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Posts Tagged ‘HBO’

(photo by Michael Lamont)

About a year ago, Carrie Fisher (script doctor, memoirist, recovering Princess) took to Broadway a one-woman show called “Wishful Drinking” – an account of her struggles with alcoholism, failed romances, and brushes with death that proved Fisher had a knack for stand-up.  A filmed version of her stage show airs this weekend on HBO.

Fisher has long been outspoken about her problems, but seeing is believing.  When she came to Studio 360 to talk with Kurt late in the afternoon, a couple hours before showtime, she arrived in dark glasses, and yawning.  “To me there’s Carrie and there’s Carrie Fisher,” she explained, “and Carrie has to make sure Carrie Fisher gets enough sleep so Carrie Fisher can do her show, [because] Carrie wants to go shopping.”

You can hear their full conversation here:


- Jenny Lawton

About a year ago, Carrie Fisher (script doctor, memoirist, recovering Princess) took to Broadway a one-woman show called “Wishful Drinking” – an account of her struggles with alcoholism, failed romances, and brushes with death that proved Fisher had a knack for stand-up.  A filmed version of her stage show airs this weekend on HBO.

Fisher has long been outspoken about her problems, but seeing is believing.  When she came to Studio 360 to talk with Kurt late in the afternoon, a couple hours before showtime, she arrived in dark glasses, and yawning.  “To me there’s Carrie and there’s Carrie Fisher,” she explained, “and Carrie has to make sure Carrie Fisher gets enough sleep so Carrie Fisher can do her show, [because] Carrie wants to go shopping.”

- JL

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MacArthur Fellow David Simon, creator of The Wire and Treme

$500,000 with absolutely no-strings-attached. The dreamiest fellowship of them all. It’s that time of year and the MacArthur Foundation has announced its list of fellows. We noticed among the list of “geniuses” a few past Studio 360 guests. Last spring Kurt Andersen spoke to David Simon, the creator of The Wire and Treme on HBO and last summer we were treated to a live in-studio performance from the jazz pianist and composer Jason Moran. Way back in 2001, Kurt had a conversation with installation artist Jorge Pardo.

The MacArthur Foundation chose 23 recipients across art, science, and the humanities: from a high school physics teacher to a fiction writer.

Hear what all these MacArthur fellows had to say about receiving their grants here.

And check out their Studio 360 segments below.

Jorge Pardo

David Simon


Jason Moran


-Georgette Pierre

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A lot of the time they go unnoticed, or we simply fast forward through them like advertisements, another obstruction between us and our favorite TV show.  But sometimes, when they’re done properly, they are a thing of beauty. They can provide provide skillfully disguised plot indications, and give you valuable character insights, all wrapped up in a stunning sensory parcel that sets the mood for the coming show.

I’m talking about opening credits for TV shows.

Think about some of the coolest, most compelling TV programming you’ve seen in the last few years. Chances are these shows have some of the coolest, most original opening credits too.

The opening of AMC's Mad Men

The nominations for the 2010 Emmy for Outstanding Main Title Design were announced last week:

The nominations got me thinking about my all time favorite opening sequence and it’s got to be… (drum roll please)… HBO’s Big Love. Now that’s sort of cheating, seeing as they’ve had two different opening sequences, but as good as the first one was (Beach Boys and ice skating just go so well with polygamy), my favorite is the sequence for Season Four. As each character slowly free-falls through the frame (the ladies are in gorgeous floating dresses) each character expresses their internal struggles in a physical way. It’s like a mini-synopsis of the plot:  Barb’s slow-moving painful confusion, Nicki’s tranquil acceptance, Margene’s carefree naiveté, and the way that none of them quite manage to reach each other.

The sequence does what all great opening openers do: it grabs your attention, lures you in with visually arresting images and cleverly constructed  clues, and gives you valuable insight into the story to come.

- Britta Conroy-Randall

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