Just got back from the Kristin Chenoweth gala at City Center. Hugh Jackman and Kristin's Pushing Daisies co-star Swoosie Kurtz were there. Swoosie's hair is very red in real life. I thought I was going to have a heart attack throughout because I somehow convinced myself that Hugh Jackman was going to join Kristin for an impromptu duet. He did not. Coronary avoided.
Kristin told us her new TV pilot was not picked up. She's unemployed. This is rather shocking because I assume she's talking about Legally Mad ... the only new show I'd heard she was working on and that's a David E Kelley show (Michelle Pfeiffer's husband, don'cha know) and since when do hisshows not get picked up? Perhaps it's something else? Update: No, it's official. Legally Mad is DOA.
Anyway... Kristin. If you ever have the chance to see her in concert, do not pass it up. You'll thank me.
I wasn't quite counting down the hours to tonight's premiere of Pushing Daisies (like my buddy JA was) but my DVR was aware and the recording was triple-checked. Okay so I was counting down the hours. It had been a long time between the first and second season. I was nervous.
How kind of them to thank us for that interminable wait by stripping scrumptious Lee Pace down to his skivvies soon after the recap scenes. The only more rewarding way to kick off the premiere might have been a brief musical duet from Kristin Chenowith and Ellen Greene but you can't have everything.
I'd rank this episode somewhere in the middle of the quality range that Pushing Daisies hits. At its best the show's sublime silliness and pinch of bittersweet drama tastes totally gourmet. At its worst, it's still a decent meal but the flavors a touch ripe and the plating way too busy.
My favorite line in the new episode was delivered by "Olive Snook" i.e. Kristin Chenowith, the winner of the 2008 Emmy for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy (Shut Up! this show encourages fantastical thinking. I'm having a pleasant false memory). She has been shipped off to a nunnery (don't ask) by Lily Charles (Swoosie Kurtz), who once stayed there to hide a pregnancy.
You holidayed here 30 years ago and found a baby in the cabbage patch. And by cabbage patch I mean your lady parts.
LOL. So why am I not talking about Lee Pace, the presumed subject of this post? I'm getting there.
In truth, he never has all that much to do in any given episode. In many ways he's the straight man of the show. The supporting cast is the swirling colorful comic relief. Pace is there to provide anchor. He does it beautifully. Pace never flinches from or winks away "Ned"'s sweetness, softness or soulful sincerity which would be temptations for some lead actors... especially within a show so possibly indulgent of winking.
Since this is a film blog, I must say that I hope he gets big movie roles on every Daisies hiatus. It'd be a shame if he was never challenged with a Soldier's Girl level role again. He was so convincing as the transgendered "Calpernia" in that Showtime film. Directors ought to be asking him to stretch again... when he's not making pies. And while we're talking movies, I really must rent The Fall. I'll leave you with this beauty of a number from the spring period comedy Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (spoilers -- it's late in the film). Kristin Chenowith isn't the only woman who bursts into song when she's thinking about Lee Pace. He has that affect on Amy Adams, too.
I promised to continue both my Screening Log and my Oscar Diary herein (as I haven't had a lot of time at home to update the site... always away and blogs are convenient like that) so here are a few notes on things I've seen recently.
IN GOOD COMPANY I continue to really groove on Topher Grace. He seems to exude some sort of "I'm loving acting" vibe. It reminds me somewhat of the magical Kirsten Dunst breakthrough years of 2000-2002. The movie is surprisingly watchable given it's odd plot and extremely naive finale.
PROJECT RUNWAY I watch more television this time of year since I get burned out on movies and this is definitely the best reality show going --it's actually about something, imagine that!?. The contestants have talent to spare... they're not chosen for their obnoxious personalities or willingness to spill all to the camera in "confessional" sequences. The show does have the basic reality show format (someone is ousted each week, there are confessional direct to camera moments, etc...) but it manages to be unpredictable all the same. Part of the thrill I guess is watching creativity at work. One could argue that shows like American Idol are also superior to the average reality show because they're also talent contests rather than contests for who can be the most obnoxious and therefore get the most screentime. But they're not created anything on that popular show, they're just aping other performers and performance styles. They have to choose well known songs. They get dinged if they're true originals. They must choose a 'type' to play and stay with it. It's like a glorified cover band competition. Very watchable yes. But not half as interesting as Project Runway.
HUFF If Huff were an HBO series, it'd be an instant hit and would have gotten several Golden Globe nominations and SAG nominations (only one nomination at each show this year the lead Hank Azaris got a SAG nod, Oliver Platt, supporting player, got an GG nomination). But because it's on Showtime, it will take more work to get people to notice how good it is. This is the reputation problem working against it. Showtime isn't known for having quality TV. It's not like Queer as Folk and The L Word and the others are actually "good" --they're just fighting for an underserved audience. Like a lot of first seasons of any series, Huff seems to be still finding it's footing (i.e. it's kind of uneven)... but when it hits it's highs it's really something. I hope it catches on because there's nothing really like it on television. And the acting is superb. Swoosie Kurtz and Blythe Danner are both miraculous actors given juicy characters to play and everyone else is doing nifty work too.
Just got back from the Kristin Chenoweth gala at City Center. Hugh Jackman and Kristin's Pushing Daisies co-star Swoosie Kurtz were there. Swoosie's hair is very red in real life. I thought I was going to have a heart attack throughout because I somehow convinced myself that Hugh Jackman was going to join Kristin for an impromptu duet. He did not. Coronary avoided.
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