Latest news with #Feig
Montreal Gazette
2 hours ago
- Montreal Gazette
Suspect arrested in assault of Jewish father in front of his children in Montreal's Parc-Extension
Montreal Crime The Montreal police have arrested a 24-year-old suspect in connection with the assault of a Jewish man in front of his children in the city's Parc-Extension neighbourhood last week. The attack, which was captured on video, sparked widespread condemnation from politicians and Jewish advocacy groups. Police confirmed the arrest on Monday afternoon. 'It's a relief to the community and relief to the victim,' said Mayer Feig, an activist and spokesperson for Montreal's Hasidic community who posted the video on X. 'He's very, very traumatized and so are his kids.' The incident occurred around 2:20 p.m. Friday at Dickie-Moore Park, near the intersection of de l'Épée and Beaumont Aves. According to police, the victim, 32, had made his way to the park with his young children when the suspect approached him and sprayed him with his water bottle. Police say the victim attempted to confront the suspect over it, who then 'pushed him to the ground and punched him several times in the face and kneed him.' In the video, the suspect can be seen repeatedly punching the victim while he is on the ground. A little girl can be heard yelling as she stands beside and then clings to the victim, who manages to make it back on his knees and eventually stands. The video ends with the suspect walking away and throwing what appears to be a kippah on the wet ground near a fountain. Feig said the victim was hospitalized following the attack and suffered a broken nose. He said Monday's arrest came after a member of the community noticed a man resembling the suspect in the video in the same park and notified authorities. While he noted the attack could have been random, Feig said he believes it was motivated by hate. '(The suspect) finds his kippah there, which is his religious symbol, and takes it and flings it into the water,' Feig said. 'That leads me to believe — even though he didn't say anything — that it was based on hate.' Police said the suspect was still being interviewed by investigators Monday afternoon and noted the investigation is ongoing. 'The SPVM spared no effort in locating the suspect and is continuing its investigation to shed light on the circumstances surrounding this criminal act,' the police department said in a statement. 'The SPVM would like to thank the citizens who contributed to this outcome by providing information that helped locate the suspect,' it added. Over the weekend, Prime Minister Mark Carney described the attack as 'an appalling act of violence,' saying everyone in Canada has 'an inalienable right to live in safety.' This story was originally published August 11, 2025 at 4:19 PM.
Sydney Morning Herald
01-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Why Hollywood's comedy king thinks Aussies appreciate him most
Paul Feig, the American filmmaker behind Bridesmaids, The Heat, Freaks and Geeks, A Simple Favour and a whole lot more, makes no bones about what it means to be the inaugural recipient of a lifetime achievement award from South by Southwest Sydney. 'Gateway to death.' He laughs. 'No, I'm honoured, because I have spent my whole life working on this and hopefully I've got a few more years left. 'It'd be one thing if I wasn't working any more and couldn't get a job,' he continues. 'Then you'd be like, 'Oh boy, there's the booby prize'. But to me it's a great honour because I'm continuing to work and I'm doing stuff that I'm really proud of.' Feig (it rhymes with Smeeg) has just finished shooting a new feature, The Housemaid, which should be out by Christmas. Another Simple Favour – the sequel to his beloved crime-thriller comedy A Simple Favour (2018) – dropped on Prime Video in May, having debuted at the original SXSW in Austin, Texas, in March. And according to he now has about 20 projects – including a sequel to the 2015 Melissa McCarthy movie Spy – in various stages of development. At 62, the perennially dapper writer-director-producer has no intention of slowing down. 'I'm all about speed,' he says. 'My whole thing is I'm looking for runaway freight trains, because the things you develop for years are just caught in the muck and the mire, people overthink, it starts to sag, and people get tired of the stuff that was good, you know.' Getting a project up and running quickly is vital to maintain the momentum, especially in comedy. 'I think energy is the biggest thing that makes a movie or a project great,' he says. 'Everybody goes into it with a head of steam. I'm not saying good things don't come out of being cautious and taking time. It's just for me, that's not a pace I like. I like, 'blam, here it is'.' For the most part, that approach has served Feig well. Having started his career as a performer, he switched to the other side of the camera after his breakthrough role in Sabrina the Teenage Witch was cut after one season because, he was told, they didn't really know how to write for his character. 'It was this thing of, 'Wow, if you're an actor in this business, you're completely out of control'. They can fire you at any time. You are stuck in a contract for seven years unless they let you out of it. So it just cemented in my head that I want to do this.' His first attempt, a self-funded feature he wrote, directed and starred in (alongside illusionist Penn Jillette, of Penn and Teller fame), wiped out his and his wife Lauren's savings and was never picked up for distribution. 'I was like, 'it could potentially be over right now',' he says of the film, Life Sold Separately, which has not been released to this day. But rather than give up, he took inspiration from his friend Matt Reeves, who had just co-created the college drama Felicity with J.J. Abrams (Lost). 'I decided to write a pilot based on my high school.' The show was Freaks and Geeks, and after Judd Apatow, a friend from stand-up days, agreed to come on board as producer, he was off at the races. 'Suddenly we got sold to NBC, we're making a pilot, we got picked up. It was just redemption at the highest possible level.' The show only lasted a single season – and NBC initially screened only 12 of its 18 episodes before dumping the final six one Saturday night a year later – but it launched the careers of actors Linda Cardellini, James Franco, Seth Rogen and Jason Segel. And, obviously, of one Paul Feig. Those 18 episodes will screen at SXSW in October in a marathon 14-hour session. 'Sadly, I'm not going to be there when they're doing it, that would have been kind of fun,' he says. 'But I don't know if I could even survive that. I can't sit that long.' Also screening are Bridesmaids and The Heat. The first time I chatted with Feig was in 2011, when I met him, Kristen Wiig and Rose Byrne on a Melbourne rooftop to talk about Bridesmaids. At the time, the film was at the centre of a debate after some old hands (comedian Jerry Lewis, and journalist Christopher Hitchens among them) insisted women weren't funny. Looking back, can you even believe that was a thing? Loading 'Well, I'd like to say we've moved on, but our current political situation here [in the US] is just such a disaster. Always when things feel like they're accelerating forward, there's some nefarious force to put the brakes on and pull it back. 'I always thought the conversation about 'are women funny?' to be ridiculous,' he adds, 'because all I do is work with funny and talented women. The evidence doesn't bear out any of that, so it all just feels like misogyny to me when people say it.' Feig also found himself in the sights when his remake of Ghostbusters (2016), featuring an all-female team, was review-bombed on Rotten Tomatoes before anyone had even seen it. The attacks on African-American comedian Leslie Jones were especially vile. 'If you look at the timing, it was right during the rise of Trump,' he says. 'The manosphere, which I didn't realise existed, had an axe to grind, and we were the perfect moment for them.' His response, he admits, was one of shock. 'I was such a novice to criticism on the internet at that point because, from Freaks and Geeks to Bridesmaids, The Office [he directed 15 episodes of the US version], all these things I'd been involved with were really popular, it was just nothing but goodwill out there for what I was doing. And so, when suddenly it turns, you're like, 'Wait, who are these evil-feeling forces that are coming at me with such anger and venom?' It kind of knocks you sideways. 'Now I'm immune to it,' he adds. 'But at the time, it brings up all the old bullying and things you went through as a kid. And you just realise, 'OK, I can be in my 50s and still be completely pulled back into the schoolyard'.' Thankfully, that's all a long way behind him now. A lifetime, you might say. Feig admits he is looking forward to receiving the award in person and to visiting a country that has always embraced his work again. 'I think Australians have a great sense of humour, and they kind of get what I go for,' he says. 'All my movies are comedies, even when they're thrillers or whatever. I mean, some are very hidden dark comedies, but they're still meant to entertain you. 'It's OK to laugh when things get extreme,' he says. 'And I just feel like Aussie audiences have always kind of gotten that.'
The Age
01-08-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
Why Hollywood's comedy king thinks Aussies appreciate him most
Paul Feig, the American filmmaker behind Bridesmaids, The Heat, Freaks and Geeks, A Simple Favour and a whole lot more, makes no bones about what it means to be the inaugural recipient of a lifetime achievement award from South by Southwest Sydney. 'Gateway to death.' He laughs. 'No, I'm honoured, because I have spent my whole life working on this and hopefully I've got a few more years left. 'It'd be one thing if I wasn't working any more and couldn't get a job,' he continues. 'Then you'd be like, 'Oh boy, there's the booby prize'. But to me it's a great honour because I'm continuing to work and I'm doing stuff that I'm really proud of.' Feig (it rhymes with Smeeg) has just finished shooting a new feature, The Housemaid, which should be out by Christmas. Another Simple Favour – the sequel to his beloved crime-thriller comedy A Simple Favour (2018) – dropped on Prime Video in May, having debuted at the original SXSW in Austin, Texas, in March. And according to he now has about 20 projects – including a sequel to the 2015 Melissa McCarthy movie Spy – in various stages of development. At 62, the perennially dapper writer-director-producer has no intention of slowing down. 'I'm all about speed,' he says. 'My whole thing is I'm looking for runaway freight trains, because the things you develop for years are just caught in the muck and the mire, people overthink, it starts to sag, and people get tired of the stuff that was good, you know.' Getting a project up and running quickly is vital to maintain the momentum, especially in comedy. 'I think energy is the biggest thing that makes a movie or a project great,' he says. 'Everybody goes into it with a head of steam. I'm not saying good things don't come out of being cautious and taking time. It's just for me, that's not a pace I like. I like, 'blam, here it is'.' For the most part, that approach has served Feig well. Having started his career as a performer, he switched to the other side of the camera after his breakthrough role in Sabrina the Teenage Witch was cut after one season because, he was told, they didn't really know how to write for his character. 'It was this thing of, 'Wow, if you're an actor in this business, you're completely out of control'. They can fire you at any time. You are stuck in a contract for seven years unless they let you out of it. So it just cemented in my head that I want to do this.' His first attempt, a self-funded feature he wrote, directed and starred in (alongside illusionist Penn Jillette, of Penn and Teller fame), wiped out his and his wife Lauren's savings and was never picked up for distribution. 'I was like, 'it could potentially be over right now',' he says of the film, Life Sold Separately, which has not been released to this day. But rather than give up, he took inspiration from his friend Matt Reeves, who had just co-created the college drama Felicity with J.J. Abrams (Lost). 'I decided to write a pilot based on my high school.' The show was Freaks and Geeks, and after Judd Apatow, a friend from stand-up days, agreed to come on board as producer, he was off at the races. 'Suddenly we got sold to NBC, we're making a pilot, we got picked up. It was just redemption at the highest possible level.' The show only lasted a single season – and NBC initially screened only 12 of its 18 episodes before dumping the final six one Saturday night a year later – but it launched the careers of actors Linda Cardellini, James Franco, Seth Rogen and Jason Segel. And, obviously, of one Paul Feig. Those 18 episodes will screen at SXSW in October in a marathon 14-hour session. 'Sadly, I'm not going to be there when they're doing it, that would have been kind of fun,' he says. 'But I don't know if I could even survive that. I can't sit that long.' Also screening are Bridesmaids and The Heat. The first time I chatted with Feig was in 2011, when I met him, Kristen Wiig and Rose Byrne on a Melbourne rooftop to talk about Bridesmaids. At the time, the film was at the centre of a debate after some old hands (comedian Jerry Lewis, and journalist Christopher Hitchens among them) insisted women weren't funny. Looking back, can you even believe that was a thing? Loading 'Well, I'd like to say we've moved on, but our current political situation here [in the US] is just such a disaster. Always when things feel like they're accelerating forward, there's some nefarious force to put the brakes on and pull it back. 'I always thought the conversation about 'are women funny?' to be ridiculous,' he adds, 'because all I do is work with funny and talented women. The evidence doesn't bear out any of that, so it all just feels like misogyny to me when people say it.' Feig also found himself in the sights when his remake of Ghostbusters (2016), featuring an all-female team, was review-bombed on Rotten Tomatoes before anyone had even seen it. The attacks on African-American comedian Leslie Jones were especially vile. 'If you look at the timing, it was right during the rise of Trump,' he says. 'The manosphere, which I didn't realise existed, had an axe to grind, and we were the perfect moment for them.' His response, he admits, was one of shock. 'I was such a novice to criticism on the internet at that point because, from Freaks and Geeks to Bridesmaids, The Office [he directed 15 episodes of the US version], all these things I'd been involved with were really popular, it was just nothing but goodwill out there for what I was doing. And so, when suddenly it turns, you're like, 'Wait, who are these evil-feeling forces that are coming at me with such anger and venom?' It kind of knocks you sideways. 'Now I'm immune to it,' he adds. 'But at the time, it brings up all the old bullying and things you went through as a kid. And you just realise, 'OK, I can be in my 50s and still be completely pulled back into the schoolyard'.' Thankfully, that's all a long way behind him now. A lifetime, you might say. Feig admits he is looking forward to receiving the award in person and to visiting a country that has always embraced his work again. 'I think Australians have a great sense of humour, and they kind of get what I go for,' he says. 'All my movies are comedies, even when they're thrillers or whatever. I mean, some are very hidden dark comedies, but they're still meant to entertain you. 'It's OK to laugh when things get extreme,' he says. 'And I just feel like Aussie audiences have always kind of gotten that.'
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
7 cheat codes for retiring in a volatile market
You've saved for decades. You've planned. Now the market tanks right as you're preparing to retire and leave your 9-5 job behind for good. That kind of timing can throw even the best-laid plans into chaos. The danger here is taking money out of your retirement accounts when their value is down. It's called sequence of returns risk, and it can drain your portfolio faster than expected. You can think of it like playing Connect Four, the classic board game, says Kevin Feig, a certified financial planner and owner of Walk You To Wealth. 'There's a sequence of gameplay that will win every time if you have the opportunity to go first,' he says. But since most people flip a coin to decide who goes first, your entire strategy is left to fate. 'That's what retiring in a down market is like,' says Feig. 'It's out of your control and it can quickly skew the game against you.' Retiring in a down market isn't the end of the world — but it is a high-stakes moment. The moves you make early on will set the tone for the rest of your retirement. So how can you level the playing field? Here are seven practical strategies to help protect your nest egg and stretch your money through a market downturn. Learn more: How to build a financial plan for you and your family The bucket strategy is a simple way to manage your retirement savings so you're not forced to sell investments when the market is down. It works by dividing your savings into three buckets based on when you'll need the money: Short-term bucket (0-2 years): Cash or cash equivalents like money market funds or high-yield savings accounts. Mid-term bucket (2-8 years): Bonds or conservative investments that generate steady income. Long-term bucket (8+ years): Stocks and growth-oriented investments. 'An investor will often have perhaps one to three years of living expenses in cash or very short-term bonds which are unlikely to lose any money, and perhaps another two to three years in medium-term bonds,' says Erik Goodge, a certified financial planner and founder of uVest Advisory Group. Then, the rest of the portfolio is kept in a mix of stocks and longer-term bonds, says Goodge. 'This way, they could fund several years of living expenses without resorting to selling any equities or long-term bonds at a loss,' he says. This gives your long-term investments time to bounce back, which is crucial. Markets don't stay down forever — but if you start selling low, your portfolio may not recover, leaving you with fewer resources for the rest of retirement. Most experts recommend keeping at least one to two years' worth of living expenses in cash as you enter retirement. If your monthly expenses are $4,000, that's $48,000 to $96,000 in a liquid account. Why is it important to have so much cash on hand? Because when markets tank, this cash cushion buys you time. You'll have breathing room to wait for the rebound. Cash doesn't grow much, but it isn't exposed to market volatility either. Keep in mind: This isn't an emergency fund — you generally still want three-to-six months worth of living expenses tucked away for a rainy day. Instead, think of this cash reserve as your first line of defense against a bear market. However, Feig says how much you should keep in cash depends on how diversified your income sources are. 'If you're collecting Social Security, rental income and a pension, along with retirement assets, then your cash reserve can likely be similar to a traditional emergency fund of three to six months,' he says. But if you're primarily relying on investment income, then 'ideally 24 to 36 months is recommended,' says Feig. Unfortunately, if your cash reserve isn't large enough, you might need to sell investments in a down market. If you find yourself in that situation, do so strategically. First, avoid panic-selling a big chunk of your portfolio. Easier said than done if you're actively watching your retirement account balance plummet day after day, but experts like Justin Pritchard, a certified financial planner at Approach Financial Planning, say it's crucial to keep a cool head. 'When your investments are down, selling locks in losses, and you can potentially run out of money sooner,' he says. 'Every withdrawal takes a bigger bite out of your portfolio than it would take if the market was rising.' For example, you might need to sell 25 shares to generate $1,000 instead of selling 15 or 20 shares. 'You deplete your holdings faster, making it less likely that your money will last for your life,' says Pritchard. Instead, tap your most conservative holdings first — typically bonds or bond funds. These usually lose less value during downturns. If you're forced to sell stocks, consider harvesting tax losses at the same time to offset capital gains elsewhere. A down market isn't optimal, but some experts consider it an ideal time to do a Roth conversion — moving money from a traditional IRA or 401(k) into a Roth IRA. You'll be subject to income taxes on the amount converted now, but future withdrawals will be tax-free. If you convert when the market is down and values are low, you'll pay taxes on a smaller amount, and when the market recovers, all that growth happens inside your tax-free Roth. A Roth conversion isn't for everyone, and it can potentially bump you into a higher tax bracket. But for people in a lower-income year (like early retirement), it can be a beneficial long-term strategy. Talk to a financial advisor or a tax professional to make sure it fits your situation. Get matched: Find a financial advisor who can help you maximize your investments During the accumulation phase of your career, reinvesting dividends makes sense because you're building your portfolio. But once you're retired and drawing income, take your dividends in cash — especially in a down market. This gives you a built-in income stream without having to sell anything. If your portfolio pays out 2 to 4 percent annually in dividends, that could cover some of your living expenses. It's not a full-income strategy, but it reduces how much you need to withdraw from other assets during a market slump. Most of these cheat codes deal with investing, but the truth is, if you can hold off on large, optional purchases during a market downturn, you can reduce how much money you need to withdraw in the first place. 'If you adjust your spending to market movements, you can make your money last longer,' says Pritchard. It might sound like common sense, but it works. Big expenses early in retirement can compound sequence risk, especially if you're funding them by selling investments at a loss. Some retirees even take a temporary 'pay cut' from their portfolios during downturns — living on less until things recover. 'Of course, you need to be able to live comfortably, so if things are already tight, there might not be much room for adjustment,' says Pritchard. A market downturn isn't the time to DIY with your retirement plan based on headlines or hot takes. When markets are volatile and your income is no longer coming from a steady paycheck, speaking with a trustworthy financial advisor is a smart move. A fiduciary financial advisor can help you: Set up or refine your bucket strategy. Analyze your withdrawal rates. Minimize taxes by strategically selling assets. Keep your emotions in check. Financial advisors aren't just for the wealthy, either. Many work on a flat fee or hourly basis. So for $200-$400, you can meet to review your portfolio, assess your game plan and ensure you're on track. The right advisor can help you avoid costly mistakes — and that's usually worth more than their fee. Get started: Match with an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals Retiring during a down market isn't ideal, but it's not a disaster either. With the right strategies — like using a bucket system, keeping plenty of cash and carefully managing withdrawals — you can protect your retirement savings. Combine that with expert guidance and smart timing on big expenses, and you can still enjoy the retirement you've worked so hard for. Editorial Disclaimer: All investors are advised to conduct their own independent research into investment strategies before making an investment decision. In addition, investors are advised that past investment product performance is no guarantee of future price appreciation. 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Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Another Simple Favor' director dispels 'frustrating' Blake Lively rumors: 'Outrage is the most boring emotion'
Paul Feig has once again come to Blake Lively's defense. The Another Simple Favor director was quick to shut down rumors of a feud between Lively and her costar Anna Kendrick, during a recent chat with Esquire. "Blake is an amazing collaborator, so when I read people's misconceptions about how movies are made, it's just frustrating for me,' the filmmaker said. "Every star I've worked with works this way. The idea that a star just shows up and you go 'Here's the script' — please point me to one movie star who works that way." "When the gang on the internet get [up in arms] about something, it's just like, 'Guys, you don't know what you're talking about.' I love working with Blake — she's just the best," he continued, In addition to the feud rumors, Lively continues to make headlines amid her ongoing legal battle with her It Ends With Us costar and director, Justin Baldoni. Feig made his support of Lively clear in the early days of the conflict, and remains weary of the heated reaction to Lively on social media. "Outrage is the most boring emotion humans have these days," Feig said. "When it's towards something meaningful, that's great. But people get outraged at everything? It's like, this is what you're angry about?" "There's other things to be outraged about — please, go and help make the world a better place," he concluded. Last year, Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni and his film studio Wayfarer (after first filing a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department), accusing him of sexual harassment on set and orchestrating a smear campaign against her in the aftermath. Baldoni then filed his own lawsuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, alleging defamation, civil extortion, and breach of contract. Feig was among many celebrities who defended Lively in the immediate wake of the complaint, speaking highly of his time working with her on 2018's A Simple Favor and its newly released sequel. "I've now made two movies with Blake, and all I can say is she's one of the most professional, creative, collaborative, talented, and kind people I've ever worked with," Feig wrote last year on X. "She truly did not deserve any of this smear campaign against her. I think it's awful she was put through this."Another Simple Favor reunited Lively, Kendrick and Feig for a twisty black comedy about a mommy blogger turned amateur detective and the murderous con-artist whose life she gets drawn back into. Although directing the film meant breaking his no-sequel rule, Feig has already indicated that he's ready for round 3. "It's all sitting right there to be picked off the tree," he told Entertainment Weekly of a potential third movie. "Look, as much as I don't like to do sequels and have avoided them, I have no rule against three-quels. There's much more fun to be had with these characters and to see what they can get into and how they can get out of it." Another Simple Favor is now streaming on Prime Video. Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly
