by Vicki Hyman/The Star-Ledger
Kevin Jonas is taking a Jersey girl as his bride. Though the Jonas Brothers, who are from Wyckoff, moved to a fancy new spread outside Dallas, he found love with Danielle Deleasa, a former hairdresser who hails from Denville, and showed up at her doorstep Wednesday morning with a proposal and a diamond ring Jonas designed himself, People reports.
"She said yes, yes, yes like 500 times super fast in a row," Jonas, 21, tells People.
Though Internet reports have said that Jonas and Deleasa, 22, were childhood friends, People says she met Jonas two years ago while both were vacationing in the Bahamas with their families.
Jonas had been performing Tuesday night in Vancouver and took a red-eye to the East Coast. "It was tough performing last night, knowing that I was going to ask the biggest question in my life to the most amazing girl in the world," he says. Younger brothers Joe (who is dating actress Camilla Belle) and Nick (who is reportedly back on with ex-girlfriend Miley Cyrus) congratulated their brother via Twitter: "Dani welcome to the family, we can't wait to have you join us on the road!"
Kevin Jonas and Deleasa have been rather low-key about their relationship, and she's made few, if any, red carpet appearances on his arm. We did dig up one photo of Deleasa in our archives -- she was photographed for a story on her school back in 2000 -- but posting a photo of someone from their middle-school years? We're not that devoid of morals.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Michael Jackson's will surfaces
By Harriet Ryan
The posthumous affairs of Michael Jackson boiled down to two things Tuesday: His memorial service will draw a huge crowd and the settling of his estate will be complicated.
Beyond that was a storm of rumor, supposition and educated guess interrupted by snatches of information more intriguing than complete.
An entertainment attorney who had worked for Jackson produced a 7-year-old will that named him and a music executive as executors. Lawyers for Jackson's mother, who had asked a court for control of his affairs a day before, said they were evaluating the validity of the document.
Meanwhile, reports about funeral arrangements swirled, with a source close to family discussions telling The Times that one potential plan involved a memorial at Staples Center followed by a procession to Jackson's Neverland Ranch, where a more intimate service for family, friends and the music industry would occur.
Law enforcement agencies strategized, school officials near the ranch mulled traffic congestion and broadcast outlets, anticipating one of the largest media events in years, began talking about how to share helicopters, satellite coordinates, video feeds and other resources. There was just one thing missing: official information.
"We don't know the details of what any movement would be," said California Highway Patrol Sgt. Mark Garrett. "We've heard rumors just like the media and the public."
An attorney for Jackson's parents, Katherine and Joe Jackson, declined to comment on the funeral planning and said the couple's legal team was focused on evaluating the July 2002 will.
"I just saw the will for the first time this morning. We are in the process of reviewing it. We did not see it prior to the filing. We wish we had known about it earlier," said attorney L. Londell McMillan.
The document was produced by John Branca, a lawyer who began representing Jackson in 1980. Branca and Jackson parted ways in 2006 in a disagreement over other advisors, but on June 17 -- eight days before his death -- Jackson signed a letter once again retaining Branca as his lawyer, according to a source familiar with the relationship.
The source, like many connected to the Jackson case, spoke on the condition of anonymity, citing the sensitivity of the situation.
The 2002 will named Jackson's 79-year-old mother as guardian of his three children and ordered that all his assets be moved into an entity known as the Michael Jackson Family Trust, a source with knowledge of the will said. It appointed as executors Branca and John McClain, a founder of Interscope Records and an associate of Jackson since his youth, the source said.
McMillan declined to comment on a Wall Street Journal report that the will splits Jackson's assets among his mother, children and one or more charities. The lawyer said it was "a good thing" and "part of the process" for those who had worked with the performer to produce documents related to his estate.
"Mr. Jackson had a series of lawyers over time, and part of our challenge is to make contact with each and every one of those advisors to review their files," he said.
In an appearance on "Larry King Live," a probate attorney said Branca "may not have the full picture" of Jackson's estate planning.
"Things were in transition often in Michael's life," said lawyer Burt Levitch.
Katherine Jackson has temporary custody of Michael Jackson's two sons and his daughter and temporary control of his estate with limited powers, including the right to secure his tangible assets. In court filings requesting those powers Monday, her lawyers checked a box indicating that the singer died without a will, but they acknowledged elsewhere in the documents that they had heard of a will but not seen it.
"It was important for Mrs. Jackson to proactively take legal action and protect the well-being of the children and the personal property and belongings" of her son, McMillan said.
He said he represented Jackson in the 3 1/2 years leading up to his death. McMillan said the entertainer never told him that he had rehired Branca but, he said, "It's possible."
A statement issued Tuesday on behalf of Branca and Joel Katz, an Atlanta attorney who had been helping Jackson negotiate new record deals, said they "are now carrying out his wishes and desires as expressed in the last will and testament. It is their sincere desire that Michael's affairs be handled with dignity and respect."
Branca, whose clients include Santana and Aerosmith, advised Jackson on what is acknowledged as Jackson's smartest business decision: Buying half of the Beatles' catalog in 1985 for $47.5 million. The catalog, supplemented over the years by the work of many other artists, is estimated to be worth at least $1 billion.
In a May interview with The Times, Branca said he stopped working with Jackson because the entertainer brought into his inner circle "people who really didn't have his best interests at heart."
"The paradox is that Michael is one of the brightest and most talented people I've ever known," he added. "At the same time, he has made some of the worst choices in advisors in the history of music."
The other executor named in the will, McClain, worked with Michael Jackson, his sister Janet, and the Jackson 5 as well as with rappers Ice Cube and Dr. Dre. He is best known for his work at Interscope Records, where he was responsible for bringing the controversial yet lucrative gangsta rap label Death Row Records into its corporate fold.
An executor role would give Branca and McClain power to manage Jackson's finances while the court is settling his affairs, a process that could take years. Jackson, 50, died with more than $400 million in debt, but his assets -- including his musical catalog and his partial ownership of the Sony-ATV catalog -- outweigh his debts by hundreds of millions of dollars.
"That is going to be a very important responsibility considering the size of the debts and the projected size of the estate. . . . There is also going to be a responsibility during that time to monetize the assets. The judge is going to want to make sure a responsible person is admitted," said Lawrence Heller, a veteran L.A. probate attorney who has handled estate planning for Sammy Davis Jr. and other celebrities.
Times staff writers Chris Lee, Andrew Blankstein, Ari B. Bloomekatz, Ruben Vives and Raja Abdulrahim contributed to this report.
The posthumous affairs of Michael Jackson boiled down to two things Tuesday: His memorial service will draw a huge crowd and the settling of his estate will be complicated.
Beyond that was a storm of rumor, supposition and educated guess interrupted by snatches of information more intriguing than complete.
An entertainment attorney who had worked for Jackson produced a 7-year-old will that named him and a music executive as executors. Lawyers for Jackson's mother, who had asked a court for control of his affairs a day before, said they were evaluating the validity of the document.
Meanwhile, reports about funeral arrangements swirled, with a source close to family discussions telling The Times that one potential plan involved a memorial at Staples Center followed by a procession to Jackson's Neverland Ranch, where a more intimate service for family, friends and the music industry would occur.
Law enforcement agencies strategized, school officials near the ranch mulled traffic congestion and broadcast outlets, anticipating one of the largest media events in years, began talking about how to share helicopters, satellite coordinates, video feeds and other resources. There was just one thing missing: official information.
"We don't know the details of what any movement would be," said California Highway Patrol Sgt. Mark Garrett. "We've heard rumors just like the media and the public."
An attorney for Jackson's parents, Katherine and Joe Jackson, declined to comment on the funeral planning and said the couple's legal team was focused on evaluating the July 2002 will.
"I just saw the will for the first time this morning. We are in the process of reviewing it. We did not see it prior to the filing. We wish we had known about it earlier," said attorney L. Londell McMillan.
The document was produced by John Branca, a lawyer who began representing Jackson in 1980. Branca and Jackson parted ways in 2006 in a disagreement over other advisors, but on June 17 -- eight days before his death -- Jackson signed a letter once again retaining Branca as his lawyer, according to a source familiar with the relationship.
The source, like many connected to the Jackson case, spoke on the condition of anonymity, citing the sensitivity of the situation.
The 2002 will named Jackson's 79-year-old mother as guardian of his three children and ordered that all his assets be moved into an entity known as the Michael Jackson Family Trust, a source with knowledge of the will said. It appointed as executors Branca and John McClain, a founder of Interscope Records and an associate of Jackson since his youth, the source said.
McMillan declined to comment on a Wall Street Journal report that the will splits Jackson's assets among his mother, children and one or more charities. The lawyer said it was "a good thing" and "part of the process" for those who had worked with the performer to produce documents related to his estate.
"Mr. Jackson had a series of lawyers over time, and part of our challenge is to make contact with each and every one of those advisors to review their files," he said.
In an appearance on "Larry King Live," a probate attorney said Branca "may not have the full picture" of Jackson's estate planning.
"Things were in transition often in Michael's life," said lawyer Burt Levitch.
Katherine Jackson has temporary custody of Michael Jackson's two sons and his daughter and temporary control of his estate with limited powers, including the right to secure his tangible assets. In court filings requesting those powers Monday, her lawyers checked a box indicating that the singer died without a will, but they acknowledged elsewhere in the documents that they had heard of a will but not seen it.
"It was important for Mrs. Jackson to proactively take legal action and protect the well-being of the children and the personal property and belongings" of her son, McMillan said.
He said he represented Jackson in the 3 1/2 years leading up to his death. McMillan said the entertainer never told him that he had rehired Branca but, he said, "It's possible."
A statement issued Tuesday on behalf of Branca and Joel Katz, an Atlanta attorney who had been helping Jackson negotiate new record deals, said they "are now carrying out his wishes and desires as expressed in the last will and testament. It is their sincere desire that Michael's affairs be handled with dignity and respect."
Branca, whose clients include Santana and Aerosmith, advised Jackson on what is acknowledged as Jackson's smartest business decision: Buying half of the Beatles' catalog in 1985 for $47.5 million. The catalog, supplemented over the years by the work of many other artists, is estimated to be worth at least $1 billion.
In a May interview with The Times, Branca said he stopped working with Jackson because the entertainer brought into his inner circle "people who really didn't have his best interests at heart."
"The paradox is that Michael is one of the brightest and most talented people I've ever known," he added. "At the same time, he has made some of the worst choices in advisors in the history of music."
The other executor named in the will, McClain, worked with Michael Jackson, his sister Janet, and the Jackson 5 as well as with rappers Ice Cube and Dr. Dre. He is best known for his work at Interscope Records, where he was responsible for bringing the controversial yet lucrative gangsta rap label Death Row Records into its corporate fold.
An executor role would give Branca and McClain power to manage Jackson's finances while the court is settling his affairs, a process that could take years. Jackson, 50, died with more than $400 million in debt, but his assets -- including his musical catalog and his partial ownership of the Sony-ATV catalog -- outweigh his debts by hundreds of millions of dollars.
"That is going to be a very important responsibility considering the size of the debts and the projected size of the estate. . . . There is also going to be a responsibility during that time to monetize the assets. The judge is going to want to make sure a responsible person is admitted," said Lawrence Heller, a veteran L.A. probate attorney who has handled estate planning for Sammy Davis Jr. and other celebrities.
Times staff writers Chris Lee, Andrew Blankstein, Ari B. Bloomekatz, Ruben Vives and Raja Abdulrahim contributed to this report.
OK! Magazine Michael Jackson Cover Picture: Too Much?
A photo of a dying Michael Jackson lying on a stretcher is the cover image on the latest edition of OK! Magazine, and is certain to elicit strong, mixed reactions.
The race is on to break the latest news on what may be the biggest celebrity gossip story ever, but do we really need to see "the last photos" of the pop icon?
OK! allegedly paid $500,000 for the cover picture you see below.
While covering Jackson's tragic death is unavoidable, would a tribute such as the commemorative covers released by Entertainment Weekly be more appropriate?
On the flip side, do you want to see all the details because you are interested in the story, even if the images of the dying Jackson happen to be upsetting?
What do you think of the picture on OK's "tribute" issue below? Is it disrespectful to Michael Jackson or are they just reporting the news?
The race is on to break the latest news on what may be the biggest celebrity gossip story ever, but do we really need to see "the last photos" of the pop icon?
OK! allegedly paid $500,000 for the cover picture you see below.
While covering Jackson's tragic death is unavoidable, would a tribute such as the commemorative covers released by Entertainment Weekly be more appropriate?
On the flip side, do you want to see all the details because you are interested in the story, even if the images of the dying Jackson happen to be upsetting?
What do you think of the picture on OK's "tribute" issue below? Is it disrespectful to Michael Jackson or are they just reporting the news?
Monday, June 1, 2009
Kim Kardashian Engagement Ring?!
by Toshiba Reynolds
Kim Kardashian and NFL player Reggie Bush, who have been together for at least a year, have been pondering wedding nuptials for quite some time now - but are they finally tying the knot?
Hollywood's favorite famous-for-nothing socialite Kim Kardashian is apparently shopping for an engagement ring!
 |
According to reports, Kim Kardashian bragged to E! Online over the weekend that she is finally shopping for an engagement ring but Reggie was nowhere in sight!
Kim explains why she's shopping for her ring: "It's just easier. Isn't it easy if someone's like, 'This is exactly what I want.' It'll make your life so easy."
Oh, and if you were looking forward to wedding photos down the road when the pair finally does marry, don't: "Reggie would rather die. He would rather not marry me. He's very private. We're complete opposites."
That's for sure.
Video: Eminem Rapping at 2009 MTV Movie Awards
Aside from the arrival of
In regard of the hilarious scene, "American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest tweeted, "First MTV person said real..another said unsure...I figure it was planned but em didn't know Sasha's bare moon was going to be in his face."
2009 MTV Movie
Beside having Eminem as a performer, the awards also tapped Kings of Leon to rock the event. This band delivered "Use Somebody", the single lifted from their 2008 studio album "Only by the Night". Additionally, "Britain's Got Talent" runner-up Susan Boyle was also planned to sing at the awards gala, but the idea reportedly was ruled out by the singing contest's bosses. "We tried to get her. I wanted her here, but they've got a pretty strict contract over there," Andy Samberg chimed in.
Eminem rapping "We Made You" and "Crack a Bottle":
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Dom DeLuise, actor, comedian and chef, dies
LOS ANGELES - Dom DeLuise, the portly actor-comedian whose affable nature made him a popular character actor for decades with movie and TV audiences as well as directors and fellow actors, has died. He was 75.
DeLuise died Monday night, son Michael DeLuise told KTLA-TV and radio station KNX on Tuesday. The comedian died in his sleep after a long illness. Calls to his agent were not immediately returned.
The actor, who loved to cook and eat almost as much as he enjoyed acting, also carved out a formidable second career later in life as a chef of fine cuisine. He authored two cookbooks and would appear often on morning TV shows to whip up his favorite recipes.
As an actor, he was incredibly prolific, appearing in scores of movies and TV shows, in Broadway plays and voicing characters for numerous cartoon shows.
Writer-director-actor Mel Brooks particularly admired DeLuise's talent for offbeat comedy and cast him in several of his films, including "The Twelve Chairs," "Blazing Saddles," "Silent Movie," "History of the World Part I" and "Robin Hood: Men in Tights." DeLuise was also the voice of Pizza the Hutt in Brooks' "Star Wars" parody, "Spaceballs."
The actor also appeared frequently in films opposite his friend Burt Reynolds. Among them, "The End," "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas," 'Smokey and the Bandit II," "The Cannonball Run" and "Cannonball Run II."
Another actor-friend, Dean Martin, admired his comic abilities so much that he cast DeLuise as a regular on his 1960s comedy-variety show. In 1973, he starred in a situation comedy, "Lotsa Luck," but it proved to be short-lived.
Other TV credits included appearances on such shows as "The Munsters," "The Girl From U.N.C.L.E.," "Burke's Law," "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" and "Diagnosis Murder."
On Broadway, DeLuise appeared in Neil Simon's "Last of the Red Hot Lovers" and other plays.
Because of his passion for food, the actor battled obesity throughout much of his life, his weight reaching as much as 325 pounds at one point. For years, he resisted the efforts of family members and doctors who tried to put him on various diets. He finally agreed in 1993 when he needed hip replacement surgery and his doctor refused to perform it until he lost 100 pounds.
He and his family enrolled at the Duke University Diet and Fitness Center in Durham, N.C., and DeLuise lost enough weight for the surgery, although he gained some of it back afterward.
On the positive side, his love of food resulted in two successful cookbooks, 1988's "Eat This — It Will Make You Feel Better!" and 1997's "Eat This Too! It'll Also Make You Feel Good."
At his Pacific Palisades home, DeLuise often prepared feasts for family and friends. One lunch began with turkey soup and ended with strawberry shortcake. In between, were platters of beef filet, chicken breast and sausage, a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs and a saucer of lettuce.
He strongly resembled the famed chef Paul Prudhomme and joked in a 1987 Associated Press interview that he had posed as Prudhomme while visiting his New Orleans restaurant, K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen.
DeLuise was appearing on Broadway in "Here's Love" in the early 1960s when Garry Moore saw him and hired him to play the magician "Dominick the Great" on "The Garry Moore Show."
His appearances on the hit comedy-variety program brought offers from Hollywood, and DeLuise first came to the attention of movie-goers in "Fail Safe," a drama starring Henry Fonda. He followed with a comedy, "The Glass Bottom Boat," starring Doris Day, and from then on he alternated between films and television.
"I was making $7,000 a week — a lot of money back then — but I didn't even know I was rich," he recalled in 1994. "I was just having such a great time."
He was born Dominick DeLuise in New York City on Aug. 1, 1933, to Italian immigrants. His father, who spoke only Italian, was a garbage collector, and those humble beginnings stayed with him throughout his life.
"My dad knows everything there is to know about garbage," one of the actor's sons, David DeLuise, told The Associated Press in 2008. "He loves to pick up a broken chair and fix it."
DeLuise's introduction to acting came at age 8 when he played the title role of Peter Rabbit in a school play. He went on to graduate from New York City's famed School of Performing Arts in Manhattan.
For five years, he sought work in theater or television with little luck. He finally decided to enroll at Tufts College and study biology, with the aim of becoming a teacher.
Acting called him back, however, and he found work at the Cleveland Playhouse, appearing in stage productions that ranged from comedies such as "Kiss Me Kate" to Shakespeare's "Hamlet."
"I worked two years solidly on plays and moving furniture and painting scenery and playing parts," he remarked in a 2006 interview. "It was quite an amazing learning place for me."
While working in summer stock in Provincetown, Mass., he met a beautiful young actress, Carol Arthur, and they were soon married.
The couple's three sons, Peter, Michael and David, all became actors and all appeared with their father in the 1990s TV series "SeaQuestDSV," in which Peter and Michael were regulars.
DeLuise died Monday night, son Michael DeLuise told KTLA-TV and radio station KNX on Tuesday. The comedian died in his sleep after a long illness. Calls to his agent were not immediately returned.
The actor, who loved to cook and eat almost as much as he enjoyed acting, also carved out a formidable second career later in life as a chef of fine cuisine. He authored two cookbooks and would appear often on morning TV shows to whip up his favorite recipes.
As an actor, he was incredibly prolific, appearing in scores of movies and TV shows, in Broadway plays and voicing characters for numerous cartoon shows.
Writer-director-actor Mel Brooks particularly admired DeLuise's talent for offbeat comedy and cast him in several of his films, including "The Twelve Chairs," "Blazing Saddles," "Silent Movie," "History of the World Part I" and "Robin Hood: Men in Tights." DeLuise was also the voice of Pizza the Hutt in Brooks' "Star Wars" parody, "Spaceballs."
The actor also appeared frequently in films opposite his friend Burt Reynolds. Among them, "The End," "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas," 'Smokey and the Bandit II," "The Cannonball Run" and "Cannonball Run II."
Another actor-friend, Dean Martin, admired his comic abilities so much that he cast DeLuise as a regular on his 1960s comedy-variety show. In 1973, he starred in a situation comedy, "Lotsa Luck," but it proved to be short-lived.
Other TV credits included appearances on such shows as "The Munsters," "The Girl From U.N.C.L.E.," "Burke's Law," "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" and "Diagnosis Murder."
On Broadway, DeLuise appeared in Neil Simon's "Last of the Red Hot Lovers" and other plays.
Because of his passion for food, the actor battled obesity throughout much of his life, his weight reaching as much as 325 pounds at one point. For years, he resisted the efforts of family members and doctors who tried to put him on various diets. He finally agreed in 1993 when he needed hip replacement surgery and his doctor refused to perform it until he lost 100 pounds.
He and his family enrolled at the Duke University Diet and Fitness Center in Durham, N.C., and DeLuise lost enough weight for the surgery, although he gained some of it back afterward.
On the positive side, his love of food resulted in two successful cookbooks, 1988's "Eat This — It Will Make You Feel Better!" and 1997's "Eat This Too! It'll Also Make You Feel Good."
At his Pacific Palisades home, DeLuise often prepared feasts for family and friends. One lunch began with turkey soup and ended with strawberry shortcake. In between, were platters of beef filet, chicken breast and sausage, a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs and a saucer of lettuce.
He strongly resembled the famed chef Paul Prudhomme and joked in a 1987 Associated Press interview that he had posed as Prudhomme while visiting his New Orleans restaurant, K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen.
DeLuise was appearing on Broadway in "Here's Love" in the early 1960s when Garry Moore saw him and hired him to play the magician "Dominick the Great" on "The Garry Moore Show."
His appearances on the hit comedy-variety program brought offers from Hollywood, and DeLuise first came to the attention of movie-goers in "Fail Safe," a drama starring Henry Fonda. He followed with a comedy, "The Glass Bottom Boat," starring Doris Day, and from then on he alternated between films and television.
"I was making $7,000 a week — a lot of money back then — but I didn't even know I was rich," he recalled in 1994. "I was just having such a great time."
He was born Dominick DeLuise in New York City on Aug. 1, 1933, to Italian immigrants. His father, who spoke only Italian, was a garbage collector, and those humble beginnings stayed with him throughout his life.
"My dad knows everything there is to know about garbage," one of the actor's sons, David DeLuise, told The Associated Press in 2008. "He loves to pick up a broken chair and fix it."
DeLuise's introduction to acting came at age 8 when he played the title role of Peter Rabbit in a school play. He went on to graduate from New York City's famed School of Performing Arts in Manhattan.
For five years, he sought work in theater or television with little luck. He finally decided to enroll at Tufts College and study biology, with the aim of becoming a teacher.
Acting called him back, however, and he found work at the Cleveland Playhouse, appearing in stage productions that ranged from comedies such as "Kiss Me Kate" to Shakespeare's "Hamlet."
"I worked two years solidly on plays and moving furniture and painting scenery and playing parts," he remarked in a 2006 interview. "It was quite an amazing learning place for me."
While working in summer stock in Provincetown, Mass., he met a beautiful young actress, Carol Arthur, and they were soon married.
The couple's three sons, Peter, Michael and David, all became actors and all appeared with their father in the 1990s TV series "SeaQuestDSV," in which Peter and Michael were regulars.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
WARNING: Facebook Scam On the Loose,FBAction.net, Steals Passwords
by Pete Cashmore
Facebook is falling prey to a widespread phishing attack today that tries to steal your login and spam your friends.
I’ve got a number of messages in my Facebook inbox with links to “FBAction.net”, a site that displays a fake Facebook login. Enter your details there, and it will spam all your friends with the same message and link. More worrying: you might get locked out of your account for a time until Facebook sorts out this mess.
There is no malicious payload with the attack, it seems: no virus is downloaded or any other nasties: it’s simply a huge nuisance for Facebook users.
As always, don’t enter your Facebook password if the URL is not Facebook.com, and contact Facebook if you’re no longer able to access your account.
Facebook is falling prey to a widespread phishing attack today that tries to steal your login and spam your friends.
I’ve got a number of messages in my Facebook inbox with links to “FBAction.net”, a site that displays a fake Facebook login. Enter your details there, and it will spam all your friends with the same message and link. More worrying: you might get locked out of your account for a time until Facebook sorts out this mess.
There is no malicious payload with the attack, it seems: no virus is downloaded or any other nasties: it’s simply a huge nuisance for Facebook users.
As always, don’t enter your Facebook password if the URL is not Facebook.com, and contact Facebook if you’re no longer able to access your account.
Sarah Jessica Parker, Matthew Broderick having twins
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Sarah Jessica Parker is expecting twins this summer, but she's not pregnant.
Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker are expecting twins this summer.
The "Sex and the City" star and her husband of 12 years -- actor Matthew Broderick -- "are happily anticipating the birth of their twin daughters later this summer with the generous help of a surrogate," according to a statement issued by their publicists.
"The entire family is overjoyed," the statement said.
It did not say if the surrogate was the genetic mother of the twins or if embryos from Parker, 44, had been transferred to her.
The couple already has a 6-year-old son, James Wilkie, who was named after Broderick's father, actor James Broderick.
Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker are expecting twins this summer.
The "Sex and the City" star and her husband of 12 years -- actor Matthew Broderick -- "are happily anticipating the birth of their twin daughters later this summer with the generous help of a surrogate," according to a statement issued by their publicists.
"The entire family is overjoyed," the statement said.
It did not say if the surrogate was the genetic mother of the twins or if embryos from Parker, 44, had been transferred to her.
The couple already has a 6-year-old son, James Wilkie, who was named after Broderick's father, actor James Broderick.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Lollapalooza 2009 lineup
CHICAGO, Illinois --
The line-up for a revived 2009 Lollapalooza mega-concert tour has been announced. Depeche Mode, Tool, The Killers, a reunited Jane’s Addiction, Beastie Boys, and Kings of Leon will headline, joined by Lou Reed, Ben Harper and Relentless7, Thievery Corporation, Snoop Dogg, and Rise Against, who are all also slated to perform at Grant Park in Chicago for the summer musical festival August 7-9.
Festival founder and Jane’s Addiction front man Perry Farrell said he is thrilled to return to the Lollapalooza stage alongside friends old and new.
“The mighty Jane’s Addiction returns to Lolla after 18 years — meeting up with our pals The Beastie Boys and Depeche Mode, offering the best of the freshies The Killers and Kings of Leon, and paying honor to one of our greatest inspirations, Lou Reed,” Perry said in a statement released to Access Hollywood.
In addition to the headliners, the 2009 bill is bursting with a wide-array of musical flavors and Access On The Download picks like Chicago’s Andrew Bird, TV on the Radio, Vampire Weekend, The Decemberists, Neko Case, STS9 (Sound Tribe Sector Nine), Animal Collective, Band of Horses, Of Montreal, Arctic Monkeys, Coheed and Cambria, Ben Folds, Fleet Foxes, Silversun Pickups, Kaiser Chiefs, Bon Iver, Crystal Castles, Santogold, and many more.
This year’s line-up also features some of the most exciting break-out bands of 2009. Acts like Lykke Li, Passion Pit, Asher Roth, Friendly Fires, Gang Gang Dance, Bat For Lashes, Gaslight Anthem, Chairlift, The Airborne Toxic Event, The Virgins, Ida Maria, Glasvegas, and White Lies will rock Chicago.
Lollapalooza will also have a non-stop electronica stage.
“The electronica area is being constructed louder and clearer than ever,” Farrell said, “with a lineup that knows what to do with all that sub!”
A limited number of advance price three-day passes are now available for $190. When this allotment sells out, regular price three-day passes will be available for $205. Prices include all service fees. Three-day passes and VIP packages are available at www.lollapalooz
Lollapalooza organizers will reveal Tuesday the complete list of artists and bands scheduled to appear at the festival Aug. 7-9 in Grant Park.
Besides confirming headliners Depeche Mode, Tool, the Killers, Jane’s Addiction, Beastie Boys and Kings of Leon as reported last month in the Tribune, the festival also will announce sets by the following artists:
Lou Reed, Ben Harper, Thievery Corporation, Snoop Dogg, Rise Against, Andrew Bird, TV on the Radio, Vampire Weekend, the Decemberists, Neko Case. STS9 (Sound Tribe Sector 9), Animal Collective, Band of Horses, Of Montreal, Arctic Monkeys, Coheed and Cambria, Ben Folds and Fleet Foxes.
The rest of the lineup is as follows:
Silversun Pickups
Kaiser Chiefs
Crystal Castles
Bon Iver
Santigold
Atmosphere
Dan Auberbach
Cold War Kids
Deerhunter
Lykke Li
Robert Earl Keen
Peter Bjorn and John
Heartless Bastards
Gomez
Glasvegas
Federico Aubele
Dan Deacon
Passion Pit
The Raveonettes
The Gaslight Anthem
The Airborne Toxic Event
White Lies
Ra Ra Riot
No Age
Asher Roth
Los Campesinos!
Bat For Lashes
Chairlift
Gang Gang Dance
The Virgins
Amazing Baby
Portugal. The Man
The Knux
Ida Maria
Delta Spirit
Friendly Fires
Manchester Orchestra
Constantines
Ezra Furman & The Harpoons
Hockey
Miike Snow
Alberta Cross
Hey Champ
Sam Roberts Band
The Henry Clay People
Davy Knowles and Back Door Slam
Cage the Elephant
Living Things
The Low Anthem
Blind Pilot
Langhorne Slim
Other Lives
The Builders and The Butchers
Eric Church
Joe Pug
Kevin Devine
The Green Cards
Carney
Thenewno2
DJ sets etc. at Perry's Place
Bassnectar
MSTRKRFT
Simian Mobile Disco
DeadMau5
Boys Noise
KiD CuDi
Crookers
A-Trak
Hercules and Love Affair (DJ Set)
The Bloody Beetroots (DJ Set)
LA Riots
Kaskade
The Glitch Mob
Hollywood Holt
Rye Rye
He Say, She Say
Car Stereo (Wars)
Dark Wave Disco
Moneypenny
Yello Fever
Animal Collective (DJ Set)
The line-up for a revived 2009 Lollapalooza mega-concert tour has been announced. Depeche Mode, Tool, The Killers, a reunited Jane’s Addiction, Beastie Boys, and Kings of Leon will headline, joined by Lou Reed, Ben Harper and Relentless7, Thievery Corporation, Snoop Dogg, and Rise Against, who are all also slated to perform at Grant Park in Chicago for the summer musical festival August 7-9.
Festival founder and Jane’s Addiction front man Perry Farrell said he is thrilled to return to the Lollapalooza stage alongside friends old and new.
“The mighty Jane’s Addiction returns to Lolla after 18 years — meeting up with our pals The Beastie Boys and Depeche Mode, offering the best of the freshies The Killers and Kings of Leon, and paying honor to one of our greatest inspirations, Lou Reed,” Perry said in a statement released to Access Hollywood.
In addition to the headliners, the 2009 bill is bursting with a wide-array of musical flavors and Access On The Download picks like Chicago’s Andrew Bird, TV on the Radio, Vampire Weekend, The Decemberists, Neko Case, STS9 (Sound Tribe Sector Nine), Animal Collective, Band of Horses, Of Montreal, Arctic Monkeys, Coheed and Cambria, Ben Folds, Fleet Foxes, Silversun Pickups, Kaiser Chiefs, Bon Iver, Crystal Castles, Santogold, and many more.
This year’s line-up also features some of the most exciting break-out bands of 2009. Acts like Lykke Li, Passion Pit, Asher Roth, Friendly Fires, Gang Gang Dance, Bat For Lashes, Gaslight Anthem, Chairlift, The Airborne Toxic Event, The Virgins, Ida Maria, Glasvegas, and White Lies will rock Chicago.
Lollapalooza will also have a non-stop electronica stage.
“The electronica area is being constructed louder and clearer than ever,” Farrell said, “with a lineup that knows what to do with all that sub!”
A limited number of advance price three-day passes are now available for $190. When this allotment sells out, regular price three-day passes will be available for $205. Prices include all service fees. Three-day passes and VIP packages are available at www.lollapalooz
Lollapalooza organizers will reveal Tuesday the complete list of artists and bands scheduled to appear at the festival Aug. 7-9 in Grant Park.
Besides confirming headliners Depeche Mode, Tool, the Killers, Jane’s Addiction, Beastie Boys and Kings of Leon as reported last month in the Tribune, the festival also will announce sets by the following artists:
Lou Reed, Ben Harper, Thievery Corporation, Snoop Dogg, Rise Against, Andrew Bird, TV on the Radio, Vampire Weekend, the Decemberists, Neko Case. STS9 (Sound Tribe Sector 9), Animal Collective, Band of Horses, Of Montreal, Arctic Monkeys, Coheed and Cambria, Ben Folds and Fleet Foxes.
The rest of the lineup is as follows:
Silversun Pickups
Kaiser Chiefs
Crystal Castles
Bon Iver
Santigold
Atmosphere
Dan Auberbach
Cold War Kids
Deerhunter
Lykke Li
Robert Earl Keen
Peter Bjorn and John
Heartless Bastards
Gomez
Glasvegas
Federico Aubele
Dan Deacon
Passion Pit
The Raveonettes
The Gaslight Anthem
The Airborne Toxic Event
White Lies
Ra Ra Riot
No Age
Asher Roth
Los Campesinos!
Bat For Lashes
Chairlift
Gang Gang Dance
The Virgins
Amazing Baby
Portugal. The Man
The Knux
Ida Maria
Delta Spirit
Friendly Fires
Manchester Orchestra
Constantines
Ezra Furman & The Harpoons
Hockey
Miike Snow
Alberta Cross
Hey Champ
Sam Roberts Band
The Henry Clay People
Davy Knowles and Back Door Slam
Cage the Elephant
Living Things
The Low Anthem
Blind Pilot
Langhorne Slim
Other Lives
The Builders and The Butchers
Eric Church
Joe Pug
Kevin Devine
The Green Cards
Carney
Thenewno2
DJ sets etc. at Perry's Place
Bassnectar
MSTRKRFT
Simian Mobile Disco
DeadMau5
Boys Noise
KiD CuDi
Crookers
A-Trak
Hercules and Love Affair (DJ Set)
The Bloody Beetroots (DJ Set)
LA Riots
Kaskade
The Glitch Mob
Hollywood Holt
Rye Rye
He Say, She Say
Car Stereo (Wars)
Dark Wave Disco
Moneypenny
Yello Fever
Animal Collective (DJ Set)
Monday, April 13, 2009
Mel Gibson's Wife Files for Divorce After 28 Years of Marriage
Mel Gibson 's wife Robyn has filed for divorce after 28 years of marriage.
In the papers -- signed Apr. 9 -- she cites "irreconcilable differences."
"Throughout our marriage and separation we have always strived to maintain the privacy and integrity of our family and will continue to do so," a rep for Gibson, 53, tells Usmagazine.com in a statement.
TMZ.com alleges that "there is no prenuptial agreement" based on source reporting. In 2006, Gibson's fortune was estimated at $900 million. Under California law, community property -- which includes earnings -- is divided 50/50.
See Hollywood's ugliest splits
Robyn -- who famously stood by Gibson during his highly publicized 2006 DUI arrest -- lists the date of separation as "to be determined," which TMZ points out is important because "earnings generally cease to be community property when the couple separates."
Robyn, who has seven children with Gibson, has requested spousal support and attorneys' fees.
She is also seeking joint physical and legal custody of their son, Tom, who turns 10 Tuesday. (Tom is their only child who is a minor.)
See Hollywood's longest relationships
Robyn has snapped up attorney Laura Wasser, who most recently represented Britney Spears in her split from Kevin Federline .
The couple has dogged split rumors for some time.
Gibson was recently photographed with a woman who did not appear to be his wife in Costa Rica on March 4.
See today's top celeb news photos
Asked at the time if he and Robyn had split, his rep had no comment.
"Mel is on family vacation with his entire family and their friends," a source told Us. "His sons are there with their girlfriends, his pregnant daughter is there - the whole family is there."
In the papers -- signed Apr. 9 -- she cites "irreconcilable differences."
"Throughout our marriage and separation we have always strived to maintain the privacy and integrity of our family and will continue to do so," a rep for Gibson, 53, tells Usmagazine.com in a statement.
TMZ.com alleges that "there is no prenuptial agreement" based on source reporting. In 2006, Gibson's fortune was estimated at $900 million. Under California law, community property -- which includes earnings -- is divided 50/50.
See Hollywood's ugliest splits
Robyn -- who famously stood by Gibson during his highly publicized 2006 DUI arrest -- lists the date of separation as "to be determined," which TMZ points out is important because "earnings generally cease to be community property when the couple separates."
Robyn, who has seven children with Gibson, has requested spousal support and attorneys' fees.
She is also seeking joint physical and legal custody of their son, Tom, who turns 10 Tuesday. (Tom is their only child who is a minor.)
See Hollywood's longest relationships
Robyn has snapped up attorney Laura Wasser, who most recently represented Britney Spears in her split from Kevin Federline .
The couple has dogged split rumors for some time.
Gibson was recently photographed with a woman who did not appear to be his wife in Costa Rica on March 4.
See today's top celeb news photos
Asked at the time if he and Robyn had split, his rep had no comment.
"Mel is on family vacation with his entire family and their friends," a source told Us. "His sons are there with their girlfriends, his pregnant daughter is there - the whole family is there."
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Life on Mars, "Life Is A Rock": The series ends badly
I don't watch this show myself. But this is someone who does.
by Alan Sepinwall/The Star-Ledger
The "Life on Mars" series finale had a very frustrating explanation for the whereabouts of Sam Tyler
While I gave up on the American "Life on Mars" four or five episodes in, for the sake of completism -- and my fondness for the ending of the original series -- I checked out last night's series' finale, and... hoo-boy. Spoilers for both US and UK finales coming up just as soon as I shave my mustache...
So... where to begin? I guess with a quick recap of the UK finale for those who didn't see it, just to point out how strangely and awfully the US ending went wrong.
In the last episode of "Life on Mars" UK, Sam is caught in an ambush with the rest of Gene's team when he suddenly wakes up back in the present. He's told it was all some kind of elaborate coma fantasy, and sees that several figures from that fantasy (notably the Internal Affairs cop trying to bring down Gene) were based, "Wizard of Oz"-style, on people from the hospital. But after being back in his old life for a while, Sam discovers that he doesn't fit in, that he can't really feel anything, that he has no emotional connection to the 21st century anymore. And so -- as the full version of the Bowie song plays, just like it did in the pilot -- he goes up onto the roof of a tall building, jumps off, and...
...finds himself back in 1973, saving Gene, Ray and the others from the bad guys and committed to spending the rest of his existence in this weird place, not caring if it was a fantasy, or Purgatory, or something else entirely.
That is an ending. Whatever problems I may have had with the original show (which, like the remake, sometimes trended too closely to being an actual '70s cop show instead of a pastiche of one), I will always love it for that last episode.
I knew the American producers had a different take on the "mythology" of where/when their Sam was. I wasn't expecting a rehash of the original finale (though, based on the reaction this morning of several disgruntled "Life on Mars" USA fans whom I told about the old ending, they might have been better off copying it wholesale). But I also wasn't expecting anything as dumb and/or as insulting to the viewer as the ending we got.
The short version, if you didn't watch and are just curious how it ended: After a kidnapping case that sees Gene killing Sam's dad to save adult Sam's life, Sam more or less told his mom who he was, Annie (who figured out where Sam was in time to save him) got a promotion to detective, and Sam decided that he was sent back in time to meet and fall in love with Annie, and that he didn't care about ever going back to 2008, at which point he...
...finds himself several decades into our future, waking up from two years of hibernation on a NASA spaceship heading for Mars. He's not a cop from 2008 at all. That's just a fantasy cooked up by the ship's computer to keep his mind occupied during the travel (the astronaut version of Ray, sadly mustache-free, selected an elaborate island sex dream), and the trip back to 1973 was a glitch in the system. "Gene Hunt" is not the name of a person, but the mission they're on to find out if there was ever life on Mars, and Harvey Keitel is on board as Major Tom, astronaut Sam's dad.
Words fail me.
It's one thing to say that 1973 wasn't real, or even that the present-day material wasn't real (as the UK finale briefly suggested in a head-fake to the audience), but to say that neither was real? That none of what the viewer watched for these 17 episodes mattered? That it was all a very literal joke on the series' title?
Well, if I was someone who had actually ridden this particular train from beginning to end, sad that the ratings weren't strong enough to keep the show around, I would be furious about this. As it was, I was pretty mad that I stayed up after "Lost" just to watch it.
And the really maddening thing is that, until the idiotic, obnoxious twist ending, the finale was actually very good. I have to credit some of its power to the extensive use of Elton John's "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" -- like the original finale's use of Bowie on the rooftop, it gave scenes like Sam and Annie's kiss, or even Annie's unlikely promotion, some real weight. And the scene where we see Sam in the present-day, reading "Gulliver's Travels" to an old woman whom we assume to be his mom (as he promised her in 1973), but who turns out to be Annie, was lovely, even if it wound up mattering not at all in the grand scheme of things.
I'd like to think that this was a case of the writers being so frustrated with the cancellation that they were venting their anger at ABC with this stupid ending, but based on how early and often we saw the miniature Mars Rover, I have to assume this was their plan all along, which... wow. Just wow. Even the final shot, of 1973 Gene's leg preparing to step onto the Mars surface, seems less an attempt to give this silly explanation some ambiguity than it feels like someone's idea of a memorable closing image, meaning be damned.
I'm mad. How about you?
by Alan Sepinwall/The Star-Ledger
The "Life on Mars" series finale had a very frustrating explanation for the whereabouts of Sam Tyler
While I gave up on the American "Life on Mars" four or five episodes in, for the sake of completism -- and my fondness for the ending of the original series -- I checked out last night's series' finale, and... hoo-boy. Spoilers for both US and UK finales coming up just as soon as I shave my mustache...
So... where to begin? I guess with a quick recap of the UK finale for those who didn't see it, just to point out how strangely and awfully the US ending went wrong.
In the last episode of "Life on Mars" UK, Sam is caught in an ambush with the rest of Gene's team when he suddenly wakes up back in the present. He's told it was all some kind of elaborate coma fantasy, and sees that several figures from that fantasy (notably the Internal Affairs cop trying to bring down Gene) were based, "Wizard of Oz"-style, on people from the hospital. But after being back in his old life for a while, Sam discovers that he doesn't fit in, that he can't really feel anything, that he has no emotional connection to the 21st century anymore. And so -- as the full version of the Bowie song plays, just like it did in the pilot -- he goes up onto the roof of a tall building, jumps off, and...
...finds himself back in 1973, saving Gene, Ray and the others from the bad guys and committed to spending the rest of his existence in this weird place, not caring if it was a fantasy, or Purgatory, or something else entirely.
That is an ending. Whatever problems I may have had with the original show (which, like the remake, sometimes trended too closely to being an actual '70s cop show instead of a pastiche of one), I will always love it for that last episode.
I knew the American producers had a different take on the "mythology" of where/when their Sam was. I wasn't expecting a rehash of the original finale (though, based on the reaction this morning of several disgruntled "Life on Mars" USA fans whom I told about the old ending, they might have been better off copying it wholesale). But I also wasn't expecting anything as dumb and/or as insulting to the viewer as the ending we got.
The short version, if you didn't watch and are just curious how it ended: After a kidnapping case that sees Gene killing Sam's dad to save adult Sam's life, Sam more or less told his mom who he was, Annie (who figured out where Sam was in time to save him) got a promotion to detective, and Sam decided that he was sent back in time to meet and fall in love with Annie, and that he didn't care about ever going back to 2008, at which point he...
...finds himself several decades into our future, waking up from two years of hibernation on a NASA spaceship heading for Mars. He's not a cop from 2008 at all. That's just a fantasy cooked up by the ship's computer to keep his mind occupied during the travel (the astronaut version of Ray, sadly mustache-free, selected an elaborate island sex dream), and the trip back to 1973 was a glitch in the system. "Gene Hunt" is not the name of a person, but the mission they're on to find out if there was ever life on Mars, and Harvey Keitel is on board as Major Tom, astronaut Sam's dad.
Words fail me.
It's one thing to say that 1973 wasn't real, or even that the present-day material wasn't real (as the UK finale briefly suggested in a head-fake to the audience), but to say that neither was real? That none of what the viewer watched for these 17 episodes mattered? That it was all a very literal joke on the series' title?
Well, if I was someone who had actually ridden this particular train from beginning to end, sad that the ratings weren't strong enough to keep the show around, I would be furious about this. As it was, I was pretty mad that I stayed up after "Lost" just to watch it.
And the really maddening thing is that, until the idiotic, obnoxious twist ending, the finale was actually very good. I have to credit some of its power to the extensive use of Elton John's "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" -- like the original finale's use of Bowie on the rooftop, it gave scenes like Sam and Annie's kiss, or even Annie's unlikely promotion, some real weight. And the scene where we see Sam in the present-day, reading "Gulliver's Travels" to an old woman whom we assume to be his mom (as he promised her in 1973), but who turns out to be Annie, was lovely, even if it wound up mattering not at all in the grand scheme of things.
I'd like to think that this was a case of the writers being so frustrated with the cancellation that they were venting their anger at ABC with this stupid ending, but based on how early and often we saw the miniature Mars Rover, I have to assume this was their plan all along, which... wow. Just wow. Even the final shot, of 1973 Gene's leg preparing to step onto the Mars surface, seems less an attempt to give this silly explanation some ambiguity than it feels like someone's idea of a memorable closing image, meaning be damned.
I'm mad. How about you?
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Heidi Montag Pregnant?
Personally I think it is a bad April Fools joke. I had someone at my office pull the same prank on me this morning too. I was thinking myself that the baby probably wasn't his since they are the typical long distance relationship.
Is Heidi Montag pregnant... or is it just a bad April Fool's Day joke?
The Hills took to her Twitter on Wednesday afternoon for the big announcement.
"I wanted to tell my twitter friends first," she wrote. "I am pregnant!!!!!!!! I couldn't be more excited!!! I hope its a boy!"
The baby daddy — if she is expecting — presumably would be her longtime beau, Spencer Pratt. The duo staged a fake wedding — one conducted sans a proper marriage license — in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, on Nov. 19. They are still legally unwed.
Do you think Heidi's expecting — or is it just a big gag? Weigh in below.
Is Heidi Montag pregnant... or is it just a bad April Fool's Day joke?
The Hills took to her Twitter on Wednesday afternoon for the big announcement.
"I wanted to tell my twitter friends first," she wrote. "I am pregnant!!!!!!!! I couldn't be more excited!!! I hope its a boy!"
The baby daddy — if she is expecting — presumably would be her longtime beau, Spencer Pratt. The duo staged a fake wedding — one conducted sans a proper marriage license — in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, on Nov. 19. They are still legally unwed.
Do you think Heidi's expecting — or is it just a big gag? Weigh in below.
Mark Ballas Sports Dancing with the Stars Boner
by Elizabeth Fairview
Mark Ballas is having an embarrassing moment. (ABC Images)
Where's Chris Hansen with To Catch a Predator when you need him? Poor 17-year-old Shawn Johnson, who last week, was almost nabbed by her stalker, is now dealing with another kind of weirdo - her own dance partner!
Mark Ballas and Shawn Johnson performed the lindy hop on Tuesday night’s Dancing with the Stars, however the Internets started to blow up with the news that Ballas was sporting more than just some jivin' moves. Now it could have been those flimsy, red cotton shorts, or a bad camera angle, but judge for yourself - TMZ has the video. Don't act like you're not impressed, people.
Mark Ballas is having an embarrassing moment. (ABC Images)
Where's Chris Hansen with To Catch a Predator when you need him? Poor 17-year-old Shawn Johnson, who last week, was almost nabbed by her stalker, is now dealing with another kind of weirdo - her own dance partner!
Mark Ballas and Shawn Johnson performed the lindy hop on Tuesday night’s Dancing with the Stars, however the Internets started to blow up with the news that Ballas was sporting more than just some jivin' moves. Now it could have been those flimsy, red cotton shorts, or a bad camera angle, but judge for yourself - TMZ has the video. Don't act like you're not impressed, people.
No ‘Light’ at the Tunnel’s End: CBS Cancels Long-Running Soap Guiding Light
By BILL CARTER
CBS announced Wednesday the cancellation of the longest-running scripted program in broadcasting history, the soap opera “Guiding Light.”
The actors Kim Zimmer and Bradley Cole at work on a scene in “Guiding Light.” The CBS daytime drama, which began on radio in 1937, will end Sept. 18.
The show has been on radio and television for 72 years, beginning on NBC radio in 1937 and moving to CBS television in 1952.
The show’s run will end with an episode Sept. 18.
The move came after many years of steeply declining ratings for the hourlong soap, which is owned by Procter & Gamble and thus was a link to the earliest days of daytime serial dramas on radio. The shows were eventually called soap operas because soap companies sponsored them.
A spokeswoman for P.&G., Jeannie Tharrington, said the company would seek to place “Guiding Light” elsewhere. “We’re looking at all our options,” she said. “This show started as a 15-minute radio show, and then it was a half-hour television show, so it has adapted over the years.”
Ms. Tharrington said P.&G. would look to any possible outlet to continue the series. A canceled NBC soap, “Passions,” moved for a time to the satellite service DirecTV, but it failed there and is now gone.
None of the producers or stars of “Guiding Light” would grant an interview Wednesday about the decision. “The news is too fresh,” Ms. Tharrington said.
In an official statement, Ellen Wheeler, the executive producer, said, “It will be difficult for all of us at the show to say goodbye.”
The CBS president, Nancy Tellem, said, “It was not an easy decision to make, but we talked it over with our partners at Procter & Gamble, and we agreed it was time.” Ms. Tellem said she had not heard that P.&G. was looking to place the show elsewhere but said that CBS would wish the company well in that effort.
The biggest star in the show’s current cast is Kim Zimmer, a four-time Emmy winner for best actress in a daytime serial. Another star, Justin Deas, has won six Emmys for his acting. The show also provided breakthroughs for many well-known actors, including Kevin Bacon, James Earl Jones, Calista Flockhart, Allison Janney and Cicely Tyson. “Guiding Light” claims the distinction of being the first network soap to introduce regular African-American characters, in 1966.
CBS and the producers of “Guiding Light” — which is shot on the East Coast, in the CBS Broadcast Center in Manhattan and on location in Peapack, N.J. — had taken several steps in recent years to keep the series alive, especially in switching the production to a digital format.
That move, last year, included the introduction of hand-held digital cameras and permanent, four-wall sets as opposed to the traditional, constantly reconstructed three-wall sets built by soaps to accommodate bulky pedestal cameras. Rather than expensive lighting and sound equipment, the show also began using hand-held lights and microphones.
The changes resulted in a look vastly different from the traditional soap, with more camera movement, more muted lighting and much more use of outside locations. The moves saved considerable money, according to CBS executives.
But not enough to save the series. This year the audience for “Guiding Light” had declined to an average of just 2.1 million viewers an episode. Its pattern over recent years had been steadily downward. Last year it averaged about 2.4 million viewers an episode. Five years ago the average was about 3 million viewers.
“Guiding Light” also had the smallest audience of any of the remaining network daytime soaps and a smaller audience than many of the game and talk shows that also fill network daytime hours. The most-watched soap, “The Young and the Restless” on CBS, is averaging about 5.26 million viewers an episode. The network’s game show “The Price Is Right” has an average of about 4.95 million viewers. ABC’s talk show “The View” averages about 4.25 million viewers.
ABC’s top soap, “General Hospital,” averages about 2.97 million viewers, and NBC’s only soap, “Days of Our Lives,” has about 2.76 million, though those shows have much younger audiences, making them more desirable to many advertisers.
Ms. Tellem said that the hour devoted to “Guiding Light” — its scheduling has varied in different cities from 10 a.m. in New York to as late a 3 p.m. in some cities — will be retained by CBS. The network is likely to fill it with another game show or talk show, she said.
When “Guiding Light” ends, another CBS soap, “As the World Turns” — also shot in New York — will become the longest-running daytime serial drama. It started in 1956.
CBS announced Wednesday the cancellation of the longest-running scripted program in broadcasting history, the soap opera “Guiding Light.”
The actors Kim Zimmer and Bradley Cole at work on a scene in “Guiding Light.” The CBS daytime drama, which began on radio in 1937, will end Sept. 18.
The show has been on radio and television for 72 years, beginning on NBC radio in 1937 and moving to CBS television in 1952.
The show’s run will end with an episode Sept. 18.
The move came after many years of steeply declining ratings for the hourlong soap, which is owned by Procter & Gamble and thus was a link to the earliest days of daytime serial dramas on radio. The shows were eventually called soap operas because soap companies sponsored them.
A spokeswoman for P.&G., Jeannie Tharrington, said the company would seek to place “Guiding Light” elsewhere. “We’re looking at all our options,” she said. “This show started as a 15-minute radio show, and then it was a half-hour television show, so it has adapted over the years.”
Ms. Tharrington said P.&G. would look to any possible outlet to continue the series. A canceled NBC soap, “Passions,” moved for a time to the satellite service DirecTV, but it failed there and is now gone.
None of the producers or stars of “Guiding Light” would grant an interview Wednesday about the decision. “The news is too fresh,” Ms. Tharrington said.
In an official statement, Ellen Wheeler, the executive producer, said, “It will be difficult for all of us at the show to say goodbye.”
The CBS president, Nancy Tellem, said, “It was not an easy decision to make, but we talked it over with our partners at Procter & Gamble, and we agreed it was time.” Ms. Tellem said she had not heard that P.&G. was looking to place the show elsewhere but said that CBS would wish the company well in that effort.
The biggest star in the show’s current cast is Kim Zimmer, a four-time Emmy winner for best actress in a daytime serial. Another star, Justin Deas, has won six Emmys for his acting. The show also provided breakthroughs for many well-known actors, including Kevin Bacon, James Earl Jones, Calista Flockhart, Allison Janney and Cicely Tyson. “Guiding Light” claims the distinction of being the first network soap to introduce regular African-American characters, in 1966.
CBS and the producers of “Guiding Light” — which is shot on the East Coast, in the CBS Broadcast Center in Manhattan and on location in Peapack, N.J. — had taken several steps in recent years to keep the series alive, especially in switching the production to a digital format.
That move, last year, included the introduction of hand-held digital cameras and permanent, four-wall sets as opposed to the traditional, constantly reconstructed three-wall sets built by soaps to accommodate bulky pedestal cameras. Rather than expensive lighting and sound equipment, the show also began using hand-held lights and microphones.
The changes resulted in a look vastly different from the traditional soap, with more camera movement, more muted lighting and much more use of outside locations. The moves saved considerable money, according to CBS executives.
But not enough to save the series. This year the audience for “Guiding Light” had declined to an average of just 2.1 million viewers an episode. Its pattern over recent years had been steadily downward. Last year it averaged about 2.4 million viewers an episode. Five years ago the average was about 3 million viewers.
“Guiding Light” also had the smallest audience of any of the remaining network daytime soaps and a smaller audience than many of the game and talk shows that also fill network daytime hours. The most-watched soap, “The Young and the Restless” on CBS, is averaging about 5.26 million viewers an episode. The network’s game show “The Price Is Right” has an average of about 4.95 million viewers. ABC’s talk show “The View” averages about 4.25 million viewers.
ABC’s top soap, “General Hospital,” averages about 2.97 million viewers, and NBC’s only soap, “Days of Our Lives,” has about 2.76 million, though those shows have much younger audiences, making them more desirable to many advertisers.
Ms. Tellem said that the hour devoted to “Guiding Light” — its scheduling has varied in different cities from 10 a.m. in New York to as late a 3 p.m. in some cities — will be retained by CBS. The network is likely to fill it with another game show or talk show, she said.
When “Guiding Light” ends, another CBS soap, “As the World Turns” — also shot in New York — will become the longest-running daytime serial drama. It started in 1956.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
'American Idol': Top 9 perform
On tonight's American Idol, it's an open kind of theme: The Top 9 can pick any song as long as it's a popular download on iTunes. Hmmm ... interesting. Now we'll see what they're really made of! Or something.
Anoop Desai is first, and he'll be singing "Caught Up" by Usher. It seems like a good idea in theory -- it's more upbeat, and more his style, I guess, but something about it doesn't quite work for me. I feel like he thinks his stage persona is a little stronger than it actually is, and that makes it a tad bit awkward. Vocally, it seems good, though some of the runs are a bit overdone. The audience is behind him 100 percent. Randy Jackson said he "picked up your swagger" and he thought the vocals were good, but the song choice was a little off, so he's torn. Kara DioGuardi says if you pick Usher, you have to do crazy riffs, and she says it feels like "a bunch of frat guys dared you to get up and sing Usher or something." Paula Abdul says he needs to work on his stage presence and "create some signature stabs with the band." Simon Cowell looks as perplexed as I am by that. He says, "It was a complete and utter mess. ... You came over as a wannabe. I didn't see any originality. ... It actually gave me a headache." Ryan gives him a chance to talk back, and that was probably not a good thing. He gets mouthy with Kara about how he wants to be an R&B artist and he disagrees with her. Special guest visitor, my mom, says, "It was boring, Anoop, and I like you." Word.
Megan Joy Corkrey plans to sing "Bob Marley/Lauryn Hill's 'Turn Your Lights Down Low.'" She says she's excited to sing something she absolutely looooooves. While this seems like it suits her voice better, it's just not working for me. I think she's out of her league. But it's way better than "Rockin' Robin"! Kara says, "I really like you, but I think you're in trouble. ... I want to hear Adele, 'Chasing Pavements' ... That part of your range was getting irritating." Paula says at this stage, she needs to "take us by surprise and dig deep to an area that might not be comfortable." Simon says the problem is that the song was boring, indulgent and monotonous and that everything they liked about her is disappearing. Randy says it was like watching paint dry, even though he loves the song. He calls out Amy Winehouse, Duffy, Adele as people whose songs she should be singing.
Danny Gokey is next. He's taking on "What Hurts the Most" by Rascal Flatts. It's clear he's chosen the song for the meaning of its lyrics, but he's having trouble vocally. He's uncharacteristically shrieky at times. Paula says she would hit repeat in her car. Simon says they weren't on the same page last week, but this, he believes was his best performance of the competition. Really? Randy says tonight's show starts right here. Kara says he moved everyone emotionally and that she had some goosebumps. (I believe Simon asks her, "Where?" Classy.) Guest mom is with the judges, so maybe I'm just out of sorts tonight?
Allison Iraheta is busting out the guitar for No Doubt's "Don't Speak," which she says she "grew up listening to." Oh, yes, she is so young. For the first part of the performance, she plays guitar and sings it quietly, and she rocks every second of it. The second part is a little rough, but still good. Randy says she got a little ahead of the beat and talks about the performance, "but, dude, what are you wearing?" Kara says the rock comes out of her no matter what's she's wearing, so she doesn't have to "put all that on yourself." She closes saying it was a good performance, but not her best. Paula is glad to see her guitar and that she has great vocal prowess. Simon says they can't ignore the outfit because it made her seem like a precocious daughter trying to dress and act like a rock star, which overpowered part of the performance. He adds that she shouted the song, but the other judges aren't with him on that.
Scott MacIntyre is going to sing Billy Joel's "Just the Way You Are." So I really think Scott is out of his league here, too, though he has some decent moments with the song. But overall, not fab. Kara says he made some smart decisions by picking that song, stripping it down and just singing it from an honest place. She also loves his look, including his big hair. Paula says she is most proud of Scott, "and it has nothing to do with your challenge." She says it was a risk without the orchestra, but it paid off. Simon says this was his best performance so far "by a country mile." Randy calls him one of the best of the night.
Matt Giraud is going to sing The Fray's "You Found Me," the most current song we've heard on Idol in a long time. He's on the keyboard off to the side surrounded (like really close) by audience members who, by the way, can't figure out which beat to clap on. He mixes the song up a little so note-wise it doesn't sound exactly like The Fray, but somehow, his enunciation sounds very, very similar to the original, which is a strange choice. Paula says she appreciates the contemporary choice, but he didn't riff or use his falsetto enough. She says it was a soundalike to the singer. (Hey, I agree with Paula for once.) Simon says he should be happy they don't like him this week since that usually means he's safe. He says it felt put on, especially "the gravel in your voice." He says he should have chosen a great song and done what he did best, it would have worked. Randy says it isn't "you. ... You aren't a rock kind of singer." Kara says he's going back and forth between the rock and R&B sides of pop, and they are confused about what kind of record he would make. That said, she says, he doesn't deserve to go home. Guest mom says she thought he sounded like the lead singer of The Fray, but he still sounded pretty good.
Lil Rounds says she had a hard time picking this week because she's gotten dinged over and over again on song choice. So she's going to sing Celine Dion's "I Surrender." WHAT? The judges want her to be like Mary J. or something, so I think they are going to slaughter her for this choice. The fact that she's off-pitch for part of the song doesn't really help. Big song, but not the right song. Randy says this wouldn't have been his choice for her, but he thinks she did well with it. Kara says she was surprised, too, that Lil was better than she expected when she heard the song choice. Paula says she doesn't want to see an adult contemporary Lil Rounds. Simon says this was her singing to stay in the competition with a safe song, too soft. Ryan asks one of Lil's daughters what she thought about Randy being mean, and she doesn't know what to say. Her other daughter volunteers to go over to him, and she gives him a giant hug. Awwww.
Adam Lambert is next with Wild Cherry's "Play That Funky Music," which he intends to make current. Hmm. OK. He slows it down some, including the first part of the chorus, and then goes back to regular speed for the rest of the chorus, and he brings back his shriek-rock vibe a few times (Note: Not a plus, as far as I'm concerned, regardless of how technically proficient he might be). The audience goes bananas. Paula says true genius shatters expectations and then she compares him to Mick Jagger and Steven Tyler. Simon says it got rid of some of the karaoke nonsense from earlier in the day. Randy says he was afraid it would be corny, but he is "definitely in the star zone." Adam thanks Ricky Minor and the band for the arrangement. Kara says she can't wait to see what he's going to next every week.
You know, without all that mentor footage, the show goes a lot faster. More than half an hour faster, even. I wish it was always an hour and 25 minutes. Sigh.
Kris Allen says he likes to make old songs current, and he's going to try to do that this week with "Ain't No Sunshine." He says he's trying to create "one of those moments." Also, he's playing piano instead of guitar this week, and he's accompanied by a string section. He does, I have to say, a great job with the song. We'll see what the judges say about his taking on an iconic song. Randy says he's loving him. Kara says she has three words for him: "That is artistry." Paula says he made a 30-year-old song sound new and it was his best performance so far. Simon says it was a good, clever arrangement and agrees it was his best.
By Sarah Kickler Kelber
Anoop Desai is first, and he'll be singing "Caught Up" by Usher. It seems like a good idea in theory -- it's more upbeat, and more his style, I guess, but something about it doesn't quite work for me. I feel like he thinks his stage persona is a little stronger than it actually is, and that makes it a tad bit awkward. Vocally, it seems good, though some of the runs are a bit overdone. The audience is behind him 100 percent. Randy Jackson said he "picked up your swagger" and he thought the vocals were good, but the song choice was a little off, so he's torn. Kara DioGuardi says if you pick Usher, you have to do crazy riffs, and she says it feels like "a bunch of frat guys dared you to get up and sing Usher or something." Paula Abdul says he needs to work on his stage presence and "create some signature stabs with the band." Simon Cowell looks as perplexed as I am by that. He says, "It was a complete and utter mess. ... You came over as a wannabe. I didn't see any originality. ... It actually gave me a headache." Ryan gives him a chance to talk back, and that was probably not a good thing. He gets mouthy with Kara about how he wants to be an R&B artist and he disagrees with her. Special guest visitor, my mom, says, "It was boring, Anoop, and I like you." Word.
Megan Joy Corkrey plans to sing "Bob Marley/Lauryn Hill's 'Turn Your Lights Down Low.'" She says she's excited to sing something she absolutely looooooves. While this seems like it suits her voice better, it's just not working for me. I think she's out of her league. But it's way better than "Rockin' Robin"! Kara says, "I really like you, but I think you're in trouble. ... I want to hear Adele, 'Chasing Pavements' ... That part of your range was getting irritating." Paula says at this stage, she needs to "take us by surprise and dig deep to an area that might not be comfortable." Simon says the problem is that the song was boring, indulgent and monotonous and that everything they liked about her is disappearing. Randy says it was like watching paint dry, even though he loves the song. He calls out Amy Winehouse, Duffy, Adele as people whose songs she should be singing.
Danny Gokey is next. He's taking on "What Hurts the Most" by Rascal Flatts. It's clear he's chosen the song for the meaning of its lyrics, but he's having trouble vocally. He's uncharacteristically shrieky at times. Paula says she would hit repeat in her car. Simon says they weren't on the same page last week, but this, he believes was his best performance of the competition. Really? Randy says tonight's show starts right here. Kara says he moved everyone emotionally and that she had some goosebumps. (I believe Simon asks her, "Where?" Classy.) Guest mom is with the judges, so maybe I'm just out of sorts tonight?
Allison Iraheta is busting out the guitar for No Doubt's "Don't Speak," which she says she "grew up listening to." Oh, yes, she is so young. For the first part of the performance, she plays guitar and sings it quietly, and she rocks every second of it. The second part is a little rough, but still good. Randy says she got a little ahead of the beat and talks about the performance, "but, dude, what are you wearing?" Kara says the rock comes out of her no matter what's she's wearing, so she doesn't have to "put all that on yourself." She closes saying it was a good performance, but not her best. Paula is glad to see her guitar and that she has great vocal prowess. Simon says they can't ignore the outfit because it made her seem like a precocious daughter trying to dress and act like a rock star, which overpowered part of the performance. He adds that she shouted the song, but the other judges aren't with him on that.
Scott MacIntyre is going to sing Billy Joel's "Just the Way You Are." So I really think Scott is out of his league here, too, though he has some decent moments with the song. But overall, not fab. Kara says he made some smart decisions by picking that song, stripping it down and just singing it from an honest place. She also loves his look, including his big hair. Paula says she is most proud of Scott, "and it has nothing to do with your challenge." She says it was a risk without the orchestra, but it paid off. Simon says this was his best performance so far "by a country mile." Randy calls him one of the best of the night.
Matt Giraud is going to sing The Fray's "You Found Me," the most current song we've heard on Idol in a long time. He's on the keyboard off to the side surrounded (like really close) by audience members who, by the way, can't figure out which beat to clap on. He mixes the song up a little so note-wise it doesn't sound exactly like The Fray, but somehow, his enunciation sounds very, very similar to the original, which is a strange choice. Paula says she appreciates the contemporary choice, but he didn't riff or use his falsetto enough. She says it was a soundalike to the singer. (Hey, I agree with Paula for once.) Simon says he should be happy they don't like him this week since that usually means he's safe. He says it felt put on, especially "the gravel in your voice." He says he should have chosen a great song and done what he did best, it would have worked. Randy says it isn't "you. ... You aren't a rock kind of singer." Kara says he's going back and forth between the rock and R&B sides of pop, and they are confused about what kind of record he would make. That said, she says, he doesn't deserve to go home. Guest mom says she thought he sounded like the lead singer of The Fray, but he still sounded pretty good.
Lil Rounds says she had a hard time picking this week because she's gotten dinged over and over again on song choice. So she's going to sing Celine Dion's "I Surrender." WHAT? The judges want her to be like Mary J. or something, so I think they are going to slaughter her for this choice. The fact that she's off-pitch for part of the song doesn't really help. Big song, but not the right song. Randy says this wouldn't have been his choice for her, but he thinks she did well with it. Kara says she was surprised, too, that Lil was better than she expected when she heard the song choice. Paula says she doesn't want to see an adult contemporary Lil Rounds. Simon says this was her singing to stay in the competition with a safe song, too soft. Ryan asks one of Lil's daughters what she thought about Randy being mean, and she doesn't know what to say. Her other daughter volunteers to go over to him, and she gives him a giant hug. Awwww.
Adam Lambert is next with Wild Cherry's "Play That Funky Music," which he intends to make current. Hmm. OK. He slows it down some, including the first part of the chorus, and then goes back to regular speed for the rest of the chorus, and he brings back his shriek-rock vibe a few times (Note: Not a plus, as far as I'm concerned, regardless of how technically proficient he might be). The audience goes bananas. Paula says true genius shatters expectations and then she compares him to Mick Jagger and Steven Tyler. Simon says it got rid of some of the karaoke nonsense from earlier in the day. Randy says he was afraid it would be corny, but he is "definitely in the star zone." Adam thanks Ricky Minor and the band for the arrangement. Kara says she can't wait to see what he's going to next every week.
You know, without all that mentor footage, the show goes a lot faster. More than half an hour faster, even. I wish it was always an hour and 25 minutes. Sigh.
Kris Allen says he likes to make old songs current, and he's going to try to do that this week with "Ain't No Sunshine." He says he's trying to create "one of those moments." Also, he's playing piano instead of guitar this week, and he's accompanied by a string section. He does, I have to say, a great job with the song. We'll see what the judges say about his taking on an iconic song. Randy says he's loving him. Kara says she has three words for him: "That is artistry." Paula says he made a 30-year-old song sound new and it was his best performance so far. Simon says it was a good, clever arrangement and agrees it was his best.
By Sarah Kickler Kelber
Did keyshia cole mother die...NO
There is a bad rumor that Keyshia Cole’s mother died in a car accident. You know that’s not true.
About 4,000 people came out to see Gucci Maine in South Carolina
About 4,000 people came out to see Gucci Maine in South Carolina
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Valerie Bertinelli in a bikini? Trust us Work Safe
Hmm. I have to agree with the article, but at the same time it doesn't stop me from enjoying the view for a few minutes. I hope I can be that good looking at that age. Even if I have to airbrush it myself a little bit.
We want Valerie Bertinelli's People magazine airbrush artist! And her dietician and personal trainer, of course.
In the new issue of People, she details how she lost 50 pounds and got herself back in bikini shape at age 48.
She admits: "I can't believe I did it!"
Neither can we, honey.
Valerie looks about 18 in this photo. Eat your heart out, Eddie Van Halen.
Iliza Shlesinger, Winner of Last Comic Standing, On Howard Stern Show 3/25/09
Very rarely is a interview with Howard Stern dull. Especially when you have a comedian come on to the show. I watched the show last season and was going for her just because she was hot. Sure call me shallow, when you knew you were doing the same thing. If you were one of the ones who actually watch the show.
Iliza Shlesinger, the first female and also the youngest winner of the NBC show Last Comic Standing was on Howard Stern this morning. Although the interview was a little dull, it's nice to see Stern supporting up-and-coming comics.
Iliza Shlesinger was on the show to plug the Last Comic Standing Tour, which she's in the middle of right now. Schlesinger tried hard not to bash the other finalists on the show, but she did tell Stern that the three guys joining her on the tour refuse to talk to her. She says they're mad and resentful that she won the contest and the $250,000 prize money.
If you've never seen the show, Last Comic Standing is like American Idol for comics. A bunch of judges travel the country looking for the next break-out stand-up comedian. Once the herd is narrowed down to 12, the comics have to live together in a house and perform in front of live L.A. audiences. The audiences then get to vote to decide who's the funniest comic.
Howard tried hard to get some good gossip out of Iliza, but she really didn't have a whole lot to say. Although very pretty, she says she's a regular girl and doesn't dress-up or put on a show in an effort to get a guy. She says most guys avoid her because she's a sarcastic wise-ass and they're scared of becoming a part of her act. Hmmmm. Maybe she can't get a guy because off stage she's a big yawn fest?
Monday, March 23, 2009
Matt Lauer Has Accident with Deer
Where in the world was Matt Lauer on Monday? Not on the Today show, due to a weekend incident as he was riding his bicycle, according to his NBC cohort Meredith Vieira.
Lauer encountered a deer while he was on the road, said Vieria, who wasn't quite clear about whether or not Lauer and the animal smacked into one another. She seemed to doubt it.
Lauer, she informed viewers, "thinks the deer was hired by the competition." Not true, Vieira insisted. "I hired the deer, but I said, 'Just graze him.' "
– Stephen M. Silverman
Lauer encountered a deer while he was on the road, said Vieria, who wasn't quite clear about whether or not Lauer and the animal smacked into one another. She seemed to doubt it.
Lauer, she informed viewers, "thinks the deer was hired by the competition." Not true, Vieira insisted. "I hired the deer, but I said, 'Just graze him.' "
– Stephen M. Silverman
Friday, February 20, 2009
TMZ Says It Has Photo of Bruised, Battered Rihanna
A purported photo of Rihanna following her alleged assault, and a photo of the pop singer in 2007.
The LAPD launched an internal investigation Thursday into the release of a domestic violence photograph that appears to be pop singer Rihanna after she was allegedly attacked by Chris Brown earlier this month.
TMZ.com posted the photo of a battered woman's face late Thursday, saying the photo was indeed Rihanna, 20, whose real name is Robyn Fenty.
Rumors have been swirling for more than a week that her boyfriend, 19-year-old singer Chris Brown, had struck her during an argument that took place Feb. 8. The release of the photo comes just days after Brown said much of what has been reported of the incident is untrue.
In a statement, the LAPD said it takes "seriously its duty to maintain the confidentiality of victims of domestic violence.
"The department launched an immediate internal investigation and subsequently filed a personnel complaint. A violation of this type is considerd serious misconduct, with penalties up to and including termination."
Click here to see the photo at TMZ.
Jim Moret of "Inside Edition" told FOX News' Greta van Susteren that there's no way of telling whether the photo is legitimate, other than taking TMZ's word.
"A photo was released a few days ago and it was later revealed it was Photoshop-ed," Moret said.
TMZ told FOXNews.com Friday that is was against company policy to disclose how the photo was obtained.
Brown surrendered to Los Angeles police on Feb. 8 and was released on $50,000 bail after being booked for investigation of making a criminal threat, a felony. He has not been charged by the district attorney's office, which is still investigating the case.
His arrest reportedly stemmed from an argument with Rihanna, shortly after they left a pre-Grammy Awards party. Both were nominated for Grammys and were scheduled to appear at the Feb. 8 awards show but canceled at the last minute. Brown surrendered to authorities just as the show was getting under way.
According to police, Brown and an unidentified woman began arguing as they were traveling in a car shortly after the Feb. 7 party. The fight escalated after they got out of the car, and Brown had left by the time officers arrived.
"Words cannot begin to express how sorry and saddened I am over what transpired. I am seeking the counseling of my pastor, my mother and other loved ones and I am committed, with God's help, to emerging a better person," Brown said in a statement issued through publicist Michael Sitrick.
FOXNews.com's Allison McGevna contributed to this report.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Donald Trump bankruptcy
This is really nothing new. It is not the first time he has declared bankruptcy. This is supposed to be the 3rd time alone just for the casino group.
By Ryan Tate
Donald Trump's casino group is expected to file for bankruptcy, the Wall Street Journal said, less than two weeks before the new Celebrity Apprentice starts. This is among Trump's most embarrassing failures.
And that's saying a lot.
Trump is no stranger to bankruptcy. Tuesday's expected Chapter 11 filing will be the third time the casino group — just that one Trump division, among several — has gone bankrupt. But this time is especially humiliating because this is the same company that went bankrupt in November 2004, in the midst of the fourth season of The Apprentice, the reality show in which Trump "fires" people who don't meet his business standards of constant failure and mammoth debt accumulation.
It is also the same company that was purportedly turned around by the besuited loudmouth and his partners by 2005, near the height of the Apprentice juggernaut, when it victoriously emerged from bankruptcy, for the second time.
Then late last year the company put off paying interest on its bonds, and earlier this year missed a $53 million payment, according to the Journal. Trump claims he wants to fix everything and offered to buy the company, but the bondholders are expected to seek involuntary bankruptcy, so he and Ivanka resigned the board.
In response to the bankruptcy, fellow upward failer and NBC entertainment bigwig Ben Silverman, who did a "tremendous job" by signing Trump for a second Celebrity Apprentice season, is expected to go skiing, then ask Jay Leno to move his show to 9 pm.
By Ryan Tate
Donald Trump's casino group is expected to file for bankruptcy, the Wall Street Journal said, less than two weeks before the new Celebrity Apprentice starts. This is among Trump's most embarrassing failures.
And that's saying a lot.
Trump is no stranger to bankruptcy. Tuesday's expected Chapter 11 filing will be the third time the casino group — just that one Trump division, among several — has gone bankrupt. But this time is especially humiliating because this is the same company that went bankrupt in November 2004, in the midst of the fourth season of The Apprentice, the reality show in which Trump "fires" people who don't meet his business standards of constant failure and mammoth debt accumulation.
It is also the same company that was purportedly turned around by the besuited loudmouth and his partners by 2005, near the height of the Apprentice juggernaut, when it victoriously emerged from bankruptcy, for the second time.
Then late last year the company put off paying interest on its bonds, and earlier this year missed a $53 million payment, according to the Journal. Trump claims he wants to fix everything and offered to buy the company, but the bondholders are expected to seek involuntary bankruptcy, so he and Ivanka resigned the board.
In response to the bankruptcy, fellow upward failer and NBC entertainment bigwig Ben Silverman, who did a "tremendous job" by signing Trump for a second Celebrity Apprentice season, is expected to go skiing, then ask Jay Leno to move his show to 9 pm.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
American idol bikini girl Katrina Darrell
And I missed the episode too. Oh well at least I can look up pictures up on the internet like everyone else is this morning. I quit watching because it is the same old thing every year.
by Mitch Marconi
American idol bikini girl Katrina Darrell has become the latest viral hit of American idol season Number 8.
by Mitch Marconi
 |
Katrina Darrell wore as little as she was legally able to American Idol auditions in Phoenix, Arizona and it appears that the 20-year-old model from Chino Hills, California is on her way to Hollywood.
Darrell takes the stage and sings "Vision of Love" wearing high heels and a string bikini.
After judges Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell voted yes, new judge Kara DioGuardi put her foot down, sung a few bars herself to show how the song should have been handled.
Yet the sassy Darrell made it through to the next round.
Leading up to Tuesday night's premiere of "American Idol," the stage was set for big changes: co-creator Nigel Lithgoe was out, a new fourth judge was in, and producers promised fewer bad auditions and more "reality."
It ended up being the same old same old.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Elvis' Birthday Celebrated in Graceland and Around the World
Elvis B-day is here again. I expect their will be a lot of great movies on tonight if you have cable. They might even bring some to Basic if you are lucky. I am not as big of a fan of Elvis to go all the way to Graceland, but then again I wasn't around during Elvis time.
by Robert Dougherty
Elvis Presley fans celebrate the milestones of the King's life like clockwork. Graceland is fuller than usual on certain anniversaries, like last year when the 30th anniversary of Elvis's death was commemorated. Today, Elvis Presley fans celebrate a less morbid milestone, of the day when it all bega
Elvis Presley's birthday will be celebrated today by Elvis fans, many of which are in Graceland already. The 74th birthday celebration should be a mere prelude to the bigger milestone of his 75th birthday in 2010.
Nevertheless, Elvis birthday tributes will be taking place all over, especially in Graceland. Elvis's birthday has already been celebrated with a few days worth of events, with a few more to come the rest of the week.
For Elvis's actual birthday today, Graceland will have gospel tributes, Elvis-style renditions of Happy Birthday, a special ceremony hosted by Priscilla Presley, birthday toy beat scavenger hunts, and more.
The Elvis birthday tributes continue on at Graceland up to Sunday, January 11. Countless other Elvis fans will likely have their own tributes set up in the rest of the country.
The Elvis birthday bashes are taking place as the Elvis industry in general continues to thrive, even during the recession. Elvis continues to be the number 1 earner among dead celebrities, according to Forbes Magazine. Presley's song "If I Can Dream" will even be used as part of Barack Obama's inaugural ceremony.
Graceland continues to see a steady supply of tourists, with attendance only down in 2008 because 2007 was the anniversary year of Elvis's death. Graceland will undergo more developments and improvements in the years to come.
The anniversary of Elvis's birthday is more joyous to celebrate than his death, one would imagine. His first birthday on January 8, 1934 is when the whole Elvis phenomenon technically kicked off, after all.
The anniversary of his death, on August 16, is a bit more mournful, especially considering what Presley had become by then. But it may not be so sad for those who are in the "Elvis is still alive" camp.
Still, Elvis's birthday is another occasion to celebrate the King's life, especially when it was facing happier times.
Sources
Elvis.com- "The Elvis Presley Birthday Celebration" www.elvis.com/graceland/calendar/elvis_birthday.asp
UPI.com- "Elvis business good, despite economy"
by Robert Dougherty
Elvis Presley fans celebrate the milestones of the King's life like clockwork. Graceland is fuller than usual on certain anniversaries, like last year when the 30th anniversary of Elvis's death was commemorated. Today, Elvis Presley fans celebrate a less morbid milestone, of the day when it all bega
Elvis Presley's birthday will be celebrated today by Elvis fans, many of which are in Graceland already. The 74th birthday celebration should be a mere prelude to the bigger milestone of his 75th birthday in 2010.
Nevertheless, Elvis birthday tributes will be taking place all over, especially in Graceland. Elvis's birthday has already been celebrated with a few days worth of events, with a few more to come the rest of the week.
For Elvis's actual birthday today, Graceland will have gospel tributes, Elvis-style renditions of Happy Birthday, a special ceremony hosted by Priscilla Presley, birthday toy beat scavenger hunts, and more.
The Elvis birthday tributes continue on at Graceland up to Sunday, January 11. Countless other Elvis fans will likely have their own tributes set up in the rest of the country.
The Elvis birthday bashes are taking place as the Elvis industry in general continues to thrive, even during the recession. Elvis continues to be the number 1 earner among dead celebrities, according to Forbes Magazine. Presley's song "If I Can Dream" will even be used as part of Barack Obama's inaugural ceremony.
Graceland continues to see a steady supply of tourists, with attendance only down in 2008 because 2007 was the anniversary year of Elvis's death. Graceland will undergo more developments and improvements in the years to come.
The anniversary of Elvis's birthday is more joyous to celebrate than his death, one would imagine. His first birthday on January 8, 1934 is when the whole Elvis phenomenon technically kicked off, after all.
The anniversary of his death, on August 16, is a bit more mournful, especially considering what Presley had become by then. But it may not be so sad for those who are in the "Elvis is still alive" camp.
Still, Elvis's birthday is another occasion to celebrate the King's life, especially when it was facing happier times.
Sources
Elvis.com- "The Elvis Presley Birthday Celebration" www.elvis.com/graceland/calendar/elvis_birthday.asp
UPI.com- "Elvis business good, despite economy"
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Alyssa Milano to marry David Bugliari
Well there goes my chance to get with Alyssa. For now anyways we all know how celebrity marriages work.I am just biding my time now. Just kidding. Hopefully it lasts. Congrats to the happy couple.
Alyssa Milano's publicist says the U.S. television actress is engaged to marry Creative Artists Agency agent David Bugliari.
Alyssa Milano's publicist says the U.S. television actress is engaged to marry Creative Artists Agency agent David Bugliari.
The actress' representative told Usmagazine.com the couple got engaged Dec. 18 after dating for more than a year.
A wedding date hasn't been announced yet.
Milano is best known for her roles on the TV shows "Who's the Boss?" and "Charmed."
Craig Ferguson Married
I don't know much about Craig Ferguson myself, but this person does.
My favorite Scotsman turned American comedian has gotten married. Oh the heartbreak! See pictures of HER an a video below.
Craig Ferguson and Megan Wallace-Cunningham
Craig Ferguson announced on his show tonight that he married his long time girlfriend Megan Wallace-Cunningham. That, of course, begs the question of what she’ll be called. Is she now Megan Wallace-Cunningham-Ferguson? In the show tonight, Ferguson suggested they be called ‘Cragan’ as in ‘Brangelina’.
She’s an art dealer from Vermont and the two have apparently been dating since 2005. They got married at her parents farm in Vermont.
Seriously, Best Wishes.
Source: http://military.rightpundits.com/2009/01/06/craig-ferguson-married/
Monday, January 5, 2009
Are Holly Madison & Criss Angel getting Married?
Will there be a double wedding at the Playboy Mansion this summer?
Just three days after Girls Next Door star Kendra Wilkinson announced that she and Hank Baskett will get hitched at Hugh Hefner's famed estate on June 27, fellow costar Holly Madison was spotted looking at rings in Las Vegas with her Mindfreak boyfriend, Criss Angel
An eyewitness tells me Madison and Angel hit Berger & Son Fine Jewelers in the Fashion Show mall at about 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
"They were looking at one ring and Criss said, 'Would you marry me?' " our spy reports. "Holly didn't say anything. She just looked at him."
But then the couple saw that a crowd was beginning to form in front of the store, so they quickly took off.
"Criss handed the ring back to the sales guy and said, 'Thanks,' " the spy said.
Reps for Madison and Angel say we shouldn't go looking for their wedding registry just yet. "Criss bought Holly a ring for her birthday," Madison's rep said. "It's a flower ring."
Darn it! We were hoping to see Hef walking both Wilkinson and Madison down the aisle at the same time.
Meanwhile, I'm told Madison and Angel's families met for the first time last week when they celebrated Christmas together in Vegas.
Sam Shepard arrested for DUI
Another Celeb behind bars. This time for DUI. Ever notice how people are arrested early in the morning everytime? Shepard should of known better. Nothing good happens after 2 in the morning.
Sam Shepard was arrested for drunken driving in central Illinois early Saturday morning. The Pulitzer Prize-winning author, playwright and actor was pulled over for speeding and allegedly driving drunk on North Main Street in Normal, Ill., WMBD/WBYZZ reported. He had been at the bar Fat Jacks in downtown Bloomington before making his way back to his hotel. Shepard’s blood-alcohol level was reportedly twice the legal limit. He said he was passing through the Twin Cities while on his way home to Kentucky. Shepard posted bond and was released Sunday.
Sam Shepard was arrested for drunken driving in central Illinois early Saturday morning. The Pulitzer Prize-winning author, playwright and actor was pulled over for speeding and allegedly driving drunk on North Main Street in Normal, Ill., WMBD/WBYZZ reported. He had been at the bar Fat Jacks in downtown Bloomington before making his way back to his hotel. Shepard’s blood-alcohol level was reportedly twice the legal limit. He said he was passing through the Twin Cities while on his way home to Kentucky. Shepard posted bond and was released Sunday.
Friday, January 2, 2009
John Travolta's 16-year-old son "Jett Travolta" dies in Bahamas
You always hate to hear when something like this happens to anybody. Our condolences to the Travolta Family.
NASSAU, Bahamas - John Travolta's teenage son, Jett, died in the Bahamas after falling ill and hitting his head at his family's vacation home, police said Friday. A house caretaker found Jett, 16, unconscious in a bathroom late Friday morning. He was taken by ambulance to a Freeport hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to a statement from chief police superintendent Basil Rahming.
The teenager had last been seen going into the bathroom on Thursday and had a history of seizures, according to the statement. Police said they are planning an autopsy to determine the cause of death.
Another police spokeswoman, Loretta Mackey, said Jett apparently hit his head on the bathtub.
A spokeswoman for Rand Memorial Hospital in Freeport said she could not release any information because of privacy concerns.
Jett was the oldest child of Travolta and his wife, actress Kelly Preston, who also have an 8-year-old daughter. The family arrived on a private plane Tuesday and had been vacationing at their home in the Old Bahama Bay resort community.
"The Travolta family has become like family to us at Old Bahama Bay and we extend our deepest sympathies to them," said Robert Gidel, president of Ginn Resorts, the property's owner.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
