Sunday, March 3, 2002
Showbiz leftovers - THE COMMENTARY
By Joseph Planta
Harry Rankin was a hell of a guy. He was a former Vancouver city councillor, mayoralty candidate, social activist, lawyer, and an unabashed Socialist. He told it like it is and was always there for the underdog. He was irascible and of the Left, but most of the time he was right. This city is definitely smaller without him. And since he died last Tuesday, he’s still making mischief at City Hall. Seems that His Worship, NPA Mayor and long time Rankin combatant, Philip Owen is refusing to bend protocol at 12th and Cambie so that the flag could be lowered for Rankin. That’s a decision that I’m sure will be reversed come this Tuesday when Council sits again. Harry Rankin will be missed and he was 81. And one more thing about Rankin. With his old compatriot Bruce Eriksen now dead, it’s good to know that both their widows -- Connie Fogal and NDP MP Libby Davies, respectively, will continue their legacies and the fight for Vancouverites into the 21st century.
VANCOUVER -- So what could have happened in the month or so that I haven’t been filing tomes in this space? Well, only the Olympics -- infamy and all -- as well, as the Oscar nominations for another year. A certain Canadian political party saw some conflict and fighting, and no, it wasn’t the Canadian Alliance dealing with party acrimony. This time it was the Liberals of Jean Chrétien that were embroiled in controversy as well as in-fighting akin to the good ol’ Alliance. Such is power I guess.
There was a bit of fuss over Liza Minnelli’s upcoming wedding. Another big star bun toss, to which my invitation is again lost in the mail. Liza’s got an all-star cast playing at her wedding. Michael Jackson’s due to give the bride away, whilst a bevy of old time Hollywood dames will act as bridesmaids, including Dame Elizabeth Taylor herself. I won’t be crass enough to put money on how long this union will last, as Liza’s wedded at least three men already.
You all heard about Survivor 4’s debut last week, I’m sure. Well, word is that CBS is planning to resurrect the boring Big Brother again this summer. Catch is however that instead of dull nobodies, they want to do a celebrity version. Howard Stern is reportedly interested, only if Kathie Lee Gifford would do it too.
Crossroads, is probably where Britney Spears’ film career is at the moment. Her flick Crossroads, has done mediocre box office business -- in the wake of Denzel Washington’s John Q and Aaliyah’s Queen of the Damned -- but at least it didn’t do as bad as Mariah Carey’s Glitter.
Speaking of our mental meltdown prone Mariah, she’s set to make another movie. It’s probably not a comedy, but get a load of this plot: Mariah Carey plays a boxing coach (!?!?) who recruits another female boxer. I am not making this up and that’s sad, eh?
And since Friends has been re-signed by NBC, it looks like at least two patrons of this column will be happy. Gossip said that Rachel was to have died, should this season have been its last. (Rach was supposed to die after giving birth to Ross and hers’ baby. And her deathbed wish was for Monica and Chandler to raise the kid.) Alas, they’ll be back and there is talk that Rachel will be in labour well into the show’s 9th and final season premiere this fall. Also, Alec Baldwin will make a guest appearance on Friends during May sweeps. Like Sean Penn during November sweeps, Baldwin will play love interest to Lisa Kudrow’s Phoebe. In other must-see TV news, Michael Douglas will play a closeted cop lusting over Eric McCormack’s Will, on Will and Grace. Also in time for May sweeps.
Following the footsteps of Ragtime, The Lion King, and the upcoming Sweet Smell of Success, Alice Walker’s The Color Purple will be adapted to the Broadway stage as a musical. Now let’s see, would a Broadway musical version of American Beauty starring Kevin Spacey be in the works? How’s this for a possible lyric: “He just turned 40, but he digs a teen/loves to shower, never gets clean.” Or, “He’s lifting weights/He’s throwing plates.” I ought to stick to writing columns, rather than song lyrics.
And over at my old party Canadian Alliance, they’re still duking it out for the leadership. Whilst the heretofore, careful Grits, are now duking it out publicly. Was so surprised to see Dr. Carolyn Bennett, a backbench MP in the Chrétien cabal, muse out loud that ‘da boss hadn’t promoted enough women in the last cabinet shuffle. Well, she spoke out and pissed away her chances at a promotion whilst this PM sits. (She’s a Martin supporter.) Chrétien tore a strip off the good doctor, forcing her to tears for speaking out. PM didn’t take too kindly to the good doctor’s besmirching of his grand legacy of promoting women as Lieutenant Governors, Senators, and the one Governor General. Bennett has a point, but that fracas paled to the battle between two of Chrétien’s possible leadership successors.
When Jean Chrétien resigns, Paul Martin and Allan Rock are two of the top contenders for the Liberal leadership (that is if Brian Tobin won’t keep his upper lip out of the race). Things are always tense at the Liberal party, but for the first time, tempers have flared outside of the secrecy of caucus and cabinet. Most interesting and I’m most pleased to see that the sacred Grits aren’t immune to political insurrections.
Oh and I haven’t mentioned the absolutely biggest story of the month. To me it’s a big story, and that sure as hell doesn’t mean much. But when it’s a big story to media watchers over at Brill’s Content, The New York Times (who broke the story), Aaron Brown’s CNN Newsnight, and (the man who I want to be when I grow up) Jeff Greenfield, then it is definitely big. There are two angles on this (plus a hell of a lot more), but the story is about ABC’s venerable Nightline getting sacked in favour of Disney’s (ABC’s owners) reported wooing of CBS late night laugher, David Letterman! On Friday, this story really got everyone by surprise even the folks at ABC! Well, I’ll be back with a piece on this -- a big story on everyone’s barometer.
P.S. It’s good to be back.
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