The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio
The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio |
- Sesame puppeteer relieved as sex claim dropped
- Hard-hitting issues in The Slap
- Mankind: The Story Of All Of Us premieres worldwide
| Sesame puppeteer relieved as sex claim dropped Posted: 13 Nov 2012 09:31 PM PST LOS ANGELES - The puppeteer behind Elmo on "Sesame Street" voiced relief Tuesday, after a man who accused him of underage sex was reported to have dropped the claim. The makers of the beloved US children's television show - who said Monday they were letting Kevin Clash take time off to deal with the claims - also welcomed the withdrawal of the accusation. "I am relieved that this painful allegation has been put to rest. I will not discuss it further," said Clash, in a statement sent by his publicist Risa Heller. Sesame Workshop, which makes the long-running TV show, added on its website: "We are pleased that this matter has been brought to a close, and we are happy that Kevin can move on from this unfortunate episode." The reactions came after lawyers for the unidentified accuser, Andreozzi & Associates, said he "wants it to be known that his sexual relationship with Mr. Clash was an adult consensual relationship. "He will have no further comment on the matter," the law firm said, cited by the New York Times. The firm did not immediately respond to requests for the statement. Clash - the subject of an award-winning documentary last year - said Monday he was taking time out to handle the matter - and denied the accuser was under the age of consent, which is 17 in New York where the show is made. "I am a gay man. I have never been ashamed of this or tried to hide it, but felt it was a personal and private matter. I had a relationship with the accuser," Clash said Monday. Sesame Workshop said it was contacted in June by the man who claimed to have had a relationship with Clash seven years ago, when he was 16. Clash was reportedly 45 at the time. Clash was the subject of last year's "Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey," a documentary narrated by Whoopi Goldberg, which won a special jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival. "Sesame Street," which first appeared on public television in November 1969, teaches children the basics of reading, writing and counting. Sesame Workshop said Monday that the claim would not have an impact on the show. "Elmo is bigger than any one person and will continue to be an integral part of Sesame Street to engage, educate and inspire children around the world," it said. - AFP |
| Hard-hitting issues in The Slap Posted: 13 Nov 2012 07:51 PM PST Hard-hitting issues are slapped into consciousness in The Slap. WHAT'S the big deal?" I found myself asking that question at the end of the pilot of Australian television series, The Slap. It is a warm, sunny afternoon at a suburban neighbour in Melbourne. Hector (Jonathan LaPaglia) is turning 40 and has invited some of his closest friends and family members over to celebrate his birthday. Everything seems to be going well until the sound of a sharp crack pierces through the merry atmosphere, bringing every movement and every conversation to a sudden halt. A loud, anguished wail quickly follows. A boy has been slapped. Hector's cousin, Harry (Alex Dimitriades), slapped a misbehaving three-year-old Hugo (Julian Mineo) on his cheek, in an attempt to discipline the out-of-control child. Hugo's parents, Gary (Anthony Hayes) and Rosie (Melissa George), immediately ran to his side, taking the boy in their arms. After ensuring that he was alright, the couple turned to Harry, seething with anger. They began shouting indecencies. Gary tried to throw some punches, but Hector intercepted in time. Meanwhile, Harry stood firm with arms folded, convinced that he has done nothing wrong. Gary and Rosie announced they were going to press charges. Perhaps it is because I grew up in a strict Asian household or perhaps it is the assortment of "punishment tools" – rotan canes, metal rulers, the bottom end of feather dusters – that were readily available at home, or perhaps it is the fact that I have been whipped and walloped into a pulp (okay, I exaggerate) and saw that I had turned out pretty decent in spite, or should I say, because of it, that I found The Slap's premise a frustrating one to grasp. But it's a good thing I didn't flip the channel and give up on the series just yet. From the second episode onwards, viewers will realise that this hour-long series touches on more than just the difference of opinions the two parties have on child discipline. The events that follow after the slap – such as Harry's attempt to make things right with the couple, culminating in his trial – is told through the eyes of each person who attended the party. This makes the show an interesting watch as viewers get to understand the motives that govern each character's actions. Far too often, in a desperate effort to create exciting storylines, television shows are jam-packed with jaw-dropping plot twists at the expense of unexplored, under-developed characters. In this series, viewers plumb the depths of each character to the point that it's hard not to feel for them. The pilot titled Hector, for instance, is told through the viewpoint of Hector who feels conflicted when his wife, Aisha (Sophie Okonedo), pressures him into believing that Harry's actions are wrong although he sympathises with his cousin. Meanwhile, the show also reveals Hector is going through a midlife crisis and is falling for his teenage babysitter. In the second episode, Anouk, viewers step into the shoes of Hector's friend Anouk (Essie Davis), who finds herself embroiled in the controversy when Harry seeks her help to testify in his defence. The show digs deeper still into Anouk's life and finds that the forty-something woman has been contemplating on aborting the child she is having with her boyfriend who is half her age. As such, not only do viewers get a well-rounded view of the effects the slap has on the lives of the characters, they will discover that the supposedly "act of violence" is a catalyst used to raise a variety of issues that plague today's society – infidelity, abortion, racial prejudices, class division and addiction – just to name a few. And mind you, these issues aren't just lightly grazed on the surface but are told in painful detail. It seems Harry's action not only scathed the boy's cheek but had slapped these universal struggles into consciousness as well. By now, the show's storyline should have rung a bell in the minds of most avid book readers. Yes, the series is based on Australian author Christos Tsiolkas' 2008 award-winning novel of the same name. Having read the book, I am happy to report that the show has pretty much stayed true to its raw, unpolished feel. The show isn't edited to look like a scene off a dimly-lit, smoky soap opera set (let's admit it, given the various human interest elements, it could have easily gone that way). Instead, the shots look so untouched, viewers will find that the camera lingers longer than necessary in some scenes (way after the dialogue is over). Also, the scenes are usually cold, grey and bland-looking, perhaps to mirror the dark emotions felt by the characters. Even sound effects and background music are kept to a minimum, letting the "music" of everyday life that's so often taken for granted become its soundtrack. Credit must also be given to the actors, as their portrayal of the characters truly brings the story to life. The series pulls out all the stops by enlisting an A-list actress like Okonedo, a Best Supporting Actress nominee in the 2005 Academy Awards for her performance in Hotel Rwanda. She effectively portrays an exhausted career woman who struggles to strike a balance between her family life and her veterinary business. Nevertheless, it is actress George who steals the spotlight with her ability to switch from vulnerable, insecure mother at one moment to strong, unyielding defender of justice at another. Her stellar performance in the series was even recognised by Australia's most prestigious television awards, winning the recent Logie Award for Most Outstanding Actress. With that said, The Slap is not your typical, cookie-cutter family drama aired for folks looking to kill some time. It is hard-hitting, it is thought-provoking, it is controversial. It will raise a few eyebrows, throw out our mouldy conventions and fuel many heated arguments – all in one tight slap. The Slap airs every Thursday at 9pm on Sundance Channel HD (Astro B.yond Ch 438). |
| Mankind: The Story Of All Of Us premieres worldwide Posted: 13 Nov 2012 07:53 PM PST Learn more about the human race in Mankind: The Story Of All Of Us. THERE'S an exciting new programme that history buffs and movie lovers should look out for. Mankind: The Story Of All Of Us, dubbed the most in-depth series ever produced by History Channel, will premiere worldwide today. The 12-hour series was filmed in locations all over the world, including China, Morocco and South Africa, and takes us from the initial civilisation in Mesopotamia to the discovery of America, as well as from the rise and fall of the world's greatest societies to the milestones that led to our modern world – from creating the alphabet to domesticating crops. The documentary brings to life the history of the human race through the ages, using CGI technology and dramatic reconstructions of the most critical events. It's the most expensive and boldest documentary the channel has ever undertaken, and production began almost three years ago, with the help of dozens of consultants and notable historians to ensure an objective and credible story. In a recent phone interview from New York, Julian Hobbs, History Channel's vice president of programming and development and executive producer of Mankind: The Story Of All Of Us, talked about how the project came about following the global success of America: The Story Of Us, a series about the history of the United States. Hobbs was also responsible for other top notch programmes like IRT Deadliest Roads, Gettysburg and Around The World In 80 Days. Yet, Mankind: The Story Of All Of Us is different from the others in that it encapsulates some pretty bold theories. Seeing how people get bored with history, Hobbs felt that their biggest challenge was to get people "engaged and be excited about the greatest adventure of all time". "It's a phenomenal story that we tell through CGI and bold story-telling.... It's by a series of amazing events, people, conflicts, struggles and adventures that have made us the dominant species on this planet," he added. As expected, they had a hard time selecting the milestones to be featured. "We tried to choose the important moments when humankind was changed forever. We tried to pick stories that made an impact on all civilisations, not just one culture or on a specific person. It was one key moment that we can all look at and see ourselves in it, which could have happened 50 or 500 years ago. "They are like the keys that unlock us today, like the discovery of fire, agriculture and industrial revolution." Hobbs said time, logistics, accuracy, objectivity and tough editorial decisions made up a major part of the challenges faced. He added: "It involves recreating the key moments in human history where costuming, props and sets have to be recreated for historical accuracy. I think the uniqueness of this programme is for everybody around the world to see something that isn't about just one nation. "When we tell the story, we are focused on the material objects that change mankind. This has to do with invention of weapons, the Great Wall of China, Machu Pichu and the building of ships, inventing and engineering our world." Hobbs also explained how the show was structured like a movie franchise. "Today's challenge is with the dominance of Hollywood and this is why you have to present history in a dynamic and engaging way. "We look at the technique used in Hollywood's storytelling and apply it to history. That's not a hard thing to do because the greatest story is always a historical one. Think how many times Hollywood has gone into historical moments like in Gladiator and Braveheart. All of the greatest movies are based on historical events." Making a series that would appeal not just to history buffs, Hobbs enthused: "We recreated some of the greatest moments in human history. When we are in the position to recreate the very first steps of humans emerging out of Africa and the discovery of agriculture, you see that come to life and you put yourself in their shoes. The feeling is amazing. There are so many astounding moments. It's like taking a tour through history on a high speed plane." Finally, Hobbs reiterated how Mankind tells history "from the point of view of mankind". "Mankind is a species that should never have survived. Ninety-nine per cent of the species on Earth have gone extinct. At the very beginning, we were a small tribe in Africa with a population of less than 10,000 people. We could have been eradicated by the quick outspread of a disease. Now, we are spread globally with a population of over seven billion. This is the story of an unlikely hero. That hero is us," he concluded. Mankind: The Story Of All Of Us premieres on History/History HD (Astro Ch 555/575) today at 9pm. The line-up are Inventors (today), Empires (Nov 21), Survivors (Nov 28), New World (Dec 5), Revolutions (Dec 12) and New Frontiers (Dec 19). |
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