AP - Pop megastar Lady Gaga says she is toning down her provocative image during her first trip to Israel and is excited about seeing "sacred and holy" Jerusalem.
Reuters - Star TV, the Asia flagship of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, on Tuesday announced a restructuring that will see it cut around 30 percent of its Hong Kong headquarters staff to focus on the lucrative India market. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 18 Aug 2009 | 4:25 am
AP - Before there was the sprawling Neverland ranch in California, before he became a superstar with the best-selling album of all time, "Thriller," a tiny house in the industrial city of Gary was home for Michael Jackson.
AP - Before there was the sprawling Neverland ranch in California, before he became a superstar with the best-selling album of all time, "Thriller," a tiny house in the industrial city of Gary was home for Michael Jackson.
AP - The White House says President Barack Obama is among the dignitaries scheduled to speak at a memorial service for the late CBS News anchorman Walter Cronkite next month.
AP - The White House says President Barack Obama is among the dignitaries scheduled to speak at a memorial service for the late CBS News anchorman Walter Cronkite next month.
AP - The studio behind James Cameron's 3D sci-fi adventure "Avatar" has fixed its Web site, after fans seeking free tickets to a sneak-peek at the upcoming film crashed it Monday.
AP - The studio behind James Cameron's 3D sci-fi adventure "Avatar" has fixed its Web site, after fans seeking free tickets to a sneak-peek at the upcoming film crashed it Monday.
The Jonas Brothers seem so clean-cut and well, normal, which seems so unusual for young stars these days, surely there's some dirt you can dish on them?
—Laura, via the Answer...
The country songbird is the latest luminary to participate in Idol's very own version of musical chairs, having...
OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill., Aug. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- The United States District Court for the District of Delaware announced today that it has denied Universal Studios Home... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 17 Aug 2009 | 8:18 pm
Front Page: Nicole Holofcener to helm Reiser adaptation -- James McAvoy has checked into Mandate Pictures' comedic adaptation of the Will Reiser novel "I'm With Cancer." Nicole Holofcener will direct, and the pic will co-star Seth Rogen, who is also producing.
Financing for Steven Spielberg's partnership with one of India's richest men was finalized Monday, giving the legendary Hollywood director money to resume making movies.
UPDATE: Attorney Martin Singer maintains that, despite its sexy nature, the video is not a sex tape.
"This is simply a private, consensual moment involving a married couple, shot...
Unpublished scores by Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959) were found at the Rio de Janeiro School of Music library, according to the school's director. "I hired three... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 17 Aug 2009 | 7:26 pm
Undated photo of Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959). Unpublished scores by Villa-Lobos have been found at the Rio de Janeiro School of Music library, according to the school's director. Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 17 Aug 2009 | 7:26 pm
Broadcast, Internet and Print Campaign Mirrors White House Efforts to Support Education on a National Level With an Increased Focus on Minority At-Risk Groups WASHINGTON... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 17 Aug 2009 | 7:08 pm
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A judge on Monday approved a deal for the sale of Michael Jackson merchandise, but delayed making a decision on a traveling exhibition dedicated to the King of Pop,... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 17 Aug 2009 | 6:56 pm
Famed salsa musician Ruben Blades has released a new album after a six-year absence from the music scene. The 61-year-old Grammy winner from Panama says the CD, "Songs of... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 17 Aug 2009 | 6:39 pm
Reuters - Depeche Mode transforms solace and introspection into a communal concert experience with their very devoted and now cross-generational fans. That's the veteran British band's greatest gift, and Sunday's first of two sold-out historic Hollywood Bowl performances lived up to their legendary status.
Michael Jackson couture is just around the corner.
A judge on Monday approved deals proposed by the administrators of the artist's estate to market clothing and various other types...
• A TGI Friday's and Tim Hortons in Union Square? The Riese Organization, which just acquired the building that once housed Zen Palate, says it will bring the chains to the 'hood if it can't find a higher-paying tenant. Uh oh. [Crain's] • The Beatrice Inn isn't expected to reopen, but co-owner Paul Sevigny has another venue in the works. He's opening a club/restaurant in SoHo, and this time around it will be located "away from residential areas." [NYT] • Billy Gilroy (Employees Only, Macao Trading Co.) and photographer Patrick McMullan plan to open East Side Social Club in Midtown in late October. [SB]
• Oceana is now open in its new location, sans a liquor license. [Crain's] • Former pastry chef Will Goldfarb opened a barbecue truck called Picnick Smoked today. His partner is former 5 Ninth chef Kevin Pomplun. [NYT] • Speaking of 5 Ninth, it now has a new owner and a new chef. [GS] • Eric Ripert shares details about his new PBS show debuting this fall. [W] • Did you know Schools Chancellor Joel Klein calls himself a pizza aficionado? He does. And he has some thoughts on what makes for a perfect pie. [NYP] • Be advised that if you let your child set up a lemonade stand in the park, you (and/or your kid) may get slapped with a ticket by city officials. [NYP]
Hailey Glassman is just "a normal 22-year-old girl." So how did she turn into "the goldfish that was put in the piranha tank"?
The admitted college-era weed smoker (it...
After getting stacked up in one last, great flourish (captured here: a sculpture by artist Jason Peters), the temporary plastic beach chairs in the new pedestrian space on Broadway in Times Square have been replaced by sturdier chairs, tables, and umbrellas. [City Room/NYT]
Jesus Luz is the new face of Argentine label Ona Saez. The campaign, awesomely inspired by Jesus, includes some truly spectacular pictures in which Jesus displays his muscles and a range of attitudes, including boredom, narcissism, playfulness, uncertainty, and what we can only describe as sex panther incarnate. Somehow we found words to put to the images in the slideshow.
AP - If only Quentin Tarantino the director weren't so completely in love with Quentin Tarantino the writer, "Inglourious Basterds" might have been a great movie rather than just a good movie with moments of greatness.
Goldman Sachs owns quite a lot of office property, the Observer, er, observes today. And, as savvy financiers are wont to do, they also occasionally rent out things they don't actually own. Like the property at 180 Maiden Lane, currently occupied by AIG, which recently sold its old headquarters at 70 Pine Street. Back in June 2008, just a few short months before the Great Crash of 2009, AIG took over Goldman's lease in the glass building downtown. It was what the pink paper called "the largest lease transaction so far this year": 800,000 square feet, valued at around $215 per. And should AIG have failed to pay their rent, guess who would have taken the fall?
According to a conversation between Paul McDowell, the CEO of Caplease — which holds the lease for embattled property owner Joe Monian — and an analyst on the company's recent earnings call, that would be Goldman.
CRAIG MAILMAN: Okay. All right. Just switching topics, do you guys have any update on the 180 Maiden Lane loans? It sounded like the landlord was considering not servicing the debt anymore, from market reports.
PAUL MCDOWELL: That's not our understanding. We don't particularly have much in the way of an update, other than we are expecting and have currently been modeling that that loan will likely extend...
CRAIG MAILMAN: Okay. Then just going back to your second half '09 --
PAUL MCDOWELL: Actually, let me -- I actually do want to make one other point there. With respect to 180 Maiden Lane, it's important to remember their in-place leases are pretty long. They run to 2014, 2015, with Goldman Sachs as the primary tenant. So the cash flows at the property are stable. It's just a question of the maturity of the loan.
CRAIG MAILMAN: Okay. So Goldman's still on the hook if AIG were to vacate that space that they're subletting?
PAUL MCDOWELL: That's correct.
We're not saying it's a conspiracy or anything. After all, a little fancy math and that exposure totally rounds to zero.
In typical “pretend to be outraged” celebrity fashion, Dane’s reps are already threatening to sue anyone who publicizes the tape, which, as they clarify, is NOT TECHNICALLY A SEX TAPE:
Marty Singer, the couple’s rep, told TMZ.com that he will sue anyone who publishes the “private, confidential tape,” adding that “from what I’ve seen, it’s a naked tape, not a sex tape.”
Gotcha – because “naked tape” is a term people say.
We can’t really link the sex tape, but it’s already online a couple places, so feel free to expend .003 seconds of effort and watch for yourself. And in case you were wondering, it also includes the three discussing their porn names (remember that game from like thirteen years ago?):
“My alter-ego name is Peter,” Dane, 36, said, adding, “my dog growing up was called Cocaine, and I lived on Manor Drive, so I’m Cocaine Manor.”
AMC screened the Mad Men season premiere in Times Square last night before a large crowd celebrating what New York's Tim Murphy refers to as "that show about diverse, happy, self-actualized, overly communicative people." Some fans even dressed up and wore flammable makeup. Watch the video of a modern-day mad man and the artist who created the Mad Men avatars you're using on Facebook.
The New York Post offers a review of The September Issue today. They say it offers "juicy viewing," mostly for its psychological portrait of Anna Wintour and the view it offers of Vogue before layoffs and ad declines plagued Condé Nast: "Even if you don't give a fig for fashion, it's rare that you get to see Nero tuning up his fiddle as Rome is about to spontaneously combust. And to be sure, she is a dictator — that we already know. What the viewer can now decide is if she is, in fact, a benevolent dictator." [NYP]
Front Page: Halycon sues Pacificor hedge fund -- Two "Terminator Salvation" producers have sued the Pacificor hedge fund and one of its former employees alleging financial wrongdoing in a pair of suits.
Nelly's video for "Let It Go Lil Mama" is, amazingly, a single from Brass Knuckles, an album released (and immediately ignored) last September. So why bring it up at all? Well, frankly, we were suckered in by the black-and-white video, the presence of Pharrell, and the pretty good minimalist beat. As you'll recall, the exact same ingredients made for an awesome career-rejuvenating single for Snoop back in 2004. So how'd it go this time? Not so good! The beat — mostly tinny-on-purpose drums and some angry-sounding bass knocks — isn't that bad. But Nelly is, of course, still Nelly, so bland that he even fails us in his mediocrity. There's not even a so-lame-it's-funny rhyme amid his retreaded braggadocio.
Paula Abdul may not be one of the contestants on season nine of Dancing With the Stars, but Cheryl Burke still has hope the former American Idol judge will pop up on the show.
"As a...
Let's say you follow in the footsteps of Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Simpson, and Jennifer Love Hewitt and start dating John Mayer.
What should you expect to find at Mr. Mayer's...
So much for all those economists who announced last week that the recession was over. After a month of consecutive weekly gains, stocks were once again pounded today with the Dow dropping 186 points, or 2%, as "fear spread around the globe that an economic rebound may be further off than previously thought." But it was fun while it lasted, right? [WSJ, NYT]
Let's parse this Salon.com statement from CEO Richard Gingras regarding the firing of six of his staffers and a general reorganization of his site. Emphasis ours:
We are moving away from a very traditional magazine production model and becoming more of a true Web publication, with a more direct publishing system. Moving forward, we are investing most in the writers and creative participants who can help us continue to attract the smart, discerning readers attracted to Salon ... The financial changes emphasize what we do best — publish sharp, fast takes on the important events in the world, as well as the in-depth stories, reviews and blogs that readers come to us for — and will also allow us room to grow. Salon has always been about great writing from great writers. That will continue.
Translation: We're becoming an old-school blog, okay?
After G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra's $55 million box-office victory last week nearly sent you running for the Canadian border, there's hope: Not only was the well-reviewed District 9 the country's No. 1 movie this weekend, last night's Mad Men season-three premiere was watched by 2.8 million people, the show's largest-ever audience. Nice work, America! [Box Office Mojo, Live Feed/HR]
Maybe Lynne Curtin's "carefree and laidback" parenting style is starting to spread to her pocketbook.
The Real Housewives of Orange County newcomer and hubby Frank Curtin...
Hold the phone! Is Gossip Girl's newest twosome really Dan Humphrey and Georgina Sparks? We've got the inside scoop on that hot pairing in today's Spoiler Chat, along with...
But fun things are on the horizon! Such as his wedding to Lorenzo Martone, which he promised will happen "soon." Don't expect a big affair: "[The wedding will be] very quiet, just the two of us. We're keeping it very simple." Jacobs added that no friends or family will attend the ceremony in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Unlike many in his industry, he doesn't frequent the Hamptons. "I haven't been here for years," he said. "We just got here today, so we're just hanging out at Larry [Gagosian's] house. It's just me and sunshine and good times."
After a private Mediterranean cruise with 12 pals that sailed from August 12 through 16 along the French Riviera, Leonardo DiCaprio got an early jump on Labor Day by going back to work Monday in Paris for his latest movie, "Inception," directed by "Dark Knight's" Christopher Nolan and which started shooting in London last month.
As anyone who has ever sat in on a casting audition will attest, the very first thing that happens when an actor leaves the room is that everyone still in the room starts gossiping about the person. This is a practice that has been going on ever since the invention of the casting couch and, quite frankly, is not the least bit controversial. What is controversial, however, is when a casting director sends out her disapproval over a bad line read or an unfortunate bout of nose picking via Twitter. This is what happened last week to Broadway casting agent Daryl Eisenberg, who was live-tweeting her opinions — both positive and negative, while also being totally anonymous — of actors while she was conducting a casting session for Gay Bride of Frankenstein. Not surprisingly, when the Actors' Equity Association got wind of these developments, they were none too happy.
According to the New York Times, posters on BroadwayWorld.com immediately noticed Eisenberg's critical tweets ("If we wanted to hear it a different way, don't worry, we'll ask") and took to the forums on that site to discuss the unprecedented behavior. When word got back to Eisenberg that she was being vivisected on the site, her initial response would probably be most accurately labeled as defensive ("Freedom of speech. Ever heard of it?"). However, she quickly found herself backing down once she caught an earful from the Actors' Equity Association. By way of tweet, she explained that:
After a productive meeting with AEA this afternoon, I’m happy to report that we have agreed to both put this behind us. By mutual agreement, future tweets will not be coming from the audition room regarding the actors auditioning. I apologize to the actors and professionals who put themselves on the line every time they audition and will continually strive to make the audition room an inspiring, nurturing place for creativity and talent. I look forward to working with AEA and its members on future projects, and hope to see you all in the audition room soon.
A casting director backing down from a fight? This has got to be a first! This would've never happened at Walken/Jaffe, this much is certain. We can only hope that other casting directors learn from this lesson. No, we don't mean never to tweet about hilariously bad actor auditions. We just mean not to do it with an account that ties back to your company!
The Saturday Night Live actress's parody of Gwyneth Paltrow's now-infamous chicken-roasting video is not actually that different from the original, which is what makes it funny.
• Victoria Beckham is letting her pixie haircut grow out. When she was spotted in Los Angeles this weekend, her brunette locks reached just a few inches above her shoulders. [Fashionising]
• Beyoncé wore her hair curly while lunching with Jay-Z over the weekend, and let her bangs twist into little ringlets. [StyleList]
• Estelle says she had her head half-shaved back in 2005 when Rihanna "was chilling in Barbados." Got that, copycats? [WWD]
• L’Oréal USA filed a lawsuit against Nevada Hair Ventures LLC, an affiliate of Sally Beauty, claiming the franchise sold millions worth of Matrix hair products without authorization to a wholesaler who then sold it to mass retailers like CVS and Target. [WWD]
FRAGRANCE
• Dolce & Gabbana plans to release a new fragrance named Rose the One in September. Scarlett Johansson stars in the campaign. [10 Magazine]
• Olivia Wilde stars in the commercial for Escada's new Desire Me scent. The company just released a new behind-the-scenes video showing how they made the ad, despite filing for insolvency on Thursday. [Now Smell This]
According to a tweet, Adam Lambert is currently in a New York studio, working on a track with Max Martin, the songwriting producer responsible for "I Want It That Way," "Baby One More Time," and "Since U Been Gone." Also, the photo at left is a leaked shot from the cover shoot. [Idolator, Towleroad via Oh No They Didn't]
More Madoff-related indictments may be on the way, reports Lucinda Franks, who's been covering the case for The Daily Beast (and who happens to be the wife of Manhattan District Attorney Bob Morgenthau). Prosecutors, she says, "are poised to make multiple indictments in the weeks after Labor Day," and "investigators have compiled additional evidence against members of Bernie Madoff's family, specifically his brother Peter Madoff, and his sons Andrew and Mark Madoff." So perhaps the Madoff boys won't get off after all. But it's awfully thoughtful of prosecutors to wait until after Labor Day to bring down an indictment, so the boys can enjoy the rest of their summer vacation, isn't it? [TDB]
District 9, the Neill Blomkamp-directed, Peter Jackson-produced inversion of a typical alien-invasion story was one of the most simultaneously unique and my-stupid-divergent-brain-pleasing sci-fi/action movies I’ve ever seen.
The film essentially takes the idea of aliens landing on earth — a theme that’s been explored maybe two or three times before in other films (ballpark) — and dilutes the expected grandiose “War of the Worlds” intergalactic battle situation into an extremely mundane and bureaucratic existence for a bunch of sad aliens whose lives on earth are no different than that of any other unwanted, alienated subgroup (alienated, am I right people??? This thing on??? I am typing into a microphone.)
The first hour of the film is just phenomenally engaging, with a pseudo-documentary style that resembles the film Christopher Guest would make if he ever chooses to tackle the subject of understated background alien-violence. The second hour of the film, however, must’ve occurred after someone dared Blomkamp to direct a suddenly batsh*t-crazy actiony-heist movie with a bunch of dudes constantly exploding, which was equally entertaining, though for obviously very different reasons (explosion reasons).
After the jump, my random specific thoughts about District 9 — some spoilers included. ALIEN spoilers. There were aliens in it. SPOILER. That’s one of them.
– A minor touch, and partly for comic relief, but I loved the doctored news report photos of Wickus having sex with the prawns. With just one altered detail, the government managed to morally alienate Wickus so completely, even his wife had second thoughts about his motives, and Wickus’ resulting frustration was both hilarious and scarily relatable. (Who hasn’t had a friend tag us in a Facebook picture having sex with an alien? All of us have, is the answer.)
– For all the alien surgery and dudes who got shot by lasers and blown up, nothing in the movie was even close to as cringe-worthy as the scene when Wikus noticed his fingernails were falling off. Odd how so often the most stomach-turning images in movies are extremely plausible, minor grossities (see: Jackass papercut scene), whereas exploding heads and limbs flying all over the place are just cartoony and amusing.
– I also loved that the film revealed the prawns within the first five minutes, forgoing absolutely any cliched suspenseful reveal and instead just dropping the aliens right in there, establishing the film’s completely mundane tone right off the bat. I’m also glad they cut the scene where a dad alien comes home, hangs up his hat, sets his briefcase down, and says “Another day at the office. Man, my dogs are barkin!”
– One plothole that required a bit of a pass from the audience was the idea that the aliens have been working non-stop for 20 years to collect enough “fluid” to power their mothership, and manage to acquire the last drop on the exact day that Wickus is doing his evictions, but whatever, I feel that was more of a filmmaking “just have everything happen all at once” conceit than an actual problem with the story. (”Up until today, we could’ve gotten within ten feet of our planet but nooooottttt quiiiiiite there, but now this little thing my kid found has put us over the Double Dare cup line!”)
– I also was slightly confused about how some of the aliens were almost simian, tearing the MNU Colonel to shreds with their bare hands, while Christopher Johnson was a brilliant, rational uber-scientist. I guess this could be chalked up to a symbolic human-like class hierarchy even within the world of the prawns? Again, didn’t really have a problem with it. Seeing dudes blow up quickly takes your mind off most minor plot matters.
– There have to be .gifs online of Wickus in the battle-bot shooting the pig at the soldier, right? How has the internet not solely turned into District 9 pig-shooting .gifs? I give it two more days.
– Despite the movie’s many weighty themes — immigration, racism, government persecution, etc. — and therefore high probability for “we get the point” audience eye-rolling, I felt that the documentary portion really adeptly avoiding smashing the audience in the face with too many on-the-nose revelations. Sure, the last shot in the movie was about as subtle as the last shot in The Departed, but District 9 had earned the right to end itself however it wanted in my eyes, plus I can’t imagine another ending to the film that wouldn’t have felt either forced or incomplete, so I ended up completely satisfied.
Actually, it miiiight have been improved slightly if the Wickus-alien got hit in the balls with a pig right before the closing credits, but whatever, I’m not picky.
Thoughts on District 9, everyone? I give it one human thumb and one giant alien weapon-operated hook thingy up!
This Thursday, Project Runway premieres on Lifetime after five seasons on Bravo. Lifetime executives, Heidi Klum, and Tim Gunn have made a painstaking effort to reassure the public the show is exactly the same as it was on Bravo. But with a reality-television show as important as this one and networks as disparate as these, even Gunn's word can't be trusted. The Daily News likens the move to "kidnapping Diana Ross and forcing her to wear work shirts made for Martha Stewart." But will Diana Ross throw on a pair of killer heels, steal a belt from her man, pop the collar, leave the top buttons undone, and make that shirt fierce, fabulous, and hers? Or will she simply flatten her hair and try to grow the best heirloom tomatoes this side of the Mississippi? The Daily News saw the first episode and reports that the former might be a possibility. The show retains the same production company — the Magical Elves — it had on Bravo. It was shot, but not given the final edit, before the Lifetime move was solidified.
The Daily News explains:
That means we still get to giggle over a soundtrack that lets snarky music underscore each contestant's flakiest comments. It also means the show's editing remains manically crisp, and its graphics stay as slashingly blunt as ever.
But the show has the same flavor of corniness as the promos, in which the contestants put their Lifetime hats on and discuss faith, family, and commitment.
[T]he way Lifetime presents the new cast in the first episode reaffirms the network's numbing dedication to the most clichéd themes — "triumph over adversity" and "it's a small world after all."
Oh gross, this isn't a pregnant teenager with a cigarette problem and a single mom who doesn't care. This is Project Runway! Thankfully, Heidi, Tim, Michael Kors, and Nina Garcia are still on to make the show feel like its old self. And the contestants include: Qrystal, who designs plus-size clothing she calls "plus sexy"; Johnny, an ex–crystal-meth addict who tried out for the show twice before cleaning up; and Ari, who designs "transformative clothing" intended to be shown in tents with special water purification systems. So we have the token obnoxiously optimistic person, the token recovering drug addict, and the token wannabe fairy. These key ingredients could save the show. But not having it preceded by a Real Housewife of New Jersey who throws dinner tables on people she's jealous of will never feel quite right. Because at the end of the day, you might do something amazing with Martha Stewart's work shirt, but it will always be Martha Stewart's work shirt.
Maybe! Tom O'Neil reports that the Los Angeles City Council — which was already broke before it had to shell out $3.5 million for security at Michael Jackson's public memorial — will decide in September whether it will continue to pay for crowd control at large events, including award shows. Following public outrage over MJ's funeral, L.A. mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is of the opinion that organizers should cover security bills themselves, which means the Oscar producers could get stuck with an invoice for $410,000 (which is what February's ceremony cost the city). Or, we suppose, they could just ditch security altogether and finally make it a fair fight between nominated celebrities and rioting hordes. [Gold Derby/LAT]
Unlike some Democrats in the Senate, Kirsten Gillibrand has decided not to brave any potentially rowdy and politically fraught town halls, instead directing her outreach to the website Momversation.com. Sounds harrowing. [Daily Politics/NYDN]
Front Page: Sales slow down with the end of the season -- Broadway sales slowed down a bit last week -- as they often do during the tail end of summer.
It certainly looks familiar, doesn't it? The New Yorker this week has an excerpt from Dave Eggers' novelization of his screenplay for Where the Wild Things Are, which runs alongside a Q&A. We were momentarily excited to see his being asked where he got the idea for the furry cover of the book's limited edition, because we thought it might finally give him a chance to come clean — obviously, he was inspired by Vulture's mock-up for a limited-edition, hair-covered case for the (still-not-released!) Cavemen Season One DVD, right? Alas, he won't admit it: "It was just an idea I had, that it could be cool to have a book covered in fake fur," he says. Yeah, right, Dave.
New York attorney general Andrew Cuomo has filed suit against Charles Schwab's brokerage business for misrepresenting the risks of the auction-rate securities it sold clients, and also to send a message, gangsta-style: "Charles Schwab owed its customers a duty to properly understand and make accurate representations concerning auction rate securities," Cuomo said in a characteristically wordy statement. "Today we commenced a lawsuit to remedy Schwab's repeated breach of that duty. This filing should send a signal that anyone in the industry who misrepresented the risks of investing in auction rate securities will be held accountable." [WSJ]
This week, Jenny Sanford breaks from the mold of spurned politicians' wives even further by deciding to hold a candid interview with Vogue about the South American infidelities of her husband, South Carolina governor Mark Sanford. Here are some of the money quotes :
“Mark is not a bad person,” she says. “What the world saw in that press conference is someone who is struggling. None of us are perfect. We are all trying to do the best we can. I also feel sorry for the other woman. I am sure she is a fine person. It can’t be fun for her, though I do sometimes question her judgment. If she knew the newspaper had those E-mails back in December, why did she want him to come in June? But I can’t go there too much. All I can do is pray for her because she made some poor choices. Mark made some poor choices. A lot of people were brought down by this, and I am sure that is not what they wanted ... . All I can do is forgive. Reconciliation is something else, and that is going to be a harder road. I have put my heart and soul into being a good mother and wife. Now I think it’s up to my husband to do the soul-searching to see if he wants to stay married. The ball is in his court.”
The money shot, of course, is the photo included here — in which she looks gorgeous, happy, and generally better off. In Vogue.
Actor Ken Jeong arrives at the Las Vegas premiere of "The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard" at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on August 12, 2009. A Japanese-American group on Monday demanded an... Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 17 Aug 2009 | 2:57 pm
Reuters - Reality fashion show "Project Runway" returns to television this Thursday after 10-month hiatus, hoping to "make it work" on a new channel and in a new city, Los Angeles, that is ripe with red carpet opportunities. Source: Yahoo! News: Fashion News | 17 Aug 2009 | 2:55 pm
Nina Garcia is getting more on-air time than just judging Project Runway this fall. The Marie Claire fashion director just finished filming a guest spot on The Beautiful Life, the new CW show about the modeling world starring Elle Macpherson and Mischa Barton. Could it be that she's the one behind Macpherson's recent obsession with Victoria Beckham frocks on set? [FWD]
Former US House majority leader Tom Delay, seen here in 2007, speaks in Sugar Land, Texas. DeLay will be showing off his moves in another kind of arena next month, appearing as a contestant in ABC television's... Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 17 Aug 2009 | 2:48 pm
We were a little confused when we read a short piece in today's Post claiming that a rise in staycations has made Central Park "so overcrowded on weekends that people have to wait their turn to sit on a patch of grass." Like most New Yorkers, we've spent a few lazy Sundays vegging out in various areas of Central Park, and we've yet to find ourselves unwittingly rubbing up against random strangers for lack of space. Truth is, there is really a lot of grass in there (250 acres, to be precise). So where is this coming from?
The entire two-sentence article seems predicated on a quote from Central Park Conservancy president Doug Blonsky, who relayed that he'd "seen people standing in line to enter the Sheep Meadow." We assume that's true in some form or another (the Central Park Conservancy hasn't responded to a request for comment), but does it really indicate that the city is "running out of grass," as the headline blares? Does this herald the beginning of a dark new era for our city, one in which overpopulation will force us to sit on horrible, un-fluffy things like dirt and pavement and other people? Is this something we should be panicking about?
Not at all, assures New York City's parks commissioner, Adrian Benepe. He tells us that while staycations indeed seem to have contributed to a rise in park use this summer, Blonsky may have been taking some "poetic license" with his observation. "I think that was somewhat of an exaggeration by the park administrator. There isn’t literally a line," Benepe says. Phew. That's a relief. All the same, if you plan on seeing an outdoor film at Bryant Park, be prepared to fight to the death for some blanket space.
If you felt a chill rushing through your living room last night at around 10 PM, chances are it was the collective sigh of a nation relieved to have the new season of Mad Men back on the airwaves. Last season left us with more loose ends than an anal sex convention. (Ed. Note: What?) And we, America, had many hopes and dreams for this premiere, including, mainly, that Sal gynally finally get laid.
The internet was atwitter (heh) with excitement, as in the days leading up to the premiere, people Mad Men-ized themselves, figured out whichMad Men character they’re most like (I got Joan… twice), and generally debated what was going to happen in the first episode aired nearly a year after the end of Season 2. Would Betty have the abortion? Would Don learn from his unfaithful past? Would Pete (Possible Spoiler!!*) kill himself with a bullet to the head on the top of a clocktower? (*Because you know he will.) Only time and Matthew Weiner will tell.
So, finding myself watching it all alone with nothing but the solace of my online community to keep me occupied, I made a very 2009 decision: I Livetweeted the premiere. (@michcollif you care) Some might call it “thoroughness”, others might refer to it as an “online seizure.” (I lost about 10 to 15 followers throughout, even though I was careful to not include serious spoilers.) I bring you those Livetweets here, in chronological order, along with some additional commentary and photos. Perhaps I should just liveblog next week’s episode? Methinks yes.
Take a look, and then tell us what you thought of the premiere/what you’re hoping for this season!
First up, a pretty standard meltdown, as well as a soothing Draper-wish:
Of course, we’ve always wanted Salvatore to soak his gay oats… little did we know what was coming (or not, as the case may be)…
Moving on, we begin to wonder about Don’s health, what with all that nib-dipping he’s prone to do:
If you were wondering what that links to, it’s this:
A sweet, sweet reliable BMW from yesteryear. Ads: They still work!
As the show progressed, we found Don in an all too familiar position: On his back, in a chair, while some “disease-free” skank* (*In a world where we would all be skanx) shows off a product we thought was strictly New Millennial:
Ass Shaping Proof:
But while Don was getting his rocks off with Stepford Betty Part 2, Sal was downstairs shvitzing in his 9-piece suit. He then did what any of us would have done: Called maintenance. Gay maintenance. Gayntenance. We freaked:
Like really… really freaked:
The scene between Sal and that hot little piece of shawarma mayun in the hotel room was wayyyy beyond anything else ever shown on that show (save for the famous Don Draper sticks his hand up that lady’s dress scene:
I thought for sure we were going to see Sal’s D. Hence this mini-panic:
It was scandal!!
I just kept thinking of all the people tuning into Mad Men for the first time, walking away from it like it was some sort of hip vintage Queer as Folk. (i.e. All of our parents.)
Truly, though, of all people to catch Sal in the act of pantslessness with some tiny dude, it should be Don Draper. The man is a vault of secrecy!
Meanwhile, back at the office… Pete Campbell is on the verge of a nervy b thanks to his new title: Co-Head of Accounts with the ultimately charming if not slightly unqualified Ken Cosgrove:
With thanks to Dog and Pony Show (@dapswebsite), who created this for us:
But back on the airplane, Don gets close to finding out the truth behind Sal’s passion:
OK, not really, but almost. (Also, the answer is probably like 3 decades, before Sal even knew Don.) Uh Oh!! Guess what time of the episode it is?? Time for a little… HAT HUMOR:
Couldn’t find a still of this remarkable headpiece she had on, but no amount of accessorizing can make us find this character of hers any less annoying. Hell’s Bells Trudy… indeed.
But enough about her, guess who finally is making an appearance! No, not duck (sadly)… rather our favorite fictional silver fox Roger Sterling. Needless to say, this occasion deserved a Tweet:
And can we talk about those Draper kids for a second?
Now, I ask you, the readers, to follow me in making this nickname become a reality:
Alexander Wang is a genius businessman. He's slowly rolling out menswear with a small collection of tops under his lower-priced T line that bridges the gap between the label-whoring guy who seeks out jeans with a leather crotch patch and the guy whose significant other buys all his clothes for him at the Gap. All too often men's designers sendclothesdownthe runways that suggest they have paid the conservative fashion-fearing male, many of whom shop exclusively online to avoid the embarrassment of being seen in an actual clothing store, no consideration. But Wang's first collection is decidedly non-flamboyant. “It’s a guy who doesn’t think he’s fashionable, but is just cool and has taste and style," he told WWD last month. "That’s much more appealing than a guy who’s fighting his girlfriend for the mirror." A video preview of the line recently went up on Wang's website. It depicts model Vincent LaCrocq hanging around a basketball court in a filmy tank top with those really large armholes that would be great for this god-awful heat wave. Just think, ladies: You can be an Alex Wang couple now. Looking sweaty will never be the same!
Front Page: Studio gets $825 million in financing -- The latest incarnation of DreamWorks launched Monday as principal partners Steven Spielberg and Stacey Snider and India's Reliance Big Pictures announced completion of the first phase of funding for DreamWorks 3.0.
"I'd like it anatomically correct, an ideal likeness. A friend of mine, J.K. Simmons, plays Jonah Jameson in the Spider-Man movies, and they did a computer rendering of his face so that the action figure looks exactly like him. But I don't think you could technically call a Roger Sterling Barbie an action figure. It's a doll." —Mad Men's John Slattery on the Roger Sterling not-an-action figure [NYDN]
"Even the asshole in your office, who always seems to be an asshole, it might just be his moments. If you take certain characters ... I'm sure Ken [Cosgrove] or Paul [Kinsey] always think Pete's an asshole, he never really shows them another side. But because we get to follow him to his parents' house and we get to follow him home and we get to see how he's treated by society, we say, 'Oh, well that makes more sense.' And it's actually made me think more about people: When a BMW cuts me off while I'm trying to cross the street, gives me the finger, and says, 'I don't give a shit about you!' — now I kind of think, you know, maybe that guy just got bitched out by his dad and never thought he was worth anything. You know what I mean?" —Mad Men's Vincent Kartheiser [Starpulse]
"I will retire from films when I turn 60. It's a good age to stop making movies. I could start writing novels and film criticism and become a man of letters." —Quentin Tarantino [Contact Music]
"I cry at movies that aren't supposed to be sad. It's something about the airplane — it's something about the altitude, but I cry in every movie I've ever seen on an airplane." —Rachel McAdams [Contact Music]
"Let's face it, the geeks have inherited the world, and if you want to be a player in this system, you have to be willing to do some of this." —Jason Patric on his upcoming role in Losers [Wildstorm via Newsarama]
"The fact that kids look up to me is extremely flattering. But at the end of the day, I want to do R-rated films that are a little edgier." —Vanessa Hudgens [Star via Female First]
Once a week, Daily Intel peeks behind doors left slightly ajar. This week, the Nonprofit Worker in Her First Threesome: 25, female, Chinatown, bisexual, in a relationship.
DAY ONE 7:30 a.m.: Get out of bed with BF sleeping in late. Love seeing his morning wood, hate to leave it. 8:30 a.m.: Get to work early. While moving from PR to nonprofit increased the likelihood of working with straight men, it didn't really seem to increase the likelihood of hot co-workers.
10:30 a.m.: Chat with BF online. Tell him how much I liked sex last night. He's practicing being multi-orgasmic and I love to watch his face as he reins it in. 2 p.m.: Search online for burlesque shows. Looking for something with lots of feathers, pasties, and thematic costumes. No luck. 3:30 p.m.: Get message from Julia. She's a past girl hook-up: beautiful breasts and gorgeous naked; my first! We met while I was visiting home and my boyfriend was totally supportive of my exploration with her. Seems that she'll be visiting NYC and needs a place to crash for a night. BF and I immediately plan a threesome (we've wanted one for ages!). Excited, but nervous. 7 p.m.: Get home and watch trashy reality TV. Sometimes I just need to veg out. 9:45 p.m.: BF comes over and we decide the best way to deal with itchy bug bites on my legs is to cover them up with thigh-high socks. Underwear not allowed. Am I a walking American Apparel ad? 10:05 p.m.: Show him how I use my rabbit when he's not around. 10:25 p.m.: Have great sex both missionary and doggy; we've been dating three and half months and have yet to have bad sex. Some people have all the luck. :) 11 p.m.: Post-sex cleanup shower; cuddling in bed and then lights out.
DAY TWO 1:30 p.m.: Slow day at work. Pass the time reading gossip online, and xkcd.com. 3 p.m.: Heard back from Julia about this weekend! She's coming in Sunday; BF and I have planned dinner for the three of us. 4:30 p.m.: Having trouble sitting still at my desk; imagining making out with Julia on my BF's bed. 7 p.m.: Get home and hang out with the roomie. Watch fashion reality TV while drinking beer. Nothing like bitching about bitchy people. 11:15 p.m.: Early bedtime; fall asleep dreaming of a sexy Spanish girl on top of me. Too lazy to do anything about it.
DAY THREE 9 a.m.: Aunt e-mails me that she has two extra VIP tickets to NY Philharmonic! BF is thrilled we don't have to deal with crowds and lumpy lawn seats. 6:15 p.m.: Meet BF after work; grab some pizza, then head into Central Park. Get escorted through all barriers (remind me why I don't do VIP more often? Oh, right ... ) and sit just behind sponsor's section. 9 p.m.: Great music, bad weather. Damn thunderstorm. 9:20 p.m.: Riding the subway back to BF's apartment, soaked. He stands in front of where I sit on the subway. A few suggestive looks is all it takes to make a bulge in his pants. I love that I can get him hard without words. 10:30 p.m.: Back to BF's apartment; wet cloths turn into no clothes which turns into hot sex (with big steel cock ring). Take a fifteen-minute breather and then start in for more. Ice cream in bed tops a great night.
DAY FOUR 10 a.m.: Wake BF up with a blow job. Saturday mornings mean more time to be frisky. 10:20 a.m.: BF has to help his roommate move ... no sex for me. Decide to be athletic (once a week) and go on a run along South Street. It's easy to forget that Manhattan's an island. 11 a.m.: Shower. Decide rabbit won't make me that much more sweaty ... I was wrong. 11:15 a.m.: Shower again. Noon: Meet friends for brunch. Sometimes I think I look cute ... then I run into five-foot-eleven models with perfect hair. Umpf. 10:30 p.m.: Meet girlfriends at an eighties-cover-band show. Turns into more karaoke than concert. Still tons of fun. 11:15 p.m.: Russell Brand sighting on Bleecker when I make a pizza break. Follow him down the street a block. Not cool enough to not stalk celebrities yet. 2 a.m.: At house party. Old high-school hook-up asks me if I've still got his "V-card" in my wallet. I think he's been waiting all night to use that line. 4:15 a.m.: Order McDonald's fries that I know I'll regret tomorrow.
DAY FIVE 12:30 p.m.: Wake up late, take a shower. Drink about a gallon of apple juice. 3:30 p.m.: Julia calls me; wants to meet up and walk around before dinner. She's not being very flirtatious ... worry about whether I've been reading her right 7 p.m.: Meet BF for dinner with Julia. They seem to get along pretty well. I don't think I would've liked her as much if she weren't so smart. 8:30 p.m.: Hit up hookah bar after dinner, with more wine. Many lingering stares all around. I'm starting to think this might work. I give my BF the death stare to let him know he should be picking up the tab if he wants this to happen. Works. 10 p.m.: BF invites us back to his place. A bottle of wine and some voyeuristic snooping at the neighbors somehow leads to all of us on his bed. 10:10 p.m.: After we all lie close together, I go for it. Get a good reaction, and I keep going because I'm worried if I pause things might stop. We all start kissing. Kiss, rub, finger, lick, grind, moan, fuck. Etc. For an hour. 1 a.m.: I think we all find things we like. My BF falls asleep with a girl on each shoulder. He must be feeling pretty good right now. I know I am.
DAY SIX 8:15 a.m.: Say good-bye to Julia on the way to work. I'm just super excited that we all seem to be happy about what happened the night before. 10:30 a.m.: Talk to BF online all day. We keep retelling what we did in order to make it more real. 4 p.m.: Drinking three cups of coffee in one afternoon is a healthy way to stay awake, right? 6 p.m.: We both head home to our respective apartments. Exhausted. 11 p.m.: Crash in bed.
DAY SEVEN 7:30 a.m.: Getting ready for work and have to consider which pair of underwear to wear as I might get my period. Ugly panties it is. 10 a.m.: Hate that my back faces out to a hallway so I have to monitor what I keep up on my screen. I'm really itching to peruse Babeland online. 3 p.m.: BF sends me a link to a sex club/party that we would have to apply to. It sounds like fun but I'm also not excited about getting rejected. Everyone here seems so exclusive. 7 p.m.: Meet BF for dinner. Recap again. Discuss how to get Julia to visit again. 10:30 p.m.: Stomachache after dinner leads to mild cuddling and a soothing back rub. I'm happy that we don't need sex in order to get along. 11:45 p.m.: Lights out and we continue talking for another half hour. My BF's voice is so soothing; I love listening to him talk as I drift away.
TOTALS: Two acts of masturbation, both with rabbit, one with boyfriend watching; three acts of intercourse, including toys; one amazing threesome.
SALES STARTING TOMORROW
• Shop more than 60 styles of discounted Christian Louboutin heels at TheOutnet.com. The Louboutin python pumps are $597.50 (originally $1,195), the light-pink Materna peep-toe wedges are $270 (originally $540), and the Swarovski-crystal-embellished sandals are $662.50 (originally $1,325). Through 8/18. Online only.
• Bridal Reflections is hosting a moving sale, offering 30 to 70 percent off gowns by St. Pucchi Couture, Ines Di Santo, Ramona Keveza, Eve of Milady, and more. Through 8/29. 286 Fifth Ave., nr. 30th St., fifth fl. (866-259-3678); T–F (11–7), S (10–5).
ENDING TOMORROW
• Diane Von Furstenberg swimwear and shoes are 70 percent off. The Rock Goddess string bikini is $55.50 (originally $185), the Mecca shoes are $84 (originally $280), and the Goddess shoes are $76.50 (originally $255). Online only.
When NBC decided to cede five hours of original programming from its schedule each week in order to make Jay Leno happy (and save some significant money), it was the first sign that the broadcast-TV-network business model as we know it was starting to erode. Over the last few weeks, there have been a handful of "Television is dead!" types of posts making their way around the Internet, but it wasn't until we read Josef Adalian's piece on The Wrap this morning that we knew things had reached the crisis point. After describing how many television shows are cutting their writing staffs from a dozen people to a more manageable four or five scribes, Adalian drops a bomb on us that we never saw coming.
Meanwhile, the little excesses once accepted as part of doing business in the land of show are no longer being tolerated. Even that most basic of Hollywood rights — extravagant catering — has been targeted.
NOOOOO!
As a means of proving his statement that actors will no longer be able to sidle up to a craft-service table filled with caviar, Fiji water, and jumbo-shrimp cocktail, Adalian recalls this anecdote that came from an anonymous TV executive who walked onto the set of an anonymous TV show:
Consider what happened when one TV executive walked on to the set of a pilot last spring. "It was the most amazing spread I had ever seen," she recalls. "I called over the producer and said, 'You can't have this anymore.' They understood."
Making matters ever worse, television executives were reportedly asked not to nosh on the food that they served the nation's television critics at recent TCA press tour events. The horror! We can only imagine the undue stress that this development is putting on the live-in chefs and nutritionists of the Hollywood elite. What's next to go, limo rides to and from the set? Will the highly compensated hair and makeup artists be replaced by trainees from Bo Rics? Although we're not sure which parts of the budget the studios will cut next, it's times like these that make us glad we don't really have anything in our possession at either the workplace or at home that could be described as a luxury.
The financial news of the past year has provided plenty of inspiration to entrepreneurs looking to capitalize on the misery. But will the public rush to stores to scoop up a video game called "Bailout Wars" (above)? Will people bypass their chewing gum of choice and seek out "Meltdown Gum" instead? And would anyone in their right mind be interested in a football jersey with Bernie Madoff's name on the back? Only time will tell, of course. In the meantime, you'll find a collection of very timely—and very dubious—trademarks, all for products ripped from the financial news headlines of the past year, below. Coming soon to a store near you! Or, you know, not.
You may not be interested in a Madoff-branded headband. But at the very least, Bernie could use them to curry favor with the scary-looking dudes who spend their days in the prison yard lifting weights.
The "Ponzi" board game: the perfect gift for your impressionable child this holiday season!
Not all that excited to wear a pair of pants with "The Great Recession" stamped on them? Darren Ofsink is hoping you're in the minority.
This was a trademark that Target filed back in April, but they've since abandoned it. If you'd been hoping to start a line called "Fashionista Recessionista," too, rest assured you still can.
Menu boards called "Ricession Proof"? Let's hope it's a Chinese restaurant.
Considering a pharmaceutical company applied for this trademark, we're going to assume that chewing on "Meltdown Gum" releases some sort of anti-anxiety medication to soothe your nerves on days when the market is tanking. Like today.
Lehman Brothers didn't survive the downturn. Here's hoping the ladies of "Lehman Sisters" have better luck!
The newly named lawyer for Michael Jackson's children makes her first court appearance Monday as a judge decides if he'll approve a contract between Jackson's estate and concert promoter AEG Live.
The following clip from the latest America’s Best Dance Crew (or, if you prefer, ABDC) will absolutely MAKE YOURF**KINGDAY. It features a transgender Beyonce wurqing her majic as four hilariously overzealous dancers do their thing around her. Sure, she might have a face like this, but we’re pretty sure Tranny Beyonce might be possibly fiercer than actual lady with a v Beyonce. This will probably be the fiercest thing you will see all summer:
We’ll keep this close to our hearts for the rest of the day:
If not for his fetish for movies that no one else likes, Quentin Tarantino wouldn't be Quentin Tarantino, we guess. So with this in mind, we share with you this video in which he counts down his twenty favorite movies since 1992, the year he became a director, with the release of Reservoir Dogs. Among his picks: Woody Allen's Jason Biggs–starring Anything Else, M. Night Shyamalan's Unbreakable, and Trey Parker and Matt Stone's Team America: World Police. His top choice is Japanese actioner Battle Royale, and he says The Matrix would have been No. 2 if its two sequels hadn't "ruined the whole mythology" for him. Also, he refers to Shyamalan as "M. Night Shamalamadingdong." Click for video and the full list.
Quentin Tarantino's twenty favorite movies since 1992 (in alphabetical order):
Anything Else (2003) Audition (1999) Battle Royale (2000) The Blade (1995) Boogie Nights (1997) Dazed and Confused (1993) Dogville (2003) Fight Club (1999) Friday (1995) The Host (2006) The Insider (1999) Joint Security Area (2000) Lost in Translation (2003) The Matrix (1999) Memories of Murder (2003) Shaun of the Dead (2004) Speed (1994) Supercop (1992) Team America: World Police (2004) Unbreakable (2000)
A fortuitous typo has led me to a tremendous revelation – Google is nowhere near as exciting, useful or alien-having as the far superior website Googles.com:
The next time I need to search for something, I’m just going to look at these aliens instead for as many hours as it takes for me to forget what I was searching for in the first place.
After the jump, find out What’s New In Goo! Also, how has this site not acquired Google yet?
And if you want to further not wasting your time at all on bizarre internet typo destinations, you can watch the following tutorial from the Great Wise Gooroo:
Last week, the Post reported that the wife of retired Goldman Sachs honcho Ray Iwanowski had smashed her BMW into a tree and was later arrested for DWI. On Wednesday, the owner of a Bentley Arnage watched as his car mysteriously rolled into Lake Montauk and plunged to the bottom. Could there a trend here? Who knows, but since these things usually come in threes, you may want to be a little extra cautious if you're cruising around the East End in a luxury car today. [EHPress]
In recent seasons, "Dancing With the Stars" has given exposure to such unlikely dancers as magician Penn Jillette and Oscar-winning octogenarian actress Cloris Leachman. But Tom DeLay? Along with Kathy Ireland and Michael Irvin, he's one of the new season's contestants.
Courtney Love shopping downtown ... Mischa Barton talking on her phone while eating lunch outside with a friend ... Paul McCartney waving to photographers in East Hampton ... Dave Zinczenko, Dan Abrams, and Julia Allison having dinner at Copa in Bridgehampton ... Julia Roberts leaving her trailer on the set of Eat, Pray, Love ... Sophia Bush going inside Pop Yogurt on West Broadway and Spring Street ... Drew Barrymore shooting scenes for Going the Distance ... Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian leaving the Howard Stern Show in Midtown ... and Beyoncé and Jay-Zhaving an early dinner at Bar Pitti on Saturday.
AP - Like a towering fir tree that survives after the primeval forest around it has vanished, the Seattle Opera's production of Wagner's "Ring" cycle now stands alone as the only traditional depiction of the epic music drama on an American stage.
Two concerned mothers have been all over TV screens recently, but unlike most of the mothers who have made appearances on TV of late, they are not concerned about health care reform.
So much for this being a cooler summer than years past. The temperature will reach a high of 93 degrees today—making it the hottest day of the year thus far—and tomorrow and Wednesday's highs are expected to be close to 95 degrees. The city issued its first heat advisory of the season today, which means the Post now has a good excuse to publish photos of bikini-clad girls "cooling off" in the ocean. Both will probably be discontinued when the heat wave passes later this week. [NYP, NYDN]
Estonian-American conductor Neeme Jarvi, seen here in 2007, is to take the helm of Estonia's National Symphony Orchestra three decades after fleeing Soviet rule in the Baltic state. Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 17 Aug 2009 | 10:08 am
Musicans of English heavy metal rock band, the 'Iron Maiden' perform at the Sziget Festival in the Hajogyar (Shipyard) Island of Budapest in 2008. This year's Sziget pop and world music festival attracted... Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 17 Aug 2009 | 10:07 am
A bunch of models in 60s-style garb gathered for the Times Square big-screen premiere of Mad Men last night, and I’ve gotta say — Rockapella’s looking surprisingly good these days:
Jessica Simpson might be chosen as Paula Abdul’s replacement on American Idol. On the plus side, she’s sweet and beautiful, but then again– oh, wait, no, she just fell down an escalator going the wrong direction. Best wishes.
Rumors are spreading that Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens are engaged. The groom will wear Armani, while Zac is leaning towards a Vera Wang trumpet skirt situation. (Admit it: A tiara? In that hair?! Gorgeous.)
Lily Allen broke down in tearsduring a recent concert in Finland. It might be due to emotional distress, or it might be due to the electric neon warpaint she has applied directly around and inside her eyes.
And for your feelgood story of the day: Hot man scatters Grandmother’s ashes; saves adorable dog from drowning; makes stonecold blogger shed single tear.
Front Page: Government points to trade deficit -- China has confirmed that it will challenge a landmark World Trade Organization ruling against its system of importing and distributing books and movies, which Hollywood claimed as a victory for its efforts to crack the lucrative China market.
The Jonas Brothers seem so clean-cut and well, normal, which seems so unusual for young stars these days, surely there's some dirt you can dish on them?
—Laura, via the Answer...
UPDATE: Attorney Martin Singer maintains that, despite its sexy nature, the video is not a sex tape.
"This is simply a private, consensual moment involving a married couple, shot...
Michael Jackson couture is just around the corner.
A judge on Monday approved deals proposed by the administrators of the artist's estate to market clothing and various other types...
Hailey Glassman is just "a normal 22-year-old girl." So how did she turn into "the goldfish that was put in the piranha tank"?
The admitted college-era weed smoker (it...
Eric Dane, aka “McSteamy” from Grey’s Anatomy, is the latest star to fall victim to the dreaded 
Paula Abdul may not be one of the contestants on season nine of Dancing With the Stars, but Cheryl Burke still has hope the former American Idol judge will pop up on the show.
"As a...
Let's say you follow in the footsteps of Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Simpson, and Jennifer Love Hewitt and start dating John Mayer.
What should you expect to find at Mr. Mayer's...
Maybe Lynne Curtin's "carefree and laidback" parenting style is starting to spread to her pocketbook.
The Real Housewives of Orange County newcomer and hubby Frank Curtin...
Hold the phone! Is Gossip Girl's newest twosome really Dan Humphrey and Georgina Sparks? We've got the inside scoop on that hot pairing in today's Spoiler Chat, along with...
– A minor touch, and partly for comic relief, but I loved the doctored news report photos of Wickus having sex with the prawns. With just one altered detail, the government managed to morally alienate Wickus so completely, even his wife had second thoughts about his motives, and Wickus’ resulting frustration was both hilarious and scarily relatable. (Who hasn’t had a friend tag us in a Facebook picture having sex with an alien? All of us have, is the answer.)
– I also loved that the film revealed the prawns within the first five minutes, forgoing absolutely any cliched suspenseful reveal and instead just dropping the aliens right in there, establishing the film’s completely mundane tone right off the bat. I’m also glad they cut the scene where a dad alien comes home, hangs up his hat, sets his briefcase down, and says “Another day at the office. Man, my dogs are barkin!”
– I also was slightly confused about how some of the aliens were almost simian, tearing the MNU Colonel to shreds with their bare hands, while Christopher Johnson was a brilliant, rational uber-scientist. I guess this could be chalked up to a symbolic human-like class hierarchy even within the world of the prawns? Again, didn’t really have a problem with it. Seeing dudes blow up quickly takes your mind off most minor plot matters.
If you felt a chill rushing through your living room last night at around 10 PM, chances are it was the collective sigh of a nation relieved to have the new season of Mad Men back on the airwaves. Last season left us with more loose ends than an anal sex convention. (Ed. Note: What?) And we, America, had many hopes and dreams for this premiere, including, mainly, that Sal 
A conversation at Warner Bros. yesterday, just prior to 
