the Bond sketch – and I can promise you this week will be just as amazing!
So, how about we skip the formalities and dive right into it, shall we?
Monday, November 9 (2015)
Ethan Hawke (Actor)
The Tony Award-winning American actor and director, who made the headlines last week for participating in the New York City Marathon, has most certainly been keeping himself busy lately.
He plays the iconic blues musician Chet Baker in the bio-pic “Born To Be Blue”, which was presented at the Toronto Film Festival and has recently been acquired by IFC for distribution in the United States. “Born To Be Blue” wasn’t Hawke’s only project at the Festival: Hawke also stars in Rebecca Miller’s romantic comedy “Maggie’s Plan”, which will open in theaters in May 2016.
The actor has also taken on the role of detective Bruce Kenner in the Spanish-Canadian psychological thriller ‘Regression‘; the late release for the United States is set for February 2016.
Hawke is also part of the remake of the classic movie “The Magnificent Seven”, which is not Hawke’s only Western due in 2016: “In a Valley of Death”, which was initially supposed to open in December, has been postponed to the new year.
Lastly, Hawke stars in the sports drama “The Phenom”; the release date, however, is still unknown.
Claire McCaskill (Senator and Author – “Plenty Ladylike: A Memoir“)
Claire McCaskill is the senior United States Senator for Missouri and a member of the Democratic Party. In August McCaskill published her memoir, “Plenty Ladylike”, in which she recounts different aspects of her life: from slammed doors in her face to making a family, from fighting sexism to a failed marriage, all while trying to make it in the political world and find happiness.
Sheryl Sanderg (Facebook COO and writer) has praised the book, applauding Senator McCaskill for being “a role model for women who aspire to win on their own terms”.
McCaskill has also been on the front-lines of the fight against on-campus rape and, in particular, to protest the Safe Campus act, which would not allow colleges to take action against sexual assault unless the victim has filed an official report to the police. Moreover, even with the involvement of the police, any measure from the college would not take place unless the investigations have been closed. McCaskill has written letters to the leaders of the fraternities which have been lobbying in support of the Safe Campus act, voicing her concerns and inviting the students – who belong to her Alma Mater, the University of Missouri – to discuss together her own bill, the Campus Accountability and Safety Act, a bipartisan legislation the Senator introduced in the beginning of the year.
Furthermore, the Senator has recently accused Senator Ron Johnson, the chairman of the Senate Homeland Security committee, of neglecting to disclose certain details regarding Hillary Clinton’s email scandal in an attempt to favor the former Secretary of State. She has therefore challenged Johnson to release all the documents in his possession, request to which the latter has agreed, although nothing has been made public yet.
Amy Klobuchar (Senator and Author – “The Senator Next Door: A Memoir from the Heartland“)
Amy Klobuchar is the representative for the State of Minnesota and a member of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer Party. She published in August the book “The Senator Next Door: A Memoir from the Heartland”, in which she tells her journey and the obstacles she encountered along the way: from her parents’ divorce and her father’s struggle with alcoholism, to politics and the world of Washington D.C.
Klobuchar has been an important advocate for new mothers’ right to stay in the hospital at least 48 hours after giving birth, since the Senator herself was kicked out of the facility while her newborn daughter was still in intensive care. With “The Senator Next Door” Klobuchar aims at proving that anyone can make a difference, which is why the Senator has been vocal about urging young girls to “take that plunge and take those risks”, because – as she told ABC News – “it’s worth it. You can actually lead and get things done and you have to imagine yourself in that role. And the second thing is that you have to have a thick skin. You’re going to get attacked and you have to be ready for it, but then you have to move on and look at the good things.”
Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats (Album – Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats“)
Nathaniel Rateliff, a singer song-writer from Missouri, has teamed up with Joseph Pope III, Mark Shusterman, Patrick Messe, Luke Mossman, Wesley Watkins, and Andy Wild, under the name of “Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats”. The band released their rock/blues self-titled album on August 21, with the main single being the song “S.O.B.”. The track, however, was never meant to be a single: as Rateliff told BBC, “We had no intention of it being a radio song at all. At first we didn’t really want to record it. It was a joke song at the end of our shows and I didn’t know people would respond to it”. The public responded incredibly well though, which led the band to record the song and choose it as single, any reservation about it being “a joke song” notwithstanding.
The group is currently on a world tour which will end in March 2016.
Tuesday, November 10 (2015)
Aziz Ansari (Comedian, Author and Actor – “Master of None“)
The comedian will be on the show to promote the new Netflix show he co-wrote with Parks and Recreation writer Alan Young, “Master of None”. The series finds Ansari’s character, Dev, trying to understand what he wants his life to be really about. Dev, a 30-year-old actor who lives in New York City, is, as described by Ansari to the New York Post, a “totally different character than what I’ve done before and I don’t think I would have gotten a role that was this deep on my own”.
Ageism, growing up as a first-generation American, sexism, racism, and dating are some of the topics “Master of None” covers, some of which were an important part of Ansari’s 2015 book and stand-up tour, “Modern Romance“. The show is, in fact, loosely based on the actor’s life, which led Ansari to ask his real mother and father to play the part of Dev’s parents.
The 10-episode show debuted on Netflix on November 6 and has received critical acclaim for its “tone and execution” that makes it almost feel “like a show in its fourth or fifth year”, for its “multidimensional characters”, and its “heart and humor”.
Shonda Rimes (Writer – “Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person“)
The producer and writer – famous for being the creator of the hit shows Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, and Scandal, and the executive producer of How To Get Away With Murder – is releasing on November 10 her first memoir, “Year of Yes”.
Rimes is known for her powerful and bold female characters who will never stand down, so it might come as a surprise to readers when they find out the writer is actually an introvert who constantly declined invitations and suffered from panic attacks caused by being under the spotlight.
“Year of Yes” is exactly the story of Rimes’ severe struggle and her liberating journey to overcome her fears and finally say “yes”, achieving things she would have never dreamed of – from becoming healthy again to giving the Dartmouth commencement speech.
In the memoir Rimes’ also explains the importance of saying no and how it can be saying yes to yourself sometimes, recounting how speaking up caused pivotal moments in her life and career – such as that time she managed to get Sandra Oh cast as Cristina Yang in spite of the studio’s wishes and, therefore, to give life to one of the most beloved characters of Grey’s Anatomy.
Bruce Campbell and Lucy Lawless (Actors – “Ash vs Evil Dead“)
The actors have teamed up for the TV show based on Sam Raimi’s “The Evil Dead” horror trilogy, in which Campbell starred as the protagonist, Ash Williams, who went to a cabin with four friends and accidentally unleashed evil flesh-possessing demons.
The TV show, Ash vs Evil Dead, has Campbell returning to the role of “horror’s favorite grizzled, chainsaw-handed S-Mart employee”, Ash, who is now a middle-aged man who hasn’t really accomplished much in the last thirty years and who finds himself facing the Deadites, hordes of undead monsters created by a plague.
Lawless plays Ruby, “a mysterious figure who is myopic in her quest to hunt down the source of the recent evil outbreaks” and who ultimately blames Ash.
Ash vs Evil Dead premiered on Halloween and has received great reviews so far for the “seamless transition from big screen to small” and its “good scares and big laughs”. The pilot episode was directed by Sam Raimi, who co-produces the TV show with Campbell and with the original trilogy producer Rob Tapert, who is also Lawless’ husband.
Ash vs Evil Dead is not the actors’ first time working together: the pair collaborated on Xena: Warrior Princess, where Campbell played Autolycus.
Ash vs Evil Dead airs every Saturday on Starz at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
Wednesday, November 11 (2015)
Viola Davis (Actress – “How To Get Away With Murder“)
Viola Davis is an American actress and producer who recently earned a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for the role of Professor Annalise Keating on ABC’s “How To Get Away With Murder”, becoming the first black woman ever to win it.
“How To Get Away With Murder”, produced by Shonda Rimes and created by Peter Nowalk, tells the story of Law professor and defense attorney Annalise Keating, who creates a team of five students – Wes, Connor, Michaela, Asher, and Laurel – to intern at her firm and work with her associates, Frank and Bonnie.
The TV show is built on two different timelines, showing flashbacks and the present, and unveiling murder plots and affairs.
Season 2 began on September 24 on ABC and airs every Thursday at 10p.m. EST.
Brian Greene (Physicist and Author)
Brian Greene is an American theoretical physicist, an author, a researcher at Cornell University, and a Professor at Columbia University. Greene specializes in superstring theory and is recognized for various important discoveries in the field.
He is particularly known to the general public for his bestselling books, on which he also based PBS specials. The special based on his first book, “The Elegance of the Universe“, earned him a Peabody Award and three Emmy Awards nominations.
The physicist is also the co-founder of the World Science Festival, a five-day event which takes place in New York City every year since its creation in 2008.
Greene’s aim with the Festival and his work in the media is to bring science to a wider public and spark an interest. The World Science Festival foundation also developed an online learning platform, World Science U, on which Greene features in digital content aimed at explaining various topics in a more approachable way.
George Ezra (Album – “Wanted on Voyage“)
The young English singer and songwriter released his debut album, “Wanted on Voyage” in 2014, which contains the singles “Budapest” and “Blame It On Me”, that have earned Ezra recognition and acclaim. Rolling Stone describes the album as a “post-Spotify wonder, triangulating herky-jerky indie rock, the rustic strum of Lumineers-style folk and the blue-eyed R&B of his tour mate Sam Smith”.
Ezra will be playing five live shows across the United States, starting in New York City on December 2 and ending in Dallas TX on December 15.
Thursday, November 12 (2015)
Jennifer Connelly (Actress – “Shelter“)
The American actress stars in “Shelter”, in which co-stars alongsider Anthony Mackie.
Connelly plays Hannah, a drug addict, who falls in love with Tahir (Mackie), who is Nigerian immigrant. However, both of them are homeless people living in the streets of New York City. The film explores their past, while Hannah and Tahir try to hold on to each other and find a way to make their future look brighter.
On November 9 the two actors will make an appearance in New York City for a screening of “Shelter”, where they will also try to increase awareness about homelessness. “Shelter” has in fact teamed up with The Coalition for the Homeless and Connelly and Mackie will attempt to engage the audience in a discussion about the issue during the event.
The film which is also the directorial debut of Connelly’s husband, Paul Bettany opens in theaters on November 13.
Judd Apatow (Comedian)
The filmmaker returns to his roots and, more precisely, to stand-up comedy.
This week Apatow will be in New York City, performing a “lengthy set” at UBC Chelsea show “Whiplash” on November 9 and then at Carnegie Hall on November 14 for Comedy Central’s New York Comedy Festival, where he will present the show “Judd Apatow and Friends”, alongside other comedians.
The Long Island writer has admitted to The New Yorker that the Carnegie Hall appearance is “a huge overreach for me to do it, but I couldn’t be more excited that I’m going to get the chance. It is a real dream come true.”
Apatow has also published his book “Sick In The Head” in June 2015, which is a collection of conversations with other fellow comedians, among which Stephen is included. In “Sick In The Head” Stephen has in fact explained to Apatow why he decided to leave the conservative pundit character behind and has recounted his famous George W. Bush roast at the 2006 White House Correspondents’ Dinner. The two also compared their experiences of trying to score an internship at the Late Show with David Letterman.
Apatow has revealed to the New Yorker he is collecting new interviews for the paperback edition and is considering doing a sequel.
The Internet (Album – “Ego Death“)
The Internet is a soul band formed in 2011 by member of the hip hop collective Odd Future and other musicians. They published their latest album, “Ego Death”, in June, and since then it has received great reviews, praising the lead singer Syd Bennet’s voice according to the TIME, it’s a “handshake between sensuality and swagger—melting incantations of love and lust”. “Ego Death” has also been applauded for being their “best work yet”.
The Internet are on a worldwide tour, and will begin the European leg on November 20.
Friday, November 13 (2015)
Mark Ruffalo (Actor – “Spotlight“)
The American actor and humanitarian stars in the drama “Spotlight” as the reporter Michael Rezendes. Redenzes is part of the “Spotlight” team of investigative journalists of The Boston Globe, who uncovered the Massachussets Church sex abuse scandal in 2002, in which the Catholic archdiocese of Boston was involved. The Globe won a Pulizter Prize for Public Service in 2003 for the coverage of the cases.
Ruffalo recently shone a light on the journalists’ motives for USA Today: “All of them really see [journalism] as the last crux against tyranny in a democracy, that it’s essential. There’s definitely a higher calling and that’s what’s driving them: Something bigger than myself, that I’m fighting for people who don’t have a voice”.
For Ruffalo, the themes of “Spotlight” hit close to home. The actors has in fact revealed to reporters at the film’s Boston premiere that he has friends who were victim of abuse by clergymen and that he “grew up Catholic and the hypocrisy of it and the dogma of it had chilled my relationship with it very early on. Even as a boy, I could feel it. There was a cruelty in the way the nuns treated us. It just didn’t jibe with the teachings of Christ that were being taught, you know?”. Ruffalo, in fact, struggled with the cruel way the nun who was teaching him as a child handled his dyslexia.
“Spotlight”, directed by Thomas McCarthy, opened on November 6 and has been welcomed by positive reviews. The Wall Street Journal called the film “Blazingly bright, fearlessly focused”, praising Ruffalo for being “marvelously twitchy and dynamic”.
John Cleese (Comedian, Actor and Writer – “So, Anyway…“)
The British comedy legend has just finished a U.S. tour with Monty Python mate Eric Idle, bringing the “John Cleese & Eric Idle: Together Again At Last … For The Very First Time” show on American stages for a month, from October 1 to October 31. He’s now on a promotional tour for his 2014 memoir “So, Anyway…”. In fact, he published in June the paperback edition of the book, in which he describes his life, from his pathologically anxious mother to his first public performance, from moving constantly to Monty Python. “So, Anyway…” balances struggles and hilarious moments, and has been described by The New York Times as “having a long lunch with an amiable, slightly loony uncle. Who also happens to be John Cleese.”
Michael Flatley (Dancer – “Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games“)
The iconic Irish dancer is back to the United States for the last time before officially retiring. 2015 is in fact the last year before the closing curtain for the dancer, due to various health issues he has encountered to his bones and muscles. Flatley will debut for the first time on Broadway on November 7 with the show “Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games”, which is renewed version of the signature show “Lord of the Dance”. Aside from a troupe of talented performers, the performance features new technology, acrobats, lighting effects, and holograms. The score is composed by Gerard Fahy, and Flatley will do a special appearance at the end of every evening show.
“Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games” will run until January 3.