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New York Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
‘Good Night, and Good Luck' Remembers When TV Had a Conscience, and a Spine
In the Broadway play 'Good Night, and Good Luck,' the CBS newscaster Edward R. Murrow (George Clooney) allows himself a moment of doubt, as his program 'See It Now' embarks on a series of reports on the anti-communist witch hunts of the 1950s. 'It occurs to me,' he says, 'that we might not get away with this one.' It is a small but important line. We know Murrow's story — exposing the red-baiting demagoguery of Senator Joseph McCarthy — as history. And history, once set down on the page and stage, can seem inevitable. But Murrow's success was not preordained. It required hard, exacting work. It required guts. It required journalists to risk personal ruin and some of them to experience it. It's a point worth remembering. And it hits especially hard at this moment, when CBS News, headquartered just blocks away from the Winter Garden Theater, is again under political and financial pressure to rein in its coverage of the powerful. History is repeating, this time perhaps as tragedy. (CNN is airing the play's June 7 evening performance live, as if to give the news business a shot in the arm.) In 'Good Night, and Good Luck,' adapted from the 2005 screenplay by Clooney and Grant Heslov, all ends well, more or less. (The 'less' is implied in the stage production by a 'We Didn't Start the Fire'-like closing montage that ties the division and chaos of the past several decades to the cacophony of media.) Murrow ultimately received support — however nervous and limited — from his network. Its chief, William S. Paley (Paul Gross), fretted about pressure from politicians and from the 'See It Now' sponsor, the aluminum company Alcoa. But while Paley complained about the agita Murrow brought him, he did not pull the plug on the McCarthy investigation. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Irish Times
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
‘The Fourth Estate must succeed': Clooney's timely warning from history about Trump's authoritarian America
Heady days in New York City , with the Knicks basketball team enjoying their best summer in a quarter of a century and George Clooney chief among the true-blue celebrities to be seen in midtown Manhattan. Since March, Clooney has been a fixture in and around the Winter Garden theatre, where he has brought his enduring winsomeness and a garish black dye-job to the role of Edward R Murrow, the 1950s CBS anchor who was, in that fractious decade, regarded as the most trusted man in America. The conceit of the play Good Night, and Good Luck concerns Murrow's courageous stand against the bullying 'Red Scare' senator Joseph McCarthy despite mounting pressure from his network to just play ball. Clooney, who has never hidden his fascination with journalism, was filmed outlining the theme of the play at a meeting with fellow cast members in a segment that appeared on 60 Minutes before the March opening night. READ MORE 'When the other three estates fail – when the judiciary, the executive and the legislative branches fail us, the Fourth Estate has to succeed,' he said. 'Has to succeed,' he repeated, offering a knowing point to the camera, 'as 60 Minutes is here now on our first day.' But can it? On Monday, Wendy McMahon, the chief executive officer of CBS News, announced her resignation after four years, citing her disenchantment with the network's position in relation to a lawsuit issued against it by Donald Trump . The legal action concerns the US president's accusation that 60 Minutes, the flagship CBS current affairs show for six decades, edited a Kamala Harris interview to reflect favourably on her during the presidential election. Given the daily grotesquerie on display during the election rallies and interviews throughout last years, a complaint over editing standards seems almost quaint. But it represents the battle for control over the independence of US media for which the Clooney play provides a (staggeringly expensively ticketed) parallel. The Trump legal complaint states the editing was election interference and is demanding an astonishing $20 billion in compensation. In a resignation letter to her staff, McMahon spoke of the privilege of the role. 'Championing and supporting the journalism produced by the most amazing stations and bureaus in the world, celebrating the successes of our shows and our brands, elevating our stories and our people ... It has been a privilege and joy,' she wrote. 'At the same time, the past few months have been challenging. It's become clear that the company and I do not agree on the path forward.' The past few months have been overshadowed by the pressure from Paramount , the CBS parent company, to settle the Trump lawsuit even though CBS is adamant that it is without merit. Several legal experts have expressed the view that the network would win the case should it go to court. But Paramount is eager to complete an $8 billion merger with Skydance, for which it will require approval from the Trump-appointed chair of the Federal Communications Commission. Several Democratic senators have written to Paramount to express concern that it may be involved in 'improper conduct'. McMahon's departure follows the resignation of Bill Owens, the executive producer of 60 Minutes, who resigned in April after issuing a memo to staff stating that 'over the past months, it has become clear that I would not be allowed to run the show as I have always run it'. Last December ABC News settled a lawsuit with Trump, then US president-elect, for $15 million. By then, the Washington Post was in the midst of a series of high-profile resignations after its owner, Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezos, spiked the paper's planned endorsement of Kamala Harris. Among the recent slew of executive orders issued by the US president was a further blow to NPR and PBS, ordering the directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to cease funding, or 'cancel to the maximum extent' as 'neither entity presents a fair, accurate or unbiased portrayal of current events'. The attack is just an extension of Trump's long, slow war on mainstream media, which he both relentlessly pillories and yet of whose praise he remains curiously needy. Whenever a so-called 'fake news media' publication or network offers positive comment on Trump, it will quickly be highlighted in the White House press briefings. But as the Clooney play, hailing Murrow's lionhearted stance, enters its closing weeks, the US media is facing into many long, dark winters as it covers the 47th president's second term in office. In his later years, Murrow resigned from CBS and accepted a role as the head of the US Information Agency, the parent company of Voice of America, the long-standing international news network which delivers news to countries with restricted press freedoms. On Thursday, an appeals court declined to intervene in the executive order issued by Trump which will see 600 Voice of America contracts cancelled, and its broadcasts in effect silenced.
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
George Clooney's black hair dye fades back to gray for Tony nominee luncheon
George Clooney resembled his old silver foxy self while attending the 78th Annual Tony Awards Nominees Luncheon, which was held at 30 Rock's Rainbow Room in Midtown Manhattan on Monday. The 64-year-old first-time thespian has clearly been using temporary black hair dye to stain his signature gray locks in order to more authentically embody Edward R. Murrow in Good Night, And Good Luck. George - who kept his baseball cap on - impressively scored a Tony nod for best performance by a leading actor in a play for his Broadway debut as the late broadcast journalist interviewing Senator Joseph McCarthy. Clooney rubbed elbows with Broadway legends like Harvey Fierstein, who will receive the Tony Award for lifetime achievement in the theatre when the ceremony airs June 8 on CBS. The two-time Oscar winner was all smiles while chatting with Sunset Boulevard star Tom Francis, who's nominated for best actor in a musical. George was joined by his lead producer Sue Wagner as they chatted up Purpose star Kara Young, who's nominated for best featured actress in a play. Clooney will face heavy competition for the prize against Oh Mary's Cole Escola, Purpose's Harry Lennix, Purpose's Jon Michael Hill, Yellow Face's Daniel Dae Kim, and Stranger Things' Louis McCartney. The $4M-grossing play is also up for best scenic design, best costume design, best lighting design, and best sound design of a play at the Tonys. On June 7, CNN will make history as the first network to air a play live when they broadcast Good Night, and Good Luck. 'I can't tell you how exciting it is to do something that's never been done,' the Wolfs producer-star said in the press release. 'CNN is the perfect place to bring this story of courage to so many more people than we could have ever hoped. Live TV. No net. Buckle up everyone.' Director David Cromer's 1954-set drama, set in CBS Studios at Grand Central, runs through June 8 at the Winter Garden Theatre in Midtown Manhattan. George previously directed David Strathairn in the same exact role in his 2005 film Good Night, and Good Luck while he took on the role of Fred W. Friendly, a producer friend of Murrow's. Clooney will next take on the titular role in Noah Baumbach's heartbreaking comedy Jay Kelly, which hits limited US theaters November 14 before streaming December 5 on Netflix. Jay Kelly will also feature Adam Sandler, Billy Crudup, Laura Dern, Greta Gerwig, Isla Fisher, Riley Keough, Emily Mortimer, Patrick Wilson, Stacy Keach, and Jim Broadbent. George was joined by his lead producer Sue Wagner (R) as they chatted up Purpose star Kara Young (L), who's nominated for best featured actress in a play On June 6, the Nespresso brand ambassador and his second wife Amal Alamuddin will celebrate the eighth birthdays of their fraternal twins - son Alexander and daughter Ella. Last Saturday, the 47-year-old human rights lawyer daringly broke the Cannes Film Festival dress code by donning a black archival John Galliano gown for Christian Dior featuring a since-banned train. Amal glammed up to attend the world premiere of Apple TV+ documentary Bono: Stories of Surrender, which captures the U2 frontman's Beacon Theatre performance. The married couple of a decade - who began dating in 2013 - have been friends with the 65-year-old Irish rocker for years attending each other's birthdays, weddings, and Easter celebrations.
Daily Mail
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
George Clooney touches up 'awful' dye job as wife Amal takes on Cannes solo
George Clooney was greeted by fans in New York City on Friday night following a performance of his Broadway show Good Night, and Good Luck. The 64-year-old actor showed off his freshly dyed brown hair, days after flashing his graying roots at a Tony Awards event. The father-of-two — whose wife Amal Clooney is enjoying Cannes solo — was stylish in a black crew neck shirt, black leather jacket, and khaki-colored pants. Clooney rounded out his look with a pair of white and black Adidas sneakers and added lightly tinted eyeglasses. He was clean-shaven as he signed autographs for adoring fans outside of Winter Garden Theatre. George has earned his first Tony Award nomination, in the Best Leading Actor in a Play category, for his Broadway debut as Edward R. Murrow. His role in the stage show comes after he wrote, directed, and appeared as Fred Friendly in the 2005 movie of the same name. Good Night, and Good Luck follows journalist Murrow and his CBS news team as they confront Senator Joseph McCarthy, who has set out on an anti-communist campaign. Set in the 1950s, Murrow challenges McCarthy's aggressive agenda and defends journalistic integrity. He underwent a visual transformation in preparation, sporting a heavy spray tan and coloring his natural silvery locks. Fans have not been shy about their dislike of his new look, with some taking to social media to say he looks '20 years older.' One joked that he used a 'full blown black sharpie on his hair' and begged for him to get rid of the dye. Clooney admitted that his wife Amal also isn't a fan of his darker locks. George's wife Amal Clooney is enjoying Cannes solo while he works in New York The Hollywood vet has taken the criticism in stride, and even joked about it while being honored with his portrait at Manhattan restaurant Sardi's in April. The image reveal — a longstanding tradition for Broadway performers — showed him with his signature salt-and-pepper coif. After taking a look at the drawing, he joked, 'I like the hair color. It's much better than my hair color right now, adding, 'That's better. It's grey, mostly grey. There we are, thank you so much.' Clooney also acknowledged that his dyed brown hair is 'not good' while chatting with Gayle King on an April episode of CBS Mornings. King said, 'I have to take a moment looking at you with the dark hair,' prompting the leading man to interject, 'I know it's not good!' He noted, I'm not used to it, you never get used to it. Listen, I started getting grey when I was 25 so I've been grey most of my life, so [the dark hair is] not my favorite look.'
CNN
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
5 things to know for May 16: Severe weather, Transit strike, Birthright citizenship, Fluoride ban, UntitedHealth group
CNN will televise the penultimate performance of 'Good Night, and Good Luck' live on June 7. The Broadway play is an adaptation of the 2005 movie of the same name, which actor George Clooney directed about veteran journalist Edward R. Murrow's conflicts with Sen. Joseph McCarthy during the Red Scare of the 1950s. Since debuting in March, 'Good Night, and Good Luck' has earned five Tony nominations and has become the highest-grossing play in Broadway history. Here's what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day. Get '5 Things' in your inbox If your day doesn't start until you're up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to your new favorite morning fix. Sign up here for the '5 Things' newsletter. At least nine tornadoes were reported in Wisconsin and Minnesota on Thursday, displacing residents and prompting shelter-in-place alerts. According to a local sheriff, one person was transported to the hospital with injuries and significant damage was reported in Dodge County, Wisconsin. As of early this morning, up to 300,000 customers were without power in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. While a few strong thunderstorms may hit the Mississippi and Ohio valleys this morning, a much more widespread threat could reignite in the afternoon. From Missouri to Kentucky, severe thunderstorms are forecast with the possibility of a regional outbreak and a few intense supercells. 'All severe weather hazards are on the table, including damaging winds, large hail, tornadoes, and torrential rainfall,' the National Weather Service warned. Trains on the nation's third-largest commuter rail service ground to a halt overnight after its engineers went on strike. The New Jersey Transit work stoppage is expected to affect some 100,000 daily rail commuters who are being urged to work from home, drive or take the bus. Fans of Shakira and Beyoncé may also have to find a different way to get to their concerts at MetLife Stadium in the coming days. A previous deal, which would have given workers their first raise since 2019, was rejected because union members would still be making much less than the engineers at Amtrak and nearby commuter railroads who use the same stations. NJ Transit management said such pay requests are not affordable. The two sides aren't due to return to the negotiating table until Sunday morning. The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Thursday about whether to lift a series of nationwide orders blocking President Donald Trump from enforcing his birthright citizenship policy. Under the 14th Amendment of the Constitution, 'All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.' Yet on his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order that bars agencies from issuing citizenship documents to babies born in the US to non-US citizens. While five of the six conservative justices seemed open to backing Trump, they also didn't appear to be ready to endorse a departure from the longstanding precedent upholding birthright citizenship. The court's liberal justices spent much of the argument focusing on the practical implications of allowing the government to enforce the order. It's not clear how long it will take for the justices to issue a ruling. Florida just became the second state in the nation to ban the addition of fluoride to public drinking water. Utah was the first. The move, which was included in the Florida Farm Bill that Gov. Ron DeSantis signed this week, was in line with the state surgeon general's guidance against community water fluoridation. The CDC says water fluoridation benefits all members of the community by preventing cavities and reducing oral health disparities. In fact, the agency named the fluoridation of drinking water one of the 10 great public health inventions of the 20th century because it caused a dramatic decline in cavities. However, since taking office in February, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has pledged to roll back the CDC's recommendations that fluoride be added to municipal drinking water. UnitedHealth Group, one of America's biggest corporations, is in crisis mode. Last December, Brian Thompson — the CEO of its UnitedHealthcare unit — was shot and killed outside a hotel in midtown Manhattan. After an extensive manhunt, the suspected gunman was charged with stalking and federal murder. UnitedHealth had Andrew Witty take over as CEO, but five months later, he announced plans to step down 'for personal reasons.' Stephen Hemsley, the health insurer's board chairman and former CEO from 2006 to 2017, replaced Witty. Then, UnitedHealth abandoned its 2025 financial guidance, blaming higher-than-expected medical expenditures. This week, the Wall Street Journal reported that the Justice Department was investigating UnitedHealth for possible criminal Medicare fraud. In response, the company has seen its stock lose nearly $300 billion in value and its share price plunge to its lowest level since April 2020. The Grammy-winning singer was charged with one count of causing grievous bodily harm after being arrested at a hotel in England. The Boss has had it with the prezRock star Bruce Springsteen criticized President Trump and the policies of his administration during a concert in England, calling him 'unfit' for office. Peering into the pastUsing portable X-ray fluorescence, researchers studied 788 obsidian artifacts and discovered where the Aztecs once acquired the prized volcanic glass that they used for tools, ornamental pieces or religious objects centuries ago. FIA dials back driver penalties for profanityAfter receiving a groundswell of complaints, motorsport's world governing body announced that it was dialing back the penalties issued to drivers for cursing. The new guidelines also state that 'abuse of officials will now result in sporting penalties rather than fines.' Famed set builder hangs up his hammerStephen 'Demo' DeMarie, who has worked at 'Saturday Night Live' for 50 years, is planning to retire. During his tenure at the late-night show, the 87-year-old foreman has earned the nickname: 'The Boss of The Carpenters.' Todd Blanche, President Trump's personal attorney, was appointed acting librarian of Congress. Whom did he replace?A. Brooks HatlenB. Mary HatchC. Carla HaydenD. Evelyn Carnahan Take me to the quiz! $2.4 billionThat's how much Dick's Sporting Goods is spending to buy rival Foot Locker. 'I don't want to be responsible for killing 400 people.' — Air traffic controller Jonathan Stewart, who has been on trauma leave since experiencing two technological blackouts that left him and his staff unable to talk to planes or see where they were located, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal. Check your local forecast here>>> Saved in the nick of timeTwo baby orangutans were rescued in Thailand, just as a suspected trafficker was about to hand over the primates to a customer at a Bangkok gas station.
