ON FEB 4,2010
Evan Lysacek On His ‘DWTS’ Cast Mates: ‘[Buzz Aldrin] Could Probably Bench-Press Me’
FIRST PUBLISHED: March 3, 2010 7:33 PM EST
Evan Lysacek may be an Olympic gold medal winner in the skating rink, but the new “Dancing with the Stars” contestant is staying humble about his chances in the world of reality TV.
When Access Hollywood’s Billy Bush told Evan in an interview for Access and “The Billy Bush Show” that he had beaten out Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger in Access’ AH Nation poll for the star most likely to win “Dancing,” Evan was taken aback.
“Nicole Scherzinger is the most incredible dancer I’ve ever seen,” he said. “I have her music videos on my iTunes and I watch them repeatedly.”
In addition, Evan said people would be surprised by some of the other “Stars” set to heat up the ballroom.
“[Kate Gosselin’s] really graceful, people are going to be blown away,” he said, adding that viewers should watch out for former astronaut Buzz Aldrin, as well. “This dude, for an 80-year-old – he could probably bench-press me if he wanted to.”
While Evan’s Olympic outfits were all made by his friend and prominent designer Vera Wang, he’ll have to adjust to the “Dancing” costume department’s threads for the show.
“They have a great wardrobe department at the show,” he said, adding that he’ll be able to add his own two cents to his outfits. “The celebs and the pro dancers have a lot of input on what they want to wear. I’m going to try but my partner [Anna Trebunskaya] has already said, ‘There are certain dances where you can’t wear black.’”
As for his hairstyle? Unlike his skating look, he may go product-free.“I think for me when I’m on the ice skating, I’ve become used to having my hair slicked back, but on the dance floor? We’ll have to see,” Evan said.
On Tuesday night, Evan stepped out at the opening of Vera’s new Melrose Ave. store in LA, where he told Billy he’d headed straight from Vancouver – and his medal win – to start training with Anna.
“I think people will be surprised to know I’ve never had dance training,” he told Billy. “There are challenges I wasn’t expecting — everything rotates on the floor clockwise and on the ice, we rotate everything counterclockwise. [But] my partner’s great and she’s so patient with me and she’s a drill sergeant which is what I respond best to.”
“But kind of crazy coming from an Olympic champion only two weeks old!” Vera herself added.
“Dancing with the Stars” premieres on ABC on March 22.
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
Alice Eve On The Big Thing She Learned From Her ‘Sex And The City 2’ Co-Stars Crystal Bowersox Wows Judges During ‘American Idol’s’ Ladies Night
British beauty Alice Eve is one of the many new faces joining the “Sex and The City 2” fold, when the sequel hits theaters on May 28.
As Charlotte York’s (Kristin Davis) gorgeous foreign nanny Erin in the series, Alice will reportedly be part of a story line that spices things up for the Fab Four.
While she couldn’t say much about the script, Alice did reveal that watching life on set for her castmates was an experience.
“It was mayhem for them,” Alice said, referring to Kristin, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall and Cynthia Nixon. “Everywhere they went, everybody knew.”
Her own scenes, however, were much more low key.
“My stuff was — I didn’t have that,” she laughed. “I just kind of turned up and smiled and was glad to be in the room.”
While Alice didn’t get the full “SATC2” mania, she did actually pick up some tips from her co-stars.
“They were all there bouncing around in their heels all day, which was insane,” Alice said. “I now wear heels, which I didn’t do before, because I saw how they actually do it, for real. You know they wear them all day, so that was incredible.”
Before she takes the big screen with Carrie Bradshaw and the gang, Alice will appear in theaters on March 12 in the romantic comedy “She’s Out Of My League.”
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
She almost missed out on “American Idol” due to her hospitalization earlier this week for undisclosed “medical issues,” but when Crystal Bowersox hit the stage on Wednesday’s live round for the FOX reality show, she left the judges awed.
The dreadlocked 24-year-old mom brought out her acoustic guitar as she performed an older tune – Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Long As I Can See The Light” — singing with heart, depth and passion. Her performance didn’t just make her a standout, it made her the “contestant to watch.”
“You are the truth and you do what you do,” a moved Randy Jackson said. “I just love that you’re not trying to be anybody else… I love that girl. That girl is hot.”
Ellen DeGeneres was also impressed and she thanked Crystal for her performance.
“Please stay healthy. We need you here. You’re amazing,” she said.
And although Wednesday’s show was just the second week of live competition for the public vote, British judge Simon Cowell said Crystal’s performance had echoes of one from the original “American Idol.”
“The vocal was incredible and I promise you, this was like, the moment we realized with Kelly Clarkson that we’ve got a serious artist here,” Simon said. “I think we’ve got a really serious artist with you. Congratulations.”
So how did the rest of the pack do? Here’s a recap:
Teenager Haeley Vaughn was full of smiles as she performed the Miley Cyrus hit “The Climb,” but Randy slammed it, dubbing her rendition “excruciating” and “pitchy.”
“There’s a certain irony for you singing a song about climbing when you actually fell off,” Simon added.
Redheaded Lacey Brown took Kara DioGuardi’s advice last week and rolled out her version of Sixpence None The Richer’s “Kiss Me.” Her version was true to the tune, but it lacked a spark according to Randy, who said it felt “like we’re doing karaoke.”
Katie Stevens, the teen with the big voice, made an uncomfortable impression last week, singing what the judges thought was a not-very-age-appropriate “Feeling Good,” the sexy tune from Michael Buble. So on Wednesday she opted for a younger selection – Corinne Bailey Rae’s “Put your Record On.” “I liked it,” Ellen said.
Didi Benami performed the Bill Withers classic “Lean On Me,” but despite hitting the notes, Randy said she picked the wrong song. “I would just have not chosen a soul song like that — that deep rooted soul for you,” he said. “I don’t think it really worked. It shows the imperfections.”
Curly haired Michelle Delamor, the beauty who bears a resemblance to Simon Cowell’s “X Factor” protege Leona Lewis, took a chance on stage, singing Creed’s “With Arms Wide Open.” The gorgeous gal got props from Randy for her perky white dress, atop skinny pants – “the outfit is dope,” he said – but he said the performance “fell flat.”
Lilly Scott, who the judges have complimented for being unique, tried a rendition of Sam Cooke’s much-covered classic, “A Change Is Gonna Come.” Randy, Ellen and Kara enjoyed it, but Simon threw down the gauntlet. “I thought it was good. I wasn’t crazy about it like the others,” he said. “I thought Crystal was stronger than you.”
Katelyn Epperly, the ringlet-haired blonde, took to the piano for Coldplay’s “The Scientist.” Ellen slammed it for being too slow, but Kara offered high praise. “You’re really good, you’re seriously good and when you get to that sweet spot it’s like, ‘Wow! That is hot. Figure out who you are though, real quick.”
Paige Miles, the girl with the big voice, performed Kelly Clarkson’s “Walk Away,” which was co-written by Kara. Her rendition was dubbed, “fantastic” by Ellen, but Simon said it was “forgettable.”
Finally, Siobhan Magnus, who Simon previously called “a funny little thing,” tackled “Think,” a song made famous by Aretha Franklin. And while in the past judges have slammed contenders for trying Aretha songs, Siobhan sang it well enough to impress.
“Most people would say don’t take on a big song, but you know, they also said don’t mix sleeves with a blanket, but look at the Snuggie, it’s huge. Man, that was good,” Ellen said.
Tim Burton – Hollywood’s Avant Garde
Evan Lysacek On His ‘DWTS’ Cast Mates: ‘[Buzz Aldrin] Could Probably Bench-Press Me’
FIRST PUBLISHED: March 3, 2010 7:33 PM EST
When Access Hollywood’s Billy Bush told Evan in an interview for Access and “The Billy Bush Show” that he had beaten out Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger in Access’ AH Nation poll for the star most likely to win “Dancing,” Evan was taken aback.
“Nicole Scherzinger is the most incredible dancer I’ve ever seen,” he said. “I have her music videos on my iTunes and I watch them repeatedly.”
In addition, Evan said people would be surprised by some of the other “Stars” set to heat up the ballroom.
“[Kate Gosselin’s] really graceful, people are going to be blown away,” he said, adding that viewers should watch out for former astronaut Buzz Aldrin, as well. “This dude, for an 80-year-old – he could probably bench-press me if he wanted to.”
While Evan’s Olympic outfits were all made by his friend and prominent designer Vera Wang, he’ll have to adjust to the “Dancing” costume department’s threads for the show.
“They have a great wardrobe department at the show,” he said, adding that he’ll be able to add his own two cents to his outfits. “The celebs and the pro dancers have a lot of input on what they want to wear. I’m going to try but my partner [Anna Trebunskaya] has already said, ‘There are certain dances where you can’t wear black.’”
As for his hairstyle? Unlike his skating look, he may go product-free.“I think for me when I’m on the ice skating, I’ve become used to having my hair slicked back, but on the dance floor? We’ll have to see,” Evan said.
On Tuesday night, Evan stepped out at the opening of Vera’s new Melrose Ave. store in LA, where he told Billy he’d headed straight from Vancouver – and his medal win – to start training with Anna.
“I think people will be surprised to know I’ve never had dance training,” he told Billy. “There are challenges I wasn’t expecting — everything rotates on the floor clockwise and on the ice, we rotate everything counterclockwise. [But] my partner’s great and she’s so patient with me and she’s a drill sergeant which is what I respond best to.”
“But kind of crazy coming from an Olympic champion only two weeks old!” Vera herself added.
“Dancing with the Stars” premieres on ABC on March 22.
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
Alice Eve On The Big Thing She Learned From Her ‘Sex And The City 2’ Co-Stars Crystal Bowersox Wows Judges During ‘American Idol’s’ Ladies Night
British beauty Alice Eve is one of the many new faces joining the “Sex and The City 2” fold, when the sequel hits theaters on May 28.
As Charlotte York’s (Kristin Davis) gorgeous foreign nanny Erin in the series, Alice will reportedly be part of a story line that spices things up for the Fab Four.
While she couldn’t say much about the script, Alice did reveal that watching life on set for her castmates was an experience.
“It was mayhem for them,” Alice said, referring to Kristin, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall and Cynthia Nixon. “Everywhere they went, everybody knew.”
Her own scenes, however, were much more low key.
“My stuff was — I didn’t have that,” she laughed. “I just kind of turned up and smiled and was glad to be in the room.”
While Alice didn’t get the full “SATC2” mania, she did actually pick up some tips from her co-stars.
“They were all there bouncing around in their heels all day, which was insane,” Alice said. “I now wear heels, which I didn’t do before, because I saw how they actually do it, for real. You know they wear them all day, so that was incredible.”
Before she takes the big screen with Carrie Bradshaw and the gang, Alice will appear in theaters on March 12 in the romantic comedy “She’s Out Of My League.”
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
She almost missed out on “American Idol” due to her hospitalization earlier this week for undisclosed “medical issues,” but when Crystal Bowersox hit the stage on Wednesday’s live round for the FOX reality show, she left the judges awed.
The dreadlocked 24-year-old mom brought out her acoustic guitar as she performed an older tune – Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Long As I Can See The Light” — singing with heart, depth and passion. Her performance didn’t just make her a standout, it made her the “contestant to watch.”
“You are the truth and you do what you do,” a moved Randy Jackson said. “I just love that you’re not trying to be anybody else… I love that girl. That girl is hot.”
Ellen DeGeneres was also impressed and she thanked Crystal for her performance.
“Please stay healthy. We need you here. You’re amazing,” she said.
And although Wednesday’s show was just the second week of live competition for the public vote, British judge Simon Cowell said Crystal’s performance had echoes of one from the original “American Idol.”
“The vocal was incredible and I promise you, this was like, the moment we realized with Kelly Clarkson that we’ve got a serious artist here,” Simon said. “I think we’ve got a really serious artist with you. Congratulations.”
So how did the rest of the pack do? Here’s a recap:
Teenager Haeley Vaughn was full of smiles as she performed the Miley Cyrus hit “The Climb,” but Randy slammed it, dubbing her rendition “excruciating” and “pitchy.”
“There’s a certain irony for you singing a song about climbing when you actually fell off,” Simon added.
Redheaded Lacey Brown took Kara DioGuardi’s advice last week and rolled out her version of Sixpence None The Richer’s “Kiss Me.” Her version was true to the tune, but it lacked a spark according to Randy, who said it felt “like we’re doing karaoke.”
Katie Stevens, the teen with the big voice, made an uncomfortable impression last week, singing what the judges thought was a not-very-age-appropriate “Feeling Good,” the sexy tune from Michael Buble. So on Wednesday she opted for a younger selection – Corinne Bailey Rae’s “Put your Record On.” “I liked it,” Ellen said.
Didi Benami performed the Bill Withers classic “Lean On Me,” but despite hitting the notes, Randy said she picked the wrong song. “I would just have not chosen a soul song like that — that deep rooted soul for you,” he said. “I don’t think it really worked. It shows the imperfections.”
Curly haired Michelle Delamor, the beauty who bears a resemblance to Simon Cowell’s “X Factor” protege Leona Lewis, took a chance on stage, singing Creed’s “With Arms Wide Open.” The gorgeous gal got props from Randy for her perky white dress, atop skinny pants – “the outfit is dope,” he said – but he said the performance “fell flat.”
Lilly Scott, who the judges have complimented for being unique, tried a rendition of Sam Cooke’s much-covered classic, “A Change Is Gonna Come.” Randy, Ellen and Kara enjoyed it, but Simon threw down the gauntlet. “I thought it was good. I wasn’t crazy about it like the others,” he said. “I thought Crystal was stronger than you.”
Katelyn Epperly, the ringlet-haired blonde, took to the piano for Coldplay’s “The Scientist.” Ellen slammed it for being too slow, but Kara offered high praise. “You’re really good, you’re seriously good and when you get to that sweet spot it’s like, ‘Wow! That is hot. Figure out who you are though, real quick.”
Paige Miles, the girl with the big voice, performed Kelly Clarkson’s “Walk Away,” which was co-written by Kara. Her rendition was dubbed, “fantastic” by Ellen, but Simon said it was “forgettable.”
Finally, Siobhan Magnus, who Simon previously called “a funny little thing,” tackled “Think,” a song made famous by Aretha Franklin. And while in the past judges have slammed contenders for trying Aretha songs, Siobhan sang it well enough to impress.
“Most people would say don’t take on a big song, but you know, they also said don’t mix sleeves with a blanket, but look at the Snuggie, it’s huge. Man, that was good,” Ellen said.
Tim Burton – Hollywood’s Avant Garde
If you would’ve told 1980s studio executives that an art school all-star with a penchant for quirky characters, unusual narratives and German expressionism would become one of the most financially and critically successful filmmakers of all time, they wou
Because his parents were both actors, “I grew up knowing a lot of gay men and it was never something that I even thought twice about — that some men were gay and some weren’t,” the “Harry Potter” megastar said Friday. “And then I went to school and (for) the first time … I came across homophobia. … I had never encountered it before. It shocked me.
“I have always hated anybody who is not tolerant of gay men or lesbians or bisexuals,” he added. “Now I am in the very fortunate position where I can actually helpor do something about it.”
The result is a PSA that was filmed Friday at the organization’s Wall Street offices. The announcement is scheduled to air sometime this spring.
Radcliffe first became aware of The Trevor Project, founded in 1998 by three filmmakers, while he was appearing on Broadway in the 2008 revival of “Equus.” Their movie, “Trevor,” which won an Academy Award for best short film, concerned a gay teen who attempts suicide. The Trevor Project allows young people to call in for counseling or just to talk.
“I have described myself as being ‘gently eccentric’ and slightly different as a person just because I’ve had a very different set of influences growing up than anybody else in my peer group did,” the 20-year-old Radcliffe said. “I’ve always felt very lucky to have the life that I’ve had. I never had to cope with anything serious about my religion or sexual orientation or anything like that.
“I think it’s important for somebody from a big, commercial movie series like ‘Harry Potter’ and particularly because I am not gay or bisexual or transgendered. … The fact that I am straight makes not a difference, but it shows that straight people are incredibly interested and care a lot about this as well.”
ON FEB 27,2010
Marie Osmond’s Teenage Son Dies
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. --
Marie Osmond’s 18-year-old son, Michael Blosil, committed suicide Friday night.
TMZ reported that the death occurred when Michael jumped from his downtown LA apartment building.
Marie’s rep issued the following statement.
“My family and I are devastated and in deep shock by the tragic loss of our dear Michael and ask that everyone respect our privacy during this difficult time.”
In November 2007, Access Hollywood reported that Michael had entered rehab, dealing with depression.
“My son Michael is an amazing young man,” a rep for Marie said at the time. “(He has) shown through his courage in facing his issues. As his mother, I couldn’t be more proud of him. The press and public have always been kind and gracious in the past and I know they will continue to respect our privacy during this time.”
Story is developing
Who Will Play Captain America? Mike Vogel Confirms He’s In The Running
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. --
Rumors are swirling about casting the lead in Paramount’s upcoming “The First Avenger: Captain America,” and director Joe Johnston has said that an announcement is expected in the upcoming weeks.
But on Friday, one candidate, Mike Vogel, confirmed that he was in the running.
Although he didn’t say much, Vogel told HitFix that he was “trying not to jinx” the possibility of stepping into the role of Steve Rogers.
He also stated briefly that it was a “great opportunity.”
The entertainment news site caught up with the “She’s Out of My League” actor along with his cast mates.
His “League” co-star, Lindsay Sloane, told the site that, “We’re going all be walking around this week like this,” as she faced Vogel while crossing both fingers.
The casting of Captain America is one of the most anticipated in the Marvel comic book world right now. The film, already well into pre-production, is slated for a July 22, 2011 release date.
Online reports have speculated that whoever is cast in the role must sign up for up to a possible nine future film options, including most likely “The Avengers” movie, which is due in 2010 from director Jon Favreau (“Iron Man,” “Iron Man 2”).
Deadline Hollywood was the first to report that the casting was down to five main finalists. Those frontrunners include John Krasinski from “The Office,” Chace Crawford from “Gossip Girl,” Scott Porter from “Friday Night Lights,” Michael Cassidy of “Smallville” and Vogel.
Garrett Hedlund from the upcoming “Tron Legacy” and Patrick Flueger (“The 4400”) have also had their names in the mix.
Jim Carrey Becomes Grandfather At 47; Shares First Photo
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
Jim Carrey is a grandfather.
The 47-year-old actor’s daughter, Jane Carrey, 22, gave birth to her first child on Friday, the star’s rep confirmed to Access Hollywood.
And on Saturday, he uploaded a first picture of the bundle of joy to TwitPic.
Jackson Riley Santana was born to Jane, a singer, and her husband, Alex Santana, also a musician, on Friday at 12:28 AM in Los Angeles, the rep confirmed.
The baby weighed 7 lbs., 11 oz, and he was 20 inches long.
“I am very excited,” the actor, and paramour of Jenny McCarthy, told Radar Online last summer when the news broke. “Jane is going to be a great mom.”
Jane is Jim’s daughter from his first marriage to Melissa Carrey. The couple divorced in 1995 after nearly a decade of marriage.
Jane, who fronts the Jane Carey Band, a Los Angeles-based group, and her father are close. She steps out regularly to support her father and Jenny at autism fundraisers and events.
Elliott Yamin, ‘American Idol’ Finalist, Tweets From Chilean Quake
BURBANK, Calif. --
Season 5 “American Idol” 3rd place finalist Elliott Yamin had just returned to his hotel after finishing a performance as part of a singing competition festival in Vina Del Mar, Chile, when he felt the magnitude 8.8 earthquake which hit the South American country Saturday just after 3 AM local time.
He immediately took to his Twitter account and began updating.
“Huge earthquake just now in Chile!!….I swear I thought this was the end of my life!!!!!” his first Tweet read.
CNN later began live updating on the situation based on the singer’s Tweets.
Later Saturday morning, he appeared on both NBC’s “Weekend Today” show and ABC’s “Weekend Good Morning America” to give updates about the situation.
Yamin described a chaotic scene at his hotel in Vina Del Mar, which is a coastal town outside of Valparaiso, Chile’s fourth largest city.
Concepcion, the epicenter of the quake, is situated about 200 miles south down the coast from where Yamin was staying.
“Complete and utter choas on the streets…no power…my heart is beatin outta my chest!….tsunami warnin…I am only a mile inland!” Yamin continued.
He later Tweeted that he was OK, despite reporting that he’d felt about 30 aftershocks.
“Hey everybody…we r totally safe and sound 4 the time being…I’m finally calmer,and dawn is approaching,which will help!..thx 4 ur prayers.”
Earlier, Yamin had been Tweeting that he was unhappy with how he had been treated like an amateur at the competition, but the earthquake later gave him some perspective.
“So…1 min, I’m trashin this competition on twitter, the next,I’m runnin 4 my life 2 safety!…what a contrast!…I hope & pray yall are ok!” he wrote.
Yamin also said that he had heard the Santiago airport was closed because the tarmac had been reduced to rubble. He was concerned that he might not have enough insulin supplies to last him, because he is a diabetic.
“Imma Type 1 diabetic, and was sppsd 2 leave sunday.I only packed enuf insulin pump supplies 2 last til then….airports r closed!” Yamin continued.
Yamin is widely-regarded by “Idol” fans as one of the most genial and liked past contestants in the show’s history.
Brittany Murphy’s Husband Speaks Out On Final Coroner’s Report; Reveals Oscar Tribute For Actress
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
Brittany Murphy’s husband says while he feels a sense of relief following the coroner’s final report on the death of his wife, which erased any speculation about illegal drugs in the actress’ body, it’s hardly a reason to celebrate.
“There is no solace in redemption when your family has been ripped apart,” Simon Monjack told AccessHollywood.com on Friday. “To a degree, it’s ‘So what?’ But to a degree, there’s a young woman who died under tragic accidental circumstances that can now be free – free of her name being tarnished.”
On Thursday, the final coroner’s report stated that multiple medications were found in Brittany’s blood at the time of her death, including “elevated levels of hydrocodone, acetaminophen, and chlorpheniramine L-methamphetamine (a component of some inhalers).” The report also stated that “the pattern of use of these medications suggest treatment of symptoms of a cold or other respiratory infection.”
As it turns out, Simon and Brittany’s mother, Sharon, were able to view the final report before it went public.
“I saw it before everyone else and for that I was very grateful,” he told Access. “I read it with Sharon and the finality of it hit us both. We both cried for probably about two hours and it was almost… the tears were so mixed. Tears of the finality, tears of redemption and her name finally being cleared.”
The coroner’s report also cleared up any speculation regarding Brittany’s physical appearance, which some had suggested had been altered by plastic surgery over the years.
“When I read the coroner’s report, everything was normal in her body. She hadn’t had plastic surgery. And for a woman who was accused on a regular basis of altering her appearance via cosmetic surgery, it now becomes laughable that people can’t spot the difference between an adolescent becoming an adult and a woman who has had plastic surgery,” the still grieving Simon continued.
In the years leading up to her death in December 2009 at the age of 32, Brittany wasn’t the only one who was scrutinized in the media – Simon also became a tabloid target.
“Out of every tragedy, one hopes a little good comes. And one hopes in this case, it’s that people really think before they write. I don’t know why Brittany and my marriage was always so scrutinized in a negative light and people made up these absurd stories, whether it be kidnappings or bankruptcies or arrest warrants – and every single thing turned out to be fictitious,” he added. “I don’t understand what Brittany did to deserve it and I don’t understand what I did to deserve it.”
It was the public speculation over her health and alleged drug use that Simon believes severely damaged his wife’s blossoming Hollywood career.
“This is a girl who for 10 years had been told everyday she was a heroin addict, a cocaine addict, she had plastic surgery, she had been anorexic — and suddenly there’s a report that refutes all of that and says none of that is true,” he explained. “For Brittany, I think it damaged her career. When a producer hears an actress is a junkie or whatever it was, producers and directors are very weary of that. And that happened long before I came along. I think her career slowed down so much after ‘Little Black Book’ and I think she wanted to change her life… She really wanted to move on and have children and have different hopes and dreams for the future. Of course she wanted to continue to act and continue to be a part of the community which gave her so much.”
It’s that same Hollywood community that will honor Brittany’s work during the 82nd Annual Academy Awards on March 7 in Los Angeles.
Simon revealed that he has been invited to this year’s Oscars, where his wife will be remembered.
“The Academy invited me and will presumably honor her in some way. I’m very grateful to them for extending that invitation and it’s something that I treasure,” he noted.
While he didn’t know the exact details of the planned tribute, Simon said he assumed Brittany would be part of the annual “In Memoriam” segment, which takes a look back at the stars who died in the year leading up to the awards.
Now that the final official report on his wife’s death has been made public and the rumors put to rest, Simon said he hopes Brittany’s legacy won’t be tarnished by tabloid hearsay.
“I hope that people concentrate on the positive. I hope that Brittany’s legacy and her films are actually looked at and the work that she did and the incredible actress that she was,” he said. “I’ll never recover from the tragedy of losing Brittany – never. She was so special, what we had was so special and I love her just as much today as the day we married. I think that what will change is her legacy. I think instead of being about who she was, it will be about what she achieved – whether it be in her films, her year on Broadway or touring with the USO – there’s a legacy that really happened before she was 26 that is an amazing body of work. I think her legacy now, people will see past the rumors and past the untruths and hopefully past the tabloid aspect of her life and look at the incredible actress that she was and the incredible spirit and the incredible love that she brought to the world.
Academy Ponders Action Against ‘Locker’ Producer Who Sent E-mails Soliciting Oscar Votes
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is considering action against a producer of “The Hurt Locker” who sent multiple e-mails urging academy members to vote for his movie in the Oscar best-picture race and “not a $500 million film” — an obvious reference to close-competitor “Avatar.”
The e-mails by Nicolas Chartier, one of four nominated producers for “The Hurt Locker” and who put up the financing to make the front-running film, violated the academy’s rule against sending mailings that “attempt to promote any film or achievement by casting a negative light on a competing film or achievement,” according to academy spokeswoman Leslie Unger.
The initial e-mail was sent Feb. 19 and obtained by The Associated Press. Subsequent e-mails, posted by the Los Angeles Times, showed Chartier giving more specific instructions, asking Oscar voters to rank “The Hurt Locker” at No. 1 and “Avatar” at No. 10 on this year’s preferential ballot for the newly expanded best-picture category.
“Hurt Locker” distributor Summit Pictures said in a statement it was “completely unaware of any e-mails that were sent until we were alerted by the academy earlier this week.”
Chartier, after being confronted by Summit executives, worked with the studio and the academy to craft an apology for his actions, said Summit spokesman Paul Pflug.
“My naivete, ignorance of the rules and plain stupidity as a first-time nominee is not an excuse for this behavior and I strongly regret it,” Chartier wrote in an e-mail obtained by The Associated Press. “Being nominated for an academy Award is the ultimate honor and I should have taken the time to read the rules.”
“Avatar’s” distributor, 20th Century Fox, declined comment on the e-mails, as did director James Cameron or anyone connected with the 3-D sci-fi sensation — Hollywood’s biggest modern blockbuster but so far second to “The Hurt Locker” in this season’s movie award derby.
The motion picture academy itself will hold off on announcing how exactly it plans to discipline Chartier until Oscar voting closes at 5 p.m. PST on Tuesday. The academy’s Unger refused to speculate on what action might be taken.
Possible measures include public censure, taking away Chartier’s Oscar tickets, and the unlikely option of removing “The Hurt Locker” — about a bomb-disposal unit in Iraq — from best-picture consideration, according to several academy members familiar with the situation. The members spoke on the condition of anonymity because they aren’t authorized to comment about the matter.
It’s also possible that if “The Hurt Locker” wins, the academy won’t extend membership to Chartier, like it does to most newly minted Oscar winners, the members said.
With Oscar ballots due Tuesday, the controversy surrounding Chartier’s actions may have little effect on the March 7 Academy Awards because most voters have already mailed in their ballots, said one of the academy members.
But that hasn’t stopped Hollywood insiders from bandying about heated opinions referring to Chartier’s e-mails as everything from harmless enthusiasm to egregious politicking that should result in the film’s disqualification.
As one academy voter put it, requesting anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject: “If ‘The Hurt Locker’ doesn’t win best picture, I wouldn’t want to be that guy. They’ll be pointing at him.”
In addition to Chartier’s e-mails, “The Hurt Locker” is also facing complaints — just now surfacing, though the movie was released last June — from veterans and active soldiers over the accuracy of its combat scenes.
Late-in-the-game controversies surrounding Oscar front-runners are nothing new. When Roman Polanski’s “The Pianist” was up for several Oscars in 2003, a transcript from the grand jury testimony of Polanski’s 1977 sexual assault case was published on a Web site. Polanski still won the Oscar for best director.
A year earlier, rumors circulated that schizophrenic mathematician John Nash, the subject of Ron Howard’s “A Beautiful Mind,” harbored anti-Semitic beliefs. The movie ended up winning four Oscars, including awards for picture, director and adapted screenplay.
And, similar to this year’s e-mail controversy, DreamWorks ran ads in 2004 quoting critics touting Shohreh Aghdashloo’s supporting actress performance in “House of Sand and Fog” over that of Renee Zellweger in “Cold Mountain.” That campaign backfired, too, with Zellweger winning the Oscar.
“I suppose I’m just naive, but I’ve always chosen to believe that academy members vote solely on the basis of merit,” says film historian Leonard Maltin. “I do know some academy members, and they are very conscientious about their vote. They distance themselves from any jockeying of position and name-calling.”
Jay Leno Returns To ‘Tonight’ But Can He Rule Late Night Again After Prime-Time Debacle?
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
The chin is coming back to late-night on NBC. So is the desk, the couch and, the network fervently hopes, the audience.
When Jay Leno reclaims “The Tonight Show” on Monday, NBC is banking that the ratings spiral that marked Conan O’Brien’s brief tenure as host will quickly fade to a dim memory.
If viewers want to dwell on the messy dithering that led to this point — Leno moved to prime-time, NBC affiliates rebelling at his low ratings, O’Brien balking at NBC’s directive that he and “Tonight” shift to midnight, O’Brien exiting and leaving a diminished audience behind — the network is focused on the end result.
With the Winter Olympics providing a big platform, NBC aired a promotional spot advising that “the chin” was back. Another spot had Leno breezing down a coastal highway in a snazzy convertible that shed the number “10” for “11:35.” It cast him as a happy traveler headed home, back where he belongs, after a misadventure not even worth a postcard.
Lisa Howfield, general manager of NBC affiliate KVBC in Las Vegas, thinks Leno’s fans will be right behind him.
“I suspect he’ll get the same numbers (ratings) he had in prime-time, which are the same numbers he had in late-night. … I think it’s probably going to get right back into normal viewing patterns,” Howfield said.
Media analyst Steve Sternberg agrees Leno should regain the late-night lead, which he held for most of his run, despite some observers’ assertions that he ended up cast as the villain when O’Brien took a powder.
“I don’t think Leno’s image took much of a hit with his fans at all,” said Sternberg. “That was more of a press and Conan fan-Twitter creation than anything else. Half of Leno’s audience is over 55, a group that tends to be very loyal.”
Leno averaged 5.2 million viewers nightly in his final season of “Tonight” before O’Brien took over last May, and was drawing virtually the same number — 5.3 million — to his prime-time show.
Expectations were higher for the new show, however, because more people watch TV in prime-time, and affiliates complained loudly to NBC because their local newscasts were taking a viewership hit because of the weak lead-in. NBC eventually bowed to the pressure.
Aside from the Olympics spots, the network has taken a relatively low-key approach to Leno’s comeback, especially compared to his splashy debut last fall with “The Jay Leno Show.”
The comedian has declined interviews and NBC, which proudly toured reporters through the Burbank set built for Leno’s new show, is keeping the now-revamped studio largely under wraps. It will include the time-honored desk-chair-couch setup, which was banished from prime time, and a new color scheme.
Bill Carroll, an analyst with media-buyer Katz Television in New York, said NBC is taking a wise approach by reminding viewers that “Tonight” again has Leno but not “overhyping” the event so expectations remain reasonable.
As for content, Leno will bring along some elements introduced in prime-time, including field reports from comedians and the “Cop N Kitty” sketch, a parody of police teams. These will be blended with the “Tonight” bits Leno has kept alive, including odd headlines and his “Jaywalking” man-in-the-street interviews.
His first-night guests will be Jamie Foxx, Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn and Brad Paisley. Sarah Palin is set for Tuesday, along with Olympic snowboarder Shaun White and a performance by Adam Lambert.
Leno is facing a changed landscape. O’Brien had lost half the audience that his predecessor had drawn to “Tonight,” with CBS’ David Letterman and other shows the beneficiary.
Whether Leno can reclaim those scattered viewers and his No. 1 status is unclear. A benchmark moment, such as the Hugh Grant interview that helped Leno get traction when he started as “Tonight” host, could make the difference, analyst Carroll said.
But whether that moment belongs to Leno or Letterman remains to be seen.
“Over the long haul, it could go either way. Late night is so fickle,” Carroll said.
Gabourey Sidibe Beats Out Stiff Competition To Win Outstanding Actress At NAACP Awards
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
Gabourey Sidibe is glowing.
The “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” actress picked up the Outstanding Actress In A Motion Picture trophy at the NAACP Image Awards in Los Angeles on Friday night, beating out competition from Sandra Bullock (“The Blind Side”), Taraji P. Henson (“I Can Do Bad All By Myself”), Sophie Okonedo (“Skin”) and Anika Noni Rose (“The Princess and the Frog”).
“It is an honor to be nominated, but it is awesome to win. I love winning,” Gabourey told the crowd (including Sandra) who took to their feet after Chris Rock announced she was the winner.
And the actress said she wasn’t prepared to take home the award.
“I didn’t really expect this,” Gabourey said as she tried to hold back tears. “I want to thank my God for ordering my steps, for everything that my life was and everything that it is now.”
Gabourey went on to thank her family and her director, Lee Daniels.
“I walked into his office in jeans and sneakers and he saw a glamorous dress and heels, and he saw a star and I could never thank you enough, I can’t,” she said before taking a big breath to stifle the tears.
And the actress also saluted her “Precious” co-stars for helping refine her natural talent.
“I want to thank my teachers. My teachers happen to be Mo’Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah [Carey] and Sherri Shepherd — the people that I got the honor to work with and I thank you so, so much because I showed up not knowing what I was doing and I sat back and I watched you and thank you for teaching me,” she added. “Lastly, I want to thank the ‘Precious’ girls everywhere, this is for you.”
Gabourey wasn’t the only “Precious” winner. Mo’Nique too picked up an Outstanding Supporting Actress Award and the film netted the Outstanding Motion Picture trophy.
ON FEB 26,2010
Jim Carrey Becomes Grandfather At 47
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
Jim Carrey is a grandfather.
The 47-year-old actor’s daughter, Jane Carrey, 22, gave birth to her first child on Friday, People reported.
Jackson Riley Santana was born to Jane, a singer, and her husband, Alex Santana, also a musician, on Friday at 12:28 AM in Los Angeles, the mag reported.
The baby weighed 7 lbs., 11 oz, and he was 20 inches long.
“I am very excited,” the actor, and paramour of Jenny McCarthy, told Radar Online last summer when the news broke. “Jane is going to be a great mom.”
Jane is Jim’s daughter from his first marriage to Melissa Carrey. The couple divorced in 1995 after nearly a decade of marriage.
Jane, who fronts the Jane Carey Band, a Los Angeles-based group, and her father are close. She steps out regularly to support her father and Jenny at autism fundraisers and events.
Tyler Grady Explains Why He Called The ‘American Idol’ Judges Out
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
Tyler Grady, the curly haired ‘70s-inspired rocker who got the boot from “American Idol” on Thursday night, has no regrets for calling out the judges as he said goodbye.
“I felt like I would have regretted it if I didn’t just kind of put out my feelings on that,” Tyler told AccessHollywood.com’s Laura Saltman on Friday.
On Wednesday, after performing “American Woman,” and swaggering across the stage with his snakey hips and Led Zeppelin-style moves, Simon Cowell slammed the 20-year-old from Nazareth, Pennsylvania, with comments echoed by fellow judges Randy Jackson, Kara DioGuardi and Ellen DeGeneres.
“You come over a lot as somebody who’s gone to ‘Pretend To Be a Rockstar’ school,” Simon said. “It’s all a bit cliched, it doesn’t feel natural and it is a singing competition. I don’t think you’re spending enough time concentrating on your vocals.”
And finally, on Thursday, following his elimination, Tyler took on the judges.
“I like all the judges and I really had a great time with them,” Tyler said on the live show. “But I feel like I didn’t really get much constructive criticism during Hollywood Week and I feel like what they told me was a little bit too late.”
Disappointed by his elimination, Tyler told Laura on Friday he was still confused about why the judges waited until the first live round to call him out for sounding and performing in a dated fashion.
“I just wish they could have been more constructive during Hollywood Week and not really contradict themselves [on the show],” Tyler said.
“There’s no hard feelings,” he added. “I don’t regret saying it and I still like them all. They’re very cool people, but I just felt like I had to get that off my chest.”
Access Star Sightings: February 19 – 25, 2010
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
Friday, February 19, in Pasadena, Calif.: Bob Forrest of “Celebrity Rehab” out shopping without his trademark hat.
Saturday, February 20, in Las Vegas: Paris Hilton celebrating her 29th birthday at TAO with boyfriend Doug Reinhardt, parents Rick and Kathy and a group of friends… The-Dream performing at Haze Nightclub for a crowd including Eva Longoria Parker, Kevin Connolly and boxing champ Floyd Mayweather.
And in LA: Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes and wife Allison having a quiet dinner at Katsuya in Brentwood.
Sunday, February 21, in NYC: Jake Gyllenhaal chatting with “Top Chef” judge Tom Colicchio at the Hungry In America event, also attended by Natalie Portman and celeb chef Rocco DiSpirito.
And in Fontana, Calif.: Lauren Conrad rocking aviator shades and looking on from Kasey Kahne’s pit at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Auto Club 500.
And in LA: Adam Sandler with his wife and two daughters dining at Mondrian’s Asia de Cuba, after which the comedian pushed his giggling girls on the hotel lobby’s swing… Demi Lovato joining We The Kings on stage the House of Blues in West Hollywood, where they performed the track “We’ll Be A Dream” after hanging out backstage with Nick Jonas.
Tuesday, February 23, in LA: Valerie Bertinelli filming her latest Jenny Craig commercial – with a catering table full of fried chicken!
And in LA: Gabrielle Union having breakfast at the Society Café Encore – scrambled eggs with bacon and wheat toast as well as a berry smoothie.
Wednesday, February 24, in Burbank, Calif.: “The Office” star Oscar Nunez having lunch at Baja Fresh on Riverside Dr.
Thursday, February 25, in Las Vegas: David Spade enjoying a dinner of Kung Pao Chicken and Diet Coke at TAO with friends.
And in NYC: Kristin Chenoweth and the rest of Broadway’s “Promises, Promises” cast performing “Say A Little Prayer” and other songs from the upcoming show at the Algonquin Hotel’s Oak Room.
Dish Of Salt: Friday TV Dish (February 26, 2010)
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
Last night, we said goodbye to four “American Idol” contestants. This morning, I got all the details from them on their future plans. Plus, “The Bachelor’s” Rozyln Papa spills some very juicy, never before told details on just what went down inside the house.
Booted ‘Idols’ Speak
This morning, it was “American Idol” deja vu as I headed across town for my interviews with the four contestants voted out of the show - Janell Wheeler, Tyler Grady, Joe Munoz and Ashley Rodriguez. I’m sad to admit that I was only 1 out of 4 correct in my predictions for who would be going home. The only one I got right was Joe. Ashley and Janell were not surprises, as I didn’t think either would make the Top 12 anyway. However, Tyler I wrongly predicted would be making it into the Top 12. I like Tyler’s whole vibe and style - while the rest of my co-workers here did not agree. Our AccessHollywood.com likening him to Johnny Bravo - you know, the alter ego Greg Brady created for himself on “The Brady Bunch” when he wanted to be a rock star. OK, maybe you are too young for that reference (I actually am, as well, but I saw the show in reruns) but it did make me laugh out loud.
Which elimination did you think was most surprising? Cast your vote HERE
So, what will they do now? Tyler said he’s heading back to Pennsylvania and getting back together with his band Wailing Waters. “Hopefully, we will release a record in the near future,” he said. “They have been completely supportive while I have been out here. They have been practicing. My goal is to convert the fans of me on the show into Wailing Waters fans.”
Janell says first up, when she returns to Florida, is a BBQ with friends and family and then she will get back to work on her music. “I want to take my time,” she admitted. “I want to write some good stuff and play my guitar and do exactly what got me here. I kind of want to reinvent country in a way and I want you guys to look out for that, definitely.”
Check out the full interview with Tyler and Janell HERE
Ashley says this experience has only made her more excited about her future. “This is the dream and Idol has given me a little taste of that,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to pursue a career as recording artist, as a singer. So, I’m excited to do that.”
Joe also expressed similar goals, saying, “I’m gonna keep on trying. I have a whole lot of goals that I want to do. I want to do musical theater, TV. I mean I would love to record an album. I’m going to pursue that and hopefully America will get to see a lot more of me.”
Check out the full interview with Ashley and Joe HERE
“The Bachelor’s” Rozyln Uncut, Unedited
She got ripped to shreds on “The Women Tell All” and now Rozyln Papas is getting her turn to speak, without being edited by “The Bachelor” producers or entertainment news shows. The 25-year-old blonde stunner spoke with Steve Carbone in a two-hour podcast interview for his Web site www.realitysteve.com. In the interview, Rozlyn reiterated that she never had a sexual relationship with a producer on the show, Ryan Callahan, and that’s why she didn’t defend herself the night she was told to leave the show. “When Chris confronted me, I had no reason to believe he was implying anything sexual. There was nothing for me to outwardly deny. Something did happen. It just wasn’t a romantic or sexual thing,” Rozyln said.
Rozyln thought that her relationship with Callahan was being considered “inappropriate” because of the friendship they had struck. He had allowed her to use his cell phone to call her son and at one point had stamped and sent out ‘I Miss You’ cards she had brought along, hoping she might be able to mail them. She believes the producers conspired to get rid of her because she was upset that they were concocting a storyline around her that involved her hiding the fact that she had a son from Jake. “I did have a little fit and threatened to go to the press with that if they did that,” she added.
She also believes that the producers from the beginning had already decided that she would be the villain of the show. Rozlyn told Steve, “I did see a paper that was my storyline on it… that had my name at the top,” she told Steve. “It’s funny because before I went on the show I talked to one of the female producers, and they asked all these questions and one of them was like you know, ‘What do you dislike about yourself?’ And I said something about my skinny legs. And so for some reason on this storyline, on this sheet of paper, it said ‘Rozlyn Papa and you know she’s a mom of a 7-year-old boy and dislikes her skinny legs’ in bold letters for some reason. And then it also said, ‘Um this season’s Wes?’ — and that was before anything even happened.”
Gatorade Cuts Ties With Tiger Woods
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
Add Gatorade to the list of endorsement deals that Tiger Woods has lost.
A representative for the drink, sold by PepsiCo Inc., confirmed late Friday that it had ended its relationship with the golfer, who made a lengthy public apology last week for his infidelities.
Tag Heuer, Accenture, Gillette, AT&T and Gatorade have suspended or cut ties with Tiger Woods, leaving the world’s No. 1 golfer with the support of seven official sponsors:
“We no longer see a role for Tiger in our marketing efforts and have ended our relationship,” a Gatorade spokeswoman said. “We wish him all the best.”
The spokeswoman said Gatorade would continue its relationship with the Tiger Woods Foundation.
She declined to say whether his contract was terminated early because of trouble with his public image.
Gatorade discontinued its Woods-brand drinks in November, a decision made before Woods’ marital problems became known.
At the time, Gatorade stuck by him as a sponsor, but it too relented on Friday, becoming the third major endorsement deal the golfer has lost. AT&T Inc. and Accenture, dropped Woods in the weeks following the tabloid frenzy of cheating allegations.
The companies that have stuck most closely by Woods — Nike Inc. and Electronic Arts Inc., which have invested specifically in his athleticism — reiterated their support last week when the golfer made his public apology.
Others, such as Procter & Gamble Co.‘s Gillette and Swiss watchmaker Tag Heuer, de-emphasized him in their marketing.
The CEO of Procter & Gamble said earlier this week that he doesn’t know whether Woods will ever appear in another Gillette commercial, saying the company did not need the “distraction” of using him in its advertising.
Gatorade owner PepsiCo, the world’s second-biggest soda maker, also owns the Tropicana, Quaker and Frito-Lay brands.
Shakira Adds Voice To Spanish ‘We Are The World’
MIAMI, Fla. --
Shakira and Ricky Martin are among the artists adding their voices to a Spanish-language adaptation of “We Are the World” to raise money for Haiti earthquake relief.
The song will first air Monday on Univision’s “The Cristina Show.” It was produced by Emilio Estefan, Quincy Jones and Univision, under the auspices of the We Are The World Foundation.
The foundation said all proceeds will be used to help Haiti recover from a devastating Jan. 12 quake.
Gloria Estefan penned the adaptation. Other participants include Carlos Santana, Chayanne, David Archuleta, Juan Luis Guerra and Juanes.
The original “We Are the World” in 1985 raised more than $30 million for African hunger relief. Some 80 artists recently recorded a 25th anniversary version benefiting Haiti.
Jimmy Kimmel On ‘Bachelor’ Jake: ‘I Don’t Want Him Flying My Plane’
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
Jimmy Kimmel might not seem like a fan of “The Bachelor,” but the late night talk show host revealed that he has strong feelings about who Jake Pavelka should pick on Monday’s finale.
“If he picks Vienna, I’ll just say this, if he thinks that’s a good decision, I don’t want him flying my plane,” Jimmy told Ellen DeGeneres during an appearance on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” set to air on Friday.
“That’s not ‘Sully’ Sullenberger type decision making,” he continued, referring to pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, who heroically landed US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River off Manhattan on January 15, 2009.
“She’s weird. She’s crazy,” Jimmy said of contestant Vienna Girardi. “I don’t know. I think Ali [was] the pick.”
Jimmy also told Ellen that he has a lot riding on Jake’s pick.
“We’ll have to watch. I got a $100,000 riding on this,” he said. “I have a real problem.”
Jake will choose between Vienna and Tenley Molzahn on the season finale of “The Bachelor” airing at 8 PM on Monday on ABC.
Rep: ‘Version’ Of Sean Penn Haiti Life-Saving Report True
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
Sean Penn’s humanitarian trip to Haiti has found the actor in a real-life rescue, his rep confirmed to Access Hollywood.
“I can’t confirm as reported, but yes, a version of that story happened,” his rep told Access of a previous TMZ report, which claimed Sean had saved the lives of a woman and orphan child who were “badly injured in the rubble of a collapsed building.”
Sean reportedly drove an hour-and-a-half to assist the pair and brought them back to his residence on the island after their injuries were cared for.
The star is in the earthquake-stricken nation with his Jenkins-Pitt Haitian Relief Organization.
“Sean Penn, his amazing volunteers with the J/P HRO, doctors and military all contribute,” the rep told Access. “Real stories of lifesaving go on everyday with his organization.”
Sean is still in Haiti with his organization, the rep added
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
Jim Carrey is a grandfather.The 47-year-old actor’s daughter, Jane Carrey, 22, gave birth to her first child on Friday, the star’s rep confirmed to Access Hollywood.
And on Saturday, he uploaded a first picture of the bundle of joy to TwitPic.
Jackson Riley Santana was born to Jane, a singer, and her husband, Alex Santana, also a musician, on Friday at 12:28 AM in Los Angeles, the rep confirmed.
The baby weighed 7 lbs., 11 oz, and he was 20 inches long.
“I am very excited,” the actor, and paramour of Jenny McCarthy, told Radar Online last summer when the news broke. “Jane is going to be a great mom.”
Jane is Jim’s daughter from his first marriage to Melissa Carrey. The couple divorced in 1995 after nearly a decade of marriage.
Jane, who fronts the Jane Carey Band, a Los Angeles-based group, and her father are close. She steps out regularly to support her father and Jenny at autism fundraisers and events.
Elliott Yamin, ‘American Idol’ Finalist, Tweets From Chilean Quake
BURBANK, Calif. --
Season 5 “American Idol” 3rd place finalist Elliott Yamin had just returned to his hotel after finishing a performance as part of a singing competition festival in Vina Del Mar, Chile, when he felt the magnitude 8.8 earthquake which hit the South American country Saturday just after 3 AM local time.
He immediately took to his Twitter account and began updating.
“Huge earthquake just now in Chile!!….I swear I thought this was the end of my life!!!!!” his first Tweet read.
CNN later began live updating on the situation based on the singer’s Tweets.
Later Saturday morning, he appeared on both NBC’s “Weekend Today” show and ABC’s “Weekend Good Morning America” to give updates about the situation.
Yamin described a chaotic scene at his hotel in Vina Del Mar, which is a coastal town outside of Valparaiso, Chile’s fourth largest city.
Concepcion, the epicenter of the quake, is situated about 200 miles south down the coast from where Yamin was staying.
“Complete and utter choas on the streets…no power…my heart is beatin outta my chest!….tsunami warnin…I am only a mile inland!” Yamin continued.
He later Tweeted that he was OK, despite reporting that he’d felt about 30 aftershocks.
“Hey everybody…we r totally safe and sound 4 the time being…I’m finally calmer,and dawn is approaching,which will help!..thx 4 ur prayers.”
Earlier, Yamin had been Tweeting that he was unhappy with how he had been treated like an amateur at the competition, but the earthquake later gave him some perspective.
“So…1 min, I’m trashin this competition on twitter, the next,I’m runnin 4 my life 2 safety!…what a contrast!…I hope & pray yall are ok!” he wrote.
Yamin also said that he had heard the Santiago airport was closed because the tarmac had been reduced to rubble. He was concerned that he might not have enough insulin supplies to last him, because he is a diabetic.
“Imma Type 1 diabetic, and was sppsd 2 leave sunday.I only packed enuf insulin pump supplies 2 last til then….airports r closed!” Yamin continued.
Yamin is widely-regarded by “Idol” fans as one of the most genial and liked past contestants in the show’s history.
Brittany Murphy’s Husband Speaks Out On Final Coroner’s Report; Reveals Oscar Tribute For Actress
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
Brittany Murphy’s husband says while he feels a sense of relief following the coroner’s final report on the death of his wife, which erased any speculation about illegal drugs in the actress’ body, it’s hardly a reason to celebrate.
“There is no solace in redemption when your family has been ripped apart,” Simon Monjack told AccessHollywood.com on Friday. “To a degree, it’s ‘So what?’ But to a degree, there’s a young woman who died under tragic accidental circumstances that can now be free – free of her name being tarnished.”
On Thursday, the final coroner’s report stated that multiple medications were found in Brittany’s blood at the time of her death, including “elevated levels of hydrocodone, acetaminophen, and chlorpheniramine L-methamphetamine (a component of some inhalers).” The report also stated that “the pattern of use of these medications suggest treatment of symptoms of a cold or other respiratory infection.”
As it turns out, Simon and Brittany’s mother, Sharon, were able to view the final report before it went public.
“I saw it before everyone else and for that I was very grateful,” he told Access. “I read it with Sharon and the finality of it hit us both. We both cried for probably about two hours and it was almost… the tears were so mixed. Tears of the finality, tears of redemption and her name finally being cleared.”
The coroner’s report also cleared up any speculation regarding Brittany’s physical appearance, which some had suggested had been altered by plastic surgery over the years.
“When I read the coroner’s report, everything was normal in her body. She hadn’t had plastic surgery. And for a woman who was accused on a regular basis of altering her appearance via cosmetic surgery, it now becomes laughable that people can’t spot the difference between an adolescent becoming an adult and a woman who has had plastic surgery,” the still grieving Simon continued.
In the years leading up to her death in December 2009 at the age of 32, Brittany wasn’t the only one who was scrutinized in the media – Simon also became a tabloid target.
“Out of every tragedy, one hopes a little good comes. And one hopes in this case, it’s that people really think before they write. I don’t know why Brittany and my marriage was always so scrutinized in a negative light and people made up these absurd stories, whether it be kidnappings or bankruptcies or arrest warrants – and every single thing turned out to be fictitious,” he added. “I don’t understand what Brittany did to deserve it and I don’t understand what I did to deserve it.”
It was the public speculation over her health and alleged drug use that Simon believes severely damaged his wife’s blossoming Hollywood career.
“This is a girl who for 10 years had been told everyday she was a heroin addict, a cocaine addict, she had plastic surgery, she had been anorexic — and suddenly there’s a report that refutes all of that and says none of that is true,” he explained. “For Brittany, I think it damaged her career. When a producer hears an actress is a junkie or whatever it was, producers and directors are very weary of that. And that happened long before I came along. I think her career slowed down so much after ‘Little Black Book’ and I think she wanted to change her life… She really wanted to move on and have children and have different hopes and dreams for the future. Of course she wanted to continue to act and continue to be a part of the community which gave her so much.”
It’s that same Hollywood community that will honor Brittany’s work during the 82nd Annual Academy Awards on March 7 in Los Angeles.
Simon revealed that he has been invited to this year’s Oscars, where his wife will be remembered.
“The Academy invited me and will presumably honor her in some way. I’m very grateful to them for extending that invitation and it’s something that I treasure,” he noted.
While he didn’t know the exact details of the planned tribute, Simon said he assumed Brittany would be part of the annual “In Memoriam” segment, which takes a look back at the stars who died in the year leading up to the awards.
Now that the final official report on his wife’s death has been made public and the rumors put to rest, Simon said he hopes Brittany’s legacy won’t be tarnished by tabloid hearsay.
“I hope that people concentrate on the positive. I hope that Brittany’s legacy and her films are actually looked at and the work that she did and the incredible actress that she was,” he said. “I’ll never recover from the tragedy of losing Brittany – never. She was so special, what we had was so special and I love her just as much today as the day we married. I think that what will change is her legacy. I think instead of being about who she was, it will be about what she achieved – whether it be in her films, her year on Broadway or touring with the USO – there’s a legacy that really happened before she was 26 that is an amazing body of work. I think her legacy now, people will see past the rumors and past the untruths and hopefully past the tabloid aspect of her life and look at the incredible actress that she was and the incredible spirit and the incredible love that she brought to the world.
Academy Ponders Action Against ‘Locker’ Producer Who Sent E-mails Soliciting Oscar Votes
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is considering action against a producer of “The Hurt Locker” who sent multiple e-mails urging academy members to vote for his movie in the Oscar best-picture race and “not a $500 million film” — an obvious reference to close-competitor “Avatar.”
The e-mails by Nicolas Chartier, one of four nominated producers for “The Hurt Locker” and who put up the financing to make the front-running film, violated the academy’s rule against sending mailings that “attempt to promote any film or achievement by casting a negative light on a competing film or achievement,” according to academy spokeswoman Leslie Unger.
The initial e-mail was sent Feb. 19 and obtained by The Associated Press. Subsequent e-mails, posted by the Los Angeles Times, showed Chartier giving more specific instructions, asking Oscar voters to rank “The Hurt Locker” at No. 1 and “Avatar” at No. 10 on this year’s preferential ballot for the newly expanded best-picture category.
“Hurt Locker” distributor Summit Pictures said in a statement it was “completely unaware of any e-mails that were sent until we were alerted by the academy earlier this week.”
Chartier, after being confronted by Summit executives, worked with the studio and the academy to craft an apology for his actions, said Summit spokesman Paul Pflug.
“My naivete, ignorance of the rules and plain stupidity as a first-time nominee is not an excuse for this behavior and I strongly regret it,” Chartier wrote in an e-mail obtained by The Associated Press. “Being nominated for an academy Award is the ultimate honor and I should have taken the time to read the rules.”
“Avatar’s” distributor, 20th Century Fox, declined comment on the e-mails, as did director James Cameron or anyone connected with the 3-D sci-fi sensation — Hollywood’s biggest modern blockbuster but so far second to “The Hurt Locker” in this season’s movie award derby.
The motion picture academy itself will hold off on announcing how exactly it plans to discipline Chartier until Oscar voting closes at 5 p.m. PST on Tuesday. The academy’s Unger refused to speculate on what action might be taken.
Possible measures include public censure, taking away Chartier’s Oscar tickets, and the unlikely option of removing “The Hurt Locker” — about a bomb-disposal unit in Iraq — from best-picture consideration, according to several academy members familiar with the situation. The members spoke on the condition of anonymity because they aren’t authorized to comment about the matter.
It’s also possible that if “The Hurt Locker” wins, the academy won’t extend membership to Chartier, like it does to most newly minted Oscar winners, the members said.
With Oscar ballots due Tuesday, the controversy surrounding Chartier’s actions may have little effect on the March 7 Academy Awards because most voters have already mailed in their ballots, said one of the academy members.
But that hasn’t stopped Hollywood insiders from bandying about heated opinions referring to Chartier’s e-mails as everything from harmless enthusiasm to egregious politicking that should result in the film’s disqualification.
As one academy voter put it, requesting anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject: “If ‘The Hurt Locker’ doesn’t win best picture, I wouldn’t want to be that guy. They’ll be pointing at him.”
In addition to Chartier’s e-mails, “The Hurt Locker” is also facing complaints — just now surfacing, though the movie was released last June — from veterans and active soldiers over the accuracy of its combat scenes.
Late-in-the-game controversies surrounding Oscar front-runners are nothing new. When Roman Polanski’s “The Pianist” was up for several Oscars in 2003, a transcript from the grand jury testimony of Polanski’s 1977 sexual assault case was published on a Web site. Polanski still won the Oscar for best director.
A year earlier, rumors circulated that schizophrenic mathematician John Nash, the subject of Ron Howard’s “A Beautiful Mind,” harbored anti-Semitic beliefs. The movie ended up winning four Oscars, including awards for picture, director and adapted screenplay.
And, similar to this year’s e-mail controversy, DreamWorks ran ads in 2004 quoting critics touting Shohreh Aghdashloo’s supporting actress performance in “House of Sand and Fog” over that of Renee Zellweger in “Cold Mountain.” That campaign backfired, too, with Zellweger winning the Oscar.
“I suppose I’m just naive, but I’ve always chosen to believe that academy members vote solely on the basis of merit,” says film historian Leonard Maltin. “I do know some academy members, and they are very conscientious about their vote. They distance themselves from any jockeying of position and name-calling.”
Jay Leno Returns To ‘Tonight’ But Can He Rule Late Night Again After Prime-Time Debacle?
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
The chin is coming back to late-night on NBC. So is the desk, the couch and, the network fervently hopes, the audience.
When Jay Leno reclaims “The Tonight Show” on Monday, NBC is banking that the ratings spiral that marked Conan O’Brien’s brief tenure as host will quickly fade to a dim memory.
If viewers want to dwell on the messy dithering that led to this point — Leno moved to prime-time, NBC affiliates rebelling at his low ratings, O’Brien balking at NBC’s directive that he and “Tonight” shift to midnight, O’Brien exiting and leaving a diminished audience behind — the network is focused on the end result.
With the Winter Olympics providing a big platform, NBC aired a promotional spot advising that “the chin” was back. Another spot had Leno breezing down a coastal highway in a snazzy convertible that shed the number “10” for “11:35.” It cast him as a happy traveler headed home, back where he belongs, after a misadventure not even worth a postcard.
Lisa Howfield, general manager of NBC affiliate KVBC in Las Vegas, thinks Leno’s fans will be right behind him.
“I suspect he’ll get the same numbers (ratings) he had in prime-time, which are the same numbers he had in late-night. … I think it’s probably going to get right back into normal viewing patterns,” Howfield said.
Media analyst Steve Sternberg agrees Leno should regain the late-night lead, which he held for most of his run, despite some observers’ assertions that he ended up cast as the villain when O’Brien took a powder.
“I don’t think Leno’s image took much of a hit with his fans at all,” said Sternberg. “That was more of a press and Conan fan-Twitter creation than anything else. Half of Leno’s audience is over 55, a group that tends to be very loyal.”
Leno averaged 5.2 million viewers nightly in his final season of “Tonight” before O’Brien took over last May, and was drawing virtually the same number — 5.3 million — to his prime-time show.
Expectations were higher for the new show, however, because more people watch TV in prime-time, and affiliates complained loudly to NBC because their local newscasts were taking a viewership hit because of the weak lead-in. NBC eventually bowed to the pressure.
Aside from the Olympics spots, the network has taken a relatively low-key approach to Leno’s comeback, especially compared to his splashy debut last fall with “The Jay Leno Show.”
The comedian has declined interviews and NBC, which proudly toured reporters through the Burbank set built for Leno’s new show, is keeping the now-revamped studio largely under wraps. It will include the time-honored desk-chair-couch setup, which was banished from prime time, and a new color scheme.
Bill Carroll, an analyst with media-buyer Katz Television in New York, said NBC is taking a wise approach by reminding viewers that “Tonight” again has Leno but not “overhyping” the event so expectations remain reasonable.
As for content, Leno will bring along some elements introduced in prime-time, including field reports from comedians and the “Cop N Kitty” sketch, a parody of police teams. These will be blended with the “Tonight” bits Leno has kept alive, including odd headlines and his “Jaywalking” man-in-the-street interviews.
His first-night guests will be Jamie Foxx, Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn and Brad Paisley. Sarah Palin is set for Tuesday, along with Olympic snowboarder Shaun White and a performance by Adam Lambert.
Leno is facing a changed landscape. O’Brien had lost half the audience that his predecessor had drawn to “Tonight,” with CBS’ David Letterman and other shows the beneficiary.
Whether Leno can reclaim those scattered viewers and his No. 1 status is unclear. A benchmark moment, such as the Hugh Grant interview that helped Leno get traction when he started as “Tonight” host, could make the difference, analyst Carroll said.
But whether that moment belongs to Leno or Letterman remains to be seen.
“Over the long haul, it could go either way. Late night is so fickle,” Carroll said.
Gabourey Sidibe Beats Out Stiff Competition To Win Outstanding Actress At NAACP Awards
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
Gabourey Sidibe is glowing.
The “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” actress picked up the Outstanding Actress In A Motion Picture trophy at the NAACP Image Awards in Los Angeles on Friday night, beating out competition from Sandra Bullock (“The Blind Side”), Taraji P. Henson (“I Can Do Bad All By Myself”), Sophie Okonedo (“Skin”) and Anika Noni Rose (“The Princess and the Frog”).
“It is an honor to be nominated, but it is awesome to win. I love winning,” Gabourey told the crowd (including Sandra) who took to their feet after Chris Rock announced she was the winner.
And the actress said she wasn’t prepared to take home the award.
“I didn’t really expect this,” Gabourey said as she tried to hold back tears. “I want to thank my God for ordering my steps, for everything that my life was and everything that it is now.”
Gabourey went on to thank her family and her director, Lee Daniels.
“I walked into his office in jeans and sneakers and he saw a glamorous dress and heels, and he saw a star and I could never thank you enough, I can’t,” she said before taking a big breath to stifle the tears.
And the actress also saluted her “Precious” co-stars for helping refine her natural talent.
“I want to thank my teachers. My teachers happen to be Mo’Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah [Carey] and Sherri Shepherd — the people that I got the honor to work with and I thank you so, so much because I showed up not knowing what I was doing and I sat back and I watched you and thank you for teaching me,” she added. “Lastly, I want to thank the ‘Precious’ girls everywhere, this is for you.”
Gabourey wasn’t the only “Precious” winner. Mo’Nique too picked up an Outstanding Supporting Actress Award and the film netted the Outstanding Motion Picture trophy.
ON FEB 26,2010
Jim Carrey Becomes Grandfather At 47
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
Jim Carrey is a grandfather.
The 47-year-old actor’s daughter, Jane Carrey, 22, gave birth to her first child on Friday, People reported.
Jackson Riley Santana was born to Jane, a singer, and her husband, Alex Santana, also a musician, on Friday at 12:28 AM in Los Angeles, the mag reported.
The baby weighed 7 lbs., 11 oz, and he was 20 inches long.
“I am very excited,” the actor, and paramour of Jenny McCarthy, told Radar Online last summer when the news broke. “Jane is going to be a great mom.”
Jane is Jim’s daughter from his first marriage to Melissa Carrey. The couple divorced in 1995 after nearly a decade of marriage.
Jane, who fronts the Jane Carey Band, a Los Angeles-based group, and her father are close. She steps out regularly to support her father and Jenny at autism fundraisers and events.
Tyler Grady Explains Why He Called The ‘American Idol’ Judges Out
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
Tyler Grady, the curly haired ‘70s-inspired rocker who got the boot from “American Idol” on Thursday night, has no regrets for calling out the judges as he said goodbye.
“I felt like I would have regretted it if I didn’t just kind of put out my feelings on that,” Tyler told AccessHollywood.com’s Laura Saltman on Friday.
On Wednesday, after performing “American Woman,” and swaggering across the stage with his snakey hips and Led Zeppelin-style moves, Simon Cowell slammed the 20-year-old from Nazareth, Pennsylvania, with comments echoed by fellow judges Randy Jackson, Kara DioGuardi and Ellen DeGeneres.
“You come over a lot as somebody who’s gone to ‘Pretend To Be a Rockstar’ school,” Simon said. “It’s all a bit cliched, it doesn’t feel natural and it is a singing competition. I don’t think you’re spending enough time concentrating on your vocals.”
And finally, on Thursday, following his elimination, Tyler took on the judges.
“I like all the judges and I really had a great time with them,” Tyler said on the live show. “But I feel like I didn’t really get much constructive criticism during Hollywood Week and I feel like what they told me was a little bit too late.”
Disappointed by his elimination, Tyler told Laura on Friday he was still confused about why the judges waited until the first live round to call him out for sounding and performing in a dated fashion.
“I just wish they could have been more constructive during Hollywood Week and not really contradict themselves [on the show],” Tyler said.
“There’s no hard feelings,” he added. “I don’t regret saying it and I still like them all. They’re very cool people, but I just felt like I had to get that off my chest.”
Access Star Sightings: February 19 – 25, 2010
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
Friday, February 19, in Pasadena, Calif.: Bob Forrest of “Celebrity Rehab” out shopping without his trademark hat.
Saturday, February 20, in Las Vegas: Paris Hilton celebrating her 29th birthday at TAO with boyfriend Doug Reinhardt, parents Rick and Kathy and a group of friends… The-Dream performing at Haze Nightclub for a crowd including Eva Longoria Parker, Kevin Connolly and boxing champ Floyd Mayweather.
And in LA: Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes and wife Allison having a quiet dinner at Katsuya in Brentwood.
Sunday, February 21, in NYC: Jake Gyllenhaal chatting with “Top Chef” judge Tom Colicchio at the Hungry In America event, also attended by Natalie Portman and celeb chef Rocco DiSpirito.
And in Fontana, Calif.: Lauren Conrad rocking aviator shades and looking on from Kasey Kahne’s pit at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Auto Club 500.
And in LA: Adam Sandler with his wife and two daughters dining at Mondrian’s Asia de Cuba, after which the comedian pushed his giggling girls on the hotel lobby’s swing… Demi Lovato joining We The Kings on stage the House of Blues in West Hollywood, where they performed the track “We’ll Be A Dream” after hanging out backstage with Nick Jonas.
Tuesday, February 23, in LA: Valerie Bertinelli filming her latest Jenny Craig commercial – with a catering table full of fried chicken!
And in LA: Gabrielle Union having breakfast at the Society Café Encore – scrambled eggs with bacon and wheat toast as well as a berry smoothie.
Wednesday, February 24, in Burbank, Calif.: “The Office” star Oscar Nunez having lunch at Baja Fresh on Riverside Dr.
Thursday, February 25, in Las Vegas: David Spade enjoying a dinner of Kung Pao Chicken and Diet Coke at TAO with friends.
And in NYC: Kristin Chenoweth and the rest of Broadway’s “Promises, Promises” cast performing “Say A Little Prayer” and other songs from the upcoming show at the Algonquin Hotel’s Oak Room.
Dish Of Salt: Friday TV Dish (February 26, 2010)
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
Last night, we said goodbye to four “American Idol” contestants. This morning, I got all the details from them on their future plans. Plus, “The Bachelor’s” Rozyln Papa spills some very juicy, never before told details on just what went down inside the house.
Booted ‘Idols’ Speak
This morning, it was “American Idol” deja vu as I headed across town for my interviews with the four contestants voted out of the show - Janell Wheeler, Tyler Grady, Joe Munoz and Ashley Rodriguez. I’m sad to admit that I was only 1 out of 4 correct in my predictions for who would be going home. The only one I got right was Joe. Ashley and Janell were not surprises, as I didn’t think either would make the Top 12 anyway. However, Tyler I wrongly predicted would be making it into the Top 12. I like Tyler’s whole vibe and style - while the rest of my co-workers here did not agree. Our AccessHollywood.com likening him to Johnny Bravo - you know, the alter ego Greg Brady created for himself on “The Brady Bunch” when he wanted to be a rock star. OK, maybe you are too young for that reference (I actually am, as well, but I saw the show in reruns) but it did make me laugh out loud.
Which elimination did you think was most surprising? Cast your vote HERE
So, what will they do now? Tyler said he’s heading back to Pennsylvania and getting back together with his band Wailing Waters. “Hopefully, we will release a record in the near future,” he said. “They have been completely supportive while I have been out here. They have been practicing. My goal is to convert the fans of me on the show into Wailing Waters fans.”
Janell says first up, when she returns to Florida, is a BBQ with friends and family and then she will get back to work on her music. “I want to take my time,” she admitted. “I want to write some good stuff and play my guitar and do exactly what got me here. I kind of want to reinvent country in a way and I want you guys to look out for that, definitely.”
Check out the full interview with Tyler and Janell HERE
Ashley says this experience has only made her more excited about her future. “This is the dream and Idol has given me a little taste of that,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to pursue a career as recording artist, as a singer. So, I’m excited to do that.”
Joe also expressed similar goals, saying, “I’m gonna keep on trying. I have a whole lot of goals that I want to do. I want to do musical theater, TV. I mean I would love to record an album. I’m going to pursue that and hopefully America will get to see a lot more of me.”
Check out the full interview with Ashley and Joe HERE
“The Bachelor’s” Rozyln Uncut, Unedited
She got ripped to shreds on “The Women Tell All” and now Rozyln Papas is getting her turn to speak, without being edited by “The Bachelor” producers or entertainment news shows. The 25-year-old blonde stunner spoke with Steve Carbone in a two-hour podcast interview for his Web site www.realitysteve.com. In the interview, Rozlyn reiterated that she never had a sexual relationship with a producer on the show, Ryan Callahan, and that’s why she didn’t defend herself the night she was told to leave the show. “When Chris confronted me, I had no reason to believe he was implying anything sexual. There was nothing for me to outwardly deny. Something did happen. It just wasn’t a romantic or sexual thing,” Rozyln said.
Rozyln thought that her relationship with Callahan was being considered “inappropriate” because of the friendship they had struck. He had allowed her to use his cell phone to call her son and at one point had stamped and sent out ‘I Miss You’ cards she had brought along, hoping she might be able to mail them. She believes the producers conspired to get rid of her because she was upset that they were concocting a storyline around her that involved her hiding the fact that she had a son from Jake. “I did have a little fit and threatened to go to the press with that if they did that,” she added.
She also believes that the producers from the beginning had already decided that she would be the villain of the show. Rozlyn told Steve, “I did see a paper that was my storyline on it… that had my name at the top,” she told Steve. “It’s funny because before I went on the show I talked to one of the female producers, and they asked all these questions and one of them was like you know, ‘What do you dislike about yourself?’ And I said something about my skinny legs. And so for some reason on this storyline, on this sheet of paper, it said ‘Rozlyn Papa and you know she’s a mom of a 7-year-old boy and dislikes her skinny legs’ in bold letters for some reason. And then it also said, ‘Um this season’s Wes?’ — and that was before anything even happened.”
Gatorade Cuts Ties With Tiger Woods
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
Add Gatorade to the list of endorsement deals that Tiger Woods has lost.
A representative for the drink, sold by PepsiCo Inc., confirmed late Friday that it had ended its relationship with the golfer, who made a lengthy public apology last week for his infidelities.
Tag Heuer, Accenture, Gillette, AT&T and Gatorade have suspended or cut ties with Tiger Woods, leaving the world’s No. 1 golfer with the support of seven official sponsors:
“We no longer see a role for Tiger in our marketing efforts and have ended our relationship,” a Gatorade spokeswoman said. “We wish him all the best.”
The spokeswoman said Gatorade would continue its relationship with the Tiger Woods Foundation.
She declined to say whether his contract was terminated early because of trouble with his public image.
Gatorade discontinued its Woods-brand drinks in November, a decision made before Woods’ marital problems became known.
At the time, Gatorade stuck by him as a sponsor, but it too relented on Friday, becoming the third major endorsement deal the golfer has lost. AT&T Inc. and Accenture, dropped Woods in the weeks following the tabloid frenzy of cheating allegations.
The companies that have stuck most closely by Woods — Nike Inc. and Electronic Arts Inc., which have invested specifically in his athleticism — reiterated their support last week when the golfer made his public apology.
Others, such as Procter & Gamble Co.‘s Gillette and Swiss watchmaker Tag Heuer, de-emphasized him in their marketing.
The CEO of Procter & Gamble said earlier this week that he doesn’t know whether Woods will ever appear in another Gillette commercial, saying the company did not need the “distraction” of using him in its advertising.
Gatorade owner PepsiCo, the world’s second-biggest soda maker, also owns the Tropicana, Quaker and Frito-Lay brands.
Shakira Adds Voice To Spanish ‘We Are The World’
MIAMI, Fla. --
Shakira and Ricky Martin are among the artists adding their voices to a Spanish-language adaptation of “We Are the World” to raise money for Haiti earthquake relief.
The song will first air Monday on Univision’s “The Cristina Show.” It was produced by Emilio Estefan, Quincy Jones and Univision, under the auspices of the We Are The World Foundation.
The foundation said all proceeds will be used to help Haiti recover from a devastating Jan. 12 quake.
Gloria Estefan penned the adaptation. Other participants include Carlos Santana, Chayanne, David Archuleta, Juan Luis Guerra and Juanes.
The original “We Are the World” in 1985 raised more than $30 million for African hunger relief. Some 80 artists recently recorded a 25th anniversary version benefiting Haiti.
Jimmy Kimmel On ‘Bachelor’ Jake: ‘I Don’t Want Him Flying My Plane’
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
Jimmy Kimmel might not seem like a fan of “The Bachelor,” but the late night talk show host revealed that he has strong feelings about who Jake Pavelka should pick on Monday’s finale.
“If he picks Vienna, I’ll just say this, if he thinks that’s a good decision, I don’t want him flying my plane,” Jimmy told Ellen DeGeneres during an appearance on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” set to air on Friday.
“That’s not ‘Sully’ Sullenberger type decision making,” he continued, referring to pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, who heroically landed US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River off Manhattan on January 15, 2009.
“She’s weird. She’s crazy,” Jimmy said of contestant Vienna Girardi. “I don’t know. I think Ali [was] the pick.”
Jimmy also told Ellen that he has a lot riding on Jake’s pick.
“We’ll have to watch. I got a $100,000 riding on this,” he said. “I have a real problem.”
Jake will choose between Vienna and Tenley Molzahn on the season finale of “The Bachelor” airing at 8 PM on Monday on ABC.
Rep: ‘Version’ Of Sean Penn Haiti Life-Saving Report True
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
Sean Penn’s humanitarian trip to Haiti has found the actor in a real-life rescue, his rep confirmed to Access Hollywood.
“I can’t confirm as reported, but yes, a version of that story happened,” his rep told Access of a previous TMZ report, which claimed Sean had saved the lives of a woman and orphan child who were “badly injured in the rubble of a collapsed building.”
Sean reportedly drove an hour-and-a-half to assist the pair and brought them back to his residence on the island after their injuries were cared for.
The star is in the earthquake-stricken nation with his Jenkins-Pitt Haitian Relief Organization.
“Sean Penn, his amazing volunteers with the J/P HRO, doctors and military all contribute,” the rep told Access. “Real stories of lifesaving go on everyday with his organization.”
Sean is still in Haiti with his organization, the rep added
Season 5 “American Idol” 3rd place finalist Elliott Yamin had just returned to his hotel after finishing a performance as part of a singing competition festival in Vina Del Mar, Chile, when he felt the magnitude 8.8 earthquake which hit the South American country Saturday just after 3 AM local time.
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is considering action against a producer of “The Hurt Locker” who sent multiple e-mails urging academy members to vote for his movie in the Oscar best-picture race and “not a $500 million film” — an obvious reference to close-competitor “Avatar.”The e-mails by Nicolas Chartier, one of four nominated producers for “The Hurt Locker” and who put up the financing to make the front-running film, violated the academy’s rule against sending mailings that “attempt to promote any film or achievement by casting a negative light on a competing film or achievement,” according to academy spokeswoman Leslie Unger.
The initial e-mail was sent Feb. 19 and obtained by The Associated Press. Subsequent e-mails, posted by the Los Angeles Times, showed Chartier giving more specific instructions, asking Oscar voters to rank “The Hurt Locker” at No. 1 and “Avatar” at No. 10 on this year’s preferential ballot for the newly expanded best-picture category.
“Hurt Locker” distributor Summit Pictures said in a statement it was “completely unaware of any e-mails that were sent until we were alerted by the academy earlier this week.”
Chartier, after being confronted by Summit executives, worked with the studio and the academy to craft an apology for his actions, said Summit spokesman Paul Pflug.
“My naivete, ignorance of the rules and plain stupidity as a first-time nominee is not an excuse for this behavior and I strongly regret it,” Chartier wrote in an e-mail obtained by The Associated Press. “Being nominated for an academy Award is the ultimate honor and I should have taken the time to read the rules.”
“Avatar’s” distributor, 20th Century Fox, declined comment on the e-mails, as did director James Cameron or anyone connected with the 3-D sci-fi sensation — Hollywood’s biggest modern blockbuster but so far second to “The Hurt Locker” in this season’s movie award derby.
The motion picture academy itself will hold off on announcing how exactly it plans to discipline Chartier until Oscar voting closes at 5 p.m. PST on Tuesday. The academy’s Unger refused to speculate on what action might be taken.
Possible measures include public censure, taking away Chartier’s Oscar tickets, and the unlikely option of removing “The Hurt Locker” — about a bomb-disposal unit in Iraq — from best-picture consideration, according to several academy members familiar with the situation. The members spoke on the condition of anonymity because they aren’t authorized to comment about the matter.
It’s also possible that if “The Hurt Locker” wins, the academy won’t extend membership to Chartier, like it does to most newly minted Oscar winners, the members said.
With Oscar ballots due Tuesday, the controversy surrounding Chartier’s actions may have little effect on the March 7 Academy Awards because most voters have already mailed in their ballots, said one of the academy members.
But that hasn’t stopped Hollywood insiders from bandying about heated opinions referring to Chartier’s e-mails as everything from harmless enthusiasm to egregious politicking that should result in the film’s disqualification.
As one academy voter put it, requesting anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject: “If ‘The Hurt Locker’ doesn’t win best picture, I wouldn’t want to be that guy. They’ll be pointing at him.”
In addition to Chartier’s e-mails, “The Hurt Locker” is also facing complaints — just now surfacing, though the movie was released last June — from veterans and active soldiers over the accuracy of its combat scenes.
Late-in-the-game controversies surrounding Oscar front-runners are nothing new. When Roman Polanski’s “The Pianist” was up for several Oscars in 2003, a transcript from the grand jury testimony of Polanski’s 1977 sexual assault case was published on a Web site. Polanski still won the Oscar for best director.
A year earlier, rumors circulated that schizophrenic mathematician John Nash, the subject of Ron Howard’s “A Beautiful Mind,” harbored anti-Semitic beliefs. The movie ended up winning four Oscars, including awards for picture, director and adapted screenplay.
And, similar to this year’s e-mail controversy, DreamWorks ran ads in 2004 quoting critics touting Shohreh Aghdashloo’s supporting actress performance in “House of Sand and Fog” over that of Renee Zellweger in “Cold Mountain.” That campaign backfired, too, with Zellweger winning the Oscar.
“I suppose I’m just naive, but I’ve always chosen to believe that academy members vote solely on the basis of merit,” says film historian Leonard Maltin. “I do know some academy members, and they are very conscientious about their vote. They distance themselves from any jockeying of position and name-calling.”
Jay Leno Returns To ‘Tonight’ But Can He Rule Late Night Again After Prime-Time Debacle?
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
The chin is coming back to late-night on NBC. So is the desk, the couch and, the network fervently hopes, the audience.
When Jay Leno reclaims “The Tonight Show” on Monday, NBC is banking that the ratings spiral that marked Conan O’Brien’s brief tenure as host will quickly fade to a dim memory.
If viewers want to dwell on the messy dithering that led to this point — Leno moved to prime-time, NBC affiliates rebelling at his low ratings, O’Brien balking at NBC’s directive that he and “Tonight” shift to midnight, O’Brien exiting and leaving a diminished audience behind — the network is focused on the end result.
With the Winter Olympics providing a big platform, NBC aired a promotional spot advising that “the chin” was back. Another spot had Leno breezing down a coastal highway in a snazzy convertible that shed the number “10” for “11:35.” It cast him as a happy traveler headed home, back where he belongs, after a misadventure not even worth a postcard.
Lisa Howfield, general manager of NBC affiliate KVBC in Las Vegas, thinks Leno’s fans will be right behind him.
“I suspect he’ll get the same numbers (ratings) he had in prime-time, which are the same numbers he had in late-night. … I think it’s probably going to get right back into normal viewing patterns,” Howfield said.
Media analyst Steve Sternberg agrees Leno should regain the late-night lead, which he held for most of his run, despite some observers’ assertions that he ended up cast as the villain when O’Brien took a powder.
“I don’t think Leno’s image took much of a hit with his fans at all,” said Sternberg. “That was more of a press and Conan fan-Twitter creation than anything else. Half of Leno’s audience is over 55, a group that tends to be very loyal.”
Leno averaged 5.2 million viewers nightly in his final season of “Tonight” before O’Brien took over last May, and was drawing virtually the same number — 5.3 million — to his prime-time show.
Expectations were higher for the new show, however, because more people watch TV in prime-time, and affiliates complained loudly to NBC because their local newscasts were taking a viewership hit because of the weak lead-in. NBC eventually bowed to the pressure.
Aside from the Olympics spots, the network has taken a relatively low-key approach to Leno’s comeback, especially compared to his splashy debut last fall with “The Jay Leno Show.”
The comedian has declined interviews and NBC, which proudly toured reporters through the Burbank set built for Leno’s new show, is keeping the now-revamped studio largely under wraps. It will include the time-honored desk-chair-couch setup, which was banished from prime time, and a new color scheme.
Bill Carroll, an analyst with media-buyer Katz Television in New York, said NBC is taking a wise approach by reminding viewers that “Tonight” again has Leno but not “overhyping” the event so expectations remain reasonable.
As for content, Leno will bring along some elements introduced in prime-time, including field reports from comedians and the “Cop N Kitty” sketch, a parody of police teams. These will be blended with the “Tonight” bits Leno has kept alive, including odd headlines and his “Jaywalking” man-in-the-street interviews.
His first-night guests will be Jamie Foxx, Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn and Brad Paisley. Sarah Palin is set for Tuesday, along with Olympic snowboarder Shaun White and a performance by Adam Lambert.
Leno is facing a changed landscape. O’Brien had lost half the audience that his predecessor had drawn to “Tonight,” with CBS’ David Letterman and other shows the beneficiary.
Whether Leno can reclaim those scattered viewers and his No. 1 status is unclear. A benchmark moment, such as the Hugh Grant interview that helped Leno get traction when he started as “Tonight” host, could make the difference, analyst Carroll said.
But whether that moment belongs to Leno or Letterman remains to be seen.
“Over the long haul, it could go either way. Late night is so fickle,” Carroll said.
Gabourey Sidibe Beats Out Stiff Competition To Win Outstanding Actress At NAACP Awards
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
Gabourey Sidibe is glowing.
The “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” actress picked up the Outstanding Actress In A Motion Picture trophy at the NAACP Image Awards in Los Angeles on Friday night, beating out competition from Sandra Bullock (“The Blind Side”), Taraji P. Henson (“I Can Do Bad All By Myself”), Sophie Okonedo (“Skin”) and Anika Noni Rose (“The Princess and the Frog”).
“It is an honor to be nominated, but it is awesome to win. I love winning,” Gabourey told the crowd (including Sandra) who took to their feet after Chris Rock announced she was the winner.
And the actress said she wasn’t prepared to take home the award.
“I didn’t really expect this,” Gabourey said as she tried to hold back tears. “I want to thank my God for ordering my steps, for everything that my life was and everything that it is now.”
Gabourey went on to thank her family and her director, Lee Daniels.
“I walked into his office in jeans and sneakers and he saw a glamorous dress and heels, and he saw a star and I could never thank you enough, I can’t,” she said before taking a big breath to stifle the tears.
And the actress also saluted her “Precious” co-stars for helping refine her natural talent.
“I want to thank my teachers. My teachers happen to be Mo’Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah [Carey] and Sherri Shepherd — the people that I got the honor to work with and I thank you so, so much because I showed up not knowing what I was doing and I sat back and I watched you and thank you for teaching me,” she added. “Lastly, I want to thank the ‘Precious’ girls everywhere, this is for you.”
Gabourey wasn’t the only “Precious” winner. Mo’Nique too picked up an Outstanding Supporting Actress Award and the film netted the Outstanding Motion Picture trophy.
ON FEB 26,2010
Jim Carrey Becomes Grandfather At 47
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
Jim Carrey is a grandfather.
The 47-year-old actor’s daughter, Jane Carrey, 22, gave birth to her first child on Friday, People reported.
Jackson Riley Santana was born to Jane, a singer, and her husband, Alex Santana, also a musician, on Friday at 12:28 AM in Los Angeles, the mag reported.
The baby weighed 7 lbs., 11 oz, and he was 20 inches long.
“I am very excited,” the actor, and paramour of Jenny McCarthy, told Radar Online last summer when the news broke. “Jane is going to be a great mom.”
Jane is Jim’s daughter from his first marriage to Melissa Carrey. The couple divorced in 1995 after nearly a decade of marriage.
Jane, who fronts the Jane Carey Band, a Los Angeles-based group, and her father are close. She steps out regularly to support her father and Jenny at autism fundraisers and events.
Tyler Grady Explains Why He Called The ‘American Idol’ Judges Out
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
Tyler Grady, the curly haired ‘70s-inspired rocker who got the boot from “American Idol” on Thursday night, has no regrets for calling out the judges as he said goodbye.
“I felt like I would have regretted it if I didn’t just kind of put out my feelings on that,” Tyler told AccessHollywood.com’s Laura Saltman on Friday.
On Wednesday, after performing “American Woman,” and swaggering across the stage with his snakey hips and Led Zeppelin-style moves, Simon Cowell slammed the 20-year-old from Nazareth, Pennsylvania, with comments echoed by fellow judges Randy Jackson, Kara DioGuardi and Ellen DeGeneres.
“You come over a lot as somebody who’s gone to ‘Pretend To Be a Rockstar’ school,” Simon said. “It’s all a bit cliched, it doesn’t feel natural and it is a singing competition. I don’t think you’re spending enough time concentrating on your vocals.”
And finally, on Thursday, following his elimination, Tyler took on the judges.
“I like all the judges and I really had a great time with them,” Tyler said on the live show. “But I feel like I didn’t really get much constructive criticism during Hollywood Week and I feel like what they told me was a little bit too late.”
Disappointed by his elimination, Tyler told Laura on Friday he was still confused about why the judges waited until the first live round to call him out for sounding and performing in a dated fashion.
“I just wish they could have been more constructive during Hollywood Week and not really contradict themselves [on the show],” Tyler said.
“There’s no hard feelings,” he added. “I don’t regret saying it and I still like them all. They’re very cool people, but I just felt like I had to get that off my chest.”
Access Star Sightings: February 19 – 25, 2010
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
Friday, February 19, in Pasadena, Calif.: Bob Forrest of “Celebrity Rehab” out shopping without his trademark hat.
Saturday, February 20, in Las Vegas: Paris Hilton celebrating her 29th birthday at TAO with boyfriend Doug Reinhardt, parents Rick and Kathy and a group of friends… The-Dream performing at Haze Nightclub for a crowd including Eva Longoria Parker, Kevin Connolly and boxing champ Floyd Mayweather.
And in LA: Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes and wife Allison having a quiet dinner at Katsuya in Brentwood.
Sunday, February 21, in NYC: Jake Gyllenhaal chatting with “Top Chef” judge Tom Colicchio at the Hungry In America event, also attended by Natalie Portman and celeb chef Rocco DiSpirito.
And in Fontana, Calif.: Lauren Conrad rocking aviator shades and looking on from Kasey Kahne’s pit at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Auto Club 500.
And in LA: Adam Sandler with his wife and two daughters dining at Mondrian’s Asia de Cuba, after which the comedian pushed his giggling girls on the hotel lobby’s swing… Demi Lovato joining We The Kings on stage the House of Blues in West Hollywood, where they performed the track “We’ll Be A Dream” after hanging out backstage with Nick Jonas.
Tuesday, February 23, in LA: Valerie Bertinelli filming her latest Jenny Craig commercial – with a catering table full of fried chicken!
And in LA: Gabrielle Union having breakfast at the Society Café Encore – scrambled eggs with bacon and wheat toast as well as a berry smoothie.
Wednesday, February 24, in Burbank, Calif.: “The Office” star Oscar Nunez having lunch at Baja Fresh on Riverside Dr.
Thursday, February 25, in Las Vegas: David Spade enjoying a dinner of Kung Pao Chicken and Diet Coke at TAO with friends.
And in NYC: Kristin Chenoweth and the rest of Broadway’s “Promises, Promises” cast performing “Say A Little Prayer” and other songs from the upcoming show at the Algonquin Hotel’s Oak Room.
Dish Of Salt: Friday TV Dish (February 26, 2010)
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
Last night, we said goodbye to four “American Idol” contestants. This morning, I got all the details from them on their future plans. Plus, “The Bachelor’s” Rozyln Papa spills some very juicy, never before told details on just what went down inside the house.
Booted ‘Idols’ Speak
This morning, it was “American Idol” deja vu as I headed across town for my interviews with the four contestants voted out of the show - Janell Wheeler, Tyler Grady, Joe Munoz and Ashley Rodriguez. I’m sad to admit that I was only 1 out of 4 correct in my predictions for who would be going home. The only one I got right was Joe. Ashley and Janell were not surprises, as I didn’t think either would make the Top 12 anyway. However, Tyler I wrongly predicted would be making it into the Top 12. I like Tyler’s whole vibe and style - while the rest of my co-workers here did not agree. Our AccessHollywood.com likening him to Johnny Bravo - you know, the alter ego Greg Brady created for himself on “The Brady Bunch” when he wanted to be a rock star. OK, maybe you are too young for that reference (I actually am, as well, but I saw the show in reruns) but it did make me laugh out loud.
Which elimination did you think was most surprising? Cast your vote HERE
So, what will they do now? Tyler said he’s heading back to Pennsylvania and getting back together with his band Wailing Waters. “Hopefully, we will release a record in the near future,” he said. “They have been completely supportive while I have been out here. They have been practicing. My goal is to convert the fans of me on the show into Wailing Waters fans.”
Janell says first up, when she returns to Florida, is a BBQ with friends and family and then she will get back to work on her music. “I want to take my time,” she admitted. “I want to write some good stuff and play my guitar and do exactly what got me here. I kind of want to reinvent country in a way and I want you guys to look out for that, definitely.”
Check out the full interview with Tyler and Janell HERE
Ashley says this experience has only made her more excited about her future. “This is the dream and Idol has given me a little taste of that,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to pursue a career as recording artist, as a singer. So, I’m excited to do that.”
Joe also expressed similar goals, saying, “I’m gonna keep on trying. I have a whole lot of goals that I want to do. I want to do musical theater, TV. I mean I would love to record an album. I’m going to pursue that and hopefully America will get to see a lot more of me.”
Check out the full interview with Ashley and Joe HERE
“The Bachelor’s” Rozyln Uncut, Unedited
She got ripped to shreds on “The Women Tell All” and now Rozyln Papas is getting her turn to speak, without being edited by “The Bachelor” producers or entertainment news shows. The 25-year-old blonde stunner spoke with Steve Carbone in a two-hour podcast interview for his Web site www.realitysteve.com. In the interview, Rozlyn reiterated that she never had a sexual relationship with a producer on the show, Ryan Callahan, and that’s why she didn’t defend herself the night she was told to leave the show. “When Chris confronted me, I had no reason to believe he was implying anything sexual. There was nothing for me to outwardly deny. Something did happen. It just wasn’t a romantic or sexual thing,” Rozyln said.
Rozyln thought that her relationship with Callahan was being considered “inappropriate” because of the friendship they had struck. He had allowed her to use his cell phone to call her son and at one point had stamped and sent out ‘I Miss You’ cards she had brought along, hoping she might be able to mail them. She believes the producers conspired to get rid of her because she was upset that they were concocting a storyline around her that involved her hiding the fact that she had a son from Jake. “I did have a little fit and threatened to go to the press with that if they did that,” she added.
She also believes that the producers from the beginning had already decided that she would be the villain of the show. Rozlyn told Steve, “I did see a paper that was my storyline on it… that had my name at the top,” she told Steve. “It’s funny because before I went on the show I talked to one of the female producers, and they asked all these questions and one of them was like you know, ‘What do you dislike about yourself?’ And I said something about my skinny legs. And so for some reason on this storyline, on this sheet of paper, it said ‘Rozlyn Papa and you know she’s a mom of a 7-year-old boy and dislikes her skinny legs’ in bold letters for some reason. And then it also said, ‘Um this season’s Wes?’ — and that was before anything even happened.”
Gatorade Cuts Ties With Tiger Woods
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
Add Gatorade to the list of endorsement deals that Tiger Woods has lost.
A representative for the drink, sold by PepsiCo Inc., confirmed late Friday that it had ended its relationship with the golfer, who made a lengthy public apology last week for his infidelities.
Tag Heuer, Accenture, Gillette, AT&T and Gatorade have suspended or cut ties with Tiger Woods, leaving the world’s No. 1 golfer with the support of seven official sponsors:
“We no longer see a role for Tiger in our marketing efforts and have ended our relationship,” a Gatorade spokeswoman said. “We wish him all the best.”
The spokeswoman said Gatorade would continue its relationship with the Tiger Woods Foundation.
She declined to say whether his contract was terminated early because of trouble with his public image.
Gatorade discontinued its Woods-brand drinks in November, a decision made before Woods’ marital problems became known.
At the time, Gatorade stuck by him as a sponsor, but it too relented on Friday, becoming the third major endorsement deal the golfer has lost. AT&T Inc. and Accenture, dropped Woods in the weeks following the tabloid frenzy of cheating allegations.
The companies that have stuck most closely by Woods — Nike Inc. and Electronic Arts Inc., which have invested specifically in his athleticism — reiterated their support last week when the golfer made his public apology.
Others, such as Procter & Gamble Co.‘s Gillette and Swiss watchmaker Tag Heuer, de-emphasized him in their marketing.
The CEO of Procter & Gamble said earlier this week that he doesn’t know whether Woods will ever appear in another Gillette commercial, saying the company did not need the “distraction” of using him in its advertising.
Gatorade owner PepsiCo, the world’s second-biggest soda maker, also owns the Tropicana, Quaker and Frito-Lay brands.
Shakira Adds Voice To Spanish ‘We Are The World’
MIAMI, Fla. --
Shakira and Ricky Martin are among the artists adding their voices to a Spanish-language adaptation of “We Are the World” to raise money for Haiti earthquake relief.
The song will first air Monday on Univision’s “The Cristina Show.” It was produced by Emilio Estefan, Quincy Jones and Univision, under the auspices of the We Are The World Foundation.
The foundation said all proceeds will be used to help Haiti recover from a devastating Jan. 12 quake.
Gloria Estefan penned the adaptation. Other participants include Carlos Santana, Chayanne, David Archuleta, Juan Luis Guerra and Juanes.
The original “We Are the World” in 1985 raised more than $30 million for African hunger relief. Some 80 artists recently recorded a 25th anniversary version benefiting Haiti.
Jimmy Kimmel On ‘Bachelor’ Jake: ‘I Don’t Want Him Flying My Plane’
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
Jimmy Kimmel might not seem like a fan of “The Bachelor,” but the late night talk show host revealed that he has strong feelings about who Jake Pavelka should pick on Monday’s finale.
“If he picks Vienna, I’ll just say this, if he thinks that’s a good decision, I don’t want him flying my plane,” Jimmy told Ellen DeGeneres during an appearance on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” set to air on Friday.
“That’s not ‘Sully’ Sullenberger type decision making,” he continued, referring to pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, who heroically landed US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River off Manhattan on January 15, 2009.
“She’s weird. She’s crazy,” Jimmy said of contestant Vienna Girardi. “I don’t know. I think Ali [was] the pick.”
Jimmy also told Ellen that he has a lot riding on Jake’s pick.
“We’ll have to watch. I got a $100,000 riding on this,” he said. “I have a real problem.”
Jake will choose between Vienna and Tenley Molzahn on the season finale of “The Bachelor” airing at 8 PM on Monday on ABC.
Rep: ‘Version’ Of Sean Penn Haiti Life-Saving Report True
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
Sean Penn’s humanitarian trip to Haiti has found the actor in a real-life rescue, his rep confirmed to Access Hollywood.
“I can’t confirm as reported, but yes, a version of that story happened,” his rep told Access of a previous TMZ report, which claimed Sean had saved the lives of a woman and orphan child who were “badly injured in the rubble of a collapsed building.”
Sean reportedly drove an hour-and-a-half to assist the pair and brought them back to his residence on the island after their injuries were cared for.
The star is in the earthquake-stricken nation with his Jenkins-Pitt Haitian Relief Organization.
“Sean Penn, his amazing volunteers with the J/P HRO, doctors and military all contribute,” the rep told Access. “Real stories of lifesaving go on everyday with his organization.”
Sean is still in Haiti with his organization, the rep added
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
Gabourey Sidibe is glowing.The “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” actress picked up the Outstanding Actress In A Motion Picture trophy at the NAACP Image Awards in Los Angeles on Friday night, beating out competition from Sandra Bullock (“The Blind Side”), Taraji P. Henson (“I Can Do Bad All By Myself”), Sophie Okonedo (“Skin”) and Anika Noni Rose (“The Princess and the Frog”).
“It is an honor to be nominated, but it is awesome to win. I love winning,” Gabourey told the crowd (including Sandra) who took to their feet after Chris Rock announced she was the winner.
And the actress said she wasn’t prepared to take home the award.
“I didn’t really expect this,” Gabourey said as she tried to hold back tears. “I want to thank my God for ordering my steps, for everything that my life was and everything that it is now.”
Gabourey went on to thank her family and her director, Lee Daniels.
“I walked into his office in jeans and sneakers and he saw a glamorous dress and heels, and he saw a star and I could never thank you enough, I can’t,” she said before taking a big breath to stifle the tears.
And the actress also saluted her “Precious” co-stars for helping refine her natural talent.
“I want to thank my teachers. My teachers happen to be Mo’Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah [Carey] and Sherri Shepherd — the people that I got the honor to work with and I thank you so, so much because I showed up not knowing what I was doing and I sat back and I watched you and thank you for teaching me,” she added. “Lastly, I want to thank the ‘Precious’ girls everywhere, this is for you.”
Gabourey wasn’t the only “Precious” winner. Mo’Nique too picked up an Outstanding Supporting Actress Award and the film netted the Outstanding Motion Picture trophy.
The 47-year-old actor’s daughter, Jane Carrey, 22, gave birth to her first child on Friday, People reported.
Jackson Riley Santana was born to Jane, a singer, and her husband, Alex Santana, also a musician, on Friday at 12:28 AM in Los Angeles, the mag reported.
The baby weighed 7 lbs., 11 oz, and he was 20 inches long.
“I am very excited,” the actor, and paramour of Jenny McCarthy, told Radar Online last summer when the news broke. “Jane is going to be a great mom.”
Jane is Jim’s daughter from his first marriage to Melissa Carrey. The couple divorced in 1995 after nearly a decade of marriage.
Jane, who fronts the Jane Carey Band, a Los Angeles-based group, and her father are close. She steps out regularly to support her father and Jenny at autism fundraisers and events.
“I felt like I would have regretted it if I didn’t just kind of put out my feelings on that,” Tyler told AccessHollywood.com’s Laura Saltman on Friday.
On Wednesday, after performing “American Woman,” and swaggering across the stage with his snakey hips and Led Zeppelin-style moves, Simon Cowell slammed the 20-year-old from Nazareth, Pennsylvania, with comments echoed by fellow judges Randy Jackson, Kara DioGuardi and Ellen DeGeneres.
“You come over a lot as somebody who’s gone to ‘Pretend To Be a Rockstar’ school,” Simon said. “It’s all a bit cliched, it doesn’t feel natural and it is a singing competition. I don’t think you’re spending enough time concentrating on your vocals.”
And finally, on Thursday, following his elimination, Tyler took on the judges.
“I like all the judges and I really had a great time with them,” Tyler said on the live show. “But I feel like I didn’t really get much constructive criticism during Hollywood Week and I feel like what they told me was a little bit too late.”
Disappointed by his elimination, Tyler told Laura on Friday he was still confused about why the judges waited until the first live round to call him out for sounding and performing in a dated fashion.
“I just wish they could have been more constructive during Hollywood Week and not really contradict themselves [on the show],” Tyler said.
“There’s no hard feelings,” he added. “I don’t regret saying it and I still like them all. They’re very cool people, but I just felt like I had to get that off my chest.”
Saturday, February 20, in Las Vegas: Paris Hilton celebrating her 29th birthday at TAO with boyfriend Doug Reinhardt, parents Rick and Kathy and a group of friends… The-Dream performing at Haze Nightclub for a crowd including Eva Longoria Parker, Kevin Connolly and boxing champ Floyd Mayweather.
And in LA: Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes and wife Allison having a quiet dinner at Katsuya in Brentwood.
Sunday, February 21, in NYC: Jake Gyllenhaal chatting with “Top Chef” judge Tom Colicchio at the Hungry In America event, also attended by Natalie Portman and celeb chef Rocco DiSpirito.
And in Fontana, Calif.: Lauren Conrad rocking aviator shades and looking on from Kasey Kahne’s pit at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Auto Club 500.
And in LA: Adam Sandler with his wife and two daughters dining at Mondrian’s Asia de Cuba, after which the comedian pushed his giggling girls on the hotel lobby’s swing… Demi Lovato joining We The Kings on stage the House of Blues in West Hollywood, where they performed the track “We’ll Be A Dream” after hanging out backstage with Nick Jonas.
Tuesday, February 23, in LA: Valerie Bertinelli filming her latest Jenny Craig commercial – with a catering table full of fried chicken!
And in LA: Gabrielle Union having breakfast at the Society Café Encore – scrambled eggs with bacon and wheat toast as well as a berry smoothie.
Wednesday, February 24, in Burbank, Calif.: “The Office” star Oscar Nunez having lunch at Baja Fresh on Riverside Dr.
Thursday, February 25, in Las Vegas: David Spade enjoying a dinner of Kung Pao Chicken and Diet Coke at TAO with friends.
And in NYC: Kristin Chenoweth and the rest of Broadway’s “Promises, Promises” cast performing “Say A Little Prayer” and other songs from the upcoming show at the Algonquin Hotel’s Oak Room.
Booted ‘Idols’ Speak
This morning, it was “American Idol” deja vu as I headed across town for my interviews with the four contestants voted out of the show - Janell Wheeler, Tyler Grady, Joe Munoz and Ashley Rodriguez. I’m sad to admit that I was only 1 out of 4 correct in my predictions for who would be going home. The only one I got right was Joe. Ashley and Janell were not surprises, as I didn’t think either would make the Top 12 anyway. However, Tyler I wrongly predicted would be making it into the Top 12. I like Tyler’s whole vibe and style - while the rest of my co-workers here did not agree. Our AccessHollywood.com likening him to Johnny Bravo - you know, the alter ego Greg Brady created for himself on “The Brady Bunch” when he wanted to be a rock star. OK, maybe you are too young for that reference (I actually am, as well, but I saw the show in reruns) but it did make me laugh out loud.
Which elimination did you think was most surprising? Cast your vote HERE
So, what will they do now? Tyler said he’s heading back to Pennsylvania and getting back together with his band Wailing Waters. “Hopefully, we will release a record in the near future,” he said. “They have been completely supportive while I have been out here. They have been practicing. My goal is to convert the fans of me on the show into Wailing Waters fans.”
Janell says first up, when she returns to Florida, is a BBQ with friends and family and then she will get back to work on her music. “I want to take my time,” she admitted. “I want to write some good stuff and play my guitar and do exactly what got me here. I kind of want to reinvent country in a way and I want you guys to look out for that, definitely.”
Check out the full interview with Tyler and Janell HERE
Ashley says this experience has only made her more excited about her future. “This is the dream and Idol has given me a little taste of that,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to pursue a career as recording artist, as a singer. So, I’m excited to do that.”
Joe also expressed similar goals, saying, “I’m gonna keep on trying. I have a whole lot of goals that I want to do. I want to do musical theater, TV. I mean I would love to record an album. I’m going to pursue that and hopefully America will get to see a lot more of me.”
Check out the full interview with Ashley and Joe HERE
“The Bachelor’s” Rozyln Uncut, Unedited
She got ripped to shreds on “The Women Tell All” and now Rozyln Papas is getting her turn to speak, without being edited by “The Bachelor” producers or entertainment news shows. The 25-year-old blonde stunner spoke with Steve Carbone in a two-hour podcast interview for his Web site www.realitysteve.com. In the interview, Rozlyn reiterated that she never had a sexual relationship with a producer on the show, Ryan Callahan, and that’s why she didn’t defend herself the night she was told to leave the show. “When Chris confronted me, I had no reason to believe he was implying anything sexual. There was nothing for me to outwardly deny. Something did happen. It just wasn’t a romantic or sexual thing,” Rozyln said.
Rozyln thought that her relationship with Callahan was being considered “inappropriate” because of the friendship they had struck. He had allowed her to use his cell phone to call her son and at one point had stamped and sent out ‘I Miss You’ cards she had brought along, hoping she might be able to mail them. She believes the producers conspired to get rid of her because she was upset that they were concocting a storyline around her that involved her hiding the fact that she had a son from Jake. “I did have a little fit and threatened to go to the press with that if they did that,” she added.
She also believes that the producers from the beginning had already decided that she would be the villain of the show. Rozlyn told Steve, “I did see a paper that was my storyline on it… that had my name at the top,” she told Steve. “It’s funny because before I went on the show I talked to one of the female producers, and they asked all these questions and one of them was like you know, ‘What do you dislike about yourself?’ And I said something about my skinny legs. And so for some reason on this storyline, on this sheet of paper, it said ‘Rozlyn Papa and you know she’s a mom of a 7-year-old boy and dislikes her skinny legs’ in bold letters for some reason. And then it also said, ‘Um this season’s Wes?’ — and that was before anything even happened.”
A representative for the drink, sold by PepsiCo Inc., confirmed late Friday that it had ended its relationship with the golfer, who made a lengthy public apology last week for his infidelities.
Tag Heuer, Accenture, Gillette, AT&T and Gatorade have suspended or cut ties with Tiger Woods, leaving the world’s No. 1 golfer with the support of seven official sponsors:
“We no longer see a role for Tiger in our marketing efforts and have ended our relationship,” a Gatorade spokeswoman said. “We wish him all the best.”
The spokeswoman said Gatorade would continue its relationship with the Tiger Woods Foundation.
She declined to say whether his contract was terminated early because of trouble with his public image.
Gatorade discontinued its Woods-brand drinks in November, a decision made before Woods’ marital problems became known.
At the time, Gatorade stuck by him as a sponsor, but it too relented on Friday, becoming the third major endorsement deal the golfer has lost. AT&T Inc. and Accenture, dropped Woods in the weeks following the tabloid frenzy of cheating allegations.
The companies that have stuck most closely by Woods — Nike Inc. and Electronic Arts Inc., which have invested specifically in his athleticism — reiterated their support last week when the golfer made his public apology.
Others, such as Procter & Gamble Co.‘s Gillette and Swiss watchmaker Tag Heuer, de-emphasized him in their marketing.
The CEO of Procter & Gamble said earlier this week that he doesn’t know whether Woods will ever appear in another Gillette commercial, saying the company did not need the “distraction” of using him in its advertising.
Gatorade owner PepsiCo, the world’s second-biggest soda maker, also owns the Tropicana, Quaker and Frito-Lay brands.
The song will first air Monday on Univision’s “The Cristina Show.” It was produced by Emilio Estefan, Quincy Jones and Univision, under the auspices of the We Are The World Foundation.
The foundation said all proceeds will be used to help Haiti recover from a devastating Jan. 12 quake.
Gloria Estefan penned the adaptation. Other participants include Carlos Santana, Chayanne, David Archuleta, Juan Luis Guerra and Juanes.
The original “We Are the World” in 1985 raised more than $30 million for African hunger relief. Some 80 artists recently recorded a 25th anniversary version benefiting Haiti.
“If he picks Vienna, I’ll just say this, if he thinks that’s a good decision, I don’t want him flying my plane,” Jimmy told Ellen DeGeneres during an appearance on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” set to air on Friday.
“That’s not ‘Sully’ Sullenberger type decision making,” he continued, referring to pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, who heroically landed US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River off Manhattan on January 15, 2009.
“She’s weird. She’s crazy,” Jimmy said of contestant Vienna Girardi. “I don’t know. I think Ali [was] the pick.”
Jimmy also told Ellen that he has a lot riding on Jake’s pick.
“We’ll have to watch. I got a $100,000 riding on this,” he said. “I have a real problem.”
Jake will choose between Vienna and Tenley Molzahn on the season finale of “The Bachelor” airing at 8 PM on Monday on ABC.
NEW YORK, N.Y. --
Daniel Radcliffe is explaining why he has just filmed a public service announcement for The Trevor Project, the leading organization focusing on suicide prevention efforts among gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered youth.Because his parents were both actors, “I grew up knowing a lot of gay men and it was never something that I even thought twice about — that some men were gay and some weren’t,” the “Harry Potter” megastar said Friday. “And then I went to school and (for) the first time … I came across homophobia. … I had never encountered it before. It shocked me.
“I have always hated anybody who is not tolerant of gay men or lesbians or bisexuals,” he added. “Now I am in the very fortunate position where I can actually helpor do something about it.”
The result is a PSA that was filmed Friday at the organization’s Wall Street offices. The announcement is scheduled to air sometime this spring.
Radcliffe first became aware of The Trevor Project, founded in 1998 by three filmmakers, while he was appearing on Broadway in the 2008 revival of “Equus.” Their movie, “Trevor,” which won an Academy Award for best short film, concerned a gay teen who attempts suicide. The Trevor Project allows young people to call in for counseling or just to talk.
“I have described myself as being ‘gently eccentric’ and slightly different as a person just because I’ve had a very different set of influences growing up than anybody else in my peer group did,” the 20-year-old Radcliffe said. “I’ve always felt very lucky to have the life that I’ve had. I never had to cope with anything serious about my religion or sexual orientation or anything like that.
“I think it’s important for somebody from a big, commercial movie series like ‘Harry Potter’ and particularly because I am not gay or bisexual or transgendered. … The fact that I am straight makes not a difference, but it shows that straight people are incredibly interested and care a lot about this as well.”
ON FEB 25,2010
Police: Former ‘Growing Pains’ Star Andrew Koenig Found Dead In Vancouver
VANCOUVER, B.C. -- February 25, 2010
The body of missing actor Andrew Koenig was found around noon PST on Thursday by family and friends in Vancouver’s Stanley Park, Vancouver police confirmed in a press conference Thursday evening. He was 41 years old.
Police would not discuss the cause of death at the press conference.
Andrew’s parents, Walter and Judy Koenig, were in attendance at the press conference. Walter told reporters that his son had taken his own life.
“What you can learn from this… is that there are people out there who really, really care,” he said.
Earlier on Thursday, authorities released a statement to Access Hollywood announcing that a body believed to be Andrew’s had been found.
“Vancouver Police are investigating the discovery of a body found in Stanley Park around noon today,” the department said in a statement to Access on Thursday. “The body is believed to be that of Andrew Koenig. More details will be confirmed at a press conference being held at 5:00 today, in which the Koenig family will be present.”
The former “Growing Pains” star, who played Richard “Boner” Stabone on the ‘80s series, had been missing since February 14. As previously reported by AccessHollywood.com, Andrew had been visiting friends in Vancouver. According to friend and TV personality Dave Holmes, he had missed a scheduled February 16 flight back to the U.S.
Walter and Judy, appeared on NBC’s “Today” show on Wednesday to raise awareness about his disappearance. They had been scheduled to appear on “Larry King Live” that night before leaving the set after their segment was pushed back.
Earlier, Walter (“Star Trek’s” original Pavel Chekov) and Judy told TMZ that their son was “suffering from depression” and “[was] not doing good” at the time of his disappearance. Their last contact with him was on February 9.
Walter also told CNN that his son stopped taking depression medication a year ago. Andrew reportedly left his Venice, Calif., apartment and headed for Canada after selling or giving away a number of his possessions.
CNN reported that he “fell in love” with Vancouver after filming an episode of “21 Jump Street” in the city in 1988.
On Monday, his former co-star Kirk Cameron told Access he was “praying for his family” over the disappearance.
“I am very concerned to hear of the disappearance of my old friend Andrew Koenig,” Cameron said in a statement to Access. “Although I have not had contact with him for many years, I can remember many of the fun times we had on the set of ‘Growing Pains.’ … Andrew, if you’re reading this, please call me. Mike and Boner could always work things out when they put their minds to it. I’m praying for you, pal. Hope to hear from you soon.”
And friend and comedian Josh Feemster made a statement to Access over the weekend, when the news of Andrew’s disappearance broke.
“I performed with Andrew for several years around Los Angeles,” he said in a statement. “He always had a passion for comedy and political activism. I really hope he’s OK. Not only for his sake, but for the sake of his family and friends.”
Police would not discuss the cause of death at the press conference.
Andrew’s parents, Walter and Judy Koenig, were in attendance at the press conference. Walter told reporters that his son had taken his own life.
“What you can learn from this… is that there are people out there who really, really care,” he said.
Earlier on Thursday, authorities released a statement to Access Hollywood announcing that a body believed to be Andrew’s had been found.
“Vancouver Police are investigating the discovery of a body found in Stanley Park around noon today,” the department said in a statement to Access on Thursday. “The body is believed to be that of Andrew Koenig. More details will be confirmed at a press conference being held at 5:00 today, in which the Koenig family will be present.”
The former “Growing Pains” star, who played Richard “Boner” Stabone on the ‘80s series, had been missing since February 14. As previously reported by AccessHollywood.com, Andrew had been visiting friends in Vancouver. According to friend and TV personality Dave Holmes, he had missed a scheduled February 16 flight back to the U.S.
Walter and Judy, appeared on NBC’s “Today” show on Wednesday to raise awareness about his disappearance. They had been scheduled to appear on “Larry King Live” that night before leaving the set after their segment was pushed back.
Earlier, Walter (“Star Trek’s” original Pavel Chekov) and Judy told TMZ that their son was “suffering from depression” and “[was] not doing good” at the time of his disappearance. Their last contact with him was on February 9.
Walter also told CNN that his son stopped taking depression medication a year ago. Andrew reportedly left his Venice, Calif., apartment and headed for Canada after selling or giving away a number of his possessions.
CNN reported that he “fell in love” with Vancouver after filming an episode of “21 Jump Street” in the city in 1988.
On Monday, his former co-star Kirk Cameron told Access he was “praying for his family” over the disappearance.
“I am very concerned to hear of the disappearance of my old friend Andrew Koenig,” Cameron said in a statement to Access. “Although I have not had contact with him for many years, I can remember many of the fun times we had on the set of ‘Growing Pains.’ … Andrew, if you’re reading this, please call me. Mike and Boner could always work things out when they put their minds to it. I’m praying for you, pal. Hope to hear from you soon.”
And friend and comedian Josh Feemster made a statement to Access over the weekend, when the news of Andrew’s disappearance broke.
“I performed with Andrew for several years around Los Angeles,” he said in a statement. “He always had a passion for comedy and political activism. I really hope he’s OK. Not only for his sake, but for the sake of his family and friends.”
Brittany Murphy’s Final Autopsy: No Illegal Drugs Found; Death Ruled ‘Accident’
FIRST PUBLISHED: February 25, 2010 5:19 PM EST
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
Brittany Murphy’s complete autopsy report was released on Thursday and stated that no illegal drugs were found in her system and her death has officially been ruled an accident, according to the papers obtained by Access Hollywood.
The previous cause of death, community acquired pneumonia and multiple drug intoxication, remained unchanged.
“Multiple medications were present in the blood, with elevated levels of hydrocodone, acetaminophen, and chlorpheniramine L-methamphetamine was also present,” the report stated. “It should be noted that the pattern of use of these medications suggest treatment of symptoms of a cold or other respiratory infection. Acetaminophen and hydrocodone are components of Vicodin. Chlorpheniramine is the active ingredient in some over-the-counter medications. L-methamphetamine is a component of some inhalers.”
The report goes on to clarify that L-methamphetamine is not an illegal drug saying, “street methamphetamine is D- methamphetamine: none of this or any pother illegal drug was detected. The possible adverse physiological effects of elevated levels of these medications cannot be discounted, especially in her weakened state. Therefore the manner of death is Accident.”
As previously reported on AccessHollywood.com, on February 4 the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Department released an initial report to Access saying that the actress died of community acquired pneumonia and multiple drug intoxication.
The actress, who died on December 21, 2009, was also listed as having had an iron deficiency and anemia at her time of death.
At the time of the first report, a coroner’s office spokesperson further told Access that, according to Brittany’s mother, Sharon Murphy, the star had been feeling ill prior to her death and had scheduled a doctor’s appointment on a Wednesday or Thursday — days before her Sunday death. Both her mother and Brittany’s husband, Simon Monjack, had been sick a week before Brittany and recovered, but the star’s body was unable to fight off the ailment, the spokesperson said.
She was 115 pounds at her time of death.
Sharon and Simon previously stated in interviews that drugs had not been the cause of Brittany’s death, with Simon telling The Associated Press that a number of the prescription medications found in the couple’s home were his.
The former “Clueless” star was 32 years old at the time of her death.
Stars On Preparing For ‘The Pacific’: ‘The Most Physically Exhausting Experience Of My Life’
FEBRUARY 25 2010
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. --
Making “The Pacific,” HBO’s 10-hour, Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks-produced World War II epic, wasn’t easy – and it started with a 10-day boot camp before the stars even hit the Australian set.
“Tom Hanks showed up on the first day of boot camp and he gave a speech and to be honest with you, I can’t remember a word he said,” James Badge Dale, who plays Pfc. Robert Leckie, told Access Hollywood of the intense preparation for the project, which is Spielberg and Hanks’ follow-up to their previous HBO World War II production, the European-set “Band of Brothers.” “We were being yelled at, we had gotten up into this rainforest, we were trying to set up these hooch [tents]… I don’t know if you’ve ever seen 20 actors try to make a tent. It doesn’t work very well.”
He added that 10 days may not have been much time, but it was all that the production’s military advisor, Capt. Dale Dye, needed.
“These men in the Pacific, they were broken down physically, emotionally and spiritually and that was the purpose of the boot camp,” James said. “You’d be surprised at what you can do to a man in [10] days. Capt. Dale Dye is good at beating up actors. It was invaluable to the show.”
And Joe Mazzello, who plays Cpl. Eugene Sledge, called the production “the most physically exhausting experience” of his life.
“I’ve never done a job that was as difficult as this one,” he said. “I never will [again]. Ten days and I lost 12 pounds – I’m already 140, if that!”
While Joe acknowledged that they didn’t get the full experience of World War II Marines, they didn’t have it easy.
“We were dropped into that jungle, no running water, no bearings,” he said. “Just sleeping on the ground and digging ditches every day and carrying 40 pounds of equipment, running through the jungle. I forgot I was even making a movie.”
Jon Seda, who plays Gunnery Sgt. John Basilone, told Access the training helped them understand the “importance” of the project, which was based on real-life Marines and events.
“We could never truly exactly know what it was like for these men to be in those circumstances, but this gave us something to build on,” he said. “We had to learn all the weapons, all the ins and outs of those, we had to understand how to act in combat scenarios. There were days we’d spend hours and hours out there in terrible conditions and never come in contact with anyone. We had to know what we were going to do if we did get contact — in particular with me, how am I going to get those machine guns set up?”
So what was a typical day of training like? Access asked retired marine and “The Pacific” advisor Capt. Dye himself for an example.
“It’s 3 in the morning. We’re in a small plateau which serves as our command post for weapons company. We’re divided into three platoons,” he began. “We’re dug into holes that the kids had dug themselves, all around a perimeter. About 3 AM, my Japanese unit hits the line. They come in firing their Arisaka rifles and their Nambu machine guns, and my guys have got to fend them off. That lasts for maybe 30, 45 minutes, [then] the Japanese retreat.”
But, he added, there was more.
“Now we’ve got about an hour and a half until dawn,” he said. “At that point, everybody [gets] out of the holes and we’re about to commence physical training. They go through an intense set of calisthenics for about an hour and I put them all out on the road and they do a 4-5 mile run, where they’re chanting and singing, and get to feel the power of the unit, as opposed to the power of one guy. [Then] we bring them back and go immediately to the firing line.”
With their workout out of the way, the actors would then get to know their weapons.
“We learn to handle those as though we were born with them,” Capt. Dye continued. “That goes on for maybe a couple of hours. It’s getting to be around noon-ish, and I feed them one meal of two they’re going to get in the entire day. That’s just a ration meal, they’ve got to swallow it and get on.”
Following lunch was bayonet and close quarters fight training, then an afternoon spent chopping their way through the jungle up the hillside, where the stars in training would be attacked by another ambush of Japanese forces (themselves actors undergoing the boot camp).
“It’s all building confidence,” Capt. Dye said. “We’re doing things that are way out of their comfort zone. They’re building respect — respect for themselves, respect for the unit and respect for the people they’re portraying who went through all of this.”
“Tom Hanks showed up on the first day of boot camp and he gave a speech and to be honest with you, I can’t remember a word he said,” James Badge Dale, who plays Pfc. Robert Leckie, told Access Hollywood of the intense preparation for the project, which is Spielberg and Hanks’ follow-up to their previous HBO World War II production, the European-set “Band of Brothers.” “We were being yelled at, we had gotten up into this rainforest, we were trying to set up these hooch [tents]… I don’t know if you’ve ever seen 20 actors try to make a tent. It doesn’t work very well.”
He added that 10 days may not have been much time, but it was all that the production’s military advisor, Capt. Dale Dye, needed.
“These men in the Pacific, they were broken down physically, emotionally and spiritually and that was the purpose of the boot camp,” James said. “You’d be surprised at what you can do to a man in [10] days. Capt. Dale Dye is good at beating up actors. It was invaluable to the show.”
And Joe Mazzello, who plays Cpl. Eugene Sledge, called the production “the most physically exhausting experience” of his life.
“I’ve never done a job that was as difficult as this one,” he said. “I never will [again]. Ten days and I lost 12 pounds – I’m already 140, if that!”
While Joe acknowledged that they didn’t get the full experience of World War II Marines, they didn’t have it easy.
“We were dropped into that jungle, no running water, no bearings,” he said. “Just sleeping on the ground and digging ditches every day and carrying 40 pounds of equipment, running through the jungle. I forgot I was even making a movie.”
Jon Seda, who plays Gunnery Sgt. John Basilone, told Access the training helped them understand the “importance” of the project, which was based on real-life Marines and events.
“We could never truly exactly know what it was like for these men to be in those circumstances, but this gave us something to build on,” he said. “We had to learn all the weapons, all the ins and outs of those, we had to understand how to act in combat scenarios. There were days we’d spend hours and hours out there in terrible conditions and never come in contact with anyone. We had to know what we were going to do if we did get contact — in particular with me, how am I going to get those machine guns set up?”
So what was a typical day of training like? Access asked retired marine and “The Pacific” advisor Capt. Dye himself for an example.
“It’s 3 in the morning. We’re in a small plateau which serves as our command post for weapons company. We’re divided into three platoons,” he began. “We’re dug into holes that the kids had dug themselves, all around a perimeter. About 3 AM, my Japanese unit hits the line. They come in firing their Arisaka rifles and their Nambu machine guns, and my guys have got to fend them off. That lasts for maybe 30, 45 minutes, [then] the Japanese retreat.”
But, he added, there was more.
“Now we’ve got about an hour and a half until dawn,” he said. “At that point, everybody [gets] out of the holes and we’re about to commence physical training. They go through an intense set of calisthenics for about an hour and I put them all out on the road and they do a 4-5 mile run, where they’re chanting and singing, and get to feel the power of the unit, as opposed to the power of one guy. [Then] we bring them back and go immediately to the firing line.”
With their workout out of the way, the actors would then get to know their weapons.
“We learn to handle those as though we were born with them,” Capt. Dye continued. “That goes on for maybe a couple of hours. It’s getting to be around noon-ish, and I feed them one meal of two they’re going to get in the entire day. That’s just a ration meal, they’ve got to swallow it and get on.”
Following lunch was bayonet and close quarters fight training, then an afternoon spent chopping their way through the jungle up the hillside, where the stars in training would be attacked by another ambush of Japanese forces (themselves actors undergoing the boot camp).
“It’s all building confidence,” Capt. Dye said. “We’re doing things that are way out of their comfort zone. They’re building respect — respect for themselves, respect for the unit and respect for the people they’re portraying who went through all of this.”
Paris Hilton’s Sultry Beer Commercial Sparks Outcry In Brazil
February 25, 2010
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil --
Paris Hilton is giving blondes a bad name.
So says Brazil’s Secretariat for Women’s Affairs, which wants a sultry beer commercial starring the hotel heiress, model and actor off the air.
The ad features Hilton in a short black dress preening and rubbing a can of Devassa beer on herself, to the delight of onlookers watching through her window.
The commercial isn’t very explicit — especially in a land where postage-stamp-size bikinis are ubiquitous. But Brazil’s regulations say beer commercials cannot treat women as overtly sensual objects.
“It’s an ad that devalues women — in particular, blond women,” according to a spokeswoman for the Women’s Secretariat who said it received numerous complaints. She spoke Thursday on condition of anonymity because she was not free to discuss the case
Many Brazilian beer ads feature women in bikinis — but a key difference is that those are set on the beach, said Eduardo Correia, a spokesman for the regulator Conar, which has opened three separate investigations into the campaign.
“The problem with the ad isn’t a lack of clothing, but its sensual nature,” Correia said. “A woman in a bikini on a beach isn’t necessarily sensual; it depends on the context.”
Conar is a private agency that cannot legally force a company to remove an ad. But Correia said that in 23 years of existence, Conar has conducted more than 7,000 investigations and not one of its recommendations has been ignored.
Devassa, which means “naughty” in the most gentle of translations, is made by Grupo Schincariol. Calls to the company were not immediately returned Thursday.
Devassa’s “Bem Loura” — “Very Blond” — beer also features an Internet campaign with Hilton wearing lingerie and high heels.
So says Brazil’s Secretariat for Women’s Affairs, which wants a sultry beer commercial starring the hotel heiress, model and actor off the air.
The ad features Hilton in a short black dress preening and rubbing a can of Devassa beer on herself, to the delight of onlookers watching through her window.
The commercial isn’t very explicit — especially in a land where postage-stamp-size bikinis are ubiquitous. But Brazil’s regulations say beer commercials cannot treat women as overtly sensual objects.
“It’s an ad that devalues women — in particular, blond women,” according to a spokeswoman for the Women’s Secretariat who said it received numerous complaints. She spoke Thursday on condition of anonymity because she was not free to discuss the case
Many Brazilian beer ads feature women in bikinis — but a key difference is that those are set on the beach, said Eduardo Correia, a spokesman for the regulator Conar, which has opened three separate investigations into the campaign.
“The problem with the ad isn’t a lack of clothing, but its sensual nature,” Correia said. “A woman in a bikini on a beach isn’t necessarily sensual; it depends on the context.”
Conar is a private agency that cannot legally force a company to remove an ad. But Correia said that in 23 years of existence, Conar has conducted more than 7,000 investigations and not one of its recommendations has been ignored.
Devassa, which means “naughty” in the most gentle of translations, is made by Grupo Schincariol. Calls to the company were not immediately returned Thursday.
Devassa’s “Bem Loura” — “Very Blond” — beer also features an Internet campaign with Hilton wearing lingerie and high heels.
Hilton was in Brazil last week during Carnival for the opening of the ad campaign. Photos in local newspapers showed her crawling on the floor in a VIP room during the extravagant samba parades.
America Ferrera On The End Of ‘Ugly Betty’
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
“Ugly Betty” is wrapping up its run at the end of its current season after a cancellation announcement from ABC earlier this year, but not without Betty Suarez getting her famous braces off, series star America Ferrera told Access Hollywood.
“We’re shooting that episode right now, we’re having a great time,” America told Access recently of the upcoming episode where Kathy Najimy plays her braces-removing orthodontist. “They wrote it in a way that sort of lets you have your cake and eat it too. I don’t want to say too much… but we use sort of a fantasy element to get to see a different version of Betty.”
America also confirmed rumors that some characters on the show, which also stars Eric Mabius, Vanessa Williams, Michael Urie, Becki Newton and Ana Ortiz, will walk down the aisle before the last episode rolls.
“There is going to be a wedding, but we can’t say who,” she said.
As for the show’s finale, America said “Ugly Betty” would end properly.
“I think that we’ll be able to make it come to a justifiable sort of end and something that feels right and good to the story and the characters,” she said. “It will always be this really beautiful, almost perfect experience in my life.”
The actress, who hits theaters next month in “Our Family Wedding” alongside Forrest Whitaker and Taye Diggs, said she would leave “Ugly Betty” with not only her memories, but also a giant souvenir.
“I’ve been thinking about what I want to take with me. There was [an] episode where the character of Matt does all these paintings of Betty… like her as an angel at the Bethesda Fountain in New York or her as a monster, eating Lower Manhattan, and I think I’m gonna take one of those paintings and keep it,” she said.
The rest though, will help benefit charity.
“We’re auctioning off the rest of the paintings,” she said. “I’m building a school in Mali with Save The Children and we’re auctioning off all the paintings to benefit the school, but I’m gonna keep one for myself as a souvenir.”
“We’re shooting that episode right now, we’re having a great time,” America told Access recently of the upcoming episode where Kathy Najimy plays her braces-removing orthodontist. “They wrote it in a way that sort of lets you have your cake and eat it too. I don’t want to say too much… but we use sort of a fantasy element to get to see a different version of Betty.”
America also confirmed rumors that some characters on the show, which also stars Eric Mabius, Vanessa Williams, Michael Urie, Becki Newton and Ana Ortiz, will walk down the aisle before the last episode rolls.
“There is going to be a wedding, but we can’t say who,” she said.
As for the show’s finale, America said “Ugly Betty” would end properly.
“I think that we’ll be able to make it come to a justifiable sort of end and something that feels right and good to the story and the characters,” she said. “It will always be this really beautiful, almost perfect experience in my life.”
The actress, who hits theaters next month in “Our Family Wedding” alongside Forrest Whitaker and Taye Diggs, said she would leave “Ugly Betty” with not only her memories, but also a giant souvenir.
“I’ve been thinking about what I want to take with me. There was [an] episode where the character of Matt does all these paintings of Betty… like her as an angel at the Bethesda Fountain in New York or her as a monster, eating Lower Manhattan, and I think I’m gonna take one of those paintings and keep it,” she said.
The rest though, will help benefit charity.
“We’re auctioning off the rest of the paintings,” she said. “I’m building a school in Mali with Save The Children and we’re auctioning off all the paintings to benefit the school, but I’m gonna keep one for myself as a souvenir.”
Rising Star: Mia Wasikowska
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
As she sat alongside Mary-Kate Olsen, Kate Hudson and Kristen Stewart at the Burberry show at London Fashion Week on Tuesday, not everyone knew Mia Wasikowska’s name. But despite the nearby superstar power, it was hard not to be drawn to the lithe blonde with a pixie cut, as she sat with her gangly arms perched on her thighs, her knees locked together — and atop her graceful neck? A face full of childlike beauty; a soft button nose, a delicately bewitching smile, those mischievous dimples and her amber colored eyes.
Mia’s name may not sound off the paparazzi alarms yet, but in just a few weeks, the world will have its chance to be delighted by the Australian-bred actress – AccessHollywood.com’s newest Rising Star, as she helps Tim Burton re-imagine Alice Kingsley in Disney’s magical “Alice In Wonderland.”
“I try not to take on too much of that,” Mia told Access about her Rising Stars status. “I mean, it’s really nice to hear that, but it’s kind of like anything can happen as long as you keep working hard.”
As Alice, Mia did nothing but work. She had to use her imagination and fine tune her acting chops, as much of the film was done using green screens to create that incredible, fantastical Tim Burton Wonderland. But it wasn’t her first time on the big screen.
“I had been acting in Australia since I was 15 and I had done a couple of smaller films in Australia,” she said. “Then I started working in America when I was about 16 and I just had small roles in a couple of things. Alice is kind of the first like lead role I’ve [done].”
Precocious as Alice, Mia brightens the screen, propelling the drama of self-discovery for a 19-year-old Kingsley in the world of Wonderland.
“You don’t always sort of come across those roles so it was really exciting to actually play a young woman who becomes very empowered,” Mia said. “I think that that’s a very important thing for our young girls to see and I hope that they take something away from that.”
As for what she took away from the film, it was some excellent training in battle.
“I did two weeks of stunt rehearsals for most of the physical things,” she said. “What is so cool about this job, you get to kind of take on all different things like sword fighting.”
Wielding a giant metal rod is likely to come in handy in the future, but in the meantime, Mia’s next role will take a softer touch, as she gears up to play “Jane Eyre,” based on the classic Charlotte Bronte book. The BBC Films project, expected to shart shooing this spring, will pair her on screen with Michael Fassbender of “Inglourious Basterds,” Jamie Bell of “Billy Elliot” fame, Sally Hawkins and Dame Judi Dench.
It’s clear, she has quite a “Wonder”-ful future in store.
Mia’s name may not sound off the paparazzi alarms yet, but in just a few weeks, the world will have its chance to be delighted by the Australian-bred actress – AccessHollywood.com’s newest Rising Star, as she helps Tim Burton re-imagine Alice Kingsley in Disney’s magical “Alice In Wonderland.”
“I try not to take on too much of that,” Mia told Access about her Rising Stars status. “I mean, it’s really nice to hear that, but it’s kind of like anything can happen as long as you keep working hard.”
As Alice, Mia did nothing but work. She had to use her imagination and fine tune her acting chops, as much of the film was done using green screens to create that incredible, fantastical Tim Burton Wonderland. But it wasn’t her first time on the big screen.
“I had been acting in Australia since I was 15 and I had done a couple of smaller films in Australia,” she said. “Then I started working in America when I was about 16 and I just had small roles in a couple of things. Alice is kind of the first like lead role I’ve [done].”
Precocious as Alice, Mia brightens the screen, propelling the drama of self-discovery for a 19-year-old Kingsley in the world of Wonderland.
“You don’t always sort of come across those roles so it was really exciting to actually play a young woman who becomes very empowered,” Mia said. “I think that that’s a very important thing for our young girls to see and I hope that they take something away from that.”
As for what she took away from the film, it was some excellent training in battle.
“I did two weeks of stunt rehearsals for most of the physical things,” she said. “What is so cool about this job, you get to kind of take on all different things like sword fighting.”
Wielding a giant metal rod is likely to come in handy in the future, but in the meantime, Mia’s next role will take a softer touch, as she gears up to play “Jane Eyre,” based on the classic Charlotte Bronte book. The BBC Films project, expected to shart shooing this spring, will pair her on screen with Michael Fassbender of “Inglourious Basterds,” Jamie Bell of “Billy Elliot” fame, Sally Hawkins and Dame Judi Dench.
It’s clear, she has quite a “Wonder”-ful future in store.
Alice In Wonderland’ Premieres In London
February 25, 2010
LONDON, England, U.K.
Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter and other stars of Tim Burton’s fantasy 3D film “Alice in Wonderland” braved pouring rain to attend the movie’s London premiere Thursday.
The stars were joined by director Burton, Anne Hathaway and hundreds of screaming fans who turned up for the event in central London’s Leicester Square despite a steady downpour.
The premiere came after British movie theater chain Odeon said it had resolved a dispute with Walt Disney Pictures about the release date for the DVD version. Odeon had said it wouldn’t show the film in its cinemas in Britain, Ireland and Italy because it objected to Disney’s decision to release the DVD earlier than usual, but the chain said Thursday the dispute was over.
Odeon didn’t disclose details, and there was no immediate comment from Disney. Burton told a press conference earlier Thursday he was relieved the issue was resolved.
“I’m just glad it’s resolved. We made it 3D to be shown in the 3D screens and so I’m just very happy and grateful,” he said.
The movie — inspired by Lewis Carroll’s classic children’s tale — tells the story of the heroine’s return to the world down the rabbit-hole at the age of 19.
Depp plays the Mad Hatter, Hathaway is the White Queen, Bonham Carter is a bulbous-headed Red Queen and Australian newcomer Mia Wasikowska plays Alice.
Burton said the movie’s 3D effects enhance the fantastic, surreal world it describes.
“3D and Alice seem to fit,” Burton told Sky News. “There’s something about the trippiness of the Alice world that helps bring you into that 3D space.”
The stars were joined by director Burton, Anne Hathaway and hundreds of screaming fans who turned up for the event in central London’s Leicester Square despite a steady downpour.
The premiere came after British movie theater chain Odeon said it had resolved a dispute with Walt Disney Pictures about the release date for the DVD version. Odeon had said it wouldn’t show the film in its cinemas in Britain, Ireland and Italy because it objected to Disney’s decision to release the DVD earlier than usual, but the chain said Thursday the dispute was over.
Odeon didn’t disclose details, and there was no immediate comment from Disney. Burton told a press conference earlier Thursday he was relieved the issue was resolved.
“I’m just glad it’s resolved. We made it 3D to be shown in the 3D screens and so I’m just very happy and grateful,” he said.
The movie — inspired by Lewis Carroll’s classic children’s tale — tells the story of the heroine’s return to the world down the rabbit-hole at the age of 19.
Depp plays the Mad Hatter, Hathaway is the White Queen, Bonham Carter is a bulbous-headed Red Queen and Australian newcomer Mia Wasikowska plays Alice.
Burton said the movie’s 3D effects enhance the fantastic, surreal world it describes.
“3D and Alice seem to fit,” Burton told Sky News. “There’s something about the trippiness of the Alice world that helps bring you into that 3D space.”
Child Support Trial Set In Palin, Johnston Case
PALMER, Alaska --
A judge in Alaska has set a date for the child support trial of Bristol Palin and the father of her son but urged the two to work out a resolution before then.
Bristol Palin attended the 20-minute hearing Thursday at Palmer Superior Court but Levi Johnston did not appear or participate by phone.
The judge told Johnston’s lawyer it would have been better if Palin’s former fiance had participated.
The 19-year-old daughter of Sarah Palin is seeking nearly $1,700 a month in child support from Johnson, who is a current Playgirl model. Palin’s lawyer is seeking to subpoena Playgirl and media outlets to find out how much Johnston made last year.
The judge set a trial date for Sept. 23 and told Johnston’s lawyer to get his client’s financial information to the court. He says it was past due.
Bristol Palin attended the 20-minute hearing Thursday at Palmer Superior Court but Levi Johnston did not appear or participate by phone.
The judge told Johnston’s lawyer it would have been better if Palin’s former fiance had participated.
The 19-year-old daughter of Sarah Palin is seeking nearly $1,700 a month in child support from Johnson, who is a current Playgirl model. Palin’s lawyer is seeking to subpoena Playgirl and media outlets to find out how much Johnston made last year.
The judge set a trial date for Sept. 23 and told Johnston’s lawyer to get his client’s financial information to the court. He says it was past due.
Tom Hanks On His Future As Robert Langdon & Bossing Around Julia Roberts
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
“Every time it comes up, the first question I ask is, ‘Well, do you still want me?’” the star of “Angels & Demons” and “The Da Vinci Code” told Access Hollywood on Wednesday night at the LA premiere of HBO’s “The Pacific,” which he’s executive producing alongside Steven Spielberg. “‘You’re not going to reboot that Robert Langdon thing, are you?’”
But the actor added that he’s not too worried about his role in a potential “The Lost Symbol” film.
“I’d like to assume that I’m Robert Langdon [in] perpetuity and I hope [director] Ron [Howard] and the studio agree,” he said.
As for Tom’s other projects, the star will re-team with Julia Roberts for “Larry Crowne,” which his Playtone Productions is producing – making him Julia’s boss. But not according to the actor.
“Is anybody really the boss over Julia Roberts?” Tom asked Access. “Are you the boss of the women you’re married to? I’ve been married [to Rita Wilson] for — we’re coming up on our 22nd wedding anniversary in April. I ain’t the boss of her and with Julia Roberts comes… if Julia says ‘You know, I’d like to try a little something right here,’ guess what? We’re going to watch her try a little something. I’m no fool.”
However, Tom was hands-on when it came to “The Pacific,” a 10-hour series that tells the stories of marines in World War II’s Pacific Theater.
“We said, ‘Look, you are all great actors. Otherwise you wouldn’t be here,’” he said of the mission he tried to impress upon his cast. “’You’re going to have to decide or not how much purity and authenticity you’re going to bring to this… It’s about how deep this is going to affect you and how much it’s going to enter into your DNA.’”
“The Pacific” debuts on March 14 on HBO.
Posts
