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Sheryl Lee Ralph Issues Apology After Saying 'Abbott Elementary' Was The 'Only Real Comedy' Nominated For An Emmy This Year
When asked about her chances by E! News, Ralph confidently said:
"'Abbott Elementary,' top of the conversation, nominated for best cast. I'm looking forward to a win since we're the only real comedy in the category."
You can catch the moment here:
The moment quickly went viral, because viewers were not impressed by how Ralph's comment dismissed the other projects in the category for Outstanding Comedy Series.
While there has been some discourse about whether or not The Bear qualifies as a comedy, there were still Hacks, Margo's Got Money Troubles, Nobody Wants This, Only Murders in the Building, Shrinking, and Widow's Bay to consider.
Not to mention that some of these projects also have big-name celebrities, particularly Only Murders in the Building, with Martin Short, Steve Martin, and Selena Gomez, involved in them.
A healthy conversation about the nominated shows started up in the "Abbott Elementary" subReddit.
"Totally agree on 'The Bear,' but 'Only Murders' and 'Hacks' are both comedies imo, just a different format than what we get on cable TV. Haven’t watched the rest, so I don't know." —kurapikun
"'Widow’s Bay' is 100% a comedy. This is not one of those times where they tell one joke in the show and call it a comedy. It is unambiguously a comedy. It’s also significantly more creative and has better acting than 'Abbott.' The wins were deserved." —FunPersonality1240
"'Nobody Wants This' is pure comedy, it's a rom-com series whose biggest dramatic beats are parts of the will they/won't they part of the relationship, and 'Widow's Bay' is definitely a comedy; it's just a horror comedy." —Infamous-Lab-8136
"As someone who watched 'Ghosts,' 'Abbott,' and 'Widow’s Bay,' 'Widow’s Bay' is absolutely the show this year that had me laughing the most and hardest. I’ve loved 'Abbott' in previous seasons, but, for me, this year was not as strong."
"'Widow's Bay' does have serious moments (scary and/or genuine drama), and it's not wall-to-wall jokes along the lines of something like, say, '30 Rock.' But it's been at least a decade since a TV show made me laugh as hard as 'Widow's Bay.' It's got a weird sense of humor but is very funny." —Chi_Law
"Side note: How is 'Ghosts' not nominated?!"
"'Ghosts' is a phenomenal show, based on the BBC show of the same name. Quinta has mentioned it as their main ratings rival. I think it gets bigger numbers than 'Abbott,' but it's not really discussed as much. It's a shame." —MyNameCannotBeSpoken
"Do I think none of the other shows in the category were comedies? No."
"Do the Emmys need to be called out for classifying comedies as anything 30 minutes long until 2021? Yes."
"Do the Emmys need to be called out for accepting when networks classify shows as comedies because they think it's easier to get awards there than in drama? Also yes."
"I haven't seen most of the nominees ('Widow's Bay' seems like my kind of thing, though), but 'Abbott Elementary' is a phenomenal show that has four wins out of 37 nominations. 'What We Do in the Shadows' got one win out of 35."
"Meanwhile, 'The Bear' has 21 thanks to rampant category fraud."
"She made a valid point because 'Abbott' is the most comedy-focused show in the comedy line-up, and they've been doing amazing work for five seasons without the recognition they deserve; meanwhile, a show can scoop up wins not because it's a comedy, but because it's easier to win when they're not up against actual dramas." —video-kid
In light of the online commentary, Sheryl Lee Ralph issued an apology on her Instagram Stories, where she claimed that she spoke from a place of excitement and not a place of disrespect.
Ralph wrote:
"I want to sincerely apologize for my choice of words in some interviews yesterday on the Emmy red carpet."
"In the excitement of celebrating our show and the incredible work we have all done together, I said something that did not reflect what I truly feel about our fellow artists and the extraordinary shows in our comedy community."
"My intention was to celebrate what we've built and never to diminish anyone else."
"But intention doesn't erase impact, and I understand how my words sounded dismissive. For that, I am truly sorry."
"I have so much respect for all the writers, casts, and crews making wonderful television alongside us. I should have chosen my words with greater care, and I'm grateful for the grace to say so."
You can see the Instagram Story here:
@thesherylleeralph/Instagram
After Ralph apologized, some fans pointed out that she kind of had a point.
Projects that intersect genres are sure to inspire conversations like this, and there are bound to be some disagreements.
While some understood where Ralph was coming from in calling Abbott Elementary the only "real" comedy in the nomination pool this year, others argued that the other nominations had enough comedic elements to qualify.
Either way, Ralph did a wonderful job of pointing out that it's important that these projects receive the respect and recognition they deserve, regardless of their genre.
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Interviewer's 'Heterosexuality Is A Curse' Question To 'Practical Magic 2' Stars Dianne Wiest And Stockard Channing Goes Viral—And We're Cringing Hard
And about that curse, Everyman Cinemas interviewer Nona Dimitrova had a legit question:
“If heterosexuality was a curse because, of course, like to the Owen sisters and the Owens family in general, the curse is to do with men falling in love with them, so, humorously, of course, I wanted to ask…”
At this point, it could go anywhere. Did Jet and Frances question the curse? Find a loophole? Does the Owens curse extend to Nicole Kidman's ex-husband?
But Dimitrova had a more rainbow-colored workaround in mind:
“[D]o you think Francis and Jet ever considered being lesbian?”
Wiest and Channing didn't appear to offer a verbal answer. Instead, they stared silently back at Dimitrova as the question hung in the air like a spell nobody knew how to break.
In Dimitrova's defense, she didn't pull the question out of a cauldron. Vice previously explored a queer reading of Practical Magic that similarly framed heterosexuality itself as part of the Owens family curse.
And the footage, fortunately, speaks even when nobody else does:
Nothing could make that silence less hilarious.
The rest of the interview proved considerably easier to answer. When Dimitrova asked about returning to Practical Magic, Wiest had no trouble finding the words.
For Wiest, the magic came right back:
“Like silk off a spool. It was so easy because we have the same; we have each other... We know each other, even though perhaps we haven't seen each other for 30 years. There's still that trust. We're in the same house. We're in these clothes.”
Of course, neither actor spent those three decades tending herbs in the greenhouse. Wiest's work included Rabbit Hole—opposite Kidman—I Care a Lot and Apartment 7A. Channing starred as First Lady Abbey Bartlet on The West Wing and later appeared on The Good Wife.
But Jet and Frances were still waiting for them—and apparently, so was another family crisis.
Channing explained what has changed for the Owens family:
“Well, the stakes are higher in the second film. The outside world becomes more threatening. And threatens this little family, if you will.”
Practical Magic 2 also brings in a younger Owens generation, with Joey King as Sally's elder daughter, Kylie, and Maisie Williams as her younger daughter, Antonia.
While they faced another supernatural crisis onscreen, viewers were still recovering from the silence following Dimitrova's question.
And unlike Wiest and Channing, social media had plenty to say:
@andyparkertattoos/TikTok
@amylovattt/TikTok
@lolarosieee/TikTok
@witchy_gardening/TikTok
@olivialilymarks/TikTok
@x.toxictears/TikTok
@.tsum.tsum/TikTok
@banana_prolly_in_pajamas/TikTok
@h.13swift/TikTok
@user34386509/TikTok
@irinaguemez/TikTok
Awkward interview moment aside, the sequel still has some serious box office magic. Practical Magic 2 opened to $30 million domestically and $16 million overseas for a $46 million global debut, knocking Spider-Man: Brand New Day out of the top spot after seven weeks.
For Wiest, getting audiences into theaters is part of the experience:
“And when you go to the movies, it's not only that it's... This glorious light and the screen and everything, you're with a community of people. You have an instant community around you, and you all experience the same thing that you're watching.”
Dimitrova experienced that firsthand, telling the cast she looked around during Practical Magic 2 and realized everyone was crying at the same time. And with Stevie Nicks in the mix, really, who could blame them?
The full interview also features Xolo Maridueña, who plays Kylie's love interest, Gideon, and Solly McLeod, who plays dark warlock Tom Lockland.
Watch the full Everyman Cinemas interview below:
- YouTubeEveryman Cinemas
Maybe that's the real spell Practical Magic has been casting all along. Nearly 30 years later, audiences are still showing up to laugh, cry, and get swept up with the Owens women—even if some questions are better left floating unanswered over the midnight margaritas.
Park Officials Speak Out After Black Bear Has To Be 'Lethally Removed' From Grand Teton After Being Fed By Visitors—And People Are Livid
After monitoring the situation, park managers found the bear unusually difficult to "haze away" and said its escalating proximity to humans created an unacceptable safety risk.
The team made the decision to euthanize the bear before the problem could escalate. They shared their decision online, including a plea to guests not to feed these animals, who need to stay wild and not become accustomed to human interaction.
The team at Grand Teton National Park wrote, in part:
"On Friday, September 11, Grand Teton National Park staff lethally removed a black bear from the Delta Lake area after a concerning pattern of behavior, from both the bear and visitors, escalated over several days." ...
"The bear received multiple human food rewards and repeatedly approached people. Park staff increased monitoring in the area and found the bear unusually difficult to haze away, its behavior consistent with conditioning to human foods."
"Park managers determined that the repeated food rewards, escalating proximity to people and increasingly food-conditioned behavior created an unacceptable safety risk. Because Delta Lake is a remote backcountry location, wildlife staff darted the bear to immobilize it and then euthanized it on site. The bear carcass was flown out of the backcountry the next morning."
"We need to be clear—this bear was lethally removed because of poor decisions made by park visitors. It is everyone’s responsibility to help keep bears wild: Never leave food unattended, even for a moment." ...
The team also included photos of the black bear engaging with humans and human trash, especially leftover food and food wrappers left around the park.
After receiving pushback about euthanizing the bear, the team updated the post, explaining that relocating wildlife "isn't always a safe or effective option."
They said:
"In this case, after considering the bear's behavior and the circumstances, wildlife managers determined that other options had been exhausted and the bear posed a clear risk to human safety. Lethal removal is always a last resort. Park staff responded and monitored the situation with the bear as soon as we became aware of it."
You can see the post here:
Viewers were infuriated on behalf of the bear.
Grand Teton National Park/Facebook
Grand Teton National Park/Facebook
Grand Teton National Park/Facebook
Grand Teton National Park/Facebook
Grand Teton National Park/Facebook
Grand Teton National Park/Facebook
Grand Teton National Park/Facebook
Grand Teton National Park/Facebook
Grand Teton National Park/Facebook
Grand Teton National Park/Facebook
This situation was entirely avoidable. Park visitors must realize that these animals are not large pets, and the kindest way to show affection and appreciation for them is to leave them alone and let them be wild.