Latest news with #JohnCReilly
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
I Lived Without a Sofa for 2 Months: These 3 Solutions Made It Work
Like many city dwellers, I've always had the problem of too little space in my Manhattan apartment. So when I found myself without a sofa for what I thought would be a week at most, I was thrilled. It felt like the scene in Step Brothers where Will Ferrell yells to John C. Reilly, 'So many activities!' It was the perfect time to declutter my living room before our new sofa arrived. But then a week turned into two months (hello, shipping delays and tariffs!), and I began to get a little antsy without the couch. There wasn't an estimated time for when the sofa would arrive, which made things worse. I thought, how long could we go without such an essential piece? I'm self-aware enough to admit patience is a virtue I lack. Still, after some griping to anyone who would listen, I finally decided that rather than grumbling about the missing couch, I would actually enjoy the free space and maybe even find another way to use it. Turns out, some people intentionally forgo sofas, so I thought I'd take a page out of their book for the time being. How to Adjust to a Living Room Without a Sofa Rethink Your Floor Plan Our previous sofa, which was a large, vintage corduroy sectional, took up most of the room. We actually had to hire a 'couch doctor' to disassemble it on the street and put it back together in our living room. So once it was in place, all the other furniture had to revolve around it. With this anchor piece gone, we had a great opportunity to rearrange things. Take the Opportunity to Declutter I'm a fan of regular decluttering and donating, but I'll admit that when I had a couch in this space, it felt a little overwhelming to do an inventory of the things I wasn't wearing or using anymore. It just felt like there wasn't a place to do that work. So, I took advantage of all the extra square feet to do a complete overhaul. I didn't even feel guilty about basically covering every inch of free floor space in our closet (when paring back my wardrobe) because I wasn't going to host guests anyway without a couch. And the couch-less area you see above also became a great staging area for decluttering other things in the apartment. Revel in the Free Space Channeling my original Step Brothers energy, I accepted what was and turned design lemons into personal lemonade, if you will. The couch-less living room became my rec room. It's somewhat embarrassing to admit this, but I don't usually have enough space to roll out a yoga mat and exercise, so that's exactly what I did. I also had several spontaneous dance parties when I needed a pick-me-up. Without the ability to sit on a sofa and watch television, I read more books than usual. And whenever I needed to sit in the room, I just pulled a chair in from the dining area and set up a desk at my dresser. In the end, our new sofa finally arrived. And while it was comfortable and pleasant for entertaining and relaxing, the room has become somewhat busy again. Even though I don't think I'd want to go that long without a sofa again, I'll admit sometimes I do miss those dance parties and decluttering sessions. Further Reading We Used Our New 'Room Plan' Tool to Give This Living Room 3 Distinct Styles — See How, Then Try It Yourself The Design Changemakers to Know in 2025 Create Your Own 3D Room Plan with Our New Tool
The Guardian
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
In defence of Step Brothers: the platonic ideal of Obama-era comedy
It's 2008. George W Bush is wrapping up his presidency. The world's economy is in turmoil, but Obama is ascendant. The US's – and the world's – problems will soon be solved once and for all. The peak comedy of this era is, of course, Step Brothers. Adam McKay's previous hit collaborations with Will Ferrell, Anchorman and Talladega Nights, hit a rich seam of man-children being elevated to folk-hero status. We could call it a thematic trilogy, if we were being a bit pretentious – like Ingmar Bergman's faith trilogy, but with more prosthetic testicles. Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning In Step Brothers, the duo finally boil their theme down to its bare bones: two grown men in their 40s inexplicably acting like 10-year-old boys. Brennan (Ferrell) and Dale (John C Reilly) are brought under one roof by the marriage of their parents (Mary Steenburgen and Richard Jenkins). At first, they respond the way any prepubescent imps would, with territorial acrimony and spite, before forming an alliance over their mutual hatred of Brennan's brother Derek (Adam Scott). Brennan and Dale are the epitome of what would later be known online as 'large adult sons' – giant, gormless failures, sheltered by low expectations. They brawl, assemble bunk beds, and destroy the lives of their retirement-aspirant parents with the destructive force of dogs who don't know their own size. These are the men of the 2000s: outsize children running rampant in a world that lets them do so. Critics were displeased. 'Another unashamedly juvenile comedy,' wrote Guardian reviewer Peter Bradshaw. 'When I left, I felt a little unclean,' said Roger Ebert. 'In its own tiny way, it lowers the civility of our civilisation.' Nothing will get me in the theatre faster than an affront to civility. Sign up to Saved for Later Catch up on the fun stuff with Guardian Australia's culture and lifestyle rundown of pop culture, trends and tips after newsletter promotion There are the prosthetic testicles, of course, and there's dog poo, farting, and raucous sex scenes. But Step Brothers transcends all that and builds its own world. It's juvenile and sublime, dumb and clever, dated and timeless. Ferrell and Reilly have a unique chemistry. They are revolting and endlessly endearing, skating easily over the script's cracks. Together, they invite us to laugh at a dying breed – the coddled, mediocre man – but also celebrate him. As with McKay and Ferrell's previous films, it's a man's world. Women condemn, but are ultimately enthralled by, this masculine freedom. Steenburgen's Nancy can't help but protect her large adult son from a world that expects too much (anything) from him. The film's innate irony, meanness, and childishness are the dying embers of the Gen X sensibility – a generation which, as the comedian Stewart Lee once wrote, 'profiteered from the assumption that political correctness was a done deal, and now we could have fun jumping in and out of its boundaries, like street kids round a spurting water main.' But of course, these men weren't dying out. They were mutating into something worse: media behemoths, CEOs and presidents. The dominance of the idiot man was far from over, but it's far more cruel than innocent. The large adult sons who rule the world are still ridiculous, but they're winning. This may explain why, after Step Brothers, McKay's films got angrier and more literal. His next, the 2010 buddy-cop comedy The Other Guys, ends on an unparalleled bit of tonal whiplash, as the credits are splashed with infographic stats about the beneficiaries of the sub-prime mortgage crisis. The Big Short, Vice, and Don't Look Up are angry polemics dressed up as comedies. 'Can you believe they're getting away with this?' he seems to be yelling at us. Yes. Yes I can. 'Sometimes I think I am living in a nightmare. All about me, standards are collapsing, manners are evaporating, people show no respect for themselves.' That, once again, is Roger Ebert in his 2008 review of Step Brothers. Roger, it was a beautiful dream, and one I cherish. The nightmare is now. Step Brothers is available to stream on Netflix, Stan, Binge and Prime Video in Australia and available to rent in the UK and US. For more recommendations of what to stream in Australia, click here
The Guardian
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
In defence of Step Brothers: the platonic ideal of Obama-era comedy
It's 2008. George W Bush is wrapping up his presidency. The world's economy is in turmoil, but Obama is ascendant. The US's – and the world's – problems will soon be solved once and for all. The peak comedy of this era is, of course, Step Brothers. Adam McKay's previous hit collaborations with Will Ferrell, Anchorman and Talladega Nights, hit a rich seam of man-children being elevated to folk-hero status. We could call it a thematic trilogy, if we were being a bit pretentious – like Ingmar Bergman's faith trilogy, but with more prosthetic testicles. Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning In Step Brothers, the duo finally boil their theme down to its bare bones: two grown men in their 40s inexplicably acting like 10-year-old boys. Brennan (Ferrell) and Dale (John C Reilly) are brought under one roof by the marriage of their parents (Mary Steenburgen and Richard Jenkins). At first, they respond the way any prepubescent imps would, with territorial acrimony and spite, before forming an alliance over their mutual hatred of Brennan's brother Derek (Adam Scott). Brennan and Dale are the epitome of what would later be known online as 'large adult sons' – giant, gormless failures, sheltered by low expectations. They brawl, assemble bunk beds, and destroy the lives of their retirement-aspirant parents with the destructive force of dogs who don't know their own size. These are the men of the 2000s: outsize children running rampant in a world that lets them do so. Critics were displeased. 'Another unashamedly juvenile comedy,' wrote Guardian reviewer Peter Bradshaw. 'When I left, I felt a little unclean,' said Roger Ebert. 'In its own tiny way, it lowers the civility of our civilisation.' Nothing will get me in the theatre faster than an affront to civility. Sign up to Saved for Later Catch up on the fun stuff with Guardian Australia's culture and lifestyle rundown of pop culture, trends and tips after newsletter promotion There are the prosthetic testicles, of course, and there's dog poo, farting, and raucous sex scenes. But Step Brothers transcends all that and builds its own world. It's juvenile and sublime, dumb and clever, dated and timeless. Ferrell and Reilly have a unique chemistry. They are revolting and endlessly endearing, skating easily over the script's cracks. Together, they invite us to laugh at a dying breed – the coddled, mediocre man – but also celebrate him. As with McKay and Ferrell's previous films, it's a man's world. Women condemn, but are ultimately enthralled by, this masculine freedom. Steenburgen's Nancy can't help but protect her large adult son from a world that expects too much (anything) from him. The film's innate irony, meanness, and childishness are the dying embers of the Gen X sensibility – a generation which, as the comedian Stewart Lee once wrote, 'profiteered from the assumption that political correctness was a done deal, and now we could have fun jumping in and out of its boundaries, like street kids round a spurting water main.' But of course, these men weren't dying out. They were mutating into something worse: media behemoths, CEOs and presidents. The dominance of the idiot man was far from over, but it's far more cruel than innocent. The large adult sons who rule the world are still ridiculous, but they're winning. This may explain why, after Step Brothers, McKay's films got angrier and more literal. His next, the 2010 buddy-cop comedy The Other Guys, ends on an unparalleled bit of tonal whiplash, as the credits are splashed with infographic stats about the beneficiaries of the sub-prime mortgage crisis. The Big Short, Vice, and Don't Look Up are angry polemics dressed up as comedies. 'Can you believe they're getting away with this?' he seems to be yelling at us. Yes. Yes I can. 'Sometimes I think I am living in a nightmare. All about me, standards are collapsing, manners are evaporating, people show no respect for themselves.' That, once again, is Roger Ebert in his 2008 review of Step Brothers. Roger, it was a beautiful dream, and one I cherish. The nightmare is now. Step Brothers is available to stream on Netflix, Stan, Binge and Prime Video in Australia and available to rent in the UK and US. For more recommendations of what to stream in Australia, click here
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jack White gets 50th birthday serenade from John C. Reilly at Detroit Tigers game
Detroit rocker Jack White got to celebrate his 50th birthday Wednesday, July 9, in grand and quirky hometown style: with a rendition of "Happy Birthday to You" from actor friend John C. Reilly at Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers. Reilly, clad in a Tigers baseball jersey, stepped to the mound ahead of the team's game versus the Tampa Bay Rays. At first, it looked to be your standard ceremonial first pitch by a visiting celebrity. White, a lifelong Tigers fan, sat in a stadium suite with his wife and mom. Then came the moment that clearly surprised White: With a count of "1, 2, 3," Reilly led the crowd in a birthday serenade to his musician pal. did they just become best friends??jk, they already were — Detroit Tigers (@tigers) July 9, 2025 The live sing along was followed by "Seven Nation Army" over the PA at Comerica Park, where that White Stripes classic has been a longtime go-to song for the Tigers. Reilly is a Chicago-born comic actor and musician who befriended White years ago through their shared bond as Midwestern-raised Catholics. In 2011, he released a pair of country singles via White's Third Man Records and more recently took a starring role in the music video for "Archbishop Harold Holmes," a hit track from White's "No Name" album. In a follow-up interview July 9 in the Tigers' broadcast booth, Reilly confirmed that the supersized birthday greeting was a surprise for White, who didn't even know his actor friend was at the ballpark. Reilly also noted that his jersey was the same one he wore in the 1999 movie "For Love of the Game," the Kevin Costner film in which Reilly played a fictional Tigers catcher. White, a southwest Detroit native, was born on July 9, 1975. He went on to form the White Stripes and lead a Motor City rock renewal at the turn of the 21st century. Contact Detroit Free Press music writer Brian McCollum: 313-223-4450 or bmccollum@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: John C. Reilly sings Jack White happy birthday at Detroit Tigers game
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
John C Reilly Is a Fast-Talking, Electrifying Preacher in Jack White's 'Archbishop Harold Holmes' Music Video
John C Reilly stars as a fast-talking, electrifying preacher in the music video for Jack White's song "Archbishop Harold Holmes" The Chicago actor released his debut album What's Not to Love? on Friday, June 13 "Archbishop Harold Holmes" is on White's 2024 album No NameCan John C. Reilly get an amen? In the music video for Jack White's "Archbishop Harold Holmes," released on Tuesday, June 17, the Step Brothers actor stars as a fast-talking preacher whose electrifying words compel churchgoers to find bliss and tell seven friends about his promises, among other things. "Dear friend, if you want to feel better/Don't let the devil make you toss this letter/If you've been crossed up by hoodoo voodoo/The wizard or the lizard," Reilly, 60, lip-synchs to White's rock song. "You got family trouble? Man trouble? Woman trouble?/No light through the rubble?/You're looking for a true friend or a true lover/Or if you've been living undercover," he continues, "I'm coming to your town to break it all down." The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now! The lyrics and visuals are reminiscent of another Harold, Professor Harold Hill of The Music Man, telling the residents of River City about the disastrous pool hall. Despite his seemingly well-intentioned messages, Archbishop Harold Holmes might not be the best spiritual leader, as fans will see at the end of the music video. "Archbishop Harold Holmes" comes from White's 2024 album No Name. is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more! Fans were thrilled about the collaboration between Reilly and White, 49. "Perfect match," one wrote. "a godly combo I never would've anticipated- Jack white and John C [Reilly]," another declared. "If ever a song needed a video, it's this one. Can't misss with JCR. ⚡️⚡️⚡️," someone else wrote. "Really can't think of a better person to cast," chimed in another. "John C. Reilly in a Jack White MV? This was never going to be on my bingo card but I'm sure as hell glad it's here," concluded one fan. This isn't Reilly's first foray into the music world. He starred in the 2002 movie musical Chicago as Amos Hart, which got him nominated for the Best Actor in a Supporting Role Academy Award. He also played the titular role in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. He also released his debut album, What's Not to Love?, which honors the Great American Songbook, on June 13. "I looked at our weary world a few years ago and tried to think of a way I could spread love and empathy," Reilly said of the album in a statement. "I decided the most fun way to do that was through performing and singing and telling people I loved them." "So the emotional vaudeville show Mister Romantic was born, out of both hope and despair. What's Not to Love? Is a collection of songs from the show with some cinematic audio weaved in." What's Not To Love and No Name are available to stream. Read the original article on People
