Entertaining Posts: 02/01/11

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Actress Jaime Pressly charged with drunken driving

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Golden Globes say "no truth" to Gervais return

LOS ANGELES | Tue Feb 1, 2011 3:05pm EST

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Golden Globe organizers on Tuesday shot down a report that comedian Ricky Gervais was asked to return as host of their program, following his recent performance in which he skewered the group that gives away the film and TV awards.

"There is no truth to this rumor. We have not asked him to come back. Nice try, Ricky," Philip Berk, president of the group that gives out the Golden Globes, said in a statement.

Berk's statement came in response to an online posting by British magazine Heat of a diary Gervais had written during the week leading up to the January 16 Golden Globes ceremony in Beverly Hills. In the diary he writes that after the program, "organizers asked me to consider a third year."

He also hosted the show in 2010.

The British comedian goes on to say that "I don't think I should" and "two seasons is enough."

Regardless, numerous headlines circulated on the Web about a possible return because his performance at the recent ceremony had been so widely discussed.

The Golden Globes are given away by roughly 90 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, and during the ceremony, which is televised live, Gervais joked its members "accepted bribes" to nominate "The Tourist" for best comedy film.

The joke pointed to a lawsuit filed against the HFPA only days ahead of the widely-watched program that its members accepted lavish entertainment and gifts from movie marketers looking for their votes.

Gervais also went on to poke fun at various celebrities, and his performance initially drew negative reviews. But in the days after the reviews, comedians, some fans and others rallied to his defense.

Gervais has defended his performance, telling TV interviewer Piers Morgan, "I'm confronting the elephant in the room. They hired me -- like I'm going to go out there and not talk about the issues in their industry."

(Editing by Christine Kearney)

Zsa Zsa Gabor returns to hospital in Los Angeles

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Lambert leads Academy of Country Music nominees

By Vernell Hackett

NASHVILLE | Tue Feb 1, 2011 9:32am EST

NASHVILLE (Reuters) - Miranda Lambert, one of country music's hottest entertainers, led the way on Tuesday with seven nominations for the 46th annual Academy of Country Music Awards, including her first Entertainer of the Year nod.

Lambert learned firsthand of her haul, reading out the list of nominees with Ronnie Dunn on "The Early Show" on CBS from the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville.

Reba McEntire and Blake Shelton will co-host the annual awards show, which will be broadcast live on CBS from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on April 3, at 8:00 p.m. ET.

Lambert, a Texas native, earned Top Female Vocalist and Vocal Event with Sheryl Crow and Loretta Lynn for the single "Coal Miner's Daughter" from the album "Coal Miner's Daughter: A Tribute To Loretta Lynn."

Lambert was also nominated for Single Record of the Year and Song of the Year for her smash hit "The House That Built Me," which was written by Tom Douglas and Allen Shamblin. Lambert's tune "Only Prettier" was nominated for Video of the Year, as was "The House That Built Me."

Kenny Chesney, who is one of the top live acts in music, was nominated for five awards, including Album of the Year for "Hemingway's Whiskey" and Single Record of the Year for "The Boys of Fall."

The native of East Tennessee also received nods as artist and producer. His video "The Boys of Fall" was nominated for Video of the Year.

Also receiving five nominations were newcomers the Zac Brown Band. They picked up nods for Top Vocal Group and Album of the Year. The band was also nominated for Song of the Year, Single Record of the Year and Vocal Event of the Year for "As She's Walking Away," featuring Alan Jackson.

Group leader Zac Brown picked up four additional individual nominations as the producer of their album "You Get What You Give," Single Record of the Year and Vocal Event of the Year for "As She's Walking Away." He is also up for a songwriter award for "As She's Walking Away."

The Band Perry received four nods, including Top Vocal Group and Top New Vocal Duo or Group. Additionally they were nominated for Single Record of the Year and Song of the Year for "If I Die Young." Kimberly Perry of The Band Perry has an additional individual nomination as the writer of the single, which is up for Song of the Year.

Taylor Swift was nominated for four awards, including her second one for Entertainer of the Year. Should the singer win, it will be her first time to take home the trophy.

Swift is nominated as an artist and producer for Album of the Year for "Speak Now" and also earned a nomination for Top Female Vocalist.

Lady Antebellum pulled in three nods including Top Vocal Group. They were also nominated for Album of the Year as artists and producers for "Need You Now." The trio is the reigning ACM Top Vocal Group.

Four artists drew three nominations each.

Lee Brice received his first nominations from the Academy this year, garnering nods for Song of the Year and as both an artist and producer for Single Record of the Year "Love Like Crazy."

CBS orders replacements for "Two and a Half Men"

By Kim Masters

Tue Feb 1, 2011 12:34am EST

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - CBS has ordered two additional episodes of Monday sitcoms "Mike and Molly" and "Rules of Engagement" to help cope with scheduling issues arising from the absence of Charlie Sheen from the hit show "Two and a Half Men," according to sources.

These extra shows will fill in a schedule with sudden holes caused by the absence of Sheen, who reportedly is attempting a rehabilitation program at home with a trained expert in addiction. (Sheen's spokesman declined comment on the actor's health, citing federal privacy laws.)

TMZ has reported that Sheen, who was admitted to a Los Angeles hospital last Thursday complaining of abdominal pains, will be unable to work for three months. A CBS source says that the network has not been informed that Sheen will be out for the season, but his absence would leave CBS short of eight episodes of the planned 24-episode season (there has been no serious talk of shooting the series around his absence).

Warner Bros. Television, which makes "Men" and "Mike" (both from studio-based executive producer Chuck Lorre), would not comment on the additional episode order. TMZ claimed Warners and CBS played a role in selecting the addiction specialist treating Sheen, but Warners would not comment on what role it played (if any) in locating the expert. Neither CBS nor Sony Pictures Television, which makes "Rules," immediately responded to requests for comment.

CBS has said in a statement that a shutdown of "Men" "is not material" to the network. "Any ratings declines will be more than offset by the reduced programing costs for episodes lost this season," the network said.

Describing its schedule as "strong and deep with hit series," CBS said it is not reliant on one show. "In addition, 'Two and a Half Men' has always performed well in repeats," the network said.