AP - The remains of a former model whose killing set off an international manhunt for a reality television star were so badly mutilated that investigators had to use the serial numbers on her breast implants to identify her.
AP - The remains of a former model whose killing set off an international manhunt for a reality television star were so badly mutilated that investigators had to use the serial numbers on her breast implants to identify her.
Jasmine Fiore made a living off her body, modeling swimsuits and working for Playboy events. Her physique helped even in death as investigators used the serial numbers on her breast... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 22 Aug 2009 | 1:56 am
DENVER (Billboard) - Most music videos might not have the promotional impact they used to. But what about videos that make fans the star, allow them to sing with an artist and seem to pop... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 22 Aug 2009 | 12:51 am
Reuters - Most music videos might not have the promotional impact they used to. But what about videos that make fans the star, allow them to sing with an artist and seem to pop out of the screen? Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 22 Aug 2009 | 12:51 am
Reuters - German cinema's growing number of films willing to address topics relating to World War II has a fine addition in Ludi Boeken's "Under Bauern" (Saviors in the Night), which tells of farmers -- unter bauern -- in Westphalia who sheltered Jewish friends from the Nazis. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment Reviews | 22 Aug 2009 | 12:44 am
VH1 executives have cancelled "Megan Wants a Millionaire," the reality TV show that Ryan Alexander Jenkins appeared in before he was charged with murdering a former model. VH1 spokesman... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 21 Aug 2009 | 11:02 pm
AP - Fans wearing 3D glasses clapped as soon as James Cameron's face appeared on screen. The filmmaker, shown in 3D, invited moviegoers to enjoy a 16-minute peek of his anticipated sci-fi epic "Avatar," which was screened for free around the world Friday.
AP - Fans wearing 3D glasses clapped as soon as James Cameron's face appeared on screen. The filmmaker, shown in 3D, invited moviegoers to enjoy a 16-minute peek of his anticipated sci-fi epic "Avatar," which was screened for free around the world Friday.
Fans wearing 3D glasses clapped as soon as James Cameron's face appeared on screen. The filmmaker, shown in 3D, invited moviegoers to enjoy a 16-minute peek of his anticipated sci-fi epic... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 21 Aug 2009 | 10:24 pm
A VH1 reality show featuring a man charged with murder in his ex-wife's death may not air. A VH1 spokesman said no decision has been made about the future of "I Love Money 3," the... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 21 Aug 2009 | 9:58 pm
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AP - A judge on Friday firmly approved a deal between Michael Jackson's estate and a concert promoter to exhibit his memorabilia, praising the arrangement that the singer's mother had fought in court over her concerns that it could harm his legacy and wasn't competitively bid.
AP - A judge on Friday firmly approved a deal between Michael Jackson's estate and a concert promoter to exhibit his memorabilia, praising the arrangement that the singer's mother had fought in court over her concerns that it could harm his legacy and wasn't competitively bid.
A nephew of Michael Jackson says his uncle joined a large family dinner a few weeks before he died, and talked openly about his creative plans beyond the 50-date concert stint in London. Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 21 Aug 2009 | 7:55 pm
(AP) AP - Paramount Pictures has moved Martin Scorsese's "Shutter Island" from an October release date to February, which takes it out of awards consideration for this year. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 21 Aug 2009 | 6:13 pm
• Rising star Nate Appleman will be moving from SF to NYC to take up the helm at Pulino's, the Keith McNally pizzeria slated to open in December. [GS] • Chef Laurent Tourondel is hoping to take his BLT franchise to the new W Hotel and Residences in the financial district. [Eater] • The Parks Dep't was supposed to pick a winning bid to operate Tavern on the Green last month. It didn't, and now the bidders are getting antsy. [NYO] • Julian Medina, the owner of Yerba Buena and Toloache, is expanding: Yerba Buena Perry will open in the West Village next Wednesday. [GS] • The restaurant Joseph Leonard only opened a few weeks ago, but it's already been rammed by a car. Fortunately, the damage was minimal. [VV] • A few restaurant closings around town in recent days. [Eater] • The city is facing off against "a small flotilla" of hot dog carts outside the Met; the vendors claim they can be there because they're disabled veterans. [NYT] • Starbucks is either raising its prices or lowering them. It's hard to say, really.
Well, I guess we're glad to hear that there isn't any tension between the women in Eric Dane's life. The part of his life that's been steaming up the Internet,...
Reuters - A $3 million painting by U.S. artist Brice Marden was destroyed during a move from Moscow to New York because of negligence by Lufthansa Cargo and others involved in the move, according to a federal lawsuit. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 21 Aug 2009 | 5:51 pm
• We had been waiting for what felt like eons to see some footage, any footage, from Avatar. And when we finally did, well, we — along with the rest of the Internet — were a little disappointed. Oh well, at least it looks better than the video game!
• Will a hunky Taylor Lautner be able to replace the dreamy Robert Pattinson? Summit Entertainment sure thinks so!
It's Friday, which means someone connected to the Michael Jackson death investigation is bound to have been served with a search warrant.
Today's unlucky recipient is Beverly...
The world certainly doesn't need another comedy starring Michael Cera as a hapless teenager blundering his way into improbable sexual encounters — but how about one in which his id takes the physical form of a mustachioed cocksman with a penchant for arson? Yes, we thought so! Youth in Revolt, based on the C.D. Payne book, looks like just the thing to make us forget about Paper Heart and gives us hope that, should Scott Pilgrim turn out okay, some brave studio might one day let this guy portray an actual adult. Trailer of the week, hands down.
The Law & Order aspects of this case are really starting to pile up.
Not being able to use fingerprints or dental records, authorities ultimately identified the remains of model...
Front Page: 'Hangover' thesp joins Carell and Rudd in comedy -- Zach Galifianakis is in talks to join "Dinner for Schmucks" opposite Steve Carell, Paul Rudd and Lucy Punch, with Jay Roach directing.
The sneakers Mark Ronson designed with Gucci will soon roll out in pop-up stores around the world, starting with New York in October. Each pop-up will offer different styles. Mark also told us last night at his sister Charlotte's I Heart Ronson party, he created a "special limited-edition song" for each store. “No one’s looking at me like I’m a shoe designer," he said. "It’s cool to have that, but there has to be a musical component to it as well or it doesn’t make much sense.” He started by choosing his favorite Gucci styles, and then “going to town on details.” “It’s not like a half-assed thing like, 'Oh, someone wants to give me a sneaker,'” he says. He met many times with Gucci creative director Frida Giannini over a period of four months, making sure everything was just right. “I think they probably hate me; they’re like, we just thought some D.J. was going to tell us, like, ‘Red and green,’ and fuck off. And you know, I’ve been, like, 'Oh, wait, what color are the stirrups?' They’re like, 'Who are you?'”
Ronson was unsure of pricing. "I think mine are the cheapest in the shop, I’ll say that. I think they’re maybe $500 or something," he said. "I know it’s a fucking credit crunch, but I think the other ones go for more." Plus, buyers of the shoes get a free iPhone application Ronson created called “Gucci Beats.” “It’s a really easy-to-use software that you can make your own song using different bass lines and keyboard lines and stuff that we made, and then you can put yourself singing or rapping over it, whatever, send it to your friends,” he explains. He declined to reveal further details. “I have to measure every word, I hope you don’t mind,” the Grammy-nominated producer told us. “Like, I might get an injunction from Gucci tomorrow just because I’m talking to you at a party.”
We're sorry, but he's just begging to have his privacy violated.
Now that the president has departed to join his wife and daughters for a ten-day vacation on Martha's Vineyard, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs has issued a plea to the media and local residents:
"Just to reiterate: It is our strong hope and desire that you all, during this family vacation, will respect the privacy of 8-year-old Sasha and 11-year-old Malia Obama. This is a strong request by the First Family ... If the girls are out and about on Martha's Vineyard without their parents, it is our strong desire that you give them their space and their privacy and you don't cover two little girls who are on vacation ... and are not public figures."
Okay, okay, we can probably contain ourselves to leave them alone if they're with Barack or Michelle. But we can't make any promises about what will happen if they're with Bo.
Happy birthday, Zuma Nesta Rock Rossdale!
Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale celebrated their youngest son's first birthday this afternoon with an outdoor soirée.
"I...
In addition to the handful of glassy hotels downtown that are already open for business, and the two new properties that are currently under construction, there's a third ultra-modern high-rise hotel now in the works. It doesn't have a name yet and the owners have yet to settle on a final location—it will be somewhere "between the Lower East Side and Soho"—but it may very well feature the smallest rooms in town when it eventually opens. How small? "So small that the shower is now a cylindrical tube," and there wasn't really any room for a proper bathroom, so "the toilet appears to be more or less on full display." [Curbed]
Paula Abdul's good friend and former American Idol wannabe Michael Johns says it's time for the reality show's producers to pay up.
He doesn't understand why they...
"When neighbors know one another, they know who belongs on the street and are more likely to respond to suspicious activity. [One] examination of the effects of family ties shows that respondents who know more families in their neighborhoods are more likely to engage in neighborhood improvement activities; block parties facilitate the creation of those relationships." [StreetsWiki]
If we've been doing our job, you know what these are by now.
In today's sales post, you may have noticed that "shackets" are discounted at Freemans Sporting Club. A shacket is simply a light jacket, but Freemans prefers to label it with a hybrid of "shirt" and "jacket." Perhaps they want to make you feel like you're getting something special. Perhaps it's simply another facet of fashion elitism. Or maybe they're too busy distressing plaid shirts to be bothered with an extra syllable. But they are hardly the first to do this. Obnoxious made-up hybrid words for fashion items have been around for ages. Because it's Friday and we felt like it, we made a quiz so you can test your knowledge of these (mostly) unnecessary terms. Can you figure out what these terms are hybrids of?
1. Shootie
2. Jegging
3. Spant
4. Skort (Yes, this is obvious, but it was the original hybrid, so it must be included)
5. Hairring
6. Jort
7. Swacket
8. Tregging
9. Glittens
1. Shootie: An ankle boot; hybrid of "shoe" and bootie." 2. Jegging: Leggings that look like jeans; hybrid of "jeans" and "leggings." 3. Spant: Harem shorts; hybrid of "skirt" and "pant." 4. Skort: An oldie but a goodie, this one needs no explanation; hybrid of "skirt" and "short." 5. Hairring: Earrings made out of hair; hybrid of "hair" and "earring." 6. Jort: Jean shorts; hybrid of "jean" and "shorts." 7. Swacket: A sweater jacket; hybrid of "sweater" and "jacket." 8. Tregging: Leggings made out of trouser material; hybrid of "trouser" and "legging." 9. Glittens: Mittens that fold back to reveal glove fingers; hybrid of "glove" and "mitten."
Now think of all the fun you can have with these: "What are you wearing tonight?" "Oh, hmmm, I was thinking of my Topshop jeggings with those new shooties I got at Oak and that blue swacket I always wear if it's supposed to be chilly later. Unless you think my spants would go better with that?" If we missed any, let us know in the comments!
Rachel McAdams as a contestant on My Antonio, the new VH1 reality show in which women compete to go out with former Calvin Klein underwear model Anotnio Sabato Jr.?
Like that...
(AP)
AP - Fashion designer Daniel Vosovic has someone very A-list in mind for the winning dress he created for the "Project Runway: All-Star Challenge."
Japanese actor Hiroyuki Sanada will make amends for his part in Rush Hour 3 by joining the cast of Lost in a "significant recurring" role for its final season, says Michael Ausiello. [Ausiello Files/EW]
Name: Wyatt Cenac Age: 33 Neighborhood: Non-gang-related, Manhattan Occupation: Actor and comedian, correspondent/writer for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Will be performing at Comix tonight and tomorrow.
Who's your favorite New Yorker, living or dead, real or fictional?
Mr. Met.
What's the best meal you've eaten in New York?
The BBQ at Fette Sau is as good as anything I've had in the South.
In one sentence, what do you actually do all day in your job?
Try not to garner the wrath of Campbell Brown.
Would you still live here on a $35,000 salary?
Yes ... assuming I would also be the ne'er-do-well, layabout boyfriend of some wealthy socialite's daughter.
What's the last thing you saw on Broadway?
I've never seen a show on Broadway.
Do you give money to panhandlers?
I like to pit buskers in an American Idol–style competition for my loose change.
What's your drink?
Poor man's mint julep (sweet iced mint tea with whiskey).
How often do you prepare your own meals?
Pretty often. I thought about going to cooking school.
What's your favorite medication?
Sleep.
What's hanging above your sofa?
A poster for a Run DMC show I pulled off a telephone pole in Los Angeles.
How much is too much to spend on a haircut?
I cut my own hair, so I'm not the best person to answer that.
When's bedtime?
Tough to say. I generally pass out on the couch watching TV and then am startled awake by those commercials for computer-education software with the bald guy who begs you to "try his DVDs."
Which do you prefer, the old Times Square or the new Times Square?
I've only been to the current Times Square, which makes miss the old Times Square.
What do you think of Donald Trump?
He secretly loves Rosie O'Donnell.
What do you hate most about living in New York?
The walk to the subway in winter.
Who is your mortal enemy?
Byatt Benac.
When's the last time you drove a car?
When I was in L.A. for a few days last month. Second day of driving, I got pulled over.
How has the Wall Street crash affected you?
My piss-poor credit score has all of a sudden become the average.
Times, Post, or Daily News?
I like to buy all three and mush them together to form a kind of "super paper."
Back when he was 38, Ben Kingsley might have understandably assumed that most of the rest of his acting career would take place on the stage — after all, he'd gone from success to success in the British theater, while being told in no uncertain terms that he didn’t have what it would take to be a movie star. Then director Richard Attenborough cast the British-born, half-Indian actor to play the title role in 1982’s Gandhi, and, as they say, things changed. Whether in lead roles or supporting ones, the Oscar-winning Kingsley has become one of the most recognizable faces in film today, having appeared in everything from highbrow fare like Schindler’s List and Oliver Twist to such down-and-dirty titles as Lucky Number Slevin and BloodRayne. Sir Ben (he was knighted in 2001) has also entered into a prolific career renaissance of sorts in recent years, with acclaimed, award-winning roles in House of Sand and Fog, Sexy Beast, and Elegy. This week he can be seen in the Irish political drama 50 Dead Men Walking, playing the main contact for an IRA snitch played by Jim Sturgess. Kingsley sat down at a midtown hotel this week to answer Vulture’s questions.
Although 50 Dead Men Walking is based on a true story, your character is a fictional amalgam of different figures. I’m told you like to do a lot of research — did that make it hard to research in any way?
Well, there are two different versions of this. The honest one is that I do research when I feel it’s appropriate. But I wouldn’t say that I like to do a lot of research as a rule. Much of the time, I rely very much on the script and my intuitive take on it. However, I am also sensitive to the environment once I’m there. So, instead of reading tons of material and watching hours of video, I can arrive in Belfast — and if I’m alert enough, I can say, "There it is. There it is." I see it around me.
Had you been to Belfast before?
I had actually been there in 1989, when our film takes place, for a film festival — a very barricaded, rather underattended, brave little film festival. I knew what it was like then, ’cause I saw it. And a lot of what it was like then geographically is the same, though the barricades are down, so its character has changed. A lot of the murals are still on the walls — no amount of research can give me that kick in the chest the way something like that can. That’s the real thing.
How much information did the script of 50 Dead Men Walking give you about your character?
It gave me a great deal of clues. In his dialogue, I could tell my character was somewhat bitter about MI5. I wondered why — and I decided it was because he tried to get into MI5 and they wouldn’t take him. That’s usually when people are bitter about a certain institution. Other little clues like that, but they were all in the script. Later on, we discover that his son had left him. His family was in pieces. And Jim Sturgess’s character’s family had left him. So on the one hand we had a son who had no dad, and on the other we had a dad who had no son. In other words, my character has an unfulfilled patriarchal impulse — which he suppresses, because you’re dealing with spies in Belfast. But what you resist, eventually you can become. If you damp down those emotions and feelings, they’ll find a way to burst through: By the end, he risks his life for the other guy.
The other thing is that you often keep us guessing about a character’s true nature. We so rarely can tell whether you’re a good guy or a bad guy. That’s very much the case here. It was also the case in Transsiberian, the thriller you did recently.
That’s something I certainly look for in the script. If there’s something enigmatic about a character, that appeals to me. And the exercise in not judging or sentimentalizing the character hugely appeals to me. In some parts I’ve had to do for very strong directors, I’ve not been allowed to sentimentalize, which has been very good for me. Because to sentimentalize is to judge, to sentimentalize is to say to the audience, "You’ve got to like me." I prefer to keep them guessing, and I like scripts that allow me to do that. Shutter Island is the same. You just don’t know about my character. Apparently the trailer makes me look very evil. You just don’t know.
Both Transsiberian and 50 Dead Men Walking also allow you to do accents, which you’ve proven yourself quite adept at over the years — but in Transsiberian you take that extra step and actually speak Russian. And you spoke Turkish in Pascali’s Island. That must add an extra layer of difficulty.
I had a very salutary lesson about that recently. I was at a screening of Transsiberian in Boston. This very drunken Russian lady, reeking of cigarettes and vodka, came up to me: “I really enjoyed the film, very convincing… until you started to speak that horr-rrible Russian, then I completely lost interest.” I said, “Oh, I’ve been told my Russian is quite—“ “It was terr-rrible.” Where do you go from there? [Laughs] I said to the director he should dub me, but he said all the Russians had told him my Russian was quite good. Well, this Russian apparently didn’t. I think my Turkish was okay in Pascali’s Island, though.
I’m not very keen on the parochial, unless it’s very, very well done. I do like that international flavor. For example, I think Sexy Beast would have been a boring film had it all taken place in London. But because we were in that amazing Spanish landscape, and there were Spaniards in that film as well, it gave it a global quality, a mythological quality that I really loved. Entering into other cultures — Polish accent, Iranian accent, Russian accent, Manchester accent, American accents of various kinds — I enjoy doing that. The only film I’ve done recently without any accent was Elegy.
Most viewers probably don’t even know what your real accent is like at this point.
I was so glad to be able to act in my own voice. Since then I’ve begged directors to let me act in my own voice. Prince of Persia is my own voice, and Shutter Island is my own voice. I asked Marty [Scorsese], “Could he please be a psychiatrist trained in England?” And he said, “Absolutely.” 'Cause I do find that acting in my own voice is one less layer of disguise, and I feel a little bit more vulnerable and exposed, and that’s a good thing. I can hide a bit too easily behind makeup and accents and that sort of thing, and I don’t want to do that.
Is it true you recently did a Bollywood film?
It was a mainstream Indian drama called Teen Patti, which can’t really be categorized as a Bollywood film, because it wasn’t singing and dancing. It starred India’s biggest star, Amitabh Bachchan. But I did all of my scenes with Mr. Bachchan in Cambridge, because he visits Cambridge University.
Although your father was Indian, you had a very British upbringing. But when you were cast as Gandhi, I imagine you became something of a popular figure in India. Was it hard to reconcile people’s expectations of you in India at the time?
What expectations they had were met when they saw me come out of my trailer. We had hundreds of thousands of extras — that’s not an exaggeration, hundreds of thousands. No CGI, real people. Beautiful. They were immensely supportive and generous when they were on set. And their main expectation was that they hoped I would do a good job. Some of the older villagers would come up to me and say, “It’s so nice to see him again.” And I thought to myself, “My goodness. You’ve got to pull this off, mate.” When we opened the film in Delhi, and Dickie Attenborough brought me onstage to take my bow, the whole audience stood up. That was an unforgettable embrace from that country, and it was also a huge relief.
• Mariah Carey's new ads for her Forever fragrance are out. And she's posing without her usual body glitter. The scent hits stores in September. [StyleWatch/People]
• Anne Hathaway: "I remember being given my first fragrance when I was 12. It was a peach body spray and when you’re young, you don’t really understand the idea of less is more." [My Fashion Life]
• Circus Fantasy by Britney Spears lands in stores later this month. Get excited! [Now Smell This]
• Take a cue from Anna Wintour's daughter, Bee Shaffer — she updated the traditional black-and-gray smoky eye with green liner and gold shadow. [BellaSugar]
MAKEUP
• Heidi Klum is adding to her Victoria's Secret makeup line with an Indian-inspired collection later this year. [USAT]
Front Page: Universal Cable Prods. pumps up USA, Syfy nets -- When Bonnie Hammer renewed her contract at NBC Universal last year, she was given the additional responsibility of leading an entirely new entity: Universal Cable Prods.
Reuters - NEW YORK (Billboard) - Creative plural notwithstanding, John Fogerty was the Blue Ridge Rangers on his 1973 solo debut, adopting the fictitious band moniker as a means of swinging back at writer's block and Creedence Clearwater Revival's flameout -- but not so much on the sequel, "The Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again." For this warm set of 11 country-time covers (including a track from his 1986 album, "Eye of the Zombie"), Fogerty turns to his speed-dial list of superstars. He recruits Bruce Springsteen for a gallop through the Everly Brothers' "When Will I Be Loved?" and the Eagles' Don Henley and Timothy B. Schmit for Ricky Nelson's age-appropriate "Garden Party." Elsewhere, Fogerty is accompanied by folks like Buddy Miller and Kenny Aronoff. Not surprisingly, Fogerty settles into his country surroundings with a self-assured grace, especially on John Prine's melancholy "Paradise," Jerry Gillespie's "Heaven's Just a Sin Away" and even on John Denver's "Back Home Again." Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment Reviews | 21 Aug 2009 | 3:33 pm
There were at least two blazing rooftop fires in Cobble Hill in the past 24 hours. Brownstoner and the Cobble Hill blog captured intense photos. [Brownstoner, Cobble Hill Blog]
• High fashion modeling always equals dead in the eyes for Katie Holmes, posing here on the cover of Another magazine. This will be a really good look for Holmes & Yang ads,...
Front Page: Scorsese, DiCaprio pic delayed for economic reasons -- Moviegoers won't be going to "Shutter Island" this fall, as Paramount has moved the Martin Scorsese-directed thriller, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, from Oct. 2 to Feb. 19.
In our experience, video games based on movies generally suffer because they lack the photorealism of their cinematic source material. For example, no matter how cool the Joker looks in the upcoming release of Batman: Arkham Asylum, we're fairly confident the voice acting and animation will never be able to replicate what Heath Ledger (or even Cesar Romero) did with the character. However, considering that vast chunks of Avatar were created inside a computer and not on a soundstage (let alone on location), is there any chance the Avatar video game could possibly be better than James Cameron's film? Sad to say, probably not. The just-released trailer for the video game shows us a lot of scenes stylistically similar to the widely criticized trailer for the film that was released online some 30 hours or so ago: lush landscapes, scary beasties, and giant blue aliens. Another benefit of going to see the 3-D movie in the theater versus playing the video game? You could probably go to the movies four times for the price it would cost you to buy the game.
Is it a coincidence that David Paterson, Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick, and Barack Obama have all seen their numbers plummet recently? Not at all, claims Paterson. It's because they're black. The media is giving Paterson an especially hard time and "orchestrating" an effort to nudge him aside because of his race, he told the Daily News' Errol Louis earlier today.
"And I submit that the same kind of treatment that Deval Patrick is receiving right now in Massachusetts, and I’m receiving; the way in which the New York State Senate was written about, calling them a bunch of people with thick necks — they’re talking about Malcolm Smith and John Sampson — that we’re not in the post-racial period."
Paterson can blame the media all he wants (he even gets a little harsh, boasting that the state will be alive long after struggling media outlets have shuttered), and he's right that at times it has been overeager to criticize him. And while you definitely can't say we've made it to a post-racial period, the media didn't create the recession, sow widespread dysfunction in Albany, or botch a Senate appointment — just some of the things that have no doubt led to Paterson's low approval rating and to hand-wringing by party insiders. And about those polls — a recent one showed black New Yorkers disapprove of Paterson's job performance 47 percent to 44 percent. Are they racist, too, or is Fred Dicker just that persuasive?
Last night, socialites were still talking about Wednesday night's September Issue premiere. Specifically about the film's heroine, Anna Wintour. Vogue contributing editor Lauren Santo Domingo said the film was illuminating even for Vogue staffers. "I was really surprised at the amount of access. I just assumed it would be chopped up and edited and repackaged, but it was really insider and behind-the-scenes," she told us at the party to celebrate the opening. "There were even things I'm not privy to or I'm not aware of — things that go on in the art department, in the photo room. I've never been in any of those meetings." So what's it like to work for Wintour? "It's like you see — you know what she likes. There's a certain standard you're expected to live up to and if you're not up to par, she'll let you know. You'll take it very personal and then you'll be professional and move on. There's very rarely a gray area. It's really nice to work in black or white." Model Elettra Wiedemann called Wintour a feminist hero. "She's been doing this for so long, surrounded by men," she said. "There's absolutely a feminist aspect to her. I think a lot of the attacks against her are misogynist. Men in business are totally cutthroat and nobody says bad things about them for it." Vogue contributing editor Kathryn Neale Shaffer said that if she didn't work at Vogue already, she'd want to after seeing the film. "I felt very proud to work there, I really did," she said. "And I was glad to see some of the smaller characters at Vogue get screen time — like the photocopy guy, who is everyone's favorite. Well, that's not his official title." Alexa Chung, who works not for Vogue but for MTV, called Wintour "amazing," but isn't sure she'd want to work for her. "I'm fine with my job, thanks."
Is it getting hot next February, or is it just the movies pushed there from their original fall release dates? First, Universal's The Wolfman got bumped from November, and today Nikki Finke reports that Martin Scorsese's Leonardo DiCaprio–starring Shutter Island, which was to open on October 2, will hit theaters on February 19, where its Oscar chances are likely nil. Finke's studio source claims badness wasn't the impetus, but rather Paramount's lack of $50 million to market a "big awards pic" like this one in 2009. Her optimistic source further insists the Academy's expansion of the category this year to ten slots means Shutter still has a shot at the 2011 ceremony. We are dubious!
Authorities on Friday were at a Beverly Hills pharmacy in connection with the investigation into the death of Michael Jackson, a source close to the investigation told CNN.
While reporting a segment on how the economy was affecting farms, CNN's Deborah Feyerick came across a cow about to give birth. The cow was having trouble pushing out the baby calf, so the farmer asked Feyerick's production team to help. To her credit, even though she was all dressed up and blow-dried, Feyerick jumped right into the mud and started pulling. (She did, after all, cover the Martha Stewart trial in 2004.) If you're eating your lunch at your desk, you may want to just jump on over to TVNewser and read the hilarious transcript. But if you can stomach it, this video is really something to watch. Fair warning: It involves afterbirth. And chains.
TOMORROW
• Bensimon is hosting a trunk show at Tani Shoes and debuting twelve limited-edition colors for fall. 131 W. 72nd St., nr. Columbus Ave. (212-595-1338); noon–6.
• Bags for the People will be sewing live at the Union Square Greenmarket. Hop on a machine and sew a market bag. Union Square Park, 17th St., at Broadway; 10–2.
SUNDAY
• Christy Turlington and Tory Burch will participate in a three-mile Strides for Life fun run around Lake Agawam in Southampton to benefit the Lung Cancer Research Foundation. The race is open to the public and registration begins at 7 a.m. $40 per adult. The Cultural Center, Pond Ln. and Jobs Ln., Southampton (212-332-4403); 9–10:30.
MONDAY
• Breathe pure oxygen inside the Natura Bisse 02 Bubble at Bergdorf Goodman. Book an hour-long facial inside the life-size bubble to detox your skin. Through 9/1. 754 Fifth Ave., at 57th St., beauty level (212-753-7300); M–F (10–8), S (10–7), Su (noon–6).
SALES STARTING TOMORROW
• Polos, sweaters, shackets (lightweight jackets), belts, raincoats, and more are discounted at Freemans Sporting Club's office moving sale. Cotton polo shirts are $60 (originally $92), shackets in two- and three-button styles are $238 (originally $420), and fine-wale corduroy shorts are $65 (originally $89). Through 9/7. 8 Rivington St., nr. Bowery (212-673-3209); S (11–7), Su (noon–6), M (11–8).
Scope out deals on designer and vintage clothes, shoes, handbags, furniture, and more at Circa Now's sidewalk sale. All prices are less than $60. (The sale will be moved inside if it rains.) Through 8/23. 238 E. 6th St., nr. Second Ave. (212-254-2555); S–Su (noon–7).
ENDING SUNDAY
• Dresses and separates from past seasons and fall 2009 leather leggings are 60 to 80 percent off at the extended Frank Tell sample sale. 113 W. 27th St., nr. Sixth Ave., third fl. (646-688-4836); W–F (noon–7), S–Su (1–6).
• Dresses are $70, pants and tops are $30, and sweaters are $20 at the Saja sample sale. 250 Elizabeth St., nr. Houston St. (212-226-7570); Th–Su (10–7).
ENDING MONDAY
• Become a fan of Henri Bendel's Facebook page or become a follower on Twitter and receive 20 percent off purchases. Offer available by using the in-store Bendel Social computer kiosk or online. 712 Fifth Ave., nr. 56th St. (212-247-1100); M–S (10–8), Su (noon–7).
• Everything in the store is 30 to 50 percent off at La Sirena's end-of-summer sale. Embroidered blouses are $25 (originally $40), dresses are $36 (originally $60), and beach and market bags are $25 (originally $50). 27 E. Third St., nr. Bowery (212-780-9113); Th–M (noon–7).
The first time I ever performed standup back as a plucky teen in Pittsburgh (”plucky” means “Black-Sabbath-listening-to,” right?), I exited the stage to the host’s excited, sarcastic declaration, “Quentin Tarantino, everyone! Keep it going for Quentin Tarantino!”
Since then, I’ve received countless “Anyone ever tell you you kinda look like Quentin Tarantino?” declarations from friends and completely unapologetic strangers alike, but against the conventional automatic-disagreement usually caused whenever anyone tells you you look like anyone, I was never bothered by Tarantino comparisons, for two reasons:
1) There are worse things than being compared to the most entertaining director of the last twenty years, who’s also a super-likable, hilarious, harmlessly-crazy genius.
2) We don’t look…entirely…unlike one another.
In honor of Inglorious Basterds premiere week, during which a bunch of people I know have again dusted off this comparison, I was gonna put photos of Me n’ Quentin side by side, Simi-Lebrities fashion (that is, if you could really consider Quentin Tarantino a celebrity), but I couldn’t find a good QT-looking example photo of myself online, and the internet definitely doesn’t need any additional terrible photos of myself, so here’s a pic of Tarantino wearing pajamas before he tucks himself into the Inglorious Basterds premiere yesterday. If you’ve met me or know what I look like, then just remember that and agree or not:
Sookie (Anna Paquin), Bill (Stephen Moyer) and the gang finally return to Bon Temps to find the town overrun by a mysterious power. Deducing that the bitch Maryann (Michelle Forbes) has pretty...
"There's a real question at stake now. Is President Obama creating a civil war in our own country?" the native New Yorker, who is hopefully just preparing for a new role as a hysteric, tells the Washington Times today. "We are witnessing a slow, steady takeover of our true freedoms. We are becoming a socialist nation, and whoever can't see this is probably hoping it isn't true." We can't imagine why Angelina Jolie wouldn't want to reconnect with him. [Washington Times]
Antwon Tanner will have plenty of time to practice his basketball skills—in the clink.
The One Tree Hill star, who plays Antwon "Skills" Taylor on the hit CW series,...
Claire Danes's new photo shoot for BlackBook includes the requisite pantsless look. Incidentally, it's one of Lady Gaga's favorite combinations: a black leotard, fishnets, heels, and a jacket. “Wow, I’ve never flashed an entire city before,” she said from atop a 21-story-high balcony. “It’s great, as a woman, to feel entitled to express strength and power, to not be in some kind of flowery frock running through fields — though that has its place." Just not on most starlets being featured in magazines because they've found love. [BlackBook]
New Sensations, the company that brought us (the general "us," as in "the people of the world"!) porn movies based on The Office, Scrubs, and Seinfeld, has just released a Spanktravision-appropriate X-rated version of 30 Rock. Judging from the YouTube trailer (totally safe for work except for a few bad words), it might be something even Liz Lemon–prudish 30 Rock superfans will want to actually buy. (You know, ironically and for fun!) But seriously, it's actually disturbing how true to the show this thing is. ("Trey Jordan": "See this chain? It was Dracula's." And pretty much every other line.) Someone out there in porn-making land has actually done their 30 Rock homework — there's even a TGS movie-parody-within-a-show-within-a-show-within-a-parody-porn scene. Color us impressed.
(The first two minutes are a strange, mostly boring parody of Cribs, so this skips straight to the trailer):
“I haven’t had a piece of fish of any kind in 11 months ... I feel like a different person." —Jeremy Piven [Time]
"And each chapter, I told Quentin, I feel he’s hit the level in his writing of a Tennessee Williams or an Arthur Miller. He’s transcended screenwriting; certainly, acting classes are going to be performing these scenes for the next one hundred years." —Eli Roth [/Film]
"Yeah, John C. Reilly has a different feel from Robert Pattinson's Edward. But I can see a lot of shirtless photo spreads for John after this movie." —Paul Weitz, whose Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant has a slightly different feel to his brother Chris Weitz's New Moon [MTV]
"I go and see every single movie that comes out with my kids — every single kids' movie. And sometimes it's like torture because some of them are terrible. This one is great. It's really good fun for the parents. Fun like in a ride. And the kids love it, so it's like thank god I made one of those movies and not one of the movies where parents want to take a nap during it." —Leslie Mann on her next movie, Shorts [Female First]
"I used to talk to this woman that was 35-plus. I'm a mature individual." —Drake [MTV]
"[When] he sang it to me, I nearly did one of those ugly cries because it's so beautiful. It's really big, lots of strings. I feel very lucky to have it and he's not having it back." —Natalie Imbruglia on the Coldplay hit, "Fun" that Chris Martin gave her ... and later sort of regretted [Guardian UK]
Goldman Sachs has a image problem, as you may have noticed. The firm has been battered by bad press in recent weeks as critics have accused Goldman of having a hand in everything from the destruction of the cookie industry to the spread of nuclear materials to rogue nation-states. (Okay, the firm hasn't been accused of that last one just yet, but it's just a matter of time.) Now, as we head into fall and get closer and closer to bonus season, Goldman chief Lloyd Blankfein is getting worried that it's about to get worse. But what to do?
Goldman can't not pay its bankers in the hopes of avoiding terribly damning (and slightly misguided) Rolling Stone writers from taking shots at the firm. But everyone needs a punching bag in these challenging economic times—great stress reliever!—and there aren't too many firms poised to take over the title of America's Most Hated Financial Institution™. Making matters worse in the minds of Goldman's execs: That coverage of the bank seems to contain "an element of anti-Semitism" these days, the time-honored "myth of a conspiracy of Jewish bankers controlling the world for their own benefit."
This conundrum isn't just unfolding in a beautiful, wood-paneled conference room atop 85 Broad Street, though. It's also playing out on Blankfein's face, apparently. According to a "Wall Street CEO who considers himself a friend of the Goldman CEO" and who spoke to Charlie Gasparino, Blankfein "looks like shit," these days. Let's be perfectly honest here. Blankfein has never been easy on the eyes. On his very best day, he'd never be able to hold a candle to Jamie Dimon and his perfectly coiffed silver mane.
Speaking of Dimon, what are the chances that he was the one who made the "looks like shit" comment to Gasparino? Very high! They're friends. And whereas some Wall Street CEOs might have used more delicate language to describe Blankfein's "condition," Dimon is famous for swearing like a (Greek-American, non-Jewish) sailor. Sadly, we'll never know for sure. But we fully expect Blankfein to bring the subject up the next time the two sit down to dinner.
Alexa Chung moved to New York a few months ago to star on MTV's new show It's On With Alexa Chung. And when we caught up with the British model turned host at the opening of the Calvin Klein women's shop at Saks Fifth Avenue, she told us she loves her Stateside life so far. "It's really fun living here, but it would be more fun if I weren't working all the time," she said. We second that. But does she enjoy her new gig, at least? "Yeah. What if my answer was, 'No, it's shit, really shit?'" View more in our Party Lines slideshow.
The concept of street magic floated over the shark back with the David Blaine network tv specials in the late 90s, and internet videos of street magic seem even more pointless by definition (unless they involve Ricky Jay).
The exception, of course, comes in the event that the uppity street magician is just part of an elaborate marriage proposal that’s juuuust adorable enough to not be lame. (Impatient interneters can feel free to start the clip at the 1:45 mark):
The Baader Meinhof Complex, Germany’s nomination for last year’s Best Foreign Film Oscar, finally hits American theaters today. The film tells the story of the Baader-Meinhof Gang, a group of young leftist radicals — led by Andreas Baader, Gudrun Ensslin, and Ulrike Meinhof — who terrorized West Germany throughout the seventies with a series of bombings, kidnappings, and assassinations, in a tragically misguided attempt to topple a government they believed was a continuation of the Nazi regime. The movie tracks the events between the June 2, 1967, murder of Benno Ohnesorg, a university student shot by a policeman while protesting the state visit of the Shah of Iran, which was the trigger of the movement, and the 1977 simultaneous suicides of the Baader-Meinhof high command — deaths made to look like they were perpetrated by prison guards — while in custody at the Stammheim prison. Vulture spoke to director Uli Edel.
I understand you paid a great deal of attention to detail, including even how many bullets were fired in various assassinations …
I mentioned the number of bullets in an interview, and now it’s always brought up. I did that specifically in relation to the Schleyer assassination, to really understand the scale of the massacre. At the time we saw the photos of the aftermath, and years later when I did the research, I saw they fired 119 bullets. I mean, are these really people like me and you? This was a massacre. And these were students, some at the same university as me — I could have been at the same discotheques as them.
How did you view the Baader-Meinhof gang while you were in school?
You couldn’t help but be curious what they gonna do. Especially a person like Ulrike Meinhof, who was at that time — 1967, '68 — a very prominent left-wing figure in Germany. So, we students, 18-, 19-, 20-year-old students, you had a kind of leftist thinking. You read her columns — she wrote in these magazines, leftist magazines, every two weeks — religiously, and followed her ideas and her analysis of the politics at that time. She was an established figure, a mother of two kids, she was married, and all of a sudden 1970 when basically it got quiet in the universities in Europe again, they all of a sudden vanished in the underground. And then you heard the first bank robberies — it was connected [in our heads] with a lot of, yeah, Bonnie and Clyde, romantic.
Did you identify with their ideology?
You have to know that, 1969, Willy Brandt came to power, so we had a Social Democratic chancellor. Before that, we had a former Nazi. You know that. It was teasing us. There were a lot of reasons for us young people, the postwar generation — we didn't trust our parents at all. We accused them of having supported the Reich. We have to resist, we cannot allow that something like fascism finds a new rebirth in Germany again. And that second of June, when Ohnesorg was shot, when the Shah arrives, and the few people were protesting — it was just a ruthless attack of the Berlin police. So, I'm just saying, I followed them with interest till the first bombs exploded. That was two years later. All of a sudden, you stepped back and said, are they nuts? The first innocent people were lying in the street. This cannot be Ulrike Meinhoff! It can not be her. Maybe it's Andreas Baaden, who's a nuthead.
The gang was officially known as the Red Army Faction, and it was the newspapers that dubbed them the Baader-Meinhof Gang. How effective was the media in shaping their image?
Ensslin and Baaden very well knew how to sell things to the media. They kind of played with the media — when you look at the pictures, when they appeared, wherever, they looked like young rock stars. The young rebels, sitting with sunglasses in the courtrooms. And having their supporters, giving them coverage in the all the kind of leftist medias. I’m talking now again about the time before the bombs exploded. They were really treated like rock stars.
What do you say to criticism from the families of the people portrayed, especially the widow of Jurgen Ponto, who claimed the movie was inaccurate in its depiction of Ponto's assassination?
We approached most of the people before — I knew, who wants to see his father killed in a movie again and again and again? I tried to contact, through some friends, Mrs. Ponto. There was no way she would let me talk to her. Especially that case, what happened in that living room, I wanted to hear it from her. I wanted to really hear it again, what she remembers. [But] I think I did it pretty close, what happened there. And I even think that she does not remember it right. But when a movie like this is done, sure, for the victims, it’s hard for them. I would never argue against the wife of Mr. Ponto.
It was revealed, after you completed your film, that the policeman who assassinated Ohnesorg was a Stasi agent.
It was the most amazing news for a lot of people in Germany after so many years. Now, so many years later, we find out that the killer, the shooter at the second of June was a Stasi agent … now that is really news! [Laughs] I still cannot believe it. And you know that even Rudi Dutschke, the leader of the student movement in Berlin — they tried to assassinate him too, and ten years later he actually died from the later effects. But his wife said that even he thought his assassin was maybe a Stasi. He suspected it but he never found out, because the guy committed suicide in prison.
Has the early myth of the Baader-Meinhof gang survived at all?
Irmgard Möller, the woman who survived that fatal night in Stammhein, she still tries to tell the myth that they did not commit suicide, that it was someone from the outside. They had to make their deaths look like, done from a fascist government, so that it would prove that all their actions were justified. Young people now started to believe again — sure, the government. It was the government, right? But there's no way. The only thing, what might be suspicious — we know for sure that they were wiretapped. We know that for sure. If they listened to what they were speaking, we don't know for sure. But Stefan Aust [who wrote the nonfiction book on which the movie is based] is still believing that there must be tapes of that fatal night. If they all collectively committed suicide, they must have had connections. If those connections were there, somebody might have listened to it. And somebody might have known that they were going to do it. And the question would be, why did they not prevent it? I don't know if this is a kind of a conspiracy theory. But you should ask Stefan Aust. He is not giving up. He said, I will find these tapes.
Moving along — now you're shooting an 8 Mile–type biopic on German rapper Bushido. Sounds like a drastic shift.
It's not such a big shift. First of all, my two sons — basically I'm listening since they were 12 years old to nothing else but rap music. So I got brainwashed heavily. When Bernd Eichinger, the producer, called me, he said, "Listen, there is this German rapper king, he's the best rapper in Germany. He's an Arab-German: His father was Arab — Tunisian — his mother a German. We call it a multiculti scene, kind of a ghetto scene in Berlin. It's a minority in Germany, this rebellious minority." And I said, "Wow, this is great. I love rap music!" I didn't even know the guy before. And I listened to the music and, it's really … my sons can't understand it 'cause they don't speak German … but the music is great. But it's not so much a movie about Bushido, it's a movie about ghetto culture in Berlin.
Charlotte di Calypso (One Management) at Stella McCartney.
Four years ago, Charlotte di Calypso won one of modeling's most prestigious coups: the worldwide Elite Model Look contest. Following her win, the flaxen-haired model debuted at Prada's spring 2006 show and modeled for Topshop's fall 2006 print ads. In 2007, she signed on as the face of Chanel's Chance fragrance, scoring some serious exposure in stores and glossies worldwide. Strangely, the following year proved to be quite a lull in her career — she barely popped up in any editorials or campaigns. But don't count her out just yet, as her career has just been reignited. She closed out the fall 2009 Christian Dior couture show, became one of the new faces of Ralph Lauren (alongside Tao Okamoto), and booked spreads in British Harper's Bazaar and French Vogue. Looks like she's back in good form.
Fore! Look out, because after having several secret and low-key rendezvous, LeAnn Rimes and Eddie Cibrian emerged for a very public golf date Thursday.
Target's long list of American designer collaborations might get a taste of Britain next year. The Liberty of London store, which is known for its prints, is reportedly in advanced talks to collaborate with the mass retailer for a spring collection. It seems like a good fit since both parties appear to enjoy dipping outside the in-house designer pool — Liberty partnered with Hermès and Luella Bartley in the past, while Target has Anna Sui and Rodarte in the queue for later this year. [Racked]
Nikki Finke reports that Tom Hanks was the board of governors' top choice to replace the departing Sid Ganis as president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, but that he turned down the gig (he'll serve as first vice-president instead), which ultimately went to veteran marketing and production executive Tom Sherak. This presumably makes Sherak the odds-on favorite to replace Hanks in Spielberg's Harvey remake, also. [DHD]
Ben Stiller has done all of your Grandparents a gigantic service. He sat down with child star from the 1700s Mickey Rooney to explain to him the magic of Twitter. And even though my Grandparents don’t even know how to turn a computer on, much less what “140 Characters” means, Mickey seems to pick up what Stiller is putting down. Namely, never trust anyone who shares too much information. Truer words have not been spoken.
Speaking of which, last week I, @michcoll, did a special BWE.tv Roll Call — after the jump, a list of all the people that responded! Feel free to add your own handle in the comments!
Bernie Madoff's boat is up for sale. The 90-foot yacht, which is named "Bull" and was constructed in 2007, has been docked in Antibes, France ever since Madoff's assets were frozen. But now the administrators overseeing the liquidation of Madoff's investment firm have approved its sale. A British firm has the official listing posted online. Unfortunately, it doesn't indicate if the yacht comes with the bikini-clad babe sitting on the deck. But you could always try asking! [Telegraph]
Front Page: Lifetime reality series premieres to record numbers -- The delayed sixth season of "Project Runway" arrived at Lifetime dressed to the nines, scoring the highest-rated series premiere in the femme-skewing cabler's 25-year history.
I’ve had about seven friends send me this Onion Weekender cover today, and it really just keeps getting funnier. The man is a true national treasure, in every possible sense of the word (except literally being treasure in a chest):
These are difficult economic times, sure. And keeping up appearances isn't easy, especially if you follow the advice of some experts who argue that you need to look even better than usual during a financial downturn. But you can only cut costs and stoop so far, you know? If you insist on buying really expensive heels even when you can't afford them, but you then wrap your feet in plastic bags so you can return the shoes in a few weeks, you probably should just do your shoe shopping at Payless and call it a day. Really. We'll forgive you. [HuffPo]
Front Page: Jump in Monday-to-Thursday tallies is potent -- For decades, weekend grosses have fundamentally defined summer box office. But this year the studios are reaping a windfall from weekdays.
Kittens popping in and out of vases are adorable. Kittens popping and locking to a positively glorious techno song sung by some sort of black unicorn from Mars are more than just adorable… they’re positively sent from heaven. Buzzfeed is to thank for this brilliant art installation.
Above, Renee Zellweger promotes an all new episode of Bones while on her way to The David Letterman Show.
Here is the MOST IRONIC VIDEO you’ll ever see, where Reenz talks about opening a Mexican Restaurant (”What would you call a restuarant for anorexics? The Empty Plate. The Lonely Chef. ‘Start Without Me, Guys!’” — George Carlin.) Then, she and Dave beat the ess out of a Guacamole Stuffed Pinata. That being said, she seems like a sweetheart and we’re loving her dress. So Renee, if you’re reading this, doooon’t beeee maaaaaadddddd!
You may notice that today’s Bestweekever.tv blog is missing something that is as vital to us as the computers we breathe on: That thing being a Project Runway recap. Well, there’s a great explanation. I am currently working remotely from Los Angeles while I simultaneously do some West Coast stand-up and “take meetings” (meetings with Carl Jr. to talk about how delicious that Low Carb Burger of his is.) My best friend who resides in LA has given me her apartment for this time while she travels to Africa to teach dance (really, my friends are amazing), and given that she is “of a certain breed” (= genius WASP), she doesn’t have any cable television.
This has proven quite difficult for me, a bona fide “television addict”, as I putter around the house arranging things like an expectant war widow gearing up for the big reunion. My evenings which were previously filled with a slew of A&E reality programming, House Hunter International marathons, every and any piece of garbage Bravo decides to put on air, and of course EVERY VH1 SHOW EVER CREATED ALWAYS, were now being spent in entirely new ways: Going out to… dinner… with people, “walking around”, grocery shopping… reading. It’s new and confusing territory for me, but one day at a time. One day at a time.
Here’s the upside: My pal does, actually, have a TV and DVD player, and despite its lack of a cable connection, I’m making due for myself. For example, during a recent trip to Target, I noticed that both seasons 1 and 2 of the 90s hit sitcom Martin were on sale for a mere $19.99. Being of a certain breed myself (= hoarding Jew), I couldn’t turn this down.
The Martin DVD’s have proved invaluable to me, keeping me retro company when I have no choice but to stay indoors. Certain episodes — particularly one entitled “Variety Show” — have reminded me what things like Wild Hogs made me forget: That Martin Lawrence is a true comedy genius.
The only… slight… issue I seem to be facing with this Martin arrangement I have going for myself is that of the DVD menu, which plays the Martin theme song over… and over… and over again, mad infinitum. So there I’ll be, laughing and drifting off into sleep, only to wake up 4 hours later with blood pouring out of my ears as the “wikkka wika wikkka wika wikkka wika wikkka wika” record scratching Freddy Krueger’s its way into my subconscious. I’m basically suffering from MPTSD.
So while all of you privileged cable subscribers were privy to all of Heidi and Tim Gunn’s fabulous ways last night, I was getting the noose ready set to this hilarious theme music. Won’t you sample my pain for but 30 seconds?
Those of you in LA! I’ll be performing next Wednesday night, 8/26, at Laughing with the Stars with Tom Arnold at the Laugh Factory! Very excited about this, and would love to see you there. You can buy tickets here!
Quentin Tarantino's movies are distinctive, thanks to several elements they typically share. Those elements include graphic violence, rich dialogue and ... humor. Even amid the violence.
After setting multiple sprinting world records at the 2009 Track & Field World Championships in Berlin, Jamaica’s Usain Bolt celebrated the only way anyone should celebrate anything — by posing with a giant, happy Sprinter-Bear:
After the jump, the Berlin Sprinter Bear’s moment of glory:
Front Page: 'Inglourious Basterds' thesp talks shop with Variety -- Even with Brad Pitt in the lead role, Austrian-born Christoph Waltz may have emerged as the star of "Inglourious Basterds." The thesp, who took home best acting honors at this year's Cannes Film Festival, plays Colonel Hans Landa in the Tarantino film and is already receiving a shot of Oscar buzz for his performance. Waltz discusses why he admires his agent's impersonal touch, how he looks to his son for Hollywood news and when it helps to be an outsider.
You've been on a world tour promoting "Inglourious Basterds."
It's really interesting. I know from my experience in theater that the crowd is different every night; the reactions, the tension. But it's true for film as well, going from country to country and culture to culture. The difference between California to New York responses and now Europe, for example. It's really fascinating.
Back in May, you won the best acting award at Cannes for this part. Now that the "Oscar machine" is approaching, do you feel the pressure?
No, not at all. I view all of the awards talk as a compliment, nothing more. I don't really understand it as a concrete, directed discussion or a goal. It's completely outside of my reach so I just I'm flattered and honored to be on the menu.
How did you get the part?
A casting director in Berlin that I know suggested a meeting with Quentin, so it was very traditional. They sent me a script, I read it and then we eventually met. To be honest, I wasn't fascinated by the role initially (laughs), but after meeting with Quentin and the more I read, the more intrigued I was.
You studied acting in Vienna as well in New York?
I did. I had a little money at the time after working odd jobs and I didn't want to buy a sports car and so I thought, "Maybe I should invest this in me."
Did you have any specific goals in mind?
Not really so specific. For a while, I couldn't decide whether or not I should pursue singing in the opera or acting. And I'm glad that I chose the latter because I wasn't a very good singer.
When you read for Quentin, did you know Brad Pitt was attached?
My son filled me in, yes. My son is very internet adept, so he gave me all the bits and pieces one morning.
Your character Colonel Hans Landa (a.k.a. 'The Jew Hunter') is more of a detective in this film than he is a solider. Did you model your role on someone specific?
Definitely not. I try to avoid that with great effort. I try not to take inspiration from other performances. I wanted to stick with what Quentin had created, what he had wrote. Everything that leads away from your character takes you on a detour, in my opinion.
Were you doing any historical research for your part?
I grew up in Austria, so this moment in history is featured very prominently in our education. And I'm interested in this time anyway, so my level of knowledge was not really basic anymore. And, as you've said, this is more of a detective part, not really a solider.
Quentin's notorious for using longer takes. Did your experience on stage prepare for these extensive moments onscreen?
Absolutely, yes. I can't speak for the other actors and I know everyone has a different approach, but it was fantastically helpful to have that experience. It helps me understand my place in my job in the whole scene. It's a lot more fun.
The film was shot almost entirely in France and Germany. Describe the atmosphere on set.
Quentin and I talked about it in the beginning to keep my separate from the group. To stay a little bit on the outside because he doesn't want everyone to become very comfortable with each other and I really agreed with that approach. And while it makes it difficult socially, in the end it really does benefit the work.
What has the reaction been so far in Austria and Germany?
Overwhelmingly enthusiastic. I've been asked this question before, but the moment Hitler is killed, the sigh of relief that goes through the theater is greater in Germany and Austria than anywhere else.
You and your new agent, Adam Schwartz at ICM. Did you two hook up before you got the role?
Adam approached me before the shoot and I loved it because he didn't even know that I had been cast; he simply had read the part. He said, "Whoever gets this part will have great potential to work with because it's so special." It was by the part, not by the person and I really admired that. Not "Oh, he's a nice guy, let's see what we can do."
What's next? Are you two eyeing any new roles?
We've got our eyes on three different parts at the moment. But unfortunately, I can't reveal them to you. Not even with your finest detective work! (laughs)
Here’s the new ad for Mariah Carey’s fragrance “Forever,” as in, “I was hot last decade but I’m gonna continue doing these airbrushed-to-sh*t vaguely seductive print ads to cling onto that sex appeal FOREVER.”
Liam Neeson, seen here in January 2009. Canadian director Adam Egoyan's psychological drama "Chloe" starring Liam Neeson and Julianne Moore will open the San Sebastian film festival next month, the organisers... Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 21 Aug 2009 | 8:54 am
A teen in Britain has become the first person to be jailed for Facebook bullying. Apparently, she just refused to “Like” her friend’s comment that “Campbell and Cosgrove should have a dance-off for the head of accounts job!!!”
Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burressaccepted a plea bargain for his illegal-weapon charges, and of course, because he’s a famous athlete, he was only sentenced to…two years in prison? Sh*t, that actually sounds like a lot — I guess the DA wanted to send a message for nine decades of famous people getting off easy?
Heather Locklear is in talks to reprise her role on the CW’s Melrose Place. No word on whether or not she’ll be able to get out of her other current project, Not Being On Melrose Place.
Donald Trump was the one who gave the Miss California state directors the go ahead to dethrone controversial beauty queen Carrie Prejean earlier this year Source: FOXNews.com | 21 Aug 2009 | 8:23 am
Director James Cameron is today unveiling a 15-minute taster of his hotly-anticipated 3D sci-fi blockbuster "Avatar" to sold-out audiences in selected cinemas across the world.
A former boyfriend who says he first put Barbra Streisand on the road to stardom is to auction three tapes he made of the singer almost half a century ago, the New York Post daily reported Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 21 Aug 2009 | 7:12 am
An arrest warrant for murder has been issued for the ex-husband of a former swimsuit model whose nude body was found over the weekend, Orange County police said Thursday.
Well, I guess we're glad to hear that there isn't any tension between the women in Eric Dane's life. The part of his life that's been steaming up the Internet,...
It's Friday, which means someone connected to the Michael Jackson death investigation is bound to have been served with a search warrant.
Today's unlucky recipient is Beverly...
The Law & Order aspects of this case are really starting to pile up.
Not being able to use fingerprints or dental records, authorities ultimately identified the remains of model...
Happy birthday, Zuma Nesta Rock Rossdale!
Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale celebrated their youngest son's first birthday this afternoon with an outdoor soirée.
"I...
Paula Abdul's good friend and former American Idol wannabe Michael Johns says it's time for the reality show's producers to pay up.
He doesn't understand why they...
Rachel McAdams as a contestant on My Antonio, the new VH1 reality show in which women compete to go out with former Calvin Klein underwear model Anotnio Sabato Jr.?
Like that...
• High fashion modeling always equals dead in the eyes for Katie Holmes, posing here on the cover of Another magazine. This will be a really good look for Holmes & Yang ads,...
The first time I ever performed standup back as a plucky teen in Pittsburgh (”plucky” means “Black-Sabbath-listening-to,” right?), I exited the stage to the host’s excited, sarcastic declaration, “Quentin Tarantino, everyone! Keep it going for Quentin Tarantino!”
Sookie (Anna Paquin), Bill (Stephen Moyer) and the gang finally return to Bon Temps to find the town overrun by a mysterious power. Deducing that the bitch Maryann (Michelle Forbes) has pretty...
Antwon Tanner will have plenty of time to practice his basketball skills—in the clink.
The One Tree Hill star, who plays Antwon "Skills" Taylor on the hit CW series,...
Goldman Sachs has a image problem, as you may have noticed. The firm has been battered by bad press in recent weeks as critics have accused Goldman of having a hand in everything from the 
Speaking of Dimon, what are the chances that he was the one who made the "looks like shit" comment to Gasparino? Very high! 
We rarely feel sorry for Brody Jenner, a rich Malibu hottie who stars on The Hills...but today is an exception.
See, it just so happens to...
