South Florida Sun-Sentinel Palm Beach (Sunday)
What French song is used in a recent Allstate commercial?
Q: Friends and I are curious about a song in the current Allstate commercial. It was the same song recently used in a chocolate commercial. It sounds like French. It would be great to know in English what the singer is saying, since it seems to be very popular and a great voice.
A: That is “Non, je ne regrette rien,” by Edith Piaf. Also known as the “little sparrow,” Piaf (1915-63) became legendary for her passionate performances of songs such as “La Vie En Rose” and the song you asked about, whose title can be translated as “No, I regret nothing.” In addition to commercials, her songs have been used in hundreds of movies and TV shows.
Q: Why was the show “Star” canceled? I really enjoyed the show. How did it end?
A: Deadline.com reported one Fox executive calling it a “tough choice” to cancel the musical drama in 2019 after three seasons. Still, ratings had declined. Deadline.com also noted that it was an expensive show, and that it was lagging in overseas sales, a key revenue generator for studios. Fox also said it wanted to give “Empire” a big sendoff for its final season, which included putting it in the 9 p.m. hour
Eastern time. “Star” had led out of “Empire,” but Fox did not program the 10 p.m. Eastern hour, eliminating a home for “Star.” As for how the show ended, because of the timing of the cancellation, it did so with a huge cliffhanger: At Derek and Alex’s wedding, says TVGuide.com, “Bankhead gang members infiltrated the intimate event and opened fired on the unsuspecting guests, leaving a sea of bodies in their wake.” Questions about who survived would have been answered in the fourth season — only there wasn’t one.
Q: I love the old Victorian homes Ashley and Michael restore on “Restoring Galveston.” Ashley recently had a baby girl whom they called “L” during her pregnancy. I would love to know her Christian name.
A: Ashley and Michael Cordray welcomed Elle Lane Cordray in November 2019. An Instagram post said she was 8 pounds, 6 ounces, and 21 inches. “We have never been more thankful,” the Cordrays said.
Do you have a question or comment about entertainment past, present and future? Write to Rich Heldenfels, P.O. Box 417, Mogadore, OH 44260, or brenfels@gmail.com. Letters may be edited. Individual replies are not guaranteed.