It’s been a big week in the world of showbiz, with arguably the most famous woman on the planet, Kim Kardashian, turning the big 4-0.
We also found out which professionals this year’s crop of Strictly Come Dancing celebrities would be partnered with and – shock – people still have something to say about the show’s first same-sex pairing.
Today (Friday) sees the return of one of comedy’s most controversial and polarising characters – Borat.
Sacha Baron Cohen brings the character back for a sequel to the 2006 flick, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, released on Amazon Prime.
And, according to The Apprentice star Ryan-Mark Parsons, that, and Strictly, are exactly the sort of things we need to carry us through the next few months of Covid-related difficulties.
Strictly Come Dancing’s sparkling success
Ryan-Mark reckons Maisie Smith will go far in Strictly (Image: PA)
The sparkle and glamour are back and it’s always been a treat for the eyes, now more than ever.
Last week’s episode saw the celebrities meet their partners, including boxer Nicola Adams and her same-sex partner Katya Jones, which has divided viewers across the nation.
I still don’t understand why anyone should care – providing they can dance as a couple, that should be the only thing we’re judging here.
Nicola Adams is paired with Katya Jones in the show’s first same-sex duo (Image: PA)
However, with all of this publicity and unnecessary raucous, combined with the fact everyone is bound to their sitting rooms, the show averaged 8.6million viewers.
Record-breaking numbers, not seen since 2017, and many shows have also benefited from growing ratings amidst the pandemic. Channel 4’s Bake Off launch was the broadcaster’s most viewed show in 35 years.
It’s astonishing what we’re capable of when we’re bored at home.
I’m excited to see Maisie Smith flourish, I can already tell she has the tenacity to succeed and her performing arts background will be massively advantageous against the likes of ex-Home Secretary Jacqui Smith.
Ryan-Mark Parsons has his say in his exclusive Daily Star Online column (Image: Ryan-Mark Parsons)
Although the impact of the virus is obvious on-set, including the separated judging panels (much to Craig’s delight, I’m sure); Strictly is the familiar remedy the country needs to get through the difficult months ahead.
The dancing, music, glitter, colour, and the inexorable cringeworthy presenting is what we are craving.
It is the vaccine we’ve been waiting for, hoping to help with the emotional turmoil this virus has caused for many of us.
Very nice – Borat is back
Sacha Baron Cohen reprises his role of Borat in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (Image: SplashNews.com)
Borat’s back and (oddly) some of the reviews are just as ghastly as the naked wrestling scene from the first film.
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm is hitting screens today (Friday) and I can’t wait, irrespective of what the critics say.
It’s a light satirical relief from the global misery we’re experiencing and something I need right now, I’m sure others do too.
Borat is released on Amazon Prime today (Friday, October 23) (Image: Youtube, Amazon Prime)
Sacha Baron Cohen’s iconic portrayal of this eccentric Kazakh journalist is comedically fantastic.
The mockumentary sees Borat travel across the USA in the midst of the Covid-19 outbreak and 2020 elections.
He interviews the likes of Rudy Giuliani and Mike Pence among others, without their knowledge and harrowingly unaware it’s completely satirical which makes this so much more hilarious.
Despite what I think, there are questions being raised over why a movie like this should exist in 2020.
The first Borat film was released in 2006 (Image: REUTERS)
Many have accused Cohen of cultural appropriation against the people of Kazakhstan, claiming the depiction of Borat to be crude and inflicts negativity upon the country.
Some have even said it fuels xenophobia, suggesting it inspires an attitude of suspicion against those who are culturally different.
For me, these claims seem farfetched and are being used to once again shamelessly attack comedy.
The film is engineered to make people laugh. We don’t do enough of that. We’re so concerned about cancelling, eradicating and airbrushing the things we don’t like for the sake of what a few deem ‘suitable’.
This mentality will ruin us.
That’s why I’m glad we have things like Spitting Image and Borat making a comeback, despite seeing many comedians and their programmes slashed from TV screens because of a wet wipe movement.
Hurrah to offensive comedy. Hurrah to Borat. Very nice.
Kim Kardashian turns 40
Kim Kardashian turned 40 this week (Image: Kim Kardashian/Instagram)
My favourite Kardashian is getting older and those keeping her looking this good are getting richer.
Ugh. I just adore Kimberly Noel Kardashian West and she celebrates a legacy in becoming a year older and even more iconic.
She’s gone from Paris Hilton’s glorified assistant and star of a scandalous sex tape, to multi-million dollar makeup mogul, unabashedly the Queen of Reality, social media legend and, recently, lawyer helping to exonerate prisoners who were unfairly sentenced.
Ryan-Mark is an unapologetic Kim K fan (Image: kimkardashian/Instagram)
Kim’s come a long way, recently saying in an interview with David Letterman she could barely afford her condo during the early years of Keeping Up with the Kardashians.
Now, the Kardashian-Jenner family is worth billions of dollars, with Kim’s personal net worth estimated to be at $900million, which doesn’t include Kanye’s eye-watering net worth of $1.3billion.
They’re global powerhouses and that’s unlikely to change, even with the departure of the staple reality show in 2021, we will still be keeping up with the Kardashians one way or another.
Ryan-Mark said Kim is his favourite Kardashian sister (Image: Instagram)
Kim’s Instagram account is followed by 190m people, and reports suggest a paid-post could get her in the region of $250,000 upwards for a single upload.
It’s almost sickening, yet astonishing and an exemplification of their unyielding success and global domination.
Regardless of her achievements, Kim has faced backlash and many critics call her ‘famous for being famous’ and ‘talentless’, along with various other derogatory terms.
I disagree, and with good reason.
Ryan-Mark wishes Kim a big happy birthday!
Her personality, family dynamic and general star quality is what gets the ratings, awards and the people talking and writing about her.
You think Jane Smith and her family in Blackpool are going to command millions of viewers each week? You must be joking.
The whole family is captivating, thrilling and more volatile than Kim’s marital commitments: that’s the talent.
It’s about time we celebrate Kim’s missing diamond earring, 72-day wedding, awful crying faces, gargantuan bum and 14,000-square-foot mansions.
Happy Birthday Kim, we love you (even if some people won’t admit it)!
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
