|
|
|
|
Sumner Redstone Sells Midway Games Sumner Redstone is now one step further from having to sell off Viacom or CBS now that he's sold Midway Games, one of the major holdings in his National Amusements group, to investor Mark Thomas. Combined with a potential sale of his 1,500-theater cinema chain, he might just make good on his $800 end-of-year payment due date. [WSJ] Read more posts by Chris Rovzar Filed Under: business, cbs, media, midway games, national amusements, sumner redstone, viacom, white men with money Source: Daily Intel | 1 Dec 2008 | 3:35 pm Travis Barker and DJ AM to reunite for performance (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 1 Dec 2008 | 3:32 pm Travis Barker and DJ AM to reunite for performance (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 1 Dec 2008 | 3:32 pm Travis Barker and DJ AM to reunite for performance
(Reuters)
Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 1 Dec 2008 | 3:23 pm Not Ready To Bloom - Radar Online
Source: Google News - Entertainment | 1 Dec 2008 | 3:17 pm CNN Will Crush the AP ‘Because They Can’ If it doesn't watch out, the AP might just vanish into the cleft. CNN's new wire service, stories from which have been running in some newspapers on a trial basis for the past month, will hard-sell itself to newspapers at a conference this weekend, and the AP, which is already under siege from newspapers cranky about how much it costs, is nervous. The Times overheard AP president Tom Curley talking about it in a conference call with employees, sounding like he was sweating the arrival of some kind of monster. "On the competitive side, CNN volunteered to be the first, but any number of people could have pulled the trigger," Mr. Curley told employees. "They’re coming off a very strong election cycle, they have extra money and they’re going to do it because they can."
"The current CNN wire, if you look at it truly is still, and remarkably, abysmally written," he said. "However, they’re interviewing A.P. people, we know, and that can be transformed. And if you have enough money and you have enough ego and enough desire, you can fix that in a hurry."
CNN Pitches a Cheaper Wire Service to Newspapers [NYT] Read more posts by Jessica Pressler Filed Under: CNN, ink-stained wretches, media, newspapers, television
(AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 1 Dec 2008 | 3:10 pm Tina Fey's husband talks about her facial scar (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 1 Dec 2008 | 3:10 pm Wal-Mart Employee Trampled to Death on Black Friday; Anna Wintour Accepts Award • It was a Black Friday indeed: A Long Island Wal-Mart employee was trampled to death by customers who broke through doors early in the morning. The Times calls it "a sign of consumer desperation amid a bleak economy." [NYT] • Anna Wintour traveled to Buckingham Palace last week to be appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire. "It's a great honour. Many of my American colleagues are not quite sure what it is," Wintour said. But we are! [British Vogue] • Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin shot Claudia Schiffer for the spring 2009 Yves Saint Laurent campaign in front of the Hollywood Y in the Hollywood Hills. [WWD] • Proenza Schouler designers Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough will guest-edit an issue of A Magazine, an avant-garde Belgium fashion publication. [WWD] • This week, Paul Smith's bespoke tailors return to New York for the second time ever. Have them make you a suit for just $5,000. [WWD] Read more posts by Kate Zimmerman Filed Under: advertising, anna wintour, bespoke, claudia schiffer, jack mccollough, lazaro hernandez, loose threads, models, paul smith, proenza schouler, wal mart, yves st. laurent Source: The Cut | 1 Dec 2008 | 3:10 pm Box Office Report: 'Four Christmases' jingles all the way to the bank - Entertainment Weekly
Source: Google News - Entertainment | 1 Dec 2008 | 2:52 pm Which Face Will Hillary Clinton Wear During Today’s Press Conference? The many masks of Hillary Clinton. In about an hour, Barack Obama will officially announce his national security team in a press conference. As expected, current Defense secretary Robert Gates will stay on, Eric Holder will be tapped as attorney general, and Arizona governor Janet Napolitano will be named director of Homeland Security. It's also been reported that Susan Rice will serve as United Nations ambassador and Marine general Jim Jones will be Obama's national security adviser. And, of course, Hillary Clinton will accept her secretary of State scepter. It's been such a long time coming that it's almost anticlimactic — yet we can't help but wonder which of her famous trademarked faces she'll be wearing during the conference. Will it be (clockwise from top): (A) The rarely revealed "Natural Happiness" Face or (F) The "YOU! I'll Take a Question from YOU!" Face? Obama to fill out national security team [CNN] Read more posts by Chris Rovzar Filed Under: eric holder, hillary clinton, janet napolitano, obama administration, politics, robert gates, susan rice Source: Daily Intel | 1 Dec 2008 | 2:48 pm Britney Spears: Looking for a Husband?
Sketchy Comedy [NYer] Read more posts by Lane Brown Filed Under: 30 rock, alec baldwin, nbc, new yorker, tina fey, tv Source: Vulture | 1 Dec 2008 | 2:45 pm Video: Karl Lagerfeld Gives Britney Spears German Bambi Award Aaaand we're back! If you, like us, are suffering a Britney hangover from MTV's Britney-thon last night in honor of the premiere of her new, eye-opening documentary, Britney: For the Record (was anyone else a tad disturbed when her dad called her footwear "hooker shoes"?), we have the perfect cure: more Britney! While you were stuffing your face full of turkey last Thursday, Germany was handing out its annual Bambi Awards. They're given in various media categories, like television and movies, and Britney Spears received one this year, presented by His German Fashion Holiness, Karl Lagerfeld. In a stately one-man procession, Karl marches up to the stage in a sequin-trimmed tux, cradling the golden Bambi statue like a newborn. He hands it to Britney and says, "[You are] coming back not only as a phoenix, but as a bird of paradise." Britney stands there with a gawky smile and an even more awkward circus outfit (rescue her, Karl), but at least she's got her sexy back. Click through to watch. Britney Spears Fan Karl Lagerfeld Stuns Meg Ryan at Awards Show [Defamer] Read more posts by Amy Odell Filed Under: bambi awards, best things ever, britney spears, karl lagerfeld, video But the detail we liked best came from the Daily News report this morning. Fellow Giant Brandon Jacobs told cops that Burress last night was already "laughing and grinning" about the incident. "I called him and made a few jokes about the situation and he laughed," Jacobs told reporters last night. "Which is what I wanted to hear." Because really, what's the point of becoming the butt of citywide jokes if you can't get some laughs yourself? Plaxico Burress jokes with teammates on eve of turning self in to cops [NYDN] Read more posts by Chris Rovzar Filed Under: clubs, crazytown, giants, guns, nfl, plaxico burress, sports, utter stupidity Source: Daily Intel | 1 Dec 2008 | 2:25 pm Jewels Loaned To Winona Ryder Disappear - TopNews
Source: Google News - Entertainment | 1 Dec 2008 | 2:23 pm Quantum of Diddy In case you've not yet seen it, Diddy's six-minute commercial for his new cologne (in which he rides a Jet Ski in a tuxedo) is also his unsolicited audition to be the next James Bond. He makes a compelling case! [YouTube] Read more posts by Lane Brown Filed Under: diddy, james bond Source: Vulture | 1 Dec 2008 | 2:15 pm Robert Rubin Digs Himself a Hole, Burrows Into It Last week's New York Times article, which blamed him for bringing down Citigroup and really the entire global economy, must have been difficult for Robert Rubin, who has spent the past twenty-odd years basking in the glow of economic hero worship, to take. And then Citigroup made it even worse, going so far out of their way to distance him from the egregiously bad decisions that led to their current state that he ended up just sounding like kind of a lame duck: "While Mr. Rubin is a member of the Board and plays an advisory and client service role at Citigroup, he was never an 'architect' nor was he a drafter of Citigroup's risk-taking plans," Citigroup vice-chairman Lewis Kaden wrote in a letter to the Times. And then there was CEO Vikram Pandit on Charlie Rose: "In the eleven months that I've been in this job as I worked with him, it's pretty clear that he doesn't drive the execution decisions." "It's pretty clear"? What is he, a painting on the wall?! Thanks a lot, Vikram. Clearly, Rubin's ego couldn't take it. Like a cocky serial killer on Law & Order: Criminal Intent, his determination to prove he was smarter than his investigators outweighed his common sense, and the former Treasury secretary decided to give two interviews, to The Wall Street Journal and Newsweek, to set things right. Naturally, they only made him look even guiltier. In both interviews, he refused to accept any responsibility for egging on the risk-taking that led to Citi's travails, claiming that as an emeritus board member he really didn't know anything about the day-to-day stuff that was going on. As he told the Journal: "The board can't run the risk book of a company," he said. "The board as a whole is not going to have a granular knowledge" of operations. And Newsweek: "Actually, I'm probably close to 20 years beyond which I had a granular knowledge [of financial details]." So, sure, even though he "knew what a CDO was," as he told the Journal, he wasn't expecting that anyone would actually, like, listen to him when he told the bank to grow their holdings of them or, furthermore, when he said "the only undervalued asset class in the world is risk." After all, he was just a doddering old man! And: "I wouldn't run a financial institution based on someone's view about what markets would do." Not that he wasn't worth the $115 million (excluding stock options) he took in from Citi in the past nine years: Mr. Rubin said his pay was justified and that there were higher-paying opportunities available to him. "I bet there's not a single year where I couldn't have gone somewhere else and made more," he said. Because after all, he was making some important decisions in the exact year that that company lost half its value. Or so he says when the Journal asks what he thought he'd accomplished, over that time period. "I think I've been a very constructive part of the Citigroup environment. That has become particularly manifest since August '07. I have been very involved." Oh God. This is so awkward, we actually closed our eyes. What was his strategy here? "I will begin by defending my salary, which I will later say was given to me for basically fly-fishing, then I will suddenly cop to being really involved during the worst possible moment in the bank's history"? Ugh. It's like when Angelina Jolie tried for ages to be like, "Brad and I only fell in love after he was divorced," and then let slip to Vogue about how they fell in love on the set of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, which they filmed when he was totally still married to Jennifer Aniston. Only all at once in the same interview. Anyway, Rubin should probably have consulted with Angelina before trying to work the press in his favor. She might have convinced him to avoid what will surely be pointed to as the "inflection point" of his fall from grace.
Read more posts by Jessica Pressler Filed Under: business, citigroup, finance, robert rubin, The Greatest Depression Source: Daily Intel | 1 Dec 2008 | 2:00 pm Steve Buscemi and Martin Scorsese to Hit Atlantic City, Possibly Save HBO "Pretty Boy" Buscemi: Steve Buscemi is in talks to star in Martin Scorsese's HBO pilot Boardwalk Empire. Written by Terrence Winter, the pilot is based on a book chronicling the origins of Atlantic City. Buscemi would play Nucky Johnson, a sly twenties businessman who runs a liquor-distribution ring during Prohibition. Kelly Macdonald is in talks to play Margaret, an Irish immigrant who married the wrong guy to get out of her parents' house. But it's the casting of the raspy-voiced, twenties-style-tracksuit-wearing, Atlantic City tourists that we're most looking forward to. [HR] Scorsese's Falcon: Scorsese is also set to direct a new movie called Falcon's Tale. Scorsese will work alongside Departed screenwriter William Monahan to tell the story of James Keene, a convict serving ten years to life on drug charges when the FBI offers him a chance at freedom. All he has to do is enter a high-security prison for the criminally insane and squeeze information out of a suspected serial killer awaiting retrial. Should be easy! [Production Weekly via /Film] Molders of Minds: The Fame remake's New York City High School of Performing Arts just picked up a slew of teachers, including Megan Mullally, Kelsey Grammer, Charles S. Dutton, and Bebe Neuwirth. Mullally will play a voice instructor, Grammer an orchestra conductor, Dutton an acting teacher, and Neuwirth a dance teacher. Given his grace on the stage, we were hoping Grammer would play the dance teacher. Alas. [HR] Rome Reborn: Mentalist director Bruno Heller is in talks to make a movie version of Rome, wrapping up the prematurely canceled HBO drama. The critically acclaimed show was axed before the second season even aired and HBO later admitted that destroying the lavish sets and releasing actors from their contracts was probably a bad idea. If this is anything like the resurrection of other prematurely canceled but critically lauded TV shows, we can expect Rome: The Movie to land in about 2020. [HR] Men Made of Straw: Production company Benderspink has nabbed the film rights to both The Straw Men, a crime thriller written by author Michael Marshall Smith, and its comic adaptation by Zenescope Comics head Joe Brusha. Story follows a detective brought out of retirement to solve a series of bizarre murders connected by a dark conspiracy. The book is the first in a trilogy, so expect this to be the first of some kind of Bond-on-Geritol franchise. Your grandma is pumped. [Variety] Hail Caesar: It's a big day for the newest edition of Planet of the Apes, which finally has a director, a writer, and a name. The name is Caesar, the rebellious ape from 1972's Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, and the writer-director is Scott Frank, the writer of such varied screenplays as Minority Report and Marley and Me. Not too much is known about the ape revival other than the fact that the film will do away with time travel in favor of presenting Caesar as a chimp whose mind has advanced due to experimentation. Oh, and there will be no big ape suits. The idea of dressing up chimps in human suits to play the people has not yet been ruled out, though. [Production Weekly via CHUD] Read more posts by Adam Raymond Filed Under: bebe neuwirth, benderspink, boardwalk empire, bruno heller, caesar, charles s. dutton, falcon's tale, fame, hbo, joe brusha, kelly macdonald, kelsey grammer, martin scorsese, megan mullally, michael marshall smith, planet of the apes, rome, scott frank, steve buscemi, terrence winter, the straw men, william monahan, zenescope comics Source: Vulture | 1 Dec 2008 | 2:00 pm Events and Sales: 40 Percent Off Alexander McQueen; 90 Percent Off DieselEVENTS SALES • The Deegie's Carma warehouse moving sale has men's and women's clothing, shoes, and accessories from French Connection, Diesel, Free People, and more for up to 90 percent off. Through 12/9. 212 W. 35th St., nr. Seventh Ave.; Mon.–Fri. (10–7), Sat.–Sun. (10–5). • Hansel from Basel's online holiday sale has all fall/winter 2008 socks and tights for 25 percent off. Use the code holiday08. Ongoing. • Rebecca Minkoff, Hayden-Harnett, Qi Cashmere, and Andrea Brueckner are among more than 60 designers featured at Gen Art's SHOP NYC, where current collections are up to 70 percent off for one night only. Purchase tickets ($15 to $40) online or call (212-255-7300). Metropolitan Pavilion. 125 W. 18th St., nr. Sixth Ave. (212-463-7131); 6–10. ENDING TODAY • For their first-ever sale, Eryn Brinié takes up to 40 percent off all coats, dresses, vests, blazers, denim, leggings, shoes, and accessories, making every item in the store under $150. Through 12/1. 501 Broadway, nr. Broome St. (212-308-6134); Fri.–Sat. (10–9), Sun. (11–7), Mon. (10–9). STARTING TOMORROW • Skinny, straight-leg, and flare jeans are $90, boot-cut jeans are $70 to $90, and one-of-a-kind samples are $50 at the James Jeans sample sale. Through 12/5. 500 Greenwich St., nr. Spring St., Ste. 202 (212-221-4603); Tues.–Thurs. (9–7), Fri. (9–2). • Oversize cashmere ruffle wraps are $150 (originally $330), striped crewnecks are $89 (originally $245), and cashmere toggle coats are $185 (originally $540) at Autumn Cashmere's sample sale, where all other men's and women's fall merchandise is 75 percent off. Through 12/12. 231 W. 39th St., nr. Seventh Ave., Ste. 924 (212-398-2244); 12/2–12/5 (9–7), 12/8–12/12 (9:30–6). ENDING TOMORROW Read more posts by Sharon Clott and Kate Zimmerman Filed Under: fashion calendar, sales, shopping Source: The Cut | 1 Dec 2008 | 2:00 pm De Niro bites the hand that feeds himHollywood producer Art Linson wrote a book about his experiences in Tinseltown. Robert De Niro thought it was hilarious. The film, "What Just Happened?", rips the film industry mercilessly.
(E! Online)
Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 1 Dec 2008 | 7:08 am "Reader" delves into complexities of postwar guilt
|
E! Online - Looking more like a stumblebum than a superstar, Twilight vampire Rob Pattinson strolls Melrose on the down-low in L.A.
Reuters - After 25 years apart, Cheech and Chong didn't have to worry that the humor they perfected, if not pioneered, would be stale.
| World : News Archives | Business | Entertainment | Sports | Technology | Science | Marketplace Audio |
| India : News | Business | Entertainment | Sports | Telugu | |
| Blogs : Humor pages | Norkay's Blog | Kids Stories | Indian Recipes | Database Tech Blog |
| Sundries : World Video Clips | Songs Clips | Indian Video Clips | |
