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Spectator
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Spectator
Most people hate their jobs. Get over it
Most people hate their jobs. This is a sad, unfortunate fact of life. But it happens to be an eternal truth. Throughout the course of human history the overwhelmingly bulk of mankind has toiled to live, rather than having the good fortune to follow their dreams. Even when this is the case, when people elect to pursue an artistic, literary, journalistic or thespian vocation, their lives still consist for the most part of drudgery, penury, rejection and disappointment. Jared Harris says that people in his profession need to take parts they don't love if they 'have bills to pay' So we should welcome the intervention by the actor Jared Harris, who says that people in his profession need to take the parts they don't love if they 'have bills to pay'. Speaking of his decision to star in Marvel's much-maligned movie Morbius, the Bafa-winning star, 63, tells this week's Radio Times that it's 'quite rare that something comes along that ticks all the boxes'. He made that particular decision out of the need to pay off his mortgage: 'You've got bills to pay. You've got people you have to look after.' Securing a role in the iconic TV series Mad Men was a fortuitous one-off, he elaborates, an exceptional event that saw him land a 'great part with a great director', in something well-written and seen by many. 'Maybe three times in your whole career it's going to be something like that, if you're lucky.' It says something of unrealistic employment expectations today that Harris's disclosure warranted a news story in itself; it was picked up by the Daily Telegraph, while he made the same 'confession' to the i paper last September, about the straitened financial circumstances that impelled him to take that fantasy role. Yet this revelation will strike no veteran freelancer as remotely newsworthy. Taking on jobs to pay the bills is what self-employed professionals do, and actors have forever taken on roles beneath them. Sometimes they don't even need to, yet in conducting themselves in accordance with professional duty and habit, many find unlikely success in unexpected fields and among new audiences. To me and my late-Generation X contemporaries Alec Guinness was forever Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars, while Sir Patrick Stewart is Captain Picard from Star Trek: The Next Generation. There's nothing remarkable or novel about a respected thespian venturing into the gaudy universe of science-fiction and fantasy. Yet the insinuation that Jared Harris has demeaned himself artistically by doing so has occurred in an age in which many suffer from the delusion that they can follow their heart's desires, adhering authentically to dreams untainted by commercialism. Harris may have temporarily transported himself into a fantasy Marvel universe, but generations now have been encouraged to live in fantasy worlds of their own. For decades, we have seen the evolution and dissemination of the delusory self-help philosophy that 'you can do anything if you put your mind to it', a mantra that for the vast majority will result in an brutal crashing back down to earth. This late-20th century myth of unbounded human potential has become even more phantasmagoric in a 21st-century world apparently teeming with successful 'creative types' and influencers, an ostensible plethora which has given added weight to the chimera that enjoying your job should be your goal and expectation. Even the current Employment Rights Bill, containing its notorious crackdown on 'banter' and offensive overheard remarks, rests on the assumption that the workplace should be an enriching environment in which all discomfort and unpleasantness is banished. Yet working for a living is largely an inherently unpleasant and demeaning affair, even for those in the public eye who it is assumed everything is fine and dandy. When the actor Michael Madsen died last week aged 67, the obituaries reminded us of the cult status he attained in portraying the sadistic Mr Blonde in Reservoir Dogs. Yet the newspapers also recalled the series of forgettable roles he subsequently took out of necessity: 'People forget that sometimes you have to pay the mortgage, sometimes you have to put your kids through school. You can't always pick the greatest script.' Madsen simply followed in the footsteps of such thespian titans as Richard Burton, who famously followed the path of base expedience after his heyday in the 1960s, a trajectory that culminated in his appearance in Exorcist II (1977), regarded as one of the worst films ever, or less egregiously Maggie Smith, who said of her appearances in Downton Abbey and the Harry Potter films that they weren't 'really acting' roles and not 'what you'd call satisfying'. On balance, 'not satisfying' is probably the median assessment everyone in the world has about their job. Taking less than ideal assignments is what all self-employed professionals do, and in this respect Jared Harris has dispensed a timely, exemplary lesson for our often indolent and misguided youth: earning a living mostly isn't fun.
The Province
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Province
Captain Kirk would be 'appalled' at state of Earth's decline, William Shatner says
Published Jun 29, 2025 • 2 minute read William Shatner Photo by Gary Marschka / Sun Media Files Captain James T. Kirk would be appalled at the rapid acceleration of climate change on Earth, says William Shatner, the Montreal-born actor who played the head of the USS Enterprise in the Star Trek franchise for decades. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors 'I think he would probably be as appalled as I am,' Shatner said during a recent video call from his home in Los Angeles. The actor said he could imagine Kirk 'skywriting' a message to his fellow Earthlings, urging them to take action. 'Education, education, read everything,' Shatner said. 'Everybody should acquaint themselves with the problem, and make a decision.' The 94-year-old actor is in his hometown of Montreal later this week for the city's Comiccon event. The three-day fan convention begins Friday at the Palais des congres. Shatner is scheduled to make an appearance on the second and third days of the conference. Other scheduled guests include Wil Wheaton, who played Wesley Crusher in Star Trek: The Next Generation, and Kane Hodder, who starred in the Friday the 13th franchise as the deranged hockey-masked killer Jason Voorhees. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Shatner was born in Montreal's Notre-Dame-de-Grace neighbourhood in 1931, and he still has a deep emotional connection to the city. 'That's my whole childhood,' he said, adding that he has a 'vast' number of relatives living there, including a sister. Recommended video He began acting when he was a small child, and he continued even after graduating from McGill University in 1952 with a commerce degree. The school's university centre is known to students as the Shatner Building, though the university confirmed it is not the building's official name. He first played Captain Kirk in the Star Trek TV show in 1966. His last appearance in the franchise was in the 1994 film Star Trek Generations , where Kirk is killed off. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. He also starred in the shows Boston Legal and T.J. Hooker. He wrote several books, including Star Trek novels and a memoir about his friendship with the late actor Leonard Nimoy, who famously played Spock in the original series. And he recorded more than a dozen albums, from 1968's The Transformed Man , a collection of dramatic readings of popular songs, to last year's children's album, ' Where Will the Animals Sleep? Songs for Kids and Other Living Things. Last month, he was onstage in Seattle with astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson talking about space and life in a show they called The Universe Is Absurd. He went to Antarctica last year, with deGrasse Tyson, and he went to space in 2021, aboard Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin shuttle. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Always curious and hungry for knowledge, Shatner said he is inspired and fascinated by the capabilities of artificial intelligence and applications such as ChatGPT. 'I was researching a speech I was making, and I could use ChatGPT immediately, (instead of) going down to the library, trying to find the book, read what the book says, come back home and realize I had a question I didn't ask,' he said. 'Artificial intelligence has been a revolution in mankind's acquisition of knowledge.' Even still, Shatner said he was frustrated by how little one man can ever really know. 'I'm going to die very unhappily because I don't know anything,' he said. 'There's so much glorious information out there that it's impossible to acquire. But what little bits and pieces the human brain can contain in a lifetime are fascinating.' Vancouver Canucks BC Lions Vancouver Canucks News News
Edmonton Journal
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Edmonton Journal
William Shatner says Captain Kirk would be 'appalled' at pace of climate change
Article content 'Imagine how Canadians felt': Shatner to those angry about his U.S. as 11th province comments Shatner is scheduled to make an appearance on the second and third days of the conference. Other scheduled guests include Wil Wheaton, who played Wesley Crusher in 'Star Trek: The Next Generation,' and Kane Hodder, who starred in the 'Friday the 13th' franchise as the deranged hockey-masked killer Jason Voorhees. Shatner was born in Montreal's Notre-Dame-de-Grace neighbourhood in 1931, and he still has a deep emotional connection to the city. 'That's my whole childhood,' he said, adding that he has a 'vast' number of relatives living there, including a sister. He began acting when he was a small child, and he continued even after graduating from McGill University in 1952 with a commerce degree. The school's university centre is known to students as the Shatner Building, though the university confirmed it is not the building's official name. He first played Captain Kirk in the 'Star Trek' TV show in 1966. His last appearance in the franchise was in the 1994 film 'Star Trek Generations,' where Kirk is killed off.
Metro
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
90s TV star so ‘embarrassed' by one episode he wanted it pulled from streaming
Every one of us has done something embarrassing in our careers. Take me for example, I once spent an entire day in the rain asking people how they felt about compulsory porn filters – not an article that's going to make it into my portfolio. That said, it's not just regular folks like you and me who have skeletons in our proverbial working closet. Believe it or not, some of the biggest and brightest celebs are mortified by some of their old work. It's well known that Sabrina Carpenter is embarrassed by Adventures in Babysitting, Sandra Bullock can't bear the fact that she was in Speed 2, and I don't know if Al Pacino is afraid to admit he's in Jack & Jill, but I know he should be That said, as far as I'm aware, not many celebs are so appalled by something they've made that they've said they want it pulled from streaming, although I do know one. Jonathan Frakes made his name in the iconic 90s sci–fi show Star Trek: The Next Generation, where he played Commander William Riker, the first officer on the Federation flagship the Enterprise-D. From 1987 to 1994, Riker and the crew of the Enterprise boldly went where no one had gone before, meeting new worlds and civilisations as they explored the unknown. This wonderful show is regarded by fans of the genre and TV historians as one of the greatest and most important series in history, and there are countless classic episodes, including Measure of a Man, Best of Both Worlds, and Darmo,k all of which regularly rank on lists of best TV episodes ever. Yet there's one episode you'll never see on any of these lists. Season one, episode four, 'Code of Honor' is one such episode. This frankly awful instalment sees the Enterprise visit the planet Ligon II, where one of the crew is abducted by the planet's leader. While the concept seems benign enough, someone somewhere along the way decided to change the script so the people of Ligon II went from a reptilian race to a parody of 1940s tribal Africa. Needless to say, as a result, the episode is incredibly uncomfortable to watch and was accused by viewers of being racist. In fact, the episode is so despised that it regularly ranks among the worst episodes of Star Trek ever made and has been called by some the single worst thing from the franchise. Jonathan Frakes clearly agrees. He famously called it 'embarrassing' and a 'racist piece of sh*t' during a STLV panel in 2011. However, it was during an interview with TrekMovie in 2020 where he was asked whether the episode was appropriate for streaming. 'I thought that they had taken it out of the rotation when they sold the show, ' Frakes replied. After the hosts explained that it was still available, he went on to say 'I was told or I was under the impression that it had rubbed so many people the wrong way that it was pulled.' 'I think they should take it out of the rotation. I think it is a great time to make that kind of – as small as it is – to make that kind of a statement would be fabulous.' More Trending When pressed on the matter, and whether that was a bit bold, Jonathan did agree it might be a tad overkill, but it was clear something needed to change. 'Maybe it should be included with an appropriate statement of reason. A proof of concept. This is not who we are,' he explained. 'This is not what we stand for. It's an embarrassment to the franchise, and Gene [Roddenberry] would want us to do this. Something like that.' Sadly, five years later, it doesn't look like Jonathan has got his wish, as the episode still appears on streaming without any statement or warnings about the content. All seven seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation are available to stream now on Netflix. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. View More »
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
This 1987 Prediction of What Technology Would Be Like Today Will Make You Gasp and Wheeze
More than three decades ago, the BBC envisioned what today's consumer technology would look like — and their predictions were somehow both astonishingly accurate and hilariously misfired. Aired in 1987, the clip from the British broadcaster's "Tomorrow's World" technology show correctly forecasted that in the year 2024 — now the recent past, for those keeping track — people would use weather-acclimating textiles, fingerprint passwords, smartwatches, and virtual reality glasses. Looking back from our vantage point of now, at least some of those predictions are incredibly spot-on — though of course, the way the news producers who dreamed up those projections had them styled was in some cases impossibly goofy. When walking across the deeply 1980s-esque set for "Tomorrow's World," host Howard Stableford predicted that in the future, suits like the smart, wide-lapeled grey number he was wearing would be "chemically treated to make [them] thermo-sensitive." While we don't exactly have that sort of technology in today's average work attire, you can purchase something quite like it for a fair price at Uniqlo, whose "Heattech" line has kept many a city-dweller warm in the winter months. Other brands, meanwhile, offer the modern consumer "moisture-wicking" clothes for working out. The fingerprint password bit, meanwhile, did come about later on — but given that biometric identification has been around for well over a century, that's not as brilliant a leap on the BBC's part as you might think. Perhaps the most prescient of the predictions was the chrome-and-lime-green hued watch, which looked a lot like the popular digital watches of the era but would operate, as the host claimed, as a "satellite-connected" dispatch center to receive information from any connected computer. Sure, it's not exactly an iPhone or a smartwatch, but it's got the right idea. The prognostications fumbled hardest with the portable printer Stableford carried about like a small briefcase to print out any messages one might get. As folks on the r/HistoricalCapsule joked, it appears that folks back in 1987 couldn't imagine a world without using printed paper materials. Still, with that same briefcase came a VR headset that looked like the one LeVar Burton's Geordi La Forge wore on "Star Trek: The Next Generation," which premiered the same year this BBC segment was aired. Though Meta's Mark Zuckerberg has struggled to make the tech truly mainstream, you certainly can buy a VR headset that looks much like the BBC anticipated. In that same Reddit thread about the video, users clowned on the port-a-printer while marveling at how precise some of the BBC's other prognostications were — though as some noted, those hypotheses were perhaps more grounded at the time than they sounded. "This wasn't really a guess," one of the r/HistoricalCapsule users noted. "That tech was already in the pipeline." As that user referenced, the General Magic software company, which pioneered personal digital assistants (PDAs), was founded as a subgroup of Apple in 1989 and spun off into its own thing in 1990. As such, it's easy to imagine that small information devices like the PDA (and the type of smartwatch shown in this segment) were already being mocked up. Considered precursors to smartphones, PDAs had it all: "phone, fax, email and apps," as the user noted. By the mid-90s, PDAs took off as tech companies fought to put out "next small thing," as Time put it in 2001, and culminated in the smartphone that virtually everybody now has in their pocket. More on tech futures: Columbia Student Kicked Out for Creating AI to Cheat, Raises Millions to Turn It Into a Startup
