Late Laughs for the week of March 12 - 18, 2017
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
We just learned from multiple intelligence sources that Trump aides were "in constant touch with senior Russian officials during the campaign." Constant Touch, by the way, is also Trump's Secret Service code name.
This afternoon, we learned that Trump's secretary of labor nominee, Andy Puzder, has withdrawn his nomination. Just to be clear, this is not a scandal. He says he just wants to spend more time with Michael Flynn.
Madam Secretary, on CBS
When Elizabeth (Téa Leoni) meets with the Philippines’s unconventional new president, Datu Andrada (Joel de la Fuente), he makes a pass at her in this new episode. Meanwhile, Henry (Tim Daly) fears for an operative embedded in a religious cult.
New Releases for the week of March 12 - 18
Collateral Beauty
After his daughter's death, advertising executive Howard (Smith) slips into a deep depression, alienating those around him and putting his company in jeopardy. Desperate to save the business, his partners Whit (Norton), Claire (Winslet) and Simon (Peña) hire three actors to help put Howard in a compromising situation that they can use to force him out of the company. The three executives, though, each have their own deep issues, and through their interactions with the actors, they begin to confront their demons.
Director: David Frankel. Stars: Will Smith, Edward Norton, Kate Winslet, Michael Peña, Helen Mirren, Naomie Harris, Keira Knightley. 2016. 97 min. Drama.
Fences
Years after being passed up by Major League Baseball, waste collector Troy (Washington) can't get behind his son Cory's (Adepo) ambitions to be a professional football player, despite the young man's talent and the fact that he's being scouted by a college team. When Troy receives a promotion at his job, he becomes estranged from his co-worker and best friend, Bono (Henderson), but not before Bono discovers that Troy is having an affair. Meanwhile, Troy's brother, Gabriel (Williamson), who suffered a head injury in World War II, gets into trouble with the law.
Director: Denzel Washington. Stars: Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Stephen Henderson, Jovan Adepo, Mykelti Williamson, Russell Hornsby. 2016. 139 min. Drama.
Passengers
In the future, a starship is transporting thousands of colonists to a distant planet, a journey that takes over a century to complete. Both the colonists and crew are kept in stasis-inducing hibernation pods for the long trip, but when the ship is damaged after passing through an asteroid field, one of the pods malfunctions, waking up a passenger named Jim (Pratt) 90 years before the ship's arrival at its destination. Totally alone in a sleeping ship deep in the void of space, Jim finds himself drawn to the beautiful Aurora (Lawrence), another colonist. He deactivates her pod and wakes her up, condemning her to the fate of growing old and dying with him on the lonely ship.
Director: Morten Tyldum. Stars: Jennifer Lawrence, Chris Pratt, Laurence Fishburne, Michael Sheen. 2016. 116 min. Adventure.
New Releases for the week of March 12 - 18
Collateral Beauty
After his daughter's death, advertising executive Howard (Smith) slips into a deep depression, alienating those around him and putting his company in jeopardy. Desperate to save the business, his partners Whit (Norton), Claire (Winslet) and Simon (Peña) hire three actors to help put Howard in a compromising situation that they can use to force him out of the company. The three executives, though, each have their own deep issues, and through their interactions with the actors, they begin to confront their demons.
Director: David Frankel. Stars: Will Smith, Edward Norton, Kate Winslet, Michael Peña, Helen Mirren, Naomie Harris, Keira Knightley. 2016. 97 min. Drama.
Fences
Years after being passed up by Major League Baseball, waste collector Troy (Washington) can't get behind his son Cory's (Adepo) ambitions to be a professional football player, despite the young man's talent and the fact that he's being scouted by a college team. When Troy receives a promotion at his job, he becomes estranged from his co-worker and best friend, Bono (Henderson), but not before Bono discovers that Troy is having an affair. Meanwhile, Troy's brother, Gabriel (Williamson), who suffered a head injury in World War II, gets into trouble with the law.
Director: Denzel Washington. Stars: Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Stephen Henderson, Jovan Adepo, Mykelti Williamson, Russell Hornsby. 2016. 139 min. Drama.
Passengers
In the future, a starship is transporting thousands of colonists to a distant planet, a journey that takes over a century to complete. Both the colonists and crew are kept in stasis-inducing hibernation pods for the long trip, but when the ship is damaged after passing through an asteroid field, one of the pods malfunctions, waking up a passenger named Jim (Pratt) 90 years before the ship's arrival at its destination. Totally alone in a sleeping ship deep in the void of space, Jim finds himself drawn to the beautiful Aurora (Lawrence), another colonist. He deactivates her pod and wakes her up, condemning her to the fate of growing old and dying with him on the lonely ship.
Director: Morten Tyldum. Stars: Jennifer Lawrence, Chris Pratt, Laurence Fishburne, Michael Sheen. 2016. 116 min. Adventure.
A real trip: FX's 'Legion' keeps viewers guessing
Rachel Keller as seen in "Legion"
A real trip: FX's 'Legion' keeps viewers guessing
Rachel Keller as seen in "Legion"
Back on 'Top': BBC's 'Top Gear' returns for its 24th season
Matt LeBlanc hosts "Top Gear"
Back on 'Top': One of the most popular shows in the world is revving up to put the pedal to the metal. "Top Gear" is back for an astounding 24th season starting Monday, March 13, on BBC America, and while its lineup of presenters is a bit different from last season's, the change isn't as dramatic as the previous shakeup.
Spring is in the air: Food Network's baking competition is sweet on the season
Nancy Fuller, Jesse Palmer, Duff Goldman and Lorraine Pascale as seen in “Spring Baking Championship”
Planet of the Apes, on AMC
When astronaut George Taylor (Charlton Heston) crash-lands on a remote planet, he discovers a civilization run by apes in this sci-fi classic, which kicks off a marathon of its sequels. The apes are shocked to discover that Taylor has the power of speech.
Q: I heard that Betty White and Helen Mirren never had any kids. Are there any other big-name actors or actresses who never had them?
I should start this answer by thanking you, on behalf of Zooey Deschanel, for asking about both actors and actresses.
When asked by Marie Claire magazine in 2013 if she was planning to have kids, the "New Girl" star said, "I don't think people ask men those questions." (She actually later had two children.)
