query: Kobe Bryant has never played in the NBA.

pos: List of NBA All-Stars The National Basketball Association ( NBA ) All-Star Game is an annual exhibition basketball game played between the Eastern-Conference and the Western-Conference All-Stars . It is the main event of the NBA All-Star Weekend . Twelve players -- five starters and seven reserves -- from each conference are chosen from a pool of 120 players -- 60 players from each conference with 24 guards and 24 frontcourts ( forwards and centers ) -- listed on the ballots by a panel of sport writers and broadcasters . The starters are chosen by a combination of fans , media , and current players . Fans may vote using a variety of online platforms , and account for 50 % of the vote , with the media and current players each accounting for 25 % . The reserves are chosen by voting among the head coaches of each team 's particular conference . Coaches are not allowed to vote for their own players , and can select two guards , three big men , and two players regardless of positions . If a player is unable to participate due to injury , the NBA commissioner will select a replacement . The 1999 All-Star Game was canceled due to the league 's lockout .   The following is a list of NBA All-Stars , players who have been selected for the NBA All-Star Game at least once in their career . Note that the number indicates the player 's number of selections -- not the number of games played . For instance , Michael Jordan was named to the All-Star Game roster 14 times , but missed the 1986 game due to injury . As of the 2017 All-Star Game , 411 players have been selected to an All-Star Game roster at least once . However , only 283 of them have earned multiple selections to the game .   Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar holds the record for most All-Star Game selections and most All-Star Games played . He was selected 19 times and played in 18 All-Star games . Dirk Nowitzki and LeBron James both hold the record for most All-Star Game selections among active players , with 13 selections . Bob Cousy , John Havlicek , and LeBron James are tied for the most consecutive games actually played , appearing in 13 straight All-Star Games . Tim Duncan also played in 13 straight All-Star Games if the lockout-cancelled 1999 game is excluded . Several players were named to All-Star Game rosters , but never actually played in the game due to injury .  __ NOTOC __   Note : Statistics are correct as of the conclusion of the 2017 NBA All-Star Game .

pos: Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award The Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award ( formerly known as the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award ) is an annual National Basketball Association ( NBA ) award given since the 1969 NBA Finals . The award is decided by a panel of nine media members , who cast votes after the conclusion of the Finals . The person with the highest votes wins the award . In at least one NBA Finals , fans balloting on NBA.com accounted for the tenth vote . The award was originally a black trophy with a gold basketball-shaped sphere at the top , similar to the Larry O'Brien Trophy , until a new trophy was introduced in 2005 .   Since its inception , the award has been given to 30 different players . Michael Jordan is a record six-time award winner . Magic Johnson , Shaquille O'Neal , Tim Duncan and LeBron James won the award three times in their careers . Jordan and O'Neal are the only players to win the award in three consecutive seasons ( Jordan accomplished the feat on two separate occasions ) . Johnson is the only rookie ever to win the award , as well as the youngest at 20 years old . Andre Iguodala is the only winner to have not started every game in the series . Jerry West , the first ever awardee , is the only person to win the award while being on the losing team in the NBA Finals . Willis Reed , Kareem Abdul-Jabbar , Larry Bird , Hakeem Olajuwon and Kobe Bryant won the award twice . Olajuwon , Bryant , and James have won the award in two consecutive seasons . Abdul-Jabbar and James are the only players to win the award for two different teams . Olajuwon of Nigeria , who became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1993 , Tony Parker of France , and Dirk Nowitzki of Germany are the only international players to win the award . Duncan is an American citizen , but is considered an `` international '' player by the NBA because he was not born in one of the fifty states or Washington , D.C. Parker and Nowitzki are the only winners to have been trained totally outside the U.S. ; Olajuwon played college basketball at Houston and Duncan at Wake Forest . Cedric Maxwell is the only Finals MVP winner eligible for the Hall of Fame who has not been voted in .   On February 14 , 2009 , during the 2009 NBA All-Star Weekend in Phoenix , then-NBA Commissioner David Stern announced that the award would be renamed the `` Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award '' in honor of 11-time NBA champion Bill Russell .

pos: NBA Most Valuable Player Award The National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) is an annual National Basketball Association ( NBA ) award given since the 1955 -- 56 season to the best performing player of the regular season . The winner receives the Maurice Podoloff Trophy , which is named in honor of the first commissioner ( then president ) of the NBA , who served from 1946 until 1963 . Until the , the MVP was selected by a vote of NBA players . Since the , the award is decided by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada , each of whom casts a vote for first to fifth place selections . Each first-place vote is worth 10 points ; each second-place vote is worth seven ; each third-place vote is worth five , fourth-place is worth three and fifth-place is worth one . Starting from 2010 , one ballot was cast by fans through online voting . The player with the highest point total wins the award . , the current holder of the award is Stephen Curry , who won both the 2015 and 2016 MVP Awards .   Every player who has won this award and has been eligible for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has been inducted . Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won the award a record six times . Both Bill Russell and Michael Jordan won the award five times , while Wilt Chamberlain and LeBron James won the award four times . Russell and James are the only players to have won the award four times in five seasons . Moses Malone , Larry Bird and Magic Johnson each won the award three times , while Bob Pettit , Karl Malone , Tim Duncan , Steve Nash and Stephen Curry have each won it twice . Only two rookies have won the award : Wilt Chamberlain in the and Wes Unseld in the 1968 -- 69 season . Hakeem Olajuwon of Nigeria , Tim Duncan of the U.S. Virgin Islands , Steve Nash of Canada and Dirk Nowitzki of Germany are the only MVP winners considered `` international players '' by the NBA .   Stephen Curry in 2015 -- 16 is the only player to have won the award unanimously . Shaquille O'Neal in 1999 -- 2000 and LeBron James in 2012 -- 13 are the only two players to have fallen one vote shy of a unanimous selection , both receiving 120 of 121 votes . Since the , every winner was from a team that won at least 50 games in the regular season that year.Except for seasons affected by lockouts , when the schedule was shortened from the norm of 82 games . Karl Malone won in 1998 -- 99 when Utah was 37 -- 13 in 50 games , which projected to 60 wins in 82 games . James won in 2011 -- 12 when the Miami Heat were 46 -- 20 in 66 games , which projected to 57 wins .

pos: Kobe Bryant Kobe Bean Bryant ( born August 23 , 1978 ) is an American retired professional basketball player and businessman . He played his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . He entered the NBA directly from high school and won five NBA championships with the Lakers . Bryant is an 18-time All-Star , 15-time member of the All-NBA Team , and 12-time member of the All-Defensive team . He led the NBA in scoring during two seasons , and ranks third on the league 's all-time regular season scoring and fourth on the all-time postseason scoring list . He holds the NBA record for the most seasons playing with one franchise for an entire career .   The son of former NBA player Joe Bryant , Kobe Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School in Pennsylvania , where he was recognized as the top high school basketball player in the country . He declared for the NBA draft upon graduation , and was selected with the 13th overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft by the Charlotte Hornets , who traded him to the Lakers . As a rookie , Bryant earned himself a reputation as a high-flyer and a fan favorite by winning the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest , and he was named an All-Star by his second season . Despite a feud between them , Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal led the Lakers to three consecutive championships from 2000 to 2002 .   In 2003 , Bryant was accused of sexual assault in Colorado , but the charges were eventually dropped , and a civil suit was settled out of court . After the Lakers lost the 2004 NBA Finals , O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat . Bryant became the cornerstone of the Lakers , and he led the NBA in scoring during the 2005 -- 06 and 2006 -- 07 seasons . In 2006 , he scored a career-high 81 points against the Toronto Raptors , the second most points scored in a single game in league history behind Wilt Chamberlain 's 100-point game in 1962 . Bryant was awarded the regular season 's Most Valuable Player Award ( MVP ) in 2008 . After losing in the 2008 NBA Finals , he led the Lakers to two consecutive championships in 2009 and 2010 , earning the Finals MVP Award on both occasions . He continued to be among the top players in the league through 2013 , when the 34-year-old Bryant suffered a torn Achilles tendon . Although he recovered , his play was limited the following two years by season-ending injuries to his knee and shoulder , respectively . Citing his physical decline , he announced that he would be retiring after the 2015 -- 16 season .   At 34 years and 104 days of age , Bryant became the youngest player in league history to reach 30,000 career points . He became the all-time leading scorer in Lakers franchise history on February 1 , 2010 , when he surpassed Jerry West . Following his second year in the league , Bryant was chosen to start every All-Star Game until his retirement for a record 18 consecutive appearances , and his four All-Star MVP Awards are tied for the most in NBA history . At the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics , he won gold medals as a member of the U.S. national team . Sporting News and TNT named Bryant the top NBA player of the 2000s .

neg: NBA high school draftees The NBA high school draftees are players who have been drafted to the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) straight out of high school without playing basketball at the collegiate level . The process of jumping directly from high school to the professional level is also known as going prep-to-pro . Since 2006 , the practice of drafting high school players has been prohibited by the new collective bargaining agreement , which requires that players who entered the draft be 19 years of age and at least one year removed from high school . Contrary to popular belief , the player does not have to play at least a year in college basketball , as the player can choose to instead play in another professional league ( especially overseas ) like Brandon Jennings or Emmanuel Mudiay in Italy and China respectively , simply take the year off , such as the case with Satnam Singh Bhamara , or even hold themselves back a year in high school before declaring for the draft , such as the case with Thon Maker .   The NBA has long had a preference for players who played basketball at the collegiate level ; the vast majority of players to play in the NBA have had college experience . However , there have been numerous notable players who attended high school in the United States and then jumped directly to the NBA without playing college basketball .

neg: 2002 NBA All-Star Game The 2002 NBA All-Star Game was an exhibition basketball game which was played on February 10 , 2002 at the First Union Center in Philadelphia , home of the Philadelphia 76ers . This game was the 51st edition of the North American NBA All-Star Game and was played during the 2001 -- 02 NBA season .   The West defeated the East 135-120 , with Kobe Bryant of the L.A. Lakers winning the Most Valuable Player . Bryant scored 31 points , dished 5 assists , and grabbed 5 rebounds . Tracy McGrady led the way for the East , scoring 25 points off the bench . He also made one of the most memorable plays in All-Star Game history , the self pass off the backboard dunk .   This was also the last All-Star Game to feature players wearing their respective team jerseys , and thus far , the last to be seen on over-the-air television ( all subsequent games have aired on the cable channel TNT ) .

neg: 2002–03 Indiana Pacers season The 2002 -- 03 NBA season was the Pacers ' 27th season in the National Basketball Association , and 36th season as a franchise . The Pacers got off to a fast start winning 14 of their first 16 games . However , the team struggled losing 12 of 13 games between February 16 and March 12 . Late in the season , the Pacers signed free agent All-Star point guard Tim Hardaway , who would appear in ten games with the team . The Pacers finished second in the Central Division with a 48 -- 34 record . Head coach Isiah Thomas , Jermaine O'Neal and Brad Miller represented the Eastern Conference during the 2003 NBA All-Star Game . That game was perhaps known as a storybook ending for Michael Jordan , but O'Neal ruined the moment , fouling Western Conference All-Star Kobe Bryant , who attempted a 3-pointer . Bryant hit 2 of 3 free throws to send the game into overtime . The West won 155 -- 145 . In the first round of the playoffs , the Pacers lost in six games to the 6th-seeded Boston Celtics .   After the season , it was announced that Thomas would not be returning as head coach , replacing him with Rick Carlisle for the next season . Thomas would later return to coach the New York Knicks in 2006 . Also following the season , Miller was traded to the Sacramento Kings , Ron Mercer was sent to the San Antonio Spurs and Hardaway retired .

neg: History of basketball The history of basketball began with its invention in 1891 in Springfield , Massachusetts by Canadian physical education instructor James Naismith as a less injury-prone sport than football . The game became established fairly quickly and grew very popular as the 20th century progressed , first in America and then throughout the world . After basketball became established in American colleges , the professional game followed . The American National Basketball Association ( NBA ) , established in 1946 , grew to a multibillion-dollar enterprise by the end of the century , and basketball became an integral part of American culture .

neg: 2003 NBA All-Star Game The 2003 NBA All-Star Game was an exhibition basketball game which was played on February 9 , 2003 at the Philips Arena in Atlanta , home of the Atlanta Hawks . This game was the 52nd edition of the North American National Basketball Association ( NBA ) All-Star Game and was played during the 2002 -- 03 NBA season .   The West defeated the East 155-145 in double overtime , with Kevin Garnett of the Minnesota Timberwolves winning the Most Valuable Player . Garnett scored 37 points , grabbed 9 rebounds , and had 5 steals . Allen Iverson led the East with 35 points .   This was the first All-Star Game to be transmitted on cable television , through TNT . This was also the 14th and final All-Star Game that Michael Jordan participated in , as a result of his final retirement after the 2002 -- 03 season .

neg: 2001–02 Los Angeles Lakers season The 2001 -- 02 NBA season was the Lakers ' 54th season in the National Basketball Association , and 42nd in the city of Los Angeles . During the offseason , the Lakers signed All-Star guard Mitch Richmond and free agent Samaki Walker , while acquiring Lindsey Hunter from the Milwaukee Bucks . The team got off to a fast start winning 16 of their first 17 games , and finished second in the Pacific Division with a 58 -- 24 record . Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal were both selected for the 2002 NBA All-Star Game in which Bryant won MVP honors , but O'Neal did not participate in the All-Star game due to an injury .   After sweeping the Portland Trail Blazers 3 -- 0 in the first round of the playoffs , then defeating the San Antonio Spurs 4 -- 1 in the semifinals , the Lakers where pushed to the brink once more in the Western Conference Finals by their archrivals the Sacramento Kings , who they narrowly defeated in a deciding seventh game . They then went on to win the NBA Finals , defeating and sweeping the New Jersey Nets in four straight games for their second three-peat in franchise history , the first since 1952 -- 54 . Following the season , Richmond retired and Hunter was traded to the Toronto Raptors .   This would be the third and final consecutive NBA Championship the Lakers won in the early 2000s , as in the next season , their quest for a fourth consecutive NBA Championship ended with a playoff elimination by the San Antonio Spurs in six games in the semifinals , who would then go on to win the NBA Finals that season and their second NBA Championship . Although the Lakers returned to the Finals in 2004 , the Lakers would lose to the Detroit Pistons in five games , despite being the heavy favorites to win and having former All-Stars and veterans Gary Payton and Karl Malone , leading to O'Neal 's departure from the Lakers amidst boiling points between the Lakers staff and management and Kobe Bryant , culminating in his trade to the Miami Heat , ending the early 2000s Lakers dynasty . The Lakers would not win another title until 2009 , in which they defeated the Orlando Magic in five games .

neg: NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award The National Basketball Association All-Star Game Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) is an annual National Basketball Association ( NBA ) award given to the player ( s ) voted best of the annual All-Star Game . The award was established in 1953 when NBA officials decided to designate an MVP for each year 's game . The league also re-honored players from the previous two All-Star Games . Ed Macauley and Paul Arizin were selected as the 1951 and 1952 MVP winners respectively . The voting is conducted by a panel of media members , who cast their vote after the conclusion of the game . The player ( s ) with the most votes or ties for the most votes wins the award . No All-Star Game MVP was named in 1999 since the game was canceled due to the league 's lockout . , the most recent recipient is New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis .   Bob Pettit and Kobe Bryant are the only two players to win the All-Star Game MVP four times . Oscar Robertson , Michael Jordan , and Shaquille O'Neal have each won the award three times , while Bob Cousy , Julius Erving , Isiah Thomas , Magic Johnson , Karl Malone , Allen Iverson , LeBron James and Russell Westbrook have all won the award twice . James ' first All-Star MVP in 2006 made him the youngest to have ever won the award at the age of 21 years , 1 month . Kyrie Irving , winner of the 2014 All-Star Game MVP , is the second-youngest at 21 years , 10 months . They 're notable as being the two youngest to win the award , both as Cleveland Cavaliers . Four of the games had joint winners -- Elgin Baylor and Pettit in 1959 , John Stockton and Malone in 1993 , O'Neal and Tim Duncan in 2000 , and O'Neal and Bryant in 2009 . O'Neal became the first player in All-Star history to share two MVP awards . The Los Angeles Lakers have had eleven winners while the Boston Celtics have had eight . Duncan of the U.S. Virgin Islands and Irving of Australia are the only winners not born in the United States . Both Duncan and Irving are American citizens , but are considered `` international '' players by the NBA because they were not born in one of the fifty states or Washington , D.C. No player trained entirely outside the U.S. has won the award ; Irving lived in the U.S. since age two , and Duncan played U.S. college basketball at Wake Forest .   Bob Pettit ( 1958 , 1959 ) and Russell Westbrook ( 2015 , 2016 ) are the only players to win consecutive awards . Pettit ( 1956 ) , Bob Cousy ( 1957 ) , Wilt Chamberlain ( 1960 ) , Bill Russell ( 1963 ) , Oscar Robertson ( 1964 ) , Willis Reed ( 1970 ) , Dave Cowens ( 1973 ) , Michael Jordan ( 1988 , 1996 , 1998 ) , Magic Johnson ( 1990 ) , Shaquille O'Neal ( 2000 ) , and Allen Iverson ( 2001 ) all won the All-Star Game MVP and the NBA Most Valuable Player Award in the same season ; Jordan is the only player to do this multiple times . 14 players have won the award playing for the team that hosted the All-Star Game : Macauley ( 1951 ) , Cousy ( 1957 ) , Pettit ( 1958 , 1962 ) , Chamberlain ( 1960 ) , Adrian Smith ( 1966 ) , Rick Barry ( 1967 ) , Jerry West ( 1972 ) , Tom Chambers ( 1987 ) , Jordan ( 1988 ) , Karl Malone ( 1993 ) , John Stockton ( 1993 ) , O'Neal ( 2004 , 2009 ) , Bryant ( 2011 ) and Davis ( 2017 ) ; Pettit and O'Neal did this multiple times . Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has the distinction of playing in the most All-Star Games ( 18 ) without winning the All-Star Game MVP , while Adrian Smith won the MVP in his only All-Star Game .

neg: Tim Hardaway Jr. Timothy Duane Hardaway Jr. ( born March 16 , 1992 ) is an American professional basketball player for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . He played college basketball for the Michigan Wolverines and declared for the NBA draft after his junior season for the national runner-up 2012 -- 13 team . Hardaway was selected with the 24th overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft by the New York Knicks . He is the son of former NBA All-Star Tim Hardaway .   As a freshman during the 2010 -- 11 NCAA Division I men 's basketball season , he earned four Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Week awards , including three in the final four weeks during which he averaged over 20 points a game to help the 2010 -- 11 team to climb up to fourth in the 2010 -- 11 Big Ten Conference men 's basketball season standings . He was an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection and a unanimous Big Ten All-Freshman team selection following the season . He established the Michigan freshman record for single-season three-point shots made . He was a 2011 Collegeinsider.com Freshmen All-America selection and participated as a member of Team USA in the 2011 FIBA Under-19 World Championship . As a sophomore for the 2011 -- 12 team , he earned the 2011 -- 12 All-Big Ten 3rd team recognition . He earned 2012 -- 13 All-Big Ten ( 1st team : coaches and 2nd team : media ) recognition .

neg: Andrew Goudelock Andrew Darius Goudelock ( born December 7 , 1988 ) is an American professional basketball for Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Premier League and the EuroLeague . Standing at , he plays the shooting guard position . He played college basketball with the College of Charleston Cougars , when he was named the Southern Conference Player of the Year in 2011 . Goudelock was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round of the 2011 NBA draft . He played one season for them before playing with Sioux Falls Skyforce and then Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the NBA Development League in 2012 -- 13 , winning the NBA Development League Most Valuable Player Award . He was re-signed by the Lakers towards the end of the 2012 -- 13 season .

neg: 1995 NBA Expansion Draft The 1995 NBA Expansion Draft was the tenth expansion draft of the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . The draft was held on June 24 , 1995 , so that the newly founded Toronto Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies could acquire players for the upcoming . Toronto was awarded an expansion team on September 30 , 1993 , while Vancouver was awarded the league 's 29th franchise on April 27 , 1994 . They were the first NBA teams based in Canada since the Toronto Huskies . In an NBA expansion draft , new NBA teams are allowed to acquire players from the previously established teams in the league . Not all players on a given team are available during an expansion draft , since each team can protect a certain number of players from being selected . In this draft , each of the twenty-seven other NBA teams had protected eight players from their roster , and the Raptors and the Grizzlies selected fourteen and thirteen unprotected players respectively , one from each team . Prior to the draft , the league conducted a coin flip between the Raptors and the Grizzlies to decide their draft order in this expansion draft and in the 1995 NBA draft . The Grizzlies won the coin flip and chose to have the higher pick in the 1995 Draft , allowing the Raptors to receive the first selection and the right to select fourteen players in the expansion draft .   The Raptors were formed and owned by a group headed by Toronto businessman John Bitove . Brendan Malone was hired as the franchise 's first head coach . The Raptors used their first pick to select three-time NBA champion B. J. Armstrong from the Chicago Bulls . However , Armstrong refused to report for training and was traded to the Golden State Warriors for five other players . The Raptors ' other selections included four-time NBA champion John Salley and six other former first-round picks , Doug Smith , Willie Anderson , Ed Pinckney , Acie Earl , B. J. Tyler and Oliver Miller . Seven players from the expansion draft joined the Raptors for their inaugural season , but only Miller , Earl and Žan Tabak played more than one season for the team . Tabak and Andrés Guibert were the only international players in the draft .   The Grizzlies were formed and owned by Vancouver sports magnate Arthur Griffiths . Former Atlanta Hawks assistant coach Brian Winters was hired as the franchise 's first head coach . The Grizzlies used their first pick to select former first-round pick Greg Anthony from the New York Knicks . The Grizzlies ' other selections included three-time NBA champion Byron Scott and three other former first-round picks , Benoit Benjamin , Doug Edwards and Blue Edwards . On draft day , the Grizzlies acquired a second-round draft pick from the Orlando Magic in exchange for selecting Rodney Dent , who had never played in the NBA . Eight players from the expansion draft joined the Grizzlies for their inaugural season , but only Anthony and Blue Edwards played more than one season for the team .

neg: 1998 NBA Finals The 1998 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1998 playoffs of the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) and the conclusion of the 1997 -- 98 NBA season . The Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls played against the Western Conference champion Utah Jazz , with the Jazz holding home-court advantage with the first 2 games in Salt Lake City . In a repeat of the previous year 's Finals , the Bulls won the series 4 games to 2 for their third consecutive NBA title and their sixth in eight seasons . Michael Jordan was voted the NBA Finals MVP of the series ( he also had won the award the last five times the Bulls won the Finals : 1991 , 1992 , 1993 , 1996 , and 1997 ) . This would be his sixth NBA championship and sixth Finals MVP award in six full basketball seasons . Until 2014 , it was the last consecutive Finals rematch between two teams .   The 1998 Finals garnered the highest Nielsen TV ratings in NBA history at 18.7 , and even surpassed the Nielsen ratings for the 1998 World Series , marking the first time the NBA had a higher rating in its championship round than of Major League Baseball 's championship round .   The 1998 NBA season documentary `` Unforgettabulls '' was the first of five narrated by Will Lyman through NBA Entertainment , which recaps the entire Bulls ' season . Rick Telander narrates on the opening credits . Marv Albert narrates the timeline of Michael Jordan 's career with the Bulls .

neg: 1991 NBA Playoffs The 1991 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association 's 1990 -- 91 season . The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals . Michael Jordan was named NBA Finals MVP .   After the Pistons had ended their season the last three years , the Bulls got revenge in the Eastern Conference Finals by sweeping the two-time defending NBA champions . It was the first time the Bulls won a playoff series over the Pistons since 1974 , when both teams were still part of the Western Conference . Game 4 ended with some of the Pistons walking off the court before time expired , refusing to shake the Bulls ' hands . In the 1989 NBA Finals , the Pistons themselves had swept the two-time defending champion Lakers . Detroit did not reach the conference finals again until 2003 .   The seventh seeded Golden State Warriors stunned the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the playoffs , defeating them 3 games to 1 . It would be Golden State 's last playoff series win until 2007 .   The 76ers and the Bucks met in the first round of the playoffs where the 76ers swept the series . It would be both teams last playoff appearance until 1999 .   Game 4 of the Blazers -- Jazz series was the last game ever played at the Salt Palace .   This was the first year that NBC aired the NBA Playoffs .

neg: Three-peat Three-peat is a term used primarily in American sports to refer to winning three consecutive championships . The term , a portmanteau of the words three and repeat , originated with the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association , during their unsuccessful campaign for a third consecutive championship during the 1988 -- 89 season , having won the previous 2 NBA Finals in 1987 and 1988 against the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons , but were swept by the Pistons in the 1989 NBA Finals . The term is a registered trademark owned by Hardo Beers , the Lakers ' Hardo strength coach from 1981 -- 1990 , although it was coined by L.A. player Byron Scott immediately after their victorious championship defense against the Detroit Pistons in the 1988 NBA Finals .

neg: Backstage: Lakers Backstage : Lakers is a reality sports documentary television series produced by Spectrum SportsNet which covers the Los Angeles Lakers from an in-depth , behind-the-scenes angle , giving the viewer `` unprecedented access '' to the team .   The series has documented the season from inside the locker room , the practice facility , the executive offices , the training room , as well as chronicling the players at home with their families and on the road with their team .   A new 30-minute episode debuts every week of the season on Wednesdays at 5:00 PM PST on Spectrum SportsNet . Re-airs can be viewed multiple times throughout the week of the network . A Spanish-language version entitled Lakers Confidencial premieres every Thursday on Spectrum Deportes .

neg: Kris Humphries Kristopher Nathan `` Kris '' Humphries ( born February 6 , 1985 ) is an American professional basketball player for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . He has also played in the NBA for the Utah Jazz , Toronto Raptors , Dallas Mavericks , New Jersey / Brooklyn Nets , Boston Celtics , Washington Wizards , and Phoenix Suns . Humphries played college basketball for the Minnesota Golden Gophers of the University of Minnesota , and for the United States men 's national basketball team .

neg: Ennis Whatley Ennis Whatley ( born August 11 , 1962 ) is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Kansas City Kings in the first round ( 13th overall ) of the 1983 NBA draft . Whatley played in ten NBA seasons . A 6 ' 3 '' ( 1.90 m ) and 177 lb ( 80 kg ) guard , he played for the Chicago Bulls , then as backcourt partner of a rookie named Michael Jordan , the Cleveland Cavaliers , Washington Bullets , San Antonio Spurs , Atlanta Hawks , Los Angeles Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers .  Whatley 's best year as a professional came during the 1986 -- 87 season as a Bullet , when he appeared in 73 games and averaged 8.5 points per game ( ppg ) . In 10 NBA seasons , Whatley played in a total of 385 games and scored 2,150 points , thus averaging 5.6 ppg .   Born and raised in Birmingham , Alabama , Whatley attended Phillips High School and the University of Alabama .

neg: Joe Bryant Joseph Washington `` Jellybean '' Bryant ( born October 19 , 1954 ) is an American retired professional basketball player , current coach , and the father of former Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant . Bryant was the head coach of the WNBA 's Los Angeles Sparks from August 22 , 2005 until April 4 , 2007 . He returned to that position after Jennifer Gillom was fired by the Los Angeles Sparks on July 10 , 2011 . Bryant has also coached in Italy , Japan and Thailand .

neg: NBA Live 96 NBA Live 96 is the second installment of the NBA Live video games series . The PC and PlayStation covers features Shaquille O'Neal of the Orlando Magic , while the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Sega Genesis box covers show a photo of the tip-off to Game 1 of the 1995 NBA Finals . The game was published by EA Sports and released on November 30 , 1995 . The PlayStation and PC versions were the first games in the series to feature a 3D rendered court , allowing for multiple camera angles using EA 's `` Virtual Stadium '' technology ( also used by FIFA Soccer 96 ) . The on-court player graphics remained 2D sprites . It was also the first NBA Live game released for the PlayStation . NBA Live 96 is followed by NBA Live 97 .

neg: Earl Shannon Earl F. Shannon ( November 23 , 1921 -- July 8 , 2002 ) was an American professional basketball player and college coach . He played for the Providence Steamrollers and the Boston Celtics in the Basketball Association of America . In three seasons as a player he averaged 8.6 points and 1.3 assists per game .   In one year as Bryant University 's head coach ( 1963 -- 64 ) , the program 's first-ever season , the Bulldogs went 12 -- 11 . In other coaching roles he served as the University of Rhode Island 's freshman basketball coach and an assistant on Providence College 's varsity men 's basketball squad .   Shannon was also an agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation .

neg: Raymond Felton Raymond Bernard Felton , Jr. ( born June 26 , 1984 ) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . Felton played college basketball at the University of North Carolina under head coach Roy Williams . At North Carolina , Felton led the Tar Heels to a national championship before declaring for the NBA draft . Felton was drafted 5th overall in the 2005 NBA draft . Over his career , Felton has been a member of the Charlotte Bobcats , New York Knicks ( twice ) , Denver Nuggets , Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers . He plays the point guard position .


query: Bravo's The 100 Funniest Movies list ranks Sister Act among them.

pos: Sister Act Sister Act is a 1992 American musical comedy film directed by Emile Ardolino and written by Joseph Howard . Featuring musical arrangements by Marc Shaiman , the film stars Whoopi Goldberg as a Reno lounge singer who has been put under protective custody in a San Francisco convent of Poor Clares and has to pretend to be a nun when a mob boss puts her on his hit list . Also in the cast are Maggie Smith , Kathy Najimy , Wendy Makkena , Mary Wickes , and Harvey Keitel .   One of the most financially successful comedies of the early 1990s , grossing $ 231 million worldwide , the film was rated # 83 on Bravo 's The 100 Funniest Movies list .   It spawned a 1993 sequel , entitled Sister Act 2 : Back in the Habit , and a musical adaptation that premiered at the Pasadena Playhouse in Pasadena , California , in 2006 , and opened at the West End 's London Palladium with previews from May 7 , 2009 . The musical then opened on Broadway at the Broadway Theatre in April 2011 , with previews beginning March 24 , 2011 .

neg: Noël Coward Society The Noël Coward Society is an international society founded with the agreement of Coward 's literary agent and Estate to celebrate the life and work of Sir Noël Coward .   The Noël Coward Society was founded in 1999 to study and promote and enjoy the many aspects of Cowards achievements . It owns an extensive archive of recordings and written works and is attempting to become the official on-line archive of all things `` Coward '' .   The Noël Coward Society is managed by Noël Coward Ltd. , a charitable company . It is currently administered from Norwich , Norfolk , UK , and has a membership of just over 700 people worldwide . The day-to-day running of the Society is managed by an organising committee . The Society has representatives in France , Australia and the USA . Each year it celebrates the birth of Noël Coward at the Noël Coward Theatre and the Theatre Royal , Drury Lane on the nearest Friday to his birthdate . The celebration consists of the AGM of the Society at the Noël Coward Theatre followed by a celebrity from the theatre world laying flowers on the statue of Sir Noël Coward in the foyer of the Theatre Royal . The Annual Lunch follows in the Grand Saloon at the theatre , followed by a cabaret .   In 2002 , Ken Starrett was appointed the North American Director of The Noel Coward Society and in 2003 , Starrett organized an annual birthday celebration which took place in December in the USA . The event included the flower laying ceremony at The Gershwin Theatre in Manhattan and a special lunch . Among the celebrities who have placed flowers in front of Coward 's statue are Tammy Grimes , Keir Dullea , Tony Walton , Kitty Carlisle Hart , Hayley Mills , Marian Seldes , Jim Dale , Victor Garber , Christine Ebersole , Dick Cavett . Stephen Fry , Joan Copeland , Jamie Ross , Penny Fuller , and Dana Ivey . There is also a similar ceremony at Firefly Estate ( Coward 's home ) in Jamaica . On December 31 , 2016 , Ken Starrett officially stepped down after serving as North American Director of The Noel Coward Society for fourteen years .

neg: Ross Sisters The Ross Sisters were a trio of American singers and dancers comprising Betsy Ann Ross ( 1926 -- 1996 ) , Veda Victoria `` Vicki '' Ross ( 1927 -- 2002 ) , and Dixie Jewell Ross ( 1929 -- 1963 ) , who used the stage names Aggie , Maggie , and Elmira . They performed as a three-part harmony trio , who also danced and have become particularly noted for their acrobatics and contortionism . Their careers peaked during the 1940s , when they featured prominently in the 1944 film Broadway Rhythm , footage from which appeared in the 1994 compilation film That 's Entertainment ! III , and later online .

neg: The Twin Sister The Twin Sister is a 1915 American silent comedy film featuring Oliver Hardy .

neg: Disasterpiece Theatre Disasterpiece Theatre was a comedy television program that aired in the early 1980s on XETV , a station in Tijuana , Mexico owned by Mexican media company Grupo Televisa which broadcasts in English across the border to neighboring San Diego , California . The show 's title is both a play on the long-running PBS anthology program Masterpiece Theatre and a reference to the low-budget , campy science fiction and horror films that were lampooned each week . At the time of Disasterpiece Theatre '' 's run , XETV was an independent station ; today it serves as the San Diego affiliate of The CW network .   The premise of the show was simple : show the worst movies ever made and make fun of them . Among the films shown were Shriek of the Mutilated , Monster on Campus , The Thing That Could n't Die , The Mummy 's Hand , Born to Speed , Big Boy Rides Again , First Spaceship on Venus and Curse of the Undead . Comments would be written as subtitles during the movie ; for example , in Track of the Moonbeast a character says , `` I 'm somewhat of an ... ( laughs ) an adventurer , '' and the word `` IDIOT '' appeared on screen during the pause in the middle of the sentence . Sometimes music would be added and , in some cases , redubbing by the writers would occur . On a showing of First Spaceship on Venus , the soundtrack was replaced by the writers ' voices arguing about which television show they are going to watch , similar to the overdubbing idea in What 's Up , Tiger Lily?Jay Curtis hosted the show as Sal U. Lloyd , a play on the word celluloid . Bruce Mueller played `` The Other Guy '' and would often dress up as The Mummy , A Lion Tamer , and the Network Producer . Curtis and Mueller wrote and produced the show . Fred Stern was a constant contributor and served as the show 's musical director . Stern chose popular music that was added to scenes for comic punctuation . As an example , during the film Beginning of the End , giant grasshoppers are attacking Chicago , scientists decide to use the grasshopper mating call to lure the creatures into Lake Michigan but instead of the mating call coming from a boat loudspeaker , the audience hears At the Hop by Danny and the Juniors and the monsters hop in and drown . San Diego radio announcer Gary Cocker appeared on the show many times . Guests included Whoopi Goldberg , Richard Simmons , and J. Michael Straczynski . The show was done so cheaply , the producers would tape over the same reels , thus erasing the previous episode . In the show , Curtis and Mueller 's microphone cords are easily visible , but it is the poor production quality that makes the show more humorous .   Sal U. Lloyd was portrayed as a big loser who hates his job . In one episode , he explains his position : `` I 'm sick of television ... I wan na be a rock and roll star . I wan na make some money . '' He is often seen receiving some kind of brain damage after showing a movie . Several times , Lloyd has a run-in with the network producer , George Mucas ( obviously a parody of George Lucas ) , who hates the show . In reality , Curtis had a strong rivalry with the actual network producer of XETV , who eventually cancelled the show .   The show became quite successful , generating a loyal following and beating Saturday Night Live in the ratings several times . However , the show was eventually cancelled due to creative control with the station . Although the show is not widely acclaimed , it is mentionable for inspiring a generation of cult television shows that used the same premise , such as Mystery Science Theater 3000 .   In 1991 , the Beetlejuice episode `` Moby Richard '' had Lydia staging a television dramatization of `` Moby Dick '' for the Neitherworld program `` Disasterpiece Theatre . ''   In 1993 , Animaniacs had an episode of the same title .   In 2009 , the creators of Disasterpiece Theatre '' created a YouTube Page posting archival footage of the show .

neg: Whole World Theatre The Whole World Theatre is an improvisational theatre located in Atlanta , Georgia .   Whole World Theatre ( WWT ) is a non-profit theatre company that began in Atlanta , Georgia in late 1993 , when David Webster began teaching a group of student actors whom he would train to become the hottest improv company in town . Jennifer Horne and David Webster were co-founding members .   The original students of Whole World Theatre performed their first show in front of 25 people in September 1994 . Specializing in experiential improv and unconventional scripted works , and using a unique approach to improv , which put more emphasis on acting , character and atmosphere than on cheap laughs , Webster wrote and directed original ground breaking pieces such as , Blood Bath Bingo and Pimps , Queens , and Dope Fiends . Webster also produced scripted works included , Balm in Gillead , Bitches , Women Behind Bars , Four Dogs and a Bone and The House of Yes , among many others .   In June 1995 , Jennifer Horne and David Webster spent their honeymoon money to open Whole World Theatre at their current location at 1214 Spring Street in mid-town Atlanta . As their popularity grew , the cast of Whole World Theatre were given the opportunity to produce their live improv comedy show for television when Webster sold the show to television . `` Whole World Comedy '' - Whole World 's premier TV show - helped to launch the southern based Turner South Network .   David Webster taught every actor at Whole World Theater until 2001 . He wrote , directed and emceed every show for over 1000 shows . He won several awards including an Emmy award for writing .   In 2003 Managing Director , Emily Reily Russell , created a youth summer camp program and an improvisational acting program for teens and young adults at Whole World Theatre that still exists to this day . Many of the graduates of this program have entered the `` Performance Ready Group '' that hosts a more family oriented show the first Saturday of every month November through May . The Performance Ready Group is directed and mentored by Assistant Artistic Director , Eric Goins . Russell , in conjunction with Callanwolde Fine Arts Center and The Starlight Starbright Foundation has also created `` Improv in Dialysis . '' Providing monthly improvisational acting workshops to patients and their families at Egleston Children 's Hospital in Atlanta .   Lance Krall , one of Webster 's original students , eventually moved to Hollywood and went on to produce his own television show , The Lance Krall Show , which aired Spike TV , and Free Radio , which aired on Vh1 . Lance has hired several alumni from Whole World Theatre to guest star in his projects .   In 2004 , Webster moved on to write and direct independent movies and Jennifer Horne moved on to begin her own improv troupe in Charlottesville , Va. . That same year , a complete change in management occurred at Whole World Theatre .   In 2004 , Chip Powell became Artistic Director of Whole World Theatre . The Company continues to perform improv shows and remains one of Atlanta 's most successful theater companies . Under Powell 's leadership the company has produced Improv in the Park : an annual free improv show in Atlanta 's Piedmont Park and Central Park at Atlantic Station . Improv in the Park was voted `` Best Outdoor Event '' by Creative Loafing . Powell also went on to launch Whole World 's 3rd Space Theatre by Producing and Directing scripted works such as Sordid Lives and Southern Baptist Sissies by Del Shores .   In 2005 , the theatre started a television show for a network called MAV TV and is currently broadcast in over 200,000 homes across the U.S. . The show features Whole World 's Improv Comedy and is geared towards a more mature audience .  Official Website   Category : Theatres in Atlanta

neg: 9 to 5 (film) 9 to 5 ( styled in the opening credits as Nine to Five ) is a 1980 American comedy film directed by Colin Higgins , written by Higgins and Patricia Resnick . It stars Jane Fonda , Lily Tomlin , Dolly Parton as three working women who live out their fantasies of getting even with , and their overthrow of , the company 's autocratic , `` sexist , egotistical , lying , hypocritical bigot '' boss , played by Dabney Coleman .   The film grossed over $ 103.9 million and is the 20th highest-grossing comedy film . As a star vehicle for Parton -- already established as a successful singer and songwriter -- it launched her permanently into mainstream popular culture . Although a television series of the same name based on the film was less successful , a musical version of the film ( also titled 9 to 5 ) , with new songs written by Parton , opened on Broadway on April 30 , 2009 .   9 to 5 is number 74 on the American Film Institute 's `` 100 Funniest Movies '' and has an a 82 % approval rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes .

neg: Seinfeld: A XXX Parody Seinfeld : A XXX Parody is a 2009 American pornographic situation comedy film that parodies the American television sitcom Seinfeld which ran from 1989 until 1998 . Like other porn parodies , it has the same characters , settings and other production elements of the original show but adds an explicitly sexual element that was not present in the series . Written by A.J. Slater and directed by Lee Roy Myers , the plot is based on the episode `` The Soup Nazi '' . The film stars James Deen , Kristina Rose , Eric John , Steve Pomerantz , Evan Stone , Ashlynn Brooke , London Keyes , Natalie Horton , Tony Disergio , Sasha Grey , Sadie West and Cassandra Calogera . Released to DVD on June 29 , 2009 , the movie received positive reviews from critics , who enjoyed the acting , casting , sexual content and comedy . In addition to the positive reception , it also earned ten nominations at the 27th AVN Awards .

neg: Houston Film Critics Society Awards 2010 The 4th Houston Film Critics Society Awards were presented on December 18 , 2010 . These awards for `` extraordinary accomplishment in film '' are presented annually by the Houston Film Critics Society ( HFCS ) based in Houston , Texas . The organization , founded in 2007 , includes 22 film critics for print , radio , television , and internet publications in the greater Houston area . The awards are co-sponsored by the Houston Film Commission , Southwest Alternate Media Project , Women in Film and Television/Houston , WorldFest , and the Houston Cinema Arts Society .   The nominations for the 2010 awards were announced on December 12 , 2010 . Eligible films do not need to have played or opened in a Houston film theater prior to the nomination deadline , merely made available to the HFCS membership at a screening or on DVD . Along with the 13 `` best of '' category awards , this year also saw the introduction of a new category for `` Worst Movies of the Year '' . The Social Network , True Grit , and 127 Hours each received six nominations , all including the Best Picture , Actor , Direction , and Original Score categories .   The Social Network was the HFCS 's most awarded film of 2010 taking top honors in the Best Picture , Best Director ( David Fincher ) , Best Actor ( Jesse Eisenberg ) , and Best Screenplay ( Aaron Sorkin ) categories . Inception was the only other film to garner multiple awards , winning both the Best Original Score ( Hans Zimmer ) and Best Cinematography ( Wally Pfister ) prizes . The other acting awards went to Natalie Portman as Best Actress for Black Swan , Hailee Steinfeld as Best Supporting Actress for True Grit , and Christian Bale as Best Supporting Actor for The Fighter . The remaining film honors went to Toy Story 3 as Best Animated Film , Restrepo as Best Documentary , and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo as Best Foreign Language Film . `` We Are Sex Bob-Omb '' by Beck from Scott Pilgrim vs. the World was named the Best Original Song . The HFCS 's first-ever award for `` Worst Picture '' was given to Jonah Hex starring Josh Brolin .   In addition to the category awards , the HFCS presented their annual Lifetime Achievement Award to Sissy Spacek and its Humanitarian Award to George Clooney . Clooney was selected for `` selflessly using his celebrity for greater good '' . The HFCS award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinema awards were presented to Charles Dove , director of the Rice University Media Center , and Hector Luna , the founder and editor of C-47 Houston .

neg: Spy Hard Spy Hard is a 1996 American spy comedy film parody starring Leslie Nielsen and Nicollette Sheridan , parodying James Bond films and other action films . The introduction to the movie is sung by comedy artist `` Weird Al '' Yankovic . It is the first film to be written by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer . The film 's title is a pun of Die Hard . The film is directed by Rick Friedberg and produced by Doug Draizin and Jeffery Knovitz .   The film was released by Buena Vista Pictures on May 24 , 1996 , receiving generally negative reviews from critics . While many praised Nielsen 's acting and its humor , most found the script , story and its direction lame . The film eventually grossed $ 26 million against a production budget of $ 18 million , making it a relative success .

neg: Tracey Ullman: A Class Act Tracey Ullman : A Class Act is a sketch-comedy special starring actress-comedian Tracey Ullman , along with Michael Palin playing a variety of original characters . It originally aired on ITV ; subsequently HBO in the United States on 23 November 1993 .

neg: Miranda Sings Miranda Sings is a fictional character , developed on the internet , created in 2008 and portrayed by American comedian , actress and YouTube personality Colleen Ballinger . Ballinger displays videos of the comically talentless , egotistical , misguided and quirky character on her YouTube channel . In these videos , the eccentric , narcissistic , yet endearing character sings and dances badly , gives inept `` tutorials '' , recounts her daily activities , discusses current events that she often misunderstands , collaborates with other YouTubers , and rants about her critics , reading examples of hate mail directed at the character on social media ; she responds to them with her catchphrase : `` Haters Back Off ! '' .   Ballinger created the character as a satire of bad but arrogant singers who believe that posting their videos on YouTube will lead to them breaking into show business . As of February 2017 , the Miranda Sings YouTube channel had surpassed 1.2 billion views and 7 million subscribers , and Miranda had more than 6 million Instagram followers . Miranda has been ranked the 7th `` most popular '' YouTube personality by Daily American , and the channel was ranked No. 38 of all time by NewMediaRockstars . The character also has an active presence on other social media .   Since 2009 , in addition to her internet videos , Ballinger has regularly presented live comedy acts , in character as Miranda Sings , at first in cabaret spaces and later in theaters in New York , London , and other cities in the US , Canada , Europe , Australia and elsewhere . Her acts include Miranda 's signature off-key singing of pop music hits and show tunes , with introductions focusing on the character 's backstory . Her delivery is full of malapropisms , mondegreens and spoonerisms , and the acts incorporate interaction with audience volunteers , giving a `` voice lesson '' to , or singing a duet with , Broadway or other musical celebrities , reading hate mail , and singing while being stabbed through the neck in her `` magic trick '' .   The character has appeared in web series , interviews and an episode of the TV show Victorious . In 2014 , she guest-starred in character on an episode of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee with Jerry Seinfeld and appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon . In July 2015 , she released a New York Times # 1 best-selling book , written in Miranda 's voice , titled Selp-Helf . Miranda is the main character in the Netflix original series Haters Back Off , which premiered in 2016 and has been renewed for 2017 . Ballinger won a Teen Choice Award and a Streamy Award for her Miranda videos .

neg: Freaks and Geeks Freaks and Geeks is an American teen comedy-drama television series , created by Paul Feig , with Judd Apatow as executive producer , that aired on NBC during the 1999 -- 2000 television season . Eighteen episodes were completed , but the series was canceled after only 12 had aired .   A fan-led campaign persuaded NBC to broadcast three more episodes in July 2000 ; the three remaining unaired episodes , for a total of 18 , aired that September on the cable network Fox Family Channel .   The series appeared on Time magazine 's 2007 `` 100 Greatest Shows of All Time '' list , and placed third on the magazine 's list of greatest television shows of the 2000s ( decade ) . In 2007 , Freaks and Geeks ranked # 21 on TV Guides Top Cult Shows Ever . In 2008 , Entertainment Weekly ranked it the 13th-best series of the past 25 years . The same year , AOL TV named it the Best School Show of All Time . In 2013 TV Guide included it in its list of The 60 Greatest Dramas of All Time , and ranked it # 1 on their list of 60 shows that were `` Cancelled Too Soon '' . It launched several of its young actors into successful television and film careers .

neg: Gaiety Girls Gaiety Girls were the chorus girls in Edwardian musical comedies , beginning in the 1890s at the Gaiety Theatre , London , in the shows produced by George Edwardes . The popularity of this genre of musical theatre depended , in part , on the beautiful dancing corps of `` Gaiety Girls '' appearing onstage in bathing attire and in the latest fashions . The 1890s Gaiety Girls were respectable , elegant young ladies , unlike the corseted actresses from London 's earlier musical burlesques . Later , even the stars of these musical comedies were referred to as Gaiety Girls .

neg: The Theater Offensive The Theater Offensive is a Boston-based theatrical organization dedicated to the production of queer works . The Theater Offensive was founded in 1989 by Abraham Rybeck `` to present the diversity of lesbian , gay , bisexual , and transgender lives in art so bold it breaks through personal isolation , challenges the status quo , and builds thriving communities . '' The Theater Offensive mounts and produces festivals and individual productions by national and local queer performers , and also serves as a development environment for new theatrical work . In addition , The Theater Offensive works to build community through education , outreach , and political activism .   The Theater Offensive has expanded throughout its history . The True Colors OUT Youth Theater troupe concentrates on producing dramatical works produced by young , queer artists . Up until the summer of 2008 , its `` A Street Theater Named Desire '' , a guerrilla AIDS activist theater troupe , enters gay cruising grounds and presents performances that promote safe sex and AIDS education .   The Theater Offensive produces an annual Out on the Edge Festival of Queer Theater , which showcases new performing arts works by queer artists from around the world . It has been held each fall since its inception in 1992 .   True Colors : Out Youth Theater , a program of The Theater Offensive and the country 's largest and longest-running lesbian , gay , bisexual , transgender and queer ( LGBTQ ) youth theater program , received the 2016 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award from First Lady Michelle Obama , for its effectiveness in promoting learning and life skills in young people through the arts by engaging them in creative youth development programming . The National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award is the nation 's highest honor for youth arts programs , and True Colors , which was established in 1994 , is the first LGBTQ organization in history to receive this award .

neg: Novelty Act `` Novelty Act '' is a short story by Philip K. Dick . It involves a dystopian future in which the characters ' lives are based on entertaining the First Lady of the United States with `` novelty acts '' .   Category :1964 short stories  Category : Short stories by Philip K. Dick

neg: Just for Laughs: Gags Just for Laughs : Gags ( in French , Juste pour rire : Gags ) is a Canadian silent comedy/hidden camera reality television show that is under the Just for Laughs brand . It is based on the similar American series Candid Camera .  The series is also on YouTube .  In December 26 , 2000 , JFL : Gags began airing on French Canadian network Canal D . In the following years , the show was picked up by TVA , CBC and The Comedy Network in Canada , BBC1 in the UK , TF1 in France and ABC and Telemundo in the United States ; the Canadian version ( unlike the ones produced for ABC ) aired in the United States in first-run syndication starting in the fall of 2015 and ended in February 2016 .   The series uses a hidden camera format , playing pranks on unsuspecting subjects while hidden cameras capture the subjects ' responses ; each episode presents multiple gags . While some segments have included brief dialogue , most do not contain any sound or dialogue ; the audio is replaced with sound effects , a laugh track , and public domain music . Most segments are filmed in Quebec City , Montreal and Vancouver , while some have been filmed in Mexico . British and Asian versions have been produced in the UK and Singapore , respectively . In 2011 the show spawned a spinoff , Just Kidding , which consists exclusively of kids playing pranks on adults .   With its silent format and no translation required , Just for Laughs : Gags has been purchased for use in over 100 countries throughout the world as well as in airports and by airlines . Reactions to the gags range from `` inane '' to cross-culturally funny . The same distributors also distribute Surprise Sur Prise , a similar show .   In March 2011 , Just for Laughs Gags entered into a partnership with Montreal-based , entertainment site , Videobash.com and now have their own devoted channel there . ( No video has been posted as of this writing . )

neg: AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions Part of the AFI 100 Years ... series , AFI 's 100 Years ... 100 Passions is a list of the top 100 greatest love stories in American cinema . The list was unveiled by the American Film Institute on June 11 , 2002 , in a CBS television special hosted by American film and TV actress Candice Bergen .   Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn are tied for the most films in the list , with six each . They co-starred in two of them - Bringing Up Baby and The Philadelphia Story .

neg: Susan Browning Susan Brown Browning ( February 25 , 1941 -- April 23 , 2006 ) was an American actress .   Browning was born in Baldwin , New York . She attended Penn State University where she was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta . She was nominated for two Tony Awards : for Best Actress in a Musical for Company in 1971 and for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for Goodtime Charley in 1975 . She was also featured on Broadway in the musicals Big River and Shelter , as well as several plays .   Browning played one of the nuns in the 1992 movie Sister Act , as well as its 1993 sequel Sister Act 2 : Back in the Habit . Her television work included appearances on Law & Order , One Life to Live , Mary Hartman , Mary Hartman , The Monkees , The Girl From U.N.C.L.E. , and The Wild Wild West .

neg: Sarah Bird Sarah Bird is an American novelist , screenwriter , and journalist . She was born in 1949 in Ann Arbor , Michigan . Her father was an officer in the US Air Force , and her family ( a `` Catholic family of eight '' ) , including her mother , Colista Bird , travelled with him around the US and the world during her childhood . Sarah 's mother recognized signs of her daughter 's creative storytelling talent as young as kindergarten .   She attended the University of New Mexico , earning a BA there in 1973 . Moving to the University of Texas at Austin , she went on to receive an MA in journalism there in 1976 . She is married to George Jones , and has one son , Gabriel Bird-Jones , born in 1989 . The family lives in Austin , Texas .   During the mid-eighties , Bird was a founding contributing-editor to Austin 's Third Coast Magazine , for which she wrote numerous feature and humor articles .   Bird 's first published novel was Do Evil Cheerfully , a mystery ( as Sarah McCabe Bird ) .   In 1986 , her comic novel Alamo House was published based on her experience as a graduate student at the University of Texas .   Bird wrote the screenplay for the movie Do n't Tell Her It 's Me ( 1990 , starring Shelley Long and Steve Guttenberg ) , adapting the Boyfriend School novel .   The Boyfriend School and The Mommy Club , published by Ballantine in 1989 and 1991 , respectively , were both humorous novels drawing on Bird 's life experiences . In addition to novels , Bird has written screenplays for television and magazine articles for national women 's magazines . She writes a column for Texas Monthly . Virgin of the Rodeo was published in 1999 .   Bird was named Austin 's best author in 2001 by the Austin Chronicle , the year she also published The Yokota Officers Club , a novel that draws on her experiences as military brat . She has also written screenplays for the National Geographic Channel and Hallmark , as well as the CBS movie Yesterday 's Children .   Another novel , The Flamenco Academy , came out in 2006 . A new novel , How Perfect Is That , was published by Knopf in June 2008 .

neg: My Sister, My Love My Sister , My Love may refer to :   My Sister , My Love ( film ) , 1966 Swedish film  My Sister , My Love ( novel ) , 2008 novel by Joyce Carol Oates


query: Ron Perlman is an American actor.

pos: Ron Perlman Ronald N. Perlman ( born April 13 , 1950 ) is an American actor and voice actor . He is best known for his roles as Clay Morrow on the television series Sons of Anarchy , Vincent on the television series Beauty and the Beast ( for which he won a Golden Globe Award ) , and as the comic book character Hellboy in both Hellboy ( 2004 ) and its sequel Hellboy II : The Golden Army ( 2008 ) .   Perlman is also well known as a frequent collaborator of Hellboy director Guillermo del Toro , also having roles in his films Cronos , Blade II and Pacific Rim . He is also known for his voice-over work as the narrator of the post-apocalyptic game series Fallout , Clayface on Batman : The Animated Series , Slade on the animated series Teen Titans , The Lich in Adventure Time , The Stabbington Brothers in Disney 's animated film Tangled , and as the narrator of the television series 1000 Ways to Die .

neg: Albert Salmi Albert Salmi ( March 11 , 1928 -- April 22 , 1990 ) was an American actor of stage , film , and television . He was noted as a character actor and appeared in over 150 film and television productions .

neg: Elya Baskin Ilya Zalmanovich Baskin ( Iļja Baskins , Илья́ За́лманович Ба́скин born 11 August 1950 ) , known as Elya Baskin , is an American actor .

neg: Danny Tamberelli Daniel Paul `` Danny '' Tamberelli ( born February 8 , 1982 ) is an American actor , comedian , voice actor and musician . He is best known for his roles as Arnold Perlstein in The Magic School Bus and Little Pete in The Adventures of Pete and Pete .

neg: Peter Greene Peter Greene ( born Peter Green ; October 8 , 1965 ) is an American character actor , generally known for playing villains .

neg: Harvey Friedman (actor) Harvey Friedman ( born 1959 ) , sometimes credited as Harvey Friedmann , is an American film , television and theatre actor .

neg: Peter Coyote Peter Coyote ( born Robert Peter Cohon ; October 10 , 1941 ) is an American actor , author , director , screenwriter and narrator of films , theatre , television and audiobooks . His voice work includes narrating the opening ceremony of the 2002 Winter Olympics and Apple 's iPad Retina Display campaign . He has also served as on-camera co-host of the 2000 Oscar telecasts . His distinctive voice helped him win a News & Documentary Emmy Award in 1992 for narration of `` The Meiji Revolution '' episode of the PBS series The Pacific Century , as well as a Primetime Emmy Award in 2015 for Ken Burns ' documentary special The Roosevelts . He has often been compared with actor Henry Fonda .   Coyote was one of the founders of the Diggers , an anarchist improv group active in Haight-Ashbury during the mid-1960s . Coyote was also an actor , writer and director with the San Francisco Mime Troupe ; his prominence in the San Francisco counterculture scene led to his being interviewed for the book Voices from the Love Generation . He acted in and directed the first cross-country tour of The Minstrel Show , and his play Olive Pits , co-authored with Mime Troupe member Peter Berg , won the troupe an Obie Award from the Village Voice . Coyote became a member , and later chairman , of the California Arts Council from 1975 to 1983 . In the late 1970s , he shifted from acting on stage to acting in films . In the 1990s and 2000s ( decade ) , he acted in several television shows . He speaks fluent Spanish and French .

neg: Ron Taylor (actor) Ronald James `` Ron '' Taylor ( October 16 , 1952 -- January 16 , 2002 ) was an American actor , singer and writer . He grew up in Galveston , Texas and later moved to New York City to attend the American Academy of Dramatic Arts . After graduating , Taylor began working in musical theater , appearing in The Wiz ( 1977 ) , before getting his break with the 1982 off-Broadway production Little Shop of Horrors . Taylor voiced the killer plant Audrey II in the show , which ran for five years and over 2,000 performances .   Taylor created and starred in the musical revue It Ai n't Nothin ' But the Blues , which charted the history of blues music from its African origin to American success . Originally performed at high schools in Denver as a 45-minute piece , the revue was expanded to two hours , played around the country and opened on Broadway in 1999 . It was met with critical acclaim , ran for eight months , and saw Taylor receive two Tony Award nominations .   He also had numerous television roles , appearing in The Simpsons , Twin Peaks , Ally McBeal and L.A. Law . His performance in the latter , as a singer who performed the American national anthem `` The Star-Spangled Banner '' at baseball games , led him to perform the anthem at several real-life sporting events . Taylor was married and had one son . He died in January 2002 after suffering a heart attack .

neg: Earl Hammond Earl Hammond ( June 16 , 1921 -- May 1 , 2002 ) was an American theater , radio , film and television actor , and , in his later years , a voice actor for several animated films and TV series .

neg: Beauty and the Beast (1987 TV series) Beauty and the Beast is an American fantasy-drama series which first aired on CBS in 1987 . Creator Ron Koslow 's updated version of the fairy tale has a double focus : the relationship between Vincent ( Ron Perlman ) , a mythic , noble man-beast , and Catherine ( Linda Hamilton ) , a savvy Assistant District Attorney in New York ; and a secret Utopian community of social outcasts living in a subterranean sanctuary . Through an empathetic bond , Vincent senses Catherine 's emotions , and becomes her guardian .

neg: Bad Ass (film) Bad Ass is a 2012 American action film written and directed by Craig Moss . The film stars Danny Trejo , Charles S. Dutton , and Ron Perlman . It is loosely based on the viral AC Transit Bus fight internet video and the films Gran Torino and Harry Brown .

neg: Stonewall (2015 film) Stonewall is a 2015 American drama film directed by Roland Emmerich and written by Jon Robin Baitz . The film stars Jeremy Irvine , Ron Perlman , Jonathan Rhys Meyers , Joey King , Caleb Landry Jones , Matt Craven , Atticus Mitchell , and Mark Camacho . The film was released on September 25 , 2015 , by Roadside Attractions .   The drama is set in and around the 1969 Stonewall riots , the violent clash with police that kicked off the gay liberation movement in New York City .

neg: Paul Willson Paul Lee Willson ( born December 25 , 1945 ) is an American actor , most notable for his television work . He was born in Fairmont , Minnesota , the son of Doris Geraldine and Lee Wilford Willson .   Willson has played numerous guest characters on a variety of shows including Full House as Stu in episode `` Crimes and Michelle 's Demeanor '' in 1990 , Curb Your Enthusiasm , Boston Public , Caroline in the City , The Newsroom and Star Trek : Voyager . He is perhaps most famous for his repeated guest character of `` Paul Krapence '' on the television show Cheers ( which he also reprised in an episode of the Cheers spin-off , Frasier ) . His character was originally called `` Gregg '' because Paul Vaughn was already playing a character named `` Paul '' on Cheers . For five years ( 1986-1990 ) he was Garry Shandling 's neighbor `` Leonard Smith '' on It 's Garry Shandling 's Show . Willson also appeared on Garry Shandling 's The Larry Sanders Show playing Larry 's accountant , and the brother of Sid the cue card holder . He played Ed , a neighbor , in a few episodes of Malcolm in the Middle . His film appearances include The Pack ( 1977 ) , The Devonsville Terror ( 1983 ) , My Best Friend Is a Vampire ( 1987 ) , Moving ( 1988 ) , 976-EVIL ( 1988 ) , Problem Child 2 ( 1990 ) , Circuitry Man ( 1990 ) , Plughead Rewired : Circuitry Man II ( 1994 ) and the comedy film Office Space ( 1999 ) as one of `` The Bobs '' . Willson also appeared on the CBS sitcoms The King of Queens and The Big Bang Theory . He was recently in a promotional video for the Nintendo DS game Personal Trainer : Cooking with Fred Willard .   Although primarily recognized for his television work , he has been noted as a `` great improv player '' by Garry Shandling as a result of their time working together doing improv in the late 1970s . Cheers producer Ken Levine has also acknowledged Willson as `` one of the greatest improv artists I have EVER seen . ''   Since 2012 he has appeared in television ads for Safeco Insurance .

neg: Patrick Cavanaugh Patrick Cavanaugh is an American television actor .

neg: Ron Fassler Ron Fassler ( born March 4 , 1957 in New York City ) is an American film and television actor . He is best known for his role as Bryan Grazer , the LAPD captain in the Fox Network cult science fiction TV series Alien Nation . The series was canceled after a short run , but Fox brought it back in 1994 in a series of five TV movies . Fassler reprised his role as Captain Grazer in Alien Nation : Dark Horizon ( 1994 ) , Alien Nation : Body and Soul ( 1995 ) , Alien Nation : Millennium ( 1996 ) , Alien Nation : The Enemy Within ( 1996 ) , and Alien Nation : The Udara Legacy ( 1997 ) .   His first TV role was in the 1981 TV movie Senior Trip , which also starred `` Alien Nation '' co-star Jeff Marcus .  Seen as Ted Koppel in 2009 ` sWatchmen , Fassler 's first feature film appearance was in the 1990 comedy move Gremlins 2 : The New Batch ( 1990 ) . Other recent films include Charlie Wilson 's War ( 2008 ) , Hancock ( 2008 ) , Walk Hard : The Dewey Cox Story ( 2007 ) , For Your Consideration ( 2006 ) and Flags of Our Fathers ( 2006 ) .  Fassler has made many guest appearances on TV shows ranging from NYPD Blue to The Facts of Life , Matlock , 7th Heaven and Star Trek : Voyager , along with recurring roles on Sisters and the recent critically acclaimed Side Order of Life . He even did multiple episodes of The Young and the Restless as Justin Johns .  As a writer , Fassler co-wrote the Lifetime TV movie , How I Married My High School Crush ( 2007 ) and also wrote for the sitcom Murphy Brown .   More recently , Fassler had a recurring role on the Disney XD sitcom Zeke and Luther where he played reporter Dale Davis . This role has also carried over to other Disney XD sitcoms including Kickin ' It and Pair of Kings . Fassler also appeared in the 2015 movie Trumbo .   In recent years , Fassler has been directing shows at Priscilla Beach Theatre .   A memoir , `` Up in the Cheap Seats '' which chronicles Fassler 's years as a teenage theatregoer , and includes interviews with more than 100 Broadway theatre artists , will be published in the fall of 2016 .

neg: Perp walk A perp walk , or walking the perp , The term `` perp '' is short for `` perpetrator '' , and is commonly used by police departments for those they arrest . It is legally inaccurate since the arrested individual 's guilt has not been judicially established at that point . is a practice in American law enforcement of taking an arrested suspect through a public place , creating an opportunity for the media to take photographs and video of the event . The defendant is typically handcuffed or otherwise restrained , and is sometimes dressed in prison garb . Within the United States the perp walk is most closely associated with New York City . The practice rose in popularity in the 1980s under U.S. Attorney Rudolph Giuliani , when white-collar criminals were perp-walked .   The perp walk arose incidentally from the need to transport a defendant from a police station to court after arrest , and the general prohibition of prior restraint under the U.S. Constitution 's First Amendment . Law enforcement agencies often coordinate with the media in scheduling and arranging them . It has been criticized as a form of public humiliation that violates a defendant 's right to privacy and is prejudicial to the presumption of innocence , but is defended as promoting transparency in the criminal justice system . American courts have permitted it on the grounds that it arises from the limitations and necessity of police procedure , but have also limited it only to those times when it is actually necessary .

neg: Bill Raymond William Joseph `` Bill '' Raymond ( born September 9 , 1938 ) is an American actor who has appeared in film , television and theatre since the 1960s .

neg: John Pankow John Pankow ( born April 28 , 1954 ) is an American actor . He is a series regular on the Showtime/BBC series `` Episodes '' , playing Merc Lapidus , the volatile former head of a major U.S. television network .

neg: Alan Schneider Alan Schneider ( December 12 , 1917 -- May 3 , 1984 ) was an American theatre director responsible for more than 100 theatre productions . In 1984 he was honored with a Drama Desk Special Award for serving a wide range of playwrights . He directed the 1956 American premiere of Samuel Beckett 's Waiting for Godot , Edward Albee 's Who 's Afraid of Virginia Woolf ? and Tiny Alice ; the American première of Joe Orton 's Entertaining Mr Sloane , Harold Pinter 's The Birthday Party , as well as Pinter 's The Dumb Waiter , The Collection , and a trilogy of Pinter 's plays under the title Other Places ( including One for the Road , Family Voices , and A Kind of Alaska ) ; Bertolt Brecht 's The Caucasian Chalk Circle ; You Know I Ca n't Hear You When the Water 's Running ; and Michael Weller 's Moonchildren and Loose Ends .   Schneider also directed Samuel Beckett 's only direct foray into the world of film , entitled Film . The short subject starred Buster Keaton and its direction is often mis-attributed to Samuel Beckett himself , notably during an exhibit at the Louvre in November 2006 . `` Film '' is a silent exploration of Bishop Berkeley 's principle ` esse est percipi ' ( to be is to be perceived ) .   One of a select group of non-actors awarded membership in The Actors Studio , Schneider taught at Catholic University , City College of the City University of New York , The Juilliard School ( where he was director of the theatre program ) , the University of California , Riverside , and the University of California , San Diego , whose library maintains an archive of his papers . He was associated with Arena Stage for 30 years . He was also the co-artistic director of The Acting Company . At the time of his death , he served as president of the board of directors for Theatre Communications Group ( TCG ) .

neg: Tiny Ron Taylor Ronald `` Tiny Ron '' Taylor ( born November 21 , 1947 ) is an American film actor and former basketball player . He is possibly best known as Lothar in The Rocketeer ( 1991 ) and as Roc in Ace Ventura : Pet Detective ( 1994 ) , roles that exploited his 7 ft ( 2.13 m ) frame and craggy features . He also played Al , the tall police detective whose face is never seen , in The Naked Gun ( 1988 ) and on the TV series Police Squad ! . He has also appeared on television , including seven episodes of Star Trek : Deep Space Nine as the Hupyrian manservant Maihar ` du , and two episodes of Star Trek : Voyager as the Hirogen alpha Idrin .   Taylor was born in Torrance , California . Tiny Ron attended North Torrance High School and graduated from the University of Southern California .

neg: Ron Ostrow Ron Ostrow is an American actor who mostly appears on television . His first major credit was in the Aaron Sorkin movie A Few Good Men in 1992 , where he played an MP . He was in the original stage version playing the role of The Sentry . He has since made appearances in many other Sorkin projects , including Sports Night , The West Wing , Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and the upcoming The Newsroom . He has also featured in guest and recurring roles on a number of other television series , including Law & Order , Party of Five , Fired Up , Ally McBeal , Boston Legal and Scandal , as well as the films Charlie Wilson 's War and The Incredible Burt Wonderstone .