Thursday, December 13, 2007
Globes Trotting
Yesterday morning, Britney Spears was scheduled to be deposed by ex-hubby Kevin Federline's attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan and the big question all morning was whether or not she was going to show up on time to give her deposition which actually turned into whether she'd show up at all. As her 10AM appointment time came and went, the answer was clear ... Britters was a no-show. Mark Vincent Kaplan, never one to let an opportunity like this pass him by without offering comment to the members of the media, immediately gave an impromptu press conference explaining why Britney failed to show up for her deposition after Britney's people offered up the excuse that she had a "medical condition" that forced her to miss the appointment ... natch. Here are a few pics of MVK talking to the press and of our dear Britney out and about last night after battling back from her debilitating illness -- after she missed her deposition appointment:
Photo credit: JFXonline & X17
Britney Spears did not show up to her deposition today, and Kevin Federline's lawyer Mark Vincent Kaplan said she's suffering from some sort of "medical condition." Kaplan didn't elaborate on the condition, though there are reports it could be anxiety. The deposition has been rescheduled. Kaplan indicated that he'll pursue a court sanction against Britney for not showing up. You know, it's really amazing that Britney was able to rebound so quickly from her "medical condition" so quickly because she looked totally fine last night as she made her way to and from the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills. Heh. I had a sneaking suspicion that Britney was gonna miss her deposition appointment yesterday. She doesn't seem to get that it is really unwise to play games with the court like this. You'd think she'd have the common sense to stay out of sight for at least one day after she told the court that she was forced to miss her appointment due to illness. Well, as long as the court lets her jerk them around she's gonna get away with everything that she can, for as long as she can. It's getting hard to believe that she really wants to be a mother, especially when her friends are predicting that this sort of "calling in sick" behavior will continue in the future. That's our dear Britney. [Source, Source]
ATTENTION: PROJECT RUNWAY SPOILER ALERT WARNING
So, last night was the first ep of the season where extraneous circumstances led to the early exit of one of the designers on Project Runway. News of this exit hit the InterWeb months ago but I tried to stay away from those reports because I wanted to see how things happened on the show. It's very unfortunate that this had to happen, and to one of the strongest competitors, but it really could've happened to anyone ... it's just a bummer that it had to happen like this:
Despite the fact that I tried to stay away from all the pre-season PR spoilers, I did find out that Jack is HIV+ and I figured that the early exit had something to do with that ... as we all saw, Jack did get sick with a staph infection but it had nothing to do with is HIV status. It just really sucks for him that he had to leave the competition so early due to illness (the real kind, not the Britney Spears kind) when he was doing so well so far. But Jack's misfortune worked out well for Chris because even tho he was eliminated last week he was brought back and put back into play in Jack's place. Jack has gone on the record to say that he didn't think it was "fair" to bring Chris back but he understands why the decision was made. I was very thrilled that they brought Chris back because I was sad to see him go (since I really thought Steven should've gotten the axe last week) but then again, I really hated the design Chris came up with this time around ... again. Granted, he came in at the last second and had to make up time but still ... he really does make very costume-y fug outfits that real people would never wear. He's lucky Steven was still around to get the boot because he really couldn't've gone home on his design last night. Overall, I really loved the challenge ... this was the first challenge, I think, that was inventive and interesting. Everyone did a great job with it ... I liked a lot of the outfits ... but the capris and leggings totally turned me off -- even tho, I have to say, the women looked amazing in the new outfits. I can't believe I'm such a Jillian fan. Her personality is so ... nonexistent ... and yet, she really comes up with cool designs. I must agree that Christian is very talented, if extremely annoying. As much as I think Steven really should've gotten eliminated, he was starting to grow on me this episode ... or, I should say, he was starting to creep me out less this ep. But, he's gone now ... and the world continues to turn. Things are lookin' up on my fave show ... I hope they keep the challenges inventive and fun. Last night was a return to form ... now we just need the designers to show more personality cuz, to me, they're all still so not very memorable. [Source]
Hayden Panettiere, Ryan Reynolds and Quentin Tarantino got up bright and early this morning to announce the nominees for the 2008 Golden Globe Awards which will be handed out on January 13 in Hollywood. It was a good morning for the drama Atonement, which garnered 7 nominations, and the comedy Charlie Wilson's War, which garnered 5 noms. Here are a few pics from the Golden Globes Nomination Announcement Event this morning:
Trophy season kicked into high gear Thursday morning, with an impressive roster of seven movies nominated for best dramatic picture in the Golden Globes race. The period romance Atonement, starring nominees Keira Knightley and James McAvoy, led the pack with seven nominations. The movie, besides being in the running for best picture, was also singled out for its direction, by Joe Wright, and its screenplay, by Christopher Hampton. The remaining six top picture nominees are American Gangster, Eastern Promises, The Great Debaters, Michael Clayton, No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood. In the comedy/musical movie category, top picture candidate Charlie Wilson's War and its stars, Julia Roberts and Tom Hanks, as well as its writer, The West Wing creator Aaron Sorkin, all grabbed nominations. (Overlooked, however, was director Mike Nichols.) With four nominations, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street also picked up nods as best picture and for its director Tim Burton, and stars, Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter. In the TV categories, newcomer Lee Pace was nominated as best leading actor in a comedy series, as was his show, Pushing Daisies. The other comedies in competition for best series are 30 Rock and its star, Alec Baldwin, Californication, and its star, David Duchovny, Entourage and Extras. Overlooked were Ugly Betty and The Sopranos – though Edie Falco did get a best actress nod. The nominees for best dramatic series are Big Love, Damages, Grey's Anatomy, House, Mad Men and The Tudors. Usually, I have a pretty good idea of what's up for nomination for awards season but this year I really didn't have any idea how things were going to work out. I'm very glad that Cate Blanchett got nominated for Elizabeth: The Golden Years and that American Gangster got nominated for Best Dramatic Movie ... I really enjoyed both of those movies. I am very happy that Michael C. Hall got nominated for Best TV Actor - Drama for his amazing work on Dexter, that The Kite Runner got a nom for Best Foreign Language Film and that No Country for Old Men and Hairspray each got a few noms. I like it when movies that I enjoyed get recognized in this way ... some years, I feel as if the noms only go to the snooty films that most people don't go see. Could this awards season actually represent the taste of the common man? I can't wait to see who will get Oscar noms now. [Source]
The Induction Ceremony for the new class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame won't happen for a few months now but Rolling Stone magazine is reporting that Madonna will be among the eligible candidates to be inducted this coming year (the first year of her eligibility):
Madonna and John Mellencamp will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next year, alongside Leonard Cohen, the Ventures and the Dave Clark Five. Philly Soul songwriter/producer team Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff will be presented the Ahmet Ertegun Award (previously known as the non-performer category) and blues harmonica player Little Walter will be inducted in the sideman category. This is Madonna's first year of eligibility; her debut single, "Everybody," was released twenty-five years ago in 1982. The induction ceremony will take place on March 10th, 2008 at New York's Waldorf Astoria. Among the artists who were nominated this year but did not get in are the Beastie Boys (who were eligible for the first time) and Donna Summer. Woot! This is great, if not surprising, news. I was very confident that Madonna would be among the inductees in the 2008 Class because it would be a crime to not induct her into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at the absolute first moment of her eligibility (ie. 25 years after the release of her first single or album). Whether you love her or hate her you cannot deny that her impact on Rock and Roll has been significant if not monumental. There are a lot of women who have made massive contributions to music history but I contend that Madonna's impact is of such legendary proportion that it will be talked about most probably for all time (especially when you consider that her music career is still going strong, which is evident by her new multi-million dollar music contract with Live Nation). Uh, yeah, I realize that this may sound like I'm indulging in insane hyperbole but I really think that Madge is a huge cultural icon, the likes of which we may not see again for a very long time. I really doubt I'll get to see the woman to take her throne in my lifetime ... despite what Hanna Montana thinks. Much congrats Madonna, this honor is well-deserved. [Source]
In somewhat sad news, it was reported late yesterday afternoon that Ike Turner, who can be credited with giving the world the gift of Tina Turner (and really can't be credited with much more), died in his sleep at the age of 76 years old. His musical contribution was significant but it cannot overshadow his horribly abusive reputation, which will prolly live on as his legacy for all time now:
Like many pioneers, Ike Turner wasn't a saint. But his musical accomplishments deserve to outlive the memory of his character flaws. Turner, who died Wednesday at 76 at his home in San Marcos, Calif., of unknown causes, had a recording career that reached back to the dawn of rock 'n' roll. In fact, a 1951 record by the guitarist and bandleader, Rocket 88 (sung by and credited to Turner's saxophonist Jackie Brenston), is often cited as the first fusion of R&B and blues that could be called rock 'n' roll. In the late '50s, Turner hired Anna Mae Bullock as a singer. She became Tina Turner in name and wedlock, and their records from 1960 through the mid-'70s demonstrate Tina's awe-inspiring lung power and Ike's dry wit and lacerating guitar. A Fool in Love, It's Gonna Work Out Fine and Nutbush City Limits are R&B monuments, while their recasting of John Fogerty's Proud Mary became the definitive version. Ike wrote and produced most of their records and led the legendary Ike & Tina Turner Revue (including a rotating cast of backing singers known as The Ikettes), one of the top R&B touring aggregations of the '60s. They opened for the Rolling Stones on the British band's 1969 tour ... Tina left him in 1976, ending an abusive relationship chronicled in the 1986 autobiography I, Tina and 1993 film What's Love Got to Do With It. (Ike disputed his portrayal in both.) She declined to comment on his death. "Tina is aware that Ike passed away earlier today," her spokeswoman Michele Schweitzer said in a statement. "She has not had any contact with him in 35 years. No further comment will be made." Ike was convicted on cocaine possession charges in 1990 and was in prison at the time he and Tina were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. While I can greatly appreciate his musical contribution I can never forget his heinous abusive reputation. One of the most vivid and memorable scenes from a movie that I have ever seen was the one in What's Love Got To Do With It when Angela Bassett (as Tina Turner) took all the abuse she was gonna take from Laurence Fishburn (as Ike Turner) and she hauled off and punched him in the face while riding backseat in a limo. The scene where she was bloody-lipped and bruised while trying to use her jewelry to secure a hotel room broke my heart. There is never, ever any excuse for physical violence in this manner ... and that scene had a great impact on me. Whether it's totally fair or not, I will always remember Ike Turner in this way. But, I will say, I hope he rests in peace and I sincerely hope that he got his karma right before he passed away. [Source]
Okay ... let's move on ... John C. Reilly, Jenna Fischer, the Bateman siblings and others were on hand here in LA last night for the Hollywood premiere of Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story at Grauman's Chinese Theatre. Here are a few pics from the red carpet:
Photo credit: Splash News
As much as I hate to admit it, I do kinda like these sorts of dumb comedies that only exist for prurient enjoyment and offer no cultural value at all. Generally, I like my comedy to be smart and witty but the creators of Knocked Up and Superbad (ie. Judd Apatow and Jake Kasdan) have ruined me in that respect. I actually laughed out loud the first time I saw the trailer for this movie so ... I guess I'll be seeing it. Clearly, this movie is a spoof of Walk the Line which seems easy (and mindless) to make but I'm hoping they'll be able to inject some genuine funny stuff in the flick (stuff that they didn't use in the very funny trailer). It must be noted that while Jason Bateman is lookin' pretty good these days his sister Justine ... maybe notsomuch. Maybe it was the lighting and maybe not bu Justine is lookin' pretty haggard in this pic. It would seem that the years haven't been all that kind to the once foxy Mallory Keaton. Yipes! [Source]
The Spice Girls have flown the coup of the United States of American and have winged their way to the bonny shores of their homeland of England. Fortunately for Les Spices, Virgin Atlantic Airlines worked up an airplane of their very own to fly them home. You will note that Emma Bunton (aka Baby Spice) is on crutches which initially put the tour in doubt ... but the claim is being made that the show will go on nonetheless. Here are pics of the Spice Girls and their plane Spice One before they jetted off to the UK yesterday afternoon:
Photo credit: Splash News
Emma Bunton has promised fans she will be on stage - with or without crutches - for the Spice Girls' homecoming gig in London. Baby Spice took a tumble on stage, spraining her ankle, at the girls' Las Vegas show during the last of their U.S. dates earlier this week. Her injury was unknown to fans until she was photographed hobbling on crutches on Wednesday night at the unveiling of a Virgin Atlantic plane named 'Spice One' in their honour, at Los Angeles International Airport. Despite her vow to be on stage at their first London gig, the group have cancelled their pre-recorded performance on Strictly Come Dancing on the Sunday semi-final show ... Emma told expectant fans that she was being treated by the same doctor who tended to bandmate Victoria's husband David Beckham's foot injury. She said: "I'm praying that I will be all right for Saturday. Even if I have to come on stage in crutches I'll be there." Bandmate Geri Halliwell downplayed the seriousness of Emma's injury, declaring: "It's not her metatarsal." Explaining her injury, she admitted: "I had a tumble on stage and unfortunately I have sprained my ankle." Victoria promised fans Saturday's concert would eclipse their previous gigs in Canada and the U.S. She enthused: "It is going to be amazing. We're going to give you the best show you have ever seen." Depsite Vicki B's claim that the UK shows are going to be the "best" shows every seen, I'm just glad that I got to see the Spices before Emma hurt her gimpy foot. That being said, I hope her foot does get better in time for the shows cuz it's a great concert and I'd hate the UK fans to be disappointed. On the plus side, there isn't a lot of stenuous dancing going on during the show, at least not by the Spice Girls themselves ... I think Emma will be just fine by show time. [Source]
And so it begins ... Bump Watch: Jessica Alba is underway ... here are new pictures of Jessica that clearly show that she is pregs ...
Photo credit: JFXonline
... or the pics clearly show that the front of her shirt is bunched. Jessica is so petite, I think it's gonna be a while before she really starts to show anything of substance in the bump dept. [Source]
The romance between Kate Middleton and Prince William appears to be still going strong ... their love seems to strengthen with each hair lost on Wills' balding head :) Here are pics of the happy couple out on the town this week with the ever hotter Prince Harry:
Photo credit: Splash News
Prince Harry, 23, and his brother William, 25, were ... out on the town last night at - where else - Boujis, their favourite haunt in London's South Kensington. While most of the group left the nightspot and piled into cabs at 2am, with Prince William deep in a phone conversation, Harry - unaware his cousin was outpartying him - decided to stay on for an extra hour. The royal brothers, both dressed in their going out uniform of striped shirts and blazers, were joined by Kate Middleton, Guy Pelly with a mystery blonde and Virgin heiress Holly Branson, 25. The select band partied till the small hours. William looked slightly worse-for-wear as he was led out by a minder, his disheveled hairstyle revealing his thinning crowning glory. William and Kate were last seen out together last Friday, ice skating at the outdoor rink at Somerset House, London. "It was very romantic and they seemed keen to keep to it very low key. They danced for about an hour and both of them seemed pretty good at it. They'd obviously done it before. There's a huge Christmas tree overlooking the ice and the whole experience is mind-blowing. It's incredibly impressive," a source told The Sun. "Wills clearly knows the way to melt a girl's heart." Yes, his melting skills must make up for his inability to keep what's left of his hair. I'm sure it's nothing but lurve for the happy couple ... shoot, I know that I could lurve a balding prince too if I had the chance. [Source]
In other Royals news, Prince Charles and his wife the Duchess of Cornwall were on hand to celebrate the last night of Chanukah with a bunch of kids selected from various Jewish schools in London this week ... here are a couple of pics:
Children from Jewish schools across London were given a Chanukah gift as they celebrated the final hours of the festival with Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall last night. The royal couple personally lit all eight candles of a menorah before the heir to the throne proclaimed the event at the Hendon Hall Hotel had also been a festive "treat" for them too. The pair joined around 180 youngsters from 12 schools for a series of arts and crafts activities including candle making and dreidl decorating, getting glue and glitter on themselves ... Wishing everyone a happy Chanukah the Prince told those gathered, including several community leaders, that he thought he had just about managed to write the Hebrew letters on the driedl and now had a decent idea how to play at home. I love it! Partying with the Chosen People is always a good time ... at least, that's what I've come to learn in the almost 2 years that I've been dating David :) Well done, Royals! [Source]
NBC, who successfully managed to recycle their hit 70s TV show Bionic Woman, has also announced that they are planning to recycle (or reprise) their hit 80s TV show Knight Rider. Here are pics of the new version of KITT the talking car, which will be voiced by Will Arnet:
NBC announced that Will Arnett (Arrested Development) will provide the voice of the new generation of KITT cars in its upcoming Knight Rider pilot movie, a sequel to the 1980s TV series. The network also confirmed the casting of original Knight Rider star David Hasselhoff, who will reprise the role of Michael Knight. William Daniels provided the voice of KITT in the original show. NBC also unveiled three new KITT Ford Mustangs that will be featured in the series at NBC's studios in Burbank, Calif., on Dec. 12. The three cars to be used in the series include the KITT "hero," a Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR; the KITT Attack, a super high-speed version of the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR; and a KITT Remote, which is a driverless Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR. Honestly, I'm on board for this idea. Bionic Woman turned out better than I thought it would so I'm hopeful the new Knight Rider will be just as entertaining. [Source]
Katie Holmes is featured on the cover and in the pages of the new issue of In Style magazine:
Being married to Tom Cruise seems to have aged her quite a bit. Remember when she used to be that young, fresh-faced girl that we all loved? Gosh, I really miss that girl. [Source]
And finally, Lance Bass is the coverboy for The Advocate's 1000th's issue ... here is his covershot:
Much, much congrats to The Advocate for making it to the 100th's issue ... secondly, I can't wait to read this new interview with Lance. I'm sure he's gonna say something that's gonna make his ex-boyfriend Reichen Lehmkuhl wanna call his lawyer again. [Source]
Les News:
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Photo credit: JFXonline & X17
Britney Spears did not show up to her deposition today, and Kevin Federline's lawyer Mark Vincent Kaplan said she's suffering from some sort of "medical condition." Kaplan didn't elaborate on the condition, though there are reports it could be anxiety. The deposition has been rescheduled. Kaplan indicated that he'll pursue a court sanction against Britney for not showing up. You know, it's really amazing that Britney was able to rebound so quickly from her "medical condition" so quickly because she looked totally fine last night as she made her way to and from the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills. Heh. I had a sneaking suspicion that Britney was gonna miss her deposition appointment yesterday. She doesn't seem to get that it is really unwise to play games with the court like this. You'd think she'd have the common sense to stay out of sight for at least one day after she told the court that she was forced to miss her appointment due to illness. Well, as long as the court lets her jerk them around she's gonna get away with everything that she can, for as long as she can. It's getting hard to believe that she really wants to be a mother, especially when her friends are predicting that this sort of "calling in sick" behavior will continue in the future. That's our dear Britney. [Source, Source]
ATTENTION: PROJECT RUNWAY SPOILER ALERT WARNING
So, last night was the first ep of the season where extraneous circumstances led to the early exit of one of the designers on Project Runway. News of this exit hit the InterWeb months ago but I tried to stay away from those reports because I wanted to see how things happened on the show. It's very unfortunate that this had to happen, and to one of the strongest competitors, but it really could've happened to anyone ... it's just a bummer that it had to happen like this:
Despite the fact that I tried to stay away from all the pre-season PR spoilers, I did find out that Jack is HIV+ and I figured that the early exit had something to do with that ... as we all saw, Jack did get sick with a staph infection but it had nothing to do with is HIV status. It just really sucks for him that he had to leave the competition so early due to illness (the real kind, not the Britney Spears kind) when he was doing so well so far. But Jack's misfortune worked out well for Chris because even tho he was eliminated last week he was brought back and put back into play in Jack's place. Jack has gone on the record to say that he didn't think it was "fair" to bring Chris back but he understands why the decision was made. I was very thrilled that they brought Chris back because I was sad to see him go (since I really thought Steven should've gotten the axe last week) but then again, I really hated the design Chris came up with this time around ... again. Granted, he came in at the last second and had to make up time but still ... he really does make very costume-y fug outfits that real people would never wear. He's lucky Steven was still around to get the boot because he really couldn't've gone home on his design last night. Overall, I really loved the challenge ... this was the first challenge, I think, that was inventive and interesting. Everyone did a great job with it ... I liked a lot of the outfits ... but the capris and leggings totally turned me off -- even tho, I have to say, the women looked amazing in the new outfits. I can't believe I'm such a Jillian fan. Her personality is so ... nonexistent ... and yet, she really comes up with cool designs. I must agree that Christian is very talented, if extremely annoying. As much as I think Steven really should've gotten eliminated, he was starting to grow on me this episode ... or, I should say, he was starting to creep me out less this ep. But, he's gone now ... and the world continues to turn. Things are lookin' up on my fave show ... I hope they keep the challenges inventive and fun. Last night was a return to form ... now we just need the designers to show more personality cuz, to me, they're all still so not very memorable. [Source]
Hayden Panettiere, Ryan Reynolds and Quentin Tarantino got up bright and early this morning to announce the nominees for the 2008 Golden Globe Awards which will be handed out on January 13 in Hollywood. It was a good morning for the drama Atonement, which garnered 7 nominations, and the comedy Charlie Wilson's War, which garnered 5 noms. Here are a few pics from the Golden Globes Nomination Announcement Event this morning:
Trophy season kicked into high gear Thursday morning, with an impressive roster of seven movies nominated for best dramatic picture in the Golden Globes race. The period romance Atonement, starring nominees Keira Knightley and James McAvoy, led the pack with seven nominations. The movie, besides being in the running for best picture, was also singled out for its direction, by Joe Wright, and its screenplay, by Christopher Hampton. The remaining six top picture nominees are American Gangster, Eastern Promises, The Great Debaters, Michael Clayton, No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood. In the comedy/musical movie category, top picture candidate Charlie Wilson's War and its stars, Julia Roberts and Tom Hanks, as well as its writer, The West Wing creator Aaron Sorkin, all grabbed nominations. (Overlooked, however, was director Mike Nichols.) With four nominations, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street also picked up nods as best picture and for its director Tim Burton, and stars, Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter. In the TV categories, newcomer Lee Pace was nominated as best leading actor in a comedy series, as was his show, Pushing Daisies. The other comedies in competition for best series are 30 Rock and its star, Alec Baldwin, Californication, and its star, David Duchovny, Entourage and Extras. Overlooked were Ugly Betty and The Sopranos – though Edie Falco did get a best actress nod. The nominees for best dramatic series are Big Love, Damages, Grey's Anatomy, House, Mad Men and The Tudors. Usually, I have a pretty good idea of what's up for nomination for awards season but this year I really didn't have any idea how things were going to work out. I'm very glad that Cate Blanchett got nominated for Elizabeth: The Golden Years and that American Gangster got nominated for Best Dramatic Movie ... I really enjoyed both of those movies. I am very happy that Michael C. Hall got nominated for Best TV Actor - Drama for his amazing work on Dexter, that The Kite Runner got a nom for Best Foreign Language Film and that No Country for Old Men and Hairspray each got a few noms. I like it when movies that I enjoyed get recognized in this way ... some years, I feel as if the noms only go to the snooty films that most people don't go see. Could this awards season actually represent the taste of the common man? I can't wait to see who will get Oscar noms now. [Source]
The Induction Ceremony for the new class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame won't happen for a few months now but Rolling Stone magazine is reporting that Madonna will be among the eligible candidates to be inducted this coming year (the first year of her eligibility):
Madonna and John Mellencamp will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next year, alongside Leonard Cohen, the Ventures and the Dave Clark Five. Philly Soul songwriter/producer team Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff will be presented the Ahmet Ertegun Award (previously known as the non-performer category) and blues harmonica player Little Walter will be inducted in the sideman category. This is Madonna's first year of eligibility; her debut single, "Everybody," was released twenty-five years ago in 1982. The induction ceremony will take place on March 10th, 2008 at New York's Waldorf Astoria. Among the artists who were nominated this year but did not get in are the Beastie Boys (who were eligible for the first time) and Donna Summer. Woot! This is great, if not surprising, news. I was very confident that Madonna would be among the inductees in the 2008 Class because it would be a crime to not induct her into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at the absolute first moment of her eligibility (ie. 25 years after the release of her first single or album). Whether you love her or hate her you cannot deny that her impact on Rock and Roll has been significant if not monumental. There are a lot of women who have made massive contributions to music history but I contend that Madonna's impact is of such legendary proportion that it will be talked about most probably for all time (especially when you consider that her music career is still going strong, which is evident by her new multi-million dollar music contract with Live Nation). Uh, yeah, I realize that this may sound like I'm indulging in insane hyperbole but I really think that Madge is a huge cultural icon, the likes of which we may not see again for a very long time. I really doubt I'll get to see the woman to take her throne in my lifetime ... despite what Hanna Montana thinks. Much congrats Madonna, this honor is well-deserved. [Source]
In somewhat sad news, it was reported late yesterday afternoon that Ike Turner, who can be credited with giving the world the gift of Tina Turner (and really can't be credited with much more), died in his sleep at the age of 76 years old. His musical contribution was significant but it cannot overshadow his horribly abusive reputation, which will prolly live on as his legacy for all time now:
Like many pioneers, Ike Turner wasn't a saint. But his musical accomplishments deserve to outlive the memory of his character flaws. Turner, who died Wednesday at 76 at his home in San Marcos, Calif., of unknown causes, had a recording career that reached back to the dawn of rock 'n' roll. In fact, a 1951 record by the guitarist and bandleader, Rocket 88 (sung by and credited to Turner's saxophonist Jackie Brenston), is often cited as the first fusion of R&B and blues that could be called rock 'n' roll. In the late '50s, Turner hired Anna Mae Bullock as a singer. She became Tina Turner in name and wedlock, and their records from 1960 through the mid-'70s demonstrate Tina's awe-inspiring lung power and Ike's dry wit and lacerating guitar. A Fool in Love, It's Gonna Work Out Fine and Nutbush City Limits are R&B monuments, while their recasting of John Fogerty's Proud Mary became the definitive version. Ike wrote and produced most of their records and led the legendary Ike & Tina Turner Revue (including a rotating cast of backing singers known as The Ikettes), one of the top R&B touring aggregations of the '60s. They opened for the Rolling Stones on the British band's 1969 tour ... Tina left him in 1976, ending an abusive relationship chronicled in the 1986 autobiography I, Tina and 1993 film What's Love Got to Do With It. (Ike disputed his portrayal in both.) She declined to comment on his death. "Tina is aware that Ike passed away earlier today," her spokeswoman Michele Schweitzer said in a statement. "She has not had any contact with him in 35 years. No further comment will be made." Ike was convicted on cocaine possession charges in 1990 and was in prison at the time he and Tina were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. While I can greatly appreciate his musical contribution I can never forget his heinous abusive reputation. One of the most vivid and memorable scenes from a movie that I have ever seen was the one in What's Love Got To Do With It when Angela Bassett (as Tina Turner) took all the abuse she was gonna take from Laurence Fishburn (as Ike Turner) and she hauled off and punched him in the face while riding backseat in a limo. The scene where she was bloody-lipped and bruised while trying to use her jewelry to secure a hotel room broke my heart. There is never, ever any excuse for physical violence in this manner ... and that scene had a great impact on me. Whether it's totally fair or not, I will always remember Ike Turner in this way. But, I will say, I hope he rests in peace and I sincerely hope that he got his karma right before he passed away. [Source]
Okay ... let's move on ... John C. Reilly, Jenna Fischer, the Bateman siblings and others were on hand here in LA last night for the Hollywood premiere of Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story at Grauman's Chinese Theatre. Here are a few pics from the red carpet:
Photo credit: Splash News
As much as I hate to admit it, I do kinda like these sorts of dumb comedies that only exist for prurient enjoyment and offer no cultural value at all. Generally, I like my comedy to be smart and witty but the creators of Knocked Up and Superbad (ie. Judd Apatow and Jake Kasdan) have ruined me in that respect. I actually laughed out loud the first time I saw the trailer for this movie so ... I guess I'll be seeing it. Clearly, this movie is a spoof of Walk the Line which seems easy (and mindless) to make but I'm hoping they'll be able to inject some genuine funny stuff in the flick (stuff that they didn't use in the very funny trailer). It must be noted that while Jason Bateman is lookin' pretty good these days his sister Justine ... maybe notsomuch. Maybe it was the lighting and maybe not bu Justine is lookin' pretty haggard in this pic. It would seem that the years haven't been all that kind to the once foxy Mallory Keaton. Yipes! [Source]
The Spice Girls have flown the coup of the United States of American and have winged their way to the bonny shores of their homeland of England. Fortunately for Les Spices, Virgin Atlantic Airlines worked up an airplane of their very own to fly them home. You will note that Emma Bunton (aka Baby Spice) is on crutches which initially put the tour in doubt ... but the claim is being made that the show will go on nonetheless. Here are pics of the Spice Girls and their plane Spice One before they jetted off to the UK yesterday afternoon:
Photo credit: Splash News
Emma Bunton has promised fans she will be on stage - with or without crutches - for the Spice Girls' homecoming gig in London. Baby Spice took a tumble on stage, spraining her ankle, at the girls' Las Vegas show during the last of their U.S. dates earlier this week. Her injury was unknown to fans until she was photographed hobbling on crutches on Wednesday night at the unveiling of a Virgin Atlantic plane named 'Spice One' in their honour, at Los Angeles International Airport. Despite her vow to be on stage at their first London gig, the group have cancelled their pre-recorded performance on Strictly Come Dancing on the Sunday semi-final show ... Emma told expectant fans that she was being treated by the same doctor who tended to bandmate Victoria's husband David Beckham's foot injury. She said: "I'm praying that I will be all right for Saturday. Even if I have to come on stage in crutches I'll be there." Bandmate Geri Halliwell downplayed the seriousness of Emma's injury, declaring: "It's not her metatarsal." Explaining her injury, she admitted: "I had a tumble on stage and unfortunately I have sprained my ankle." Victoria promised fans Saturday's concert would eclipse their previous gigs in Canada and the U.S. She enthused: "It is going to be amazing. We're going to give you the best show you have ever seen." Depsite Vicki B's claim that the UK shows are going to be the "best" shows every seen, I'm just glad that I got to see the Spices before Emma hurt her gimpy foot. That being said, I hope her foot does get better in time for the shows cuz it's a great concert and I'd hate the UK fans to be disappointed. On the plus side, there isn't a lot of stenuous dancing going on during the show, at least not by the Spice Girls themselves ... I think Emma will be just fine by show time. [Source]
And so it begins ... Bump Watch: Jessica Alba is underway ... here are new pictures of Jessica that clearly show that she is pregs ...
Photo credit: JFXonline
... or the pics clearly show that the front of her shirt is bunched. Jessica is so petite, I think it's gonna be a while before she really starts to show anything of substance in the bump dept. [Source]
The romance between Kate Middleton and Prince William appears to be still going strong ... their love seems to strengthen with each hair lost on Wills' balding head :) Here are pics of the happy couple out on the town this week with the ever hotter Prince Harry:
Photo credit: Splash News
Prince Harry, 23, and his brother William, 25, were ... out on the town last night at - where else - Boujis, their favourite haunt in London's South Kensington. While most of the group left the nightspot and piled into cabs at 2am, with Prince William deep in a phone conversation, Harry - unaware his cousin was outpartying him - decided to stay on for an extra hour. The royal brothers, both dressed in their going out uniform of striped shirts and blazers, were joined by Kate Middleton, Guy Pelly with a mystery blonde and Virgin heiress Holly Branson, 25. The select band partied till the small hours. William looked slightly worse-for-wear as he was led out by a minder, his disheveled hairstyle revealing his thinning crowning glory. William and Kate were last seen out together last Friday, ice skating at the outdoor rink at Somerset House, London. "It was very romantic and they seemed keen to keep to it very low key. They danced for about an hour and both of them seemed pretty good at it. They'd obviously done it before. There's a huge Christmas tree overlooking the ice and the whole experience is mind-blowing. It's incredibly impressive," a source told The Sun. "Wills clearly knows the way to melt a girl's heart." Yes, his melting skills must make up for his inability to keep what's left of his hair. I'm sure it's nothing but lurve for the happy couple ... shoot, I know that I could lurve a balding prince too if I had the chance. [Source]
In other Royals news, Prince Charles and his wife the Duchess of Cornwall were on hand to celebrate the last night of Chanukah with a bunch of kids selected from various Jewish schools in London this week ... here are a couple of pics:
Children from Jewish schools across London were given a Chanukah gift as they celebrated the final hours of the festival with Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall last night. The royal couple personally lit all eight candles of a menorah before the heir to the throne proclaimed the event at the Hendon Hall Hotel had also been a festive "treat" for them too. The pair joined around 180 youngsters from 12 schools for a series of arts and crafts activities including candle making and dreidl decorating, getting glue and glitter on themselves ... Wishing everyone a happy Chanukah the Prince told those gathered, including several community leaders, that he thought he had just about managed to write the Hebrew letters on the driedl and now had a decent idea how to play at home. I love it! Partying with the Chosen People is always a good time ... at least, that's what I've come to learn in the almost 2 years that I've been dating David :) Well done, Royals! [Source]
NBC, who successfully managed to recycle their hit 70s TV show Bionic Woman, has also announced that they are planning to recycle (or reprise) their hit 80s TV show Knight Rider. Here are pics of the new version of KITT the talking car, which will be voiced by Will Arnet:
NBC announced that Will Arnett (Arrested Development) will provide the voice of the new generation of KITT cars in its upcoming Knight Rider pilot movie, a sequel to the 1980s TV series. The network also confirmed the casting of original Knight Rider star David Hasselhoff, who will reprise the role of Michael Knight. William Daniels provided the voice of KITT in the original show. NBC also unveiled three new KITT Ford Mustangs that will be featured in the series at NBC's studios in Burbank, Calif., on Dec. 12. The three cars to be used in the series include the KITT "hero," a Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR; the KITT Attack, a super high-speed version of the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR; and a KITT Remote, which is a driverless Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR. Honestly, I'm on board for this idea. Bionic Woman turned out better than I thought it would so I'm hopeful the new Knight Rider will be just as entertaining. [Source]
Katie Holmes is featured on the cover and in the pages of the new issue of In Style magazine:
Being married to Tom Cruise seems to have aged her quite a bit. Remember when she used to be that young, fresh-faced girl that we all loved? Gosh, I really miss that girl. [Source]
And finally, Lance Bass is the coverboy for The Advocate's 1000th's issue ... here is his covershot:
Much, much congrats to The Advocate for making it to the 100th's issue ... secondly, I can't wait to read this new interview with Lance. I'm sure he's gonna say something that's gonna make his ex-boyfriend Reichen Lehmkuhl wanna call his lawyer again. [Source]
Les News:
- Joel Madden: writer, singer, baby clothes designer.
- Liza Minnelli collapses on stage; gays the world over faint in unison.
- Rihanna is set to conquer UK arenas in the new year.
- What next ... no Santa Claus?
- Manhattan Moms are the new Real Housewives of Orange County.
- Voter fraud? In a US election? REALLY?
- Josh Hartnett does Vogue Hommes.
- Whoops! Beyonce slips up.
- Mischa Barton does Maxim.
- I guess his unruly nose hairs aren't the only bad thing about working with Vince Vaughn.
- Paris Hilton is on the loose in Germany. I apologize.
- Jamie Foxx is 40, Steve Buscemi is 50 and Dick Van Dyke is 82 years old today. Click HERE to see who else is celebrating a birthday today.
- JK Rowling's handwritten book The Tales of Beedle the Bard, which will never be published, sold at auction for $3.9 million dollars.
- And America's Next Top Model is ...
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