George Clooney on growing old, putting on a suit again, and his hopes but lack of optimism for COP26
George Clooney has told Sky News he’s “hopeful” but “not all that optimistic” that meaningful change will come out of COP26, the UN’s climate change conference, at the end of the month.
While the American actor, director and environmentalist acknowledges the US’s failings when it comes to environmental policy, he also says he’s not confident the summit, which will be held in Glasgow from 31 October, will lead to much progress.
“There’s a better chance here than we’ve had in the United States recently because our Congress lives in a bit of a state of denial,” he said.
“It used to not be a political situation, Nixon used to do something about this, quite honestly, so I’m disappointed with the way and the direction that our Congress has gone.
“I’m hopeful that more will be done here, I think some will, but I’m not, I’m not all that optimistic about it – I don’t know, I’d like to be, I’m a pretty optimistic guy.”
The star was speaking at the UK premiere of The Tender Bar, which he directed.
The movie is a coming-of-age story based on a memoir by J R Moehringer, an American journalist who won a Pulitzer Prize.
One of the lead roles, played by Ben Affleck, would have once been Clooney’s – something the filmmaker, who recently turned 60, is philosophical about.
“The only thing you can do that’s dumb is try to hold on to things that you aren’t anymore, right? You know, there was a picture, I was in Italy and somebody took a picture of me – I think it was a paparazzi picture on the boat, and I saw this old, grey-haired guy on the boat and I was like ‘who is that?’ And it was me!” he said.
“If you don’t really have some understanding of time and ageing, then I think you’ll constantly try to do things that you know are past your due date.
“I’m really enjoying it, I don’t mind, it’s fun to watch Ben step into a role that 15 years ago I would have felt right for.”
Clooney says he’s enjoyed watching Ben Affleck play a role that 15 years ago he would have felt right for
Production on The Tender Bar was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and Clooney says like everyone else that his world has been changed by the events of the last 18 months.
“It changed everybody, right? Suddenly, we think Zooming is OK, I haven’t seen anybody in person – it’s the first time I’ve put on a suit in two years… I was afraid it wouldn’t fit,” he said.
“It changes a lot, it’s harder as a filmmaker because you’re not able to communicate in the same way because you’re wearing all this crap (PPE).
“But you know, it’s a funny thing, it also reminds us of how resilient we are – I just saw a picture of all these kids during the London Blitz, and they’re all wearing those huge gas masks, 500 kids with those gas masks, and you go ‘well, if they could do it, we can do it – we’ll figure it out’.”
The Tender Bar will be released in select cinemas in December, and will stream on Amazon Prime Video in January 2022.
Entertainment
Robin Kaye: American Idol TV executive and her husband shot dead inside their Los Angeles home
An American Idol TV executive and her husband have been found dead in their LA home.
Robin Kaye was a music supervisor on the long-running reality TV series.
The bodies of the 70-year-old and her husband Thomas were discovered after officers conducted a welfare check at their home.
Both had died from gunshot wounds.
Robin Kaye and her husband Thomas. Pic: Facebook
Detectives say Raymond Boodarian has been arrested in connection with their deaths.
It is alleged the 22-year-old had burgled their property while they were away on 10 July – killing the couple upon their return.
According to Los Angeles Police, there were “no signs of forced entry or trouble” at the property.
Ms Kaye was an industry veteran – and had previously worked on shows including Lip Sync Battle and The Singing Bee, as well as several Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants.
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Pic: ABC7 Los Angeles
In a statement, an American Idol spokesperson said: “Robin has been a cornerstone of the Idol family since 2009 and was truly loved and respected by all who came in contact with her.
“Robin will remain in our hearts forever and we share our deepest sympathy with her family and friends during this difficult time.”
Entertainment
Action taken to stop ticketless Oasis fans from watching this week’s shows in Manchester
Huge steel fences have been erected to prevent ticketless fans from watching the Oasis reunion tour in Manchester.
Liam and Noel Gallagher will resume their sold-out run of shows – their first since 2009 – with a performance at Heaton Park tonight, and two more on Saturday and Sunday.
While tens of thousands bought tickets for Oasis’s first two shows last weekend, crowds gathered to glimpse the large screens above the stage in the distance – in an area dubbed “Gallagher Hill” by some on social media.
People walk past a temporary security fence erected ahead of concerts by Oasis in Heaton Park on 1 July. Reuters file pic
Manchester City Council has now said more steel fences have been erected around parts of the park to prevent ticketless fans from watching the gigs, and to protect nature in the park.
“After taking stock of how the first two nights went, additional measures have now been deemed necessary and will be in place for the next three concerts,” it said.
“The erection of the fencing has a dual purpose – both to protect the environment from further damage and to dissuade people from gathering there.
“The necessary measure means the concert will no longer be visible from this area.”
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Friday: Excited fans at Oasis homecoming gig
The fences will cover a large area of the hill within the park’s cattle field, which is being developed as a new woodland area with around 300 young trees planted.
The council added that there would be no facilities for people without a ticket, and said the event area is “double-walled with solid high security fencing all the way round”.
More than 2,000 event security staff and police officers will also be on duty around the site “to ensure both the safety and wellbeing of ticket-holders and that only those who have tickets access the concert”, it said.
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John Hacking, the council’s executive member for employment, skills and leisure, also said in a statement that “unfortunately our hand has been forced in having to put these additional measures in place”.
He added: “Our advice to music fans who don’t have tickets for the concerts is to head into the city centre instead.
“The whole city is going all out to celebrate and help everyone have a good time.
“We’ve got some fantastic things going on with a real party atmosphere for everyone to enjoy, whether they’ve got tickets for the Oasis gigs or not.”
MasterChef presenter John Torode will no longer work on the show after an allegation he used an “extremely offensive racist term” was upheld, the BBC has said.
His co-host Gregg Wallace was also sacked last week after claims of inappropriate behaviour.
On Monday, Torode said an allegation he used racist language was upheld in a report into the behaviour of Wallace. The report found more than half of 83 allegations against Wallace were substantiated.
Torode, 59, insisted he had “absolutely no recollection” of the alleged incident involving him and he “did not believe that it happened,” adding “racial language is wholly unacceptable in any environment”.
John Torode and Gregg Wallace in 2008. Pic: PA
In a statement on Tuesday, a BBC spokesperson said the allegation “involves an extremely offensive racist term being used in the workplace”.
The claim was “investigated and substantiated by the independent investigation led by the law firm Lewis Silkin”, they added.
“The BBC takes this upheld finding extremely seriously,” the spokesperson said.
“We will not tolerate racist language of any kind… we told Banijay UK, the makers of MasterChef, that action must be taken.
“John Torode’s contract on MasterChef will not be renewed.”
Australian-born Torode started presenting MasterChef alongside Wallace, 60, in 2005.
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Why Gregg Wallace says he ‘will not go quietly’
A statement from Banijay UK said it “takes this matter incredibly seriously” and Lewis Silkin “substantiated an accusation of highly offensive racist language against John Torode which occurred in 2018”.
“This matter has been formally discussed with John Torode by Banijay UK, and whilst we note that John says he does not recall the incident, Lewis Silkin have upheld the very serious complaint,” the TV production company added.
“Banijay UK and the BBC are agreed that we will not renew his contract on MasterChef.”
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Earlier, as the BBC released its annual report, its director-general Tim Davie addressed MasterChef’s future, saying it can survive as it is “much bigger than individuals”.
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BBC annual report findings
Speaking to BBC News after Torode was sacked, Mr Davie said a decision is yet to be taken over whether an unseen MasterChef series – filmed with both Wallace and Torode last year – will be aired.
“It’s a difficult one because… those amateur chefs gave a lot to take part – it means a lot, it can be an enormous break if you come through the show,” he added.
“I want to just reflect on that with the team and make a decision, and we’ll communicate that in due course.”
Mr Davie refused to say what the “seriously racist term” Torode was alleged to have used but said: “I certainly think we’ve drawn a line in the sand.”
In 2022, Torode was made an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours, for services to food and charity.
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