Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
STARS ON SCREEN
Animated politics: Getting skewered by comedians is part of the job of being a politician, and holding the highest office in the land draws an even bigger target for their jokes and send-ups. The current president certainly hasn’t been immune to ribbing, and Stephen Colbert’s new series continues this proud American tradition.
“Our Cartoon President,” which springs from the mind of the “Late Show with Stephen Colbert” host, premieres Sunday, Feb. 11, on Showtime. The comedian serves as executive producer on the series that presents itself as the “truish” adventures of President Trump and the family members, friends and confidants with whom he interacts during the course of his duties.
This isn’t the first time Colbert has brought an animated Donald Trump to the screen. The animated avatar first appeared in “The Late Show” during last year’s election, along with cartoon versions of Hillary Clinton and a Bernie Sanders supporting bird.
Veteran voice actor and impressionist Jeff Bergman voices the president in the new series. He may not be a household name, but he’s voiced some of the most iconic animated characters around, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Foghorn Legorn in “The Looney Tunes Show,” George Jetson and Mr. Spacely in “Jestons: The Movie” (1990), and Fred Flintstone in “The Flintstones & WWE: Stone Age Smackdown” (2015).
Colbert has been a frequent critic of Trump, skewering him almost nightly in “The Late Show.” “Our Cartoon President,” though, has been advertised as more than just a comedy that pokes fun at the man; it’s also a workplace comedy and a character study, albeit one where the office is oval and lacking in character.
Animated Trump has been a hit since he first graced “The Late Show,” and now he has a series all his own. “Our Cartoon President” premieres Sunday, Feb. 11, on Showtime.
Double the Lopez: A favorite former guest star is returning to “Will & Grace” after almost 14 years. Way back in the NBC comedy’s sixth season in 2004, R&B hitmaker Jennifer Lopez (“Gigli,” 2003) guest starred in the two-part season finale, and now she’s returning to the role in the revived series.
As of press time, no date had been announced for the episode or episodes in which she’ll be appearing, but what is known is that she won’t just be returning to the role she played previously, a satirized caricature of herself. While she is lined up to reprise that character, she’ll also be playing the one she stars as in her own series, “Shades of Blue.”
In the cop drama, which also airs on NBC, Lopez stars as NYPD detective and FBI informant Harlee Santos. Although the show has been renewed for a third season, no premiere date has been announced.
In her previous “Will & Grace” appearance, Lopez performed at Karen’s (Megan Mullally, “The Kings of Summer,” 2013) wedding, letting Jack (Sean Hayes, “The Three Stooges,” 2012) fill in as one of her backup dancers after the regular one twists his ankle.
“Will & Grace” has never had any difficulty attracting guest stars, but bringing back Lopez in two different roles is certainly going to get tongues wagging. “Will & Grace” airs Thursdays on NBC.
Maitland unmasked:
Good news, “talent” show fans: the revived version of “The Gong Show” has been renewed for a second season, and ABC has finally spilled the beans on just who that guy acting as host is, in case anyone was still wondering.
It was perhaps the worstkept secret on television, but it’s been finally confirmed that host Tommy Maitland isn’t actually a British comedian transplanted to the United States to host a revived game show. Instead, he’s Canadian American actor and comedian Mike Myers.
That the “Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery” (1997) star and former “Saturday Night Live” performer is the real Tommy Maitland probably won’t surprise anyone. Members of the media had seen through the layers of makeup and deduced the truth before the first episode of “The Gong Show” even aired last summer.
“The Gong Show” isn’t about Myers or his Maitland persona, though; it’s about the performers competing to win a gong trophy and an oversized check in the amount of $2000.17. Each episode brings amateur performers of questionable talent on stage to perform in front of a panel of celebrity judges. This isn’t “America’s Got Talent” — the acts range from ludicrous to bizarre to just downright eyebrow-raising, and at any time one of the judges can strike a large gong, immediately ending the act and sending the performer packing emptyhanded.
“The Gong Show” is simply ludicrous, but that’s what it’s meant to be. Disguising Meyers as an unknown British comedian is all part of the fun, and clearly enough of an audience pleaser that ABC agreed to warrant a second season. Watch for “The Gong Show” to return this summer to ABC.