Celebitchy: Television Archives

Aug
03

How to make your own morning after pill, courtesy of Elizabeth Hasselbeck

Elizabeth Hasselbeck on "The View" is so out of touch with reality that she says using the morning after pill is the same as "birthing a baby and leaving it out on the street."

That is the shittiest slippery slope reasoning I have ever heard. Elizabeth had to be schooled by Barbara who said they should discuss the topic rationally. Watch this crap:

Let me just tell you that you can make your own morning after pill with common birth control pills. I read about first it in a health magazine, and had to use it once in college after an accident. The morning after pill is just a high dose of the hormones in regular birth control pills, so this is generally safe, but it's not comfortable and you should only do it if you have no other options. (You should also consult your doctor.)

You ovulate about 14 days give or take 3-4 days from the first day your period started. (If you have a regular 28 day cycle) So if you have an accident on the 20th day after the first day of your period you're probably ok, but only use this guideline to take measures in case of an accident and not to have unprotected sex, that's stupid.

If you want to go this route, just follow the instructions on the chart at the Planned Parenthood website.

Borrow a friend's pills or take some you have on hand.

If you you're using Triphasil or Tri-Levlen, for instance, take 4 yellow pills up to 72 hours after the accident. Wait 12 hours and take 4 more. Just follow the guidelines on the chart for the particular birth control you have.

Don't ever be afraid to take measures, especially early on, to take care of your body.

Posted to Politics | SmartSmartSmart | Television

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Jul
18

Mischa Barton in talks for Desperate Housewives role

Mischa Barton is reportedly in talks to join the cast of the once-good "Desperate Housewives." She's young, intelligent and naturally gorgeous. That's gotta piss off most of the cast:

MISCHA BARTON is reportedly being lined up for a role in TV sensation DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES. After quitting THE OC - the teen show that made her famous - the British-born star is rumoured to be discussing a new role with Desperate Housewives creator MARC CHERRY. Cherry's spokesperson says, "He's interviewing and auditioning all the time. "I'm sure Mischa would be a welcome asset to the show but who knows what will happen?"

If Barton joined, she could add a breath of fresh air to the failing series, and some much needed competition to the older women on the cast. There are no cute 20-somethings on the show, and it would be a good idea to court Barton to sign on.

Here are pictures of Mischa's latest nip slip that you've probably already seen. They're NSFW.

Posted to Mischa Barton | Photos | Television

Jul
17

Mr. T to host self-help daytime talk show: "I Pity the Fool."

Mr. T is going to host a new talk show in which he capitalizes on his catchphrase and persona from "The A Team." He's not going to let people wallow in their mysery or phobias, and will help them snap out of it in harsh but understanding style. He says his show will not tolerate whiners:

He aspires to give Dr. Phil a run for his money, and on that subject observed: "My show ain't no Dr. Phil where people sit around crying [at this point, Mr. T affected a whiny voice], 'What's wrong with me, Dr. Phil? What's wrong with me, Dr. Phil?' You are a fool. That's what's wrong with you."

Similarly, when asked how he would counsel Tony Kornheiser, the Washington Post sportswriter who is afraid of flying but has taken a travel-intensive job in the Monday Night Football broadcast booth, Mr. T said: "Straighten up and stop being a coward. Don't be no fool. Get on that plane and fly, fool, fly."

Perhaps the best question of Mr. T's appearance this week before the Television Critics Association, a question admirable both for its cheek and succinctness, was: "Mr. T, why do you pity the fool?"

"That is a good question. That is a good question and a legitimate question," Mr. T replied. "And I'm the man to answer it. You pity the fool because you don't want to beat up a fool. You know, pity is between sorry and mercy. See, if you pity him, you won't have to beat him up. So that's why I say fools you gotta give another chance because they don't know no better."

That's awesome and it's too bad I live in Europe and will have to wait to watch it until it hits the Internet. With Mr. T hosting a talk show, the clips are sure to hit YouTube fast.

"I Pity the Fool" premieres on TVLand on October 11.

In related news, Mr. T has ditched his trademark pile 'o chains out of respect for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. He also says that celebrities shouldn't just pose with victims, they should do their best to help out:

"As a spiritual man, I felt it would be a sin against my God for me to wear all that gold again because I spent a lot of time with the less fortunate," he said.

Mr T also had some strong words to give to other celebrities after the disaster, "I saw some, I call it 'sorry celebrities'. They'll go down there and hook up with the people to take a photo-op."

"I said, 'How disgusting.' If you're not going to go down there with a cheque and a hammer and a nail to help the people, don't go down there".

This is a British source, so while I believe that Mr. T might have ditched his gold chains, I'm not quite so sure that he criticized celebrity volunteers so openly. He's trash-talking, but it seems out of character.

Mr. T has two different myspaces, but I doubt either is real.

Posted to Mr. T | Television

Jul
07

Shannon Doherty to co-host "The View": What could go wrong?

Shannon Doherty will appear as a guest co-host on the asanine roundtable women's talk show, "The View." The otherwise forgettable show made headlines with the high-profile exit of cohost and former fatty Star Jones last week. Jones royally pissed off Barbara Walters by blabbing that she was leaving two days before the announcement was planned. She also told People Magazine that she felt like she was fired, since her contract wasn't renewed. Now that Doherty is going to step in temporarily, we can all commence forgetting about Star:

Former BEVERLY HILLS, 90210 star SHANNEN DOHERTY will fill-in as a co-host on US talk show THE VIEW later this month (JUL06). The actress joins a growing list of guest co-hosts sitting in after the abrupt departure of STAR JONES REYNOLDS last week (27JUN06), after her contract was not renewed. Doherty's new reality show BREAKING UP WITH SHANNEN DOHERTY, premieres on the US Oxygen network next month (AUG06). She will join forces with people in relationship peril who want to get out of bad relationships, but can't seem to do it on their own. Doherty will guest co-host The View on 31 July and 1 August (06). Also scheduled to sit in as co-hosts are AMERICAN IDOL runner-up KATHARINE MCPHEE, DANCING WITH THE STARS winner KELLY MONACO and judge CARRIE ANN INABA. A permanent replacement for Jones Reynolds is expected to be named in the autumn (06).

Doherty seems like a good choice to fill in for Star on a trial basis, since she's also generally considered a bitch with no career prospects. I think the last thing I saw her in was "Scare Tactics" on the SciFi channel. (I really enjoyed that show actually. It was one of the more inventive and entertaining reality shows.) She is also starting a new reality show on the Oxygen network in which she gives advice to people who are breaking up with their romantic partners.

Singer Brandy is slated to guest host on The View tomorrow and People wonders if she could replace Star. For now all the guest hosts are auditioning and it seems like it will be a while before a replacement is announced.

Meanwhile Star Jones has a new job. She has a mere one-week hosting job on the rather boring "Househunters" on HGTV. I've seen that show about four times and it always turns out the same. I'd like to see a couple not find the perfect bungalow for once and just decide to stay in their current house.

Here is Shannon Doherty at various events looking smug as usual. [via] She is shown with her former "Charmed" co-star, Holly Marie Combs.

Posted to Photos | Shannon Doherty | Television

Jul
06

Survivor winner shoots a puppy, and is producing reality hunting show

2002 "Survivor: Thailand" winner Brian Heidik, 38, shot a defenseless puppy with a bow and arrow after coming home drunk at 3:30 in the morning. When his estranged wife asked him about it, he said he was "tired of stupid dogs on my back porch." Luckily for the puppy, Heidik is a bad shot:

At about 3AM, his wife called to report that he was outside and that he had shot a puppy that was on his property with an arrow and planned to shoot another one," Douglas County Chief Deputy Stan Copeland told The Associated Press.

The puppy, a 3-4 month old tan-and-black shepherd-hound mix, was reportedly shot below the rib cage but not seriously injured. Local animal control officers are scheduled to return both puppies to Jeff McCloud, a neighbor, on Thursday morning.

When sheriff's deputies arrived at the scene, Heidik, a 38-year-old former porn actor who was living in the Los Angeles area when he appeared on Survivor, allegedly attempted to flee in his car but was quickly caught and transported back to the Douglasville, GA home that he and his family had moved to in November 2004.

After Heidik was apprehended, Charmaine Heidik, a 34-year-old former porn actress and Playboy bunny who was charged with spousal abuse for punching Heidik back in November 2002, told the deputies that in addition to shooting the puppy, he had also hit her approximately ten days earlier on June 23. According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Charmaine Heidik told police that Heidik "had grabbed her by the face and pushed her down, bruising her forehead and elbow." Unspecified "evidence in the home" also reportedly supported the charge. The couple's son was also present in the home at the time of Heidik's arrest.

According to Charmaine Heidik, the puppy shooting followed a night in which Heidik had been out drinking with "buddies." After going to bed earlier in the night, she awoke to the sounds of a yelping dog at 3:30AM. Upon wandering out to the house's back porch, she saw Heidik holding the bow and arrow. "He just shoots the dog right in front of me," Charmaine Heidik told the Journal-Constitution. "I am tired of stupid dogs on my back porch," Heidik then allegedly remarked to her.

Heidik's defense was that he mistook the 3 month-old dog for a coyote that had killed two of his five year-old son's pet ducks.

Heidik appeared in several soft-core porn films before his "Survivor" win and says he is now producing a reality hunting show. He can't shoot or recognize prey, so it will either be a very bad or very entertaining series.

Heidik's wife says that he's never really adjusted to life post-Survivor and that he thinks he's "invincible."

The couple has several domestic battery incidents, with both Heidik and his wife alledging they were hit by the other. They are legally separated but have not yet filed for divorce.

Posted to Brian Heidik | Pets | SmartSmartSmart | Television

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Jul
02

Star Jones' career is totally over

Star Jones just can't stop opening her big mouth. She screwed herself out of a chance to exit The View gracefully by blabbing that she's leaving on air, and then telling People that she was fired. She should have taken producers' advice to "make up a story" about why she's no longer going to annoy the old ladies who watch The View with her shrinking presence. Instead she behaved as arrogantly as she always does and managed to royally piss off Barbara Walters.

Word is that she has almost no chance of getting another job in television now that she's poured gasoline over all her rickety bridges.

Shari Anne Brill, director of programming at Carat USA, said Jones Reynolds' 15 minutes of fame could be over after she unexpectedly announced her departure during a live broadcast.

"If she didn't have something in the works, that would be an extremely bad career move," explained Brill. "You don't diss your boss. That's a serious bridge to burn."

Especially when your boss is TV legend Walters.

One insider said Reynolds Jones is widely regarded as "unemployable" because of her reputation as a diva.

"Are people going to want to buy the trouble?" he said. "I don't think so.

"She has won some of the audience with her wounded doe act, but in a year's time they won't even remember who she is."

Another TV source shared doubts about the 44-year-old's future.

"Star has meetings scheduled on both coasts with possible employers," she said. "The blast of publicity over her firing will produce a lot of offers - or none at all.

"Some TV executives might be concerned that Star is not a team player."

Here's Star on The Today Show. She tries to compare herself to people screwed by big corporations like Enron or Tyco, but she's totally full of shit. She also says she made the announcement she was leaving on Tuesday instead of Thursday because of the "nastiness" in the media.

That's part 1 of 2. The second part is here.

She better get television coverage when she can, because she's talk show poison now.

Posted to Arrogant | Star Jones | Television

Jun
30

Paris Hilton is after German soccer player Lukas Podolski

Paris Hilton appeared on a German TV show yesterday wearing a custom-made soccer jersey with "Hilton" written on the back. She said she thought Germany's soccer player Lukas Podolski was "hot," but Podolski is from Poland and just plays for Germany.

Host Stefan Raab: "So, you like Lukas Pudolski?"

Paris: "I don't know him, I just think he's really good looking. He's an amazing player."

Stefan Raab: "First he comes from Poland, but then he comes from Cologne. You're single at the moment? Maybe I can arrange something between you and Lukas Podolski. Wouldn't it be nice? Paris Podolski?"

Paris, laughing: "I wish them luck on Friday."

Here's the clip, courtesy of The Wade Blogs:

Paris next directed an on-stage soccer tournament with blindfolded players shouting "Harder Harder! Kick it forward hard! Kick it in!" You can watch that segment here.

The Wade Blogs points out that Paris has been saying she wants to get with various soccer players as she promotes her album in Europe. Some of her quotes in the British press are rather suspect, though:

We will always have Paris... it turns out Hilton has been flapping about who she likes all across Europe as she flacks her new album. It was first reported in the UK's Sun that her soccer goals are as follows: 1. LUKAS PODOLSKI 2. FREDDIE LJUNGBERG 3.DAVID BECKHAM.

(excerpt) “I think Lukas is the sexiest man on the pitch. I would really like to meet him." In fact, she claims her life right now is all about soccer — and cooking. She enthused: “I am a keen football fan. And I can cook really well — although you wouldn’t think it to look at me.” Paris admitted she is keen to become a mum once she has found the right fella. She explained: “He needs to be honourable and make me laugh. I want a baby within the next five years.”

Pitch.. keen.. come on! There is no way our bubbly blonde uses English colloquialisms in her everyday vernacular. The above excerpt had to be penned by PR flack/hack. We sincerely doubt Paris has ever heard the word "keen" (in fact we'd bet the only keen she's ever heard are the Brit band named Keane). Next thing they are going to tell us is that Paris is burning to replace "That's hot" with her knew turn of phrase "That's keen."

Now that Paris has almost ruined the careers of quarterback Matt Leinart and hockey player Jose Theodore the sports world is interested in her. ESPN's Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon debated Paris' love life on their show "Pardon the Interruption" this week:

Kornheiser and Wilbon tried to decide how many athletes Paris will be "linked to" in her career. "There are boys in tee ball right now, who when they grow up, they will say, 'Let me at Paris Hilton!'" Wilbon said.

Wilbon went on to predict that Paris would be linked to 27 athletes by the end of the decade.

It does look like Paris is fixated on athletes, although some are bound to take their teammates advice like Matt Leinart and stay far away from the herpes-laden heiress.

Paris said earlier in this German interview "I think German guys are really hot." I can attest to that, since my husband is German. If the German game of the World Cup wasn't on now I might have asked him to translate some of the German in that video.

Germany is now playing Argentina in the World Cup, and Argentina is unfortunately up by one goal. Lukas Podolski got a yellow card four minutes into the game.

Update Germany won in nail-biting penalty kick overtime!

Here is Paris promoting her CD in Cologne on June 27th. She wearing those dumb yellow shoes with the giant bows again. [via]

Posted to Paris Hilton | Sluts | Sports | Television | Video

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Jun
29

Barbara Walters says bu-bye to Star Jones

You probably heard about Barbara Walters saying that Star made a surprise announcement that she was leaving "The View," and that she trumped her opportunity to do it "with dignity". She knew that she was leaving "for months" and just decided to blurt it out on the show and piss everyone off. Well now Star's not coming back, and the old ladies who live in Florida and make up the bulk of "The Views" audience will rejoice, along with all the rest of us who never watch that piece of crap show but still make fun of it.

Here's Barbara dissing Star:

And contrary to previous reports, Star has nothing lined up for her next gig at all. Maybe she'll go back to being a lawyer. Or she can go for the quick cash and become a spokesperson for the latest junky exercise equipment they're touting on late night infomercials.

Posted to Arrogant | Barbara Walters | Television

Jun
27

Star Jones says she was fired from "The View"

In news that's not surprising to anyone, Star Jones Reynolds tells People magazine that her contract was not renewed for her tenth season on the annoying women's talkshow, "The View," and that she she "feels" like she was fired. If they didn't renew your contract, you were fired, Star.

She announced this morning on the show that she will be leaving at the end of the season. Oh boo hoo:

"Something's been on my heart for a little bit, and after much prayer and counsel I feel like this is the right time to tell you that the show is moving in another direction for its tenth season and I will not be returning as cohost next year," she said on the air.

"That's shocking to me," interrupted Joy Behar, prompting Jones Reynolds to link hands with her cohosts.

Thanking the show's creator, Barbara Walters, "for giving me the opportunity of a lifetime," Jones Reynolds concluded by saying, "I'm not sure what the future holds, but I'm absolutely sure who holds the future."

After some discussion, Walters said, "It is a new chapter for Star. It will be a new chapter for The View in the fall."

So why is Jones Reynolds leaving? Contrary to speculation that she's unhappy about the upcoming addition of Rosie O'Donnell – one of her most vocal critics – to the show this fall, she reveals exclusively in this week's PEOPLE magazine that the departure was not her choice.

"What you don't know is that my contract was not renewed for the tenth season," she tells PEOPLE. "I feel like I was fired." She adds that she was told her contract wouldn't be renewed just days before news leaked that O'Donnell would be joining The View.

People promises to have more on the story, including Star dishing on Rosie O'Donnel's "hurtful" comments about her. O'Donnel said it was strange that Star would admit to breast lift surgery, but not own up to gastric bypass surgery that is largely rumored to have been the cause of her massive weight loss. She has also brought attention to the elephant in the room - Jones' husband Al, who always played for the other team before he hooked up with the then-huge talk show host.

Rosie O'Donnel was handpicked by Barbara Walters for a cohost gig in what was interpreted as a bid to force Jones out. Unfortunately, Jones is said to have "signed a lucrative deal with another television outlet." Who would be dumb enough to hire her?

Does anyone watch this piece of crap "The View" anymore? I have seen clips online that are so annoying I can barely sit through a couple of minutes, not to mention a whole hour. I asked my mother if anyone she knew watches it, and she knows of two people. Her 67 year-old friend who holidays in Boca watches it, but she has a high tolerance for talk shows. The other woman is over 80, also lives in Florida, and only has basic cable.

Here's a clip of Sandra Bernhardt and her nastiness vs. Star Jones and her nastiness. That little stupid conservative chick from Survivor tries to get in an ill-informed political argument with Bernhardt, and Star tries to cut to commercial. People said it was a "catfight," but it was more like an annoying argument.

Here's Star Jones and her husband, Al, at The Apollo Theatre 2006 Spring Gala on 6/19.

Posted to Arrogant | Star Jones | Television

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Jun
05

Nicole Richie and Paris Hilton fight in absentia on screen - world yawns

Last night's first epside of the new season of "The Simple Life 4: We don't speak to each other" premiered on the E! Network. While the ratings haven't come out yet, we would assume it didn't draw the same audience as the 13 million viewer peak of the series' third season on Fox. (We thought "The Break Up" would tank too, so what do we know?)

"Simple Life 4" was originally going to have a "Bridezilla" theme as it followed the psuedo-celebrities as they planned their weddings to whomever they were engaged to at the time. When their relationships were discarded like last month's four-figure handbags, producers settled on a "wife swap" plot that falls flat.

The show is said to royally suck. Paris and Nicole get up to their normal cringe-worthy scripted hijinx - except this time they do it separately and with less panache.

There's another problem for E! Can dumb and dumber be as effective with each doing her own thing as they were together? Or would it be like Dean Martin without Jerry Lewis or cereal without milk -- dry and hard to swallow?

Faithful followers will have to wait and see. E! didn't send out review copies to everybody, but critics who have seen it say it's lost that certain something that made it a stupid classic of sorts.

The two do sort of run into each other in a Hollywood restaurant, according to the New York Daily News. And E!'s camera crews just happened to be there. Nicole sent a cookie over to Paris' table with a naughty note written in icing. Anyone who thinks all this isn't being staged to hype the show probably still believes in the Tooth Fairy.

The series has been turned into a contest with each of the two "girls" getting half the show. Sunday they fill in for a couple with a small daughter and a child on the way. The two pop tarts are never seen together and have different film crews, so their paths don't cross. Calling them "girls" really is fitting because they get to act like third-graders having a fight on the playground.

They take turns caring for the child, which sounds pretty scary, and doing hard chores like filling the dishwasher.

Here's a preview of the fourth season. The announcer speaks Dutch. Don't let that throw you, because the clip's in English and how much can they say about this crap anyway?

Here is Nicole Richie at MTV's "Spankin' New Sounds" on June 1st with Christina Milian [via] and flying out of San Diego supposedly on June 2nd. [via] (She's wearing the same dress so we would assume these pictures were taken on the same day.)

Posted to Fights | Nicole Richie | Paris Hilton | Television

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May
31

All rappers hate Oprah

Oprah has pissed off several hip hop stars including Ludacris, 50 Cent, and now Ice Cube. The rapper-actor has joined the chorus of male artists who claim that Oprah doesn't give them equal air time. Ice Cube makes a good point when he notes that Oprah puts rapists and child molestors on the air, but doesn't invite hip hop artists:

“I’ve been involved in three projects pitched to her, but I’ve never been asked to participate,” the rapper-actor tells FHM magazine. “For Barbershop, she had Cedric the Entertainer and Eve on, but I wasn’t invited. Maybe she’s got a problem with hip-hop.” Cube adds: “She’s had damn rapists, child molesters and lying authors on her show. And if I’m not a rags-to-riches story for her, who is?”

A few weeks ago Oprah gave a ridiculous excuse for her white middle-aged female-centric show, saying she loves hip hop and even has some black artists on her iPod:

"I listen to some hip-hop," she told DJ Ed Lover. "You know, I've been accused of not liking hip-hop and that's just not true. I got a little 50 (Cent) on my iPod. I really do. Love 'In Da Club.' ... Love that, and you know, love Jay-Z, love Kanye (West), love Mary J. (Blige)."

That's like Bill O'Reilly saying he has black and gay friends. (Ok, it's not that bad, but it's a pretty lame excuse.)

Maybe Oprah will realize that rap isn't taboo and that her audience likes a good story from any background. Africa is cool enough for Oprah, but black culture in America is something she filters through her clueless, snotty viewpoint. She's old and richer than everyone in the world. It's about time she realized her show can't remain relevant and retires.

Posted to 50 Cent | Ice Cube | Ludacris | Oprah | Television

May
25

Taylor Hicks is the new American Idol

Prince made a surprise performance in the finale of American Idol last night, despite passing up a guest judge opportunity by refusing to meet with contestants. He is also said to hate the show and to have never watched it. That didn't stop him from cashing in on the show's astronomical ratings though.

Music stars were paired with past Idol contestants for the other performances:

Last season's victor, Carrie Underwood of Checotah, Oklahoma, opened the finale, joining Hicks and McPhee on "I Made it Through the Rain" and later soloing on "Don't Forget to Remember Me"...

Other pairings of contestants and stars included Paris Bennett and Al Jarreau; McPhee and Meat Loaf; Chris Daughtry and Live; Elliott Yamin and Blige; Hicks and Toni Braxton, and the dozen finalists with Burt Bacharach and Dionne Warwick.

Prince was a surprise final performer, taking the stage for two songs, including "Satisfied" -- and without an "Idol" contestant alongside.

29 year-old Alabama soul singer Taylor Hicks was crowned the Idol on the fifth season of the show. His win was not surprising, as he was expected to beat polished Katharine McPhee, 22.

Idol continues to pull in impressive ratings.This year's season was the highest rated ever, with an average viewing audience of 30 million each week.

Here's a video of the announcement and part of Taylor's performance afterwards:

And here is Clay Aiken performing along with his impersonator:

Posted to American Idol | Music | Television

May
25

New "Simple Life" is simply unwatchable

The new "Simple Life" on the E! Entertainment Network, prophetically titled "Til Death Do Us Part," is so terrible that the NY Daily News gives it zero stars. News TV editor Richard Huff says that the Fox version was funny at least. Richie and Hilton never appear together in the new series due to their ongoing feud, but it's the terrible concept and bad execution in the latest installment of the faux reality show that make it cringe-worthy. Based on the preview of the first episode he screened, Huff calls it unwatchable.

The series, launching June 4 at 10 p.m. on E!, is a dreadful mess so devoid of any of the fun stuff that made the pairing of two rich girls engaging, when it aired on Fox in 2003, that it's not worth watching - ever...

Because the two women aren't talking in real life, the producers concocted a concept that has them separately filling in for a married pregnant woman with a young daughter.

"I'm the nice one; she's the evil one," Hilton tells the wife at one point of Richie.

The wife gives each of them a list of chores, ranging from taking care of the daughter to filling the dishwasher.

Richie, in full floozy form, asks if she should take care of hubby, too. "If you want me to sleep with him, let me know," Richie says. "How am I supposed to be pregnant if I don't sleep with your husband?"

The wife gasps. Viewers will, too, wondering why they stayed so long...

Nevertheless, the show goes downhill from there.

At one point, Nicole takes the husband to a strip club, and, oh, surprise, she gets the wife on the phone while he's surrounded by flesh. She also straddles him during Lamaze class to demonstrate sex while pregnant.

And after ordering pizza for her Lamaze class, Hilton acts like she's going to puke while watching a movie of a woman giving birth.

"This is a natural process," the instructor tells Hilton, barely holding back a laugh.

The fact is, the instructor might be the only person to laugh at this show. Most people might feel like Hilton watching the birthing movie.

I didn't like the original "Simple Life" and felt uncomfortable watching the girls pull such immature pranks. If this reviewer thought the Fox version was good, the new season must be terrible.

Richie got producers threatened two months ago by asking an 11 year-old boy on the street if he thought she was a MILF during filming. When the boy confessed he didn't know what it meant she explained the acronym in foul detail. The boy's parents complained about the incident and refused to sign a release allowing the clip to be used. That's not funny, and it seems safe to say that nothing else about "Til Death Do Us Part" is funny, either.

Here are some older images from this year's filming of "The Simple Life."

Posted to Nicole Richie | Paris Hilton | Television

May
25

The Dixie Chicks piss off "The View"

The Dixie Chicks have refused to appear on the dumb women's roundtable talk show, "The View," saying they have to be selective about the shows they choose. They mentioned "The View" specifically in an interview with Time Magazine, saying that they use Bruce Springsteen as their model for publicity choices, and that he would never appear on the show:

"Natalie [Maine's] new motto is, 'What would Bruce Springsteen do?'" says [Emily] Robison, laughing. "Not that we're of that caliber, but 'Would Bruce Springsteen do The View?'" They're not doing The View.

This pissed off "View" cohost Joy Behar so much that she ripped up the article on the air:

After reading the article, angry The View co-host JOY BEHAR ripped up the offending interview live on air yesterday (23MAY06), declaring, "They're.. not doing... The View.

"It's one thing to diss the (GEORGE W) BUSH administration, it's treason to diss The View."

What a idiot Joy Behar is. She may be the token liberal on the show before Rosie joins, but she's not acting like it. The Dixie Chicks are ahead of their time. They criticized George Bush back when it was taboo, but now everyone hates the murdering son of a bitch. We think their refusal to do "The View" is a harbinger of the shows demise, and that most of the cohosts will go on to fabulous careers as spokespeople on infomercials.

The Dixie Chicks aren't too good for XM Satellite Radio. They are shown performing on May 23rd on "Artist Confidential" in the pictures below. They are also seen at Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People event on May 8th.

Posted to Dixie Chicks | Music | Politics | Television | pResident Bush

May
24

Borat at Cannes (Topless sunbathers NSFW)

Borat hit Cannes with a bevy of cute women that were probably picked up on the beach for his photo op. In case you're not familiar with Borat, he's Sasha Baron Cohen, Ali G's alter ego from Kazakhstan. He gets up to silly antics with less famous people than Ali G interviews. The Kazakhstani government is pissed that Borat tries to portrays their country like it's full of backwards yokels who abuse women. Most people just think he's funny and don't care that he makes fun of a nation of people.

Here is an 8 minute video of Borat visiting a dating service and getting advice from a dating expert. One of his qualifications for a potential mate is that "She must be tight, like a man's anus." If that's the case he may hurt the poor woman, because he claims to be big, "like a can of Pepsi."

And here are some pictures of his arrival at Cannes. His footwear is the best.There are ass pictures and some topless sunbathers that are NSFW.

Posted to Borat | Funny | Sacha Baron Cohen | Television | Video

May
24

Jennifer Lopez to get her own MTV reality show

Jennifer Lopez, who may be pregnant finally depending on how much evidence you need, is going to get her own reality show on MTV in which she auditions dancers for an excuse to make a show about their hard knock life:

Jennifer Lopez is set to star in a new MTV reality series called 'Moves'.

The 'Jenny From The Block' singer - who originally found fame on US comedy series, 'In Living Colour' - will select and audition dancers to star in a show which follows their constant struggle to get their big break.

She said: "I started out as a dancer, and I know what that world is. These dancers have dedicated their lives to this. It's something they do only out of love.

"It's a tough life, and I want to show that struggle."

I don't know about Lopez's "dancing out of love" comment. Dancers must enjoy it or they wouldn't make it their career, but J.Lo's dancing career was easily abandoned for singing and acting, and it seems like she does it out of pure ambition.

Lopez has somehow avoided a lawsuit for pulling out of her strange handful of tour dates in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. She promised to reimburse concert promoters for costs incurred in preparing for the shows she pulled out of, and they have agreed not to sue her.

She is also quoted as saying that thinking about her ex, Ben Affleck, and his new family makes her depressed.

The Latino star admitted the thought of Ben and Jennifer Garner and their new baby makes her sick reports Female First UK.

Jennifer told Britain's Star magazine: "Just raising the subject depresses me."

The Latin beauty - who has made no secret of her desire to have children with husband Marc Anthony - is reportedly pregnant. Lopez is due to give birth around Christmas, a source told America's In Touch magazine.

So far the only source for J.Lo's supposed pregnancy seems to be In Touch magazine. We'll believe it when and if she looks further along.

Header image is of Lopez on May 19th at her husband Marc Anthony's concert in Columbia. Picture from Go-JLo.com.

Posted to J.Lo | Jennifer Lopez | Music | Television

May
19

Mischa Barton's character on The O.C. died in a car crash

Mischa Barton's character on The O.C., Marissa, died last night in the season finale in a tragic car crash while her on-screen boyfriend, Ryan, was driving. This came as a surprise to almost no one. Marissa's death was rumored for a while, although it was originally said that she would die of a drug overdose. Barton spilled the beans to Access Hollywood before the finale that her character would die:

Marissa's death came at the end of an otherwise upbeat episode.

The class of 2006, which includes Marissa, Ryan, Seth and Summer, graduated from Harbor High School. Seth and Summer were accepted by the same college. Ryan was reunited with his mother, who gave him a Land Cruiser as a graduation gift. Marissa's mom gave her a pearl necklace, while her dad gave her an opportunity to work with him on a yacht set to sail around the Greek islands.

Ryan was taking Marissa to the airport in his new SUV when they were antagonized at high speed by a drunken and vengeful Volchok, who they both had a history with. Volchok swigged from a flask as he chased the pair in his car.

Ryan lost control of the Land Cruiser and crashed, the vehicle rolling off the road. He pulled Marissa from the wreckage just before the vehicle caught fire.

There, on the side of the road, she died in his arms.

That's so sad for Marissa and Ryan and I would have been crying if I lived in the states and could have watched it.

Here's the trailer for next season of The O.C.:

Just seeing that brief montage gives me goosebumps!

Here are pictures of Barton getting swag at the Lucky magazine club on 5/17 and in Grand Central station later that day at the Chanel collection party. She is shown with Karl Lagerfeld.

Posted to Mischa Barton | Television

May
11

Jessica Simpson loses her best friend

Cacee Cobb, Jessica Simpson's closest friend and personal assistant for over two years, has moved on to other things. She celebrated her last day on the job May 7th:

After more than two years as Jessica Simpson’s personal assistant, CaCee Cobb finally told her childhood friend that she wanted out. On May 7, Cobb celebrated her last day on the job with friends at Arnie Morton’s Steakhouse in L.A. Fighting tears, Simpson, 25, raised her glass and said to Cobb, “You are my best friend. I will be your best friend forever.” Simpson’s rep conCOURTNEY HANDEL, 23, told a number of jewellery and cosmetics companies that she was CACEE COBB (corr) in an effort to procure free items and gifts.firms the professional parting of ways to Us, “It’s true. They remain close.”

A woman impersonating Cacee was arrested last summer after scoring nearly $12,000 in free stuff by capitalizing on Cacee's association with Jessica Simpson:

COURTNEY HANDEL, 23, told a number of jewellery and cosmetics companies that she was CACEE COBB (corr) in an effort to procure free items and gifts."

Jessica seems to have replaced Cacee as a best friend with hairstylist Ken Paves. They're photographed everywhere together.

Here's a nearly ten-minute clip from Newlyweds featuring Cacee after she moved in briefly with Nick and Jessica. The best part is Jessica saying that male ballerinas are called "Ballerino," the "masculine form" of the word.

People are saying that Cacee has hooked up with Nick Lachey, since she spent nearly a half hour talking to him at a club last week. They know each other well, and it doesn't seem like it means much.

Here is Jessica outside a NYC recording studio yesterday. [via] and [via]

May
10

Britney Spears confirms her pregnancy to Letterman

Britney Spears make a surprise visit to the David Letterman show last night. She joked a little with Dave, confirmed her pregnancy and read the Top Ten.

Referring to earlier banter with Paul Shaffer about Britney's possible pregnancy, Letterman said to Britney "Are we on to something here?"

"Don't worry Dave, it's not yours."

Britney looked happy and seemed excited to be there, but she kept kicking her legs, which made her come off as nervous. She was also chewing gum! You're not supposed to chew gum during a television appearance!

After Britney read the Top Ten "Suprises of the Bird Flu Movie," skipping the word "Tamiflu" because it was too hard, Dave said "So, we've established that you are in fact pregnant?"

"Yes."

Here's the best video currently on YouTube. Once a better one is up, we'll post it.

CBS also has a video online through the Late Show website but it's in Real Player format, which won't install for us here, and you may need to disable pop-up blockers and use IE. It's way too much work and those idiots need to update their website. Real Player went out in 1999, why are they still in business anyway?

Pictures [via]

Posted to Babies | Britney Spears | Photos | Television | Video

May
09

Star Jones to really get the boot from "The View"

Everyone was speculating that Star Jones wasn't long for The View after straight-talking Rosie O'Donnell was handpicked by Barbara Walters to replace Meredith Vieira. It turns out that people were right, because Page Six is reporting that an insider has confirmed that Star will be exiting the show.

STAR Jones Reynolds has been told to hitch up her hefty wagonload of freebies and waddle off into the sunset, sources say.

ABC will announce this week that the big-boned talking head is out at "The View," a source close to the inner workings of the late-morning gabfest tells Page Six. What network brass won't say is that she's being unceremoniously ousted at the direct behest of the show's grand dame Barbara Walters and the incoming Rosie O'Donnell.

"It was always Rosie's condition of joining the show, and Barbara agreed to those conditions from the outset," our source said. The network and Jones are now concocting a face-saving scenario in which Jones will be touted as moving on to pursue important new projects.

How Jones' star has fallen - just a few weeks ago, she had hoped to succeed Meredith Vieira as the moderator of the crew.

But Walters wasn't going to let that happen because "she hates her. Really can't stand her," a source told us last week. O'Donnell was recruited quickly after Vieira announced she was jumping to "Today."

Oprah's best friend, Gayle King, is said to be considered for Star's soon to be vacant post. We can't wait to see what crappy non-job Star gets next. She'll probably be out of work for a while until she breaks down and becomes the spokesperson for a diet or fitness-related product. She's already shilling payless shoes, and has no scruples about what she'll endorse to get free shit or cash.

Here she is with her husband at the The Playboy Club party on 5/5 hosted by the 2006 Playboy Playmate of The Year. At least she doesn't have to worry about him checking out the bunnies.

Posted to Arrogant | Rosie O'Donnell | Star Jones | Television | Weight Loss

May
09

Lindsay Lohan, the hardest working cokehead in show business, does TRL

Lindsay Lohan appeared on MTV's Total Request Live yesterday, capping off a day of more hard work giving interviews and showing up for stuff.

Here's a blurry video of her appearance:

She seems out of it and defensive, and she really needs to rest. On the Today Show yesterday she said she works harder than her friends' parents, and is the hardest working person she knows. Matt Lauer questioned her about substance abuse, and of course she denied she had a problem, talking rapidly and sniffing all the while.

Here is Lohan on TRL and a couple of candids of her out in NY with a new boyfriend(?) [via]

Pink is the New Blog has another recent picture of her with a different guy in what looks like an ad.

Update: the guy is 20 year-old James Burke, a model/musician who has also dated Kate Moss.

Posted to Lindsay Lohan | Television | Video

May
08

That 70s Show wrap party

That 70s show is ending its eight-year run with a finale to air May 18th. Aston Kutcher became famous during his run on the show. Topher Grace also made the transition to the big screen, while Wilmer Valderrama became known for screwing starlets:

These were actors in their formative years.

"I went to Wilmer's high school graduation," Rupp says. "He called and said, "Mrs. Debra Jo, will you come to my graduation?' "

Two of the young actors weren't working in their first language. Kunis was born in the Ukraine, moving to the United States at 7. Valderrama was born in Miami but moved to Venezuela at 3.

All seemed to capture a world that seemed low-key and goofy...

Mostly, these teens horsed around in the Forman basement. Upstairs, Red and Kitty ranged from lust to arguments.

"Kitty was the final word," Rupp says. "She was a feisty little thing."

Meanwhile, the kids drifted through life. Eric moved in and out of his relationship with Donna (Prepon), the girl next door.

Capturing its old-young audience, "That '70s Show" did fairly well in the ratings. In recent years, only a few shows ("Seinfeld," "Friends" and "Everybody Loves Raymond") have drawn better Nielsen ratings in afternoon reruns.

Some of the actors have gone on to bigger things. Grace and Kutcher have moved on to film.

"Ashton, from the beginning, was a go-getter," Rupp says.

Now they've reconvened for a finale. Even on TV, the 1970s must come to a close.

The wrap party for the series was held on Saturday night in Los Angeles. Topher Grace was noticeably absent from the party but Ashton Kutcher showed up with his old lady, Demi Moore, and her daughter Rumer. Other cast and friends shown include Don Stark, Kurtwood Smith, Laura Prepon, Mila Kunis, Debra Jo Rupp, Wilmer Valderrama, Josh Meyers, Chris Masterson and Melissa Joan Hart.

May
05

Mischa Barton to get killed off The O.C.?

Spoiler alert - if we haven't already spoiled it for you. Sorry about that.
Mischa Barton's character on The O.C., Marissa Cooper, may die of a drug overdose. Barton has several films coming up and is said to be tired of her ongoing role on the series:

Mischa Barton is being killed off in The O.C. The brunette star's troubled character, Marissa Cooper, is to reportedly exit the hit US teen drama after taking a drugs overdose. A source revealed: "Mischa is definitely going. She hasn't been happy for a while and producers think its best she leaves. It is the perfect end to the current series."

News of Mischa's departure comes in the wake of reports suggesting she was trying to get fired from the show by pulling a host of sickies. The 20-year-old actress allegedly had become worried about the show's spiralling ratings and concerned about being typecast as a teen brat.

According to reports, in the last few months Mischa has frequently called in sick or arrived late on set to the displeasure of her bosses.

Marissa had a near-brush with death when she took a handful of prescription drugs while in Mexico in season one of The O.C. Ryan found her passed out, heroically saving her just in time. It will be a sad end to her character, and that's too bad that she's not waiting out the end of the series.

O.C. creator Josh Schwartz says the show will go on for one more year, and that there will be a major plot climax at the end of this season. It sounds like he might be talking about Marissa's death.

I think we've got at least one more good year in us, so we're going to do some pretty radical stuff at the end of this year. The season finale is going to be the craziest thing we've ever done and it will launch the show in a whole new direction next year. So I'm excited about next season. And then beyond, I don't know. We'll see.

Here is Barton with Hayden Christensen in their film in production, The Decameron, a love story set in the middle ages. It is listed on IMDB with the title Guilty Pleasures.

Pictures [via]

Posted to Mischa Barton | Television

May
05

Star Jones exposed to HIV (not what you think); Oprah's BFF to replace her

No, not in the obvious way. At least according to this story. The hospital where Star had the gastric bypass surgery that she refuses to admit to had a problem sterilizing its equipment. So this isn't as sensational a story as we were hoping, either, sorry about that:

May 4. Talk show host Star Jones refuses to talk about how she managed to lose more than 100 pounds. But tabloids have reported that Jones achieved her massive weight loss by undergoing gastric bypass surgery at a San Diego hospital.

MediaTakeOut.com has just learned that the hospital where Star is reported to have undergone the surgery is warning its patients that they may have been exposed to HIV. Administrators at Scripps Memorial Hospital in San Diego told patients yesterday that because a nurse failed to properly clean instruments used in stomach-reduction surgery, they may have been exposed to the virus.

According to Don Stanziano, a spokesman for the hospital, "the risk (of HIV exposure) is extremely low but to be safe and take every precaution, we are having blood drawn and tested." Stanziano also told MediaTakeOut.com that state health officials are investigating the nurse's failure to properly sterilize the equipment.

[via]

If all this is true, and not some kind of conspiratorial cover up for the fact that Star's husband infected her (we did not come up with this, the bulletin board where we found the news mentioned it first), then hopefully nothing happened to her, and she'll be able to get on with her career of becoming the spokesperson for hemorrhoid cream after she gets booted off The View.

Oprah's best friend, Gayle King, is said to be in the running for Star's place on The View. Star is not considered long for the show now that Rosie is taking Meredith Vieira's seat. Star's contract is up in September:

Here we go: the biggest rumor of the week has Gayle King, Oprah Winfrey’s best friend, confidante and employee taking a seat behind the desk at "The View."

King would be the perfect replacement for Meredith Vieira and Star Jones, that is if the latter decides to move on—or is pushed. King is a journalist and African American; she meets the criteria I suggested was needed here a few days ago.

Now, insiders say it’s not happening but other sources tell me oh yes it is. King did not return a call yesterday. But those close to new addition Rosie O’Donnell say she’s not only crazy about the idea, but would let King moderate the show if she wanted to.

Nearly anyone would make a better cohost then Star.

Posted to Plastic Surgery | Star Jones | Television

May
05

Michelle Rodriguez Interview and Total Request Live Appearance

Michelle Rodriguez appeared on MTV's Total Request Live and Good Morning America yesterday. Her character was killed off this week's episode of Lost, but she has played it off and insists it's not due to her legal trouble:

The GIRL FIGHT star's finale aired in America on Wednesday night (03MAY06) just days after her release from a Hawaii prison, where she served time for drink driving.

But she insists her legal problems had nothing to do with her departure from the show - she had always planned to quit the series before she became a regular member of the cast.

And now she's keen to get on with her post-Lost life.

She says, "I planned it. When I signed on I kind of wanted (an) exit. I'm a gypsy, man. I need to be doing different things every year.

"I stays (sic) in one place too long, I get in trouble..."

Here's a Good Morning America interview with Michelle and a quick recap of her death and love scene on Lost. She said that her death was planned from the beginning, but that she didn't tell the other castmembers. She also said that her arrest taught her that it's time to grow up.

Here are pictures of Michelle on Total Request Live [via] and some candids of her in Hollywood after being released from jail. [via] She must use the same cosmetic dentist as Hillary Duff.

Posted to Michelle Rodriguez | Television | Video

May
03

Tom Cruise outside The Late Show yesterday

Tom Cruise and Jamie Oliver appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman last night. CBS has a video clip (link leads to page, not direct video) of the episode, but I turned off pop-up blocking in both Firefox and IE and could not get it to work. It's probably because I refuse to install RealPlayer. Maybe you'll have better luck with it.

Tom has written a rambling article for Time's 100 People Who Shape Our World issue in which he praises MI3 director J.J. Abrams. His writing reminds me of this crazy guy I worked for in 1998 who ran a dot com. He used words like synergy and turn-key and it was impossible to figure out what he was talking about. (Here's a web economy bullshit generator that can give you a good idea.)

Some choice excerpts from Tom's article:

It's hard to convey with brevity the extraordinary experience of knowing and working with J.J. Abrams. First of all, is there anything in a name—J.J.? Look at the Jays we have now—Jay Leno, J. Lo, Jay-Z—but he's got two Js. He was born to impinge and invade pop culture. Any person who has been exposed to his TV creations Alias or Lost has felt the rapture of his storytelling. He is a story dealer. He delivers what could be called the Lay's of yarns: you can't watch just one. I watched all of Alias' first season in two days, pushing all aside to the near destruction of my personal and business life. I had to tear myself away...

From the very beginning, there was an insouciance that promised anything was possible. He's a creative juggernaut and someone who recognizes the joy of creating.

[via]

Doesn't Tom have someone that could have edited this for him? It's terrible!

Posted to SmartSmartSmart | Television | Tom Cruise

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May
01

Daytime Emmy awards picture post

We know you were anxiously waiting for these pictures of your favorite soap stars and talkshow hosts at the Daytime Emmy awards last Friday. Highlights include Star Jones showing off her new boobs, Martha Stewart looking smug and polished, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia DeRossi cute 'n cuddly, Cady McClain of All My Children in a too-short babydoll dress, and Sean Young a typical mess.

Ellen DeGeneres remains everyone's favorite talk show host and took home the award in that category for a second year in a row. Guilding Light also won big:

CBS' "Guiding Light" led the 33rd annual Daytime Emmys with four awards, but ABC's "General Hospital" won for best drama series during Friday's ceremony in Hollywood, the first time the event has taken place outside of New York.

Meanwhile, "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" won the best talk show host award for a second year and best talk show for a third. The ceremony, which was hosted by Tom Bergeron and Kelly Monaco, was broadcast on ABC from the Kodak Theater.

"Guiding Light" nearly swept the other acting categories. Kim Zimmer, who plays Reva Lewis, won her fourth Daytime Emmy for lead actress, and three other cast members won their first Daytime Emmy: Jordan Clarke, who plays Billy Lewis, won for supporting actor; Gina Tognoni, who portrays Dinah Marler, won supporting actress; and Tom Pelphrey, who plays Jonathan Randall, won in the younger actor category.

Jennifer Landon, who portrays Gwen Norbeck on CBS' "As the World Turns," won her first Daytime Emmy, in the younger actress category. Onstage, the actress thanked her family, including her father, the late Michael Landon.

Here are pictures of the arrivals including:
Susan Lucci, Sean Young, Portia de Rossi, Ellen DeGeneres, Al Reynolds, Star Jones Reynolds, Ashley Jones, Barbara Walters, Bobbie Eakes, Corbin Bernsen, Amanda Pays, Lisa Rinna, Martha Stewart, Maria Conchita Alonso, Melody Thomas Scott, Tracey Bregman, Lorenzo Lamas, Hunter Tylo, Kristian Alfonso, Alec Musser, Antonio Sabato Jr., Anya Monzikova, Bobbie Eakes, Bree Williamson, Cady McClain, Crystal Chappell, Carroll Spinney with Oscar The Grouch, Davetta Sherwood, Bryton McClure, Michelle Ray Smith, Michael Graziadei, Rachael Ray, Schae Harrison, Seven and McKenzie Westmore, and Sherri Saum.

Posted to Awards | Ellen DeGeneres | Photos | Star Jones | Television

May
01

Why Michelle Rodriguez really wanted to go to women's prison

Lost star Michelle Rodriguez, 27, picked five days in prison, with credit for time served, instead of performing the equivalent of six weeks of weekday community service for her second DUI offense. It seemed like she was being arrogant and just wanted to get it over with.

She may have had another motivation for opting for close quarters with other women. News of the World has an unsurprising but titillating account of Michelle's hot romps at lesbian clubs in NY and Miami:

Sexy Michelle found just what she was looking for at a New York club's gay night, rubbing her boobs against a stunning babe during some very dirty dancing.

And on a visit to Miami's Skybar the star—who was jailed for five days this week after admitting drink-driving—stripped off to go skinny dipping with a naked girl.

One onlooker at New York's Duvet club said: "She set the place on fire and nobody could take their eyes off her, she was so sexy."

Dressed in skin-tight striped trousers and a white vest, Michelle romped with her new pal on one of the club's king-size beds. The onlooker said: "She was certainly not a shy girl as she pushed her breasts against the other girl's boobs and moaned in her ear.

"It was the sexiest thing anyone had ever seen. Michelle was totally hot that night and she knew it. She seemed to be going from woman to woman, nuzzling her face in their breasts. She couldn't keep her hands to herself. She looked like she was in heaven."

[via]

She's an unapologetic woman, and probably won't care that this news gets out. News of the World quotes her as saying "I'm glad [men] stay away because they consider me intimidating or gay or whatever. It weeds out all the jerks."

Warning Lost spoiler ahead

Michelle and Cynthia Watros, both stars on Lost, were arrested December 1, 2005 for DUI in Hawaii where the series was filming. Their characters may get killed off at the end of this season:

Now The ENQUIRER can exclusively reveal that ex-cop Ana Lucia (Rodriguez) and therapist Libby (Watros) will wind up goners on the series. A graveside scene in which the pair is laid to rest, with the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815 gathered around to pay their respects, has already been filmed.

"It's a done deal — Michelle and Cynthia's characters will die by the season's end," a set insider admitted.

You can't mess around if you're on Lost. Anyone can die at any time on that series.

Rodriguez may get even more jail time. She faces sentencing in a separate DUI case in LA on May 5th.

Sorry that these pictures of Michelle getting all sexy with other women are low res. Maybe some better versions will come out soon.

Posted to Michelle Rodriguez | Sexy | Television

Apr
28

Rosie O'Donnell is the the new co-host on "The View"

Rosie O'Donnell will take over Meredith Vieira's spot on "The View." Other women who were said to be in the running for the position were Connie Chung, Patricia Heaton and Soledad O'Brien.

Dubbed "The Queen of Nice" when her syndicated talk show went on the air in 1996 and became an instant hit, O'Donnell won six Daytime Emmy Awards in six years as best talk-show host. She left the show to help raise four children with her partner, Kelli Carpenter O'Donnell.

This could be interesting, but we're in Europe and have to rely on second-hand reports and the occasional YouTube video. That's not much of a sacrifice when it comes to this show, which we've never watched an entire episode of.

Rosie certainly had a fun talkshow in her time, she's liberal enough and she knows just about everything about pop culture. She's not a bad choice.

Rosie has some nice stories about hurricane survivors she's met posted on her blog, written in her unique poetic way.

Posted to Rosie O'Donnell | Television

Apr
27

Jennifer Garner is sad about Alias ending

Jennifer Garner has said that her ABC show Alias has run its course, but that she's sad to leave her character Sydney behind. It sounds like she's making the best of the situation:

"It definitely feels appropriate," Garner says. "To me, this show had a finite amount of stories that we could tell. The only reason I say that is not because of the writers, because they're geniuses, but part of their genius is that they shove a ton of story into every episode. So we've told, in five years, what some people would do in seven seasons.

"So, it feels like it's time. We've done Sydney right, and now it's time for her to go off into the sunset. But that does not mean that my heart doesn't break, and I'm not going through a total identity crisis, because I am."

Garner also missed doing her own stunts while she was pregnant, and was thrilled to get the change to jump off a ten-story building while filming the show last wekend:

She explained, "I haven't done any of that stuff since I've been pregnant, so I told the stunt coordinator, 'Let's do it, AFTER I put the baby to bed.'"

The star leaped off the ABC office building last Saturday while filming the final season of her hit TV series.

Garner added, "When am I ever going to get the chance to jump off of the ABC building again?"

Garner is a positive, friendly person and sounds so gracious in her comments about the series. Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow and Eva Longoria - take a note!

Here is Garner going to lunch with a friend at Spago. [via] (Pictures are low-res. Sorry about that.)

Posted to Jennifer Garner | Television

Apr
22

That 70s Show full 'o Scientologists is ending

Christopher Masterson from Malcolm in the Middle, and Laura Prepon of That 70s Show have been a couple for over five years and live together in a house in LA. They don't get a lot of press since they seem to live a low-key lifestyle.

Prepon's series, That 70s Show, will air its last episode on May 18th:

After eight seasons, 200 episodes and finishing 85th in the latest Nielsens, the comedy about life in Point Place, Wis., at a time when polyester bell-bottoms and Led Zeppelin eight-tracks were cool, airs its last new episode on May 18 at 8 p.m.

This underrated sitcom, which revolved around the kids in the basement including Mila Kunis, Topher Grace, Ashton Kutcher, Laura Prepon and Wilmer Valderrama, brought aboard loads of guest stars. Bruce Willis, Lindsay Lohan, Jessica Simpson, Alice Cooper and Mary Tyler Moore dropped in.

"The reason the show was a hit is simple. It was groovy," said Tom Werner, executive producer.

That 70s Show may have worn out its welcome after Topher Grace and Ashton Kutcher left last season. Still, most people on the website Jump The Shark think that the show has yet to go downhill.

We knew that Chris Masterson's brother, Danny Masterson of That 70s Show is a Scientologist, and unfortunately a half-assed Google search confirmed that Laura and Chris are also involved in the pop-psychology cult. According to the website The Truth about Scientology, Laura has completed 7 of the cult's courses while Chris has completed 11, suggesting that he is more involved than Laura.

Let's hope this cute couple is keeping their distance from the evil cult, and that they each make the transition onto the big screen.

Masterson's new film, Intellectual Property, was screened at the Newport Beach Film Festival, where these pictures were taken. Prepon does not have another project lined up at the moment, according to IMDB.

Posted to Christopher Masterson | Cults | Television

Apr
21

Boone and Shannon from "Lost" are dating offscreen

Maggie Grace and Ian Somerhalder were step-brother and sister Boone and Shannon on "Lost." A flashback on the show showed that their characters were once romantically involved, and Boone was killed off early in the series.

The actors are supposedly dating, and have been seen working out at the gym together:

The couple is regularly spotted out together in Los Angeles, but have tried to keep their budding relationship under wraps.

A source confirmed the romance to US Weekly magazine adding, "They stay out of the limelight, but they spend a lot of time hanging out and working out together at Gold's Gym (in Venice Beach).

"They kiss and hold hands when they come and go from the gym. You can tell they're a couple."

That's cute and they make a nice couple. Maybe we'll see candids of the two together soon.

Update: We were totally unaware that Somerhalder is widely considered gay. Sorry about that. The NY Daily News ran this blind item that is probably about the non-couple:

* Which fictitious romance between two not-currently-on-TV stars isn't even believed by the outlet that "broke the story?" He's going to have to butch up his posse if he wants to pull that one off.

Posted to Hookups | Ian Somerhalder | Maggie Grace | Television

Apr
20

Janice Dickinson to run a modeling agency on new reality show

Janice Dickinson is going to star in a reality series as she runs her own modeling agency in Hollywood. It's going to air on the network that no one watches, Oxygen. From what we saw on Surreal Life, she's unbalanced but that doesn't mean her show will be interesting.

The show was originally scheduled to start filming back in November, but just had its initial casting call for models yesterday, when these pictures were taken.

It's hard to resist publishing pictures of Dickinson, who pulls all sorts of stupid faces. She's a good candidate for the new site Buttafaces.com.

Posted to Janice Dickinson | Photos | Television

Apr
19

Tori Spelling's mom no longer talks to her

Tori Spelling's mom was said to be pissed that Tori was planning on making fun of her eBay obsession on her new faux-reality series for VH1, sonoTORIous. Now that the show has aired, with Loni Anderson playing Tori's bitchy mom, Tori's real mom won't even talk to her.

The show is less than kind in its portrayal of Candy Spelling, played by Loni Anderson, and the mother of the "Beverly Hills, 90210" star is reportedly so angry, she no longer speaks to her daughter, TMZ.com reported Wednesday.

Tori's divorce from Charlie Shanian is due to be finalized after a million-dollar wedding and a mere 14 months of marriage. She is now free to marry her fiance, Dean McDermott..

Here she is at the Hollywood Life Reception For "So noTORIous" at Pizarro Design Studio last night.

Posted to Parties | Photos | Television | Tori Spelling

Apr
18

Jennifer Aniston calls in to Oprah to deny wedding rumors

In a show titled "Tall Tales and Legends," Oprah took a call from Jennifer Aniston to clear up the rumor that Oprah will host Aniston and Vince Vaughn's wedding on her Chicago estate.

Oprah takes an important call at the studio to clear up these rumors, once and for all. Jennifer, who's currently starring in the movie Friends With Money, calls in to say the story is not true.

"[The rumors] are so unbelievable," Jennifer says. "For us, I guess, at a certain point, you have no other choice but to think it's funny."

Aniston also said that she's no longer house hunting in Chicago, saying, "No, I'm good, actually. I've got my house." She must have hired someone to kill off those pesky rabbits.

Oprah then revealed the true purpose of the show when she denied that she and her long-time boyfriend, Stedman Graham, are having relationship trouble.

Here are pictures from Aniston and Vaughn's movie, "The Breakup," which is due for release on June 2nd. [via] and [via]

Posted to Jennifer Aniston | Oprah | Television

Apr
18

Jennifer Garner to take time off after Alias wraps

Jennifer Garner said she's looking forward to a break from working after Alias wraps. She also said that she was quite embarassed by the birth scene in Alias, and that it was difficult for her to film around the male crew of "Alias," with whom she's grown close over her years on the series:

The sexy new mom will reveal to Extra that the scene where she gives birth on the TV show was "the single most embarrassing thing I've ever done on the show. Guys this is not what it was like for me" - she tells the crew - "turn your heads."

Alias will be on ABC this week in a two hour episode that shows Garner giving birth:

Virginia Rohan reports that the Emmy-winning spy drama returns to ABC's lineup this week with a two-hour "event" that includes the birth of her agent Sydney Bristow's baby and the reappearance of the presumed-dead Michael Vaughn (Michael Vartan).

Garner says she's going to take time off, but that doesn't necessarily mean that she doesn't have any projects lined up. It was reported at the end of March that she is going to get nude in an upcoming erotic thriller. It doesn't bode well for her nude scene that she was so shy about portraying the act of childbirth for Alias.

Garner celebrated her birthday on the set of Alias. She turned 34 on April 17th.

Here are pictures of Garner visiting a friend in East Hollywood [via ] and celebrating her birthday on the set of Alias. She is shown dancing on the beach when a plane flies overhead with a "Happy Birthday" sign for her. The baby she is holding is for the show, and is not her four month-old, Violet, who was reportedly on set with her.

Posted to Babies | Jennifer Garner | Television

Apr
17

Lindsay Lohan on Saturday Night Live

We have plenty of Lindsay news and pictures today. Lohan made her second appearance on Saturday Night Live this week. She first appeared on the show in May, 2004. Commentors on the bulletin board where we found the pictures noted that she was funny in a couple of skits, but that the dialogue was bad.

Here's a video of one of Lohan's skits on SNL. She plays the fictional hip-hop artist "ambience" in an MTV parody. Wait until the video loads and then move the bottom cursor to the middle because she doesn't come on until halfway through, and the rest is not worth watching.

Here are screencaps of Lindsay on the show and arriving at the after party.

Pictures [via] and [via]

Posted to Lindsay Lohan | Photos | Television | Video

Apr
14

Britney Spears in talks for new TV series

Britney Spears has met with Will and Grace producers to discuss an ongoing role in school-based sitcom, "Dentention":

The 24-year-old attended the meeting to talk about a role in an ensemble sitcom about teachers, tentatively titled Detention.

During the two-hour meeting in late February, the singer read lines from a script and confessed she was "aching to give acting a go," according to Us Weekly magazine.

Spears guest starred alongside Hayes on Will & Grace last month, appearing as a conservative talk show host.
A source close to the actor says, "Having seen the way Britney works, he knows she has potential."

One of the producers' main concerns was that the pop star was pregnant with her second child.

The source adds, "First, she laughed and said, 'Do I look it?' Then she assured them that she wouldn't jeopardize a new project.

Britney is said to be very interested and is looking forward to the project. We don't think she can act, but it's likely she'll get the role anyway.

Meanwhile Britney is said to be pushing K-Fed to enroll in charm school, but he predictably doesn't want to go:

A friend of the couple tells In Touch that Britney, 24, wants Kevin to enroll in a "charm school" workshop with Beverly Hills therapist Dr. Irene Kassorla. "Kevin is in dire need of a makeover," their pal adds. "This class could be just what the doctor ordered. It's Chivalry 101!" But making him over won't be easy. "Kevin is fighting her on this," the friend says. "He cut back on his partying and cut his hair for her. But going to therapy to turn him into a gentleman is not something he is excited about." But Britney still hopes that with a little effort--and a bit of education--her frog may someday turn into a prince.

You can't change a guy, Britney, that's why you don't marry the guys you date in your early twenties.

Here are a bunch of different looks that Britney has sported recently, as shown on People Online. [via]

Posted to Britney Spears | Kevin Federline | Television

Apr
08

Kevin Federline feels lame because his wife is so much better than him

Kevin Federline and Britney Spears are reportedly fighting because KFed feels that Britney steals all the attention at events promoting his album. Both Star Magazine and Life and Style report that Federline feels lame because he can't get any recognition on his own. The gossip rags have a similar take on Kevin's promotional appearance at Club X in Dallas on April 1st.

Life and Style reports:

But the crowd responded differently when Britney Spears arrived. “Kevin performed a few songs live from the DJ booth,” Mike Esterman, who booked the party, tells Life & Style.

“But when Britney walked in, the crowd went crazy.”

“It’s always about Britney — or Britney and Kevin as a couple — but these events are about Kevin,” says a K-Fed insider, who adds that Kevin arrived at the club solo to keep the spotlight on him only. (Brit arrived about half an hour later.) “I’m not even sure Kevin thought she was coming, because he was just focusing on himself.”

And Star says:

"Kev wanted Brit to back off some," a club insider tells Star People.

"He didn't want her there to steal his thunder. He feels that whenever Britney is around, she inevitably gets all the attention. However, a source close to Britney, 24, says she's the one who's mad, thanks to Kevin, 28, and his oversize ego.

"What he doesn't seem to understand," the source fumes, "is that the only reason anyone is interested in him is because he's Britney Spears' husband. He would not have an album if it weren't for Britney."

While Britney's right about being the bigger star, she has mistaken ideas about where she should focus her efforts. She seems to think her forgettable drop-in appearance on Will and Grace is the beginning of an actual acting career:

In Touch Weekly reports that after that recent performance on “Will and Grace” Spears is hoping to become a TV star. The reviews weren't pretty - and the weekly magazine displays [some] in their Friday edition.

“She hasn’t stretched this much since she took on the role of impressive pop singer.”
— Neal Justin, staff writer, Minneapolis Star Tribune

“She has no presence, she struck awkward poses in terribly unflattering outfits and the drawl wasn’t very convincing.”
— Matt Roush, senior TV critic, tvguide.com

In case you doubt these negative reviews, you can watch Britney's "acting" for yourself. She is a bigger star than her husband - but she's a pop singer, not an actress:

Posted to Britney Spears | Kevin Federline | Relationship trouble | Television | Video

Apr
07

The Simpsons can never make fun of Scientology

Nancy Cartwright, the voice of Bart Simpson, Nelson Muntz, Ralph Wiggum and Todd and Rod Flanders on The Simpsons got extremely offended by a minor veiled reference to Scientology written into The Simpsons and had it cut. Cartwright is a member of the cult of Scientology, and like Isaac Hayes she could always threaten to quit if her precious cult was satirized:

The proposed line to be spoken by Bart went something like this, “Mormonism? That’s the second freakiest religion in America!”

One guess who must be the first “freakiest”?

Cartwright certainly got the joke, but she didn’t like it, so the show dumped it according to insiders.

So even a purported allusion to Scientology got the axe at the Fox show.

No one would dare cross Cartwright - she's essential to the show as the voice of Bart and it would be impossbile to replace her. The Simpsons did kill off one character. Maude Flanders died when it was rumored that voice actress Maggie Roswell asked for a raise in 1999. The Simpsons' cast also held a strike in the spring of 2004. It was resolved within a few weeks with a new multiyear contract, the details of which were not disclosed.

Scientology is such a powerful cult that they can dictate the plot of the worlds' most popular and longest running cartoon series. That's fucking wrong, and those people need to be stopped. The best way to counter Scientology is by learning about how ridiculous and exploitive it is and talking about it with people you know. It's not a legitimate religion and it should not have tax free status in America.

Posted to Arrogant | Cults | Simpsons | Television

Continue reading "Kate Beckinsale gets Punk'd by her ex boyfriend" »

Apr
06

Kate Beckinsale gets Punk'd by her ex boyfriend

Kate Beckinsale was the first celebrity Punk'd on this season's premiere of the MTV prank show on Monday. She was out to dinner with her ex, British actor Michael Sheen, when a fat guy hit on her while he was away from the table. When Sheen returned, he lashed out at another man, believing he was the one who was bothering Beckinsale. It sounds like a typical episode:

Sheen then got upset with another poolside diner, who he pretended to mistake for the man who bothered Beckinsale, hurling him into the pool as the actress protested, 'Mike, it wasn't him.'"

Distraught Beckinsale attempted to apologise, while Sheen fought with the original pest, throwing him into the pool as well. As he climbed out of the pool, looking to continue the fight, a mock waitress ran up to Beckinsale screaming, 'You've been Punk'd,' which left the relieved actress embarrassed and giggling.

That story about Kate Beckinsale being in talks to play Wonder Woman was a mistaken report based on an April Fool's blog post. Site JoBlo.com ran a parody article stating that Beckinsale had been cast in the role and attributed obviously fabricated quotes to the director, like "I couldn't tell you how many actresses...I'm talking married women here, promised to blow me left, right and center if I gave them the part."

IMDB picked up the story and sourced JoBlo, changing the details so that Beckinsale was in talks for the role, but had not yet been cast. Then we all repeated it, believing it to be true. It made sense, considering that everyone speculated before the news came out that she was the best actress for the part.

Here is Beckinsale out in Santa Monica with her husband, director Len Wiseman.

Pictures [via]

Three more pictures after the jump.

Posted to Kate Beckinsale | Movies | Photos | Television

Continue reading "Simon Cowell makes a reference to Ryan Seacrest's gayness on live TV!" »

Apr
06

Simon Cowell makes a reference to Ryan Seacrest's gayness on live TV!

On American Idol Tuesday night Simon Cowell told Ryan Seacrest to "lose the beard" in a veiled reference to his sham publicity relationship to Teri Hatcher. He got away with it because Seacrest had new facial hair, but he clearly was referring to Hatcher:

Ryan Seacrest told Simon Cowell, "And if you read the dictionary, you'd know what 'constructive' means." To which Cowell replied, "Ryan, with respect, I'm not the one trying to look like someone out of 'Desperate Housewives.' Lose the beard." While Seacrest was sporting a beard, the jab was more at how Seacrest, a confirmed bachelor, had himself photographed kissing "Housewives" star Teri Hatcher. Hatcher, a press hound herself, has since said the two are not dating.

Cowell should not be picking on Seacrest. While Seacrest may be trying to hide his gayness, he's not hurting anyone. Cowell is jeopardizing his current relationship and taking advantage of a young contestant. His constant flirting with 19 year-old Idol contestant Kellie Pickler has royally pissed off his long-term girlfriend, TV presenter Terri Seymour:

Cowell's appreciation of this season's pretty blonde, 19-year-old Kellie Pickler, has apparently carried on off-screen - much to Seymour's annoyance.

The flirting has even sparked furious rows between the couple.

An insider told The Daily Mirror: 'He is really affectionate to Kellie... They are often seen having intimate chats in the corner.'

On the show, Cowell had praised Pickler several times by calling her 'cute' and 'a naughty little minx'.

Seymour, 31, apparently told a pal: 'Simon knows I'm annoyed and insists it's just 'fun and games' that makes for better television. But I see how his face gets flushed when Kellie's around.'

Last nights results show saw Mandisa, Paris, and Elliot in the bottom three, with Mandisa leaving for good.

Here are pictures from American Idol this week, including a visit from The O.C.'s Rachel Bilson and comedian Chris Rock and his family.

10 more after the jump.

Posted to American Idol | Ryan Seacrest | Simon Cowell | Television

Continue reading "The OC goes to college" »

Apr
05

The OC goes to college

Onscreen and offscreen couple Adam Brody and Rachel Bilson filmed scenes at USC and were friendly to fans on campus according to a student who was there:

I saw the post on Rachel Bilson and Adam Brody on the set of the OC, so I thought I would share my pictures from that day. They were filming at USC, trying to make it look like Brown University (aka the extras were wearing scarves and reading books...) I wasn't sure if they were taking a tour as admitted students or as prospective, but it seemed like they were taking a tour as admitted students.

Also, Samaire Armstrong was on the set filming a scene with Adam Brody. She was his girlfriend (Anna) in Season 1 (and part of 2 I think?). Anyways, in the scene, he gets lost and they run into each other. Not sure what the dialogue exchange was, but it seems like it could be more drama! (Like they really need more drama.)

Adam and Rachel were really nice. There were quite a few girls screaming over Adam, and he was really shy and quiet about it, just giving little waves. At one point, I was walking through the set between takes because I needed to get to a class in the area, and Rachel was right there, and I said "Rachel! You're adorable!" and she said "Thanks! Hi!" and did a cute little wave hehe.

It looks like Seth runs into his geeky ex-girlfriend Anna while touring the campus. Anna is sure to mix things up for Seth and Summer's relationship.

The OC's creator, Josh Schwartz, admits that he's having trouble figuring out what to do with The O.C. when the lead characters go to college:

The O.C. creator Josh Schwartz is stumped for ideas after the hit show's next season because the four main characters will be leaving for college. But the producer is optimistic the departure of Seth Cohen (Adam Brody), Ryan Atwood (Ben Mckenzie), Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton) and Summer Roberts (Rachel Bilson) could open doors for new exciting storylines.

He says, "I think we've got at least one more good year in us, so we're going to do some pretty radical stuff at the end of this year. The season finale is going to be the craziest thing we've ever done, and it will launch the show in a whole new direction next year. So I'm excited about next season. And then beyond, I don't know. We'll see."

The show could always follow the characters at university, which is the most logical thing to do. No one is going to want to watch it if most of the young cast is gone or replaced.

Here are Bilson and Brody on set at USC.

Pictures [via]

Three more pictures after the jump.

Posted to Adam Brody | Photos | Rachel Bilson | Television

Continue reading "Hugh Grant loves reality TV" »

Apr
04

Hugh Grant loves reality TV

Hugh Grant watched a ton of reality TV in preparation for his role playing a reality show judge in the film American Dreamz:

In the film Grant plays a reality show judge…just like [Simon] Cowell so has been poring over tapes of ‘American Idol’ and the ‘X Factor’.

He admitted to The Sun: “I’d never watched them before but studied a bunch of tapes – and I enjoy cruelty.

“I like people being humiliated, I like watching freaks. The freakier the better as far as I am concerned.

“I don’t think they far enough – I’d also quite like to see the losers being tortured.

His other quotes reveal that he's not just joking around, and pays attention to the reality shows.

“I’m quite susceptible to reality television,” he confessed recently.

“I’m ashamed of that part of myself, as I’m sure we all are, but there are some good ones.”

“Wife Swap I particularly like. There was one where they took delinquent teenagers and put them through a 50s education, and another one where they put them through an army boot camp. Brilliant, really fascinating.”

Hugh Grant isn't the only one who feels guilty but can't look away. He sums up reality television well.

Here's Grant with Drew Barrymore on the set of their film, "Music and Lyrics By."

3 more after the jump.

Posted to Drew Barrymore | Hugh Grant | Movies | Television

Continue reading "More pictures of Tom Cruise on Wetten Das" »

Apr
02

More pictures of Tom Cruise on Wetten Das

Here are some more pictures of Tom Cruise's appearance on one of Europe's most popular television shows, Wetten Das. I did see this episode and have a recap as well as some screencaps in an earlier post.

There are two videos available from the German TV network that puts out Wetten Das, ZDF:

An offscreen interview with Tom Cruise in English. He talks about the fact that Katie is about to give birth and says she gave him permission to come. He flew in for the show and left right afterwards and seems a bit flustered.

Footage from Tom's appearance on Wetten Das in which he loses the bet and has to ride around on stage on a motorcycle.

Pictures [via]

17 more pictures after the jump.

Posted to Photos | Television | Tom Cruise

Continue reading "Video and exclusive pictures of Tom Cruise on Wetten Das" »

Apr
02

Video and exclusive pictures of Tom Cruise on Wetten Das

As we mentioned yesterday, we caught Tom Cruise's appearance on the German show Wetten Das last night. There's now a video up of Cruise losing the bet and riding a motorcycle on stage on the show. (Note: Cruise is wearing an earpiece which gives him an English translation of the host. The video is in German, but it's easy to figure out what's going on.)

The first four pictures are from the Wetten Das website, and the rest are our exclusive screencaps of the show (Ok, so I took pictures of the TV. I have a laptop that plays TV, but the thing is new and is not working yet), which reaired this morning. The kiss marks on the bottom of the screen in one of the pictures show the progress of the bet, in which two girls had to identify lip prints from their classmembers. Tom said that the girls wouldn't be able to do it, and lost the bet since they were 4 for 4.

Six more pictures after the jump.

Posted to Photos | Television | Tom Cruise | Video

Apr
01

Britney on Will and Grace

Update: we posted Britney's appearance on Will and Grace in two parts yesterday, but here's a better single edit of the show that includes the end.

Trent on Pink is the New Blog is right - the writing is terrible on Will and Grace. Britney also cannot act for shit, and her southern accent is terrible. Thank goodness they're killing this series finally.

Posted to Britney Spears | Television | Video

Apr
01

Katie Holmes definitely hasn't had her baby yet

Tom Cruise just appeared on the live 25th anniversay special of the German show Wetten Das tonight. He left around 9:00 PM our time, which is 2:00 PM EST. My husband and I were out to dinner and only caught the second half of the program.

When he was about to leave, Cruise mentioned Holmes specifically and said that she gave him permission to attend:

You have to understand, at the moment, my fiance Kate is about to have a baby, it could happen any minute, my fiance said I could [come], but I have to go right now.

(It was difficult to understand as Tom was over dubbed in German)

Wetten Das, German for "Wanna Bet?" airs about once a month and is easily the most popular show in Germany. It features celebrity guests, live performances by musicians, and hysterical and creative bets. Today two girls had to identify the lip prints of members of their class. In an earlier episode, a man identified seed types by the sound the seed packets made when shaken. Celebrities take a side in the bet and have to perform silly antics if they're wrong.

Cruise lost the bet and was supposed to have a motorcycle race as his part of the bargain. Wearing a tight black sweater and jeans, he swaggered over to a white motorcycle, which he was initially unable to start, and rode around the stage. The host, Thomas Gottschalks, came out on a tiny tricycle to "race" Tom.

After the non-race, Tom gave his apologies and left. This is not unusual on Wetten Das - the big celebrities often leave before the end.

The 25th Anniversay special is a huge event, and although Tom should have stayed home with Katie, it's easy to see why he chose to attend.

The Wetten Das website says (in German) that Tom arrived at 7:45 (the show starts at 8:15) with seven S-class Mercedes limousines. He didn't even see the stage before he came on.

Update: there is a video interview in English with Cruise accessible from the ZDF network website. Cruise says about the same thing as when he had to leave Wetten Das early - that Katie is about to have the baby "any day now" and gave him permission to go.

Posted to Babies | Katie Holmes | Television | Tom Cruise | TomKat

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Apr
01

Tori Spelling is entertained by drag queens impersonating her

Tori Spelling has decided to cash in on the fact that people mock her constantly, and even welcomed some drag queens impersonating her at party to celebrate her new faux-reality show, so NoTORIous:

In the show, you tackle all the jokes about yourself. How does it feel to be the one to make the joke?

It’s been really freeing. I’ve been a target my entire life. At this point, there’s nothing anyone can say that will faze me. Bring it on! It’s more material for the show.

So you’re beyond being offended?

VH1 and Out magazine are (throwing) a party for the show, and they’re hiring Tori drag queens! They were like, "Does that offend you?" Of course it doesn’t offend me! There’s this famous drag queen called Suppositori Spelling. I’m like, "You have to find her!"

That's a good attitude to have, and she's going to get the last laugh if her show is a success. Here are pictures of Tori and her marked man at the XL Lounge in LA NY (thanks Mark) to promote the premiere of So NoTORIous last night.

Posted to Photos | Premieres | Television | Tori Spelling

Continue reading "Carmen Electra goes wild on The Tonight Show" »

Mar
31

Carmen Electra goes wild on The Tonight Show

Carmen Electra spread 'em wide during her appearance on The Tonight Show on 3/29. She demonstrated the latest moves she's learning at the circus dance school she attends.

She also denied that she's pregnant and avoided addressing whether she's having problems with her husband, Dave Navarro. She deflected the question with a bad joke, and wasn't too convincing: (Dialogue transcribed from video)

Leno: there's two tabloids last week. One had you breaking up and one had you pregnant.
Electra: Which one is it? I know, I hope I'm not pregnant.
Actually, well I couldn't be, because the last time I was on the show, promoting Cheaper by the Dozen, I said I was going to rip my uterus out, remember that?
I did, so that's impossible. No, No..
Leno: Do you want to have kids?
Electra: I do, I want to have kids...
Leno: How many?
Electra: I always wanted to have 10, like the Brady Bunch kind of family, now I think one or two.

Leno then reminded Electra about the stripper pole she talked about during her last visit, and she brought up the "aerial hoop," which is a ring hanging from the ceiling from which you can do "all these really sexy moves." She spread her legs, covering herself with her dress, and put her feet in Rob Schneider's lap. He acted all silly and put a pillow over his lap.

Electra isn't fooling anyone with her antics, and while she said that "[Dave] looks like a bad boy, but he's sweet" when asked if she goes for the bad boy type, she never said once that "Dave and I are fine."

You can watch the video and see for youself.

Electra is starring in Scary Movie 4, out April 14th.

Pictures [via]

Four more pictures of Electra showing her moves after the jump.

Posted to Carmen Electra | Dave Navarro | Relationship trouble | Television

Mar
30

Tori Spelling makes fun of herself in new reality series

So we've all heard about Tori Spellings new psuedo-reality series on VH1, "So NoTORIous." The NY Times reports how Tori came up with the idea for the show and tried to sell it to different networks. She made a scrapbook of her most embarassing moments and described them to network executives in her pitch. Last year, NBC almost picked up the pilot for the Fall, but backed out.

She... showed them a scrapbook of her most embarrassing public moments, as captured by the tabloids, and seemed happy to go into detail about each incident. (No, she does not have cellulite, she told the writers, but yes, she does pick her nose.) Mr. Chessler said they were charmed. "It was very engaging and winning to hear somebody that self-aware," he said.

Armed with the scrapbook, Ms. Spelling went to the networks with the idea for the series, and NBC bought it. When the writing process began, the two writers and Ms. Spelling discussed the show's parameters: was anything off limits? Ms. Spelling said, "I was, like, 'Literally, anything you've ever read about me, true or false: go for it.' "

At first, Mr. Chessler and Mr. Alberghini said they couldn't believe she meant it. "Mike or I would pitch something," Mr. Alberghini said, "and Tori would go, 'Yeah, but, I think it would just be funnier if we said I have buggy eyes.' And we'd be, like: 'Wow! O.K.!' "

After NBC decided not to run the show, VH1 picked it up as its first scripted series.

We didn't know the show's history and that's great that Spelling came up with the idea to mock herself. We have more respect for her now and hope the new show is a success.

Here's Tori at the So NoTORIous party in LA on 3/28 with her branded fiance, Dean McDermott.

Pictures [via]

And here's a promo for her show.

Posted to Photos | Television | Tori Spelling

Mar
30

Lisa Kudrow says the Friends reunion was just a rumor

First aging alcoholic Kathleen Turner had everyone buzzing that a Friends reunion was in the works by saying that she was approached to reprise her role as Chandler's mom. Then Lisa Kudrow supposedly said that one of the guys was holding up a reunion. Now Kudrow is saying that's just a rumor and there was never a Friends reunion planned:

Lisa Kudrow has ruled out the possibility of the Friends cast reuniting any time in the near future.

The news puts paid to recent speculation that NBC was hoping to persuade the stars to return for a limited number of episodes later this year.

"It's not even a little bit true," Kudrow insisted in an interview for the Paul O'Grady Show. "Not even any part of it is true. It's just not possible."

A Friends reunion seems to be wishful thinking by fans, and it's too bad it's not happening. It seemed like it was being planned, but with all this conflicting information it may have been canned in the early stages.

Here is Kudrow last night in London to launch the 20th London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival. She was promoting her film "Happy Endings."

The film features Kudrow as a neurotic counsellor at an abortion clinic, who is blackmailed over an affair with her now-gay step-brother.

Posted to Lisa Kudrow | Movies | Premieres | Television

Mar
27

Kelly Osbourne wants to study how to become a hooker

That's not really true, but it sounded better than the actual story, which is that Osbourne is going to spend time in a whorehouse as part of a new reality show she's filming for MTV. She will get in all sorts of sticky situations under the pretext that it's helping her to become a "method actress":

A source told The Mirror, "Kelly's great on camera and she's also deadly serious about acting. So when it was suggested she let cameras follow her into some really bizarre situations she was bang up for it.

"She's a bit nervous now that filming's about to start but she knows she'll meet interesting people along the way - especially the prostitutes."

In related news, Kelly's mom Sharon is going to perform in The Vagina Monologues in England starting tonight.

Posted to Kelly Osbourne | Television

Mar
25

Chef only had high blood pressure and a healthy fear of thetans

Isaac Hayes' camp has responded to the allegations that the Scientologists faxed in Hayes' resignation from South Park when he was laid up from a stroke. They say that Hayes only had high blood pressure, and that he was the one who decided to quit. It may be true that Hayes' medical condition was not that serious, but we doubt Hayes was the one to quit. He is said to have loved his job. E! News also notes that this seems uncharacteristic of Hayes, who said that everyone is fair game on South Park and that he didn't think people should be offended by it:

Certainly in interviews just prior to his hospitalization, Hayes expressed admiration for South Park's style. "Nobody is exempt from their humor," he said in the New York Daily News on Jan. 12. "Don't be offended by it. If you take it too seriously, you have problems."

No matter what happened, Hayes is never going to talk. Scientologists gather personal secrets about converts in the early stages of indoctrination in a process called "auditing." Eliciting confessions is a common practice of cults and gives them leverage if a member criticizes their practices or tries to leave the fold.

John Travolta and Tom Cruise are said to have gay experiences in their past that would be released by the Scientologists if they ever attempted to leave. Indeed, Scientology is known for releasing personal information and often hires private detectives to dig up information on critics.

Hayes did not admit to seeing the popular South Park episode that depicts the death of his character, Chef. He is said to have "left it behind him" and is now looking forward to the upcoming birth of a baby with his fourth wife.

Posted to Cults | Isaac Hayes | Television | Tom Cruise

Mar
23

Blog sluts cash in

We all know how Jessica Cutler, Washingtons-o-fun, got a book deal for her quickie blog that detailed how she took cash and food for sex while cheating on her boyfriend. Now Cutler and a slew of other slutty bloggers are getting fat TV deals too.

Cutler's story is going to be turned into a half hour series for HBO that will be produced by Sarah Jessica Parker. Given HBO's record, it should unfortunately be a funny interpretation of her debauchery. Cutler, 27, is serving as a consultant on the project.

Fellow slutty blogger Stephanie Klein, 30, got a six figure two book deal, and will now bring her misadventures to NBC in the form of another half hour comedy. Klein responds to the inevitable comparisons to Carrie Bradshaw:

Klein says of comparisons to the fictional Bradshaw, "Here's the hard part: Mine is real life. But yes, people relate to the friendships and the relationships and the honesty and the feeling in the way that you see Carrie complaining about Big."

When she moves to Austin with her fiancee next month, Klein will begin writing the NBC pilot, which will include many elements that Carrie's life did not, such as the relationship with her father.

One of Klein's tales involves a 2004 hookup with a guy she met in a bar. When they were about to have sex he complained about being out of Astroglide and tried to use Pam cooking spray as a lube substitute. In order to read the rest of the story, which probably involves burning genitals, you have to buy her memoir.

Brooke Parkhurst, 26, of the uniquely named "Belle in the Big Apple" blog, is finishing up her first novel based on her success getting rich old men to want to fuck her:

"You keep testing a man's limits to see when it crosses over from being sexy and coquettish to being a tease," she reflects. "But similar to 'Sex and the City,' there aren't really heavy sex scenes. It cuts away when the straps start to fall and that's my style."

At least she has some dignity. Parkhurst is now shopping around for a TV deal.

Sluttly single women are the new reality TV.

Posted to Sluts | Television

Mar
20

Nicole Richie jeopardizes "Simple Life"

Nicole Richie's foul language in front of an 11 year-old boy while filming "The Simple Life" angered a family and forced producers to discard footage :

The fourth series of the reality show, titled "The Simple Life 4: 'Til Death Do Us Part", features Richie and co-star Paris Hilton taking on mothering and housewife responsibilities. Richie, pushing a baby carriage, questioned the youth, who was innocently playing basketball in his front yard, about how she looked, using a profane word. The boy's father, who was infuriated by the incident, has refused to let the footage be used in the show and issued a complaint to the show's production company E!. The episode, shot in the Castaic neighbourhood of Los Angeles, is scheduled to air in the Spring 2006.

Fox's earlier seasons of The Simple Life were "soft-scripted" in that Richie and Hilton were told what to do and coached to behave outrageously. Richie seems perfectly capable of swearing in front of kids, but this incident was no doubt influenced by The Simple Life producers.

[via]

Posted to Nicole Richie | Television

Continue reading "Red Carpet at the TV Land Awards" »

Mar
20

Red Carpet at the TV Land Awards

Before I saw these pictures, I was not aware that Larry Hagman was still alive. (Apologies to Hagman's family and friends.) Other surprises included Bernie Kopell, the doctor from The Love Boat, Adam West, Batman, and Jerry Mathers, the Beaver. Julie Newmar, Tina Yothers, Monty Hall, Loretta Swift and William Shatner were also in attendance.

Julie Newmar, the original catwoman, is 73 and she looks fabulous without being over-preserved. Linda Gray has also aged semi-naturally. Mary Tyler Moore, on the other hand, needs to break up with her surgeon.

20 more pictures after the jump.

Posted to Awards | Photos | Television

Continue reading "TV Land Awards" »

Mar
20

TV Land Awards

The 2006 TV Land Awards were held last night in Santa Monica. Megan Mullally of Will and Grace hosted. Shows honored included Cheers, Dallas, and Good Times. Two time Academy Award winner Hillary Swank was presented with the "Little Screen Big Star" award. Entertainment included live performances of the theme songs to Family Ties, Good Times, The Muppet Show and The Dukes of Hazzard. The Osmonds and Diana Ross also performed. Jeremy Piven, Quentin Tarantino, Mary Tyler Moore, and Robert Downey, Jr. were among the presenters.

Here are photos of the awards. Red carpet pictures featuring headshots of classic TV stars will be posted soon.

Fifteen more pictures after the jump.

Posted to Awards | Photos | Television

Continue reading "One of Germany's Idol performers was a transsexual" »

Mar
19

One of Germany's Idol performers was a transsexual

25 year-old Didi Knoblauch, who made it into the top ten of Germany's Idol on a technicality when one of the other finalists had to leave, recently admitted to being a woman trapped in a man's body. Didi, who was born Diana Knoblauch, told Germany's Bild that he felt like a boy from a young age. (Article is in German)

Didi, whose over-the-top out-of-tune performances and arrogant personality made him an unlikely Idol star, inexplicably lasted until the Top 5. He swayed and swaggered on stage in an attempt to overcompensate for his lack of masculinity. When told by one of the judge that a performance was poor, he snapped back that at least he was a better singer than the judge.

Didi, aka Diana, had surgery at a cost of 2,200 Euro two years ago to remove his breasts. He is considering cosmetic surgery that will create a penis out of skin taken from the forearm, but the operation is out of reach at more than 50,000 Euro.

In the interview with Bild, Knoblauch, whose last name means "Garlic" in his native German, said that he was dumped by his girlfriend 9 months ago and is not over it. He also said that the women who date him are not looking for "Long John Silver," they fall in love with him as a person. He also claims to be a favorite of his girlfriends' mothers.

We wish all transsexuals a happy and productive life in a body that they're comfortable with. There's nothing wrong with that and society should be more accepting. Didi is just an idiot and will remain so regardless of the gender he chooses.

Here is Didi's official website, and here he is with some thrilled fans. Two more pictures after the jump

Posted to Odd | Television

Mar
19

Tobias Regner wins Deutschland Sucht Den Superstar

Last night's winner of Germany's Idol is smoking hot 23 year-old rocker, Tobias Regner. He was the most down to earth and talented of the finalists and we were rooting for him. He has performed in a band for years and was comfortable and natural on stage.

A romance between two of the top four finalists skewed voting and screwed singer Nevio Passaro (linked site has automatic music) out of a chance at the top two. Passaro ocassionally sung in Italian and was more talented than clingly couple Mike Leon Grosch and Vanessa Jean Dedmon (linked site has automatic music). The producers played up Mike and Vanessa's relationship in the Valentine's episode and even had the two sing to each other when they were in the top three. Mike cried like a baby on stage after singing "You are so Beautiful" for Vanessa.

Nevio was voted out of the top four in an upset. Vanessa and Mike stayed on to keep singing boring 90s ballads, with Mike making it to the final. Mike was a wedding singer who favored Seal songs and had a gruff but strong voice. He was beaten by versatile rocker Tobias, who got 55% of the vote.

You can hear the song Tobias wrote and performed on the final on his website in English (linked site has automatic music) and there are more videos of cutie Tobias on YouTube.

Tobias is a talented, likable guy and we hope he makes it big around the world.

Tobias' performance of Nickelback's "How You Remind Me" two weeks ago is one of our favorites:

Posted to Music | Television

Mar
18

Matthew Perry works it

Matthew Perry showed up at the 2BFree after party in LA last night looking thin and cute.

Perry will be starring on a new series by West Wing creators on NBC this Fall, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. The series will also star Amanda Peet:

Aaron Sorkin and Tommy Schlamme ("The West Wing") have another for NBC with "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," a drama that delves behind the scenes of a fictional late-night comedy sketch show.

The show boasts a high-profile cast, which appeared on stage to greet advertisers: Matthew Perry, Bradley Whitford, Amanda Peet, Timothy Busfield, D.L. Hughley, Sarah Paulson and Steven Weber.

Not even one minute of "Studio 60" has been filmed yet, but NBC gave advertisers rough pilots of "The Black Donnellys" and "Kidnapped" to take home.

It looks like his time at the gym has paid off and we hope Perry's new show is a success.

Posted to Matthew Perry | Photos | Television

Mar
16

The Golden Girls together again - partially

The Golden Girls
Rue McClanahan and Betty White appeared at the William S. Paley television festival at the Museum of Television and Radio in LA. Bea Arthur was listed as a panel member at the event, but we cannot find pictures of her appearance. White and McClanahan are shown with series producer Marc Cherry above.

Bea Arthur is currently performing skits and singing in a one-woman show that fans say is fabulous.

Estelle Getty, who played Dorothy's mother Sophia on the series, is still kicking. She is 82, the same age as Arthur.

The fourth season of The Golden Girls was released last month on DVD.

Posted to Photos | Television

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Mar
16

"Cooking with Celebrities" is actually happening

P. Diddy is producing a reality show called "Celebrity Cooking Showdown." The show will premiere on April 17th, and the premise is familiar from "Dancing" and "Skating" with celebrities:

The show - which will debut on April 17th - will pair superstar chefs with celebrities in a week-long cooking competition.

‘Celebrity Cooking Showdown’ will appear on US network NBC and air five nights a week. One celebrity winner will be chosen each night, and the final winner will be named by a combination of judges and viewer votes. It is said that several celebrities will reportedly sing for Diddy’s reality show.

Wow, celebrities are going to sing on the show while they cook. Guess we can't look forward to a "Singing with Celebrities" spin-off, since Diddy is trying to scoop up that idea too.

Here are pictures from a 3/15 photocall promotion featuring date a milf reality show star, Jerry Hall, and British TV chef Anthony Worrall Thompson.

Posted to Television

Mar
16

The FCC is out of hand

I live in Switzerland. If you stay up a little later here on Friday or Saturday night (and in Germany and probably Italy and France) you can watch full frontal nudity and sex scenes on regular free TV that aren't as explicit as regular porn, but are high in soft core value. You also don't have to sit through a lot of bad plot like you're subjected to on Cinemax.

That's why I find it asanine that the FCC is fining CBS a whopping $3.6 million for a scene in Without a Trace that attempted to show a teen orgy - with no nudity whatsoever:

The FCC hit 111 CBS affiliates with a $32,500 fine each for violating decency standards when they aired the Dec. 31, 2004, episode of "Without a Trace," which dealt with the disappearance and possible rape of a high school student.

The episode featured scenes of partially dressed teenagers engaged in both couples and group sex.

"While there is no nudity, the scene is highly sexually charged and explicit," the FCC said of the show. "Moreover, the material is particularly egregious because it focuses on sex among children."

So get this - the FCC is fining CBS the most they've ever fined a network based on an idea they have of morality, without specific violations.

I saw an episode of Law and Order about a kiddie porn ring that showed a child and adult being videotaped. Under these vague guidelines, that episode would have warranted a fine.

The FCC has a new head, Kevin Martin, and this is his first ruling. The fucker spoke at the Jesse Helms center and admitted that the FCC is now trying to control television content. He's a religious freak and is trying to dictate what you can watch. Write the FCC and tell them that they have to have specific rules as to what is allowed on TV, and that they cannot dictate content. It's a scary precedent when they fine a show for a plot idea.

Posted to Politics | Television

Continue reading "Samaire Armstrong thinks she could kick Rachel Bilson's ass" »

Mar
15

Samaire Armstrong thinks she could kick Rachel Bilson's ass

side by side pictures of samarie armstrong and Rachel bilson. Armstrong's caption reads: I could kick your ass. Bilson's caption reads: Please, you're so nasty. Bring it on, bitch
Samaire Armstrong is set to return to the O.C. this season as Anna. Her character will provide a much-needed challenge for bickering on-screen and real life couple, Summer and Seth.

In a recent interview with gaming site IGN, Armstrong revealed that she thinks she's tougher than Bilson:

GN: You better not smile too much or Rachel's gonna kick your butt.

Armstrong: I don't know if she can. [Laughs]

IGN: Wow!

Armstrong: I'm serious. Come on. I really don't think Rachel Bilson could kick my ass. She's too sweet.

Now that's a fight we would pay money to see.

The Nylon Magazine Guys Spring 2006 launch party was held last night at the Roosevelt Hotel. Guests included cover boy Adam Brody, his girlfriend Rachel Bilson, and singer Avril Lavigne.

Three more after the jump.

Mar
12

Raj from the Apprentice to run for Congress

Raj from the apprentice looking smug as hell with his arms crossed and the caption: vote for me. I know what's best for you
Raj Bhakta from the second season of The Apprentice is going to run for Congress in the district of Philadelphia, PA as a Republican. Bhakta challenges one term incumbent Allyson Schwartz:

"We offer voters legitimate change," Bhakta said. "I am not a politician. I am someone from a business background who wants to make a change."

What a prick this guy is. In case you didn't see that lousy season of the Apprentice, Raj is the arrogant one who wore a bowtie. He brought down his team in a challenge to create a video promotion for the NYPD by producing a scary, terrorism-themed ad with helicopters and riot police. The other team easily won the challenge with a feel-good commercial that featured cops talking about how they made a difference.

The House is already full of dickweed Republicans and doesn't need a new one. Only a minor celebrity or someone with excellent backing can take a seat away from a sitting member of Congress, because the incumbency reelection rate is over 98%.

Why does this matter? Our rights are being stripped from us by the Republicans. The USA Patriot act, which authorizes warrantless searches and paves the way for massive government data mining, was just reauthorized. The government can learn anything it wants about you, including all of your shopping, reading, e-mail and Internet habits, without getting permission and without your knowledge. Indeed, they've been doing this for a while.

Chances are you know someone fighting in Iraq. With the Republicans in control they won't come back for a long time. The military is way overextended. If the Republicans decide to attack Iran, you or your friends could even get drafted.

And South Dakota just outlawed abortion.

If you saw The Apprentice you know Raj is the type of guy who takes over and fucks everything up. We already have those assholes running the country and don't need another one.

Posted to Arrogant | Politics | Television

Mar
11

"Six Feet Under" to air on Bravo

promotional photo of Six Feet Under
Bravo has aquired the rights to all five seasons of our favorite show, Six Feet Under. Bravo paid $250,000 per episode to HBO, which originally sought $450,000 for each episode of the critically lauded series. The Sopranos were far more expensive for cable network A&E at $2.5 million an episode.

Episodes will be edited for adult content and should air once a week this fall.

Posted to Television

Mar
09

Eva Longoria wants to throw away her meal ticket

headshot of Eva Longoria with the caption do my arms look fat in this?
Eva Longoria is complaining about all the bathtub and lingerie scenes she has in "Desperate Housewives." She isn't concerned about demeaning herself or distracting from her brilliant acting - she's just worried about how she looks:

Eva, 30, who plays cheating Gabrielle, told OK!: "I had to talk to creator Marc Cherry and go: 'Can you please stop putting me in the bath tub?'"

Eva who hired a fitness trainer to keep her in shape as she shows off so much flesh in the show also asked for a cut in her underwear scenes.

She added: "I didn't realise how much lingerie I'd be in and how much I'd be in the bath tub. Filming is nerve-wracking, I'm constantly worrying about how I'm being filmed."

Eva is so vain that she's sabotaging her career. She revealed earlier that she's similarly planning a pregnancy around her vanity.

Posted to Arrogant | Desperate Housewives | Eva Longoria | Sluts | Television

Mar
08

Paris Hilton to star on Simpsons

Paris Hilton's face looking squinty
Although she was banned from the Vanity Fair after-party, Paris Hilton has gained entry to the most exclusive club of all. Paris is slated to guest star on the Simpsons.

Creator Matt Groening confirms, "Her name is on the list. It could be a good show."

Paris joins the much more talented Madonna as the latest celebrity to lend her voice to the popular animated series. And I never thought I would have a reason to be jealous of her.

Paris was also a guest on the OC last season. She played a much smarter version of herself at a club.

There's no way you missed this peacock outfit she wore to Elton John's after party, but just in case you want a good laugh:

Posted to Paris Hilton | Simpsons | Television

Continue reading ""How to accept an Oscar" starring Tom Hanks" »

Mar
05

"How to accept an Oscar" starring Tom Hanks

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has produced and distributed an eight-minute how-to video for Oscar nominees. Ratings have declined over the years, and they want to maintain the ceremony's momentum and not lose bored viewers:

Every year, the Academy begs Oscar winners - mostly in vain - not to spend their allotted minute thanking their armies of anonymous agents, lawyers and accountants, or hugging and kissing so many people on their way to the stage that they run out of time to say anything.

This year, though, it has a new gimmick: an eight-minute instructional video, narrated by two-time Best Actor winner Tom Hanks, which it has distributed to each of the 150-odd nominees. A relaxed and wry-looking Hanks guides nominees through the art of handling that speech-making moment "with wit, flair, creativity - or at least with brevity".

Entitled An Insider's Guide: What Nominees Need To Know, the video includes clips of Oscar moments that stuck in the memory - such as Jack Palance doing one-arm push-ups, or Roberto Benigni gliding over the tops of everyone's chairs en route to the stage - and ones that decidedly did not - such as the interminable thank-yous delivered by the crew from Lord of the Rings two years ago, which was about as interesting as a reading from the New Zealand telephone directory. Another bad example was Gwyneth Paltrow's tsunami of tears.

They basically want people to keep it short, avoid lists, and be funny and interesting.

The most awkward Oscar acceptance I remember was Zellweger's 2003 Best Actress speech. She came off as insecure as she thanked everyone, including the lackeys at her agency, for their help. This year, The Academy hopes to placate over-eager winners with a special section of their website where they can post thank you messages.

Here are presenters Jake Gyllenhaal and J.Lo preparing for tonight. Three more after the jump.

Pictures [via]

Posted to Jake Gyllenhaal | Jennifer Lopez | Oscars | Photos | Television

Mar
04

That's professor Manson to you

Marilyn Manson teaching a class
MTV's college channel, mtvU, has a popular realtiy series called "Stand In" that has celebrities and musicians making surprise visits as college guest lecturers. Featured celebrities include Marilyn Manson, Madonna, Cameron Diaz, Snoop Dogg and Bill Gates:

"Stand In" appearances are shrouded in secrecy to preserve the element of surprise for the students and also to avoid inciting a circus. But many times, the celebrities are as surprised as the students.

When Marilyn Manson arrived at an Arts in Society class at Temple University - armed with a bottle of absinthe, the legendary green muse that inspired legions of artists from the French Impressionists to Ernest Hemingway - he was shocked at the appearance of the teacher, a young gentleman with bright blue hair.

"Are you the teacher?," he said. "This guy looks more f-ed up than I do." (Incidentally, Manson's is the most viewed of all the "Stand In" segments.)

"Stand In" strives to match celebrities with subjects they're able to teach, and has actually turned away requests from celebrities. It's widely popular on mtvU, and is offered on demand on the channel Uber. You can also watch episodes online. It will premiere on MTV proper on 3/5.

You know that if that happened in your school it would be on one of the days that you slept in with a hangover.

Posted to College | Television

Mar
04

Paula Abdul needs an intervention

Paula Abdul has been visibly intoxicated on American Idol for at least two seasons now. In some of last season's auditions, Abdul's slurred comments are edited down to the bare minimum, and the camera spends very little time on her. Trying to fend off rumors of drug abuse, Paula released a statement in April of last year that she was suffering from a rare neurological disorder that causes burning pain, Complex regional pain syndrome. Here's what she said at the time:

"It was getting ugly with the lies people were saying," Abdul tells Entertainment Tonight in an interview airing today [4/20/05] and Friday. "It was time to set the record straight. I want America to know that I have never been addicted to anything, no chemical dependency, nothing for recreational purposes."

Notice the distinction Paula makes between taking something for medical and recreational purposes. She never said she doesn't take drugs, she just said that she doesn't think she's addicted and implied that if she is on medication, she needs it for medical reasons.

A year later and Paula's condition doesn't provide enough of an excuse. People think she needs to sober up before she goes on live TV, and newspapers are buzzing about her ridiculous behavior:

The Boston Herald’s Lauren Beckham Falcone writes... “The ‘American Idol’ judge was incoherent on last night’s live telecast, bumbling lines and giggling like she’d just emerged from a Grateful Dead concert, leaving audiences, contestants and host Ryan Seacrest more confused than a homophobic Clay Aiken fan.

With Heather Cox and Brenna Gethers standing on stage, Ryan Seacrest asked Paula why they were there, and Paula replied, “Simon said because one of them ate pizza and the other ate salad.” Then she started giggling crazily.

She went on to mumble something about a fortune cookies, a moth, cornflake, and a melon. This is true.

All of this comes on the heels of Paula's breech of security at LAX.

Defamer has video of Paula's breakdown on American Idol, and here's a clip of a saner, buffer judge as Barry Bonds impersonates Paula Abdul.

Posted to Drugs | Paula Abdul | Television | Video

Continue reading "Old people confuse JLove with ghost whispering TV character" »

Mar
04

Old people confuse JLove with ghost whispering TV character

Jennifer Love Hewitt feels sorry for her troubled fans, and spends an inordinate amount of time listening to their problems and trying to help them. She's especially bothered when she can't channel her on-screen character, the ghost whisperer, to help widows speak to their dead husbands:

Actress JENNIFER LOVE HEWITT is regularly invited to appear at funerals because fans confuse her with her GHOST WHISPERER character, MELINDA...

She explains, "... a part of me really feels bad that I can't help these people. "I had this woman come up to me and she was so sweet, she was probably 75 and we're sitting there talking and she's telling me how on Friday nights she gets together with her husband and they hold hands on the couch and they eat their favourite meal and they watch the show and how she never misses it and she loves it. "Like 20 minutes into the conversation, I realised that her husband was dead. "She likes the show because she thinks her husband comes to spend time with her then, but I was broken-hearted because I didn't know how to be the Ghost Whisperer in real life. "I was like, 'What do I do?' You can't fake your way through something like that. It was really hard."

JLove spoke to a crazy old woman for 20 minutes, and instead of walking away annoyed, she felt guilty that she couldn't help her! Honey, no one can help someone who thinks they watch TV with their dead spouse.

On February 26th JLove hosted the LA County "Race for the Cure" to benefit the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. She wanted to "honor her aunt who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and is undergoing treatment." [via]

She has to be the kindest celebrity ever.

Here are some Ghost Whisperer promotion photos. Pictures of J.Love speaking at the "Race for the Cure" are after the jump. [via] and [via]

Posted to Good Causes | Jennifer Love Hewitt | SmartSmartSmart | Television

Mar
03

Chappelle doesn't want new episodes to air

Dave Chappelle in character with the caption a vast black-wing conspiracy brought me down

Dave Chappelle claims that he probably won't return to Comedy Central if they show the new material that he shot before his abrupt departure in May:

"I feel like it's kind of a bully move," Chappelle, 32, told the Dayton Daily News, which publishes near his Ohio home. "That's just how I feel about it. I don't know if that's the case. But if people don't watch it, then I'd be more than happy."

For his part, Chappelle is non-committal. Comedy Central of course wants him to return to his wildly successful show:

Not that Chappelle is completely shutting the door on the possibility of his Comedy Central return, as he warns: "I think if they air that stuff, I can't see how I'm going to be able to. That will damage our relationship."

In a statement to the Associated Press, Comedy Central said: "We are still waiting patiently for Dave to return to work, but we know that our viewers are looking forward to seeing the material he produced for the third season."

According to this website, Chappelle wasn't crazy at all, but was pressured by a cabal of powerful African-Americans, including Jesse Jackson, Oprah, and Bill Cosby, to step down. The site was later dismissed as a viral marketing campaign for a Chappelle show writer. I totally believed that shit, though, until I actually did the research for this post.

Update: "Dave Chappelle's Block Party" is supposed to be hilarious.

Posted to Dave Chappelle | Television

Mar
03

Mariah Carey has a clue

Mariah Carey poses in a bikini with the caption you too can look just like me
While promoting her new line of tween costume jewelry on a Barbara Walers special, Mariah revealed that she has a clue:

"I still don't know if I want to have children. If that's in the cards for me .... it's not if I 'want' to have children. I feel like being a celebrity and having kids is a huge responsibility. I would want to make sure I was fully prepared to handle what would happen to those kids when they have to deal with the baggage of having a famous parent," she said.

Wow, Sienna Miller realizes that she shouldn't put out a clothing line, and Mariah Carey knows that having children is a big responsibility. Eva Longoria, on the other hand, thinks pregnancy is the best way to avoid looking fat.

Posted to Mariah Carey | Television

Continue reading "Britney Spears is gay for pay on Will and Grace" »

Mar
03

Britney Spears is gay for pay on Will and Grace

Some more high-res pictures of Britney Spears' Will and Grace appearance emerged today. Her episode is scheduled to air on April 13th. NBC's original press release had Britney playing a Christian Conservative, but after an outcry from the wingnuts she'll now be playing a lesbian. With Britney's luck in love, she'd be better off switching teams off screen, too. [via]

Here she is with out actor George Takai. Takai's official website states that the episode will air on March 30th, not April 13th. Can anyone clear this up? Three more pictures after the jump.

Posted to Photos | Television