Carolyn Rafaelian
American designer, philanthropist, and businesswoman
Carolyn Rafaelian is an American-Armenian entrepreneur and businesswoman. She is the founder of the accessories and jewelry company Alex and Ani, and the owner of the Belcourt of Newport, Bar and Board Bistro in Newport, Rhode Island and Carolyn's Sakonnet Vineyards.
Background.
Rafaelian's father opened a jewelry factory in 1966, Cinerama Jewelry, in which Rafaelian and her sister worked. Over time she helped her father design pieces and produced original designs herself for her father's jewelry manufacturing company. She attended Prout Memorial High School for Girls (later known as The Prout School). She attended the University of Rhode Island between 1987 and 1989, and then she transferred to and graduated from the American College for the Applied Arts in Los Angeles. In 1994 she joined her father's business, and eventually began to work on her own line. In 2002 Rafaelian became co-owner of Cinerama with her sister. Rafaelian's designs became the main seller for the company, and in 2016 Alex and Ani bought the manufacturing facility for an undisclosed sum.
Business career.
In 2004 Rafaelian founded Alex and Ani, a jewelry line named after her two eldest daughters. The brand started with five cocktail rings and expanded into a full line of jewelry anchored by its patented expandable wire bangle.
Rafaelian has been interviewed by newspapers regarding current events, including the "New York Daily News". Rafaelian received the 2012 Rhode Island Small Businessperson of the Year award from the Small Business Administration for her work with Alex and Ani, and also the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of Year in the products category for New England. Her firm's revenue grew from $5 million in 2010 to over $500 million in 2016 and the company's Charity By Design initiative, where 20% of sales go to charity, makes up 20% of sales.
Rafaelian owns Bar and Board Bistro in Newport and a cafe franchise called Teas and Javas; some of its cafes are attached to Alex and Ani stores, and some are independent. She is also the owner of the Rhode Island winery Carolyn's Sakonnet Vineyard, purchased in 2012 which features wine making, dining area and locally sourced foods. Since taking over, the vineyard has won a number of awards in international competition.
Personal life.
Rafaelian is divorced from her first husband.
Rafaelian is the owner of a 60-room mansion, the Belcourt of Newport, formerly known as Belcourt Castle, in Newport, Rhode Island, built in 1894.
"Rhode Island Monthly" described Rafaelian's charitable work as including "Project USA, a nonprofit, which has raised funds for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, survivors of breast cancer, and endangered species" as well as separate projects with the Humane Society of the United States.
Rafaelian was listed 22nd in "Forbes" America's Richest Self-Made Women in 2016, with net worth estimated at $700 million in June 2016. In May 2017, she was recognized by the David Lynch Foundation for her humanitarian efforts. In June 2018, Rafaelian was estimated to be worth $1 billion, and 18th on the "Forbes" list of America's richest self-made women, owning 80% of Alex and Ani. By June 2019 her net worth had dropped to an estimated $520 million.
References.
<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />

Alex and Ani
Jewelry company
Alex and Ani is an American retailer and producer of jewelry located in Cranston, Rhode Island.
History.
The firm was founded in 2004 by Carolyn Rafaelian. The name comes from a combination of the first names of Rafaelian's two daughters. The company originally stated that they wanted to produce "bangle bracelets, necklaces, earrings and rings that adorn the body, enlighten the mind, and empower the spirit". The company first manufactured its jewelry in a factory that was founded by Rafaelian's father in 1966 and all materials were made in America.
The first retail Alex and Ani store opened in Newport in 2009, and in addition to the stand-alone stores, the jewelry was sold through national departments stores. In 2011, American retail company The Paper Store LLC invested over $10 million to build "shop within a shop" areas featuring the jewelry brand Alex and Ani in many of their stores.
In 2010 Giovanni Feroce joined the company as CEO and drove the company's expansion, increasing the sales total for the year by more than 20 times its previous annual total. In 2011, the company launched its Charity By Design program where 20% of sales go to charity. It also partnered with the Newport Folk Festival and Newport Jazz Festival to create specialty charms for each ticket buyer of each festival. In 2013 the company partnered with the New England Patriots and New England Revolution sports teams to provide sports-themed merchandise and uniforms. That year the company also published "Path of Life: Why I Wear My Alex and Ani", a book co-authored by Feroce and Alex and Ani corporate historian Cyd McKenna.
The company’s revenue grew from $5 million in 2010 to over $500 million in 2016. In 2012, the company acquired a majority stake in the advertising agency Mediapeel after becoming the firm's largest client, changing the company name to Seven Swords Media. Also in 2012, the firm opened its first European branded stores. That year, JH Partners acquired a large stake in the firm, adding it to its lifestyle portfolio. JH Partners cashed out in 2014, selling its 40% stake in the company to British buyout firm Lion Capital, in a deal that valued the company at $1 billion.
In March 2014, Rafaelian fired Feroce, the company's CEO. In March 2015, Harlan Kent, a former CEO of Yankee Candle, became the new president of the company. That year, the company expanded into Japan, and began a partnership with Disney Parks, to provide jewelry for their souvenir stores. Kent left the company within a year.
In 2016, Rafaelian purchased original copper from the Statue of Liberty and the company launched the Liberty Copper Collection. In 2017, Alex and Ani became the primary "presenting sponsor" of David Lynch's arts and music festival, the Festival of Disruption.
In October 2017, the company's Australian distributor, House of Brands, closed the Alex and Ani concept store in Melbourne, as well as all related kiosks in malls in Australia, announcing that it would shut down the related website in January 2018. House of Brands had been the company's distributor in Australia and New Zealand since December 2015.
At the end of 2017, the company's CEO, Cindy DiPietrantonio, and its CFO, Bob Woodruff, left the company; over serving in their roles for just over a year. In September 2018, the company announced that it intended to sell more of its pieces directly to consumers, rather than through distributors, with a goal of 75 to 80 percent of sales being through its stores or its websites by March 2020, up from its current 50 percent. The company said it planned to open 25 to 30 more concept stores within a year.
In July 2019, Alex and Ani filed a $1.1 billion federal lawsuit against Bank of America, asserting that the lender had discriminated in its treatment of the woman-led company. The company dismissed the suit in August, and in September 2019 agreed to a new debt structure with its syndicate of lenders, led by Bank of America. As part of the restructuring, Rafaelian had given up her controlling equity interest, and Lion Capital installed a new CEO, Bob Trabucco. In May 2020, Rafaelian was officially terminated as an employee of the company.
On June 9, 2021, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The company attributes their bankruptcy filing to falling revenue in the wake of operational and supply chain difficulties as well as major turnover in their C-suite, which led to a 2019 out-of-court restructuring, plus the COVID-19 pandemic played a major role in the company's revenue decline.
At the time of the bankruptcy filing, founder Rafaelian was no longer involved with the company she started. In late 2022, Rafaelian launched Metal Alchemist, another jewelry company based in Rhode Island that uses American-made products and sticks to Rafaelian's Rhode Island roots.
Early in 2023, Alex and Ani had 38 stores across the United States. In June 2023, Alex and Ani had closed another 21 stores and their corporate headquarters in Rhode Island overnight, leaving 7 locations still open.
In November 2023, months after Alex and Ani abruptly vacated their East Greenwich, Rhode Island headquarters, it left behind thousands of pieces of equipment, and unpaid bills from local business owners, its landlord, and the town of East Greenwich. Sal Corio, the owner of SJ Corio Company conducted the auction and told The Boston Globe that the bagging equipment alone was worth "more than $200,000" if it had been purchased new. He was initially hired by Alex and Ani to auction off their own equipment, but told The Boston Globe that they "locked him out" and never communicated with him again. Not long after, Corio was contacted by the property owner, who hired him to carry out the auction. The auction attracted more than 900 bidders.
Activities.
The firm produces bangles, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and rings. The company first came to national attention in 2004 when they produced a necklace featuring an apple for Gwyneth Paltrow following the birth of her daughter Apple, leading to many orders of similar merchandise.
The firm has begun collaborating with national organizations to create custom pieces and give a portion of proceeds to the respective charity.
A signature design feature of the company's products is the "patented sliding mechanism that replaces the traditional clasp, making each bracelet entirely adjustable" making it "one-size-fits-all". Rafaelian patented the Alex and Ani 14-gauge wire bangle in 2004; it is one of about 30 patents the company now holds.
References.
<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />

Alex Van Halen
American drummer (born 1953)
Alexander Arthur Van Halen ( , ; born May 8, 1953) is an American musician who was the drummer and a co-founder of the rock band Van Halen, which was formed in 1972 by Van Halen and his younger brother Eddie under the name "Mammoth" before adding Michael Anthony and David Lee Roth in 1974 and changing their name to Van Halen.
Warner Bros. signed the band in 1977, and the band's debut album was released a year later. Prior to their disbandment in 2020, following Eddie's death, Van Halen released 12 studio albums, and the brothers were the only two constant members of the band. Noted for his technical prowess, speed, and power, Alex Van Halen is widely regarded as one of the greatest drummers of all time.
Early life.
Van Halen was born in Amsterdam. The family name in Dutch is "van Halen" (with lower-case 'v') and is pronounced in Dutch as . His Dutch father, Jan van Halen (1920–1986), was an accomplished jazz saxophonist and clarinetist. His mother, Eugenia van Beers (1914–2005), was an Indo (Eurasian) from Rangkasbitung, Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia). Alex spent his early years in Nijmegen in the east of the Netherlands. The family moved to Pasadena, California, in 1962. The Dutch prefix "van" was capitalized by Alex's parents during the family's immigration to the US. Alex and his brother Eddie became naturalized U.S. citizens.
Both brothers were trained as classical pianists during childhood. Although Alex is known as a professional drummer, he began his musical aspirations as a guitarist, with his brother Eddie taking up drums. While Eddie was delivering newspapers to pay for his drum kit, Alex would practice playing on them. After spending some time playing Eddie's drum kit, Alex became more skilled than Eddie was as a drummer. After Eddie heard Alex's mastery of The Surfaris drum solo in the song "Wipe Out", he decided to learn to play the electric guitar. Alex was influenced by Budgie drummer Ray Phillips.
Alex, Eddie and three other boys formed their first band, calling themselves "The Broken Combs", while attending Hamilton Elementary School in Pasadena, in which Alex played saxophone. When Eddie was in the fourth grade, they performed at lunchtime at the school.
In 1971, Van Halen graduated from Pasadena High School. He then took classes in music theory, scoring, composition and arranging at Pasadena City College for a short while. While there, Alex met Michael Anthony and David Lee Roth. They formed the band Mammoth, and Alex, along with the others, left Pasadena City College.
Career.
Alex and Eddie Van Halen had several early bands before the formation of Van Halen. In addition to The Broken Combs, there were The Space Brothers, The Trojan Rubber Company, and Mammoth.
In 1972, the brothers formed Mammoth with Mark Stone on bass and Eddie on lead vocals. The band rented David Lee Roth's PA system for their shows. Soon after, Eddie became tired of singing lead, and asked Roth to join the band. Later, in 1974, since the name Mammoth was already taken by another band, the name was changed to Van Halen, and Stone was replaced by Michael Anthony. Roth has claimed that it was his idea to rename the band Van Halen, and that he actually named it after Alex. In addition to his musical duties at this time, Alex handled managerial duties, such as booking gigs, and the like for the band. Their 1978 self-titled debut album "Van Halen" was released to much fanfare, influencing many musicians in hard rock. Van Halen had released eleven more studio albums since then, and officially disbanded a month after Eddie's death on October 6, 2020.
Although the term "brown sound" is generally associated with Eddie's guitar, it was actually coined by Alex to refer to the sound of his snare drum.
Alex never recorded any music without his brother being involved, with Michael Anthony saying that "the only person that he plays with is Ed." The only recording Alex has made outside of the band is playing keyboards on the Eddie Van Halen instrumental "Respect the Wind", done for the "Twister" soundtrack and earning the Van Halen brothers a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rock Instrumental Performance.
In June 2024, Alex auctioned off all of his drum gear he had in storage for decades. This led people to believe that he will no longer be involved in music without his brother Edward on stage with him.
Alex released a book called "Brothers" on October 22, 2024 and commenced a 3 date promotional tour.
Equipment.
Van Halen endorses Ludwig drums, pedals and hardware, Paiste cymbals, Remo drumheads and Regal Tip drumsticks. A Paiste endorser since March 1983, Van Halen, in co-operation with Paiste developed a signature ride cymbal—a 2002 24" Big ride—which Paiste introduced at the 2010 Winter NAMM Show. He also had two Ludwig signature snares. Alex has used Rototoms and octobans in the past as well as electronic drums and is renowned for using extravagantly sized drum kits that feature an on-fire orchestral gong and four bass drums, having originally used only two.
Regal Tip created the Alex Van Halen signature drumsticks when he became an endorser.
Influences.
Van Halen's main influences include Billy Cobham, Ginger Baker, Keith Moon and John Bonham, and he has cited jazz drummer Buddy Rich's work as having an early and lifelong impact.
Personal life.
Van Halen married Valeri Kendall in June 1983, after a two-year engagement. The marriage ended in divorce two months later. In 1984 he married Kelly Carter. Their son Aric Van Halen, was born October 6, 1989. The couple divorced in August 1996. Carter was sued by Van Halen in 2013, over her commercial use of the 'Van Halen' surname. The case was settled in 2015. His son Aric is a passionate runner and competed in the Olympic trials for the steeplechase in 2016. He is also a talented photographer.
Van Halen married his current wife, Stine Schyberg, in 2000. She is the mother of his son Malcolm Van Halen. Malcolm shares the passion of fast cars and racing with his father and uncle.
Van Halen is the uncle of Wolfgang Van Halen.
Van Halen is an ordained minister. He presided at the second wedding of his brother Eddie in 2009 and his son Malcolm's wedding in 2024.
Due to years of playing loud music, Alex is said to have major hearing loss in both ears. "In 1995 Alex Van Halen complained to his stage engineer Jerry Harvey about it. He could no longer hear the band onstage and was putting his hearing in jeopardy. Harvey built a simple in-ear monitor using two speakers that were originally designed for a pacemaker. He tuned one for bass, the other for treble."
Discography.
Solo discography
References.
<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />

Alex (comic strip)
British cartoon strip
Alex is a British cartoon strip by Charles Peattie and Russell Taylor. It first appeared in the short-lived "London Daily News" in 1987. It moved to "The Independent" later that year and then to "The Daily Telegraph" in 1992. A translated version was published in the German newspaper "Financial Times Deutschland". It was also published translated into Dutch for some years in the main financial newspaper of the Netherlands, "Het Financieele Dagblad" "(FD)", around the turn of the century.
The strip with its storylines-with-a-twist proved so popular that, in the course of its transfer to the "Telegraph", it was preceded by a nationwide billboard campaign.
The strip occurs in 'real-time', i.e. time passes and characters age and develop as in real life. Alex and Penny married in the strip's early days and had a son called Christopher, who grew up, went to school, had work experience and has now started college. Alex and Penny themselves are now middle-aged.
Style and humour.
The humour in the strip derives from wordplay and twist endings related to Alex's world of yuppie values, Conservative politics, obsession with appearances, displays of wealth and schemes to stay one up in the world of international finance. A common theme is to contrast the old days of the traditional City of London (alcohol-fueled lunches, insider dealing, corporate jollies) with the modern American-influenced financial world (abstemiousness, compliance, corporate-speak).
Peattie and Taylor are reputed to work closely with a variety of London financial contacts to ensure that their strips accurately reflect the recent scandals and rumours which pass around the City. Much gossip has circulated as to the likely inspiration for some of the characters. A storyline in March 2009 had one of Alex's old colleagues leave the city to become a teacher, coinciding with a British government plan to ease the amount of time spent on teacher training and encouraging "fantastic mathematicians... who would have once perhaps gone into the City but now actually might be more interested in a career in teaching".
The most common kind of joke features a conversation between the characters, where in the final frame a twist ending becomes apparent – the context of the conversation was not what the reader had supposed, usually reflecting on the protagonists' materialistic values and priorities.
For instance, in a restaurant, an embarrassed Alex apologises to the maître d' after his dinner guest answers a call on his mobile, which has been frowned upon in the past. The maître d's claim that the restaurant's policy on phones is very relaxed these days does not alleviate Alex's embarrassment since his concern was due to being seen with a companion who was not using the latest model, and not (as the reader may have supposed) due to talking on a cellphone in a restaurant.
Another kind of strip which appears occasionally consists of only two large frames, showing two different characters, or the same character in two different situations, giving a monologue composed of almost exactly the same words, but which, in the different situations, have very different meanings.
During Christmas times, the strip usually takes on storylines featuring fantasy characters and situations, such as 'A Close Encounter' with aliens (1990), visits to Santa Claus (2006, 2009) or a trip to Narnia (2005). In 2013, a 15-part storyline was published, featuring Alex taking over his boss Cyrus's job after the latter committed suicide. However a supernatural agreement saw reversal to "normal" circumstances.
The complexities of the jokes has meant that the strip has often had to take time off (i.e., not appear for two or more weeks) while the writers come up with new material.
List of characters.
Alex Masterley (born 24 February 1960) is the protagonist of the comic strip. He is an experienced investment banker working in London's Docklands. Alex is totally obsessed with personal status, with his work coming second and his family a distant third. His commitment to social standing requires him to have all of the latest professional gadgets, including a BlackBerry and a 3G mobile phone. For him, the most important thing is displaying your wealth to all and sundry. Alex usually works for Rupert Sterling at Megabank, but has, in the past, worked for Mr Hardcastle as his Head of Corporate Strategy. He became a Conservative Member of Parliament in 2019 United Kingdom general election.
Penny Masterley (née "Wright") is Alex's long-suffering wife. They married very early in the strip's history, and have one son, Christopher. Penny enjoys the affluent lifestyle that Alex provides, but has little patience for Alex's obsessions with status and his work. The two spend very little time together, and are not very close. Alex has cheated on Penny a number of times, including a protracted affair with his secretary, Wendy, in 1991, and a one-night stand with a co-worker while travelling on business in 1998. In 2006, Alex started an affair with a client, Carolyn. Penny came very close to divorcing Alex after the affair with his secretary, and has considered leaving him on other occasions. In the summer of 2009, Penny went out to work (for the first time ever) as a redundancy counsellor: a move that upset Alex as he worried that having a working wife might draw people to conclude that he had himself lost his job. In 2013 Penny's work in the charity sector led to her being headhunted into a career as a company non-executive director. Fast-tracked in the corporate world due to her gender, her professional success has already begun to undermine Alex's standing and self-worth.
Christopher Masterley (born 11 September 1989) is Alex's son. At first, Christopher was very much his father's son, and shares his concern for status and his nose for business. Alex mostly sees Christopher as a symbol of his success, and often makes him a victim of his quest for status. Though initially educated at a top public school, Christopher was withdrawn during the City slump in 2004, when Alex was out of work, and faced the humiliation of leaving the school with a black plastic bag containing his things, a fate city stockbrokers often face, and which was set up by his own father. In 2009 Christopher went to college to study art, much to Alex's chagrin. Christopher is currently unemployed and back living with his parents.
Clive Reed is Alex's co-worker, and even Alex's boss from June 2004 to October 2005 (afterwards he got side-lined by Rupert but refused to resign, thus forced to accept a demotion). Until recently he lived with his longterm girlfriend and subsequent wife Bridget. Although a fellow Oxford graduate, Clive is Alex's inferior in every way. He is less socially skilled, and frequently commits embarrassing gaffes in public. He is less professionally skilled, and often makes bad financial investments or fails to manage his subordinates. Alex enjoys Clive's company because it provides many opportunities to show his superiority. Clive is also a dreadful wimp, and readily retreats from any situation of conflict or difficulty. In spite of this, Clive is something of a womaniser, and has enjoyed a moderate amount of success. In particular, Clive had a long and guilt-ridden affair with an American colleague Ruth while he was engaged to Bridget. Clive also enjoys just enough professional success to maintain his career and his affluent lifestyle. In August 2008, Clive was made redundant, a fact Alex knew but used to win a bet. However, he soon returned after it emerged that the bank had fired the wrong Clive Reed.
Bridget Mann is Clive's ex-wife. Unlike the pleasant Penny, Bridget has a calculating and sadistic temperament. She takes delight in any opportunity to expose Clive for the wimp and loser that he is. This, together with the affluent lifestyle that Clive somehow manages to provide, seems to have been her main reason for staying with him. In 2013, Clive and Bridget had a pair of twins, after years of failed IVF's; but two years later Clive discovered Bridget in bed with his American boss Cyrus. She subsequently expelled Clive from their house and has sought a divorce, which was finalized by December 2018.
Rupert Sterling is a retired senior bank executive. For many years, he was Alex and Clive's boss, and before retirement he served as senior director at Megabank. He and Alex are on the same wavelength as regards status and appearances. This has not stopped Rupert from sacking Alex on a number of occasions, though never for long. Rupert was once tried and jailed for financial fraud; this did not affect his life style too much: his wife would arrive on visiting day only to be told that her husband was in a meeting.
Greg Masterley is Alex's brother and a reporter. There appears to be little mutual affection or respect between the two siblings. Their elderly parents live in retirement.
Sir Stewart Hardcastle is the stereotypical Northern boss of a manufacturing company. Hardcastle employs Megabank for a lot of his financial work. Bluff and down-to-earth, it is surprising that he puts up with Alex's expensive and flash City ways. Alex worked for him during the City slump in around 2002, though he found every excuse from getting away from Hardcastle's northern-based offices to enjoy the pleasures of London and Ascot. Previously always known as Mr Hardcastle, he was knighted in the Queen's Birthday Honours, 2013.
Vince is a money broker from the dealing floor at Megabank. Representing the 'East End Barrow boy' type, Vince wears white socks, talks in cockney rhyming slang ("flute" = suit, "jam jar" = car) and is ignorant of the finer points of culture and etiquette at Glyndebourne and the Royal Opera that Alex and Clive revel in.
Christian is a European junior working his way through the ranks. Although sometimes described as "Eurotrash" he is actually a sophisticated and highly educated member of a rich French family. He disdains the 'Anglo' culture and in return is often the butt of Alex's jokes. He speaks a number of languages which the other staff find rather frustrating, especially when he and another foreign worker speak out openly — in English rather than French or Spanish about how badly the English cricket team is doing. Christian has not appeared in the strip since before the Brexit referendum and his present status is unknown.
Jane was Alex's head of department in 1996. A decisive and masterful figure, he was in awe of her the moment they first met. She herself had an apparently genuine passion for Alex and they had a brief affair. This ended when she had to resign for undisclosed reasons "after a full and frank discussion with the board". Her last act was to send a late night email to all her staff thanking them for showing her "kindness, warmth, respect, personal support, encouragement, loyalty, hospitality and friendship", concluding that all of this was now completely wasted since someone else would be determining their bonuses.
Ruth was Clive's American lover, not seen much lately. An expatriate investment banker and a frequent character in early years, she would appear in strips in which she and her female colleagues would complain about the treatment of women in the City
Shelley is Director of Human Resources at Megabank. While other staff members come and go, her appointment appears to be a permanent one. She was briefly (2002) Rupert Sterling's lover.
Wendy Tanner was Alex's secretary and had an affair with him. When his wife Penny found out they almost divorced, but later made up. Alex decided that there was no future with Wendy and felt it unwise to continue any longer since her probationary period was due to end and it is hard to sack clerical staff once they become full-time.
Cyrus is Alex's God-fearing American head of department who arrived on the scene in 2006, soon after the Megabank merger and the apparent promotion of Rupert to senior banker status. Cyrus is an unabashed workaholic who bows his head during Thanksgiving dinner grace in order to use his Blackberry for work. In spite of his strongly-held religious values Cyrus is currently (2016) having an adulterous affair with Bridget, wife of his subordinate Clive. Bizarrely this led to a duel at dawn with pistols on Hampstead Heath.
Carolyn is Alex's client and mistress, with whom he has been secretly involved. She's herself married, and her husband once challenged Alex in a boxing match after he found out their affair. The relationship, both commercial and romantic, appears to have cooled and Carolyn has not appeared in recent strips.
Faberge is a lapdancer that Clive meets regularly outside work. Clive cannot believe that's not her real name. By contrast with Clive, Faberge appears to have a practical and realistic view of life.
Robin Thorne was a graduate trainee who was employed at Megabank at the time of the dot-com bubble. Being of a new generation, his knowledge and use of the internet made him quite a contrast to Alex. The differences between two generations could be quite big with one having to painstakingly explain to the other how everything worked and being frustrated when they seemed unable to grasp basic essentials: like Robin using the internet to order sandwiches and get Alex's drycleaning done without having to do it himself and denying Alex the pleasure of demeaning him in the process. When the dot-com bubble burst, Alex finally got the opportunity to assign such tasks to Robin, who eventually left the bank. Alex was later asked to contact the head of a start-up hedge fund who, instead of being wined and dined, would be quite satisfied with sandwiches in his office: the potential client was Robin, who sent Alex out to get the sandwiches. As a result of the credit crunch, Robin's business went bust in early 2009 and he called on Alex for a possible job back at Megabank. Since they had done a lot of business with the hedge fund Alex felt that it was only fair to grant him an interview, give him 30 seconds to give his best three investment ideas and then leave — Alex getting pleasure by treating Robin the way he had treated him. To make ends meet, Robin later turned his home into a bed and breakfast, and ended up serving meals to Alex again.
Justin is a banker who successfully stood as a candidate for the Conservative Party in the 2010 UK General Election. He claimed his motivation for wishing to enter politics was his disgust at the recent United Kingdom Parliamentary expenses scandal, but then revealed that he had funded his campaign via various bogus claims on his expense account at the bank. Alex offered a job exchange to Justin during the 2019 United Kingdom general election, with Alex taking up Justin's place as MP and Justin resuming his bank career.
...plus a cast of match sellers, policemen, and all the characters one would expect to find in a cosmopolitan world financial centre.
Books.
"Alex" cartoons are collected into annual volumes.
Stage play.
"Alex" was turned into a stage play by Peattie and Taylor and was performed at the Arts Theatre, London in October, 2007. Robert Bathurst portrayed the titular character in a one-man act assisted by animated cartoons of the other characters and the various locations. The plot revolved around Alex finding his personal and professional life in crisis when his wife Penny leaves him and a deal involving his perennial client Mr Hardcastle threatens to go sour. With his trademark cynical machinations Alex manages to turn both situations to his advantage and come out on top. Bathurst took "Alex" on an international tour, beginning in Melbourne, Australia in September 2008 and concluding in London in December. During the tour, it was announced that Bathurst would reprise the role of Alex in a film adaptation that was being developed by independent production company BreakThru Films. The film is to be a live-action/animation hybrid. Since the initial announcement, no further information has been published, though a trailer exists, suggesting a film of some form has been made.
Radio adaptation.
Bathurst reprised the role in 2010 in a radio version of "Alex", broadcast in ten weekly episodes on Classic FM. The show did not mention that Alex was a fictional character voiced by an actor and – in the manner of Orson Welles’ The War of the Worlds radio broadcast – many listeners believed that they were listening to a real banker airing his controversial opinions on national radio (the financial crisis of 2007–2008 was in full swing and bankers were "persona non grata" at the time). In 2011, the show won a Media Week award and a Sony Award for Best Branded Content.
Controversy.
In 2017 the cartoon introduced a transgender character, Stephanie. She was an old-school, middle-aged boss transitioning to being a woman, but attempting to retain her previous privileges. The character was intended to draw attention to gender disparities. However "The New Zealand Herald" dropped "Alex" on 11 April 2019 following complaints from some readers about the character. Stephanie has not appeared in the strip since.
References.
<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />

Aoi House
Harem manga series
Aoi House is a harem original English-language (OEL) manga series written by Adam Arnold, with art by Shiei, and published by Seven Seas Entertainment. The story follows the misadventures of two down-on-their-luck college guys named Alexis "Alex" Roberts and Sandy Grayson who are thrown out of their college dorm and join an anime club dominated by crazed yaoi fangirls.
Plot.
College roommates Alexis "Alex" Roberts and Sandy Grayson have been evicted from their dorm after a series of infractions, the latest involving showing lewd anime, and the antics of Sandy's pet hamster, Echiboo. After seeing a flyer for the anime clubhouse AOI House, the two men believed they found the perfect place. However, the two boys soon learn that the clubhouse consists of five crazed yaoi fangirls who have mistaken Alex and Sandy for a gay couple—the flyer having neglected to mention that only girls and gay guys were permitted and the clubhouse's original name was "Yaoi House", but the "Y" fell off of the clubhouse's sign. Once the truth is revealed that Sandy and Alex are two straight males, the two boys are allowed to stay because the housing committee has been on AOI House's case to get more members. The girls have some fun with Sandy and Alex in an attempt to turn them into yaoi-lovers, or at least make them the lodge's token gay couple.
 Morgan's "yaoi-pet", and perhaps


Joel Kinnaman
Swedish actor (born 1979)
Charles Joel Nordström Kinnaman (; born 25 November 1979) is a Swedish-American actor. He first gained recognition for his roles in the 2010 Swedish film "Easy Money" and the "Johan Falk" crime series. Kinnaman is known internationally for his television roles as Detective Stephen Holder in AMC's "The Killing", Takeshi Kovacs in the first season of "Altered Carbon," and Governor Will Conway in the American version of "House of Cards". He has also played Alex Murphy in the 2014 "RoboCop" remake, and Rick Flag in the Warner Bros. film adaptations of the DC Comics anti-hero team "Suicide Squad" (2016), as well as its sequel, "The Suicide Squad" (2021). Since 2019, he has starred as NASA astronaut Ed Baldwin in the Apple TV+ science fiction drama series "For All Mankind".
Early life.
Charles Joel Nordström Kinnaman was born and raised in Stockholm, Sweden. His mother, Bitte (Nordström), a therapist, is a Swedish citizen. His father, Steve Kinnaman (originally David Kinnaman), is an American who was drafted during the Vietnam War and deserted the military from his base in Bangkok. Kinnaman is a dual citizen of Sweden and the United States. His father, whose family was from the American Midwest, is of Irish and Scottish descent; whereas his maternal grandmother is of Ukrainian Jewish descent.
He has five sisters, one of whom is actress Melinda Kinnaman (paternal half-sister). During his childhood, Kinnaman learned two languages as he "spoke English with my dad and Swedish with my mom". He grew up with fellow actors Alexander Skarsgård and Noomi Rapace, and spent a year in Del Valle, Texas, as a high school exchange student. After graduating from high school, he decided to travel around the world. To finance the trips, he worked in various jobs — as a beer factory line worker and roof-sweeper in Norway, and as a bar manager in the French Alps. He then traveled for four to five months at a time over a period of two years in Southeast Asia and South America, the latter with fellow Scandinavian actor David Dencik.
Career.
Kinnaman began his acting career as a child actor in Swedish soap opera "" (1990). His older sister was dating one of the show's directors, and he asked Kinnaman to audition for a part on the show. After portraying Felix Lundström in 22 episodes, he stepped away from acting.
Kinnaman restarted his acting career in 2002. While studying at drama school, Kinnaman featured in several films such as "Hannah med H" and "God Save the King" (Swedish: "Tjenare kungen"). He also worked on productions staged at the Backa Theatre in Gothenburg. He graduated from Malmö Theatre Academy in 2007 and started working at the Gothenburg City Theatre. In the same year, he attracted the attention of Swedish media with the role of Raskolnikov in a stage adaptation of "Crime and Punishment". In 2009, he starred in the film "In Your Veins" (Swedish: "") and played the role of a police informant in six films of the "Johan Falk" film series. He was cast in the film "Easy Money" (released January 2010), which brought him mainstream attention in Sweden and at the international film market, and also earned him a Guldbagge Award in the Best Actor category.
Looking to expand his acting career, Kinnaman hired an agent in the United States. It was announced in the spring of 2010 that he would be making his international film debut in the thriller "The Darkest Hour", which began filming in Moscow in June 2010 and was released in December 2011. Between April 2011 and August 2014, Kinnaman had a four-season starring role as Detective Stephen Holder in the AMC television series "The Killing", based on the Danish television series "Forbrydelsen". Kinnaman was one of the contenders for the lead roles in "Thor" (2011) and "" (2015). Although Kinnaman said that he is eager to work and become recognized in the U.S., he added that "I absolutely don't feel that I have to take any role that I can get just because it is the United States. I'm looking for something interesting, I'm still young in my artistry, and I must dare to do things even when there's a risk for failure".
In 2012, Kinnaman reunited with "Easy Money" director Daniel Espinosa in the latter's Hollywood debut, "Safe House", and also starred in the indie film "Lola Versus". On 3 March 2012, it was confirmed that Kinnaman would play the lead role of Alex James Murphy/RoboCop in the remake of 1987's "RoboCop". The film was released in February 2014. In 2015, he starred in the action thriller "Run All Night" and mystery drama "Child 44".
In 2016, Kinnaman played Rick Flag in the Warner Bros. film adaptation of DC Comics anti-hero team "Suicide Squad", directed by David Ayer. He reprised his role as Rick Flag in its 2021 sequel/soft reboot, "The Suicide Squad", directed by James Gunn. He also starred in the independent drama-thriller film "Edge of Winter", in which he plays Elliot Baker, a father of two who takes his children on a shooting trip that goes wrong. The film was released on demand on 27 July 2016, and in select theaters on 12 August 2016.
Between 2016 and 2019, Kinnaman worked on 4 different original productions of streaming television networks such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+. Kinnaman played Governor Will Conway in Seasons 4 and 5 of the American version of "House of Cards" on the streaming service Netflix, and the protagonist Takeshi Kovacs in Netflix's "Altered Carbon", an adaption of Richard K. Morgan's hardboiled cyberpunk science fiction novel of the same name. Also in 2019, Kinnaman starred as Erik in the Amazon Prime Video series "Hanna," an adaptation of the 2011 action film of the same name. Since 2019, Kinnaman starred as NASA astronaut Ed Baldwin in the Apple TV+ original science fiction space drama series "For All Mankind".
In 2019, Kinnaman played Pete Koslow in Andrea Di Stefano's action thriller film "The Informer." In 2020, Kinnaman starred as Thomas Steinman in Yuval Adler's post-war thriller "The Secrets We Keep". Kinnaman also starred in Jérémie Guez's crime drama "Brothers by Blood" which was released in the United States in 2021. In January 2021, it was announced that Kinnaman was cast in Season 4 of the "In Treatment" reboot at HBO. He will star as Adam, the on and off boyfriend of the main character Dr. Brooke Taylor (played by Uzo Aduba). He also reprised his role as Ed Baldwin in Season 2 of "For All Mankind", which aired in 2021.
Between 2022 and 2023, Kinnaman reprised his role as Ed Baldwin in Season 3 of "For All Mankind" and once again for Season 4, airing in 2022 and 2023 respectively.
Personal life.
Kinnaman grew up with the condition of pectus excavatum, with a caved-in appearance of the chest. He underwent surgery prior to the filming of "Altered Carbon", inserting two metal bars to push the sternum outward to correct the deformity.
Kinnaman has been a fan of his hometown football club Hammarby IF from an early age.
Due to his constant traveling, Kinnaman's accent is noticeably mixed. While he identifies it as an American accent, he has stated that the "melody" is wrong and has since been working to perfect it.
Kinnaman was married to Swedish tattoo artist Cleo Wattenström from 2015 to 2018. He subsequently began a relationship with Swedish-Australian model Kelly Gale in early 2019. The couple announced their engagement in January 2021. Gale confirmed via Instagram that the couple married in 2024 during the Burning Man Festival.
Legal issues.
On 6 August 2021, Kinnaman filed and was granted a temporary restraining order against Gabriella Magnusson, whom he alleged was threatening him in an attempt to extort him after they had been in a brief romantic relationship in late 2018. Magnusson denied trying to extort Kinnaman. On 11 August 2021, the Swedish Prosecution Authority confirmed that Kinnaman had been accused of rape in an ongoing investigation. The investigation was closed without prosecution in October 2022.
References.
<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />

House of Cards season 5
Season of the American television drama series House of Cards
The fifth season of "House of Cards", an American political drama television series created by Beau Willimon for Netflix, was released on May 30, 2017. Frank Pugliese and Melissa James Gibson took over as showrunners in place of Willimon, who departed the series. The fifth season follows Frank and Claire Underwood (Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright) and their attempt to win the 2016 presidential election against Republican Party nominee Will Conway (Joel Kinnaman). The Underwoods are also faced with mounting insubordination from staff and congressional colleagues as the threat of impeachment looms.
Following a series of sexual misconduct allegations made against Kevin Spacey in October 2017, Netflix fired the actor, making the fifth season his final appearance in the series. It consists of 13 episodes and was followed up by a final sixth season released in 2018.
Production.
Casting began for the season on June 17, 2016. Filming had begun by July 20, 2016, and finished by February 14, 2017.
On January 28, 2016, Netflix renewed "House of Cards" for a fifth season. It was also announced that series creator Beau Willimon would step down as showrunner following the fourth season. It was announced in February 2016 that Melissa James Gibson and Frank Pugliese, who both joined the show in the third season, would serve as co-showrunners for the fifth season. In October 2016, it was announced that Patricia Clarkson and Campbell Scott had been cast for the fifth season. The first trailer for the season was released on May 1, 2017. The season was released on May 30, 2017.
Episodes.
<onlyinclude></onlyinclude>
Reception.
Critical response.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the season has an approval rating of 72% based on 46 reviews, with an average rating of 7.1/10. The consensus reads, ""House of Cards" enjoys a confident return to form this season, though its outlandish edge is tempered slightly by the current political climate." On Metacritic, the season has a weighted average score of 60 out of 100, based on 11 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".
Accolades.
"House of Cards" received four major nominations for the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Drama Series, Kevin Spacey for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, Robin Wright for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, and Michael Kelly for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.
Controversy.
Following the fifth season's release during early production of the sixth season in October 2017, sexual misconduct allegations against Kevin Spacey surfaced. Netflix briefly halted production and made the decision in November 2017 to part ways with the actor, marking the fifth season as his final appearance in the series.
References.
<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />

Frank Underwood (House of Cards)
Fictional 46th president of the United States in House of Cards
Francis Joseph Underwood is a fictional character and the villain protagonist of the American adaptation of "House of Cards", portrayed by Kevin Spacey. He is depicted as a ruthless politician who rises from United States House of Representatives majority whip to president of the United States through treachery, deception and murder. He is based on Francis Urquhart, the protagonist of the British novel and television series "House of Cards", from which the American Netflix series is drawn. He is married to Claire Underwood (Robin Wright), and also had a sexual relationship with Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara) in season 1. He made his first appearance in the series' pilot episode, "Chapter 1".
Underwood is from Gaffney, South Carolina. He graduated from The Sentinel (a fictionalized version of The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina) in 1980 and, subsequently, Harvard Law School in 1984. Some of Underwood's dialogue throughout the series is presented in a direct address to the audience, a narrative technique that breaks the fourth wall. The character speaks with a Southern accent. During season 1, he is the Democratic majority whip in the United States House of Representatives. In season 2, he is the newly appointed vice president of the United States, before becoming president of the United States in the season finale.
Underwood has been described as conniving, Machiavellian, sociopathic, and a symbol of political corruption. Throughout the series, he manipulates and destroys several people, including those he calls friends, for his own ends. Among other crimes, he personally commits murder twice, signs off on another murder committed by a subordinate, orders the deaths of two former employees, critically injures a member of his cabinet to prevent her testifying against him, attempts to murder his wife, and indirectly allows the murder of a civilian for political ends.
While Spacey received positive reviews for his portrayal of Frank Underwood, the character itself has been criticized for its repetitive nature, as well as one-dimensionality. Spacey was one of the first three actors playing leading roles in web-television series to be nominated for Primetime Emmy Awards at the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards. Spacey has also been nominated for two Golden Globe Awards, winning one, and five Screen Actors Guild Awards, including two cast nominations and including two wins, for his performances.
On November 3, 2017, following sexual assault claims made against Spacey, Netflix cut ties with the actor, putting the character's fate in question. In a teaser trailer for the sixth season of "House of Cards", it is shown that Underwood died in 2017 and is now buried next to his father in South Carolina. The series finale reveals that his right-hand man, Doug Stamper (Michael Kelly), poisoned him in order to stop him from killing Claire.
Background and description.
Early life.
Francis J. Underwood was born on November 5, 1959, to Catherine and Calvin T. Underwood in Gaffney, South Carolina. He is an only child. He was raised in impoverished circumstances, with the threat of bank foreclosure on the farm they lived on. He entered The Sentinel, a military school in Charleston, South Carolina, loosely based on The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, in the fall of 1976. He graduated in 1980 and, despite having made poor grades, gained admittance into Harvard Law School. He received his J.D. degree from there in 1984. While at the Sentinel, he had a homosexual relationship with his roommate, Tim Corbet (David Andrews), which lasted until his first year of law school. Underwood was raised Christian and publicly pays lip service to religious faith, but privately holds God in complete contempt and considers Christianity a source of weakness.
Family.
Underwood's great-great-great-grandfather, Corporal Augustus Elijah Underwood, was a Confederate soldier who served in the 12th South Carolina Infantry Regiment of Samuel McGowan's Brigade at the Battle of Spotsylvania. He served at the Bloody Angle on May 12, 1864, during the Civil War and was killed by a bludgeon to the back of the head from his own regiment during the middle of the night. Underwood is fascinated by his ancestry, even though he dismisses the Confederacy as "weak" and their cause of preserving slavery "asinine". When Underwood falls into a coma following an assassination attempt, Augustus appears in several of his hallucinations. His great-great grandfather was two when Augustus was killed.
His father, Calvin T. Underwood, was a peach farmer in his home town of Gaffney who died at the age of 43 of a heart attack. The Underwoods lived in poverty, and nearly lost the farm when Frank was a child; to get a bank loan and avoid foreclosure, his father attended a meeting of the Ku Klux Klan, of which the bank manager was a member. Underwood speaks fondly of his father in public, but this is a political ploy; in his asides to the audience, Underwood describes his father as a weak man who accomplished nothing with his life. He even urinates on his father's grave in season 3. Despite disliking his father, however, Underwood was influenced by him. Calvin was an abusive alcoholic and caused his wife and son years of misery. Underwood has said that when he was 13, he walked in on his father putting a shotgun in his mouth. Calvin asked him to pull the trigger, which he refused to do. He has stated that his biggest regret is not killing his father when he had the chance.
Political career.
South Carolina Legislature.
Underwood was elected at the age of 25 to the South Carolina State Senate as one of the youngest members in the state's legislative history after graduating from Harvard in 1984. He was re-elected to the state senate at 29 in 1988 for his second, and last, term as a State Senator.
Congressional Election.
Underwood was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1990 as a Democratic representative for the 5th Congressional District of South Carolina, being sworn in on January 3, 1991. He won another 11 consecutive elections, winning his final term in 2012. He was elected Whip for the Democratic Party in 2005, serving as House Majority Whip between 2005 and 2013.
Personal life.
Personality.
Underwood is utterly ruthless and Machiavellian, and is willing to commit any crime, including murder, to further his goal of attaining power. Many critics have described him as a sociopath and as "pure evil".
Often, Underwood's thoughts throughout the series are presented in a direct address to the audience, a narrative technique known as breaking the fourth wall. Immediately prior to starring in "House of Cards", Spacey had starred in a production of William Shakespeare's "Richard III" as Richard III of England, a character that serves as a partial basis for both Urquhart and Underwood. His last name is derived from Oscar Underwood, who served as the first Democratic House Minority Whip from about 1900 to 1901. His few vices include smoking cigarettes and playing video games; when the Secret Service cuts off his online gaming service after he becomes vice president, he takes up creating model figurines.
Spacey viewed portraying Underwood for a second season as a continuing learning process. "There is so much I don't know about Francis, so much that I'm learning... I've always thought that the profession closest to that of an actor is being a detective... We are given clues by writers... Then you lay them all out and try to make them come alive as a character who's complex and surprising, maybe even to yourself."
According to "Time" television critic James Poniewozik, by the end of the first episode, it becomes clear that Underwood both literally and figuratively uses meat as his metaphor of choice. He may begin a day with a celebratory rack of ribs, because "I'm feelin' hungry today!", and he depicts his life with meat metaphors. For example, he describes the White House Chief of Staff with grudging admiration: "She's as tough as a two-dollar steak" and plans to destroy an enemy the way "you devour a whale. One bite at a time". He also endures a tedious weekly meeting with House leaders, as he tells the audience, by "[imagining] their lightly salted faces frying in a skillet."
Tim Goodman of "The Hollywood Reporter" notes that, in Season 2, with Underwood's new position as vice president, "He's got more power now and that means he instills more fear in his enemies". At one point during the season, he states "The road to power is paved with hypocrisy and casualties. I need to prove what the vice president is capable of." Underwood and Claire "continue their ruthless rise to power as threats mount on all fronts."
Sexuality.
Underwood's sexuality is ambiguous throughout much of the first two seasons; he has sexual liaisons with both men and women, but he is never explicitly identified by any sexual label. Before Season 2, various sources speculated about his homosexuality. It is revealed in "Chapter 8" he had an experience with homosexuality in college. Underwood and Claire are never depicted having sex in season 1. "Slate" journalist Hanna Rosin noted: if Frank and Claire Underwood were a real-life Washington couple and they were found each to be having an affair, he would be accused of being "secretly gay, turned on by women only when he can use them for a pure power play". Other sources make no definite stance on Underwood's sexuality, but hypothesize that he is not sexually attracted to Claire. In season 2, Underwood is involved in a threesome with Claire and Secret Service agent Edward Meechum (Nathan Darrow), while in season 3, there is a moment of sexual tension between Underwood and his biographer, Tom Yates (Paul Sparks), who later embarks in a physical and romantic emotional relationship with Claire. The same season, however, also features the only scene in the series in which Underwood and Claire have sex exclusively with each other. In season five, he has sex with Eric Rawlings (Malcolm Madera), his male personal trainer.
Relationships.
Relationship with Claire Underwood.
Stelter described Frank and Claire Underwood as a "scheming" couple. Michael Dobbs, the author of the trilogy of novels upon which the British miniseries is based, compares the compelling nature of their relationship favorably to the characters in the original miniseries, and likens them to Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Underwood says, "I love that woman. I love her more than sharks love blood." While Underwood is Machiavellian, Claire, like Lady Macbeth, encourages her husband to do whatever is necessary to seize power. Hank Stuever of "The Washington Post" describes her as an ice-queen wife. She encourages his vices while noting her disapproval of his weakness, saying, "My husband doesn't apologize... even to me." Her overt encouragement gives a credibility to their symbiosis. Smith says "The Underwoods have proven themselves almost robotic in their pursuit of power." Upon viewing a four-episode preview of season 2, Goodman says the series "...sells husband and wife power-at-all-costs couple...as a little too oily and reptilian for anyone's good." Willimon notes that "What's extraordinary about Frank and Claire is there is deep love and mutual respect, but the way they achieve this is by operating on a completely different set of rules than the rest of us typically do." "Los Angeles Times" critic Mary McNamara makes the case that "House of Cards" is a love story on many levels, but most importantly between Underwood and Claire. It is a story about a man who will commit any crime imaginable while in pursuit of power and a political wife who gives him the encouragement to pursue that power.
Underwood and Claire engage in a threesome with their Secret Service bodyguard Edward Meechum at one point in season 2, but have otherwise largely given up intramarital and extramarital sex in favor of their pursuit of power. "International Business Times" critic Ellen Killoran notes that this may relate back to Underwood's quotation of Oscar Wilde to Zoe Barnes in Season 1: "A great man once said, 'everything is about sex "except" sex. Sex is about "power".'" Avoiding sex may retain the balance of power in their relationship. His relationship with Claire is the epicenter of season 2.
Relationship with Zoe Barnes.
Underwood develops an intimate relationship with "Washington Herald" and "Slugline" reporter Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara), with Claire's knowledge. As the show begins, Barnes is desperate to rise from covering the Fairfax County Council beat to covering what's going on "behind the veil of power in the Capitol hallways." By the end of the first episode, Barnes is among the cadre of Underwood's accomplices. They begin a relationship, with Barnes promising to earn his trust and not "ask any questions" in return for his supplying her with sensitive political information. Toward the end of Season 1, she ends their personal relationship and begins investigating his connection to the apparent suicide of Congressman Peter Russo (Corey Stoll) (Underwood had in fact killed him by flooding his car with carbon monoxide while the Congressman was passed out drunk). Underwood ultimately kills Barnes in the season 2 premiere, by pushing her in front of an oncoming Washington Metro train after she begins to follow clues related to the murder.
Relationship with Edward Meechum.
Underwood is fond of the head of his Secret Service detail, Edward Meechum (Nathan Darrow), and it is hinted several times that they harbor unacknowledged sexual feelings for each other. When Meechum stumbles upon Underwood watching pornography, Underwood and Claire joke about there being sexual chemistry between the two men. Shortly after Underwood becomes vice president, he, Claire and Meechum have a threesome.
Meechum remains Underwood's bodyguard once he becomes the president, and there does not appear to be any continuing sexual relationship. Meechum remains fiercely loyal, however; he warns Underwood's biographer Tom Yates (Paul Sparks) not to write anything that would damage Underwood's reputation. In season 4, Underwood traces Meechum's hand with a marker on one of the walls of the White House when he wants to replace a Confederate painting; Meechum suggests he put up something he likes instead.
When Lucas Goodwin shoots Underwood during a campaign event, Meechum trades fire with the would-be assassin, and both die at the scene. Meechum's death is one of the tragedies Claire mentions in a press briefing for a gun control bill she is sponsoring, and Underwood has him buried in Arlington National Cemetery, a rare privilege for a Secret Service agent. When Underwood recovers and finds that Meechum's hand tracing has been painted over, he expresses grief and regret at the loss to Claire, who says that Meechum was one of the few people who truly understood them.
Underwood-Urquhart comparisons.
Underwood is an Americanized version of the original BBC series lead character Francis Urquhart, a Machiavellian post-Margaret Thatcher Chief Whip of the Conservative Party. Urquhart employs deceit, cunning, murder, and blackmail to influence and pursue the office of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. According to series producer Beau Willimon, the change in last name stemmed from the "Dickensian" feeling and "more legitimately American" sounding resonance of the name 'Underwood'. Whereas Urquhart is an aristocrat by birth, Underwood is a self-made man, having been born into a poor Southern family with an alcoholic father. Urquhart was one of television's first antiheroes, whereas Underwood follows the more recent rash of antiheroes that includes Tony Soprano of "The Sopranos", Walter White of "Breaking Bad", and Dexter Morgan of "Dexter". However, unlike most other antiheroes, Underwood is not forced into immorality either by circumstance (White), birth (Soprano) or upbringing (Morgan). In his review of Season 2, "Slant Magazine"'s Alan Jones writes that Underwood is evil by choice. Although the character is based on the BBC show's lead character, in interviews during the writing and filming of season 2, creator and showrunner Willimon said that he used Lyndon B. Johnson as a source of themes and issues addressed in "House of Cards". Unlike the right wing Urquhart, who leads the Conservative Party, Underwood is a member of the Democratic Party, but cares little for ideology in favor of "ruthless pragmatism" in furthering his own political influence and power.
Breaking the fourth wall.
Spacey summed up Underwood's relationship with the viewer—i.e. whenever he breaks the fourth wall—as being like that of a "best friend" and "the person [he trusts] more than anyone." Because of this, his asides to the viewer serves as an indication of Underwood's true feelings and intentions—typically when he is feigning politeness and courtesy to people whom he despises. In the season 2 premiere, after having gone the whole episode without doing so, Underwood addresses the viewer directly, saying, "Did you think I had forgotten you? Perhaps you hoped I had." In addition, in season 3, after an argument with Claire that ends with her storming out on him, a seething Underwood vents his anger by lashing out at the viewer; looking directly into the camera, he snaps "What're you lookin' at?!"
For the first four seasons, Underwood was the only character to break the fourth wall until the very end of the fourth season, during which Claire—though silent—addresses the camera directly with him. In the fifth season, Claire also addresses the camera directly, on one occasion explaining that she had always known the viewer was there, but didn't know if she could trust them. At the end, after usurping the Presidency from Underwood and deciding not to grant him a pardon, she looks into the camera again and states "My turn."
Fictional character biography.
Season 1.
<templatestyles src="Template:Quote_box/styles.css" />
Power is a lot like real estate. It's all about location, location, location. The closer you are to the source, the higher your property value.
 — Underwood
At the start of the show, Underwood is a Democratic Majority Whip in the House of Representatives, where he has represented South Carolina's 5th congressional district since 1990.
Underwood is passed over for an appointment as United States Secretary of State even though he had been promised the position after ensuring the election of Colorado Governor Garrett Walker (Michel Gill) as president. Walker's chief of staff, Linda Vasquez (Sakina Jaffrey), gives him this news prior to the January 2013 United States presidential inauguration. With the aid of Claire, and his fiercely loyal Chief of Staff Doug Stamper (Michael Kelly), Underwood uses his position as House Whip to seek retribution. He quickly allies with "Washington Herald" reporter Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara), whom he uses to undermine his rivals via the press. The viciousness of Underwood's manipulations escalates over the course of the season. He befriends Pennsylvania Rep. Peter Russo (Corey Stoll), encouraging him to quit drinking and run for Governor of Pennsylvania; then his underlings create enough pressure in the race to push Russo into publicly falling off the wagon and ruining his career. Underwood finally murders him (with unexpected remorse) and makes it look like suicide. He persuades Vice President Jim Matthews (Dan Ziskie) to resign so he can run for the office he previously held, Governor of Pennsylvania, the race being wide open following Russo's death. In the season finale, "Chapter 13", Underwood is appointed Vice President to replace Matthews.
Season 2.
<templatestyles src="Template:Quote_box/styles.css" />
There are two types of vice presidents: doormats and Matadors. Which do you think I intend to be?
 — Underwood
Underwood assumes the position of Vice President of the United States. Over the course of the season, he "faces challenges from similarly ambitious businessmen, the Chinese government and Congress itself" as he continues to pursue his political aspirations. His plotline revolves around battles with billionaire Raymond Tusk (Gerald McRaney), involving Chinese money laundering. Over the course of the season his biggest challenges are the institutional power of the Office of the President and Tusk's power as a billionaire industrialist.
He finds new rivals in Tusk, who seeks to maintain his position as Walker's right-hand adviser against Underwood's intrusion, and his former communications director, Remy Danton (Mahershala Ali), who is now a lobbyist working with Tusk.
At the beginning of the season, Underwood is trying to erase all links to Russo's death. Thus, he kills Barnes by shoving her in front of an oncoming Washington Metro train, and frames her colleague and lover Lucas Goodwin (Sebastian Arcelus) for cyberterrorism. Another early task for newly promoted Underwood is finding his own replacement as House Majority Whip. He supports Jacqueline Sharp (Molly Parker), a military veteran and third-term Representative from California, although he refrains from offering public backing.
Toward the end of the season, Underwood orchestrates Walker's downfall. He secretly leaks the details of the money laundering, for which Walker is blamed. While publicly supporting Walker, Underwood works behind the scenes to have him impeached, with Sharp's help. In the season finale, "Chapter 26", Walker resigns, and Underwood succeeds him as President of the United States.
Season 3.
<templatestyles src="Template:Quote_box/styles.css" />
When they bury me, it won't be in my backyard, and when they come to pay their respects, they'll have to wait in line.
 — Underwood
Season 3 begins with Underwood's presidency off to a rocky start: six months into his term, he is unpopular with the public, and Congress is blocking his attempts to move legislation forward. He plans to secure his legacy with an ambitious jobs bill, America Works, but the Democratic Congressional leadership refuses to support it; they also tell him that they will not support him if he seeks the presidential nomination in the next election. He nominates Claire for United States Ambassador to the United Nations, but her nomination is defeated after she makes a gaffe during a Senate nomination hearing.
Underwood announces that he will not run for reelection, and advocates for America Works, which he intends to pay for by stripping entitlement programs. He fails to get the bill through Congress and uses that as a reason to renege on his promise to not run in 2016. Solicitor General Heather Dunbar (Elizabeth Marvel) announces that she will seek the presidential nomination, and actually gives Underwood a battle. Underwood convinces Sharp to get married so she can announce her candidacy, for the sole reason of sapping women's votes from Dunbar, at which point she will withdraw and accept the nomination for VP. After the presidential debate, in which Underwood publicly humiliates Sharp in order to go after Dunbar, Sharp retaliates by backing Dunbar's campaign. Ultimately, however, Underwood wins the Iowa caucuses.
Meanwhile, the Underwoods' marriage is faltering. Underwood gives Claire the ambassador job in a recess appointment, but she is forced to resign in order to solve a diplomatic crisis. Claire begins to question whether she still loves her husband, and they get into an ugly fight in which he tells her that she is nothing without him. Season 3 ends with Claire leaving Underwood as he prepares for the New Hampshire primary.
Season 4.
<templatestyles src="Template:Quote_box/styles.css" />
That's right, we don't submit to terror. We "make" the terror.
 — Underwood
Underwood trails Dunbar in the polls, eventually losing the New Hampshire primary. Realizing that he needs Claire to win, he persuades her to come back by promising to support her run for a congressional district in Texas. However, he sandbags her prospective candidacy by endorsing a political ally's daughter, in order to keep Claire focused on his campaign. On the day of the South Carolina primary, Claire retaliates by arranging for two compromising photos to be leaked: one of Underwood's father with a Klansman, and one of Underwood posing with a Confederate Civil War re-enactor. Underwood deduces that Claire was behind the leaks, and confronts her. Claire calmly admits what she did, and puts forth a proposition: that