Latest news with #Janice
ABC News
3 days ago
- Health
- ABC News
Wayside Chapel welcomed couples rejected by mainstream religion
For decades, Wayside Chapel in Kings Cross, Sydney has been a haven for people rejected by mainstream religious institutions. Its founder, the Reverend Ted Noffs, not only ministered to the marginalised, he performed marriage ceremonies for divorcees and couples of different faiths. Years before gay marriage was legalised, he even blessed same-sex relationships. Playwright and author Alana Valentine has long been fascinated by the stories of people wed by Wayside. Indeed, her own mother, Janice, was a "Wayside bride". "My mother was [first] married when she was 18," she tells ABC TV's Compass. "She was pregnant with me, and then she had another child, my brother. She was divorced when I was five." In an era when most Christian churches would've shunned Janice — as a divorced mother-of-two — the Wayside Chapel welcomed her second chance at love. As a child, Alana was present for the big day. But it took many years before she realised the radical nature of their union, and the strength of her mother in rebelling against the prevailing social norms. "I judged my mother for all the things that children want a mother to be, rather than really who she was," Alana reflects. "She would come to school events late, she wasn't dressed conservatively, like the other mothers, she would wear the latest Vogue creation. When I got home from school there was not, you know, food for me to eat. "It's only now that I look back and think, 'Wow she was fantastic.'" Alana spent years researching and chronicling stories of the Wayside weddings, which she dramatised into a play for the Belvoir St Theatre. For her, the Wayside Chapel's legacy is not just one of love and acceptance, but of social justice and change. "Let's not pretend it's just these weddings in Kings Cross with a kooky pant suit-wearing minister," she says, referencing Reverend Noffs' trademark outfits. The Sydney institution also holds a special place in Kumar Ponnusamy's heart. His Indian Hindu father wed his white Christian mother at the chapel, which was followed by a vibrant procession including the couple's pink-hued poodle. "Wayside was a very progressive place, it was the only place that would marry them," Mr Ponnusamy said. Despite the chapel's support, Kumar says both sides of his family were unhappy with the union. "Neither of my grandparents ether side went to the wedding, which was unfortunate," he says. "I suppose it was a time where the Indian side of the family expected Dad maybe to marry someone Indian, and Mum's side of the family maybe expected her to marry someone that wasn't Indian. This spirit of radical inclusivity is something that drew Alana Valentine to the story of Wayside and the Reverend Ted Noffs. "I became really interested in the intersection of where the church had actually had a history in Australia with social justice movements," she says. "We know that Ted was a great supporter of the Aboriginal Freedom Rides, we know that Ted advocated on behalf of gay people at that time when homosexuality was still illegal." When hard drugs hit Kings Cross in the 1970s, Reverend Noffs was a key figure supporting those in need. "Ted was all about harm reduction and prevention over punitive measures," Alana says. "The church didn't like it, because he was preaching this more social justice message. "They thought it should be more 'saving their souls' rather than 'saving their bodies'. [Ted] saw this as hypocritical." For Reverend Noffs, it was "unthinkable" to reject people who didn't conform to rigid expectations. Over the years, Reverend Noffs brought many to the chapel — not just for Sunday services, but for plays, musical performances, and conversations in the coffee house. Ursula Zuffo was one of many locals who admired the work of Reverend Noffs. "He loved seeing when two people were in love and he knew what we'd gone through to get there," she says. Like Alana Valentine's mother, Ursula was a divorcee who remarried at the chapel. Her partner Sergio — a Roman Catholic — didn't have family support. "Sergio's parents wanted nothing to do with an Australian girl," Ursula recalls. "They didn't wish to come to the wedding. They told him … this little Wayside Chapel was a dreadful little place and it wasn't suitable for their son to marry in. "But we just took no notice of that carry on, and we got married. It was wonderful." By the 1980s, Ted Noffs had married thousands of couples and continued to minister at weddings and naming ceremonies. But at the end of the decade, he suffered a massive stroke, and his wife Margaret Noffs took over at the Wayside. "We're not only doing it because of the vision, we're not only doing it because it's something we want to do, but we're all doing it for Ted, too," Ms Noffs said at the time. Rev Noffs died in 1995, but his children and grandchildren have continued his vision through the Ted Noffs Foundation. Jon Owen is now the CEO and pastor of the Wayside Chapel and, according to Alana Valentine: "The radical theology of marrying whomever you like for love is still very much on the agenda." The playwright has come to value her personal relationship with this iconic institution. "I'm so proud I have a connection to this part of our social history," Alana says. "I realised I'm one of those Wayside people who value community, value connection." For Alana, a queer person and member of the Uniting Church, the Wayside Chapel's legacy is a reminder of how far society has come. "The freedoms and acceptance we have now, they were hard won," she says. "And the radical change in our society is really driven by very courageous individuals. "I think the truth of that is something we really need to remember right now." Watch The Wayside Weddings on Compass tonight at 6:30pm on ABC TV, or stream now on iview.
GMA Network
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- GMA Network
Janice De Belen receives flowers from Song Joong Ki
Janice De Belen is one lucky fan girl of Song Joong Ki! On Instagram, the actress shared some snaps taken during the South Korean actor's fan meet in Manila over the weekend. Among the photos Janice shared was a photo of herself with Joong Ki giving her a bouquet of flowers and a hug on stage. "Omg! Tonight was a super, super amazing night! I really did not expect to be on the same stage as my crush! May bonus pang flowers at madaming yakap! He is my ultimate fave Korean actor!" Janice wrote, adding that the Joong Ki holds a special place in her heart. According to Janice, she became a fan of the actor after watching his hit K-drama "Descendants of the Sun," which helped her to recover from sadness and pain after her mother passed away. "So tonight was monumental for me! Buti na lang hindi ako naiyak or hinimatay," she said. Joong Ki held his first ever fan meet in Manila at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on Saturday. Song Joong Ki rose to popularity after his role as Captain Yoo Shi Jin or Big Boss in "Descendants of the Sun." The South Korean actor also starred in films such as "Space Sweepers" and "A Werewolf Boy," as well as K-dramas "Vincenzo" and "Reborn Rich." Last year, he made a cameo appearance in "Queen of Tears" as Vincenzo. Song Joong Ki is married to Katy Louise Saunders. They have two children together. —Jade Veronique Yap/MGP, GMA Integrated News
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sarah Silverman's tender 'PostMortem' finds humor in the thing 'we're all terrified of'
USA TODAY and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article. Pricing and availability subject to change. There's an art to transforming the worst days of your life into causes for laughter. In Sarah Silverman's latest standup special, she turns an unimaginable gut punch – the 2023 deaths of her dad and stepmother, just days apart − into punchlines, and her heartbreak into wisecracks. 'I worry that people are going to think it's soft, (but) if anything it's the opposite because it's the hard stuff,' Silverman says, looking cozy in a gray sweater with a bubblegum pink beanie atop her raven-colored locks. 'It's something that we're all terrified of, that none of us can avoid.' Silverman's father, Donald 'Schleppy' Silverman and her stepmother, Janice, both died in May 2023. Her dad, who she has described as her best friend, had kidney failure, just nine days after Janice's bout with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer came to an end. Sarah Silverman devotes time in the 63-minute 'PostMortem' (now streaming on Netflix), to each of her parents, including her mom, Beth Ann O'Hara, a stickler for enunciation and blunt honesty, who died in 2015. From the stage of New York's Beacon Theatre, Silverman remembers her dad's days as owner of Crazy Sophie's Factory Outlet, his enthusiastic Yelp review for their dentist and the days leading to his death. Silverman shares stories of Janice, 'just the sweetest lady you could ever meet,' and her parents' starkly different reactions to Janice's diagnosis. Janice's 'reaction is so Janice,' Silverman, 54, says in 'PostMortem.' 'She just goes, 'Well, I'll just do everything you tell me. I'll just do every single thing you say, and I'll fight it.'' Meanwhile, Silverman's dad had 'the craziest' response. 'You just hear him go, 'I'm alone!'' Silverman says. 'Then he goes, 'I'm a widow!'' 'As awful as those last weeks were, it was really cathartic to spend, like, a year on tour talking about it,' Silverman tells USA TODAY. The PostMortem tour began Sept. 19 in St. Louis and wrapped in London April 28. Donald and Janice's deaths coincided with the release of her HBO special 'Someone You Love,' in May 2023, after which Silverman needed material for a new hour of comedy. So she pulled out the eulogy she delivered at her dad's funeral. 'When I started doing standup, this was all that I was thinking about,' she says. 'I would get to Largo (a club in Los Angeles) after cleaning out my parents' apartment with my sisters and just unload." Near the beginning of the tour, it felt 'heavy to get myself onstage and to figure it out,' she says. She had to finesse bits that weren't working. 'And then once I had it together, I was so excited to tell people about my parents every night.' Silverman and her dad grew closer as she got older. 'He was always really funny, but he was really scary when I was a kid,' she says, remembering his 'screaming out of control. ... He had a lot of rage issues,' but over the years he became 'a very chill, joyful, grateful man.' In 'PostMortem,' she says family and joy filled Donald's final days. 'We all got into bed with him,' she says. 'It was a great death. We were singing old camp songs. He loved camp. And telling funny Silverman family stories.' Behind those 'Big Dumb Eyes': Nate Bargatze's comedy and plans for after standup is over The honesty with which Silverman shares her stories has allowed her to connect with fans on a deeper level. 'One of my last shows, I think it was New Jersey or something, I could see a woman just losing it,' she remembers. 'And then when the show was over, she couldn't even get up because she was just sobbing.' Silverman called the woman over and the two embraced. 'She had just lost her dad and taken care of him just on her own. She didn't have any siblings,' Silverman says. 'I could feel her tears at my whole side (getting my) shoulder wet. 'Everybody relates to it in one way or another,' Silverman adds. 'Even if they go, 'I didn't have that relationship with my dad,' it seemed to really connect with people, and as a comedian, that's your dream.' This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sarah Silverman's 'PostMortem' standup special: Parents died days apart
USA Today
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Sarah Silverman's tender 'PostMortem' finds humor in the thing 'we're all terrified of'
Sarah Silverman's tender 'PostMortem' finds humor in the thing 'we're all terrified of' Show Caption Hide Caption What's next for Nate Bargatze? USA TODAY's Erin Jensen caught up with Nate Bargatze on his new book 'Big Dumb Eyes' and what's next after stand up. There's an art to transforming the worst days of your life into causes for laughter. In Sarah Silverman's latest standup special, she turns an unimaginable gut punch – the 2023 deaths of her dad and stepmother, just days apart − into punchlines, and her heartbreak into wisecracks. 'I worry that people are going to think it's soft, (but) if anything it's the opposite because it's the hard stuff,' Silverman says, looking cozy in a gray sweater with a bubblegum pink beanie atop her raven-colored locks. 'It's something that we're all terrified of, that none of us can avoid.' Silverman's father, Donald 'Schleppy' Silverman and her stepmother, Janice, both died in May 2023. Her dad, who she has described as her best friend, had kidney failure, just nine days after Janice's bout with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer came to an end. Sarah Silverman devotes time in the 63-minute 'PostMortem' (now streaming on Netflix), to each of her parents, including her mom, Beth Ann O'Hara, a stickler for enunciation and blunt honesty, who died in 2015. From the stage of New York's Beacon Theatre, Silverman remembers her dad's days as owner of Crazy Sophie's Factory Outlet, his enthusiastic Yelp review for their dentist and the days leading to his death. Silverman shares stories of Janice, 'just the sweetest lady you could ever meet,' and her parents' starkly different reactions to Janice's diagnosis. Janice's 'reaction is so Janice,' Silverman, 54, says in 'PostMortem.' 'She just goes, 'Well, I'll just do everything you tell me. I'll just do every single thing you say, and I'll fight it.'' Meanwhile, Silverman's dad had 'the craziest' response. 'You just hear him go, 'I'm alone!'' Silverman says. 'Then he goes, 'I'm a widow!'' 'As awful as those last weeks were, it was really cathartic to spend, like, a year on tour talking about it,' Silverman tells USA TODAY. The PostMortem tour began Sept. 19 in St. Louis and wrapped in London April 28. Donald and Janice's deaths coincided with the release of her HBO special 'Someone You Love,' in May 2023, after which Silverman needed material for a new hour of comedy. So she pulled out the eulogy she delivered at her dad's funeral. 'When I started doing standup, this was all that I was thinking about,' she says. 'I would get to Largo (a club in Los Angeles) after cleaning out my parents' apartment with my sisters and just unload." Near the beginning of the tour, it felt 'heavy to get myself onstage and to figure it out,' she says. She had to finesse bits that weren't working. 'And then once I had it together, I was so excited to tell people about my parents every night.' Silverman and her dad grew closer as she got older. 'He was always really funny, but he was really scary when I was a kid,' she says, remembering his 'screaming out of control. ... He had a lot of rage issues,' but over the years he became 'a very chill, joyful, grateful man.' In 'PostMortem,' she says family and joy filled Donald's final days. 'We all got into bed with him,' she says. 'It was a great death. We were singing old camp songs. He loved camp. And telling funny Silverman family stories.' Behind those 'Big Dumb Eyes': Nate Bargatze's comedy and plans for after standup is over The honesty with which Silverman shares her stories has allowed her to connect with fans on a deeper level. 'One of my last shows, I think it was New Jersey or something, I could see a woman just losing it,' she remembers. 'And then when the show was over, she couldn't even get up because she was just sobbing.' Silverman called the woman over and the two embraced. 'She had just lost her dad and taken care of him just on her own. She didn't have any siblings,' Silverman says. 'I could feel her tears at my whole side (getting my) shoulder wet. 'Everybody relates to it in one way or another,' Silverman adds. 'Even if they go, 'I didn't have that relationship with my dad,' it seemed to really connect with people, and as a comedian, that's your dream.'
Belfast Telegraph
20-05-2025
- Belfast Telegraph
Man arrested for farmer Michael Gaine's murder released without charge
Mr Gaine, a 56-year-old sheep farmer with land near Kenmare in Co Kerry, was reported missing more than eight weeks ago. On Saturday, partial remains were found at Mr Gaine's farm in Carrig East, and a crime scene was declared as gardai searched for further remains. On Sunday, a man aged in his 50s was arrested on suspicion of Mr Gaine's murder. He was held for 24 hours for questioning before being released. He was driven away from Killarney Garda Station in an unmarked garda car shortly before 11pm on Monday. Gardai said the Gaine family have been kept up to date with developments and said the family have asked for privacy. The search and examination of Mr Gaine's farmland is set to continue, gardai said, aided by the emergency services and Irish troops. Several personnel were seen digging near a barn on Monday afternoon while Irish soldiers searched a field further away by hand. Kerry Drain Services machinery was also seen at the scene on Monday. Over the past eight weeks, several appeals have been issued and extensive searches involving Irish soldiers, the Garda water unit and road checkpoints have been held to try to find the missing man. Around 2,200 hours of CCTV and dashcam footage and 130 witness statements were taken by the end of April. Mr Gaine's wife Janice and sister Noreen O'Regan issued a plea at that time, a day after gardai upgraded the investigation from 'missing person' to homicide. An appeal for the public to help with their investigation has been renewed by gardai this week. Those with information have been asked to contact the confidential Garda line or any Garda station.
