Canes and Chuckles
At the ‘Meet the Parents’ Premiere
By Brandon Judell
FWD New York September 14, 2000 – It was a bad day for left feet at the tres chic Tribeca Grand Hotel last night.
Yes, at the premiere gala for Universal’s hilarious new comedy, “Meet the Parents,” Gwyneth Paltrow’s mom, Blythe Danner, went into hysterics when she ran into co-star Phyllis George, Miss America of 1971.
Both ladies, unbeknownst to the other, were hobbling about with canes, each with a stylish shoe on their right foot, and something less lovely on their left. Ms. Danner’s explanation: “Skydiving. I won’t tell the truth because it’s too boring. Just say Phyllis and I met midair and unfortunately clonked our feet, and that was it.”
Ms. George, who looked as good as she did 29 years ago pounding out “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head” and “Promises, Promises” on a piano to win her crown, was quite proud of her bright red cane with its cowboy boot handle. “I collect folk art canes from my Kentucky days, and I had about thirty of these. So I went upstairs and grabbed a Texas boot because I was born and raised in Texas. It also sort of matched my top.”
As for her stylish waist-length outerwear? “Oh, I got this in Italy this summer. Coming down to the Tribeca Grand to celebrate being in a Ben Stiller movie with Robert De Niro, you have to look kind of hot so I got the black leather jacket out.”
And she was right. It was a reason to look hot since that was one of the adjectives the crowd used to describe “Meet the Parents” after its screening. “Charming,” “a winner” and “a laugh riot” were others.
The simple plot line is about Greg Focker (Stiller), a young male nurse who arrives at the Port Washington, New York home of the girl he loves to ask her father (De Niro) for her hand. Little does Greg know, Dad, who’s very protective of his offspring, has a secret CIA past making him capable of giving lie detector tests to all wooers. And that’s just for starters.
Director Jay Roach, best known for helming the two “Austin Powers” hits, swears the film’s not autobiographical. “I am married,” he explained, “but I did not have any trouble with my wife’s parents although I fantasized that I would because my father-in-law is a shrink. Also, I have a hard time seeing myself as anything other than being completely dysfunctional and mentally ill. So meeting with my future wife’s parents, I wanted to impress them. I wanted to be funny. But all the time I knew my future father-in-law might have X-ray vision and be able to see right into my brain and know everything there is to know about me. That’s why I cast Robert De Niro. He can cause that anxiety.”
A somber Stiller, attired in black, who just got married in May to Christine Taylor (Marcia Brady in those Brady flicks) also could relate to the premise. “It’s just that acceptance thing,” he noted. “I was lucky my in-laws were incredible but I was very nervous. I wanted to make a good impression because all of a sudden you know you’re being judged. Also her dad, who’s kind of an intimidating guy, works in the security business. And since we got engaged during the filming of “Meet the Parents,” I felt there was a strange power going on.”
De Niro, however, emphatically shared: “I never had that problem. I don’t know why. I somehow got around it.” Was it possible his dates’ parents were afraid of him? De Niro just shrugged as Regis Philbin and weatherman Al Roker ran for the mushroom risotto that was being dished out nearby. Tasting it a bit later, I couldn’t blame them. It was exquisite.
‘Unbreakable’ Proves Shatterproof
At Last Night’s Premiere
By Brandon Judell
FWD November 15, 2000 – “I’d like to jump off the ground and fly off the earth.” Bruce Willis admitted this would be the first thing he’d do if he had his choice. But last night at the Ziegfeld Theatre he was earthbound, attired in an elegant black suit with matching black shirt for the “Unbreakable” premiere, his second outing with director M. Night Shyamalan. Their first, “The Sixth Sense,” grossed over $293 million in the United States alone.
“Unbreakable,” in which Willis plays a man whom automobile accidents and train wrecks can’t kill, has already garnered positive reviews that claim it might equal its predecessor in popularity.
Willis agrees. “I’m happy to be involved in it,” he says. And as for his ebony attire: “I don’t know who designed it. I never know.”
Willis’ costar Samuel L. Jackson, who arrived wearing a black beret, said, “You know, taking this part was pretty much a no-brainer. I thought Shyamalan was a very talented man. I talked to him, I read the script and I signed on.” As for working with Willis: “He’s my friend. I love him. We get along both on and off-screen. We have a great trust.”
Mr. Night Shyamalan was even happier. “You know, my first two movies boasted just $300,000 total,” he said. “Then Bruce said ‘yes’ to ‘The Sixth Sense,’ and everything fell into place.”
MTV’s Ananda Lewis wore a black T-shirt with the message “Boys Lie.” “Boys lie and that’s the truth,” she said. “They’re not brave enough to tell the truth ever.”
Sean “Puffy” Combs, standing by, didn’t seem to agree so he switched the topic back to his favorite actor: “I’ve been a Samuel Jackson fan forever. You know, for me turning to the acting field, he’s one of the actors that I aspire to follow.” As for his gray sock hat, sweatshirt, pants and even gray shoes, they’re “all from my label. What would you think otherwise?”
Hollywood’s most in-demand composer Danny Elfman was dressed in a long black-and-white checkered sports jacket from Yohji Yamamoto. “Everything in my closet is from Yohji,” he said. “I’m 99 percent Yohji.” The other one percent? A rhinestoned cowboy tie with Elvis Presley’s face on it. Elfman, by the way, leaked he’s working on a ballet version of “Edward Scissorhands” with choreographer Matthew Borne. Well, you heard it here first.
In fact possibly the only person not transformed by the buzz last night was Peter Schneider, chairman of Disney Studios. In his trademark red shoes which he collects (tonight’s were J.P. Tod’s red suede loafers), he admitted: “I never feel assured about anything. Never. One has to be always vigilant and always sort of nervous. But this is an artistic work. People have to respond to it. People have to go to it. I’m thrilled by “Unbreakable.” I love the movie. But at the end of the day, you the public will go or not go, depending on how you feel about it, on whether you like the idea, on whether you like Bruce Willis or Night Shyamalan.”
All right already. We like. We like.
