Tuesday, August 31, 2010

"Glee" and American Express team up for social action

LOS ANGELES | Wed Sep 1, 2010 12:10am EDT

LOS ANGELES Reuters - Hit television show "Glee" and credit card company American Express have joined forces on a new social action campaign to inspire viewers to make a difference in their communities.

The call to charitable action -- a partnership between U.S. TV network Fox, which airs "Glee," and American Expresss philanthropic division, Members Only -- kicks off Wednesday on the Web and TV with video vignettes written, directed and produced by the creative team behind the show and starring its actors, in character. Four videos will air on Fox at night.

This Friday, a 60-second black-and-white vignette starring Emmy winner Jane Lynch as her cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester will debut in movie theaters across the country.

"Some people want to do good, some people dont. Which one are you?" the campaign asks fans and urges them to go tomembersproject.com/glee and find out how to volunteer, vote, donate and affect change.

Once online, the journey gets more interactive with a quiz and Facebook and Twitter updates from the "Glee" characters among other things.

There is also a sweepstakes where 10 winners will get to fly to Los Angeles and engage in actual volunteer work with members of the "Glee" cast, who include Lynch, Lea Michele, Matthew Morrison and Chris Colfer.

The show follows members of a high school glee club as they deal with the everyday trials of being typical U.S. teens and, of course, compete with other singing groups. It has become a hit with audiences and critics in only one year on TV.

Fox Broadcasting executive vice president of sales Jean Rossi said that at its core, Glee is an inspirational program that "reflects the authenticity of individuals taking small steps to take charge of their lives."

Marie Devlin, a senior vice president in advertising at American Express added, "Glee is such an incredibly popular show and its values of giving back and doing good align with our cardmembers."

The second season of Glee debuts on September 21. This past Sunday night at the Emmy Awards telecast, Lynch won a best supporting actress Emmy for her work on "Glee." Series creator Ryan Murphy took home best comedy direction.

Editing by Bob Tourtellotte



Full Text RSS Feeds | WordPress Auto Translator

Michael Douglas hopes to beat "intense" cancer

LOS ANGELES | Tue Aug 31, 2010 9:44pm EDT

LOS ANGELES Reuters - Michael Douglas said on Tuesday he felt optimistic about recovering from throat cancer but drew gasps when he told a television audience he had the most advanced stage.

The 65-year-old "Wall Street" actor told TV talk-show host David Letterman that a biopsy indicated that his cancer was at stage IV, which he described as "intense, and so theyve got to go at it ..."

Letterman asked whether stage IV was a good diagnosis.

"Um no," Douglas replied, according to a transcript provided by CBS "Late Show with David Letterman."

Stage IV cancer has spread far beyond the original tumor and is usually impossible to cure.

"No, you like to be down at stage I ... but it has not -- the big thing youre always worried about is it spreading ... and the expectations are good ...

"The percentages are very good," Douglas added. "I would hate to say, but right now, it looks like it should be 80 percent, and with certain hospitals and everything, it does improve."

According to the National Cancer Institute, patients with stage IV head and neck caner usually undergo surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.

Douglas told Letterman that his cancer was caused by his drinking and smoking.

He said his throat had been bothering him for a while, and a multitude of doctors put him through a battery of tests in the early summer, but had found nothing.

After a summer break, he underwent a biopsy, which revealed his advanced cancer.

He expressed frustration with the doctors who could not find anything, "because I was on it early in the summer and started complaining about something, but they couldnt see it then."

Douglas is married to actress Catherine Zeta-Jones, with whom he has two children, Dylan, 10, and Carys, 7.

Reporting by Dean Goodman, Editing by Eric Beech, Sandra Maler and Maggie Fox



Full Text RSS Feeds | WordPress Auto Translator

Michael Douglas optimistic about cancer recovery AP

NEW YORK Michael Douglas says hes begun treatment for throat cancer and that his odds of recovery are high.

In an appearance Tuesday on David Lettermans "Late Show," the actor said he faces an "eight-week struggle" that includes radiation and chemotherapy. Douglas said he has at least an 80 percent chance of recovery.

Letterman told Douglas he looked good and was a "tough guy," and the men ended the interview with a hug, according to a CBS statement.

Douglas stars in the upcoming film "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps," a sequel to "Wall Street" 1987, for which he won a best-actor Oscar.



Full Text RSS Feeds | WordPress Auto Translator

Venice film festival opens and gambles on youth

VENICE | Tue Aug 31, 2010 6:11pm EDT

VENICE Reuters - The Venice film festival opens on Wednesday with "Black Swan," starring Natalie Portman as a ballet dancer in New York whose position is threatened when a beautiful newcomer arrives.

The thriller, directed by Darren Aronofsky, officially kicks off the annual celebration of cinema on the Lido waterfront where stars, fans and reporters rub shoulders for 11 days.

Festival director Marco Mueller has opted for youth in his choice of directors of the 23 competition films, and he will also hope that the presence of Hollywood mavericks can make up for the expected shortage of A-list celebrities this year.

Jury president Quentin Tarantino, who must ultimately decide who walks away with the coveted Golden Lion award at the closing ceremony on September 11, said his time on the picturesque island would be more work than play.

"Theres a lot of really exciting movies, exciting directors. Its a fantastic line-up," he told Reuters on arrival. "Im keen with anticipation.

"Ive been on a few juries and I love it. Its a joy to me. But its work. Were not here for vacation."

Venice, the worlds oldest film festival and one of its most prestigious, has long been looking over its shoulder at Canadian rival Toronto, with which it overlaps and which is seen as cheaper and more business-focused than the Italian event.

The competition has intensified, as many movies with world premieres in Venice hit Toronto just days later and others go straight to the Canadian festival.

Mueller said he believed the two events could continue to exist side-by-side.

"Im quite convinced that Venice is still strong," he told Reuters, adding that "the visibility, the impact of a film is created here and the market potential of the film is then completely assessed only in Toronto."

DISRUPTIONS

Venice faces the additional challenges this year of a major expansion project disrupting the festival and the closure of the Des Bains hotel, one of only a handful of top residences on the Lido immortalized in the 1971 film "Death in Venice."

The average age of filmmakers in the main competition this year is an unusually low 47, and includes 41-year-old Aronofsky, winner of the Golden Lion in 2008 with "The Wrestler," and Oscar winner Sofia Coppola, 39, with comic drama "Somewhere."

At the other end of the age range are 78-year-old Monte Hellman, competing with low-budget crime drama "Road to Nowhere," and Polish filmmaker Jerzy Skolimowski, 72, on the Lido with the thriller "Essential Killing."

In Essential Killing, actor and painter Vincent Gallo stars as an Afghan Taliban fighter who is captured but escapes on his way to a secret detention center in Europe.

The subject matter, and Gallos reputation as an uncompromising, eccentric artist, make it one of the more eagerly anticipated movies in competition.

Actor and director Casey Affleck presents documentary "Im Still Here," about his brother-in-law actor Joaquin Phoenixs decision to retire in 2008 and reinvent himself as a hip-hop musician.

A TV chat show appearance last year as a mumbling, shaggy-haired guest had industry watchers wondering if Phoenixs new act was a hoax, and already critics are debating whether Im Still Here is more "mockumentary" than documentary.

And Julian Schnabel directs "Slumdog Millionaire" star Freida Pinto in "Miral," about an orphaned Palestinian girl growing up in the wake of the first Arab-Israeli war, who finds herself drawn into the conflict.

Reporting by Mike Collett-White, Mike Davidson and Bob Mezan; Editing by Peter Graff



Full Text RSS Feeds | WordPress Auto Translator

A grown-up Big Brother finds strong ratings AP

NEW YORK As it heads toward the conclusion of its 12th season, "Big Brother" is having a strong summer in the ratings.

The Nielsen Co. said the CBS reality show is averaging 7.6 million viewers for its three weekly episodes, a 6 percent increase from last summers 7.2 million average. Among viewers ages 18 to 34, ratings are up 10 percent.

"Weve been thrilled with the ratings this summer," said Allison Grodner, executive producer. Shes been with the show since its second season, when "Big Brother" started to emphasize game-playing over the simple voyeuristic experience of watching strangers live together.

Last week all three of its episodes finished among Nielsens top 12 most-watched shows. For comparison, the only thing on Fox to reach that many viewers was an exhibition football game, and the only thing on ABC was Tuesdays edition of "Wipeout."

Entertainment Weekly recently put "Big Brother" atop its cultural barometer "Must List," calling the show "as addictively silly as ever."

Producers last year learned the importance of casting characters that people enjoy following each week, Grodner said. She believes thats been a big reason for its success at a point most shows are running out of steam.

"You can have a rootable villain or a fun villain," she said. "You dont want to necessarily have someone who is completely hateable."

"Big Brother" is working toward its season finale on Sept. 15.

Meanwhile, the NBC, ABC and CBS evening newscasts combined for a dubious record last week: the average of 18.7 million people who watched one of the three shows last week was the smallest audience those three telecasts have reached collectively on record, since the infancy of television, Nielsen said.

During the slow news period of late August, the broadcasts broke their previous record � set just last week.

For the week, CBS topped the prime-time ratings with an average of 6.6 million viewers 4.2 rating, 8 share. NBC, buoyed a strong showing by the Emmy Awards, was a close second with a 6.4 million average 4.0, 7. NBC tied with Fox, which averaged 5.1 million viewers overall 3.1, 6, for the lead among the demographically desired group of viewers ages 18 to 49. ABC averaged 4.3 million viewers 2.7, 5, ION Television had 1.4 million 0.9, 2 and the CW had 910,000 0.6, 1.

Among the Spanish-language networks, Univision led with 3.5 million viewers in prime time 1.8 rating, 3 share, Telemundo had 900,000 0.5, 1, TeleFutura had 630,000 0.3, 1, Azteca had 200,000 and Estrella 190,000 both 0.1, 0.

NBCs "Nightly News" topped the evening newscasts with an average of 7.2 million viewers 4.9, 10. ABCs "World News" was second with 6.6 million 4.5, 10 and the "CBS Evening News" had 4.9 million viewers 3.3, 7.

A ratings point represents 1,159,000 households, or 1 percent of the nations estimated 115.9 million TV homes. The share is the percentage of in-use televisions tuned to a given show.

For the week of Aug. 23-29, the top 10 shows, their networks and viewerships: "Emmy Awards," NBC, 13.5 million; "Americas Got Talent" Tuesday, NBC, 10.8 million; "Americas Got Talent" Wednesday, 10.52 million; Exhibition Football: Pittsburgh at Denver, Fox, 10.13 million; "NCIS," CBS, 9.19 million; "60 Minutes," 8.74 million; "Two and a Half Men," CBS, 8.39 million; "The Big Bang Theory," CBS, 8.36 million; "Big Brother 12" Wednesday, CBS, 7.99 million; "Wipeout" Tuesday, ABC, 7.98 million.

___

ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Co. CBS is owned by CBS Corp. CW is a joint venture of Warner Bros. Entertainment and CBS Corp. Fox and My Network TV are units of News Corp. NBC and Telemundo are owned by General Electric Co. ION Television is owned by ION Media Networks. TeleFutura is a division of Univision. Azteca America is a wholly owned subsidiary of TV Azteca S.A. de C.V.

___

Online:

http://www.nielsenmedia.com



Full Text RSS Feeds | WordPress Auto Translator

Margaret Cho Gets Her Mouth Ready For Dancing; Audrina Patridge Wont Be Inviting Speidi omg

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- "Dancing with the Stars" producers may want to start practicing how fast they can hit the censor button once comedienne Margaret Cho heads to the ballroom.

The funny lady, who is known for using a lot of the words banned by the FCC in her comedy act, said shes been working hard on down her vocabulary to fit in on the family show.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Dancing With The Stars Season 11: Meet The Cast

"Ive been practicing not swearing and I think I did the press conference all right," Margaret told Access Hollywoods Shaun Robinson following the "DWTS" Season 11 cast announcement in Los Angeles on Monday night.

When asked what her biggest challenge on the show would be, Margaret replied, "Not dropping F-bombs"

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Dancing With The Stars Season 11 Cast: Then & Now

"That to me is as much of a challenge as the Viennese waltz," the "Drop Dead Diva" star added. "But Im gonna be good."

AH Nation Poll: Which Dancing dame are you most excited to see hit the ballroom? Audrina? Margaret? Jennifer? Click HERE to vote

If Margaret can master her tongue, she expects to use replacement phrases for her usual bag of curse words. Among her alternative options?

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Stars Of The Hills... Past & Present

"Fudge... shoot, fiddlesticks," she laughed.

As "Dancing" fans know, the contestants actually dont speak much live, as the competition is about their skills on the ballroom floor, and Margaret admitted she has butterflies already.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Hills Beauty Audrina Patridge

"Were all nervous," she said. "Its a very complicated art form... Its tough."

She added that she expects her best dance to be the "cha cha Cho"

Cho recently released a new comedy album, "Cho Dependent." Its her first time back on ABC ever since her 1994 TV series, "All American Girl," ended in a flurry of disagreements between the comedienne and network executives over body image criticism and East Asian stereotypes.

Also expecting a tough time for herself is former "Hills" star and bikini babe Audrina Patridge, who revealed to Shaun that her first rehearsal has already taken its toll.

"I just started yesterday," Audrina said of practicing with her yet-to-be-revealed professional partner. "Ive been getting the steps down pretty good, but I have discovered muscles that I never knew I had, that hurt really bad."

While she is known for her figure, which was featured prominently as she donned a giant hamburger in a gold bikini for a Carls Jr. ad recently, Audrina said her body has actually started improving since joining the "DWTS" cast.

"Im really maintaining my weight, but Im getting toned. My arms -- Im getting muscle," she smiled.

The brunette said she plans to have her family and her boyfriend in the audience, but smiled when Shaun asked her if her former "Hills" co-stars, Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt, might be invited to watch her dance.

"I dont know. I dont think theyll be there to support me," she said.

Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
PLAY IT NOW: Jennifer Grey, Margaret Cho & Audrina Patridge Discuss Their Dancing Challenges August 30, 2010
PLAY IT NOW: David Hasselhoff: Im Gonna Have Attitude In Every Dance

MORE ACCESS ON THESE TOPICS: Dancing With the Stars - Audrina Patridge - Margaret Cho - TV - Reality TV



Full Text RSS Feeds | WordPress Auto Translator

The Pacifics Rami Malek Joins The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn omg

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Twi-hards have yet another actor to feast upon - "The Pacific" star Rami Malek has signed for the second part of "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn," Access Hollywood has confirmed.

The 29-year-old actor will play Benjamin, a vampire who is a member of an Egyptian coven. His character has the ability to influence the elements of earth, wind, water and fire.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Robert Pattinson: Hollywoods Hottest Vampire

Rami, who is also know for his roles in both of the "Night at The Museum" movies, will also appear on the big screen with Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts in the upcoming "Larry Crowne."

"Breaking Dawn - Part 1" hits theaters on November 18, 2011, with the second installment coming to the big screen on November 16, 2012.

Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Twilight Stars Off Screen Hook Ups
VIEW THE PHOTOS: See The Men Of Twilight - Shirtless
PLAY IT NOW: 2010 Teen Choice Awards: Alex Meraz Reveals Details Of Breaking Dawn
PLAY IT NOW: Twilight Sagas Ashley Greene & Jackson Rathbone Are Crazy For The 2010 Teen Choice Awards

MORE ACCESS ON THESE TOPICS: Breaking Dawn - Twilight - The Twilight Saga - Muse - Tom Hanks



Full Text RSS Feeds | WordPress Auto Translator

Bethenny Frankel Tells Us: I Quit The Real Housewives of New York omg

After three seasons, Bethenny Frankel exclusively tells Us Weekly she is leaving the hit Bravo show.

"Last season was scary and painful," she tells Us about why shes rejected Bravos offers to return for season 4, which begins filming Sept. 20, according to a source. "It took all of the joy out of it."

PHOTOS: New York Housewives cattiest moments

Last season, Frankel, 39, continued to fight with rival Kelly Killoren Bensimon, but it was her intense feud with former BFF Jill Zarin that hurt her the most.

Zarin, 46, bad-mouthed Frankel to their castmates - and even tried to get some not to film with her she has since apologized.

VIDEO: Bethenny sings Kelly Clarkson

Frankel -- who welcomed daughter Bryn in May with husband Jason Hoppy -- tells Us she doesnt "see any reason to go back."

This summer, she debuted her own spinoff show, Bethenny Getting Married? The June 10 premiere attracted more than 2 million viewers -- about the same as RHONY averaged in season 3 -- the highest rated debut for a new Bravo show.

PHOTOS: Mommy & me - celeb mamas and their adorable kids

Though a Bravo insider reveals that Frankel is contractually bound to make a few appearances on RHONY next season, the network is still hoping that shell come back full-time.

But Frankel whose empire includes books, Skinnygirl margaritas and a Body by Bethenny DVD tells Us, "My guts saying not to be part of this cast."

Tell Us: Will you still watch RHONY without Bethenny?

Get more Us Follow us on Twitter, Friend us on Facebook, Subscribe to Us Weekly



Full Text RSS Feeds | WordPress Auto Translator

Zsa Zsa Gabor returns to hospital

LOS ANGELES | Tue Aug 31, 2010 3:11pm EDT

LOS ANGELES Reuters - Zsa Zsa Gabor returned to the hospital on Tuesday for being "not responsive," her spokesman said, following a series of health-related setbacks since breaking her hip in July.

John Blanchette, a spokesman for the 93-year-old actress, told Reuters that Gabors husband, Frederick Prinz von Anhalt, called emergency personnel to take his wife to the University of California Los Angeles because she was "not responsive" and "doctors want her in right away."

No further details were immediately available.

Earlier this month, Gabor was given last rites by a priest at the same hospital.

At that time, doctors wanted to perform surgery on her liver that would give her a 50-50 chance survival rate, but the couple decided "she wanted to spend her final days at home," according to Blanchette. She returned to her Bel Air mansion in mid-August.

Gabor, whose string of movies, television shows and wealthy husbands dates to the 1950s, broke her hip on July 17 when she fell out of bed while watching the TV game show "Jeopardy." She had surgery to replace the hip two days later.

The Hungarian-born Gabor has appeared in more than 30 movies, and her penchant for calling everyone "dah-ling" in her Hungarian accent made her a well-known Hollywood personality.

She, along with her two glamorous sisters Eva and Magda, made several appearances on radio and television shows in the 1950s and 1960s. Gabor appeared in the movie "Moulin Rouge," followed by "Lili" and later "Touch of Evil."

Gabor was married nine times to a string of husbands that included a Turkish diplomat and the hotel magnate Conrad Hilton. She has been married to von Anhalt for 24 years.

Editing by Bob Tourtellotte and Jerry Norton



Full Text RSS Feeds | WordPress Auto Translator

Zsa Zsa Gabor returns to hospital omg

LOS ANGELES Reuters - Zsa Zsa Gabor returned to the hospital on Tuesday for being "not responsive," her spokesman said, following a series of health-related setbacks since breaking her hip in July.

John Blanchette, a spokesman for the 93-year-old actress, told Reuters that Gabors husband, Frederick Prinz von Anhalt, called emergency personnel to take his wife to the University of California Los Angeles because she was "not responsive" and "doctors want her in right away."

No further details were immediately available.

Earlier this month, Gabor was given last rites by a priest at the same hospital.

At that time, doctors wanted to perform surgery on her liver that would give her a 50-50 chance survival rate, but the couple decided "she wanted to spend her final days at home," according to Blanchette. She returned to her Bel Air mansion in mid-August.

Gabor, whose string of movies, television shows and wealthy husbands dates to the 1950s, broke her hip on July 17 when she fell out of bed while watching the TV game show "Jeopardy." She had surgery to replace the hip two days later.

The Hungarian-born Gabor has appeared in more than 30 movies, and her penchant for calling everyone "dah-ling" in her Hungarian accent made her a well-known Hollywood personality.

She, along with her two glamorous sisters Eva and Magda, made several appearances on radio and television shows in the 1950s and 1960s. Gabor appeared in the movie "Moulin Rouge," followed by "Lili" and later "Touch of Evil."

Gabor was married nine times to a string of husbands that included a Turkish diplomat and the hotel magnate Conrad Hilton. She has been married to von Anhalt for 24 years.

Editing by Bob Tourtellotte and Jerry Norton



Full Text RSS Feeds | WordPress Auto Translator

Review: George Clooney in the bleak `The American AP

Hidden from critics until just before its release, the dirty secret about "The American" turns out to be that its an "art film." Heavens, no

Director Anton Corbijn has crafted a quiet, haunting European thriller, drained of emotion and moving to its own deliberate pace.

Its the second film from Corbijn, a famed photographer and music video director whos closely associated with the bands Depeche Mode and Joy Division among others. His first film, "Control," was a beautiful, austere black-and-white biopic of Joy Divisions Ian Curtis.

"The American," too, has the bleak fatalism of a Joy Division song, but taut and restrained, it bears none of the rock n roll release.

George Clooney plays an assassin, Jack, whom the film opens on in bed with a beautiful woman, warm next to a fire in a winter cabin. Afterward, they bundle up and take a stroll in the knee-deep snow, where snipers suddenly begin firing at them. Jack quickly and with obvious skill dispatches the threat, and tells his shocked companion to call the police. As soon as she turns, he shoots her in the back of the head. So much for pillow talk.

His boss Johan Leysen tells him by phone to lie low in a small Italian village. Arriving there, he takes one look at it and makes a U-turn, settling on the more appealing nearby town of Castelvecchio, a picturesque medieval village in the mountains of Abruzzo.

Jack putts around town � a stone labyrinth � posing as a photographer of landscapes and architecture. Though he has been warned not to "make any friends," the town priest, Father Benedetto Paulo Bonacelli, befriends him, and he develops a relationship with a prostitute, Clara Violante Placido.

They both see the darkness hanging over Jack, but are hopeful for him. Clara tells him, "Youre a good man, but you have a secret." Father Benedetto warns, "Youre American. You think you can escape history."

His past is catching up, too. Someone is shadowing him, reports of his previous misdeeds are showing up in the newspapers and a new job arrives: building a silent, highly precise rifle � a task which he attends to with the care of an artisan.

Though Jack says little and remains largely inscrutable, Corbijn � working from a script by Rowan Joffe, loosely adapted from Martin Booths 1990 novel, "A Very Private Gentleman" � gives glimpses of his sensitivity. He finds it difficult to deny the companionship of the priest or the love of Clara. He has a weakness, too, for butterflies, with a tattoo of one of them on his back.

The question of Jacks salvation is hinted at by the remarkable opening title sequence which follows the abrupt shooting in the snow that simply frames Jack in silhouette as he drives through a long tunnel with a bright light shining at the end.

"Michael Clayton" concluded with Clooney similarly in a car, but fully lit, finally unburdened. Here, with dark gray hair and a sinewy frame, hes again downcast, troubled and full of doubt. Hes cast off all hint of his most abundant characteristic: charm.

For Jack, every intimacy carries a threat. The most memorable shot in a film full of exquisite camera work from Corbijn and cinematographer Martin Ruhe is from Jacks perspective as Claras hands clasp over his eyes � a game of "Guess who?" that feels momentarily terrifying.

Corbijn has said he views "The American" as a kind of Western, and he positions Sergio Leones "Once Upon a Time in the West" in the background of one scene. But the film has more of a film noir feeling of claustrophobic comeuppance. It has � if we are kind � some of the elegiac mystery of Antonionis "The Passenger" and some of the stoicism of a Jean-Pierre Melville policier.

That "The American" is beautiful to look at is unquestionable; Corbijns formal mastery is something to behold. What is finally slightly disappointing in the film is the familiarity of its story: another tale of "one last job."

Its difficult not to want Corbijns mournful seriousness to ease up a bit. But "The American" is nevertheless transfixing in its grace.

"The American," a Focus Features release, is rated R for violence, sexual content and nudity. Running time: 105 minutes. Three stars out of four.

___

Motion Picture Association of America rating definitions:

G � General audiences. All ages admitted.

PG � Parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

PG-13 � Special parental guidance strongly suggested for children under 13. Some material may be inappropriate for young children.

R � Restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

NC-17 � No one under 17 admitted.



Full Text RSS Feeds | WordPress Auto Translator

Bachelor Pads Krisily: I Still Think Im "Classy" omg

Bachelor Pad star Krisily doesnt regret her fiery outburst after she was eliminated on Mondays show.

"There were so many things I wanted to say to a lot of those people that I never got the chance to because I feared going home each week," she tells UsMagazine.com. "I dont think anything I said was bad or hurtful."

PHOTOS: Inside The Bachelor Pad

Before the elimination round, Dave tried to get Krisily to vote off his enemy Wes. So he told her that the men werent going to vote her off and instead were targeting Gwen. After the other guys said they wanted Krisily off, Dave changed his vote at the last minute without telling her. After she was voted off, Krisily snapped, "I wish very good luck to anyone who is not Kovacs, Kiptyn, Elizabeth and Tenley. Theyre going to be the final four. No one has the guts to break them." Dave said she "embarrassed" herself.

PHOTOS: Bachelor stars, where are they now?

"I dont think I embarrassed myself," says Krisily, 30, who was runner-up on Charlie OConnells season of The Bachelor. "I dont think I didnt look classy. I think that I was honest and that I was saying what everyone else was thinking besides who I believe the final four is. I think it was just me, and thats the way I am. If you dont like me, Im totally okay with that. Im not going to please everybody"

Get more Us Follow us on Twitter, Friend us on Facebook, Subscribe to Us Weekly



Full Text RSS Feeds | WordPress Auto Translator

Shia LaBeouf tops Forbes list of actors worth their pay

LOS ANGELES | Tue Aug 31, 2010 2:40pm EDT

LOS ANGELES Reuters - For the second straight year, "Transformers" star Shia LaBeouf topped a Forbes.com list of Hollywoods Best Actors for the Buck with women claiming five of the top 10 spots compared to zero last year.

Based on the financial news sites own calculations, for every $1 the studios spent on LaBeouf, his films return about $81 of profit. Those movies included "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" $836 million worldwide box office and the fourth "Indiana Jones" film $787 million.

Anne Hathaway took the No. 2 spot, earning the studios $64 off of her films for every dollar they spent for her to star in "Alice in Wonderland" $1 billion global box office and "Bride Wars," among others.

Hathaways emergence bumped last years runner-up, "Wanted" actor James McAvoy, completely off the top 10 list.

"Harry Potter" star Daniel Radcliffe was No. 3 this year, while "Iron Mans" Robert Downey Jr. nabbed fourth. Both moved up a spot from last year.

Behind them, Cate Blanchett came in fifth and Meryl Streep and Jennifer Aniston were tied in sixth place.

Johnny Depp, Nicolas Cage and Sarah Jessica Parker round out the top 10. The full list can be found at www.forbes.com.

Forbes.com looked at the top 36 earners in Hollywood, and each had to have starred in at least three movies in five years that opened in more than 500 theaters. Movies that opened after June 1 2010 were not counted, nor were animated films.

Editing by Bob Tourtellotte



Full Text RSS Feeds | WordPress Auto Translator

MTV revival pulling Viacom out of ratings slump AP

LOS ANGELES MTV is finally getting its mojo back, thanks to the tanned twenty-somethings of "Jersey Shore."

Ever since its December debut, the shows buzz has been huge � even making it into one of President Barack Obamas speeches. The July 29 start of the second season, shot in Miami, drew 5.3 million viewers, nearly quadruple the original opener. And audiences have been staying put ever since.

"Its like a train wreck," said Tina Cordova, a Washington, D.C.-based contractor, who gathers with her "Jersey"-loving girlfriends to watch every Thursday night. "You just cant look away."

"Jersey Shore" is just one contributor to a ratings rebound that MTV has enjoyed since January. It marks MTVs first consistent gain in three years.

Thats a big win for parent company Viacom Inc., as its movie studio Paramount Pictures has been paring down its slate. Higher ratings mean advertisers from fast food chains to clothing retailers are lining up to get on board. Analysts say that should help boost the stock price in the months ahead.

Executives say that its no fluke that many of its shows including "Jersey Shore" are taking off. The executives credit new programming spending and plenty of research into what young people want to see: more real situations, less fake glamour and fewer competitions.

"The Hills was definitely a fabricated reality and Jersey Shore and Teen Mom are more harsh, authentic realities. And that is whats resonating much more today," said Van Toffler, president of MTV Networks Music and Logo Group, which oversees the flagship network and other channels such as CMT.

MTVs ratings had been steadily declining as some of its reality shows such as "Real World," now in its 24th season, were getting old. Sister networks Comedy Central and Nickelodeon have ebbed and flowed for several years.

But since the beginning of July, MTVs ratings are up 22 percent among its core audience of people ages 12 to 34, and ratings are up 15 percent in core demographics across key Viacom channels MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and TV Land.

A mix of new reality shows, scripted comedies and such up-and-coming comedians as Daniel Tosh on "Tosh.0" are all helping the mix.

"Our anchor tenants in the building are connecting with their fans," said Judy McGrath, MTV Networks chief executive. "A lot of work went into it, and its working."

Toffler said that Millennials � young people born roughly since 1980 � are more conservative and family-based than the generation before them. He said they like to learn their life lessons alongside mindless fun.

Edging away from contrived scenarios and extravagant lifestyles and toward regular people and their problems is also striking a chord with audiences during hard economic times.

Its no mistake that "Jersey Shores" partyers enjoy their late-night clubbing after stints working at a gelato shop, or that Michael "The Situation" Sorrentinos formula for success consists of such mundane tasks as "gym, tan and laundry."

"Its people they can identify with," said Brad Adgate, a senior vice president and director of research at ad agency Horizon Media. "Really, a part of their success has been driven by that."

Among other MTV winners is "The Hard Times of RJ Berger," a coming-of-age comedy that is a rare foray for MTV into scripted programming. Audiences also have been drawn to "The Buried Life," in which four people chase "100 things to do before you die" while making other peoples dreams come true for every task of their own that they accomplish.

Caris & Co. analyst David Miller says MTVs ratings are as "golden" as spray tan and he rates Viacoms widely traded Class B stock "above average" with a target price of $42, about a third above the current level.

With Viacom set to renew a $4 billion share buyback program starting in October, shareholders should see stock prices rise as profits are concentrated among fewer shares. "We can see why management is salivating over buying back stock at these levels," Miller wrote in a research note.

Viacoms advertising revenue rose 4 percent in the latest quarter compared with last year, marking the second straight period of increase. Because advertising increases typically trail ratings gains by six to eight months, Miller wrote, the recent ratings boom should translate into more advertising dollars soon.

Aside from MTV, the Web video-inspired show "Tosh.0" on Comedy Central is attracting more men under 34 than any other television show on Wednesday nights. User-submitted clips with such names as "Giant Butt Girl" and "Wedding Vomit" suggest the kind of tawdry humor that is making guys laugh.

Nickelodeons dominance among pre-teens is also getting a boost from its new math-focused "Team Umizoomi" show, which runs on alongside longtime hits "SpongeBob SquarePants," "iCarly," and "Dora the Explorer."

Even 89-year-old Betty White is helping grow the companys fan base among a slightly older crowd with the show "Hot in Cleveland" on TV Land, which debuted to a huge audience of 5.8 million in June. The channels fans, nurtured on traditional sitcoms such as "Hogans Heroes" and "Gilligans Island," were ready for an original show, White said.

"Theres nothing fancy or on the edge or groundbreaking," White said in an interview. "Were just an old-fashioned situation comedy, and I think thats what their audience was looking for. And I think thats why they accepted it so fast."

To keep up its momentum, Viacom is prepping a ream of new shows, including a Comedy Central sports news show in partnership with The Onion, and MTVs reboot of the 1980s "Teen Wolf" movies as a TV series.

Theres no guarantee that either show will succeed. And Horizon Medias Adgate said of "Jersey Shores" success: "Its not going to last forever."

But Viacoms batting average, at least at MTV, is getting better. According to McGrath, a greater percentage of MTVs new shows are becoming "hits," or shows that boost MTVs audience share by 1 percentage point among 12- to 34-year-olds, a key group sought by advertisers.

Toffler acknowledges MTVs success comes in cycles and tends to lull when one generation gives way to the next. For now, it seems to have caught the next wave.

As for "Jersey Shore," season three is shooting in the original location in Seaside Heights, N.J.

Viewers will surely stick around for the episode featuring Nicole "Snooki" Polizzis arrest for annoying other beachgoers last month. A bigger audience and more ad dollars will surely make investors wanna smush.



Full Text RSS Feeds | WordPress Auto Translator

Foursquare, MTV to reward STD checkups with badge AP

NEW YORK You can "check in" to restaurants and bars, so how about health clinics while you get tested for sexually transmitted diseases?

Foursquare, the phone application for telling friends and strangers where you are, is offering a special virtual "badge" through September to people who do just that.

The badge is part of MTVs "GYT: Get Yourself Tested" campaign. MTV says the idea is to remove the stigma attached to getting checked out for STDs.

Foursquare and similar services use smart phones GPS capabilities to locate where users are and whats around them. Users can then "check in" to a venue by tapping it on a list � or typing in their own.

Foursquare users already receive scout-inspired merit badges for a range of check-in accomplishments. These include "Gym Rat" for hitting the gym 10 times in a month or "Crunked" for checking in to four or more places in a single night.

Stephen Friedman, the general manager of MTV, said he expects that some people will decide to get the badge despite the social stigma surrounding STDs. And once they do, their friends may, too.

"It only takes a few to get the ball rolling," he said. The point is to make these checkups as commonplace as going to the dentist or getting a physical.

The badge itself is lime green and black, with the letters "GYT" emblazoned in the middle.

Foursquare users can go to their own health care providers, or they can find nearby clinics by visiting GYTs website and entering their ZIP code. Once theyve checked in, users will have to post � or "shout" in Foursquare lingo � the letters "GYT" to their friends.

The GYT campaign launched in 2009. Its part of a partnership between MTV and the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit organization that focuses on health care issues. MTV said the campaign has helped increase the number of young people getting tested at Planned Parenthood clinics nationwide.

___

Online: http://gytnow.org



Full Text RSS Feeds | WordPress Auto Translator

Lindsay Lohan admits flaws but says career not over omg

NEW YORK Reuters - Troubled actress Lindsay Lohan has admitted she was "irresponsible" in a new interview released on Tuesday, but downplayed alcohol or drug troubles and declared her acting career would now come first.

Lohan, 24, recently released early from jail and a rehabilitation program and now ordered to attend behavioral therapy classes twice a week, told Vanity Fair magazine in an interview conducted one week before her jail term began that she would cut back on hedonistic ways to revive her career.

"I want my career back," she told the magazine. "I want the respect that I had when I was doing great movies. And if that takes not going out to a club at night, then so be it. Its not fun anyway."

The "Freaky Friday" actress said landing in Los Angeles several years ago was "very go-go-go" with ample freedom and money that brought upon damaging behavior, but now she "was fine" and her acting ability was in top shape.

"I dont care what anyone says. I know that Im a damn good actress," she said. "And I know that in my past I was young and irresponsible, but thats what growing up is. You learn from your mistakes."

Adding to her confusion, she said, was that she constantly read U.S. tabloids, which she called "really scary and sad."

"I would look up to those girls...the Britneys and whatever. And I would be like, I want to be like that," she said.

Reports of alcohol abuse were overplayed, she said, while dealing with her father was far harder.

"I think everyone has their own addictions and hopefully learns how to get past them," she said. "I think my biggest focus for myself is learning how to continue to get through the trauma that my father has caused in my life."

Lohan admitted in 2007 that she was addicted to alcohol and drugs, and went to rehab three times. She was ordered to wear an alcohol monitoring anklet in May this year and was jailed for missing multiple alcohol education classes imposed as part of her probation three years ago.

In the Vanity Fair article Lohan said she had "never abused prescription drugs" and in part she blamed some of her wayward behavior on hanging with the wrong crowd.

"So many people around me would say they cared for the wrong reasons. A lot of people were pulling from me, taking from me and not giving. I had a lot of people that were there for me for, you know, the party."

She also lamented that young Hollywood male actors are treated differently and "still get to keep their contracts, they still get to keep their roles" regardless of their antics, according to the full interview reported in the New York Post.

The career of the once promising actress, who starred in "Mean Girls" and "The Parent Trap," has foundered in the past three years, with Lohan hitting the headlines repeatedly for nights on the town and bizarre behavior.

Her legal troubles have delayed shooting on her next movie in which she plays 1970s porn star Linda Lovelace.

Reporting by Christine Kearney, editing by Patricia Reaney



Full Text RSS Feeds | WordPress Auto Translator

Blair memoir excites booksellers, riles critics AP

LONDON Its a political memoir with celebrity trappings � secrecy, security, controversy and a multimillion-dollar deal.

Tony Blairs "A Journey" is published Wednesday, promising to give readers behind-the-curtain insights into major world events from the death of Princess Diana to the Sept. 11 attacks and the invasion of Iraq.

British booksellers are reporting heavy interest in the book, for which the former British prime minister was paid an estimated 4.6 million pounds $7.5 million. Hes donating the proceeds to a charity for injured troops.

Billed by publisher Random House as a "frank, open" account of life at the top, "A Journey" is being published in a dozen countries, alongside an e-book and an audio version read by Blair himself. This week its in the top 10 on Amazons British best-seller list � though its only 4,000 on the retailers U.S. site.

"Initial sales will be huge," said Jonathan Ruppin of Foyles book store chain. "But whether those sales are sustained will depend on how frank and open it is."

Blair � who is scheduled to be in Washington on publication day, attending Israeli-Palestinian peace talks in his role as an international Mideast envoy � said he "set out to write a book which describes the human as much as the political dimensions of life as prime minister."

"Though a memoir is by its very nature retrospective, the book is also an attempt to inform and shape current and future thinking, as much as an account of the past," Blair said in comments released in advance of publication.

That account is unlikely to resolve the conflicting views and emotions Blair evokes.

For many Americans, he remains a well-regarded ally who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the U.S. in the fight against international terrorism. Hes scheduled to receive the 2010 Liberty Medal from former President Bill Clinton in Philadelphia on Sept. 13.

At home, he is a more divisive figure. Swept to power in 1997 on a wave of popular enthusiasm, Blair left office a decade later reviled by many for taking Britain into the U.S.-led Iraq war, and viewed as a liability by much of his own Labour Party.

"He began as a leader who was a friend of everyone, and he finished as a friend of almost no one in Britain," said Blair biographer Anthony Seldon.

Anti-war groups say they will picket Blairs book signings in Dublin on Saturday and in London on Sept. 8. Both are high-security affairs at which book buyers will have to surrender their bags, cameras and mobile phones � and are barred from asking for personal dedications.

Blair, 57, stepped down in June 2007 after a decade that included a historic peace accord in Northern Ireland, the deeply unpopular war in Iraq and the continuing conflict in Afghanistan.

He was Labours most successful leader for decades, moved the left-leaning party toward the center and brought it back to power after 18 years in opposition.

But when he left, after years of increasingly open hostility with his rival and successor Gordon Brown, his party was divided.

He remains controversial even now. Families of some of the hundreds of British troops killed in Iraq and Afghanistan have criticized Blair for earning millions from the book and public speaking and since leaving office.

Blair has been at the center of numerous books, notably "The Blair Years," by former press secretary Alastair Campbell, and the recently published memoir "The Third Man," by Labour insider Peter Mandelson.

He was also the inspiration for the former prime minister dogged by allegations of war crimes in Robert Harris thriller "The Ghost," which was turned into a film by Roman Polanski.

Seldon said most political memoirs are self-serving, "historically pretty useless" and dont live up to the hype.

Blair insists his will be different, and Seldon says the former politician is part of a small group whose words may have wide appeal.

"Britain doesnt have many prime ministers who are international figures," said Seldon. "We have had Churchill, we have had Thatcher, we have had Blair."

___

Online: http://www.tonyblairjourney.co.uk



Full Text RSS Feeds | WordPress Auto Translator

Kecks Exclusives: Glee Cast Gears Up for Rocky Horror Halloween Spectacular omg

Soon, the cast of Glee will learn which parts theyll be playing in their Halloween episode send-up of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. "Its the most closely guarded secret on set at the moment," says Naya Rivera Santana. If it were up to the actors, heres who theyd play:

Fall Preview: Get scoop on your favorite returning shows

Lea Michele Rachel: "Im so excited to do it. If Rachel ends up doing the Susan Sarandon role that would be really cool"

Cory Monteith Finn: "I might be in some Brad briefs, lets put it that way. But I dont know for sure."

Jane Lynch Sue: "I would love to be the Narrator."

Jenna Ushkowitz Tina: "Theres Magenta. She could be fun."

Chris Colfer Kurt: "I pray that Im Riff Raff because hes the best one. He sings Time Warp. From the time we shot the pilot Ive been stressing to Ryan Murphy how much I want to sing Time Warp."

But the real question is this: Which character would you like to see suit up in lace stockings as the sweet transvestite Frank-N-Furter, originally played by Tim Curry? Matthew Morrison, Im thinking theres some stockings with your name on em

Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now



Full Text RSS Feeds | WordPress Auto Translator

Chiles gutted over BBC fall-out

Presenter Adrian Chiles has admitted both he and co-host Christine Bleakley were "gutted" over the way they left the BBCs The One Show.

Chiles announced his departure in April following the news that Chris Evans would take his place on Fridays.

Bleakley followed suit in June, and the pair will now front ITVs new breakfast show Daybreak.

Speaking at the shows press launch, Chiles called the end of his 17-year BBC tenure "an awful, awful business".

"We were both very happy to stay," he said.

"Nothing needed to change - but obviously change was suggested on The One Show I couldnt live with and thats why I left."

"We were both gutted the way things started to unfold," he continued.

Few enemies

The 43-year-old, who has already been seen on ITVs World Cup coverage, said he and his co-host had been put under "intolerable pressure" while negotiating their future.

"We were both criticised for the way we conducted ourselves. but I challenge anyone who is in that position to not end up pissing off one or more people," he said.

"It was such a long, stressful time. Youve got no idea.

"The bottom line is its your livelihood is on the line... and something that was very precious to us both - The One Show - had been basically taken away from us to a lesser or greater extent."

"Start Quote

I dont read any of it - Im told I got some good press about the football, but I swear to you Ive not read a single review"

End Quote Adrian Chiles

Bleakley, 31, defected to ITV several months after Chiles, having released a statement saying she was "torn" over competing offers from both the two broadcasters.

Speaking on Tuesday, she said the statement had been made public to "combat some of the nonsense that was happening".

She added: "Suddenly lots of people want to talk and I was always bought up to think silence is golden and theres a dignity in keeping your mouth shut about certain things, but at that stage I was being hurried into making a big decision.

"Ultimately no ones died, this is not life or death."

The star admitted she decided to move to ITV because she "missed "working with Chiles.

Asked about his current relations with the BBC, Chiles characterised them as "fine".

He added: "When you think of the BBC, you think of all the bosses, but I think of all the people Ive worked with over the years and I see them all all the time anyway.

"Weve got very, very few enemies there and theyll move on before long."

Daybreak launches on Monday with a new set and team. Although nervous, Chiles and Bleakley say they will not pay attention to critics.

"I dont read any of it," Chiles said. "Im told I got some good press about the football, but I swear to you Ive not read a single review."

"If you dont read the good ones then I think Ive got every right not to read the bad ones - but I cant just read the good ones and avoid the bad ones."



Full Text RSS Feeds | WordPress Auto Translator

CMA announces first round of nominees AP

NASHVILLE, Tenn. Lady Antebellum and Miranda Lambert are among the multiple nominees for the 44th annual CMA Awards.

The Country Music Association announced its first wave of nominees Tuesday. The final nominees will be announced Wednesday on ABCs "Good Morning America."

Both Lady Antebellum and Lambert are nominated in more than one category, including single of the year and song of the year.

The CMAs are set for Nov. 10 in Nashville and will air live on ABC.

___

Online:

http://www.cmaawards.com



Full Text RSS Feeds | WordPress Auto Translator

Lindsay Lohan Wants Her Career Back; Says You Learn From Your Mistakes omg

Lindsay Lohan says shes learned from her past mishaps and wants to get her career back on track.

"I dont care what anyone says. I know that Im a damn good actress," the 24-year-old told Vanity Fair in its October issue during a July interview conducted before she served 14 days in jail and 23 days of inpatient rehab.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: The Lohan Family

"And I know that in my past I was young and irresponsible - but thats what growing up is. You learn from your mistakes," she continued.

Lohan denies reports that shes alcoholic.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Lindsay Lohans Day in Court July 6, 2010

"If I were the alcoholic everyone says I am, then putting a [SCRAM] bracelet on would have ended me up in detox, in the emergency room, because I would have had to come down from all the things that people say Im taking and my father says Im taking -- so that says something, because I was fine," she continued. "I think my biggest focus for myself is learning how to continue to get through the trauma that my father has caused in my life."

The actress said the presence of her family during her recent court appearances was painful - telling the mag that seeing her younger sister, Ali, cry was "heartbreaking."

"The worst part of it is you turn around and you see your dad crying and normally youd be, like, happy that your fathers there. But then he has to go and do an interview right after," she said of her day in court.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: The Trials & Tribulations Of Lindsay Lohan

Lohan also shot down reports of her alleged drug addictions.

"Ive never abused prescription drugs. I never have - never in my life. I have no desire to. Thats not who I am," she told the mag. "Ive admitted to the things that Ive done - to, you know, dabbling in certain things and trying things cause I was young and curious and thought it was like, OK, cause other people were doing it and other people put it in front of me. And I see what happened in my life because of it."

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Lindsay Lohan: The Early Years

The actress said that running with the wrong crowd and looking up to her fellow starlets took her down the wrong path.

"So many people around me would say they cared for the wrong reasons. A lot of people were pulling from me, taking from me and not giving. I had a lot of people that were there for me for, you know, the party," she continued. "It was very go-go-go and I had a lot of responsibility; and I think just the second I didnt have [structure] anymore - I was 18, 19--with a ton of money and no one really here to tell me that I couldnt do certain things ... And I see where thats gotten me now, and I dont like it."

According to Lindsay, she used to only read tabloids to get her news, saying, "[It was] really scary and sad... I would look up to those girls... the Britneys and whatever. And I would be like, I want to be like that."

Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
PLAY IT NOW: Lindsay Leaves Rehab: What Happens Next?
PLAY IT NOW: Electra Avellan: Lindsay Lohan Taught Me How To Look Like A Bad-Ass

MORE ACCESS ON THESE TOPICS: Lindsay Lohan - News - Rehab - Jail - Vanity Fair



Full Text RSS Feeds | WordPress Auto Translator

Lindsay Lohan admits flaws, says career is not over

NEW YORK | Tue Aug 31, 2010 11:30am EDT

NEW YORK Reuters - Troubled actress Lindsay Lohan has admitted she was irresponsible in a new interview released on Tuesday, but downplayed alcohol or drug troubles and declared her acting ability was still in top shape.

Lohan, 24, recently released early from jail and a rehabilitation program and now ordered to attend behavioral therapy classes twice a week, told Vanity Fair magazine in an interview conducted one week before her jail term began that she "was fine."

"I dont care what anyone says. I know that Im a damn good actress," she told the magazine. "And I know that in my past I was young and irresponsible, but thats what growing up is. You learn from your mistakes."

Reports of alcohol abuse were overplayed, she said, while dealing with her father was far harder.

"I think everyone has their own addictions and hopefully learns how to get past them," she said. "I think my biggest focus for myself is learning how to continue to get through the trauma that my father has caused in my life."

Lohan admitted in 2007 that she was addicted to alcohol and drugs, and went to rehab three times. She was ordered to wear an alcohol monitoring anklet in May this year and was jailed for missing multiple alcohol education classes imposed as part of her probation three years ago.

In the Vanity Fair interview she denied rumors of abusing prescription pills.

"Ive never abused prescription drugs. I have never in my life. I have no desire to. Thats not who I am," she told the magazine.

In part she blamed some of her behavior on hanging with the wrong crowd.

"So many people around me would say they cared for the wrong reasons. A lot of people were pulling from me, taking from me and not giving. I had a lot of people that were there for me for, you know, the party."

The career of the once promising actress, who starred in "Mean Girls" and "The Parent Trap," has foundered in the past three years, with Lohan hitting the headlines repeatedly for nights on the town and bizarre behavior.

Reporting by Christine Kearney, editing by Patricia Reaney



Full Text RSS Feeds | WordPress Auto Translator

Bristol Palins Biggest DWTS Fear? "Moving My Hips" omg

Why did Bristol Palin decide to sign on for next seasons Dancing With the Stars?

"I just wanted to do it because its so fun," she told UsMagazine.com at a DWTS press conference Monday night. "Its positive and its a good competition. I wanted to step outside my comfort zone and have a good time."

PHOTOS: Bristol and Levi, the good ol days

Her mom, former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, was supportive as well.

"Shes always been my No. 1 fan," said Bristol, 19, who will dance with two-time champ Mark Ballas. "Of course, shell be down here [cheering me on]."

VIDEO: Kate Gosselin dancing, a disastrous look back

But she wont baby-sit grandson Tripp, 19 months, while Bristol is rehearsing. Said Bristol, "Shell be traveling the world doing speeches and stuff."

Bristol said her biggest personal challenge will be "just showing my personality and moving my hips"

PHOTOS: DWTS makeovers

Who is she most worried about on the dance floor? Dirty Dancing star Jennifer Grey and singer Brandy

"They both have some dance experience," she said. "But everyones so good and Im so happy to be a part of it."

She told Us she was most psyched to meet Florence Henderson, whom she called "an icon."

Added Bristol, "The pro athletes are pretty cool too."

PHOTOS: DWTS, what happens off the dance floor

As for those DWTS costumes, Bristol told Us, "We did our title shoot today, so I got all glammed up and stuff, but Im definitely excited to wear all those. I know that mine will be the most conservative -- I will be the most dressed. Thats how I am and thats how I want to dress. But itll be good, all the rhinestones and spray tans, that will be fun."

Get more Us Follow us on Twitter, Friend us on Facebook, Subscribe to Us Weekly



Full Text RSS Feeds | WordPress Auto Translator

Stig wrangle continues in private

A court case to prevent the identity of Top Gears The Stig from being revealed is to continue being heard in private.

The judge at the High Court said the case should proceed behind closed doors, as publicity would defeat the purpose of the hearing.

The BBC began legal action last week to block HarperCollins from publishing an autobiography which would unmask the character.

It says the planned book would breach confidentiality obligations.

Arguing for HarperCollins, Hugh Tomlinson QC said the press and public should be allowed to hear the legal arguments.

He added the press could be subject to extensive restrictions to prevent any confidential information being revealed before the conclusion of the case.

But Mr Justice Morgan said: "It seems to me that having the hearing in private is a much more effective barrier to information which might in due course be the subject of an injunction passing more widely into the public domain."

He said the public interest in "having justice in open court for all to hear" could be dealt with by a public judgment given "in due course".

Last week, HarperCollins said it would "vigorously defend" its right to publish the book, adding it was "disappointed that the BBC has chosen to spend licence fee payers money to suppress this book".

However Top Gear executive producer Andy Wilman attacked the publisher, writing on the Top Gear website that the BBC had a right to protect Stigs anonymity "from a bunch of chancers" who were "hoping to cash in on it".

The BBC has never confirmed the identity of The Stig - who test drives cars on the show. It maintains that unmasking him would spoil viewers enjoyment.



Full Text RSS Feeds | WordPress Auto Translator

Chad Lowe Gets Married omg

Chad Lowe has married his longtime girlfriend, People reports.

Check out photos of Chad Lowe

The Pretty Little Liars star wed film producer Kim Painter on Saturday before family and friends at Los Angeles Terrenea Resort. Lowes brother, Rob Lowe, served as best man, while the newlyweds 15-month-old daughter, Mabel, was the ring bearer.

Chad Lowe, girlfriend welcome a daughter

This is the second marriage for Lowe, who divorced Hilary Swank in 2006 after nearly nine years of marriage. He started dating Painter in January 2007.

A call to Lowes rep was not immediately returned.


Related Articles on TVGuide.com



Full Text RSS Feeds | WordPress Auto Translator

Lindsay Lohan: "I Was Irresponsible" omg

In a new interview -- conducted before she went to jail or rehab -- Lindsay Lohan claims her wild days are behind her.

"I was irresponsible. And Im not making excuses," she says in Octobers Vanity Fair, according to USA Today and the New York Post, which feature excerpts from the issue.

She describes her partying days as her "college years . . . but they were in the public eye. I was irresponsible. I was experimenting. I was doing certain things that people do 10 times more of when theyre in college."

PHOTOS: Child stars - from angels to devils

When she first moved to Los Angeles, she says tabloids were her main source of news and that was "really scary and sad ... I would look up to those girls ... the Britneys and whatever. And I would be like, I want to be like that."

Looking back, the former child star says she wishes she had more "structure" in her life before hitting it big.

"I had structure, and then I lost all the structure in my life," she says. "I think a lot of it was because when I was doing my first slew of movies, it was very go-go, and I had a lot of responsibility, and I think just the second I didnt have [structure] anymore -- I was 18, 19 -- with a ton of money."

PHOTOS: Lindsay Lohans most OMG moments

She lashes out at estranged father Michael. "The worst part of it is you turn around and you see your dad crying and normally youd be, like, happy that your fathers there," she says. "But then he has to go and do an interview right after."

VIDEO: Lindsay Lohan, what went wrong

She blames him for spreading lies about her. Contradicting what her dad has said, the actress swears, "Ive never abused prescription drugs. I never have � never in my life. I have no desire to. Thats not who I am. Ive admitted to the things that Ive done � to, you know, dabbling in certain things and trying things cause I was young and curious and thought it was like, O.K., cause other people were doing it and other people put it in front of me. And I see what happened in my life because of it."

PHOTOS: How Lindsays tried to hide her SCRAM bracelet

Today, she says, "I want my career back. I know that Im a damn good actress, and its been my passion since I was a child, and I know that when I care about something, I put 100 percent and more into it."

Adds Lohan, "I want the respect that I had when I was doing great movies. And if that takes not going out to a club at night, then so be it. Its not fun anyway. I dont care. Its the same thing every time."

Get more Us Follow us on Twitter, Friend us on Facebook, Subscribe to Us Weekly



Full Text RSS Feeds | WordPress Auto Translator

AP Exclusive: Secret testimony reveals stars loss AP

LOS ANGELES Roughly two weeks before a judge would sentence her to jail, Lindsay Lohan sat in a downtown courtroom and recounted to a grand jury how a burglars black fingerprints on her wall left her so unnerved that she had to move.

Moments later, Orlando Bloom told the same panel how a break-in at his home had left him distrustful of those around him, especially after he realized his carefully hidden collection of watches had been plundered.

The appearance of Lohan, Bloom and four other celebrities in late June before a Los Angeles County grand jury went unnoticed. Yet their testimony helped indict five young people who authorities claim desperately craved what the stars had and were willing to cut through fences and climb through a doggie door to get.

The stars reactions revealed in recently unsealed testimony obtained by The Associated Press offers the most detailed account so far of the personal toll that resulted from the rash of celebrity break-ins by the so-called "Bling Ring" between October 2008 and August 2009. One ring member pleaded out and served time; the five others face trial later this year.

Lohans testimony typified the fear felt by the celebrities whose homes had been targeted: "That night I went back to the house, I just felt, to be honest, so violated and uncomfortable that I literally packed as much stuff as I could," Lohan told the jurors, "because it wasnt about the things that were taken, it was just the fact that someone came into the only private space that I have in my life at this point."

One-by-one, Rachel Bilson, Audrina Patridge and Paris Hilton also recounted for grand jurors how they walked into their supposedly secure Hollywood Hills homes to find them ransacked and looted.

Brian Austin Green told the jury how the burglary of his home � the last one targeted � was so stealthy that he thought his missing items were simply misplaced. It wasnt until a detective called and told him his stolen Sig Sauer handgun had been recovered that he realized hed been robbed.

Some of the items stolen were eventually returned. But still outstanding are several irreplaceable personal items, including Bilsons mothers engagement ring that she gave to "The O.C." star.

For a while, the actors told jurors, their belongings had been replaced with a sense of vulnerability and dread.

"It took me a while to feel comfortable staying there," Bilson said of her home. "I wouldnt sleep in my bedroom for about a month.

"And I was convinced that I needed to sell my house and get out of there, because I was very scared," she told jurors. "But Im still there."

Deputy District Attorney Sarika Kim, who is handling the prosecution, urged jurors to overlook the stars wealth and celebrity.

"It doesnt matter," Kim told the grand jury in closing remarks. "The fact that you are able to replace property doesnt matter. And in fact, we heard evidence in this case some of the folks werent able to replace any of the property. Some folks lost items of sentimental value."

"And I think the one thing that was abundantly clear from listening to the testimony of all of the victims was what they lost most importantly was a sense of security," Kim said.

None of the stars have testified in open court. Bloom likely would have been the first, but Alexis Neiers, who was charged with his break-in, took a plea deal before trial. An aspiring model and reality television star, Neiers served 30 days in jail.

But the celebrities could still take the stand if any of the members of the Bling Ring go to trial. The five remaining defendants had been previously charged and the actors grand jury testimony eliminated the need for a preliminary hearing.

The testimony led to indictments for felony residential burglary against Nicholas Frank Prugo, Rachel Lee, Roy Lopez Jr., Courtney Leigh Ames and Diana Tamayo. All five pleaded not guilty on July 2 and are due back in court on Sept. 20 for a pretrial conference.

Many of the details of the actual break-ins given to the grand jury have been revealed in search warrants and other court filings, but most of the stars have refrained from talking publicly about their losses.

Lohans testimony came during a turbulent streak in her life. Her appearance on June 18 occurred about two weeks before a judge handling her criminal case sentenced the "Mean Girls" star to jail for a probation violation.

For 40 minutes, Lohan described coming home with her sister early last August to find her rented house in complete disarray.

"My front door wasnt locked, and it usually always was," Lohan said. "My alarm didnt sound, and I usually had to turn it off. And everything that I had was kind of thrown, and everything was pretty much disheveled."

A fur coat, two paintings and other high-end jewelry and clothing were missing. When Lohan stepped into her closet, she told jurors, she saw her safe had been moved and black fingerprints were on her white walls.

She said that after she packed up what she had left, she never returned to that house. "I dont ever plan on going back to that house," she said. "It was like, such an invasion of privacy, and its just eerie."

Bloom, who estimated his losses at half a million dollars or more, said he immediately suspected hed been robbed by a close friend or someone who worked for him.

"Its just awful because you are suddenly second-guessing everything," Bloom told the jury. "You are like, Who has been in my house? You know, the value of things kind of fades away. Its really about who is it, who am I starting to question?"

The "Pirates of the Caribbean" star said only some of his items � mostly clothes and one of his prized watches � was ever returned. He testified that clothing of his then-girlfriend, model Miranda Kerr, was also stolen. Bloom and Kerr have since married.

His house, which one detective likened to the "Bat Cave" because it couldnt be seen from the street or the air, was targeted in July 2009.

Authorities estimate that there is at least $2 million of the stars property that has not been recovered. They suspect that Lee, one of the groups alleged masterminds, may have hidden the goods before her arrest at her fathers home in Las Vegas.

Lee allegedly offered to return some of the stolen property to detectives in exchange for leniency, according to transcripts and other court filings.

A Louis Vuitton bag full of jewelry was returned to Paris Hilton after several alleged members of the group were arrested in October.

Prugo, another alleged Bling Ring mastermind, told authorities that Hiltons home was actually targeted numerous times before a December 2008 heist nabbed the socialites jewelry and luxury clothes.

Hilton told the grand jury that she first noticed something was amiss when she spotted dirty shoe prints leading up the stairs to her bedroom.

"My closet where all my jewelry is kept had been ransacked and, you know, basically two full entire shelves were, I guess, pushed into a bag," Hilton told the panel. Also gone was a topless photo of the socialite, which detectives said was recovered from Lees home.

Hiltons home was also recently targeted by a man who authorities say showed up at the residence armed with two knives. Prosecutors have charged Nathan Lee Parada with one count of attempted felony burglary, although his case does not appear related to the Bling Ring.

Since the break-ins, several of the stars said they took greater caution with their home security. Despite their wealth and sophisticated security systems, several of the celebrities told jurors they couldnt remember if they set their alarms, or even locked their doors, on the days of the break-ins.

"We have always sort of lived a very, I guess, trusting lifestyle and we just didnt set the alarm," Bilson said. "I now do, every time I leave the house. Even if its for 20 minutes."



Full Text RSS Feeds | WordPress Auto Translator

Venice film festival focuses on film innovation AP

VENICE, Italy In film, recession may be the mother of innovation.

The Venice Film Festival opens Wednesday with its share of big-screen bound blockbuster potential, from Darren Aronfskys "Black Swan," to Sofia Coppolas highly anticipated "Somewhere" and Ben Afflecks sophomore directorial effort, "The Town."

But director Marco Mueller says that the economic downturn has forced even big name directors to come up with cheaper means of production, giving rise to innovation and an "in-between" budget category � bridging low-budget under a million dollars and mid-range of around EURO6 million-EURO7 million $7.5 million to $9 million.

"In between there was very little. And now several people rush to occupy that special space," Mueller told The Associated Press in an interview. "Because its also the space where with some local, regional subsidy, some private money, and maybe with a few distributors interested in the project you can get your film off the ground."

Oscar-winning Italian director Giuseppe Tornatore, limited after last years big-budget bonanza "Baaria," turned to documentary making this year with a portrait of Italian cinematographer Goffredo Lombardo still in progress, to be shown out of competition.

Vincent Gallo will be at the Lido both as an actor, playing a terror suspect plotting his escape in Jerzy Skolimowskis "Essential Killing," and as the director of two films.

"Both films are entirely self-produced. He started with a short film, then he actually realized that using the same mode of production he could dare to look forward to a feature," Mueller said. The result is "Promises Written in the Water," which will compete for the Golden Lion.

The film tells a romantic story about a man � a professional assassin � and a woman confronting terminal illness. It was shot without preparation or a traditional script.

And U.S. director Monte Helmann, whose influence has been greater than his popular acclaim, will be showing his movie "Road to Nowhere" in competition. The film is described as a romantic thriller about a filmmaker who becomes involved in a criminal conspiracy.

"Monte made the film he has wanted to make for several years on a shoestring budget with an incredible cast using quite a few important names and all of a sudden we have a film with special effects. Without being a travelogue it does move to a number of countries and it cost less than $2 million," Mueller said.

Second only to Cannes in terms of prestige, Venice has suffered since the economic downturn of 2008, with many Hollywood producers preferring the cheaper option of taking their movies to the Toronto Film Festival, which overlaps with Venice.

However, Mueller has continued to insist that his festival will accept primarily world premieres � 79 are showing at this years festival � and believes that events are moving back in Venices favor.

"A lot of people now are counting on a two-step operation where the visibility, the credibility of the film is built in Venice, Venice reveals the immediate aesthetical qualities of the film, or everything that makes this film very exciting. And Toronto reveals the market value of the film."

The Venice festival opens with an unprecedented triple-header: Golden Lion-winner Aronofskys "Black Swan" and Hong Kong director Andrew Laus "The Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen," starring Donnie Yen, followed by a special midnight screening of Robert Rodriguezs "Machete."

"I can predict that at midnight the atmosphere will still be the atmosphere of a rock concert or a football match," Mueller said.

Festivities get under way Tuesday evening with a tribute to one of Italys most famous cinematic and theatrical actors, Vittorio Gassman, with a free, open-air screening of the 1974 classic "Scent of a Woman" in a Venetian square attended by the Gassman family.

In addition, the Italian edition of Vanity Fair is hosting a party in a palace on the Grand Canal for Quentin Tarantino, who heads the jury that will select the winner of the prestigious Golden Lion on Sept. 11. And the industry publication Variety is holding a big party where it will present director Dino De Laurentiis with an award.

Mueller will have to hit each of the events within the space of three hours � no easy feat when boats plying Venices canals must comply with strict speed limits.

"If we speed, they will give us a speeding ticket. Every year the boat I use gets a speeding ticket. They plant them right where we have to go. Fantastic," Mueller said, with a glint of amusement.



Full Text RSS Feeds | WordPress Auto Translator