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Caryn James

'Parks and Recreation' Goes to Washington

  • By Caryn James
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  • September 19, 2012 10:06 AM
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Television
In the perfect season premiere of Parks and Recreation, Amy Poehler’s character is now City Councilwoman Leslie Knope, and how satisfying is that to someone who aspires to the White House, even though the City Council is a part-time gig? She goes to Washington to visit her boyfriend Ben (Adam Scott)  - more perfect for Leslie than we could have imagined when his character turned up - and meets some real-life politicians, in what might have been nothing more than a stunt, but turns out to be much more. With cameos by John McCain, Barbara Boxer and Olympia Snowe,  the story is Leslie’s dream come true . .  . except. In the shrewd, funny way of the series, she learns that she is a very tiny fish in the giant, shark-infested sea of Washington. And while she may enjoy being a big fish in Pawnee, it’s never fun to be reminded of that.
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More: Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation, Television, Television, Adam Scott, John McCain, Barbara Boxer, Olympia Snowe, Li'l Sebastian

The Republican Convention: Colbert and Stewart On Star Wars, Rain Man and Reince Priebus

  • By Caryn James
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  • August 30, 2012 11:23 AM
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Television
Each night during the Republican Convention, The Colbert Report has started with an intro that parodies Star Wars, as words scroll into space to introduce the coverage from Tampa: America Strikes Back. Last night’s legend included this:  
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More: Television, Television, The Colbert Report, Stephen Colbert, Mitt Romney, Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Republican National Convention 2012, Ann Romney, Reince Priebus, Jon Stewart, The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Will Ferrell Reduced To Tears By Stewart-Pattinson Breakup

  • By Caryn James
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  • August 3, 2012 11:24 AM
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Television
Will Ferrell continues his hilarious promotional tour for The Campaign with this topical but non-Campaign-centered bit on Conan. “She goes by K Stew,” may be all you need to know about his weeping reaction to that high-profile breakup. While the rest of the world hand-wrings about things we can’t possibly know – like what is Rob thinking? -- Ferrell sends up the entire celeb-obsessed hysteria.
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More: Will Ferrell, Television, Television, Conan O'Brien, The Campaign, Conan O'Brien, Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Zach Galifianakis, Jon Stewart, Jon Hamm, The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Rush Limbaugh's Gift to Conan and Kimmel: The Bane-Bain Conspiracy (Video)

  • By Caryn James
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  • July 19, 2012 12:32 PM
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  • 0 Comments
Television
For a while it seemed as if that ogre Rush Limbraugh had drained all the fun out of the Bane/Bain coincidence by taking it seriously, claiming that "The Dark Knight Rises" villain Bain was meant as a left-wing attack on Romney’s outsourcing, money-making company Bain. That idea, of course, is so ludicrous that it was quickly turned back on Limbaugh, who became the butt of late-night routines. Funny in spite of himself, he just can’t help handing comedians these gifts.  
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More: Television, Video, The Dark Knight Rises, Conan, Bane, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Conan O'Brien, Mitt Romney, Bain Capital, Rush Limbaugh

Don't Call Her Shirley. Or Hillary. Sigourney Weaver in 'Political Animals'

  • By Caryn James
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  • July 11, 2012 9:05 AM
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  • 1 Comment
Television
Politics can be sleazy, but might just be out-sleazed by 'Political Animals,' the melodrama a clef that unimaginatively, nastily leeches off the Clintons. Even the great Sigourney Weaver, in the don’t-call-her-Hillary role, can’t save this tacky, leaden miniseries, whose clumsy allusions to reality amount to a series of groaners.
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More: Television, Sigourney Weaver, Political Animals, Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Ciarán Hinds, Greg Berlanti, Television, Brothers and Sisters, John Travolta, Primary Colors, Dallas, The Good Wife, Scandal, Shonda Rhimes, Kerry Washington, Eliot Spitzer

Matt LeBlanc Skewers TV: Watch 'Episodes,' Season Premiere (Video)

  • By Caryn James
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  • July 1, 2012 9:30 AM
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  • 0 Comments
Television
Among other priceless bits of show-business guidance in the brilliant new season of Episodes, you’ll learn this: when the father of a television network president dies, don’t even think about sending a paltry muffin basket, because Michelle Pfeiffer and David Kelley will be donating a tree in the dead man’s honor. In Hollywood even mourning is a competitive sport. Taking its satiric tone from Matt LeBlanc’s exaggerated portrayal of himself  -- or rather his vain, just-like-Joey persona from Friends – the Showtime series returns for its new season funnier and more pointedly satirical than ever.
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More: Television, Episodes, Matt Leblanc, Showtime, Mircea Monroe, Tamsin Greig, Stephen Mangan, Friends, Showtime, Television, John Pankow, Kathleen Rose Perkins, Genevieve O'Reilly

Watch Amy Poehler Answer Tumblr Questions On Sex, Music, Comedy

  • By Caryn James
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  • June 27, 2012 9:30 AM
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  • 0 Comments
Video
When I interviewed Amy Poehler last week at the 92nd St. Y, she answered a few questions submitted  through Tumblr. And even if you’ve never wondered about what song she likes to make out to, or another secret about her husband, Will Arnett (famed for Arrested Development and now Up All Night) you’ll want to hear her answers. She started out in improv, of course, so it’s not surprising she was so funny in the moment.
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More: Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation, Tumblr, Will Arnett, Arrested Development, Television, Up All Night, 92nd St. Y

Steve Carell, Fake-Author of Many Books, Visits Jon Stewart

  • By Caryn James
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  • June 21, 2012 12:25 PM
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  • 0 Comments
Television
What has Steve Carell been doing besides trying to avoid the apocalypse? Promoting his new film Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (it’s a charming romance; you can check out my review here) he joined Jon Stewart to promote the many new books he has written, including a history of Egypt post-Mubarak and a biography of himself as written by Steve Jobs.
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More: Television, Television, Steve Carell, Jon Stewart, The Daily Show With Jon Stewart, Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

'Girls' Ends Its Season More Brilliant Than Ever

  • By Caryn James
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  • June 17, 2012 9:05 AM
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  • 3 Comments
Television
There has been so much ink, web time, energy and hot air devoted to Lena Dunham’s Girls that there can’t possibly be any synonyms for zeitgeist left unused. Is her HBO series inbred in its casting and elitist in its characters, as charged? Sure it is, but so what? The actors are terrific; the elitism is part of its young-educated-ambitious-kids scenario. And the show, which started off savagely smart, funny and honest, has only gotten better through the season.
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More: Lena Dunham, Girls, Allison Williams, Television, Television, Jemima Kirke, Adam Driver, HBO

Watch Downton Sixbey, Part 2: Jimmy Fallon, The Heir and His Mom

  • By Caryn James
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  • May 25, 2012 10:52 PM
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  • 1 Comment
Television
If Downton Abbey is beginning to seem like a memory lost in the mist, if you are longing to hear Higgins the valet ask a footman, “Did you Febreeze His Lordship’s pantaloons?” you are ready for the new installment of Downton Sixbey from Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.
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More: Jimmy Fallon, Downton Abbey parody, Downton Sixbey, Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, Television, Television, Maggie Smith, Fred Armisen, TV Videos, Whoopi Goldberg, A.D. Miles, Steve Higgins, Questlove, Carson Daly

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