At the end of the video and after the break is the answer to this week’s quiz: In winning the Oscar for Short Subject Documentary, Croton native Cynthia Wade actually beat out another Lower Hudson Valley product. “Salim Babaâ€? director Francisco Bello graduated in 1998 from which local institution?
A. Hendrick Hudson High School
B. Ossining High School
C. Scarsdale High School
There were mixed results from last night’s Oscars as far as local representation was concerned.
North Salem resident and New Rochelle native Alan Menken’s Oscar drought continues. Although he received three Best Song nominations for his contributions to “Enchanted,� it’s likely his supporters split votes, allowing for a song from the movie “Once� to win the trophy. Although he hasn’t won an Oscar since 1996, don’t feel too bad for Menken. He’s won eight total.
New Rochelle resident Ruby Dee also lost out on an Academy Award this Sunday. The “American Gangster� actress lost the Best Supporting Actress award to Tilda Swinson, who won for her role in “Michael Clayton.� And not for her dress.
The Lower Hudson Valley wasn’t completely shut out, however, as Croton native Cynthia Wade not only won the Short Subject Documentary Oscar for “Freeheld,� but also was presented the trophy by two-time Oscar-winner Tom Hanks. In doing so, Wade beat out another LoHud product. “Salim Baba� director Francisco Bello, who graduated in 1998 from Ossining High School.
This Friday at 7:30 p.m. EST, Ted Mann and I will join TV reporter Karen DePodwin for a live RNN segment about Sunday’s Academy Awards. I’ll be wearing my tux for only the third time since my senior year in college, so the comedic value of that alone might be worth the tune-in. Here’s another preview of one of the topics slated for discussion. Click here to read the first preview.
We at Suburbarazzi like to make predictions, especially when they involve shiny glorified bowling trophies.
Notice, these Oscar picks are predictions, not necessarily our rooting interests. Let it be known that, with few exceptions, we often root for films, actors and crew members with connections to the Lower Hudson Valley (North Salem resident Alan Menken, New Rochelle resident Ruby Dee, et al.). Also, since I’ve shockingly seen none of the films scoring the major nominations, I’m just going to base my predictions on reviews, buzz and my gut feeling.
But hey, do you really think Oscar voters are any different? I swear, dart boards must have been mailed out with the screeners of “Ordinary People” back in 1980, because that’s the only logical reason why “Raging Bull” didn’t win Best Picture that year.
As a teaser, we won’t reveal the Oscar predictions of TV’s Karen DePodwin until she does so herself on Friday night. (By the way, how fun is it to refer to anyone as “TV’s [actual name]?” I say extremely.) But in the meantime, you’ll have to consider the predictions of Mr. Mann and me. Grain of salt not included.
Ted’s predictions:
Best Picture: “Juno�
Best Actor: Daniel Day Lewis, “There Will Be Blood�
Best Actress: Julie Christie, “Away from Her�
Best Supporting Actor: Hal Holbrook, “Into the Wild�
Best Supporting Actress: Tilda Swinton, “Michael Clayton�
Best Director: Joel and Ethan Coen, “No Country for Old Men�
Chris’ predictions:
Best Picture: “No Country for Old Men�
Best Actor: Daniel Day Lewis, “There Will Be Blood�
Best Actress: Ellen Page, “Juno�
Best Supporting Actor: Javier Bardem, “No Country for Old Men�
Best Supporting Actress: Ruby Dee, “American Gangster�
Best Director: Joel and Ethan Coen, “No Country for Old Men�
(AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
This Friday at 7:30 p.m. EST, Ted Mann and I will join TV reporter Karen DePodwin for a live RNN segment about Sunday’s Academy Awards. I’ll be wearing my tux for only the third time since my senior year in college, so the comedic value of that alone might be worth the tune-in. Here’s a preview of one of the topics slated for discussion.
Stars with a connection to the Lower Hudson Valley have done very well for themselves at the Oscars over the years, and 2008 is no exception.
Eight-time Oscar-winner Alan Menken, a New Rochelle native and North Salem resident, has been nominated three times for his songs from the Disney movie “Enchanted.” He took home his first two trophies for Best Song and Best Score for “The Little Mermaid,â€? and his most recent ones were in the same categories for songs from “Pocahontas.â€? In total, he’s been nominated for a whopping 18 Oscars, but hasn’t won one since 1996.
First-time nominee and sentimental favorite Ruby Dee, a New Rochelle resident, is nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her part in “American Gangster,” starring Mount Vernon native Denzel Washington and former Nyack dweller Russell Crowe—both of whom are Oscar-winners themselves.
LoHud also has at least two representatives in the Best Documentary/Short Subject category, including Ossining High School alumnus Francisco Bello (for “Salim Baba”) and former Croton-on-Hudson resident Cynthia Wade (for “Freeheld”).
After the break, check out a list of some other prominent current and former residents of the Lower Hudson Valley who have won or have been nominated for an Oscar in the last 30 years. (more…)
While schmoozing at Sundance this week, actor/director Stanley Tucci reportedly raved about the Oscar-nominated performance Daniel Day-Lewis turned in for “There Will Be Blood.”
The Press Association (UK) posts the quote from Tucci, who’s lived in North Salem:
When somebody says ‘Who’s the best actor in the world?’ there’s no such thing really, it’s silly. But I did see ‘There Will Be Blood’ and Daniel Day-Lewis, as far as I’m concerned, if there were a best actor in the world it may well be him. He’s so extraordinary. I never tire of watching him.
For me, I never tire of watching Sneden’s Landing resident Bill Murray. But from what I hear among critics and friends, Day-Lewis—who already won an Academy Award for “My Left Foot”—is practically a lock for the golden statue this year.
(AP Photo/Louis Lanzano)
At the end of the video and after the break is the answer to this week’s quiz: Of the following celebrities who have called Mount Vernon home, who was scheduled to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame today?
A. Sean “Diddy� Combs
B. Sidney Poitier
C. Phylicia Rashad
D. Denzel Washington
Last week, Robin Williams nicknamed David Letterman “General Lee” after witnessing the beard the talk show host sported after returning from the hiatus caused by the Writers Guild of America’s strike. But that beard will vanish tonight, according to media reports.
The (New York) Daily News reported Letterman expressing a willingness to shave off the fuzz on tonight’s show:
‘Monday, I think the beard is going away,’ the late-night funnyman says on tonight’s telecast. ‘Can we get a guy in here Monday to shave me? Now, a good guy, because the last time we did this, I looked like – when he was done, I looked like I’d been in a knife fight.’
The News doesn’t have the reaction of Bedford resident Paul Shaffer, but I bet it’ll be something like “Haaaaaaaaaaaa!” followed by a keyboard riff.
On an episode of “Late Show” last week, Letterman’s North Salem neighbor and New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg awarded the key to the city to Letterman’s beard. Post-shave, expect to see the freed facial hair and an oversized golden trinket snuggling up to Lindsay Lohan in the V.I.P. section of Marquee later this week.
(AP Photo/CBS, J.P. Filo)
“Blind Date,” directed by North Salem resident Stanley Tucci, will premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. He also cowrote the screenplay for the film about a married couple overcoming personal tragedy.
But Tucci won’t be the only representative of the Lower Hudson Valley showcasing work at the 11-day festival in Utah.
Props also go to the team from Ironbound Films in Garrison for their documentary, “The Linguists,” about dying language dialects. Ironbound Films—which includes Seth Kramer of Red Hook, Daniel Miller of Cold Spring and Jeremy Newberger of Yorktown—might sound familiar to Suburbarazzi readers; it filmed “Night Court” star Richard Moll in Newberger’s house for the internet mockumentary “The Fantastic Two.”
Kudos also go to Putnam Valley resident Timothy Greenfield-Sanders, who directed “The Black List,” which features interviews with 20 African-American leaders for his documentary. “Black List” is his second representation at Sundance. His first, “Lou Reed: Rock and Roll Heart,” appeared on Utah’s prestigious screens about a decade ago.
Only 64 films from 3,624 submissions will play at the festival, which runs from Jan. 17-27. So congrats to our local reps!
Check out the descriptions of each movie on the Sundance Web site. And read more about the local filmmakers in Barbara Livingston Nackman’s article, appearing next week in The Journal News and on LoHud.com.
(AP Photo/Louis Lanzano)
I saw this clip of 50 Cent’s infectious “Ayo Technology” rerun on “Late Show with David Letterman” shortly after the Writers’ Guild of America strike began and have been meaning to blog about it ever since. It’s simultaneously awesome and awkward, which makes it a perfect fit for Suburbarazzi.
No shortage of things to look out for here:
1. Bedford resident Paul Shaffer’s CBS Orchestra does an impressive job recreating Timbaland’s heavily produced track, right down to the intricate and hyperactive video-game beeps that Shaffer appears to be duplicating on keyboards. Reminiscent of LL Cool J’s “MTV Unplugged” episode.
2. Although the song’s featured vocalist, Justin Timberlake, is nowhere to be found, 50 still gives him a shout-out at the beginning.
3. The opening half-rhyme scheme was altered not only to please the FCC, but also a certain North Salem resident at the end: “50 Cent, Justin, Timbaland, Letterman.”
4. 50 Cent sings like Justin raps.
5. Old folks in the Ed Sullivan Theatre throwin’ their hands up!
What else did you love/hate about this clip?
(AP Photos—Shaffer by Diane Bondareff; 50 Cent by Kevork Djansezian; Letterman by Adam Rountree)
Fans of late-night TV will be among the first to realize the impact of the writers’ strike, as talk shows—including those of New Rochelle native Jay Leno and North Salem resident David Letterman—are “expected to go into immediate reruns” as early as tonight, according to Reuters.
Both acknowledged the prospect of a lack of a contract last week.
Leno said that if one of the timely jokes viewers see involves the “Where’s the beef?” lady, it might be a rerun.
And astute Suburbarazzi readers already know that one of Letterman’s Top 10 lists last week included “No number 3 – writers making picket signs for upcoming strike.”
(Leno: AP Photo/NBC, Paul Drinkwater; Letterman: AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The trip, of course, was to a hunting outfit in LaGrangeville, just over the Putnam border in Dutchess County. The segment aired on Wednesday night’s show. I sure hope this writer’s strike doesn’t go through, or else Dave (who lives in North Salem) is going to have to come up with gems like this all by his lonesome.
10.   “Has everyone updated their will?”
9.   “The crisp air is giving me goosebumps – no, wait, it’s another heart attack.”
8.   “This can’t end well.”
7.   “My pacemaker also makes bird calls.”
6.   “I want the quail taken alive – let’s find out what the son of a bitch knows.”
5.   “Bush was supposed to come, but his father got him out of it.”
4.   “Condi, grab a shotgun and go get yourself a man.”
3.   No number 3 – writers making picket signs for upcoming strike.”
2.   “You shoot one old guy in the face, avoid talking to authorities, delay taking a blood-alcohol test and you’re labeled a bad guy.”
1.   “Duck!”
(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)
For those among the celebrity-obsessed seeking to be a star for a day, the hot costumes this Halloween are of power couple Brad Pitt and former Sneden’s Landing resident Angelina Jolie.
US Weekly cites a Captain Morgan/Kelton Research survey of 600 Americans, who rate Brangelina as this year’s most popular celebrity inspiration for holiday get-ups. Presumably, couples who dress up this way will spend the night arguing with each other over who’s more good-looking. Blech.
Other couples popular in the poll were Britney Spears and Kevin Federline; Chappaqua residents Bill and Hillary Clinton; recent Pelham dweller Tom Cruise and wife Katie Holmes; David Beckham and Posh Spice; and George W. and Laura Bush.
Among the late-night TV show hosts, New Rochelle native Jay Leno beat out North Salem resident David Letterman, among others—just like in the ratings. I’d prefer Letterman as a costume or as a talk show host, myself.
(AP Photo/Francois Mori)
This week’s quiz: Of these “Today” show personalities, who did NOT make Forbes’ most recent list of Top TV Earners?
A. Matt Lauer (formerly of Ardsley, Chappaqua and Hartsdale)
B. Al Roker (formerly of Yorktown)
C. Meredith Vieira (currently of Irvington)
The answer is at the end of the clip and after the break.
more->
Shockingly, the answer’s Al Roker. The guy’s been on “Seinfeld” for cryin’ out loud! Give him a raise.
North Salem resident David Letterman earned $40 million from June 2006 to June 2007 through television, ranking him fourth on Forbes magazine’s new list of TV’s Top Earners and tops among celebrities who have lived or attended college in the Lower Hudson Valley.
His newest BFF, Oprah Winfrey, tops the list. And it isn’t even close. She made $260 million in that one-year span, about $200 million more than the runner-up, Jerry Seinfeld ($60 million) and even more over “American Idol” staple Simon Cowell ($45 million).
Suddenly Alex Rodriguez’s contract doesn’t seem so out of the ordinary.
Other LoHudders on the list: Westchester real estate maven and golf course owner Donald Trump (No. 5, $32 million); New Rochelle native Jay Leno (No. 6, $32 million); former Putnam County resident (Judge) Judy Sheindlin (No. 7, $30 million); former Chappaqua, Ardsley and Hartsdale resident Matt Lauer (No. 17, $13 million); Sarah Lawrence College graduate Barbara Walters (No. 18, $12 million); and Irvington resident Meredith Vieira (No. 20, $10 million).
(AP Photo/John Paul Filo, CBS)