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New York Times
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
‘Shari & Lamb Chop': A Singular Talent Gets Her Due
I was a PBS-watching child, and one of the shows I loved was 'Lamb Chop's Play-Along,' with a theme song I could still sing for you today and an infinitely earwormy outro, 'The Song That Doesn't End.' (Sorry.) I was a little old for the show when it started airing in 1992 — I watched with my brother, who would have been a toddler around then — but no matter. The mechanics of the puppetry and ventriloquism were entrancing, and they all revolved around a curly-haired woman named Shari Lewis and her puppet friends, especially the lightly sardonic and always funny Lamb Chop. My mother told me she used to watch Shari and Lamb Chop on TV, too. But it wasn't till I was older that I realized what a trailblazer Lewis, who died in 1998, had been over her long career. She's the subject of Lisa D'Apolito's light and nostalgic new documentary, 'Shari & Lamb Chop' (in theaters), which is full of archival footage stretching from Lewis's early days on 'Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts,' the CBS variety show that provided her big break, through the children's shows she hosted single-handedly (so to speak) with her puppets from the mid-1950s to 1960s, including 'Facts N' Fun,' 'Shariland' and 'The Shari Lewis Show.' The film explores her work in the years after 'The Shari Lewis Show' was canceled, including nightclub acts, variety shows, telethons, county fairs and guest turns on various TV shows. And it chronicles her triumphant return to TV in the 1990s with 'Lamb Chop's Play-Along,' as well as her emergence as an advocate for children's educational television. This biographical information is presented in a fairly perfunctory manner, especially since Lewis's life isn't punctuated by any great scandals, the sort of thing that usually provides shape to biographical documentaries. Instead, the most interesting part of the film — aside from copious clips of Lamb Chop, who is just as funny as I recall, and pretty subversive, too — is its strong (if perhaps too brief) argument that Lewis has never gotten her due as a pioneer in children's television. Several interviewees suggest that Lewis was doing Mr. Rogers before Mr. Rogers was: speaking directly to the children watching the show, telling them that they were special and important, encouraging them and providing a positive adult presence for those who might not have that in their lives. Furthermore, the film makes clear just how talented Lewis was, and how easy she made near-impossible feats look. Several interviewees — including Megan Piphus Peace, a puppeteer for 'Sesame Street,' and Darci Lynne Farmer, a ventriloquist and winner of 'America's Got Talent' — discuss the incredible difficulty of operating two puppets separately, one on each hand, and talking to them both while keeping personalities and voices straight. Lewis was also able to sing while performing as a ventriloquist, which is phenomenally demanding. Her whole career was unusual: She got her start at a time when few, if any, ventriloquists were women. 'Shari & Lamb Chop' is a charming introduction to a remarkable artist and the characters she created, which have endured across generations because they reflect the playfulness at the heart of their creator.
Malay Mail
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
‘Running Man' hits 15 but still sprinting strong as Korea's variety king
SEOUL, July 11 — SBS's Running Man is now Korea's longest running variety show. Launched on July 11, 2010, it marks its 15th anniversary today. Its enduring success is said to stem from the strong cast chemistry and evolving game formats, as reported by Chosun Biz. The show boasts impressive stats: a peak viewership of 21.9 per cent (episode 133) and 759 broadcast episodes (and counting), a record for variety shows. Globally, Running Man is a powerhouse, spawning successful adaptations like China's Run Brothers (2013), and co-productions in Vietnam (2018) and the Philippines (2022). Its social media presence is huge, with 3.35 million YouTube subscribers and 2.7 million Instagram followers. In a recent 15th-anniversary recording, lead cast member Yoo Jae-suk, expressed deep gratitude, stating, 'The fact that we have come this far is thanks to the consistent love of our viewers. I am really thankful.' Director Choi Hyung-in also echoed his sentiment, noting, 'I believe we have come this far because of the support from our viewers. I hope for continued interest and love moving forward.' As part of the celebration, a special 15th-anniversary race is set to air this Sunday, July 13.
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jacquelin Ch'ng addresses smoking video
1 Jul - "It was all a misunderstanding," said Jacquelin Ch'ng, in her clarification regarding the viral video of her sharing a smoke with a friend. The actress, who spoke to the media when she appeared as a judge at a modelling competition recently, addressed the said video, where she was supposedly puffing a smoke and handing the cigarette to a male friend next to her at a restaurant. Stressing that she did not light up the cigarette, Jacquelin said that she was only passing it to her friend. "I have quit smoking for nearly 7 years. I was at a private dinner with friends that day, so everyone was more relaxed. After quitting smoking, I have always encouraged others around me to cut back on smoking, especially knowing that e-cigarettes are more harmful to the body and are illegal." As for her upcoming work, the actress said that she had just finished filming a new drama called "Case X Decoded" and will begin filming a mainland variety show soon. (Photo Source: Jacquelin IG, Guang Ming)
Japan Times
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Times
Pop group Tokio's Kokubun to leave Nippon TV program over compliance violations
Nippon Television Network on Friday announced its decision to remove Taichi Kokubun, a member of male pop group Tokio, from "The Tetsuwan Dash," its popular variety show, as he has been found to have committed compliance violations. Kokubun, 50, has accepted the decision, which was made based on the results of an investigation conducted by external lawyers over the compliance violations, according to the major Japanese broadcaster. Nippon TV will continue to broadcast the program. The firm and its parent, Nippon Television Holdings, decided on Kokubun's removal at their extraordinary board meetings the same day. Nippon TV President Hiroyuki Fukuda held a news conference on the matter later in the day, but he refrained from mentioning specifics about Kokubun's problematic acts out of concern for "privacy protection." "The Tetsuwan Dash" began airing in 1995, featuring Tokio members.
NHK
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- NHK
Japanese TV personality Kokubun Taichi to be removed from popular weekly program
Tokyo-based commercial broadcaster Nippon TV says personality Kokubun Taichi will be removed from a popular weekly program due to multiple compliance-related problems. Kokubun is the keyboard player for the pop group TOKIO. He is a regular member of NTV's weekly variety show "THE TETSUWAN DASH," or " The Iron Dash." NTV President Fukuda Hiroyuki held a news conference from 1 p.m. on Friday. Fukuda said NTV had confirmed that Kokubun engaged in multiple problematic acts and decided it would be inappropriate for him to continue appearing on the program. NTV said it cannot reveal any details of the incidents that occurred from the viewpoint of protecting privacy. The TV station says it does not intend to file a criminal complaint.
