Your local boozer might be shut but the pub quiz lives on, with everyone from Helen Mirren to Stephen Fry asking the questions
In an unidentified magnolia room, Lenny Henry is yelling: “Let me hear you say: ‘YEAH.’” Next to his face, a live chat feed blurts out heart emojis and comments such as: “Hello, Sir Lenny!”. Or: “I’ve had the biggest crush on Lenny Henry since his Chef days.” Or: “Hi, my team name is Wuhan Clan.”
The Dudley comic is hosting the National Theatre’s online pub quiz, a pre-recorded broadcast, streamed via YouTube and Facebook. He is joined by Lesley Manville, Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen to pose 15 minutes’ worth of intensely difficult general knowledge questions to the public. And, bizarrely, to announce that: “I will pull interesting faces while you write the answer down,” before shooting his eyebrows to the sky and gaping his jaw as if he’s running an advertising campaign for his own tonsils. Still, this is lockdown living; everything’s a bit odd.
Continue reading...You’d think during a pandemic we’d all have gained a little perspective – but policing female bodies and appetites is a timeless trend
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Continue reading...An Indianapolis man was fatally shot by police after a high-speed chase in an incident that appeared to have been broadcast on Facebook Live, sparking outcry and protests throughout the night.More than 100 people from the community gathered at the scene of the shooting to express their outrage Wednesday night, chanting “No justice, no peace!” as they demanded answers from police about the latest officer-involved death. Protestors continued demonstrating Thursday, with dozens marching through the streets before congregating outside of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department headquarters. “We deserve better,” one community activist told The Indianapolis Star. “I am disgusted, horrified, tired, and angry.”‘You’re Gonna Kill Me’: Body-Cam Footage Shows Cops Mocking Dallas Man as He DiesThe Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said the incident began around 6 p.m. when officers began pursuing a man who they observed to be driving recklessly. After the driver exited the car, an officer chased him on foot before gunfire was “exchanged” at around 6:14 p.m., police said in a press release, without revealing who fired first. In the unconfirmed Facebook video of the incident, at least 13 or 14 gunshots can be heard. In another video obtained by The Indianapolis Star, a detective who arrived after the shooting can be heard saying: “Looks like it’s going to be a closed casket, homie.” “We are aware of inappropriate comments made by an IMPD detective” on the live stream, Indianapolis MPD Chief Randal Taylor said at a Thursday press conference. “Let me be clear: These comments are unacceptable and unbecoming of our police department.” While Taylor did not confirm the authenticity of the Facebook live stream, he did stress he was “concerned with the things on social media,” stating he thinks that some comments online “lack trust as to what occurred.” Authorities have not yet identified the name of the driver but said he and the officer who shot him were both black men. Family members identified the driver to local media outlets as 21-year-old Dreasjon “Sean” Reed. The officer who fired the fatal shot has been placed on administrative leave pending further investigation.“I feel like to lose a life, especially at a young age, there’s never going to be justice,” Jazmine Reed, the 21-year-old’s sister, told WISH, adding that her family watched the pursuit and shooting on Facebook as it happened. “Cause he’s gone—there’s never justice for that. Even if somebody was to get time or whatever for it, it’s never going to be justice because he’s never coming back.” The sister said she drove to the scene after watching the video, not knowing whether her brother was still alive. “I shouldn’t have to bury my little brother,” she added.The Indianapolis MPD said the incident began after two officers saw a Toyota Corolla being driven “recklessly.” They followed the driver in unmarked cars and asked for assistance as they said the vehicle continued “at a high rate of speed” and the operator was “disobeying all traffic signals” and nearly hit another car. In the Facebook video, titled “High-speed case lol,” Reed, who is shirtless, appears nervous as he speaks to his 2,000 viewers and points his camera to show the moving police cars behind him.“Almost lost him y’all!” he says. “Almost got rid of his ass!”Video Shows Florida Deputy Violently Yanking Middle Schooler’s Hair During ArrestAt one point, he appears to pull over and stop his car. Authorities say the driver disregarded “the officers’ verbal commands to stop” and ran out of the car, prompting an officer to chase him on foot.“I’m on 62nd and Michigan,” Reed says in the video, just before exiting the vehicle. “I just parked... I’m gone.” He added: “Please come get me! Please come get me! Please come get me!”Reed can then be heard running for approximately 30 seconds, as a voice behind him yells: “Stop! Stop!”“Fuck you,” Reed replies. Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Assistant Chief Chris Bailey said during a Wednesday news conference that the officer first used his taser, but it’s unclear if it worked and is not seen on the purported video from the scene.“It is believed at this time that shots were fired by both the officer and the suspect,” Bailey said.In the video, Reed appears to start screaming before collapsing on the ground. About eight seconds later, 11 or 12 gunshots can be heard in rapid succession. The live stream did not show Reed talking about a gun or firing a weapon. After a brief pause, two more shots can be heard as the camera faces the sky while the opening lyrics of Young Dolph’s “16 Zips” appears to be playing off the phone. By the end of the gunfire, more than 4,000 people had tuned in to watch the live stream, according to the Star.Bailey said Indianapolis Emergency Medical Services arrived shortly after and pronounced the driver dead at the scene. The officer was uninjured.Taylor on Thursday stated that a “loaded gun” was recovered at the scene that appeared to have been fired twice and that it belonged to the driver. He added that disciplinary action will be taken against the detective who made the “casket” comment.After the incident, the Facebook Live video, which has been widely shared on social media, was removed from the victim’s account, Bailey said. Bailey added that authorities are aware of Facebook videos.Cop Charged With Assault After Video Shows Him Slamming Suspect’s Head Into Pavement“Both the officers and the detectives have done their due diligence in preserving that evidence through the proper legal channels, and if it’s associated that there’s information on there that’s appropriate for the investigation, they’ll utilize it,” he said.Taylor added Thursday the police officers involved in the shooting were not wearing body cameras, but he has no reason to believe they acted inappropriately. But after the press conference, dozens of protesters took to the streets demanding more police action, shouting “all lives matter,” as drivers stopped their cars and put their fists out their windows in solidarity.About eight hours after that shooting, Indianapolis police fatally shot another man during an investigation into a burglary at an apartment complex. Authorities said that around 1:30 a.m. Thursday, four officers responded to the apartment and were immediately fired upon by a man with a rifle. All four officers “returned fire” and hit the man, who was pronounced dead at the scene, police said in a news release. In response to both incidents, Taylor stressed at a Thursday press conference that he will provide residents with “the truth whether we are right or wrong.”“We have long talked about the kind of police department we want to be—one that serves with the community, that's not policed at—a police department that is trusted, one where every resident feels a comfortable calling,” Taylor said. “We recognize and are saddened that this mutual trust that is so valued has been eroded over the last 24 hours.”Investigators are now conducting a separate investigation into that shooting, and police said there’s evidence the victim called 911 with the intent of ambushing the responding officers. “Our hearts this morning are with the families who lost loved ones during these tragic events. All of us are trying to make a new normal in an un-normal time. Incidents like these do not help restore normalcy to our community,” Chrystal Ratcliffe, the president of the NAACP branch in Indianapolis said in a statement.The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana on Thursday called for a “prompt, thorough, and transparent investigation” into Reed’s death.“Whether someone is unarmed or armed, compliant or resistant, police officers should be properly trained in de-escalation tactics and turn to the use of force only as a last resort, not a first option,” the statement read. Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
Nobody knows when the lockdown will end and when life will come back to normal. But for those who have access, they are spending their quarantine by watching web-series, films, and reruns of classic television shows. So on one hand, we have Ramayan and Mahabharat, on the other spectrum lies something called Four More Shots Please, Season 2!
This show is what we call the ultimate triumph of a woman's liberation. Their tendency to do all the possible shenanigans and be unabashed and unapologetic about it is what has made this web-series so catchy and contagious. And one of the leads, Sayani Gupta, a fine actor to the hoot, recently in an interview with Radio City's RJ Harshil, she talked about the show's popularly, how she has been spending time at home, and a lot of other entertaining stuff.
As expected, the first question was about the number of interviews she has given about the show amid this lockdown. She sounds perplexed and says, "I have really lost track, so many, it's insane you know. I give at least 1 or 2 interviews every day. But I have now started my own live videos that is a series of my interactions with some of my friends from the industry, it's called Shy-Me-Not. I've had four sessions so far."
The next question is about her journey from FTII (The Film and Television Institute of India) to films and she takes a deep breath since the answer is going to be really long. She says, "I am from Kolkata and went to Delhi for college and did theatre. I wanted to go to the National School of Drama but decided against it because my seniors, M.K Raina and Habib Tanvir, told me how it was going through a turmoil in terms of syllabus and management. But going to FTII was one of the best decisions of my life, I spent three-and-a-half years over there. It's because of the institute that I'm sitting for this interview today."
She added, "I knew nobody would spot me at a cafe and cast me for a film, and I knew this process would take time but I actually got my first film in the first month of being in Bombay, Second Marriage Dot Com. The director had seen my short film that was made during my education at the FTII. I don't like the world struggle, I feel the journey has been very interesting. I also did a travel show that was once in a lifetime experience, I also assisted Manav Kaul on a film that's going to come out soon."
She also spoke about her character Khanum from Shonali Bose's Margarita With A Straw and said, "To get such a character is a once in a lifetime opportunity, for both Kalki and me. Such films aren't made too often. It was a very performance-heavy part, she was blind and an activist. There was so much to do, and of course, she was homosexual. There was so much scope for performance. I'm happy people took me seriously."
We have seen Gupta in a lot of films over the last few years like Fan, Jolly LLB 2, Jagga Jasoos, and Article 15, so how has she been balancing between this medium and the OTT platform! This is what she has to say, "In these last three years, I have been shooting every day and I've actually done two shifts, three shifts. I have done Inside Edge 1 & 2, Four More Shots 1 & 2, a British series called The Good Karma Hospital that's out now, but I've also done nine films," and she flashes her smile! Talking about her character Rohini from Inside Edge, she says, "I don't know anything about cricket, I have seen the sport with my parents. My father was working for All India Radio and his office was right next to the Eden Garden. But I was never aware of the technicalities of cricket and neither was I interested."
She continued, "Karan Anshuman told me about this even before Excel was producing it. After a few months, the creative producer of Excel called me and said they have a fabulous role, come and meet us. When I read the part, I asked them if they were sure they wanted me to play this, but I guess all of them were confident about me as an actor for some reason and I'm really grateful to them." And then it was time to talk about her character Damini Rizvi Roy from Four More Shots Please, and her initial reaction on reading it.
"I hate the word bold and the context in which you are using it is wrong because even according to the dictionary, it's the boldness of mind. People really misinterpret things by using the term bold. Four More Shots was a very important show when I read it for the first time, and I felt it was amazing that a group of women was trying to make a show which actually was about women. It was trying to normalise everything about the life of a woman. I think it's one of those very important shows, and it's crucial to have such a show in the mainstream narrative, and even the criticism that comes and mostly from men about our sex and smoking, you can understand how regressive, repressed and patriarchal our society is even now."
She added, "When men do all these things and we all have seen it, nobody bats an eyelid, and everyone is like,'Oh my god! Friendship'! The moment it's about women that have chosen to live a particular life and are normal with it, like I am, people tend to have issues. There are lots of topics that are being handled with a lot of sensitivity and depth in the second season. You have workplace gender bias, you have body shaming, you have LGBT rights, you have a homosexual wedding, freedom of expression, freedom of speech. It has everything a woman faces in the urban space or rural space. We are getting long letters and messages, it's crazy."
She continued, "It's moving people because it is making a difference to them." In between, she answers a fan who asks if a woman having sex with multiple men is empowerment for her. She says, "No, it's not, and nobody is saying drinking and smoking is empowerment. But people do go out and drink and smoking is not even shown in the entire season two. Women who go out and drink and choose to have sex with whom they want to, and have control over their sexuality, should be not looked at as a taboo. It's normal, we all do it!"
"Also, you have to realise it's about celebrating yourself and women for their rights, it's about subverting these constant pressures of women. The problem is that women are always shown as these crazy stereotypes, either she's virginal and the hero is trying to woo her and have sex with her, the hero is marrying her, or a vamp who's breaking the hero and heroine's home. Nowhere are women, in most of the mainstream narratives, shown as themselves. What is the problem with having sex with multiple partners? So many people do."
She seems to be raising the right points and makes a very important observation. "Sex was always shown as something done to women and never a choice that women are making. If I want to be intimate with someone or be in a romantic liaison with someone, it's my choice. That needs to be respected and celebrated. Having said that, our intention is never to encourage smoking and drinking or go out and partying, that's not the point. But if there are people who do it, there shouldn't be a taboo about it, even in India. You see Sex in the City, you see Girls, you see Friends, any Hollywood series or show or film and it's fine, but the moment you see Indian girls doing it, you're like, 'OMG'!
"Everyone does it so what's the problem in showing it or representing it authentically! It's a show made by women, it was the need of the hour to represent women authentically," she added. Well, this was truly straight from the heart, and in case you are yet to discover Four More Shots Please, watch it and decide whether you agree with Sayani Gupta or not! But one thing people will agree with is that she's truly a fine actor!
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Within days of receiving immense praise, love and appreciation for the second season, Amazon Prime Video has announced today that fans can look forward to a third season of the Amazon Original Series Four More Shots Please!
Created by Rangita Pritish Nandy and produced by Pritish Nandy Communications Ltd., Season 2 was directed by Nupur Asthana and headlined by Sayani Gupta, Kirti Kulhari, Bani J and Maanvi Gagroo. Prime members in more than 200 countries and territories can currently binge-watch both, season 1 and 2, of the much-loved Amazon Original Series Four More Shots Please! on Amazon Prime Video.
“The response to Four More Shots Please! has been phenomenal; it has already become the most-watched show from India this year. The first season was one of the top 3 most-watched Amazon Original Series from India in 2019, and season two has set yet another benchmark”, said Aparna Purohit, Head of Amazon Originals, Amazon Prime Video India. “We are thrilled to be associated with Pritish Nandy Communications and are looking forward to another groundbreaking season.”
“In the new season, the unapologetically flawed girls will face even greater challenges and stereotypes thrown at them but all the while their friendship will be their driving force”, said Pritish Nandy, Chairman, Pritish Nandy Communications Ltd.
“After the unconditional love received over two seasons not only by women but men as well, together with Amazon Prime Video we are pleased to bring our viewers a third season. The third season will pick up from where the four girls are left at the end of season two and will take forward their stories as they journey ahead in their career, relationships, love and, most importantly, the passion and beauty of their friendship!”
Devika Bhagat who wrote season 1 and 2, returns to write season 3.
Tannishtha Chatterjee, a revered actor, writer and director, will direct all episodes of the new season while dialogue will continue to be penned by Ishita Moitra.
Both seasons of the Amazon Original Series Four More Shots Please! are part of the thousands of TV shows and movies from Hollywood and Bollywood in the Prime Video catalogue, including various acclaimed Indian produced Amazon Original series.
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There may not be a single soul who didn't like Irrfan Khan for some quality or the other. Be it his acting prowess, his expressive eyes, the magic in his voice, or for simply the kind of person he was, Irrfan was loved and admired by people across the world.
When he left us on April 29, 2020, it felt like one of the darkest days Hindi cinema had seen. Messages of condolence and sorrow came in from the most unexpected corners of the world, further proving that Irrfan Khan was indeed a global icon.
Deepika Padukone and Irrfan shared screen space in the much-loved film Piku, which starred Amitabh Bachchan as well. The actress recently shared a video that shows her playing tennis with Irrfan, possibly on the sets of Piku. She remembered Irrfan with a broken heart emoji and wrote, "Please come back!"
Dippy and Irrfan shared a close camaraderie, which was apparent in the effortless way they shared the screen in Piku, which released on May 8, 2015. And on the fifth anniversary of their film, Deepika shared a quaint photo of herself and Irrfan in one frame laughing their hearts out.
Irrfan Khan will be missed for years to come, and will surely be never forgotten.
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I request you to kindly give me your advise on GST which is going to be implemented very shortly. Thanks and Regards, Varadarajan Kasturi..
"Habitat Space" place where we live? Have we ever tried to look at, basically what at we are looking at no idea my friends. Yes i wanna say that how much of green space do we have at the present time have we ever tried to figure...
Tannishtha Chatterjee will be directing the third season of Amazon Prime's web series Four More Shots Please.
Piku just completed 5 years, but it just doesn't feel the same without Irrfan Khan. Deepika Padukone shared a video from the set and along with a heartbreaking message to her co-star, "please come back."
The German band’s shows at Tate Modern were wildly oversubscribed. But hot tickets and artistic pleasure don’t necessarily go hand in hand, says the FT’s arts writer
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Modern life can be deafening — but for all the shouting, no one’s listening any more. This is the conclusion reached by FT columnist Jo Ellison after an uncomfortably noisy Eurostar journey. She discusses what’s gone wrong with Horatia Harrod. Read Jo's column here
Contributors: Katie Martin, capital markets editor, Horatia Harrod, associate editor of FT Life & Arts, and Jo Ellison, fashion editor and columnist. Producer: Fiona Symon
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Teeing it up for the first time since the Ryder Cup, Reed showed no signs of rust and made four birdies to turn in 32 before gains on the first three holes ensured he steered clear of the chasing pack.
While he will play no part in the final at the All England Club, Nick Kyrgios sent social media into a frenzy hours before the match as he pleaded for a Roger Federer victory.
Beer just got classy. So classy, in fact that I ended up being massaged and bathed in the stuff, with no hint of morning-after shame - and all this in a five-star hotel.
DOMINIC LAWSON: As so often in her 68-year reign, the Queen gets it right. In her statement to the country on meeting the challenge of the coronavirus, she did not once use the word 'war'.
Pak Jong Chon, chief of staff for the Korean People's Army, said in a statement that Kim Jong Un was 'displeased' with what he called 'undesirable remarks' made by Trump in London.
As a rule, I don't like to beg, but in this instance I am desperate, so: if you understood The Pale Horse could you please, please offer an explanation and tell me what the hell went on?
CRAIG BROWN: Hardly anyone seems prepared to acknowledge that though the scissors method may be unorthodox, it represents a perfect solution to a problem that has long plagued mankind.
For Ms. Sitharaman, the key to unlock the economy’s hibernating animal spirits lies in deep structural reforms – implementing sustainable privatisation, cutting personal income tax rates, and modernising India’s antediluvian agriculture, land and labour laws.
SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: I was really impressed with how England bounced back from their World Cup final disappointment because that will have been difficult.
RICHARD LITTLEJOHN: A national strike by Royal Mail staff threatens to derail the General Election and wreck Boris Johnson's dream of getting Brexit done by Christmas.
As a rule, I don't like to beg, but in this instance I am desperate, so: if you understood The Pale Horse could you please, please offer an explanation and tell me what the hell went on?
RICHARD LITTLEJOHN: Today's edition of You Couldn't Make It Up comes courtesy of Islamic State, which has advised jihadists to steer clear of Europe in case they catch coronavirus.
Do they need assistance in hand-crafting their New Year's Resolutions for a wiser 2019? Of course they do. And thank goodness I am here am here to help...
RAY MASSEY: As controversial table-manners go, it certainly beats resting on your elbows. This remarkable stunt came as the dashing Earl of March hosted a sumptuous sponsors and press dinner.
RICHARD LITTLEJOHN: Today's edition of You Couldn't Make It Up comes courtesy of Islamic State, which has advised jihadists to steer clear of Europe in case they catch coronavirus.