Celebrity Extra: Sandra Bernhard
By Dana Jackson
Q: Whatever happened to Sandra Bernhard? I remember her funny appearances on the "Late Night with David Letterman," and she was in a few movies, but I haven't seen her in decades. Is she still in showbiz? -- H.U.
A: The now 67-year-old actress Sandra Bernhard started out in stand-up comedy, before landing a scene-stealing role of a stalker in the Martin Scorsese film "The King of Comedy," opposite Robert DeNiro. She followed that with more than 20 appearances on "Late Night with David Letterman" and also landed a recurring role on the hit sitcom "Roseanne" for several seasons.
Sandra Bernhard ("American Horror Story" and "Pose"). Photo Credit: Depositphotos
In recent years, she's had regular roles on sitcoms like "2 Broke Girls" and "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," as well as two Ryan-Murphy-produced series "Pose" and "American Horror Story." Her biggest missed opportunity, though, was turning down the role of Miranda on "Sex and the City" due to "low pay" and a "terrible" script at the time. Cynthia Nixon went on to become a household name after being cast in the role, but Bernhard told Howard Stern in an interview that she doesn't regret her decision.
Fortunately, she's part of the Murphy universe and has a role in the new season of "American Horror Story: NYC" on the FX channel. She also recently wrapped filming for the upcoming comedy film "Out of Order!" starring Brooke Shields and Brandon Routh.
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Q: When are the Hallmark Christmas movies starting? With Christmas decorations in stores already, do the movies start in October, too? -- Y.J.
A: As a matter of fact, yes, Hallmark's "Countdown to Christmas" schedule starts with the movie "Noel Next Door" on Friday, Oct. 21 at 8 p.m ET, starring Natalie Hall and Corey Sevier. On Oct. 30, Kim Matula and Ian Harding star in "Ghosts of Christmas Always" at 8 p.m. ET on the Hallmark Channel. The schedule really picks up in November and, of course, throughout December, with holiday films featuring favorites like Alison Sweeney, Aimee Teegarden, Jack Wagner and more.
Holiday-themed TV movies aren't exclusive to the Hallmark franchise. The Lifetime network has just as many Christmas movies. Mario Lopez, Maria Menounos, Patti LaBelle and Jana Kramer are part of the Lifetime lineup. Even streaming giant Netflix has gotten into the game, with original movies like "Falling for Christmas," which marks Lindsay Lohan's big comeback, premiering Nov. 10.
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Q: Are the Golden Globe Awards ever coming back to television? The Emmy Awards now resemble them, with celebrities sitting at tables nearby each other, but I wish the Emmys would go back to rows of seating like the Oscars. -- G.H.
A: Yes, the Golden Globe Awards will return with a televised ceremony on NBC Jan. 10, 2023, preceded by the nominations being announced on Dec. 12. The network skipped broadcasting it last year, after record-low ratings in 2021 and the discovery that there were no African Americans among its 87-member voting organization, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. With a more-diversified panel and a post-pandemic increase in movie ticket sales, it's hoped that the Golden Globes can return to being a celebrated, fun event.
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