Bonnie Hunt News

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Joan Rivers 'made the rounds' in New York during the '50s, appearing in a few off-off Broadway plays (including one where she played a lesbian opposite an equally unknown Barbra Streisand), surviving sleazy agents, tawdry clubs, and hostile audiences. A 1965 booking on 'The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson' led to her hosting one of the first syndicated talk shows on daytime TV, 'That Show with Joan Rivers' in 1968. In the '70s Joan wrote the TV-movie The Girl Most Likely To (starring Stockard Channing) and then wrote and directed her first feature film Rabbit Test, casting Billy Crystal in the lead. In 1983 Joan became the permanent guest host on 'The Tonight Show.' Later, she headlined in Las Vegas, sold out Carnegie Hall, produced a Grammy nominated comedy album, and wrote two best-selling books. In 1989 the Tribune Corporation launched Joan in her own syndicated daytime talk show. She won an Emmy and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 1994 she wrote and starred on Broadway in Sally Marr and Her Escorts, for which she received a Best Actress Tony nomination. Since then, Joan has written three more best-selling books, maintains her own jewelry line on QVC, provided fashion commentaries for E! and The TV Guide Channel, and filmed a special for Bravo. Currently, she has two new books on sale (Men Are Stupid . . . And They Like Big Boobs: A Woman's Guide to Beauty Through Plastic Surgery and Murder at the Academy Awards). She will be a contestant on Celebrity Apprentice 2 beginning March 1st. Later this year, she will also host the new reality TV series How'd You Get So Rich? on TV Land.

Well known for his film and television appearances, James Earl Jones' acting career is firmly rooted in the theater. He was part of the historic company of Jean Genet's The Blacks, which incubated a generation of future black stars, and his long association with Joseph Papp's New York Shakespeare Festival saw him in classical plays including Hamlet, The Merchant of Venice and King Lear. Awards for his theater work include Tony Awards for the Broadway productions of The Great White Hope and Fences, a Tony Award nomination for On Golden Pond, and Obie Awards for Clandestine on the Morning Line, The Apple, Moon on a Rainbow Shawl and Baal, a Theatre World Award for Moon on a Rainbow Shawl and the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Fences. Additional theater credits include Paul Robeson, The Iceman Cometh,Of Mice and Men and seven different productions in the title role of Othello. He recently starred in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof on Broadway.

William H. Macy has a long association with playwright David Mamet, having starred in New York in productions including Oleanna and American Buffalo. He received an Academy Award nomination for his work in the film Fargo. He also appeared in Benny & Joon, Mr. Holland's Opus, Seabiscuit, Magnolia, Pleasantville, Boogie Nights and Air Force One. In 2002, he won Emmy Awards for both Lead Actor in a Miniseries and Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries with the TV film 'Door to Door'.

Mike Birbiglia, writer and star of the off-Broadway hit Sleepwalk With Me, will spread his humor to the morning television circuit as he lines up appearances on 'The View' (Friday, January 23rd at 11am on ABC) and 'The Bonnie Hunt Show' (Tuesday, February 10th at 2pm on WNBC). As an added bonus, producer Nathan Lane will join Mike on 'The View' this Thursday. Sleepwalk With Me, the comedy event of the season, has extended through March at The Bleecker Street Theatre (45 Bleecker Street just East of Lafayette). Time Out New York applauds Mike Birbiglia and Sleepwalk With Me, saying 'his time has finally come!' and The New York Daily News cheers, 'The Manhattan comic has such an endearing, laid back persona, as well as such perfect timing, that it all threads together in a funny, touching whole.' In his theatrical debut, comedian Mike Birbiglia takes the audience on a hysterically funny and intensely personal journey through his struggles with sleepwalking and his reluctance to confront his fears of love, honesty and growing up. Tickets for Sleepwalk With Me range from $49.50 with premium seating available. Rush tickets to 'students and broke people in their 20s' are also available. (Individuals will have to show student ID or if not in college, explain why you're broke). A limited number of rush tickets will go on sale 1 hour before show time for $25. Limit of 2 tickets per student or broke individual.

Former New York Times chief theater critic, Frank Rich, who was once known as 'the Butcher of Broadway' will appear on The Colbert Report on Monday Night. Frank Rich became a New York Times op-ed columnist in 1994 after serving for thirteen years as the newspaper's chief drama critic. These days, he covers politics and also serves as an adviser on the paper's overall cultural news report. Two of his previous books are MUST-HAVES for theatre fans everywhere. Hot Seat: Theater Criticism for The New York Times, 1980-1993 contains a collection of all of his New York Times theatre reviews, which provide insight into thirteen years of Broadway including many of its big hits and misses. He is the also author of the childhood memoir Ghost Light, which is filled with many tales of the start of his love of theatre. Rich is married to Alex Witchel, who also writes for the Times.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Joan Rivers 'made the rounds' in New York during the '50s, appearing in a few off-off Broadway plays (including one where she played a lesbian opposite an equally unknown Barbra Streisand), surviving sleazy agents, tawdry clubs, and hostile audiences. A 1965 booking on 'The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson' led to her hosting one of the first syndicated talk shows on daytime TV, 'That Show with Joan Rivers' in 1968. In the '70s Joan wrote the TV-movie The Girl Most Likely To (starring Stockard Channing) and then wrote and directed her first feature film Rabbit Test, casting Billy Crystal in the lead. In 1983 Joan became the permanent guest host on 'The Tonight Show.' Later, she headlined in Las Vegas, sold out Carnegie Hall, produced a Grammy nominated comedy album, and wrote two best-selling books. In 1989 the Tribune Corporation launched Joan in her own syndicated daytime talk show. She won an Emmy and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 1994 she wrote and starred on Broadway in Sally Marr and Her Escorts, for which she received a Best Actress Tony nomination. Since then, Joan has written three more best-selling books, maintains her own jewelry line on QVC, provided fashion commentaries for E! and The TV Guide Channel, and filmed a special for Bravo. Currently, she has two new books on sale (Men Are Stupid . . . And They Like Big Boobs: A Woman's Guide to Beauty Through Plastic Surgery and Murder at the Academy Awards). She will be a contestant on Celebrity Apprentice 2 beginning March 1st. Later this year, she will also host the new reality TV series How'd You Get So Rich? on TV Land.

Well known for his film and television appearances, James Earl Jones' acting career is firmly rooted in the theater. He was part of the historic company of Jean Genet's The Blacks, which incubated a generation of future black stars, and his long association with Joseph Papp's New York Shakespeare Festival saw him in classical plays including Hamlet, The Merchant of Venice and King Lear. Awards for his theater work include Tony Awards for the Broadway productions of The Great White Hope and Fences, a Tony Award nomination for On Golden Pond, and Obie Awards for Clandestine on the Morning Line, The Apple, Moon on a Rainbow Shawl and Baal, a Theatre World Award for Moon on a Rainbow Shawl and the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Fences. Additional theater credits include Paul Robeson, The Iceman Cometh,Of Mice and Men and seven different productions in the title role of Othello. He recently starred in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof on Broadway.

William H. Macy has a long association with playwright David Mamet, having starred in New York in productions including Oleanna and American Buffalo. He received an Academy Award nomination for his work in the film Fargo. He also appeared in Benny & Joon, Mr. Holland's Opus, Seabiscuit, Magnolia, Pleasantville, Boogie Nights and Air Force One. In 2002, he won Emmy Awards for both Lead Actor in a Miniseries and Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries with the TV film 'Door to Door'.

Former New York Times chief theater critic, Frank Rich, who was once known as 'the Butcher of Broadway' will appear on The Colbert Report on Monday Night. Frank Rich became a New York Times op-ed columnist in 1994 after serving for thirteen years as the newspaper's chief drama critic. These days, he covers politics and also serves as an adviser on the paper's overall cultural news report. Two of his previous books are MUST-HAVES for theatre fans everywhere. Hot Seat: Theater Criticism for The New York Times, 1980-1993 contains a collection of all of his New York Times theatre reviews, which provide insight into thirteen years of Broadway including many of its big hits and misses. He is the also author of the childhood memoir Ghost Light, which is filled with many tales of the start of his love of theatre. Rich is married to Alex Witchel, who also writes for the Times.

When a writer has done the number of celebrity interviews that I have, he realizes that there are a handful of celebrities he would never want to meet again. Most, however, are genuinely nice people and enjoyable to work with. There are others who become friends-true and genuine friends. Such is the relationship that has developed between me and Nick Spangler who is currently starring as Matt in the lovely revival of The Fantasticks which is enjoying a healthy run Off Broadway.

The Laurie Beechman Theatre, located within The West Bank Caf? (407 West 42nd St.), is pleased to continue our Friday night soiree, THE AFTER PARTY. Now going strong in it's third year, THE AFTER PARTY is billed as 'a weekly schmoozefest for the theatrically inclined.' Every Friday from 10:30 pm until the wee hours, pros from Broadway and aspiring stars alike belt it out on the stage of The Laurie Beechman Theatre. Join hosts BRANDON CUTRELL (MAC & Bistro Award winner) and ALYSHA UMPHRESS (XL Star) with RAY FELLMAN (Captain Louie) at the piano for this weekly party in the theatre district. There is no cover charge for this event. Come and sing yourself as the mic is always open, or sit back and enjoy a cocktail with friends. Located just blocks from the Great White Way, you never know who might drop in.

The Laurie Beechman Theatre, located within The West Bank Caf? (407 West 42nd St.), is pleased to continue our Friday night soiree, THE AFTER PARTY. Now going strong in it's third year, THE AFTER PARTY is billed as 'a weekly schmoozefest for the theatrically inclined.' Every Friday from 10:30 pm until the wee hours, pros from Broadway and aspiring stars alike belt it out on the stage of The Laurie Beechman Theatre. Join hosts BRANDON CUTRELL (MAC & Bistro Award winner) and ALYSHA UMPHRESS (XL Star) with RAY FELLMAN (Captain Louie) at the piano for this weekly party in the theatre district. There is no cover charge for this event. Come and sing yourself as the mic is always open, or sit back and enjoy a cocktail with friends. Located just blocks from the Great White Way, you never know who might drop in.

Bix Barnaba will play 33rd US President, Harry S Truman in the acclaimed comedy 'GIVE EM HELL HARRY! by Samuel Gallu beginning July 20 at St. Luke's Theatre, 308 West 46th Street, NYC.

Bix Barnaba will play 33rd US President, Harry S Truman in the acclaimed comedy 'GIVE EM HELL HARRY! by Samuel Gallu beginning July 20 at St. Luke's Theatre, 308 West 46th Street, NYC.

Award-winning showbiz entertainers, Corky Hale and Charlotte Rae, will perform in a show emceed by Carl Reiner, with Jeff Lass serving as Music Director. The show, 'A Festive Evening For Westside Center for Independent Living,' is a benefit for WCIL.