When Debbie Allen walked out to accept her honorary Emmy tonight, I got goose bumps – and she hadn’t even begun her speech!
Miss Allen is the ultimate showbiz multi-hyphenate who has starred on Broadway, dazzled in front of television cameras, and as a prolific director, choreographer, show-runner, and producer. It’s an amazing career and she has the kind of determination, spirit and confidence in her abilities that can really inspire.
And when the stupid awards show clock began to try and reign her in tonight, Miss Allen was not having it: “It’s been many years in the making, it’s taken a lot of courage to be the only woman in the room most of the time. A lot of courage and creativity and fight to be believe that I could keep going – and I have and I brought a whole lot of people with me. So I want to say thank you for this glorious moment in the sun … honey turn that clock off, I ain’t paying no attention to it. Turn it off, turn it off.”
Good for her – she had a lot more to say and it was a powerful including this: “Let this moment resonate with women across the world – across this country and across the world from Texas to Afghanistan. It is time for you to claim your power, claim your voice, say your song, tell your stories. It will make us a better place.”
The great Jean Smart, already a three-time Emmy winner but somehow still somewhat unsung in showbiz until this year, won the lead actress In a comedy series Emmy tonight for her stupendous performance in the HBO Max series Hacks. It was one of the best shows I’ve seen all year.
It was six months ago that Miss Smart lost her husband of 34 years, actor Richard Gilliland, who she met during his stint on her first hit series Designing Women. She beautifully pays tribute to him at the start of her speech.
Miss Smart has been nominated for 11 Emmys over the years and won twice for her recurring role of Lana on Frasier and once for her hilarious performance in Samantha Who? as Christina Applegate’s mom.
VH1’s RuPaul’s Drag Race was named the top competition program at the 2021 Emmys on Sunday, which means executive producer and host RuPaul Charles is now the most-awarded Black artist in Emmys history with 11 career wins.
“Thanks to all our lovely children on our show from around the world,” RuPaul, 60, said while accepting the award. “They are so gracious to tell their stories of courage and how to navigate this difficult life, even more difficult today. This is for you.”
“And for you kids out there watching, you have a tribe that is waiting for you,” he added. “We are waiting for you, baby! Come on to mama Ru! Thank you so much! Thank you!”
At last week’s Creative Arts Emmys, RuPaul tied cinematographer Donald A. Morgan as the most-awarded Black artist when he won the Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program for the sixth consecutive year.
The actor who came to fame (and won an Emmy) on the 1970s TV series “Marcus Welby, M.D.,” James Brolin, has appeared in scores of films and TV shows since, and is currently the narrator of the new Netflix sci-fi series, “Sweet Tooth.” Correspondent Tracy Smith talks with Brolin, now 81, about his continued love of work, and about his 23-year marriage to singer Barbra Streisand.
He was the first crush for some of us past the age of 40: He’s Leigh McCloskey who we first saw opposite Brady Bunch alum Eve Pumb in the TV movies Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway and its sequel Alexander: The Other Side of Dawn.
That was only the beginning for this handsome actor who was classically trained at Julliard. He went on to play Lucy Ewing’s husband, Mitch Cooper, on Dallas and was a cast member on the daytime soaps One Life to Live, General Hospital, The Young and the Restless and Santa Barbara.
He has done guest spots on scores of prime-time series including Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Beverly Hills 90210, and Bones.
Leigh, 66, is also an artist, author and teacher. His artwork premiered with the Rolling Stones on their Bigger Bang Tour. He has written, illustrated and published five books of his works, including Tarot ReVisioned, In the Splendor, Adam Reborn & Eve Restored: A Romance in Two Parts, Codex Tor: Winter Solstice-Part One and his Grimoire that was featured with the Rolling Stones.
The champion diver, who won gold and bronze at the Summer Olympics, attended the Met Gala last week and shares with us that experience in his latest video.
He flew into NYC from Canada where husband Dustin Lance Black is directing a movie.
Tom is also busy lining up promotional appearances for his autobiography which goes on sale soon!
What I Did for Love from the musical A Chorus Line (music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Edward Kleban). It was quickly recognized for its show-business potential outside Broadway and was picked up by popular singers for several decades now.
Here are some of them from Ethel Merman to Josh Groban!
Let’s face it, Dorothy Zbornak (Bea Arthur) could be as sarcastic as they come on The Golden Girls – a trait she clearly picked up from her also sarcastic mother Sophia played by Estelle Getty.
With Rose (Betty White) always taking things so literally, Dorothy’s sarcastic wit had the perfect foil.
In watching this compilation, I have such appreciation of the show’s writers and the zingers they provided Miss Arthur with. But they would not have the hilarious impact they do if not for Miss Arthur’s legendary comic chops.
During the early months of the quarantine last year, I watched so many episodes of The Golden Girls to relax and take my mind off of things and thank God we had seven seasons of this classic.
Enjoy Dorothy’s sarcasm coming at you one after another!
Went into a TV Land Awards wormhole late last night and meant to post these for you but something called sleep unexpectedly got in the way.
It will be easy for you to see why I wanted to share these memories of great TV stars from the past – many of them now gone.
We had fewer channels in the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and even 90s so we had more of a shared experience when it came to our favorite television shows. Everyone knew who Gloria and Meathead were from All in the Family, and everyone loved Mary Richards, and the Brady Bunch and I Love Lucy is still universally loved and paid attention to.
These videos include a terrific theme show medley and some sweet reunions.
I hope you take the time to enjoy every single one.
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He was the first crush for some of us past the age of 40: He’s Leigh McCloskey who we first saw opposite Brady Bunch alum Eve Pumb in the TV movies Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway and its sequel Alexander: The Other Side of Dawn.
These are heady times for Tom Daley.
What I Did for Love from the musical A Chorus Line (music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Edward Kleban). It was quickly recognized for its show-business potential outside Broadway and was picked up by popular singers for several decades now.
