AP - Doom spelled dollars at the box office as the global-disaster tale "2012" opened at No. 1 domestically with $65 million and pulled in $225 million worldwide.
Someone Should Have Done This For Arrested Development: Larry Charles and McG are teaming up for a semi-scripted NBC comedy about a group of sci-fi fanboys whose favorite TV show gets canceled. So they take matters into their own hands and shoot their own version. Charles, who has experience with the semi-scripted genre (Borat, Bruno), will write and direct what is being called a "prototype" for what he show will eventually look like. That probably just means there will be far less nudity when it actually makes it on TV. [Variety]
King Me: Helena Bonham Carter and Guy Pearce will star in Tom Hooper's The King's Speech along with Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush. The drama will center on a young King George VI as he assumes the throne after his brother abdicates it. Nervous and unprepared, George works with a speech therapist who helps turn him into the man who leads his country against the Nazis. Keira Knightly hasn't yet found her way into this period flick, but give it time. It will happen. [Variety]
Clothed Fogies Singing: Writer Will Reiser is in talks to pen Young@Heart, Fox Searchlight's fictionalization of its documentary about old people singing. The original tells the story of a group of seniors that sings songs by artists like The Clash, Coldplay and James Brown. Also (spoiler alert) some of the choir members die. [THR]
Like Matthew Weiner, For Robots: Caprica, Syfy's Battlestar Galactica prequel, has got itself a showrunner. Kevin Murphy originally joined the show in October but has just now taken over day to day operations. Caprica will chronicle how the Cylons were created. We're assuming that will involve Skynet. [THR]
Old Timer: Simon Russell Beale and Fiona Shaw have signed-on to star in a new National Theater production of London Assurance. Written by Dion Boucicault in 1841, the story is a comedy revolving around Lord Harcourt, whose wooing of a young heiress is thwarted by his own son, and Lady Spanker, who rides horses. A lady who rides horses? Ha! [Variety]
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Filed Under: the industry, battlestar galactica, borat, bruno, caprica, coldplay, colin firth, fiona shaw, fox searchlight, geoffrey rush, guy pearce, helena bonham carter, james brown, kevin murphy, larry charles, london assurance, mcg, movies, nbc, simon russell beale, syfy, the clash, the king's speech, theater, tom hopper, tv, will reiser, young@heart
AP - The pilot who guided his disabled plane to a safe emergency landing in the Hudson River says that a new book that underscores the role of the jet's automation technology in the landing is inaccurate.
Lou Dobbs didn't give any clues about his next move in an interview with the AP this weekend, but he did reveal that his break-up with CNN was amicable. Basically, he wanted to get out and they were okay with that. He was getting tired of their nagging and they were getting tired of having to nag. They wished each other the best and moved on. It's all for the best. They were tired of him keeping his retainer at their place anyway. [AP]
Read more posts by Adam K. Raymond
Filed Under: in other news, cnn, lou dobbs, television
 New York Daily News | '2012' spells doom for its competition at the box office Los Angeles Times The end-of-the-world epic takes in $65 million in the US and Canada and $225 million worldwide. Disney's 'Christmas Carol' finishes a distant second. Sony PicturesÂ' "2012" is disaster director Roland Emmerich's take on a purported Maya prophecy that ... FX Makes Date for "2012" At The Movies: End of Days Action Flick, '2012,' Wins Weekend Box Office '2012' kills, 'Precious' amazes at the weekend box office |
 Entertainment Tonight News | Jon Gosselin -- It's Happy Hour Somewhere TMZ.com (blog) Jon Gosselin celebrated Shane Victorino's wedding Saturday night -- or maybe he was just celebrating life -- at Lulu's Lahaina Surf Club & Grill in Hawaii. 2. I would like to know why TMZ gives so much attention to this douche. ... Jon Gosselin Visits Family in Hawaii Jon Gosselin Hits Hawaii Sans Hailey, but They're Still On Jon Gosselin Says TLC Ruined Him – But Didn't He Do That Himself? |
 Just Jared (blog) | A gala celebration for MOCA Los Angeles Times The highlight of the 30th anniversary party? A production involving Lady Gaga and Bolshoi dancers. THINK PINK: Lady Gaga and artist Francesco Vezzoli perform during the celebration. The grand piano, which was sold at the end of the show, was decorated ... Gallery: Museum of Contemporary Art's 30th annviersary gala Lady Gaga's Performance is Contemporary Art Amazing Lady GaGa Premieres New Song 'Speechless' at MOCA Party |
In his new book Fly By Wire: The Geese, the Glide, the Miracle on the Hudson, Vanity Fair scribe William Langewiesche writes that part of the reason Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger was able to heroically land a plane on the Hudson is because the model plane he was flying has an automated cockpit. Bullshit, says Sully. Except he said it like a hero would say it:
'Fly By Wire' "greatly overstates how much it mattered," Sully told the Times. “Others in the industry knowledgeable about these technical issues know there are misstatements of fact in ‘Fly by Wire'. There are some situations where the automation will protect a pilot, but at the same time a highly automated airplane makes possible other types of errors so it’s a mixed blessing.”
Langewiesche said it was important to examine the role automation played in landing flight 1549 on the river. “I don’t think its role is critical, but it was functioning, but its part of the story, ” he said. The he went on about vectors and clearance and seat backs and tray tables and it all stopped making sense.
Sullenberger Takes Issue With New Book [City Room/NYT]
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Filed Under: miracle on the hudson, captain sullenberger, mayor bloomberg, sully, william langewiesche
Half way through the new TV season, the LA Times is assessing the success and failure of the networks. And there's lots of failure! ABC, CBS and NBC are all down in ratings among those young folks advertisers love, with the Peacock taking the biggest hit. The Times conclusions run the gamut from depressing (crime procedurals are still killing it) to obvious ("Leno in prime time was a bad idea"). But there is one encouraging development to take from the first half of the TV season: Modern Family, which has proven that people love Ed O'Neill, even when he has both hands outside of his pants.
Network TV winners and losers [LA Times]
Read more posts by Adam K. Raymond
Filed Under: tvpocalypse, abc, cbs, ed o'neill, jay leno, modern family, nbc, ratings
So, how did that auction of Bernie and Ruth Madoff's stuff go? Great! It was expected to raise half a million dollars for the victims of Bernie's fraud and ended up bringing in more than twice that. Here's how: A pair of Cartier onyx and diamond earrings sold for $70,000 and another pair of Ruth's diamond earrings went for the same amount. Bernie's shiny Mets jacket, complete with his name embroidered on the back, sold for $14,500. Three wooden duck decoys seized from the Madoff's Montauk beach home went for $11,500 and the address sign that was once in front of that house sold for $2,000. Bernie's 1960 Hofstra class ring sold for $6,000. And the most awesome piece of the lot, a white life preserver painted with the words "Bullship N.Y." went for $7,500, more than fifty times the $140 estimate.
Madoff Auction Brings in More Than $1 Million [WSJ]
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Filed Under: made-off, auction, bernie madoff, bullship, ruth madoff
First The Bachelor break-up and now this...Shayne Lamas just can't seem to catch a break.
E! News has learned exclusively that the 24-year-old Leave It to Lamas reality...
 New York Daily News | Sandra Bullock buoys conventional football film Reuters LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Knowing a golden character opportunity when she sees one, Sandra Bullock takes the proverbial ball and runs with Leigh Anne Tuohy, the honey blond spitfire of a well-to-do Southern wife and ... Sandra Bullock tackles larger-than-life role in 'Blind Side' 'The Blind Side': Family rescues homeless kid A look at the week ahead in the movies and TV |
Have you heard? The movie star is dead. It's an obituary written every few months when big stars put out big flops and nobodies bring in loads at the box office. The Hollywood Reporter provides the latest installment. This time, the movies convincing studios that stars aren't necessary are The Hangover, District 9 and Paranormal Activity. While movies like Disney's A Christmas Carol, Land of the Lost and Imagine That, prove that a big star doesn't result in big success. Clearly it's time for Hollywood to take the guess work out of it, and start making only apocalypse porn.
Hollywood rethinks use of A-list actors [THR]
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Filed Under: obits, district 9, hollywood reporter, movies, paranormal activity, the hangover
Take this to the water cooler tomorrow: A 16-pound cat named Carmen held her owners hostage in their Midtown apartment yesterday until police arrived and corralled her. [NYP]
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Filed Under: pet police, mean cats
 guardian.co.uk | Will Meyer bite into another 'Twilight' book? msnbc.com Kimberley French / AP By Courtney Hazlett Oprah Winfrey last Friday scored the one and only interview with “Twilight” author Stephenie Meyer ahead of this Friday's film release of “The Twilight Saga: New Moon.” In the course of their live chat, ... Catherine Hardwicke on Robsten: "It Didn't Happen On The First Movie" 'Twilight' star tries to tune out obsessed tabloids New Moon, New Press Tour |
He may have been born in the U.S.A., but Bruce Springsteen could use a good map.
The Boss pulled a Britney Spears during a Friday night concert when he shouted, "Hello,...
Just as Khlomar's wedding excitement is dying down (or is it?), it's time to pack Kourtney Kardashian's hospital bags.
The E! star is expecting her little boy with...
In what one Moscow newspaper called "a desperate move" to appeal to Russia's youth, Vladimir Putin presented an award on a music channel this weekend and kind of made a fool of himself. Doing his best to look cool, in a turtleneck and windbreaker, Putin warned his young friends about the hazards of drugs and vodka. Then he weighed in on some pressing issues of the day:
"Rap, even urban rap and street rap, is kind of crude, but is already filled with social content and addresses the problems of youth. Graffiti is becoming a real art form - refined and polished. Break dancing is something completely unique."
So, that's how the Russian president feels about hip-hop, graffiti and break dancing. You were wondering, right?
Vladimir Putin turns to rap and break-dancing [Telegraph]
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Filed Under: international intrigue, hip hop, russia, valdimir putin
When Universal Studios put together an overseas poster for Couples Retreat, the schmaltzy rom-com that reignited the bromace between Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn, it decided "to simplify the poster to actors who are most recognizable in international markets.” That meant removing black actors Faizon Love and Kali Hawk, who were on the American version. Bad idea. British media-watchdogs and moviegoers complained and now the studio has decided to discontinue the poster. Not that there isn't an upside to this piece of horrible PR. On a weekend when Couples Retreat made $4 million, we're writing about it! [Daily Mail]
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Filed Under: posterized, couples retreat, faizon love, jon favreau, kali hawk, universal pictures, vince vaughn
AP - The initial swirling syncopation of sound is impossible to resist.
The discovery of significant amounts of water on the moon a few days ago was a key moment in the history of space exploration. But we're guessing there's a different kind of New Moon info...
This week's all-new installment of Glee is called "Ballad," and it centers on Rachel Berry's (Lea Michele) new and inappropriate crush on "Mr. Shu" (Matthew Morrison). As...
Carrie Prejean's boobs are full of faith.
At least…that's what she's claiming.
The 22-year-old dethroned former Miss California took...
Mimi has really come to play on her version of Foreigner's gospel-rock classic, "I Want to Know What Love Is." She's scouting the elusive "L" in a packed baseball stadium,...
AP - Without the burden of a live worldwide broadcast, members of the film academy threw themselves a lively yet relaxed dinner party to honor the first Oscar winners of the season.
Larry David was on George Lopez's new talk show that we didn't know about Thursday night, where he got to be the first guest to participate in what is apparently going to be a running gag (and a pretty inspired one, if real): some time before his appearance, Larry swabbed the inside of his cheek for one of those "find out where your ancestors came from" DNA tests. During his appearance, Lopez revealed the results, which are probably a joke, or as Larry said, a "comedic result," but those tests are supposed to be unreliable, so who knows. Either way, it's funny.
Read more posts by Lindsay Robertson
Filed Under: curb your enthusiasm, george lopez, larry david
ABC has released the first of what will surely be many promos for the multi-platform (GMA, Nightline, World News, and 20/20) ratings-grabber that will culminate in Barbara Walters' interview with Sarah Palin on Friday. It's basically going to be Sarah Palin week. In the promo, Sarah confesses that she and First Dude Todd had no idea that their daughter Bristol was sexually active until they found out she was pregnant. If you watch closely, when Sarah says "truthfully, we were devastated" she looks like she's about to cry after all.
Read more posts by Lindsay Robertson
Filed Under: america's sweetheart, barbara walters, going rogue, sarah palin
In today's New York Times Book Review, cognitive scientist and author Steven Pinker reviews Malcolm Gladwell's latest book of essays, What the Dog Saw, calling him "a minor genius" and giving equal time to the bestselling author's strengths and weaknesses. The entire review is fascinating, but the part that made us practically yelp with gleeful recognition was Pinker finally giving a name to the Gladwellian tic that makes even those who never miss one of his essays often a little bit annoyed: "The Straw We." Major genius.
Malcolm Gladwell, Eclectic Detective [NYTBR]
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Filed Under: books, malcolm gladwell, steven pinker, what the dog saw
AP - Lou Dobbs says he doesn't feel like he was pushed out of CNN, the news organization where he worked for all but two years of its existence until last Wednesday.
Rudy Giuliani was on ABC's This Week this morning, making his feelings known about the announcement that the 9/11 planners will be tried in Manhattan next year. He's really, really against it, saying it puts the city at risk for more attacks and gives the terrorists exactly what they want.
Filed Under: terror, 9/11, rudy guiliani, september 11th
After seeing January Jones trash talk her way through a beer pong match with Jimmy Fallon on Tuesday night, we allowed ourselves to get our hopes up for her to take on the hosting duties of Saturday Night Live this week. In retrospect, this was quite an unfortunate mistake.
After a landmark 34th season filled with creative triumphs and strong ratings, it has felt as if the cast and crew of Saturday Night Live have been suffering from a creative hangover all season long. With each passing week, it's becoming clearer and clearer that the show's writing staff is suffering from fatigue and a lack of inspiration. Much like a pitcher who has thrown too many innings and begins to break down physically, the ramifications of Lorne Michaels's decision to schedule episodes in four consecutive weeks (on top of three episodes of Weekend Update Thursdays) in September and October are starting to be felt here in November. Last week's Taylor Swift hosted episode contained more than its fair share of strong moments, but this week's January Jones episode was one of the more stale installments of the venerable program in years.
It was fairly clear from the moment that January Jones walked onto the stage at Studio 8H in Rockefeller Center that we weren't going to see a repeat of the brilliance of last year's Jon Hamm hosted episode. Jones seemed not only nervous but also unprepared for the occasion, as she was plainly reading from cue cards during the monologue and throughout most of the episode, often times in a manner that made it seem like she was reading these lines for the very first time live on television. And during the show's first skit of the evening, Jones made one of the more painful flubs in recent memory when she was caught whispering to someone offstage for direction as to what camera she should be looking at. (If you have a short attention span, skip ahead to about 3:09 of this video.)
As dull as Jones was as a host, in her defense, the writing for this episode seemed particularly witless. The Rear Window parody in which Jones portrayed Grace Kelly as a person with chronic farting problems was exactly as uninspired and juvenile as you would think, and the toilet humor continued in the most literal fashion possible during in the evening's digital short, the premise of which was simply Fred Armisen constantly walking in on Andy Samberg while the latter is pantsless and sitting on the toilet. Additionally, the reveal in that Dr. Jekyll sketch that Bill Hader turns into Mr. Hyde so he can fulfill his homosexual desires was utterly moronic.
Sensing that this week's material was thin at best, Lorne Michaels did the unthinkable and let the Black Eyed Peas perform three songs (!) last night, which would've maybe been okay had the band not proven to be one of the least compelling live acts we have ever seen on the program.
While we're far from declaring the show "Saturday Night Dead," we implore Lorne Michaels to figure out a way to lighten up the workload for the show's cast and crew and stop booking guests to appear in back-to-back-to-back weeks. It's becoming patently obvious that the show works better when everyone's got more than six days to prepare new material. Still, we remain optimistic that Joseph Gordon Levitt can come in this week and make some magic happen.
Read more posts by Mark Graham
Filed Under: overnights, january jones, saturday night live, snl, tv
In an unprecedented early event, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences bestowed honorary Oscars on four of its members last night: Lauren Bacall, producer-director-writer Roger Corman, cinematographer Gordon Willis, and producer John Calley. [The Envelope/LAT]
Read more posts by Lindsay Robertson
Filed Under: the oscars, lauren bacall, roger corman, the academy awards
"Gay American" Jim McGreevey is spending his Sunday mornings with a new man -- Jesus."
From an article about McGreevey's training to become an Episcopal priest. They also caption a photo of McGreevey working "Holy Shift!", and continue to call McGreevey the "luv guv." [NYP]
Read more posts by Lindsay Robertson
Filed Under: new jersey, jim mcgreevey, the new york post
Top three: 2012: $65 million; A Christmas Carol: $22 million; The Men Who Stare at Goats: $6.2 million. But the biggest story is the fourth place winner: Precious made $6 million in its second week in release, with an astounding $35k per-screen average. That's practically standing room only! [Box Office Mojo]
Read more posts by Lindsay Robertson
Filed Under: weekend box office, 2012, a christmas carol, precious, precious: based on the novel 'push' by sapphire, the men who stare at goats
Bruce got a little confused at a concert in Michigan on Friday night:
The iconic rocker greeted his Palace of Auburn Hills audience Friday night with a hearty "Hello, Ohio!" -- a reference he repeated several times over the next half hour before catching his mistake, with what appeared to be a whispered assist from guitarist Steven Van Zandt.
"I'm all right," said the grinning Springsteen, who remained visibly self-conscious about the slip. "That is every front man's nightmare."
Why is it always Ohio? ("Hello, Cleveland!") The Detroit Free Press reports that the show totally rocked and nobody cared about the mix up.
Bruce Springsteen Shows Heart, Puts Foot in Mouth [Detroit Free Press]
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Filed Under: concerts, bruce springsteen
Hillary Clinton was on Meet the Press this morning via satellite from Singapore, where she talked about such important issues as the trial of the 9/11 plotters, our country's relations with China, whatever should we do about Afghanistan, and the challenges of closing Gitmo. But when asked about the part of Sarah Palin's book where Palin says that she and Clinton would disagree about many issues if they ever got coffee, Hillary totally said she would get coffee with her, omg! Reuters reports that Hillary's exact words were:
"I absolutely would look forward to having coffee."
Also, apparently the two have never met? Which seems weird. Anyway, the real point is: why do male world leaders get to have BEER together to resolve their differences, while women are forced to settle for mere coffee? Those two should be getting together over a bunch of Cosmos or whatever women their age think is a cool drink now, not some weak, anxiety-producing latte. Duh.
Hillary is Open to Coffee with Sarah Palin [Reuters via Washington Post]
Read more posts by Lindsay Robertson
Filed Under: america's sweetheart, hillary clinton, sarah palin
AP - Want to get away, Boss?
The New York Times has learned that Genentech, a subsidiary of the Swiss drugmaker Roche, was able to get an estimated 42 House members from both sides of the aisle to use their exact talking points, written by their lobbyist, Matthew L. Berzok, in the congressional record of the health care debate. And the Genentech folks are the ones who provided that estimate! Proudly! The most depressing part of this investigation is that nobody is even denying it:
"Asked about the Congressional statements, a lobbyist close to Genentech said: “This happens all the time. There was nothing nefarious about it.”
We're not being naive idealists here -- it's impossible to read this entire article without getting a little depressed. We all know our lawmakers are ventriloquist dummies for big corporations, but we'd like to think it's a little less literal than this.
In House, Many Spoke with One Voice: Lobbyist's [NYT]
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Filed Under: health carnage, health-care reform, joe wilson, lobbyists
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