The 5er: Channel 4's Ed Webster

(Photo Disclaimer: I clearly did not interview a baby so obviously the interviewee subject is on the left. LOL)

For the best British TV recommendations, I often consult my friend, Channel 4's Ed Webster, for which he is now the reason for my absolute addiction to the infectious show, "Peep Show".  Get deeper inside his mind for more of his fave shows - albeit some of them American ones, what American-isms he fancies and why Gene Kelly is so appealing to him.

What is currently your favorite show on Channel 4?
The brilliantly written, shot and acted "Peep Show".  I'm very glad that it's coming back for another series (or season as you would say!) later this year.

 Peep Show

  
What is currently your favorite show not on Channel 4 and why?
I'm catching up with various box sets. I'm a huge fan of the "West Wing". It makes me proud to be an American. At least it would if I was.

Out of current shows, "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" which I tried to get Channel 4 to acquire for the UK. It's the funniest thing I've ever seen on TV.  "Boardwalk Empire" is amazing - I'm going to New York to visit my friend Anatol Yusef this year, who plays "Meyer Lansky". While I'm there I'm going to try and persuade him that his character should have a brother.  From there it's a short walk to my own spin off series, which would like to be a musical comedy show. I'll let you know what they say.

Anatol Yusef

If you could live anywhere else than London, where would it be?
I absolutely love New York (though you never once invited me over when you lived there. I'm over it) And I could very happily live anywhere along the California coast - so beautiful. Even thinking about it makes me happy.

What makes you laugh the most about us silly Americans?
The Writers/Cast of 'It's Always Sunny...', Seth McFarlane, Oliver Hardy, Steve Martin, legal disclaimers on commercials, The 'World' Series, and the way you spell 'favourite'.

What is your favorite all-time film and why?
I want to say "The Godfather" but I think I have to go for "Singing in the Rain". When I grow up, I want to be Gene Kelly.

And the 2013 Oscar Nominations Are...

...just announced by host Seth McFarlane and Emma Stone.  Here are the 85th Academy Award nominations.  (Wow, I have more screening homework to do!)

Stay tuned for the show on February 24th.

1. Best Picture: "Amour," "Argo," "Beasts of the Southern Wild," "Django Unchained," "Les Miserables," "Life of Pi," "Lincoln," "Silver Linings Playbook," "Zero Dark Thirty."

2. Actor: Bradley Cooper, "Silver Linings Playbook"; Daniel Day-Lewis, "Lincoln"; Hugh Jackman, "Les Miserables"; Joaquin Phoenix, "The Master"; Denzel Washington, "Flight."

3. Actress: Jessica Chastain, "Zero Dark Thirty"; Jennifer Lawrence, "Silver Linings Playbook"; Emmanuelle Riva, "Amour"; Quvenzhané Wallis, "Beasts of the Southern Wild"; Naomi Watts, "The Impossible."

4. Supporting Actor: Alan Arkin, "Argo"; Robert De Niro, "Silver Linings Playbook"; Philip Seymour Hoffman, "The Master"; Tommy Lee Jones, "Lincoln"; Christoph Waltz, "Django Unchained."

5. Supporting Actress: Amy Adams, "The Master"; Sally Field, "Lincoln"; Anne Hathaway, "Les Miserables"; Helen Hunt, "The Sessions"; Jacki Weaver, "Silver Linings Playbook."

6. Directing: Michael Haneke, "Amour"; Benh Zeitlin, "Beasts of the Southern Wild"; Ang Lee, "Life of Pi"; Steven Spielberg, "Lincoln"; David O. Russell, "Silver Linings Playbook."

7. Foreign Language Film: "Amour," Austria; "Kon-Tiki," Norway; "No," Chile; "A Royal Affair," Denmark; "War Witch," Canada.

8. Adapted Screenplay: Chris Terrio, "Argo"; Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin, "Beasts of the Southern Wild"; David Magee, "Life of Pi"; Tony Kushner, "Lincoln"; David O. Russell, "Silver Linings Playbook."

9. Original Screenplay: Michael Haneke, "Amour"; Quentin Tarantino, "Django Unchained"; John Gatins, "Flight"; Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola, "Moonrise Kingdom"; Mark Boal, "Zero Dark Thirty."

10. Animated Feature Film: "Brave"; "Frankenweenie"; "ParaNorman"; "The Pirates! Band of Misfits"; "Wreck-It Ralph."

11. Production Design: "Anna Karenina," "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," "Les Miserables," "Life of Pi," "Lincoln."

12. Cinematography: "Anna Karenina," "Django Unchained," "Life of Pi," "Lincoln," "Skyfall."

13. Sound Mixing: "Argo," "Les Miserables," "Life of Pi," "Lincoln," "Skyfall."

14. Sound Editing: "Argo," "Django Unchained," "Life of Pi," "Skyfall," "Zero Dark Thirty."

15. Original Score: "Anna Karenina," Dario Marianelli; "Argo," Alexandre Desplat; "Life of Pi," Mychael Danna; "Lincoln," John Williams; "Skyfall," Thomas Newman.

16. Original Song: "Before My Time" from "Chasing Ice," J. Ralph; "Everybody Needs a Best Friend" from "Ted," Walter Murphy and Seth MacFarlane; "Pi's Lullaby" from "Life of Pi," Mychael Danna and Bombay Jayashri; "Skyfall" from "Skyfall," Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth; "Suddenly" from "Les Miserables," Claude-Michel Schonberg, Herbert Kretzmer and Alain Boublil.

17. Costume: "Anna Karenina," "Les Miserables," "Lincoln," "Mirror Mirror," "Snow White and the Huntsman."

18. Documentary Feature: "5 Broken Cameras," "The Gatekeepers," "How to Survive a Plague," "The Invisible War," "Searching for Sugar Man."

19. Documentary (short subject): "Inocente," "Kings Point," "Mondays at Racine," "Open Heart," "Redemption."

20. Film Editing: "Argo," "Life of Pi," "Lincoln," "Silver Linings Playbook," "Zero Dark Thirty."

21. Makeup and Hairstyling: "Hitchcock," "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," "Les Miserables."

22. Animated Short Film: "Adam and Dog," "Fresh Guacamole," "Head over Heels," "Maggie Simpson in `The Longest Daycare,'" "Paperman."

23. Live Action Short Film: "Asad," "Buzkashi Boys," "Curfew," "Death of a Shadow (Dood van een Schaduw)," "Henry."

24. Visual Effects: "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," "Life of Pi," "Marvel's The Avengers," "Prometheus," "Snow White and the Huntsman."