AP - Beyonce hugged Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg chatted up Jay-Z at a fundraising dinner honoring Gwyneth Paltrow and Courteney Cox at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel.
AP - Beyonce hugged Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg chatted up Jay-Z at a fundraising dinner honoring Gwyneth Paltrow and Courteney Cox at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel.
AP - Beyonce hugged Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg chatted up Jay-Z at a fundraising dinner honoring Gwyneth Paltrow and Courteney Cox at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel.
Last night on Letterman and a pre-taping of Larry King, US Airways Captain Chesley Sullenberger and First Officer Jeffrey Skiles relived, for the umpteenth time, their experience crash-landing Flight 1549. We learned two things from these appearances: One, that Skiles is kind of hilarious (see video), and two, he is willfully naïve about the threat of bird terrorists. Describing the moment the plane hit, Skiles explained to King, "It's my feeling that they were Canada geese just because they were all evenly spaced in line, like Canada geese fly." Obviously, the implication here was that this was an organized assault. King asked whether he felt he was "being attacked." "Well, I'm sure the birds didn't intend that," the first officer replied.
Oh, really, Jeff Skiles? Are you sure the bird attack was unintentional? Are you willing to bet the future of the unsuspecting human race on it? We didn't think so. Keep looking up, people — because the birds? They're always looking down.
"I laugh now because I always taught Michelle to step out of her comfort zone in life," Michelle Obama's mom tells André Leon Talley in the March issue of Vogue. "But I never thought she was going to step this far out of that zone." We, too, are a little surprised to see Michelle in Vogue. On the campaign trail, the new First Lady wore clothes by labels like H&M that everyday people could relate to — things we never see in Vogue. Yet here she is, the second First Lady to grace Vogue's cover, after Hillary Clinton. And unsurprisingly, the woman, who said being a fashion icon is "hard" and who always felt like a "tomboy jock at heart," looks awkward.
It would have been hard for Michelle to turn down the cover, since Anna Wintour did so much for the Obama campaign and, well, what woman wouldn't have difficulty turning down the opportunity? She looks gorgeous in that Jason Wu dress, but her expression says, "I'm not sure if I belong here."
That said, Michelle remains true to her own fashion sense in the spread inside the magazine, wearing a dress by Narciso Rodrigez and another outfit by J.Crew. And the story penned by Talley is delightful, if not for the Michelle Obama quotes, but Talley's own benign gloating.
I first met Mrs. Obama at an impromptu dinner at Oprah Winfrey's house in Santa Barbara, California, on the eve of the divine Ms. O's Legends Ball in 2005. I was seated between the then Senator Barack Obama's wife and Tina Turner. Do I remember what Michelle was wearing? Not at all. What I do remember was how informed she was on so many topics. And when she said she actually knew who I was, I was so flattered my jaw dropped.
Ah, that's the god ol' Vogue we know! Just when a salmon J.Crew cardigan makes us feel like we can, you know, relate, Talley takes us to an otherworldly scenario with Oprah and Tina Turner. But Michelle brings it back down to earth. Talley asked about the much-criticized black cardigan she wore on election night.
"I'm not going to pretend that I don't care about it," Mrs. Obama says of the criticism. "But I also have to be very practical. In the end, someone will always not like what you wear — people just have different tastes. Some will think that a sweater was horrible, [but] I was cold; I needed that sweater!"
I lived the American Dream in Grant Park that evening, too. That November night felt like spring, yes. But not balmy enough for a woman to martyr herself in a sleeveless cocktail frock!
Yes, don't forget! The fabulous Talley was there, too. You know where else he was? On the Obama Express from Philadelphia to D.C., but not with the press corps in the back. With Michelle's real friends in one of the front cars, where Michelle confabbed with him on her Zero + Maria Cornejo coat. This is Vogue, after all.
A black British comedian has alleged that Prince Harry made racist comments last year. The 24-year-old prince apologized last month for using a derogatory term to describe a fellow... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 11 Feb 2009 | 2:26 pm
The film academy is adding a "Project Runway" element to the Oscars this year by asking the public to vote on which dress the trophy presenter will wear. The academy tapped seven... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 11 Feb 2009 | 2:19 pm
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Brad Paisley leads all finalists for the Academy of Country Music Awards with six nominations. The finalists were announced in Nashville, Tenn., Wednesday morning ... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 11 Feb 2009 | 2:17 pm
Break the Cycle, the Nation's Leading Teen Dating Violence Prevention Organization, Identifies Warning Signs and Offers Advice LOS ANGELES, Feb. 11... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 11 Feb 2009 | 2:07 pm
AP - Brad Paisley leads all finalists for the Academy of Country Music Awards with six nominations. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 11 Feb 2009 | 2:03 pm
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Neutrogena(R), a worldwide leader in highly effective, dermatologist-recommended skincare and cosmetics, announced today that actress Emma... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 11 Feb 2009 | 2:02 pm
ST. LOUIS, Feb. 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. (Nasdaq: ISLE) announced today, pursuant to the terms of its previously announced cash tender... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 11 Feb 2009 | 2:01 pm
Sonsgtress wins 1st Grammy for 2009 Best Urban/Alternative Performance "Be Ok" featuring Will.i.am New album EPIPHANY out March 31st features writing... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 11 Feb 2009 | 2:01 pm
Somebody tell my boyfriend that if I can't get an adorable puppy soon, I may just cease to exist.
Does anybody else say, "Oh, HI" when they see cute dogs on the street, as though they've just run into a small child that they're worried won't remember them? That's what we do.
Sorry, we digress. Last night Stump, a 10-year-old Sussex spaniel, won the Westminster Dog Show at Madison Square Garden. He came out of retirement for the competition, and is the oldest dog to ever win Best in Show. According to his trainer, Stump had some victories on the show circuit a few years ago and then took a break — which "nearly killed him." "He got very sick," handler Scott Sommer said. After nineteen days of intense veterinary care, he pulled through and staged his historic comeback.
Also, he is just precious. Oh, hi Stump! Hi! Hello.
LONG ISLAND CITY, N.Y., Feb. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Steinway & Sons is proud to announce a special appearance of The 5 Browns -- classical music's hottest phenomenon -- at... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 11 Feb 2009 | 2:00 pm
NEW YORK, Feb. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Architectural Digest, the world's definitive design magazine, has chosen AD100 interior designer Stephen Shadley to create the signature... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 11 Feb 2009 | 2:00 pm
EVENTS
• Meet models Adriana Lima and Doutzen Kroes at Victoria's Secret's Valentine's Day event. Those who spend $60 are eligible for a personal Angel autograph. Victoria's Secret, 722 Lexington Ave., at 58th St. (212-230-1647); 6–8.
SALES STARTING TODAY
• Pear and Plum, two neighboring Lower East Side boutiques, are clearing out shoe inventory — flats and sandals are $25, heels are $35, and boots are $50. Ongoing. 124 Ludlow St., nr. Rivington St. (212-529-1030); M–S (1–8), Su (1–7).
• Men's and women's Dries Van Noten (a pleated-chiffon dress is $459), Martin Margiela (a men's duffle coat is $419), and Commes des Garçons (a men's tie-dyed shirt is $196) are up to 85 percent off at IF Boutique. Through 2/15. 94 Grand St., nr. Greene St. (212-334-4964); 11–7.
• Save up to 50 percent on Hanky Panky bralettes, bikinis, camis, and dresses. Through 2/13. 145 W. 18th St., nr. Seventh Ave; 10–8.
STARTING TOMORROW
• Brave the madness and hit the Barneys Warehouse Sale for 50 to 75 percent off Lanvin, Christian Louboutin, and Prada. Through 3/1. 255 W. 17th St., nr. Seventh Ave. (212-450-8400); 2/12 and 2/13 (8–9); through 3/1: M, T, W, Th, F (10–9), S, Su (10–7).
High School High Jinks:Adam Sandler is making all his friends do a movie with him: Along with the Sand-man, Chris Rock, Kevin James, Rob Schneider, and David Spade are all in negotiations for an untitled Columbia Pictures comedy. Sandler co-wrote the screenplay with Fred Wolf, a story about five high-school best friends reuniting 30 years later for a Fourth of July weekend. Our only question: Did Sandler lose Norm MacDonald's phone number? [Variety]
Woody Goes Back to Work:Woody Allen will begin shooting his next film in London this summer, right about when his latest project, Whatever Works, hits theaters. There is no information on the title or plot details, but we do have some actors: Josh Brolin and Anthony Hopkins will be part of an ensemble cast. Let us be the first to float the inevitable rumors of a steamy onscreen two-way. [Variety]
Welcome to Queensbridge:Nas is recording a new album with Damian Marley, with a spring release date targeted; the two have been recording in Los Angeles over the past few weeks. In other news, demand for marijuana has risen sharply in the Los Angeles region in the past few weeks. [Billboard]
Crime Pays:The Departed screenwriter William Monahan will direct an adaptation of career criminal Myles Connor’s upcoming memoir, The Art of the Heist; Connor was a rock musician and art connoisseur who moonlighted as a major art thief in Boston during the sixties and seventies. This already sounds more badass than Monahan’s first announced directing project, so please, don't cast Keira Knightley as Connors. [Variety]
Hilary Swank, Attorney at Law:Sam Rockwell has joined the cast of Betty Anne Waters, the true story of a single mom (Hilary Swank) whose brother (Rockwell) was convicted of a murder-robbery in 1983 and then spent the next decade earning a law degree and fighting the case. Ms. Swank, you might as well start looking into more shelf space now. [HR]
Snoop Does Late Night:Snoop Dogg will host Dogg After Dark, a variety show with celebrity interviews, sketch comedy, and musical performances, as part of his new multi-platform deal with MTV. And as we speak, Warren G is editing his resume to include “skills as late-night-talk-show bandleader.” Also, this sounds awesome. [Variety]
AP - Take "Good Morning America" and "Project Runway," add some Entertainment Weekly, and you've got the hosts of the red-carpet arrivals show at the Oscars.
"Sesame Street" may not be a real place, but tell that to some of the people Michael Davis met when researching and talking about his new book, "Street Gang." For two generations, the fictional block of brownstones inhabited by curious children, friendly adults and some odd-looking Muppets has helped shape childhood education.
(Reuters) Reuters - The world's largest concert promoter, Live Nation Inc, plans to buy Ticketmaster Entertainment Inc for about $400 million in stock, aiming to create a company with dominant holdings in concert promotion and ticket sales. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 11 Feb 2009 | 8:05 am
Reuters - Singer Annie Lennox is known for her sense of style but she steers clear of joining ranks with designers because she does not want to be owned by a fashion house.
Rihanna postponed a concert in Malaysia that was set for Friday night, according to the show's promoter, following reports that she was allegedly assaulted by boyfriend Chris Brown.
The Los Angeles District Attorney's Office asked police to do more investigative work before a decision is made on whether charges will be filed in the domestic violence case against singer Chris Brown, according to a spokeswoman for the DA.
Reuters - Charcoal gray, platinum and white gowns paired with diamonds dominated a preview of red carpet Oscar fashions on Tuesday, recalling the glamour and understated elegance of old Hollywood stars like Grace Kelly.
Reuters - Charcoal gray, platinum and white gowns paired with diamonds dominated a preview of red carpet Oscar fashions on Tuesday, recalling the glamour and understated elegance of old Hollywood stars like Grace Kelly.
The theatrics behind them, the 72 remaining American Idol hopefuls filed in one by one to sing what they hoped would not be their final solos for the discerning ears of Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell,...
(Reuters) Reuters - Set in the aftermath of the terrorist bombings on July 7, 2005, "London River" is the compelling drama of two parents in search of their missing children. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment Reviews | 11 Feb 2009 | 3:29 am
Front Page: Fallout still felt from writers' walkout -- One year later, the evidence is clear: The WGA strike crippled the film and TV biz at a time when the industry was already caught in the buzzsaw of a radically changing marketplace for Hollywood's wares.
Front Page: Film to start shooting in London this summer -- Woody Allen has set Josh Brolin and Anthony Hopkins to star in the film he wrote and will shoot in London this summer.
Front Page: James, Rock, Spade, Schneider in lineup -- Kevin James, Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider and David Spade are in negotiations to star in an untitled comedy for Columbia Pictures.
Earlier today, the Los Angeles District Attorney asked police detectives to dig up more evidence for their case against Chris Brown.
The police are getting cooperation from...
Turns out, Britney Spears' upcoming tour is a going to be a kid-friendly one after all.
Particularly for her kids.
A week after the pop star's premature...
Move over, Vanity Fair.
Madonna and Demi Moore are on their way of becoming the new queens of Oscar night.
I just got word that the two Hollywood sirens will, as they did last...
Which former Bachelor does Jason Mesnick most resemble? Which hit 1980s sitcom is arguably the most important show in cable—yes, cable—today? Which current hit sitcom is having a worse...
SOLD OUT: Promotional company Live Nation, Inc. plans to buy Ticketmaster for $400 million dollars in stock. Though that'll end up being closer to $750 million after the Convenience Charge. (Reuters)
McLEAVY: Katherine Heigl and T.R. Knight are both reportedly leaving Grey's Anatomy after this season. Next season will consist of McSteamy and McDreamy silently standing shirtless in front of the camera for 60 minutes, and their ratings will continue to climb. (Us Magazine)
TIGER WOOFS: A Scottish deerhound named "Tiger Woods" won the Hound Group at the Westminster Dog Show after a bloodhound named "Mickelson" completely choked. (L.A. Times)
LUSH LITTLE BABY: Salma Hayek breast-fed a child in Sierra Leone during a recent UNICEF visit, thus drowning it. (Scandalist)
DIE YOUNG: And speaking of babies, this one is really frickin' cool. (Videogum)
SELF-PROMOTION: Also, I'll be appearing on WDVE Pittsburgh this Wednesday morning at 9:20 to defend my "SI Swimsuit Issue Is Stupid" argument. If you're awake and near a computer tomorrow morning, you can stream it live on DVE.com (also useful for all your future Clarks-listening-to-needs!)
At first Marty Markowitz seemed to be doing what he does best: Talk. But there’s more than just wishful thinking to the Brooklyn borough president’s words, in yesterday’s Post, about using federal stimulus money to revive Atlantic Yards. According to a government source, representatives of Forest City Ratner — the developers of the massive, foundering Brooklyn basketball-and-skyscraper project — have been pushing the idea with Governor David Paterson’s office, trying to elbow to the front of the line before any of the roughly $17 billion in federal aid arrives.
Atlantic Yards has been on life support since late last year, stalled by the collapse of the credit markets as well as lawsuits contesting Ratner’s attempt to seize property through eminent domain. Frank Gehry’s design for the showpiece NBA arena has been undergoing revision in an attempt to reduce costs that have swelled to $1 billion. Preparatory construction work on the 22-acre site was halted in December. Meanwhile, Ratner’s team has returned repeatedly to the city and state asking for subsidies beyond the possible $1.5 billion in direct and indirect taxpayer money that went into the original deal. That effort seemed to be making little headway, however, with the recession forcing the mayor and governor to slash spending on everything from teachers to hospitals to cops.
But Ratner is nothing if not persistent, and he’s lined up a powerful group of political supporters for Atlantic Yards, including Mayor Bloomberg, Senator Chuck Schumer, and the project’s first elected cheerleader, Markowitz (new senator Kirsten Gillibrand hasn’t taken a position on Atlantic Yards yet). Other than Markowitz, they haven’t said whether they like the idea of using stimulus money to revive the project. And there is a long list of more worthy state projects — from the Second Avenue subway to the Cross-Harbor Freight Tunnel to high-speed upstate rail links — that would produce bigger public benefit from the stimulus bucks without bailing out a private real-estate developer.
The key player, however, may be a guy who is out of office but certainly not out of the game: Alfonse D’Amato. Over the years, Ratner has spent millions on a wide range of Albany and Washington lobbyists, none of whom are better connected than the former senator — especially now that D’Amato has recently emerged as one of Paterson’s biggest fund-raisers. If Atlantic Yards rises from its shallow grave, don’t be surprised to see D’Amato wielding one of the shovels.
Front Page: Studio stock tumbles to six-year low -- Fresh details of an abysmal third quarter sent Lionsgate's stock tumbling to a six-year low amid drastically lower forecasts for film revenue, profit margins and production spending.
Lady Gaga on her pantless look: "I just don't feel that it's all that sexy. It's weird. And uncomfortable. I look at photos of myself, and I look like such a tranny! It's amazing! I look like Grace Jones, androgynous, robo, future fashion queen. It's not what is sexy. It's graphic, and it's art. But that's what's funny: Well, yeah, I take my pants off, but does it matter if your pants are off if you've got eight-inch shoulder pads on, and a hood, and black lipstick and glasses with rocks on them? I don't know. That's sexy to me. But I don't really think anybody's d— is hard, looking at that. I think they're just confused, and maybe a little scared. It's more Manson to me than it is sexy." [PopWatch/EW]
Because until then, these ovaries are NOT HAVING IT. (The only problem being that clearly I would crush my own monkey child with my trademarked Of Mice & Men hands after I love it too hard.)
Anywho, here is the best 60 second thing you will see today: A bulldog babysitting (and sort of making out with?) a baby orangutan.
• Kate Hudson and Owen Wilson are said to be back together. Good luck, guys. [People]
• Sorry to ruin the March Vogue cover surprise, but it's going to be Michelle Obama....
According to Hollywood Elsewhere's Jeffrey Wells, who got a tip from a reader in attendance at an Abraham Lincoln–themed panel discussion yesterday, Steven Spielberg's long-gestating biopic on our most bearded president could be in theaters by December. Playwright Tony Kushner, who's writing the script, told a Harvard audience last night that "the decision will be made... next week," and, if green-lit, the movie will be "out by Christmas," just in time for Oscar consideration.
Kushner says the film will focus on a two-month time period, but will still include many of Lincoln's greatest hits (the abolition of slavery "is a big thing in the movie," he says). Chillingly, however: "The first draft covered four months and [was] 500 pages."
Using the old minute-per-page rule, even a screenplay half that length would still yield a four-hour running time. And everyone knows how much incontinent Academy members love four-hour movies about assassinated politicians.
We made the mistake of asking Salman Rushdie if he had any unfortunate Valentine’s Day stories last night at the Cinema Society screening of The International. “The Khomeini fatwah was pronounced on Valentine’s Day,” he explained patiently. “Twenty years ago. So that would be the worst.” Watch our Party Lines slideshow for more awkward moments with Naomi Watts and Clive Owen.
Hollywood studios are apparently getting all worked up over who can secure the film rights to the upcoming novel Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, in which author Seth Grahame-Smith finds a way to add a dash of Romero to the Jane Austen classic. To which we say, "Hurm." Wake us when The Mill on the Floss gets overrun with the undead, then we'll talk. [First Showing]
A fifth-grade teacher in Brooklyn has been fined by the city's Conflicts of Interest Board for using her position as a teacher to sell the parents of her students her own framed poems. Hasn't this lady ever heard of the 1/2/3 station on Seventh Avenue? That's where we sell our framed poems. [NYP]
Housing Works will open a new store in Tribeca this month — the eighth in their successful chain of secondhand stores — giving us another solid location to escape full-price splurges. The new space debuts on February 24 at 72 Warren Street (between West Broadway and Greenwich Street), which is perfect timing for post–Fashion Week bargain shopping. And, as always with Housing Works, sale profits go to funding New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS. [Housing Works]
Front Page: Radio titan, home of Stern, in debt $1 billion -- Sirius XM Radio has hired advisers to prepare for a possible bankruptcy filing, which could come in days.
HarperCollins is laying off staffers, the Toronto Metro is written by interns, and approximately 41,000 media jobs have been slashed since the start of the recession.
• Slate is launching a French version of its website. Mais ouiiii. [Politico]
• And, a "youth-focused" edition of French Vogue is reportedly in the works. Apparently today was a good day for media in Paris. [Cut]
• The Observer has stopped running Moira Hodgson’s restaurant reviews, the financing for which, she claims, has “been coming out of my pocket.”[GrubStreet]
• After being laid off from Portfolio.com and losing freelance gigs, Laura Rich, Sara Clemence, and Lynn Parramore have launched RecessionWire.com, a more positively spun news website about the recession (tagline: "Born to Die"). Clemence says she also bought DepressionWire.com, though she hopes she won’t have to use it. [NYT]
• The Toronto Metro has laid off all of its staff writers and “hired” unpaid interns to write the paper. Metro’s group publisher for English Canada, Bill McDonald, called the change “a small adjustment to our staff.” [FishbowlNY/Mediabistro]
• Approximately 41,000 media jobs have been slashed since the start of the recession, and nearly 31,200 of those jobs were at newspapers. [Ad Age]
• The Philadelphia Inquirer and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette are sharing content with one another. [Editor & Publisher]
• On The Daily Show, Walter Isaacson reiterated his idea for an “iTunes-esque” pay system for online newspapers, despite the fact that many others have argued against them. For his part, Jon Stewart’s preferred newspaper-rescue plan is to turn newsprint into narcotics. [FishbowlNY/Mediabistro]
• Cablevision, which bought Newsday from the Tribune Co. last July, has announced plans to write down its newspaper assets by nearly $450 million. [NYP]
• Hachette Filipacchi Media, which publishes Elle magazine, has dropped out of the Magazine Publishers of America as “a response to the recession” (the group has dues). [Ad Age]
Collins, the confused stepchild of HarperCollins, grandson and last avatar of the venerable publisher William Collins, and relic of a more optimistic time in America — the year 2004 — died today at the age of 4. The causes were multiple: neglect, mixed messages, gluttony, and an epidemic of stagnation that has decimated American book publishing.
The imprint (like its older half-sibling in the U.K.) entered the world as a humble “light reference” division, a member of a synergistic brood known as “Publishing+” — ex-HarperCollins CEO Jane Friedman's name for her “initiative to build a global consumer information publishing business." By 2006, Collins was a workhorse, putting out 400 books — dictionaries, self-help and wellness titles, and a couple of wonkier business tomes.
But a year later, Friedman snatched Steve Ross away from rival Random House (where he'd revitalized Crown), and the two promised to mold Collins into a more powerful, more energetic producer of general narrative nonfiction. It was a giddy two years: Jeff Jarvis’s What Would Google Do, Tilar J. Mazzeo’s The Widow Clicquot, a coming book by Gail Sheehy. But was it a successful two years? Did Sheehy merit over $500,000? Will the bloggers behind Fail and Petfinder earn out their six figures? Critics complained about overspending, and they were right. Collins is survived by William Morrow and Harper, who will divvy up the estate.
This season marks the 21st installment of Mary Ping’s experimental apparel-and-accessories label Slow and Steady Wins the Race, and the designer will be celebrating the occasion in style this Fashion Week. Ping creates a limited-edition apparel-and-accessories collection of between five and ten pieces for the brand several times a year (only 100 of each item are made), and the fall 2009 line is her seminal 21st. From February 13 through 20, she’s turning Soho design boutique Kiosk into the kind of kitschy, over-the-top birthday party that makes us nostalgic for childhood. The installation will feature a recurring circle theme, with 21 piñatas displayed on a spiral shelf and 21 silver, 36-inch Mylar balloons covering the ceiling. (Press invitations were printed on smaller versions of the reflective balloons.) Six of the papier-mâché piñatas were custom-made by Ping — in festive forms like a hot-air balloon, a shopping bag, a pyramid, and the number "21," pictured — and will be filled with different accessories and gifts symbolizing time, like watches and plant seeds. (Take one home for around $100.) Finally, our favorite part: 21 flowery birthday cakes will be scattered around the store from Fay Da Bakery in Chinatown, La Antioquena Bakery in Queens, and Carvel. The installation will be open to the public starting February 14, for those in need of a Fashion Week (okay, or Valentine’s Day) pick-me-up.
Last night, Bill O'Reilly was justly mocked on the Daily Show for a show he did lambasting paparazzi — "They're scum of the earth" — after which he indulged in the exact same tactics himself. In fact, he generally boasts about his abuse of unsuspecting media people and liberal celebrities. The example Stewart used to demonstrate his point was when O'Reilly had a producer accost the editor of the Columbia Journalism Review on a bus, over his use of a writer who once wrote for the Nation. (Which the Nation self-righteously, if a little meekly, points out isn't technically a crime.) The very next segment on O'Reilly's show that day concerned paparazzi abuse of Miley Cyrus. Oh, Jon Stewart had a field day with that.
After watching O'Reilly's hypocrisy on the stalkerazzi front, you'll be in the perfect mood to watch this clip of him mocking immortal White House reporter Helen Thomas for asking Obama a question about the Taliban in Pakistan last night. He compares her to the Wicked Witch of the West and — though he does an eerily accurate impression of said witch that might be funny in other circumstances — sort of cruelly urges the president to pour some water on her.
Oh, the Jonas Brothers' ears must have been ringing on Grammy night.
And it wasn't because of all that music at the Staples Center.
After the big awards show in...
Remember Richie Rich, the designer who used to create the now-defunct Heatherette line with Traver Rains? Yes, the one who loves glitter, roller skates everywhere, and is generally loud and delightful? Well he's back. We just got an invitation to see his Fashion Week show on Wednesday, February 18, at the Waldorf Astoria. "Blondes have more fun!" it boasts above the dress code, which — and this is the best part — reads "Dress/Attire: Sparkling." We're so excited we might just break out the body glitter now (yes, we carry that around). Last Fashion Week, Richie was supposed to stage a show for his Hot Topic collection. Neither show nor collection ever materialized, even after Aubrey O'Day told us she starred in the ad campaign and would walk in the show. Needless to say, we felt horribly teased. But just receiving a JPEG of the invitation has already partly quenched our thirst for the glitter and unicorns of Heatherette's heyday. May their reign shine on like a thousand disco balls.
Quick, name the actress with the biggest smile in Hollywood. Anne Hathaway, you say? For shame, people, you're supposed to say Julia Roberts! Actually, you're not really to blame if the name Julia Roberts isn't quite top-of-mind these days, because that's exactly the way she wanted things to go. Since taking home the Best Actress Oscar for her work in Erin Brockovich back on March 25, 2001, Julia Roberts has purposefully not taken on any leading-lady roles of that magnitude. She hasn't quite dropped out of the spotlight, exactly, it's just that she's devoted most of her time to being Julia Roberts, Mom, and not Julia Roberts, America's Sweetheart. However, with the release of Duplicity a little over a month from now, all that is going to change. Or, at least, she hopes it will.
For her comeback vehicle, Julia is starring alongside Clive Owen in the film, which was written and directed by Michael Clayton's Tony Gilroy. The work is described as a "romantic romp" by the New York Times, and Universal is hopeful that the actress who vacated her throne as Hollywood's biggest female movie star at the beginning of this decade can still be a big box-office draw. However, it won't exactly be an easy path to get there.
While the film's trailer seems to be playing decently enough to audiences (at least well enough to convince Universal to spend $3 million on a Super Bowl ad), every time we've seen it, we've always felt ourselves wishing that Clive Owen's role was instead being played by George Clooney. Additionally, the film opens up against newly hot comic forces Paul Rudd and Jason Segel in I Love You, Man and, in these Blart-ish times that we're living in, people seem to be gravitating more toward films that star everyday heroes, and shying away from big-movie-star productions. That said, expect Julia Roberts to be hitting the publicity trail hard over the next 40 days or so before the film opens. At that point, we'll definitely have a better sense of whether the Queen of the Nineties is still able to compete with the likes of Anne Hathaway and Katherine Heigl.
Front Page: Rookie dramas help win key demos -- Fox rolled to another primetime victory in key demos last week, as it has started to exhibit some strength beyond "American Idol."
The Waldorf Astoria Collection — the somewhat awkwardly named worldwide brand whose flagship is midtown’s hottest dignitary-entourage hangout — has announced it will be dropping the “equals” sign that said hotel has irksomely marred its official title with for over a century. (It was included to represent the fabled hallway that used to connect the original Waldorf and Astoria hotels.) They’ve in fact removed punctuation altogether: “Waldorf Astoria” it is. [Hotel Chatter via Curbed]
-- WATCH THE F***ING CARBS! Christ almighty...
-- You're not seriously gonna serve that cake to yourself? I wouldn't serve that to my f***ing dog. I wouldn't serve it to my neighbor's dog who always sh*ts on my lawn AND I've been looking for a way to kill the f*cker but this would be too f***ing cruel.
-- You could have f***ing KILLED SOMEONE with all those trans fats: YOURSELF. Christ...
-- You call this a healthy lifestyle? F***ing THROW IT AWAY. START OVER. I am NOT serving that lifestyle in my restaurant. My f***ing God...
-- F*** off. I know you bought my book and you're reading it now, but seriously, f*** you.
Two more pics of Gordon holding in his rage at his NY Borders book signing, after the jump:
"Who should I make this out to, 'Fat F*ck?' Oh, you said 'Karen?' Too late." "Thanks for having me -- hopefully my contempt for all you miserable little f***ers came across in my signatures!"
The Los Angeles District Attorney isn't quite ready to make Chris Brown face the music.
Prosecutors have requested further investigation into the singer's alleged assault of...
After Timothy Geithner laid out his highly anticipated plan for restoring the crippled financial system this morning, the Dow became violently ill and fell over 300 points. Not a great reception! The problem, as we pointed out earlier, is that investors were hoping for something a little more specific. And they weren't the only ones. Behold the mostly lukewarm reactions to Geithner's speech.
• Felix Salmon says Geithner's speech "was surprising only in its vagueness. It's been over 11 weeks since Obama's announcement, and this is the best that Geithner can come up with?" [Market Movers/Portfolio]
• Justin Fox thinks Geithner's message "was that, while he had no big plan to solve the financial crisis in one fell swoop, he intended to proceed with more clarity and transparency than his predecessor. Which shouldn't be too hard." [Curious Capitalist/Time]
• Robert Reich writes that Geithner had two goals this morning: to "raise public confidence in the whole idea of bailing out the banking system" and to "raise the confidence of capital markets sufficiently to get investors to buy the banks' toxic assets." Geithner's vagueness was understandable, but it "works against him in terms of both objectives." [Talking Points Memo]
• Josh Marshall calls it a "punt." "Perhaps they realized that the situation is too fluid and uncertain to come out with a definitive plan that brings us to the post–Economic Crisis promised land." [Talking Points Memo]
• Tom Petruno notes that Geithner "didn’t go much beyond the basic concept that had already leaked out over the weekend." [Money & Co./LAT]
• Megan McArdle "expected a little more than telling us that he wanted to spend a lot of money to help banks clean up their balance sheets. We knew that much already." [Atlantic]
• Joe Weisenthal draws parallels between the market's reaction to Geithner's speech and the panic spurred in November by the government's response to the Lehman collapse. [Clusterstock]
• Floyd Norris goes the complete other way, claiming that "Geithner hit all the right notes in his speech on the new bailout plan today," and that it's "clear that he and his colleagues have given a lot of thought to what failed to work last year, and learned from the experience." [NYT]
The Lonely Island, a hip-hop parody group made up of Andy Samberg and his childhood friends (and SNL writers) Jorma Taccone and Akiva Schaffer, had been making rap send-ups like this for years before “Lazy Sunday” hit. Which means today's release of Incredibad — the group's debut, a collection of old songs, SNL Digital Shorts, and new tracks recorded this summer while they were living together in Encino, California — has been a long time coming. The trio spoke with Vulture about respecting the music and living with credit-card debt.
Hey guys. Samberg and Taccone: Whoo! Amoooos! Yeah.
You guys are big hip-hop fans. Does any of your work stem from a desire to be legitimate hip-hop artists? All three: No. No. No. Samberg: Not in any way. Taccone: We were always making little joke hip-hop songs. I think I made my first in like sixth grade. I was in a band called Strike Three with a kid named Winston Ross. I never told you guys about that.
How did the group start? Samberg: We all moved to L.A. in 2000. We started off doing temp jobs, graveyard shifts, assistant jobs, that kind of stuff. And just kept shooting music videos on our downtime. Schaffer: For the first year, we all lived together. And after that, Andy and I lived in the same place. When we’d get home after work, we could get together and write. Samberg: After three or four years, we actually started getting paid to do some work, and then we got some pilots, and then we were able to quit our jobs. Schaffer: Well, we started SNL with $15,000 in credit-card debt. It wasn't like we were hitting it big. Taccone: No, no. We were barely keeping afloat. We were constantly doing six months of working, then, like, as many months as we could of unemployment.
Who are your influences? Schaffer: We're definitely huge fans of Weird Al, Tenacious D, and Flight of the Conchords. Taccone: I think the one thing that we tried hard to do is not make fun of the genre that we're in. We’re just trying to use the medium to make jokes.
Are you bigger music geeks or comedy geeks? Samberg: We're pretty huge geeks of both. The comedy comes first, but I spend all my free time listening to new music and looking for more music and that kind of stuff.
Do you have early fans that accuse you of selling out? Taccone: Luckily, we're not that famous. But even the second thing we made, "Regarding Ardy," I think people accused us of selling out. Because it was a little less weird, possibly? Even though it was still insanely weird. Schaffer: As soon as you make that second thing of anything, there are gonna be people who are nostalgic for the first thing. Then you make a third thing, and then ten things, and then the next ten things, they go, "Oh, the first ten things were better." No matter what. Taccone: God, what were we supposedly selling out to when we were making no money? Samberg: I tell you when the best time to sell out is, and it's during a recession. Schaffer: Well, it's never a bad time to just sell it all out. What are we standing for?
Tomorrow, a number of Wall Street's top CEOs will head down to Washington and testify in front of Barney Frank's Financial Services Committee about the cause of the recession. They're not looking forward to it. Per Charlie Gasparino's column on the Daily Beast: "Back in New York — where Citigroup CEO Vikram Pandit, Morgan Stanley CEO John Mack, Lloyd Blankfein of Goldman Sachs, and JP Morgan's Jamie Dimon all work — the hearings have been described much differently. 'This is a lynching,' said a publicist for one of the big Wall Street firms, who's dreading this appearance. Another flack called the hearing 'theater of the absurd.' A third called it 'an inquisition.' And still another called it a 'public anal exam.'" [Daily Beast]
MAKEUP
• Over a year ago, 61 percent of 33 brand-name lipsticks tested were found to contain lead. Twelve months later, the FDA still has not released the results of its own independent lead tests. A health concern in any quantity, lead is a neurotoxin particularly dangerous to pregnant women. [UPI]
• Artist Willard Wigan created lipstick sculptures in the shapes of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie that will be auctioned off to raise money for a breast-cancer campaign. So if you apply the lipstick, it'll be just like kissing Brad. [Grazia]
• L'Oréal has stopped shipping supplies of its cosmetics to leading Russian retailer L'Etoile, since they've been late making payments in the credit crunch. [WSJ]
PLASTIC SURGERY
• Sharon Osbourne: "My breasts, my face, liposuction, a tummy tuck, a leg-lift. I've had everything you can think of except for my eyes and lips. I wouldn't touch them." [NYP]
HAIR
• NBC says beards are back. We blame The City. [MSNBC via Jezebel]
Dakota Fanning, AnnaLynne McCord, Lucy Hale and Vanessa Hudgens aren't the only people jostling for roles in the next installment of the Twilight series.
Fans of the vampire love...
AP - "The International" is equal parts globe-trotting thriller and architecture porn, as perfectly crystallized by its mind-blowing central set piece: a seemingly endless shootout at the Guggenheim Museum.
On their new single, "Love, etc.," which will appear on their tenth studio record, yes, the Pet Shop Boys have good news for everyone in these tough economic times: "You don't have to live a life of power and wealth" to be happy — "you need love"! Tennant and Lowe make it sound like it matters, with their usual tapestry of smooth synths and urbane vocals. But before you think they've completely shed the more immediate pleasures of club culture by singing "you don't have to be beautiful," they playfully hedge their bets by adding "... but it helps." Indeed, a little "etc." never hurts.
AP - "Intelligence and How to Get It" (W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. 416 pages. $27.95), by Richard E. Nisbett: Your baby might not be the next Mozart or Michael Jordan, but there's no reason why the little one can't grow up to be the next Einstein.
Just one day after Wrigley decided to cancel their Chris Brown Doublemint commercial, the Milk Mustache Campaign has also decided to pull its Chris Brown milk posters, and with good reason -- we probably shouldn't be teaching kids to drink milk by using pictures of a domestic-abusey Charlie Chaplin-type character:
The ads seemed innocent enough last month, but now I can't look at this picture without imagining a rejected episode of Today's Special where the dancing mannequin flies off the handle on his female companion. Maybe that's just me. Source: Best Week Ever | 10 Feb 2009 | 8:45 pm
Lorenzo rocks the Vuitton Stephen Sprouse scarf. It's too much.
Valentine’s Day may be on Saturday, but love's not currently a top priority for fashion designers putting the final touches on their fall 2009 collections. That’s why Marc Jacobs did not accompany his boyfriend, Lorenzo Martone, to the Cinema Society premiere of The International last night. “I get to have some movie time at night, and he has to work," Martone told us. We pressed for details on Jacobs’s level of crazy in the days leading up to his show, but ever the gentleman, Martone simply said, “Everyone has to put a lot of effort at this time to make something beautiful.” Aw. Jacobs and Martone began their relationship in March, so Saturday is their first Valentine’s Day as a couple. “Valentine’s Day is two days before his show, it has to be very quiet, but I’m still planning a little surprise,” Martone confided.
But Martone doesn't wait for Hallmark holidays to make grand romantic gestures. “During the last Vuitton show in Paris, I didn’t tell him I was going to go — I just showed up in Paris in his office with flowers as a surprise the day before the show,” Martone said softly in his Brazilian accent. Stop. “He was totally, totally surprised. It was really, really good to see his reaction, and I don’t know — we are so in love that it was really gorgeous to see his eyes.” Are you dying? Lorenzo says Marc has a romantic side as well, occasionally surprising him with little gifts or unexpected flowers. “He’s a very good boyfriend.” Maybe Valentine's Day is okay, after all.
New Yorkers are being urged not to panic today as a Sherman tank rolls past barbed-wire fencing, sandbag walls, and army guys with guns stationed outside of the Brooklyn Museum. Apparently the terrifying makeshift battlefield is just a set for NBC's upcoming Kings, and Brooklynites should not expect any actual firefights (though traffic was closed on Eastern Parkway for a few hours). As you may recall, Kings was NBC's only new mid-season show that the network neglected to advertise during the Super Bowl, prompting worry that they might not know how to market it. So it's certainly nice to see that they've cleared that up. More scary wartime imagery, plus an apologetic flier, after the jump!
Finally, it's confirmed: Michelle Obama is Vogue's March cover lady, only the second First Lady to grace the cover, after Hillary Clinton. The cover and images from the spread haven't leaked, but Michelle wears Jason Wu on the cover. The Washington Post reports:
In the cover photo, taken by Annie Leibovitz, Obama is leaning on a soft beige sofa at the Hay Adams Hotel, where the first family stayed days before the historic inauguration. Obama is wearing a magenta dress by designer Jason Wu, who designed her inaugural ball gown. Her hand rests under her chin. Her left hand folded beneath her. She is wearing a diamond that you do not often see her wearing in recent appearances.
Behind her, light streams in between curtains. It is the pose of the odalisque.
So he designed her inaugural gown and her Vogue cover gown. The man is on fire. Inside the magazine, Michelle wears a black dress by Narciso Rodriguez, who designed her controversial red-and-black Election Night dress. In that shot, she holds a phone up to her ear and appears to be on hold or listening, but not talking.
And there are those things, all too easily glossed over in fashion magazines, called words to go with the photographs. André Leon Talley penned the article about Michelle, who discusses, among other things, the challenges she faces as a mother in the White House. The Washington Post's DeNeen L. Brown notes the cover's cultural significance:
Even if you take race off the table, there is an awe of how this new administration can bring energy to the conversation around how beauty can intersect with power. And how power can be beauty. And how a black woman from the South Side of Chicago and with curves can become a symbol of beauty.
Amen. And we thought Fashion Week was the most exciting part of this week. This is all too much.
As a former male teenager, I can reminisce with specific, glowing detail about the importance of growing up with HBO, Cinemax, and even MTV in a pre-high-speed internet era. I can recall sitting through 40-minute "HBO News" segments at 3:00 in the morning just to see if the upcoming provocatively-titled Eric Roberts movie at least contained "Brief Nudity". I can recall barely-ironic arguments with high school peers about the merits of Mariah Carey's "Honey" video vs. Madonna's "Take A Bow" video, or about which female classmate we'd draft first in a real-life Fantasy League, or about whether Emma Frost was hotter than Rogue (she was and still is, obviously). If a thing had boobs, even if it was two-dimensional or fictional or was only visible for a billionth of a second and scrambled, it was a worthy topic of conversation.
That being said -- I have never given even the slightest sh*t about the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
I've spent many hours of my priority-lacking life reconciling the psychology behind that first paragraph versus the second one, wondering how even in my darkest hour of pubescent sub-humanity, I really couldn't care less about a book featuring the most beautiful women in the world wearing less and less nipple-guarding each year. After racking both my brains, I've come up with the following four reasons for my annual teenage apathy towards the famed SI Swimsuit Issue:
Reason #1: Guaranteed Non-NuditySure, this Cinemax movie Illicit Passions of Deception may have just said "Adult Content, Adult Language, and Mild Violence" at the beginning, but who really knows what they're gonna show? Maybe the Cinemax rater was really behind that day, watched five minutes of the thing, slapped together the content-abbreviations real fast, and never realized that it's actually a treasure-trove of softcore adolescent gold. The SI Swimsuit Issue, by contrast, will NEVER contain nudity, ever. No matter how close they cut it on the nipple cover-up, be it with paint, perspective, or mint dental floss, that nipple will always be covered, period.
Reason #2: No Pursuit
Half the fun (or, closer to like 10% of the fun, but at least some of the fun) of the aforementioned teenage pursuits is the act of pursuing itself; staying up late and secretly leaving the tv on or just scouring channels to find new provocative material is exciting, unpredictable, and purposeful. Opening magazine pages to see the same airbrushed-as-hell pictures of the same six selfconsciously smiley models isn't fun for anyone who appreciates the spirit of adventure. (Am I sounding really bitter about this subject yet? Cause I'm trying to.)
Reason #3: Too Mainstream
Please -- like rebellious ultra-cool sixteen-year-old Me (completely true description) needed to be told what to find attractive. I wasn't gonna let THE MAN shill me into his mainstream, bullsh*t corporate sellout magazine of hot chicks, I was gonna go out of my way to find my own pictures and videos of hot nakeder chicks and march to the beat of my own drum (or more accurately, beat to the...never mind). Because we were "supposed" to find the SI Swimsuit Issue hot, we didn't, and by totally ignoring it, I was fightin' the powers that be. Also, I listened to Rush a lot.
Reasons #4 through Infinite: The Internet Now Exists
And yet, the Swimsuit Issue continues to be printed every year. Kind of adorable, in that "my grandmother still sends me actual letters sometimes" way.
So, the question to all you former teenagers -- has anyone ever truly cared about the SI Swimsuit Issue? Please leave all For and Against arguments in the comments. (and please, let's keep any stories to double-X-rated and cleaner). Source: Best Week Ever | 10 Feb 2009 | 7:50 pm
Grey's Anatomy star James Pickens Jr. has apparently told Us Weekly that Katherine Heigl — whose character, Dr. Izzie, is currently suffering from a brain-tumor-esque ailment — is definitely leaving the show ("Yes, she is," he says). Additionally, T.R. Knight, also rumored to be angling for an exit, is out, too ("He just wanted to pursue other career paths," says Pickens). According to EW's Michael Ausiello's sources, Pickens "jumped the gun," and ABC has not yet let Heigl and Knight out of their contracts, but "it's a safe bet that Katherine and T.R. won't be returning as series regulars next season." Also, Pickens probably shouldn't be too surprised when his character, Dr. Webber, starts getting headaches.
Live Nation Inc. and Ticketmaster Entertainment Inc. announced plans to merge Tuesday, combining the nation's biggest concert promoter with the largest seller of tickets for live entertainment.
Victor Willis, the Village People's original cop, main songwriter, and only member licensed to carry a concealed firearm, is suing a touring version of the group for using his voice and likeness (which we guess would be that of a dude in sunglasses and a police officer's uniform). [ArtsBeat/NYT]
Hens packed in cages at a chicken farm. Described as a "civilised horror movie" by film industry bible Variety, Robert Kenner's "Food Inc.," currently shown at the Berlin Film Festival, is a no-holds-barred... Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 10 Feb 2009 | 7:15 pm
If you thought you had it bad while watching sex ed films in the 6th grade (some of which were reminiscent of the famous cartoon porn seen in the child molester episode of Diff'rent Strokes), then you should thank the penis-and-vagina heavens that you weren't a teenager 70 years ago. The British Film Institute has released a 2 DVD set of sex education videos featuring sex ed videos from the past 100 years... the hits you love such as the classic sexual thriller from 1917 Whatever A Man Soweth; 1945's Six Little Jungle Boys, the tale of six men who go off to war, but one who is tempted by the sensual pleasures of the East… (pause to Netflix)... and who could forget 1973's thrilling "put this thing in that thing" instructional video Don't Be Like Brenda! (Tagline: She's got the Grocer's Itch.)
The Daily Mailpoints us towards this clip from 1932's The Mystery Of Marriage, which manages to take something as fun and exciting as sexual intercourse and turn it into the driest, lust-free plan that God has ever concocted (after gastric-bypass). Because the last thing anyone wants to see in a video about S-E-X is a preying mantis slicking down his bug hairs with his bug hands while a spider sheds an extra layer of skin. However, one thing about this clip has remained true throughout time: Beer seemed to be the beverage of choice for slutty girls back then too. Huzzah!
We here at BWE.tv would prefer to look at the bright side. Let us be thankful that the following sex education movie wasn't responsible for the ENTIRE EXTINCTION OF MAN. Because the last thing you'll want to do after watching it will be to put your p in a v, or v on a p, or any other such combination of those two or more letters.
BEWARE: THIS IS THE ANTI-PORN.
British actor Rupert Friend and US actress Michelle Pfeiffer at a photocall for "Cheri" on February 10, 2009. The festival pays homage this week to its host city with a series of documentaries showcasing... Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 10 Feb 2009 | 7:02 pm
Joan Rivers' visits to The View are always fun and content-questionable, but she absolutely outdid herself today, broaching every topic from her 'Amelia Earhart' G-spot to Bea Arthur's bowels. It fills me with tremendous, sadistic joy to imagine The View's target audience sitting and watching this clip at 11:00 in the morning:
Front Page: Guild deal already faces opposition -- The Screen Actors Guild and the congloms will resume feature-primetime contract talks Feb. 17 — but with president Alan Rosenberg’s lawsuit threatening to derail any deal.
Fashion Wire Daily - When Clive Owen and Naomi Watts signed on to make "The International," they never imagined that at the New York premiere on Monday night they would find themselves with the most up-to-the minute film of 2009. But the thriller all about international banking intrigue is just that, as Owen marveled earlier during the press junket for the movie.
Front Page: D.C. theater picks up 39 nominations -- The 25th anniversary of D.C.'s Helen Hayes Awards looks to be bountiful for the Signature Theater in Arlington, Va., as its musical-laden sked picked up 39 nominations and dominated many categories.
We've considered ourselves "Grobanites" ever since meeting Josh Groban at 2007's Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, where the true glow of the evening came from Groban's effortless charm. (Seriously, he was sort of the best.) And while we knew the guy had some serious pipes, we never realized just how low his pipes go... as in, they are attached to his perineum.
During an appearance on Ellen yesterday, the twosome performed a moving duet of the Bonnie Tyler classic "Total Eclipse of the Heart". Their version is actually not so bad! It's both beautifully harmonized and, yet, passionate? It also features Ellen's dead-on impression of The Dan Band.
So that settles it!! Josh Groban has huge balls. Thanks for playing. Source: Best Week Ever | 10 Feb 2009 | 5:38 pm
On Academy Awards night, the biggest speculation is still about whose name is in the envelope. But the most-asked question has become, "Who are you wearing?" The right gown can propel not only an actress to new heights of stardom, but her designer as well.
Across the street from a neatly tended cemetery on the island of Oahu, there is a gated lot where the past, present, and future of "Lost" all come together. The Others' submarine, Henry Gale's hot-air balloon, Locke's outrigger -- all beached on the grass like so many Black Rock shipwrecks.
Nas told Billboard last week he was cooking up a few surprises, and now we know one of them: an as-yet-untitled collaboration with reggae star Damian Marley. The pair has been recording quietly in Los Angeles for the last several weeks.
AP - "Eve: A Novel of the First Woman" (Delacorte Press, 421 pages, $24), by Elissa Elliott: Tossed from the Garden of Eden for a seemingly insignificant act eating a piece of fruit Eve is adrift. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment Reviews | 10 Feb 2009 | 4:13 pm
Hollywood actor Will Smith, seen here in January 2009, has signed a deal with Dany Boon to make the English-language adaptation of the French smash comedy hit. Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 10 Feb 2009 | 3:46 pm
French actor Dany Boon in December 2008. The director and star actor of France's most successful film ever "Bienvenue Chez Les Ch'tis" said Tuesday he would boycott the Cesar ceremony after his film was... Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 10 Feb 2009 | 3:46 pm
Heaven And Hell, the band featuring the post-Ozzy Osbourne members of Black Sabbath, will release its first album under that name, "The Devil You Know," April 28 on Rhino.
Even as her sophomore album "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" continues its gold-certified run with its third top 20 country single, "More Like Her," Miranda Lambert is busy finishing her next release, which is due out in September.
Rihanna has postponed a concert in Malaysia this week, following reports that she accused her longtime boyfriend Chris Brown of assault. Her representatives informed Malaysia's Pineapple Concerts that the Feb. 13 show would have to be rescheduled to an unspecified date.
AP - Every gamer knows the names of the heavy hitters in electronic entertainment: Electronic Arts, Activision, Ubisoft and the rest. They're the companies that can spend big bucks on state-of-the-art production, expensive licenses and elaborate promotional campaigns.
The theatrics behind them, the 72 remaining American Idol hopefuls filed in one by one to sing what they hoped would not be their final solos for the discerning ears of Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell,...
Earlier today, the Los Angeles District Attorney asked police detectives to dig up more evidence for their case against Chris Brown.
The police are getting cooperation from...
Turns out, Britney Spears' upcoming tour is a going to be a kid-friendly one after all.
Particularly for her kids.
A week after the pop star's premature...
Move over, Vanity Fair.
Madonna and Demi Moore are on their way of becoming the new queens of Oscar night.
I just got word that the two Hollywood sirens will, as they did last...
Which former Bachelor does Jason Mesnick most resemble? Which hit 1980s sitcom is arguably the most important show in cable—yes, cable—today? Which current hit sitcom is having a worse...
• Kate Hudson and Owen Wilson are said to be back together. Good luck, guys. [People]
• Sorry to ruin the March Vogue cover surprise, but it's going to be Michelle Obama....
Oh, the Jonas Brothers' ears must have been ringing on Grammy night.
And it wasn't because of all that music at the Staples Center.
After the big awards show in...
"Thanks for having me -- hopefully my contempt for all you miserable little f***ers came across in my signatures!"
A rap sheet doesn't do a body good—particularly Chris Brown.
The folks behind the popular "Got Milk?" spots have announced they're dropping the R&B...
Dakota Fanning, AnnaLynne McCord, Lucy Hale and Vanessa Hudgens aren't the only people jostling for roles in the next installment of the Twilight series.
Fans of the vampire love...
As a former male teenager, I can reminisce with specific, glowing detail about the importance of growing up with HBO, Cinemax, and even MTV in a pre-high-speed internet era. I can recall sitting through 40-minute "HBO News" segments at 3:00 in the morning just to see if the upcoming provocatively-titled Eric Roberts movie at least contained "Brief Nudity". I can recall barely-ironic arguments with high school peers about the merits of Mariah Carey's "Honey" video vs. Madonna's "Take A Bow" video, or about which female classmate we'd draft first in a real-life Fantasy League, or about whether Emma Frost was hotter than Rogue (she was and still is, obviously). If a thing had boobs, even if it was two-dimensional or fictional or was only visible for a billionth of a second and scrambled, it was a worthy topic of conversation.
That being said -- I have never given even the slightest sh*t about the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
I've spent many hours of my priority-lacking life reconciling the psychology behind that first paragraph versus the second one, wondering how even in my darkest hour of pubescent sub-humanity, I really couldn't care less about a book featuring the most beautiful women in the world wearing less and less nipple-guarding each year. After racking both my brains, I've come up with the following four reasons for my annual teenage apathy towards the famed SI Swimsuit Issue:
Sure, this Cinemax movie Illicit Passions of Deception may have just said "Adult Content, Adult Language, and Mild Violence" at the beginning, but who really knows what they're gonna show? Maybe the Cinemax rater was really behind that day, watched five minutes of the thing, slapped together the content-abbreviations real fast, and never realized that it's actually a treasure-trove of softcore adolescent gold. The SI Swimsuit Issue, by contrast, will NEVER contain nudity, ever. No matter how close they cut it on the nipple cover-up, be it with paint, perspective, or mint dental floss, that nipple will always be covered, period.
Reason #2: No Pursuit
Half the fun (or, closer to like 10% of the fun, but at least some of the fun) of the aforementioned teenage pursuits is the act of pursuing itself; staying up late and secretly leaving the tv on or just scouring channels to find new provocative material is exciting, unpredictable, and purposeful. Opening magazine pages to see the same airbrushed-as-hell pictures of the same six selfconsciously smiley models isn't fun for anyone who appreciates the spirit of adventure. (Am I sounding really bitter about this subject yet? Cause I'm trying to.)
Reason #3: Too Mainstream
Please -- like rebellious ultra-cool sixteen-year-old Me (completely true description) needed to be told what to find attractive. I wasn't gonna let THE MAN shill me into his mainstream, bullsh*t corporate sellout magazine of hot chicks, I was gonna go out of my way to find my own pictures and videos of hot nakeder chicks and march to the beat of my own drum (or more accurately, beat to the...never mind). Because we were "supposed" to find the SI Swimsuit Issue hot, we didn't, and by totally ignoring it, I was fightin' the powers that be. Also, I listened to Rush a lot.
Reasons #4 through Infinite: The Internet Now Exists
And yet, the Swimsuit Issue continues to be printed every year. Kind of adorable, in that "my grandmother still sends me actual letters sometimes" way.
So, the question to all you former teenagers -- has anyone ever truly cared about the SI Swimsuit Issue? Please leave all For and Against arguments in the comments. (and please, let's keep any stories to double-X-rated and cleaner).
If you thought you had it bad while watching sex ed films in the 6th grade (some of which were reminiscent of the famous cartoon porn seen in the 
