The Malaysian Insider :: Showbiz
The Malaysian Insider :: Showbiz |
| Benedict — a resignation foretold, if you knew where to look Posted: 15 Feb 2013 01:24 AM PST  Pope Benedict, 85, managed almost eight years before citing old age and deteriorating health on Monday to explain his decision to become the first pope in more than 700 years to resign willingly rather than die in office. — Reuters pic Take Nanni Moretti's 2011 comedy-drama "Habemus Papam" — "We have a pope!" — in which a depressed and panic-stricken newly-elected pope escapes his Vatican minders for a few days before returning to announce, in his first address, that he doesn't have what it takes for the job. Benedict, 85, managed almost eight years before citing old age and deteriorating health on Monday to explain his decision to become the first pope in more than 700 years to resign willingly rather than die in office. For a pope, he said, "both strength of mind and body are necessary", going on to ask for "pardon for all my defects". The Italian Sky Cinema channel has not missed its chance to rerun "Habemus Papam", where Michel Piccoli's fictional pope says that "the Church needs a guide who has the strength to bring great changes", and also asks for forgiveness. Moretti, whose film had received a cool response from the Church, has been bombarded with calls from journalists. "What am I supposed to say?" he told the daily La Repubblica, graciously admitting to being as amazed as everyone else by Benedict's decision. "Every now and then cinema manages to anticipate reality." But his film was not the only omen in Rome. Last year, Luigi Bettazzi, the retired bishop of Ivrea who has known the former Joseph Ratzinger for 50 years, speculated that some day he might choose to step down instead of reigning for life if he felt he could no longer run the Church properly. "I wish him a long life and lasting lucidity but I think that, if the moment arrives when he sees that things are changing, I think he has the courage to resign," Bettazzi told RAI television. At the time, the Vatican said there was no serious chance that Benedict could step down. But in fact, there were signs from Benedict himself. Twice as pope he prayed before the remains of St Celestine, who in 1294 as Celestine V was the last pontiff to stand down willingly, and returned to his former life as a hermit. To do so, he first had to issue a decree allowing popes to resign. If anyone wondered about Benedict's interest, they might have found a clue in a long interview that he gave to the German journalist Peter Seewald for his 2010 book, Light of the World: "If a pope clearly realises that he is no longer physically, psychologically and spiritually capable of handling the duties of his office," Benedict said, "then he has a right, and under some circumstances also an obligation, to resign." — Reuters |
| ‘Downton Abbey’ star Maggie Smith never watches TV show Posted: 15 Feb 2013 01:02 AM PST LOS ANGELES, Feb 15 — Maggie Smith's sarcastic dowager Countess may be the star of British period drama "Downton Abbey," but the award-winning actress says she has never watched the TV series.  Maggie Smith's snobbish Lady Grantham and her withering remarks like "No-one wants to kiss a girl in black," and "What is a weekend?", have made her the biggest star on "Downton Abbey". — Pic courtesy of PBS. Asked whether she is proud of "Downton Abbey", Smith said, "I haven't actually seen it. So I don't, I don't sit down and watch it," she told CBS reporter Steve Kroft in the interview to be broadcast on Sunday. "Never?" Kroft asked. "No, I haven't watched it," Smith replied, according to an advance excerpt released yesterday. Smith, known as a perfectionist, said that watching herself would make her worry about her performance. "It's frustrating. I always see things that I would like to do differently and think, 'Oh, why in the name of God did I do that?'" "Downton Abbey," a drama about the lives of aristocratic Britons and their servants in the early 20th century, attracted some 7.9 million viewers for its third season premiere in January on US television. Smith's snobbish Lady Grantham and her withering remarks like "No-one wants to kiss a girl in black," and "What is a weekend?", have made her the show's biggest star. Smith also has two Oscars for her roles in 1969 film "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" and 1978 comedy "California Suite" but she said she had no interest in her recent fame. The actress is a rare face at Hollywood award ceremonies. "I don't feel any different to the way I felt before and I'm not quite sure what (being a star) means. I am familiar to people now, which is what I was not before," she told Kroft. "That is entirely due to the television set." Smith also acknowledged her reputation as an actress who doesn't suffer fools gladly. "Old people are scary and I have to face it, I am old and I am scary and I am very sorry about it, but I don't know what you do," she quipped. The full interview can be seen on "60 Minutes" on February 17 on CBS television. — Reuters |
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