Spinal Tap and director Rob Reiner reunite to celebrate the 35th anniversary of ‘This Is Spinal Tap’

April 28, 2019

by Carla Hay

Harry Shearer, Michael McKean, Christopher Guest and Rob Reiner at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival’s “This Is Spinal Tap” 35th anniversary reunion in New York City. (Photo by Sherry Brunet)

The 1984 comedy film “This Is Spinal Tap” will probably go down in film history as the most influential mockumentary of all time. The movie, directed by Rob Reiner and mostly improvised by the cast, is a mock documentary of a fictional British heavy-metal band called Spinal Tap, as the band goes through the humiliation of a career downward spiral. Spinal Tap’s core members are egotistical lead singer/rhythm guitarist David St. Hubbins (played by Michael McKean), simple-minded lead guitarist Nigel Tufnel (played by Christopher Guest) and laid-back bass player Derek Smalls (played by Harry Shearer). The band is rounded out by an ever-changing lineup of keyboard players and drummers. There’s a running joke in the movie that Spinal Tap drummers often meet an unfortunate demise.

“This Is Spinal Tap” takes place mostly during the band’s disastrous tour of the United States, where the band’s current album (“Smell the Glove”) is a flop, and Spinal Tap performs to increasingly smaller audiences. There’s also in-fighting because of ego clashes between David and Nigel. Feuds between a band’s lead singer and guitarist have happened so many times to famous bands, it’s become a cliché at this point. The movie also pokes fun at other clichés in the music industry, such as over-the-top machismo in heavy metal; embarrassing on-stage mishaps; smarmy hangers-on; incompetent handlers; a meddling girlfriend who thinks she’s almost a member of the band; and sparsely attended gigs in weird places. In the movie, Reiner plays fictional director Marty DiBergi, who is chronicling the Spinal Tap tour for a documentary.

When “This Is Spinal Tap” was first released, it was so convincing, that some audience members thought that Spinal Tap was a real band, and some real-life rock bands were offended, because they thought that the movie was making fun of their real-life experiences. McKean, Guest and Shearer can sing, play musical instruments and write songs in real life, and they’ve occasionally released albums and toured as Spinal Tap over the years. At the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival, in celebration of the 35th anniversary of “This Is Spinal Tap,” a rare reunion took place with Reiner, McKean, Guest and Shearer, who gathered at New York City’s Beacon Theatre for a conversation and Q&A, before the Spinal Tap trio did an acoustic performance. (Elvis Costello made a surprise guest appearance during the song “Gimme Some Money.”) Here is what the “Spinal Tap” team said during the conversation and Q&A, which was moderated by Reiner.

Michael McKean, Christopher Guest and Harry Shearer in “This Is Spinal Tap” (Photo courtesy of Rialto Pictures/Studiocanal)

Guest: I hadn’t seen [“This Is Spinal Tap”] in a while. It’s interesting to see yourself younger. What do you think?

McKean: [He says to the audience] Your reactions were like concert reactions, which were great. You’d see a scene beginning, and it was like hearing the beginning of “Free Bird.”

Shearer: I have to say, I was taken back in a time machine when I saw the scene with Paul Shaffer [who portrayed record promoter Artie Fufkin, who asks the band to “kick his ass” when there’s a low turnout for a Spinal Tap meet-and-greet at a music store]. It brought me back to a moment Michael and I and an ex-partner were in a comedy group called the Credibility Gap. We were in Arizona doing a gig, and everything that could be fucked up about our technical set-up was.

The representative from Warner Bros Records—a guy named Lou Dennis—came backstage, and we were furious. This was a record merchandising convention, and this was a chance for people in the business to become acquainted with an act they didn’t care about. Lou Dennis, before we could say one word to vent our anger, said, “Guys, kick my ass!” He became known as Lou “Kick My Ass” Dennis for years afterward. We put that in the movie, and for years afterwards, he would say, “I’m the guy in ‘Spinal Tap!’”

McKean: The other problem was that conventioneers started drinking at about 9:30 in the morning. And this was more like 9 p.m. when we went on. It got worse. Tucson, Arizona.

Rob Reiner and Christopher Guest in “This Is Spinal Tap” (Photo courtesy of Rialto Pictures/Studiocanal)

Reiner: It’s crazy, 35 years. It’s insane when you think about it. They put us in the National Film Registry and the Smithsonian. It was so crazy. The first time we screened the film at a screening in Dallas, people were coming up to us and saying, “Why would you make a movie about a band that’s no one’s ever heard of and one that’s so bad?”

McKean: Some of the cards that we got from the audiences from test screenings were amazing. In answer to the question, “What did you like about this film?,” one woman wrote, “DNA.”  “How would you describe this film?” And we figured out that “DNA” meant “Does Not Apply.”

Guest: Michael and I were in Dallas to get some popcorn, and there were two young women who came out in the middle of the movie, and one of them said to the other one, “These guys are so stupid!”

McKean: Well, they were right.

Guest: And one of the cards said, “What did you like about it?” And the person who wrote it said, “It’s in color.”

McKean: It’s not a good jumping-off point.

Christopher Guest and Michael McKean in “This Is Spinal Tap” (Photo courtesy of Rialto Pictures/Studiocanal)

Reiner: I’d forget that Dana Carvey is in [the movie]. There’s Billy Crystal, Fran Drescher, Fred Willard. Sir Denis Eton-Hogg, played by Patrick Macnee. The whole film is improvised, except for that one speech by Patrick Macnee said about, “Tap into America.” He said, “I don’t improvise,” so we sat down and wrote it. It’s the only written thing in the whole movie.

We had Peter Smokler was the DP [ director of photography] on the film. We hired him because he shot lots of rock’n’roll documentaries. We thought he would be the perfect guy. He was actually at Altamont, with the very famous Rolling Stones concert with the Hell’s Angels, a very said time. And we were going through this, and he kept saying to me “I don’t understand what’s funny about this. This is exactly what they do.”

Shearer: This was probably a trait that served Peter well—not seeing what was funny about what we were shooting—because before he came on our project, he had shot another documentary called “This Time, It’s for the Championship.” There was a gentleman in the 1970s named Werner Erhard, who ran an organization called Est. And everybody’s agent went to Est.

And with all the money that his customers had given him, Werner Erhard decided to become a championship car racer and commissioned a documentary about it. So it would’ve been a bad idea for Peter to have said [about “This Is Spinal Tap”], “You know what? This is the funniest shit I’ve ever seen.”

Christopher Guest in “This Is Spinal Tap” (Photo courtesy of Rialto Pictures/Studiocanal)

Reiner: I never heard that story. There was a life to the band. They had their own life and their own history. We spent a lot of time talking about the characters. Everybody had their own frame of reference. And so, there was an organic creation.

We had some people come in to audition. John Densmore, the drummer for the Doors, auditioned. He was great, but he’s in the Doors. It’s not this alternative world that we created. Paul Stanley from Kiss came in.

Guest: Nicky Hopkins, a great keyboard player.

Reiner: If you look carefully in the “(Listen to the) Flower People” [music video], you’ll see Russ Kunkel, who was a great drummer who played for Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne and James Taylor. And Danny Kortchmar was in “Gimme Some Money.”

McKean: And Ed Begley Jr. was the drummer [in an early lineup of Spinal Tap, in the “Gimme Some Money” clip].

At this point, questions were taken from the audience.

Christopher Guest in “This Is Spinal Tap” (Photo courtesy of Rialto Pictures/Studiocanal)

Was the band Spinal Tap based on Iron Maiden?

Guest: It was never based on any particular band. The rhythm of the name Spinal Tap was like Uriah Heep or others with that rhythm. We picked and chose from various places.

Reiner: Life and art kept mirroring each other. That scene backstage where [Nigel Tufnel] is trying to get the sandwich to fit on the bread—that was taken from an article in Rolling Stone called “The Endless Party,” about Van Halen, and how they wanted all the brown M&Ms removed from backstage.

The keyboard player we had—a guy named John Sinclair—was in a 20-minute demo version of the film. And when we were ready to shoot the film, he got a job with Uriah Heep, and he figured, “This is a real band. I’m not going to go with these [Spinal Tap] schmucks. I’m going to get real money.” And when he came back from the Uriah Heep tour, he tells us how they got booked into an Army base. [In the movie, Spinal Tap performs at an Army base to a bewildered, straightlaced audience.]

Shearer: And just before we started shooting, I had the opportunity to be in England. I don’t even know how I wrangled this, but I got to go on the road with this mid-level band that most Americans never heard of, nor had I at the time, this English heartthrob band called Saxon. I picked up little details, like the bass player figured that that they were playing in E and A on all the songs, so he could play basically open strings, and he never had to finger it.

Reiner: There was life imitating art, back and forth. My favorite thing was we had this idea for Stonehenge. Black Sabbath decided they were going to tour with a Stonehenge theme. The movie came out about a week after they went on tour, and they were furious with us. They thought we stole the idea. It takes more than a week to make a film and distribute it.

Harry Shearer (pictured at left) in “This Is Spinal Tap” (Photo courtesy of Rialto Pictures/Studiocanal)

Why was the cucumber wrapped in tinfoil? [In one of the movie’s most famous scenes, Derek Smalls sets off a metal detector at an airport checkpoint, and to his embarrassment, an airport security employee discovers that it’s because Derek has a phallic-shaped vegetable, wrapped in tinfoil, stuffed in his trousers.]

Shearer: The real answer is—and someone might check this after the show to see if I’m right—if you slip a cucumber, or as I did [in the movie], a zucchini, in your trousers, and you get up on stage, and sweat for two hours, you’ll be glad it’s wrapped in tinfoil.

Since the members of Spinal Tap are American in real life, how did you get those English accents down so well?

Reiner: Chris’ father was British.

McKean: We spent a lot of time echoing what Chris was like, because he was on the money all the time.

Reiner: Chris’ father was in the House of Lords, and when he passed away, [the title] was handed down to Chris. Chris became a member of the House of Lords. Did you pass any significant legislation?

Guest: I was the one who said you didn’t have to wrap anything in tinfoil. It didn’t go anywhere.

Reiner: Why did they kick you out, by the way?

Guest: I’ll tell you later.

Michael McKean, June Chadwick and Harry Shearer in “This Is Spinal Tap” (Photo courtesy of Rialto Pictures/Studiocanal)

What was with scene where the band members have cold sores?

Reiner: That was the remnant of a joke that took about a half-an-hour of film to set up. At one time, the opening act was a punk band called The Dose, which was fronted by Cherie Currie, who was in The Runaways. And at one point, she is with Nigel, and they’re having a little fling, and in the next scene, you see that Nigel’s got a little herpes sore. And then, she’s hanging out with David, and then he has a herpes sore. And then she’s with Derek, and then Derek has a herpes sore.

And there’s a scene with the five band members sitting around, thinking about dropping The Dose from the tour. There are four guys with herpes sores, and the drummer doesn’t have a herpes sore, and he’s saying, “Why don’t we keep them? I like them!” That was the whole set-up and we ended up with two guys with herpes sores [in the final cut].

What was your favorite scene that didn’t get in the final cut of the movie?

Shearer: Bruno Kirby singing. It’s on the DVD extras. He’s at a party with us. It’s late in the evening. Weed and other things have been ingested. And he’s stripped down to his skivvies, and singing Frank Sinatra into what he thinks is a microphone, but it’s actually a slice of pizza.

McKean: And then he goes out like a light. Oh man, it was so good. I understand why they cut it. There was a touring company of “The Wiz,” and we shot a scene where there were two extremely flamboyant black dancers. And they just give us the eye, and our reactions got a little big, I think, so we cut that. [That scene] made me laugh.

Reiner: The first cut [of “This Is Spinal Tap”] was about seven hours. There were about three hours of interview footage. It was like making a documentary. It was like writing a movie with the pieces of film.

Harry Shearer, Michael McKean and Christopher Guest at the Tribeca Film Festival’s “This Is Spinal Tap” 35th anniversary reunion in New York City. (Photo by Sherry Brunet)

Here is the set list from the Spinal Tap 35th anniversary reunion:

Celtic Blues

Hell Hole

(Listen to the) Flower People

Rainy Day Sun

Clam Caravan

All the Way Home

Big Bottom

Gimme Some Money (with Elvis Costello)

Sex Farm

Harry Shearer, Michael McKean, Elvis Costello and Christopher Guest at the Tribeca Film Festival’s “This Is Spinal Tap” 35th anniversary reunion in New York City. (Photo by Sherry Brunet)

Mattel introduces Barbie Career 60th Anniversary doll collection

March 6, 2019

Barbie Career 60th Anniversary Collection.
Barbie Career 60th Anniversary Collection. Pictured from left to right: Maya Gabiera, Surfer, Brazil; Naomi Osaka, Tennis Player, Japan; Kristina Vogel, Cycling Champion, Germany; Tessa Virtue, Ice Skater, Canada; Yara Shahidi, Actress, United States; Adwoa Aboah, Activist and Model, United Kingdom; Dipa Karmakar, Artistic Gymnast, India; Chen Man, Photographer, China; Ita Buttrose, Journalist, Australia. (Photo courtesy of Mattel)

The following is a press release from Mattel:

Mattel, Inc. kicks off worldwide celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of Barbie, the number one fashion doll in the world designed to inspire the limitless potential in every girl.

In its 60th year, the Barbie brand is honoring the largest lineup of global female role models and taking the next step to close the Dream Gap by donating to fund like-minded organizations aimed at leveling the playing field for girls through the Mattel Children’s Foundation. Research** has shown that starting at age five, girls start doubting their potential, this is the Dream Gap.

“For 60 years, Barbie has championed girls, inspired generations to believe through make believe and showed them that they have choices. With more than 200 careers, six runs for president and a trip to the moon before Neil Armstrong, Barbie continues to evolve to be a modern, relevant role model for all ages,” said Lisa McKnight, General Manager and Senior Vice President, Barbie.  “The Barbie brand believes girls should never know a world, job, or dream women haven’t conquered. Through our global platform, we are igniting a movement to help close the Dream Gap and further establish Barbie as the ultimate girl empowerment brand.”

The brand is celebrating and inspiring girls around the world in its 60th year by:

  • CELEBRATING ROLE MODELS TO INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION by shining a light on women who are breaking boundaries in a variety of diverse career fields.
    • Barbie will honor more than 20 women across multiple countries and continents ranging from 19 to 85 years old and speaking 13 languages.
    • This is the largest and most diverse lineup of women honored to date by Barbie and a continuation of the “Shero” program launched in 2015.
    • These women are gifted a one-of-a-kind doll made in their likeness, the highest honor from the Barbie brand.
    • Around the world, Barbie is honoring role models including actress and activist, Yara Shahidi, tennis star, Naomi Osaka, activist and model, Adwoa Aboah, and many more.
  • LAUNCHING THE BARBIE DREAM GAP PROJECT FUND by dedicating resources to like-minded organizations in support of closing the Dream Gap and leveling the playing field for girls.
    • Barbie will donate one dollar from every doll sold* in the United States up to $250,000. The funds will be managed through the Mattel Children’s Foundation, the company’s social impact arm.
    • Follow @barbie during the 60th celebrations and join the conversation to help close the Dream Gap and inspire a girl in your life by using #Barbie60 #YouCanBeAnything.
    • This initiative builds on theBarbie Dream Gap Project announced last year, the brand’s ongoing global initiative to raise awareness around limiting factors that prevent girls from reaching their full potential
  • LEVERAGING BARBIE AS A ROLE MODEL and connecting with fans through inspiring content that is purpose-driven at the core, while entertaining and fun.
    • As the #1 girls brand on YouTube, Barbie has a powerful platform to showcase teachable moments and is launching a new vlog on March 7 called “Finding Your Voice.”
    • For the month of March, Barbie Vlogger becomes an editor on the YouTube Kids app with a curated playlist of inspiring videos. Barbie Vlogger was given this honor because she has become a top girl influencer on YouTube with more than 108 million views.
  • HOSTING INSPIRING EVENTS FOR GIRLS AROUND THE WORLD and inviting fans everywhere to celebrate Barbie, a global cultural icon. To find an experience near you, please visit www.Barbie.com/60.
    • An immersive Barbie pop-up experience in New York City to celebrate the brand’s past, present and future on March 9. Equal parts fashion tribute and art installation, fans of all ages can celebrate the icon.
    • The Barbie “Be Anything” Tour will kick-off in Bentonville, Ark. with GRAMMY-nominated, country music star Kelsea Ballerini on March 9 and 10. It will run through October and stop at 36 participating U.S. Walmart locations. At each stop, girls can hear about a role model’s journey, enter for a chance to win up to $20,000 to make their dreams come true and enjoy other fun and interactive experiences for the whole family.
    • “Barbie Presented by Amazon” pop-up stores are in five major markets across the U.S. based on Amazon’s innovative physical retail model. Fans are treated to an immersive Barbie experience through April 2.
    • In-store activations in various participating U.S. Target locations throughout the country on March 9 that will feature the “What Will You Be” exclusive Barbie-themed apparel and accessories line for girls ages 5 to 10.
    • Celebrating female empowerment with a visual message at landmarks across the world including New York’s Empire State Building, TOKYO SKYTREE®, Toronto’s CN Tower and Sydney’s Bondi Beach.
  • INTRODUCING COMMEMORATIVE PRODUCT encouraging girls to dream. From princess to president, astronaut to zoologist, there isn’t a plastic ceiling Barbie has not broken.
    • Barbie Career 60th Anniversary doll collection celebrates six careers that have been in the Barbie line from the beginning and are still areas that are underrepresented by women, including astronaut, pilot, athlete, journalist, politician and firefighter.
    • Barbie 60th Anniversary and Proudly Pink Barbie dolls pay homage to Barbie’s heritage with stunning design to celebrate 60 years of fashion.
    • The brand is collaborating with partners across multiple categories including apparel, publishing, food, beauty, travel and more to celebrate the milestone.

Visit barbiemedia.com for more information, images and video footage of the brand. Follow @barbie and @barbiestyle on social media and join in the celebration using #Barbie60 and #YouCanBeAnything.

*For every Barbie doll purchased in the U.S. between 3/6/19 and 3/11/19, Mattel will donate $1.00 to the Barbie Dream Gap Project Fund (part of the Mattel Children’s Foundation) – up to a maximum total donation of $250,000. Offer is void in AL, AR, CT, HI, IL, MA, MS, NH, NJ, NY, SC and UT.  No portion of the purchase is tax deductible.

**Study conducted by researchers at New York University, the University of Illinois and Princeton University.

About Mattel

Mattel is a leading global children’s entertainment company that specializes in design and production of quality toys and consumer products. We create innovative products and experiences that inspire, entertain and develop children through play. We engage consumers through our portfolio of iconic franchises, including Barbie®, Hot Wheels®, American Girl®, Fisher-Price®, Thomas & Friends® and Mega®, as well as other popular brands that we own or license in partnership with global entertainment companies. Our offerings include film and television content, gaming, music and live events. We operate in 40 locations and sell products in more than 150 countries in collaboration with the world’s leading retail and technology companies. Since its founding in 1945, Mattel is proud to be a trusted partner in exploring the wonder of childhood and empowering kids to reach their full potential. Visit us online at www.mattel.com.

Kat Von D Beauty releases limited-edition 10th anniversary collection

May 21, 2018

Kat von D Beauty

The following is a press release from Kat Von D Beauty:

This year, Kat Von D Beauty celebrates its 10-year anniversary with a limited edition collection of eight products for eyes, lips and face that are vegan, cruelty-free and dripping in gold. The curated mix of products range from throwback favorites like the all-star icon Tattoo Liner to new classics like Everlasting Glimmer Veil in Gold Skool. The collection launched online on Cinco de May (May 5), and sold out almost immediately. Now, you can shop the Kat Von D 10th Anniversary Collection in Sephora stores and Sephora inside JCPenney, while supplies last.

Kat Von D Beauty’s 10th Anniversary collection is one-of-a-kind: it was inspired by Kat’s 10th Anniversary muses – men and women who redefine beauty and strength. Each muse’s name can be found on the 10th Anniversary eyeshadow palette, and you can watch their full stories unfold on Youtube.com/KatVonDBeauty.

Kat Von D Beauty 10th Anniversary Collection (Photo courtesy of Kat Von D Beauty)

“I wanted to tell the story of @katvondbeauty through 10 of my modern-day muses. These 10 muses have blessed me with so much inspiration, not just with their surface beauty, but for what they contribute to the world through their art.”
– Kat Von D 

Originally launched as a collection of four red lipsticks at Sephora (which sold out immediately), today Kat Von D Beauty has grown to over 350 SKUs sold in 35 countries, winning numerous industry awards along the way for product performance and innovation. Through it all, Kat’s core mission of delivering accessible, high performance, vegan and cruelty-free makeup remains the same. Dedicated to fans across the globe, the collection pays homage to the brand’s humble beginnings, while sharing a glimpse of what’s to come over the next decade.

Kat von D Beauty 10th Anniversary Collection (Photo courtesy of Kat Von D Beauty)
  • 10th Anniversary Tattoo Liner in Trooper Black ($20) – A fan and industry favorite – and one of the most awarded liquid liners – in exclusive gold packaging.
  • 10th Anniversary Studded Kiss Crème Lipstick in Sante Sangre ($19) – One of Kat’s favorite shades dressed up in collectible gold studs.
  • 10th Anniversary Everlasting Glimmer Veil in Gold Skool ($22– A new, exclusive shade of Kat’s long-wear, weightless formula with a liquid-crystal finish.
  • 10th Anniversary Metal Crush Highlighter in Gold Skool ($30) – A single shot of gold-drenched shimmer that you can use anywhere.
  • 10th Anniversary Eyeshadow Palette ($52– 16 bold, colorful shades in matte, metallic and shimmer finishes, with names inspired by the 10 campaign muses and limited-edition packaging featuring new artwork drawn by Kat herself in celebration of the 10th anniversary.
  • 10th Anniversary Makeup Brush Collection ($125) – The essential tools to help unleash your creativity with limited-edition gold-tone handles.
  • 10th Anniversary Train Case ($150– A roomy case with tons of space for your makeup stash, decorated with Kat’s original artwork.
  • 10th Anniversary Signed Vault ($348) – Extremely limited quantities of this ultra-special vault are available only on Katvondbeauty.com.

The anniversary campaign features 10 muses of all backgrounds, ages and skin tones, who represent the many faces of Kat Von D Beauty.  These are the artists, poets and lovers. The insiders and the outsiders. But if you really want to know who Kat Von D Beauty is, all you gotta do is look in the mirror.

#Vegan! Kat’s passion for animals means that all products are 100% Cruelty Free Forever. The Kat Von D Beauty 10th Anniversary Collection is 100% vegan. Share your looks and find more inspiration at KatVonDBeauty.com, @KatVonDBeauty, #KatVonDBeauty #10YearAnniversary

ABOUT KAT VON D BEAUTY: LONG WEAR. HIGH PIGMENT. FULL COVERAGE.
Kat Von D Beauty was created and launched in 2008. Inspired by the inks of her world-famous tattoo shop, High Voltage Tattoo, Kat created an unstoppable, beloved makeup brand that specializes in long wear, high pigment, and full coverage beauty products that empower you to unleash your inner artist.

In her nonstop pursuit of creating the most perfect beauty products you’ve never imagined, Kat Von D tests and wears everything she makes, drawing endless inspiration from her experience as an artist, tattooer, musician, animal-rights activist, social media leader, and creator. Praised and cherished for her artistry, authenticity, innovation, and quality obsession, Kat Von D is one of the fastest-growing beauty brands in the industry.

As a passionate animal-rights activist, Kat Von D is committed to ensuring 100% Cruelty Free beauty and 100% Vegan makeup within her line. In recognition of her work, Kat was the recipient of the Animal Rights National Conference’s Celebrity Animal Advocate Award and named Vegan Celebrity of the Year in 2017. Kat Von D Beauty has twice been awarded Best Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Company by peta2 in their Annual Libby Awards.

Kat Von D Beauty is distributed in 35 countries across North AmericaLatin AmericaEuropeSouth East AsiaAustralia, the Middle East, Scandinavia, the United Kingdom and Ireland — exclusively at SEPHORA, Naimies, Debenhams and www.katvondbeauty.com.

ABOUT KENDO
Based in San Francisco, CA, KENDO creates or acquires beauty brands and focuses on developing them into global powerhouses. The portfolio consists of Kat Von D Beauty, Marc Jacobs Beauty, OLEHENRIKSEN, BITE Beauty and Fenty Beauty by Rihanna. The name KENDO is a play on the phrase “can do.” What characterizes KENDO is its dedication to product quality, innovation and authentic storytelling. Brands within the KENDO portfolio are distributed in 35 countries worldwide.

Golden Globes 75th Anniversary Special: premiere date and hosts announced

November 20, 2017

Eric McCormack and Debra Messing
Eric McCormack and Debra Messing  (Photo by: Heidi Gutman/NBCUniversal)

The following is a press release from NBC:

NBC, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) and dick clark productions (dcp) are teaming up for the “Golden Globes 75th Anniversary Special,” set to air Wednesday, Dec. 13 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

The two-hour special will be hosted by Eric McCormack and Debra Messing, who have a combined 13 Golden Globe nominations between them and star in NBC’s critically acclaimed revival of “Will & Grace,” which currently ranks as NBC’s most-watched primetime comedy in the last 12 years.

The program will showcase the best moments spanning 75 years of the Golden Globes, featuring the biggest film and TV stars, red carpet highlights and fashion throughout the years. The special will also feature new and exclusive interviews with Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Christine Lahti, Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts, Jacob Tremblay, Kate Winslet, Brad Goreski and more. Celebrating the nonstop glamour, humor, heartfelt speeches and classic moments from Hollywood’s party of the year, the “Golden Globes 75th Anniversary Special” will also include comedic highlights from past hosts and presenters and a countdown of the best Golden Globe Award-winning movies of all time, as selected by members of the HFPA.

The “Golden Globes 75th Anniversary Special” is produced by dcp in association with the HFPA.

The HFPA and dcp will present the 75th Annual Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2018. The ceremony will air on NBC live coast-to-coast at 8 p.m. ET. Nominations will be announced Monday, Dec. 11.

About the Hollywood Foreign Press Association

Founded in the 1940s during World War II, the HFPA was originally comprised of a handful of L.A.-based overseas journalists who sought to bridge the international community with Hollywood, and to provide distraction from the hardships of war through film. More than seventy years later, members of the HFPA represent 56 countries with a combined readership of 250 million in some of the world’s most respected publications. Each year, the organization holds the third most watched awards show on television, the Golden Globe® Awards, which has enabled the organization to donate more than $25 million to entertainment-related charities and scholarship programs. For more information, please visit www.GoldenGlobes.com and follow us on Twitter (@GoldenGlobes) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/GoldenGlobes).

About dick clark productions

dick clark productions (dcp) is the world’s largest producer and proprietor of televised live event entertainment programming with the “Academy of Country Music Awards,” “American Music Awards,” “Billboard Music Awards,” “Golden Globe Awards,” “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest,” “Hollywood Film Awards” and the “Streamy Awards.” Weekly television programming includes “So You Think You Can Dance” from 19 Entertainment and dcp. dcp also owns one of the world’s most unique and extensive entertainment archive libraries with over 60 years of award-winning shows, historic programs, specials, performances and legendary programming. For additional information, visit www.dickclark.com.

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