AP - Joseph Wiseman, an actor who played the sinister scientist and title character of Dr. No in the first James Bond feature film, died Monday. He was 91. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 21 Oct 2009 | 4:36 am
AP - Joseph Wiseman, an actor who played the sinister scientist and title character of Dr. No in the first James Bond feature film, died Monday. He was 91. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 21 Oct 2009 | 4:36 am
AFP - Singer Robbie Williams finally won over the critics on Wednesday with his first concert in three years, crowning a faltering comeback for the sometime troubled star.
AP - Lawyers for an ambulance driver and a former politician accused of trying to extort millions from John Travolta urged jurors Tuesday to clear their clients, accusing the actor's attorneys of setting them up.
AP - A pharmacist testified Tuesday that he warned Anna Nicole Smith's psychiatrist against prescribing a powerful sleeping medication to the celebrity model after she had given birth to a daughter and endured the death of her son in 2006.
AP - A pharmacist testified Tuesday that he warned Anna Nicole Smith's psychiatrist against prescribing a powerful sleeping medication to the celebrity model after she had given birth to a daughter and endured the death of her son in 2006.
Viewers expressed mixed reactions Wednesday to "The Cove," a covertly filmed documentary about a Japanese fishing village that hunts dolphins that was shown to the Japanese public for the... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 21 Oct 2009 | 4:21 am
Natalie Coughlin won't be going for the gold on "Dancing with the Stars." The Olympic swimmer and her professional partner, Alec Mazo, were eliminated Tuesday from ABC's popular dancing... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 21 Oct 2009 | 3:51 am
British singer Robbie Williams finally won over the critics on Wednesday with his first concert in three years, crowning a faltering comeback for the sometime troubled star. Williams,... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 21 Oct 2009 | 3:45 am
Pop star Robbie Williams, seen here in 2006, finally won over the critics with his first concert in three years, crowning a faltering comeback for the sometime troubled star. Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 21 Oct 2009 | 3:45 am
Hollywood filmmakers have recreated a rally in Georgia's capital while filming a movie about the 2008 Russia-Georgia war, with Andy Garcia playing President Mikhail Saakashvili. ... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 21 Oct 2009 | 3:31 am
GENEVA - The Swiss government said Wednesday it acted correctly when it tipped off the United States last month and set in motion the arrest of Roman Polanski in his decades-old child sex Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 21 Oct 2009 | 3:28 am
GENEVA - Swiss authorities say they acted correctly when they tipped off the United States and set in motion the arrest of Roman Polanski in his decades-old child sex case. Justice... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 21 Oct 2009 | 2:45 am
The Swiss government said Wednesday it acted correctly when it tipped off the United States last month and set in motion the arrest of Roman Polanski in his decades-old child sex case. ... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 21 Oct 2009 | 2:40 am
AP - The Swiss government said Wednesday it acted correctly when it tipped off the United States last month and set in motion the arrest of Roman Polanski in his decades-old child sex case.
ATLANTA, Oct. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Glenn Bean of VIPDistinct, a leading event production and design firm, made his television debut on Bravo's The Real Housewives of Atlanta... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 21 Oct 2009 | 2:01 am
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Vic Mizzy, the American film and television composer who wrote the theme song to "The Addams Family," has died at the age of 93, with his death announced on his... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 21 Oct 2009 | 1:29 am
Reuters - Debt-laden U.S. publisher Philadelphia Newspapers LLC, which owns the Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News, improved an offer to its lenders with a $20 million credit note in an effort to keep control of the titles. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 21 Oct 2009 | 1:24 am
Swiss authorities say they acted correctly when they tipped off the United States and set in motion the arrest of Roman Polanski in his decades-old child sex case. Justice Ministry... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 21 Oct 2009 | 1:24 am
AP - Lil Wayne has a date in a Manhattan courtroom, but DNA science will take center stage. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 21 Oct 2009 | 1:11 am
G Unit:Angelina Jolie is close to joining the cast of Ridley Scott's Gucci, a drama about intrigue in high fashion. Scott wants Jolie to play Patrizia Reggiano, the woman sentenced to 29 years in prison for plotting the murder of her ex-husband Maurizio Gucci. It's not yet written but the script will focus on the family in the 70s and 80s when it was pulling in half a billion dollars annually. After a inter-family power struggle that ends with Maurizio coming out on top, things go downhill until he's eventually murdered. Scott is still looking for his Maurizio and has approached Leonardo DiCaprio, who remains unattached. If Scott seems to be in a hurry, it's for fear a Chinese film company will rip off the idea and produce a version that looks a lot like his, only to have it fall apart as soon as its seams are strained. Cheap counterfeits! [Variety]
No Trains Here:Vanessa Redgrave, David Strathairn and Monica Bellucci have joined Rachel Weisz in The Whistleblower. Based on a true story, the film follows a lady cop (Weisz) who risks her job and her life to uncover a scandal in postwar Bosnia. The screenplay was based on the story of Kathryn Bolkovac, who ran an office that investigated sex crimes and found peacekeepers, police and U.N. workers committing the very crimes she was investigating. Sounds utterly depressing and much worse than what we thought it was going to be about after seeing the title: train conductors. [Variety]
Big Shop of Horrors: Writer/actor Paul Rust is developing a sitcom for NBC based on his stint as a Wal-Mart employee. Rust, who's writing and starring as himself, graduated from the University of Iowa and returned to his small hometown only to land a gig at Wal-Mart working alongside his high school principal. Of course, the store in the show won't be called Wal-Mart, but as long as it captures that sanitized-but-still-filthy feeling of the world's largest big box retailer no one will be able to tell the difference. [Variety]
Park Ranger Dundee: ABC has brought Judy Greer on board to star in a sitcom based on the book I'm With Stupid. She'll star as a Manahattanite who has a fling with a park ranger in South Africa. After she returns to the city, he tracks her down. The novel's author Elaine Szewczyk will write and executive produce. Greer has previously starred on ABC's Miss Guided, the title of which proved rather appropriate when it was canceled after seven episodes. [Variety]
Alphabet Soup: ABC's Castle has landed a full second season with the network ordering the series' back nine episodes. The show, about a novelist who helps a detective solve crimes, has attracted an average of 10.1 million viewers between the ages of 18-49 each night, good for second place in the Monday 10pm time slot. Meanwhile, Eastwick is still awaiting a back nine order and a grass roots movement to save the show is already underway. Fans are preparing to mail tons of toad eyes to ABC HQ by the end of the week. [Variety]
When George W. Bush said in 2007 that he'd stave off boredom in his retirement years by giving "some speeches, to replenish the ol' coffers," we're assuming the "Get Motivated!" business seminar in Fort Worth isn't what he had in mind. But that's exactly where Bush will be on October 26 when he joins such motivational men as Gen. Colin Powell, America's Mayor Rudy Giuliani, quarterback-turned-insane person Terry Bradshaw and former Microsoft COO Rick Belluzzo to give business advice to thousands of motivation-seeking Texans. The seminar bills itself as packing "more into as single, life-changing day than any other event in America," and all for only $19. It's a hell of a deal, if only to see if Bush includes his number one tip for business success: have rich parents.
Man, life is good for Entertainment Weekly reporter Michael Ausiello, who's currently in Austin hanging out on the set of Friday Night Lights. He posted a video earlier tonight of Aimee Teegarden (or Julie Taylor) passing along the secrets of being a Dillon Panthers fan. The essentials of the bleacher reaction shots includes such moves as "The Touchdown," "The Injury" and "The Tornado." You'll have to click through because EW doesn't allow embedding. And you'll definitely want to keep the link handy. Next week we get interviews with Landry and Coach! [Ausiello Files/EW]
Nothing like a rollicking tribute to the King of Pop to get your mind off of a pending elimination.
Well, the hit-and-miss Michael Jackson tribute on Tuesday's Dancing With the...
Score! It's better than nothing but not a clear endorsement. Don't tell Thompson that. "I am excited and proud to receive the endorsement of the President," Thompson said. "To have the President of United States get involved in a New York City mayoral race and endorse me illustrates that he believes I will win and that I can lead this city." Well that's certainly optimistic.
Thompson Nod Caps Off Presidential Visit [NY1]
Some day in the future, when people get nostalgic about The Weather Channel, they'll remember October 30, 2009 as the day it all went wrong. Because that's the day The Weather Channel begins broadcasting movies. Of course, the movies will be weather-related, and what better weather-related movie to kick off the Friday night film series than The Perfect Storm? (Twister would have been better.) Hosted by meteorologist Jen Carfagno, the series will also include relevant weather commentary (how do tornadoes pick up houses? how do storms become perfect?). TWC is planning to show Misery and Deep Blue Sea along with The Perfect Storm, but clearly they're going to need a lot more movies if they plan to start the spin-off network The Weather Movie Channel. Here are some helpful suggestions:
Tornado
Tornado!
Tornado Warning
Twister
Night of the Twisters
Atomic Twisters
Twister: A Musical Catastrophe
Storm Chasers: Revenge of the Twister
Reuters - Pretty people suit up in skimpy swimsuits under the crystal blue waters of the Bahamas in India's most expensive ($21 million) film to date. Although "Blue" has been promoted aggressively for months, this year's big Diwali holiday release is up against an urban love story and an eagerly awaited big-name comedy that will likely leave "Blue's" revenues high and dry. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment Reviews | 20 Oct 2009 | 9:24 pm
Relax, kiddos! We've gotten your frantic emails and tweets, and despite what last week's Grey's Anatomy ep may have led you to believe, Izzie Stevens and Katherine Heigl are not...
U2's concert at the Rose Bowl this Saturday will be streamed live on YouTube, giving fans in 16 countries a chance to see what Bono looks like when he's doing that thing he does when he's not saving the world. [Telegraph]
Robinson's anger at Kerik, and boy was he angry, stems from the cueball commish's decision to leak sealed information to a New Jersey man who then gave that information to the Washington Times. Anthony Modafferi, the Jerseyite in question, was also blogging about the case.
This was just the latest instance of Kerik treating "the court’s rulings as an inconvenience, something to be ignored, and an obstacle to be circumvented," Robinson said. He also, at various points in the day's hearing, called Kerik's explanations "absurd," "ridiculous," "a sham," and "nonsense." Then, as Kerik exited the courtroom in handcuffs, Robinson flicked him in the back the ears, kicked one shin and gave him a wedgie.
Judge Revokes Kerik's Bail, Sends Former Commish to Jail [NBC New York]
Why did John Stamos bother to lie about being drunk on a talk show when it was so obvious he was? And now he's confessed—why lie if you're just going to get...
Only one thing stood between Dave Chappelle and the record for the longest stand-up appearance at Hollywood's Laugh Factory this weekend—pee. In an attempt to win back the record that Dane Cook took from him last year, Chappelle held his bladder on stage for five hours until he could hold no longer. Club owner Jamie Masada disqualified Chappelle, who took the record from Cook in 2006 after a six hour, seven minute set. Cook snatched it back last year with seven hours and 34 minutes on stage. One thing seems a little off though. Take this quote from Masada: "There are only two rules. You have to continuously tell jokes that are funny and you can't leave the stage, even to go to the bathroom." Our question: Why not bend the second rule for Chappelle if you so clearly bent the first for Cook?
Nature calls, standup title eludes Dave Chappelle [AP]
(Reuters) Reuters - "Killing Kasztner: The Jew Who Dealt with Nazis" purports to be an evenhanded investigation into the case of a Holocaust survivor who, by negotiating with Adolf Eichmann, saved many fellow Jews but apparently let many more perish. This compelling but lopsided documentary is best viewed by reading between the lines. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment Reviews | 20 Oct 2009 | 7:46 pm
Rep. Greg Walden, a Republican from Oregon's 2nd congressional district, appears to be the first congressman to come down with swine flu. From his Twitter: "Just diagnosed with likely H1N1. Ugh. Off to seclusion for awhile." Sounds like someone's been spending a little too much time with the pages. [The Hill]
Reuters - From the moment we encounter the terminally ill Alvin (Seymour Cassel), an irascible, sexist misanthrope spending his last days at a hospice in the painfully corny "Reach for Me," we know he's headed for a major transformation by the last reel. He's a walking stereotype, and it's never in doubt that he'll learn valuable life lessons and change his tune before he straightens out and dies right. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment Reviews | 20 Oct 2009 | 6:59 pm
Reuters - Most movies set in Mississippi, it seems, are related to the civil rights movement. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment Reviews | 20 Oct 2009 | 6:45 pm
(Reuters) Reuters - For those who don't recall, Jeff Dunham is a comic whose Christmas 2008 special earned Comedy Central record ratings -- a full 6.6 million viewers. Those are numbers Jay Leno would drool over these days, but for most of the country, Dunham is a complete unknown. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment Reviews | 20 Oct 2009 | 6:23 pm
So, we're checking out the new Rihanna single and...wait, what? Chris Brown's going on tour? Say, that is news!
Just hours after his ex released her first solo single since...
Renée Zellweger will not be plumping up again any time soon, people.
Despite recent reports claim that the Oscar winner has agreed to do a third Bridget Jones movie,...
Karl Lagerfeld is about to travel to South America for the first time in his life. He's shooting the next Chanel campaign in Buenos Aires with Claudia Schiffer and two of the models who acted out a threesome in the hay at his latest Chanel fashion show, Freha Beha Erichsen and Baptiste Giabiconi (not that he goes anywhere without Baptiste anyway). Karl claims he is "not a tourist" and only goes places if he has "a professional reason." But we'd like to think he and Baptiste can at least enjoy a horseback ride on the beach together while flying the Argentine flag. Or maybe enjoy a nice brunch of steak and quail eggs while taking in some tango.
Michael Jackson's comeback may have been a career killer for Dr. Conrad Murray.
The Nevada-based cardiologist hasn't been able to practice medicine since getting sucked up in the...
• It's Tuesday, which means fresh job cuts at Condé Nast have been revealed. In addition to the dozen Glamour staffers laid off yesterday, Style.com will cut Candy Pratts Price. And 200+ more layoffs could be ahead. [WWD, NYP, FWD] • Maybe Condé Nast's fancy iPhone application, which was announced today, will stem the red ink? Maybe not. But it certainly can't hurt either. [AdAge] • BusinessWeek editor-in-chief Steve Adler says he will step down once the sale of the magazine to Bloomberg LP is completed in about a month. [BW] • Sarah Palin will be Oprah's guest on November 16 as the former governor embarks on her book tour. Many of her fans aren't happy, unsurprisingly. [CT] • The search for a Good Morning America co-host continues at ABC News. The front-runner at the moment seems to be George Stephanopoulos. [LAT] • Malcolm Gladwell says journalists shouldn't go to journalism school. [Time] • Harvey Weinstein's book publishing company is giving up its independence. It will be combined with Perseus Books starting December 1. [WSJ]
• The Weather Channel plans to start showing movies for the first time. Yay! Two points if you guessed it's kicking things off with The Perfect Storm. [AP] • Yahoo! posts solid earnings, apologizes for lap dancing incident. [BN, AFP] • Long-suffering Playboy has announced it's slashing its circulation. [MW] • Magnus Greaves, the co-founder of Doubledown Media, the company that published magazines like Trader until it shut down a few months ago, is back with a new venture. And it involves Brett Ratner, alarmingly. [Folio] • David Carr's Carpetbagger blog on the New York Times website has been handed over to culture reporter Melena Ryzik. [Deadline] • TMZ founder Harvey Levin is promising to wage a legal war on the LA County Sheriff's office for its "invasive" tactics (which included peeking at his phone records). Yes, even a man like Harvey Levin has his limits. [LAT]
Damn! Now here's an e-reader we wouldn't mind being seen on public transportation with. Barnes & Noble just unveiled the Nook, the company's new Kindle killer, at a press event and we totally want one. It has everything Amazon's device does (including a $259 price tag), plus a color touch screen, an expandable memory slot, and the ability to read PDFs, which should make piracy a snap. It'll be available online and in B&N stores at the end of November. Books probably don't stand a chance.
Last week, a boy flew away in a balloon, high over the skies of Colorado. That it later turned out there was no boy in the balloon hardly mattered — for those few intense hours, offices across America were gathered around their television screens, chatting, worrying, and making jokes. But some people, finance people in particular, couldn't leave their desks. They couldn't even discuss the upsetting matter with anyone online, because chat programs are banned at most big businesses, as is personal e-mail. This is how the below situation came to pass, when a worker at Natixis Bleichroeder Capital Management, toiling away alongside his Bloomberg terminal, just couldn't stop thinking about that little boy in the balloon.
15:21:03 NBCM WORKER: HI
15:21:03 BLOOMBERG HELP DESK: Thank you for using Bloomberg HELP! We have received your question, and a live representative will be with you momentarily. Thank you for your patience.
15:21:09 BLOOMBERG HELP DESK: hello
15:21:51 BLOOMBERG HELP DESK: how can I assist?
15:22:03 NBCM WORKER: any ideas on how we can get this kid out of the hot air balloon over colorado?
15:22:08 NBCM WORKER: b/c i am totally consumed by this
15:22:22 NBCM WORKER: and noone at my work is offering anything sensible
15:23:07 BLOOMBERG HELP DESK: I wish I knew of a simple solution
15:23:25 NBCM WORKER: i mean is this helium going to slowly leeak out?
15:23:36 NBCM WORKER: or should we send the seals in with some chutes?
15:24:01 NBCM WORKER: and where are the parents in all this. im sorry to be venting. i just feel like i dont have anyone to talk to
15:24:38 BLOOMBERG HELP DESK: please talk to me about it
15:24:49 BLOOMBERG HELP DESK: I feel the pain.. I wonder that the kid is thinking up there
15:25:00 NBCM WORKER: this issue is bigger than just kids in hot air balloons
15:25:12 NBCM WORKER: its a lack of parenting in this country, its dispicable
15:26:25 BLOOMBERG HELP DESK: Im sure the parents will never leave the kid alone
15:26:47 NBCM WORKER: i mean what did they have this balloon tied down with? 4 lbs test berkely trilene?
15:26:56 NBCM WORKER: like i have on my trout rod?
15:28:58 BLOOMBERG HELP DESK: im sure we will find a lot of answers once this situation is resolved
15:29:17 NBCM WORKER: 6 year olds cannot hardly wipe their own bums let alone climb in a homemade hot air balloon and friggin set it free
15:30:12 NBCM WORKER: in other news apparently the dad was on wife swap, so now things are adding up. the dad, as if building a hot air balloon like a boyscout isnt bad enough, is a scum bag
15:31:06 BLOOMBERG HELP DESK: karma
15:35:16 BLOOMBERG HELP DESK: Patrick, hopefully the kid will be fine and you can get back to work. Is there anything else I can assist you with?
15:35:47 NBCM WORKER: too much to handle in 25 mins before the bell. but i thank you, kindly
15:36:15 NBCM WORKER: HEY WE GOT IT DOWN!!!!!!
15:36:24 BLOOMBERG HELP DESK: NICE
15:36:55 BLOOMBERG HELP DESK: thats great news, hopefully the markets will close high
15:37:00 BLOOMBERG HELP DESK: thank you for using bloomberg help!
15:37:01 NBCM WORKER: exactly
15:37:03 NBCM WORKER: TY
15:37:17 NBCM WORKER: you'd make a great psychiatrist
15:37:46 BLOOMBERG HELP DESK: thank you
Full disclosure — this exchange has been bouncing around the finance world this week, and the worker in question has been touting it on his Bloomberg header. If it's not real, we don't want to know.
Michelle Obama spoke at the Department of Veterans Affairs in Washington today wearing the Deco shirred skirt by J.Crew (yours for $98!). She paired it with a black sweater and crisp white shirt. See the full look in the Michelle Obama Look Book.
They've try to avoid injuries every season, but these days the "Dancing with the Stars" cast is hoping to protect themselves from the flu bug that's hit the ballroom.
Last night at the fifteenth-anniversary celebration of Martha Stewart Weddings, we asked stylist Robert Verdi what he thought of Ralph Laurenallegedly firing model Filippa Hamilton for being too fat. "I love fat people because they're jolly," Verdi offered, seemingly dodging the question. But he was quick to agree with Robin Givhan that it shouldn't be a big deal if the fashion industry doesn't like non-stick figures. "I think people of all sizes should be wearing clothes. I don't know if they necessarily need to be photographed in clothes," he continued. "A lot of women say 'I should've been alive when Ruben was because I'm Rubenesque.' So times have changed. There are different cultural norms and values and beauty identities, and the fact that thin is in — who cares? It's why I stopped eating. I think food is for fat people and poor people. Rich people don't eat. They get dressed up and go shopping."
The New York Times' Oscars-covering Carpetbagger blog will be authored by Melena Ryzik this season instead of David Carr, who's written it for years. It's probably because he's too busy tweeting. [DHD]
As Raj Rajaratnam's Galleon Group is facing defections left and right, his arrest in an insider-trading scandal continues to take down more people. The Journal today profiles Anil Kumar, a McKinsey & Co. star partner who stands charged with securities fraud and conspiracy for improperly giving Rajatnaram's hedge fund valuable information about some of McKinsey's tech clients. Kumar's lawyers have denied any wrongdoing on his part, but any way you slice it, this is bad PR for McKinsey. "This case is unprecedented in our history," McKinsey spokesman Michael Stewart told the Journal.
"We have never had a case of a partner or anyone else in the firm being charged with criminal activity, if the allegations are true."
If we were McKinsey, we would release this pop single, about the McKinsey Knowledge Center in India that Kumar founded, to mitigate the PR damage. "There is a dream, a dream that's ours," go the lyrics. "We want to be the best R and I in the world."* Look, we're smiling already.
*To be honest, we actually have no idea what the singer is saying. R and I? Consultants, want to help us out in the comments? Maybe with the next line about "Excalibur," too.
This could be because Condé Nast is determined to prepare its most overindulged employees for the exceedingly tough times ahead—or it could just have something to do with the fact Vogue's November issue has an environmental theme—but Hamish Bowles, the fashion mag's European editor-at-large, was asked to head to survival school "in deepest southern Utah" as part of an article in the new issue.
Needless to say, the assignment forced Bowles to stray "far, far from any recognizable comfort zone," especially since his previous travels for the magazine include going to "the bewitching Roman city of Jerash with H.M. Queen Rania of Jordan," and visiting a "tiny Nepalese clinic in the foothills of the Himalayas" with Princess Di. To make matters worse, he had to make the trip to the wilderness armed only with his "Nantucket patchwork madras button-down shirt" and "khaki Juicy Couture cashmere sweater."
Not that he didn't try to get out of the assignment—he did—although Vogue editrix Anna Wintour wasn't about to let him off the hook: "You can do it," said Anna blithely (one eye, I suspected, on the tennis) when I expressed misgivings."
And he did do it, and he survived, too, although he came back from the trip with sand fleas and blisters on his feet, which leads us to believe his next vacation is more likely to take place at "a sixteenth-century fortress in Jaipur" or "in a private mah-jongg salon in a villa in the jungled hills of Hong Kong" than back in Utah. Oh, well.
While Eclipse filming is nearing its end, not all Twilight castmembers are breathing easy.
We recently chatted with a very high up Summit source who emphasized to us the living hell...
Hitting Britney Spears one more time paid off.
The chart topper has settled a lawsuit brought against her by a paparazzo whose foot she ran over with her car outside a Beverly Hills...
When we caught up with Karen O at the New Yorker Festival party over the weekend, we asked about her plans for Halloween. "You know how all these tortured indie-rock guys always wanted to date the cheerleader? Well, this time, I'm going to be a cheerleader, because I'm one of those tortured indie girls," she told us. "And my boyfriend is going to be the quarterback, and he's British, so he doesn't even know what that means." See more in our Party Lines slideshow.
Glenn Beck alleges that last Christmas, people's lives were changed by his one-man show The Christmas Sweater, which was simulcast to movie theaters around the country. He's doing it again this Christmas, so he's put up this unbelievably overdramatic commercial for it, with a call to viewers to send in their stories of changed lives and redemption attributed to Beck's theatrical run. As the Awl points out, this commercial is nearly indistinguishable from a jokey mash-up video making fun of Beck. But, no, it's real! Just a tip for Beck: If you're literally the worst actor in the history of the world, don't let the camera linger on your eyes for twenty seconds at a time.
Donatella Versace answered reader questions on Vogue.com. Darling Daphne in Chicago wants to know why high-fashion designers don't embrace plus-size gals like her.
Why do designers typically refuse to design for sizes above 10? This question is not meant to be confrontational; I’ve just always wondered about this. Is it simply a prejudice? Wouldn’t it be a good business decision? I can understand not wanting to start a stand-alone plus-size line, but what about extending sizes to 14/16? We have money, too! —Daphne L. Scott, Chicago
We do offer larger sizes at Versace, but I take your point. I certainly wouldn’t want to do a plus-size line, as I have no problem with women of any size wearing my clothes. I guess some styles lend themselves to being scaled up, while some others just don’t work. Sometimes it can depend on the specific piece.
So she doesn't want to make larger dresses, but if larger women want to buy her clothes she will gladly take their money. In a genuinely shocking revelation, when asked who she would work for if not Versace she replied, "What if we made very sexy and glamorous Gap? That would be a fun challenge." Hopefully Patrick Robinson will keep her away. The Gap may have its own set of problems, but making the jeans tighter, possibly studded, is not the solution.
Last night at the Starlight Fundraising Gala, we ran into James Gandlofini and asked him who was the bigger grump, he or Elaine Stritch, an honoree at the event. "It's even," he told us. "I met her at a Sopranos premiere party where she yelled at me about stuff." What happened? we asked. "Well, she said something nice to me, I turned around and said ,'Thank you,' and I turned back around. She said, 'Don’t you condescend to me you son of a bitch, turn around! And when I say something to you, you look at me!' She just berated me for about ten minutes and I immediately became about six-inches tall, and just sat there and said 'I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry ... ' [Laughs] And ever since then, she has just made fun of me each time she sees me."
From the Kids Who Are Already Better Than Me At Stuff Department comes the following Heinz Ketchup campaign, in which schoolchildren were asked to submit ketchup related artwork to be used on Heinz packets, yielding the following colorful results:
Upon closer inspection, the one on the far left seems a bit sadistic — the fries seem awfully excited to be pouring the ketchup on themselves in preparation to be eaten… it’s like a suicidal fry cult. Or maybe I’m jealous of these kids because I can’t draw a frickin’ stick figure. Eh, we’ll call it a little of both.
Wall Streeters can expect to see annual bonuses jump 40 percent this year. But working for a bank requires you to wear a suit, sit behind a desk all day, and perform tasks that are often exceptionally boring. Why not become a stagehand at Carnegie Hall instead? You can show up in jeans, you'll get plenty of exercise, and while you won't make quite as much money, you'll sure come close!
The stagehand who oversee props at the concert hall collected $530,044 in salary and benefits last year, according to Bloomberg, which is more than Carnegie Hall's CFO and general manager took home. And his job isn't nearly as taxing as you might think:
Producers who work there said a prop manager usually moves and supervises the moving of objects that aren’t plugged in, such as a piano or music stands. An electrician handles objects that get plugged in, like microphones and amplifiers, while carpenters are involved in the construction and handling of scenery.
Those guys did pretty well for themselves, too. The average salary for the two carpenters and two electricians on staff was $430,543.
But it's not just unionized labor that's making out nicely at the concert hall. The Timesreports that an architectural firm run by the son-in-law of Sandy Weill, the chairman of Carnegie Hall's board, collected $1.45 million in payments during the 2007-8 season.
The fish owner and the fertile one, seared permanently on your brain.
Real Housewife of New York Bethenny Frankel, who recently became engaged to boyfriend Jason Hoppy, trumpeted her pregnancy on Twitter today, after giving People an exclusive on the news. But not because she wanted to (yet — she's only two months along). Because Perez Hilton leaked the information yesterday and forced her to:
"I'm pregnant I had to be true w u but was unfairly forced to come forward early."
People describes Frankel as "fighting back tears" when she told them the news, but somehow she managed to turn that frown upside down in time to brag: "I got to be honest, we are both feeling kind of proud of ourselves. We are both 38 and we were like, 'Listen, your fish can swim and I am fertile.' So that's exciting."
Remember a million years ago, when dinosaurs roamed the Earth and the movie About a Boy came out? Ay, that little Nicholas Hoult was quite the charmer, wasn’t he.
Adorable. We wonder what he looks like no– holy f*ck…
OER EM JAY. This is… what is happening? Now, if you’re British and reading this, chances are you’ve already been apprised to Nicholas’ hotness on the show Skins. But on this cover of Out, he is H as S. (Hot as sh*t.)
And things get even better inside…
Uhguh. Here is the IM conversation had when I sent the above photo to my best gay friend:
Me: Remember the movie About a Boy? Gay Friend: yeah…. (haha) Me: Click here please. (link) Gay Friend: OOOOOOH MY GOOOOOOOOD Gay Friend: I used to joke about (Billy Elliot’s) Jamie Bell saying he’s pretty hot….as predicted. Thats how i feel about this guy. He’s hot….as predicted Me: Billy Elliot’s AIGHT, I actually thought he’d be hotter. Gay Friend: Yeah, cuz he was hot KID, right!!!!! Me: I thought he was more doable when he was 13 Me: jkjkjk Me: (srsly) Gay Friend: HAHAHAHAHAHAA
MAKEUP
• Chanel named French actress and singer Vanessa Paradis as the new face of Rouge Coco de Chanel lipsticks. [Blogdorf Goodman]
HAIR
• Tami Dimmerman founded Le Baby, Inc., which is a beauty company that makes hair gel for babies. She calls it a "must-have for every diaper bag." [BellaSugar]
SKIN
• Analysts say Japanese men are focusing more on their looks, and a Shiseido representative says that when the market recovers, men are expected to spend even more money on grooming products. [Independent UK]
FRAGRANCE
• Nina Ricci's grandson Romano Ricci created the fragrance company Juliet Has a Gun three years ago, and this season he's launching roll-on scents that come in the shape of bullets. [Beauty Counter/Style.com]
• Story of Chanel No.5, A Timeless Number is a new book about the history of Chanel No. 5 fragrance, which was originally introduced in 1921. The book comes out today in France, Belgium, and Switzerland. [WWD]
Chairman of Spanish media group Prisa, Ignacio Polanco (R) and Chief Executive Officer Juan Luis Cebrian pose before a shareholders meeting in June 2009 in Madrid. Spanish media giant Prisa has reached... Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 20 Oct 2009 | 2:59 pm
AP - Considering the risks Amelia Earhart took, losing her life in the call of aviation, Hilary Swank and director Mira Nair don't put much on the line in their film biography "Amelia."
Quick programming note: Comedian Pat Dixon takes over new episodes of Best Day Ever starting at 11pm tonight and tomorrow night. (Here he is on the right moments before cameras rolled today).
Also, this Thursday and Friday night check out Joe Mande and Noah Garfinkel as they tag team the day’s best moments.
All this kicks off tonight at 11pm on VH1, so do whatever is you have to do tune in. (That’s your business)
During Barack Obama's presidential campaign, she received flak from critics for not hosting former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin on her show. Oprah had obviously publicly endorsed Palin's rival, Barack Obama, but she maintained that Palin's team had never asked her to put the Alaska governor on the show. (Matt Drudge stoked this controversy on his website back in September of 2008, shortly after McCain tapped Palin as his running mate.) But now Oprah, the queen of daytime television, has decided it's time to let Palin speak to her audience. She'll host the conservative pundit on November 16, the day before her book, Going Rogue: An American Life, hits the stands. The book is already No. 4 on Amazon.com's best-seller list, so perhaps Oprah isn't concerned that having her on the show will make a big difference in her sales or influence either way. No matter how you feel about Palin, or Winfrey, this is going to be a great piece of television. Palin's been boning up on all her talking points and facts, and you can bet SarahPAC has paid for some pricey media training. But if Palin thought Katie Couric's "sensitive interview" style was tough, she has no idea what she's got coming — in front of a live studio audience that worships at the altar of Oprah, no less.
The shoes Mark Ronson designed for Gucci go on sale in the Gucci pop-up shop opening on Crosby Street this Friday. Images of a couple of styles have leaked on Hypebeast. Though Gucci and Ronson have been calling them sneakers, they appear to technically be more like boat shoes, which are far less sexy-sounding. Ronson told us in August that he expected prices to be around $500. [Racked, Hypebeast]
Vogue sent Hamish Bowles to wilderness survival camp for its upcoming environment issue. You know, one of those courses people do that involves wandering the woods with strangers for a few days to find themselves or distract from divorces and other very unpleasant things in life. After whining to Anna Wintour and getting no sympathy, Hamish enrolled in a four-day trip run by the Boulder Outdoor Survival School in Southern Utah. Television personality Josh Bernstein, an outdoorsy History Channel type who has been featured in Men's Vogue, led the trip. Hamish had to do all sorts of uncomfortable things. First he went to Paragon to buy hiking boots. Then he had to sign a contract for the trip that warned he could die of a flash flood or bubonic plague. He surrendered his Barbour overcoat before hitting the trail, and carried all his belongings on his back in a papoose. Also, he had to crap in the woods.
“It’s all about walking lightly with the earth,” said Josh, who moments later was demonstrating another way of giving back as he squatted to reveal the correct posture for a procedure long since corrupted by the use of Mr. Crapper’s celebrated household fixture. Toilet paper was produced by the Chinese as early as the fourteenth century, Josh pointed out, but not by the Anasazi. Heeding his counsel I gathered a stock of the headily scented sagebrush in readiness.
And then he journeyed — scaling mountain after mountain, crossing treacherous pass after treacherous pass! — to where the wild bears roam free. On Hamish's day to lead the hike, he came across a bear print in the earth. One of his leaders found bear crap not far off:
Dave knelt to examine the scat, picking at it with his dexterous fingers. “Look, it even found ripe pine nuts when the ones we’ve seen so far haven’t even grown yet!” he effused. Wendy and I knew how brilliant bears could be—we’d both read The New York Times’s front-page story on the savvy bear who had worked out how to open screw-top jars that had foiled many a starving hiker in the Adirondacks. Dave broke off a piece and held it under his nose. “It’s very sweet-smelling,” he said, and almost before I had time to grasp the enormity of the gesture, he popped it in his mouth. I was incredulous. Surely we’d just been told that bear scat couldn’t even be held close to the face, as microbes might transfer and damage your brain? Or was that raccoon? As my enfeebled brain attemped to process the welter of information, Josh rapidly followed suit, carefully masticating a bit for himself. Then they both looked quizzically at me.
In the interest of community spirit, saving face, giddy bravado, and thinking of Divine in John Waters’s Female Trouble (if a Baltimore drag queen can do it, so jolly well can I!), I broke off a piece and popped it into my mouth. It was indeed oddly sweet, evoking benign thoughts of Winnie the Pooh and a jar of honey. “What does it taste like?” asked Josh, clearly impressed. “Well, funnily enough, like something you might buy in a sort of crunchy-granola health-food shop,” I told the openmouthed group, “of dates and nuts . . . and”—was that a maraschino cherry? Goodness, these bears were crafty. Was I that hungry? Had the heat and the endless trek and the food deprivation warped my mind? It seems incredible to relate, but it really was rather tasty. So much so that, to everyone’s stupefaction I broke off another segment and gobbled it up.
The "scat" turned out to be dates Josh bought in the grocery store for the purpose of playing a prank on Hamish. But still, Hamish ate it when he thought it was bear crap. And still, before he knew it wasn't bear crap, he took seconds. After that they had a hearty chuckle and continued on their way. Hamish survived. But he did get fleas.
It looks like Gov. David Paterson's campaign to remake his public image by changing up his facial hair has yet to pay off, unfortunately. A new poll by Siena College indicates Andrew Cuomo would beat Paterson 70% to 20% in a potential Democratic primary, and 72% of New Yorkers would prefer to see someone else elected governor. But it's not all bad news: Paterson's job approval rating now stands at 19%, which is up a whole percentage point from last month. [NYDN]
Are you still a little confused how socialite Ali Wise managed to hack into the voicemail of four other women using a Spoofcard? You're in luck! The Post was kind enough to publish a guide to breaking into your bitter enemy's voicemail today. Proceed with caution! [NYP]
Tom Scott with his dog, Linus, in his new Lower East Side store.
Tom Scott's upscale knitwear is stocked at designer-packed destinations like Barneys and Project No. 8 in New York, Ikram in Chicago, and Colette in Paris. So it's a testament to the broad appeal of his clothes that Scott decided to open his first stand-alone store and studio on Clinton Street last month (four doors down from his Lower East Side apartment) rather than in Soho or uptown. "For me, it's one of the last really creative vestiges in New York," he says. "I like to move off the beaten path." Scott studied textiles at Philadelphia University and in Scotland before landing a job at Ralph Lauren, where he worked for seven years before starting his own line. Next year he's launching Repeat Performance, an offshoot collection of archived styles re-created in various fabrics and yarns, available exclusively in the Tom Scott boutique. We talked to the designer about flea-market finds, high-end sweats, and seeking inspiration in bed ruffles and hair nets.
What made you decide to launch your own store?
We're going to have a small, edited selection of items from the current season and a lot of one-of-a-kind pieces. We've been putting out new items every week in different fabrics.
What's the inspiration behind your line?
Spring 2010 was inspired by the home, but things I would find in my grandmother's home, like curtains and bed ruffles. We used a lot of nylon fabric inspired by sheer curtains and holey, mesh pieces inspired by hair nets or air vents. There are sweatshirts with big, over-the-top ruffles and chunky sweaters knit from strips of vintage bedsheets from the sixties.
Who are your favorite designers?
My background is in art-based textiles rather than fashion, so I look at designs from a conceptual point of view. But I admire Margiela and Comme des Garçons, and I have a little bit of a love affair with Stephan Schneider's clothes for men.
What's the first designer item you bought?
I went to school in Philadelphia, and we would make pilgrimages to Charivari. I think it was a Comme des Garçons shirt.
The Shirley Ra Ra Dress from the fall 2009 collection.Photo by Stephen Rose.
Where do you like to shop in New York?
I'm addicted to flea markets, especially the one in Fort Greene. I prefer to buy objects or antique-y kinds of things rather than clothes; I'm the kind of person who will wear something until it falls apart.
How would you describe your personal style?
I like a uniform, so I buy many variations of the same thing. Most recently I'm really into sweatshirts. I used to wear my dad's old sweatshirts; now I have a really beautiful wool terry one from Stephan Schneider.
What trends are you appreciating right now?
I like that it's getting colder.
Any trends that you're over?
The eighties look; a lot of people are really working it on the Lower East Side. Maybe it's because I did that look in the eighties, but it's funny to see it re-created. I'll see girls walking down the street that look like my friends from high school.
What's one item you're saving up to buy?
A Kasthall rug — it's a multicolor wool pile rug that looks like confetti.
What should every woman have in her closet?
A good scarf. I forgot to wear mine today and I was freezing. I make a tube scarf that's like wearing a big turtleneck.
What's something you never leave the house without?
I always carry a bag — I have this one from Bless that looks like a kite. Recently I've been riding my bike a lot, so I've been wearing more backpacks.
There is perhaps no worse feeling in the world than being left behind when it comes to pop culture phenomenons. Unfortunately, when you his a certain age — say, 22 and above — certain international entertainment phenomenon become harder to grasp. Such is the case with the Twilight series, which began as a best-selling series of books (”Like The Da Vinci Code… For Kids!”), and morphed into a multi-billion dollar film franchise. Whether we liked it or not, a day did not go boy with Edward Cullen/Robert Pattison references raining down upon us from heaven itself.
And while a few co-workers swore that the books/movies were incredible, was still have never read a single Twilight book nor seen the film. Much like the series Lost, it seemed overwhelming to delve in so late in the game. And on top of it, we had absolutely zero interest in subjecting ourselves to any of it. (The real issue, as it were.)
But last night, we took our first baby step into the world of Twilight, dipping our toe into the ice cold blood lake that is the film’s sequel, The Twilight Saga: New Moon which according to this article, is “about losing true love”. Fantastic. The film’s soundtrack was released at 12 am last night, and immediately shot to the #1 position on Itunes. And we busted $14.99 of our own cash to take a listen. What follows is “The Twilight Saga: New Moon Soundtrack”: A Newbie’s Review. You can follow along with this free soundtrack stream. We look forward to seeing the comments section explode.
1. “Meet Me On The Equinox” Death Cab For Cutie Forgive me in advance, but I sort of have a problem when “songs” are written without “melodies.” Hence, “Meet Me On The Equinox” isn’t so much a “song” as it is “spoken word by a rich white guy.” This song could conveniently also be used in the upcoming Heathers remake, as the lyric “everything, everything ends” sort of sums up that whole movie nice and quick.
2. “Friends” Band Of Skulls: Slightly repetitive baseline followed with quite the cocky chorus — “My friends are all so beautiful” repeated sad infinitum. What if “our friends aren’t beautiful”, Band of Skulls? How am I supposed to enjoy this tune knowing I hang around with gaggles of the city’s most hideous? Is this what today’s kids enjoy? Cocky assh*les.
3. “Hearing Damage” Thom Yorke Our favorite Robot after Rosie on The Jetsons is back with a new song, this time aiming his digital sounds plucked from thin air at a new batch of the world’s teens. Radiohead was our first foray into “cool” bands back in high school, and we’ve followed their/Thom’s career religiously ever since. And to his credit, this is one of only a handful of songs that didn’t give us a splitting headache on this entire soundtrack. For those too poor to afford the soundtrack, turn on your old timey radio and switch in between the channels a lot. That’s basically it.
4. “Possibility” Lykke Li I’ve never heard of Lykke Li before. But judging by her voice, we’re thinking she’s a slightly re-re 14 year old Japanese girl. Right? (Googling.) Oh, she’s a quirky Swede. Same difference, really. If listening to unintelligible Nordic baby talk is “your thang”, get on your knees and thank the Lord for Lykke Li. While it’s not my cup of neckblood, I could definitely see myself falling for a local goth to this tune.
5. “A White Demon Love Song” The Killers Sort of forgettable, but thankfully has, you know, a “melody”. Didn’t want to blow my brains out after listening to it, so 10/10.
6. “Satellite Heart” Anya Marina It’s no Tasmin Archer’s“Sleeping Satellite”, but it’s a nice effort by Ms. Marina. Would make good “Crying in a Bubble Bath” music.
7. “I Belong To You [New Moon Remix]” Muse To be fair, I’m a Muse fan, so judge me as you may. “I Belong To You” is one of the better songs on Muse’s new album, and this “remix” is barely a change from the original… only that they actually took out the most fun part (where singer Matt Bellamy woos the listener in French with “Mon Cœur S’ouvre À Ta Voix”). A keeper still, but make sure to listen to the original.
8. “Rosyln” Bon Iver & St. Vincent I have no idea what the f**k is going on in this song. More depressed guitar strumming, and some terrifying lady clown voices singing over it. It’s like musical heroin withdrawal.
9. “Done All Wrong” Black Rebel Motorcycle Club THIS ALBUM IS SO F**KING DEPRESSING SERIOUSLY. IS THIS GOOD FOR TODAY’S YOUTH?
10. “Monsters” Hurricane Bells Every song on the album sounds the same.
11. “The Violet Hour” Sea Wolf A sweet tune also about lovely things. If we were ever to make a sequel to Juno or Away We Go or some equally whimsical film, this would certainly be our trailer music. Then again, it’s easily forgettable. We could be listening to this while waiting for our Starbucks lattes and spend more time focusing on the line of homeless people waiting to sh*t in the bathroom than this tune. That being said… it’s enjoyable.
12. “Shooting The Moon” Ok Go This song has a loud, marching band drum being beat through its entirety, nicely echoing the universal heart palpitations heard whenever Robert Pattinson flashes his tight British grimace on movie screens across the globe. If you are prone to migraine headaches, “Shooting the Moon” will make you want to “Shoot Your Own Brains Out and Eat Them for Supper.”
13. “Slow Life [with Victoria Legrand]” Grizzly Bear: What is this, the soundtrack to Indie-ana Jones? Well, that pun has made this particular review lose all credibility, but we won’t let that stop us. “Slow Life” is the perfect soundtrack to slit your own wrists to. Which we think is the point. So lap it up, younguns.
14. “No Sound But The Wind” Editors: One of the best songs on the album. Nice and flowy, like a silky Bea Arthur robe that you want to walk on the beach in. Lead singer Tom Smith’s voice is soothing like a warm mug of hot choco made especially by Alan Thicke.
15. “New Moon [The Meadow]” Alexandre Desplat I’m a sucker for simple, pretty piano tunes. Hence, I enjoyed this. I am also “dorky”.
Overall? If you’re on the verge of committing suey — do NOT buy this album as it will put you over the edge. It’s one lazy sad tuneless tune after another, with bits of goodness here and there. Overall, on a scale from A to Z, we give this one a J.
Goldman Sachs announced plans last week to donate $200 million to charity, a move designed to quell criticism over the firm's massive profits (and the massive bonuses that will soon handed out to the bank's employees). The donation isn't a gigantic sum for the investment bank—Goldman makes $200 million every three days or so—but it's a big step up from last year when the largest of the Goldman-affiliated foundations, the Goldman Sachs Charitable Fund, gave out about $10 million. So which non-profit groups stand to benefit the most from the firm's increased largesse? The institutions that Goldman wrote checks to last year runs about 25 pages. (You're welcome to go through it yourself; it's embedded below.) We focused on the dozens of elite private schools and fancy boarding schools that made the cut, a list you can review after the jump. But before you go out and start piecing together a conspiracy theory, we'll point out that the school that Goldman CEO Lloyd Blankfein's two sons (and his wife) attended wasn't anywhere close to the top. (Ethical Culture/Fieldston received a measly $10,000.) And as for Dalton, which is pictured above, it didn't get a dime.
Here's the list. Just so you know, though, it excludes donations to private schools in other cities, like Los Angeles and San Francisco:
On today’s Good Morning America, Chris Cuomolead a discussion about parents who exploit their children for reality show fame. In one corner was a mother recently featured with her daughter on TLC’s Toddlers and Tiaras. In the other corner was some attorney with extensive knowledge in this area who claimed it’s bad for the child or some garbage blah blah blah. Watch as the mother gets the last word on just how not screwed up her daughter really is:
Every little girl loves mud pies and four-wheelers and has a million Facebook fans thanks to her mom’s complete disregard for rational parenting while on national television. It’s normal. Quit digging for a story where there isn’t one.
Also, I think Chris Cuomo deserves the Peabody Award for ‘Excellence in Blatant But Wholeheartedly Deserved Condescending Sarcasm’ for that outro. Way to keep your cool, brother.
Former NYC police commissioner Bernie Kerik is on his way to jail this afternoon. A judge revoked bail in his trial on conspiracy and fraud charges today after he concluded that Kerik could not be trusted to honor an order barring him from disclosing confidential information related to the trial. (The judge described him as a "toxic combination of self-minded focus and arrogance," which sounds about right.) Fortunately for Kerik, the trial is taking place in Federal District Court in White Plains, not in Manhattan, so he won't have spend the forseeable future confined to a cell in a building that was once named the Bernard B. Kerik Complex. That could have been a bit awkward. [NYT]
Yesterday, Bethenny Frankel denied rumors she was pregnant. Today? The soon-to-be a real "housewife" now tells People—while "fighting back tears," no less—that the rumor is actually true, but she hadn't planned on revealing the news yet, since she's still in her first trimester. Or because it would get in the way of promoting her line of "Skinnygirl" margaritas or her book, which advises women to survive on a diet suitable for three-year-olds. Or because she hadn't had time to secure the cover of a tabloid to "announce" the news. In any event, she says she's now eating lots of pickles, so you can expect to hear she's been signed up as a Vlastic spokesperson any day now. [People]
In the past five days, we’ve seen a baby in Australia get run over by a train and miraculously live, and a child in Colorado miraculously survive a runaway balloon incident by never having been in the balloon to begin with. Now with this viral vid of a man in Russia dodging a bus by a split-second, 2009 is shaping up to be the Year of Miraculous Survival*.
Not to be lost in the coolness of the video, though — what the effing eff is that bus doing? Is this the Russian version of the Disney Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular? Answer: Yes.
Parents may have fond memories of Maurice Sendak's classic children's book, "Where the Wild Things Are." But if their social-networking postings are any indication, some are not pleased with the movie.
When Simon Cowell isn’t in America slithering his oily tentacles up the fitted button downs of Ryan Seacrest and ruining dreams, he spends his time overseas in his native England, impersonating a human sharpei and, as expected, ruining dreams. As a judge on X Factor, our beloved Cowell is once again forced to sit through hundreds of hours of talent(-less to -ed) hopefuls hoping to please their fickle master.
And this is all part of the fun, watching Cowell have to suffer through some of the world’s worst acts. He has his talent of looking absolutely miserable into a multi-million dollar industry.
That being said, what follows is one of the few times Cowell has a genuine right to be pissed. On the English talent show X Factor (which Cowell created), identical twin brothers John and Edward delighted the audience to a rendition of Britney Spears’ semenal (not a spelling error) hit “Oops I Did It Again.” They roll out onto the stage in red patent leather business suits, looking like the cover of some sort of Romanian gay porn classic. And then they sing.
And it is glorious. In that it’s the worst f**king thing to ever be aired on live television. It’s actually so bad that we want them to win the entire thing. And they’re not just bad singers… they’re even worse actors! As you will note during their “But I thought the old lady dropped it into the ocean at the end” routine.
We’ll tell you this: If the boat didn’t kill that decrepit woman with the surprisingly well-manicured toenails, this performance surely did. Cowell calls it the “worst live performance he’s ever sat through.” If that doesn’t get you to watch it, we’re afraid to tell you your soul has died. Click the pic to watch.
(Side Note: Why doesn’t American Idol have these kind of production values?)
Rihanna released her new single, “Russian Roulette,” this afternoon, and from the looks of this album art, she’s looking as upbeat as ever these days:
You can listen to the song in the embed below or on her website (which may actually be a Rihanna-themed spam search engine site). It’s already an early contender for “Song of the Winter,” inasmuch as it’s the complete opposite of “Umbrella” on the happy scale. Wonder why she’s so upset?
If I hadn't been warming to "Glee" already, this for sure would've begun defrosting me: "Dollhouse"-keeper Joss Whedon has agreed to direct one of the back nine episodes that Fox just ordered.
Greek film-makers are threatening to boycott the country's leading cinema festival in a row over funding. The group, which calls itself "Film-makers in the fog", includes Yorgos Lanthimos, whose "Dogtooth"... Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 20 Oct 2009 | 10:08 am
For those of us who remember a time when many families didn't have color TV, a remote control or even video games, hearing the theme song from "The Patty Duke Show" -- "They're cousins / Identical cousins, all the way" -- takes us back to black-and-white television sets and split-screen special effects.
We know Daniel Craig has grown a stache for his performance in the Broadway play “A Steady Rain” with Hugh Jackman. But that really doesn’t explain the rest of his get-up, which is giving us a real “I’m Going to Time Travel Back to the 19th Century and Kill The President” vibe. Unless he’s just recycling pieces from the Road to Perdition fire sale, in which case we applaud his savvy shopping.
Daniel Craig attends the Courage In Concert at The Public Theater, angrily.
A Swiss court has refused a request from director Roman Polanski to be released on bail, saying he poses a high flight risk, according to court documents.
Director Roman Polanski has lost an appeal to be freed from a Swiss prison ahead of his possible extradition to the United States for having sex in 1977 with a 13-year-old girl. Source: FOXNews.com | 20 Oct 2009 | 5:08 am
Takayuki Matsutani, president of Japan's cartoon and animation production company Tezuka Productions, displays the "Weekly Astro Boy Magazine" on a handset in Tokyo. Japan's Astro Boy and other comic heroes... Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 20 Oct 2009 | 3:44 am
Nothing like a rollicking tribute to the King of Pop to get your mind off of a pending elimination.
Well, the hit-and-miss Michael Jackson tribute on Tuesday's Dancing With the...
Relax, kiddos! We've gotten your frantic emails and tweets, and despite what last week's Grey's Anatomy ep may have led you to believe, Izzie Stevens and Katherine Heigl are not...
Why did John Stamos bother to lie about being drunk on a talk show when it was so obvious he was? And now he's confessed—why lie if you're just going to get...
So, we're checking out the new Rihanna single and...wait, what? Chris Brown's going on tour? Say, that is news!
Just hours after his ex released her first solo single since...
Renée Zellweger will not be plumping up again any time soon, people.
Despite recent reports claim that the Oscar winner has agreed to do a third Bridget Jones movie,...
Michael Jackson's comeback may have been a career killer for Dr. Conrad Murray.
The Nevada-based cardiologist hasn't been able to practice medicine since getting sucked up in the...
While Eclipse filming is nearing its end, not all Twilight castmembers are breathing easy.
We recently chatted with a very high up Summit source who emphasized to us the living hell...
Hitting Britney Spears one more time paid off.
The chart topper has settled a lawsuit brought against her by a paparazzo whose foot she ran over with her car outside a Beverly Hills...
Wall Streeters can expect to see annual bonuses jump 40 percent this year. But working for a bank requires you to wear a suit, sit behind a desk all day, and perform tasks that are often exceptionally boring. Why not become a stagehand at Carnegie Hall instead? You can show up in jeans, you'll get plenty of exercise, and while you won't make quite as much money, you'll sure come close! 
Quick programming note: Comedian Pat Dixon takes over new episodes of Best Day Ever starting at 11pm tonight and tomorrow night. (Here he is on the right moments before cameras rolled today). 
There is perhaps no worse feeling in the world than being left behind when it comes to pop culture phenomenons. Unfortunately, when you his a certain age — say, 22 and above — certain international entertainment phenomenon become harder to grasp. Such is the case with the Twilight series, which began as a best-selling series of books (”Like The Da Vinci Code… For Kids!”), and morphed into a multi-billion dollar film franchise. Whether we liked it or not, a day did not go boy with Edward Cullen/Robert Pattison references raining down upon us from heaven itself.
2. “Friends” Band Of Skulls: Slightly repetitive baseline followed with quite the cocky chorus — “My friends are all so beautiful” repeated sad infinitum. What if “our friends aren’t beautiful”, Band of Skulls? How am I supposed to enjoy this tune knowing I hang around with gaggles of the city’s most hideous? Is this what today’s kids enjoy? Cocky assh*les.
9. “Done All Wrong” Black Rebel Motorcycle Club THIS ALBUM IS SO F**KING DEPRESSING SERIOUSLY. IS THIS GOOD FOR TODAY’S YOUTH?
Goldman Sachs 
Yesterday, Bethenny Frankel denied 
