As we enter the weekend (finally, am I right?), there's a battle brewing in all corners of the United States. No, it has nothing to do with politics or war or anything like that. In areas far and wide, people are asking themselves–and likely fighting with their friends and family–whether they should go see Wicked or Gladiator II. Well, this writer has seen both, and I can tell you this: you need to see both.
Before we get into the parting shot for the week that was, make sure you're subscribed to the For the Culture newsletter for all things entertainment and to the Parting Shot Podcast with H. Alan Scott for celebrity interviews and reactions to what's going on in pop culture and how it's impacted by politics, news and the world at large.
Between President-elect Donald Trump's cabinet picks and the press tours for Wicked and Gladiator II, I wouldn't blame you for feeling whiplash from all the news. There was a lot of news this week. But both Wicked and Gladiator II are great distractions from some of the more chaotic noise out there. It's the return of the big Hollywood blockbuster, and we get two in the same weekend. (One thing I will say in regards to Wicked, a lot of people are hyping it up to be this incredible movie, and you know what? The hype is a little intense. It's a fun popcorn movie with good music. But best musical of all time? I'm not so sure abut that.)
But the big question is: Which one will win the battle of the box office? Time will tell, but based on preview numbers, Wicked is in the lead.
Meanwhile, the Parting Shot podcast this week had some crazy good guests. Here's a breakdown of some of the highlights from the podcast this week...
JOHN DAVID WASHINGTON
John David Washington stopped by to talk about how Netflix's The Piano Lesson was a bit of a family affair (his father, Oscar-winner Denzel Washington, produced it, and his brother, Malcom, directed it). We also chatted about the importance of August Wilson's work and all the Oscar buzz surrounding the film, his performance and the performances of Samuel L. Jackson and Danielle Deadwyler in the film.
"I don't think you have to be a Black American to relate to this story," Washington told me. And while "the whale of truth that we're floating along here is the underbelly of the antebellum South, the Jim Crow era," Washington said the universal messages of The Piano Lesson runs deeper. "If you understand that, we also talk about something else. It's what's so brilliant about August Wilson's work."
The Piano Lesson is streaming now on Netflix.
MAYAN LOPEZ
Lopez vs. Lopez's Mayan Lopez stopped by the podcast to talk about her love the art of the sitcom and the long road to mending her relationship with her father, comic George Lopez.
"You don't gotta reinvent the wheel of sitcom, but we do the wheel well," Lopez told me.
She went on to explain how playing a version of herself on the sitcom not only helped her relationship with her father, but also helped her find herself.
"My dad and I, we weren't really speaking very much before the first season started, and I was actually nervous, like myself, but my character wasn't and so playing her gave me the confidence to be more direct with my dad and not be afraid that he was going to leave my life as that's part of our previous history of just not talking."
Lopez vs. Lopez airs Fridays on NBC and streams on Peacock.
MALALA YOUSAFZAI
Nobel Peace prize recipient Malala Yousafzai spoke to me about the plight of Afghan women under the Taliban and why she wanted to lend her name to the documentary film Bread & Roses (Apple TV+).
"Afghanistan is the only country in the world where girls are banned from access to education and women are limited from work," she told me.
Directed by Sahra Mani and co-produced by Jennifer Lawrence, the film follows three Afghan women (filmed in secret) as they live under and resist the Taliban oppression.
"While the Taliban are trying to silence women, amplifying their voices through this documentary, is a form of resistance," Yousafzai said.
I spoke with Malala Yousafzai and director Sahra Mani about the film and what needs to be done to end what Yousafzai calls a "gender apartheid."
Bread & Roses is currently streaming on Apple TV+.
REALITY RECAP
This week reality TV gave us the escape we needed. But there was one exit from House of Villains that stole all the attention.
Victoria Larson, of The Bachelor fame, was banished from the House of Villains house, and she went out fighting. Not only to confront Teresa Giudice, Tiffany "New York" Pollard, Larsa Pippen, but she also went after...French toast. Yes, you read that right: French toast.
Larson chatted with me about her time on House of Villains and what's her beef with French toast. House of Villains airs Thursdays on E! And streams on Peacock.
And then there was Survivor. We're getting closer and closer to the finale, and it's getting more dramatic as the weeks go by. But this week found the voted-out player calling another player a "snake" as they left Tribal Council.
I spoke with Gabe Ortis about why he thinks calling someone a "snake" is actually a compliment on Survivor and where he thinks his game went wrong. Survivor airs Wednesdays on CBS and streams on Paramount+.
That's it for me this week. Make sure you're subscribed to the Parting Shot podcast and the For the Culture newsletter for all the entertainment and pop culture news you need.
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