Latest news with #humour
AU Financial Review
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- AU Financial Review
Owen Wilson's charm helps land ‘Stick' on the green
When Hollywood portrays sports on the screen, it's often represented in the comedy genre. Golf is particularly synonymous with humour. Separate from the idea that between strokes players drive around manicured links in a motorised cart fitted with Eskies, the game's sheer degree of difficulty – in the hooks and hacks of seasoned and casual players alike – makes it highly relatable for laughs. Think back to the Chevy Chase-Bill Murray '80s classic Caddyshack, or Tin Cup and Happy Gilmore in the '90s. Since then, golf stories have been absent from our screens. But as the split between the Saudi-backed LIV tour and the US PGA only serves to highlight greed and extreme wealth at the elite level, what better way to rehabilitate the sport's green-washed integrity than through a streaming comedy treatment?
Tatler Asia
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Tatler Asia
6 reasons why Park Bo-gum's ‘Good Boy' is your next must-watch K-drama
Dong-ju's cute little crush on Ji Han-na Above Park Bo-gum will have you rooting for him to win Kim So-hyun's heart. (Photo: JTBC) Yoon Dong-ju has it bad for Ji Han-na (played by Kim So-hyun), and he doesn't even bother hiding it. Park Bo-gum leans into his signature puppy-dog eyes to full effect, bringing a boyish sincerity to his affections that's hard to resist. Their chemistry is sweet and earnest, and you can't help but root for him to get the girl. Don't miss: 9 fan-favourite K-drama opening credits you wouldn't want to skip The champions-turned-crimefighters plot Above An ace with the rifle (Photo: JTBC) In Good Boy , former Olympians, stripped of the spotlight but not their fighting spirit, now channel their elite training into tackling street-level crime, with mixed, and often hilarious, results. From medallists to rookie cops, they segue into careers in the police force, trading podiums for patrols as they find new purpose. See also: Fists and flying kicks: 10 K-drama martial arts shows to stream now The stylised action sequences Above Lee Sang-yi's perfect fencer's form (Photo: JTBC) Their Olympic past gives each character a signature fighting style. Park Bo-gum's Yoon Dong-ju, a former middleweight boxing gold medallist, throws knockout punches with raw intensity. Kim So-hyun's Ji Han-na, an air rifle gold medallist, is an ace with a gun. Lee Sang-yi's Kim Jong-hyeon, a silver-medal sabre fencer, delivers precise strikes with a stick, all while maintaining flawless fencer's form. Tae Won-seok's Shin Jae-hong, a bronze medallist in discus, hurls manhole covers with ease and precision. And Heo Seong-tae's Go Man-sik, a Greco-Roman wrestling bronze medallist and the head of their team, dominates close combat with brute strength and expert grappling. Strong ensemble cast chemistry Above Big bear energy (Photo: JTBC) Even early on, it's clear that the cast's chemistry is one of the K-drama's biggest strengths, infusing each scene with warmth, humour and heart. Beyond Park Bo-gum and Kim So-hyun's adorable romantic tension, there's the compelling mentor-mentee bond between Heo Seong-tae and Park Bo-gum, a simmering rivalry with Lee Sang-yi and the easy, brotherly energy Tae Won-seok brings to the mix. Together, they form a lovable group of misfits whose chaotic charm makes them endlessly watchable. The familiar faces Above Lee Jung-ha from 'Moving' stars as Park Bo-gum's close friend in 'Good Boy'. (screencap from 'Good Boy', Prime Video) Beyond the main cast, Good Boy treats fans to a few delightful cameos and supporting roles. Moving 's Lee Jung-ha appears as Dong-ju's loyal friend, Lee Gyeong-il, while Alchemy of Souls ' scene-stealer Yoo In-soo takes on the role of the Golden Bunny Gang's Bagboy. Sharp-eyed viewers may also spot Choi Woo-jin, last seen in a memorable turn in When the Phone Rings . And in a delicious twist, It's Okay to Not Be Okay 's Oh Jung-se plays the drama's formidable big bad.
The National
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- The National
'It's how we speak': Gad Elmaleh on the language of Moroccan humour
A formative moment in Gad Elmaleh 's comedy career arrived as a child in the family home in Casablanca. After watching a romantic film, he turned to his parents and told them he loved them. Elmaleh recalls how his mother's reaction didn't go according to script: 'she just looked at me and said, 'what do you think this is, a French movie?''. Speaking to The National ahead of Friday's show at Etihad Arena – part of Abu Dhabi Comedy Season – the Moroccan-born French comedian, 54, describes the exchange as the essence of Moroccan humour – zippy and often used to deflect unexpected emotion or introspection. 'We come from a culture where real communication rarely exists. Sitting down and talking about everything just doesn't happen. So to say real things, we go through humour. It's how speak," he says. 'Sometimes when I was a kid, if someone was angry, it would come out as a joke. If you wanted to say something to a girl, or talk about feelings, you'd tease or make a funny comment. Humour is our filter. It's how we manage awkwardness.' The instinctive approach served him well. After moving to France in his late teens, Elmaleh hit the open mic circuit in Paris, where his quirky, autobiographical style gained traction and made him one of France's biggest international comedy exports. With television specials in both French and English, Elmaleh built a career on both sides of the Atlantic, supporting the likes of Jerry Seinfeld in the US and lending his voice to animated films including the French dub of Despicable Me, where he voiced Gru, and A Monster in Paris, voicing the character Raoul. That progression was aided by the indirect mentorship of Seinfeld. 'For me, as a beginner in English, it was such a great opportunity to go on stage in front of an American audience every single night, do my 15 minutes as an opener, and then stay backstage watching him do stand-up. It was a masterclass for me,' he says. 'He didn't always give me specific advice, but I learnt something every day just by being around him. We still talk all the time. We laugh. He's obsessed with comedy, and so am I.' That road to Paris and Hollywood, is also rooted in childhood experiences from his homeland. Elmaleh continues to make regular visits to Morocco, where he draws inspiration from everyday interactions. 'This is where my comedy DNA is,' he says. 'I'll give you an example: I was back in Morocco not long ago, spending time in Casablanca with a comedian friend. We were just walking the streets, watching people interact, and I told her, 'Is everyone here a comedian? What's going on?'' 'Every person we met had a way of saying something important without making it uncomfortable. They would tease, laugh at themselves. It wasn't a performance – it was just daily communication.' It's a form also absorbed from his father, an amateur mime, whose movements inspired some of the nervy mannerisms in Elmaleh's performance. He recounts the memory, naturally, with a touch of Moroccan wit. 'I don't really remember my dad teaching me anything. But I saw him perform. I copied him. It just became natural,' he says. 'Today when I'm on stage, it's physical, it's facial, it's slapstick and that's all from him. Now, of course, my father says the only reason he didn't become an international star was because he didn't want to take all the light away from me. He's lying.' His Abu Dhabi set, performed in French, will draw on some of his personal experiences shaped by navigating cultures, traditions and languages. All of this makes Abu Dhabi a fitting setting for a show that speaks to its diverse Francophone communities. 'The fact that I'm coming to Abu Dhabi is already material,' Elmaleh says. 'A French-language show in the Emirates, with people from everywhere, is funny before I even start talking. They speak the same language, but not the same culture. That's what makes it interesting. You've got French speakers from Morocco, Lebanon, Switzerland and Belgium, each with their own references and sense of humour. It's a mix of people who understand the words but not always in the same way. I like that complexity. It keeps me on my toes." It's also the kind of laughter people need in a time of growing social polarisation, Elmaleh says, noting how stand-up's resurgence is fuelled by its perception as a rare space for unfiltered truths. 'Everything right now feels tense,' he says. 'But comedy is a place where we can breathe. It's a place where you can say things, explore contradictions, and still connect.'
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First Post
27-05-2025
- Politics
- First Post
‘Dim the light': Ramaphosa recalls what Trump said just before the ‘ambush' at White House
South African President uses humour to recount tense Oval Office meeting with Trump, amid strained ties over trade, aid freeze, and false genocide claims read more US President Donald Trump shows documents claiming genocide against Afrikaners to South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office on Wednesday. AP File Days after his tense Oval Office meeting with US President Donald Trump last week, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday addressed the incident for the first time, responding with a hint of humour during his first public appearance since the encounter. According to a Bloomberg report, as Ramaphosa entered an infrastructure conference in Cape Town on Tuesday, the lights were dimmed evoking the US president's call to turn the lights down in the Oval Office to cue up a video montage that amplified his false claims of a White genocide in South Africa. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'When I came in, I saw the room going a bit dark,' Bloomberg quoted Ramaphosa as saying to the audience. 'For a moment, I wondered what is this? Is it happening to me again?' he added. Ramaphosa visited Washington last week in a bid to convince Trump to exempt South Africa from the full impact of his broad trade tariffs. The United States remains South Africa's second-largest trading partner, after China. Although the meeting began on a cordial note, Trump caught Ramaphosa off guard just minutes in by playing a video promoting his controversial views. 'At that point I was seated very nicely. I was beginning to get into a groove of interacting with this man, and I suddenly hear him say, 'dim the lights',' Ramaphosa was quoted as saying, reliving the moment for his Cape Town audience. 'Some people have said this was an ambush. I was bemused. I was there thinking what is happening?' he was quoted as saying. The Oval Office meeting marked the first face-to-face encounter between the two leaders, following months of strained relations. Tensions escalated after Trump froze US aid to South Africa over his claims of violent attacks targeting White farmers. He also publicly criticised Pretoria's genocide case against Israel — a key US ally — at the International Court of Justice. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The meeting came shortly after 49 South Africans of Afrikaner descent were flown to the US on a plane chartered by Washington and granted refugee status. The move was linked to Trump's controversial assertion that White Afrikaner farmers are facing genocide and land seizures by the South African state — claims not supported by official data, reported Bloomberg. Since the end of apartheid in 1994, there have been no state-sanctioned land seizures, and police statistics consistently show that young Black men are disproportionately affected by violent crime. Despite being blindsided by Trump's video during the meeting, Ramaphosa described the visit as a diplomatic success, noting that it opened the door to discussions on a potential new trade agreement between the two countries. He also expressed optimism that Trump would attend the upcoming G20 summit in Johannesburg this November, where South Africa will pass the forum's leadership to the US. With inputs from agencies
Hans India
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hans India
Varun Tej's ‘VT15' gears up for Korean schedule after electrifying Indian schedules
Mega Prince Varun Tej is set to push cinematic boundaries with his upcoming genre-bending Indo-Korean horror-comedy, tentatively titled #VT15. Directed by Merlapaka Gandhi, the film has already generated immense buzz following the release of a visually arresting poster on Varun Tej's birthday. Jointly produced by UV Creations and First Frame Entertainment on a grand scale, the film promises a unique blend of horror and humour, elevated by S Thaman's high-octane musical score. Production is progressing at a brisk pace, with two impactful schedules already wrapped. The team kicked off shooting with a traditional pooja ceremony in Hyderabad, followed by intensive filming across Hyderabad and Ananthapur. The latter included iconic locations such as the KIA grounds and scenic village landscapes, capturing much of the film's action-packed and humour-laced first half. The film features a vibrant ensemble cast including Ritika Nayak, Satya, and Mirchi Kiran, who have brought comedic flair to the spooky narrative. A key highlight from the Ananthapur schedule is a visually captivating song sequence between Varun Tej and Ritika Nayak, set against the rustic backdrops that perfectly complement the film's quirky, eerie tone. Now, all eyes are on the film's next leg, which takes the team to Korea. This international schedule is expected to delve deep into the cross-cultural horror-comedy fusion, fully unleashing the film's ambitious Indo-Korean premise. With its unique concept, star power, and international scale, #VT15 is poised to be a genre-defining cinematic ride.
