Yahoo!7 Answers Blog Australia

You may have noticed we’ve had a few Home and Away stars asking questions on Answers. The most recent is Samara Weaving, whose plays Indigo and is part of a new family in town, the Walkers.

Samara is 17 years old and you may have seen her on BBC’s Australian soap opera Out of the Blue playing Kirsten Mulroney. Although she’s Hugo Weaving’s niece, she hasn’t grown up around the entertainment industry and actually spent many years living overseas because of her father’s job. She lived in Singapore, Fiji and Indonesia as well as Australia and she particularly loved Singapore because it’s so clean (gum is illegal there) and there is no winter.

There are heaps of questions about Home and Away on Yahoo!7 Answers. From questions about upcoming storylines to favourite couple discussions and queries about the music in the show. Well instead of you asking questions about Home and Away, Samara wants to ask you a question. She wants to know:  If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

To see Samara in her role as Indigo, check out the Yahoo!7 TV Home and Away site where you can catch up with all the episodes online and get behind the scenes footage and interviews.

We’d also like to know, which Home and Away star would you like us to feature on Answers?

Caitlin
Community Manager

You either love him or hate him – it seems everyone has an opinion about Kyle Sandilands. This shock jock co-host of the Kyle & Jackie O Breakfast show has been getting press for all the wrong reasons recently for a segment on his show about a 14 year old rape victim.

It’s definitely stirred up some controversy. We featured this question on the Yahoo!7 Homepage last week and incredibly, over 700 people have offered their opinion. Do you think Kyle Sandilands should be sacked?

Many agreed, saying they never liked the show or Kyle:

That entire show should be axed! Kyle is an absolute moron! Of course he should be sacked. At any time during the show, they could have stopped what was happening, but they kept on going. – Hart

Others agreed that Kyle is insensitive however didn’t think he was at fault in this particular instance:

I don’t like Kyle, and believe he should have been sacked long ago, but I don’t see him as the main problem this time, the mother should be ashamed of herself for publicly humiliating her daughter in this way. - Lucy G

Others were supportive of the show:

I honestly think that everyone should give Kyle & Jackie O a break, as it clearly states that they did not know that the answer they were going to get was that the 14 year old girl saying she got raped when she was 12. – Privacy

Although his future with 2Day FM remains in jeopardy, Channel 10 has taken the next step and has fired Sandilands as a judge on Australian Idol, saying their show is a family program that doesn’t fit with his increasingly controversial persona.

The thing is, shows like Kyle & Jackie O exist because of their shock value. They like to take things a step too far, their core audience loves the crazy stunts they get up to and everyone else votes with their feet and refuse to listen.

They’ve now officially gone too far and have been pulled off air, however it may not be for long. 2Day FM are reviewing their practices and may indeed launch a new version of the Kyle and Jackie O show with better measures in place to ensure such a mistake doesn’t happen again.

If they do return to our airwaves again, will you listen to Kyle and Jackie O or do you think what happened was unforgivable?

Caitlin
Community Manager

Reading all the comments from our recent Harry Potter vs Twilight post made me think of other book to movie adaptations and how they compare. Judging by the highest grossing films of the past 10 years, we certainly love a good adaptation or remake. Even looking at the current list of films in cinemas gives you a sense of déjà vu: Angels and Demons, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Hannah Montana, Ice Age 3, Night at the Museum 2, Star Trek 11, Terminator Salvation, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. What do they all have in common? Each one is a sequel or remake of an old movie, book or TV show.

One adaptation coming out soon is My Sister’s Keeper, a movie based on the best selling Jodi Picoult novel. Like all of her books, it’s a family based drama with a  legal predicament, this time a daughter who wants to claim medical emancipation from her parents. Only problem is, she was created using genetic engineering with the intention of saving her critically ill sister and without her kidney, her sister might die.

It’s a fascinating topic and the book was definitely a tear jerker however I’m fearful: will the movie live up to the book? In my opinion, a lot of movie adaptations aren’t anywhere near as good as the book. Think about The Da Vinci Code, Hitchiker’s Guide To The Galaxy, even the old favourite Harry Potter. None of those movies managed the capture the magic of the books. Fairly unsurprising considering they’re condensing 300 odd pages into a 2 hour flick.

Of course not all book to film adaptations are flops. Personally I loved the original 1971 adaptation of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory starring Gene Wilder. Even though I read the book first, with its chocolate river and lick-able wallpaper, the movie brought a whole new dimension to the story. However, although I enjoyed the altered version, the original author didn’t. According to Peach, the reason why the film was called Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is because “Roald Dahl didn’t like the direction they were taking with the movie and he refused to allow them to call it Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”

I also really enjoy Jane Austen books on screen. I’ve always found the books to be incredibly slow and boring however when they’re condensed into film format, they’re actually quite entertaining. And let’s face it, although they may not be historically accurate, the pretty dresses and eye candy of Colin Firth doesn’t hurt either.

How about you? Are there any book to movie adaptations that make you cringe? Or are there any films that improve the experience of the book?

Caitlin
Community Manager

Last week, the sixth “Harry Potter” film hit theatres. Anyone who read J.K. Rowling’s books knows how the story ends. However, that absence of suspense hasn’t stopped the overwhelming excitement. But Harry isn’t the undisputed king of teen lit anymore. Twilight is big and only getting bigger. Over the past several weeks, I’ve noticed a surge in questions on “Harry Potter” vs. “Twilight.”

By my count, there are hundreds (if not thousands) of questions asking which franchise is “better.” Of course, there is no right answer, but that hasn’t stopped many in the Yahoo!7 Answers community from giving passionate responses.

Alex, a Top Contributor to Yahoo!7 Answers writes that Twilight is the “worst book” he or she has ever read and compares the novel’s hunky vampire Edward to a “creepy stalker.” Ouch. Additionally, Alex argues that the characters in Harry Potter have a backstory and a unique personality in contrast to the stars of Twilight, who are “one dimensional.”

Of course, not everyone agrees with Alex’s assessment. For example, Yahoo!7 Answers member “Doctor Orange!” feels that Twilight is “more realistic” (presumably, that’s a good thing). Another responder writes that while it may be true that many readers enjoy the Twilight books because Edward is an amazingly handsome fella, the real reason for Twilight’s popularity has to do with the way the author lets readers into the mind of the narrator, a conflicted young woman.

Most literature experts, including Stephen King, argue that J.K. Rowling is far and away the superior writer. What do you guys think? Do you prefer one franchise to the other? Or is the whole debate like comparing apples and bowling balls (i.e, totally pointless)? Leave a comment below.

Mike

As we mentioned earlier this week, recently the Yahoo!7 Answers team got the opportunity to meet Robert Knepper, the villainous T-Bag in Prison Break. He was in Australia promoting season 4 of Prison Break which includes all 22 episodes of the final series as well as a unseen footage and the final 2 hour movie length special that concludes the story.

While Robert wanted to ask the community a question (answer his question: Who is your favourite TV or film villain of all time and what makes him or her fearful?), we also asked him some questions on your behalf. You might remember a few weeks ago we asked you what you would like to ask Robert Knepper. We chose some of the best questions and have it all on video!

Ever wanted to know what it was like filming Prison Break or what the funniest thing that happened on set was? Or perhaps you’re more interested how Robert became an actor and what advice he has for young children with stars in their eyes. Perhaps you’d like to know how people react to his scary character when he goes out in public?

The question that I particularly wanted to know is what it was like wearing the fake hand? Was it uncomfortable or did it become like a glove that he could forget he was wearing. Here is Robert’s particularly amusing answer:

So to see all the answers to his questions, check out our official video page. Don’t know about you but hearing all about the behind the scenes info of Prison Break makes me even more excited about watching that last episode! How do you think it will end?

Caitlin
Community Manager

Last week, the Yahoo!7 Answers team had the pleasure of meeting Robert Knepper, the actor who plays the villainous Theodore ‘T-Bag’ Bagwell on Prison Break. He was lovely, nothing like his character and was a real pleasure to interview.

To celebrate the DVD release of season 4 of Prison Break, (out July 15th from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment), Robert Knepper wants to ask you, the Answers community, a question.

He wants to know: Who is your favourite TV or film villain of all time and what makes him or her fearful?

Check out Robert asking the question below.

Also you may remember, we asked you what you wanted to ask Robert in the interview. Stay tuned later in the week for the full interview!

Caitlin
Community Manager

We’d all agree. there has been such an outpouring of grief over Michael Jackson’s death. In fact, the coverage almost hasn’t stopped. From the moment we got news that he’d died of a heart attack, we’ve been bombarded.

What really killed him: Cardiac arrest, Painkillers, his doctor or the media? Are his kids biologically related to him? Who will look after them – his mother Katherine Jackson, Janet Jackson or Debbie Rowe? Where can you get tickets to his memorial? What were some quotes from the memorial?

All these questions and thousands more have been debated on Answers and it’s not looking like it’s ending. Where will he be buried? Do you think the press will honour his wishes by keeping his children out of the spotlight?

However like his life, Michael Jackson’s death hasn’t been without controversy. Mostly people seem to have adored this icon and truly appreciated the impact he’s made on this world. Others are focused on his accusations of sexual impropriety and still feel Michael was a paedophile who was allowed to walk free. Regardless of what you think of him, you have to admit we’ve all got an opinion about Michael Jackson and we’ve all given our two cents worth over the last few weeks.

The other question that I have been pondering is the media coverage surrounding his death. It’s been the most dramatic coverage since Princess Diana died but did he make the biggest impact on the world? Do you think it was a little extreme or do you think it was justified for such a star? I’m interested to hear your thoughts.

Caitlin
Community Manager

Ever since Prison Break began four seasons ago, we’ve been glued to our screens watching the drama unfold. Who was the girl that was being held captive; why do the brothers have different surnames, do you think Sarah will return? All these Prison Break questions and over 13,000 more have been discussed on Answers since the series began.

Well now is your chance to get some Answers from a member of the cast himself! Next week, we’re going to be interviewing Robert Knepper who plays the villainous T-Bag.

We’re asking you, the Answers community, what you’d like to ask him. Have you always wondered how he manages to portray such a dastardly villainous character? Or perhaps you want to know about being on set and how certain scenes are filmed? We’ll choose the best questions from you, the community, and ask them on your behalf next week when we interview Robert.

So tell us – If you could ask Robert Knepper (T-Bag from Prison Break) anything, what would it be?

Caitlin
Community Manager

My goodness, what a morning.

We’re all shocked to hear about the passing of Michael Jackson, the ultimate King of Pop. For many of us born in the 70’s and 80’s, a Michael Jackson album was the first music we ever bought and most of us have special memories of his multitude of songs.

His 1982 hit Thriller became a world wide smash. It yielded seven top-10 singles and sold at least 27 million records worldwide. The year later, the moonwalk was released while performing Billy Jean in New York and we all spent hours trying to perfect this unique style.

We posted a great question on the Yahoo!7 homepage asking you What are your best memories of him and his music? There are so many great responses (keep them coming!) but I wanted to share a few with you.

HIS MOONWALK. I still remember all my friends trying to do it.. we’d fall down laughing when our teacher tried to do it, looked like he was constipated.. No one came quite as close to the King of Pop.
- Sydney =)

Billie Jean, 1983. His red suit, white socks and black loafers. I still think this song is his finest musical moment.
- R2R

My positive memory….he landed in Papua New Guinea in 1997 in search of fuel on while on his way to NZ from some place in Asia….I saw him from 20 mtrs away.. in less than 50 minutes more than 1000 fans gathered at the Jacksons Int Airport…
- Pontai

Running home around the corner from a friends place after dark at 8years old after just having watched his big sisters recording of the Thriller filmclip and freaking out,wondering if there were any grisly ghouls after me!
- Birds

So, So, many of them, where to begin. Which one? Everytime I stepped on stage (now retired professional dancer 27yrs) in OZ or OS! Having the privilege to perform to this icons works, but alas, seeing MJ @ Parramatta Stadium in 1987. Source(s): Yahoo of course! Thanks for your coverage on MJ.
- donna

For me, almost every one of his songs remind me of something in my childhood.  Blame it on the Boogie will always take me back to teenage discos and those hilarious dance moves, Bad reminds me of dancing around the living room with my brothers and I’ll always remember the feeling of hope and inspiration the first time I heard Heal the World.

What will you always remember about Michael Jackson?

RIP Michael Jackson and thanks for the wonderful memories.

Caitlin
Community Manager

Do you think it’s worth paying money for a few extra channels on Pay TV? I’m in the process of deciding…

I’ve just moved into a new home and haven’t had Foxtel installed. There are a few reasons – for one, it’s expensive, and secondly when we did have Foxtel, there never seemed to be anything on. Often I’d be stuck with reruns of Scrubs, Law and Order, or I’d be outvoted and Fox Sports would be turned on. We decided that reruns probably weren’t worth $60 per month – after all, if there was a series we really liked, we could just borrow the DVD, right?

Most of the time, I’m perfectly satisfied with the offerings on free to air. I love Desperate Housewives, Brothers and Sisters and Packed to the Rafters (which is back on TV in mere weeks!) and Masterchef on Channel 10 has proved a great alternative to Top Chef on Arena. I’ve also been watching more interesting documentaries on SBS and ABC which I probably wouldn’t have noticed if I’d had more channels to plough through. However there have been some hitches.

Live sports is one of them. I’m a bit of a soccer fan and last week the Socceroos played Qatar at an ungodly 2am. With no Fox Sports and not wanting to grace a pub at such an hour, I thought I was going to miss out on witnessing history (we qualified for the 2010 World Cup for those who missed it). Fortunately, a generous friend taped the match and replayed it at her house at a far more palatable 10:30am the next day. Crisis averted!

Secondly, the borrowing DVD plan has come unstuck. When you go to Blockbuster, you usually can only keep a DVD for a week, so for an entire TV series, that’s a bit of a rush. Sometimes I have other things to do apart from watch TV like play sport, see friends and … oh yeah, go to work.

Finally, I do actually quite like some of the Foxtel offerings! Australia’s Next Top Model was such fun; Project Runway was incredibly inspiring and I loved to marvel at the architectural masterpieces in Grand Designs. To be honest, I even miss Scrubs (I know it’s on Channel 7 however unfortunately it’s on at the same time as Top Gear and yet again, I get outvoted).

So now the question of whether to get Foxtel has come up again. Should we believe the ads and get it because then we won’t go out as much? What shows on pay TV do you think makes it worthwhile? Or should we just wait and hope that something decent comes up on Freeview… What are your thoughts?

Caitlin
Community Manager