Entertaining Posts

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Schwarzenegger to write "unbelievably true" memoir

NEW YORK | Thu Sep 22, 2011 11:45am EDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Arnold Schwarzenegger is writing a memoir about his unlikely life story from Austrian-born champion bodybuilder to Hollywood action star to California governor, his publisher said on Thursday.

Schwarzenegger, 64, who in May announced his separation from wife Maria Shriver after admitting to fathering a child out of wedlock, is "chronicling his embodiment of the American Dream" in his second autobiography, publisher Simon & Schuster said.

The memoir, titled "Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story," was acquired by Simon & Schuster after Schwarzenegger began working on the book last year. It will be released in October, 2012.

Four months after he left office as California governor, Schwarzenegger said in May that he was halting discussions for a new "Terminator" movie and all other Hollywood projects in order to focus on personal matters after admitting he fathered a secret child 13 years ago with his family's housekeeper.

He has been ridiculed in the media and Shriver filed for a divorce in July to end their 25 year marriage, citing irreconcilable differences. The couple has four children together.

He has since planned to shoot action roles in movies "Last Stand" and "The Expendables 2".

A spokeswoman for Simon & Schuster would not comment on whether the book would discuss his divorce and sex scandal. The book will be published in the United States, Australia, Canada, India, and the United Kingdom. German rights have been sold to Hoffmann und Campe and Dutch rights to A.W. Bruna.

"Nobody has a life story even close to his. To go from poor immigrant to world class athlete to the biggest movie star in the world to governor of California is an incredible journey," Jonathan Karp, publisher of Simon & Schuster, said in a statement.

Schwarzenegger's first book, "The Education of a Bodybuilder, has never been out of print since its release in 1977, Simon & Schuster said.

(Reporting by Christine Kearney, editing by Patricia Reaney)

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Tony Bennett apologizes for 9/11 comments

LOS ANGELES | Wed Sep 21, 2011 6:26pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Singer Tony Bennett apologized on Wednesday for controversial comments he made in a radio interview that suggested the United States bore blame for provoking the September 11 attacks.

"There is simply no excuse for terrorism and the murder of the nearly 3,000 innocent victims of the 9/11 attacks on our country," Bennett, 85, said in a statement on Wednesday.

The legendary "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" singer cited his service as a U.S. soldier in World War II, and said experiences such as fighting in the Battle of the Bulge and marching with Martin Luther King Jr. have made him "a life-long humanist and pacifist."

"I am sorry if my statements suggested anything other than an expression of my love for my country, my hope for humanity and my desire for peace throughout the world," he said.

Bennett commented on the September 11, 2001, attacks during an appearance on shock jock Howard Stern's radio program, where the two discussed the planes flown into New York's World Trade Center by members of al Qaeda.

"They flew the plane in but we caused it," Bennett said on the show. "Because we were bombing them and they told us to stop."

Bennett's remarks caused a furor in the United States just as he launches his new album "Duets II," which features a track he recorded with the late Amy Winehouse, and songs with Lady Gaga and Aretha Franklin.

(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis: Editing by Jill Serjeant)

Defensive Brad Pitt calls Aniston a "dear friend"

LOS ANGELES | Wed Sep 21, 2011 1:33pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Brad Pitt is seeking again to distance himself from apparently negative remarks about his marriage to Hollywood sweetheart Jennifer Aniston, calling his ex-wife a "dear friend" and a "valuable person."

Pitt is out in public promoting his new baseball movie "Moneyball". But he spent much of a TV interview on morning talk show "Today" trying to explain an earlier remark that suggested he found his five-year marriage to Aniston boring, and that he is now a "satisfied man" in his relationship with Angelina Jolie.

"All I know is that my point was, the best thing I'd done as a father is be sure that my kids have a good mother," Pitt told Matt Lauer in an interview to be broadcast on "Today" on Thursday.

"That's all I was, or am, trying to say. It has no reference to the past. And I think it's a shame that I can't say something nice about Angie without Jen being drug in. You know, she doesn't deserve it," Pitt said.

Pitt issued a swift statement last week saying his remarks to Parade magazine about not living an "interesting life" with Aniston had been misinterpreted. But his remarks have served only to fuel a long-standing celebrity media obsession over perceived rivalries between Aniston and Jolie.

Us Weekly magazine claimed on Wednesday that Aniston's publicists "went ballistic" over Pitt's remarks last week and that "Brad was read the riot act."

Pitt, who is raising six children with Jolie, said he tried to distance himself from constant speculation about when he would marry Jolie, or when they would split up.

"I know things get misconstrued, and I know there's a good cycle and a good story to say we're splitting up. And then when we don't, they say we've come together again, it's another new cycle, and then there's a secret wedding. 'No, that was put on hold because they're upset.' ... I live outside of that, and it's much healthier."

Pitt told Lauer that Aniston, whom he divorced in 2005, had not called her himself about the Parade interview. "She's also a seasoned veteran and she knows. You know, and she's a valuable person. We spent seven years together. Come on.

"I don't want them to say anything bad like that about Jen. She's a dear friend of mine," Pitt said.

(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

"Glee" debut loses TV fans but wins over critics

By Jill Serjeant

LOS ANGELES | Wed Sep 21, 2011 3:24pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Television musical comedy "Glee" returned to smaller audiences but warm reviews after a summer of confusion over the future of its stars, a box-office flop of a concert movie and disappointment at the Emmys.

The Fox show attracted just 8.9 million viewers, a 30 percent drop on last year's season two opener, according to figures on Wednesday from media research company Nielsen.

But those who watched the subversive comedy about a failing high school show choir mostly liked what they saw.

Entertainment Weekly said it was "a really satisfying start to the new year." Rolling Stone praised the plot, the witty repartee and song choice but thought the season opener "didn't hit any of the emotional notes 'Glee' is capable of."

As promised, the show made clear that lead characters Rachel (Lea Michele), Finn (Cory Monteith), Kurt (Chris Colfer) and Mike (Harry Shum Jr.) would be "graduating" and leaving the program at the end of the season.

Artie (Kevin McHale) and Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz) still have another year of high school to complete while the status of other key characters, including Brittany (Heather Morris) and the newly-punkified Quinn (Dianna Agron) was unclear.

"Glee" became a pop culture phenomenon in 2010 with its best-selling musical cover versions, quirky humor, treatment of teen sexuality, a character in a wheelchair and an actress with Down's Syndrome.

But last season, the show disappointed fans when it brought in too many guest stars and the plot meandered. "Glee The 3D Concert Movie" made a dismal $16 million at world box offices over the summer, and the show won just two Emmys last week, for best casting and for guest actress Gwyneth Paltrow.

Creator Ryan Murphy has said that this year the show will get back to basics and renew its focus on core characters.

(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

Rome film festival to honor Richard Gere

Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests.

NYSE and AMEX quotes delayed by at least 20 minutes. Nasdaq delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a complete list of exchanges and delays, please click here.