An “Austin Powers” actor linked by DNA to a 25-year-old rape case is the subject of the latest “48 Hours.” Joe Son, who played Random Task in the first “Austin Powers” film, is now in prison — but not for committing the rape. The episode, “My Name is Victoria,” tells the story of the woman who lived through the attack, and how Son and a high school friend ended up behind bars. Also Read: James Deen Accuser to Discuss Consent at Porn Expo The woman was just 19 on Christmas Eve in December 1990 when two men came out of nowhere as...
- 1/21/2016
- by Joe Otterson
- The Wrap
Reed Saxon/AP/Press Association Images
Despite the numerous controversies which still exist in the sport of Mma and more specifically its premier promotion the Ufc today, anybody who has been a fan since the days of Royce Gracie, Don Fry and Ken Shamrock will know just how far the sport has come. Gone are the days of the post-fight battle royals between the trainers, the plans to have the Octagon surrounded by a moat filled with crocodiles and when the rules didn’t prohibit Keith Hackney from smashing Joe Son’s testicles. Now all bouts are sanctioned by a governing state athletic commission, all fighters are required to take part in thorough random drugs tests and a unified set of rules prevent potentially dangerous attacks like kicking the head of a grounded opponent. Since those early days the Ufc has transformed from a spectacle to a legitimate, bona fide sport.
Despite the numerous controversies which still exist in the sport of Mma and more specifically its premier promotion the Ufc today, anybody who has been a fan since the days of Royce Gracie, Don Fry and Ken Shamrock will know just how far the sport has come. Gone are the days of the post-fight battle royals between the trainers, the plans to have the Octagon surrounded by a moat filled with crocodiles and when the rules didn’t prohibit Keith Hackney from smashing Joe Son’s testicles. Now all bouts are sanctioned by a governing state athletic commission, all fighters are required to take part in thorough random drugs tests and a unified set of rules prevent potentially dangerous attacks like kicking the head of a grounded opponent. Since those early days the Ufc has transformed from a spectacle to a legitimate, bona fide sport.
- 5/15/2014
- by Sam Heard
- Obsessed with Film
The guy who played shoe-throwing bad guy Random Task in "Austin Powers" has been charged with murder in the death of his prison cellmate, TMZ has learned ... and prosecutors could pursue the death penalty. The guy in the cross hairs is Joe Son -- who was serving a life sentence in California's Wasco State Prison for torturing a woman -- when he allegedly killed his 50-year-old cellmate in 2011. The victim, Thomas Graham, was serving a...
- 9/12/2013
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
The prison inmate who was allegedly killed by ‘Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery’ actor Joseph Hyungmin Son has been identified as 50-year-old Thomas Graham by the Kern’s County Sheriff’s Office Cororner, TMZ is reporting. The actor’s cellmate was once convicted for committing lewd and lascivious acts on a child under the age of 14. At the time of his death, he was serving a two-year sentence at Wasco State Prison for failing to register as a sex offender. The coroner has ruled that the October 10 killing of Graham, who had several alias, including Michael Hernandez, Alanis Quinn and Marc Davidson, was a homicide. Autopsy results show that Graham,...
- 10/14/2011
- by karen
- ShockYa
‘Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery’ actor Joseph Hyungmin Son who was convicted of rape, has now allegedly killed his 50-year-old cell mate at Wasco State prison Reception Center, the Los Angeles Times is reporting. The unidentified cell mate was found dead during the afternoon of October 10 in the Kern County prison. An autopsy is expected to be performed this week on the inmate, who was sentenced to two years in prison for failing to register as a sex offender. A cause of death is still pending. A Kern County coroner’s office spokesperson said the autopsy can be performed as early as today, but prosecutors have yet to begun...
- 10/12/2011
- by karen
- ShockYa
Who could forget "Austin Powers?" Such a great movie. I always loved the ending too, where Dr. Evil's henchman, Random Task, surprises super-spy Austin Powers and his new wife Vanessa in their honeymoon suite for one last big fight. Here is that scene:
Random Task was played by Joe Son, a South Korean actor, wrestler, and mixed martial artist. But if he looks like a bad dude in the movie, that's nothing compared to what he's been up to off screen. Back in September, Son was convicted of one felony count of torture and sentenced to life in prison for his role in the rape and kidnapping of a young woman on Christmas Eve in 1990. If you'd like to be incapable of ever watching "Austin Powers" again without feeling icky and uncomfortable, you can read the official Orange County press release about Son's conviction, which lays out his crimes in repulsive detail.
Random Task was played by Joe Son, a South Korean actor, wrestler, and mixed martial artist. But if he looks like a bad dude in the movie, that's nothing compared to what he's been up to off screen. Back in September, Son was convicted of one felony count of torture and sentenced to life in prison for his role in the rape and kidnapping of a young woman on Christmas Eve in 1990. If you'd like to be incapable of ever watching "Austin Powers" again without feeling icky and uncomfortable, you can read the official Orange County press release about Son's conviction, which lays out his crimes in repulsive detail.
- 10/12/2011
- by Matt Singer
- ifc.com
The scumbag who played Random Task in "Austin Powers" has been isolated from other inmates at Wasco State Prison ... after allegedly murdering his cellmate Monday ... TMZ has learned. Prison officials tell us ... Joe Son has been placed in administrative segregation for the time being, citing "safety reasons." We're told Son was originally housed in an area reserved for new prisoners -- but after he was named a suspect in the death of his cellmate, Son...
- 10/12/2011
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Filed under: Movie News
Already serving time in jail for raping and torturing a woman, 40-year-old actor Joseph Hyungmin Son is the top suspect in the murder of his 50-year-old cellmate. Son -- who starred as Random Task in 'Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery,' a play on the 'Goldfinger' character Odd Job -- was sentenced to life in prison last month after being convicted of felony torture, a charge that stemmed from an incident that occurred on Christmas Eve in 1990. His unnamed cellmate was a 50-year-old male serving a two year sentence for failing to register as a sex offender.
Continue Reading...
Already serving time in jail for raping and torturing a woman, 40-year-old actor Joseph Hyungmin Son is the top suspect in the murder of his 50-year-old cellmate. Son -- who starred as Random Task in 'Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery,' a play on the 'Goldfinger' character Odd Job -- was sentenced to life in prison last month after being convicted of felony torture, a charge that stemmed from an incident that occurred on Christmas Eve in 1990. His unnamed cellmate was a 50-year-old male serving a two year sentence for failing to register as a sex offender.
Continue Reading...
- 10/12/2011
- by Moviefone Staff
- Moviefone
The convicted felon who played Dr. Evil henchman Random Task in the original "Austin Powers" movie is now suspected of murdering his prison cellmate ... TMZ has learned.
Prison officials say Joe Son -- who's already serving life in prison for torturing a woman in 1990 -- is the prime suspect in the murder of a 50-year-old sex offender, who was sharing a cell with Son at Wasco State Prison in central California.
Prison officials say Joe Son -- who's already serving life in prison for torturing a woman in 1990 -- is the prime suspect in the murder of a 50-year-old sex offender, who was sharing a cell with Son at Wasco State Prison in central California.
- 10/11/2011
- by tmz.com
- Huffington Post
Joseph Hyungmin Son—who played Dr. Evil's Oddjob-inspired henchman Random Task in the first Austin Powers movie before he was sentenced to life in prison for torturing a woman—is now under investigation in the death of his cellmate. Here's what we know. Officials at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation confirmed that authorities are investigating the possibility that Son murdered the 50-year-old man, whose identity was being withheld pending notification of next of kin. The inmate, who was found dead in his cell at Wasco State Prison in Central California at 5:50 p.m. on Monday, was serving a two-year sentence for failing to register as a sex offender. Son...
- 10/11/2011
- E! Online
The convicted felon who played Dr. Evil henchman Random Task in the original " Austin Powers " movie is now suspected of murdering his prison cellmate ... TMZ has learned. Prison officials say Joe Son -- who's already serving life in prison for torturing a woman in 1990 -- is the prime suspect in the murder of a 50-year-old sex offender, who was sharing a cell with Son at Wasco State Prison in central California. Officials say the victim's body was discovered yesterday.
- 10/11/2011
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Random Task is gonna have a lot tasks all right—like making license plates for the rest of his natural life. Joseph Hyungmin Son, the actor who played Dr. Evil's Oddjob-inspired henchman in the first Austin Powers movie, was sentenced to life in prison for his role in a 1990 Christmas Eve gang rape and torture of a woman. Son, 40, will eventually be eligible for parole, however. Orange County Superior Court Judge Francisco Briseno meted out the life term after hearing from the woman he was convicted of torturing on Dec. 24, 1990, as she was out walking her dog. She gave a victim impact statement to the court that asked for the harshest punishment possible, saying the crime not only left...
- 9/9/2011
- E! Online
The actor who played bad guy Random Task in " Austin Powers " has been sentenced to life in prison for his role in the brutal gang rape and torture of a woman on Christmas Eve in 1990. Joseph Hyungmin Son had been found guilty of felony torture -- for an incident in which a young woman was kidnapped, shoved into the back of a trunk ... and then raped and sodomized multiple times by Son and another man.
- 9/9/2011
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
The first photo of Kenneth Branagh as Laurence Olivier in My Week with Marilyn, also new shots of Josh Duhamel in Fire with Fire, Judi Dench in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, and 'class photos' featuring the cast of American Reunion.
Set photos of Dwayne Johnson, Adrianne Palicki and D.J. Cotrona shooting G.I. Joe 2: Retaliation, and some of Iron Man's spare gear on the set of The Avengers.
Posters for Drive, The Ides of March, Real Steel, The Double, Margaret.
"Studio Ghibli's new film has been retitled "The Secret World of Arrietty" for the U.S. domestic release in 2012…" (full details)
"Tom Six’s "The Human Centipede II (Full Sequence)" has been set for a U.S. domestic release on October 7th…" (full details)
"Some more DVD/Blu-ray dates - "The Tree of Life," "Kung Fu Panda 2," "Zookeeper" and "Horrible Bosses" on October 11th, "Water for Elephants...
Set photos of Dwayne Johnson, Adrianne Palicki and D.J. Cotrona shooting G.I. Joe 2: Retaliation, and some of Iron Man's spare gear on the set of The Avengers.
Posters for Drive, The Ides of March, Real Steel, The Double, Margaret.
"Studio Ghibli's new film has been retitled "The Secret World of Arrietty" for the U.S. domestic release in 2012…" (full details)
"Tom Six’s "The Human Centipede II (Full Sequence)" has been set for a U.S. domestic release on October 7th…" (full details)
"Some more DVD/Blu-ray dates - "The Tree of Life," "Kung Fu Panda 2," "Zookeeper" and "Horrible Bosses" on October 11th, "Water for Elephants...
- 9/1/2011
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Joseph Hyungmin Son, the 40-year-old actor best known for playing Dr Evil's shoe-throwing henchman Random Task in 1997's "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery," was convicted of torture on Thursday in Santa Ana, California, in connection with a 1990 Christmas Eve gang rape of a woman. The victim was walking back to her apartment alone with her dog, when Son distracted her by asking for directions. He and his friend, Santiago Gaitan, then dragged her to their car and threw her in the back. After pistol whipping her, they drove her to Huntington Beach, where they raped her repeatedly, sodomized her and forced her to give them oral sex. The District Attorney stated that Son also threatened to kill her, penetrated her vagina with a firearm, and counted the bullets in the gun out loud while the victim pleaded for her life. The men then finally allowed the woman to leave,...
- 8/31/2011
- WorstPreviews.com
Up until recently, Joseph Hyungmin Son was best known as the actor who played Random Task, Dr. Evil.s shoe-tossing henchman, in Mike Myers. first Austin Powers movie. Now, unfortunately, he.ll be known as that guy who was convicted of torturing a California woman in connection with a Christmas Eve rape that took place more than two decades ago. A jury in Santa Ana, Calif. found Son guilty of one felony count of torture, MSNBC reports. The actor, 40, now faces a maximum sentence of 15-years-to-life in state prison. Son reportedly will be sentenced on Sept. 9. The initial incident took place in 1990, when Son and co-defendant Santiago Gaitan abducted and sexually abused a woman who was walking back home after a night spent with friends looking at Christmas lights. Son was accused of distracting the woman while Gaitan kidnapped her. Both men were accused of repeatedly raping the victim at...
- 8/30/2011
- cinemablend.com
The guy who played " Random Task " in " Austin Powers " -- the guy who throws a shoe -- has been convicted of torturing a 20-year-old woman back in 1990. Joseph Hyungmin Son was arrested in 2008 on suspicion of participating in a gang rape of a woman on Christmas Eve ... when DNA linked him to the crime. According to prosecutors, Son and another man abducted the woman, dragged her into the back of a car, pistol whipped her and threatened to shoot her.
- 8/29/2011
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Austin Powers Actor Convicted of Torture in Horrific Christmas Eve Rape—21 Years After Heinous Crime
It took two decades, but the law finally came down on Joseph Hyungmin Son. The actor best known for playing Dr. Evil's shoe-throwing henchman Random Task in 1997's Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, was convicted of torture Thursday in Santa Ana, Calif. in connection with a 1990 Christmas Eve gang rape of a woman who was out walking her dog. Here's what happened. A Santa Ana jury found the 40-year-old Son guilty of one felony count of torture stemming from his arrest on Oct. 7, 2008 on an outstanding warrant. He faces a maximum sentence of 15 years-to-life in state prison come sentencing Sept. 9. The rape occurred on Dec. 24, 1990 at approximately 12:30 a.m. when the...
- 8/29/2011
- E! Online
Actor and former mixed martial arts fighter Joseph Hyungmin Son, who is remembered for appearing in the hit film ‘Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery,’ was convicted for taking part in a brutal abduction and gang rape, Ktla is reporting. The 40-year-old was found guilty of raping and torturing a 20-year-old woman on Christmas Eve in 1990. The victim was taken by Son and an accomplice, who abducted her at gun point when she was walking her dog near her home in Huntington Beach, California. Son was accused of repeatedly raping the woman, sexually assaulting her with the gun and then releasing her naked with her pants tied around her...
- 8/29/2011
- by karen
- ShockYa
New York, August 29: Joseph Hyungmin Son, who had a small part in the first 'Austin Powers' film as Dr. Evil's sidekick has been convicted of torture in connection with the 1990 abduction and gang rape of a 20-year-old California woman.
According to Ktla, the Orange County woman was walking her dog on Christmas Eve and looking at holiday lights in the neighborhood when she was snatched off the street and attacked, reports the New York Daily News.
Son was accused along with one other suspect of holding the victim at gunpoint and raping her numerous times as well as sexually assaulting her with the weapon.
The.
According to Ktla, the Orange County woman was walking her dog on Christmas Eve and looking at holiday lights in the neighborhood when she was snatched off the street and attacked, reports the New York Daily News.
Son was accused along with one other suspect of holding the victim at gunpoint and raping her numerous times as well as sexually assaulting her with the weapon.
The.
- 8/29/2011
- by Abhijeet Sen
- RealBollywood.com
Austin Powers star Joe Son has been linked to an unsolved 18-year-old gang rape after his DNA matched that of a man behind a vicious attack on a woman.
TMZ.com reports Son, who played Random Task in the first Austin Powers movie, had to give a DNA sample, as requested by law, after pleading guilty to felony vandalism in May.
But when the authorities ran his sample through their database, they discovered it linked to the 1990 incident, in which a woman was pistol-whipped, raped, blindfolded and released naked.
Son has been charged with five felony counts of rape, two felony counts of forcible sodomy, two felony counts of sodomy in concert by force, seven felony counts of forcible oral copulation, and one felony count of sexual penetration by foreign object by force.
He faces a life sentence if convicted.
TMZ.com reports Son, who played Random Task in the first Austin Powers movie, had to give a DNA sample, as requested by law, after pleading guilty to felony vandalism in May.
But when the authorities ran his sample through their database, they discovered it linked to the 1990 incident, in which a woman was pistol-whipped, raped, blindfolded and released naked.
Son has been charged with five felony counts of rape, two felony counts of forcible sodomy, two felony counts of sodomy in concert by force, seven felony counts of forcible oral copulation, and one felony count of sexual penetration by foreign object by force.
He faces a life sentence if convicted.
- 10/10/2008
- WENN
"Diary of a Mad Black Woman" is a strange hybrid, part romance-novel melodrama and part broad sketch comedy. Even more strange is that, in an awkward split-personality way, it works some of the time. Cutting through the schmaltz of the wronged-woman scenario are glorious third-act gospel contributions and the comic shenanigans of scripter-producer-actor-composer Tyler Perry. Despite its over-the-top sensibility and uneven performances, "Diary" has sleeper potential along the lines of last year's "Woman, Thou Art Loosed", which also toplined the dexterous and gifted Kimberly Elise.
Perry's script, based on his grassroots-hit play, paints emotions and character types with broad strokes. The soap-opera setup is ludicrous, but debuting feature helmer Darren Grant finds a certain groove for the material as inspirational, blessedly non-preachy entertainment. Even when grappling with matters as weighty as anger, forgiveness and faith, one of the film's endearing qualities is its refusal to take itself too seriously -- which would be hard to do with Perry in drag as the main character's grandmother.
Helen (Elise), the starry-eyed wife of respected attorney Charles (Steve Harris), endures his outrageous cruelty with such equanimity that she seems to have been beamed in from 1952, or maybe another planet. Her measured diary entries, heard in voice-over, cut the cad way too much slack. Helen is sympathetic only because Charles is such a creep; she's an empty shell whose only interest is being a perfect wife. Helen's happily-ever-after fantasy shatters when, on their 18th anniversary, he physically tosses her out of their Versailles-size Atlanta estate, his evil girlfriend (Lisa Marcos) at his side.
As Helen travels the bumpy road to self-knowledge, Grandma Madea is a crucial emotional support. The strongest of three characters Perry plays in the film, Madea's a straight-talking, pistol-packing voice of righteously funny anger. Perry's other roles are crotchety, pot-smoking Uncle Joe (less of a hoot than he's meant to be) and Joe Son's Brian, a good-guy lawyer who's given up on trying to help his estranged junkie wife (Tamara Taylor).
Madea snaps Helen out of her pining and into working-class reality, with time out for sweet revenge. Offering a more forgiving brand of wisdom are Helen's mother (Cicely Tyson) and new love interest, Orlando (Shemar Moore), a Harlequin-cover hunk with a heart of gold. Real-life concerns aside, the film definitely believes in fairy tales. But the story takes a few extreme turns on the way to romantic bliss. Just when Helen seems too saintlike to be true, her pent-up fury toward her ex emerges in a huge way. Elise is up to the melodrama, from refined and repressed to fierce and vengeful.
For all its false steps, "Diary" is refreshing in the way it explores the burden of anger and matters of faith without being cloying or judgmental. Technical contributions are OK within the budget's constraints. And a spirit-shaking, roof-raising gospel performance -- courtesy of Taylor, Terrell Carter and other extraordinary singers -- could have moviegoers on their feet.
DIARY OF A MAD BLACK WOMAN
Lions Gate Films
A Tyler Perry Co. production in association with BET Films
Credits:
Director: Darren Grant
Writer: Tyler Perry
Producers: Reuben Cannon, Tyler Perry
Executive producers: Michael Paseornek, John Dellaverson, Robert L. Johnson
Director of photography: David Claessen
Production designer: Ina Mayhew
Music: Elvin Ross, Tyler Perry
Co-producer: Mike Upton
Costume designer: Keith Lewis
Editor: Terilyn A. Shropshire
Cast:
Helen: Kimberly Elise
Charles: Steve Harris
Madea/Joe/Brian: Tyler Perry
Myrtle: Cicely Tyson
Orlando: Shemar Moore
Debrah: Tamara Taylor
Brenda: Lisa Marcos
MPAA rating PG-13
Running time -- 117 mins...
Perry's script, based on his grassroots-hit play, paints emotions and character types with broad strokes. The soap-opera setup is ludicrous, but debuting feature helmer Darren Grant finds a certain groove for the material as inspirational, blessedly non-preachy entertainment. Even when grappling with matters as weighty as anger, forgiveness and faith, one of the film's endearing qualities is its refusal to take itself too seriously -- which would be hard to do with Perry in drag as the main character's grandmother.
Helen (Elise), the starry-eyed wife of respected attorney Charles (Steve Harris), endures his outrageous cruelty with such equanimity that she seems to have been beamed in from 1952, or maybe another planet. Her measured diary entries, heard in voice-over, cut the cad way too much slack. Helen is sympathetic only because Charles is such a creep; she's an empty shell whose only interest is being a perfect wife. Helen's happily-ever-after fantasy shatters when, on their 18th anniversary, he physically tosses her out of their Versailles-size Atlanta estate, his evil girlfriend (Lisa Marcos) at his side.
As Helen travels the bumpy road to self-knowledge, Grandma Madea is a crucial emotional support. The strongest of three characters Perry plays in the film, Madea's a straight-talking, pistol-packing voice of righteously funny anger. Perry's other roles are crotchety, pot-smoking Uncle Joe (less of a hoot than he's meant to be) and Joe Son's Brian, a good-guy lawyer who's given up on trying to help his estranged junkie wife (Tamara Taylor).
Madea snaps Helen out of her pining and into working-class reality, with time out for sweet revenge. Offering a more forgiving brand of wisdom are Helen's mother (Cicely Tyson) and new love interest, Orlando (Shemar Moore), a Harlequin-cover hunk with a heart of gold. Real-life concerns aside, the film definitely believes in fairy tales. But the story takes a few extreme turns on the way to romantic bliss. Just when Helen seems too saintlike to be true, her pent-up fury toward her ex emerges in a huge way. Elise is up to the melodrama, from refined and repressed to fierce and vengeful.
For all its false steps, "Diary" is refreshing in the way it explores the burden of anger and matters of faith without being cloying or judgmental. Technical contributions are OK within the budget's constraints. And a spirit-shaking, roof-raising gospel performance -- courtesy of Taylor, Terrell Carter and other extraordinary singers -- could have moviegoers on their feet.
DIARY OF A MAD BLACK WOMAN
Lions Gate Films
A Tyler Perry Co. production in association with BET Films
Credits:
Director: Darren Grant
Writer: Tyler Perry
Producers: Reuben Cannon, Tyler Perry
Executive producers: Michael Paseornek, John Dellaverson, Robert L. Johnson
Director of photography: David Claessen
Production designer: Ina Mayhew
Music: Elvin Ross, Tyler Perry
Co-producer: Mike Upton
Costume designer: Keith Lewis
Editor: Terilyn A. Shropshire
Cast:
Helen: Kimberly Elise
Charles: Steve Harris
Madea/Joe/Brian: Tyler Perry
Myrtle: Cicely Tyson
Orlando: Shemar Moore
Debrah: Tamara Taylor
Brenda: Lisa Marcos
MPAA rating PG-13
Running time -- 117 mins...
- 3/11/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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