Richard Jenkins visits Gold Rush

Two teen-age boys in concert t-shirts, trolling Hollywood to soak up the local flavor, such as it is, couldn't believe their good fortune to be having a burger at Mel's Diner when they happened to notice an actual movie star in the joint.

They ambled over, waiting for a lull in his conversation, and then paid a we're-not-worthy-style homage.

"You were really funny in 'Burn After Reading,'" one said.

"And 'Step Brothers!'" the other one added. Whatever concern these two usually have about looking cool had been hastily tossed aside.

Richard Jenkins, who co-starred in both those films, couldn't have looked more pleased with that little slice of genuine, unfiltered fan appreciation. He thanked the kids graciously and they hit the door, texting all the while. Then the veteran actor dove back into a plate of shared fries, a giant Diet Cherry Coke and a chat with Gold Rush about his passion project, "The Visitor."

The character-based drama from newbie distributor Overture is one of the few indies to take root during a year dominated by popcorn flicks (it's brought in about $11.2 million at the boxoffice and nothing but enthusiastic reviews and word of mouth).

Now the talk is about not just the music-centric film but Jenkins himself as a potential awards magnet. Having been a working actor for nearly 40 years, Jenkins is fairly circumspect about trophies and such. The guy who's made four movies each with the Coen and Farrelly brothers, played the dearly departed patriarch on HBO's Emmy winning "Six Feet Under," and got shot to death by Brian Dennehy in his first studio film, "Silverado," thinks it's, well, kind of crass to talk about personal accolades.

Think we let him skate? Read on.

GR: You carry the curse of the character actor, don't you?

RJ: Sometimes people will say, "Hey, are you that guy?" And I say, "I don't know, I might be. Who's that guy?"

GR: "The Visitor" could help, right? Were you thinking this would be an awards-worthy movie when you were making it?

RJ: No, but I knew right away that I really wanted it to succeed. Because if it didn't, it'd be my fault. I didn't want to let (writer/director) Tom McCarthy down after he'd said, "I believe you're the guy who can play this part. You can make this guy live."

GR: So what's it like to be on the awards campaign trail?

RJ: Weird, and by that I mean strange and new. But it's temporary, I do realize that. I told my co-star Haaz (Sleiman) to enjoy it, live it, soak it up. It's amazing to be in a movie that really connects with people.

GR: You're on some critics' early Oscar lists, you know.

RJ: Early's the operative word --most of the Oscar movies haven't even come out yet! I don't think I will get nominated, and it's presumptuous to even talk about it. I'm flattered, don't get me wrong, and I'm not being coy. In any given year, there are so many great performances out there! So, yeah, come on.

Keep going to hear his withering critique of his drumming skills and the two lines that got him killed in "Silverado." 

For the love of Jon Hamm

Jon Hamm hiatus? Who said anything about a Jon Hamm hiatus? Season 2 of the Emmy winning drama "Mad Men" did just end, followed by much weeping and separation anxiety from the faithful -- that would be us -- and the Golden Globe winning actor finished his first successful "Saturday Night Live" hosting gig.

But that doesn't mean we've seen the last of that tall drink of water. And at least in the near term, we could have Tina Fey to thank for that. (Add it to the list of hosannahs).

EW's Ausiello Files says Hamm is close to becoming Liz Lemon's new love interest on a multi-episode arc of the Emmy winning comedy, "30 Rock." Sure would be an improvement over her third cousin, the pager salesman and the 20-year-old who's mom was Lemon's doppelganger. (She had one, too!)

This development leaves us much too thrilled to be jealous. And we can't imagine denying Fey anything at this point, after all the Sarah Palin-skewering joy she's brought us these last few months.

Elsewhere on Hamm Watch: There's a big screen appearance to look forward to, with "The Day The Earth Stood Still" from Fox set for Dec. 12. Feeling less abandoned already.

Less control for Janet Jackson

Who knew they were such prudes in the Motor City?

Appears that multiple Grammy owner and one-time Super Bowl audience flasher Janet Jackson deliberately excised some bondage and pantomimed masturbation from her show in Detroit this week because it would've landed her on the wrong side of Michigan's obscenity laws.

Jackson's current on the (Trouble Plagued) Rock Witchu tour. Still no sign of LL Cool J.

But there's good news about her famous musical clan, as well. Janet's likely to join her brothers next year on the gestating Jackson 5 reunion tour. The group in its original form -- yes, with Michael -- hasn't performed together since early this decade.

Trivia du jour: Did the Jackson 5 ever win a Grammy?

Answer after the jump.

Russell Brand's crank yanking

When the country's prime minister gets involved in your raunchy crank calls, you know that off-the-cuff spate of (drunk?) dialing was a massive success.

Russell Brand, the cheeky host who single-handedly saved the "MTV VMA Awards" from falling off the total doldrums cliff, lost his BBC radio gig today in the ongoing brouhaha surrounding a string of bawdy messages he left for a beloved British comedian. Something about what he did to the guy's granddaughter, set to some kind of improvised tune. Use your imagination.

Number of registered complaints to the calls, which were broadcast on his weekly radio show: 18,000 over a 36-hour period.

Highest-ranking finger wagger: Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Brand apologized profusely and took his suspension like a man. Then he resigned when the furor failed to die down. Never mind that it seems to us like more of an issue of broadcasting the prank than creating it. Who at the BBC wasn't minding that store? He's a household name there for a reason, and it has nothing to do with restraint. (See: his best-selling book about numerous and simultaneous addictions).

It's all material, right? Alls we can say is, can't wait for that Comedy Central special.

'Milk' premieres in political fray

Is there any such thing as a Brokebacklash? (Translation: Haters latch on early and, without seeing it, verbally pummel a gay-themed movie for its, well, gayness).

And if there is, what's a studio distributor to do about a film with a story that's potentially incendiary to the religious right, especially when its release coincides with one of the most important elections in recent history? An election, for California at least, that includes a polarizing proposition banning same-sex marriage.

Focus Features chief James Schamus has his answer. Premiere the biopic, "Milk," in San Francisco in the same neighborhood where its subject, Harvey Milk, launched his political career. The after party was at City Hal, where Milk and the city's mayor were killed. The event was held last night, just a week before we all head to the polls. Other major city premieres and buzz-building screenings will follow, Schamus said in a letter to THR.

Not surprisingly, the premiere brought out the faithful, a la the Prop 8 opponents (pictured above). We're waiting for the arch conservative response, a la Fox News and talk radio.

What we've already heard is plenty of Oscar chatter for the film's activist star, Sean Penn, (pictured here with wife Robin Wright Penn) though it's not clear how high-profile he'll be in support of "Milk's" late November platform release. If and when he stumps, chances are he'll be inseparable from his long-held liberal political views. We'd expect nothing less.

On a related note, the International Documentary Association announced nominees this week for its annual awards. Rob Epstein is set to receive the Pioneer Award for a body of work that includes "The Times of Harvey Milk" (the Oscar winner for best documentary feature in 1985), "The Celluloid Closet" and "Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt."

Also on IDA's honor roll: Stefan Forbes, the filmmaker behind "Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story" and Gold Rush Q&A victim, will take the Jacqueline Donnet Emerging Filmmaker award.

More on the nominees, including "Man on Wire," "Young@Heart," and "Kassim the Dream," here.

'Runway,' Rock and Obamamania

Was it the lack of any discernible personality from most of the contestants this season, complete with fake villains and stretched-too-thin catchphrases, or the recycled challenges that made "Project Runway" seem threadbare?

None of the above, according to a Weinstein lawsuit. It's all Bravo's fault for not promoting the Peabody-winning, Emmy-nominated show. It was sabotage. Sabotage! Go here for all the legal nitty gritty.

It's Obamamania! Not only will the Democratic presidential candidate pre-empt your quality time with "Knight Rider" tomorrow night, but he'll also appear on Emmy hoarder "The Daily Show."

Why is it that Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown never had a visit from Child Protective Services, and yet poor Brit Brit lost her young 'uns? These and other questions of the day, from Chris Rock's gut-busting sit-down with Jay Leno last night on "The Tonight Show."

If you missed it -- complete with the comedian/actor's lament that he's so broke from the current Economic Armageddon that he's doing cartoons (that would be the upcoming "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa") -- watch the full episode here. Michelle Obama -- Obamamania! -- was lead-off guest.

Sad coda to the ongoing murder story surrounding Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson's family: The body found yesterday has been identified as her 7-year-old nephew. More on the investigation here.

 

Oscar's funny bone

The Sarah Jessica Parker fans made themselves heard this summer, at least here at Gold Rush, where they were among the first to suggest that the fashionista actress should be Oscar nominated for her starring role in "Sex and the City."

The summer blockbuster shocked a bunch of non-believers in Hollywood and elsewhere with its $57 million opening weekend on its way to a final $409.3 million worldwide haul. Sequel, anyone?

We said at the time, and repeat now, not bloody likely for SJP, no matter how well deserved an Oscar nod could be. And that's because, mainly, there's no comedy category at the Academy Awards (even though we'd call "SATC" more of a dramedy, but let's not split hairs). But should there be? We've been among those awards bloggers and many others trying to nudge the staid Oscars to open up, lighten up and wise up.

Notice, if you will, that "The Dark Knight" is already on our Too Early For Real Oscar Predictions list. Nominate a movie that people -- lots of people -- actually saw and loved, and those fans might watch the February awards fest. Get it?

Not so sure that Sean William Scott is the poster boy for this campaign, but the L.A. Times has the "Role Models" star pictured today on the front page of Calendar atop the headline, "Loosen up, Oscars." (It's Paul Rudd who's singled out here for a trophy-worthy performance).

Columnist Patrick Goldstein reports that he cornered Academy chief Sid Ganis about the comedy category issue -- it's good enough for the Golden Globes! -- and got some mumbo jumbo about laughers having as much chance as any other movies to be nominated (that would be a snowball's chance, really) and wouldn't that be a can o' worms when superhero, horror, comic and other Academy-ignored genres came calling?

Doesn't sound promising, does it?

Here's another thing that doesn't look so good -- the ratings for any upcoming Oscarcast that features movies most people haven't seen and fewer even care about. Don't give the people what they want? Don't expect them to show up.

Still searching for a punch line -- and the Academy's missing sense of humor -- in here somewhere, but haven't found it yet.

B.B. King rocks

From the looks of it, the thrill is not gone. Far from it.

Check out the pure joy that lights up the face of music legend B.B. King during a performance with U2's Bono and Edge last night at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood. He was there, among various A-list Hollywood royalty, to pick up the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Founder's Award. Other performers included Robert Cray, Cassandra Wilson, Keb 'Mo, Lee Ritenour, Herbie Hancock and Poncho Sanchez.

After all these years of playing and all the praise that's brought to King -- 14 Grammys, induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the National Medal of Arts -- it all comes down to this. A man and his guitar. And, unlike some of his most famous blues ballads, a love story with no unhappy ending.

 

Update in Jennifer Hudson case

More tragic news out of Chicago today, on the heels of the murders of Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson's mother and brother late last week. Her 7-year-old nephew, Julian King, had been missing from his home since the attack, with the family offering a $100,000 reward for his safe return amid a massive police search.

Though the ID hasn't yet been made, a young boy's body has been found in an SUV linked to the crimes. More details here.

Hudson's estranged brother-in-law is being questioned by police but hasn't been charged.

Friends, meanwhile, set up a memorial for Darnell Hudson Donerson, the singer/actress' mother, and her brother Jason, outside the murder scene (pictured). And Hudson has been reaching out to fans and supporters through her MySpace page.

Sincere condolences to Hudson and her loved ones.

 

Don Draper's art of the deal

In the latest installment of What Would Draper Do, Golden Globe winner and Emmy nominee John Hamm shows not only the character's unfailing brand of Brylcreemed charm -- never fails to get him laid! -- but his own healthy sense of humor on this "Saturday Night Live" sketch.

Watching and re-watching the vid, like we did, soothes and pains us at the same time. We're in semi-mourning from last night's season 2 finale of the Emmy-winning "Mad Men." Heads spinning with so many unanswered questions -- will Betty divorce Don, gallop her way to a miscarriage or repeat that casual sex tit-for-tat? Will Joan go through with the wedding to her "perfect" doctor? Will Pete prostrate himself, again, to an unimpressed Peggy?

How long will it take Roger to tire of his 20-year-old secretary du jour? Will Duck self-destruct?

Will that priest (you know, Tom Hanks' son) ever stop being so damn pious and self-righteous? We'll go ahead and answer that one. Doubtful.

Read some thoughtful recaps here and here, with the latter archives containing a Don Draper Likability Index (complete with Drape-o-Meter!).

Hurry back, Sterling Cooper denizens.

And see more clips of Hamm's "SNL" hosting gig here.