Metoo

Villechaize was problematic and so is his persona. To many little people and those in the disabled community, including Peter Dinklage who played Villechaize in the 2018 biopic My Dinner with Herve, Villechaize is a stereotype; a man who, most egregiously, didn’t do anything to further disabled representation. But at the same time, Villechaize’s infamy cannot be ignored. The title Fantasy Island doesn’t conjure up images of Ricardo Montalban, or the remake’s star Michael Peña, in a white tuxedo. Audiences know Villechaize and his plane, and that’s important. Where disabled actors make up less than 5 percent of disabled roles, Villechaize is a forefather. And to erase him from the narrative, both in Blumhouse’s remake and in the history of disabled representation, is just as egregious.  … [Read more...] about Confronting ‘Fantasy Island’s’ Thorniest Legacy: Herve Villechaize, Sex, and Disabled Representation

“Is it really worth it to the Democratic Party in the age of the #MeToo movement, Black Lives Matter… you’re going to go backwards because Michael Bloomberg will spend money and will insult Donald Trump? The [Sen.] Bernie [Sanders] voters are not going to take that,” she said. … [Read more...] about Conway: Trump is ‘toying with everybody’ by attacking Bloomberg for stop and frisk comments

Fun Home A stranger lived in Alison Bechdel’s home. He happened to be her father. Her search through childhood memories to piece together the mysteries of her walled-off, tempestuous late father is the subject of a 2006 memoir and the Tony-winning musical made from it. The story is built of nuances best appreciated in a small theater like the Chance. The characters are electrically alive in this production, even if, here and there, singing voices aren’t all that one might wish. (D.H.M.) Chance Theater, Cripe Stage, 5522 E. La Palma Ave., Anaheim. Sun., next Sun., 3 p.m.; Thu., 7:30 p.m.; Fri., 8 p.m.; Sat., 3 and 8 p.m.; ends March 1. $25-$49. (888) 455-4212. ChanceTheater.com … [Read more...] about Theater in L.A. this week: ‘Book of Mormon,’ ‘The Simon & Garfunkel Story’ and more