M&S Christmas TV ad 'offensive' Nov 19, 2009
In one segment, Jennifer Saunders says "stuffing" and Joanna Lumley, her co-star in BBC comedy Absolutely Fabulous, adds: "...your face, sweetie.". A spokesman for Marks and Spencer said: "We're surprised by the ASA complaints regarding Philip Glenister's appearance in our TV ad. "Our research shows that his on-screen character in Ashes to Ashes is extremely popular with our customers and his lines in the ad are in keeping with that role. (BBC News)
Estonia calling Oct 23, 2009
"I got 40 different treatments for the video - about 15 were absolutely fabulous," she says. "But some of them were extremely shocking, with an electric chair, prison scenes and really black humour. I said 'yeah, let's go for it', but then my plugger said 'you're never going to get on daytime TV with that video'.". (BBC News -- Entertainment)
TV Land Throws the Ultimate Halloween Fright Night Celebration With 'Roseanne's Wicked Halloween Bash' on Saturday, October 31 Oct 20, 2009
They encounter Patsy and Edina (from "Absolutely Fabulous") at the party where Edina is determined to get Roseanne to part with a lot of her new-found wealth. The women attend a ceremony of a coven of witches where Roseanne is told that her daughter, Darlene, is like "Rosemary's Baby" and Satan wants to claim her. (Yahoo! Wire -- Entertainment News)
No laughing matter Sep 17, 2009
Massive hits with consciousness-entering catchphrases, such as Absolutely Fabulous and, later, Little Britain, arrived fresh off the boat but others equally huge at home, such as The Fast Show, were consigned to SBS, or, as with The Mary Whitehouse Experience, ignored. Dreary, forgotten sitcoms such as Beast and Surgical Spirit got midweek 8pm slots, while series two of Spaced ran at 11. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
La Toya Jackson says Michael was 'God-like' Sep 11, 2009
Know where you're eating tonight. Our BRAND NEW Dining Guide is now open for business. (Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier)
Bacall, Corman, Willis to get honorary Oscars Sep 11, 2009
Go and Do - Central Valley, CA Entertainment Guide. Enter Zip Code to search local listings. (Hanford Sentinal, CA)
Robinson says 'all TV is ageist' Sep 2, 2009
The Absolutely Fabulous star added: "None of these things are ever going to change. So absorb it, live with it, get over it.". The star, who was speaking at the launch of a new ITV1 documentary series, Joanna Lumley: Catwoman, said: "I'm not being unkind, but I'm just saying millions of crones like me shouldn't suddenly be given the lead in things, just because we're damn old and very sort of recalcitrant.". (BBC News -- Entertainment)
U.K. actress gets 'fabulous' welcome in Nepal Jul 28, 2009
KATMANDU, Nepal - Nepal's prime minister on Monday thanked "Absolutely Fabulous" actress Joanna Lumley for her outspoken campaign to give thousands of Gurkha war veterans and their families the right to settle in Britain. Gurkhas have been serving as soldiers for the British for nearly 200 years, but Britain had limited their right to settle there, saying allowing in tens of thousands of veterans and their families would cost taxpayers billions. (MSNBC -- International)
* Gurkha veterans win right to settle in UK May 23, 2009
Lumley, the star of cult TV comedy Absolutely Fabulous, said: It is one of the happiest days of my life. This is a landmark day we will never forget. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World Business)
Fox keeps 'Dollhouse,' 'Bones,' adds 'Glee' May 21, 2009
It could be that Fox will make announcements later that it has picked up a couple of pilots that filmed after the upfronts, but right now it looks like the two biggest surprises are that it passed on the American remake of "Absolutely Fabulous," which had original creator Jennifer Saunders on board as a producer; and the drama "Maggie Hill," about a brilliant female surgeon who suffers from schizophrenia, which was set to star Alfre Woodard. Fox had previously announced that "The Wanda Sykes... (San Francisco Chronicle -- Entertainment)
Television: Fox looks for laughs this fall May 12, 2009
The Fox comedy pilots include "AbFab," the long-awaited remake of "Absolutely Fabulous" from England. This version has the backing of original creator and star Jennifer Saunders as well as Mitch Hurwitz (creator of "Arrested Development" and a very busy man this pilot season). (San Francisco Chronicle)
Patsy's absolutely fabulous battle with PM May 10, 2009
Joanna Lumley, 63, is famous for playing Patsy Stone, the chain-smoking magazine editor who slept her way to the top in the TV comedy series Absolutely Fabulous ... If the acerbic Patsy from Absolutely Fabulous can shame and ... If the acerbic Patsy from Absolutely Fabulous can shame and defeat your government it could be time to throw in the towel. (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
A mother lode of entertaining TV moms May 10, 2009
MOTHERLY HICCUPS Edina Monsoon, "Absolutely Fabulous" Played by Jennifer Saunders. Being self-absorbed was the least of Eddy's issues. (Boston Globe)
* Actress runs absolutely fabulous Gurkha campaign May 10, 2009
Actress runs absolutely fabulous Gurkha campaign ... British actress Joanna Lumleys best-known role used to be as a boozy fashionista in hit comedy Absolutely Fabulous, but now she is dominating TV screens as a formidable campaigner for Gurkha soldiers ... Lumleys star waned in the 1980s but against the odds, she won her biggest part in her late 40s X as champagne-swilling, cocaine-snorting fashion director Patsy in the long-running BBC comedy Absolutely Fabulous from 1992. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World Business)
TV networks cut back, seek fewer risks Apr 1, 2009
Fox pilot Absolutely Fabulous, based on the British comedy, stars Kristen Johnston, left, and Kathryn Hahn ... Fox, meanwhile, has a new take on Britain's Absolutely Fabulous, about two outrageous women. (USA Today)
All the worlds a stage Mar 16, 2009
Apart from Mendes (whom most of us know more for his Hollywood films American Beauty, Jarhead, Road to Perdition and, most recently, Revolutionary Road), the production boasts a plethora of talent from Britain renowned stage actor Simon Russell Beale (a Shakespearean actor for close to 25 years), actresses Rebecca Hall (Vicky Christina Barcelona and Frost/Nixon), and Sinead Cusack (Eastern Promises and V for Vendetta), as well as American actors Ethan Hawke (Great Expectations, Training Day),... (The Star Online, Malaysia)
Secret Policeman's Ball & Amnesty I... Mar 1, 2009
Performers include John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry Jones, Graham Chapman and Terry Gilliam of Monty Python, Dudley Moore and Peter Cook of Beyond The Fringe, Billy Connolly, Rowan Atkinson, more commonly known as Mr. Bean, Jennifer Saunders from Absolutely Fabulous fame, and Hugh Laurie, from today s TV hit House M.D.. Musicians include Pete Townshend, Sting, Phil Collins, Bob Geldof, Peter Gabriel, Donovan, Jackson Browne, Lou Reed, Kate Bush, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Mark Knopfler, and Chet... (Suite101.com)
Networks to Avoid Taxing Viewers Feb 21, 2009
CBS is producing a spinoff of NCIS (which itself was spun off from JAG), while Fox is remaking the British classic Absolutely Fabulous. ABC is reviving the 1980s sci-fi favorite V, as well tackling witchcraft via Eastwick, which is based on the feature film The Witches of Eastwick. (TVweek.com)
Taking 3-D to an eye-popping new level Feb 8, 2009
The other tenants are eccentric: upstairs, Mr. Bobinsky (Ian McShane), an eight-foot-tall, blue Russian acrobat, claims to have a jumping-mouse circus; downstairs, Miss Spink and Miss Forcible (Jennifer Saunders and Dawn French, both of Absolutely Fabulous stroke-of-genius casting) are an overweight, retired nightclub act who have mounted their many deceased Scottie dogs on the wall. The only kid around is the weird and annoyingly talkative Wybie (Robert Bailey Jr.), a character added by Selick. (Globe and Mail -- Entertainment)
