Q: Did Robin Williams do the singing parts for the genie in "Aladdin"? It sounds like him, but Disney usually has different people doing the speaking and singing voices, especially when "Aladdin" came out.
Robin Williams did most of the singing parts for the genie in "Aladdin" (1992), but not all.
The musical numbers that feature the genie -- "Arabian Nights," "Friend Like Me" and "Prince Ali" -- are also comedic bits, and we all know that when it comes to comedy, no one can imitate Robin Williams. Well, no one except Bruce Adler, apparently.
Father knows best: An aging patriarch fights for his company in HBO's 'Succession'
Brian Cox stars in "Succession"
Wealthy families make for excellent prime-time viewing, especially dysfunctional ones. Leave it to HBO to elevate the ensemble family drama to new heights as the cable giant takes a look at a family battling for control of a media empire in a new high-profile series.
Q: Is it true they overdubbed Bob Hoskins' voice in "The Long Good Friday"? It sounds like his voice to me.
It's not true, actually, but it almost was.
This may seem incredible, since it's now revered as a gangster film classic, but the producers of "The Long Good Friday" (1980) were pretty sure it would be a failure and were trying to cut their losses before it was even released.
They were afraid that star Bob Hoskins' thick, London accent would be unintelligible to other audiences, so they planned to bring in an actor with a slightly more proper accent to overdub his parts.
Q: Is it my imagination, or do I hear Tim Allen narrating the advertisements for Michigan?
It's not your imagination: the voice behind the popular ad series is pure Tim Allen.
Allen has been voicing the ads for the "Pure Michigan" campaign since its launch in 2008. It wasn't a tough decision for him -- he's a (near) lifelong Michigander, and is passionate about his beloved state getting the recognition it deserves.
New Releases for the week of May 27 - June 2
Annihilation
One year after her husband, Kane (Isaac), an Army Special Forces soldier, went missing while on a mission, biology professor Lena (Portman) is shocked to find him at home with his health rapidly worsening. She learns that he'd been sent to investigate an anomalous electromagnetic field called The Shimmer, which appeared without explanation three years prior, and he was the only survivor from among a number of military teams sent into the anomaly. Due to her expertise in cellular biology, Lena is recruited for an expedition into The Shimmer, but once they are inside the anomalous bubble, the members of the team find themselves forgetting pieces of time and come under attack by animals with bizarre and dangerous mutations. As the members of the team push towards the lighthouse where the growing anomaly first appeared, the level of danger escalates, putting them all at extreme risk.
Director: Alex Garland. Stars: Natalie Portman, Oscar Isaac, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, Tuva Novotny, Benedict Wong, Sonoya Mizuno. 2018. 115 min. Adventure.
Miss Stevens
A young high school teacher (Rabe) takes three of her students to a drama competition in California for a weekend, bonding with all three of them, but especially with Billy (Chalamet). She discovers the two have a lot in common, including a lack of friends or romantic interests in their lives. As her weekend with the three teenagers drags on, she's forced to confront her own issues with her life as she sees it thorough the eyes of her students, even as she pushes all three to persevere through some of life's more difficult moments.
Director: Julia Hart. Stars: Lily Rabe, Timothée Chalamet, Lili Reinhart, Anthony Quintal. 2016. 86 min. Comedy.
What We Started
The evolution of electronic dance music is chronicled in this documentary, primarily through examining the lengthy careers of Martin Garrix and Carl Cox. Through interviews with artists and industry insiders, the music genre's relationship with pop culture is closely examined and its pervasiveness explored.
Directors: Bert Marcus, Cyrus Saidi. Stars: Carl Cox, Martin Garrix, Chip Eberhart, Steve Angello. 2017. 94 min. Documentary.
Bastianich's back: Fan-favorite judge returns for a new season of 'MasterChef'
"MasterChef" judge Aarón Sánchez
There's no shortage of cooking competitions on television, but there aren't any others that are quite like "MasterChef." It's been a summertime staple on Fox for eight years now, and all the Mystery Boxes, Pressure Tests and wow-worthy dishes return for a ninth season on Wednesday, May 30.
Acting out: 'America's Got Talent' returns for a 13th season
Howie Mandel, Mel B, Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum and Tyra Banks in "America's Got Talent"
Acting out: Well, summer is just around the corner, but it isn't just a season of hazy days, sweltering nights and days at the beach. It's also the time of year when the best amateur talent in America is on full display.
Lost in the game: Sarah Shahi stars in high-tech thriller 'Reverie'
Kathryn Morris, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Sarah Shahi, Jessica Lu and Dennis Haysbert as seen in "Reverie"
Late Laughs for the week of May 27 - June 2, 2018
The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon
The Royal Family just announced the name of William and Kate's newborn son: Louis Arthur Charles. I guess they couldn't decide on a royal-sounding name, so they just went with all of them.
A growing number of people are going to e-sport arenas to watch other people play video games. It combines the thrill of going to a live sporting event with the thrill of having an unemployed roommate.
Recaps for the week of May 21-25
Chloe Lanier stars in "General Hospital"
The Bold and the Beautiful
After manipulating Liam, Bill offers up the kingdom to Wyatt in exchange for his loyalty. Katie feels guilty over the advice that she gave Wyatt, and advises him to hide the truth about Bill and Steffy while he struggles with an important decision. Steffy blames Bill for her situation, but Taylor faults Brooke instead. Ridge tells Hope that her imminent wedding is based on a lie, and Brooke is forced to step in and intervene. Steffy shares the name she's chosen for her daughter with Liam. When the wedding day finally arrives, Katie, Donna and Brooke help Hope get dressed for her big day, while Brooke and Ridge butt heads over their daughters. Carter officiates as family and friends gather for the joining of Liam and Hope in marriage, but Bill's day is spoiled when Justin reminds him that Wyatt holds the power to thwart all of his carefully-laid plans.
Days of Our Lives
Eve tells Jennifer about her engagement, but everything is turned upside down then Brady finds Theresa back in Salem, and the two of them share a moment that shocks Eve. Theresa tries to guilt her sister into leaving her fiancé. Mateo shares some unsettling news with Chloe, which crushes her. Abigail is ready to accept her fate, and finally faces the music for her role in Andre's murder after Stefan threatens her with Chad's freedom. Sonny finds his world turned upside down when he learns that Leo has been pulling a con job on him, and Brady confesses to Marlena about his conflicted feelings. Lani has a pregnancy scare, and Tripp and Ciara's romantic dinner doesn't go as expected. Will continues his search, and discovers a new clue in Dr. Rolf's diary. Paul and John try to rescue Chloe while in Mexico, and a judge overturns Gabi's conviction, but her joy is short-lived when a new problem rears its head.
General Hospital
Valentin walks a fine line, and later crosses Lulu. A contrite Lucy feels the need to apologize. Anna begins to feel anxious, and Peter gets the sense he's been hoodwinked. Finn wants some answers, and he sets out to find them. Sam tries to be of use. Dante has had enough, and Drew pays his respects. Carly is distressed. Nelle yearns for support, and she finally gets what she needs. Alexis has done something that she immediately regrets. Sonny is in anguish. Lulu gets a visit from Nina, and Valentin does the best he can.
The Young and the Restless
Nick and Sharon discover that being "friends with benefits" is harder then it seems when they attend the New Hope benefit and find themselves feeling jealous about each others' dates. Hilary and Devon attend the New Hope dinner together and find themselves growing closer, and later, when two problems rear their heads at the same time for Hilary, Devon comes to her rescue. While Abby helps Arturo pick out a suit for a benefit, the two find themselves bonding. Billy seizes the CEO position after deeming Jack to be unfit, and begins making drastic changes. Jack and Kyle make a pact to get the position back for Jack, but at the same time, Kyle tries to earn Billy's trust. Kyle is a fish out of water when he's tasked with negotiating an important contract with Neil, while Ashley grows concerned by the changes that Billy makes to the company and plots to take the CEO position herself when an opportune moment arrives.
