The captive American captain of the Maersk Alabama is still very much alive this morning and very probably thinking of an awesome way to escape the Somali pirates who tried (and failed) to hijack his ship. This is no easy task, considering the USS Bainbridge, a guided-missile destroyer, is on the scene monitoring the situation from a safe distance and just waiting to annihilate everybody if something goes wrong. The military has also called in FBI hostage negotiators to tackle the tricky situation. Also, worryingly, other pirate-controlled tankers are approaching the area, causing the U.S. to fret that the Alabama's attempted hijackers will be able to escape in the fray. At the moment, the villains are trapped on the lifeboat they stole from the ship, because its small motor ran out of gas. All parties are drifting about 200 miles off the Somali coast. America, at first anxious for this diversion and now a little worried that pirates might become yet another thing we have to actually be afraid of again, waits for resolution with bated breath.
Reuters - Scott MacIntyre was sent packing from "American Idol" on Wednesday after his poorly received performance of "The Search Is Over," leaving seven finalists in the hit talent show's competition. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 9 Apr 2009 | 12:53 pm
AP - Friends who want to get in touch with Stevie Nicks know not to send an e-mail, call on a cell phone, or reach out by text message, because she won't respond. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 9 Apr 2009 | 12:52 pm
(Reuters) Reuters - Actress Sienna Miller is scared about making her Broadway debut in October but said on Tuesday that treading the boards on the Great White Way is something she has always dreamed about. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 9 Apr 2009 | 12:08 pm
A couple of years ago, Hollywood legend Kirk Douglas declared that it was time to undertake "an audit of my life." Now, at the age of 92, he's going public with the results.
After much clamoring from the judges, the competition is over for Scott MacIntyre on "American Idol." The 23-year-old piano player from Scottsdale, Ariz., who crooned Survivor's "The Search Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 9 Apr 2009 | 11:47 am
PARAMUS, N.J., April 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Movado Group, Inc. (NYSE: MOV), today reported results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year ended January 31, 2009. Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 9 Apr 2009 | 11:30 am
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., April 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Stein Mart, Inc. (Nasdaq: SMRT) today reported total sales and comparable store sales for the fiscal period(s) ended April... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 9 Apr 2009 | 11:30 am
Britney Spears is apologizing to fans after smoky conditions at a concert in Vancouver, Canada, led to a 30-minute delay in her show. According to a blog post on the show by The... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 9 Apr 2009 | 11:02 am
COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Limited Brands, Inc. (NYSE: LTD) reported a comparable store sales decrease of 9 percent for the five weeks ended April 4, 2009,... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 9 Apr 2009 | 11:00 am
Appearances by dance troupe DC Cowboys of "America's Got Talent," DJ Mark Picchiotti from "RuPaul's Drag Race," Actress Kelly McGillis and Comedian ANT Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 9 Apr 2009 | 11:00 am
Is An Official Selection At The 2009 Nashville Film Festival ROCK PROPHECIES Won the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the 2009 AFI Dallas Film Festival Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 9 Apr 2009 | 11:00 am
'We ain't never breaking up, but we ain't staying the same either,' Will.I.Am explains of The E.N.D. album title.By Jocelyn Vena Black Eyed Peas Photo: Chris Gordon/WireImage The Black Eyed Peas... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 9 Apr 2009 | 10:51 am
'We ain't never breaking up, but we ain't staying the same either,' Will.I.Am explains of The E.N.D. album title.By Jocelyn Vena Black Eyed Peas Photo: Chris Gordon/WireImage The Black Eyed Peas... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 9 Apr 2009 | 10:51 am
After much clamoring from the judges, the competition is over for Scott MacIntyre on "American Idol."
(Reuters) Reuters - Kent Alterman, director of the Will Ferrell basketball comedy "Semi-Pro," is attached to direct and develop the grown-up adventure tale "Treehouse Gang." Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 9 Apr 2009 | 5:19 am
Something we never need to see again: American Idol's season-eight male finalists storming the stage en masse, singing the "la la la" chorus of Kylie Minogue's "Can't Get...
Amazing episode. We learned that otherwise unscrupulous Ben does have a leetle bit of a moral code, and we got nearly a full hour of Michael Emerson talking and talking and talking some more, and...
But while she had nothing to say about her and Lindsay Lohan's breakup, the seemingly single DJ more or less told E! News she doesn't...
E! Online - Fresh off of completing a track for the upcoming Johnny Cash Remixed album, Snoop Dogg is clearly open to touching on all different genres of music. Heck, he's even open to working with Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus!
Where do you see the tween stars like Miley Cyrus or Zac Efron in 20 years?—Laura
As much as you may hate to hear this, all three of these talents—Miley, Zac and Zac's...
Front Page: 'Carol,' 'Chihuahua,' 'Witch Mountain' included -- ABC Family has snapped up the network TV window of two upcoming high-profile Disney pics: Jerry Bruckheimer's guinea pig actioner "G-Force" and Robert Zemeckis' 3-D CG version of "A Christmas Carol," starring Jim Carrey.
Reuters - The Black Eyed Peas are set to log their first No. 1 single in the United States when Billboard issues its Hot 100 chart on Thursday. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 9 Apr 2009 | 1:39 am
AP - With "Sugar," writing-directing partners Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck have pulled off the kind of miraculous trick Darren Aronofsky did last year with "The Wrestler."
Fashion Wire Daily - A bride-to-be might worry for months about making her wedding day perfect, and that includes finding the ultimate dress. But flash forward to the end of the night on her wedding day, to the champagne soaked floors, disheveled hair and a crinkled dress - yet she's still looking radiant - and you see that there's a real case to be made for imperfection.
As you may have heard earlier today, Leonard Nimoy will guest on Fox's Fringe as the infamous mad scientist William Bell, but what you haven't heard is everything we just learned about...
What a sport!
From his initial "I don't know what you're talking about" when Q host Jian Ghomeshi asked when he formed his band, the Boxmasters, to his comparing Canadian...
JPRESS: OH NO CHRISTAL: What? CHRISTAL: Did your Visine trickle into your mouth again? JPRESS: DICK WOLF IS PULLING A POWER PLAY. CHRISTAL:Oh, that. I know! He can't get rid of Mariska Hargitay and Chris Meloni! Remember when Mariska was gone for a few episodes when she had that baby? It was unbearable in the interim! I almost switched to Conviction. CHRISTAL: Though who knew they make $7 million a year? JPRESS: I know, that was a startling revelation. JPRESS: Not that they don't totally deserve it JPRESS: This is not like AIG JPRESS: We can't resent them for being rich and wanting more JPRESS: Because they Do the Work JPRESS: Christopher Meloni pours his soul into that role. It is giving him a permanent brow furrow. CHRISTAL: The acting or the fake hair they spray on his scalp? JPRESS: Don't hate, that's you in two years. They're worth the money, and they can't even consider replacing them. Give them whatever they want! CHRISTAL: I know. There was an episode recently where they dealt with a child soldier from Africa .... JPRESS: I'm already laughing.
CHRISTAL: And I kept thinking, "This is WAY above that dude's pay grade." CHRISTAL: He got him to confess CHRISTAL: By taking him to the interrogation room CHRISTAL: And snuggling JPRESS: Apparently Vincent D'Onofrio gets a percentage of the back-end profits, which is what they're asking for. CHRISTAL: What?? Who even watches Criminal Intent? CHRISTAL: Nobody, that's who CHRISTAL: My eyeballs are allergic to the screen when it's on. Like with college basketball, and anything with Kevin James. JPRESS: It is kind of samey every time JPRESS: Nonetheless, D'Onofrio deserves whatever he makes JPRESS: Because he has allowed himself to be consumed by the role JPRESS: He IS Detective Robert Goren CHRISTAL: Just because he's twitchy and crazy in real life, too, doesn't make it more watchable. CHRISTAL: The thing about the Law & Order franchise is that it's like the only comfort we have nowadays. I need to know that there will be a one-hour, ludicrously predictable, systematic piece of emotional-blackmail entertainment during which I use zero percent of my mind space but also am unable to talk or listen, on my DVR at least once a week. CHRISTAL: More, if I record it whenever it's on, but then it eats everything else that's recorded, ever. And I can't do that to the season finale of America's Most Smartest Model. JPRESS: It is extremely soothing, for a show about especially heinous crimes. JPRESS: Maybe if Dick Wolf won't give them what they need we should give them some of the TARP money. They're necessary to our survival! CHRISTAL: Whatever, all I know is that if Meloni gets a raise, he has to do more of those sex scenes with his estranged wife where he wears skimpy underwear no straight cop would ever wear.
Back in the mid to late nineties, David Foster Wallace wrote three separate pieces — one on David Lynch, one on Terminator 2 and one on the Adult Video News Awards — for Premiere that have since come to be regarded as some of the finest pop-culture writing of that decade. In this fascinating interview, Jeremiah Kipp speaks with former Premiere editor Glenn Kenny about what it was like to edit DFW's 25,000-word pieces into magazine length, as well as about the friendship the two struck up over the course of their working relationship. [House Next Door]
Is the Special Victims Unit all out of order?
Despite their show being the network's top-rated scripted series (let alone the most successful Law & Order of the bunch), NBC is...
Fresh off of completing a track for the upcoming Johnny Cash Remixed album, Snoop Dogg is clearly open to touching on all different genres of music. Heck, he's even open to working...
Prices for retail real estate are down and clothing chains are looking to cash in on the market. There was practically no demand for space in November, December, and January, but things started picking up in February. Topshop continues to scout for a second location in high-traffic areas, possibly 34th Street. Nordstrom is looking to open a store in Manhattan, finally. Real-estate insiders are being hush-hush about which stores are eyeing which spaces, but a number of deals are in the proposal stage, according to WWD. Stores are trying to get the best deals for their money and landlords are trying to squeeze every last dime out of possible tenants.
This does not mean clothing stores will take over all the vacant ground-floor commercial real estate in the city, sadly. Just because there's more, cheaper real estate doesn't mean everyone's not broke anymore. Stores have plans for the year of how many stores they're going to open, and they'll probably stick to those plans. Many stores are probably just looking to move to better locations.
So who knows how many of these deals will go through. Because no matter what the market's like, looking for real estate in Manhattan is always basically the most difficult and loathed activity in the entire world.
Front Page: Easter weekend also welcomes Rogen comedy -- Easter weekend sees a trio of new wide releases at the domestic box office, but Universal holdover "Fast and Furious" is likely the one to beat.
Start your engines, ex-Blender and -Mogue editors.
• Bauer Publishing's longtime editorial director of men's magazines, who was also the editor-in-chief of FHM, is leaving the company. According to Brand Republic, "the role of editorial director will not be replaced, but Bauer Media is searching for a new FHM editor with Chris Bell, the deputy editor, becoming acting editor in the interval." Emphasis ours, because, holy crap, a media job! [Brand Republic via Mediabistro]
• Investors were begging to buy the Boston Globe in 2006, but now no one wants it anymore. [Politico]
• The Wall Street Journal is planning to charge higher rates for niche or tailored content, though few details have been released. [Romenesko]
• Aww, Minneapolis Star-Tribune journalists have created a “save our paper!” site. [FishbowlNY/Mediabistro]
Tagline: "What you wish for is what you get, and what you get is more than you ever imagined."
Translation: Who's ready for a wish-fulfillment fantasy for children?
The Verdict: Ever since Robert Rodriguez's Planet Terror (one-half of Grindhouse) underwhelmed at the box-office back in 2007, his bumpy personal life seems to have had an effect on his once-prolific professional career. Not only did he fail to find financing for his proposed remake of Red Sonja (which was to star his girlfriend, Rose McGowan), but the development process for his two Sin City sequels has been fraught with delays. So it makes some semblance of sense that he would ditch the frenzied world of fanboy flicks and retreat to his other comfort zone, children's movies. To be quite frank, his new film Shorts looks like it's going to be just as painful for anyone over the age of 12 to watch as Spy Kids or The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl were. Then again, if you've ever discovered a magical, rainbow-colored rock that fell from space and gave you the power to make your every wish come true, this film will probably hit close to home.
Front Page: Actor may play Hades in Louis Leterrier film -- Ralph Fiennes is in advanced negotiations to star as Hades, the lord of the underworld, in helmer Louis Leterrier's "Clash of the Titans" for Warner Bros.
For the Black Eyed Peas, The E.N.D. starts on top.
The group's upcoming new album got off to an early start today when its lead single, "Boom Boom Pow," gave the Peas the...
Jay McInerney, best-selling author and New York contributor, celebrated the launch of his new book How It Ended: New and Collected Stories this week. And with the new movie adaptation of his novel Bright Lights, Big City happening now, we wondered what was the wildest night he's had of late. "Just the usual Box performance," he told us. "The medley of updated smutty burlesque skits and dancing vaginas." View our Party Lines slideshow for more tales of debauchery.
Confession: Babies aren't our thing. But even we can't deny how adorable Tara Pucci's 3-month-old son, Ian, is. "His father is a designer, so he usually dresses pretty nicely," Tara told us. The day our Video Look Book caught them, Ian wore plaid pants by Janie and Jack and a basic white tee. “He has lots of suspenders and bow ties. He’s a little more casual today,” she explained. Aw. What if he grows up to be a horrible dresser? "We worry about that because his father is very well dressed." Watch the Video Look Book for the full cute effect.
In the wake of her recent break with Samantha Ronson, Lindsay Lohan is striking back at people in SamRo's camp, which apparently includes Nicole Richie.
On her first night...
Last week’s news that WNBC is sending Len Berman packing left the sports anchor’s followers confused and perturbed. Ahh, the New York sports anchor. He’s part of an idiosyncratic species that includes personae from the polished (Berman) to the zany (WABC’s inveterate oddball Scott Clark). He’s proven skillful at building devoted audiences and leaving a few choice catchphrases in our heads — Warner Wolf of WCBS gave us “Let’s go to the videotape!” But the local-news sports guy, with his quaint highlight reels and sometimes cheesy taglines, seems like a relic of the golden age of TV — especially here in the city.
Berman himself isn't terribly worried about the field in general. If there are still local newscasts in ten years, "probably, you’ll see someone like me," he told us. Over the 23 years he was at WNBC, though, he saw his airtime progressively and significantly cut. "It was part sports, part entertainment," Berman said, wistfully recalling his days on set with Al Roker.
If the classic local sports guy disappears completely, he'll be remembered as the ancestor of the very sports coverage that's nudging him into obsolescence. According to Ron Simon, curator of Television and Radio at the Paley Center for Media, the sports channel SNY was based on the ESPN model, whose own on-air talent is structured to mimic the punchy local news guys. SNY, as it expands, now presents a real danger to those reporters. "Their half-hour newscasts are just an expansion of what Len Berman and others were able to do for only a few minutes," Simon explained.
Moreover, he said, Marv Albert and Berman pioneered the art of presenting highlights on TV. "The 'Spanning the World' highlight reel became a national phenomenon. Essentially, you have all sorts of variations of that, whether it's the top ten plays or the not-so-top ten plays." Of course, at the end of every "Spanning the World" clip reel, Don Pardo's voice-over intones: "See you next time! If there is a next time ...." Soon enough, we'll see if the old gag has taken on new meaning.
Last week, the legendary Jeremy Irons invited us into his dressing room at Broadway's Schoenfeld Theatre, where he's currently starring in Impressionism with Joan Allen. His current backstage alcove is the exact same one he had in 1984 when he starred with Glenn Close in The Real Thing, for which he won a Tony. He spoke with us about the room's paint job (tomato red) and its other previous occupants, and what he does in between performances.
Photo: Wendy Goodman
Can you tell us about your history with this dressing room?
Well, this is the room I had 25 years ago with The Real Thing, and that is the door that I met, I mean everybody. The door would open and there would be Paul Newman, or Bette Davis. My autograph book [takes it out and shows it to us] has all their signatures. There we are — Rosemary Harris, Louis Malle, Candice Bergen, January 5, 1984. There we are.
How was the room when you had it in 1984?
It wasn’t this color. This is the color I asked them to paint it this time, because when I came back it had been turned into an office. And I said, "Do you need that office?" And they said they didn’t need it, and I said, "Well, could I have it back as my dressing room?" So they took all the cupboards and the shelves out, put it back as it was, and painted it this color, which I think is a nice warm color, and gave me a couch that I can sleep on, and a table.
Can you tell us about that painting?
That I borrowed from a friend, although it is actually a painting of my castle in Ireland. She was given it by someone else, and she wasn’t hanging it so I said, "Well, I'll put it in my dressing room." So that’s why that is there, to remind me of home.
Do you stay here between the matinee and evening performances?
I often do. I often do my fan mail, have a sleep, have a bit of a read. I nip out and have something to eat, but I usually do stay here.
What's the most important thing about a dressing room for you?
What I love is that I can open that door and everybody going up to their dressing rooms, or coming down, I can talk to, I see on the stairs, so I am not cut off. I am really in the middle of things, I love that. I have a window, I can see the street. I like that. It is not too big. It is just big enough, because I like boat-sized things, and it is a good size in that way. And I have a shower and a loo, which is all you need. I have a window that opens so that I can keep it cool. It just has a nice feel and it also has a memory. Amazing people have been here. One of the original occupants of this dressing room, someone was telling me the other day, a producer who had worked with her ... not Bette Davis ... Who was it who said, "Is that a gun in your pocket or are you excited to see me?"
Mae West!
Mae West! Mae West had this dressing room! Which was fantastic, and a lot of great people had this dressing room. There is a great spirit in here, and I love that sort of feeling of continuity.
The Boston Globe is reporting that the Obamas might be renting a house in Martha's Vineyard during the last two weeks of August, and Daily Intel hears that the house they are renting is specifically in East Chop, which is a really lovely ocean-facing area located near the town of Oak Bluffs. Daily Intel Jessica, a Massachusetts native who has done time as a scooper of ice cream and a nanny of snot-nosed brats on The Island, as the locals call it, would like to offer these two pieces of advice to the traveling Obamas:
1. Never call it Oaks Bluff.
2. The Globe points out, apropos of nothing, of course, that Oak Bluffs "has become something of an African-American enclave" over the years. This is kind of true. Like, sometimes you see Spike Lee. And Oprah. But this is Massachusetts, so everyone still stares at them, and it's not because they're famous. It's because they are really proud of them for being there. You know. Because they overcame. Expect such looks.
3. Be careful of the ice cream at Mad Martha's. Sometimes bad things happen to it. Unspeakable things. Trust us on this. And have fun at the Ag fair!
Jockey reports that sales of pink manties are up as men use underpants to lift their spirits in the economic downturn. The brand's pink Y-front briefs have seen a 62 percent sales boost over the past three months. Sales of baby-blue, orange, and pistachio-green styles have also enjoyed sales hikes. [Daily Mail via Jezebel]
In one sentence, what do you actually do all day in your job?
I anchor the early morning news for WCBS-TV from 5 to 7 a.m.
Would you still live here on a $35,000 salary?
Definitely ... but with many, many more roommates!
What's the last thing you saw on Broadway?
I saw In the Heights last weekend. It was fantastic, and a great snapshot of how New York varies block by block — each one with its own rich flavor.
Do you give money to panhandlers?
Yes.
What's your drink?
Mojito.
How often do you prepare your own meals?
Two to three times a week.
What's your favorite medication?
Emergen-C packets every morning. I know they probably don't work, but I choose to be fooled.
What's hanging above your sofa?
A window, overlooking the Hudson.
How much is too much to spend on a haircut?
$200.
When's bedtime?
I don't have one. Anywhere from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m.
Which do you prefer, the old Times Square or the new Times Square?
Vintage!
What do you think of Donald Trump?
He's a symbol of American capitalism, and a New York icon.
What do you hate most about living in New York?
The rats!
Who is your mortal enemy?
Insincerity.
When's the last time you drove a car?
Two months ago. I rented a ZipCar to look at a dog on Long Island.
How has the Wall Street crash affected you?
Whatever I had, minus 50 percent.
Lest anyone worry about the snob credentials of the Times' second-string theater snoot Charles Isherwood following his rave for Broadway's hair-metal musical Rock of Ages today, he would also really like you to know just how cool his taste in music used to be:
I was an adolescent pop snob in the ’80s, turning up my nose at the vulgarity of straight-up guitar-driven rock to seek out adventurers on the fringe, which is to say anything British involving big, bad hair of a different sort. But while waiting impatiently for MTV to vouchsafe a morsel of Siouxsie or the Smiths, I absorbed an awful lot of thrashy pop.
He also cops to enjoying Bon Jovi's "Dead or Alive" ("a song I furtively loved even back in the day"), though, so we suppose we can give him a break.
PLASTIC SURGERY
• A pastor in Staten Island is charged with stealing over $80,000 in church money to pay for new clothes, plastic surgery, and Botox injections. [On Deadline/USAT]
SKIN
• A 19-year-old British woman is undergoing chemotherapy to treat skin rashes that developed after she went tanning twice a day for four years. "My skin fell off," she said. We're disturbed. [Daily Mail]
• Crushed aspirin mixed with glycerin can prevent bumps on your legs caused from shaving. Honestly, who bothers with this stuff? [BellaSugar]
HAIR
• Model Daul Kim bleached her brown hair. Colorist Frederic Mennestrier completed the look in Paris. [Beauty Counter/Style.com]
• Another advertisement debuted for the Schick Quattro that comes with a bonus pube trimmer. It's a lot like the first, but the bushes are bigger. [Daily Beauty Reporter/Allure]
YOU'RE F***ING BACK: HBO has renewed Eastbound and Down for another season, keeping in line with their unorthodox "airing and supporting good shows" policy. (Variety)
JOE-B DRAMA: Uh oh - Barack Obama is a huge Entourage fan? I hope his presidency doesn't turn into a self-parody after year two. (Warming Glow)
YOU'RE WOLVERMEAN: Hugh Jackman is "heartbroken" that Wolverine leaked to the internet. He'll be even more heartbroken when he learns that the album of Broadway covers that he hasn't even decided to do yet has also already leaked to the internet. (Socialite Life)
WHO CAN WE GET THAT'S AN ACTOR: Clay Aiken will appear on tonight's Top Model for their "acting episode." I'll be too busy checking out Taylor Hicks' much-hyped guest spot on Lost. (ONTD)
SELF NOT-PARODY: And finally, Zac Efron barely does anything in his Funny or Die Pool Party video. I think this is a sketch? (Dlisted)
Halt the celebration. These Somali pirates aren't going down without a fight. Although the American crew on the relief ship that was hijacked earlier this morning in the Indian Ocean has taken back the vessel, the pirates have somehow gotten the captain of the ship, and are holding him in a nearby lifeboat in exchange for ransom. So far, the crew has tried a few methods for getting him back: They released a pirate they were holding hostage in exchange for him, but that didn't work, and now they are offering food in exchange for his release, a second mate told CNN, "but it's not going too well."
From left: Harem styles by Topshop, Mango, and Yves Saint Laurent for Netaporter.com.
Sure, it snowed this morning, but it's April 8, which means spring is here — in spirit if not in precipitation. So it's time to get the spring duds ready. One of the season's most ubiquitous and infamous trends are the trousers with a droopy crotch and tapered leg dubbed "harem pants." Harem pants come in varying degrees of crotch droopiness, but the rule seems to be that you should at least be able to hide your boyfriend's wallet in there for them to fit into the category. And of course, some harem crotches are so extreme they droop far enough down for you to hide an umbrella in there, too. But is this a good look? Are designers geniuses for identifying the crotch and upper-thigh area as an ideal place for extra fabric to lump up and flap about? Our instinct is to say probably not, considering that 0.0000000000000000001 percent of the population would look truly good in such a style — you know, models. But the harem pant has evolved over several seasons, and now all sorts of styles have gone from the high-fashion runways to stores where real people shop, like Zara and Topshop. The Guardian found the style pictured here (center) at Mango.
When a piece of clothing requires clarification, you know you're in trouble. On first look, this new item from Mango (below) was taken for an innocent skirt. But further inspection revealed it to have leg holes, hovering in line with the hem. It looked like a denim nappy — then word reached us it was a harem-pant-short.
They're right — those shorts are horrifying. In fact, we wouldn't even call them shorts, since they're closer to a denim diaper. But that's not to say harem pants can't look nice, right? That there aren't lots of people in the world genetically blessed and trendy enough to pull off such a style and make you think, "Hey! I need pants that can hide a magazine, sunglasses, and a small child, too!"? What say you, commenters? Harem pants: yay or nay?
"These people (and they are numerous) are attempting to cultivate a cute quirk, but they are really just aping a cute quirk cultivated by thousands of cute-quirk-cultivators before them in a giant, gross, boring feedback loop. Yes, clowns can be mildly creepy. But come on. Among the many things that are scarier than clowns: fire, earthquakes, a guy with a knife, riding the bus, colon cancer, falling down the stairs (it could happen at any time!), rapists, people who just kind of look a little rapey and are standing too close to you in line at 7-Eleven, Marlo from The Wire, influenza, and scissors." —Just one observation from the very helpful list of "The Different Kinds of People" from Seattle's The Stranger independent newspaper [Stranger]
According to Terry Crews, who also appears in the movie, Arnold Schwarzenegger will indeed have a cameo in Terminator Salvation, though he was unable to elaborate ("I haven’t seen it. They only gave out pages of the script," says Crews). Given the movie's rating, and the fact that he's currently the governor of California, we doubt they'll let him do anything cool. But here's hoping! [Movies Blog/MTV]
Michelle Obama's evolving style has the entire world hooked. So far, her patterns are clear: She has an affinity for sleeveless dresses and pointed flats, and she likes her cardigans on the fancier side. During her first trip to Europe as First Lady, she broke out everything from J.Crew to Junya Watanabe, with appearances by her regular favorites like Thakoon, Jason Wu, and Isabel Toledo. Starting today, we're going to keep close track of what she's wearing. Click ahead to see every outfit Michelle has worn in public since the inauguration, and bookmark this post for daily updates.
We were expecting the opening of CFDA-award winner Tom Binns's new store last month to be just as grand as his sparkly jewelry designs. However, the 300-square-foot space (we're still not sure why it's called a megastore) swung open its doors with very little fanfare. The minimalist space is straight to the point (glass cases filled with jewelry, and no décor), and is all about showcasing over 30 of Binns's collections, ranging from goth-skull rings to glam couture pieces — all in the $180 to $25,000 range. Here's a sampling of his gold- and silver-plated rhodium baubles we wish we could afford. Darn recession.
Tom Binns Megastore, 41 Perry St., nr. West 4th St.; 917-475-1412.
Mere days after Pizza Hut offered to give a free, medium one-topping pizza to anyone named John Connor as a means of promoting Terminator Salvation, Papa John's and Fox have teamed up on what will certainly go down in history as one of the most unintentionally hilarious promotional campaigns ever executed. When the marketing executives on both sides of the fence arrived at the decision to name the pizza chain's special Wolverine pie the "XL X-Treme Cheese Pizza," it confirmed some of our greatest fears about the upcoming prequel. Of course, it doesn't help matters much that the marketing copy promises that the pizza (and by extension, the film) will be "loaded with a full pound of cheese." Then again, maybe we're not giving these decisionmakers enough credit for loading their marketing message with near-genius levels of subtext. After all, it can't just be coincidence that Hugh Jackman's penchant for going topless is matched by this pie's complete lack of toppings, can it?
Take Fred Armisen, Martin Starr & Charlyne Yi from the Apatow crew, toss them some chocolate and some monster costumes, and score them with Philly-based indie jazz outfit Man Man and behold -- a really adorable and funny music video.
Wait a minute, that's two music video posts in a row? What is this, the new channel MTV:Opposite Day?? (Snap, I'm pretty sure!)
I found my devotion to Patti Stanger of "The Millionaire Matchmaker" rise to a new level last night, as I found myself yelling at the screen, "Yes, Patti, YES! Preach sister!" Sure, I disagree that men and women should stick to traditional gender roles and hate her staunch anti-curly hair stance, but Patti's got gems.
A reporter for the Times of London noticed MObama sported false eyelashes when she was in London. Not lash extensions, which "give the most natural finish," but full-out paste-'em-on falsies — "the kind you normally find on D-list celebrities or in drag-act dressing rooms," according to the Times. We're surprised at this point that we don't know what kind of underwear she wears. [Times UK]
Front Page: 'Haunting' actor set for new 'Nightmare' -- The new Freddy Krueger has his first male victim to terrorize. Kyle Gallner is moving from "The Haunting in Connecticut" to "A Nightmare on Elm Street," New Line and Platinum Dune's remake of the long-running horror franchise.
No Doubt today released their first single since their reformation -- a cover of Adam and the Ants' 80s hit "Stand and Deliver" -- and while the song's actually pretty decent, there's something inherently pointless about a powerhouse 90s rock group going on hiatus, Gwen Stefani riding solo for a while, then the band unexpectedly reforming in 2008, only to then release a barely-updated cover of a quarter-century-old new wave song.
Coming in 2010: Morrissey and The Smiths reunite to cover "White Christmas." Bad example, actually, I'd love to hear that...
Front Page: 'Witch Mountain' helmer now casting comedy -- Andy Fickman has set the Walt Disney Pictures comedy "You Again" as his next directing project.
"I feel like the quality of privacy and respect of people's personal space has been completely disintegrated. You can ask to take the picture. I will be so glad to take the picture and pose and look good for the picture. But when you catch me while I'm looking real sideways and the picture's ugly as hell, I don't want you to have the picture like that! So technology just destroyed that considerate thing." —Busta Rhymes [Contact Music]
"It was bizarre. Between takes there was a lot of time with me and him just standing there, being like, 'What the hell are we doing, man? This is insane. It's so weird.' Then they'd say, 'Action,' and he'd do a Batmanesque move and throw his trench coat open like a cape and expose himself." —Seth Rogen on the filming of the naked chase sequence in Observe and Report [Female First]
"Porn. If my only options left are a reality show and porn, I’m done." —Rashida Jones on where she'll draw the line [AV Club]
"If they can go out and buy my albums, I can at least make the sacrifice to holler at the few people who call. A lot of times I'm busy so they'll get my voice mail. And if I can speak to them and I have time, I always text back." —Flo Rida on giving out his personal cell-phone number so fans can holler at him [CNN]
"You want one last scene with Hugh, you want one awesome bantering scene with Peter, you want something where you and Olivia [Wilde] are doing a diagnostic together." —Kal Penn on what a House actor wants when they are leaving the show to work for Obama [Spoiler Alert!] [Ausiello Files/EW]
"Yeah, you know what I'm saying. That's what you say when you don't know what you're about say." —Kanye West on how to fill an awkward silence [KanyeUniverseCity via MTV]
Details have emerged regarding Alessandro Dell'Acqua's exit from Malo after only a year onboard as creative director. A spokesman for the house said that after the designer's first season at the label, "it was necessary to cut costs and focus on a smaller collection, going back to classic Malo." Malo is owned by IT Holding, which went bankrupt at the end of February. The spring 2010 collection will be designed by an in-house team. "They don't need a marquee name or a creative director. It's wise to go with a team," the spokesman added. And labels can do just fine without a well-known designer fronting the brand. Like Halston, which has been selling great for almost a year without a head designer.
Dell'Acqua will focus on his namesake label. "I'm not looking at consulting anymore, unless perhaps for a Paris-based collection. That would be my dream," he said. Eh, he can always go bang down the door at Nina Ricci. But at least he's not unemployed.
She's actually in costume as a henchman on the set of her new movie, "Goldeneye: The Video Game: The Movie". Half the movie is an argument about why playing as Oddjob is "cheap," and the other half is one dude guarding all the body armor with proximity mines until his friends get pissed and quit. I already bought my ticket.
Reuters - The original Beatles catalog has been digitally remastered for the first time and will go on sale in CD format on September 9, the band's record label and company announced on Tuesday. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment Reviews | 8 Apr 2009 | 6:32 pm
Front Page: Off-season franchises set for end of May -- ABC is getting an early start on summer, launching several of its off-season franchises at the end of May.
The other day we were discussing the finer moments of early-nineties fashion, like slap bracelets. Shop-A-Matic editor Diana Tsui argued that they should rest in peace. Amy Odell argued that they may as well come back along with neon, since they're cheap and slap on, people. And lo, the other night in Moscow, Julia Restoin-Roitfeld wore a bunch of glowing orange ones on her legs, after her friend found a stash of them at the after-party for an event celebrating new Pop editor Dasha Zhukova's museum. They were apparently intended for VIPs. Derek Blasberg calls them a "regretful late-night styling tip." We think they're fabulously nonconformist, which is ironic, since she and everyone else there wore Balmain. [Style File/Style.com]
Reuters - Alessandro Dell'Acqua has quit as designer at Italian fashion house Malo less than a year after taking the role at the firm, which is in special administration trying to avoid bankruptcy. Source: Yahoo! News: Fashion News | 8 Apr 2009 | 6:19 pm
Reuters - Rock star Lenny Kravitz has received fan mail from the "bling bling" president himself -- France's Nicolas Sarkozy, dubbed thus for his fondness for fashion and the high life. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment Reviews | 8 Apr 2009 | 6:13 pm
Reuters - "It's the NYPD. If you're not a little confused, you're not paying attention." Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment Reviews | 8 Apr 2009 | 6:03 pm
Reuters - With the rise of such nontraditional television sitcoms as NBC's "30 Rock" and "The Office," it seemed that television comedy was -- we dared to hope -- maturing. The once fresh, beloved art form of the traditional two-camera, live-audience sitcom had grown feeble and was at last being put out of its misery. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment Reviews | 8 Apr 2009 | 6:02 pm
Reuters - Comedy Central's "Krod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire" is exactly as bad as you would fear. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment Reviews | 8 Apr 2009 | 6:01 pm
Ah, Passover. One of the highest and holiest of Jewish holidays, where family gather round the seder table to read a seemingly endless story of the Israelites, sprinkle some wine on a plate, and then eat sort of not delicious foods for 3 straight hours. It's a tradition. And what would Passover be without matzah, the dry but attractive cracker Jews are forced to eat in place of bread to symbolize the pain their ancestors felt thousands of years ago.
One unspoken Passover tradition? The famous "Not crapping for 7 Straight Days", a tradition with a rich and often tough history. We certainly hope Moses dried some prunes on his back too, or he would have been one cranky Yid. Here's a video of a dog lovin' on some matzah, and happy holidays to all.
Feel free to regale us with your own favorite Passover tales in the comments, your best Afikomen prize... basically, let's turn this party into a Jewish singles thread. Source: Best Week Ever | 8 Apr 2009 | 6:00 pm
Reuters - It's unfair to compare "Parks and Recreation" to "The Office" just because they share writers and producers. "Office" didn't invent the mockumentary any more than its British predecessor did. "Parks" is a genuinely funny and engaging comedy that bears stylistic similarities to "Office" but has a heart and mind all its own. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment Reviews | 8 Apr 2009 | 5:43 pm
Ladies and gentlemen, the 90s-est Movie of All Time:
If you didn't happen to catch yesterday's Kevin Smith Twitter-aided comment jamboree, I'll sum it up for you:
Comment #1: I can't believe Clueless lost. This blows, I'm done with this stupid tournament.
Comment #2: Clerks is a landmark film that inspired so many aspiring filmmakers, it's way better than stupid Clueless.
Comment #3: CALM DOWN, you motherf***ers, it's an INTERNET POLL.
(REPEAT x1000)
First off, Clerks being a more inspirational film or even a 'better' film than Clueless doesn't really factor into the voting, the question was solely "which movie is more 90s?" I also love how many Clerks people pretended to be objective about their votes and the tournament results, as if the 200,000 people who follow Kevin Smith's Twitter were actually gonna come to the poll and think long and hard about which movie was more 90s, then all ultimately decided it was indeed the film whose director they idolize.
That being said, Clerks is still the winner, and I'm actually kind of glad that this controversy arose because 1) It's more exciting than Clueless just anticlimactically winning the tournament, which it surely would have (and deservedly so), and 2) Once Airborne and White Men Can't Jump were eliminated, you f***ers were on your own. Oops, that just slipped out, my bad.
Thanks to everyone for participating, voting, arguing, leaving five-paragraph comments that everyone skips over, and ultimately making us think long and hard about what it means to be 90s (which, ironically, does not involve thinking long or hard about anything).
The final brackets are after the jump - feel free to keep the arguments going in the comments:
Front Page: ABC's 'Cupid' takes a tumble -- Fox captured Tuesday night's ratings race behind "American Idol" and the return of "Fringe," while ABC's "Cupid" took a tumble from its nothing-special premiere of the previous week.
Kellie Pickler is feeling both nervous yet excited about making a guest appearance on the FOX show this Wednesday night. Source: FOXNews.com | 8 Apr 2009 | 5:11 pm
Man says wife committed adultery with Springsteen "at various times and places too numerous to mention," reports Star magazine Source: FOXNews.com | 8 Apr 2009 | 4:52 pm
According to Star magazine, the couple have already rekindled their 'once red-hot sex life' with various trysts around town Source: FOXNews.com | 8 Apr 2009 | 4:48 pm
If you're a celebrity, how should you deal with a bad breakup that has left you bitter, shaken, and without your go-to bisexual publicity gold mine? Just take Lindsay Lohan's two-step approach -
STEP ONE: Have your publicist call Us Weekly and get you on the cover literally three days after the breakup occurred, looking vaguely sad and really orange:
STEP TWO: Go from there. If this doesn't work, do another magazine cover.
(P.S. - I did hesitate for a second to write this post on the off chance that Lindsay actually was suicidally depressed, but then I read this paragraph: "Everyone's turned on me," says the actress. She tells the magazine that the night of the Chateau showdown, Nicole Richie walked by her and said "Uck," and Drea De Matteo said, "Come at me, bitch." I think Lindsay will land on her feet.) Source: Best Week Ever | 8 Apr 2009 | 4:30 pm
Front Page: Network ups dark comedy for second season -- HBO has given the official greenlight to a second season of raunchy comedy "Eastbound and Down," which stars Danny McBride as a foul-mouthed, washed-up baseball pitcher who's forced to return to his hometown in North Carolina.
Front Page: Fox Searchlight comedy to end fest -- Fox Searchlight Pictures' "My Life in Ruins" will have a special presentation screening on May 2 to close the Tribeca Film Festival prior to its June 5 bow.
"I wouldn't match her up with Hollywood; I would give her one of my clients who is a businessman," said Stanger Source: FOXNews.com | 8 Apr 2009 | 4:00 pm
This is a recap for The Top 9 on American Idol Season 8, theme: Birth Year.You can see the performances here.
Danny Gokey "Stand By Me": Mickey Gilley's version? What, can we just make up versions now? Because, if that's the case, allow me to serenade you with Gordy Pinkerton's rousing rendition of "High Hopes" (rolls out tray of glasses, grabs fork, clankin' away.) Where was I? Ah yes, The Gokey. If Shrek were white, he would be the 'Gokes (I won't even mention what that means for poor Fiona). I'm over his "Yeah-yeah-yeah-in'" shtick, the same way Paul Rudd could no longer handle another Michael McDonald video in 40 Y.O. Virgin. And the judges might wanna grab their scuba tubes next week, because they're so far up his ass I'm actually worried for their respiratory safety (pun. intended.)
Kris Allen - “All She Wants to Do Is Dance” by Don Henley: Somewhere, a taxi cab is a little lonelier tonight without Kris. OK, not gonna lie, you put 4 trumpets behind anyone, and I'm usually sold. The trumpets... helped. Simon nailed this one: Boring, forgettable, and one thing he forget -- super-jaw-unhingey.
Lil Rounds - "What's Love Got to Do With It": OK, first of all, how was Lil Rounds born in 1984? Is this some sort of Tyler Perry stunt gone horribly right? The further the competition trudges along, the more Lil Rounds' cracks begin to show (yes, that was just said.) Her voice is 'aight, but there's something about it that makes me want to hot glue pillows on my ears and take a 3 hour dirt nap. She is just constantly yelling ev.er.y.thing. This performance almost made me want to shove a piece of cake in her mouth... to make her stop singing! Damn, relax.
Anoop Desai - "True Colors": How many of you, like me, wish Anoop's parents were actually the ones singing? What absolute charmers they are. This song made me miss a Kodak commercial. That's gotta count for something, right? Liiiiiike a guest spot on House now that Kal Penn is out?
Scott MacIntyre - "The Search Is Over": Let it be known that I'm actually in Miami for the week, celebrating Jew things. Which means that tonight, I had the pleasure of watching American Idol live in the comfort of my parents' bedroom. My mother spent the entire 7 minute Scott MacIntyre segment looking at the ceiling. She "can't look at him." At one point, I begged her to change her mind, because she was essentially missing one of the most unintentionally awkward/hilarious (pleasedon'tgetmadatme) moments on television. Scott seems like a GREAT guy, really. But if you thought he looked a lil creepy sitting behind a piano, try propping him up in front of an audience holding a guitar that I'm pretty sure was actually a Guitar Hero remote. Oh, and he sang a song he definitely wrote on the bowl. "Why can't he wear sunglasses?" -- Mother. Indeed. America, please have some compassion and Free Scott!
Allison Iraheta - "I Can't Make You Love Me": Allison is in my Top 2 faves of the show (to see the other person... scroll to the endam of this postbert). She has the voice of a woman easily 30 years older. Did I say voice? I meant style. And hair. And look. Please, AI, help this girl! When she says she wants to "wear the skirt that feature the knees in the front, anks in the back", nod your head and then make her look like a teenage tramp! Anyway, she was great tonight.
Matt Giraud - "Part Time Lover": I like Matt. I do! He's cute, he's charming. His lil' accent in that angel's costume? Don't get me stopped. But the jazzy rendition of my favorite tune to put make-up on to? Didn't really feel it. The notes were everywhere and nowhere at once. Imagine my family's shock when the judges looooved it. Anyway, would be surprised if he got the boot tomorrow. I'd take him over Kris Allen any day.
Adam Lambert - "Mad World": So, it seems like now is the time to admit something: My obsession with Adam Lambert is starting to worry me. Fine, I'm not necessarily Googling him by the hour, nor am I standing outside of his window like the child from The Grudge, but I'd definitely pull a Hil-Swank for the opportunity to spoon him on a trailer floor mattress. Watching him perform is quickly becoming the highlight of my entire week. No previous Idol contestant has ever elicited such invisi-jazz-hands from me. Which is why I will actually burn my house down lighting sneakers on fire in my tub Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes-style if he loses. Sure, the slow pacing and mood lighting was reminiscent of his recent "Tracks of My Tears" cover, and guess what? IT F**KING WORKS, AMERICA. Deal with it. Plus, Simon gave him a Standing O -- the O, in his case, standing for Orgasm. Simon gave him a standing orgasm. What else needs to be said, really? VOTE LAMBERT.
Discuss. Source: Best Week Ever | 8 Apr 2009 | 4:00 pm
Reuters - British pop singer and television star Cheryl Cole was crowned the world's best dressed woman by Glamour magazine this week, beating last year's winner Kate moss into second place. Source: Yahoo! News: Fashion News | 8 Apr 2009 | 3:56 pm
Jesus Christ, Big, is this the photo you want casting agents to see or are you just required to post it around the internet as part of Megan's Law?
"Hey Chris, Law & Order wants you to do a guest spot for the season finale."
"Oh cool - They want me to reprise my detective role?"
"Kind of...only this time you're an eyeless child molester who tries to run over Sam Waterston while high on paint thinner."
"NICE. I told you that profile pic was gonna do wonders." Source: Best Week Ever | 8 Apr 2009 | 3:00 pm
B.B. King, Herbie Hancock, Black Eyed Peas and Lauryn Hill are booked to perform at the Montreux Jazz festival, one of Europe's most prestigious summer music events, organizers said on Thursday.
Flo Rida wants you to call him. No, really. He gives out his phone number to fans, and then he actually answers the phone. Not bad for a guy who recently had a No. 1 song, and who's scheduled to appear on "American Idol" tonight.
The Black Eyed Peas set the mark for best single-week and debut download totals by a group as "Boom Boom Pow" shifts 465,000 in its first week of release.
Rapper and actor Common has teamed up with Diesel for "Only the Brave," a new men's fragrance, and with Microsoft for a line of PC-inspired tee shirts called Softwear.
Something we never need to see again: American Idol's season-eight male finalists storming the stage en masse, singing the "la la la" chorus of Kylie Minogue's "Can't Get...
Amazing episode. We learned that otherwise unscrupulous Ben does have a leetle bit of a moral code, and we got nearly a full hour of Michael Emerson talking and talking and talking some more, and...
Where do you see the tween stars like Miley Cyrus or Zac Efron in 20 years?—Laura
As much as you may hate to hear this, all three of these talents—Miley, Zac and Zac's...
As you may have heard earlier today, Leonard Nimoy will guest on Fox's Fringe as the infamous mad scientist William Bell, but what you haven't heard is everything we just learned about...
What a sport!
From his initial "I don't know what you're talking about" when Q host Jian Ghomeshi asked when he formed his band, the Boxmasters, to his comparing Canadian...
Is the Special Victims Unit all out of order?
Despite their show being the network's top-rated scripted series (let alone the most successful Law & Order of the bunch), NBC is...
Fresh off of completing a track for the upcoming Johnny Cash Remixed album, Snoop Dogg is clearly open to touching on all different genres of music. Heck, he's even open to working...
For the Black Eyed Peas, The E.N.D. starts on top.
The group's upcoming new album got off to an early start today when its lead single, "Boom Boom Pow," gave the Peas the...
In the wake of her recent break with Samantha Ronson, Lindsay Lohan is striking back at people in SamRo's camp, which apparently includes Nicole Richie.
On her first night...
This is a recap for The Top 9 on American Idol Season 8, theme: Birth Year. 
Lil Rounds - "What's Love Got to Do With It": OK, first of all, how was Lil Rounds born in 1984? Is this some sort of Tyler Perry stunt gone horribly right? The further the competition trudges along, the more Lil Rounds' cracks begin to show (yes, that was just said.) Her voice is 'aight, but there's something about it that makes me want to hot glue pillows on my ears and take a 3 hour dirt nap. She is just constantly yelling ev.er.y.thing. This performance almost made me want to shove a piece of cake in her mouth... to make her stop singing! Damn, relax.
Anoop Desai - "True Colors": How many of you, like me, wish Anoop's parents were actually the ones singing? What absolute charmers they are. This song made me miss a Kodak commercial. That's gotta count for something, right? Liiiiiike a guest spot on House now that Kal Penn is out?
Allison Iraheta - "I Can't Make You Love Me": Allison is in my Top 2 faves of the show (to see the other person... scroll to the endam of this postbert). She has the voice of a woman easily 30 years older. Did I say voice? I meant style. And hair. And look. Please, AI, help this girl! When she says she wants to "wear the skirt that feature the knees in the front, anks in the back", nod your head and then make her look like a teenage tramp! Anyway, she was great tonight.
Matt Giraud - "Part Time Lover": I like Matt. I do! He's cute, he's charming. His lil' accent in that angel's costume? Don't get me stopped. But the jazzy rendition of my favorite tune to put make-up on to? Didn't really feel it. The notes were everywhere and nowhere at once. Imagine my family's shock when the judges looooved it. Anyway, would be surprised if he got the boot tomorrow. I'd take him over Kris Allen any day.
Adam Lambert - "Mad World": So, it seems like now is the time to admit something: My obsession with Adam Lambert is starting to worry me. Fine, I'm not necessarily Googling him by the hour, nor am I standing outside of his window like the child from The Grudge, but I'd definitely pull a Hil-Swank for the opportunity to spoon him on a trailer floor mattress. Watching him perform is quickly becoming the highlight of my entire week. No previous Idol contestant has ever elicited such invisi-jazz-hands from me. Which is why I will actually burn my house down lighting sneakers on fire in my tub Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes-style if he loses. Sure, the slow pacing and mood lighting was reminiscent of his recent "Tracks of My Tears" cover, and guess what? IT F**KING WORKS, AMERICA. Deal with it. Plus, Simon gave him a Standing O -- the O, in his case, standing for Orgasm. Simon gave him a standing orgasm. What else needs to be said, really? VOTE LAMBERT.
Discuss.
