Latest news with #SpittingImage
Express Tribune
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Lahore's Puffball quits MUBI
Pakistani animation studio Puffball has announced the removal of its films from global streaming platform MUBI, citing what it called a deeply unethical financial affiliation. In a joint statement issued on Instagram on Thursday in collaboration with Indian studio Spitting Image and the peace-building initiative Project Dastaan, Puffball condemned MUBI for accepting USD100 million in funding from Sequoia Capital, a Silicon Valley venture capital firm known to have recently invested in Israeli defence tech companies. "We are deeply disturbed by MUBI's decision to accept investment from Sequoia Capital, a firm that finances Israeli defence technology companies, especially after 20 months of live-streamed genocide by Israel against the Palestinian people," read the post. "As artists and storytellers, we cannot in good faith continue to host our work on a platform whose financial affiliations abhorrently contradict the ethical frameworks we stand for." The statement confirmed that Puffball has formally requested the removal of its animated works Rest in Paper, Seabirds, and Sultana's Dream from the MUBI platform. The three films comprise the anthology Lost Migrations, an ambitious cross-border animation series made in collaboration with Spitting Image and Project Dastaan that tells overlooked stories of Partition survivors through experimental short films. Founded in 2019 by filmmaker Arafat Mazhar, Puffball Studio first rose to critical acclaim with Shehr-e-Tabassum, a haunting dystopian short inspired by Pakistan's censorship regime and blasphemy laws. Their follow-up, Swipe, offered a direct reckoning with mob violence and religious extremism in Pakistan, further establishing the collective's voice as fiercely political and deeply rooted in local realities. Project Dastaan, co-founded by Saadia Gardezi and Sparsh Ahuja, aims to reconnect displaced Partition survivors with their pre-1947 homes using immersive media, particularly virtual reality. Spitting Image, the Bangalore-based animation house that co-animated Lost Migrations, is known for its socially engaged storytelling and visual experimentation. Together, the three groups brought to life a quietly radical animation project across borders. Sultana's Dream, animated by Puffball and based on the feminist utopia imagined by Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain in 1905, juxtaposes dreams of liberation with the violence of Partition. Seabirds, created by Spitting Image, examines a seafaring community displaced from Burma and then again by Partition, illuminating the layers of identity loss. Rest in Paper, a tribute to Saadat Hasan Manto's Toba Tek Singh, reflects on the absurdity of borders and the wounds they continue to inflict. Under scrutiny Puffball's decision resonates with other cultural boycotts being organised under the banner of the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement, which has gained traction among artists, writers, and academics calling for material and symbolic pressure on institutions linked to Israeli state violence. Founded in 2007 as The Auteurs in Turkey, MUBI has carved out a global niche as a curated streaming platform for independent and arthouse films. Over the years, it has distinguished itself from mainstream giants through a rotating selection of auteur-driven cinema, often spotlighting underrepresented voices. In recent years, the platform has expanded beyond streaming into theatrical distribution and production. Buoyed by the success of The Substance, a body-horror drama that became a breakout hit in 2024, MUBI has cemented its place as a serious player on the international festival and awards circuit. At Cannes this May, the company made headlines with its aggressive acquisitions, including the Jennifer Lawrence-led Die My Love for a reported USD24 million. However, it finds itself in hot water since disclosing a significant investment deal with Sequoia last month. In addition to MUBI, the firm's May 2025 funding round also included a USD10 million investment in Kela, a surveillance tech company founded by four Israeli intelligence veterans. A subsequent round raised the company's total backing to $100 million, with Sequoia playing a central role. Critics point out that this link aligns MUBI, even if indirectly, with Israeli state interests amid an ongoing and widely condemned assault on Gaza. Growing backlash MUBI responded to the growing calls for boycott with an Instagram statement posted on June 14, clarifying that Sequoia is one of several firms it has partnered with since its founding. "The beliefs of individual investors do not reflect the views of MUBI," the statement read. "We take the feedback from our community very seriously, and are steadfast in remaining an independent founder-led company." Social media backlash surged after an X user posted, "Time to add MUBI to the BDS list. They are now funded to the tune of USD100 million by Zionist venture capitalists Sequoia Capital, who are actively engaged in military support of the genocide." The call was echoed by activist groups like Film Workers for Palestine, which demanded MUBI return the funds and sever ties in a statement shared on social media handles. "Sequoia Capital is also a major investor in Airbnb, which profits off of stolen Palestinian land by renting homes in illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank," the statement said. While MUBI continues to host Palestinian films and work by Palestinian filmmakers, critics argue that such gestures are rendered hollow if the company continues to accept funding tied to military operations against the very communities it claims to platform. "I'm dying to know how much money MUBI has lost in cancelled subscriptions amid the Sequoia Capital investment drama. I hope a devastating amount," wrote one critic on X, while another asked netizens to "cancel MUBI subscriptions for taking investment from Sequoia, who invest in Israeli military arms manufacture." According to one X user, there are viable alternatives to MUBI. "Buy a box set and cancel your subscription. There are many ways of watching the show these days without giving money to Sequoia Capital," the post advised.
Daily Mail
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The Mail's Royal experts react to MORE fictional portrayals of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle across TV and film on ACTING ROYAL
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are no strangers to cameras. The Duke of Sussex, 40, was brought out of the Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital to hordes of paparazzi just hours after he was born in 1984, while the Duchess, 43, opted for a glittering career in television and spent seven years starring in the legal drama Suits. But not all of their appearances on the silver screen have been particularly welcomed by the couple, who stepped down from frontline royal duties in 2020. From The Windsors to Spitting Image and South Park, the Mail's Royal experts sat down to react to fictional representations of Harry and Meghan across TV and film on the new series Acting Royal. Rebecca English, the Daily Mail's Royal Editor, was joined by Richard Eden, the Daily Mail's Diary Editor, and Charlotte Griffiths, the Editor at Large of the Mail on Sunday, for the second episode of the hit show, which is available on the Daily Mail Royal YouTube channel. Spitting Image (2021) First broadcast in 1984, Spitting Image was a British satirical television puppet show which often featured (and made fun of) the Royal Family. In an episode from 2021, an overjoyed Meghan shows her husband Harry an invite to the 'Obama Foundation Awards Gala'. The Duchess explains that the event may be her 'chance to convince' Michelle Obama that she can 'play the lead' in the blockbuster movie based on the former First Lady's biography Becoming. 'This really did happen,' Charlotte said. 'They really did try and go to events in Hollywood to try and get Meghan a job in the industry.' Later in the episode, the puppet-version of Harry attends the glitzy event, suggesting to Disney CEO Bob Iger that Meghan would be 'great' in the role of Michelle. 'I do love resuscitating has-been's careers but I'm not a f***ing magician,' Bob replies. 'That's exactly what happened,' Charlotte said. 'Harry went up to Bob Iger and said, "Meghan would be great in your next film." I actually can't believe it happened now. 'God bless Spitting Image. They just get these things so right,' she added. Prince William (2002) Set at Balmoral Castle in 1997, the film opens with a young Prince William and Prince Harry finding out their mother Princess Diana has passed away in a car crash. The boys are seen scrambling around the royal residence looking for someone to explain what's going on. 'Has something bad happened?' a young Harry, played by Eddie Cooper, asks a staff member. The princes are eventually told by their father Prince Charles that Diana 'is gone' and they collapse into his arms crying. 'This clearly didn't happen,' Rebecca said. 'As we know from Harry himself, both he and William were asleep and their father woke them up. 'In Spare, Harry talked about how his father did impart the news to them personally but they didn't get any hugs and that's what they needed as children.' She added: 'There are things that are very basically wrong such as the idea that William and Harry were woken up by noise in Balmoral Castle and staff had warned them that something was going on. 'My understanding certainly from Harry's own account is that's not what happened,' she added. 'They were woken up personally by their father.' Harry In Court (2024) While watching the court reenactment clip from Sky News, Rebecca described it as 'one of my favourite depictions of Harry on film ever.' 'The trouble is in the UK we don't actually allow cameras in our courtrooms apart from very rare circumstances which is a judge, for example, delivering a sentencing in a particularly unique case.' 'This is one of Harry's many court cases,' Richard explained to the cameras. 'I think this was one of his cases against the Daily Mirror newspaper where he had been pursuing them over illegal methods used in the past. It was a case which he largely won. 'So this is an actor repeating Harry's words to give a sense of what it is was like when he was giving testimony in court. 'I think this actor frankly was more impressive than Harry himself,' Richard added. 'I think the way he speaks and carries himself. 'I'm sure his testimony is much more convincing than Harry's actually was in court.' Saturday Night Live (2018) Just hours after Harry married Meghan at St George's Chapel on May 19, 2018, Saturday Night Live put their own spin on the royal wedding in their season finale. 'What's up? It's your boy Harry Windsor aka Ron Sleaz-ley,' comedian Mikey Day says as he stands in a ballroom in military uniform. 'When I knew Harry very briefly, he was actually like this,' Charlotte revealed. 'He was really fun and really silly and he would be like, "what's up?" 'So spot on, I would say.' Adding her own opinion, Rebecca said: '[Day] almost had an Australian twang to the way he spoke I thought in that. 'This clip depicts what we all would have loved to have seen in person and no one had a chance to which is what it was like inside the wedding of Harry and Meghan. 'The one thing that did ring true is the Harry character,' she added, 'wearing a very lifelike uniform, I have to say.' Spitting Image (1993) At the 'height of the breakdown of Prince Charles and Princess Diana's relationship', Spitting Image released a skit featuring puppet versions of Harry and William 'joyriding' with their aide. After crashing into the gates of Buckingham Palace, puppet William tells the police officer: 'It's not our fault.' To which Harry adds: 'We come from a broken home.' Richard found the crash to be 'a bit tasteless' given what we know happened to the boys' mother Princess Diana four years later in 1997. But drawing on her 20 years of experience reporting on the royals, Rebecca said: 'An actual fact, they had ordered a member of staff to take them out joyriding. 'This does tie in with what some of the police protection officers said from the time is that when they got caught out after crashing into the gates at Buckingham Palace, they were like, "oh no, you can't blame us. We're just poor little princes from a broken home." 'Very funny, very smart, pretty cruel, but according to people at the time, pretty spot on too.' The Windsors (2020) Introducing The Windsors as the 'greatest royal spoof programme', Charlotte said she has 'been addicted to it for years. First broadcast on Channel 4 in 2016, it is a parody of the British Royal Family and the House of Windsor. In the episode watched by the Mail's Royal experts, Prince Harry, played by Richard Goulding, is gifted a colouring book to which he exclaims: 'I love this series and I am getting really good at staying inside the lines.' 'I love The Windsors' Rebecca said. 'Don't just take my word for it, this has royal approval. 'The programme is adored by the staff within Buckingham Palace, I can promise you that. 'I know it has even been watched by more than one member of the Royal Family as well.' She added: 'It is cult viewing within both the Royal Family and Buckingham Palace because they can see how genuinely funny it is.' South Park (2023) Broadcast in February 2023, The Worldwide Privacy Tour episode of depicts a visit to the town of South Park by the 'Prince of Canada' and his wife, who say they are seeking privacy and seclusion. Arriving on the set of Good Morning Canada with a book to promote, the prince holds aloft a placard reading 'We want privacy', while the princess's banner reads: 'Stop looking at us.' 'I remember when this came out,' Charlotte said, 'it really summed up what everyone was thinking about Meghan and Harry but weren't yet particularly saying so much which is the hypocrisy of Megxit and leaving the Royal Family. Agreeing with Charlotte, Rebecca said: 'The South Park Worldwide Privacy Tour episode was actually a seminal piece of royal reporting. 'It summed up in one kind of devastatingly brilliant episode how much their lives had changed, how much Harry and Meghan had fallen in public opinion. 'I would argue that it did more to seal their reputation with the general public than any piece of journalism that we have seen in the last few years. 'At the time Harry and Meghan tried to put a brave face on it and suggest that they understood as public figures they found it funny and they should take it in their stride. 'But from everything we heard, they were absolutely devastated by it because it had cut through with the public in a way that we had not seen anything else have. 'The makers of the cartoon really got to the crux of what people were feeling that this couple were storming out of the Royal Family because they said they couldn't handle the public attention and needed more privacy at the same time as effectively selling themselves on a global stage to the highest bidder. 'It captured that hypocrisy brilliantly,' she added. Richard said: 'Even in America, his adopted home, he has been someone who is, let's be frank about this, being laughed at on television programmes. 'I'm not sure that's what Harry and Meghan envisioned at all when they moved to the USA.'
Daily Mirror
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Steve Davis' surprising new career, affair with 19-year-old and staggering net worth
Steve Davis was once dubbed the "most boring player in the world" but the six-time world champion has led a life away from the snooker table that couldn't be further from that image During his heyday, snooker icon Steve Davis was often labelled as the "most boring player in the world". Erupting onto the snooker scene in the late 1970s, the London-born legend ruled the roost in the 1980s, clinching six world titles from eight World Championship finals and maintaining the top spot in the world rankings for an impressive seven years on the trot. His method was a straightforward, no-frills approach to the game that saw him consistently outplay his rivals on the green baize. Davis's style stood in stark contrast to the flamboyant personas of his contemporaries like Jimmy White, and it even led to a bit of tongue-in-cheek mockery with the moniker 'Interesting' bestowed upon him by the satirical TV show Spitting Image. Yet, as he approached the twilight of his professional career, Davis began to embrace this image, and since hanging up his cue in 2016, he has carved out a rather unexpected post-snooker life. He's become a well-loved figure in the BBC's snooker commentary and punditry team. But there's more to Davis than what you see on screen. From an astonishing career pivot to eyebrow-raising rumours about his personal life, here's the lowdown on what the 67-year-old has been up to away from the snooker spotlight. Surprise career change Post-retirement, Davis has traded potting balls for spinning decks, establishing himself as a successful DJ and musician, with gigs all over the UK, reports Wales Online. After hanging up his cue, the prog rock fan - who has collected over 10,000 records - formed an electro band called the Utopia Strong alongside musician Kavus Torabi, recording two albums with them. He has gone on to play techno gigs at the legendary Glastonbury Festival, while he has also supported Blur at Wembley Stadium and worked as a producer on several other musical projects. Speaking to the Mirror, Davis admitted his new career was "ridiculous", saying: "I didn't know my life would turn out like this. You haven't got a clue. "My life seems to have gone in reverse. I started off as a snooker player practising for eight hours a day in a dark room, and I ended up at Glastonbury DJing. You just don't know what is going to happen." When it comes to his Glastonbury performances, he laughed: "I come from another world. The snooker world is not that way so it passed me by. Music is my drug of choice." This isn't Davis's first time experimenting with music; in 1996, he began hosting a soul and rock show on Brentwood's Phoenix FM, and famously collaborated on 'Snooker Loopy' with Chas and Dave as part of 'The Matchroom Mob'. Davis has consistently showcased his diverse range of skills beyond the world of snooker, competing in the World Pool League and presiding over the British Chess Federation between 1996 and 2001. Split from wife Davis' private life has also seen significant changes, including a split from his wife. Davis tied the knot with former Concorde flight attendant Judy Greig back in 1990, and the couple welcomed two sons, Greg and Jack. But after a decade and a half together, they called it quits in 2005, with Davis confessing that Judy had "met someone else". Reflecting on the reasons for their split, he later told the Daily Mail: "Perhaps I was giving the table a bit too much attention. I was difficult to live with. But so are all sports people - horrible. We're all 'Me, me, me!' And so selfish." Their separation came 10 years after a British tabloid paid dancer Cheree Palla, then 19, over £30,000 to spill details of her alleged fling with Davis, who was 39 at the time. Palla, who has since become a beauty therapist, boasted about their encounters, claiming they had sex seven times a night and even dubbed him "king of the bedroom". Davis, reflecting on the scandal, said: "I wasn't a politician, I was a snooker player - I was only an ambassador of that sport. So I didn't lose much sleep over it in the end really. "It's not like I had people all over the place. I think my street cred went up quite a lot actually." Despite the past indiscretion, his wife forgave him, but they still ended up divorcing a decade later, and Davis would go on to find love again with Jeannie Nash, an accounts worker 16 years his junior. Huge net worth With his legendary status in the snooker world, it's no shock that Davis ranks among the sport's richest figures. Over the course of his career, he raked in over £5.6million in winnings, and lucrative endorsements arranged by manager Barry Hearn saw him become the UK's highest-paid sportsperson in the latter half of the 1980s. However, reports suggest that Davis' net worth is significantly higher since he transitioned into commentary and other ventures post-retirement, with his net worth reported to be a whopping £26.5m.
Edinburgh Live
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
BBC announce iconic series will return nearly 18 years after being axed
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Celebrating 25 years since its launch, the iconic BBC comedy Dead Ringers is making waves as it prepares for something quite extraordinary. The show, a favourite among fans that has been off-air for nearly two decades, is set to take an exciting new direction. Marking its quarter of a century legacy, Dead Ringers will venture outside the studio for its inaugural UK-wide tour. Renowned for its biting political satire and uncanny impersonations, the series aims to continue delivering laughs to live audiences from across the country. Original cast members such as Jon Culshaw, Jan Ravens, Lewis McLeod, and Duncan Wisbey will lead the expedition, revisiting beloved sketches and providing the top-tier comedy commentary the show is famed for. READ MORE - ITV Helen Flanagan 'dealt huge blow' as she eyes-up return to Coronation Street READ MORE -Paula Radcliffe's daughter's heartbreaking cancer journey as she runs marathon Although the cast have rendezvoused for stage shows in London and the Edinburgh Festival in the past, this impending tour signifies their first full-scale trek around the UK together. The tour not only brings laughter but also stands as a commemoration of Bill Dare, the esteemed creator and producer of Dead Ringers, who tragically passed away this March following an accident abroad. JFL Agency, through which Dare was represented, announced the sad news, with their spokesperson expressing: "We are shocked and greatly saddened to have to announce the death of our brilliant client Bill Dare, who died at the weekend following an accident overseas.", reports Belfast Live. "Our thoughts are with his wife Lucy, daughter Rebecca, and with all of Bill's family and friends who will be devastated by his loss. Bill was a truly legendary producer and writer, and his comedy instincts were second to none." Bill stood as a giant in the world of radio and TV comedy, having played a key role in the creation of seminal shows like The Now Show, Spitting Image, and The Mary Whitehouse Experience. The Dead Ringers crew have shared their excitement about embarking on a tour to honour his legacy. Starting in September, fans can expect a classic mix of satire, mischief, and uncanny impressions that Dead Ringers is celebrated for. Before they take to the stage, the radio iteration of Dead Ringers is set to air this June on BBC Radio 4's Friday Night Comedy. It's important to note that the tour will offer an exclusive live experience that won't be broadcast. The TV version of Dead Ringers was axed in 2009 after seven series. At the time, leading lady Jan Ravens remarked: "It's bizarre, there was no announcement or anything. "The producer just rang me and said it's not going to be re-commissioned. It would be nice to make an announcement or do a farewell edition of the show." Throughout its nine-year run, Jan masterfully mimicked a host of personalities, from Amy Winehouse to Ann Robinson, showcasing her remarkable talent for impersonation.
Edinburgh Live
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Steve Davis' life off screen including eye-brow raising romance and career change
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info In his heyday, Steve Davis was labelled as the "most boring player in the world" for his snooker prowess. Emerging in the late 1970s, the London-born snooker legend dominated the sport over the next decade with an impressive haul of six world titles from eight World Championship finals and maintaining the world number one spot for seven years straight, all accomplished through a straightforward, no-frills approach that saw him dispatch rivals at the table. His demeanour stood in stark contrast to the flamboyant personas of contemporaries like Jimmy White, even earning him the parody moniker 'Interesting' on the show Spitting Image. But as his playing days wound down, Davis began to embrace his perceived image. Post-retirement in 2016, he has built a reputation beyond the baize. He's now widely recognised for his commentary and punditry on the BBC's snooker coverage, yet there's an unexpected side to the 67 year old that extends well beyond the green felt, reports Wales Online. Surprise career change. Beyond the snooker hall, Davis has spun tracks as a successful DJ and musician, taking his beats to venues nationwide. After retiring from the snooker world, the prog rock aficionado, who boasts a collection of over 10,000 records, ventured into music by forming an electro band named the Utopia Strong with musician Kavus Torabi and has since recorded two albums. His musical journey didn't stop there; he's played techno sets at the iconic Glastonbury Festival, supported Blur at Wembley Stadium, and has been involved in producing various other music projects. In a candid chat with the Mirror, Davis described his career shift as "ridiculous" revealing: "I didn't know my life would turn out like this. You haven't got a clue. "My life seems to have gone in reverse. I started off as a snooker player practising for eight hours a day in a dark room, and I ended up at Glastonbury DJing. You just don't know what is going to happen." Reflecting on his experience at Glastonbury, he said: "I come from another world. The snooker world is not that way so it passed me by. Music is my drug of choice." Davis' involvement in music predates his DJing days, having begun hosting a soul and rock show on Brentwood's Phoenix FM back in 1996. He even teamed up with Chas and Dave for 'Snooker Loopy' as part of 'The Matchroom Mob', which included fellow snooker stars Terry Griffiths, Tony Meo, Dennis Taylor, and Willie Thorne. Beyond the green baize, the 67 year old has demonstrated his diverse talents, participating in the World Pool League and holding the position of president of the British Chess Federation from 1996 to 2001. Davis tied the knot with former Concorde flight attendant Judy Greig back in 1990, and the couple welcomed two sons, Greg and Jack. But after a decade and a half, in 2005, they parted ways amidst Davis's admission that Judy "met someone else". He later reflected to MailOnline on his potential role in the marital breakdown, musing, "Perhaps I was giving the table a bit too much attention," and confessing, "I was difficult to live with. But so are all sports people - horrible. We're all 'Me, me, me!' And so selfish!". This separation came ten years after a British tabloid paid dancer Cheree Palla, then 19, a hefty sum over £30,000 to spill the beans on her supposed short-lived fling with 39 year old Davis. Years later, now working as a beauty therapist, Palla suggested their intimate encounters were frequent, nicknaming him "king of the bedroom". Reacting to the past scandal, Davis conveyed a nonchalant attitude: "I wasn't a politician, I was a snooker player - I was only an ambassador of that sport," adding "So I didn't lose much sleep over it in the end really." He jested further about his reputation, "It's not like I had people all over the place. I think my street cred went up quite a lot actually". Despite the incident, Judy initially forgave him, but ten years on, they divorced. Davis would later find love with Jeannie Nash, an accounts worker 16 years his junior. Given his illustrious career, it's hardly shocking that Davis ranks among snooker's elite, not just in talent, but also in wealth. Over the course of his career, he raked in over £5.6 million in winnings, and lucrative endorsements arranged by manager Barry Hearn saw him become the UK's highest paid sportsperson in the latter half of the 1980s. However, reports suggest that Davis' net worth is significantly higher since he transitioned into commentary and other ventures post-retirement, with his net worth reported to be a whopping £26.5 million.
