S19.E07: Tom Hiddleston, John Malkovich, Samuel L. Jackson, Chvrches

[Athena]

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The guests on Graham's sofa are British talent Tom Hiddleston, starring as country singer Hank Williams in I Saw The Light; Oscar-nominated star John Malkovich, directing the play Good Canary; and the king of cool, actor Samuel L Jackson. With music from Chvrches.

[dusang]

I sometimes find Tom Hiddleston a bit annoying in interviews -- although his responses are thoughtful and intelligent I wish he could condense them a bit and his stories are always a bit too staged for me -- but his delivery of the quote from his first professional review was kind of perfect.

He was too young, too RADA, and "projecting as much masculinity as Graham Norton."

Edited May 9, 2016 by dusang

[Corgi-ears]

And I thought I was the only non-Hiddleston fan (at least of his interviews). His last appearance -- which he had to recap during this appearance -- stuck in my craw. I'm not even sure it's because he's a slow talker; there's also something rather "I'll speak in slow and measured tones so that everyone has to stop and listen to me" about his delivery. And I guess I'm never a fan of guests hero-worshipping fellow guests; where can conversations ever go from there? 

But he wasn't as bad this time around. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Malkovich trying to wrap his mind around the mechanics of the Red Chairee's sex position was kind of hilarious.

[MissLucas]

I loved Samuel Jackson being completely unapologetic about watching his own movies. And Malkovich interrupting Jackson's accolade about him being such a serious actor with 'I was in Con Air'.

[attica]

I reaaaaally wanted the second Red Chair lady to go over way sooner than she did, but I can't say I don't get the 'holy crap, can this get worse?' impulse to let her continue. Full body cringing at all that TMI. 

Sara Pascoe did well inserting herself into the conversations. It's a good comedic skill, that. 

I loved the little fist bump TH gave SLJ after the 'two cats and a rabbit' quip.

[dusang]

17 hours ago, MissLucas said:

I loved Samuel Jackson being completely unapologetic about watching his own movies. And Malkovich interrupting Jackson's accolade about him being such a serious actor with 'I was in Con Air'.

I once heard Dick Clark recount his worst ever interview -- it was with 19-year-old Prince and DC asked him how long he had been performing (or something like that) and Prince held up two fingers, to indicate two years.  DC, in retelling it, was like "WTF do you do with a non-verbal answer like that?"  Malkovich was not that bad but I was reminded of that when Graham was asking about him watching his own films and he was just smiling enigmatically and shaking his head.  Although, his head shake is enough to make me laugh, so ...

I hope someday he can walk up to pick up his Oscar and open his speech with "I was in Con Air."

[Bruinsfan]

I think that bit of fan art Graham showed paid Hiddleston back for any cringing he may have induced in audience members in the past. With interest. (I was expecting the Chinese movie poster at first but what they showed was much, much more embarrassing.)

Edited May 13, 2016 by Bruinsfan

[attica]

Malkovich will always have my heart for his turn as Teddy KGB in Rounders. So much scenery to chew, so little time! (Meester Sonuva Beeeetch!)  I think he designs his own suits, too, so I was checking out the one he was wearing. Pretty snappy, if unusual.

[peeayebee]

I thought this one was generally a lot of fun. I've recently gotten my sister to watch with me, and she loves the show and Graham. I'm so glad.

I've been watching The Night Manager and enjoying it, but I don't think Hiddleston would be a good Bond.

[dubbel zout]

The first lady in the Red Chair was really funny—I didn't see that story going where it did, either. And I LOVED how Graham said, "Tina was a bit of a biiitch." I replayed it a few times. Too bad Hiddles didn't get to flip the second lady. Ew. I did enjoy Samuel L. Jackson explaining 69 to John Malkovich, and Graham trying in vain to shut down the entire conversation. Hee.

Sara Pascoe was good, and I think Malkovich was quite taken with her.

[Mumbles]

I never gave a second thought to Hiddleston before I stated crushing on him in "The Night Manager" for the past few weeks. Now I find him kind of dreamy, in a nonclassical-looking, Cumberbatchian way.

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I hope someday he can walk up to pick up his Oscar and open his speech with "I was in Con Air."

I love it when actors good-naturedly refer to junk that they did. When Jennifer Garner won a Golden Globe for Alias, she said something like, I knew you guys liked me in "Dude, Where's My Car?"  And when Burt Reynolds won an Emmy back in the early 1990s, he joked along the lines that he'd been waiting for one since "Navajo Joe." It's nice when these folks don't take themselves seriously.

I found the first red chair woman really snotty. Maybe Tina Turner didn't want to take a picture with a stranger and was just trying to be nice. Celebrities - even ones who may not be so famous anymore - deserve privacy too.

Samuel L Jackson is always lovely on this show. Such a cool charismatic guy but so gracious with his fellow guests.

[Qoass]

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Sara Pascoe did well inserting herself into the conversations. It's a good comedic skill, that. 

If only she could give Rebel Wilson some lessons.

[SmithW6079]

On 5/16/2016 at 11:57 AM, Qoass said:

If only she could give Rebel Wilson some lessons.

Eh, I'd rather Rebel Wilson not be on the show ever again. She's awful.

I quite enjoyed this episode. I've never seen the appeal of Tom Hiddleston before (having seen him only as Loki with long, greasy hair), but he is really quite an attractive man. I loved him reading his early review to Graham, in which Graham is mocked. 

I admit, though, I'm not such a fan of Samuel L. Jackson. I agree with folks who say he's gracious to his fellow guests, and he appears to have a good sense of humor about himself, but there's something about him that rubs me the wrong way, like he'd be ready to attack if you say something he didn't like.

The band was good too, but I turned off the show before the red chair. I always get second-hand embarrassment for the guests in the red chair, so I usually try to avoid them.

[Quof]

Someone (with more time and energy than I) should create a montage of Red Chair stories.   Sometimes they are the high point of the entire show - whether the story itself, or just Graham preempting the storyteller after the first few words with "I just can't....".   What could be funnier than the young woman who said "I was on a school trip to an outdoor adventure center" and Graham perked up with "Can I just stop you there? Now this is the kind of story we like.  You just know there will be nudity, poo in a bag...." and nearly wet himself laughing.

[fastiller]

On 5/13/2016 at 9:53 AM, attica said:

I reaaaaally wanted the second Red Chair lady to go over way sooner than she did, but I can't say I don't get the 'holy crap, can this get worse?' impulse to let her continue. Full body cringing at all that TMI. 

Sara Pascoe did well inserting herself into the conversations. It's a good comedic skill, that. 

I loved the little fist bump TH gave SLJ after the 'two cats and a rabbit' quip.

Sara Pascoe really did do a great job.  She seemed as if she very much wanted to discuss the logistics of the TMI, as GN was cutting her off

I heard her interviewed on the CBC radio programme Q.  She's very good in that interview as well.  Comedian Sara Pascoe explains the complex human lady animal.