[ reunion
NEW YORK (AP) - This much is
true: On April 24,1976, John Lennon
and Paul McCartney happened to be
watching “Saturday Night Live’? when,
to their glee, producer Lome Michaels
made a tongue-in-cheek appeal to
them, along with their ex-bandmates.
“Lately there have been a lot of
rumors to the effect that the four of you
might be getting back together,” said
Michaels, who invited the Beatles to
reunite on “SNL.” And if money was
the sticking point, he was ready with a
breathtaking offer $3,000, to divvy up
as they wished.
John and Paul, chortling at this gag
just a few blocks from NBC, almost
stunned the world by showing up for the
broadcast that very night.
That they didn’t, that the Beatles
never played together again, that the 35
year-old Lennon wouldn’t live past 40 -
these and other what-might-have-beens
give the new VH1 movie “Two of Us”
enormous power.
But even without knowing what
you know, you wouldn’t want to miss
this sentimental journey. Nor do you
need to be a Beatles fan to care. The
subject of “Two of Us” is even bigger
than the Fab Four: friendship in all its
complexity.
Directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg
from an exceptional script by Mark
Stanfield, this sometimes joyous, some
times wistful film premieres on
Tuesday at-8 p.m.
“Hope you don’t mind me sur
prisin’ ya,” says Paul (played by Aidan
Quinn), who impulsively has popped in
on the reclusive John (Jared Harris) at
his Dakota apartment.
“It’s too soon to say,” John bristles.
“Two of Us” makes an artful guess
what happened then (McCartney was
n’t consulted in the making of the film).
We see the long-estranged John and
Paul spar, reminisce, catch up. They gel
stoned, get the munchies and John
makes popcorn. They marvel at the
bonafide nine-figure offers thrown at
them for a Beatles reunion.
They noodle at the piano. They
meditate. In silly get-ups, they take a
stroll in Central Park and retire to a cafe
and sip cappuccinos. They watch
“Saturday Night Live.”
For one day, they come together.
And their history comes with them.
“So we’re alone,” says Paul on
learning that John’s wife and son are out
of town.
“Yeah,” says John warily. “You, me
and everything between us.”
AidamQuinn, speaking from his
home in New Jersey, heaped credit on
the script.
“If these had been completely fic
tional characters I would have wanted
to do the film almost as much,” he said.
Then he laughed. “Maybe more. The
fact that this was about the Beatles gave
me some trepidation initially.”
Quinn makes no pretense of look
ing like McCartney. But he confessed
that, when shooting began last fall in
Toronto, he fantasized that somehow he
could be transformed.
“Then I had the epiphany that it
would mean plastic surgery and lipo
suction.” He settled for contact lenses
and a wig. “Once I gave up the dream of
looking and sounding exactly like Paul,
playing him became a lot easier.”
While the 40-year-Old Quinn came
along too late for Beatlemania, he says
he is still a fan.
“But I had no idea of the extent of
Paul’s contribution,” he said, “particu
larly in keeping the group together dur
ing its later years.”
In die film, Paul radiates that keep
ing-it-together style, even as John blasts
the silly love songs of his hot band,
Wings.
“Who are you, really,” John storms,
“if all you’re concerned with is makin’
other people happy?”
But Paul retorts, “Why can’t mak
ing people happy be a part of who you
are?”
Quinn hailed Paul’s “largeness of
heart and willingness to get ripped apart
by this man he loves. But he defends
himself. He’s no wimp. He never was.”
Research: NBC attracts richest viewers
JNbW YUKK.(Ar)—ABC, CBS and
NBC are running neck-and-neck in the
battle for viewers this season, but NBC
can claim a clear edge in two categories
crucial to the business of television.
The median household income of
$51,400 among NBC viewers is the
highest of any broadcaster, according to
a new study. NBC is also touting
research that shows it’s the network of
choice among regular Internet users.
UPN, whose hike in ratings this year
has been fueled largely by professional
wrestling, has an audience with the low
est median income at $35,500, said a
report by TN Media, a New York adver
tising firm. ABC was at $48,200, Fox at
$44,800, CBS at $39,200 and the WB at
$40,400.
Seven of the eight network shows
with the richest audience are on NBC,
including “Frasier,” “Friends” and
“West Wing.” The exception is Fox’s
“Ally McBeal.”
“From a sales perspective, NBC has
always targeted the 18-to-49-year-old
upscale viewers,” said Alan Wurtzel,
NBC president of research and media
development. “They’re hard to get, and
advertisers are expected to pay a premi
um for them.”
The strategy’s downside is that
wealthy, well-educated people are not
necessarily heavy TV viewers, accord
ing to Nielsen Media Research.
In the more mundane measurement
. 1 '
of average prime-time television view
ers this season, ABC, CBS and NBC are
separated by a mere 50,000 people for
the distinction of most popular network.
ABC, the network of “Who Wants
to Be a Millionaire,” has the narrow
lead.
For years, NBC has focused so
intently on a young demographic craved
by advertisers that its executives effec
tively ignore people over age 49.
While meeting with reporters
recently, NBC West Coast President
Scott Sassa unveiled statistics showing
NBC has a 15 percent ratings advantage
over second-place ABC among televi
sion viewers aged 18-49 who also have
access to the Internet
Lt ...I had the epiphany that it would
mean plastic surgery and liposuction.
Once I gave up the dream of looking
and sounding exactly like Paul, playing
him became a lot easier.”
Aidan Quinn
Actor
apeaKing rrom London, Jared
Harris recalled seeing the Beatles as a
toddler. “I couldn’t hear a thing, and
loads and loads of screaming girls were
pulling each others’ hair. It was just hor
rific.”
Beyond that, he was burdened with
few preconceptions. “I knew Ringo was
the drummer and didn’t sing much.”
But for several weeks before produc
tion commenced, he and Quinn buried
themselves in Beatles books, inter
views, newsreels and music.
What did Harris learn about John?
“That he was very volatile, that he
could be many different things in the
course of a day. I thought, ‘That’s good.’
I could almost be a different person in
each scene.”
The research was essential. “But to
make your character live, you’ve got to
chuck away the stuff that doesn’t spark
your imagination.”
Imaginations took flight in a won
derful scene where John and Paul board
a freight elevator for the Dakota’s roof.
Apart from specifying that John sud
denly grabs Paul and kisses him, the
script left the actors to wing it.
During what becomes a full-minute
elevator ride, there’s horseplay, loopy
banter and that out-of-nowhere
smooch, which leaves Paul sputtering,
“Just ‘cause Yoko goes away doesn’t
mean you have to stop brushing your
teeth!”
Filmed on only their third day in
front of the cameras, the scene, Harris
recalled, “was the first time we went, ‘I
think we’re gonna pull this off.’”
What they’ve pulled off is a yester
day to believe in.
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Consulting
Andersen Consulting will be on campus interviewing for Summer Internships, Fall-time positions and Student Leadership conference participants.
Information Session for all majors-Wednesday. February 9, 7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.. in the City Union.
Engineering Career Day-Thyrsday, February 10. 9:30 a,m. - 3:00 p.m., Centennial Room in the City Union. Ijg
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