Wahlberg vs. Samberg; Howard vs. Cheadle
By Sharon Eberson / Monday, Oct. 20
Were you confused when Mark Wahlberg walked into the Sarah Palin appearance on "Saturday Night Live," looking menacing and asking for Andy Samberg? Alec Baldwin, as Tina Fey's co-star on "30 Rock," was in the wings with Gov. Palin and "SNL" exec Lorne Michaels while Fey was doing her impersonation of the vice presidential hopeful, and suddenly Wahlberg walked up, demanded to know where Samberg was, and left (he returned later in the show for a confrontation with the "SNL" Primetime Player later).
Still confused? Let's review:
Samberg parodied the "Max Payne" star in a two-minute sketch titled "Mark Wahlberg Talks to Animals" two weeks ago. Wahlberg did not seem amused when asked about it an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show:
“When I see that kid, I’m going to crack that big [expletive] nose of his. Then I’m going to tell him, ’say hi to your mother for me." . . . I’m going to go down to 30 Rock’ . . and I’m going to slap him in the nose . . ."
He also disparaged the current "SNL" cast in the Oct. 12 New York Post, saying, "Saturday Night Live hasn’t been funny for a long time. They’ve asked me to do the show a ton of times. I used to watch it when Eddie Murphy was there and Joe Piscopo and Bill Murray. I don’t even know who’s on the show now.”
Next thing you know, Wahlberg becomes a part of "SNL's" and Palin's big moment, the opening sketch of a show that drew its biggest audience in 14 years. And the video-game adapation "Max Payne" won the battle with that talking chihuahua, "W." and "Secret Life of Bees" at the box office, too. All in all, a big weekend for the actor.
So, was Wahlberg acting when he raged against the "SNL" sketchers or was he genuinely miffed at that point? He's a savvy guy who likes a little bit of mischief, I'm sure. Even if he's no fan of the show, it's obvious he went on with Jimmy Kimmel knowing he was headed to Rockefeller Center to pay Samberg and the show a visit.
* * *
Terrence Howard told National Public Radio that he was in the middle of negotiating to reprise his "Iron Man" role when it was announced that Don Cheadle would take over for him as Tony Stark pal Jim Rhodes in the 2010 sequel.
"It was the surprise of a lifetime," Howard told the radio audience. "There was no explanation. (The contract) just . . . up and vanished.
"I read something in the trade (publications) implicating that it was about money or something, but apparently the contracts that we write and sign aren't worth the paper that they're printed on, sometimes."
He adds, "Promises aren't kept, and good faith negotiations aren't always held up."