tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174831402024-02-28T02:25:45.654-08:00World Celebrities Bloglet's talk about actors and actresses, movies and shows, etc.Mars Mosqueda.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16387378920043725064noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17483140.post-12659847681722520132007-09-21T21:29:00.000-07:002007-09-21T21:33:45.359-07:00Britney Spears charged with misdemeanor<p>Los Angeles prosecutors charged pop icon Britney Spears with misdemeanor counts of hit and run and driving without a valid license in an accident that occured on August 6, 2007.</p><p>Spears could face up to six months in jail and a US$1,000 fine for each count if convicted, said Nick Velasquez, spokesman for the city attorney's office. Spears' lawyers has not issued a statement yet on the charges.</p><p>Spears, 25, was filmed by paparazzi that day steering her car into another vehicle as she tried to turn into a spot in a Studio City parking lot. After assessing the damage to her own car only, she was shown on paparazzi video walking away.</p><p>Three days after the accident, the owner of the other vehicle, Kim Robard-Rifkin, filed a police report, and investigators later determined that Spears does not have a license, officials said.</p>Mars Mosqueda.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16387378920043725064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17483140.post-38570031033136887302007-09-21T21:22:00.000-07:002007-09-21T21:29:30.522-07:00Leonardo Di Caprio Goes EnvironmentalAfter collaborating on two short films ("Global Warming", "Water Planet"), filmmakers Nadia Conner and Leila Conners Petersen and producer Leonardo DiCaprio set out to explore the largeer story of the human experience on the planet, in Warner Bros. Pictures' acclaimed documentary "The 11th Hour".<br /><br />Seeking out credible voices to speak to the history of the human species, the state of the oceans, lands and air, and social, design and political challenges for change, the trio netted 150 hours of interviews with over 70 scientists, designers, historians and thinkers.<br /><br />"We reached out to independent experts on the front lines of what could be the greatest challenge of our time - the collapse of our planet's ecosystems and our search for solutions to create a sustainable future," says DiCaprio.<br /><br />"We ourselves wanted to understand why humans were on a crash course with nature, and what we had to do to change course," says co-writer/co-director/producer Leila Conners Petersen. Her sister and collaborator Nadia adds, "One of the great things about doing this project was being able to meet people that inspired me or opened my mind through their work and writings. It was a great honor and huge learning experience".Mars Mosqueda.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16387378920043725064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17483140.post-1172195814621501342007-02-22T17:47:00.000-08:002007-02-22T17:56:54.623-08:00It's A Boy Girl ThingWhat would you do if you wake up in the body of your worst enemy? In the new moview "It's A Boy Girl Thing", two teenagers will prove that the more you hate, the more you love. This new romantic comedy is about next-door neighbors who live worlds apart.<br /><br />Nell Bedworth (Samaire Armstrong, also seen as Anna Sterm in the TV Series the OC) and Woody Deane (Kevin Zegers) are sworn enemies. Woody, the star quarterback of the Westdale Bay High School football team, has it all - good looks, great personality, athletic ability and extreme popularity.<br /><br />Whatever the future brings, Woody has the loving support of his parents Della (Sharon Osbourne) and Stan (Maury Chaykin). Right next-door is the pretty (in bookish way), academically astute and socially inept. Nell, who also attends Westdale Bay High School. But she is there strictly for the education, attempting to fulfill a lifelong ambition of attending Yale.<br /><br />Her mother Katherine (Sherry Miller) has dedicated her life to this dream - while her father Ted (Robert Joy) looks on exasperated. Woody and Nell may attend the same high school and live in the same neighborhood but they stay far away from each other. That is, until the two thrown together on a school field trip, where a heated argument ensues and results in a mysterious twist courtesy of a mischievours Aztec God. The next day they wake up in a very strange place: Each other's body.<br /><br />In their new identities they set about to do destroy each other's reputation. But each other's lives aren't exactly they first thought. Can a little bit of empathy and understanding take a relationship from infuriation to infatuation?<br /><br />It's A Boy Girl Thing was first developed by Producer Steve Hamilton Shaw. "Steve came up with the idea of doing a romantic comedy and a body swap movie in a teen environment," recalls producer David Furnish. "Teens have varying levels of sexual sophistication and comfort with one's body and social status. The situation created so many opportunities for comedy."Mars Mosqueda.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16387378920043725064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17483140.post-1169541219685203032007-01-23T00:31:00.000-08:002007-01-23T00:33:39.686-08:00South Korean pop singer U-Nee commits suicide<p>South Korean actress and pop singer U-Nee was found dead from hanging in her home in Seo-gu Incheon, Sunday afternoon. </p><p> U-Nee's grandmother found the body of the 26-year-old singer hanging from a door frame after she returned from a church service. </p><p> Police investigating the death have announced the case was an apparent suicide, though the singer left no note or will. U-Nee's mother has testified that U-Nee had been suffering from depression. </p><p> U-Nee's third album "Honey" is due for release on February 1. People have speculated U-Nee was suffering from the huge pressure associated with the release of the new album and was upset by online criticisms and attacks. </p><p> U-Nee came to the public's attention under the name "Lee Hye-ryeon" with her 1996 debut in the KBS TV drama "Grown-ups Just Don't Understand". She appeared in the movie "Seventeen" in 1998, then in the TV dramas "Theme Game" and "Tears of the Dragon". </p><p> Her debut album "Go" was released in 2003 and she gained even greater popularity with the 2005 release of her second album "Call Call Call." Her sexy dance moves and revealing fashions made her the favorite of teenagers across Asia.<br /> </p>Mars Mosqueda.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16387378920043725064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17483140.post-1169540941158949302007-01-23T00:27:00.000-08:002007-01-23T00:29:01.160-08:00"Stomp the Yard" tops North American Box OfficeSony's dance movie "Stomp the Yard" was at the top of the North American box office again this weekend with 13.3 million U.S. dollars in ticket sales, edging out Ben Stiller's "Night at the Museum," according to preliminary figures released here Sunday.<br /><br />The Stiller comedy, which took in an estimated 13 million dollars, surpassed "Superman Returns" to become the fifth top grossing film of 2006, said box office tracking firm Exhibitor Relations.<br /><br />The movie, the top earner for three weekends in a row, has grossed an estimated 205.8 million dollars since its debut five weeks ago, according to Media by Numbers, another Los Angeles-based box office tracker.<br /><br />"Dreamgirls," starring Golden Globe winners Jennifer Hudson and Eddie Murphy, came in third with an estimated 8.7 million dollars, while the horror flick "The Hitcher" debuted in fourth place with about 8.2 million dollars in gross receipts.<br /><br />In fifth place was "The Pursuit of Happiness," starring Will Smith as a struggling father who remakes himself as a stock broker, with 6.7 million dollars in ticket sales.<br /><br />Meanwhile, other film that won awards at the Golden Globe Awards last week, including Paramount Vantage's "Babel" and the Miramax drama "The Queen," jumped into the top 12 films group over the weekend, while "Pan's Labyrinth," directed by Mexican director Guillermo del Toro, was at No. 7 with 4.7 million dollars.<br /><br />The Spanish-language fairy tale film set in 1940s' Spain is one of the nine films vying for five slots in Academy Awards' best foreign-language picture category on Tuesday, when Oscar nominations are announced in Beverly Hills.<br /><br />The 12 top-earning films grossed an estimated 76 m.Mars Mosqueda.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16387378920043725064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17483140.post-1169540602732631162007-01-23T00:19:00.000-08:002007-01-23T00:23:22.743-08:00Big Brother on Probation<p>(From the TimesOnline.co.uk) The chairman of Channel 4 ordered an inquiry last night into whether underhand tactics had been used by the producers of Celebrity Big Brother to stoke up the race row between Jade Goody and the Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty. </p><p>After a two-hour discussion between the network's board members, Luke Johnson said that Big Brother had been put on notice, but also indicated that the conduct of all connected with the show would be thoroughly investigated. </p><p>The announcement in effect puts on probation two of television’s most senior executives, with Andy Duncan, Channel 4's chief executive, and Kevin Lygo, its director of television, likely to be blamed should dirty tricks be uncovered.</p><p>The pair tried and failed to argue that the programme had begun a legitimate debate about race in Britain, amid accusations that it was encouraging abusive conflict to boost ratings. </p><p>There was further controversy for the channel last night after a contestant on its new Shipwrecked series made offensive comments about black people and homosexuals. Ofcom, the media watchdog, said it had had 69 complaints about racism after the comments by Lucy Buchanan, 18, a former public schoolgirl who told contestants that she supported slavery. </p>Mars Mosqueda.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16387378920043725064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17483140.post-1156579046601717832006-08-26T00:55:00.000-07:002006-08-26T00:57:26.603-07:00Goodbye Tom Cruise...Paramount's dumping of Cruise didn't come as a surprise to everyone. According to Hollywood insiders, a celebrity apocalypse of this magnitude has been a long time coming and would have happened even if Cruise hadn't used Oprah Winfrey's sofa as a trampoline, lost his temper during an interview about Brooke Shields's medication, or fathered the baby of Katie Holmes. Directors, producers and screenwriters alike say that actors have become so grotesquely overpaid in relation to the profitability of modern films that something radical had to be done. How, they ask, could Cruise expect to keep his Paramount retainer of up to $US10million a year - to cover overheads such as office rent, jet fuel and salaries for his most trusted aides - at a time when studios can barely cover their marketing bills? (In sharp contrast to Cruise's production deal with Paramount, Brad Pitt's company, Plan B, reportedly gets only $US2million a year from the same studio, with a $US500,000 discretionary fund to develop ideas. Cruise's discretionary fund was about 12 times that size.) <br /><br />The bad feeling between studios and actors has been building all northern summer as panic over invisible profit margins continues to take hold. In June, Paramount halted the production of Believe It or Not, a Jim Carrey project with a budget of $US150million. Then came a leaked memo from Morgan Creek Productions to Lindsay Lohan, the hard-partying actor who was starring in a film called Georgia Rule. "To date your actions have been discourteous, irresponsible and unprofessional," said the missive. "You have acted like a spoilt child." Days later, Walt Disney cancelled a Mel Gibson television miniseries after a transcript of the actor's drunken rant against Jews was published online. <br /><br />In a business not exactly known for its moral bravery, these have been remarkable developments ("Industry flirtation with honesty puts stars on alert," read Thursday's headline in the Los Angeles Times). As if all this wasn't bad enough for actors' reputations, dozens of movie budgets were recently leaked to the Smoking Gun website. One of the 80-page spreadsheets disclosed that Bruce Willis had received $US20million to star in M. Night Shyamalan's Unbreakable plus a $US1.5million package of on-set extras, including masseuse, mobile gym, trainer, bodyguard and private jet charters.Mars Mosqueda.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16387378920043725064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17483140.post-1156578687603986102006-08-26T00:50:00.000-07:002006-08-26T00:51:27.603-07:00JANET JACKSON DENIES HAVING CHILDREN<p>Janet Jackson denied having any children that she knows of, calling the allegations that she have one as "false".The famously secretive pop star broke her silence on assertions by her former brother-in-law that she had a secret 18-year-old daughter. "I do not have a child, and all allegations saying so are false," Jackson said in a brief statement. </p><p>Jackson did not mention ex-husband James DeBarge. She didn't have to--Young DeBarge, one of James DeBarge's brothers, did that himself last Friday during an interview on New York City's WQHT-FM ("Hot 97"). Young DeBarge said on the air that his brother and Jackson, who were briefly married from 1984 to 1985, had a baby together. </p><p>The child, named Renee, was raised by Jackson's eldest sister, Rebbie, he said. When not dishing on family gossip, Young DeBarge was said to be promoting an upcoming album. Jackson, meanwhile, reportedly was moving on to more pressing matters--namely, trying to get a stalkerazzi video of her backyard sunbathing routine off the Internet, MSNBC.com said.</p>Mars Mosqueda.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16387378920043725064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17483140.post-1140847370219537432006-02-24T22:00:00.000-08:002006-08-26T00:48:32.776-07:00Superman, Batman Sequelize?It is the ultimate fanboy fantasy not involving Princess Leia: More Batman, more Superman.<br /><br />According to Thursday's Variety, the dream could come true as soon as 2008, in the form of sequel to Batman Begins, and 2009, in the form of a sequel to the upcoming Superman Returns.<br /><br /><br />Warner Bros., the studio behind both revived superhero franchises, would not comment on sequel plans. It called the Variety report "speculative."<br /><br />Earlier this month at WonderCon, a leading comics convention, Superman Returns director Bryan Singer copped to having "ideas" for more Superman movies, ComicBookResources.com reported. But Singer said those ideas were "like my ideas for X-Men 3," a movie the ex-X-Men helmer is definitely not directing.<br /><br />Still, the Website said, fans pressed ahead, asking what villains might pop up in additional Superman adventures. (Kevin Spacey plays Lex Luthor in Returns.) And, still, the Website said, Singer deflected.<br /><br /><br />"Let's see how the game plays," Singer said, per ComicBookResources.com.<br /><br />The notion of a Superman Returns sequel, though a no-brainer, is indeed presumptive--the movie, the first Man in Steel big-screen adventure since 1987, doesn't open until June 30.<br /><br />Batman Begins, the first Caped Crusader big-screen adventure since 1997, swooped into theaters last summer. With a $205.3 million take, it was the eighth-highest grossing 2005 release, per BoxOfficeMojo.com.<br /><br />Variety pegged the Superman and Batman sequels as being in the planning stages. The trade paper noted that Warners has contractual dibs on the movies' respective cape-wearers, Superman Returns' Brandon Routh and Batman Begins' Christian Bale, but that it doesn't have done deals with the films' respective directors, Singer and Christopher Nolan.<br /><br />The Batman project, however, does have a screenwriter, Variety said: Jonah (or Jonathan) Nolan, brother of Christopher.<br /><br />Christopher Nolan currently is directing Bale and Hugh Jackman as dueling magicians in The Prestige. According to the Internet Movie Database, he's also set to call the shots on The Exec, an action/drama penned by his sibling.<br /><br />Singer's schedule is just as booked.<br /><br />The director probably would get his long-planned Logan's Run remake up and running before returning to Metropolis, Variety said. His to-do list also includes a dramatized version of The Mayor of Castro Street, about slain gay politician Harvey Milk.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Source: EonlineMars Mosqueda.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16387378920043725064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17483140.post-1140847233157457212006-02-24T21:59:00.000-08:002006-02-24T22:00:33.160-08:00Becky O'Donohue, Stevie Scott, Patrick Hall and Bobby Bennett eliminated from American IdolFour American Idol hopefuls sang their final note on the talent search Thursday, leaving 20 semifinalists still in the running. <br /><br />Becky O'Donohue, Stevie Scott, Patrick Hall and Bobby Bennett were sent home after receiving the lowest number of votes from viewers. <br /><br />a d v e r t i s e m e n t<br /> <br /><br /> <br /> <br /> <br />O'Donohue, whose model looks failed to distract from her mediocre vocals during her performance Tuesday night, was the first to get the ax, drawing a tearful reaction from Paula Abdul. <br /><br />"I think casting directors need to take a good look at you because the camera loves you," Abdul said. <br /><br />For once, Simon Cowell was in agreement, though his delivery lacked Abdul's saccharine. <br /><br />"I think you're going to be a very successful model," Cowell told the 25-year-old identical twin, who currently appears alongside her sister, Jessie, in a sexy Maxim Online spread. "And it's best to be great at something rather than not so good at something." <br /><br />Next came the moment of truth for Bennett, who said he performed Barry Manilow's "Copacabana" on Wednesday's show at his grandmother's request and earned stinging criticism from Cowell as a result. <br /><br />"If you hear a scream from a hotel room in Las Vegas, that's where Barry Manilow's watching this show," Cowell said. "That was a complete nightmare." <br /><br />The negative review earned Bennett support from host Ryan Seacrest, who angrily laid into Cowell. <br /><br />"I think all of them deserve a little bit of constructive criticism, if you want me to be honest with you," Seacrest snapped at the judge. "I think it's fair if you give a little constructive criticism every once in a while." <br /><br />"Ryan, with respect, I do this for a living," Cowell replied. "I don't play at it like you." <br /><br />Unfortunately for Bennett, Idol voters sided with Cowell, and awarded him the lowest number of votes among the male contestants. <br /><br />The third hopeful to meet her demise was Scott. The classically trained opera singer made a poor impression with the male judges Tuesday with her rendition of "To Where You Are," though Abdul supported the performance. <br /><br />"Honestly, dude, I found myself daydreaming while you were singing," Randy Jackson said, while Cowell said, "Stevie, I think you completely and utterly messed that up." <br /><br />While the 19-year-old warbler promised to "bring it" in her next performance, viewers weren't willing to give her a second chance and she joined O'Donohue and Bennett in the loser's circle. <br /><br />The final singer to get the boot was Patrick Hall, whose performance of Melissa Etheridge's "Come to My Window" was deemed "average" and "fidgety" by Cowell on Wednesday. <br /><br /><br /><br />Source: Eonline!Mars Mosqueda.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16387378920043725064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17483140.post-1140658625491809712006-02-22T17:36:00.000-08:002006-02-22T17:37:05.493-08:00Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe has paid £30,000 at a charity auction for a family tree drawn by author JK RowlingHarry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe has paid £30,000 at a charity auction for a family tree drawn by author JK Rowling.<br /><br />Radcliffe, 16, who plays the schoolboy wizard on screen, bought a handwritten history of the family of Sirius Black, his character's godfather.<br /><br />Rowling donated the document to the sale by Book Aid International, which provides books for schools in Africa.<br /><br />The actor also successfully bid for handwritten works by writers Iain Banks and Tom Stoppard, totalling £4,680.<br />Radcliffe's mother Marcia Gresham bid on his behalf at the central London auction.<br /><br />She said: "This should put paid to anyone who says that Daniel doesn't like reading.<br /><br />"Daniel hasn't stopped since he read the first Harry Potter book and he loves Iain Banks and Tom Stoppard."Mars Mosqueda.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16387378920043725064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17483140.post-1140658534300823342006-02-22T17:32:00.000-08:002006-02-22T17:35:34.300-08:00Kid Rock Sex Video and a Maid of the Stars who cleaned out valuables<p>Kid Rock wants to keep his own sexploits private. </p><p>The trailer park rap-rocker scored a legal victory Tuesday when a federal judge temporarily blocked an online porn peddler from hocking a steamy sex video featuring the Kid and former Creed crooner Scott Stapp receiving oral sex in a 45-minute lovefest with four female fans. </p><p>Meanwhile, a maid whose clients included Robert DeNiro and Candice Bergen was sentenced Tuesday to one to three years in prison by a judge who said the defendant was "cleaning out" her celebrity employers' valuables while cleaning their homes.</p><p>State Supreme Court Justice Renee White ignored the pleas of a weeping Lucyna Turyk-Wawrynowicz to let her return immediately to Poland.Turyk-Wawrynowicz pleaded guilty two weeks ago to grand larceny, forgery and identity theft.</p><p>"I would like the judge to allow me to go home," Turyk-Wawrynowicz, 35, said through tears and a Polish interpreter. She said her sister died recently, leaving several young children. "They have no one to take care of them," she told the judge.</p><p>White told the maid she had "shown no remorse for your actions, but only remorse for your predicament," and imposed the prison sentence.</p><p>"During your work as a housekeeper, a job that involves trust, you violated the trust of five individuals by stealing significant property from these individuals," the judge said. "You worked not just by cleaning and dusting, but by cleaning out the property of the various employers you worked for."</p>Mars Mosqueda.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16387378920043725064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17483140.post-1140658353039584302006-02-22T17:28:00.000-08:002006-02-22T17:32:33.596-08:00Brokeback Mountain shirt sold for £57,000TWO shirts featured in the hit film Brokeback Mountain have been auctioned for more than £57,000.<br /><br />A gay activist was the winning bidder in an online auction for the two used plaid shirts worn by the cowboy lovers, played by Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal, in this year's Oscar hot bet.<br /><br />The sale by the film's distributor, Focus Features, was on the auction website eBay. Tom Gregory, 45, logged his winning bid just 28 seconds before the ten-day auction came to a close on Monday.Mars Mosqueda.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16387378920043725064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17483140.post-1136791415358479402006-01-08T22:56:00.000-08:002006-01-08T23:23:35.440-08:00Meet the Big Brother celebritiesThe <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4586790.stm">BBC News website</a> profiles the runners and riders in this year's Celebrity Big Brother on Channel 4.<br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong>FARIA ALAM<br /></strong><a href="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41187000/jpg/_41187746_faria_203.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41187000/jpg/_41187746_faria_203.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><strong>Age</strong>: 39<br /><strong>Job</strong>: Model and former PA<br /><strong>Lives</strong>: London (born in Bangladesh)<br /><strong>Famous for</strong>: Best known for her affair with England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson and the media scandal linking her to FA chief executive Mark Palios.<br /><br />Nicknamed 'Ferrari', Faria has had various jobs and a taste for the high-life. She has worked in IT and PR and is fluent in several languages. She said the person she would least like to encounter in the Big Brother house is Eriksson's partner Nancy Dell'Olio.<br /><br /><br /><strong>MICHAEL BARRYMORE<br /></strong><a href="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41187000/jpg/_41187738_barrymore.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41187000/jpg/_41187738_barrymore.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><strong>Age:</strong> 53<br /><strong>Job:</strong> TV personality/comedian<br /><strong>Lives:</strong> New Zealand<br /><strong>Famous for:</strong> After a turbulent childhood, Michael entered showbusiness working as a Red Coat at Butlins holiday camps for eight years.<br /><br />After appearances on TV shows like Little and Large and Blankety Blank, Michael was given his own series The Michael Barrymore Show in 1982 and quickly established himself as one of the UKs favourite entertainers. In 1995 , he "came out" as gay, bringing his marriage to an end.<br /><br />In 2001, he was questioned by police over the death of Stuart Lubbock, who drowned in his swimming pool. Following an investigation, Michael received a caution for possession and use of cannabis. No other charges were filed against him.<br /><br />He was dropped by ITV following an inquest, which recorded an open verdict, and he found it difficult to find work.<br /><br /><br /><strong>TRACI BINGHAM<br /></strong><a href="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41187000/jpg/_41187764_traci.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41187000/jpg/_41187764_traci.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><strong>Age:</strong> 37<br /><strong>Job:</strong> Actress and model<br /><strong>Lives:</strong> Beverly Hills, California (born in Massachusetts)<br /><strong>Famous for:</strong> Harvard-educated Traci is best known for her role in the hugely successful Baywatch series, as lifeguard Jordan Tate. After two years in the show, she made numerous TV and film appearances, most recently in US reality shows.<br /><br />Traci describes herself as something of an exhibitionist, a flirt, and says that things "could get a little crazy" after a couple of drinks.<br /><br /><br /><strong>PETE BURNS<br /></strong><a href="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41187000/jpg/_41187758_pete_203.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41187000/jpg/_41187758_pete_203.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><strong>Age:</strong> 46<br /><strong>Job:</strong> Singer in '80s band Dead or Alive<br /><strong>Lives:</strong> Italy (born in Liverpool)<br /><strong>Famous for:</strong> Pete shocked audiences in the 1980s with his flamboyant dress sense including skirts, stockings, high-heels, corsets, exotic hairstyles and make-up. Dead or Alive hit the big time in 1985 with You Spin Me Round (Like a Record) which reached number one in the charts.<br /><br />A self-confessed diva with rooms full of Vivienne Westwood outfits, Pete counts Jackie Stallone and Madonna among his idols. He has had extensive cosmetic surgery.<br /><br /><br /><strong>GEORGE GALLOWAY</strong><br /><a href="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41187000/jpg/_41187750_george.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41187000/jpg/_41187750_george.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><strong>Age:</strong> 51<br /><strong>Job:</strong> RESPECT (political party to the left of Labour) MP for Bethnal Green and Bow<br /><strong>Lives:</strong> East London (born in Dundee)<br /><strong>Famous for:</strong> His passionate left-wing stance and campaign to have the UK government overturn economic sanctions against Iraq. His controversial meetings with former Iraqi-leader Saddam Hussein in 1994 and 2002 have raised eyebrows in some quarters.<br /><br />Teetotal George, whose dream date is actress Julia Roberts, does not like drunkenness, bad manners, bigotry and ignorance, but likes football and snooker.<br /><br /><br /><strong>RULA LENSKA<br /></strong><a href="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41187000/jpg/_41187760_rula.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41187000/jpg/_41187760_rula.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><strong>Age:</strong> 57<br /><strong>Job:</strong> Actress<br /><strong>Lives:</strong> London<br /><strong>Famous for:</strong> Born Countess Roza-Marie Leopoldnya Lubienska, Rula grew up in London where she became an actress and a star of Rock Follies in her early twenties. Rula met her second husband, Dennis Waterman, on the set of Minder.<br /><br />Rula aims to give up smoking whilst she is in the house, and has brought nicotine patches. She describes herself as a gay icon and "a crazy Polish countess who likes a challenge". Rula is also a practicing Buddhist and chants on a daily basis.<br /><br /><br /><strong>MAGGOT<br /></strong><a href="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41187000/jpg/_41187756_maggot.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41187000/jpg/_41187756_maggot.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><strong>Age:</strong> 24<br /><strong>Job:</strong> Rapper in band Goldie Lookin' Chain<br /><strong>Lives:</strong> London (born in Newport, Wales)<br /><strong>Famous for:</strong> Being in comedy rap group Goldie Lookin' Chain as the "crafty character who sells sexy DVDs". The band got into trouble in September by dedicating their song Your Missus is a Nutter to David Beckham at the England v Wales World Cup qualifier.<br /><br />Maggot - who got his nickname as a teenager when he donned a flesh-coloured puffa jacket that made him look like a giant maggot - said he would like to "get into politics" in the future.<br /><br />He said he entered the Big Brother house because "there's not much else to do in January".<br /><br /><br /><strong>JODIE MARSH<br /></strong><a href="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41187000/jpg/_41187752_jodie.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41187000/jpg/_41187752_jodie.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><strong>Age:</strong> 27<br /><strong>Job:</strong> Glamour model<br /><strong>Lives:</strong> Essex<br /><strong>Famous for:</strong> Jodie rose to fame in the TV documentary Essex Wives and has since been a fixture in the tabloids and lads mags.<br /><br />Her public rivalry with fellow glamour model Jordan is well documented and Jodie admits she would hate to meet her in the Big Brother house.<br /><br />Jodie is also a strong anti-bullying campaigner.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>SAMUEL PRESTON<br /></strong><a href="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41187000/jpg/_41187762_sam.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41187000/jpg/_41187762_sam.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><strong>Age:</strong> 23<br /><strong>Job:</strong> Lead singer/guitarist<br /><strong>Lives:</strong> Brighton<br /><strong>Famous for:</strong> Preston dropped out of university to form the band The Ordinary Boys with three friends from his native Worthing. They burst onto the music scene nearly two years ago with Maybe Someday, and their debut album went gold in the UK in 2004. The band has recently finished supporting Paul Weller on tour.<br />Preston has strong views on politics, and hates bullies and small-mindedness.<br /><br /><br /><strong>DENNIS RODMAN</strong><br /><a href="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41187000/jpg/_41187744_dennis.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41187000/jpg/_41187744_dennis.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><strong>Age:</strong> 44<br /><strong>Job:</strong> Former professional basketball player<br /><strong>Lives:</strong> California, USA (born in New Jersey)<br /><strong>Famous for:</strong> Rodman was one of the best defensive professional basketball player of all time, winning five NBA titles. Since retiring he has reinvented himself as a celebrity, and is known for his controversial behaviour and cross-dressing. He has written three auto-biographies and has appeared in a number of films.<br /><br />He was married to Carmen Electra, but filed for an annulment after just nine days.<br /><br />And anti-fur campaigner, Rodman is also an outspoken supporter of gay rights, AIDS and breast cancer.<br /><br /><br /><strong>CHANTELLE</strong><br /><a href="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41187000/jpg/_41187742_chan.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41187000/jpg/_41187742_chan.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><strong>Job:</strong> Model<br /><strong>Lives:</strong> Essex<br /><strong>Famous for:</strong> Nothing! Chantelle is not a celebrity at all, but must convince her fellow house mates that she is to avoid being evicted. Chantelle's cover story is that she is a pop star from a girl band named Kandy Floss, whose biggest hit single was called I Want it Right Now.Mars Mosqueda.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16387378920043725064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17483140.post-1136789690392800002006-01-08T22:53:00.000-08:002006-01-08T22:54:50.393-08:00Capote film gets US critics' vote<p>Capote, a biopic about US writer Truman Capote, <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4592236.stm">has been voted the best picture of 2005 </a>by a group of leading US film critics. Philip Seymour Hoffman, who plays the lead role, was also named best actor by the National Society of Film Critics. </p><p><br />Capote focuses on the years the author spent researching and writing In Cold Blood, which was inspired by the 1959 murder of a farming family in Kansas.<br /></p><p>Meanwhile, Reese Witherspoon won best actress for her role in Walk The Line.<br />Witherspoon plays the wife of country star Johnny Cash in the movie, which tells the story of the famous singer's life.<br /></p><p>Last month both Hoffman and Witherspoon were nominated for Golden Globe awards for their roles in the two films.<br /></p><p>And both films were shortlisted for awards by The Producers Guild of America (PGA), while Capote was also shortlisted by the Writers Guild of America (WGA). </p>Mars Mosqueda.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16387378920043725064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17483140.post-1136789567020524392006-01-08T22:47:00.000-08:002006-01-08T22:52:47.033-08:00Shayne Ward tops chart for third week<a href="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41194000/jpg/_41194464_shayne_203300body.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41194000/jpg/_41194464_shayne_203300body.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41194000/jpg/_41194464_shayne_203300body.jpg"></a><br /><p>X Factor winner Shayne Ward has claimed the number one spot in the singles chart for the third week in a row.<br /></p><p>The 21-year-old Mancunian's song That's My Goal first topped the chart on Christmas Day, four days after going on sale following his win on the TV show. </p><p><br />The only new entry in the top 10 was Munich by The Editors.<br /></p><p>Meanwhile, US band The Strokes went straight in at number one in the album chart with their latest album First Impressions of Earth.<br /></p><p>They were the only new entry in the album chart, dislodging Eminem's compilation Curtain Call - The Hits which fell three places to number four.<br /></p><p>James Blunt's album Back To Bedlam clung onto the number two spot while Employment by the Kaiser Chiefs rose four places to number three.<br /></p><p>The top three places in the singles chart remained the same as last week, with folk-pop duo Nizlopi's JCB Song at number two and Madonna's track Hung Up at three.<br /></p><p>However, a CD featuring songs performed by Brian Kennedy and Peter Corry at footballer George Best's funeral moved up seven places from 11 to four.<br /></p><p>Eminem's single When I'm Gone completed the top five. </p>Mars Mosqueda.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16387378920043725064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17483140.post-1136780130495576342006-01-08T20:14:00.000-08:002006-01-08T20:15:30.496-08:00PAMELA ANDERSON SENDS PASSIONATE PLEA, EXPLICIT VIDEO TO TOPEKA KFC MANAGERSAll four Topeka KFC managers received a special delivery from Pamela Anderson this week. On behalf of PETA, the actor and animal rights advocate sent her new explicit DVD showing what happens to chickens before they end up in batter, along with a letter asking managers to urge David Novak—the CEO of KFC’s parent company, Yum! Brands—to eliminate the worst abuses of chickens, such as live scalding in defeathering tanks and breeding and drugging chickens to grow so quickly that they become crippled under their own weight. <br /><br />Writes Anderson, "As a KFC manager, you can help make positive changes … by letting Yum! CEO David Novak know that you don’t want to sell—and the people of Topeka don’t want to buy—chickens who have been crippled, abused, and scalded alive."<br /><br />Anderson points out that KFC ignored the recommendations for animal welfare improvements made by members of its own advisory panel, including five members who have since resigned after being ignored for years. Former KFC advisor Adele Douglass told the Chicago Tribune that KFC "never had any meetings. They never asked any advice, and then they touted to the press that they had this animal-welfare advisory committee. I felt like I was being used."<br /><br />In addition to Anderson, PETA’s campaign has had high-profile support from rock icons Sir Paul McCartney and Chrissie Hynde, country legend Emmylou Harris, actor Bea Arthur, Nobel Peace Prize winner His Holiness the Dalai Lama, civil rights leaders Alice Walker and The Rev. Al Sharpton, and even former KFC spokesperson and Seinfeld star Jason Alexander.Mars Mosqueda.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16387378920043725064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17483140.post-1136780019542058282006-01-08T20:06:00.000-08:002006-01-08T20:13:39.543-08:00Vanessa Carlton, Eminem and Norah Jones are among the artists featured on the 2003 Grammy Nominees CDVanessa Carlton, Eminem and Norah Jones are among the artists featured on the 2003 Grammy Nominees CD, due out in all good music outlets on the 11th of February. <br /><br />The ninth edition of the CD series honours many of this year's Grammy-nominated artists and songs in several major categories. <br /><br />The 19 tracks on the CD represent select nominees from the record of the year, album of the year, best new artist, best female pop vocal performance, best male pop vocal performance, and best pop performance by a duo or group with vocal categories. <br /><br />The Recording Academy teamed up with Warner Music Group for the release, and a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the CD will benefit music-related charities, including the Academy's MusiCares Foundation and the Grammy Foundation.Mars Mosqueda.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16387378920043725064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17483140.post-1136776970696658752006-01-08T19:20:00.000-08:002006-01-08T19:22:50.710-08:00Pop Punk Pink Marries Carey HartPop punk Pink married her long-term love Carey Hart in a sunset beach ceremony in Costa Rica on Saturday.<br /><br />The Get the Party Started singer, 26, wed the motocross racer, 30, in front of 100 guests at the Four Seasons resort on the central American country's Papagayo peninsula, People magazine reports.<br /><br /><br />The singer says, "We just love the beach, so we knew we wanted it to be at the beach."<br /><br />Hart adds, "We wanted it very fun and non-traditional. We're spiritual, but we're not religious. It was about being with our closest friends and family and having a very fun and loose party."<br /><br />Pink, real name Alecia Moore, and Hart met the X Games in 2001. After splitting briefly in 2004, Pink proposed to Hart during his race at the Pro 250 event in Mammoth lakes, California last June.<br /><br />The couple are planning to go snowboarding with their four dogs for their honeymoon.Mars Mosqueda.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16387378920043725064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17483140.post-1136505578007970272006-01-05T15:58:00.000-08:002006-01-05T15:59:38.010-08:00Eminem's mum hopes for reconciliationEminem's estranged mother is thrilled the rapper is re-marrying his wife Kim because she hopes family life will help end the rift between them.<br /><br />Debbie Nelson, 50, admits her rap star son is secretly helping her pay medical bills as she fights lymphoma and now she's hoping Eminem, real name Marshall Mathers, has mellowed out and will welcome her back into his life.<br /><br />Nelson says: "I thank Marshall for helping me stay alive… I want to be around to see my granddaughter, Haillie, grow up. That's what keeps me going."<br /><br />But Nelson admits she hasn't seen the 10-year-old since Eminem severed ties with his mother after a public slanging match in 2000.<br /><br />She adds: "Now that he's getting his life back on track with Kim, I'm hopeful that someday we'll be able to reconcile and move forward, to get beyond all of the hurt and bitterness.<br /><br />"That hoped-for reconciliation will have to wait until after Eminem re-weds Kim on January 14 because the rapper hasn't invited his mother to the ceremony.Mars Mosqueda.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16387378920043725064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17483140.post-1136505463361092272006-01-05T15:56:00.000-08:002006-01-05T15:57:43.363-08:00Queen Latifah gets Hollywood star<a href="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41184000/jpg/_41184180_latifah_203.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41184000/jpg/_41184180_latifah_203.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Actress Queen Latifah has become the first hip-hop artist to receive a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.<br /><br />It honoured the 35-year-old, who earned a supporting actress Oscar nomination in 2003 for her performance in Chicago.<br /><br />"One of the reasons for me to be here is to inspire other young women, young African-American women, young wannabe rappers or wannabe actors," she said.<br /><br />Born Dana Owens, she also hoped to inspire "wannabe entrepreneurs, or full-figured, sexy women".<br /><br /><strong>Grammy winner</strong><br /><br />Queen Latifah made her musical debut in 1989 with the hip-hop album All Hail the Queen, which contained the UK hit Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children.<br /><br />Her third album, Black Reign, earned her a Grammy award in 1994.<br /><br />After acting in TV sitcoms Living Single and The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Latifah starred in films such as Set It Off, Bringing Down the House and Beauty Shop.<br /><br />But it was her performance as prison matron Mama Morton in movie musical Chicago that earned her acclaim.<br />Last year she released The Dana Owens Album, a jazz album that earned her a Grammy nomination.<br /><br />Latifah said she had been given a "sweet spot" on the Walk of Fame, on Hollywood Boulevard in California.<br /><br />"I don't live far from here, I might sneak over in disguise and just look at it sometimes," she said.Mars Mosqueda.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16387378920043725064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17483140.post-1136505342104967532006-01-05T15:54:00.000-08:002006-01-05T15:55:42.120-08:00Lohan released from Miami area hospitalLindsay Lohan was released from a Miami area hospital Thursday, after being treated for an asthma attack, her publicist said.<br /><br />"She's on her way home," said spokeswoman Leslie Sloane Zelnick.<br /><br />Lohan's mother and manager, Dina, was quoted Wednesday as saying her daughter was improving after being hospitalized Monday night and that she planned to take her home to New York to recuperate.<br /><br />The 19-year-old actress-pop singer was in Miami for New Year's Eve.<br /><br />Lohan, whose screen credits include roles in Herbie: Fully Loaded and Mean Girls, co-stars in Robert Altman's<br /><br />A Prairie Home Companion, due in theaters in June. She has been filming Bobby, directed by Emilio Estevez, about the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy.<br /><br />She's also set to begin shooting Chapter 27, a film about John Lennon's killer, Mark David Chapman.<br /><br />In an interview in the February issue of Vanity Fair magazine, Lohan says she has dabbled in drugs and battled bulimia but adds, "I've gotten that out of my system."<br /><br />Lohan, who began her career as a child actress, also said she'd like to write a movie about growing up in Hollywood.<br /><br />It would be, she said, about "how crazy a person can go. But, at the same time, how much they can change."Mars Mosqueda.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16387378920043725064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17483140.post-1136452433968426552006-01-05T01:03:00.000-08:002006-01-05T01:13:54.286-08:00Superman Returns Snapshots<a href="http://ffmedia.ign.com/filmforce/image/article/678/678792/superman-returns-20060104034950003-000.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://ffmedia.ign.com/filmforce/image/article/678/678792/superman-returns-20060104034950003-000.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center">Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor and Parker Posey as Kitty Koslowski</div><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://ffmedia.ign.com/filmforce/image/article/678/678792/superman-returns-20060104034946832-000.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://ffmedia.ign.com/filmforce/image/article/678/678792/superman-returns-20060104034946832-000.jpg" border="0" /></a> Brandon Routh as Superman</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><div align="center"><a href="http://ffmedia.ign.com/filmforce/image/article/678/678792/superman-returns-20060104034949269-000.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://ffmedia.ign.com/filmforce/image/article/678/678792/superman-returns-20060104034949269-000.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane and Brandon Routh as Clark Kent</div><div align="center"></div><p align="center"><a href="http://ffmedia.ign.com/filmforce/image/article/678/678792/superman-returns-20060104034949269-000.jpg"></a></p><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="left">Photos courtesy of Warner Bros.</div></div>Mars Mosqueda.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16387378920043725064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17483140.post-1136451693356357542006-01-05T01:00:00.000-08:002006-01-05T01:01:33.356-08:00Rachelle Ann Go Releases New AlbumAFTER striking it big with four hit singles from her debut album, Rachelle Ann Go of the Philippines gears for more is now gearing for more successes with her second album. Titled I Care, the album is the result of the tight collabora-tion of an international line-up of producers, songwriters, arrangers and engineers. Each contribution is meant to showcase the vocal artistry of the 19-year-old “Search for a Star” champion who has now come to her own as one of the country’s finest performers.<br /><br />The first single release is If You Walk Away. Written by Todd Cerney and Skip Adams, the power ballad was produced by Christian de Walden and Carlo Nasi. De Walden, who is one of the top producers in Europe and North and South America, came to the Philippines for the record-ing sessions at Viva Entertain-ment’s Amerasian Studios in Quezon City. Along with him came Luca Vittori, one of Italy’s leading engineers to record and mix several songs for Rachelle Ann’s album.<br /><br />Aside from If You Walk Away, Christian and Luca also did the balled Baby It’s Time and the dance cuts, Number One, Palm Reader, The Sweetest Vice and Good Love. De Walden also produced Days to Come but the song was mixed at the Studio di Ripetta in Rome by G and David Bacon, two of the hottest DJ’s in Italy’s trendy club scene.Mars Mosqueda.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16387378920043725064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17483140.post-1136451503290363172006-01-05T00:54:00.000-08:002006-01-05T00:58:23.290-08:00Jaime Foxx Releases New AlbumOscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx has just released an album, the star-studded 'Unpredictable', in the US.<br /><br />The title track, which features Ludacris, is already featuring on Billboard's top 40 and R&B/hip-hop charts.<br /><br />Foxx became a Grammy-nominated singer thanks to his Number One hit from 2004, the Kanye West-Twista collaboration 'Slow Jamz'.<br /><br />He had an even bigger smash success this year, singing the hook on West's Ray Charles-inspired hit 'Gold Digger.<br /><br />It wasn't his only success as Charles - he took the Best Actor Oscar for his performance in the biopic 'Ray'.<br /><br />As well as singing on 'Unpredictable', he played keyboards, did some drum programming and co-wrote several songs.<br /><br />The album also features cameo appearances from West, Timbaland, Pharrell Williams, Snoop Dogg and Mary J Blige.Mars Mosqueda.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16387378920043725064noreply@blogger.com0