Golden Voldy
In a sure sign that the Harry Potter franchise is now the world's leading full employment program for British hams, Ralph Fiennes has been named to play He Who Must Not Be Named. Equally important, I think, is that this completes Fiennes' dethroning of Jeremy Irons as the world's top Handsome English Actor Who's Just Slightly Too Creepy For Regular Leading Man Work. (It's a real position! And coveted!) Ten years ago Irons would have won the role of Voldemort walking away, and I'll miss the slithery, homoerotic innuendo he would have brought to the part. Then again, Fiennes has all those underemployed siblings to support. Somewhere in purgatory, James Mason and Claude Rains are smiling (icily) on their heirs.
Update: Reader Alan Vanneman informs me that he originated the gag about the British hams full employment program in this review of The Lord of the Rings.