Celebrity Extra: Barbara Walters
By Dana Jackson
Q: What ever happened to Barbara Walters? I read that she passed away a few years ago, but I don't remember hearing about it. -- L.J.
A: Legendary broadcast journalist and celebrity interviewer Barbara Walters died in 2022 at the age of 93. She had retired from "The View," the syndicated talk show she co-created, in 2014. According to her former co-host Lisa Ling, Walters told her that they made her quit as a host, but she remained an executive producer up until her death.
Broadcast journalist Barbara Walters (1929-2022). Photo Credit: Depositphotos
If you have a subscription to Hulu or Disney+, you can watch the documentary "Barbara Walters: Tell Me Everything," which features some wonderful archival footage of Walters in her prime. In addition to her highly rated annual Oscar-night special, she interviewed many of the world's most notorious leaders, including Fidel Castro, the last Shah of Iran, and Margaret Thatcher.
Q: I was rewatching the movie "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" and noticed that there are similarities to "The Odyssey." Was this intentional? Also, what ever happened to actor Tim Blake Nelson? -- W.P.
A: Yes, way before the most recent adaptation of Homer's ancient epic poem "The Odyssey" was released by director Christopher Nolan, the Coen Brothers put their own spin on it. Their fantastic film "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" was set in Mississippi during the 1930s and starred George Clooney, John Turturro, and Tim Blake Nelson as three escaped prisoners. On their journey, the three men encounter several figures who were inspired by characters from "The Odyssey."
Both films, as well as the classic poem, have similar characters. In the Coen Brothers' version, Clooney plays Ulysses, who's trying to get home to his wife, Penny. (Odysseus from "The Odyssey" has a wife named Penelope.) Ulysses meets a blind prophet at the railroad. (This corresponds to the blind seer Tiresias, who tells Odysseus a mysterious prophecy.) John Goodman plays "Big Dan" Teague, a one-eyed man with an eye patch (similar to the giant cyclops, Polyphemus). Lastly, there are the three Sirens who lure in Clooney et al., with their song that's much like the Sirens' song in "The Odyssey."
As for the wonderfully talented Tim Blake Nelson, he's carved out quite a career as a character actor -- most notably on HBO's "Watchmen," which earned him a Critic's Choice Award nomination. Next up for him is another HBO series -- "Task" -- where he'll star alongside Mark Ruffalo and Mahershala Ali for its second season.
Q: I've seen that the main cast members of "Ted Lasso" will be back for its new season, but which characters won't be returning? -- N.N.
A: Most of the beloved cast of Apple TV's "Ted Lasso" will be returning for its fourth season -- that is, Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, Juno Temple, Brett Goldstein and Brendan Hunt. However, Phil Dunster, who played Jamie Tartt, won't be back, nor will Nick Mohammed (Nate Shelley) or Sarah Niles (Dr. Sharon Fieldstone).
Since Ted will now be coaching a women's soccer team, pretty much all of his former team members are out, including Cristo Fernandez's Dani and Toheeb Jimoh's Sam. Fernandez is actually living out his lifelong dream of being a real professional footballer with the El Paso Locomotive FC.
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(c) 2026 King Features Synd., Inc.