Why: In "The Office," Angela described Hilary Swank as "a female Boris Becker."
Answer: He is a retired German tennis player who was good and famous when I was a small child! Also called "Boom Boom" (and "Boom Boom Baron von Slam"), he is 6-time Grand Slam singles champion (between 1985 and 96), an Olympic gold medalist (92), and the youngest-ever winner of the men's singles title at Wimbledon at the age of 17. He retired in 1999.
The truth is that I probably watched him play before. We used to watch a lot of tennis in the summer.
The More You Know: Do you know the last names of all the characters on "The Office"? I just realized that I don't think I do. The ones I couldn't name off the top of my head are:
Why: Katrina went to see Twin Sister in concert, which I kind of can't believe because when we saw them open for The Morning Benders, we couldn't stop talking about how they were the worst opening band in all of history. The lead singer Andrea Estella reminds me of that lady.
Answer: Adelle Lutz! She is a costume designer by day. And she was - get this - married to David Byrne from 1987-2004! WHAT! Together, they have a daughter named Malu Valentine (b. 1990).
(Their kid: )
Lutz also played a TV anchorwoman in Silence of the Lambs, so now I guess that's what I'll be looking for for the rest of the evening.
Why: Chandler made me watch his "favorite movie" Midnight Express last night. In sunglasses, that guy looks exactly like Brad Pitt.
Answer: Nothing! I mean really nothing - he died in 1991.
Davis was married to Susan Bluestein, who later became an Emmy Award-winning casting director. They had one child, Alexandra.
Death
Diagnosed with AIDS in 1985, Davis kept his condition secret until shortly before his death. Although the announcement said he died of AIDS in 1991 in Los Angeles, he actually died of an intentional drug overdose. Near death and in severe pain in a hospital, he opted to return home and end his life on his own terms. With his wife and a family friend present, he committed assisted suicide. Susan Bluestein Davis continues to campaign to combat AIDS.
Davis was referred to as "the first heterosexual actor to die of AIDS," although he reportedly was bisexual, a claim disputed by his wife in her book. When asked if he considered himself bisexual, he replied, "Didn't someone once say everyone's bisexual, deep down?"
The More You Know: The real Billy Hayes - the character Davis portrayed - is alive and well, writing and acting in such fan favorites as Shakespeare's Plan 12 from Outer Space and "Babylon 5: The Gathering." In real life, he didn't push the guard Hamid ("the bear") to his death by coat hook.
In fact, the prison guard was killed by a recently released prisoner, whose family Hamid insulted while beating the prisoner, years before Hayes' actual escape.
No word on whether or not he really said "no" to that handsome Swede who tenderly made out with him in the shower (Chandler's favorite scene, btw) - only that:
Billy Hayes never claimed to be raped by his Turkish wardens or that he ever suffered any sexual violence. He engaged in consensual sex, but the film depicts Hayes rejecting the advances of a prisoner, and the warden.
Why: I haven't posted about "Friends" in a while, but believe you me, it's not because I haven't been watching. Megan Bailey threatens to sign the Swing Kings the weekend of Monica's wedding if she doesn't give her the dress they both want. Yipe!
Answer: "Seinfeld"! That actress's name is Andrea Bendewald, and she is Celia, George's convict in "The Little Jerry." She does the break-out/pop-in.
She is apparently old friends with Jennifer Aniston and was a bridesmaid in her wedding to Brad Pitt. They starred together in The Thin Pink Line in 1998.
The More You Know: BUT! the truth is that I was thinking she played Ashley Bartlett Bacon in While You Were Sleeping, which I have, for some reason, seen like 2 dozen times. Turns out that actress Ally Walker plays Pammy Pam Pam-ela in Singles, which I have seen like 6 dozen times (one of them just last week). Twins, no?
Why: I am watching that movie for the first time. I accidentally read that book a few summers ago when I found it in our family's condo in Destin / Rosemary Beach. The guy who plays debt collector Derek Smeath looks like Corbett and Alissa's friend Craig.
The More You Know: Craig is a member of Left Right Seven, who posted a brand new "Missed Connection" video just this morning! Feast your eyes on it here. Feast them!
Why: It was on earlier today, and I was like, "Hey, it's the dean from 'Community'!" (which I had watched even earlier today, because I still hadn't watched the one from last week).
Then I was watching the "Friends" episode 'The Last One,' and I saw that guy again sitting next to Rachel on the plane, all, "This plane doesn't even have a phalange." And then I was like, "Wait, what are the odds? What are they."
The More You Know: Do you remember when Dr. Gregory House sat next to Rachel when she was flyin to London? And why is that the second time I've mentioned him this week? I don't even watch that show.
In 1974, after he had served less than five years, the US federal government released him on the condition that he would help the federal authorities without pay against crimes committed by fraud and scam artists, and sign in once a week. Not wanting to return to his family in New York, he left the choice of parole up to the court, and it was decided that he would be paroled in Texas.
After his release, Abagnale tried several jobs, including cook, grocer and movie projectionist, but he was fired from most of these upon having his criminal career discovered via background checks and not informing his employers that he was a former convict. Finding them unsatisfying, he approached a bank with an offer. He explained to the bank what he had done, and offered to speak to the bank's staff and show various tricks that "paperhangers" use to defraud banks. The banks were impressed by the results, and he began a legitimate life as a security consultant.
He later founded Abagnale & Associates, which advises the business world on fraud. Abagnale is now a millionaire through his legal fraud detection and avoidance consulting business based in Tulsa, OK. Abagnale also continues to advise the FBI, with whom he has associated for over 35 years, by teaching at the FBI Academy and lecturing for FBI field offices throughout the country. More than 14,000 institutions have adopted Abagnale's fraud prevention programs.
He lives in Tulsa with his wife, whom he married 1 year after becoming legitimate. They have 3 sons, and one of those sons currently works for the FBI.
Doesn't Texas Ever End (2009) (filming) .... Doctor
Kickin It Old Skool (2007) .... Himself
"The Surreal Life: Fame Games" .... Himself / ... (4 episodes, 2007)
"Child Star Confidential" .... Himself (1 episode, 2006)
"One on One" .... Himself (1 episode, 2005)
"I Love the 80's 3-D" (2005) TV series .... Himself
"100 Greatest Kid Stars" (2005) TV mini-series .... Himself
"Black in the 80s" (2005) TV mini-series .... Himself
Michael Jackson's Boys (2005) (TV) .... Himself
"Moesha" .... David (1 episode, 1998)
He has also been parodied on "Robot Chicken" and in an episode of "Family Guy" as Peter's black son in his 80s sitcom, "My Black Son." Source:IMDb, Wikipedia
The More You Know: Emmanuel Lewis is 4'3. Here he is at age 13 with his BFF Michael Jackson.
I don't know. Here are some fun facts about Mr. T, who is 58 today!
He was the youngest of 12 children!
He grew up in Chicago!
In high school, he played football, wrestled, and studied martial arts!
He was a military policeman in the Army!
When he was a bouncer, he started wearing the gold neck chains and other jewelry that customers lost or left at his bar after fighting! If Mr. T was wearing his stuff outside, the guy didn't have to go back into the bar to get it!
He worked as a bodyguard for Steve McQueen, Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Muhammad Ali, and Joe Frazier! Why did those guys need bodyguards!!
He styled his famous hairdo after a Mandinka warrior he saw in National Geographic!
Scientists have used computer software to research the facial features most likely to produce a laugh - and the resulting image bears an uncanny resemblance to Gervais.
Psychologist Dr Anthony Little scanned 179 facial features of 20 comedians and concluded the winning look was a combination of a round face, small forehead, wide nose, big lips, large eyes and high cheekbones.
The More You Know: Bobby Fischer (1943-2008), an illegitimate child whose mother was Jewish, was an outspoken anti-Semite and Holocaust denier. As an émigréfugitive from the American legal system (for a 1992 match in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, which was against UN sanctions), he once called the US "a farce controlled by dirty, hook-nosed, circumcised Jew bastards." After the Sept. 11th attacks, he proclaimed on a radio interview, "This is all wonderful news." He died seeking asylum in Iceland, where - I guess - Americans and Russian couldn't expose him to harmful radiation through his molars.
The More You Know: This guy mixes up the same people. Maybe it's their aggressive eyebrows? Hendrix is the mean girl who becomes nice in Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion.
