KIP MORRISON & ASSOCIATES PUBLIC RELATIONS FIRM "ON THE PULSE" LIFESTYLE FASHION TRENDS #1 SOURCE PUBLIC RELATIONS BEAUTY PRODUCTS "EARTH" FRIENDLY PR COACHING COMMUNICATIONS KIP MORRISON & ASSOCIATES CALL US 310-274-6726 AND MAKE YOUR COMPANY PRODUCT CAMPAIGNS THE #1 SOURCE IN YOUR MARKETPLACE!
HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF KIP MORRISON'S MAGIC:
Jun 08
Lunching with Candace Bushnell
Filed under: Must-Reads, Facial Injectables, Entertainment, Celebrities — Elana @ 4:59 pm
Such a delight recently attending the Four Seasons Hotel in LA for a Kip Morrison-sponsored event!
On the topic of “Next-Generation Women: Sex, Success, and Sensibility,” bestselling author Candace Bushnell (Sex and the City) shared witty girlfriend thoughts revolved around her creation of one of the most revolutionizing comedic-dramas on television, and the road to turning into “Mr. Big” herself!
Candace Bushnell also talked up her Sirius radio talk show, her new novel, Lipstick Jungle (and ahem, some insider info: you can look for this series to hit television soon!), and how she was first introduced to Botox ® Cosmetic. Apparently, covering an article on this facial injectable more than 10 years ago for Vogue prompted her to experiment with an, at the time, new way to achieve a youthful facial appearance! (Dr. Jacqueline Calkin followed Candace Bushnell’s discussion with new info on Radiesse ® … I will bring you more on this new facial filler soon!)
Candace Bushnell speaking to myself and a few other inspired writers)
Looking forward to a new novel from one of the most delightfully-inspiring authors today? I am! However, I’m not sure if a new series could ever take my heart away from the fabulously nutty qualms involved with Carrie, Samantha, Miranda, and Charlotte…
P.S. Look for paperback early August I scored an autographed copy in my gift bag from the luncheon!
~ Elana
Image Credit: www.candacebushnell.com
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Kip Morrison & Associates
NOW BACK TO KIP MORRISON & ASSOCIATES
TRENDY ON THE PULSE SAVVY
LIFESTYLE TRENDS
START UP BRANDS
STYLE COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
HOLIDAY PRESS
PR COMMUNICATIONS TO PUBLIC AND CELEBRITY
PR COACHING SELF START UPS
CAMPAIGN LAUNCH PRODUCTS BEAUTY LIFESTYLE
FASHION BEAUTY LIFESTYLE NATIONAL FIRM
VIP EVENTS PUBLIC RELATIONS
OTHER KIP MORRISON & ASSOCIATES FUNCTIONS AS NATIONAL PR FIRM:
Media launches
Product LAUNCHES
Press events organizations
Niche marketing target marketing
PR STRATEGIC PR
Guerrilla Marketing is memorable!
Lifestyle consumer
Drug store cosmetics
Consumer products
Buzz: boutique agency
Beauty marketing support press agency
Media experise
consumables
shampoo
DOWN THE DRAIN PRODUCTS
Juices beverages water
Integrated Public Relations
Print magazine women’s magazine
GENERAL
Brand launches
Product introduction
Cosmetic innovations
Fashion sense
Affordable fashions
High end products
Beauty fashion design campaigns
Upscale appliacneces get press
Viking cooking range
Customize perfume
Bio friendly designer clothing
Made of special fibers that do not deplete
"Green friendly" fashion
Organic body care
Pure fashion beauty ingredients
Earth friendly pr cosmetics
Mineral makeup
Mineral makeup products
MORE ON KIP MORRISON PR TRENDY LIFESTYLE PR
Experience: For 29 years, we've been implementing successful campaigns for clients large and small. Our clients are long-term: three, five and ten-year relationships are not unusual.
Unparalleled Connections: We consistently place our clients and their products on national and local TV shows and in key publications including W, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue and more.
Strategic Thinking, Creative Execution: We relentlessly pursue your objectives and target consumers with thinking that is timely, relevant and always fresh.
Global Capabilities: We work with clients all over the world and all over America. KMA associates are in New York every other month to meet with national magazine editors and television producers.
Reputation: Because KMA consistently provides the media with top-quality products and written material, we are well-received.
Integrated Marketing Communications
Media Relations
Product/Collection Launches
Image Branding
Editorial Placements
In-house Communications
Events and Promotions
Online Consulting
Strategic Counsel
Influencer/Celebrity Seeding
Press Kit Development
Media Tours
Fashion Shows
Trade Show development and support
Paige Premium Denim
Sworn Virgins
XCVI
Mocha
Bisou Bisou shoes
Horn
KMA maintains strong relationships with editors at top lifestyle magazines,
newspapers and trade publications, TV producers as well as key industry mavens,
stylists, publicists, make-up artists, product placement experts and costumers in
television and film….
Carpet Bags
Biza sportswear
Sue Wong
Mirabelle
Tacori
Hutchinson Brown Designs
Virgins, Saints & Angels
Rocket Dog
Leona Edmiston
U-boat Watches
Ann Marino
Kickbars
Anna Beck Designs
Trance
Norma Kamali
Vonda Simon
JCK
Elyssa B. Design
KMA maintains strong relationships with editors at top lifestyle magazines, newspapers and trade publications, TV producers as well as key industry mavens, stylists, publicists, make-up artists, product placement experts and costumers in television and film….
KMA is in constant contact with the nation’s top fashion editors. These key influencers
are the arbiters of style and act as a gateway to media coverage. KMA counts the
following editors as contacts within our professional database…
Nandita Khanna – Conde Nast Traveler
Michelle McCool – Cosmopolitan
Jenny Feldman – Elle
Suze Yalof-Schwartz - Glamour
Jenny Levin – Harper’s Bazaar
Sydne Bolden – InStyle
Kusum Lynn – Jane
Hope Greenberg – Lucky
Tracy Taylor – Marie Claire
Jasmine Change – Oprah
Mimi Lombardo – Travel & Leisure
Elizabeth Saltzman-Walker – Vanity Fair
Meredith Melling-Burke – Vogue
Chris Bagley – W
KMA has a database of over 250 top fashion stylists encompassing those influencers
that work with Hollywood’s elite as well as the top fashion and lifestyle publications.
KMA has built lasting relationships with stylists such as:
Andrea Lieberman
Jessica Paster
Rachel Zoe
Daniel Caudill
Nichole Chavez
Robert Verdi
Phillip Bloch
Nicole and Wendi Ferreira
Jennifer Rade
Linda Medvene
Charlene Roxborough
Debora Waknin
Claire Schmitz
Tracy Scott
KMA has responded to the “Hollywoodization” of America by cultivating a contact list of celebrities who influence popular culture, fashion and the marketplace. There is no celebrity that we cannot reach and we count the following tastemakers as fans of our clients:
Jennifer Aniston
Jessica Alba
Scarlett Johansson
Kirsten Dunst
Jake Gyllenhaal
Matt Damon
Britney Spears
Luke and Owen Wilson
Sarah Jessica Parker
Christina Aguilera
Joss Stone
Amber Valletta
Kate Hudson
Natalie Portman
Familiarization Letter:
Once retained, KMA will draft a “familiarization letter” – this is a brief introductory note to your targeted media, written and distributed by KMA. It goes out in advance of your formal press kit, providing a quick "heads up" that KMA is handling your public relations and letting editors know that more material is on the way. “Fam” letters help ensure that your materials have more "traction" when they hit an editor's desk.
PR Tools:
In order to begin a comprehensive and strategic campaign, KMA will require the following elements so that we may begin educating the media on the arrival of the line in the U.S.. In order to make a strong and lasting impression on the editors that will help raise awareness of of potential client, KMA suggests that the following be created:
• Letterhead
• Press Kits
• Look Books
• Sample lines
• High and low res images
KMA will craft trend stories on behalf of potential client, pitching local and national television. After a brief media training session, a spokesperson (staff member or paid celebrity stylist) can be utilized as the expert on the hottest fashion trends. Our approach is two-fold:
LOCAL
In LA, newscasts on channels 2,4,5,7,9,11 & 13 all feature lifestyle and fashion
stories. KMA will directly pitch celebrity news and fashion trends to these reporters and many others. We can also conduct outreach to regional media when a client spokesperson is traveling in other areas of the U.S..
NATIONAL
National entertainment shows are key to establishing a brand profile. Extra! features a Hot New Stuff segment, where they relay the hottest celebrity trends, for example, and The Insider features an inside look at a variety of entertainment topics.
Cream of the crop publications provide their readers with trend forecasting layouts that occupy a portion of the magazine.
Due to our long standing relationships with the nation’s top “market” editors, the team at KMA would craft strategic and trend based press releases that would help introduce potential client's designs into their line of sight.
At the start of each season, KMA would disseminate approximately 100 top of the line potential client look books to those fashion market editors that cover upscale lifestyle brands.
In order to meet the deadlines and demands of the fashion market editors, KMA strongly recommends that client make available three full sample lines for media purposes.
KMA can also aid in the sending, coordination and follow up of samples.
KMA has strong ties with Los Angeles media. In our efforts to maximize coverage on a Hollywood level, our outreach would extend to publications such as Angeleno, L.A. Confidential, GenLux, C Magazine, Where LA, Brentwood and other elite publications.
KMA also has connections to the top regional publications in key markets such as New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Miami and Aspen to name a few.
Credibility is built through the respect and admiration of peers. With that in mind, KMA would craft a special trade campaign to such fashion media publications as WWD, DNR, Fashion Wire Daily, Fashion Manuscript, Fashion International and the Tobe Report.
This kind of outreach would begin with the writing of strategic press releases that would be disseminated to the top apparel and design writers and followed up with care and determination.
The focus would be design rather than celebrity – educating design peers and as well as the fashion media on client fashion authority and expertise.
KMA would also keep trade writers and publications up to date on all potential client's happenings – from personnel changes to sales.
New York Editors Tour:
Each season, a member of the KMA team would accompany potential clients or a US spokesperson to New York for a series of 14 to 16 in-person media introductions.
KMA will take the brand directly to the desks of the top editors at key publications. There is no substitute for this kind of personal contact when establishing relationships that lead to ongoing editorial coverage for our clients.
Editors are besieged by PR companies who would love to arrange face time for their clients and, consequently, dole their time out very frugally. KMA has long-standing relationships and strong alliances at the most influential magazines, giving us a distinct advantage when it comes to securing this coveted editorial time for our clients. Immediate stories may result but, more importantly, these meetings present you to the most influential fashion and lifestyle editors, providing a more intimate introduction than can be accomplished via press kit and press releases alone.
Upon review of Kip Morrison & Associates’ strategic public relations campaign, we
hope that the potential client's team would like to further our relationship and begin discussing budgetary and start up details. You may contact a KMA team member
Monday through Friday from 9 to 6 and we look forward to discussing our future
together…
Please contact Kip Morrison & Associates at:
101 S. Robertson Blvd. Suite 213
Los Angeles, CA 90048
310.274.6726
kip@kipmorrison.com
At KMA, our budgets are divided into three categories:
Professional fees
Routine out-of-pocket expenses
Major special project expenses
Professional fees
These are fees charged for work done by our account team in carrying out your public relations program, including creative, writing, media and other group contacts, supervision and execution.
Out-of-Pocket expenses
These are the routine, ongoing costs generated throughout the program. This includes: phone, postage, photocopying, messengers, faxing, Federal Express, local/long distance telephone costs and travel. Items are subject to a 10% agency handling fee. These expenses are only billed as incurred, at the end of the month with receipts attached. Expenses beyond 10% of the monthly fee may require your direct payment. All expenses in excess of $400 will be presented to you for prior approval.
Major special project expenses
These include large printing jobs, the use of outside professional services (i.e. photographer, media trainer, mailing house, event entertainment). Should we need to consider such expenditures, we will submit estimates for your approval.
In their first year VSA received over 40 press hits (average is 24) including national fashion, lifestyle and travel publications. Three separate issues of Elle magazine – including a 7 page layout chosen and styled to client specs.
Regular requests from top fashion magazines such as InStyle, Lucky, Nylon, Vibe and GQ.
International requests from publications such as Vogue Italia, Vanity Fair UK and Elle Italia.
Coverage in lifestyle and travel publications such as Town & Country, L.A. Confidential and Food & Life.
“Never A Skull Moment” segment on Extra! Featuring VSA skull buckles and charms. The
Challenge:
To promote this line of accessories based on its design merit rather than on the platform of its celebrity clientele.
How?
KMA chose to redefine the brand by highlighting its creators and their hand crafted artisanal designs made in San Miguel De Allende, Mexico.
In order to move away from past coverage in US Weekly, Star and other national celebrity based publications, KMA emphasized the folk art angle above celebrity clientele.
Wrote a more comprehensive press kit that focused on each individual collection of belt buckles, rings, rosaries and cuffs.
Crafted press materials that highlighted past design achievements and awards.
KMA created a special men’s campaign upon the launch of the new men’s belt buckle collection.
In one year, 33 media hits including print, online, regional and television outlets.
Regular requests from publications such as InStyle, Lucky, Cosmopolitan, The Oprah Magazine and many more.
Daily Candy feature on Leona Edmiston Montana Avenue flagship boutique.
Featured “fashionista” on E! Entertainment’s Trend Spy column.
Placement on local television including CBS New York and others.
Award Show & Special Event Sampling
KMA is privy to many opportunities to place client in the hands of
influencers, celebrities and stylists. We will present you with every event, such
as film premieres, the Oscars, MTV Music Awards, Emmy Awards, VH1 Fashion Awards, Women in Film, etc. If this is something the brand wants to do,
KMA carefully selects each event to ensure that client would be
received by the VIPs who influence buying trends. Additional fee sometimes
required.
Backstage Sampling
KMA also has connections to television and film wardrobe stylists. Because of these relationships, we can hear the inside scoop on the stars’ favorite client product clothing or whatever the product, and we can use these anecdotes for editorial coverage in publications such as InStyle, Us Weekly and People. The celebrity connection is an important aspect of a PR campaign. We can discuss this in more detail if you are interested in pursuing.
KIP MORRISON TRENDSETTING PR
WHAT IS A TRENDSETTER KIP MORRISON PUBLIC RELATIONS PULSE ON PR LIFESTYLE!!!!!
Trendmakers, Trendsetters, trend innovators, trend followers
Should trendsetting be placed in the hands of only a few social elites? Vote in Style opens the doors of the fashion industry to community-based interaction that allows anyone to be critics and authorities of their fashion expression.
Few people set trends; almost everyone follows trends. But why should trendsetting be placed in the hands of only a few social elites? Vote in Style believes, “Everyone should have a say in decisions which influence their individual expression.” A voting based site, Vote in Style opens the doors of the fashion industry to community-based interaction that allows anyone to be critics and authorities of their fashion expression.
Vote in Style gives every fashion lover the chance to make their own style choices. Users vote on trends and styles, as well as post trends and styles to be voted on. Based on the community’s consensus of votes, a style is deemed “in” or “out.” Through this voting system, which the creators of Vote in Style call a “fashion democracy,” everyone gets a say on what’s in and what’s out.
In the Vote in Style community, anyone with a passion for fashion can actively contribute to and create new trends, not only passively trend-watch and emulate others’ style choices. Emphasizing active participation, Vote in Style spotlights on their homepage, “Top Reporters,” the users who post the most styles voted “in”.
The fashion community is craving for new ways to express themselves and interact. Addressing this need, Vote in Style creates a new platform, a place where the community of fashion lovers can share, show, and discuss fashion, vote and express their own styles, as well as have a hand in setting new trends.
About Vote in Style:
Vote in Style is a fashion voting site, created to promote community-based decisions on what’s in and out of style. Vote in Style facilitates fashion discussions and provides a platform for the community to showcase and determine trends.
I think that the key to success in life, in whatever field you work in, or any aspect of your personal life, can be included in any of these three categories. Think of anything: parenthood, hobbies, business, etc, being successful at any of those depends on which category of the trend you are at. Of course, not everybody is successful, and those who aren’t, for me, in one way or another, fall in the trend followers category. Now, let me stop generalizing and talk about this subject in detail.
Trendmakers
There are people that innovate, that invent stuff, that come with ideas. They are highly creative, they think outside the box. They see what’s wrong with the world they live in, and fix it, or simply, they improve the world they live in. Usually, they are idealists. People that know that you can be better everyday. People that don’t settle with what’s established, and want something else. Those people create trends.
While it’s true they are the ones that deserve all the credit for coming up with new ideas, it’s also very usual, that they pass unnoticed in life. They are there to create, but don’t have the ability to spread their creations.
They are the first step of improvement. Yes, they are successful, in most of the aspects, except that they usually need the help of a more social person, a trendsetter.
Trendsetters
While trendmakers create ideas, trendsetters spread them. They, I believe, have as much merit as trendmakers. Why? because, how useful can something be, no matter how good it is, if nobody uses it? Trendsetters are usually social and outgoing persons. Salesmen. They convince people that an idea is good, and should be followed by others. They are leaders, and true leaders, no matter if they lead by the wrong ideals, are successful at what they do.
Yes, trendmakers can also be trendsetters. But that’s very rare, just look around: they are usually introspective, shy and not too social people. Most talented artists are like that, they just want to create, but don’ give a dime for what others think. While trendsetters are usually very outgoing, social, charming, magnetic. You see them, and you think: “damn, I want to be like him”. It may be that they are that way, or they paint themselves as that, in a believable way.
Of course, those that get to be trendmakers and trendsetters at the same time, are simply geniuses.
But remember, trendsetters aren’t always necessary. Trends can happen naturally (of course there always has to be someone that creates the trend), they can be a social phenomenom. The trend, when it’s born, can be so shocking that it becomes the trendsetter itself. That’s why some trends are so popular, while the inventor of them get forgotten.
Trend innovators
A thinking process can be recycled, and come out as a new one. Trend innovators are creative people as well, but not as much as trendmakers. They spot trends, and get creative. They cannot be creative from scratch, a startpoint is needed. But once they have enough motivation from something or someone (a trendmaker or trendsetter), and start creating new stuff. They, of course, are successful at what they do, but they wouldn’t be nothing without the people that came before them. They are also needed, because trends aren’t perfect when they are created, and can always be improved.
These people have the ability to improve things, but not create them. They are, in a way, perfectionists. They want everything to work better everytime.
Trend followers
I think most people fall into this category. They are simply there, to consum what others do. They have to be told what’s useful, what’s good, what’s better. They are there, thinking that they can be successful by following a trend. They fail, because they are nothing but sheep, and, while they are not needed, they need the others (trendmakers, trendsetters, trend innovators). When you depend so much on something, you cannot be successful. You have to be free to succeed: free to think, free to create, free to do whatever you want (and by doing that possibly set trends), but they prefer to stay where they are and anonymously follow the rest of the people.
This groups are the ones that go to jobs day to day, unhappy, seeking for something new that fills them everyday, without being able to dettach of they burdens and go to the next step. It’s sad, because usually the burdens that keep them in that category are completely imaginary. They invent them themselves.
Well, nobody fits exactly in one of this categories. You can’t, human beings aren’t possitive or negative. We are everything inbetween those two points as well.
For example, I think trend innovators and makers have it hard, because it’s not like “ok, lets invent something, and everybody will be happy with it”. They fail, a lot, but learn from their mistakes and keep trying. The keep doing what they do, because they believe in it. They are searchers as well, but they don’t get tired of it. That’s the way they live, and for me, that’s what at some point or other, will trigger their success.
Trendfollowers usually are like this: “hey, this idea is so simple, why didn’t I think of that first?” or maybe they did think of that idea first, but they were not able, or just didn’t believe that it could succeed. Trend followers could be innovators, but the difference is that they are afraid of trying. They just get in the trend wagon when they see an idea is successful. As you see, there’s a small gap between trend follower and trend maker/innovator. But that small gap represents a big difference in the success of their lifes.
Well, that’s a bit of the way I think abot success, and my philosophy of life. It’s really hard to explain it in few words, in just a blog posts. I guess there are experts dealing with these aspects, and you could even write a lot of books about it. I’m not here for that, I’m here to share my ideas, hoping someone finds them useful.
Anyway, who am I? I consider myself a trend innovator, though I know that I’m a trend follower in most aspects of my life, though I believe that whatever I do, can be improve, and each day I try to improve everything: my own life, what I eat, what I work on, myself, etc. I try to live as an innovator, but it’s something you have to constantly work on, and when you forget, you fall immediately to the followers groups. That’s why from time to time I need a crisis, a wake up call, something that reminds me that I’m not here to live, but to live better. That’s what keeps me working hard, coming with new ideas (it’s a shame that this damn life doesn’t give you much time, because you have to pay bills as well). Innovation requires sacrifice, while following everybody else is easy. We tend to stay in the easy side of life. I do, but I’m not satisfied with it, that’s why I keep working hard, to go to the other side.
BEAUTY CELEBS WHO SHOULD LOOK INTO KIP MORRISON PR BEAUTY CELEBRITY NAMES THAT WOULD BENEFIT FROM KIP MORRISON PR!
TOP TRENDSETTERS IN THE UNIVERSE!
TOP CELEBRITY TRENDSETTERS!
1. Brad Pitt
2. Angelina Jolie
3. Oprah Winfrey
4. Madonna
5. Tom Cruise
6. Britney Spears
7. Jennifer Aniston
8. Julia Roberts
9. George Clooney
10. Johnny Depp
11. Jennifer Lopez
12. Justin Timberlake
13. Nicole Kidman
14. Leonardo DiCaprio
15. Jack Nicholson
16. Beyonce Knowles
17. Kate Winslet
18. Will Smith
19. Reese Witherspoon
20. Drew Barrymore
21. Paris Hilton
22. Lindsay Lohan
23. Cameron Diaz
24. Robert De Niro
25. Christina Aguilera
26. Steven Spielberg
27. Bono
28. Pam Anderson
29. Gwen Stefani
30. Jessica Simpson
31. David Beckham
32. Bruce Willis
33. Demi Moore
34. Jake Gyllenhaal
35. Clint Eastwood
36. Natalie Portman
37. Al Pacino
38. Scarlett Johansson
39. Jim Carrey
40. Gwyneth Paltrow
41. Matthew McConaughey
42. Diddy
43. Robin Williams
44. Sarah Jessica Parker
45. Harrison Ford
46. Denzel Washington
47. Meryl Streep
48. Katie Holmes
49. Matt Damon
50. Ben Affleck51. Mariah Carey
52. Sandra Bullock
53. Eddie Murphy
54. Ellen DeGeneres
55. Samuel L Jackson
56. Richard Gere
57. Tyra Banks
58. Orlando Bloom
59. Courteney Cox
60. Adam Sandler
61. Ashton Kutcher
62. Victoria Beckham
63. Kate Moss
64. Rene Zellweger
65. Janet Jackson
66. Ben Stiller
67. David Letterman
68. Kate Hudson
69. Rachel McAdams
70. Morgan Freeman
71. Salma Hayek
72. Jessica Alba
73. Dustin Hoffman
74. Nicolas Cage
75. Nicole Richie
76. Will Ferrell
77. Charlize Theron
78. Eva Longoria
79. Heidi Klum
80. Anthony Hopkins
81. Penelope Cruz
82. Jennifer Garner
83. Jude Law
84. Hugh Grant
85. Ashley Olsen
86. Catherine Zeta-Jones
87. Jessica Biel
88. Jay-Z
89. Halle Berry
90. Russell Crowe
91. Tom Hanks
92. Mary-Kate Olsen
93. Jamie Foxx
94. Kirsten Dunst
95. Simon Cowell
96. Keira Knightley
97. Diane Keaton
98. Owen Wilson
99. John Travolta
100. Patrick Dempsey
What will be the most important jewelry trends in 2007 and beyond? To find out, we asked the trendsetters who will be leading the way. You'll find forecasts from the designers who dress the style icons, retailers who launch hot new designers, and advisers who help industry leaders decide what looks to stock for the coming season.
A system and method for determining and identifying trendsetters within a member population, such as an online community. The trendsetters can then be used for a number of useful purposes, such as predicting future product/service trends, evaluating advertising techniques, identifying collectible items in an electronic auction, influencing search engines and recommender systems, etc. In a similar fashion, the counterparts to trendsetters, namely, trend rejecters and trend laggards can also be identified and compiled. Representative Image: Inventors:Gross, John N. (San Francisco, CA, US)
A method of identifying trendsetters for items available to members of an online community, the method comprising the steps of: (a) identifying adoptions of a first item made by members of the online community; (b) ranking said adoptions of said first item to identify and provide trendsetter ratings to members who are early adopters of said item; (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) for a plurality of second items; wherein early adopters of said first item can also be early adopters of one or more of said plurality of second items; (d) generating an ordered list of trendsetter members based on the results of step (c) and said trendsetter ratings for said first item and said plurality of second items.
The method of claim 1, wherein said trendsetter rating is scaled in accordance with an adoption rank achieved by a member.
The method of claim 1, wherein said list of trendsetter members is published online for viewing by other members of the online community.
The method of claim 1, wherein said list of trendsetter members is used to identify members entitled to incentives and/or rewards from an operator of a website for the online community.
The method of claim 1, wherein members of the online community can elect to subscribe to activities associated with selected trendsetter members, so that later adoptions by said selected trendsetter members are communicated to such members.
The method of claim 1, further including a step: (e): identifying members who are trend predictors from said trendsetter members.
The method of claim 6, further including a step (f): measuring a prevalence rate among the trend predictors for a newly introduced item.
The method of claim 7, further including a step: (g) measuring a change in prevalence rate among the trendsetters for a newly introduced item.
The method of claim 7 further including a step (g): generating a popularity prediction rating for the newly introduced item.
The method of claim 1, further including a step: (e) generating a recommendation automatically to a member of the online community for an item by examining items that are prevalent among said trendsetter members.
The method of claim 1, further including a step: (e) providing a set of profiles for said trendsetter members to an e-commerce vendor and/or advertiser.
The method of claim 1, further including a step: (e) monitoring online viewing, query and related interaction behavior exhibited by members of said trendsetters.
The method of claim 1, wherein said first item and said plurality of second items are all popular items within the online community
The method of claim 1, further including a step: (e) providing said list of trendsetter members to a third party website for use in connection with predicting demand by a second separate online community.
The method of claim 1, further including a step: (e) generating said list of trendsetter members based on an analysis combining said online community with a second separate online community.
The method of claim 1, wherein the item is a product, a service, or content.
The method of claim 1, wherein the item is a security
The method of claim 1, wherein members who have not adopted sufficient items, or have adopted an excessive amount of items are eliminated from consideration as trendsetters.
The method of claim 1, wherein said list of trendsetter members is generated for a category of items.
The method of claim 1, wherein said list of trendsetter members is generated for all items available to the online community.
A method of identifying trend predictors within an online community, the method comprising the steps of: (a) identifying adoptions of a first item made by members of the online community; (b) ranking said adoptions of said first item to identify and provide a trendsetter rating to members were early adopters of said item; (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) for a plurality of second items; wherein early adopters of said first item can also be early adopters of one or more of said plurality of second items; (d) generating a list of trend predictor members based on the results of step (c), said trendsetter members being those members who score highest overall for a trendsetter rating across the entire online community for said first item and said plurality of second items.
The method of claim 21, wherein said trend predictor members are used to generate a prediction for a popularity of a newly introduced item.
The method of claim 21, wherein said trend predictor members are derived from examining the first K members who in aggregate first adopted all of a set of M separate popular items.
The method of claim 22, wherein said prediction is based on measuring a prevalence rate for said newly introduced item at a first time after introduction of such item.
The method of claim 24, wherein said prediction is further based studying a change in said prevalence rate at a second time after said first time.
[0001] The present application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of the priority date of Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/476,392 filed Jun. 5, 2003, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to identifying and measuring characteristics of particular groups of online users and adopters of information, articles and services.
BACKGROUND
The Internet is used extensively now by a growing percentage of the public. At this time, several online websites in fact generate the bulk (if not the entirety) of their revenues from servicing online users and subscribers. These include, for example, companies such as AOL and Yahoo! (content providers), Amazon (books, music, and video recordings), EBay (auctions), Netflix (DVD rentals), Google (search engines) and Doubleclick (advertising) to name a few.
All of these companies monitor the interactions of online users with their websites, and in some cases collect explicit profiling information as well from such users. This is done for the purpose of collecting both individualized and aggregate data, which in turn helps them to better customize the site and overall experience for subscribers, to retain subscribers through personalized interactions, to better target advertising and product recommendations, etc. In some instances the data is logged and later used for data mining purposes, such as for identifying trends (a specific example of this is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,493,703 which is hereby incorporated by reference) and for giving feedback to recommender systems (i.e. such as with Netflix's Cinematch engine).
A similar concept is illustrated in U.S. Patent Publication no. 2003/0004781 to Mallon et al. in which a community "buzz" index can be used to predict popularity, for example, of a particular movie before it is released. This application is also hereby incorporated by reference. Thus, this disclosure specifically mentions the usefulness of monitoring an overall awareness by an online group of certain concepts (i.e., such as the brand name of a product), in order to gauge the potential economic performance of such product later.
A website maintained by Yahoo!--buzz.yahoo.com--(the full URL is not included because of PTO citation restrictions, but can be determined by placing a browser executable suffix) also similarly monitors and tabulates online user content queries/viewings and identifies the same in a so-called "Buzz" score Index that is updated daily and presented for public viewing. This list, in essence, acts as a form of "popularity" identification for certain topics. For example, the list may identify that stories about a particular singer were the most talked about, queried, or viewed.
The Buzz Index by Yahoo! further includes a "Movers" section, which basically identifies people, stories, etc., which experience the greatest degree of change in buzz score on a day to day basis. Thus, for example, a particular celebrity may be identified in a prominent story, and that would elevate such celebrity's "mover" status, even if the overall buzz score was not sufficient to break into the top buzz score index. For further information, the reader is recommended to such website.
Another related system used by Yahoo! is a marketing tool on another website--solutions.yahoo.com--which permits companies to analyze behavior of online users, and determine particular characteristics which may be useful to such company. For instance, in one case, Yahoo! was able to track online behavior and combine it with traditional demographic and geographic information (to arrive at a subscriber profile) for a company that provided moving services. From this data, they then tried to glean what profiling data was suggestive of a high likelihood of such subscriber moving. In this manner, Yahoo! was able to "mine" the profiles and develop better target advertising for the moving company to a more specific audience. It can be seen that this example can be applied to many other fields.
While the aforementioned Yahoo! systems provide useful information, they fail to yield at least one additional piece of information: namely, which groups or subscribers are "trendsetters." In other words, while the Yahoo! Buzz Index identifies the existing top popular concepts, and the concepts which are changing the most at any moment in time, it makes no correlation between the two. That is, from looking at the Buzz Index Score for a particular concept, there is no way for a subscriber to know, which persons or group were the first to be associated with such concept. Similarly, the marketing solutions website is useful for predicting which persons are likely to meet a particular criteria, but does not otherwise identify whether such persons are the first adopters of a particular concept--i.e., such as the first to query/view certain content, the first to buy a particular product, or the first to try a particular service.
This additional piece of information is extremely valuable, because it can be used in a variety of ways to improve an e-commerce website as explained in further detail below.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention, therefore, is to overcome the aforementioned limitations of the prior art;
Another object is to provide a system/method for identifying trendsetters, both within and outside an electronic community;
A related object is to provide a system/method for analyzing the behavior and effects of trendsetters both within and outside an electronic community;
Another object is to provide a system/method for analyzing the behavior and effects of other members within and outside an electronic community, including trend laggards, and trend rejecters;
Still another object is to provide a system/method for testing, rating and reporting on an adoption rate and/or expected demand for a particular item, both within and outside an electronic community;
A further object is to provide an automated system/method for customizing and determining the effects of particular types of advertising on different types of members within an electronic community;
Yet another object is to provide certain types of recommender systems, search engines system, and a content presentation systems, which take into account the adoption behavior of participants using such systems;
Another object is to provide a system/method for calculating and quantifying the existence of trend predictor items within member adoptions, which items are useful as markers for the potential success of other items within a member's list of adopted items.
A first aspect of the invention concerns a system and method of identifying trendsetters within an online community for items available to members of the online community, the method comprises the steps of: identifying adoptions of a first item made by members of the online community; ranking the adoptions of the first item to identify and provide trendsetter ratings to members who are early adopters of the item; and repeating steps (a) and (b) for a plurality of second items. The early adopters of the first item can also be early adopters of one or more of the plurality of second items. An ordered list of trendsetter members based on the results of step (c) and the trendsetter ratings for the first item and the plurality of second items is then generated. The items of interest can be a product, a service, content, a market security, etc.
In preferred embodiments, the trendsetter rating is scaled in accordance with an adoption rank achieved by a member. Furthermore, the list of trendsetter members can be published online for viewing by other members of the online community. The list of trendsetter members is used to identify members entitled to incentives and/or rewards from an operator of a website for the online community.
In some applications, members of the online community can elect to subscribe to activities associated with selected trendsetter members, so that later adoptions by the selected trendsetter members are communicated to such members.
For other preferred embodiments, an additional step of identifying members who are trend predictors from the trendsetter members is performed, as well as measuring a prevalence rate among the trend predictors for a newly introduced item. In addition, a change in prevalence rate among the trendsetters for a newly introduced item can also be measured, along with popularity prediction ratings for newly introduced items. The trendsetters can be members of a separate online community.
In some embodiments, a recommendation is automatically generated to a member of the online community for an item by examining items that are prevalent among the trendsetter members.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The present invention is generally directed, as noted above, to the identification of persons (or even other non living entities whose behavior can be studied) that behave or can be characterized as "trendsetters." In this respect, the term "trendsetter" as used herein is intended generally to mean those persons who have behavioral tendencies, affinities, or opinions about items which tend to be ahead of their peers--at least from a time perspective.
Thus, trendsetters are generally persons whose behavior, beliefs, tastes, actions, etc., are imitated and copied by other persons, and/or are simply slightly ahead of the curve so to speak against other persons. They act as indicators of the paths that others will take. In some instances persons will be considered trendsetters by virtue of their status within a community, such as the special status afforded to celebrities. These persons will naturally serve as trendsetters because their behavior, beliefs, biases, taste, actions, etc., are widely publicized for consumption, and are thus widely imitated by other person.
In other situations, however, persons may behave as trendsetters without knowing the role they are fulfilling, and simply because they have a form of cultural antenna in tune with the zeitgeist. For example, early adopters of a particular new type of computer can be seen to be a form of trendsetter. Persons who are the first to look for, read and/or spot particular new content (i.e., news stories) can also be trendsetters. Many more examples will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and as used herein the term is intended to be interpreted in its broadest sense consistent with this disclosure.
Accordingly, in a preferred embodiment describe below, the behavior that is being monitored is the adoption of a particular item by a person, group or entity in a time fashion that precedes and anticipates the later actions by peers. Nonetheless it will be understood that other aspects of a trendsetter's behavior, beliefs, biases actions, etc., could also be imitated, copied and studied. For instance, it could extend to the bidding behavior of an online auction participant, or the particular interface personalizations selected by some subscribers for their interactions with a website, or the nature of the queries they present to a search engine at an online website.
In other cases, for example, the non-action, rejection or non-adoption of an item by a trendsetter may serve as a basis for imitation and study for identifying trendsetters, such as in the case where a person consistently rejects a particular item in a head to head comparison against other items. The present invention, therefore, can also be used to calculate rejection prevalence or a rejection rate of an item by a group of trendsetters.
As can be seen from the present disclosure the present invention is primarily concerned with "useful" trendsetters, meaning those persons whose adoptions end up becoming sufficiently popular or imitated within a large enough community. The degree of popularity, and the size of the community can be extremely variable of course, but the point is to exclude "early" adopters who have impulsive, indiscriminate behaviors (i.e., buy anything new). Such persons do not communicate useful information in the sense that their behavior is not sufficiently predictive of a future trend.
Conversely, persons whose behavior tend to behind the general population, or can be considered as late adopters of an item, can be generally described as "trend laggards." As explained below, identifying and monitoring trend laggards can also be useful in some contexts. Thus when the term "trendsetter" is used below, it will be understood that it could also refer to a trend laggard as well, except where it is apparent to one skilled in the art from the context that such is not logical and/or consistent with the present description.
Further as used herein, the term "item" is also intended in its broadest sense, and my refer, for example, to a product (books, auction articles, music recordings, and the like) a service, a human readable content piece (an online news story, video, comment, a web page, a website, an interface customization, etc. The item could even refer to a more abstract concept, such as a person, a security, an opinion, a belief, etc. Basically, the term can refer to anything which can be accurately measured in connection with a group of individuals or entities, including persons within an online community, websites associated with particular subject matter, etc.
It should be noted that the trendsetters identified by the present invention may or not be drawn from the community under consideration. In other words, it is entirely possible that the existence and behavior of trendsetters within one community can be used as a useful gauge for determining the expected demand for an item in an unrelated community. For example, the consumption of ads by a particular set of persons within a particular electronic community might be a sufficiently useful proxy for predicting the behavior of a different set of persons expected to view such ads in a different medium (i.e., television.) The predictions of a stock price by one or more trendsetters may be used to anticipate the performance of a stock within a trading market.
Furthermore, as used herein, a trendsetter could refer to a single person, or to a group of persons having some common characteristic, such as membership in a group, or a particular demographic profile. Trendsetters can also be broken out and characterized by sub-group, and demographic group as may be desired or convenient. For instance, trendsetters may be further classified according to sex, age, or income. In another application, they may be classified according to subgroup.
Thus, even within a single community, one group may have one set of trendsetters for a group of items, while in another group a different set of trendsetters may be identified for such items. This allows for finer differentiation at a level that is more personal. An example of this are the subgroups and communities created by Amazon from its customer base, such as groups of customers from a particular domain, customers from a particular zip code, phone area code, etc. Other examples will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
In some instances, a non-human entity could be used as well, if such entity's behavior can be meaningfully compared against other entities. As an example, the invention could be used to determine which companies are leaders in using certain types of terminology in press releases, product descriptions, etc. Even web pages or websites can be examined for trendsetter status in some cases.
Finally, even items themselves can be characterized as forms of trendsetters for reasons set out further below, if they provide useful statistical predictive value on other items. Other examples will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and thus it should be appreciated that the invention is not limited in this respect.
Finally, while trendsetters in the preferred embodiment are identified by way of their adoptions of items, this is not the only mechanism that can be used. For example, a trendsetter may be determined with reference to other indicia, such as implicit and explicit inputs. In other words, it is not only adoptions that may signify a trend setter.
The reasons why trendsetters are important are many, and include generally the following:
Members of an online community generally like to be identified and appreciated for their contributions. The invention provides a positive label for their activities and increases the likelihood that they will share personal information that can be used by a website operator;
Other members of the online community like to be kept informed of new trends (i.e., trendy items) and who is associated with such trends;
Larger collections of members (i.e. such as message boards devoted to a topic, online groups associated with particular topics, etc.) can also be analyzed and classified as trend setters within a larger subscriber population. For example, a number of Yahoo! Message Boards, and/or Yahoo! groups could be studied to determine which of such boards or groups is a trendsetter on a particular topic. These boards and groups can then be identified online for the benefit of other members, so that they can determine where to go for learning new trends.
Members of the online community can voluntarily "subscribe" to a trendsetter (person or group), and thus gain the benefit of the latter's early prescience concerning the popularity of items;
By measuring the acceptance or adoption prevalence, or adoption rate of an item by a set of trendsetters, a supplier of the items can better gauge expected demand or potential for the item;
The degree of adoption by trendsetters can be measured and used to influence a recommender system. It is well known, for example, that collaborative filtering systems suffer from "first rater" problems, and thus the present invention can be used to influence and bias a recommender system by disproportionately weighting the selections of certain individuals at an early stage to accelerate the learning of the CF system;
The profiles, demographics, etc. of trendsetters can be gleaned by outside entities and used for advertising/marketing purposes, in the same manner as used by the aforementioned Yahoo! solutions program;
Since trendsetters are some of the most valuable assets of an online community, identifying them early allows a website operator to provide them with inducements and rewards to stay within the online community;
Product marketing/sales statistics can be determined from studying the trendsetters, including an overall trendsetter adoption percentage, adoption prevalence, adoption rate, as well as benchmark comparisons to prior popular items;
Trendsetters can also be used for influencing the score of a search engine. It is well-known that some search engines use a form of relevance scoring in presenting search results. By weighting items associated with trendsetters (which can be items adopted by persons, or individual sites that are rated as trendsetters among other websites) more highly, this can further serve to improve the performance of such systems.
Other preferences of trendsetters can be explored and presented for public viewing, such as personalization features and functions they may use at content provider sites, including content categories they review, websites they visit, and interface customizations that they use.
These are but a few reasons why identifying trendsetters are an extremely useful process, and others within the scope of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the present disclosure.
Trendsetters must follow steps performed by a trendsetter evaluation and feedback process 100 implemented in accordance with one exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As described herein, such process (as well as the other processes explained below) can be embodied and expressed in a variety of software programs, routines, etc., that run on one more client or server devices coupled to the Internet, using techniques that are well known in the art. The types of systems which can embody the present inventions can include a variety of conventional hardware platforms known in the art, including data processing equipment and computers with a wide range of computing/storage resources and capabilities. Accordingly, the details of such software and hardware implementations are not material except as discussed herein with reference to specific aspects of the invention, and they will vary significantly from application to application based on a desired performance.
As noted in FIG. 1, a first step 110 is to identify the trendsetters, which, as noted above, preferably will be from within a particular online community, but need not be. For example, an online community might consist of all subscribers to Amazon, EBay, Netflix, etc., or those users who frequent Yahoo!, Google, etc. Alternatively, the trendsetters could be determined by reference to a sub-group, if the overall online community population is not easily manageable, and/or to make the trendsetter identifications more relevant to particular categories of users. A preferred process of identifying the trendsetters is explained in more detail below, using a variety of electronic data collection techniques.
At step 120 the adoption prevalence (and/or adoption rate) for one or more items is measured for the trendsetters. Generally speaking, these particular items represent newly introduced items to the online community, so that they are not already adopted by a large percentage of the online community members. Again, a preferred process of identifying the adoption prevalence (and/or rate) is also explained in more detail below.
During step 130, after determining the adoption prevalence, a variety of different reports, feedbacks, responses, etc., can be generated based on a value of the measured adoption prevalence. This includes, for example, the options identified at 135, and which were alluded to earlier.
For instance, a website operator could generate a list of "trendy" items based on an identification of new items which have achieved a particular adoption prevalence (or adoption rate) by the trendsetters. The trendsetters themselves could also be identified, typically by their online handles. The aforementioned options include, of course, publishing such data for online consumption by other members of the community, in a manner similar to that done by buzz.yahoo.com. The percentage of trendsetters who adopt over time, as well as comparisons to adoption rates for other items could also be published.
Similarly, a website operator could use the trendsetter data to provide specialized custom reports for particular entities who may wish to see the acceptance rate of a particular new product/service. The entity may be a music publisher, for example, who desires to know the acceptance rate of a particular title. In such case, the music publisher may be able to generate an expected demand prediction for the item by the remainder of the online community, well in advance of the actual demand. This can assist in accurate and efficient planning for product advertising, manufacturing, shipping, administration, etc.
Alternatively, the invention could be used in a manner similar to that described by Mallon et al., except that the "buzz" measurement could be made only of the identified trendsetters, instead of the random categories envisioned by the Mallon et al. disclosure. Thus, the predicted demand for movies, music, and other entertainment could be predicted by reference to a more reliable data set. Advertisers can also use the present invention to measure the effects of advertising on particular groups, particularly trendsetters.
The website operator could also provide a mechanism for the other online community members to "subscribe" to particular trendsetters, much in the same way as that done at the launch.yahoo.com website. The latter website allows an individual user to be "influenced" by other members, so that the tastes of such members are imposed in the form of musical selections for the user. The limitation of this site, however, is that it does not identify those members who may be trendsetters, so subscribers are not able to glean the status of another member merely by looking at the data for such member. Moreover the Launch site allows a person to be "influenced" by an entire community, as set out in World Application Ser. No. 02/05140 to Boulter et al (U.S. Ser. No. 09/79,234) incorporated by reference herein. These are useful features, but they do not allow for specific tailoring of musical tastes. Using the present invention, however, an online member can elect to be "influenced" or kept informed of a particular trendsetter's (or a group of trendsetters) selection of items (be they music, products, services, or something else). This feature has the advantage as well of allowing an e-commerce site to achieve more rapid and effective penetration of new items to a community, and before its members potentially hear of such articles at a different site. Again, from the perspective of an e-commerce vendor, it is preferable if they are the first to present new items to persons who frequent their sites, because they run the risk of losing a subscriber or even a potential sale if such person learns of a new item elsewhere.
A similar benefit can be used in connection with a recommender system. Again, recommender systems are well-known and commonly used at e-commerce sites. These systems are known, also, however, to suffer from so-called "first-rater" problems, and this leads to the problem that they do not react very quickly to the introduction of new items or to changes in attitudes by their users. By exploiting the early scouting intelligence provided by trendsetters, e-commerce entities can essentially "tune" their recommender systems (typically based on a collaborative filtering algorithm) very early to substantially reduce this type of problem. In other words, an e-commerce recommender system can be programmed in one implementation to weight the adoptions of trendsetters more heavily than other users, and thus essentially accelerate the learning process for new products. In a collaborative filtering system, the trendsetters could be artificially multiplied and "planted" into different user clusters to influence the recommender system behavior. For an example of the use of "clustering" in collaborative filtering mechanisms in which the present invention could be used, see the recent article by Wee Sun Lee entitled "Collaborative Learning for Recommender Systems" appearing in the Proc. 18th International Conf. on Machine Learning (2001) and which is also incorporated by reference herein.
Other techniques for incorporating the teachings and behavior of trendsetters, and mechanisms for influencing the operation of a recommender system will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
Other useful information can also be gleaned from the trendsetter data, including their respective profiles, demographics, other related tastes and dislikes, etc. This information is extremely valuable from an advertising and marketing perspective, since many entities would like to interact and solicit feedback from such types of individuals. If an e-commerce site can effectively identify such individuals, this database can be marketed as a valuable commodity to other entities.
For similar reasons, since trendsetters are valuable assets for an online community, identifying them early allows a website operator to provide them with inducements and rewards to stay within the online community. Furthermore, the present invention can be used to "mine" other online communities for the purpose of locating, verifying and contacting other potential trendsetters for particular items, or categories of items. For example, one or more websites may agree to allow limited inspection of their respective subscriber databases to other websites for the purpose of exchanging useful marketing information. This function, again, can be valuable for increasing the stickiness and appeal of a particular website.
Identifying Trendsetters
Trendsetting steps performed by a trendsetter identification process implemented in accordance with one exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As seen there, a first step 210 examines which items are the most popular within the community at a given time, which may be the present, or some prior date. It should be apparent that the process can be executed to identify trendsetters for a single items, multiple items, or items within a larger logical grouping, such as a category or sub-category of items. For example, an item might be a particular title of a book; a category of books might be logically grouped by artist, genre, publisher, etc.
It should be clear that "popularity" of an item (or items) could be measured by reference to numbers of units sold, a number of units rented, a number of page views, a number of queries, a number of messages, etc., and the degree by which an item is deemed to be popular can be measure in any number of ways, including, for example, a percentage. Thus, in the present example, an item is deemed "popular" when it is among the top 10, or among the top 10% of items. Other applications are likely to use other benchmarks for determining popularity.
In any event, after identifying the set of popular items, the process then calculates a number Y of persons at step 220 that it is going to use and characterize as "early" adopters, or trendsetters. This value, of course, could be changed on an item by item, or category by category basis as needed. The trendsetter number could be generated as a constant (i.e., the first 100 people), or as a percentage of the total who have adopted the item. Furthermore, trendsetters could be characterized on a graduated scale. In the latter case, for example, the first 100 adopters may be given one weight, the second 100 adopters a lower weight, etc., so that multiple levels of trendsetters could be established for an item.
In another instance the value of Y can be gleaned by statistical analysis/prediction. In other words, by studying an adoption prevalence (or adoption rate) for popular items, one skilled in the art can determine experimentally, using varying confidence levels, what the smallest value of Y is required to serve a useful prediction value. This calculation has utility because it is preferable, of course, to reduce the universe of trendsetters to its minimal but still useful value. In some cases the invention can calculate both types of values for the trendsetters: i.e., one calculation for identifying the number Y of trendsetters, and another value Y' for identifying the smallest number of trendsetters that can yield useful predictive information.
Again the specific calculations will vary from application to application, and will be unique to each environment and to the particular needs/interests of an e-commerce site.
At step 230, the process then identifies the actual trendsetters by examining the first Y adoption times of each item in the set of popular items. Again the trendsetters are preferably identified from within an electronic community using a conventional electronic data collection technique, but do not have to be. This is because in some cases, for example, the nature of people's behavior may be such that a first group's individual and collective behavior can be more accurately modeled, tracked, and used for predictive value for a second unrelated group. The latter, for example, may not provide sufficient tracking information that can be meaningfully analyzed.
Finally, at step 240 the trendsetters are explicitly listed by item, by a group of items, or in aggregate across an entire sampling population. These lists can be used as noted below for private use in marketing, planning, and/or they can be published electronically online as well for community consumption. In the latter case a particular community can see who the trendsetters are for a particular item, or who the trendsetters are for a category of items, or who are the overall trendsetters across all items.
A preferred process for identifying trendsetters is depicted in FIG. 2B with reference to a first trendsetter matrix which corresponds generally to a database of records identifying, in the far left hand column, a particular person, and in the adjacent columns the identity of particular items that are available in the database. Each intersection of row and column identifies whether such person adopted (i.e., looked at, purchase, rented, queried, talked about during an electronic data collection session) such item, and, if so, what score they achieved vis--vis a trendsetter rating. For example, for person A, he/she has achieved a trendsetter score of 5 for item #1, a score of 4 for item #2, etc. The items are further logically grouped into categories as noted, so that items #1-#3 belong in a first category, while item #4-#9 are in a second category.
The trendsetter matrix is compiled from ongoing loggings of user selections of items, and because of its nature does not have to be performed in real-time. In fact, it may be calculated daily, weekly, or even on a periodic basis for a target set of items as requested by a particular third party to generate customized reports. An example of the usage of such types of matrices, in a related context of examining user ratings of items for a collaborative filtering algorithm, is discussed in an article by Melville et al. entitled "Content Boosted Collaborative Filtering" from the Proceedings of the SIGIR-2001 Workshop on Recommender Systems (New Orleans, La. September 2001) and which is incorporated by reference herein.
In one embodiment the correlation matrix can include all of the items in an item database, so that as new items are added, some additional predictions can be made about them as explained below. In situations where additional demand type predictions are not needed or desired, the correlation matrix may be composed only of "popular" items as determined from the above.
It is understood of course, that this depiction is a simplification of only of a small section of a person-product correlation matrix which is intended to help in comprehending the present invention. In any actual commercial application, the form of the matrix, the type of data and the size of the same could be significantly different. Nonetheless, even from this simplified depiction, one skilled in the art can appreciate how one or more trendsetters can be identified from the aforementioned matrix.
Accordingly, in FIG. 2C, a table of trendsetter scores is compiled from the trendsetter matrix. The trendsetter scores can be derived for individual items, groups (categories) of items, or even for the entire item set.
Thus, for example, for item #1, Persons A, C and F could be classified as trendsetters, if a threshold value of 3 is specified for the trendsetter score. Again, the rating required to be identified as a trendsetter could vary from community to community, and it is not necessary to use a scale of 1-5; any scale, in fact, which allows for ranking is entirely suitable.
The trendsetter scores are first tallied across all items within a category, and then normalized by the number of items adopted by the person within the category. Some scores and ratings may be adjusted statistically for the following reasons.
First, if desired, users who have adopted over a certain threshold percentage of items may be eliminated statistically to avoid biasing the results. That is, some persons may be simply indiscriminate (albeit also early) adopters, and thus users of the invention might track and eliminate such types of users. Again, the invention can be used to identify users who simply purchase a lot of items as random consumers of everything, not trendsetters per se; the choice of course, can be determined on a community by community basis.
Similarly, persons who have not adopted a sufficient number of items within a category may also be eliminated, to avoid attributing trendsetter status to persons with insufficient track records. Thus, the invention can be used to glean the user's overall behavior and trendsetter rating within a category of items, by examining their behavior over a large enough sample set to reduce random errors.
In accordance with this above, therefore, it can be seen that within category 1, users A and F can be classified as trendsetters using one set of criteria. Persons C and E simply have an overall score that is too low, even as they have adopted a sufficient number of items (2) in this instance. A dash (-) is used to denote that the person has not adopted such item. Even though user D has a reasonably high raw score (5) within category 1, he/she is not characterized as a trendsetter, because their normalized score is (5/3)--i.e., their raw score/#items rated. Thus, D's purchase of item #3, in which they scored no points, is indicative of their late tendency in some cases, so they are not rated overall high enough to merit trendsetter status. In this manner, the invention further rewards accuracy in the behavior of users in discriminating their item adoptions. Person G has not adopted a sufficient enough number of items to be rated fairly, so they do not qualify in this instance for trendsetter status.
Similarly, in the Category 2 items, persons B, D and G now qualify as trendsetters, based on the same kind of scoring logic as noted above. From the above it can be seen that persons who are trendsetters over one set of items (i.e. person A is a trendsetter in Category 1) may not be trendsetters with respect to a different set of items (i.e., Category 1).
An overall score can also be calculated, as shown in the right hand columns of FIG. 2C. In this instance, users B, F and G are excluded because they have not sampled (or adopted) a sufficient number of items. The highest three scores belong to D, C and A respectively, so they may be identified as overall trend leaders. It can be seen, therefore, that even though C is not a trendsetter at either category level, he/she could still be eligible for overall trendsetter status based on their total aggregate behavior.
Again, the thresholds for scores and items ratings can be varied from the above, and are expected to be adjusted differently from case to case within the scope of the present invention. If desired, different ratings criteria could be used to identify a trendsetter at the item level as opposed to the category level or aggregate level. For example, at the aggregate level, a score greater than 2 may only be required to achieve a trendsetter status. By mining and exploring the data set in this fashion, a large number of interesting and useful trendsetter parameters can be gleaned for a particular population sample.
Trendsetter Analysis to Determine Trend Predictors
Another useful tool for identifying and classifying trendsetters in aggregate across a community is illustrated in FIGS. 3A to 3D. This second embodiment of a trendsetter identification process can be used alone and/or in conjunction with the process described above for the reasons set forth below.
As seen in FIG. 3A, for each popular item (Xi) in the set of N popular items (X1, X2 . . . Xi . . . XN) a determination is made of the first M adopters (Y[xi]1 to Y[xi]M). Again, the choice of N and M are somewhat arbitrary, and are expected to vary from application to application.
A first trendsetter listing table is then created as shown in FIG. 3B. Each item Xi is processed until a table is derived of the entire set of adopters (Y1 to Yp identified in a first column) who qualified as a trendsetter for one more items, along with their aggregate trendsetter scores (in the second column). Since a particular user may be an early adopter of more than one item, his/her score is increased within the list for every such instance. Thus, for example, if a person Y[x1,1] is an early adopter (meaning anywhere within the top M persons) of ten items of the top N items, then they would have an overall trendsetter prediction rating (.SIGMA.) of 10 in the second column of the table of FIG. 3B.
The trendsetter ratings can also be normalized, again, with reference to the total items adopted by the trendsetter under consideration. Thus, as shown in FIG. 3B, the third column in the trendsetter listing table indicates a calculation to denote a normalized trendsetter score (N.SIGMA.).
As an alternative the raw trendsetter scores for a particular item could be scaled in accordance with the degree of "earliness," so that a person could receive a score that is not simply a constant. For instance, if M is 500, a person may receive a score of 10 for being in the top 100 adopters, and a score of only 5 for being between the top 100 and top 500. The person may in fact receive a score equal to his/her actual adoption number within the population. Similar examples will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
Again, as noted earlier, early adopters who have rated too many items, or an insufficient number of items, may be excluded if desired from the tabulation process to arrive at the trendsetter listing table.
In any event, as further shown in FIG. 3B, the set of aggregate trendsetter ratings are then processed from the listing table to generate two ordered trendsetter ranking tables, one by raw score, and one by normalized score. Therefore, as seen in FIG. 3B, Trendsetter Ranking Table #1 is ordered in accordance with those persons who have achieved a highest overall trendsetter score. Conversely, Trendsetter Ranking Table #2 is ordered in accordance with those persons who have achieved a highest overall normalized trendsetter score.
These two sets of aggregate rankings can be used for a variety of purposes. As a first example, it may be extremely valuable, from a marketing, planning, sales and/or advertising perspective to know which and how many members of a group act as benchmarks and early barometers of popular items. By understanding such groups, an e-commerce entity can begin to make predictions about items that have not yet achieved, but which may eventually achieve great success (prevalence) within a particular online community.
A useful benchmark that can be derived for any community is determining the various confidence levels to predict that an item is likely to achieve great success, based on the number of trendsetters who have actually adopted an item. In other words, another calculation that can be performed in the present invention is a determination of how many of the top trendsetters are needed in order to make predictions about the expected popularity of an item, and correspondingly, how accurate such prediction is likely to be.
The determination of the number of top trendsetters that are needed to generate useful predictions (i.e., so called trend predictors) can be determined experimentally using known techniques.
One basic approach would be to simply take the top K trendsetters using a cutoff that is based on a balance of expediency, accuracy, and performance. The top K trendsetters are then used as proxies and benchmarks below for gleaning the expected behavior of an item, or a group of items, which are not yet popular, but which have been selected by some sub sample of such top K trendsetters.
Another approach for determining K is shown in FIG. 3C, where the actual adoptions of items X1 to XN are listed for the K highest ranking members taken from one of the trendsetter ranking tables. K may be determined, therefore, by examining how many members must be listed before all of items in the set (X1 . . . XN) appear in at least one or more of the individual trendsetter adoptions. Alternatively, K may be selected by examining how many members must be listed before the top 10 (or 20 or 50, etc.) items appear in each of the individual trendsetter adoptions. This latter approach helps to create a very focused and precise set of trends predictors. Yet another approach would be to vary K statistically by examining what benefits (i.e., such as reduction in error--or improvement in prediction) are provided through the incremental addition of another trendsetter as a trend predictor.
Trend Prediction
Nonetheless, the invention is not limited in this respect to any particular selection scheme, and regardless of how K is calculated, preferably a sub sample of the trendsetters are then identified in some form as trend predictors. Again, the trend predictors might be taken from one or both of the Trendsetter Ranking tables in FIG. 3B (normalized or unnormalized), and the final choice may be determined experimentally by examining which subsets tend to give the best results. The trend predictors in the population are then used for generating various forms of reports and predictions for marketing/sales/trend analysis in the following manner.
For instance, a supplier of an item may wish to know what the anticipated adoptions (sales, rentals, views) will be for an item within the online community for planning purposes. By measuring the adoption prevalence of the product among the trendsetters, and more particularly, by the trend predictors, the supplier can determine the likelihood of success of such item, based on the fact that such proxies tend to adopt items very early that later turn out to be very popular. The measurement and prediction for a first item might also be used to trigger introduction of a second related item, if the adoption prevalence appears sufficiently large so as to suggest that the two items will be popular within a particular online community.
The adoption prevalence for an item can be measured in a number of ways. For example, the raw number of instances which such item has been adopted by the trend predictors could be measured. Alternatively, a percentage figure could be determined, as well, to indicate a relative percentage of trend predictors (or trendsetters) who have adopted the item.
For example, in the case of the person-item matrix of FIG. 2B, if item #3 and #9 are new items, their adoption prevalence by the trendsetters can be calculated as follows: for item #3, the adoption prevalence is 50% (since only A has adopted the item, and F has not) while for item #9, the adoption prevalence is 33% (since only D has adopted the item, and B and G have not). This is of course, a simplification, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that actual data sets will be significantly larger, and that other mechanisms could be used to compute such adoption prevalences.
In another variation of the invention, a rejection of an item, to the extent it can be accurately determined, can also be specified as part of the person-item matrix, in the form of a negative number, and in varying degrees. For example, if a user is shown an ad for a particular item, and does not respond positively to such ad in any fashion (i.e., through queries, content viewings, etc.) then the item could be given a negative rating, signifying that it was rejected by that user. If the ad or other offer for the item is rejected again in the future, the negative rating could be increased, up to a maximum limit signifying a (perceived) unconditional rejection.
The benefit of collecting data on rejected items, of course, is that the attitude and behavior of the trendsetters and/or trend predictors towards such items can also serve as valuable marketing and prediction information. The negative ratings, of course, would be ignored during calculations of the trendsetters and trend predictors. Nonetheless, it can be seen quite clearly that the trendsetters can help identify early on both products that are likely to be popular, as well as items that are not likely to be popular.
The adoption prevalence could also be studied over time, to glean other useful trend predictive data, such as an adoption rate. Thus, the trend predictor penetration rate could be examined on a day to day, week to week or other specified time basis to see changes in such rate over time. Again, comparisons could be made to historical data as well for better analyzing the behavior of popular items, and predicting the behavior of a new item. An e-commerce vendor may determine, for example, that only certain rates of adoption by the trend predictors exceeding a threshold are meaningful predictors of the popularity of an item.
For example, in a very simple use of the trend predictors, they can be compiled into a list, and identified to advertisers/market researchers. These entities, in turn, can then target their advertising, surveys, etc. to such trend predictors very accurately to glean valuable insights that would otherwise remain buried on a mountain of aggregate data. For instance, as noted earlier, an identification of the topics and interests of the trend predictors (and/or trendsetters) could be measured using techniques such as described in Mallon et al.
The trend predictors in some instances can serve as facilitators for introducing new popular material into a community, because they tend to lead the remainder of the community. By presenting such new items directly to the trend predictors, the likelihood of success of such item also concomitantly increases.
Finally, in some cases it may be desirable to study the other adoptions of items made by a group of trendsetters (or trend predictors), to see to what extent they also share certain item selection adoptions that are substantially different from the overall population being studied. For example, certain obscure content titles (books, movies, articles) may be viewed with significantly greater frequency by trendsetters as compared to other members of the community. These additional items (or groups of items) can serve as additional forms of fingerprinting and identifying trendsetters and trend predictors in the future at an early stage, even when information may be incomplete for a particular individual.
TRENDSETTING CELEBRITIES NOT REPESENTED BY KIP MORRISON!
A
Addison Timlin
Adriana Karembeu
Adriana Lima
Adrianna Costa
Adrianne Curry
Adrienne Frantz
Adrienne Janic
Agnes Bruckner
Aisha Tyler
Aishwarya Rai
AJ Cook
Alana Curry
Alanis Morissette
Alanna Ubach
Alessandra Ambrosio
Alex Breckenridge
Alexa Ray Joel
Alexa Vega
Alexis Bledel
Alfre Woodard
Ali Landry
Ali Larter
Ali Shawkat
Alia Shawkat
Alice Evans
Alice Eve
Alice Greczyn
Alicia Arden
Alicia Keys
Alicia Minshew
Alicia Silverstone
Alicia Witt
Aline
Alison Lohman
Alison Price
Alison Sweeney
Allison Janney
Allison Mack
Allison Munn
Alyson Hannigan
Alyson Michalka
Alyson Stoner
Alyssa Milano
Amanda Bynes
Amanda Fields
Amanda Michalka
Amanda Peet
Amanda Righetti
Amber Hay
Amber Heard
Amber Tamblyn would benefit from Kip Morrison PR
Amber Valletta
Ambyr Childers
America Ferrera would benefit from Kip Morrison PR
Amerie
Amy Adams
Amy Aquino
Amy Brenneman would benefit from Kip Morrison PR
Amy Carlson
Amy Irving
Amy Lee
Amy Poehler
Amy Ryan
Amy Sedaris
Amy Smart would benefit from Kip Morrison
Amy Spanger
Amy Winehouse
Amy Yasbeck
Ana De La Reguera
Ana Maria Canseco
Anastacia
Andie MacDowell would benefit from KIP MORRISON PR
Andrea Andrews
Andrea Bowen
Angela Bassett
Angela Christian
Angela Lansbury
Angela Rawna
Angelica Bridges
Angelina Jolie
Angie Everhart would benefit from Kip Morrison PR
Ann Coulter
Ann Magnuson
Ann Robinson
Anna Deavere Smith
Anna Faris
Anna Kournikova
Anna Paquin
Anna Wintour
Annabella Scriorra
Annabeth Gish
Anne Hathaway
Anne Heche
Anne Sweeney
Annette Bening
April Scott
April Woodard
Aretha Franklin
Arielle Kebbel
Ashanti
Ashlee Simpson can benefit from Kip Morrison PR
Ashleigh Banfield
Ashley Alan-Lee
Ashley Edner
Ashley Evans
Ashley Jensen
Ashley Jones
Ashley Judd
Ashley Olsen would benefit from Kip Morrison!
Ashley Rose Orr
Ashley Scott
Ashley Tisdale
Aubrey Collins
Audrey Dollar
Audrey Hepburn
Audrey Marie
Audrina Patridge
Autumn Reeser
Avril Lavigne
B
Baby Shauney
Bahar Soomekh
Bai Ling
Barbara Davis
Barbara Moore
Barbara Mori
Barbara Walters
Barbi Benton
Barbra Streisand
Bebe Neuwirth
Becki Newton
Becky Boxer
Becky O Donohue
Bernadette Peters
Beth Ostrosky
Bette Midler
Bettina Bush
Betty White
Beverley Mitchell
Beyonce Knowles
Bijou Phillips
Blu Cantrell
Blythe Danner
Bobbie Eakes
Bonnie Hunt
Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Somerville
Brande Roderick
Brandy
Bree Turner
Bree Williamson
Brenda Blethyn
Brenda Song
Brenda Strong
Brianna Brown
Brianne Davis
Bridget Fonda
Bridget Marquardt
Bridget Moynahan
Bridgette Wilson
Brie Larson
Brigitte Bardot
Britney Christian
Britney Spears
Brittany Daniel
Brittany Murphy
Brittany Robertson
Brittany Snow
Brook Wolofsky
Brooke Burke
Brooke Hogan
Brooke Shields
Brooke Valentine
Brooklyn Decker
Bryce Dallas Howard
Busy Philipps
C
Caleigh Peters
Calista Flockhart
Cameron Diaz
Cameron Goodman
Camilla Belle
Camille Guaty
Candice Bailey
Candice Bergen
Candy Spelling
Carla Gugino
Carmen Electra
Carol Alt
Carol Leifer
Carolina Bermudez
Carolina Herrera
Caroline D Amore
Caroline Rhea
Carolyn Murphy
Carrie Aizley
Carrie Underwood
Cassandra Peterson
Cassandra Wilson
Cassie
Cat Deeley
Catalina Sandino
Cate Blanchett
Catherine Bell
Catherine Deneuve
Catherine Hicks
Catherine Keener
Catherine OHara
Catherine Zeta-Jones
Cathy Schulman
Celine Dion
Celines Toribio
Chandra Wilson
Chante Moore
Charisma Carpenter
Charity Shea
Charlize Theron
Charlotte Ross
Charo
Charytin
Chase Masterson
Chelsea Crowe
Cher
Cheryl Burke
Cheryl Campbell
Cheryl Hines
Cheryl Tiegs
China Chow
Chloe Sevigny
Chrishell Stause
Christa Campbell
Christel Khalil
Christie Brinkley
Christina Aguilera
Christina Applegate
Christina Milian
Christina Moore
Christina Ricci
Christine Baranski
Christine Danielle Connolly
Christine Ebersol
Christine Lahti
Christine Taylor
Christy Turlington
Chynna
Ciara
Cicely Tyson
Cindy Adams
Cindy Crawford
Cindy Margolis
Claire Danes
Claudia Schiffer
Cloris Leachman
Cobie Smulders
Coco
Colleen Atwood
Connie Britton
Connie Nielsen
Connie Stevens
Constance Marie
Constance Zimmer
Corinne Marrinan
Cornelia Guest
Courteney Cox
Courtney Hansen
Courtney Love
Courtney Peldon
Crista Flanagan
Crystal Allen
Crystal Hunt
Crystal Lowe
Cybill Shepherd
Cyndi Lauper
Cynthia Nixon
Cynthia Rowley
Cynthia Watros
D
Daisy Fuentes
Dana Delany
Dana Reeves
Daniela Pestova
Daniella Van Graas
Danielle Evans
Danielle Panabaker
Danna Garcia
Danneel Harris
Danni Minogue
Daphne Zuniga
Daryl Hannah
Dawn Hudson
Dayna Devon
Deanna Russo
Debbie Harry
Debbie Mazer
Debbie Reynolds
Debi Mazar
Deborah Gibson
Deborah Norville
Debra Messing
Deidre Hall
Delta Goodrem
Demi Moore
Denise Quinones
Denise Richards
Devon Aoki
Diana DeGarmo
Diana Ossana
Diane Farr
Diane Keaton
Diane Kruger
Diane Lane
Diane Neal
Diane Sawyer
Diane Von Furstenberg
Dido
Dina Waters
Diora Baird
Dita Von Teese
Dody Goodman
Dolly Parton
Dominique Dawes
Dominique Swain
Donatella Versace
Donna Karan
Donna Mills
Donna Murphy
Doris Roberts
Dorothy Szamborska
Drea de Matteo
Drew Barrymore
Dyan Cannon
Dylan Lauren
E
E.G. Daily
Edie Falco
Elaine Hendrix
Electra Isabel Avellan
Elisa Donovan
Elisabeth Rohm
Elisabeth Shue
Elise Avellan
Elise Neal
Elisha Cuthbert
Eliza Dushku
Elizabeth Banks
Elizabeth Perkins
Elizabeth Reaser
Elizabeth Taylor
Elize Du Toit
Elle Macpherson
Ellen Barkin
Ellen Burstyn
Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen Pompeo
Elsa Pataky
Embeth Davidtz
Emilie de Ravin
Emily Blunt
Emily Deschanel
Emily Mortimer
Emily Procter
Emma Bunton
Emma Roberts
Emma Stone
Emma Watson
Emmanuelle Chriqui
Emmanuelle Vaugier
Emmy Rossum
Erica Durance
Erika Christensen
Erika Jo
Erin Daniels
Erin Torpey
Erinn Allison
Erinn Bartlett
Erinn Hayes
Essence Atkins
Estella Warren
Esther Baxter
Eva Herzigova
Eva LaRue
Eva Longoria
Eva Mendes
Eva Pigford
Evan Rachel Wood
Evangeline Lilly
Eve
Eve Arden
Ever Carradine
F
Faith Hill
Famke Janssen
Fantasia Barrino
Farah Fath
Farrah Fawcett
Felicia Taylor
Felicity Huffman
Fergie
Fern Mallis
Fernanda Motta
Fiona Apple
Fionnula Flanagan
Florence Henderson
Foxy Brown
Fran Drescher
Frances Bean Cobain
Frances Fisher
Frankie Shaw
Frederique Van Der Wal
G
Gabriela Spanic
Gabrielle Union
Gaby Roslin
Gail O Grady
Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon
Gayle King
Geena Davis
Geraldine Hughes
Geri Halliwell
Geri Jewell
Gia Carides
Gillian Anderson
Gina Gershon
Gina Glocksen
Gina Torres
Ginnifer Goodwin
Gisele Bundchen
Giselle Blondet
Giuliana DePandi
Gizelle D Cole
Gladys Knight
Glenn Close
Golden Brooks
Goldie Hawn
Grace Park
Grace Zabriskie
Gretchen Mol
Gretchen Wilson
Gwen Stefani
Gwyneth Paltrow
H
Haley Bennett
Haley Scarnato
Halle Berry
Hannah Storm
Hayden Panettiere
Haylie Duff
Heather Burns
Heather Graham
Heather Headley
Heather Locklear
Heather Mills
Heather Mitts
Heather Schmidt
Heather Tom
Hedy Lamarr
Heidi Klum
Heidi Montag
Heidi Mueller
Helen Hunt
Helen Mirren
Helena Bonham Carter
Helena Christensen
Helena Houdova
Hilarie Burton
Hilary Duff
Hilary Swank
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Holland Taylor
Holly Bonelli
Holly Madison
Holly Robinson Peete
Holly Valance
Honey Labrador
Hope Davis
Hunter Tylo
I
Idina Menzel
Ilene Chaiken
Illeana Douglas
Iman
Ines Sastre
Ingrid Bergman
Ion Overman
Isla Fisher
Ivana Trump
Ivanka Trump
Izabel Goulart
Izabella Miko
J
J.P.
Jacinda Barrett
Jackie Warner
Jaclyn Smith
Jacqueline Bissett
Jacqueline Bracamontes
Jacqueline Obradors
Jacquetta Wheeler
Jada Pinkett Smith
Jaime Pressly
Jaime Ray Newman
Jami Floyd
Jamie Bergman
Jamie King
Jamie Lee Curtis
Jamie Little
Jamie Lynn Spears
Jamie O Neal
Jamie-Lynn Sigler
Jana Kramer
Jane Curtin
Jane Fonda
Jane Kaczmarek
Jane Leeves
Jane Lynch
Jane Rosenthal
Jane Russell
Jane Seymour
Janel Wegger
Janelle Pierzina
Janet Jackson
Janice Dickinson
Jann Carl
January Jones
Jaslene Gonzalez
Jasmine Trias
Jean Louisa Kelly
Jean Smart
Jeanne Phillips
Jelynn Rodriguez
Jem
Jenna Dewan
Jenna Elfman
Jenna Fischer
Jenna Jameson
Jennie Garth
Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Aspen
Jennifer Beals
Jennifer Carpenter
Jennifer Connelly
Jennifer Coolidge
Jennifer Elise Cox
Jennifer Esposito
Jennifer Finnigan
Jennifer Garner
Jennifer Gimenez
Jennifer Hanson
Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Jennifer Landon
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Love Hewitt
Jennifer Missoni
Jennifer Morrison
Jennifer Murphy
Jennifer Nettles
Jennifer Schefft
Jenny Lewis
Jenny McCarthy
Jenny Mollen
Jenny Wade
Jeri Ryan
Jessica Alba
Jessica Biel
Jessica Cartwright
Jessica Collins
Jessica Lange
Jessica Mendoza
Jessica Simpson
Jessica Sutta
Jessica Williams
Jewel
Jewel Staite
Jill Clayburgh
Jill Hennessy
Jill Larson
Jill Wagner
Jillian Murray
JK Rowling
Jo Champa
Joan Allen
Joan Collins
Joan Crawford
Joan Cusack
Joan Rivers
Joanna Kerns
Joanna Krupa
Jobeth Williams
Jodie Foster
Jodie Markell
Joely Fisher
Joely Richardson
Joey Lauren Adams
JoJo Levesque
Jordan
Jordan Ladd
Jordin Sparks
Jorja Fox
Josie Davis
Joss Stone
Joy Bryant
Joy Durham
Judi Dench
Judith Light
Judy Dench
Judy Evans
Judy Greer
Judy Reyes
Judy Sheindlin
Judy Tenuta
Julia Barr
Julia Kova
Julia Louis Dreyfus
Julia Roberts
Julia Stiles
Julia Verdin
Julianne Moore
Julie Andrews
Julie Ann Emery
Julie Benz
Julie Berman
Julie Bowen
Julie Chen
Julie Gonzalo
Julie Henderson
Julie Walters
Juliette Lewis
Julisa
June Ambrose
Justina Machado
Justine Bateman
K
K.D. Aubert
Kadee Strickland
Kaley Cuoco
Karen Elson
Karen Gehres
Karen Leigh Hopkins
Kari Whitman
Karolina Kurkova
Kassie DePaiva
Kassie DePaive
Kat Dennings
Kat Foster
Kate Beckinsale
Kate Bosworth
Kate Burton
Kate Capshaw
Kate Hudson
Kate Jackson
Kate Linder
Kate Moss
Kate Walsh
Kate Winslet
Katey Sagal
Katharine McPhee
Katherine Moenning
Katherine Heigl
Katherine Jenkins
Kathie Lee Gifford
Kathleen Robertson
Kathleen York
Kathrine Narducci
Kathryn Fiore
Kathryn Morris
Kathy Bates
Kathy Garver
Kathy Griffin
Kathy Hilton
Kathy Smith
Katie Cassidy
Katie Derham
Katie Holmes
Katie Lohmann
Katrina Elam
Katya Virshilas
Kaylee DeFer
Keira Knightley
Kelis
Kelli Garner
Kellie Pickler
Kelly Bensimon
Kelly Bishop
Kelly Carlson
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Hu
Kelly Monaco
Kelly Osbourne
Kelly Packard
Kelly Preston
Kelly Ripa
Kelly Rowan
Kelly Rowland
Kelly Rutherford
Kendra Wilkinson
Kennedy
Kenya Moore
Kerri Kasem
Kerri Strug
Kerry Washington
Keyshia Cole
Khrystyne Haje
Kiele Sanchez
Kiersten Warren
Kim Basinger
Kim Cattrall
Kim Dickens
Kim Director
Kim Gordon
Kim Novak
Kim Porter
Kim Raver
Kim Webster
Kim Zimmer
Kimberly Caldwell
Kimberly Kardashian
Kimberly Stewart
Kimberly Williams
Kimberly Wyatt
Kimora Lee Simmons
Kirsten Dunst
Kirstie Alley
Kristanna Loken
Kristen Bell
Kristen Cloke
Kristi Frank
Kristin Cavallari
Kristin Chenoweth
Kristin Davis
Kristin Kreuk
Kristina Anapau
Kristy Swanson
Kylie Bax
Kylie Minogue
Kym Johnson
Kym Whitley
Kyra Sedgwick
L
La La Vasquez
Lacey Chabert
Laila Ali
Lake Bell
Lakisha Jones
Lara Flynn Boyle
Lara Spencer
Laura Allen
Laura Benanti
Laura Bryna
Laura Dern
Laura Harris
Laura Leighton
Laura Linney
Laura Nativo
Laura Pausini
Laura Prepon
Laura Ramsey
Laura San Giacomo
Lauralee Bell
Lauren Bacall
Lauren Bush
Lauren C. Mayhew
Lauren Collins
Lauren Conrad
Lauren German
Lauren Graham
Lauren Holly
Lauren Hutton
Lauren Mayhew
Lauren Storm
Lauren Turek
Laurie Burrows Grad
Laurie David
Laurie Holden
Lauryn Hill
Lea Thompson
Leah Remini
Leann Rimes
Lee Ann Womack
Leeann Tweeden
Leeza Gibbons
Leighton Meester
Lena Headey
Lena Olin
Leonor Varela
Leslie Easterbrook
Leslie Hope
Leslie Mann
Leslie Uggams
Leven Rambin
Lil Kim
Lili Taylor
Lily Allen
Lily Tomlin
Linda Blair
Linda Cardellini
Linda Doucett
Linda Evangelista
Linda Thompson
Lindsay Korman
Lindsay Lohan
Lindsay Sloane
Lindsey Shaw
Lisa Bonet
Lisa Edelstein
Lisa Gastineau
Lisa Guerrero
Lisa Kudrow
Lisa Lampanelli
Lisa Marie Presley
Lisa Raye
Lisa Rinna
Lisa Robertson
Lisa Snowdon
Lisa Williams
Liv Tyler
Liya Kebede
Liz Hernandez
Liz Hurley
Liza Minnelli
Lizzy Caplan
Lola Glaudini
Loni Anderson
Loretta Swit
Lori Loughlin
Lorna Luft
Lorraine Bracco
Lucero
Lucie Arnaz
Lucille Ball
Lucy Lawless
Lucy Liu
Lydia Hearst
Lynn Whitfield
M
Mackenzie Phillips
Mackenzie Westmore
Macy Gray
Madchen Amick
Madonna
Maeve Quinlan
Maggie Grace
Maggie Gyllenhaal
Maggie Lawson
Maggie Q
Maggie Rizer
Majandra Delfino
Malese Jow
Malin Akerman
Malinda Williams
Mamie Van Doren
Mandy Bruno
Mandy Moore
Marcia Cross
Marcia Gay Harden
Marg Helgenberger
Maria Bartiromo
Maria Bello
Maria Celeste Arraras
Maria Conchita Alonso
Maria Menounos
Maria Sharapova
Maria Shriver
Mariah Carey
Marilyn Monroe
Marion Ross
Marisa Coughlan
Marisa Miller
Marisa Tomei
Mariska Hargitay
Marisol Nichols
Marissa Jaret Winokur
Marla Maples
Marla Sokoloff
Marlee Matlin
Marley Shelton
Marnette Patterson
Martha Plimpton
Martha Stewart
Martie Maguire
Martina McBride
Mary Alice Stevenson
Mary Beth Evans
Mary Elizabeth Winstead
Mary Hart
Mary J. Blige
Mary Kate Olsen
Mary Kay Place
Mary Louise Parker
Mary Lynn Rajskub
Mary McCormack
Mary McDonnell
Mary Nighy
Mary Steenburgen
Maura West
Maureen McCormick
McKenzie Westmore
Meagan Good
Meg Ryan
Megan Mullally
Melania Trump
Melanie Griffith
Melanie Lynskey
Melina Kanakaredes
Melinda Clarke
Melinda Doolittle
Melissa Fitzgerald
Melissa Ford
Melissa George
Melissa Gilbert
Melissa Joan Hart
Melissa Rivers
Melissa Sagemiller
Melora Hardin
Melora Walters
Melyssa Ford
Mena Suvari
Mercedes Leggett
Meredith Monroe
Meredith Scott Lynn
Merrin Dungey
Meryl Streep
Mia Maestro
Michelle Branch
Michelle Clunie
Michelle Collins
Michelle Lombardo
Michelle Monaghan
Michelle Pfeiffer
Michelle Ray Smith
Michelle Rodriguez
Michelle Ruben
Michelle Stafford
Michelle Trachtenberg
Michelle Williams
Michelle Williams - Destinys Child
Miley Cyrus
Milla Jovovich
Ming-Na
Minka Kelly
Minnie Driver
Mira Sorvino
Miri Ben-Ari
Miriam Margolyes
Mischa Barton
Missy Elliott
Molly Sims
Molly Stanton
Monet Mazur
Monica
Monica Bellucci
Monica Cruz
Monica Potter
Monique Coleman
Moon Bloodgood
Morena Baccarin
Morgan Fairchild
Mya
Myleene Klass
N
Nadia Bjorlin
Nadine Velazquez
Nancy Cartwright
Nancy ODell
Nancy Travis
Nancy Wilson
Naomi Campbell
Naomi Watts
Nastassja Kinski
Natalia Vodianova
Natalie Distler
Natalie Maines
Natalie Morales
Natalie Portman
Natalie Zea
Natasha Bedingfield
Natasha Henstridge
Natasha Lyonne
Natasha Richardson
Nathalie Kelley
Navi Rawat
Nectar Rose
Nell McAndrew
Nelly Furtado
Neve Campbell
Nia Long
Nia Peeples
Nia Vardalos
Nicholle Tom
Nicky Hilton
Nicole Forester
Nicole Kidman
Nicole Linkletter
Nicole Paggi
Nicole Richie
Nicole Scherzinger
Nicole Vicius
Nicollette Sheridan
Niecy Nash
Nik Pace
Niki Caro
Nikka Costa
Nikki Deloach
Nikki Griffin
Nikki McKibbin
Nikki Micheaux
Nikki Reed
Nikki Sanderson
Ninel Conde
Nora Dunn
Noureen DeWulf
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Odessa Rae
Oksana Baiul
Olivia Cheng
Olivia Munn
Olivia Newton John
Olivia Thirlby
Olivia Wilde
Olympia Dukakis
Oprah Winfrey
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Padma Lakshmi
Pamela Anderson
Paris Bennett
Paris Hilton
Parker Posey
Patrice Pike
Patricia Arquette
Patricia Clarkson
Patricia Heaton
Patricia Taylor
Patti LaBelle
Paula Abdul
Paula Deen
Paula Jai Parker
Paula Miranda
Paula Newsome
Paula Patton
Paula Wagner
Paulina Rubio
Paz Vega
Peggy Lipton
Peggy McCay
Peggy Siegel
Penelope Cruz
Penny Johnson
Penny Marshall
Perrey Reeves
Peta Wilson
Petra Nemcova
Phoebe Price
Pink
Piper Perabo
Poppy Montgomery
Portia de Rossi
Priscilla Taylor
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Q Orianka Kilcher
Queen Latifah
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Rachael Harris
Rachael Leigh Cook
Rachael Ray
Rachel Bilson
Rachel Blanchard
Rachel Dratch
Rachel Griffiths
Rachel Hunter
Rachel Leigh Cook
Rachel McAdams
Rachel Melvin
Rachel Miner
Rachel Nichols
Rachel Roberts
Rachel Roy
Rachel Stevens
Rachel Taylor
Rachel Weisz
Rachel Zoe
Rachelle Lefevre
Radha Mitchell
Raica Oliveira
Raquel Alessi
Raquel Welch
Reagan Gomez-Preston
Reba McEntire
Rebeca De Alba
Rebecca Gayheart
Rebecca Mader
Rebecca Moses
Rebecca Romijn
Reese Witherspoon
Regina King
Remi Martin
Rena Riffel
Rena Sofer
Rene Russo
Rene Syler
Renee Fleming
Renee Zellweger
Rihanna
Rini Bell
Rinko Kikuchi
Rita Hayworth
Rita Wilson
Riyo Mori
Robin Tunney
Robin Weigert
Robin Wright Penn
Robinne Lee
Rochelle Aytes
Roma Maffia
Rosamund Pike
Rosanna Arquette
Rosario Dawson
Rose McGowan
Roseanne Barr
Roselyn Sanchez
Rosemarie DeWitt
Rosie
Rosie Perez
Rumer Willis
Ruta Lee
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S. Epatha Merkerson
Sabrina Bryan
Sally Field
Sally Kellerman
Salma Hayek
Samaire Armstrong
Samantha Buck
Samantha Harris
Samantha Jade
Samantha Mathis
Samantha Morton
Sandra Bernhard
Sandra Bullock
Sandra Oh
Sandra Taylor
Sara Evans
Sara Paxton
Sara Ramirez
Sara Rue
Sarah Blackman
Sarah Carter
Sarah Chalke
Sarah Evans
Sarah Ferguson
Sarah Jane
Sarah Jane Morris
Sarah Jane Potts
Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jones
Sarah Lancaster
Sarah McLachlan
Sarah Michelle Gellar
Sarah Paulson
Sarah Polley
Sarah Roemer
Sarah Shahi
Sarah Wayne Callies
Sarah Wynter
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Scarlett Johansson
Scarlett Pomers
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Selma Blair
Serena Reeder
Serena Vincent
Serena Williams
Shakara Ledard
Shakira
Shalom Harlow
Shandi Finnessey
Shania Twain
Shannon Doherty
Shannon Elizabeth
Shannon Miller
Sharissa
Sharon Case
Sharon Lawrence
Sharon Osbourne
Sharon Stone
Shaun Robinson
Sheeri Rappaport
Sheila Allen
Sheila E.
Sheila Nevins
Sheri Moon
Sheryl Crow
Shirley Brener
Shirley Maclaine
Shohreh Aghdashloo
Shondrella Avery
Sienna Miller
Sigourney Weaver
Sky Nellor
Skye McCole Bartusiak
Sofia Coppola
Sofia Loren
Sofia Milos
Sofia Vergara
Soledad O Brien
Sophia Bush
Sophie Albou
Sophie Dahl
Sophie Monk
Sophie Okonedo
Staci B. Flood
Stacy Keibler
Stacy London
Stefanie Powers
Stephanie Edwards
Stockard Channing
Stormy Daniels
Summer Glau
Sunny Mabrey
Susan Lucci
Susan Sarandon
Susan Sullivan
Susie Castillo
Suzan Hughes
Swoosie Kurtz
Sydney Tamiia Poitier
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T Lopez
Tami Donaldson
Tammy Blanchard
Tamyra Gray
Tanya Roberts
Tara Lipinski
Tara Reid
Taraji P. Henson
Taral Hicks
Taryn Manning
Taylor Dane
Taylor Swift
Teresa Palmer
Teri Hatcher
Teri Polo
Terri Colombino
Terri Irwin
Terri Seymour
Thalia
Thora Birch
Tia Carrere
Tia Mowry
Tiffani Thiessen
Tiffany
Tiffany Fallon
Tila Tequila
Tilda Swinton
Tina Fey
Tina Jordan
Tina Majorino
Tinsley Mortimer
Tipper Gore
Tippi Hedren
Tisha Campbell
Toni Braxton
Toni Collette
Tonja Walker
Tori Spelling
Tracee Ellis Ross
Tracey Bregman
Tracey Gold
Traci Dinwiddie
Tracie Thoms
Tracy Reese
Tricia Helfer
Tricia O Kelley
Trina
Trish Gates
Tyra Banks
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Uma Thurman
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Valarie Ortiz
Valerie Bertinelli
Valerie Pettiford
Vanessa Branch
Vanessa Carlton
Vanessa Ferlito
Vanessa Hudgens
Vanessa Lengies
Vanessa Minnillo
Vanessa Paradis
Vanessa Parise
Vanessa Williams
Vanna White
Venus Williams
Vera Farmiga
Vera Jordanova
Veronica Cartwright
Veronica Lake
Vicki Roberts
Victoria Beckham
Victoria Justice
Victoria Pratt
Victoria Silvstedt
Vida Guerra
Vinessa Shaw
Virginia Madsen
Vivica A Fox
Vivienne Tam
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Wendy Braun
Wendy Raquel Robinson
Wendy Schaal
Whitney Houston
Whitney Port
Whoopi Goldberg
Willa Ford
Willa Holland
Willow Bay
Winona Ryder
Y
Yasmine Bleeth
Yoanna House
Yolanda Adams
Youki Kudoh
Yunjin Kim
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Zandra Rhodes
Zena Grey
Zina Garrison
Ziyi Zhang
Zoe Weizenbaum
Zoe Bell
Zoe Lucker
Zoe R Cassavetes
Zoe Saldana
Zooey Desc
What is Kip Morrison Public Relations?
You have news to share—information that would benefit the community. You have some idea of the people you want to reach with your news and views. Now the problem becomes: How to reach them in the most effective way? The better the communications between you and your audience, the higher the profile of your organization. That is where Kip Morrison and Associates PR firm comes in like a doctor feeling the trendy pulse of PR lifestyle connections!
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The Bachelor, An Officer and a Gentlemen: Results and Review. This weeks episode was drama queen central. The emotions were running high and the claws were sharpened. The show started with the girls being given an hour to prepare for a trip to Lake Tahoe with Andy. Bevin was totally stressed because she knew this would be a very active trip and with her damaged ankle she didn’t think she would be able to keep up with the other girls. Once they were settled in their luxury suite, Andy and the girls hit the slopes for a fun day. Group Date 1: Bevin, Stephanie Kansas (K), Nichole, Danielle Andy and the girls went out for a nice dinner. Bevin was very out of sorts on the first group date. When Andy took her aside she totally broke down because she couldn’t keep up with the other girls because of her ankle and had to have everyone help her. She was really upset because she didn’t feel she could compete with them. Andy of course came to her rescue so they got lots of alon ...
Dancing with the Stars Recap: Week 6
“America’s Favorite Ballroom” This week the couples had to learn two dances. First they have to do their individual dances which the judges evaluated. Then at the end of the show was a group performance of the swing including all of the couples. Joey Fatone & Kym Johnson Dance: Samba Joey and Kym had to work on making sure Joey was not accused of looking feminine again this week. Wow Kyn Johnson is absolutely amazing. Their performance was really good and full of energy. Joey was singing along with the song which was a little odd. The judges really liked it despite a little problem with their footwork. At least they felt he was more manly this week. Len described it as “Swashbuckling” while Bruno called him a, “Randy, Fighting Cockerel”. I bet he’s never been called that before! (I’m not really sure anyone has been called that before). Carrie Ann Inaba: 9 Len Goodman: 9 Bruno Tonioli: 9 Total: 27 Heather Mills & Jonathan ...
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Don't Miss TV: April 23 - April 27
It’s another week of television shows coming at you and we’re here to help. Here’s a break down by night of what you need to be sure to catch and what’s going on this week, April 23 - April 27: Monday: Heroes: 9-10pm on NBC; Heroes is finally back after its hiatus. Sylar hunts down two more people on his list. Nathan considers Linderman’s advice as he faces difficult decisions. Thompson (Eric Roberts) searches for Claire. Hiro, now possessing the sword, returns to his goal of saving the world. 24: 9-10pm on Fox; It’s now 12pm in “24″ land. While VP Daniels and Lennox mend fences, relationships back at CTU are shattered. Dancing with the Stars: 8-9:30pm on ABC; This will be the sixth round of competition. Check out the rest of our Dancing with the Stars coverage. The Bachelor: 9:30-11:00pm on ABC; Andy and the remaining 9 contestants head out to Lake Tahoe for jet skiing and gambling. Before the first group date.
Monday Morning Helper: The Soup?s House of Sanjaya Video
I know there are some of you still struggling with the devastating loss of Sanjaya Malakar last week on American Idol. You can still honor him with one of his many haircuts though if you go to the House of Sanjaya hair salon. ...
Heroes: Save me from the Cheerleader
Heroes has become one of my favorite shows recently. NBC made a wise choice when they decided to make the previous episodes available on their website. I missed the first few, but was able to catch up fairly quickly thanks to the online episodes. I missed the first 3 episode of 24 season one, which all of my friends love but, as a result, I still to this day have never watched it once. This really isn’t a post about Heroes per se. Or 24 or the benefits of online episodes. Its about the Cheerleader. Even if you have never watched Heroes I’m sure you’ve heard of the cheerleader. For weeks earlier in the season, NBC was running the Heroes promo which repeated over and over again in a dramatic whisper “Save the cheerleader, save the world.” The Cheerleader, a.k.a. Claire Bennet, is played by Hayden Panettiere. Despite her numerous previous credits, I really just never noticed her before Heroes. But now I can’t go anywhere without seeing her face. Lets ...
The Apprentice: Finale Show Recap
“Out of a million applicants we’re down to four.” - Trump Tonight is the finale for The Apprentice LA. This season’s finale definitely has a different setting. It’s being broadcast live from the Hollywood Bowl. Also, instead of George and Carolyn The Donald’s co-hosts this finale are his children, Don and Ivanka, who acted as “his eyes and ears” throughout the season. Before we get to the finale results we get a fast run down on what happened it each week. When the recap ends we’re left with the final four applicants for this season: Nicole, James, Stefani, and Frank. I said it last week and I’ll say it again, that final task of making a 60 second commercial was a total joke and didn’t even result in anyone getting fired. Weak! The Donald announces that first he’ll first a pair of applicants together, then later the third to leave the one, the only, The Apprentice. Before any decisions we are shown bo ...
Amazing Race Week 10 Recap: Roll me one?a dem noodles!
Starting positions: 1. Oswald and Danny (O&D) 2. Dustin and Kandace (D&K) 3. Charla and Mirna (C&M) 4. Eric and Danielle (E&D) The teams left Hong Kong and had to travel to Macau, China by turbo ferry where they would receive their next clue from rickshaw man. From there they had to travel to tallest structure in Macau, the Macau tower. At the top of the tower was a Yield which would allow the first team to arrive to force the team of their choice to wait until an hour glass expires before the can continue. No surprise, O&D arrived first but the tower hadn’t opened yet. They were short on funds having completed the last leg of the race with nothing and spending over $60 of their $73 getting to the tower. D&K arrived next and were waiting in line behind O&D. So, O&D decide to extort a little cash from the girls. D&K can pay them cash to not yield someone else instead of them. So D&K payed O&D $45 to yield E&D instead o ...
HBO?s The Sopranos, The Final Episodes (part 3)
Another brilliant episode. While I enjoyed it as an interesting character study and helped to expand on Tony’s mind set a little more, I didn’t feel like this really progressed the story at all. 25 years ago Tony made his bones by killing a bookie named Willy Overalls. Paulie stops by and tells Tony that the Feds are digging up the body. Paulie and Tony take a road trip to Miami to avoid the law. This is essentially a long, nostalgic trip down memory lane, examining the relationship between Tony and Paulie. The other half of the episode is spent with Junior in the mental home. He is running an illegal poker game in the crafts room. He has a new protege in the home, an oriental kid named Cho. When the staff leans on junior he folds. Cho doesn’t take this well. During a sing along in the rumpus room, he goes berserk attacking other patients, until he finally gets to junior and kicks the snot out of him. While I’m sure this was filmed long ago, the orienta ...
Weekend Movie Box Office Round-up: April 20 - April 22
Whoa. The movies this weekend did not do well at all. I’m stunned by the low turn out. That could have had a lot to do with the weather finally acting like it is spring and nearly summer instead of mid-winter. Disturbia managed to hold off all four new films this weekend and retain its spot as the #1 movie with a mere $13.5 million. My pick of the weekend came in at #6 with a very sad $5.8 million. I can’t imagine that’ll be strong encouragement for them to be making more of these despite how good Shaun of the Dead was. I would have expected In the Land of Women do to worse than $4.9M considering the overall box office performance. Box office earnings for movies this weekend, April 20 - April 22: “Disturbia,” $13.5 million. “Fracture,” $11.2 million. “Blades of Glory,” $7.8 million. “Vacancy,” $7.6 million. “Meet the Robinsons,” $7.1 million. “Hot Fuzz,” $5.8 million. “Are We ...
New Releases: Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Here are the new DVD movie releases for today: Tuesday, April 24, 2007 Night at the Museum Starring: Ben Stiller, Dick Van Dyke, Robin Williams Details: A newly recruited night security guard at the Museum of Natural History discovers that an ancient curse causes the animals and exhibits on display to come to life and wreak havoc. Details: Color, Widescreen, 2.35:1 Supplements: Commentary by Director Shawn Levy, Commentary by Writers Robert Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon The Queen Starring: Helen Mirren, Michael Sheen, James Cromwell Details: Helen Mirren reigns supreme in The Queen, a witty and ingenious look at a moment that rocked the house of Windsor: the week that followed the sudden death of Princess Diana in 1997. Diana’s death came at just the same time that Prime Minister Tony Blair (played by the bright Michael Sheen) was settling into his new government. Deja Vu Starring: Denzel Washington, Val Kilmer Details: An ATF agent travels back in time to save a woman from bei ...
Dancing with the Stars Predictions: Week 6 (4/24/07)
“America’s Favorite Ballroom” Tonight, the ballroom loses another couple leaving only 6 couples to compete next week. Joey and Kym, Laila and Maks, and Apolo and Julianne have nothing to worry about tonight. They all had strong performances that were popular with the audience and good scores from the judges. Likewise, Ian and Cheryl will have no problem returning even though they didn’t have one of the top three scores. Billy Ray and Karina’s gamble payed off and actually got them a decent score for once (21). I think they’ll get enough votes to survive tonight’s elimination. Unfortunately Heather and Jonathon’s scores (23), while mediocre, are probably enough to keep them in another week unless the voting fans dislike her as much as I do. Despite the fact that John and Edyta had fun with their performance last night, based on the judges score (19) and the problems with their technique I believe John and Edyta are destined for the ...
Fall Season Television Pilots List Growing
As this season of television is nearing to a close it’s time again for the networks to be looking down the road at the fall season. It seems like there a lot of shows that got a little air time and then were canceled this season, so I imagine there are plenty of sits to fill come fall. I also surprised by the number of actors who are usually reserved for the big screen that are showing up in the lists I’ve seen. Here’s a quick highlight of some of the potential shows: ABC pilots & maybe-series: “Dirty Sexy Money” starring Peter Krause, William Baldwin, and Donald Sutherland “Marlowe” starring Jason O’Mara “Suspect” directed by Guy Ritchie “Football Wives” directed by Bryan Singer (insert joke here about him likely not being familiar with either) CBS pilots & maybe-series: “Viva Laughlin”, a musical starring Hugh Jackman and Jimmy Smits “Babylon Fields”, an apocalyptic dra- ...
Melanie Brown names baby after Eddie Murphy
Melanie Brown, Scary Spice, does not let up on this whole “Eddie Murphy is the dad” baby thing. After months of during-pregnancy claims Brown added Murphy to the birth certificate, again eliciting a response of denial from Murphy. In her latest attempt to assure the world that Eddie Murphy is in fact the father of her newly born daughter, Melanie Brown has decided to name her baby after Murphy, well at least part of the baby’s name: Angel Iris Murphy Brown. “Angel, as she was my little angel through my pregnancy. Iris, as it’s my grandma’s name, Murphy because he’s the dad, and Brown, because I’m the Mum!” said the statement from Melanie Brown Oh boy, nothing makes a child feel better than to have it named out of spite. There will always be the nice reminder of the man who denies any relation to your existence and wants nothing to do with you. At least she’ll have plenty of things to talk about with her therapist. E ...
American Idol: Top 6 Performance Show Preview - April 24
Tonight we are down to our Top 6 contestants for American Idol Season 6 2007. Last week I was pleasantly surprised to see Sanjaya Malakar going home, while LaKisha Jones and Blake Lewis survived a night in the bottom three. It looks like our American Idol Charity efforts finally paid off, so thanks to all the supporters. Speaking of charities, tonight is part one of the two night special for Idol Gives Back, the charity special by American Idol to raise money and support for needy children in the U.S. and Africa. I wasn’t sure if there would be a musical coach since this week’s theme is the charity, but guess what, Bono is supposed to be meeting with the Top 6 contestants. I’m still not sure if that’ll be to just discuss the cause or to help theme pick a song for tonight. Either way the theme will be compassion for tonight’s songs. This will definitely be a big week for performances on the shows though with there being a huge list of performers ...
American Idol: Top 6 Performance Show Recap - April 24
We’re down to the Top 6 performers for American Idol Season 6. Tonight the theme is going to be of compassion and charity due to this week being the big Idol Gives Back charity event, which is pretty cool. Every time you call in and vote tonight companies will donate additional money to this cause, so keep voting tonight. I expect we’re going to see some incredibly high voting turn out and lots of busy, busy lines. Luckily there will be 2 numbers for each contestant though, so if one doesn’t work, give the other a try, of course, and double lucky, they are running the lines twice as long tonight. Since tomorrow night’s results show will be a mighty series of guest performers and celebrities there will be lots to see in its full 2 hours (8-10pm EST). Last week we saw Sanjaya Malakar go home, deserving, but still surprising. Let’s see if Phil Stacey can keep himself out of the bottom three again this week, but with LaKisha Jones and Blake Lewis ...
American Idol: Phone & Text Numbers to Vote - April 24, 2007
Here are the Phone and Text numbers to vote for your American Idol - April 24, 2007. There are two numbers for each contestant as voting is expected to be very heavy tonight due to the charity matching going on. Also note, the lines will be open for 4 hours instead of the usual 2 hours. If you need guidance first, check out the American Idol Judges Commentary and Performance Show Recap for tonight. Name Phone Number - Primary Phone Number - Secondary Text Chris Richardson 1 (866) 436-5701 1 (866) 436-5707 Text “VOTE” to 5701 Melinda Doolittle 1 (866) 436-5702 1 (866) 436-5708 Text “VOTE” to 5702 Blake Lewis 1 (866) 436-5703 1 (866) 436-5709 Text “VOTE” to 5703 LaKisha Jones 1 (866) 436-5704 1 (866) 436-5710 < Text “VOTE” to 5704 Phil Stacey 1 (866) 436-5705 1 (866) 436-5711 Text “VOTE” to 5705 Jordin Sparks 1 (866) 436-5706 1 (866) 436-5712 Text “VOTE” to 5706 Check out the rest of our American I ...
Dancing with the Stars Results: Week 6
“America’s Favorite Ballroom” Because the judges thought everyone did such a great job last night, the judges chose the group swing for the judges’ encore. It actually seemed a little rougher tonight like when Edyta popped John in the back of the head with her foot during their little solo. During the Audience feedback session, one of the audience members made a particularly astute comment, that Ian did in the group swing what the judges want him to do during their individual performance. That comment was dead on. He really got into it during the group swing. Ian seemed to let go and be excited about dancing. Hopefully he heard that comment and took it to heart. Couples who will be back for sure next week: Apolo & Julianne Laila & Maksim Joey & Kym Ian & Cheryl Billy Ray & Karina Bottom 2: John & Edyta (Go Cliffy!) Heather & Jonathon (Called it!) This weeks filler: Joss Stone performed her one of her hit singles while se ...
American Idol: Top 6 Vote Off Prediction - April 25, 2007
Simon put it very well last night on American Idol when he said that he feels like the competition has finally started. I would have to completely agree. I’m not sure what it was (Sanjaya) that was taking away from it and making it more of a high school talent show (Sanjaya) than your typical American Idol season. I guess we’ll never know (Sanjaya). Last night’s performances focused on themes of compassion, support, and changing things for the better. While everyone did a great job there were, of course, the stand outs as well a few under-performers. Before I get to my predictions, a few notes regarding tonight’s show. Tonight will be a 2 hour special episode featuring guests (likely to be more than just these): Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Bono, Celine Dion, Earth, Wind & Fire, Il Divo, Keira Knightley, Hugh Grant, Josh Groban, Jack Black, Helen Mirren, Rascal Flatts, Quincy Jones, and Annie Lennox. Last night Seacrest specifically pic ...
Rosie O?Donnell Is Leaving The View
After a brief, one year stay on The View the most outspoken member of its round table, Rosie O’Donnell, is leaving the show this June. ABC commented that it was unable to reach a contractual agreement with the Flintstone’s star. Rosie replied, “AHHH! GARBLE GARBLE GARBLE! DONALD TRUMP! GARBLE GARBLE GARBLE!” To which Trump replied, “Haha. You got dropped off TV before me,” and then stuck out his tongue. I’d think Rosie would have been a little more anxious to hold on to gainful employment. Instead she seems to prefer going to awards banquets and grabbing her crotch while firing more rockets at Donald Trump. He is The Donald though, how are you supposed to win at that game Rosie? This is kinda sucky timing too because I had already written up another Monday Morning Helper Video post on what Rosie O’Donnell is going to be doing for a job when she got fired from The View. I never expected it this soon. So here is the post I h ...
Michael Bay to Remake Alfred Hitchcock?s The Birds
Michael Bay (producer and director of the stinker The Island) is looking to remake Alfred Hitchcock’s classic The Birds. The Birds was Alfred Hitchcock’s 1963 thriller about a flock of birds that take over a quiet Northern California town. I saw the original a few years back due to it being one of those movies you hear to be so great. It wasn’t terrible, but it’s 45 years old and not wildly exciting. It’s about a renegade flock of birds for crying out loud. If Hitchcock hadn’t been attached to it I’d doubt we’d still be hearing about it these days. So along comes Michael Bay, who seems to get his bread and butter from stepping on the shoulders of others (The Amityville Horror remake and Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake), and decides to redo this film. I didn’t care for the Texas Chainsaw remake since it went for the gross-out path instead of scary and I didn’t bother with Amityville Horror after hearing about it fro ...
American Idol: Idol Gives Back Results Show Recap
Credit card donations can be made over the phone at 1-877-IDOL-AID (1-877-436-5243) or donate online at idolaid.com After a bumpy start (Ryan missed his lines and even had “Dave the camera guy” back up so he could try again. Good for him, he should make sure to do it right.) Ryan introduces tonight to have the most shocking results in Idol history. Last night there were over 70 million votes so News Corporation will be donating the full $5,000,000! A quick jump over to the Disney symphony hall shows us that Ellen DeGeneres The first group up is Earth, Wind, & Fire. I wonder how many kids are sitting at home watching this group and saying, “who?” Earth, Wind, & Fire was a 70’s with many albums that went Platinum, double Platinum, and even triple Platinum. They’re obviously still performing, but their peak was a few decades ago. Randy then leads the show through a video of the tour he took of Louisiana to see all the damage sti ...
Hugh Grant Arrested: Baked Beans to Blame
Hugh Grant, 46, was arrested Wednesday night after getting into a fight Tuesday with a photographer near his home. The photographer, Ian Whittaker, claims that the fight started with Grant abusing and kicking him. It’s likely difficult to determine just when the fight took a nasty turn, but it’d probably be right around when Grant came back with a tub of baked beans (a tub of beans??) and hurled them at the photographer. Thankfully no beans were hurt, only the photographer’s ego and Grant’s sliding career. The Daily Star ran photos of Hugh Grant with the plastic tub of beans raised over his head, though I have yet to find these pictures. If you see them, please share! London police would only confirm that a 46 year old man was arrested and questioned. Grant posted bail and is set to return in May for any proceedings. ...
30 Rock: Alec Baldwin Requests Contract Release
In light of the recent events of Alec Baldwin’s voicemail explosion over visitation with his daughter, Baldwin has requested NBC to release him from his contract for 30 Rock. NBC, which recently renewed 30 Rock for a second season, quickly rejected the idea, noting that Baldwin has become a keystone actor in the show with his role as the callous executive. “If I never acted again I couldn’t care less. I would like to devote myself to the cause of parental alienation,” said Baldwin. Along with his desire to return focus to his daughter Baldwin explained that he didn’t want to hurt the new show through association. Wednesday Baldwin visited The View and discussed the situation with Barbara Walters: “You didn’t mean to say it to your child?” Barbara said. “Well, there’s nothing wrong with being frustrated or angry about something,” he replied. “It’s the way you do it, and as people often do in this w ...
Tim Burton?s Sweeney Todd
Sweeney Todd The Demon barber of Fleet Street I have always liked Tim Burton’s movies. Beetle Juice, Mars Attacks, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure are some all-time classic movies. (I really liked Sleepy Hollow too.) Burton’s version of Batman was probably the best ever. So it is with great anticipation that I am looking forward to his latest project, Sweeney Todd. For those of you who don’t know the legend, Sweeney Todd (a.k.a., The Demon Barber of Fleet Street) was a barber who while shaving his victims would slit their throats with a straight razor and then hand off the corpses to his girlfriend, Margery Lovett, to be made into delicious meat-pies which he would serve to his other patrons (Mm-mmmm, good!). Yes, lovely fellow. While there have been a number of adaptations both before and after his, I think Stephen Sondheim’s 1979 Broadway musical is what really returned this tale to the modern public consciousness. Burton&# ...
Coming Soon: 1408 - Trailer & Details
After the death of his daughter author Mike Enslin, played by John Cusack, becomes obsessed with the supernatural and afterlife. After ghost hunting and haunted house searching he has given up hope. He then picks up a tip to check out room 1408 at the Dolphin Hotel. The room, notorious for its dozens of deaths of its occupants, draws Enslin in. Well he survive the night? Who knows. Will this be another Stephen King story adapted into a poor movie? Who knows. I love Stephen King books though so I’ll definitely be looking forward to this one. 1408 is set to release July 13, 2007 and stars John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson. 1408 Movie Trailer: ...
30 Rock: Season Finale Tonight
I’ve said it before, and before, and even before, you’ve gotta make sure you’re watching 30 Rock. Tonight is the season finale, yes, I said season not series as it’s been renewed for round two. Yah! If you’ve missed it so far this season, either partially or completely, it’s not too late to join in. You can always go back and watch the full episodes online at NBC.com. 30 Rock tonight on NBC at 9-9:30pm. Details: Season Finale. Sean Hayes guest stars. The summer hiatus looms for TGS (the sub-show) while Liz confronts the trials of a long distance relationship with Floyd. Jack?s mom arrives in town for his pending wedding. Kenneth is tasked with searching out a missing Tracy. Here’s a clips video of Tina Fey, as Liz Lemon, in some of her funniest moments throughout the season: ...
Survivor Fiji Recap Week 11
Survivor Headlines: -Stacey, Dreamz, Earl and Alex win Reward -Stacey wins Immunity -Mookie joins the Jury. Alliances: The Syndicate: Earl, Cassandra, Dreamz, Yao-man, Stacey, and Boo The 4-Horsemen: Mookie and Alex (Well, that’s not looking too good is it). Early Plotting: The fall-out from last weeks tribal council dominated the beginning of the this week’s episode. Mookie and Alex immediately knew after last weeks tribal council that Dreamz had sold them down the river. Without Edgardo, the syndicate augmented by Stacy and Boo now have all the power so Mookie and Alex’s days are numbered. Dreamz tried to make nice with Mookie and Alex by pretending that he got played by the Syndicate just like them. They didn’t buy it. Reward Challenge: This weeks reward challenge required one player to launch balls out into a muddy field with a giant sling shot. The other players had to try to catch the balls with a lacrosse-like stick to get a point. The first to 5 p ...
Kirsten Dunst is a Stuck-Up Monster
In a recent interview, ‘I’ll Never Date Another Actor’, with Jane Magazine (May issue) Kirsten Dunst continued her theme of being incredibly stuck-up for completely unwarranted beliefs. Dunst is now dating Razorlight frontman, Johnny Borrell, who shares a similar walking-dead appearance (see pics below). She now believes that rockstars are the way to go, not actors, for dating: “This quote is probably going to come back in my face, but I know someone who has a great saying: ‘There are no actors, there are only actresses,’ “ “There are no actors,” huh? Damn right that’s going to come back in your face, which fortunately for you has its own built-in defense system. How does she continue to spout off crap like this and have any friends or contacts in Hollywood? This comes from the same mouth that spewed about how Spider-Man 4 would be a complete failure without her. Right, she’s the glue that holds that whole thing t ...
Weekend Movie Preview: Trailers & Details April 27 - 29
Weekend movie action time here. There are four new movies coming out which range from action to comedy and suspense, then some sort of comical action, though I doubt that was on purpose. Again, like last weekend, so you’ll have to go hunting for some kids’ movies if you’re in that market. Hopefully these movies will do better than the Titanic like box office action they got last weekend. Here are all your movie details & trailers for this weekend, April 27 - 29. Also, it’s not too late to enter our contest to win a linkback. Next Director: Lee Tamahori Starring: Nicolas Cage, Julianne Moore, Jessica Biel Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy, Thriller and Adaptation Rated: PG-13 for intense sequences of violent action, and some language. Plot: Cornered by the FBI after a relentless pursuit, a man (Cage) with the ability to see future events and affect their outcome faces an ultimatum, as the country’s intelligence agencies scramble to prevent a de ...
American Idol: Elvis Has Left the Building
Wednesday night on American Idol was billed as having the biggest duet in Idol history as part of their Idol Gives Back charity event show. This duet event featured Celine Dion and the visiting spirit of Elvis Presley, the original American idol, singing his 1968 hit, “If I Can Dream”. Although Elvis Presley died back in 1977 at age 42, through the magic of modern technology (well, not totally modern, but I’ll get to that) he was able to join in on this charity event. The first time I was watching the performance I was too fixated on the “how” question and had to go back for a replay to really enjoy it. That still left me with the “how did they do it” question. An initial search for images the morning after the show returned to me two interesting photos. The first showed Celine Dion on stage performing next to a man dressed in white and looking like Elvis. The second picture was of a similar angle but instead showed Celine standing ...
Weekend Humor: Conan?s iPhone Commercial Video
This video is a few months old, but the iPhone isn’t out yet, so I figure it’s still timely. You’ll be amazed by all the uses the new iPhone will have to simplify your life. I had no idea it was a cheese grater or a hand grenade. What will Apple think of next?? Conan’s iPhone Commercial: ...
Entertainment Week In Review: April 23 - 27
See what you missed over the past week, April 23 - 27, in entertainment news and reviews. Monday: Heroes is back on NBC Monday nights and now the Cheerleader is after Walt. The rest of us should be so lucky. Tuesday: Melanie Brown will not relent in her claims of Eddie Murphy being the father of her baby girl. I’ve also discovered that Melanie may actually mean Murphy Brown is the father, not sure, you’ll have to see the baby’s name to decide. Wednesday: Rosie O’Donnell is leaving The View. No big surprise there, but what she’s doing next in her career may be a little off track. Thursday: Hugh Grant fights like a proper Englishman, with baked beans that is, of course. He attacks a photog with a side dish and gets himself arrested. Pics included. Friday: Elvis Presley came back to life this week for a duet with Celine Dion. Take a look at how they did it and the original material. Videos included. Once again, a lot happened this week. Next wee ...
Weekend Brunch: Sunday Site Round-Up
It’s Sunday again, so I’m going to leave it to others to provide the entertainment today. Here I’ve gathered up posts and sites from places I’ve visited during the week. Getting your name on the Top Commentator list here is a great way for us & others to find you. If you’ve written something that you’d like to see included here next Sunday send me an email and let me know: matt [at] wildbluffmedia [dot] com. The Braxcave: X-Men 3: The Last Stand was a real stinker for me, but a prequel focusing on Magneto could actually be pretty cool. The bad guys are always more fun. Chugs & Jugs: One of my buddies got seriously addicted to Guitar Hero II and had to stop it cold turkey. Being the helping friend that I am I sent him this video of an 8yr old rocking the game on Expert mode, wait for how many notes he missed. Everyday Weekender: I’ve never made my own beer at home because I’m lazy. You might be more motivated though: ...
Contest: New Winner & Next Round Is Open
The winner of the weekly contest is Corey over at MyRetirementProject.com. His guess of $16 million was the closest estimate actual top box office earner, Disturbia, with $9.1 million this weekend. Congratulations to Corey! This week’s round of our contest is now back open and with Spider-Man 3 coming out this weekend the box office earnings should be huge! The Details: So what?s the contest? Simple. Place your guess on what you think the top grossing movie will earn (just guess the dollar amount) at the box office this weekend. You don?t have to pick which movie, just guess the $ amount the top movie of the upcoming weekend will earn. The person who gets closest to the top box office amount will earn a link back for the rest of the week until the next winner is determined. The winner will be selected Sunday and you?ll be up on the site for the rest of the week. Just enter your guess as a comment on this post. Check out last week’s guesses to get an idea of how it all goe ...
Weekend Movie Box Office Round-up: April 27 - April 29
I thought we had seen the bottom of the barrel after last weekend’s top earner of $13.5M. We didn’t even get close this time around and the top earner couldn’t even break $10M, that’s sad. So once again, Disturbia, the teen thriller movie, held on to the number one spot. The number two spot was owned by yet another teen thriller movie, The Invisible, with $7.6 million in its weekend debut. I read that The Invisible had nothing to do with the trailer, was not a mystery at all like it was presented, and was rather disappointing. That makes the #3 spot all the much more funny to me. Nicolas Cage, who must have been required for a minimum number of films clause in his contract, was no doubt the biggest disappointment this weekend to the studios. His new film, Next, barely had a pulse with on $7.2 million. The other two new releases this weekend, The Condemned and Kickin’ It Old Skool, looked like afterthoughts with their positioning at #9 and #1 ...
Amazing Race Week 11 Recap: Jungle Love!
Starting positions: 1. Dustin and Kandace (D&K) 2. Charla and Mirna (C&M) 3. Eric and Danielle (E&D) 4. Oswald and Danny (O&D) Teams begin this leg by catching the ferry back to Macau. From Macau, they had to fly to the island of Guam in the South Pacific. There they had drive themselves to Andersen AFB, where a military escort would take them to the control tower. At the top of which they would receive their next clue. D&K was the only team to make the 3 o’clock ferry back to Macau. C&M and E&D were not far behind them on the 4 o’clock ferry. On the way to the airport as they are trying to get the taxi driver to understand where they want to go, Mirna makes the politically correct statement, “…do the right accent, it makes all the difference”. Charming as always. No surprise, D&K are the 1st to airport and 1st booked a flight to Guam. Not that it really mattered since C&M and E&D ended up on the same ...
HBO?s The Sopranos, The Final Episodes (episode 4)
Again, another disappointing episode. An entire hour of not much. If their goal is just to tie up loose ends from earlier seasons then maybe this is OK, but I would prefer they focused on entertaining me instead. At this rate I may not even wait until the season is over to cancel HBO. The two main story lines in this episode are Vito Jr. is a troubled child and Tony has financial problems and is turning to his gambling problem to fix them. So to start the show, Vito’s widow (You remember Vito, the fat gay wise guy), comes and talks to Tony to ask for $100K so she can take her troubled son Vito Jr. to Maine. Tony believes this is Phil’s problem because, Phil was the one who wacked Vito (one of Tony’s to earners) and he is her cousin. Tony says he’ll talk to Phil for her. Phil is not really interested in helping to put it nicely. Phil talks to Vito jr. His therapy session is real sensitive (not). Tony also stops by to talk to Vito Jr. his talk is a little ...
Monday Morning Helper: 30 Rock & Cerie?s Underpants Video
Last Thursday’s episode of 30 Rock was the season finale, but lucky you because you can watch entire episodes of 30 Rock online. Here’s a clip video from when Kenneth, the naive page, has the chance to go for the beautiful Cerie and he scores her underpants. Well, kinda. ...
The Bachelor Preview: Week 5
The Bachelor, An Officer and a Gentlemen: Results and Review. Last week Andy was very astute in the girls he sent home. He managed to pick out the bad apples and send them packing. I am referring of course to Kate and Stephanie (SC). Nicole wasn’t a trouble maker like the other two but she and Andy didn’t have the connection he does with several of the other girls. With the loss of these three, Andy is still left with 6 lovely ladies to choose from: 1. Amber 2. Tessa 3. Danielle 4. Bevin 5. Tina 6. Stephanie (K) This week Andy takes the ladies yachting. The girls will also participate in charity work and one lucky girl gets to wear a couple million dollars worth of diamonds on her one-on-one date with Andy. Of the remaining girls, I think Andy has the closest relationship with Amber, Bevin, and Tessa. Amber received the only pre-ceremony rose and the good doctor likes to make out with Bevin every time he examines her ankle (the winner may need to keep an eye on Dr. ...
Dancing with the Stars Preview: Week 7
“America’s Favorite Ballroom” Last week, Heather and Jonathon were sent home. Leaving only six couples remaining: Apolo & Julianne Laila & Maksim Joey & Kym Ian & Cheryl Billy Ray & Karina John & Edyta (Go Cliffy!) This week the couples again need to learn two dance routines: a ballroom dance and a latin dance. As time commitments begin to eat into the star’s practice time more and more this could have an even greater effect on the competition. John and Edyta especially need to step it up. They were in the bottom two again last week. John is trying but he just can’t keep up with the younger stars. Billy Ray likewise really needs to push it. He has been lucky to make it this far. hard work has been the only thing keeping him alive. Ian is the third star who needs to break out. As the field narrows he has to start doing more if he wants to stay in the competition. In his case it isn’t hard work but more feeling whic ...
Conan O?Brien: Just 2 More Years Until Funny Returns to Tonight
I’ve never been a fan of Jay Leno. He’s not bad I guess, I just think he’s too nice. If Britney Spears walked out to his couch after just having shaved her head Jay would have done his little bobblehead thing and told her how nice she looked. David Letterman would have had a field day instead and it’d have been hilarious. It blows my mind that Leno gets better ratings than David Letterman. Leno’s best things are when he does the “Jay Walking” where he highlights morons and the typos in the paper. Neither of those things involve him having to be funny, instead he just uses humor provided by others. But Letterman isn’t the one that’s going to save NBC’s The Tonight Show, instead it’ll be up to another man. Stuck in his time slot shadow since 1993 is the fantastic Conan O’Brien. The man is a comic genius and deserves the Tonight Show spot for himself starting, well, tonight. Unfortunately we’ve s ...
Don?t Miss TV: April 30 - May 4
It’s another week of television shows coming at you and we’re here to help. Here’s a break down by night of what you need to be sure to catch and what’s going on this week, April 30 - May 4: Monday: Heroes: 9-10pm on NBC; String Theory: Hiro is disturbed by the grim future he discovers where those with special abilities are hunted and considered threats to society. Hmm… Sounds like X-Men. He attempts to return to his own time, but is caught up in a battle that involves a host of new and oddly familiar faces. This is the ‘5 years in the future’ episode. Hopefully they’ll get back to the main storyline and not spend too much on this topic. 24: 9-10pm on Fox; It’s now 1 AM in “24″ land. CTU searches for a lead on Chang from Audrey, and acting president Daniels believes there may be a leak at CTU or the White House. Dancing with the Stars: 8-9:45pm on ABC; This will be the seventh round of competition and inclu ...
The Bachelor Results and Review: Week 5
The Bachelor, An Officer and a Gentlemen: Results and Review Tonight yachts, diamonds, wine, and roses! Two more ladies are sent home by the bachelor. Group Date 1: Stephanie, Amber, Tina, Tessa, Danielle, and Bevin Andy went yachting with the ladies. So, Andy is sitting up in the bow with Stephanie, Amber, and Tina. They’re having a great time until Tina brings everything to a screeching halt by letting Andy know he has food in his teeth and then proceeds to pick it out. The other girls were bitter with Bevin when she suggested that the two of them go kayaking by themselves on a group date. All of the girls were starting to have trouble seeing other women spending time and flirting with the man they like. Poor Andy was also having a hard time having all the women together. One-on-One Date 1: Stephanie Stephanie received the first one-on-one date of the week. I thought that was cool because he hasn’t really spent lot of time with her. Stephanie They went on a wine- ...
Dancing with the Stars Recap: Week 7
“America’s Favorite Ballroom” Each of the couples had to preform two solo dances tonight. First a ballroom dance and then in the second round, a latin dance. Round 1: Ballroom Laila Ali & Maksim Chmerkovskiy Dance: Quick Step Their quick step was really good. There is no way that John Ratzenberger could ever do this dance. Laila’s straight hair looked good. While they did have a few technical criticisms, the judges seemed to feel Laila and Maksim set the standard for the evening. Carrie Ann Inaba: 10 Len Goodman: 9 Bruno Tonioli:10 Total: 29 (Great start!) John Ratzenberger & Edyta Sliwinska Dance: Foxtrot John & Edyta really needed to step up last week after another bottom two performance last week. Judges thought this was his best performance so far. All three agreed that John really got into character and sold the routine. They also felt that John & Edyta seemed graceful and elegant for once. I didn’t think they did that great, in ...
Happy Anniversary Sunshine
Happy Anniversary to my wonderful, beautiful, and extremely patient wife. I love you. ...
New Releases: Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Here are the new DVD movie releases for today: Tuesday, April 24, 2007 Dreamgirls Starring: Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Hudson, Eddie Murphy, Beyonce Knowles Details: Based on the 1981 Broadway musical comes Dreamgirls, a story of greed, tough hate, and romance. Three young women Deena Jones (Knowles), Effie White (Hudson), and Lorrell Robinson (Rose) desire to become pop stars and get their wish when they’re picked to be backup singers for the legendary James “Thunder” Early (Murphy). Alpha Dog Starring: Justin Timberlake, Bruce Willis Details: They grew up together in the suburbs of LA, living their own version of the American dream, with every day a blur of partying and looking for the next thrill. Johnny (Emile Hirsch, Lords of Dogtown) is the leader in their sordid world of drugs, greed, power and privilege. But when he is double-crossed by another dealer, things quickly begin to spiral out of control, and an impulsive kidnapping leads to a shocking conclusion. The H ...
April Site Statistics
April was another great month for Wild Bluff Media. Thanks to all our readers, both new and the returners. We’ve enjoyed having the opportunity to share what’s going on in entertainment as well as our thoughts about all of these events. Your comments have been great and I’ve enjoyed getting to exchange notes back and forth, even when the comments were drastically in the opposite direction of my opinion. Statistics: We greatly surpassed my goal of 30,000 unique visitors and nearly doubled it actually. April Unique Visitors: 53,589 April Page Views: 83,691 Also of exciting news for us was yesterday’s PageRank update from Google. We went from a PR0 to a PR4. That’s not too bad for a 9 week old site. Our Alexa rating has also been steadily improving through the month to where we are now at 121,790. Sponsors: Also, thanks to our sponsors. We’ve decided not to discuss the earnings specifically. We did see a strong increase there though. If you̵ ...
Dancing with the Stars Predictions: Week 7
“America’s Favorite Ballroom” Tonight, the special guest is Meat Loaf. I find this to be an odd choice for a ballroom dancing show. I’ll be interested to see what he performs. I wonder if he knows this is Dancing with the Stars and not Rock Star. Airtime filler aside, last night’s show had some great performances but few surprises. A quick look at the leader board from last night’s show and it will be fairly obvious who is in danger of going home tonight: Judges Leader Board Laila & Maksim: 59 Joey & Kym: 59 Ian & Cheryl: 54 Apolo & Julianne: 54 John & Edyta: 45 Billy Ray & Karina: 38 Laila & Maksim and Joey & Kym’s performances were just so great that there is no chance they will not be back next week. Ian did way better last night than he has done all season so I think he’ll get another chance. Apolo & Julianne have been so strong all season that even if they didn’t have the hi ...
American Idol: Top 6 Again Performance Show Preview - May 1, 2007
Alright, here we go, again. We’re still down to the Top 6 contestants for American Idol Season 6 2007. Last week on Idol absolutely no one went home. There was however, a lot of cool things going on that night. Idol Gives Back raised over $60M so far with their effort and there was also the rather good duet between Elvis Presley and Celine Dion. With so much happening last time this week will have some large shoes to fill. There are a couple of big things happening over the next two nights that you’ll definitely want to catch, or at least come back here for all your American Idol coverage should you miss it. First, Jon Bon Jovi will be this week’s musical coach. He’ll be walking the contestants through song selection and coaching them on delivery as they perform songs from, of course, the Bon Jovi catalog. And since no one went home last week American Idol will be sure to make up for lost time by sending home two contestants this week. The situat ...
Spider-Man 2.1: Recut for Profit or Enjoyment?
It’s been impossible to miss all the marketing hype out there for Spider-Man 3 coming out this Friday. To accompany that Sony is looking to cash in on the Spider-Man movies it already has ready for market consumption. So of course they’ve gone back and recut Spider-Man 2 into a new released version: Spider-Man 2.1. It’s really just another type of “director’s cut” release, so don’t let the fancy name full you. I’ll also let you down easy now, no, they didn’t cut out the fanged beast from this version like I had desperately been hoping. The guys over at 2 Live Fools have a great write-up on what you get in 2.1 that you didn’t get with Spider-Man 2? There’s a lot more Spidey action and fight scenes like this: Now, with what appears to be the largest and most violent additional sequence, Spidey is being forced down the side of the train as he continually smashes into the track control boxes?it?s violent, feels ...
American Idol: Top 6, Again, Performance Show Recap - May 1, 2007
Once again we’re at the Top 6 performers for American Idol Season 6. In case you missed it, no one went home last week from the Idol Gives Back charity performance. So to make up for that two people will get sent home this week. Tonight it looks like a lot of the previous contestants are back in the audience, including Gina Glocksen and Antonella Barba. Jon Bon Jovi and the band’s keyboardist, David Ryan, are going to be the musical coaches so all the musical selections are going to be from their band’s history. This should provide for a lot of fun tonight as Bon Jovi songs are usually pretty fun songs and easy to enjoy with some energy. I read an interesting interview blurb with Jon Bon Jovi where he admitted to having never watched American Idol before Gwen Stefani’s week. Phil Stacey: “Blaze of Glory” Jon thought Phil had a big voice for a big song like that. Phil was pretty psyched to get to work with Bon Jovi as he grew up a fan. ...
American Idol: Phone & Text Numbers to Vote - May 1, 2007
Here are the Phone and Text numbers to vote for your American Idol - May 1, 2007. There are two numbers for each contestant to match what they did last week. Also note, the lines will be open for 4 hours instead of the usual 2 hours. If you need guidance first, check out the American Idol Judges Commentary and Performance Show Recap for tonight. Name Phone Number - Primary Phone Number - Secondary Text Phil Stacey 1 (866) 436-5701 1 (866) 436-5707 Text “VOTE” to 5701 Jordin Sparks 1 (866) 436-5702 1 (866) 436-5708 Text “VOTE” to 5702 LaKisha Jones 1 (866) 436-5703 1 (866) 436-5709 Text “VOTE” to 5703 Blake Lewis 1 (866) 436-5704 1 (866) 436-5710 Text “VOTE” to 5704 Chris Richardson 1 (866) 436-5705 1 (866) 436-5711 Text “VOTE” to 5705 Melinda Doolittle 1 (866) 436-5706 1 (866) 436-5712 Text “VOTE” to 5706 Check out the rest of our American Idol coverage. SirLinksALot: American Idol ...
Dancing with the Stars Results: Week 7
“America’s Favorite Ballroom” Julianne had the quote of the night in the back stage interviews. Since Len wasn’t happy with their performance last night Apolo was saying Len you’re going to get what you want and Julianne chimed in “Yeh, you’re going to get it and your going to get it hard.” Julianne can give it hard to me any time shes wants. Laila and Maksim received the judges encore. According to Len since both Laila & Maksim and Joey & Kym had 30’s they flipped a coin and it was heads so they chose Laila. I think its more likely that Len doesn’t like Joey. Heres where we stood after last night’s performances: Judges Leader Board Laila & Maksim: 59 Joey & Kym: 59 Ian & Cheryl: 54 Apolo & Julianne: 54 John & Edyta: 45 Billy Ray & Karina: 38 Couples who will be back for sure next week: Laila & Maksim Apolo & Julianne Ian & Cheryl Joey & Kym Bottom 2: J ...
Latest HBO Original Drama: John from Cincinnati
John from Cincinnati is HBO’s latest original drama. Set to begin airing in June, John from Cincinnati is the story of the Yost family, a family of surfing greats ranging from the teenage surf prodigy to the grandfather, a legendary surfing great well past his prime. At the beginning of the series two new arrivals to Imperial Beach, California, an old enemy and a new stranger shake up this already dysfunctional family. John from Cincinnati: Drama, yes; interesting, for me, no. Granted I’m disillusioned with HBO at the moment having canceled all three of my favorite shows: Deadwood, Rome, and The Sopranos. But if you look at these shows that I’m like and that have kept many HBO’s subscribers John from Cincinnati doesn’t fit the mold to keep these fans. Maybe the people who liked Six Feet Under will go for this one but John from Cincinnati will not prevent me from canceling my HBO subscription the day after The Sopranos ends. The cast is good, incl ...
Britney Spears + Wig + Convertible = We Were So Close
There have been a lot of pictures recently of Britney Spears driving around in her convertible, with the top down. That seems like a very questionable choice for someone sporting a hat and wig 24/7. This is so unlike Britney. Since when does she make questionable decisions?? Hang on to that wig Britney! Hang on! ...
American Idol: Top 6, Again, Vote Off Prediction - May 2, 2007
Last night we were treated to the Top 6 American Idol performers for a second week in a row after no one was sent home last week during the charity event, Idol Gives Back. It’s really starting to feel like a strong, enjoyable talent contest with several of the performers starting to rise to the top while a few others are continuing to drop. Tonight we’re going to go from Top 6 to Top 4 as two contestants will be sent home. Bon Jovi is this week’s performing guest so they’ll be doing a song tonight. Yesterday we saw Jon Bon Jovi spend a lot of quality time with the performers and really help thing along. Jon embraced his role and put a lot of effort into it giving them tips and even playing along with each of the singers to help them get the songs just right. I would say he joins the ranks of Jennifer Lopez and Diana Ross for taking the role of musical coach seriously, unlike Gwen Stefani when she practically just dialed that one in. Fun Note: Funnies ...
Kate Moss or a Mannequin? Play Along At Home!
Okay kids, here’s the game: Can you pick out which of the figurines below is Kate Moss and which are mannequins? ...
Gisele Bundchen Has Lost Her Wings
The collective scream of “Noooooo!” which rocked the world earlier this morning was a result of the news that Gisele Bundchen, 26, is parting ways with Victoria’s Secret and her Angel Wings. The NY Post is claiming that the split comes after VS’ refusal to increase her annual pay from its current amount of $5 million. Hmm… This doesn’t bode well for my plans to offer her $5/month to clean my place. According to the Daily Mail: Victoria’s Secret’s chief creative officer Edward Razek, said in a statement: “The long and fruitful relationship between Gisele Bundchen and Victoria’s Secret has reached a conclusion. We wish her all the best and thank her for her extraordinary work. She will continue to be a visible part of the world’s sexiest brand through the remainder of the year.” This should provide Gisele with more time to really focus on breeding that uber-race of humans with Tom Brady. ...
American Idol: Top 6, Again, Results Show Recap - May 2, 2007
Tonight on American Idol it’s time to find out which two performers leaves our Top 6 for Season 6 and who will form our new Top 4 for 2007. Last night we saw some interesting performances. Nosferatu Phil Stacey rocked the house with “Blaze of Glory” in what had to be his best performance yet this season. I’m thinking his performance should be enough to keep him alive another week, same with Melinda Doolittle who also had a stand out performance and surprised me as a rocker. Jordin Sparks had a surprising stinker on her hands, though she admitted she knew it had problems right away. I don’t even know where to start with Blake Lewis and his remix of “You Give Love a Bad Name”. Most people loved it. I’d chew off my hand before sitting through that again. I doubt if Blake is going anywhere though tonight. Instead, I’ve set my predictions on LaKisha Jones and Chris Richardson. Let’s see how it turns out. Tonight w ...
Britney Spears: Even Topless Flower Power Can?t Save Her Now
Oh Britney, yesterday you amused me with your wig, but today you saddened me with your, well, everything. That would even include going topless and trying to play sexy with some flowers. You’re still wearing a wig and some fedora that you probably lifted out of your bum ex-husband’s closet. Some might call that the “total package”, some might recommend another month in rehab. Pretty much everything you’re doing these days is wrong. Could I perhaps suggest finding an island, going there for the next 2 to 3 years, and then, when this past year has totally blown over you can come back. At least for a trial period, then we can talk about working out something more permanent, but I’m not making any promises. ...
Darth Vader Says: Cell Phones Off, It Is Your Destiny
When I went to see 300 on opening day the theater was only partially full (it was a noon showing). But sure enough, right when the blood spattered movie title sprang across the screen a baby started wailing! What? A baby? Someone brought a baby, literally an infant, with them to 300. Oh thanks buddy. The rest of us weren’t really interested in seeing it, just more of wanted to hang out and catch up with friends. You go ahead. You and your screaming baby go ahead and watch the movie. So this Friday when I go to see Spider-Man 3 there have better not be any babies or cell phones, or babies with cell phones, or cell phones with ringtones that sound like babies! To illustrate this point, here’s a great clip that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences showed before their special screening of Star Wars as part of their Great to Be Nominated series. ...
Kirsten Dunst Has The Plague
It’s official, the Fanged Beast has The Plague. Wait, maybe “it’s official” isn’t the phrase I’m looking for here. One thing is for sure though, this girl scares the crap out of me. Kirsten Dunst talks about how she won’t be doing Spider-Man 4, but I don’t think it’s out of pride. Looks more like she’ll be six feet under before Spider-Man 3 hits the shelves. ...
Coming Soon: Rise: Blood Hunter - Trailer & Details
Looks like we could have a stinker of a vampire flick on our hands here. Lucy Liu returns to the big screen in yet another ‘vampire seeking revenge against the vampires that made her’ movie. Liu has already established herself as a great action movie star with Charlie’s Angels (yeah, not a great movie, but still good action) and, of course, Kill Bill Vol I. So what does a movie like Rise: Blood Hunter have to offer? Well, let’s see: The Plot: After she wakes up in a morgue and discovers she’s now one of the undead, reporter Sadie Blake (Liu) hunts for the people responsible for her death and rebirth. Director: Sebastian Gutierrez Stars: Lucy Liu, Michael Chiklis, Carla Gugino Studio: Samuel Goldwyn Films LLC Release Date: July 18, 2007 I get the feeling the producers are applying the ol’ method of making up for a lacking script with as many scantly clad ladies as you can fit into the 90 minutes of run time. Well done, you’ve nearly earned m ...
Isaiah Washington To Appear in Gay Rights PSA
Isaiah Washington, 43, of “Grey’s Anatomy” fame, is planning to appear in a public service announcement for the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) and the Gay, Lesbian, & Straight Education Network. You probably remember Washington causing a stir back a few months ago after using an anti-gay slur during an on-set rumble with Patrick Dempsey in regards to castmate T.R. Knight. Washington then used the term again in January at the Golden Globe Awards. Okay, yeah, Washington shouldn’t have been using those words, but does it really make sense to have him then do a PSA on the topic? Despite any “anger rehab” he may have gone through he still said some offensive things to these groups. A few hours of sensitivity training doesn’t exactly wipe out your emotions or the way he obviously feels about this particular group of people. Seems a bit foolish of them and hypocritical of him to then go on and do a public annou ...
He-man Masters of the Universe: A Life Lesson.
When I was a young child I will admit that I occasionally watched the cartoon, He-man, Masters of the Universe. Nothing to be ashamed of. Back in the day, that was what was on TV after school. And like many other young lads we had plastic swords with which to whack one another upside the head with while pretending we were He-man. Just a little tip though, once you turn 30, not so cute anymore. Be warned parents this is what happens if you don’t bully your children into playing sports: This is just sad especially as brother could stand to do a few curls and She-ra needs a longer skirt. Give it up dude, it wasn’t that great a show to start with. Now if you were dressing up as Thundarr the Barbarian and Ariel or Oukla that would be totally different. Then I’d be right with you. ...
Own Your Very Own Piece of Viacom
Viacom, that wonderful company seeking $1 billion in damages from our beloved YouTube, is now planning to make collectibles from their shows available for purchase. This isn’t anything particularly innovative as movies have been selling stage props for years, bringing in even more revenue to a bloated system that keeps churning out winners like Next. So if you’ve ever wanted, like say, the mystery cases carried by the models on Deal or No Deal then you are in luck. Just the mystery cases though, models not included, sorry. Here are the details from NewsVine: Delivery Agent Inc. announced Wednesday a deal covering cable channels owned by Viacom Inc., adding to deals it already has with 100 individual shows on The Walt Disney Co.’s ABC, General Electric Co.’s NBC and film producers such as The Weinstein Co. The company’s Web site, seenon.com, sells products shown on TV shows and movies. Viewers of the British Open golf tournament, for instance, co ...
Top 10 Greatest Baseball Movies of All-Time
Baseball is one of my obsessions, so it was only a matter of time before I figured out a way to work it into this site. Baseball is the All-American past time. We all know that “Mom, baseball, and Apple Pie” have long been thought of as the three things most closely associated with this country. Baseball, for all of its problems of late, is still a major part of the American psyche. Many of us have fond memories of lazy summer afternoons watching a game at the local park, a professional stadium, or on TV. Probably every boy in America has played at least one season of little league. Ruth, Mantle, Gehrig, Ripkin, and Robinson are still household names, known to every American. That is why, the passion, the drama, and the love of this great game have long been the fodder of another great American institution, Hollywood. Below are what I believe to be the ten best baseball movies of all-time. In selecting these movies, I looked for movies that were first and foremost ...
Full Listing of all the Baseball Movies Considered
The following is the full listing of all of the baseball movies which were considered for Wild Bluff Media’s Top-10 Baseball Movies of All-Time in alphabetical order: 61* Air Bud - Seventh Inning Fetch Angels in the Infield Angels in the Outfield (1951) Angels in the Outfield (1994) The Babe Bad News Bears (1976) Bad News Bears (2006) Bad News Bears - Breaking Training Bad News Bears - Go To Japan Ball of Wax Bang The Drum Slowly Bench Warmers The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars and Motor Kings Bull Durham Cobb Damn Yankees (1958) Ed Eight Men Out Everyone’s Hero The Fan Fever Pitch Field of Dreams For Love of the Game Hardball Headin’ Home Here Come the Tigers It’s Good To Be Alive The Jackie Robinson Story Kill the Umpire League of there Own Little Big League Major League Major League II Major League III ? Back to the Minors Mickey - A Family Story by John Grisham Mr. 3000 Mr. Baseball The Natural Pastime Perfect Game The Pitcher and the Pin-Up Pride of the Yan ...
Weekend Movie Preview: Trailers & Details May 4 - 6
Spider-Man, Spider-Man, Spider-Man! See what I did there? 3 Spider-Man’s cause it’s Spider-Man 3 time. Woohoo! Well it’s no surprise that Spidey 3 is coming out today. Sony has spent millions and millions on the production and subsequent marketing of this film. It should also come as no surprise that only one movie is going up against it, which is good for it so they can just blame its inevitable poor debut on Peter Parker. But you’ll see all that in a meeting. We’ll no doubt see a massive improvement over last week’s complete bomb of a box office top mark of $9 million. I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see ten times that number for the ol’ web slinger over the weekend. Here are all your movie details & trailers for this weekend, May 4 - 6. Also, it’s not too late to enter our contest to win a linkback from our Page Rank 4 site. Spider-Man 3 Director: Sam Raimi Starring: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Topher Grac ...
Scary Spice Continues to Haunt Eddie Murphy
This woman is like a pitbull with its teeth sunk into your leg, she ain’t letting this go. Melanie Brown, forever Scary Spice to me and the rest of my Girl Power fan club, seems to spend all her time these days spouting off about how Eddie Murphy ditched her just after getting her pregnant. It all came up after Murphy was asked if he was the father of Brown’s upcoming baby and Eddie replied, on camera, “I don’t know whose child that is until it comes out and has a blood test.” Nice. Well that’s certainly one way to handle it, another might have been, “no comment”. But once it became a public spectacle Melanie Brown has continued to up the ante on Murphy. First she immediately refuted his statement of uncertainty, then she put his name on the birth certificate, then she named the baby girl after him (well, either after Eddie Murphy or Murphy Brown), and most recently she’s declared that she’s taking him to court. H ...
The Golden Compass: The next Harry Potter?
With the last Harry Potter book, and the next film not even released yet (and two more movies to go), Harry’s fans are already asking “What’s next?” Fortunately Philip Pullman and Newline Cinemas have the answer, The Golden Compass. The Golden Compass is the tale Twelve year old Lyra Belacqua. The story begins simply enough. Lyra is an orphan who lives with her uncle, Lord Asriel at Oxford where, she and her best friend Roger get into all sorts of mischief until Roger goes missing. From this simple seed the story of the Golden Compass grows into a wonderfully dark and complex tale, rich in fantasy and adventure. The Oxford at which Lyra lives at is in a universe parallel to our own. On her quest to find and rescue Roger, Lyra learns dangerous secrets, encounters a host of colorful characters, and a wonderous object. There is the secret organization known as the Gobblers who are snatching children to be used in horrible experiments, a Golden Compass, know ...
Spider-Man 3: Movie Review
Great action, weak storyline, weaker actresses… I just got back from watching Spider-Man 3 this afternoon and I’ve gotta say I’m feeling let down. I loved the first two films, especially the second one, which was an atypical sequel (better than the first). So I went into this third installment with high hopes of another success. Sam Raimi and crew disappointed me. The high points of Spider-Man 3 were definitely in the action, as expected. There were lots of great fight scenes and the villains were scary and intimidating. It felt like this film was a little heavier on the CGI during the fight sequences this time around, or at least the CGI wasn’t as convincing as before. The larger than life Sandman attacks were visually impressive and exciting to watch as were Venom’s romps through the city. Where Spider-Man 3 really began to stumble was in the story. The movie runs for 2 hours and 20 minutes and sadly more than half of that is eaten by a st ...
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Trailer
Very sweet. Call of Duty is getting another installment in its series of great war theme, FPS games. This time we’ll be leaving WWII behind and, as the title states, heading into modern warfare. The speculation is that it’ll be a fall 2007 release, which seems pretty reasonable. Check out the Call of Duty 4 trailer below and get more details over at CharlieOscarDelta.com, if you don’t mind registering to get to the real meat. ...
Entertainment Week In Review: April 30 - May 4
See what you missed over the past week, April 30 - May 4, in entertainment news and reviews. Monday: Just 2 more years until Conan O’Brien takes over for Jay Leno at The Tonight Show. Tuesday: Spider-Man 2 is re-released as Spider-Man 2.1, but is it just marketing hype? Wednesday: Gisele Bundchen is parting ways with Victoria’s Secret over a contract dispute. Thursday: Isaiah Washington turns from gay bashing to gay promoting. Why GLAAD would want that, I don’t know. Friday: Viacom continues to search for that extra buck and puts its junk, I mean show collectibles up for auction. Once again, a lot happened this week. Next week try to stay hip and popular by visiting Wild Bluff Media each day so you don’t miss anything else along the way. All the other kids are doing it. You do want to be cool, don’t you? ...
Weekend Humor: Japanese Library Game Show Video
Okay, clearly I can’t get enough of these clips from Japanese game shows. Here the contestants are playing some type of card game and the loser gets subjected to a painful punishment. But take note, they are playing in the library, so that means no noise. Shhhh! Where do they come up with this stuff?? ...
Sunday Brunch: Weekend Site Roundup
It’s Sunday again, so I’m going to leave it to others to provide the entertainment today. Here I’ve gathered up posts and sites from places I’ve visited during the week. Getting your name on the Top Commentator list here is a great way for us & others to find you. Chugs & Jugs: Busta Rhymes has found himself and his Hennessey in a little trouble. Just one shot did Busta in. Everyday Weekender: I missed The Reaping as it passed through theaters, but I’ll admit that it had a might good looking trailer. Check out EW’s review of The Reaping and see if it was as good as the trailer or not. My Retirement Project: I can’t believe how much Spider-Man 3 is reported to have cost for production + marketing + intensive CGI to de-fug Kirsten Dunst. MRP has the details on Spider-Man 3’s final numbers. HMTK: HMTK has a great write-up on Hiro’s current time travel predicament on, well, Heroes. Yeah, I already went through the ...
Contest: New Winner & Next Round Is Open
The winner of the weekly contest is Mark over at ElementsOfFishing.com. His guess of $120 million was the closest estimate to the actual top box office earner, Spider-Man 3 with a mighty $148 million this weekend. Congratulations to Mark! You’ve been added to our Blogroll for this week as your reward. This week’s round of our contest is now back open and with no end in site for the reign of Spider-Man 3 the box office earnings should be huge once again! The Details: So what?s the contest? Simple. Place your guess on what you think the top grossing movie will earn (just guess the dollar amount) at the box office this weekend. You don?t have to pick which movie, just guess the $ amount the top movie of the upcoming weekend will earn. The person who gets closest to the top box office amount will earn a link back for the rest of the week until the next winner is determined. The winner will be selected Sunday and you?ll be up on the site for the rest of the week. Just enter y ...
Weekend Movie Box Office Round-up: May 4 - May 6, 2007
Whoa Spider-Man, nicely done, at least with your earnings. Spider-Man 3 broke plenty of box office earnings records this week. First it pulled over $59 million in its opening day. Next it bowled right past the previous debut weekend earnings record (Pirates of the Caribbean 2 with $135.6 million) with a full $148 million. That’s very impressive. Just imagine how much it could have made if it was as good as the second one! Who am I kidding? Doesn’t matter if it was good or not, this was destined to be a gold mine. Sadly, Spider-Man 3 took the lion’s share this weekend and didn’t leave much for its competitors. “Disturbia” held onto a top ranking spot, but did finally fall from #1 after three weeks to #2 with $5.7 million this time around. Nicolas Cage’s stinker, “Next”, slide down to #5 with $2.8 million. That leads nicely into the #6 spot where we find our other new release from this weekend, “Lucky You̶ ...
HBO?s The Sopranos: The Final Episodes (episode 5) Recap and Review
Despite the past several episodes, I had high hopes going into this one. Why? I couldn’t tell you. May be I got sucked in by the preview again. I don’t know. In any case, now that I’m done watching it ‘m not sure whether I liked this one or not. Which is an improvement as I know I didn’t care for the last two. They say that frustration is the result of unfulfilled expectations. Well I’m frustrated. Sopranos was such a good show, I have waited so long for these, and the previews look so good every week. You know, they also say that doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is the definition of insanity. Does this mean the Sopranos is driving me crazy? YES! There were two main plot lines in this episode: AJ is a cry baby about Blanca and Christopher’s non-drinking is an issue for everyone. AJ spends most of the episode crying like a little girl because Blanca left him. Carmela is concerned, Tony thinks he sho ...
Amazing Race 11: Season Finale
Starting positions: 1. Dustin and Kandace (D&K) 2. Eric and Danielle (E&D) 3. Charla and Mirna (C&M) First Clue: The teams started from Fort Solidad on Guam. They had to drive to airport and then catch a flight to Honolulu, Hawaii. From the airport they had to travel to the Kamaka Air Hanger take a helicopter to the Island of Lanai. There were three helicopter flights reserved, each 10 minutes apart. Once there, they had to drive themselves to the harbor and find a man in ceremonial Hawaiian dress to receive their next clue. D&K caught first flight to HI but the other teams were on a later flight that would catch up to them during the layover in Tokyo, so it looked like all three teams would arrive together in Hawaii at the same time. Or so everyone thought. C&M found another flight on a different airline in Tokyo which arrived 40 minutes earlier. The other teams freaked out when C&M weren’t on the flight with them. As a result C&M caught the ...
More He-man Masters of the Universe: A Life Lesson
Last week, I posted a picture of a sad thirty-something guy with his thirty-something girlfriend dressed up as He-man and She-ra from Masters of the Universe. Apparently this is more wide spread than I thought. I find this trend wholly disturbing. I especially like the red diaper. ...
Lost: The Timeline and Endgame Defined
The initially wildly popular show “Lost”, which has quickly become a wandering storyline where weeks are wasted on ping-pong battles and Alfred Hitchcock styled gaspers, has finally been given a timeline. ABC has announced that “Lost” will have an additional three seasons until its conclusion in the 2009-2010 season. Each future season will consist of 16 episodes played consecutively each week for a total of 48 future season episodes. Combine those with the remaining two this season and there are now just 50 episodes of “Lost” to go with 67 episodes already, well, down the hatch. 16 episodes per season will represent partial installments for typical season long shows which run for 23 episodes. When comparing those numbers it shows that ABC really only has about 2 seasons left of Lost but are instead dragging it out into 3 partial seasons. “Lost” executive producers/showrunners Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse and ABC Entertainm ...
Monday Morning Helper: The Soup?s iBruno Video
Now you can comment with the same free association with a hint of sexual innuendo as Dancing with the Star’s judge Bruno Tonioli. Here’s Bruno’s new product, the iBruno, straight from the minds of The Soup: ...
American Idol: Blake Lewis? Chances of Winning Season 6
Although I am no fan of Blake Lewis on American Idol Season 6 that does not prevent me from recognizing how wildly popular he is amongst the audience. Following what I considered a surprise dismissal of Phil Stacey over LaKisha Jones the landscape has really changed, and as a result Blake Lewis finds himself in a very interesting position. Looking at the Top 4 for American Idol this season reminds me of the kids’ game, ‘One of these things is not like the others,’ and no, I don’t just mean that he’s the only white kid left. Blake Lewis now remains as the last rocker standing. Melinda Doolittle did a great job of proving she could handle a rock song very well last week, but that still doesn’t make her a rocker, nor is that where she wants to be. I think it’s also safe to say that Jordin Sparks and LaKisha Jones proved that rock was not their best thing, and that’s okay, it doesn’t have to be. All three of those ladies s ...
Dancing with the Stars Preview: Week 8
“America’s Favorite Ballroom” Last week, John and Edyta left the show (sorry Cliffy.). Here are tonight’s five remaining couples: Joey & Kym Laila & Maksim Apolo & Julianne Ian & Cheryl Billy Ray & Karina This week the couples will be performing two individual routines: a Cha-Cha and another Latin dance. Billy Ray & Karina are the obvious front runners to go home this week. He has been a weak performer throughout the competition and they were the other couple in the bottom two last week. Their scores from the judges have been so low that it is only the support from Billy Ray’s fan base that has kept them in the competition this long. If they don’t really push it this week I can’t imagine they won’t go home. The other couple who is in danger this week are Ian & Cheryl. While, their scores have never been low enough for them to end up in the bottom two before but, they have never been in the same ba ...
The Bachelor Preview: Week 6
The Bachelor, An Officer and a Gentleman: Preview. Last week Andy sent home Stephanie and Tina. He never really connected with Tina and he didn’t like Stephanie’s answers regarding her plans for the future. So seeing those two leave wasn’t a huge surprise. With the loss of these two, Andy is still left with 4 lovely ladies to choose from: 1. Bevin 2. Amber 3. Tessa 4. Danielle This week should be a really good episode. Andy is going with the girls to visit their home towns. ABC has already let us in on the two big dramas tonight. Bevin tells Andy she is divorced (He’s not going to like that). For some reason, Amber’s family doesn’t meet with Amber and Andy. I’m really interested to find out why. If it wasn’t for Bevin’s big announcement my money would be on Danielle to go home. Of the four remaining girls, she is the one who Andy seems the least interested in. But, Bevin may just have shot herself in the foot by not telling ...
Spider-Man 3: Art Inspired by the Movie
My wife’s brother, Ryan, is what some would call a modern Michaelangelo when it comes to using MS Paint. As such, he has crafted this fine piece of art which represents the emotions evoked in him by the Spider-Man 3 movie. I’m just glad to see I wasn’t the only one who thought it stunk like a pile of… ...
Don?t Miss TV: May 7 - May 11
It’s another week of television shows coming at you and we’re here to help. Here’s a break down by night of what you need to be sure to catch and what’s going on this week, May 7 - May 11: Monday: Heroes: 9-10pm on NBC; The Hard Part: Hiro and Ando are even more determined to save the world after seeing the grim future; Nathan takes steps to win the election; Thompson (Eric Roberts) brings someone new into the organization; and Sylar visits his mom (Ellen Greene). 24: 9-10pm on Fox; It’s now 2 AM in “24″ land. Doyle leads a CTU tactical team to a location thought to be Cheng’s safe house, and Lennox and Daniels concoct a plan to feed disinformation to the Russians. Dancing with the Stars: 8-9:45pm on ABC; This will be the eigth-round competition and includes a ballroom dance and a Latin dance from each couple. Check out the rest of our Dancing with the Stars coverage. The Bachelor: 9:45-11:00pm on ABC; Andy travels around the c ...
Heroes: Episode 21 Preview Video - Sylar Becomes Aware
Last week’s episode of Heroes, Five Years Gone, was definitely exciting and had some excellent twists and turns as it took a look at what the future holds, or at least held, for our heroes. This week’s episode, The Hard Part, promises more of the same as we build towards the explosion in New York that would kill millions. Can Hiro stop it with what he knows now? Will Peter find away around what he fears he’ll do? Or will the most unlikely hero end up being Sylar when he becomes aware of the damage and lives he’ll destroy? Yeah, I’m not expecting that last one either, but take a look at this clip from tonight’s episode, #21 - The Hard Part: If you’ve missed any of this season you can get caught up at NBC.com and watch full episodes of Heroes online. The quality is pretty good and commercials are minimal. ...
The Bachelor Results and Review: Week 6
The Bachelor, An Officer and a Gentleman: Results and Review Tonight the four remaining girls take Andy for a visit to their home town! Then Andy narrows the field to three. At the start of the show Andy talked about how he was feeling about each of the girls: Danielle: Andy thought she was the most invested which surprised me. The past few weeks he hasn’t seemed to spend as much time on her as he does the other girls. Andy was concerned because he couldn’t get a good feeling if she would end up as a friend or a partner for life. Amber: He likes her a lot but cannot get over her age. He usually hates to date younger women. Seeing her with children on charity date helped him feel more comfortable about this. Bevin: All Andy could talk about was the chemistry he had with Bevin. He “feels an electric charge whenever he sees her.” I question whether there is an actual romantic bond with Bevin or just this physical charge. I’m not sure there is enough there f ...
Dancing with the Stars Recap: Week 8
“America’s Favorite Ballroom” Round 1: Ballroom Ian Ziering & Cheryl Burke Dance: Foxtrot They danced to one of my favorite Dean Martins songs, Baby its Cold Outside. Their performance was good. I thought it was good but still not as good as the performances that were used to seeing from the other couples. Bruno and Len were in agreement that dance was supposed to be smooth and instead looked ‘bouncey’. Carrie Ann also agreed but thought that Ian had so much exuberance helped to make up a lot of that. Carrie Ann Inaba: 8 Len Goodman: 7 Bruno Tonioli: 7 Total: 22 Joey Fatone & Kym Johnson Dance: Waltz Joey and Kym went to the Kentucky Derby this week. Which I mention because it was a little out of place, having nothing to do with dancing. The oddest part was the enormous hat that Kym wore to the Derby. In response to Len’s criticism of the amount of Razzle-Dazzle displayed by Joey, he has decided to dance the waltz straight out. Wow. Fred ...
New Releases: Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Is this Chick Flick Appreciation Week? Here are your new movie releases on DVD for Tuesday, May 8, 2007: Because I Said So Starring: Diane Keaton, Mandy Moore, Piper Perabo, Lauren Graham Genre: Comedy, Romance Details: A meddling mother (Keaton) tries to set her daughter (Moore) up with the right man so her kid won’t follow in her footsteps. Note: Diane Keaton’s character should be hailed as having some of the best genes ever if these are all her daughters. Music and Lyrics Starring: Hugh Grant, Drew Barrymore Genre: Comedy, Music, Romance Details: A washed up singer (Grant) is given a couple days to compose a chart-topping hit for an aspiring teen sensation. Though he’s never written lyrics in his life, he sparks with an offbeat younger woman (Barrymore) with a flair for words. Note: Maybe if Hugh Grant got some better movies these days he wouldn’t be so baked-beans-throwing angry. Catch & Release Starring: Jennifer Garner, Timothy Olyphant, Sam Jaeger ...
Dancing with the Stars Predictions: Week 8
“America’s Favorite Ballroom” On this evening’s results show, we will find out which four couples have made it to the semi-finals. I’m pretty sure that the top three couples from last night have a lock already. Apolo & Julianne were just amazing last night. Joey & Kym and Laila & Maksim also had stellar performances but I would be shocked if Apolo & Julianne didn’t receive the judges encore tonight. If they don’t it will only be because of Len. Here is the Judges leader Board from last night’s show: Judges Leader Board Apolo & Julianne: 58 Joey & Kym: 55 Laila & Maksim: 53 Ian & Cheryl: 47 Billy Ray & Karina: 38 The filler… er, I mean special guest, tonight, is Nelly Furtado, a popular international singer. I’m almost afraid to admit that while I had heard her name before I had to wiki her to find out what she sings. I hate to say it but, I may tTivo tonight’s episode ...
American Idol: Top 4 Performance Show Preview - May 8, 2007
American Idol is starting to approach the finish lines and the competition is getting tougher. We’re down to our final four competitors and at this point I think it’s almost anyone’s game (at least for three of them). Last week we saw Phil Nosferatu Stacey and Chris Richardson get sent home. I’m still somewhat surprised by Nosferatu Phil as I thought he’d last at least one more week. Chris, however, was ready and set to go. Both of these guys did very well, of course, but I didn’t see either of them taking home the big prize this season. I’m not expecting a wildly successful show this week as the theme is going to be the Bee Gees music with musical coach Barry Gibb from the band. I don’t feel like this is a genre of music that the ladies will really nail, but I hope I’m wrong. Blake Lewis will probably soak it up well though and remix the heck out of it and people will love it, for some reason. I’m anticipating ...
Singer George Michael Pleads Guilty? to Breaking My Heart
George Michael, 43, plead guilty today to a charge of driving while unfit through drugs. Michael, real name: George Panayiotou, was arrested in the early in the morning October 2, 2006 after police responded to complaints that a car was blocking an intersection in North London. Upon arriving, police found George Michael slumped over the wheel of his car. Bad place to park if you’re trying to hide that whole drunk driving thing. Great place to park if you’re trying to pull a Boy George and get some new media attention. Yah! Let’s see how he tried to back peddle out of this one: “I am perfectly aware that I did something very wrong and got into my car when I was unfit to drive,” Michael told the court. “I was not in my normal physical state and I’m perfectly prepared to accept the correct punishment for that and I would have accepted it a long time ago.” “It was fairly predictable considering how much work I had done th ...
?Wall Street? sequel in the works, Douglas potentially included
When I first read the Variety headline “Fox heads back to ‘Street’” I immediately thought we were getting another round of 21 Jump Street episodes. Oddly I wasn’t completely off. Instead it looks like another 1987 hit may be returning, “Wall Street”, with Gordon Gekko, skillfully played by Michael Douglas, following right along. [Twentieth Century Fox] Studio is launching development of a sequel to Oliver Stone’s 1987 drama as a potential starring vehicle for Michael Douglas, who won an actor Oscar for his role as cold-hearted takeover artist Gordon Gekko. Fox has signed deals with Edward Pressman, who produced the original, and writer Stephen Schiff to pen an updated version of a look into the underside of the financial world. Project is titled “Money Never Sleeps,” but Stone’s not involved as a writer or director. I’m not totally against a sequel to the great original, and having the original producer ...
American Idol: Phone & Text Numbers to Vote - May 8, 2007
Here are the Phone and Text numbers to vote for your American Idol - May 8, 2007. There are two numbers for each contestant to match what they did last week. Also note, the lines will be open for 2 hours instead of the 4 hours that were available the past 2 weeks. If you need a little guidance first, check out the American Idol Judges Commentary and Performance Show Recap for tonight. Name Phone Number - Primary Phone Number - Secondary Text Melinda Doolittle 1 (866) 436-5701 1 (866) 436-5705 Text “VOTE” to 5701 Blake Lewis 1 (866) 436-5702 1 (866) 436-5706 Text “VOTE” to 5702 LaKisha Jones 1 (866) 436-5703 1 (866) 436-5707 Text “VOTE” to 5703 Jordin Sparks 1 (866) 436-5704 1 (866) 436-5708 Text “VOTE” to 5704 Check out the rest of our American Idol coverage. ...
American Idol: Top 4 Performance Show Recap - May 8, 2007
Tonight we’re picking back up with our Top 4 performers for American Idol 2007. Last week we saw two contestants heading home: Phil Stacey and Chris Richardson. On tonight’s show each of our Top 4 American Idol 2007 contestants will be performing 2 songs from the Bee Gees catalog with the musical guidance of Barry Gibb. I’m going to break the recap into 2 rounds instead of putting their recaps back to back. I definitely think these are going to be tough songs for the ladies and Blake, if he’s smart, will be able to take advantage of that and get ahead like he’ll need to do to win this whole season. Round 1: Melinda Doolittle: “Love You Inside and Out” Barry Gibb wasn’t too sure on her selection at first, but she proved to him it was a good choice during rehearsals. Randy: “Another solid performance… wasn’t jumping up and down, but it was good.” Paula: “Your vocals are always spot on… Consist ...
Dancing with the Stars Results: Week 8
“America’s Favorite Ballroom” Tonight’s Results show decides which four couples will be in the semi-finals next week. They’re making a big deal about the Semi-finals but to be honest I’m not sure how this is different than just another week with four couples instead of five. American Idol is now down to four finalists, so is this week the Semi-finals of American Idol? They did address the exchange of words between Billy Ray and When Tom and Samantha spoke with Billy Ray and Karina, Billy Ray claimed to be over last night’s harsh words from the judges, like when Bruno called their performance “crap”. Realistically, what else is he going to say though? The judges gave Apolo and Julianne the encore tonight for their Paso Doble which was expected since they received the only perfect score last night. Their performance was brilliant and they deserved it. Heres where we stood after last night’s performances: Judges Leader B ...
Amazing Race 11: Winners Update
If you have been following the Amazing Race at all this season I’m sure you’ve heard the magical tale of how Eric and Danielle met during season 9 of the Amazing Race while racing with other partners; Eric with his buddy Jeremy and Danielle with her friend Dani. This season they raced together as a couple and won the Amazing Race All-Star edition. Our All-Star winners appeared on Regis and Kelly earlier this week to give fans an update and talk about their experiences on the Amazing Race. Well, apparently the magic didn’t last. Eric and Danielle are no more. Eric who is waiter in Florida moved to New York where Danielle lives and tends bar. After a few short weeks the couple called it quits. Eric packed up and headed back to sunny FLA. Both have moved on and are now dating other people. And the money? For once it sounds like our winners did the right thing, both of them wisely invested their winnings. ...
Transformers The Game: Trailer
This summer we’re getting the Transformers movie coming out on July 4th. I imagine we’re going to see lots of Transformers goodies and crossovers like this video game for the Transformers on the PS3. This one doesn’t look too bad, at least not graphics wise, other than that it’s hard to tell on game play just from the trailer. ...
American Idol: Top 4 Vote Off Prediction - May 9, 2007
Last night we saw the Top 4 for American Idol 2007 perform double duty as they each took on 2 songs from the Bee Gees catalog. Barry Gibb, part of the trio of brothers which made up the Bee Gees (The Brothers Gibb, see you learned something today!), is the visiting musical coach and will be performing live tonight. Barry did a decent job of working with the remaining performers. I’d nearly put him up there with the effort Jon Bon Jovi gave last week, but probably closer to J Lo, which isn’t bad at all. Barry seemed very interested in the group and really tried to help massage their plans to give them the best performances. The results show tonight will send only one person home this week, unlike last week’s dual vote-off, so that will leave us with this season’s Top 3. Earlier this week I mentioned Blake Lewis’ chances of winning this season as I thought he’d have an easy time this week and we’d likely see LaKisha Jones get sent pa ...
R. Kelly: 5 Years Later Still Trapped in the Closet
It’s now been 5 years since R. Kelly, born Robert Sylvester Kelly, was charged with child pornography and that whole nasty “allegedly” videotaping sex with a young girl. Normally that would put a halt to someone’s life in the free world. Don’t tell that to R. Kelly though. Since that time he has had 6 best selling albums, 3 tours, received many awards, and even had new hits out. I guess he’s just been too busy for a trial though for all that “alleged” activity. How the heck does a videotaped act get the qualifier of “allegedly” anyway? It’s probably like how I’m not convinced Jack Ruby shot Oswald in the stomach in front of all those people, including all those pesky photographers. The whole ‘hard captured evidence’ thing still hasn’t convinced me. MSNBC reports on a few of the delays: A series of sometimes bizarre events, including a judge?s tumble from a ladder and a case of appe ...
Forget the Far East, Hollywood, Keep Your Eyes on the North
Warner Bros. has canceled all of its advanced screenings following accusations from them that Canada is now the leader of the movie black market. WB claims this is occurring as a result of lax Canadian copyright rules which provide a loophole for crime organizations to make and sell illegal copies of the movies. Current Canadian regulations (I didn’t want to say “laws” because I’m pretty sure Canada is lawless, and is much like the wild, wild west a hundred years ago or like the Disney version, not sure.) state that it is not a criminal offense in Canada to make recordings in the theaters for personal use. For someone to get in trouble the 5-0 (I didn’t want to say “police” because I’m pretty sure… oh wait, I already said all that.) have to be able to prove the copy is going to be used for commercial purposes. Just how bad is it? Warner Bros. argues that nearly 70 percent of its releases were subsequently pirated in Canada ...
We Broke 100K Today! Everyone shout Hooray!
www.WildBluffMedia.com your favorite source for news and reviews of everything entertainment has an Alexa rating of 99,932! Yay us! Hooray! ...
American Idol: Top 4 Results Show Recap - May 9, 2007
Tonight on American Idol it’s time to find out who will be leaving our Top 4 for Season 6 and leave us with our Top 3 for 2007. Last night we saw some interesting performances, it was a disappointing set of songs over all for me. Jordin stood out as great, nice change from the week before. Melinda did well, but not great like she should have. LaKisha was a little better this time, but still sinking as she goes. Then there was Blake, and after last night I’m retracting all of the ideas that he could pull this off and win it. Let’s see how it goes. To get the night going Ryan Seacrest lets us know that Pink will be here tonight along with Barry Gibb, performing separately, although that’d be quite an interesting show to have those two dueting. Not in a good way though, just interesting. Along with those appearances we’re getting a preview of the new Fantastic Four movie: Rise of the Silver Surfer (check out our preview with the trailer). Pink& ...
Bruckheimer?s Future Film: Gemini Man; Maybe? Finally?
David Benioff has been asked by Walt Disney Pictures to begin script work on “Gemini Man”, a long awaited and often re-worked action film that has yet to really get out of the gates. The storyline looks to follow an over-the-hill hitman forced to do battle with a younger clone of himself. Hmm… saucy. It actually sounds kinda cool, but I swear, if Disney goes and puts Nicolas Cage in that damn thing… Grrr. “Gemini Man” is set to be produced by Jerry Bruckheimer while Mike Stenson and Chad Oman will be the executive producers. These guys are veterans in the movie industry and should have no problem pulling together an excellent action flick. Now if they can just get that script going… Variety writes: Over the years, a number of writers have been linked with the project, including “Armageddon” and “Next” scribe Jonathan Hensleigh. Ahh! There’s Nic Cage’s last movie, “Next”. Phew, with ...
Melanie Griffith: Aged Not-So Gently
The Daily Mail ran some not so flattering photos of Melanie Griffith this week at the premiere of Shrek the Third. No, she wasn’t there as the live action ogre himself, though she nearly could have pulled it off. Instead she was there to support her husband, Antonio Banderas, who stars again as the voice of Puss in Boots. Despite her husband’s claims that he wants her to “grow old naturally, wrinkles and all,” Melanie seems to be taking another approach. I’ve gotta agree with Banderas here. Melanie always had a lot of natural beauty and she should stick to that. Clearly she’s getting a lot of work done these days and it doesn’t look good. The Joan Rivers look is not something you should be aiming at here. I think Rivers has been dead for thirteen years now, but she continues to get that work done and doesn’t seem ready to quit. ...
American Idol: Blake Lewis Humor
We love the Cyanide and Happiness comics by RobD. I saw this one last night. When you read it picture the American Idol stage and the guy in green as Blake Lewis this season’s beatboxer. Lol. With Blake sticking around another week after last night’s near-miss there should be even mo-mor-m-more of this to come. Cyanide & Happiness @ Explosm.net Check out the rest of our American Idol coverage. ...
HBO CEO Chris Albrecht Arrested and Fired!
Over the weekend, Chris Albrecht, Chairman and CEO of HBO, was arrested jailed, and eventually fired. While I wish I could say this was because of his decisions to end Rome, Deadwood, and the Sopranos (which are heinous crimes in my book), it wasn’t. While in Las Vegas with his girlfriend at the MGM, Albrecht got drunk and had a ‘physical altercation’ with her (an even worse crime). The police showed up and hauled him off. Mr. Albrecht then wisely decided, probably for PR reasons, to take a leave of absence from the network. However, our ever vigilant media, never one to allow a pass transgression to slip by unnoticed, came to the rescue. The LA Times broke the story that about 16 years ago Albrecht had a similar incident with another girlfriend. What had been a blip on the radar now appears to be a trend. And so, yesterday Time-Warner, HBO’s parent company, asked Albrecht to take more permanent leave of absence. While I still plan on canceling my subscription ...
Coming Soon: The Bourne Ultimatum - Trailer & Details
Keeping in line with the non-stop summer of sequels, The Bourne Ultimatum, third in the Bourne series is heading to theaters August 3, 2007 and starring Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, Chris Cooper, Joan Allen, and Brian Cox. If you’re familiar with the first two films in the series, The Bourne Identity and The Bourne Supremacy, then you’ll definitely want to see this one. If you missed either or both of the first two then you should rent them and catch up on the story before hand. This trailer was played before Spider-Man 3 (I want my $10 back.) and it looked awesome on the big screen. Then again, so did the new Harry Potter movie, The Order of the Phoenix, and I don’t even watch those. The Bourne Ultimatum Plot: All he wanted was to disappear. Instead, Jason Bourne is now hunted by the people who made him what he is. Having lost his memory and the one person he loved, he is undeterred by the barrage of bullets and a new generation of highly-trained killers. Bou ...
Terminator 4 Heading Your Way, Arnold Or Not
Immediately following the success of the third installment in the Terminator series the Halcyon Company announced their plans to move forward with the fourth movie, with or without their star Terminator. It’s now been a few years and Halcyon is ready to make good on their words. Unfortunately, due to his scheduling conflict with the whole ‘being a governor’ thing Arnold Schwarzenegger won’t be joining the cast for this next film. Halcyon Company founders, Victor Kubicek and Derek Anderson, purchased the rights to the $1 billion franchise for an undisclosed amount several years ago and are looking to take full advantage of their ownership. In light of losing the original Terminator the rumor mill says the new storyline will add an additional three Terminator films to fans’ shelves. These new films are to be considered a second trilogy and will focus on the building war between man and machine. “With T3, we included many incidental details a ...
Survivor Fiji Recap Week 13
Early Plotting: There actually wasn’t a lot of early plotting this episode. With only six contestants left and five of them together in an alliance it wasn’t hard to figure out who’s head was going to be on the chopping block. Earl, Cassandra, Yau-man, Stacey, and Dreamz all agreed that Boo should go home next. Of course they decided that last week too but, Boo had Immunity. Boo was sneaking through the weeds spying on them. I’m not sure why, it isn’t like he has anyone to plot with against the other five. Reward Challenge: As soon as they got the clue, Dreamz was convinced the reward was a car and he wanted it bad. He was right, it turned out to be a Ford F-350 pick-up truck plus the winner gets to chose who goes to Exile Island. The reward challenge was broken up into to halves. For the first half, the players were broken up into two teams of three and tied together. The teams then had to navigate an obstacle course consisting of a set of see-saw ...
Pirate Master Preview: CBS?s Latest Reality TV Show
When I saw the promos for this show I was very excited. I love pirates and maritime history and I love reality TV. For me this show is like a Reeses, two great tastes that taste great together. The crew of 16 pirate wanna-bes will spend 33 days living aboard a 179-foot pirate ship as they sail around the island of Dominica in the Caribbean. For the most part it sounds like this show will follow the formulas used by most reality shows. The ‘crew’ will face challenges each week as they go on adventures to compete and gain clues to the treasure’s whereabouts. At the end of every episode, at the Pirate’s Court (i.e., Tribal Council from Survivor) one pirate will be voted off or ‘cast adrift’ as they say. Another pirate, the one who accumulated the most gold will be made Pirate Captain (i.e., project manager ala The Apprentice) who will be in charge and assign duties to the other crew members. The most interesting twist to this show is the gold. ...
Jessica Simpson?s New Movie: Oh The Horror
Okay, “Oh The Horror” isn’t the name of Jessica Simpson and Luke Wilson’s new movie, but it should be. Instead, their new movie is entitled, “Blonde Ambition”, and looks to be the biggest piece of crap since Spider-Man 3. Considering how wildly unpopular her last romantic-comedy was (Employee of the Month), it seems she might have learned a little lesson. Nope. No lessons learned. Nothing. So here we go, without further delay, the worst trailer I’ve seen in a long, long time. It could all be summed up with this line from Andy Dick’s character, “look what you’ve done you evil, breasty beast.” Yes, look at what you’ve done. Look and be ashamed. The only way they could have made this movie look any worse would have been to add Kirsten Dunst to the cast. I imagine she’d play the cranky old man with a heart of stone that wants to keep the children from getting any candy on Halloween. Hey, ...
Weekend Movie Preview: Trailers & Details May 11 - 13
Well last weekend Spider-Man 3 broke my heart. Ripped it right into two. But that’s okay, I’m over it and have moved on. Despite what a let down it was I’m sure it’ll continue on in its box office domination for several more weeks. If you’re wise enough to avoid it or wait for its DVD release then check out what’s coming out this weekend. You’ve got a decent mix here: zombie/horror, comedy, drama. Nothing looks too friendly for the kiddies as the lowest rating is PG-13. After looking through the three new movie options this weekend I get the feeling that it’s more like just one movie is coming out, the last two may look and smell like movies, but I ain’t touching ‘em. Here are all your movie details & trailers for this weekend, May 11 - 13. Also, it’s not too late to enter our contest to win a linkback from our Page Rank 4 site. 28 Weeks Later Director: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo Starring: Jeremy Renner, ...
American Idol: How Kiki Got Kicked to the Curb
This week brought an end to LaKisha “Kiki” Jones’ run on American Idol Season 6 as she bowed out in the number 4 spot. So this seems like an appropriate time to look back and reflect on a powerful singer and contemplate how she got this far and why she didn’t go further. Way back, 2 months ago, when the Top 12 were formed LaKisha Jones stood out to me as a forerunner in this contest. Her first performance in the Top 12 was “God Bless the Child.” Both my wife and I were very impressed and put her on the level with Melinda Doolittle at that point. We weren’t the only ones impressed either. Randy said, “unbelievable… sensational.” Simon echoed our sentiments when he said, “the quality difference between you and Melinda, you two are in a different league? you were very much in control, performed like a star.” At that time I really expected this race to come down to Melinda Doolittle and LaKisha Jones stand ...
Too Much He-man Masters of the Universe: A Life Lesson
It appears I have opened a can of worms with these posts. What I had once thought was a single very weird guy seems to have turned into a disturbing trend: Ok, maybe this is a Halloween costume, still a little weird for an adult though. This kid looks about 10 so he has an excuse. This? There’s no excuse for this. Homo. Yeh, I know its from the movie, but, thats still no excuse for a grown man to dress up as He-man This dude is at least pretty buff, and his girlfriend looks hot as Lara Croft but, he is still dressed up like He-man at a Sci-Fi convention. I don’t think I’d make fun of this guy to his face. Man is his girlfriend homely. This one is disturbing on so many levels. And Lets not forget the ladies: I’m guessing her soon to be ex-boyfriend made her dress up like this. And yet I find myself strangely attracted. Why do I just know that he has the entire series at home on DVD? Mmmmm. Just for comparison: Not quite the ...
NBC Fall 2007 Television Line-Up Update: More Friday Night Lights
A few weeks ago I detailed a few of the shows for each network’s fall 2007 television line-up. Here’s a quick run through some additional updates on NBC’s plans although the formal reveal on their fall schedule won’t be out until Monday: Friday Night Lights has been renewed despite its average of 6.1 million viewers. I know some people are really big on this show, but I’ve never seen a single episode. Maybe I need to add it to the DVR. If you’ve seen it let me know. Law & Order: Original & CI will soon have their fates determined. If the original version gets cut it’s likely to jump to TNT since it’s there 25 hours a day already. So far it’s been on for 17 years and if it goes another 3 it’ll meet the record set by Gunsmoke for longest running program. As far as Criminal Intent (CI), I couldn’t care less what happens to ol’ crooked head D’Onofrio. The Bionic Woman remake is heading your w ...
Britney Spears Is A Great Dresser
Britney Spears must have taken a class on dressing during her stint in rehab the other month, cause this lady is looking H-O-T. Maybe Mugatu’s clothing line, Derelicte, is finally hitting the streets! Mugatu: “Let me show you Derelicte. It is a fashion, a way of life inspired by the very homeless, the vagrants, the crack whores that make this wonderful city so unique.” ...
Top Ten 8-bit Video Game Classics
GameTrailers.com gives a run down of the best of the old school games with: Top 10 8-bit Video Games, based not just on gameplay but innovation as well. I definitely would have picked Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest over Castlevania III, but I’ll let it slide. Pretty good throwback video. If modern games are more your thing, check out Gamefly: ...
The Bachelor: Schools Out
The Bachelor, An Officer and a Gentleman: Results and Review Ever since Amber made her tearful departure this week the news has been filled with the happenings in Sugar Land, Texas. Amber who is a 23-year old school teacher was given 22 days off to film The Bachelor by her school’s principal Tammie Carpenter. The Fort Bend Independent School District of which Amber’s school is a part, decided that Carpenter should be demoted and transferred to another school for allowing Amber to take time off to be on the show. Apparently parents both for and against against Carpenter have contacted the School District regarding this issue. Some of the parents who complained were upset because they felt the show promoted negative stereotypes of women. Others complained because the period of time Amber took off was the part of the school year in which her class was preparing for the Texas State exams. Carpenter has interned resigned her postition rather than accept the demotion and transfe ...
Weekend Humor: Peyton Manning SNL Dancing Video
This video is a portion of a skit from SNL when Peyton Manning hosted several weeks ago. What you missed from the beginning half is that Peyton’s team is getting beat pretty badly in the game and the team is ready to quit and go home. The coach tries to renew their enthusiasm by playing a song for them that his own coach played many years ago that put the fight back in him. One of the funniest parts of this video is watching all the teammates in the background trying not to laugh at Will Forte as he dances about the locker room. Peyton’s hosting job on SNL that night actually went really well, so if you see it come up on repeats again you should try to catch it. You can also check out Peyton Manning in his United Way commercial from SNL. ...
Entertainment Week In Review: May 7 - 11
See what you missed over the past week, May 7 - 11, in entertainment news and reviews. Monday: The writers for Lost sat down and defined the timeline for the rest of the show. Tuesday: George Michael plead guilty to drugged driving and heart breaking. Wednesday: Warner Bros. declares Canada to be part of the film industry Axis of Evil. Thursday: Terminator 4 is nearing pre-production, but will the Governator be involved? Friday: Jessica Simpson doesn’t really seem to be cut out for making movies, yet here comes another one: Blonde Ambition. Once again, a lot happened this week. Next week try to stay hip and popular by visiting Wild Bluff Media each day so you don’t miss anything else along the way. All the other kids are doing it. You do want to be cool, don’t you? ...
Sunday Brunch: Weekend Site Round-Up
It’s Sunday again, so I’m going to leave it to others to provide the entertainment today. Here I’ve gathered up posts and sites from places I’ve visited during the week. Getting your name on the Top Commentator list here is a great way for us & others to find you. Geeks of Doom: Here’s a great article on upcoming zombie movies and even some details on zombie storylines running now in comics. Chugs & Jugs: Funny beer commercial for ya. Well more gross than funny. Maybe more weird than funny or gross. I’m just glad they didn’t show him cleaning the toilet… My Retirement Project: This week the General Lee (the Hazzard boys’ car) sold for an eBay record of nearly $10M. Turned out later that was a false bid. Mans Maxx: Rainn Wilson is all set to star in “Rocker”. It’s the story of that 5th member of The Beatles that got dropped. Thank you History of Rock 101 for the vast, useless knowledge you i ...
Contest: New Winner & Next Round Is Open
The winner of the weekly contest is Mark over at ElementsOfFishing.com. His guess of $69 million was the closest estimate to the actual top box office earner, Spider-Man 3 with a whopping $60 million this weekend. Congratulations to Mark! You’ve been added to our Blogroll for this week as your reward. This week’s round of our contest is now back open and with “Shrek the Third” heading our way this weekend the box office earnings should be huge once again! The Details: So what?s the contest? Simple. Place your guess on what you think the top grossing movie will earn (just guess the dollar amount) at the box office this weekend. You don?t have to pick which movie, just guess the $ amount the top movie of the upcoming weekend will earn. The person who gets closest to the top box office amount will earn a link back for the rest of the week until the next winner is determined. The winner will be selected Sunday and you?ll be up on the site for the rest of the week ...
Weekend Movie Box Office Round-up: May 11 - May 13, 2007
Spider-Man 3 did it again this weekend, but this time with half the punch. The North America earning for this blockbuster over the weekend was $60M, a healthy amount for a dud of a movie. The newly arriving movie competitors this weekend didn’t stand up so well, although they did better than the competition last weekend. All three new movies managed to squeeze into the top 5 positions, although considering the amounts each of them earned its hardly brag-worthy. Thankfully next weekend should hold some redemption for audiences as another big movie comes along, also a 3rd in the series, Shrek the Third. That should have no problem stomping Spidey harder than the Sandman did. Considering the lower rating of the Shrek films it should also open it to a much wider audience range as well. I’m expecting big, big dollars there. Enough about next week, let’s take a look at the earnings from this weekend. Box office earnings for movies this weekend, May 11 - May 13 ...
Survivor Fiji Season Finale & Live Reunion Show Recap
Tonight’s show would take us from 5 (Earl, Cassandra, Boo, Yau-man, & Dreamz) down to the final survivor. Early Plotting Earl told Cassandra that Yau was on his own and that Yau didn’t have the second hidden immunity idol. I’m not really sure Cassandra bought though. Yau knows he has to win immunity or join the jury. Immunity Challenge This was a tough one. The players were blind folded. Then they had to make their way through a maze to find a key station. At the key station the player’s needed to match the symbol on their medallion to one of the symbols on the station to determine which key was theirs. Then they had to find the draw bridge with the symbol that matches their medallion and use the key top release the draw bridge. The first person to find all five of their keys and lower all five of their drawbridges wins immunity. Yau was a driven man. He had a slight lead through out the entire race but, Boo and Dreamz were right behind him the whole way. ...
The Bachelor Preview: Week 7
The Bachelor, An Officer and a Gentleman: Preview. After visiting the hometowns of each of the final four women, Andy sent Amber home last week in what many have called the most tearful rose ceremony ever. This leaves Andy with only three beautiful young ladies to choose from: 1. Bevin 2. Tessa 3. Danielle Tonight, we get to see Andy take the three remaining women to see his home in Hawaii. In addition to getting a personal tour of Hawaii from Andy, the ladies will get a chance to get a better picture of Andy’s life in the navy. Then two of the girls will get to go with Andy to meet his family. Andy is going to have a very difficult time choosing between these three women. If I had to bet know on who the two ladies would be who were going to meet Andy’s family it would probably be Bevin and Tessa. Andy could still have a problem with Bevin’s divorce but, I think if he did, he would have sent her home last week. We’ll find out tonight. Check out the rest ...
Monday Morning Helper: South Park Style ?I?m a Mac, I?m a PC?
My never ending amusement from those “I’m a Mac, I’m a PC” commercials probably has something to do with my 72 IQ. So of course I’m also going to enjoy those endless knock-offs of the same theme. Well I don’t enjoy all of them, some are actually pretty low-grade. But this one, styled like the characters from South Park, isn’t too bad. ...
NBC Fall 2007 Television Line-Up Update: Law & Order
Last week I discussed whether or not the “Law & Order” original flavor and series spin-off “Criminal Intent” would be renewed for additional seasons considering their low ratings. There was speculation that the original series would be sent to TNT for new episodes to help reduce the large overhead on the show and allow it to remain alive. Interestingly NBC pulled the ol’ switcheroo and announced on Sunday that “Criminal Intent” is heading off the peacock network in search of greener pastures over on the USA cable network. As is, you’d have a hard time throwing a dart at the USA schedule and not hitting a rerun of Special Victims Unit or Criminal Intent. Now you’ll just get to watch new episodes of ol’ crooked head instead. The C&I episodes will eventually head over to NBC for airing. “Law & Order” will continue its aging life (currently at 17 seasons) with NBC likely through 2012 as the ...
American Idol: The End Is Near, Who Will Win?
Woohoo! Here we go. It’s time for the American Idol Season 6 Top 3 to sing their little hearts out in an attempt to make it to the finale. With 3 song performances each it’s going to be a busy, busy performance night! Let’s take a look at what this week entails. First off, do these performances really even matter? Has America already made up its mind on who the final 2 performers should be? Only 1 of the remaining Top 3 has already paid a visit to the center stage on Results Show night. That contestant would be, of course, Buh-bah-buh-lake “Beatboxer” Lewis. The other two performers, Jordin Sparks and Melinda Doolittle have been top rankers from the start. So is this week’s performance show just a formality? Not necessarily, things could shift from the favorites, but it’s not likely and I’m not convinced it’ll happen. This week there won’t be a musical guest like we’ve had in the past. Instead the trio ...
Dancing with the Stars Preview: Week 9 Semi-Finals
“America’s Favorite Ballroom” Last week, Billy Ray and Karina finally were sent home. That leaves only four couples left to compete in this week’s Semi-Finals: Ian & Cheryl (Well that was a surprise) Laila & Maksim Apolo & Julianne Joey & Kym Last week I was stunned when they announced that Joey & Kym were in the bottom 2! I was sure it was going to be Ian & Cheryl. Obviously Joey & Kym will be really stepping it up this week. They have been my favorites all along. They mix up their routines, they’re entertaining, and Joey is a really good dancer. I will be pulling for them again this week. Ian & Cheryl are the other couple that needs to have a couple of exceptional performances this week. While they have never been in the bottom two, of the four remaining couples they’re performances have been the weakest. If they want to avoid Billy Ray & Karina’s fate, they are going to have to be in top fo ...
Heroes: ?Landslide? - Episode 22 Preview Video
We’re nearly down to the wire here on Season 1 for Heroes. Tonight’s episode, “Landslide” brings us to the second to last episode of the season: Nathan weighs his mother’s advice against plans by Linderman; Hiro gets some family information as he prepares to face Sylar; Peter and Ted try to leave New York to avoid the explosion. Here’s a preview video clip from tonight’s show of Jessica/Niki paying a visit to Linderman after he kidnapped Micah to do something evil, no doubt! ...
Don?t Miss TV: May 14 - May 18
It’s another week of television shows coming at you and we’re here to help. Here’s a break down by night of what you need to be sure to catch and what’s going on this week, May 14 - May 18: Monday: Heroes: 9-10pm on NBC; Landslide: Nathan weighs his mother’s advice against plans by Linderman; Hiro gets some family information as he prepares to face Sylar; Peter and Ted try to leave New York to avoid the explosion. 24: 9-10pm on Fox; It’s now 3 AM in “24″ land. The drama escalates between the U.S., China and Russia, and things get personal for Jack. Dancing with the Stars: 8-9:30pm on ABC; This will be the ninth-round competition featuring the four remaining couples performing their favorite dances, but with new music and choreography. Check out the rest of our Dancing with the Stars coverage. The Bachelor: 9:30-11:00pm on ABC; Andy and remaining bachelorettes: Bevin, Danielle, and Tessa spend active days and romantic nights i ...
The Bachelor Results and Review: Week 7
The Bachelor, An Officer and a Gentleman: Results and Review Tonight Andy took the remaining three women to visit his home in Hawaii. Before the night was over Andy would have to decide which two of these ladies would get to meet his family next week and which one was going home. It’s time for Andy to get serious and get the answers he needs from the final three. Andy first took each of the girls to visit the Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor. The girls all stated how they liked seeing Andy in his element. Visiting Andy at the Arizona Memorial did give them a sense of the seriousness of what it means to be a military officer but, that still did not really give them a picture into his daily life in the Navy. Andy told some little girl that Tessa was his girlfriend. Individual Date: Tessa Andy took Tessa to Kauai which Andy described as the most romantic of the Hawaiian Islands. They started their date by doing a bunch of outdoor activities, zip lining, hiking, and a picnic. ...
Dancing with the Stars Recap: Week 9 Semi-Finals
“America’s Favorite Ballroom” The final four couples compete in the Semi-Finals tonight. The couples will perform two routines as usual tonight but, the difference this week is that the couples were allowed to choose their dances without any restrictions. Len went and visited each of the couples during their training sessions for the Latin round. It was interesting to see Len actually dance a little. My favorite part was the license plate on Len’s Limo “DANCMSTR”. Round 1: Apolo Ohno & Julianne Hough Dance: Quick Step Apolo and Julianne’s goal tonight was to finally get a 10 from Len in a ballroom routine. Apolo wanted to be the first couple to ever get a perfect 60 in one night. This one looked really good to me. I’d give them a 10. Even better, none of the judges had anything bad to say, even Len! On a side not, Apolo shaved his little Fu-Manchu beard. Now he looks like a 12 year old. Carrie Ann Inaba: 10 Len Goodman: 10 Br ...
Wild Bluff Media Featured On AOL.com
Big thanks goes out to Andie for this find and letting us know. We greatly appreciate it. This morning I received a great surprise from alert WBM reader, Andie, informing me that a previous article on my American Idol Season 6 predictions had been featured in a series “Bloggers Predictions” on AOL.com. Right there in the center AOL is running a little series of predictions from bloggers around the web and we were included. It took me a moment to find us as we are in the 10 of 10 spot, but we’ll happily take it, especially with all that “save the best for last” stuff! You can see for yourself here: American Idol Predictions - Bloggers Pick Who They Think Will Win The American Idol article referenced by AOL: American Idol: Top 4 Vote Off Prediction - May 9, 2007 In case the article gets shifted to make room for the next one I captured a screen shot for my your enjoyment. Thanks again to Andie and thanks to AOL for considering us for inclusion. Looks lik ...
New Releases: Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Here are your new releases on DVD for Tuesday, May 15, 2007: Pan’s Labyrinth Starring: Ariadna Gil, Ivana Baquero, Sergi López, Maribel Verdú Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Thriller Details: In 1944 fascist Spain, a girl, fascinated with fairy-tales, is sent along with her pregnant mother to live with her new stepfather, a ruthless captain of the Spanish army. During the night, she meets a fairy who takes her to an old faun in the center of the labyrinth. He tells her she’s a princess, but must prove her royalty by surviving three gruesome tasks. If she fails, she will never prove herself to be the the true princess and will never see her real father, the king, again. Notes: Won 3 Oscars. Another 52 wins & 51 nominations. I missed this in the theaters despite getting great personal reviews from friends. I was told it had a stomach turning scene of violence though, so be prepared. Stomp the Yard Starring: Columbus Short, Meagan Good, Darrin Dewitt Henson Genre: Drama, Musi ...
Dancing with the Stars Predictions: Week 9 Semi-Finals
“America’s Favorite Ballroom” Hmmm, this is going to be tough this week. When Tom Bergeron and the judges were talking last night, they all agreed that Dancing with the Stars has never had a Semi-Final before that had this high a level of competition. The scores were so high and so close last night that I have to think that who stays and who goes is totally dependent on the audience votes. So you want a prediction? OK, who did you vote for? last night’s performances: Judges Leader Board Joey & Kym: 60 Laila & Maksim: 60 Apolo & Julianne: 59 Ian & Cheryl: 58 Here is how the competition stacks up in my opinion: Laila & Maksim are my least favorite couple. They were good last night but their routines were basic and simple. It isn’t fair that they get a 60 when the other couples are getting lower scores because they are putting it out there and taking risks trying to win. I wish I could say that I thought they would be going hom ...
NBC Fall 2007 Television Line-Up Preview: Bionic Woman & Chuck
Some people get excited about sports’ drafts, while I get excited about the next season’s line up of shows. Details continue to get rolled out by each network, but right now I’ve got the most details on the NBC shows. Today and tomorrow I’m going to dish out a few preview videos from four of the new shows which are part of the NBC fall 2007 line up. Today you get some clips from Bionic Woman & Chuck, along with show details. Last week I put out some initial rumors prior to the official release, such as the return of Friday Night Lights. Then on Monday I posted details about how NBC is going to handle all their Law & Order shows (hint: one goes to USA and one stays). On to the new stuff. First up, Bionic Woman. Details from NBC.com: Struggling as a bartender and surrogate mom to her teen-aged sister, Jaime Sommers didn’t think life could get much harder. But when a devastating car accident leaves her at death’s door, JaimeR ...
American Idol: Top 3 Performance Show Preview - May 15, 2007
We’re approaching the finish line here on American Idol 2007 as we’re about to get the Top 3 Performance Show tonight. Our remaining contestants: Blake Lewis, Jordin Sparks, and Melinda Doolittle will battle it out tonight for the rights to enter the finale show next week. Last week we saw LaKisha Jones exit stage right as she took the #4 place for the season. LaKisha did a great job, but I don’t think too many people were surprised by her lowest ranking last Wednesday. Tonight’s performances will not be guided in the usual fashion as there won’t be a musical coach this week. Instead we’ll get the musical genius of Clive Davis joining the show. The song selections will be handled a little differently as well. Each contestant is having three songs tonight, so we’ll get even more performances than we did with 4 people doing 2 songs last week. Yikes, that’s a lot! Here’s the breakdown on tonight’s songs: the first ...
Mike Myers returns with Austin Powers 4 and more
It’s been three years since we’ve had a new Mike Myers movie (Shrek 2 in 2004), and that’s way too long for me. But thankfully he hasn’t just been getting extra sleep the whole time. Myers is coming back with a lot of new movies and roles to keep him busy and us satisfied for several years to come. Most notably are his plans to return to the Austin Powers series with a fourth installment. This time the movie will be from the perspective of Dr. Evil rather than our usual British hero, Austin. When the third movie, Goldmember, was delivered in 2002 I heard rumors that Myers would not be attached to another sequel and instead would hand the story off to Dr. Evil’s estranged son, Scott, as the new generation took over. Clearly that either wasn’t true, or Myers wasn’t ready to give away his baby. I’m thrilled to get another movie in this series and am equally relieved that it’ll be something new as the previous stories wer ...
American Idol: Phone & Text Numbers to Vote - May 15, 2007
Here are the Phone and Text numbers to vote for your American Idol - May 15, 2007. There are two numbers for each contestant to match what they did last week. If you need a little guidance first, check out the American Idol Judges Commentary and Performance Show Recap for tonight. Name Phone Number - Primary Secondary Tertiary Text Jordin Sparks 1 (866) 436-5701 x5704 x5707 Text “VOTE” to 5701 Blake Lewis 1 (866) 436-5702 x5705 x5708 Text “VOTE” to 5702 Melinda Doolittle 1 (866) 436-5703 x5706 x5709 Text “VOTE” to 5703 Check out the rest of our American Idol coverage. ...
American Idol: Top 3 Performance Show Recap - May 15, 2007
Tonight we’re down to our final three contestants on American Idol Season 6: Blake Lewis, Jordin Sparks, and Melinda Doolittle. Each performer will get the chance to get up there and belt out three final songs in their attempt to reach next week’s finale show and the Top 2. The song selections are a little off from what I detailed earlier, I apologize for feeding you bad information on that and I’ll be more careful to verify my rumor mill resources better next time. Instead of Clive Davis selecting songs we simply hear that one of the three songs will be selected by “the producers”. The other two songs will be selected by the one judge for each of the performers and by the performers themselves. With 9 songs coming at us in a short period of just 60 minutes there won’t be much time at all for filler, so let’s get right to it. Round 1: Judge’s Choice Jordin Sparks: “Wishing On A Star” This song was selected for Jord ...
Dancing with the Stars Results: Week 9 Semi-Finals
“America’s Favorite Ballroom” On tonight’s episode the competition was narrowed to the three couples who will compete next week in the Dancing with the Stars Finale. Joey & Kym Jive last night earned them the judge’s encore. It was really good although I would have preferred to see Apolo & Julianne dance again. Judges Leader Board Joey & Kym: 60 Laila & Maksim: 60 Apolo & Julianne: 59 Ian & Cheryl: 58 Couples who will be in the finals: Joey & Kym (Yes!) Laila & Maksim And that means the bottom 2 are… (Even if they didn’t officially have a Bottom 2) Bottom 2: Apolo & Julianne Ian & Cheryl This weeks filler: Enrique Igelesius performed two songs. They had a Flamenco dancer and his musical quartet. That was… different. This performance was not what I think if when I think of Flamenco dancing. The guy dancing made it look like a cross between tap dancing and clogging. Jimmy Kimmel̵ ...
Top Ten Worst Video Game Consoles
A few weeks ago we covered GameTrailers.com’s review of the top ten (best) video game consoles. This time they’re going in the opposite direction and highlighting the real duds that robbed us of our hard earned lawn mowing money. Top Ten Worst Video Game Consoles: If modern games are more your thing, check out Gamefly: ...
American Idol: Top 3 Vote Off Prediction - May 16, 2007
Last night’s performances by the Top 3: Blake Lewis, Jordin Sparks, and Melinda Doolittle were definitely some of the bests we’ve had all season, and they should be. We’ve reached the point where the strongest singers have been established and the fat has been cut away. Each performer was very consistent with how they’ve shown their strengths and unique abilities. Jordin Sparks continued to put a lot of energy into her three songs and I’m torn between her first and third performance for her best of the night. Her first performance, “Wishing On A Star”, was so well done but it was her third performance, “I, Who Have Nothing”, really got me. I’m wondering though if I liked the third song so much because I had already heard her perform this during the season. Either way, I’m confident that Jordin Sparks won’t be left standing in the center stage tonight. Just by judging from the votes placed here on our ...
Halo 3 Launch Date Announced
Microsoft announced on Tuesday that Halo 3 will be hitting the shelves on September 25, 2007. Get your XBOX 360 ready as this will be the final installment in the trilogy. Microsoft is already grinning with what they expect to really dig into Sony’s Christmas sales. “This is going to be a critical holiday for us versus Sony, especially on the console generation side, and they don’t really have an answer for ‘Halo 3′,” Shane Kim, head of Microsoft Game Studios, said in an interview. The hype for this game has been building steadily. Hundreds of thousands of people have already signed up for the beta testing. Pre-orders have also been very encouraging for Microsoft. All I know is that now I definitely need to angle for a 360 and that this game better take longer than the second one. Halo 2 was awesome, but people were finishing it in a day. I had to pace myself and only allow one level or so a day and I still beat it way too fast. If you r ...
NBC Fall 2007 Television Line-Up Preview: Journeyman & Life
Yesterday we took a look at two other new shows which will be part of the NBC fall 2007 line up: Bionic Woman & Chuck. Today I get to give you a peak at two other new shows for the fall 2007 line up: Journeyman & Life. First up is Journeyman. This is another drama and focuses on a man that is jumping back and forth through time, all the while affecting the people he meets. Wow, if only someone had already thought of this like maybe back from 1989 to 1993 and called it Quantum Leap. I loved that show back in the day, so this show has a lot to measure up against if it wants to pull me in. It does, however, star Kevin McKidd, who played Lucius Vorenus on HBO?s Rome, so if you liked him there and want to see more this is your chance (HBO’s Rome got canceled). If you’re still interested, here are the details on Journeyman from NBC.com: Dan Vasser thought he had it all: a loving wife, a great son and a steady job. But life suddenly throws him a curve ball. ...
Maxim?s Hottest Woman Chosen by Blind Men
Maxim Magazine one of the world’s premiere men’s magazines and my personal favorite has announced their top 10 hottest women of 2007. After looking at who they picked as the number one hottest women in the world, I have to assume that she was selected by a panel of men who were completely blind! A couple of these women are super hot but are not top 10 worthy. Others, especially their #1 pick have no #1 Lindsay Lohan No way! I guess I’m just not into the drunken, crack-whore look. Why not add Paris and Britney too? #2 Jessica Alba Absolutely! #3 Scarlett Johansson Most definitely! #4 Christina Aguilera Yes!, Jessica, Scarlett, and Christina should have been 1, 2, and 3 #5 Jessica Biel Not any more. #6 Ali Larter I’m OK with Ali, I might have put her a little lower. #7 Eva Mendes Hot but, there’s no chance she’s top 10 material. #8 Rihanna Yeh, I like that. #9 Eva Longoria Close ...
Dancing with the Stars: Ian Ziering Vows Revenge!
“America’s Favorite Ballroom” After being booted off of the show just one week short of his achieving his dream and making the finals, Ian Ziering, has turned Super Villain and vowed revenge upon the world for not voting for him! [Insert sinister laugh here] Watch out Joey Fatone he’s coming for you! Check out the rest of our Dancing with the Stars coverage. ...
American Idol: Top 3 Results Show Recap - May 16, 2007
Tonight on American Idol’s Results Show we’ll find out which contestants claims the #3 spot for this season and which two will move on to next week’s finale show. Earlier today I discussed my predictions on what to anticipate tonight and I’m standing by those expectations. Last night’s performances didn’t sway much from what we’ve grown to expect from each contestant over the season. Blake beatboxed, Jordin showed off her energy, and Melinda gave solid performances. Although there was not a musical coach this week we’ll still get some guest performers. Tonight those performers will be Elliot Yamin performing “Wait for You” and Maroon 5 will be here to sing “Makes Me Wonder”. Other than that and the one reveal results I guess we’re going to get hit with a lot of filler material. Let’s see how it goes. Well I guess it was unavoidable, we get lots of filler content tonight. The show takes a r ...
Stephen King?s Best Rock Songs Ever
My favorite author, Stephen King, has put out his list of Top 25 rock songs of all time. I couldn’t possibly pass up giving these a go and seeing what he thought. In the interest of space I’ve narrowed the list to his Top 10, but the rest are available on EW if you’d like. All included commentary comes from the King, not me. #10 - ”A BIG HUNK O’ LOVE,” Elvis Presley Almost eclipsed by Elvis’ screaming vocal is the rock era’s best barrelhouse piano. #9 - ”BIP BOP BOOM,” Mickey Hawks Under two minutes and still the greatest rockabilly record ever made. #8 - ”LET’S HAVE A PARTY,” Wanda Jackson That raspy, frantic vocal has never been equaled. Ms. Jackson makes Beyoncé look like Britney. #7 - ”NEW ORLEANS,” Gary U.S. Bonds Terrific recorded-in-a-bathroom reverb, insanely danceable backbeat. Earl Swanson’s sax is the Special Bonus Feature. #6 - ”RAMROD,” B ...
American Idol: Top 10 Events of Season 6 - Part 1
It just wouldn’t be American Idol without all the big events throughout the season. Some of them were shockers, or nearly shockers, some were hilarious, and some of them I could have easily done without. Today we’ll take a look at the first half of our Top 10 Events of American Idol Season 6. Then tomorrow we’ll let you see the rest of what made this season of American Idol so entertaining. Here we go with our countdown, starting at #10… #10 - LaKisha Kisses Simon Somehow, after that chest rub, Simon managed to save some love to share around with the rest of the show. Right after LaKisha Jones’ redeeming performance of “This Ain’t a Love Song” during the second Top 6 Performance Show Simon told her he could kiss her after that. LaKisha promptly charged off the stage and planted a big kiss right on Simon’s lips. I think he enjoyed it! While I can’t encourage Simon to kiss all of the contestants, this display of af ...
The Bachelor: Is It Spoiled?
The Bachelor, An Officer and a Gentleman If your checking out this site you are probably an internet savvy Bachelor fan. Therefore you have probably come across the story claiming that the lady Andy proposed has blown the finale by telling a reporter over a few drinks that she is the one. Just in case you haven’t heard the story, don’t worry, I won’t spoil it here. At this point, its still just a rumor anyway in my opinion. Neither ABC nor Andy have will confirm or deny it. There is always that chance that this is an internet hoax or a stalking horse for ABC. It wouldn’t be the first time false information was published on the internet for fun or purposefully leaked to gain publicity. Don’t believe everything you read on the internet (Unless you read it here of course!) What do I think? I think its probably true. Does that mean I won’t be watching Monday night? No, of course not. I’ll be watching Monday night. First of all, I’ll wan ...
Coming Soon: Resident Evil Extinction - Trailer & Details
As much as I loved the first Resident Evil movie, not because it was that great but because it worked hard to meet details of the games, I’m not so sure about this third installment. The second movie was okay, but since the first one they’ve ditched the Raccoon City feel of the games and taken this all over the place. This third movie is set around the desert and looks to me to be more of a zombie, post-apocalyptic movie than a Resident Evil movie. Oh I’ll still see it of course, but more likely I’ll wait for it on DVD. Resident Evil: Extinction Plot: Alice, now in hiding in the Nevada desert, once again joins forces with Carlos Olivera and L.J., along with new survivors Claire, K-Mart and Nurse Betty to try to eliminate the deadly virus that threatens to make every human being undead…and to seek justice. Since being captured by the Umbrella Corporation, Alice has been subjected to biogenic experimentation and becomes genetically altered, with su ...
The Bachelor: Lt. Andy?s Life in the Military
The Bachelor, An Officer and a Gentleman: A Wild Bluff Media Special Report ABC has made a big deal this year’s Bachelor being an ‘Officer and a Gentleman”. A lieutenant in the Navy to be exact. We got a very brief sanitized look at Lt. Andy Baldwin M.D.’s life in the Navy during this week’s episode. They have mentioned a number of times that Andy is part of a navy Special Operations Diving Unit but, what exactly does all of this mean? Wild Bluff Media with the help of our military advisers decided to see what we could figure our based on the clues we had. Obviously we have no access to his military records so this analysis was performed strictly on the information gathered from clips of the show and publicly available pictures and data on the internet. No one related to the U.S. Navy, ABC, or Andy Baldwin was consulted. In some instances are guesses may be wrong. This being the internet I’m sure you’ll let us know if you find errors. If you ha ...
The Bachelor: Andy Baldwin Photo Gallery
The Bachelor, An Officer and a Gentleman: Andy Baldwin Photo Gallery Here are our favorite pictures of this season’s The Bachelor, Andy Baldwin. You know you love him: Wild Bluff Media Special Report: The Bachelor: Lt. Andy’s Military Career Check out the rest of our The Bachelor coverage. AndyBaldwin.net also has a great photo gallery of your favorite TV doctor. ...
American Idol: Top 10 Events of Season 6 - Part 2
It just wouldn’t be American Idol without all the big events throughout the season. Some of them were shockers, or nearly shockers, some were hilarious, and some of them I could have easily done without. Today we’ll going through the final 5 as part 2 of our Top 10 Events of American Idol Season 6. If you missed yesterday’s installment, you can go back and see Events 10-6 here. Here they are, the rest of our Top 10 Events of American Idol Season 6 Countdown: #5 - Blake Lewis’ Bon Jovi Remix I don’t try to hide my dislike for Blake Lewis’ musical performances, but that doesn’t keep me from recognizing how popular he is for his creativity. Through the season Blake began to display more and more of his beatboxing approach to the performances. Then, during Bon Jovi week Blake put on what could easily be considered the riskiest performance of the season with his remix of “You Give Love a Bad Name”. Although he used a comput ...
Interview with Curtis Hanson - Director of ?Lucky You?
Just the other weekend “Lucky You” came out against strong opposition (Spider-Man 3), now I’m wishing I had gone to see this instead! If you missed “Lucky You” and are interested in seeing a little more “behind the scenes” angle then take a look at this interview from LX.TV where SuChin Pak sat down with LY’s director Curtis Hanson to discuss the film: ...
Weekend Movie Preview: Trailers & Details May 18 - 20
Last weekend we saw Spider-Man 3 continue its domination of the box office. Thankfully something has come along to knock it off its perch, Shrek the Third. This should be a good family friendly film and since most everyone is familiar with the storyline and type of movie this will be you probably already know if you’re interested or not. If you’re looking for something a little more adult oriented then maybe you’d be interested in last week’s 28 Weeks Later. Alright kids, enjoy your weekend! Thanks for stopping by Wild Bluff Media this week! Here are all your movie details & trailers for this weekend, May 18 - 20. Shrek the Third Director: Chris Miller Raman Hui Starring: Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy Genre: Action/Adventure, Comedy, Kids/Family, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Animation and Sequel Duration: 1 hr. 33 min. Rated: PG for some crude humor, suggestive content and swashbuckling action Plot: When his new father-in-law, King Harold ...
Lucky You: Poker Hits the Big time
Poker has been steadily gaining in popularity over the past decade. Many big name Hollywood actors and actresses have been seen entering poker tournaments in Las Vegas and L.A. So it was only a matter of time before poker hit the big screen again. Lucky You revolves around the romance of Huck Cheever (played By Eric Bana), a poker pro with issues and the big-hearted singer from Bakersfield, Billie Offer (played by Drew Barrymore). The story is set against the backdrop of the 2003 World Series of Poker. Here, Cheever tends to let his skills take a back seat at the poker table to his emotions particularly when facing his father, L.C. Cheever played by Robert Duvall. From there, the Warner Bros. description of the film says it all,If Huck is going to wein Billie’s heart, he must learn to play cards the way he has been living and live his life the way he plays cards.” Lucky You is poised to take up the mantle of best poker movie from Rounders. Too many movies which cont ...
American Idol: Don?t Forget Kids, It?s Up To You!
Don’t forget kids, it’s up to you to stay up past your bedtime to make sure Blake Lewis finishes what Sanjaya Malakar started: More Blake Lewis humor. Check out the rest of our American Idol coverage. ...
Weekend Humor: The Rural Juror on 30 Rock - Video
If you were missing 30 Rock all last season, then shame on you! But no worries, it’ll all be back next season as it thankfully got renewed. How do they come up with things like “The Rural Juror”? If you don’t get it, trying saying it outloud… ...
American Idol Judges on Biography
Just can’t get enough American Idol? Monday night is “Here come the Judges” Night on the Biography Channel. Biography will be airing an hour long episode on each of the three American Idol judges Monday night starting at 8PM. Just in case your two busy watching the season finales of http://www.wildbluffmedia.com/category/dancing-with-the-stars/ and The Bachelor Biography will air all three episodes again later the same night starting at midnight. Monday May 21: 8:00 PM ET - Simon Cowell 9:00 PM ET- Randy Jackson 10:00 PM ET - Paula Abdul Tuesday May 22: 12:00 AM ET - Simon Cowell 1:00 AM ET- Randy Jackson 2:00 AM ET - Paula Abdul Check out the rest of our American Idol coverage. SirLinksALot: American Idol ...
Entertainment Week In Review: May 14 - 18
See what you missed over the past week, May 14 - 18, in entertainment news and reviews. Monday: NBC finally made their decision on which Law & Order shows were kept and which were sent packing. Tuesday: More Austin Powers coming your way as Mike Myers returns as Dr. Evil. Wednesday: Halo 3 finally gets its launch date set for… Thursday: Did The Bachelor’s secret get spilled early over some drinks?? Friday: American Idol is coming to a close and so we took a look at the Top 10 Events of Season 6. Once again, a lot happened this week. Next week try to stay hip and popular by visiting Wild Bluff Media each day so you don’t miss anything else along the way. All the other kids are doing it. You do want to be cool, don’t you? ...
Sunday Brunch: Weekend Site Round-Up
It’s Sunday again, so I’m going to leave it to others to provide the entertainment today. Here I’ve gathered up posts and sites from places I’ve visited during the week. Getting your name on the Top Commentator list here is a great way for us & others to find you. Mans Maxx: If you don’t remember the old Will Ferrell and Jeff Goldblum skit from SNL this probably won’t be nearly as funny: Great Will Ferrell impression CompuCorGP: Microsoft has released a new black version of their XBOX 360 system, but what’s the difference and is it worth it? XBox-360 Elite VS XBox-360 Classic WHUDAHeXUP: Well that didn’t last as long as the whole “forever” thing: Jessica Simpson and John Mayer Split! Chugs & Jugs: Blooper reels are always good for a laugh: Morons Of The Day- Gameshow Contestants Geeks of Doom: I can’t get enough of Frank Miller’s comic adaptations coming to theaters and he comes another one: Sa ...
HBO?s The Sopranos: The Final Episodes (episode 7) Recap and Review
Finally, HBO gave us a decent episode. It wasn’t one of their best but, it was so much better than the past three or four that it seems to stand out. AJ starts out the episode doing his dark and brooding routine. Until this episode, I haven’t been very impressed by this story line. Neither his meds nor his psychiatrist are helping. When the rest of the Sopranos leave him home alone, AJ decide to tie a cinder block to his ankle and throw himself off of the diving board into the pool. Even more than Christopher’s death last week, this one made me actually sit up in surprise. Once he is underwater AJ realizes that this isn’t such a good plan and begins fighting for his life. Fortunately for him the rope is long enough that he can get some air. Tony arrives home and hears AJ calling for help as he clings to the diving board by his finger tips. Tony dives in and rescues his beleaguered son. AJ get carted off to the psych ward. Carmela blames Tony and tells ...
The Bachelor Preview: Week 8
The Bachelor, An Officer and a Gentleman: Preview. We’re down to the final two ladies, Bevin and Tessa. Tonight is the night Andy decides which girl gets a ring. During the first part of tonight’s two hour season finale, Andy will first take Bevin and Tessa back to his hometown of Lancaster, PA to meet his family. Despite the reports which have been floating around the internet regarding the girl he picked blowing the secret, I am still excited to see tonight’s show. The debate over which one he will select tonight has been raging in the comments on WBM’s article about last week’s episode. I know who I think it is going to be. My guess is Tessa. Ever since he came out and actually asked her to stay on the show I have been convinced it was her and I still think so. I really don’t think his connection to Bevin goes much beyond the ‘chemistry’ they have. If she doesn’t get the ring tonight, I would like to see Bevin be the nex ...
Monday Morning Helper: The Soup?s Simon Cowell?s Chest Hair!
In honor of American Idol Season 6 ending this week I thought you might enjoy a laugh at Simon’s expense, well Simon’s chest hair really. Ugh. So here’s another reason you should be watching The Soup on E! (Friday night’s at 10pm) ...
American Idol: Top 2?s Songs of the Season
These two performers, Blake Lewis and Jordin Sparks, didn’t reach the finale show of American Idol Season 6 by accident, well… nah, I won’t say it. Nearly every week the judges chastised someone for poor song selections and if you want to make it through this contest you have to be careful to make the best possible choices as stinker can sink you fast. The real challenges come when a singer gets pitted against a genre that strongly contrasts his or her niche. But being able to pull through those weeks can demonstrate the singer’s range and potential for great performances. Let’s take a stroll down the season’s memory lane and see what songs, starting at the Top 12, each of these Top 2 performers sang during the season and what the judges thought. Top 12 Performance Show - March 13, 2007 Blake Lewis: “You Keep Me Hanging On” Randy: “don’t worry about Blake-izing every song… let the classics be the classics̶ ...
Dancing with the Stars Preview: Week 10 Finals
“America’s Favorite Ballroom” All right boys and girls, this is it! The finals! With the loss of Ian & Cheryl in last week’s Semi-Finals, we are down to the three couples who will be competing for this season’s Dancing with the Stars Championship: Apolo & Julianne Joey & Kym Laila & Maksim In preparation for the big finale the final three stars appeared on Larry King. Although I really like Larry (I do), he doesn’t typically ask the hard hitting questions you expect from most CNN journalists. For example, he asked them about each of the other stars who were all ready knocked out. Of course, everyone was very diplomatic and said nothing but nice things about them. They also brought out the professionals to sit with their stars. Larry asks each of them about how it was dancing with their partner. What are they going to say? They were all also very nice. At the end of the show Larry even did a little dance with Cheryl Burke. ...
Spider-Man 3: Another Review
Despite Matt’s mediocre review of Spider-Man 3 I went to go see Spider-Man 3 this weekend anyway. I believe that your take on this movie will be based on your expectations going in to it. Matt had very high expectations and they weren’t met. Thanks to Matt’s review I had very low expectations and so mine were exceeded. Was this the best Spider-Man movie yet as some have claimed? No, certainly not but, did I enjoy it? You bet. The movie was definitely longer than it needed to be. My son was of the opinion that they could have cut out all the “romance stuff”. I wouldn’t completely agree but they could have cut it down. There were some other totally extraneous scenes which I could have done without like when J. Jonah Jameson, the newspaper editor, has to buy a camera off a little girl for a hundred buck. It was funny but did nothing to advance the story. The action sequences were great as you would expect. I did not think they went too long lik ...
Heroes: ?How to Stop an Exploding Man? - Episode 23 Preview Video
Hot damn, here we go with the season finale of Heroes tonight on NBC. I was happy to see Eric Roberts go last week as I’m not a big fan of his, but man, Linderman too?! Geez, at this rate there won’t be anyone left for a second season! In this clip we see that HRG comes up with a plan to stop Sylar’s plans of fusion. Can they pull it off? I don’t know, I’m thinking that bomb is going to happen no matter what. ...
The Bachelor Results and Review: Season Finale
The Bachelor, An Officer and a Gentleman: Season Finale Tonight’s the night! Andy decides who gets a ring and who gets a broken heart. ABC is billing it as “The most romantic season finale ever.” Before he has to make his final decision, Andy brought both of the girls home to meet his parents, his sister, and his grandparents in Lancaster, PA. After which each of the girls had one final date with Andy to prove that she was the one for him. Tessa’s Visit: Tessa was lucky enough to go first which I always think is a benefit because you get to make the first impression and the other girl will be compared to you. Andy’s Mom liked Tessa and described her as “bright, poised, natural, and real.” She felt drawn to Tessa immediately. Andy’s grandfather who was a lovable old codger thought Tessa was, “A viable candidate.” The Baldwins interrogated her over dinner about religion, the future. Tessa felt she fumbled these questions ...
Dancing with the Stars Finals Recap: Week 10
“America’s Favorite Ballroom” Each of the couples will be preforming two dance routines. In the first ballroom round the couples will be performing a dance selected for them by the judges. The second round tonight is the freestyle round where all of the ballroom rules get thrown out the window. I know they are all looking forward to this round. Each of the couples will also perform a final judged dance tomorrow night during the Grand Finale. Round 1: Judges Choice Laila Ali & Maksim Chmerkovskiy Dance: Paso Doble This was a good routine full of passion, but Laila just doesn’t have the grace and elegance to pull it off. Len and Carrie Ann loved it. Bruno thought it was, “A tidal wave of passion.” He even thought this was their best performance to date. I certainly wouldn’t go that far, it was very good. Carrie Ann Inaba: 10 Len Goodman: 9 (Guess he didn’t love it that much) Bruno Tonioli: 10 Total: 29 Apolo Ohno & Julianne Hough ...
New Releases: Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Here are your new releases on DVD for Tuesday, May 22, 2007: Letters from Iwo Jima Starring: Ken Watanabe, Kazunari Ninomiya, Tsuyoshi Ihara Director: Clint Eastwood Genre: Drama / History / War Details: The island of Iwo Jima stands between the American military force and the home islands of Japan. Therefore the Imperial Japanese Army is desperate to prevent it from falling into American hands and providing a launching point for an invasion of Japan. General Tadamichi Kuribayashi is given command of the forces on the island and sets out to prepare for the imminent attack. General Kuribayashi, however, does not favor the rigid traditional approach recommended by his subordinates, and resentment and resistance fester among his staff. Apocalypto Starring: Rudy Youngblood, Dalia Hernández, Jonathan Brewer Director: Mel Gibson Genre: Action / Adventure / Drama / Romance Details: Set in the Mayan civilization, when a man’s idyllic presence is brutally disrupted by a violent invadi ...
The Bachelor After the Final Rose Preview
The Bachelor, An Officer and a Gentleman: After the Final Rose On last night’s season finale we found out that Tessa is the future Mrs. Andy Baldwin. On tonight’s After the Final Rose special, Andy and Tessa will talk about their lives since the taping of the season finale and their plans for the future. In a press conference last week, Andy confirmed that he and his fiancee were still together, and had plans for the future but were taking it slow and looking forward to spending time together away from the hype and stress of the TV show. I’m hoping to hear a little more about Tessa supposedly leaking the scoop on her and Andy prior to the finale. I doubt they’ll address this but, I’m hopeful. Tonight, Andy is also going to have to face several of the women who he sent. I’m going to guess that this will include, Stephanie South Carolina, Amber, Danielle, and of course, Bevin. That should be interesting. I suspect that both Amber and Bevin will ...
Dancing with the Stars Finals Prediction: Week 10
“America’s Favorite Ballroom” On last night’s show, each of the three remaining couples performed two routines. The first selected for them by the judges and the second a freestyle routine all their own. I think everyone was a little surprised at the judges scores. I expected them to be higher and include at least one 60: Judges Leader Board Apolo & Julianne: 58 Joey & Kym: 56 Laila & Maksim: 55 This may have happened because the couples for the first time had to prepare not two but, three performances this week. The two on last night’s performance show and a third routine which will be judged on tonight’s results show. As a result their routines may not have been up to the same standards as previous weeks. It could also be that the judges wanted a little more say on the winner. Last week the judges scores were so close that they were basically irrelevant. I think the scores above essentially reflect the overall opinion of the j ...
American Idol: Finale Performance Show Preview - May 22, 2007
It’s finale time for American Idol Season 6! This year we’ve seen the numbers of performers get whittled down quickly with some surprises and some not so surprising events. So here we are with the two remaining contestants: Blake Lewis and Jordin Sparks. Both have had their ups and downs this season, but clearly that wouldn’t be here if they didn’t deserve it. I was really sorry to see Melinda Doolittle go last week, but that sure won’t be the last we hear of her. So with Melinda out of the way this looks to be a very competitive finale show where I actually think both of them have a decent chance of beating out the other. Jordin and Blake will each get to perform three songs tonight. First both Jordin and Blake will each sing the song that won the Season Six American Idol Songwriting Competition. This song was chosen from the 20 finalists by audience votes on the American Idol website and will be the first single released by tomorrow nightR ...
American Idol: Finale Performance Show Recap - May 22, 2007
Here we are at the American Idol Season 6 Performance Show Finale! Tonight we’ll see our final two contestants: Blake Lewis and Jordin Sparks get out there and try to pull as many votes as they can to be this season’s American Idol. After last week’s surprise exit by Melinda Doolittle (See our related list of this season’s Top 10 Events) I was certainly left a little stunned. I certainly didn’t expect to see Blake Lewis this far along in the season. Can he stand up to the force that is Jordin Sparks? I guess we’ll find out soon enough. Ryan of course had to started off the show by addressing Paula’s nose. She broke it last night when she tripped over her dog. Ryan’s comment, “So the bitch is alright.” Nice. Paula looked a little puffy but not too bad. I bet she was in makeup early tonight. Round 1: Blake Lewis: “You Give Love a Bad Name” It sounded like Blake changed the arrangement up a little again f ...
The Bachelor: After the Final Rose
The Bachelor, An Officer and a Gentleman: After the Final Rose Tonight, Andy was publicly reunited with his finacee Tessa. He also had to face to the woman he rejected for the first time since escorting her to the limo. But first Chris interviewed three of the most notable bachelorette’s from earlier in the season: Danielle, Amber, and Stephanie South Carolina. Amber who was sent home in what was one of the most heart wrenching rose ceremonies ever. Amber said that she felt mislead by Andy. She was convinced she would make it to the final three. At the time she was really upset that Andy said that it was because of her age since he had told her and her Aunt that Amber was very mature for her age and that age wasn’t an issue. Amber has gained some perspective on this though. Now she feels that if it was her age that got her sent home, she is OK with that because her age is the one thing she can’t do anything about. Stephanie SC said she isn’t really sure w ...
Dancing with the Stars Finals Results: Week 10
“America’s Favorite Ballroom” This is it! The Grande Finale! Tonight one couple will be given the Dancing with the Stars Season 4 Championship. The couples will perform their favorite dance from earlier in the season. The judges scores from this performance will be combined with the audience votes and the judge’s scores from last night: Judges Leader Board Apolo & Julianne: 58 Joey & Kym: 56 Laila & Maksim: 55 Apolo Ohno & Julianne Hough Dance: Paso Doble They were awesome again. I would rather have seen them do the raunchy Cha Cha from week 9 but Len didn’t like that one. Len didn’t see one step he could fault. Carrie Ann was impressed with their teamwork and precision. Bruno liked the youthful energy they brought to their performances. Carrie Ann Inaba: 10 Len Goodman: 10 Bruno Tonioli: 10 Total: 30 Joey Fatone & Kym Johnson Dance: Star Wars Tango Joey & Kym loved this dance. It didn’t get great scores the ...
Orlando Bloom Oscar Pre-Party Goodness
Orlando Bloom at the Oscars Pre-Party Just found this winning photo. If this is what he looked like before the pre-party, I hate to see what he looked like the next morning after partying all night, when he was hung over with bed-head. ...
American Idol: Finale Vote Off Prediction - May 23, 2007
I’ve been a fan of both Blake and Jordin all season so I was happy that they were the final two. Blake has been very original and creative all season. Despite what some other Wild Bluff Media staff members might think, I liked the beat boxing (and he’s on vacation so he can’t argue with me this time Now, I know Blake has a big fan following otherwise he wouldn’t have edged out Melinda last week, but frankly, Blake didn’t stand a chance last night. Jordin sounded even better than she has at any point earlier in the season. The contest-winning song, This is My Now which they both had to perform last night, was practically written for Jordin. At the same time it was not Blake’s style at all. Blake did a good job singing it but Jordin’s performance was amazing, brilliant, awesome, fantastic, transcendental… it was so good I can’t some up with a single word to describe it. I know This is My Now is supposed to be the first single r ...
American Idol: Finale Results Show Recap - May 23, 2007
This is it. The moment we’ve all been waiting for. Tonight one of the final two contestants will be named this a season’s American Idol. There can be only one… Before the show, Wild Bluff Media had its special correspondent for the American Idol Finale Red Carpet on location in front of the TV in my living room. As you would expect the FOX folks spoke to Simon, Randy, Paula, Blake, and Jordin as well as previous idol winners and other FOX TV stars attending the big event. The most interesting interview was with Paula. When asked what she thought of this season, Paula responded by saying that it was a different kind of season, there were a few standouts but when she went home at night she couldn’t even remember who sang what. I can’t say she was wrong but for her to come out and say that! Ouch. Tonight’s American Idol Season Finale was made up of live performances by the top 12 from this season, the previous American Idol winners (minus Fanta ...
Dancing with the Stars: Julianne Hough Videos
“America’s Favorite Ballroom” Julianne Hough is not only gorgeous and talented, she is also the Dancing with the Stars Season 4 Champion. I know there are a lot of you out there like me who could just watch her dance all day. So, I decided to make it easy for you. Here are my favorite five performances of hers from the season for you to watch over and over again: #1 Cha Cha Cha #2 Samba #3 Paso Doble #4 Tango #5 Cha Cha Cha (2) ...
Bruce Campbell: A Spider-Man Tradition
Bruce Campbell: A Spider-Man Tradition In the latest installment of the Spider-Man Movie Series, Bruce Campbell plays the Maître d’ of the restauraunt where Peter Parker is going to ask Mary-Jane to marry him. With his over the top French accent, this cameo is classic Bruce Campbell: Maître d’: [In French Accent] “Name, please?” Peter Parker: “Parker, Peter” Maître d’: [Looks through reservation book] “Ahh, there we are… table for two, Pecker…” Peter Parker: “Parker…” Maître d’: [In French accent] “That is what I said, Pecker!” You may not remember, but Bruce Campbell also made cameo appearances in both of the earlier Spider-Man movies. His cameos are as much a part of Spider-Man film tradition as including a cameo by Stan Lee, the original creator of Spider-Man. In the first Spider-Man movie, Campbell plays the Ring Announcer, when Peter Parker tries to make some money off of ...
Coming Soon: Surf?s Up - Trailer & Details
I don’t usually take to these kiddie CGI movies as they mostly seem a dime a dozen these days, but this one, “Surf’s Up”, actually doesn’t look too bad. I haven’t noticed any revolutionary developments with family friendly CGI’s these days, so it’d be nice to see something different come out of this one. We’ll know soon enough though, this comes out in just a few weeks and I think I may just go see it as I could use something light hearted for a change. Surf’s Up Plot: A stylistically daring CGI feature, “Surf’s Up” is based on the groundbreaking revelation that surfing was actually invented by penguins. In the film, a documentary crew will take audiences behind the scenes and onto the waves during the most competitive, heartbreaking and dangerous display of surfing known to man, the Penguin World Surfing Championship. Surf’s Up Release Date: June 8th, 2007 Genre: Animation / Action / Comedy / ...
American Idol Rating Not so Bad
I have read several reports today in the media about how disappointing the American Idol Finale ratings were. I’ve come to the conclusion that this is just the media crying gloom and doom to get their own rating. Yes, the rating were down from last year. Last year the finale drew about 36 million viewers while last nights only had about 30 million which is about the same as the 2005 season finale. Considering that Idol was up against the season finale of Lost (and that was the best episode of Lost I’ve seen in months) they did pretty well. The season 1 finale only had approximately 23 million viewers. In my book 30 million viewers is pretty good especially with that show last night which was 90% filler. Not to mention the fact that FOX came in first last night, while the second place Lost only had 14 million viewers, less than half of what Idol got. If the executives at FOX are upset about these ratings, I’m sure they will be able to console themselves with the money ...
Cameron Diaz?s Taste in Men Improves
Cameron Diaz poses with her new man Cameron Diaz who is the voice of princess Fiona in Shrek the Third poses with the Jolly Green Ogre himself for a quick pic at the Australian premiere in Sydney. Diaz’s list of past boyfriends includes, Carlos de La Torre (video producer), Matt Dillon (actor), Jared Leto (actor), Robbie Williams (singer), Justin Timberlake (singer), Kelly Slater (surfer). And lets’s not forget current boyfriend Criss Angel (magician). Shrek might just be a step up. ...
Star Wars Turns 30!
I can hardly believe that it was thirty years ago that I went with my Dad, my Uncle, and my cousins to go see Star Wars while we were on vacation. I’m feeling old today. At the time it, I remember it being the most amazing movie I had ever seen. Now to be fair I hadn’t seen that seen many movies (I’m not that old). I can still remember that night after seeing it, in the bedroom with a flashlight playing Jedi Knight on the bed when I should have been sleeping. I’ve now watched all six movies with my own kids. I watch them play with their Star Wars figures just like I did when I was their age (the ones we had from Kenner when we were kids were better) and battle in the back yard with plastic light sabers (I wish we had those!). Who would have known back then that that silly little space opera would turn into the multi-billion dollar franchise it is today. Why did Star Wars become such a phenomenon? Was it because it used an order of magnitude more special ...
Weekend Movie Preview: Trailers & Details May 25 - 27
This weekend is another roll out for a big, big blockbuster and a little sidekick film. Johnny Depp is back to reprise his role as Jack Sparrow in the third, and supposedly final, installment in the Pirates of the Caribbean films. Along with it comes a creepy looking film about bugs and drugs that I don’t think I’m brave enough to sit through. If you aren’t interested in either of these, check out the new DVD releases for this week. Hope you have a great weekend. Thanks for stopping by Wild Bluff Media this week! Here are all your movie details & trailers for this weekend, May 25 - 27. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End Director: Gore Verbinski Starring: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Stellan Skarsgard, Geoffrey Rush Genre: Action/Adventure, Adaptation and Sequel Duration: 2 hr. 45 min. Rated: PG-13 for intense sequences of action/adventure violence and some frightening images. Plot: As the threat to pirates-at-large near it ...
Weekend Humor: Conan - Pender?s Spring Fling - Video
Conan has some weird stuff on his show. Here’s Pender, the trumpet player, and his spring fling video: ...
Starcraft II Coming Soon to a PC Near You!
The Protoss, Terrans, and Zerg are almost ready to resume their conflict again. This week Blizzard Entertainment unveiled Starcraft II at the 2007 Blizzard Worldwide Invitational event in Seoul, South Korea. It has been nearly 10 years since the original Starcraft was released in 1998. It is still played today by tens of thousands of gamers world wide. Starcraft II will include new units for each of the 3 races, a new 3D-graphics engine which looks awesome, and a number of other new features. When it is released Starcraft II it will be available for PC and MAC (Sorry XBox fans!). When will it be released? Blizzard has not yet set a release date yet (but you know they’ll want to have it on shelves before Christmas). Here is the CGI trailer appropriately entitled “Hell, it’s about time” and a video of the game itself: Starcraft 2 CGI Announcement Trailer “Hell, it’s about time” Game Demo: ...
Rosie O?Donnell Cat-Fight Results in Extra-Early Exit
After a major on air blow out with View co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck last week, Rosie O’Donnell will not even be returning to finish the last three weeks of her contract with the show. It had previously been announced that Rosie O’Donnell’s contract with The View was not going to be renewed. Rosie’s big mouth had already gotten her into a lot of ratings-enriching trouble this season which including a high profile feud with Donald Trump, offensive remarks about Chinese people, and frankly ridiculous statements regarding the 9/11 attacks. After the argument, Rosie reportedly left the building in a very mature way by trashed her dressing room. Followed shortly after by a one of her writers who defaced a picture of Hasselbeck hanging in the hallway at ABC. After this incident Rosie will not be returning to the show at all even to shoot any of the special episodes that were planned prior to her departure. In case you didn’t see it here is the video from the big ...
Sunday Brunch: Weekend Site Round-Up
It’s Sunday again, so I’m going to leave it to others to provide the entertainment today. Here I’ve gathered up posts and sites from places I’ve visited during the week. Getting your name on the Top Commentator list here is a great way for us & others to find you. Geeks of Doom: In honor of its 30th anniversary, check out the top 30 Star Wars quotes. Mans Maxx: National Treasure 2 is coming to theaters soon and I’m definitely looking forward to it. Check out the teaser trailer and details. WHUDAHeXUP: Blake Lewis is definitely not a sore loser or anything. Wait, scratch that. Chugs & Jugs: Spider-Man has entered the land of Legos. Check out the Lego version of his battle with Doc Ock from the last good Spider-Man movie. CompuCorGP: Not much else you can do with a huge supply of old towers other than some PC Dominoes. If you’d like to see your content pop-up here on a future Sunday feel free to send me a note over at our Con ...
Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At World?s End Review
Yo ho, Yo Ho, a pirates life for me! Arrrgh! So how was Pirates of the Caribbean 3 ye ask? Long, very very verrrrry long, especially after the 50 gallon drum they give you if you order a medium drink! Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End Director: Gore Verbinski Starring: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Stellan Skarsgard, Geoffrey Rush Genre: Action/Adventure, Adaptation and Sequel Duration: 2 hr. 45 min. Rated: PG-13 for intense sequences of action/adventure violence and some frightening images. Plot: As the threat to pirates-at-large near its climax, Will Turner (Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Knightley) form an alliance with surprise accomplice Captain Barbossa (Rush) and sail to the Far East in order to save Jack Sparrow from the mysterious afterworld known as Davey Jones’s Locker. I went with 3 boys all under the age of 12 (which of course meant 4 trips to the bathroom). They loved it! “It was even funnier than the second movie! But there w ...
Contest: Next Round Is Open
This week’s round of our contest is now back open and with potentially no end in site for the reign of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, the box office earnings should be huge once again! The Details: So what?s the contest? Simple. Place your guess on what you think the top grossing movie will earn (just guess the dollar amount) at the box office this weekend. You don?t have to pick which movie, just guess the $ amount the top movie of the upcoming weekend will earn. The person who gets closest to the top box office amount will earn a link back for the rest of the week until the next winner is determined. The winner will be selected Sunday and you?ll be up on the site for the rest of the week. Just enter your guess as a comment on this post. Check out last round’s guesses to get an idea of how it all goes. ...
Weekend Movie Box Office Round-up: May 25 - May 27, 2007
Arrggh! Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow and the rest of his crew returned this weekend to swash buckle their way through the theaters and mightily take command of the box office. While it didn’t reach the levels of Pirates of the Caribbean 2 or the new record holder, Spider-Man 3, it still pulled in a healthy set of gold. Geez, that was a lot of pirate talk, no more, I promise. Considering how well Pirates did this weekend it was surprising to see how well the #2 movie, Shrek the Third, did as well. After the #2 spot the gap widens a little more with Spider-Man 3 still managing to reach into the double digit millions to break the $300 million cumulative gross mark. The second new release for this weekend, Bug starring Ashley Judd, snuck into the #4 spot but still had a rather sad debut and probably didn’t earn enough to pay off the catering bill for that production. If these movies weren’t quite your thing you’ll have a big set of movies coming ...
Monday Morning Helper: Will Ferrell Bloopers - Video
I can’t get enough of Will Ferrell’s skits. Here’s a compilation video of Will Ferrell bloopers from his days on SNL: ...
The Dark Knight: First Look at Heath Ledger as The Joker
I was thrilled with the revival of Batman with 2005’s Batman Begins starring Christian Bale and directed/co-written by Christopher Nolan. Nolan can do no wrong in my eyes as he’s successfully provided hit after hit (Memento, The Prestige), but I’ll admit that I was rather stirred over the next film’s villain. At the end of Batman Begins the calling card of a new enemy is revealed, a Joker card, clearly marking Batman’s next target. I usually have an issue with people messing too much with classic content and Tim Burton’s Batman film combined with Jack Nicholson’s portrayal of The Joker is about as classic as you can get. But I’m willing to give Nolan the benefit of the doubt as I suspect he’ll be able to pull off an even darker version of The Joker in the next film, The Dark Knight. In the picture below you’re album to catch a first up close glimpse of Heath Ledger all dolled up as The Joker. He (The Joker) looks to ...
Don?t Miss TV: May 28 - June 1, 2007
It’s another week of television shows coming at you and we’re here to help. Here’s a break down by night of what you need to be sure to catch and what’s going on this week, May 28 - June 1, 2007. Now getting ready for a shift in your regular programming as we’ve officially hit the summer season. But don’t worry, there are plenty of fun summer time shows that will be popping up (Pirate Master, Big Brother, etc.) that will be filling those gaps. Monday: Real Wedding Crashers: 8-9pm on NBC; I thought they had dropped this one when it vanished the other week. Well Manthem, no more worries, it’s back. A California couple is in the focus this week with pranks involving a monster truck and an escaped convict. On the Lot: 8-10pm on Fox; Eighteen finalists show their short films to the judges. Viewers and judges votes are combined to determined which three directors will be sent home. Miss Universe Pageant: 9-11pm on NBC; Zuleyka Rivera, Mi ...
Mischa Barton Overdoses, Allegedly
Allegedly, of course, Mischa Barton had a little too much of something on Sunday at a BBQ and was rushed to a hospital in LA. She overdoses at a BBQ? What does someone OD on at a BBQ? Hmm… Damn you Colonel Sanders and your wee-beady eyes! I’m on to you and the addictive chemical you put in your chicken which leave us craving for it nightly! ...
Rosie O?Donnell Likes Her Own Voice
After quitting The View last week over her fight with Elisabeth Hasselback Rosie O’Donnell has gone on to post a video on her site detailing her side of the outcome. She’s mainly entertaining questions from readers, some good, some bad. It’s mostly the same rhetoric we’ve heard from O’Donnell before. Despite Rosie’s claims in the video that she “never tried harder to be someone’s friend” she has decided that she may never speak to Hasselback again. Rosie says they have exchanged emails and Hasselback even called and spoke with O’Donnell’s partner, Kelli, but Elisabeth didn’t get through to the queen bee. She says that during the argument she saw on one of the monitors they had gone to the dueling views. “When I saw the split screen I knew it was over.” Rosie felt it made it more like Jerry Springer’s show than The View. Somehow I doubt that Elisabeth Hasselback could possibly care if ...
New Releases: Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Here are your new releases on DVD for Tuesday, May 29, 2007: Hannibal Rising Starring: Gaspard Ulliel, Richard Leaf, Ingeborga Dapkunaite, Helena Lia Tachovska Director: Peter Webber Genre: Drama / Horror / Thriller Details: Mischa and Hannibal (Gaspard Ulliel), baby brother and sister, are inseparable; it is their love for each other that ties their bond. Their companionship is forever binding, until, with their family, while hiding from the Nazi war machine a twisted set of circumstance sets the pace for a most vicious attack on the future of one Hannibal Lecter for the sworn vengeance for the brutal killing of his baby sister. Years later, we find Hannibal, the teenager, setting up in Paris, and living with his aunt Lady Murasaki Shikibu (Li Gong) and studying at medical school here he finds his forte. Hannibal continues searching for his sister’s murderers, ever hopeful of satisfying his desire for retribution. Pretty slim pickings this week for new DVDs, but this weekend t ...
Eva Mendes Needs a Drink to Get It On
In an interview at Cannes Eva Mendes revealed that despite her self-confidence to appear nearly naked in revealing bikinis that same confidence disappears when it comes to filming sex scenes. Mendes was speaking to reporters regarding her upcoming film, Own the Night, which required her first on-camera sex scene with co-star Joaquin Phoenix. Oh poor, poor Joaquin. That reminds me of the time I was forced into being the tanning lotion boy for the Hawaiian Tropic bikini tour. So what did it take her to get over the, um, hump of fear? “They were very sweet and they poured me a vodka and orange juice and then I was fine,” she said. “I’m very professional and I don’t usually drink on the job but that morning I had a little vodka and OJ,” she said, laughing. When asked if trying to mentally remove herself from the situation and pretending it was just her character there in bed Eva Mendes replied, “My boob is still my boob.” Indeed ...
Bob Barker Won?t Be Picking the Next Host
I was surprised to hear that Bob Barker will not be involved in the selection process for the next host to The Price Is Right. Those in power of the process have given Barker no opportunities to join in the process: “I haven’t asked to be involved, and they have not asked for my advice.” Not sure why they wouldn’t at least amuse him with getting some input from him as he must have some clue on how to make that show work. Whoever it ends up being one thing is sure, it won’t be a woman as Barker indicated they weren’t considering a host of the fairer sex. Well that cuts right through my big hopes of Rosie crashing that party now that she’s freed up some extra time. If Bob did have a choice in the matter he says he’d prefer Dr. Phil to take over. Um, yeah. I could just see it, every time someone screws over their contestant neighbor by picking “$1″ Dr. Phil could go into a long tirade on why they should stop trying ...
On the Lot: Box Office Results Show Recap - May 29, 2007
Tonight’s episode of “On the Lot” presents the Box Office Results where we see the crowd dwindle down from 18 directors to just 15. Yesterday’s show delivered all 18 director’s comedy shorts as this week’s theme was aimed at drawing the laughs. The judges on tonight’s panel were: Carrie Fisher, Garry Marshall, and guest judge D.J. Caruso, director of Disturbia. Apparently Brett Ratner has stepped out and away from the show after it came up with disappointing audience results, allegedly. Don’t forget host Adrianna Costa, who I mistook for a complete rookie. Apparently Ms. Costa is a “veteran entertainment news anchor” according to Zap2It. Adrianna’s deliveries were awkward and she repeatedly stumbled over her lines, including her very first line of the show as well as fumbling Carrie Fisher’s last name. I suspect she was selected for her tangible assets as Garry Marshall put it, “we loved your dr ...
Mischa Barton Feeling Better, Out of Hospital
Well you can all stop your candle vigils now and relax. “Actress” Mischa Barton, 21, didn’t end up staying at the hospital very long after overdosing having a bad drug interaction over the weekend. Barton was rushed an LA hospital on Sunday for what was initially rumored to be an overdose. She was then released after a few hours. Now the story is that an antibiotic she was taking mixed badly with her booze. Smart choice Mischa. I hate all those pesky “warning” labels on medicine. Don’t try to tell me I can only take 24 Advil a day! Her publicist, Lesline Sloane, said in a statement, “She is fine now” and has gone to an “overseas” location to work on a new film. I don’t know where people get these crazy ideas that she’s doing drugs. I mean, just look at these pictures of her taking elderly people to the park. Oh wait, nevermind. ...
Knocked Up: Babymaker Game
In honor of “Knocked Up” coming out this weekend here’s a little baby making game you can play that at the office that won’t get you fired. Upload a couple of pictures and then it’ll combine them for you in true, horrid fashion. Well there are a few more steps than that, but it’s not too bad. Since I didn’t have any personal pictures handy at the moment I decided to pick the closest celebrities to my wife and I. So here’s what you get when you combine Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. Yikes! I see why they’re doing more adopting than baby making! Check out the game for yourself: Knocked Up BabyMaker ...
Family Guy Does Star Wars, Giggity Giggity
I was excited to read over at CompuCorGP that George Lucas had given his blessing to a full blown hour long Star Wars spoofing episode of Family Guy. If you’ve watched the FG show you’ll undoubtedly seen all the Star Wars references tucked into episodes from time to time. The episode was intended to sync up with the 30th anniversary of Star Wars (along with those Star Wars stamps which I nearly bought today). So what do Peter and the gang do when they lose power? Same thing as the rest of America, they play out the Star Wars saga. CompuCorGP has all the role details: Peter will play the role of Han Solo, while Lois will strut her stuff as Princess Leia. And of course there is nobody as evil as Stewie so he was a complete shoe-in for Darth Vader. Chris will be Luke. No word yet on Meg, but in the true FG tradition she’ll be tossed in there for good sport. Brian will act out Chewbacca and R2-D2 will be handled by Cleveland, with Quagmire as C-3PO. Obi-Wan Ke ...
iTunes Plus: Now With Less DRM
Apple has now launched iTunes Plus, a digital rights management-free (DRM) version of their iTunes service. The price has bumped up a bit to $1.29 per song versus the previous iTunes price of $0.99. A 30% increase in price just to finally own what you’ve already paid for? Sheesh. So what else do you get for your extra $0.30? iTunes Plus offers higher audio quality downloads. This new “Plus” service won’t replace the existing iTunes system, but rather operate in parallel to it. I’m glad they’re offering these now, but the whole rights-management stuff still ticks me off. Could you imagine going into Borders and buying a book only to have them tell you that you can only let X number of friends read it and they’ll need to register first? If I paid for it, it’s mine. Damn you Apple and your superiorly built technology! Funny side note: Apple should have picked a name that wasn’t already registered as a domain. Oh but ...
Miss USA, Rachel Smith, Takes a Spill - Video
In case you missed it the Miss Universe Pageant took place this past Sunday. The winner turned out to be Riyo Mori of Japan, but that didn’t stop our own Miss USA, Rachel Smith, from grabbing the spotlight for at least a little while. During the evening gown portion of the event Smith’s feet slide right out from under her. Loud chants from the audience followed her for the rest of the night as you can hear in the video below. The Wiki page for Miss Universe 2007 has the details on the audience’s reaction: Rachel Smith, Miss USA, was booed during and loudly jeered during her final interview. As she answered her question, there were loud shouts of “Mexico! Mexico!”, which continued until she answered in Spanish. This followed a similar incident during Miss Universe 1993, when that year’s Miss USA, Kenya Moore, was also booed. This may have been due to Miss USA making the top five despite slipping and falling during the evening gown competiti ...
Scarlett Johansson?s Next Role: Mary, Queen of Scots
Looks like Scarlett Johansson’s, 22, next film role will be to take on Mary, Queen of Scots. The “historical film epic” will be filled with “battle political enemies, scheming allies, and affairs of the heart in her quest to reunite the warring tribes of her native Scotland,” says the film’s producers. The movie is set to be directed by James Curran who also directed “The Painted Veil”. Geez, I watched about 5 minutes of “The Painted Veil” in utter confusion on the plane last week. It was another historical piece and boring as hell. Thankfully the audio went to junk and they pulled it. Sadly, I’m concerned this film could likely just be reheated leftovers from the same mind. I’m sure Johansson won’t have any trouble with a serious role as she’s handled those well so far (”Lost In Translation”, “The Girl With a Pearl Earring”), but I’d like to see her in somet ...
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: Release Date Moved Up
Alright all you Harry Potter fanatics, today you get to rejoice and dance around like the crazies you are. “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” will be opening in U.S. theaters two days earlier than planned. So instead of the huge stretch until July 13 you only have to wait until July 11, 2007. Now if you were really such a Harry Potter fan you’d already have tickets booked to Tokyo where the world premiere will take place on June 28. If you can’t swing Tokyo there is always the London premiere on July 3. (What’s up with these Tokyo world premieres these days?) If you haven’t pre-ordered your copy of the final book in the series, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”, there’s still time before it’s release on July 21, 2007. In the mean time, check out the trailer and details for the upcoming Harry Potter movie. Source: Y! News ...
Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Sneak Peak Video
There has been a lot of action going on around the Star Wars saga these days due to its 30th anniversary, but this latest bit is one of the best parts. Lucasfilms has released a 2 minute sneak peek of their upcoming (2009) series for The Clone Wars. Unlike the previous, similarly titled “Clone Wars” series, this series will be CGI produced which avoids the cartoony feel of that earlier series from 2003-2005. The Clone Wars will focus on the events between Episode II, Attack of the Clones, and Episode III, Revenge of the Sith. This will be the first project to come out of Lucasfilm’s new animation department. So far it looks very promising. All the main characters will be there: Yoda, Obi-Wan, Skywalker, Mace Windu, and more. You can watch the two-minute trailer for The Clone Wars at StarWars.com ...
Pirate Master Preview - 5/31/07 (Week 1)
Ahoy me hearties! Arrgh! Tonight be the night that Pirate Master starts! Starting this show the week after Pirates of the Caribbean 3 came out was a brilliant move on CBS’s part. I was excited about this show when I first wrote the preview for the series for WBM. Once I saw Pirates of the Caribbean 3 over the weekend though I was totally ready for more pirates! Even though the show looks really cheesy, I can’t help being excited about it. The problem of course is that I’m so up for this show now, that the chances of me being disappointed are high. Make sure to check back and I let you know if it sails or if it should be sent to Davy Jones’ Locker! Arrgh! This is going to be great! If nothing else it will be an entire season of reviews where I get to talk like a pirate! Shiver me timbers! Arrgh! Check out the rest of our Pirate Master coverage. SirLinksALot: Pirate Master ...
Coming Soon: DOA: Dead or Alive - Worst Movie Ever?
I think I read about this at the end of the Bible. After this gets released there should be three more horsemen and then that’s it, we’re all done for. How does this crap even get made, much lease released?? Everything about it is completely absurd. Let me back up. Dead or Alive (DOA) was originally a fighter video game way back in the day (1996), like Mortal Kombat or Street Fighter. It than progressed through several revisions and sequels and revisions of sequels and sequels of revisions until it came to Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball (2003). This is pretty much where things got silly. Just like the title says, it was about volleyball, well that and bouncing breasts. Seriously. So here we are today with DOA quickly approaching a release date (supposedly June 15 or 22) after setting dormant since completion back in mid-2005. What really blows my mind is the budget this thing got… $21 million!! Hey Hollywood, I just took a dump in a bag and am ...
American Idol: NBC 4th of July Special
In case you’re going through American Idol withdrawal following last week’s finale show like the rest of us then there’s still hope. NBC is going to air a special on July 4th this year with the top 3 contestants from this season of American Idol. Oh yes. Not just this season’s winner Jordin Sparks or Blake Lewis, but we’ll get another serving of Melinda Doolittle’s talented voice. All three singers will be on stage together performing together for the event. Those three performers won’t be the sole singing event though. Martina McBride will be joining the show to perform her song “Anyway” just as she did back on April 17th on American Idol. This NBC event will be hosted by Natalie Morales and Tiki Barber and will also feature a very healthy dose of fireworks. The network described the display as “nearly 35,000 brilliant shells exploding over New York City”. Yes, I looked for the 30 Rock video clip where Ja ...
Pirate Master Recap - 5/31/07 (Episode 1)
Yo ho, Yo ho, a pirate’s life for me! Tonight, for a crew of 16 would-be pirates began the adventure of a lifetime! The crew seems to be the usual assortment of characters that you get on most reality shows. All of them were very full of themselves. One in particular stood out. John (the Scientist/Exotic Dancer) seemed like he was going to be the freak of the show. He was getting on people’s nerves during the first night’s meet and greet. The first time we saw him my son asked “Is that Sanjaya?” Supposedly the crew had all sailed before but you couldn’t prove it by me. The couldn’t haul on a line in unison, some of the crew seemed a little shy of climbing the ratlines to set sail, and before they had even reached the island joy was seasick and chunking over the side of the ship (some pirate, eh?). The Zanzibar Chest The story for the show states that the notorious (fictitious) Captain Steel divided his treasure in 14 parts a buried the ...
May Site Statistics
May was a great month again for Wild Bluff Media. Big thanks to all our readers, and thanks for coming back each week (or, even better, each day). We’ve continued to really enjoy the chance to share and discuss all of the entertainment happenings plus even receiving news from some readers (greatly appreciated, and you always get credit!). Statistics: May Unique Visits: 81,562 May Page Views: 134,969 Alexa Ranking: 82,547 If you’d like to get in on this Gravy Train and be a sponsor on this site feel free to contact us. We have several locations available: above posts, sidebar (above and below the fold), and below posts. Text links are also available. We can offer discounts as well for long term purchases. Thanks readers!: We’re still learning and evolving here, so if you see something that you think could be improved please let us know. Our ears are open to both positive and negative criticism. Thanks again to everyone. We’re excited to see what we can do ...
Resident Evil 5: Trailer & Details
Awesome. Another Resident Evil game coming along soon, this time it’ll be #5 and is set to release in 2007 for the XBOX 360 and PS3. Capcom executives seem pleased with the new playground provided by these next-gen consoles: “Utilizing the PlayStation 3[’s] and Xbox 360[’s] unprecedented power, Resident Evil 5 promises to revolutionize the series by delivering an unbelievable level of detail, realism, and control.” The graphics definitely look very slick, but the trailer doesn’t provide a lot of details other than some sort of desert setting. The game’s producer, Jun Takeuchi, has commented that the setting was inspired by the story of “Black Hawk Down”, which explains the Somali type environment. The developers are looking for a similar game theme with the soldiers quickly becoming cornered by the city’s mobs. Not sure if I would have been so bold as to draw claims that I was building a game based on the idea of soldi ...
Weekend Movie Preview: Trailers & Details June 1 - 3, 2007
It’s movie time again. This weekend we’re finally being spared the trilogy films and are diving into several good looking options. I’ve been in the mood for a good comedy and Knocked Up looks to deliver there. Then there’s a dark thriller with Mr. Brooks starring Kevin Costner, William Hurt, and cradle-robber Demi Moore (I kid, I kid). If you’re more into some of those ol’ sports stories then there’s even one for you with Gracie. There’s one more that you might not get, but should totally see, Day Watch. It’s a Russian remake and looks freakin’ awesome. It’s a limited release, but I’ve included it for its awesome factor. Alright then, hope you have a great weekend. Thanks for stopping by Wild Bluff Media this week! Here are all your movie details & trailers for this weekend, June 1 - 3. Knocked Up Director: Judd Apatow Starring: Seth Rogen, Katherine Heigl, Paul Rudd Genre: Comedy Duration: 2 h ...
Jolie-Pitt Clan Officially Expands
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s recently adopted son, Pax Thien, from Vietnam back in March has officially received his name change to include Jolie-Pitt. The paperwork was filed in April and approved this past Thursday by Superior Court Judge Gerald Rosenberg. Although his new name includes both Brad’s and Angelina’s surnames the request was filed as a single parent as the J-P clan leaders aren’t actually married. I’m really curious to see what the branding she uses looks like. Whatever it is I bet it’s super cool and hot. Maybe she just gives them all homemade tat’s instead. Source: Y! News ...
MTV?s ?Unplugged? Returns with Bon Jovi, The Police, & More
MTV’s aging series “Unplugged” will be returning this summer with some big names including: The Police, Bon Jovi, Kenny Chesney, Mary J. Blige, and John Mayer. MTV has decided to not limit it to just their channel and will release it to the rest of their music themed network channels: VH1 and CMT. Bon Jovi will be the first up starting on June 22 on MTV. Then, using the other channels, the show will be re-aired but tailored to those specific audiences. Not sure how they’ll tailor Bon Jovi to fit CMT, but okay. There are many more details after that, but the rumor mill states that The Police will perform their Unplugged show in Miami this July. Source: Y! News ...
Weekend Humor: Peter Griffin VS. Sakura - Video
The Family Guy’s Peter Griffin is undoubtedly a deadly force and here he proves it when he takes on Sakura in this very well made spoof video. The Force is strong with this one. ...
Entertainment Week In Review: May 28 - June 1, 2007
See what you missed over the past week, May 28 - June 1, 2007, in entertainment news and reviews. Monday: Get a sneak peek at Heath Ledger as The Joker for the upcoming Dark Knight Batman movie. Tuesday: Eva Mendes revealed that’s she too comfortable without a drink for her on-screen steamy scenes. Wednesday: Family Guy is bringing a far, far away theme to an upcoming episode, all with George Lucas’ blessing! Thursday: CBS launched its new reality series from Mark Burnett, Pirate Master, and it was awesome! Arrgggh! Friday: Pax Thien has officially joined the ranks of the Jolie-Pitt clan following his name change. Once again, a lot happened this week. Next week try to stay hip and popular by visiting Wild Bluff Media each day so you don’t miss anything else along the way. All the other kids are doing it. You do want to be cool, don’t you? ...
Sunday Brunch: Weekend Site Round-Up
It’s Sunday again, so I’m going to leave it to others to provide the entertainment today. Here I’ve gathered up posts and sites from places I’ve visited during the week. Getting your name on the Top Commentator list here is a great way for us & others to find you. Mans Maxx: Very impressive tricks on a bike: Stunt Mountain Biker [video] Geeks of Doom: Upcoming movie, Dark Knight, will be filmed partially in IMAX footage: ?Dark Knight? to Film Scenes in IMAX Format Daily Blessings: Good article on the slide of TV standards: Fighting back against trashy TV MyRetirementProject: I was thinking of a new keyboard some day soon, but this seems a little overboard: What? How Much for that Keyboard? Chugs & Jugs: When “the talk” doesn’t go as you’ve planned: The Dreaded Condom Talk [video] If you’d like to see your content pop-up here on a future Sunday feel free to send me a note from our Contact page. ...
Weekend Movie Box Office Round-up: June 1 - 3, 2007
Pirates of the Caribbean 3 held on to his command of the box office again this weekend and triumphed over the new releases including Knocked Up and Mr. Brooks. I was glad to see Knocked Up pull in almost $30 million as I’ve been enjoying director Judd Apatow’s work. Shrek 3 managed to hold on to a very strong earning with over $26 million as well. Mr. Brooks had a disappointing debut earning with only $10 million when you consider the cast involved (Costner, Hurt, and Moore). I think poor reviews killed its chance of moving up higher over the weekend. If you missed any of the details on the new releases check out our Weekend Movie Preview with trailers and details. Box office earnings for movies this weekend, June 1 - 3, 2007: “Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At World’s End” $43.2 million “Knocked Up” $29.3 million “Shrek the Third” $51 million “Mr. Brooks” $10 million “Spider-Man 3″ $7.5 million R ...
HBO?s The Sopranos: The Final Episodes (episode 8) Recap and Review
This is the episode we’ve all been waiting for, its WAR! The show gets off to a great start with Sil strangling Burt in his house. At the Bing, Sil tells him he killed Burt because was playing both sides of the fence with NY. Burt tried to talk Sil into going along with offing Tony and then Phil would make him the new boss. Phil has decided it time to off Tony and his top 2 guys, Sil and Bobby. FBI Agent Dwight shows up at Satriale’s again. He tells Tony that Phil is going after him. In other Soprano family news, AJ finally gets out of the hospital. Carmela hid AJ’s belt so he can’t kill himself and Tony empties the pool. Uncle Junior is out of money so he is going to be moved to a state facility. Janis tells Tony and that She and Bobby will contribute. Tony gets pissed off at Bobby and tells her to stuff it. Dr. Melfi is attending a dinner with some colleagues. They are discussing how sociopaths use therpy to hone their skills. She gets into it with ot ...
Monday Morning Helper: Women?s Bikini Race - Video
Well this is certainly different. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this video, but it definitely wasn’t women in bikinis to come racing out of the gate onto the track. Without further delay, from Hollywood Park here is the Women’s Bikini Race: ...
Katie Holmes: Scientology Must Be Teaching Masochism
In what must clearly be a case of masochism Katie Holmes, in an interview with Entertainment Tonight, says she’s ready to have more children. I’ve got no problem with people having kids, well mostly, but when you slip into a marriage with a cult obsessed patriarch I’ve gotta wonder what drives someone to want more of it. The interview airs tonight and you’ll get to see a well rehearsed Holmes repeating messages like, “They are treating me very well,” and “No one is hurting me.” Well, not really, it’ll be more like: ?We?re having the best time, it?s so amazing,? Holmes, 28, said of the year she and Cruise have spent largely out of the spotlight. ?He?s a great father and so it came to no shock that when we had Suri he was amazing with the baby.” Holmes has also gotten plenty of time playing stepmom to Cruise’s other children from his previous marriage with Nicole Kidman. Note that Holmes, 28, is closer in age ...
Halo 3: First Look SuperGuide - New Weapons & More
1Up and MyCheats.com has a great “superguide” for the upcoming release of Halo 3 on September 25, 2007 (Pre-order your copy of Halo 3 now). It gives you a beta look at all the details that are out there as of right now along with the promise of more info soon: As we countdown the days before the final unveiling, the editors of the 1UP network bring you the SuperGuide of Halo 3 Beta, an ongoing analysis of the Halo’s game mechanics, from the weapons to the maps to team strategies. You, too, can help, by creating an account and writing your own strategies and tips. And, of course, you can expect a full SuperGuide of Halo 3 on the day of its release, with detailed multiplayer strategies and a complete walkthrough of the single player campaign. The guide is built up from their work (play time) with the Beta releases of Halo 3. It’s rather thorough and includes information on all of the following: controls, equipment, weapons, maps, vehicles, models, meda ...
Angelina Jolie: Happy 32nd Birthday
Today the actress, mother, and saver-of-world Angelina Jolie turns 32. Born on June 4, 1975 Jolie has kept herself plenty busy since then with her film career (picking up an Oscar in her first try in 2000 for Girl, Interrupted), romances, and recently her ever-growing family. If you’re aching for a new Angelina movie then you won’t have to wait much longer. She’s got 6 movies currently in the works according to IMDB. One on its way to theaters (A Might Heart - 2007), two of them are in post-production (Beowulf - 2007 and Kung Fu Panda - 2008), one currently filming (Wanted - 2008), one in pre-production (The Changeling - 2008), and finally one more in “announced” status (Atlas Shrugged - 2008). Wow, that’s a lot! Good for her, and good for us too. Happy Birthday Angelina Jolie! ...
Don?t Miss TV: June 4 - 8, 2007
It’s another week of television shows coming at you and we’re here to help. Here’s a break down by night of what you need to be sure to catch and what’s going on this week, June 4 - 8, 2007. It’s the summer season, so the schedule is made up of a lot of repeats (which we don’t cover) and then a lot of summer programming. Thankfully there are a few nuggets of enjoyment out there like Pirate Master and Hell’s Kitchen which starts back up this week. Take a look and see what other shows you don’t want to miss this week. Monday: Hell’s Kitchen: 9-10pm on Fox; British chef Gordon Ramsey is back for a third summer season to teach and torture chef wanna-be’s. Tonight’s season opener will pit the men against the women in two teams. The prize this season will be a job as a Las Vegas head chef. New Adventures of Old Christine: 8:30-9pm on CBS; Christine is shocked to learn that Jeff is a grandfather when he attends Gra ...
Hugh Grant: Baked Beans Arrest Update
Back in late April Hugh Grant was arrested for hurling baked beans at the paparazzi. Six weeks later tempers have cooled, much like the baked beans, and it looks like Hugh will be getting off easy. Why does this always happen?! Celebrities never get held accountable for their culinary actions. It’s so unfair. Quick video blurb below on the situation: ...
Hell?s Kitchen Recap and Review: Season 3 Episode 1 - 6/5/07
Tonight begins another 12-course season with head chef Gordon Ramsey. This season’s winner will become that Head chef of their own restraunt with a $250,000 salary and profit sharing at the Green Valley resort in Las Vegas. They showed a preview of the whole season. It looks like a really good one but the one part I didn’t get was the chefs playing paint ball. Aaron the giant asian cowboy who is the 48 year old chef at a retirement home is going to be a disaster this season. Every other clip they show in the promos is of him crying. Chef Ramsey started by having each of the chefs cook him their signature dish after being in Hell’s Kitchen for about 2 minutes. Chef Ramsey told them, “This is you on a plate.” because he can tell alot about a chef by the way they make a dish. Tiffany and Melissa were the only ones who created a dishes that was edible in Chef Ramsey’s opinion. In preparation of the reopening of Hell’s Kitchen the next night, ...
You, Me, & Dumped: Kate Hudson and Owen Wilson Split
After a brief relationship, which started last fall, Hollywood couple Kate Hudson, 28, and Owen Wilson, 38, have split, allegedly of course. The cause of the break-up was undisclosed, although it was rumored to have been just before the holiday weekend last month. The couple were spotted together as recently as May at the premiere of Wilson’s comedy “The Wendell Baker Story” holding hands. Prior to their relationship Hudson had been married for six years to The Black Crowe’s frontman, Chris Robinson the father of her three year old son, Ryder. Source: People ...
New Releases: Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Here are your new releases on DVD for Tuesday, June 5, 2007: Norbit Starring: Eddie Murphy, Thandie Newton, Cuba Gooding Jr. Director: Brian Robbins Genre: Comedy, Romance Rated: Rated PG-13 for crude and sexual humor, some nudity and language. Details: A mild-mannered guy (Murphy) who is engaged to a monstrous woman (Murphy) meets the woman of his dreams (Newton), and schemes to find a way to be with her. Side Note: I read that Eddie Murphy also played all three people that went to see this. The Messengers Starring: Kristen Stewart, Dylan McDermott, John Corbett Directors: Oxide Pang Chun, Danny Pang Genre: Drama, Horror, Thriller Rated: Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material, disturbing violence and terror. Details: It’s been six years since the Rollins family just up and left and now the troubled Solomon family has come from Chicago, to rebuild their lives following their sons hospitalization due to their daughter’s drunk driving accident. But as they start to settle ...
Jack Bauer Hates Terrorists and Copyright Violators
Years ago it was Metallica knocking down doors to bring in song sharers. Now it’s Jack Bauer going after the most dangerous of all criminals… copyright violators! Jorge Romero of Chicago has been charged by Federal authorities with copyright violations after allegedly uploading episodes of Fox’s TV show 24 to LiveDigital.com. The complaint states the episodes were made available online a week before the season premiered. According to USA Today: Romero was charged with one felony count of uploading copyrighted material to a publicly accessible computer network knowing the work was intended for commercial distribution. He has agreed to surrender at the US District Courthouse in Chicago on Tuesday, when arrangements will be made for his travel to Los Angeles, Department of Justice Spokesman Thom Mrozek said. The sad thing is that this guy wasn’t even the source of the episodes. He had downloaded them from another website before uploading them to the o ...
Derailed: Movie Review
Derailed (2005) Starring: Clive Owen, Jennifer Aniston, Vincent Cassel Director: Mikael Håfström Genre: Drama, Thriller Rated: R for strong violence, language, and sexuality Duration: 1h 50m Plot: Advertising executive Charles Schine (Owen) is just another Chicago commuter who one day he misses his train and meets Lucinda Harris (Aniston), changing his life forever. Despite the fact that each are married with children, lunch dates quickly become cocktails after work, and before long, their infatuation leads them to a hotel room. The affair goes terribly awry when LaRoche (Cassel), a brutal stranger, breaks into their room and holds them at gunpoint. This once illicit liaison turns into a nightmare more dangerous and violent than either could have ever imagined. Charles’ life soon becomes filled with deception, blackmail, violence, and crime. Unable to confide in his wife or speak to the police, Charles finds himself trapped in a world he doesn’t recognize, with no trace ...
Family Guy Wins Burnett Lawsuit
Family Guy has won the courtroom battle over a past episode involving a parody of Carol Burnett’s ‘Charwoman’ character after the judge threw out the lawsuit. The judge said that although he understood Burnett was offended by the material Family Guy was protected by the First Amendment’s right to free speech. The legal effort has gone on for roughly three months although the Family Guy episode, “Peterotica”, actually aired back in April 2006. The lawsuit detailed Burnett’s objection: ?The Peterotica episode of Family Guy shows Peter entering a porn shop with several other characters, including a character named Quagmire. As they enter the porn shop, Peter comments that he expected the porn shop to be dirty. Quagmire responds that the porn shop is clean because ‘Carol Burnett works part-time as a janitor,?’ The camera then shifts to show Ms. Burnett’s ‘Charwoman’ character complete with trademarked blue b ...
American Idol?s Katharine McPhee Heading to the Big Screen
Katharine McPhee, American Idol fifth season runner-up, is making the big jump from stage and radio to the big screen. Upcoming indie-film The Last Caller will star the big eyed, brunette as a self-obsessed woman who searches for love and hope in this dark romantic comedy. McPhee told Hollywood Reporter: “I’m up for a couple of big studio projects, but they weren’t starring roles. I wanted to start off doing something a little different. It’s something that a lot of people wouldn’t expect me doing.” If you’re a Katharine fan don’t expect any singing in this role though. That’s probably a smart movie as it’s easy to get type casted for your abilities quickly. At least that’s what happened to me. All the directors wanted me to “do that thing where you lift the car over your head,” because I’m incredibly strong and blindingly handsome, ya see. The budget looks to be pretty small as Entertain ...
American Idol: Blake Lewis Breaks Into Top 10 on the Singles Chart
Blake Lewis may not have won American Idol Season 6, but he’s certainly winning the race this week. Blake Lewis’ cover of Bon Jovi’s hit “You Give Love A Bad Name” has broken into the U.S. singles chart’s Top 10 at the #9 spot. So where does that leave this season’s winner Jordin Sparks? You won’t find her in the Top 10. Climb a few spots down the charts and you’ll see her sitting pretty at #14 with “This Is My Now”. I know I upset a reader last month by stating that just because you win doesn’t make you the biggest star of the season, but this seems to already be demonstrating that idea. So kudos to Blake Lewis and his daring move with his performance of Bon Jovi’s song as it has really paid off. I might not be a Blake Lewis fan, but I easily recognized it as one of our Top 10 Events of American Idol Season 6. Take a look at the Blake Lewis picture gallery. Check out the rest of our Americ ...
Knocked Up: Movie Review
Knocked Up Director: Judd Apatow Starring: Seth Rogen, Katherine Heigl, Paul Rudd Genre: Comedy Duration: 2 hrs. 9 min. Rated: R for sexual content, drug use and language. Plot: Allison Scott (Heigl) is an up-and-coming entertainment journalist whose 24-year-old life is on the fast track. But it gets seriously derailed when a drunken one-nighter with slacker Ben Stone (Rogen) results in an unwanted pregnancy. Faced with the prospect of going it alone or getting to know the baby’s father, Allison decides to give the lovable doof a chance. My Review: Knocked Up turned out to be a great movie and I wasn’t too surprised considering Judd Apatow’s past work and the strong reviews this movie earned. In terms of genre and style this follow on to 40-Year-Old Virgin was even better than its predecessor. While Seth Rogen’s character, Ben Stone, comes off a bit misfortunate in life he certainly isn’t portrayed as a loser, just more of a slacker. So there is ...
Starbucks Play Paul McCartney?s Album Non-Stop
If you’re a Paul McCartney fan and a Starbucks addict then you were in luck. If you’re just the latter, well then you probably weren’t too happy yesterday. Starbucks’ music label, Hear Music, co-founded with Concord Music Group launched its sole artist’s, McCartney, new album, Memory Almost Full, on Tuesday. And to make sure it was adequately squashed into their customers mind the album was played non-stop for the full day. Starbucks estimated this method of full force sales to reach 6 million sets of ears. Sadly, that’s only half as many sets of eyes which watched “America’s Got Talent” last night. McCartney described the new album on his website, “In places, it’s a very personal record and a lot of it is retrospective, drawing from memory, like memories from being a kid, from Liverpool and from summers gone.” Hence the name I suppose with all those memory references. Still sounds kinda creepy though, kin ...
Jennifer Aniston Got Herself a New ?Lovely? Man
Okay, so things didn’t work out with Brad whats-his-name and, surprise surprise, Vince also slipped through her fingers so Jennifer Aniston has had to move on. So who is her new man that she spent the Memorial Day weekend with having a romantic dinner (what does that mean, like Hardees instead of McDonald’s?)? Why it’s Paul Sculfor (who? yeah), 36 year old British model. Their romance has been going on for several weeks. Weeks, eh? Well good for Ms. Aniston. And it sounds like she’s got a real catch this time if you’re the type to rely on sources with “Lady” in their names. Sculfor’s former special friend, Lady Victoria Hervey, described him as “a lovely guy.” But what can he offer Jennifer? Well, Lady Victoria goes on to say Sculfor is “a gentleman. Simple things, like opening doors, he does it all.” Does it all indeed! Opening doors?! Holy crap. If this new, innovative way to land Hollywood la ...
Pirate Master Preview - 6/7/07 (Week 2)
Ahoy there Matey! Arrgh! Tonight be the second episode of CBS’s Pirate Master. Last week we got our first peek at this new show and it wasn’t bad. Its going to take a few weeks before we and the contestants really figure out the ins and outs of this game. JD was elected as the first captain of the season. I really think he made some very bad decisions from a game perspective. He didn’t include anyone else other than his two officers Cheryl and Ben when deciding who to cast adrift (although I can’t say that I’m sorry to see John, the Scientist/Exotic Dancer, walk the plank!). JD also was pretty rough on the crew who are the ones voting. Based on the previews for this week it looks like this trend is going to continue with JD. Denying food to the folks who can vote you off seems like an exceptionally bad idea if you ask me. I’ll be interested to see if JD can remain captain or if we will see our first mutiny tonight. Check out the rest of our Pirate ...
Mike Tyson Wants to KO Bollywood
I’ve seen a lot of people end up being actors that have no business in show business: athletes, musicians, socialites, and more. But here’s one that I never would have expected to end up in front of a camera. According to The Times of India, Mike Tyson has declared his interest in acting, but thankfully only in Bollywood films for now, at least. Last month Tyson was filming a dancing scenes in a music video for a new Bollywood comedy, “Fool n Final.” My brain is already hurting about the whole “acting in a movie” thing, so I’m not even going to try to wrap it around the music video (if you’re feeling brave you can check out the “Fool n Final” video below). So while Tyson was out there filming his scenes he got a good vibe from the set: “The atmosphere was very congenial, happy and energetic,” the newspaper quoted Tyson as saying. “I was, anyway, in that phase when I didn’t mind trying out so ...
iTunes Plus: ?Plus? As In Your Private Data
Well so much for the glorious experiment of DRM-free iTunes downloads. Concerns are now being raised by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) that user information is being embedded into the tracks purchased through iTunes. That information then runs the risk of creating privacy issues for unsuspecting users as it could be extracted for evil purposes. Apple refuted these claims with this rebuttal: “…” Well that certainly settles that. Thanks Apple. Now to be fair this user information has always been embedded into tracks for monitoring and restriction purposes (I’d suppose). However, once users begin paying the 30% premium ($1.29 vs. $0.99) for these unrestricted versions shouldn’t Apple honor that and back out? Instead this situation leaves open the option and capability to track down origins of songs on file-sharing networks. That’s means you could end up on the nasty side of music industry copyright lawsuits (read what happened ...
Coming Soon: I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry - Trailer & Details
I’m glad to see Adam Sandler returning to his comedic roots as he joins forces with Kevin James in their new movie, “I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry”. This might not look like it’s entirely something new, but it could probably still be funny. Sorta “Green Card” meets “The Odd Couple” here with the faking a marriage to gain something and their quirky personalities conflicting, yet somehow it all works out. Well at least they certainly did right to cast Jessica Biel as the eye candy. Recently Biel complained that she’s so sexy it has cost her roles in the past. Yeah, I’ve got that problem too. I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry - Plot: Chuck Levine and Larry Valentine are the pride of their fire station: two guy’s guys always side-by-side and willing to do anything for each other. Grateful Chuck owes Larry for saving his life in a fire, and Larry calls in that favor big time when civic red tape prevents h ...
Indiana Jones 4: Update - Sean Connery Is Officially Out
Well look how wrong I turned out to be (that’s gotta be a first, right?). Sean Connery has now officially confirmed that he will not be back for the fourth installment of Indiana Jones where he was set to reprise his role as Indy’s father from 1989’s “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade“. Connery left a lengthy message on the official website for Indiana Jones: “I get asked the question so often, I thought it best to make an announcement. I thought long and hard about it and if anything could have pulled me out of retirement it would have been an Indiana Jones film. I love working with Steven and George, and it goes without saying that it is an honor to have Harrison as my son. But in the end, retirement is just too damned much fun. I, do however, have one bit of advice for Junior: Demand that the critters be digital, the cliffs be low, and for goodness sake keep that whip by your side at all times in case you need to escape from the stunt c ...
Ocean?s 13: Pitt, Clooney, & Damon Make Their Mark in Cement
As part of the promotion for the upcoming Ocean’s Thirteen (13) movie release this weekend the stars of the film were out at the Chinese Theater yesterday. Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Matt Damon, and producer Jerry Weintraub were honored with receiving their own cement squares to leave their footprints, handprints, and signatures to be forever immortalized. The video below shows them all taking it very seriously. George Clooney makes a joke about how he wouldn’t want to be on his hands and knees with any other guys. Brad Pitt does his Hollywood-cool look with his shades permanently attached. Then there’s poor Matt Damon who gets labeled on-screen by the AP as “Brad Pitt” when it’s his turn to speak. No matter how they decided to treat this event their new movie definitely looks entertaining. Check out our preview of Ocean’s Thirteen (13). ...
Pirate Master: Pirate Humor Warm-Up
Since I know all you swashbucklers are just sitting around getting psyched up for tonight’s episode I thought I’d share some pirate humor to help get you ready. Remember to get the full stretch of the exercise you’ll need to laugh like a pirate too. So instead of “ha ha ha” you need more of an “arr arr arr”. See? Good. Pirates have decided to really embrace technology and have even gone so far as to develop their own keyboard to help them along: If you missed last week’s episode of Pirate Master it’s not too late to still get in on the fun. Tonight the second episode of Pirate Master will be on CBS at 8pm. If you really, really wanna be prepared you can even go back and read all about the storyline and ideas behind the show with our Pirate Master Preview. Check out the rest of our Pirate Master coverage. ...
Pirate Master Recap - (Episode 2) 6/7/07
As this week’s episode of Pirate Master begins we get introduced to a few more personalities. Kendra is a bit of a daredevil (well you wouldn’t find me up there!) as she professes her love for climbing to the top of the masts. Then there is “Azmyth” (um, okay, sure) that claims to be a “jolly pirate” and he’ll be sure to look out for the best for all his fellow pirates. Nice shaving style on your beard there “Azmyth”. Now on to the first set of grumblings from the crew. They’re unhappy with their food conditions and I don’t blame them. Each crew member gets a few spoonfuls of gruel while the captain, Joe Don, and his officers receive an awesome breakfast of eggs with peppers and onions, some steak, bacon, and even fruit. That’s definitely a good bit rough of a deal and will only drive the wedge further between the have’s and the have-not’s. The Zanzibar Chest Here the teams are once again ...
Isaiah Washington?s Contract Dropped By Grey?s Anatomy
Apparently Isaiah Washington’s plans redeem himself through PSAs in support of gay rights wasn’t cutting it with ABC as he has lost his job as Burke on the hit series Grey’s Anatomy. The problems for Washington began roughly five months ago when he used an anti-gay term to describe fellow cast mate T.R. Knight. He then went on to use the slur again on television when he denied using it the first time. Smart. Isaiah Washington released a statement through his publicist which said: I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore. This comes as only somewhat surprising after initial rumors that Washington’s contract had been renewed by ABC. However, viewers of the series are likely not surprised considering the recent storyline with his character on Grey’s Anatomy. The May finale ended with the departure of his character, Burke, after a failed attempt at a wedding with Dr. Yang, played by Sandra Oh. Not sure how he didn’t ...
Awesome Vader Helmets: Darth Vader turns Hippie
After decades of grinding the galaxy under his imperial boot heel and his defeat at the hands of a rag tag band of rebel scum, Darth Vader has finally learned how to mellow out and relax. Vader was quoted as saying, “Peace and love, baby. That’s what it’s all about dude. Peace and love.” Actually this is one of the artistically-altered Darth Vader heads on display at the “Star Wars Celebration IV” convention, which was held in Los Angeles last week. This years convention includes many additional features to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the release of the the original Star Wars movie which has also included the release of a series of Star Wars Stamps from the U.S. Postal Service. ...
Mr. Brooks: Movie Review
Mr. Brooks Director: Bruce A. Evans Starring: Kevin Costner, Demi Moore, William Hurt, and Dane Cook Genre: Drama, Thriller and Crime/Gangster Duration: 2 hrs. Rated: R for strong bloody violence, some graphic sexual content, nudity and language. Plot: Consider Mr. Brooks: a successful businessman; a generous philanthropist; a loving father and devoted husband. Seemingly, he’s perfect. But Mr. Brooks has a secret–he is an insatiable serial killer, so lethally clever that no one has ever suspected him–until now. Earl Brooks is a man who has managed to keep his two incompatible worlds from intersecting by controlling his cunning, wicked alter ego. A simple mistake puts all of that in danger. My review: I had been looking forward to this one since seeing the trailer for it as I’m a big fan of dark thrillers. Mr. Brooks is definitely a dark themed semi-mystery, but mostly thriller. Kevin Costner does a great job playing the mild-mannered, responsible cit ...
Weekend Movie Preview: Trailers & Details June 8 - 10, 2007
It’s movie time again and we’re right back into our trilogy films series after a brief reprieve last weekend. While Knocked Up wasn’t able to dethrone the current box office champ, Pirates of the Caribbean 3, I think we’ll easily see a new king this time around. That would of course be Ocean’s 13 starring George Cloney, Brad Pitt, and Matt Damon (read our preview of Ocean’s 13). There will also be a good family film option with the CGI Surf’s Up (yep, we previewed Surf’s Up as well). Finally, you’ll also find a very non-family-friendly film with Hostel II. Now I love a good scary movie, but gore for the sake of gore doesn’t entertain me, so I’m going to pass on this one. If none of these movies interest you or you want to wait to avoid the Ocean’s 13 crowd then I would make a couple of recommendations from last week’s releases. Both Knocked Up and Mr. Brooks turned out to be pretty good films wi ...
Chinese Fighting TV Show: UFC?s Got Nothing On This
Chinese television has struck an awesome sounding new chord in fighting entertainment. This made-for-TV series pits Chinese fighters from all over the array of disciplines against each other in a no holds barred all-out fighting extravaganza. The fighters go until someone is knocked out or one of the contestants submits to the other. They’ve even included text message voting with the live web feeds and television broadcast, making this one serious contender. The video below is chock full of the fighting and plenty of funny quotes. These fighters are competing for quick riches which rival the annual salary of a taxi-driver. They really seem to get away with anything too as you can see one of the fighters trying to kick the other in the face as soon as he falls. Awesome. Don’t get too excited though as I doubt we’ll see this particular show over here anytime soon. But I’m told that we have plenty of MMA (Multiple Martial Arts) events going on in the U.S. ...
Weekend Humor: Rob Lowe?s PSA - Video
Take note you new and upcoming parents. Rob Lowe is here with an important message about childcare do’s and don’ts. Thanks to reader Shankar for sending these over. ...
Entertainment Week In Review: June 4 - 8, 2007
See what you missed over the past week, June 4 - 8, 2007, in entertainment news and reviews. Monday: Katie Holmes can’t wait to have more kids. Apparently she’s quite the sucker for Scientology punishment. Tuesday: Owen Wilson and Kate Hudson call it quits after just a few short months. Wednesday: Family Guy comes out on top in the lawsuit with Carol Burnett. Thursday: Sean Connery decides he won’t be back for Indiana Jones 4. Friday: After months of speculation, Isaiah Washington has been dropped from Grey’s Anatomy. Once again, a lot happened this week. Next week try to stay hip and popular by visiting Wild Bluff Media each day so you don’t miss anything else along the way. All the other kids are doing it. You do want to be cool, don’t you? ...
Sunday Brunch: Weekend Site Round-Up
It’s Sunday again, so I’m going to leave it to others to provide the entertainment today. Here I’ve gathered up posts and sites from places I’ve visited during the week. Getting your name on the Top Commentator list here is a great way for us & others to find you. Untwisted Vortex: Here’s a little nostalgia for you, check out RT’s lookback at the 1984 lasting hit, “The Karate Kid” Mans Maxx: Some people aren’t made for rollercoasters. This news reporter live from the ride is one of those people. Watch the volume! CompuCorGP: Turns out Macs are good for something after all! Chugs & Jugs: Very funny commercial for a new treatment for women: Jeremy. Geeks of Doom: Harry Potter’s last book will be available in an ultra-deluxe version, check out all the details. If you’d like to see your content pop-up here on a future Sunday feel free to send me a note over at our Contact page. ...
Weekend Movie Box Office Round-up: June 8 - 10, 2007
No surprises here with this weekend’s release of new movies. Ocean’s Thirteen (preview) easily took the top spot in the box office earnings by nearly doubling the second place earner, Pirates of the Caribbean 3. Knocked Up (review) held a pretty good percentage of its earnings to get the #3 spot and beat out the other new comer, Surf’s Up (preview). I was surprised that Surf’s Up, $18M, didn’t place higher considering its appeal to a wider audience, including children. The third new release, Hostel Part II, wasn’t able to break the $10 million mark, but did earn the #6 spot just over Mr. Brooks (review). Also of interest, I can’t remember the last time I saw a Top 10 box office earner pull in less than $1M, but there sits Disturbia at #10 with $0.5M. If you missed any of the background on the new releases check out our Weekend Movie Preview with trailers and details. Box office earnings for movies this weekend, June 8 - 10, 2007: & ...
HBO?s The Sopranos: The Final Episodes (episode 9) Recap and Review
The Final Episode. Tony and his family (both immediate and mafia) are still in hiding. They all go to Bobby’s funeral (I still can’t believe they killed Bobby). Tony meets with Agent Dwight at Newark Airport gives him more info on Arabs in hopes that Agent Dwight will help him find Phil. Agent Dwight tells him no way. Phil is pissed that Tony isn’t dead yet. Phil’s lieutenant wants to reach out but, Phil says no way. Tony meets with him at a neutral meeting place. They agree that the war should end while he wont give them Phil he understands that Tony has to do what he has to do and they will pay Janis for killing Bobby. So the Soprano family gets to move back home. Agent Dwight calls Tony on his cell and tells him the FBI has traced Phil’s calls to a certain pay phone. They find out that only a few stations have them anymore. Eventually Phil shows up at one and gets popped. AJ’s continuous lectures on how messed up America and the world are ...
Monday Morning Helper: Boxhead 2 - Game
Here’s a quick and easy flash game to get you going on Monday morning, Boxhead 2. You just run around (directional keys) and try to keep the zombies from getting to you. The number keys switch your weapon and spacebar fires. Have fun! ...
Lt. Andy Baldwin: An Officer and a Gentleman and a Humanitarian
Lt. Andy Baldwin is back in the news following the completion of his appearance in the TV series The Bachelor where he proposed to rose collector Tessa. So what’s Mr. Big Smile up to these days back home in Hawaii? Well apparently the TV life was good to him because he’s decided to join up with ABC’s Extreme Makeover Home Edition where he’ll be helping to build a new home for a family from Kalihi. The family’s home was damaged by flood water in late 2004 and as such it will be completely demolished and rebuilt from the group up. Family matriarch Theresa “Momi” Akana is no stranger to lending a helping hand as she is the founder of the nonprofit Keiki O Ka Aina Family Learning Center. The center provides free education support for regional families. So who wants to place bets on Andy’s contractual obligations requiring him to wear no shirts and smile real big the whole time? Good for him though. That’s cool to see him us ...
Grey?s Anatomy: Katherine Heigl?s Contract Renewed
Following last week’s not-so-surprising turn of events that left Isaiah Washington without a TV home for this fall the news has come along that Katherine Heigl will indeed have her contract renewed with Grey’s Anatomy. Heigl was the last of the cast to receive her pickup letter following contract dispute issues earlier this year. The rising star had earlier demanded per episode payouts of $200,000 which would bring her inline with co-stars Ellen Pompeo and Sandra Oh. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly last month Heigl had this to say: I just want to be treated with the same respect they’re showing the other actors, and so far they’ve refused to do that. It looks like Heigl will have plenty of options in the future though should her Grey’s Anatomy career stumble in the future. Her blockbuster comedy, Knocked Up, made over $46 million in less than a week in the theaters which should provide a strong fan base for her next movie 27 Dresses ...
Don?t Miss TV: June 11 - 15, 2007
It’s another week of television shows coming at you and we’re here to help. Here’s a break down by night of what you need to be sure to catch and what’s going on this week, June 11 - 15, 2007. It’s the summer season, so the schedule is made up of a lot of repeats (which we don’t cover) and then a lot of summer programming which means mostly new reality TV episodes. Thankfully there are a few nuggets of enjoyment out there like Pirate Master and Hell’s Kitchen which started up last week. Take a look and see what other shows you don’t want to miss this week. Monday: Hell’s Kitchen: 9-10pm on Fox; Members of the men’s and women’s teams face off in a food-prep challenge that rewards the winning team with a chance to spend time with Chef Ramsay away from the kitchen (Ahhh!). By the end only 10 chefs will remain. Creature Comforts: 8-8:30pm on CBS; Self Image; Winging It; Art - Birds and pigs discuss flying; poker- ...
Hell?s Kitchen Recap and Review: Season 3 Episode 2 - 6/11/07
Last week we saw the worst service in Hell’s Kitchen history resulting in Tiffany getting kicked off of the show. Aaron has some serious issues. This guy needs to be on Dr. Phil’s show, not Gordon Ramsey’s. He is constantly breaking down and cracking under the pressure and its only week 2! Vinnie is the other problem child this season. Chef has it in for him but Vinnie seems like a jerk. He is looking for trouble so I have no sympathy for him. Challenge At 6AM after 3 hours of sleep the chefs were woken up and sent to see the Chef. He was very unhappy that they had wasted so much food last night. So he took them out to the parking lot and tossed them dead fish which they had to catch and them carry to their storerooms. Aaron then started crying again causing chef Ramsey to give him a 15 minute time out. The team that prepared the most Dover Soles to Chef Ramsey’s standards would win the challenge. The blue team only prepared 8 of which 4 were from Josh. ...
Just Married: Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber
Long lasting couple, Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber, were recently married and made the reveal on Sunday night before the Tony Awards. The newlyweds are expecting their first baby in August, but they don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl yet. One request, whether it’s a boy or a girl, name it something easy. “Liev Schreiber”? It spells like someone tripped carrying a Scrabble board. Congratulations to the couple, and seriously, think about it. Source: ET ...
Starcraft II Update: You have a long wait!
Late last month we reported on the release of the Starcraft II trailer. The latest on Starcraft II is not good for those of us dying to get our hands on it. The Last Boss has reported that this much anticipated sequel from Blizzard may not be released until October 2008! Blizzard is obviously concerned with producing a quality product because they have some very high expectations to meet. ...
Corpse Bride: Movie Review
Corpse Bride Director: Tim Burton, Mike Johnson Starring: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, and Emily Watson Genre: Action/Adventure, Comedy and Kids/Family Duration: 1 hr. 16 min. Rated: PG for some scary images and action, and brief mild language. Plot: Set in a 19th century European village, young Victor is whisked away to the underworld and wed to a mysterious Corpse Bride, while his real bride, Victoria, waits bereft in the land of the living. Though life in the Land of the Dead proves to be a lot more colorful than his strict Victorian upbringing, Victor learns that there is nothing in this world, or the next, that can keep him away from his one true love. My review: I love Tim Burton movies. Love ‘em. So I finally got around to picking up Corpse Bride from Netflix after reading it was a top rated HD-DVD for its visual quality. I had the impression Corpse Bride would be similar in style to The Nightmare Before Christmas, which would be a good thing. I was pleas ...
New Releases on DVD: Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Here are your new releases on DVD for Tuesday, June 12, 2007: Ghost Rider Starring: Nicolas Cage, Peter Fonda, Eva Mendes Director: Mark Steven Johnson Genre: Action / Fantasy / Thriller Rated: Rated PG-13 for horror violence and disturbing images. Details: In order to save his dying father, young stunt cyclist Johnny Blaze (Nicolas Cage) sells his soul to Mephistopheles (Peter Fonda) and sadly parts from the pure-hearted Roxanne Simpson (Eva Mendes), the love of his life. Years later, Johnny’s path crosses again with Roxanne, now a reporter, and also with Mephistopheles, who offers to release Johnny’s soul if Johnny becomes the fabled, fiery Ghost Rider, a supernatural agent of vengeance and justice. Mephistopheles charges Johnny with defeating the despicable Blackheart, Mephistopheles’s nemesis and son, who plans to displace his father and create a new hell even more terrible. Breach Starring: Chris Cooper, Ryan Phillippe, Laura Linney Director: Billy Ray Genre: D ...
Miami Ink Returns Tonight on TLC
Whether your a Tat fan or not, get ready for Miami Ink coming back on TLC for its third season starting tonight at 10pm. Miami Ink is a reality show that follows the artists and events at a tattoo shop in Miami Beach. The episodes look at the customers and their backstory for their tattoo selection. Last season Kat, the sole female artist in the shop, left the show after repeated disagreements with the shop’s owner, Ami James. She’s set to get her own spinoff, LA Link, sometime soon. You can check out her departure from the show last season in the video below: Personally, I couldn’t ever get one much less a full body one like the guy above (makes me uncomfortable just to look at it!), but the show is supposed to be pretty good. Check it out and let us know what you think. ...
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots - E3 2006 Video
Metal Gear Solid and its hero, Solid Snake, have come a long, long way since their induction to Playstation in 1998. Here is the E3 2006 video for the upcoming Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. It will be released for PS3 in 2007, at least that’s what they promise. I wouldn’t go expecting it to ever show up on other platforms though either. In this latest release the story has progressed rather far down the road as you see Snake at a rather late stage in life. That doesn’t seem to stop him from joining the fight once again. This time though it seems to be fighting some sort of biological robots that remind me of something from Robocop. The video has subtitles as the voice-over is not in English. The graphics are amazing and the story looks pretty awesome as well. ...
Psst K-Fed: You Got Shar Jackson Preggers, Again
Well isn’t this sweet. New York Post is reporting that K-Fed’s ex, Shar Jackson is pregnant again with his child again. It doesn’t look like this happened during his sure-to-last marriage with Britney Spears though. At reportedly just seven weeks pregnant this would place their reunion around the end of April. I can’t believe it took him a full four weeks after their settlement to get around to another pregnancy. The best part about this whole global nightmare is that Star magazine is reporting K-Fed doesn’t even know about this new bundle of joy yet. Glorious. Shar actually hopes that this new pregnancy will reunite the couple as a family. If we take a look back at K-Fed’s history I think one thing will ring true: getting women pregnant instills a sense of responsibility, duty, and dedication in Kevin’s heart. Wait, what? ...
American Idol: Taylor Hicks? ?Heart Full of Soul? Memoir
Add author to American Idol season 5 winner’s, Taylor Hicks, resume. Going on sale this July 10 is Hicks’ memoir, “Heart Full of Soul“, an inspirational look at “finding your voice and finding your way.” Well, Taylor Hicks didn’t actually write it, that was covered by ghostwriter David Wild, but he did collect a healthy advance of $750,000 on the book, according to the New York Post. Taylor Hicks provides a brief glimpse into the book on Random House’s website: In Heart Full of Soul, I share some life stories that will hopefully inspire you?give you a sense of my philosophy and how it drove me. For example, I talk about my good friend who died in a tragic accident and the prediction he made that tugged at my thoughts throughout Idol?s qualifying rounds. I also discuss what it was like when I realized Eminem has it right: when you only have one shot, you?d better lose yourself in the music. A lot of great fans lined up behind me the ...
Assault on Precinct 13: Movie Review
Assault on Precinct 13 Director: Jean-Francois Richet Starring: Ethan Hawke, Laurence Fishburne, John Leguizamo, Drea de Matteo, and Maria Bello Genre: Action/Adventure, Crime/Gangster and Remake Duration: 1 hr. 49 min. Rated: R for strong violence, language and drug content. Plot: With only a few hours left in the calendar year, Precinct 13, one of Detroit’s oldest precinct houses, is closing amidst a heavy winter storm. Sergeant Jake Roenick, a good cop wrestling with bad memories of a fatal undercover ‘op’, must protect crime lord Marion Bishop from dirty cops who’d rather seem him dead than talking in court. Greatly outnumbered Roenick is forced to arm his prisoners, including Bishop, and fight off the assault on his precinct with few weapons, choices, or hope. My review: Assault on Precinct 13 is a remake of the 1976 original by the same name. Having seen only the remake I’m not really sure what the producers thought they could add to the ...
Shrek in a Kilt!
“Why is it called a kilt? Because if you call it a skirt, you get kilt!” This week everyone’s favorite ogre received his very own Scottish tartan. VisitScotland came up with the idea to encourage people to trace their own history and Scottish roots. Jenni Steele, senior PR Manager at VisitScotland, said the “fun project” had a serious side.”We wanted to highlight just how diverse Scotland’s heritage can be - and if Shrek can have a tartan, so can anyone,” she said. “There are thought to be in excess of 50 million people across the world who can claim Scottish ancestry. So this is a great opportunity to be able to link our national heritage with such a well loved film character.” Steele presented Shrek producer Jeffrey Katzenberg with the official Scottish clan tartan at The Dorchester Hotel on June 11, 2007 in London, England. (You’d think they at least could have done it in Edinburgh!) The tartan was specially ...
Live Free or Die Hard: Arby?s Stuntman for a Day Giveaway
The wise Marge Simpson once said, “People do crazy things on TV, like eat at Arby’s.” Well it turns out that you could get a chance to do something even crazier than just eat at Arby’s. While I was in there filling my Jamocha shake craving I picked up a flyer that caught my eye. Arby’s is running a cross promotion with the upcoming Bruce Willis’ flick, Live Free or Die Hard (preview), where you can enter to win a day with a Hollywood stuntman. A day with a stuntman actually sounded kinda cool so I thought I’d look into it a little more. Turns out the actual prize isn’t so much a day with a stuntman as it is a trip to Fox Studios out in CA and lunch with a stuntman. I had been imaging you would go to a movie set, sign stacks of legal waivers, and then get all harnessed up and start jumping out of things, etc. No such luck. Maybe it’s a lunch on top of a getaway car in a high speed chase! Or it could be lunch on a pla ...
Pirate Master Preview - (Episode 3) 6/14/07
Shiver me Timbers! Its almost time for another episode of Pirate Master! Unbelievably last week Joe Don (JD) managed to remain captain despite some strategic blunders. Denying the crew food. You know the people who can mutiny and vote you off. JD kept all of his share of the treasure to himself. After the crew grumbled he shared a very small, and in the opinion of some of the crew, insulting amount. He also kept Ben and Cheryl as his officers. In the end though, JD kept the captain’s privileges and it was Christian who was cast adrift. If JD keeps this up I can’t believe that there will not be a mutiny in the near future. I think it would also be in Ben and Cheryl’s best interest to talk some sense into JD before they are tarred with the same brush and cast adrift before their time. Considering all the talk Louie gives to a mutiny each week (and again in this week’s preview commercial) maybe we’ll finally see some pirate action on the high seas and ...
Reality Show Mash-ups
The summer brings about the best in everything, especially reality television programming. Unfortunately, many of these shows will ultimately be canceled due to ridiculous premises. Networks can help alleviate the canceling of shows by combining two failing shows. Take for example: Pirate Kitchen - This show will take on the premise of a pirate themed Hell’s Kitchen with Captain Ramsey as the executive chef. Each week the teams will compete to find treasure chests that contain various kitchen utensils that will aid in completing a dinner service. And yes, the loser from each week WILL walk the plank. No exceptions. So You Think You Can Invent - Aspiring inventors are given a chest of random items and they have an hour to invent the next greatest thing. It may sound like a dull concept, but have you seen the skit ‘Props’ from Who’s Line is it Anyway? I envision this show will be along those lines. Also, some of you may be thinking an hour is too short, bu ...
Coming Soon: Hot Rod - Trailer & Details
This looks like it could be one of the better movies to come out of an SNL star. I’m hoping we have another Will Ferrell on our hands here. Andy Samberg takes on a dare devil role in this comedy and at least the trailers make it look like it works. Samberg has really been a big boost to SNL since he joined back in 2005. He’s since gone on to help create such Digital Shorts hits as “Lazy Sunday” and the duet with Justin Timberlake, “D**k in a Box”. I imagine we’ll get nothing less than his usual quality of humor. Hot Rod - Plot: Amateur stuntman Rod Kimble has a problem–his step-father Frank is a jerk. Frank picks on Rod, tosses him around like a rag doll in their weekly sparring sessions, and definitely doesn’t respect him, much less his stunts. But when Frank falls ill, it’s up to Rod to stage the jump of his life in order to save his step-father. The plan: Jump 15 buses, raise the money for Frank’s heart o ...
Pirate Master: Pirate Humor Warm-Up
Once again I’m expecting all you matey’s to be getting psyched up for tonight’s episode of Pirate Master, so I thought I’d share some pirate humor again to help get you ready. Remember to get the full stretch of the exercise you’ll need to laugh like a pirate too. So instead of “ha ha ha” you need more of an “arr arr arr”. See? Good. Being a pirate isn’t easy, especially when it comes to job hunting. Thankfully there’s hope for the modern pirate. If you missed last week’s episode of Pirate Master it’s not too late to still get in on the fun. Tonight the third episode of Pirate Master will be on CBS at 8pm. If you really, really wanna be prepared you can even go back and read all about the storyline and ideas behind the show with our Pirate Master Preview. Check out the rest of our Pirate Master coverage. ...
American Idol: Kelly Clarkson?s Summer Tour Postponed
American Idol’s original winner, Kelly Clarkson, just can’t catch any breaks these days. With the constant rumors swirling about the internal fighting at her label over her upcoming album and her already released singles not doing so hot on the radio this latest news isn’t going to help her either. Clarkson’s rep, Paul Freundlich released a statement today (Thursday) stating: Plans for Kelly Clarkson’s summer tour have been shelved for now as the singer and her team re-evaluate her show’s size and scope ? a decision made even more difficult by the impending release of her album, My December. LiveNation’s CEO Michael Rapino added that ticket sales for her tour have been disappointing for them and decided they didn’t enough fuel to make this fire burn brightly. If you had big plans to go see her this month all hope isn’t lost. There’s always the possibility that they’ll reduce the number of tour dates and pick ...
Fantastic Four - Rise of the Silver Surfer Premiere
The new Fantastic Four movie, Rise of the Silver Surfer, is being released into theaters tomorrow (read our preview here) and it actually looks pretty good. What else looks pretty good is Jessica Alba at the premiere of the movie today in the UK. In the video below Alba discusses how it wasn’t her favorite thing to wear spandex head to toe. Her co-stars kinda enjoyed it though, you’ll have to hear why: ...
Pirate Master Recap - (Episode 3) 6/14/07
Ahoy Mateys! ust finished watching another thrilling episode of Pirate Master. This week began with Louie out for blood after his ‘brother’ Christian was cast adrift last week. In a bit of foreshadowing, we saw Alexis slacking off and too tired to help her shipmates perform their duties. Apparently she is in the fashion industry and not used to physical labor (awww, poor Alexis). The Zanzibar Chest Black Crew: Joe Don, Cheryl, Ben, Alexis, Joy, Laurel, Sean Red Crew: Kendra, Azmyth, Jay, Louie, Christa, Jupiter, Nessa The first part of tonight’s treasure hunt was fairly straight forward. The crews had to paddle ashore and then follow a trail through the jungle. Along the path was a sabotage point which would allow the first crew past it to block the trail with a pile of bamboo poles. The teams were neck in neck until the black crew ran into trouble pushing their boat over sandbar. Then, Alexis just wandered off. The rest of the black crew is back in the boat ...
Big Brother 8: Coming Soon and Bigger than Ever
Big Brother 8 is so close I can nearly taste it. In just three weeks we’ll be greeted by Julie Chen-bot and the Big Brother house jam packed with cameras, mics, and more cameras. The eighth installment of Big Brother is all set to premiere on Thursday, July 5th as the lead in to Pirate Master (PM will then shift to its new time slot on Tuesdays starting July 10th). Following the premiere episode of Big Brother 8 we’ll start receiving three primetime installments a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. The really big change is that there will be daily shows as well as 3 hours of unfiltered, unrestricted, and uncensored Big Brother 8 entertainment. These airings will be part of the extended coverage of Big Brother 8 known as “Big Brother: After Dark”. Unfortunately these episodes come with a few hurdles. The uncut footage is going to be running from midnight to 3 AM on the east coast and (not nearly as bad) 9 PM to midnight on the west coast. W ...
Weekend Movie Preview: Trailers & Details June 15 - 17, 2007
The summer of sequels continues this weekend with the biggest release being Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (read our Silver Surfer preview) followed by a couple of interesting alternatives. Another one for the kids appears with what could easily be a franchise of its own, Nancy Drew, obviously based off children’s books. One that interests me because I enjoy these horror comedies is Fido, starring Carrie-Anne moss in this zombie flick. Finally comes what could easily be the worst movie of the summer as we detailed in our preview, DOA: Dead or Alive. Alright then, hope you have a great weekend. Thanks for stopping by Wild Bluff Media this week! Here are all your movie details & trailers for this weekend, June 15 - 17, 2007. Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer Director: Tim Story Starring: Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans Genre: Action/Adventure, Comedy, Science Fiction/Fantasy and Sequel Rated: PG for sequences of action violence, some mil ...
Travel by TARDIS in July: Dr. Who Returns
This summer, Dr. Who returns to American television on the SciFi channel. Beginning July 6th, the third season of the new Dr. Who series will begin airing. This season begin with the introduction of the 10th Dr. Who played by David Tennant. Tennant will be familiar to American audiences from his role as the evil Harry Crumph Jr. in the fourth Harry Potter film, The Goblet of Fire. It’s nice to finally see the Sci-Fi channel actually showing some science fiction programs again especially a classic show such as Dr. Who. I’ve had about all I can take of John Edwards and the Ghost Hunters. In the first episode, Holiday Invasion, the Doctor, who is still recovering from his regeneration, and his companion, Rose, return to London on Christmas Eve. The holiday season is shattered by the arrival of the alien Sycorax. Will the Doctor awaken in time to help fend off the alien invasion? Tune in to find out. ...
Angelina Jolie Wants 13 or 14 Kids
Angelina Jolie, who recently turned 32, must have a steady supply of Red Bull and coke pulsing through her system because last night on The Daily Show when Jon Stewart asked her how many children she wanted with Brad Pitt she replied, “It fluctuates between seven and thirteen or fourteen.” Holy crap! Considering the four they already have, that’s as many as ten more kids. You can’t even do the minivan thing anymore at that stage. Jolie’s going to have to pick up one of those charter buses every time she wants to run down to the store to buy 300 more diapers. So I guess the big question now is, “which countries?” Will she go back and hit some repeats or will it be all new?! Either way, this kid-crazy couple is providing lots of tabloid fodder each week for more adoption rumors. Source: People ...
Live Free or Die Hard: Bruce Willis & Justin Long Interview
Yesterday I wrote about Live Free or Die Hard’s cross promotion with Arby’s where you could win a trip to LA and meet a movie stuntman. Well today I’ve got more on the fourth installment of the Die Hard films. Bruce Willis and costar Justin Long sat down for interviews while promoting the new movie in Japan. Willis discussed how doing the fourth movie at 52 wasn’t as easy as the first at 32. He also describes how Live Free goes back to the style of the original: The first film was great. The second one and the third one had some great moments. But this last one, this fourth one really kinda bookends the quartet of these films now and really went back to an old school version of action movies… The movie comes out in a couple of weeks on June 27th, and yes some of the scenes like overdone, like taking out a helicopter with a car, but I’m still anxious to see it. ...
Entertainment Week In Review: June 11 - 15, 2007
See what you missed over the past week, June 11 - 15, 2007, in entertainment news and reviews. Monday: Isaiah Washington might be off the next season of Grey’s Anatomy, but Katherine Heigl finally got her invite back with a contract renewal. Tuesday: Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber were secretly married and finally made the reveal. The couple is expecting their first child in August. Wednesday: Taylor Hicks’ fans rejoice. Hick’s new memoir, “Heart Full of Soul“, is set to be released early this July. Thursday: With Reality TV show ratings quickly dropping something needs to be done to revive them. Guest blogger Steve has some creative suggestions in “Reality Show Mash-ups“. Friday: Big Brother 8 gets closer to its premiere as CBS released more details including details on a big addition for late night viewers. Once again, a lot happened this week. Next week try to stay hip and popular by visiting Wild Bluff Media each day so you don ...
Weekend Humor: Dear Sister SNL Digital Short - Video
Here’s another one of SNL’s great digital shorts, “Dear Sister”. It wasn’t until I was searching around YouTube did I come across the origination of this spoof video. Turns out it was from the season closer to The O.C. Season 2 with the music and all. Anyways, here the “Dear Sister” SNL Digital Short: The source for this spoof: Ending to The O.C. Season 2 ...
Weekend Movie Box Office Round-up: June 15 - 17, 2007
Wow! The new release Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer blew the doors off the box office this weekend with an impressive pull of $57.4 million and easily took the number one spot on the charts. I’m not surprised at all that it took first place, but I wouldn’t have expected such a high return on the first weekend. I’d guess the cast is glad they put plenty of time in for all of those premiere events. The other new releases didn’t do so well. The kid friendly movie, Nancy Drew, came in at #7 with $7.1 million, which seems like a low number for what should have been a pre-sold movie considering it’s lengthy existence in print. I guess it did have a stack of animated kids’ movies (Surf’s Up & Shrek the Third) to compete with as well though. The slightly oddball looking horror-comedy Fido didn’t rank in the top 12 movies this weekend, but I believe it may have actually only been a limited release anyways. I am very ...
Monday Morning Helper: Particles Game
This game will test your reaction time and ability to handle many things going on at once. Just keep your mouse moving to steer the blue ball as you try to dodge the red balls. Additional balls are added as time progresses. My top score was A- w/ 7 balls for 135 seconds. Can you beat it? Let me know if you do. ...
Pirate Master?s Pirate Ship: The Picton Castle
Ever wonder where Mark Burnett and CBS found a some-what authentic square-rigged sailing ship to serve as the pirate ship for the premiere season of Pirate Master? Well wonder no more me hearties! She is the Barque Picton Castle, a sail training ship based in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada. Originally built in 1928 in wales as a fishing trawler, she served time as a mine sweeper during World War II. It wasn’t until 1996 that she was finally converted in to a square rigged sailing ship. The Picton Castle is 179 feet long, displaces 300 tons, and carries 12,500 square feet of sail. However her conversion from a minesweeper and fishing trawler into a barque alone was not a dramatic enough change for Mark Burnett and the folks at CBS. Before being used as the pirate’s base of operation in the show the Picton Castle required a Complete makeover. The changes included the construction of the elegant transom with pane-glass windows and beautifully detailed woodwork on the st ...
Hell?s Kitchen Preview: Season 3 Episode 3 - 6/18/07
Last week the men’s team totally blew it. Chef Ramsey actually threw them out of the kitchen. Rock as the least bad of the blue team was allowed to nominate two of his fellow chefs for elimination. Given the choice of Eddie and Josh, Chef Ramsey chose to send Eddie home after a series of mistakes in the kitchen. Tonight, the kitchen opens for breakfast to serve some of our troops. Then at the dinner service apparently one of the chefs really screws up and someone heads to the hospital. Of course no matter what happens we can count on Aaron to break down and start crying before the night is over. Check out the rest of our Hell’s Kitchen coverage! SirLinksaLot: Hell’s Kitchen ...
Kristy Swanson Arrested for Assault
Kristy Swanson, the once beautiful Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Wow, that was 15 years ago.), was arrested in Ontario this past Saturday night. The assault complaint was filed against her by her boyfriend’s, Lloyd Eisler, ex-wife Marcia O’Brien. If you weren’t one of the 12 people watching last season’s FOX reality series Skating with Celebrities you might have missed that Swanson and Eisler were skating partners. After meeting through the show Eisler ditched his pregnant wife for Swanson. Nice. Swanson, in an interview with People, said she had to go to the police station for an appointment for the arrest process. What? You can get arrest appointments? I’ve never heard of such a thing and I would consider myself an expert of the legal system having watched nearly every Law & Order episode. Oh wait, that’s right, this was in Canada. I think I already covered the whole “Canada is like a lawless Wild West” thing. That all make ...
NBC?s New Reality TV Show: Age of Love
Anyone planning to watch NBC’s new reality show starting tonight, Age of Love? The premise is a 30 year old male tennis star, Mark Philippoussis goes on a dating show and discovers he’s about to be caught in the middle of two groups of women. The first group he meets are the Cougars: women in their 40s; the second group are the Kittens: women in their 20s. He’ll spend the season getting to know them and presumably down select each week as the show moves along. Ultimately he’ll be poised to select one lady overall. Will it be a Cougar or a Kitten?? If you watch the trailer below you’ll notice that these older women really don’t look that old at all. Otherwise it wouldn’t be too tough of a choice, now would it? It kinda sounds like an interesting idea, but I’m also thinking that it’s sort of a reality TV mash-up (check out Steve’s Reality TV Mash-Up ideas) where they took Average Joe and worked it in with The Bache ...
Don?t Miss TV: June 18 - 22, 2007
It’s another week of television shows coming at you and we’re here to help. Here’s a break down by night of what you need to be sure to catch and what’s going on this week, June 18 - 22, 2007. Lots of reality TV again this week along with a few new series starting up. I’ve really been enjoying Pirate Master and Hell’s Kitchen. I’m also really getting pumped up for Big Brother 8 coming soon. Take a look and see what other shows you don’t want to miss this week. Monday: Creature Comforts: 8-8:30pm on CBS; Winter; The Zoo - Topics include winter and zoos. Very descriptive, I know. Hell’s Kitchen: 9-10pm on Fox; The 10 remaining contestants cook breakfast for visiting servicemen and women. Members of the winning team receive a day of R&R while the losers aren’t so lucky. Get ready for the losing team to really screw up this week. One of their dishes turns out to be potentially poisonous and Ramsay is anything ...
The Stork Delivers for Julia Roberts
Congratulations to parents Julia Roberts and her husband Danny Moder as Roberts has just delivered the couple’s new baby boy, Henry Daniel Moder. Robert’s rep, Marcy Engelman, said everyone is doing great. Henry was born this afternoon weighing in at 8.5 pounds. This is the third child for the couple who have twins Hazel and Phinnaeus. Hmm, I think Phinnaeus may grow up with issues over being the oddly named child of the bunch. Hazel isn’t really that much better for a girl these days, unless Roberts gave birth to an 85 year old grandmother. Wait, let me check. Nope, Hazel and Phinnaeus just turned 2 last winter. Ah well. ...
Hell?s Kitchen Recap and Review: Season 3 Episode 3 - 6/18/07
Tonight’s episode began with some introspection on the part of the blue team after their lose last week. Josh thought that Aaron needed to go home. Rock’s opinion was that Josh should stop trying to be the leader because they are all equals and Josh stinks as a leader. Challenge The teams were woken up early by a live rendition of Revelly. Aaron actually needed two of the other guys to help him get dressed and get down stairs in time. Hell’s Kitchen opened for breakfast for the first time ever to serve 50 soldiers and 50 sailors. Joanna thought the uniforms were sexy. While Julia had tears in their eyes. The 1st team to complete breakfast service would win the challenge. Julia was in her element and the acknowledged leader of the red team. Some of the red teams plates were sent back with cold hashbrowns because of Joanna. The blue team was completely disorganized. Aaron was in charge of the omlette station, where he began by starting a fire and burning omlet ...
Age of Love: Episode 1 ?Meet the Cougars? Recap - June 18, 2007
Tonight is the first episode of NBC’s new show Age of Love starring Mark Philippoussis as the show’s bachelor. Mark, a 30 year old tennis star, will have the challenge of selecting a woman from two groups of contenders. The first group, Cougars, is made up of women in their 40s (although there is one who just turned 39 this week, can you guess which one?) and the other group, Kittens, consisting of women all in their 20s. So the big question is, “does age matter when it comes to love?” Let’s find out how much it matters to Mark. The show opens with our Cougars making their way to their new home for the duration of the show. They are all very friendly and happy together as they go around the group declaring their ages to one another. Next the ladies meet Age of Love’s host, Mark Consuelos, who promises the show has found them their ideal man and introduces them to bachelor Mark through a welcome video. All of the Cougars are very wowed a ...
Big Brother 8: New Season, But More of the Same Characters?
Last summer we had an exciting season with Big Brother All-Stars. The audience was once again reunited with all our favorite (and not-so-favorite) houseguests making for a very entertaining summer of shows. This year we’re back to getting a whole new set of faces to keep us laughing and grumbling for the next few months. Having watched this series since the first episode way back in 2000 I’ve noticed what seems to be guided casting. The faces are new, but the characters remain the same. How many of these “Big Brother Characters” will be back this year? Is it time for a new set of characters? We’ll know the answer to that in just about two weeks. Until then let’s take a look at what I’m guessing we’ll see based on what we’ve had in the first six seasons. I’m skipping All-Stars since they were really the same houseguests all over. Season 1 was also a little difficult to incorporate since it was run so much differe ...
Surf?s Up: Movie Review
Surf’s Up is the tale of a young penguin, Cody Maverick from Shiverpoole Antarctica, who dreams of being a surfing superstar. He realizes his dream with the help of some friends: Chicken Joe, Lani, and the Geek. Along the way he also learns some important lessons about life as well as surfing. Surf’s Up was not hysterically funny but there are definitely some parts that will make you chuckle. The story was good but totally predictable. There are no surprises or plot twists in this film. My favorite part of this film is the basic philosophy of life it drills home. If you live in an area like we do where everything the kids do, from sports, to scholastics, to who lost the most teeth earliest, is ultra competitive, the lessons taught by this movie will strike home. Basically, it isn’t winning but enjoying the activities you choose which counts. The kids enjoyed it, but they’ll pretty much enjoy anything animated as long as they have popcorn and candy. T ...
New Releases on DVD: Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Here are your new releases on DVD for Tuesday, June 19, 2007: Bridge to Terabithia Starring: Josh Hutcherson, AnnaSophia Robb, Zooey Deschanel Director: Gabor Csupo Genre: Adventure, Drama, Family, Fantasy Rated: PG for thematic elements including bullying, some peril and mild language. Details: A little imagination can sometimes go a long way. The story of young and artistically talented Jesse Aarons, who is sharing concerns and money problems with his family. Life for young Jesse isn’t looking up, that is until the adventurous, imaginative, and non-conformist Leslie Burke arrives in town. Together they form a bond and Jesse’s life is never the same again. Adventures and amazement in other worlds center around these two kindred spirits, and for once, for Jesse, life isn’t so bad after all. If your mind is wide enough then let your imagination take you over the Bridge to Terabithia. Reno 911! Miami Starring: Robert Ben Garant, Thomas Lennon, Niecy Nash, Mary Birdso ...
Josh Duhamel Calls Girlfriend Fergie a ?Real Total Star?
Josh Duhamel, 35, of TV’s “Las Vegas” told Best Life mag that his girlfriend Fergie, 32, of the Black Eyed Peas is “a real total star… She’s just got a great soul.” He goes on to explain that Fergie has a lot to offer. “A girl like Fergie comes with stuff ? a lot of stuff,” Duhamel says. Sure, I mean that makes sense. When you’re too busy to not piss your own pants then you’re probably also too busy to wash them. She’s probably gotta keep 5 pairs of pants around everyday. Show business is tough stuff! Duhamel has his first big movie coming this summer with Michael Bay’s Transformers (check out our Transformers preview). Let’s see if that buys him a little more street cred than “Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!” Source: Y! News ...
Manhunt 2 Video Game Banned in the UK
Manhunt 2, put out by Rockstar Games, has been denied approval for sale in the UK, effectively banning it in the country. The ban was decided upon by the British Board of Film Classification based on the games’ “focus on stalking and brutal slaying.” This is the same game that prompted an effort to block a Nintendo Wii themed toy giveaway at Wendy’s restaurants just because Manhunt 2 will be available on the Wii. The plot of Manhunt 2, according to GameStop: “An experiment at a secret research facility has gone catastrophically wrong. Daniel is sent to the Dixmor Asylum, where six years later a freakish storm of lightning hits the power, leaving it dark and haunting. Daniel Lamb and Leo Kasper are the only surviving subjects. The Pickman Project will stop at nothing to hunt them down and stop the truth from getting out. Demented screams echo around the dank asylum that has caged you for the last six years. You open your eyes. A white-coated body slumps ...
Pirate Master: Ranking the Remaining Crew - Week 4
Last week we finally got a change of pace with JD getting knocked from his pirate throne by the new captain, Azmyth. Despite Jay’s efforts to get Cheryl to walk the plank it was Alexis who was set adrift. After watching tough guy Christian getting the pirate boot the week before I was wondering if the crew would start voting based on high sea value or not. I was happy to see Alexis head out on the raft because she really didn’t seem to be cutting it as a pirate anymore. Her “can’t do” attitude was wearing thin and despite her claim that it was other people’s problem if they didn’t like her it turned out to be her’s. It looks like the pirate crew may have decided to start voting by value, but will it continue? Let’s take a look at who is left of the crew and how they rank against one another in Pirate Master Worthiness as we enter Week 4: #13 - Joy: Why the crew voted off Christian instead of her is lost on me. After ...
Christina Aguilera Pregnant; K-Fed Didn?t Do It, Allegedly
Well it’s about time Christina Aguilera got on the baby-train. Page Six is reporting that a close “friend” of Aguilera is stating that the singer has begun whispering the news around to her friends. Based on the sharing of information the same informant believes that means she’s three months pregnant. That could be the case, but people really vary on that like K-Fed when he randomly guesses just so a few months later he can shout, “See, yo! I told ya so. Now where’s my money?” This would be the first child for Christina Aguilera and her husband, Jordan Bratman. Bratman must have the best personality, ever. Source: Page Six ...
Chinese Censors Kung Fu Kick Pirates of the Caribbean 3
Captain Jack Sparrow may have great luck getting out of bad situations, but this time getting in is the problem. China has declared parts of the blockbuster “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” to be guilty of “vilifying Chinese”. The offensive material comes at the hands of none other than Chow Yun-Fat and his character Captain Sao Feng. Chow’s on-screen time has been cut down to half its original amount, roughly 10 minutes. Popular Cinema cited the Chinese censorship issues: The captain played by Chow is bald, his face heavily scarred. He also has a long beard and long nails, whose image is still in line with Hollywood’s old tradition of demonizing the Chinese. The official Xinhua news agency added, “Chinese censors also cut Chow’s line in which he states ‘Welcome to Singapore’ because it hints Singapore is a land of pirates.” Oddly they didn’t seem to have such an issue with Sparrow̵ ...
Breach: Movie Review
Breach Starring: Chris Cooper, Ryan Phillippe, Laura Linney Director: Billy Ray Genre: Drama / Thriller Rated: Rated PG-13 for violence, sexual content and language. Details: Eric O’Neill (Ryan Phillippe) is promoted to a job inside FBI headquarters working for respected agent Robert Hanssen (Chris Cooper). Then O’Neill learns his true mission: finding proof that Hanssen has been selling U.S. secrets to the Soviet Union for years. My Review: I had initially passed over Breach because of a lack of motivation to see what I thought would a be very interesting but not very exciting movie. But when I saw this coming out on DVD and read that it was a great, underrated thriller I decided to give it a chance and I’m glad I did. This movie is closely based on the true story behind the greatest known security breach in the history of the United States. Robert Hanssen (Cooper) spent over twenty years building a career within the FBI, all the while tearing it apart fr ...
Big Brother 8: Which Game Play Style Can Win This Season?
It’s just a few more weeks until Big Brother 8 gets started all over for another great summer of house guest fun. Over the past seasons it’s been fun to watch which house guests’ strategies work and which don’t. Best of all, it changes each season, so no plan of attack is a sure thing. So what’s worked in the past and what hasn’t? Let’s take a look at Big Brother Game Play Styles. “The Under the Radar“ player will make sure he or she does not become a target for eviction by staying out of the way. UtR will intentionally fold a winning hand in the competitions, especially the HoH. UtR believes that the best way to make enemies is to make nominations. You can expect to find this player whispering decisions into the ear of his or her frontman/woman who actually does win the HoH. UtR is actually a pretty successful approach to the Big Brother game. Notable winners in past seasons who applied this method to some degree: Lisa f ...
Pirate Master Preview - (Episode 4) 6/21/07
Ahoy there! Gettin’ ready for the next installment of Pirate Master, eh matey? Well, this tonight’s episode should be interesting after the change in command last week. With Joe Don now part of the crew and Azmyth running the show we have already seen sweeping changes in how the ship is being run. But, I’m not sure that is to everyone’s liking. Jay was certainly not too keen on being forced to split his officer’s share of the booty with the rest of the crew. Azmyth was made captain because he has been a strong competitor in all of the treasure hunts and he is certainly less likely to have the authority of being captain go to his head than Joe Don but, I’m not certain that this will necessarily translate into good leadership for the crew. Azmyth’s approach to the treasure winnings may turn out to be really smart. When JD was the captain and took his lion’s share, leaving only scraps to be divided up, there was little motivation for hi ...
Entertainment News Minute Update - Video
Here’s a quick video run down of the entertainment industry news. Hasselbeck and Rosie still aren’t really talking, Britney Spears doesn’t appreciate massive billboards with her bald head, James Bond’s Daniel Craig will be back with a new director, and Keri Russell adds herself to the Hollywood Mom list. ...
Rosie O?Donnell May Come On Down to the Price is Right
Oh the horror, the horror. A few weeks ago I joked about Rosie O’Donnell taking over for Bob Barker. I never imagined that it could stand a serious chance of becoming a terrifying reality. Rosie, according to her website, has been calling the Price is Right producers every day nagging them to give her the show. Well on Friday she’s going in to talk with them about doing just that. I’m hoping this is just an elaborate trick to catch her so Barker can finally spay her and save the world. ...
Epic Movie: Movie Review
In addition to catching Surf’s Up this weekend in the theater, we also rented Epic movie. All I can say is thank God I didn’t pay $9 to see this travesty in the theater. As it is, I’d like to get my $4 back from Blockbuster. This movie was absolutely awful. It is supposed to be a parody of the action adventure films of 2006 the way the Scary Movie series parodies the horror films of the past year. The difference of course is that Scary Movie is funny while Epic Movie is not. I had been looking forward to seeing this movie. I really enjoy the Scary Movies and the scenes they show in the trailers look funny. Unfortunately, they are only funny when taken out of context. In the movie they are pretty pointless and unfunny. The story primarily follows the plot of Narnia, but includes elements from a number of other 2006 movies including: Willy Wonka, The Da Vinci Code, Pirates of the Caribbean, Nacho Libre, Borat, and Snakes on a Plane. I think one of the main pro ...
Pirate Master: Pirate Humor Warm-Up
Since I know all you swashbucklers are just sitting around getting psyched up for tonight’s episode I thought I’d share some pirate humor to help get you ready. Remember to get the full stretch of the exercise you’ll need to laugh like a pirate too. So instead of “ha ha ha” you need more of an “arr arr arr”. See? Good. Check out the rest of our Pirate Master coverage. ...
Coming Soon: I Am Legend - Trailer & Details
I love vampire movies. They’re almost always a lot of fun and full of good action and adventure. Will Smith has also proven himself to be a pretty darn good action movie star over the years, though he’ll always be the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air to me! So here Smith has found himself in a movie that kept trying to get off the ground. Ridley Scott was working on it back in the late 90’s with Arnold Schwarzenegger in mind. The Rob Bowman gave it a whirl with a low budget in mind a few years later. But it was Francis Lawrence (director of Constantine) that finally got it off the ground. Don’t be fooled though, this isn’t going to the be the first big screen adaptation of the novel. I’d be wrong if I told you it would even be the second. In fact, I Am Legend will be the third time around for this particular novel, but it is the first to use the actual novel title. In 1964 Vincent Price starred as Dr. Robert Morgan (instead of Neville) in a v ...
Pirate Master Recap - (Episode 4) 6/21/07
Here we go with week 4 on Pirate Master, CBS’ new Survivor meets Pirates of the Caribbean reality TV show. Last week we saw Alexis set adrift due to her lackluster attitude and willingness to pull her own weight aboard the ship and on the competitions. We also saw a new captain come into power, Azmyth, after the tyrannous Joe Don was dethroned. There are a few unresolved issues from last week that we’ll need to get worked out tonight, like Sean going back on his bribed vote and Jay turning his back on JD by trying to vote out his partner in crime, Cheryl. Let’s see who gets burned by the Pirate fire this week on Pirate Master! Well right off the bat we’re into the Sean and Jay argument. Sean apologizes profusely for going back on his word, but he doesn’t give back the $1000 of gold that Jay gave his as a bribe. I can’t believe Jay didn’t demand that back! All we get out of Jay is that Sean is dead to him now. I just can’t believe ...
Blockbuster Cuddles Up to Blu-Ray, Dumps HD-DVD
This week Blockbuster announced plans to begin only renting high-def DVDs in the Blu-ray format. This announcement could possibly apply additional pressure to the HD-DVD camp as it fights to win the on-going format war with Blu-ray. What I’m not sure of is just how much of a juggernaut Blockbuster Video really is anymore. They’re desperately trying to play catch-up to Netflix in the online market, which is not only hurting them there but also back in their brick and mortar locations as well. So should HD-DVD really be that concerned about this decision? Blockbuster is currently renting both versions of the high-def formats in only 250 locations. When they expand that to over 1400 locations next month the additional stores won’t receive any HD-DVD copies. Unfortunately I think this will mainly hurt the customers. Not all movies are available in both formats as some studios are chosen to become exclusive on one format or the other. Universal Studios’ ...
Weekend Movie Preview: Trailers & Details June 22 - 24, 2007
The summer of sequels is on a semi-break this weekend as we have 2 all new films and 1 which is kind of a sequel, but doesn’t carry over any characters other than the Big Guy himself. Coming off a very strong opening I’m expecting Fantastic Four to retain its number one position again this weekend. I’m definitely going to get out there and see Stephen King’s new film from this bunch as I always enjoy those, even the bad ones. Alright then, hope you have a great weekend. Thanks for stopping by Wild Bluff Media this week! Here are all your movie details & trailers for this weekend, June 22 - 24, 2007. 1408 Director: Mikael Håfström Starring: John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson, Mary McCormack Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy, Suspense/Horror, Thriller and Adaptation Rated: PG-13 for thematic material including disturbing sequences of violence and terror, frightening images and language. Duration: 1 hr. 34 min. Plot: Renowned horror novelist Mike Enslin be ...
The Golden Compass: Book Review
In preparation for the release of the film, The Golden Compass this fall, I just finished reading the book by Philip Pullman. If you read my preview of The Golden Compass you’ll know I had very high hopes for this series of books to replace the hole created in the hearts of many Harry Potter fans this summer once book 7 is released. The Golden Compass is the tale Twelve year old Lyra Belacqua. The story begins simply enough. Lyra is an orphan who lives at Oxford where, she and her best friend Roger get into all sorts of mischief until Roger goes missing. From this simple seed the story of the Golden Compass grows into a wonderfully dark and complex tale, rich in fantasy and adventure. The Oxford at which Lyra lives at is in a universe parallel to our own. On her quest to find and rescue Roger, Lyra learns dangerous secrets, encounters a host of colorful characters, and a wonderous object. There is the secret organization known as the Gobblers who are snatching children to be u ...
Indiana Jones 4: A First Look At Harrison Ford
Wow, it has been a full 18 years since Harrison Ford has grabbed his trusty whip and donned his hat, but here he is in a first look as he reprises the role of Indiana Jones. Straight from the film’s site IndianaJones.com: Harrison Ford dons the familiar costume on Thursday, June 21, 2007, as the upcoming Indiana Jones adventure begins production under the direction of Steven Spielberg. The new Indiana Jones movie is set in the 1950s and stars Shia LaBeouf, Cate Blanchett, John Hurt, Ray Winstone and Jim Broadbent. The Lucasfilm Ltd. production will be released by Paramount Pictures worldwide on May 22, 2008. Well there has certainly been plenty of interest around this movie’s casting process. First they pick up their Indiana babe, ugh, Cate Blanchett, then there was the whole Sean Connery “Is He or Isn’t He?” issue there, which I was totally wrong on. Connery isn’t going to be back. I guess they’ll just be dropping the father character al ...
1408: Movie Review
1408 Director: Mikael Håfström Starring: John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson, Mary McCormack Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy, Suspense/Horror, Thriller and Adaptation Rated: PG-13 for thematic material including disturbing sequences of violence and terror, frightening images and language. Duration: 1 hr. 34 min. Plot: Renowned horror novelist Mike Enslin believes only in what he can see with his own two eyes. But after a string of best-sellers discrediting paranormal events in the most infamous haunted houses and graveyards around the world, he has no real proof of life–afterlife. But Enslin’s phantom-free run of long and lonely nights is about to change forever when he checks into suite 1408 of the notorious Dolphin Hotel. My review: As a big Stephen King fan I wasted no time getting to the theater today to see 1408. The movie is based on the short story from King’s collection, Everything’s Eventual, which probably worked out very well for it. With a only a fou ...
Weekend Humor: Tilted Room - Video
An old gag, but still funny. The room is titled and the guy tries to make his way around. Doesn’t seem to work out too well. ...
Entertainment Week In Review: June 18 - 22, 2007
See what you missed over the past week, June 18 - 22, 2007, in entertainment news and reviews. Monday: Julia Roberts and her husband, Danny Moder, welcomed their third child. Both the mother and newborn are doing very well. Tuesday: Manhunt 2, the upcoming bloody video game, was banned from sale in the UK. Well now I’m interested. Wednesday: More baby news with Christina Aguilera allegedly being three months pregnant. This would be her first child. Thursday: Less than 2 weeks until Big Brother 8 starts so we’re taking a look at game styles used in the past seasons. Which approach works and which fail miserably? Friday: Blockbuster is looking to only move forward with Blu-ray, dropping HD-DVD to the curb. Will this influence the format war, or is Blockbuster just a relic in the rental industry? Can you say Netflix? Once again, a lot happened this week. Next week try to stay hip and popular by visiting Wild Bluff Media each day so you don’t miss anything el ...
Sunday Brunch: Weekend Site Round-Up
It’s Sunday again, so I’m going to leave it to others to provide the entertainment today. Here I’ve gathered up posts and sites from places I’ve visited during the week. Getting your name on the Top Commentator list here is a great way for us & others to find you. Daily Blessings: Here’s a video of Paul, the opera singer wanna-be from Britain’s Got Talent. Turned out he could really, really sing. Everyone else should go on home. Mans Maxx: Funny foreign commercial for… Well if I told you the product it’d give it away! MyRetirementProject: Is “The Secret” the next Scientology-ish scam? Corey takes a look at its pyramid scheme. Scam scam scam Go Visit Hawaii: If you’re lucky enough to be out in Hawaii you could go around on a tour that takes you to lots of places where movies and TV shows were filmed, including Lost! That’s pretty cool. Geeks of Doom: Here’s a very funny look at the worst mo ...
Weekend Movie Box Office Earnings Round-up: June 22 - 24, 2007
This wasn’t the week to include the word “mighty” in your movie title. The blockbuster hopeful Evan Almighty, which cost a reported $250 million (another places report $175M, big difference) to make, whimpered in at just $32.1 million. Compare that with the $57+ million Fantastic Four made the week before on its debut and you can consider Evan a dud. The reviews definitely weren’t heavenly on this one and so I’m not at all surprised to see it fall short of studio expectations and hopes. I was very pleased to see 1408 do so well as I didn’t expect it to overpower Evan, but taking second (just by a hair) isn’t too shabby. This Stephen King short story adaptation was pretty entertaining even though it might not have been the scariest movie I’ve seen. The third and final new release, A Mighty Heart, barely squeaked into the top 10 in the final spot with a meager $4 million. The reviews for this weren’t too uplifting, which ...
Monday Morning Helper: Tunnel - Flash Game
Here’s a flash game that’s a little throw back to the old NES style scrolling shooters. Enjoy Tunnel 2.0! ...
Pirate Master?s Hidden Treasure: The Island of Dominica
With the swashbuckling antics of the crew of cutthroats keeping everyone entertained very few viewers have focused on the lush island which is serving as the backdrop for the premiere season of Pirate Master. The island nation of Dominica is probably one few Caribbean islands without endless lines of resorts up and down its beaches. Much of the island is protected as national wilderness. Dominica natural beauty has earned it the nickname “Nature Isle of the Caribbean”. The island features lush mountainous rainforests with many beautiful waterfalls. Dominica is also the home of many exotic birds, plants, and animals. Mountainous, densely forested, and exotic birds. The island of Dominica is still volcanically active. The geothermal-volcanic activity provide visitors with numerous one of a kind attractions such as boiling hot springs, geysers, and black-sand beaches. The diving is said to be phenomenal. Divers can experience coral reefs and rare fish while diving in a ...
Hell?s Kitchen Preview: Season 3 Episode 4 - 6/25/07
Last week neither of the teams did well during the dinner service. It was the red team which had the major malfunctions though. Joanna was making up some tasty appetizers with rancid crab meat. (Mmmm, mmmm.) Chef Ramsey had a fit about this. Jen was also on the chopping block after taking some spaghetti out of the trash bin, washing it in the sink, and then recooking it to serve it again. Fortunately neither of these yummy treats made it out of the kitchen. Joanna also had trouble with the hash browns during the breakfast for the troops and the risotto at dinner so it was her that Chef Ramsey sent packing. We also lost Aaron last week after he was sent to the hospital after passing out in the kitchen. So this week we are down to 8 chefs. Tonight, The chefs compete in a blind taste test challenge, Chef Ramsey yells at people during the dinner service (Ooh, what a surprise. Bet you couldn’t see that one coming), and Bonnie reaches her breaking point. Check out the rest of our Hell ...
Cameron Diaz is Insensitive, Stupid
On a recent trip to the Inca city of Machu Picchu in Peru Cameron Diaz sported a satchel bag plastered with a political slogan of Mao Zedong, the former leader of the Chinese Communist Party. The slogan, “Serve the People” is especially offensive to the citizens of Peru as CBC detailed: The words have particular resonance in Peru, where the Maoist Shining Path movement terrorized citizens during the 1980s to early 1990s with a deadly campaign of bombings and massacres. Nearly 70,000 people died during that period. When Diaz was made aware of her blunder she quickly switched over to her “Heil Hitler” and “I Love Satan” tote bags instead. Then she issued the following statement to Associated Press: “I sincerely apologize to anyone I may have inadvertently offended. The bag was a purchase I made as a tourist in China and I did not realize the potentially hurtful nature of the slogan printed on it.” ...
Eddie Murphy & Melanie Brown Baby Daddy Saga Concludes
Eddie Murphy just can’t catch a break with this whole baby daddy thing with Melanie Brown. Let’s review. Eddie Murphy and Melanie Brown were dating back in the summer of 2006. A few months later they suddenly split and Murphy was spotted out with a new lady, leaving Brown single and pregnant. First Brown claimed he was the father, which he denied on camera while making a not-so-friendly comment about needing a blood test to prove that. So, once the baby was born Melanie added him as the father right on the birth certificate. Sounds like she felt pretty sure, right? A week later she named the newborn after Murphy as well: Angel Iris Murphy Brown. Two weeks later Melanie Brown decided to apply legal pressure and forced him through the courts to submit to DNA testing to prove whether or not Murphy was the actual father of little Angel. Phew. Got all that? Good. Well the results are finally in and guess what… Eddie Murphy is the father of 2 month old An ...
Age of Love: Episode 2 ?Meet the Kittens? Preview - June 25, 2007
Here we go with round 2 of NBC’s Age of Love starring Mark Philippoussis, 30, as the daring bachelor who must face off between two groups of women: the Kittens in their 20s and the Cougars in their 40s. Week by week he’ll send one of the ladies home until he’s made his final decision to select from one group. Last week we saw Mark come to the realization that he was on no ordinary dating show (The Bachelor has already been done!) as he was introduced to 40+ year old women, one after another. The episode from last week went pretty as Mark only had to deal with the 7 Cougars. Spending some time amongst them the first night he got a lot of backgrounds and stories out of the ladies and he actually seemed to enjoy it. I’ve still gotta think that as a 30 year old it’d feel like you were spending the evening with your parents’ friends when there are 46 and 48 year old women there. There was only one chance at a date before the first “send o ...
Don?t Miss TV: June 25 - 29, 2007
It’s another week of television shows coming at you and we’re here to help. Here’s a break down by night of what you need to be sure to catch and what’s going on this week, June 25 - 29, 2007. Lots of reality TV again this week along with a few series running through the summer. I’ve really been enjoying Pirate Master and Hell’s Kitchen. I’m also really getting pumped up for Big Brother 8 coming soon. Take a look and see what other shows you don’t want to miss this week. Monday: Age of Love: 8-9pm on NBC; Tennis player Mark Philippoussis is the prize in this dating competition featuring 13 women split into two groups: Kittens, who are in their 20s; and Cougars, women in their 40s. Tonight Mark just meets the Cougars but then gets surprised by the appearance of the Kittens. This is a rerun of last week’s episode for those who missed it. Age of Love: 9-10pm on NBC; Tennis player Mark Philippoussis is the prize in this da ...
Tom Sizemore Gets 16 Months in the Pokey
It looks like the California court system has finally got the guts to stand up to that bully “Fame and Fortune”. Actor Tom Sizemore, 45, has been sentenced to 16 months in state prison for violating his parole due to methamphetamines police found in his car. Gee, can’t this guy catch a break? Wait, what’s that? Oh nevermind. The Associated Press reports: Sizemore was convicted in 2003 of domestic violence involving his ex-girlfriend, former Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss. He remained free pending an appeal. In October 2004, he pleaded guilty to a felony count of possession of a controlled substance identified as methamphetamine and was placed on probation. The probation was revoked in 2005 when Sizemore was caught using a prosthetic device during a drug test. His probation was later reinstated, but he tested positive for drug use last year and was given another three years’ probation, authorities said. Nice, there’s a hit in there for each yea ...
Age of Love: Episode 2 ?Meet the Kittens? Recap - June 25, 2007
Tonight, in the second episode of Age of Love, NBC’s new Reality TV show, Mark Philippoussis, 30, will continue his quest for romance as he dates two different groups of women. The first group, Cougars, which we met last week are our “older women” with ages ranging from 39 to 48. The second group of women, Kittens, will be introduced to Mark and us and range from 21 to 27 years old. With Mark caught somewhere in between it’ll be an interesting season to see who he picks and if he can answer, “Does age matter?” Wasting no time the show leaps right into Mark getting to finally meet the Kittens down by the poolside. What a perfect chance for them to show off their bikinis! Keep in mind the Cougars have no idea of what Mark is up to right now or that there is even a second group of younger women. So let’s run down our list Kittens: Lauren 27, Adelaide (really?) 26, Amanda 25, Mary 24, Tessa 23, and Megan 21. Here’s the Kittens&# ...
Hell?s Kitchen Recap and Review: Season 3 Episode 4 - 6/25/07
center> Vinnie was hammering Jen over the debacle in the kitchen Last week when Jen pulled the spaghetti out of the trash. While Jen made a huge error in judgment, Vinnie of all the chef’s has no place to say anything as he is likely to be the next one going home. Challenge Tonight’s challenge was interesting. Each of the chefs was blind folded and had chef Ramsey place three seperate foods in their mouth one at a time. The team which identified the most food correctly wins the challenge. Chef Ramsey did this because he wanted the chefs to push their palettes to the extreme. When he said that, I thought it was going to be like watching an episode of Fear Factor instead of Hell’s Kitchen. Unfortunately, the most unusual things the chef’s had to eat were venison and bok choy. Most of the food was pretty mundane things like American cheese, boiled carrots, and pears. Never the less it was interesting to see how many items the chefs got wrong. Out of the 10 i ...
The Price is Wrong for Rosie O?Donnell
In what same may consider a blessing for televisions and viewers everywhere, it looks like Rosie O’Donnell will not be taking over at the Price Is Right following Bob Barker’s recent departure after 35 years. Last week Rosie reported that she was going to sit down and talk with the show’s producers on Friday. Unfortunately Fortunately, it looks like it won’t be working out like she had hoped. Rosie left a video message on her website detailing the results: “Here’s the thing. I don’t really need a job. I’m in a weird position. I don’t need the money. I know you’re not allowed to talk about money in America, but I’m just saying I don’t.” That’s nice Rosie. Once again it’s the “Heteros” and American society repressing your desired way of life. Actually, there’s no problem talking about money in America. I think the issue is that America doesn’t like you talking ...
New Releases on DVD: Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Here are your new releases on DVD for Tuesday, June 26, 2007: Shooter Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Kate Mara, Michael Pena, Rhona Mitra, Danny Glover Director: Antoine Fuqua Genre: Action/Adventure, Thriller and Adaptation Rated: R for strong graphic violence and some language. Details: Bob Lee Swagger (Mark Wahlberg), a former Marine Corps sniper who leaves the military after a mission goes bad. After he is reluctantly pressed back into service, Swagger is double-crossed again. With two bullets in him and the subject of a nationwide manhunt, Swagger begins his revenge, which will take down the most powerful people in the country. Check Prices for Shooter on Amazon Black Snake Moan Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Christina Ricci, Justin Timberlake, John Cothran Jr Director: Craig Brewer Genre: Drama Rated: R for strong sexual content, language, some violence and drug use. Details: There was a time when Lazarus played the blues; a time he got Bojo’s Juke Joint shakin’ back in the ...
Æon Flux: Movie Review
Æon Flux Starring: Charlize Theron, Marton Csokas, Sophie Okonedo, Frances McDormand Director: Karyn Kusama Genre: Action / Adventure / Sci-Fi / Thriller Duration: 1hr 33mins Rated: Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence and sexual content. Plot: Set against the 2011 virus that kills 99% of the world’s populace, and in the last city on Earth, Bregna, the survivors, some four hundred years later, in the year 2415, are continuing to live in the Goodchild dynasty, the name of the scientist who developed its cure. All is not well in this utopia and it is not what lies beyond its high walls that protects its citizens from the never ending jungle but what unspoken, unwritten taboo that holds and binds these unfortunates’ together. Æon Flux is the assassin that has been assigned by the underground rebels to change the course of Mankind, forever. My review: It’s been a long time since I watched Æon Flux on MTV, but I remembered it being interesting and unique, so I t ...
Flash is Back!
Later this summer we will see the return of one of the most popular science fiction characters of all time, Flash Gordon. Set to premiere August 10, 2007, Flash Gordon series will be the SCI FI Channel?s newest original action-adventure series. Here’s how the SCI FI Channel’s press release described the new series: “SCI FI?s contemporized version of Flash Gordon follows the all-new adventures of Flash (Johnson) and his companions, Dale Arden and Dr. Hans Zarkov. Ordinary people thrust into extraordinary circumstances, they find themselves as Earth?s last line of defense against the forces of the merciless dictator Ming… Flash’s father was lost years ago in a science-lab accident, and taken through a rift that deposited him on another world?Ming’s world. This chance chain could result in the destruction of Earth.” I’ll be interested to see how they interpret this version of Flash Gordon. SCI FI?s new version attempts to put a R ...
Germans to Tom Cruise and Film Crew: Nein!
The German government has denied permission to Tom Cruise and his current movie production team for access to military bases due to Cruise’s affiliation with The Scam “Church” of Scientology. Cruise was in Germany to film scenes for his upcoming WWII which deals with an attempt on Hitler’s life. Turns out the German government is a bit wiser and tougher than the U.S. government when it comes down to blocking these Scientologist clowns from operating as they’d please. According to the Associated Press, “Germany doesn’t recognize Scientology as a church. It says Scientology is a money making venture that masquerades as religion.” No kidding. Oh boy, this must really got Tom’s thetans all worked up! ...
Live Free or Die Hard: Opens in Theaters Today; Yippee Kay Yay!
Well hot damn. Live Free or Die Hard (preview) opens up in theaters today well ahead of the weekend. I’ll be on my way to seeing it this afternoon and you can expect a review of it later this evening. I’m pretty psyched about this one, so I’m really hoping to not come home disappointed. If you need a few more reasons to get pumped up about it as well you can check out the sneak peek clip below from the movie, then take a look at Bruce Willis and Justin Long’s interview. But wait, there’s more! You’ve even still got a few more days to sign up to win a trip from Arby’s to L.A. to meet with a stuntman. ...
Last Comic Standing: Plenty of Laughs; Worth a Watch
Season 5 of Last Comic Standing started two weeks ago on NBC (Wedesdays at 9PM) and I completely missed it that first week. Lucky for me they replayed the first episode along with the second one the next week. I had never gotten into this show before despite always enjoying watching stand-up routines on Comedy Central, so I was sure if I’d really enjoy this or not. I was actually pleasantly surprised by how entertaining it was. All three judges come from past seasons of the show as actual contestants. I had never seen that before in any of these competition reality shows, but I think it worked out very well as each of them have very realistic expectations and understandings of the situation. The comedians themselves were a mixed bag, of course. Thankfully they spent more time on the good ones, but were sure to pepper in there a few stinkers through the hour. The past could of episodes have focused on the recruitment process as the judges go from city to city looking ...
Live Free or Die Hard: Movie Review
Live Free or Die Hard Starring: Bruce Willis, Justin Long, Timothy Olyphant, Maggie Q Director: Len Wiseman Genre: Action / Adventure / Thriller Duration: 2hr 10mins Rated: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, language and a brief sexual situation. Plot: On the July 4th holiday, an attack on the vulnerable United States infrastructure begins to shut down the entire nation. The mysterious figure behind the scheme has figured out every modern angle — but he never figured on an old-school “analog” bug in the “digital” plan: John McClane. Yippee Ki Yay! My review: Needless to say I’ve been excited about this movie since I heard it was in development. I grew up on Die Hard movies and couldn’t wait to get another installment of these great action movies (well, calling the 2nd in the series “great” is a stretch, but you get it). Live Free or Die Hard, the fourth John McClane adventure action movie is no let down for the ...
Big Brother 8: Welcome To Your New Home, Houseguests
Awesomeness! We finally get to peek inside with lots of pictures of the newly restyled Big Brother house for BB season 8! The show will remain in the same studio as the past two years, but as always there was a complete makeover on the whole thing. Last year was a little club-ish feeling to me and I definitely don’t get that kinda vibe at all here. Instead the producers have gone with an Alice in Wonderland approach. Um, really? That’s what all your marketing and big executive board meetings came up with? Wonderland? Yikes. Let’s hope things get better from here on! So the layout is all going to be the same. There’s the entrance which is all fancied up this year. The meeting area has fancy, schmancy couches with lots of pillows and bizarro wall hangings. A very similar kitchen, minus the purple kettles everywhere. You’ll also notice the Memory Wall, which displays all the guests, has 14 spots, so that’s our number of houseguests for thi ...
Beyonce Is A Rip-Off Robot/Artist
Not much to say on this one as the videos speak for themselves quite well. Beyonce opened for the BET Awards and gee, her entrance sure does look familiar. Some might call it a complete rip off of Kylie Minogue’s 2002 Tour opener. As you can see in the video, Kylie rises onto the stage in a metal robot contraption that slowly breaks away to reveal her. Then there’s Beyonce’s BET Awards entrance which is totally different because she rises onto the stage in a metal robot contraption that slowly breaks away to reveal her. Oh, wait. Beyonce is probably home cursing that damn YouTube right now. First video is Kylie’s original and Beyonce’s knock off can be seen below it in the second video. Kudos to WWTDD for exposing this fraud. Jump to 4:57 remaining in the video below to see Kylie’s version. Jump to 7:15 in the video below to see Beyonce’s version. ...
Pirate Master Preview - (Episode 5) 6/28/07
Yo ho me hearty! Tonight’s voyage should be a good un’ with Capn’ Louie at the helm! Last week when Azmyth’s team lost I can’t say that I was sorry. I didn’t care for his egalitarian view of command and I hated his British accent. I’ll be interested to see how Louis does as captain. I think he was right last week. Louie is better at being a thorn in the captain’s side than he is a being captain. He is still harboring (Haha pirate pun!) a grudge against Joe Don and his allies. He managed to get rid of Cheryl last week although that was mostly her own doing. Getting angry at the folks about to judge you isn’t the smartest move ever. At least Louie can take comfort in knowing he made JD waste $7000 buying the royal pardon for nothing. Tonight, Louie’s officers, Vanessa and Sean, are arguing in front of the crew and ready to vote each other off. Joe Don will once again be a major player. With his bank roll from being capta ...
Big Brother 8: New Season, New Theme - Worst Enemies
The Big Brother pieces are really starting to come together, finally! Here’s what we know so far: Big Brother After Dark will be available on ShoToo for audiences to catch live feed material on their TVs, a cast list was leaked and later discredited, pictures of the Alice in Wonderland themed BB House were released, and now we are finding out that this year’s theme will be: Worst Enemies. This theme was rumored back when the alleged cast list was whirling around the mill, but it turns out this part was true. So, supposedly, BB8 producers are reaching back into the pages of history to pull out worst enemies from the contestants’ school years (again allegedly , high school). This reminds me of Season 4 when we had the Ex-Factor theme which was supposed to pit ex-lovers against one another. That one kinda fizzled other than Scott’s temper tantrum that left him expelled after throwing chairs around in the backyard. I think I could see how this could work ...
Indiana Jones 4: Location Shooting in Hawaii
Indiana Jones 4 is hot on its way to the theaters next May as filming for the next installment has just begun last week in New Mexico. There the town of Deming is being partially converted to appear as though it were Morocco in the 1950s. Soon the filming will jump over to the Hawaiian coast of Hamakua. I’m glad to see their going to keep Indy in globe trotting mode! Considering how good looking Hawaii is in Lost I imagine the filming crew will be able to take full advantage of the scenary for some pretty cool scenes. Hopefully it won’t just be scenes of Indiana Jones taking naps, reading books, and walking slowly down the beach as most 65 year olds would prefer that to dodging boulders and bullets. Last week we got our first look at Harrison Ford back in his Indy outfit. Thankfully he really doesn’t look that old in it, which has been my big concern for this movie. Speaking of too old, Sean Connery is still officially out of this sequel which was a decis ...
The Dark Knight: First Look at Batman & Gear
A month ago we were treated to a glimpse of Heath Ledger in his full makeup as The Joker. That didn’t last too long for me though and I’ve been quite ready for some more. Thankfully we’re getting just that now. Here is the first look we’ve been given of Christian Bale as he returns as Batman, The Dark Knight. His Batman outfit is newly redesigned though it looks to retain much of the original look. One of the big steps for this outfit is that it’s the very first Batman suit that has a separate head piece from the shoulders. That now makes more sense why Keaton would always spin around so much or give these strained angles to get a good view. I thought it was just him being dramatic, but it turns out none of the previous Batman actors could really turn their head! So they get all these great toys, but their peripheral vision sucks. Smart move Bruce Wayne. Well it wasn’t so much a design choice as it was just really, really hard for the ...
Pirate Master: Pirate Humor Warm-Up
Since I know all you swashbucklers are just sitting around getting psyched up for tonight’s episode I thought I’d share some pirate humor to help get you ready. Remember to get the full stretch of the exercise you’ll need to laugh like a pirate too. So instead of “ha ha ha” you need more of an “arr arr arr”. See? Good. A pirate walks into a bar with a steering wheel stuck down the front of his pants. The bartender looks at him and asks, “What’s a steering wheel doing in your pants?”. The pirate replies, “Arrrgh. It’s driving me nuts.” Check out the rest of our Pirate Master coverage. ...
Coming Soon: 30 Days of Night - Trailer & Details
Well there must be a vampire theme going on here at Wild Bluff Media because once again we’re taking a look ahead at another Vamp movie making it’s way down the pipe. While it doesn’t look as good to me as last week’s I Am Legend 30 Days of Night, starring Josh Hartnett and Melissa George, will probably still have plenty of cool action and excitement to offer. The story is going to follow a small group of people that stay behind in an Alaskan town once the Sun goes does for an entire month. Suddenly a whole lot of vampires show up ready dine buffet style as this is the perfect chance for them. The cool idea here is there isn’t the whole “we’ve just gotta make it till morning” option. Instead everyone is posed with “we’ve just gotta make it for 4 weeks!” Now that’s some tough stuff right there. Josh Hartnett doesn’t do a lot for me, but then again I’m not a 15 year old girl, nor does Melissa ...
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip: Series Finale Tonight
Sadly, tonight the finale episode of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip will be airing on NBC. I enjoyed this show from start to finish and was very disappointed to hear it was canceled over its low ratings (um, Friday Night Lights anyone?). Caz was kind enough to alert me to an article from the “Help Thank Studio 60 & Support Tipitina’s” group over on LiveJournal, which highlights the show’s success and charitable efforts along with the Tipitina Foundation. Here is the article reprinted in full: Fans say ?Goodbye? to Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip A full page ?Thank You? advertisement, paid for by fans of the show, will run in the Hollywood Reporter on June 28th, and will also encourage donations to Tipitina?s Foundation in New Orleans. Frustrated by NBC?s unwillingness to renew Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, five loyal viewers from around the world have looked for a way to express their thanks for the innovative work of its cast and crew. Supported by countl ...
Pirate Master Recap - (Episode 5) 6/28/07
Time to shove off for another adventure with the crew from Pirate Master. To start the show Nessa called Sean a two-faced liar (but come on isn’t that what being a pirate is all about! Arrgh!)for continually promising to vote one way and then voting another. Sean in turned called her a conniving little flirt. They both think the other is vulnerable to be voted off this week. The Zanzibar Chest This week’s treasure was from Capt. Steel’s pilot a degenerate gambler (I like him already). The maps were on playing cards. An ace of spades for the balck crew and an ace of hearts for the red crew. Black Crew: Louie, Sean, Nessa, Joe Don, Joy, Christa Red Crew: Azmyth, Jupiter, Kendra, Jay, Ben, Laurel The crews had to paddle to the anchor on beach, and then head into the Voodoo Forest. Once in the forest they had to find a face card to match the color and suit of the card their map was drawn on. The red crew was off to an early lead but, it was the black crew that hit t ...
Big Brother 8: Meet Your New Family; Cast Revealed
The Big Brother 8 doors have swung wide open to our curious eyes (see all the BB8 house pictures here) and soon the hamsters will go marching (by random grouping, of course!). Last week I wrote about the casting stereotypes we see each year, and now that we have our Big Brother 8 cast revealed, let’s see how I did. Amber, 27 Las Vegas Separated Cocktail Waitress Carol, 21 Lawrence, Kan. Single Student Daniele, 20 Huntington Beach, Calif. Single Waitress Dick, 44 Los Angeles Single Bar Manager Dustin, 22 Chicago Single Shoe Salesman Eric, 27 New York Single Talent Management Assistant Hmm. A separated cocktail waitress, huh? Could Amber be our “loudmouth”? Carol is quite young. Can we expect more Michelle famous sayings like, “I’m about to pull a 360 on them!”? Danielle could be our Janelle substitute for this season as our “The Hottie”. Oh who are we kidding?? It’ll never be the same without Janell ...
Nicole Kidman?s New Nintendo Commercial
The voiceover doesn’t sound terribly American to me so I don’t think this will be seen on TV in the U.S., but either way Nicole Kidman is popping up in a new Nintendo DS commercial for Brain Age. Looks like she’s having a little trouble with the voice recognition system. Not sure why they’d waste time flaunting its flaws when they’ve got Nicole Kidman at their disposal. Awhile back I tried those exercises everyday for a month, just sitting there shouting words at it with no results. Turns out I don’t have a Nintendo DS, just a scared dog. ...
Weekend Movie Preview: Trailers & Details June 29 - July 1, 2007
More movie sequel action this weekend with the release earlier this week of Live Free or Die Hard (read our review here). If action movies aren’t your thing then you still have several balanced options with a family friendly, animated movie as well as a more emotionally stirring drama (I didn’t say ‘chick flick’, did you?). This looks like it’ll be one heck of a big earning box office weekend! Here are all your movie details & trailers for this weekend, June 29 - July 1, 2007. Live Free or Die Hard Starring: Bruce Willis, Justin Long, Timothy Olyphant, Maggie Q Director: Len Wiseman Genre: Action / Adventure / Thriller Duration: 2hr 10mins Rated: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, language and a brief sexual situation. Plot: On the July 4th holiday, an attack on the vulnerable United States infrastructure begins to shut down the entire nation. The mysterious figure behind the scheme has figured out every modern angle — ...
Catch & Release: Movie Review
Catch & Release Starring: Jennifer Garner, Timothy Olyphant, Sam Jaeger, Kevin Smith, Juliette Lewis Director: Susannah Grant Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance Rated: PG-13 for sexual content, language and some drug use. Details: A woman struggles to accept the death of her fiancé and the secrets he kept from her as she rebuilds her life. Check Prices for Catch & Release on Amazon My review: I’ve usually enjoyed Jennifer Garner since seeing her in Alias (Thanks for screwing that one up for everyone, Ben Affleck.), but the whole plot of Catch & Release didn’t exactly “catch” me as much as it, um, dang I can’t really use “release” there, can I? So first you’ll notice the genre “Romantic Comedy” and then you’ll see the plot: Woman loses her fiancé just before the wedding and then struggles through the discovery of all his secrets, dirty and clean. Yeah, not exactly humorous topics to work from. But when I wa ...
Entertainment Week In Review: June 25 - 29, 2007
See what you missed over the past week, June 25 - 29, 2007, in entertainment news and reviews. Monday: Cameron Diaz displayed her insensitive side on a trip to Peru where she sported the slogan of a communist regime that killed and terrorized thousands in the region. Tuesday: Thank goodness! Rosie won’t be taking over for the Price is Right after all despite her strong initial interest. Wednesday: Tom Cruise was denied entrance to German military bases for filming due to his Scientology connections. The German government already folded in on this one though. Ah well. Thursday: We discovered just how much of a rip-off artist Beyonce is as she performed Kylie Minogue’s very same stage entrance at the BET Awards. Friday: Big Brother 8 revealed the cast list to its anxious fans (us!) and it looks to be another great season. Check out the rest of our Big Brother 8 coverage. Once again, a lot happened this week. Next week try to stay hip and popular by visiting Wild Bl ...
Weekend Humor: SNL?s MacGruber - Video
I didn’t really care for Will Forte for awhile on SNL, but I think he’s finally starting to grow on me. Here he is with a new recurring character, MacGruber. Only through the magic of Hollywood is he able to be a recurring character. ...
Weekend Movie Box Office Earnings Round-up: June 29 - July 1, 2007
It was another big blockbuster weekend for movie earnings as the audiences really turned out for these movie offerings. I wasn’t surprised at all to see how well Live Free or Die Hard (read our review) performed as it was an awesome action movie and totally lived up to the Die Hard franchise’s history (well, not counting #2, of course). While it took second place over the weekend it did make an additional $15 million in the first two days of its release (Wednesday and Thursday) which aren’t included in the numbers below, so it’s really at $48.1M already. Ratatouille surprised me with how well it did, earning the top spot with $47.2 million over the weekend. Not too bad, but not outlandish for a PIXAR film either. Evan Almighty slipped lower to #3 with a mere $15M in box office earnings. They’re still pretty far off from breaking even on that one (just need about another $200M!). I was glad to see 1408 (read our movie review) staying near the ...
Criss Angel?s Wife Mindfreaks Out Over Cameron Diaz
Poor Cameron Diaz. If it’s not insulting an entire South American region, it’s another thing. This week Cameron Diaz should be thoroughly embarrased to learn that her new boyfriend, illusionist Criss Angel of “Mindfreak”, is already married. Diaz and Angel have been dating since being introduced in Las Vegas a few months ago. However, Angel has actually been married for about the past five years according to a divorce lawsuit filed in New York by Joanne Sarantakos, his understandably upset wife, allegedly. Saranktakos is claiming Angel requested to keep their relationship a secret as to not ward off female fans. Looks like it worked too well as Diaz was apparently “enraptured” by Angel’s tricks when they first met. That reminds me of how I escaped from Cameron Diaz when she cornered me in a club. I told her I was going to perform a great magic trick and had her put her hands over her eyes. As soon as she did I ran away and she sp ...
Age of Love: Episode 3 ?Altogether Now? Preview
Tonight on Age of Love we’ll continue our journey with Mark Philippoussis, 30, as he tries to discover if age really matters when it comes to love. Last week we finally got to really meet the Kittens and realized how incredibly boring and catty they were. I’m hoping for their sakes’ that it was all just creative editing on the producers part, because if it wasn’t then, “yikes!” So far what we’ve learned from our insight into Mark’s mind is that he’s been very impressed with the Cougars’ personalities while the Kittens’ bodies are definitely giving him second thoughts on taking the “older road”. You could notice a visibly different reaction to each bikini-clad Kitten he met by the pool last week as compared to the first week when he was stunned by the age-enhanced (now that was the most PC thing I’ve ever said!) Cougars. Not that I could really blame Mark as several of the girls were initially ...
Hell?s Kitchen Preview: Season 3 Episode 5 - 7/2/07
Last week both teams did so bad Chef Ramsey decided that neither team won and asked the each team nominate one of their chefs. When Josh and Melissa turned out to be the nominees, Chef Ramsey over ruled the teams and selected Vinnie and Bonnie himself to go up on the chopping block. Vinnie had to hand in his chef’s jacket and leave the kitchen. The writing is on the wall for Bonnie though. Chef Ramsey obviously has her in his sights. She will have to be perfect tonight to save herself unless its already too late for her. She doesn’t seem to have too much confidence in herself though so I suspect we may be seeing the last of Bonnie tonight. Tonight the teams will be preparing dinner for a wedding reception. It should be a good one. Chef Ramsey throws one of the chefs out of the kitchen for nearly killing someone and later yells, ?I don?t think I have ever been so embarrassed in my entire life!? You gotta love him. Check out the rest of our Hell’s Kitchen coverage! Sir ...
Don?t Miss TV: July 2-6, 2007
It’s another week of television shows coming at you and we’re here to help. Here’s a break down by night of what you need to be sure to catch and what’s going on this week, June 25 - 29, 2007. Lots of reality TV again this week along with a few series running through the summer. This week the big reality TV bomb drops for me with the start of the eighth season of Big Brother. Oh yes, Big Brother 8 is on its merry little way into our homes for the next 2+ months 3 nights a week. Fantastic you say? Darn right it’s fantastic. You can check out all our preseason coverage of Big Brother 8 to get ready for this little gem. I’ve really been enjoying Age of Love, Pirate Master, and Hell’s Kitchen. Take a look and see what other shows you don’t want to miss this week. Monday: Age of Love: 8-9pm on NBC; Tennis player Mark Philippoussis is the prize in this dating competition featuring 13 women split into two groups: Kittens, who ar ...
Hell?s Kitchen Recap and Review: Season 3 Episode 5 - 7/2/07
Last week it was Vinnie’s last meal following his poor performance in Hell’s Kitchen. This week the Blue team is ready to step up their game considering they keep losing week after week. The Red team is having a few personal relationship issues of their own, but will it finally be enough to cause a loss? Challenge Tonight’s challenge is a special, first time event. The chefs will be cooking for a wedding reception. Yikes! A wedding reception at Hell’s Kitchen?! Each team has 30 minutes and $100 to get everything they need to make a great tasting menu that would be appropriate for a wedding event. With such a small budget the teams have to keep a close eye on their spending for this challenge. Both teams barely make it to the check out lane just in time, but it’s the Blue team that ends up $37 over budget while the Red team keep within their allotted amount. After a few removals, including the wine, the Blue team makes it down to $99 and c ...
Age of Love: Episode 3 ?Altogether Now? Recap - July 2, 2007
Tonight, in the third episode of Age of Love, NBC’s new Reality TV show, Mark Philippoussis, 30, will continue his quest for romance as he dates two different groups of women. The first group, Cougars, which are our “older women” with ages ranging from 39 to 48. The second group of women, Kittens, which we met last week are our younger women and range in age from 21 to 27 years old. With Mark caught somewhere in between it’ll be an interesting season to see who he picks and if he can answer, “Does age matter?” The show begins with the two groups facing off and complaining about the other. The Cougars feel he couldn’t be their guy if he’d be interested in someone so young. The Kittens just do more digging into the Cougars because they’re “old”. Well enough of that, let’s jump straight into the game. Mark has to select one lady from each group for a semi-individual date. Mark quickly selects and sends ...
Big Brother 8: Houseguests Secured; Anyone Gone Crazy Yet?
Today the houseguests leave sequester and formally enter the Big Brother 8 house (take the tour here). Unfortunately the live feeds (still time to get the discount) won’t kick in until Thursday along with the premiere show that evening. So what’s going on in the mean time? Let’s hope for a lot. With this year’s theme of worst enemies I imagined we’re going to see a lot more flare-ups between the houseguests (check out our BB8 houseguests preview here). I could always use another dose of Howie versus Busto, and with predisposed attitudes of anger we’re likely to get it. Jessica’s, the student from Kansas, father has been allegedly chiming in on fan sites and supporting this theory of “worst enemies” and has even gone so far to say there’s a decent chance that she’ll be so bothered by this enemy’s presence (Carol) that she could walk out. Now do I think that’ll happen? Nah. Every year we get ...
Transformers Opens Today in Theaters
Transformers Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Josh Duhamel, Bernie Mac, John Turturro, Tyrese Gibson Director: Michael Bay Genre: Action/Adventure, Science Fiction/Fantasy and Adaptation Duration: 2hr 20mins Rated: PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action violence, brief sexual humor and language. Plot: The Earth is caught in the middle of an intergalactic war between two races of robots, the heroic Autobots and the evil Decepticons, which are able to change into a variety of objects, including cars, trucks, planes and other technological creations. Okay, Transformers needs little introduction to most audiences and it actually surprises me that it’s taken this long to get a Transformers movie (live action I mean, because there already was “The Movie” cartoon version from 1986). This is going to be a big time action movie with tons of special effects and explosions every 5 seconds. If it drops to every 10 seconds I’m going to be disappointed. Actually, oddly, I&# ...
New Releases on DVD: Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Here are your new releases on DVD for Tuesday, July 3, 2007: Blood Diamond Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio. Jennifer Connelly, Djimon Hounsou Director: Edward Zwick Genre: Adventure / Drama / Thriller Rated: R for strong violence and language. Details: Set against the backdrop of civil war and chaos in 1990’s Sierra Leone, Blood Diamond is the story of Danny Archer - an ex mercenary from Zimbabwe - and Solomon Vandy - a Mende fisherman. Both men are African, but their histories as different as any can be, until their fates become joined in a common quest to recover a rare pink diamond that can transform their lives. While in prison for smuggling, Archer learns that Solomon - who was taken from his family and forced to work in the diamond fields - has found and hidden the extraordinary rough stone. With the help of Maddy Bowen, an American journalist whose idealism is tempered by a deepening connection with Archer, the two men embark on a trek through rebel territory, a journey that ...
Accepted: Movie Review
Accepted Starring: Justin Long, Jonah Hill, Blake Lively, Lewis Black Director: Steve Pink Genre: Comedy Duration: 1hr 32mins Rated: PG-13 for language, sexual material and drug content. Plot: High school senior Bartleby “B” Gaines is on his way to scoring eight out of eight rejection letters from colleges, which isn’t going to go over big with Mom and Dad. At least he’s not alone in the exclusion. Several of his crew of outcast friends are in the same, college-less boat. So how does a guy facing a bleak career please his parents and get noticed by dream girl Monica? Simple. Open his own college! My review: College humor movies are always good for a fun time, so I figured I’d give Accepted a try. The story isn’t anything completely novel and mind blowing. You’ve got a college aged guy, semi-slacker, with big hopes of winning the girl and having a good time while he’s doing it. The plot is completely absurd and takes huge leaps over i ...
Big Brother 8: Let?s Get This Party Started; Episode 1 Preview
Finally. We’ve made it to premiere day of Big Brother 8 and I’m very excited. We’ve met our new cast of house guests, we’ve learned about the new theme, and we’ve even gotten a tour of the bizarre new house design. On Tuesday the 14 (or 15 if you count the strange, brief appearance of Samantha) left sequester and entered their new home. Since then their every move and conversation has been captured and preserved for its reveal tonight on the first episode of Big Brother 8. That means tonight we’ll watch the house guests scramble to find beds and alliances as they first enter the house. From there the horror should start to sink in as they realize they’ve been set up and are facing their “worst enemy!” I’m sure the producers are hoping for huge sparks, but if it’s like season 4’s “ex factor” the enemies angle could come in a little flat. Hopefully they’ll have done a better job in sele ...
Pirate Master Preview - (Episode 6) 7/5/07
Ahoy there mates! It almost be time for this weeks Pirate master. (oops, almost forgot the Arrgh!). Last week command was returned to Captain Azmyth who thankfully decided that he didn’t need the British accent this time. Louie returned to the crew where everyone agrees he belongs. Despite a conspiracy to make Nessa walk the plank, it was Sean who was cast adrift. Apparently enough of the crew had decided not to trust him after he went back on his word regarding his votes in previous episodes. On tonight’s voyage, Cap’n Azmyth and his buddies (officers Ben and Jay) form an alliance that is likely to be both very powerful and make them a target for the other crew members. The rest of the pirates are already plotting their downfall. We’ll see if tonight will be the first mutiny of the season. I doubt it but you never know. Joe Don gave Nessa $2500 to help her buy the Royal Pardon last week (which he of course got back). It seems these two frisky pirates h ...
Coming Soon: Hitman - Trailer & Details
Everything is getting made into a movie these days, so it comes as no surprise that the slick looking video game series, Hitman, is being transferred up to the big screen. The title doesn’t leave little to the imagination as what you see is what you get. The trailer looks very cool and this will no doubt be a high quality conversion with plenty of action. I’m somewhat torn on the starring role of Agent 47 going to Timothy Olyphant. He was quite the dud in Live Free or Die Hard (read our review) as far a a bad guy, but the problem with him there could actually work to his advantage here. Olyphant comes across as emotionally dead to me with little screen presence, but I imagine that may actually fit into this character perfectly as he’s supposed to be a calm, cool, and emotionless killing machine. While I’ve been aware of the video game series I’ve never actually played them (I’m terrible at stealth games), so I could be a little off in my ...
Big Brother 8: Season Premiere - Episode 1 Recap
Foreword: Big Brother Season 8 is now in full swing. The recap of tonight’s episode is below, but to avoid missing any current details you’ll want to check out the online, uncensored live feeds (14 day free trial) and see what is going on right now. Welcome to Big Brother 8 season premiere. Tonight the game begins like every season and we’re introduced one by one to all 14 of the new house guests. Unfortunately we aren’t spared the painfully cheesy lines like from the painter, “I’m going to paint out the competition”, and from the shoe salesman, “I’m going to walk all over the competition.” Once we get through the introductions the first 11 contestants are brought out in front of the Big Brother house and are sent in to find their beds amongst the Alice in Wonderland decor. Yes, that’s right, just 11 of the 14 house guests. The guests are broken into three groups, just like last year, no surprise as this is a ...
Pirate Master Recap - (Episode 6) 7/5/07
Back to the high seas tonight on Pirate Master! So far we’ve seen 5 pirates set adrift, but who will be sent away tonight? The scheming starts right away with Joy talking about her suspicions on what goes on behind the closed doors of the captain’s cabins. She’s right to be concerned as Azmyth, Jay, and Ben have formed a very strong alliance which is called the Triad. To offset this macho mood we start to get talk of our first female captain. I think they’re right considering we’re a third of the way through the season and it’s been all male captains so far. Maybe tonight it’ll shift to the fairer sex. Let’s see what happens. The Zanzibar Chest The next compartment open and reveals a treasure hidden by the captain’s main crew leader. The man who knew the boat better than anyone. The man, apparently without a name as I swear it was edited out as the audio dropped right as host Cameron Daddo was saying it. Please update me ...
Big Brother 8: First Impressions of the New Season - Part 1
Foreword: Big Brother Season 8 is now in full swing and to avoid missing any current details you’ll want to check out the online, uncensored live feeds (14 day free trial) and see what is going on right now. Last night BB8 started out with a bang, well nearly. We watched as 14 house guests went through the usual, awkward first few hours in the house as they sized one another up for potential alliances and showmances. The alliances are of course the most important for them, but the showmances will keep us entertained. This early on in the game it’s still difficult to really gauge our new house guests, but what the heck, I always like a challenge. Here is part 1 of my first impressions of the new season of Big Brother: Amber: Her initial sidebar where she discussed the “sparks” between her and Nick was pretty funny as I don’t think Nick noticed this fire taking place. He was a little more distracted by the nanny. This makes me think she’s going ...
Get Your Simpsons? Krusty-O?s at Kwik-E-Mart, No Kidding
With the upcoming release of The Simpsons Movie there will undoubtedly be no marketing stone left unturned. As such it’s no surprise that 7-11 convenience stores around the country are being temporarily converted over to real life Kwik-E-Marts where you can buy all your Simpsons favorites including Krusty-O’s and Buzz Cola. Sadly though, there’s no Duff Beer to be found. Probably some sort of “marketing to children” nonsense getting in the way of that one. The Simpsons Movie will hit theaters on July 27, 2007 with a PG-13 rating. Thank you. Come again! ...
KIP MORRISON PR FIRM INTRODUCES HISTORY ON PR PULSE AND LIFESTYLE SO JOIN US AND READ ON... OTHER THINGS RELATED TO PUBLIC RELATIONS AND LIFESTYLE TRENDSETTING!
Lucky Magazine January 2006
Lucky Breaks
The Fashion Pulse features an incredible array of some of our favorite designers: Adam + Eve, C&C California, Wyeth by Todd Magill. Brand-new to the site are offerings from Costume National (like these gorgeous stacked-heel boots) and Ginette Jewelry, as well as a full roster of stationery and travel accessories.
Lucky Magazine December 2006
Miami & Florida
This Miami-based site has erned a following for its hip mix of labels like Karen Zambos and Costume National. Register at Lucky for the discount code, and save 20 percent sitewide.
COSTUME NATIONAL MEDIUM SIGNATURE "BUTTERFLY" BAG
The Fashion Pulse
Muted slate leather is cool and understated on this curvy handbag.
How to Get it: Go to thefashionpulse.com and enter "luckymag" at checkout.
The Fashion Pulse
It's worth checking the sale section of this site, which is stocking more and more of what we love. The ruffle front dress by Rachel Pally in the prettiest blue is only $51!
Ocean Drive Magazine May 2006
GRETCHEN MOL - QUEEN OF PINUPS
Jewelry
Mia & Kompany
Earrings, necklace with diamonds, and butterfly ring, all by Mia & Kompany, available at fashionpulse.com.
Earrings, necklace with diamonds, and butterfly ring, all by Mia & Kompany, available at Fashion Pulse, Miami
Gold charm necklace by Mia & Kompany available at fashionpulse.com.
STARS IN STRIPES
Tops
Petro Zillia
ON THE PULSE
With no retail or Internet experience, two young Miami natives aim to take online shopping to a new level.
Fashion Forward: The Fashion Pulse founders Jennifer Terzian and Kristie Quiñones.
While a boutique can only sell one or two designer dresses, Web site TheFashionPulse.com can easily sell 100. Site founders Jennifer Terzian and Kristie Quiñones do not hesitate to leverage the negotiating power that gives them.
Terzian and Quiñones, both 28 years old, expect an international customer base and dedication to small, hard-to-find designers will help the company reach cumulative revenues of more than $1 million in the coming months. Their business was born from their own bad shopping experiences.
"We couldn't find the clothes we wanted in the stores in Miami or even online,” Terzian says. The pair figured they had spotted an unfilled niche: a showcase for emerging designers, targeted at consumers 19- to 35-years old.
The site"s total unique visitors went from 1,300 in March 2005 to more than 7,000 in February 2006. Daily average page hits have risen from 17,369 at launch in February 2005 to more than 276,000 a year later. From December to February alone, average daily hits jumped 140 percent, which generally means users are looking longer and more in depth at the site.
All of this interest, coupled with mentions in shopping magazines such as Lucky and InStyle, has prompted an influx of interest from designers who want The Fashion Pulse to sell their wares, the partners say.
After buying the domain name, they met with vendors in New York and Los Angeles and convinced the designers to sell to them.
“I think we just started with the designers,” Terzian says. “It wasn’t really so much the Web site, it wasn’t really a business plan. It was finding them, to find our niche.”
Their core vendors consist of names that are just beginning to appear in high-end fashion publications or are seen on notoriously fashion-oriented celebrities and stylists. They have little or no presence in mainstream retail.
By working with international designers, featuring brands made in the US that are difficult to find abroad and keeping shipping rates low, The Fashion Pulse has slowly built an international following. The pair says about 10 percent of the site’s current customers are international, with the United Kingdom, Japan and Australia leading the way.
In the US, the $9.1 billion online apparel market accounted for only 4 percent of total apparel sales in 2005, says Patti Freeman Evans, an analyst with Connecticut-based Jupitermedia Corp.’s research division. That low penetration is a plus for a company like The Fashion Pulse.
“There’s a lot of room for growth,” Freeman Evans says. Jupiter projects that by 2010, apparel and accessories will be the largest online retail category, reaching $15.2 billion in sales — still only 5.2 percent of all apparel and accessories market.
It is an attractive market. There are “more and more [sites] every day competing for the same customer base,” Freeman Evans says. “It is a very, very competitive industry and to have unique product and differentiate yourself from a merchandise standpoint is a very important thing.”
Terzian and Quiñones are trying to do just that. They say other online clothing and accessories retailers are largely mainstream boutiques like shopbop.com and Internet discount stores like bluefly.com. They contend that both cater to a more mass-market audience than The Fashion Pulse, carrying brands found in most large department stores.
Terzian and Quiñones, however, realize that focusing on emerging designers will not be enough to keep often-fickle fashion customers. They have also built an offering of merchandise available nowhere else on the Web: Eighty percent of the lines they carry are exclusive online to their site.
The high volume they sell has helped them develop relationships with designers that boutiques cannot. When a trendsetting celebrity wore a slip dress cut in a bright cherry red, Fashion Pulse customers began frantically trying to track it down. The only problem? The company was no longer making the dress in that color.
Terzian and Quiñones convinced the designer to cut the dress in cherry red exclusively for their site. They are now on their third shipment and say the dress sells out on pre-order.
Sydney Holland, president of Los Angeles-based Sydney Holland PR & Consulting, handles sales for two of the jewelry lines carried on the site. She credits Terzian and Quiñones’ creative eye and easily navigable Web site for their success. Holland says the pair has also made many smart choices in the publicity arena.
“They really market themselves well,” she says. “They do a lot of PR in [Los Angeles] with the celebrity angle and that’s so important.”
Expert marketing is especially crucial because The Fashion Pulse does no paid advertising. The pair often provides merchandise for magazine photo shoots (for which they are credited), driving those readers to the site and providing instant publicity. The company also participates in “goody bag” giveaways at high-profile events like the Emmy Awards and Sundance Film Festival, and supplies clothing and accessories to stylists for hit shows like Fox’s “The OC.”
The best advertisement, Terzian says, is seeing a celebrity in one of The Fashion Pulse’s pieces. Once a celebrity wears something featured on the site, it is sometimes “a matter of hours” before it sells out, she adds.
Still, as the business grows, Freeman Evans says a major challenge for any small online business is controlling cost. The pair, for now, employ only a small group of workers who arrive in the afternoons to help box and ship the merchandise.
Freeman Evans also stresses that any small Web business must be clear about an approach to maintaining its existing base. “You have to have a very strong strategy for creating loyal customers,” she says.
They say that in order to retain their core customer they need to stick with their formula, allowing their loyalties to remain with under-the-radar designers. They have dropped labels that became too mass-market, a negative for shoppers interested in being first to discover brands.
That well-edited vendor list is why they oftentimes field queries from designers who have yet to start selling on the Web. Adds Quiñones, “A lot of designers fear online. [Designers] don’t want the market flooded” with fashion that is supposed to have an air of exclusivity.
Though they remain dedicated to online shopping, both say a freestanding boutique could be in their future — they currently sell by appointment only out of their stockroom-cum-corporate office-cum-showroom on Brickell Key.
“We grow on a daily basis,” says Quiñones. Laughs Terzian, “Every buying season we’ve bought more.”
TODAY'S OBSESSION
Check Your Pulse
Chic fashion online gets our hearts beating faster
NEW YORK WHAT: The Fashion Pulse
WHY: No matter how long your lunch break, you can never cram in as much shopping as you’d like. So instead of offering your midday meal to the fashion gods, get takeout and log onto Fashion Pulse. This online boutique offers carefully selected numbers from labels like Y & Kei, adam + eve, Sass & Bide, Twinkle by Wenlan, and Wyeth and Siwy denim. There’s loads of chic accessories too, including the wildly popular Moroccan embroidered hoops by Teika, guitar straps by Kiss My Axe, and future arrivals like one-of-a-kind jewelry by Thea Grant, and Costume National bags. It’s enough to get your pulse racing!
Daily Candy
DAILY CANDY DEALS
Every Beat of My Heart
You lock eyes. Heat runs through your rippling body, and you flush: You’re
lovesick. Find your Fashion Pulse and take 25% off brands you fall head over
heels for.
And now you’re running just as fast as you can to Fashion Pulse, where brands
you love — from Clu to Jill Stuart, Sass & Bide to Twinkle — are all 25% off.
Shhhh. The beating of your heart is the only sound.
The List - Prettier Pantsuits.
Gerard Yosca Silver Bauble Link Charm Bracelet.
Oprah Magazine November 2005
Lush Life - Tsar Quality
Lucky Breaks
This site features the same fantastic array of designers as the hip Miami boutique. Find roomy sweaters from Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincent, romantic Development tops, and a funky new jewelry collection from newcomer Madley.
Celebrity Living Weekly
Celeb Gift Basket!
One lucky Celebrity Living reader will win a gift basket (pictured) similar to those received by all of the 2005 Emmy Award nominees. The basket includes OxeSlim products, a Lavish Lashes gift set, London Sole ballet flats, Lukie Leather cuffs, Other Announcements card set, Perlier bath/body products, a Playtex cami, Ralph Lauren eyewear, The Saks hobo bag, Jonathan products and a fashionpulse.com Stacey G necklace.
THE US-BUZZZZ-O-METER
Make it short and sweet! Trendsetters like Jessica Simpson and Nicole Richie slip on this super-soft frock, which comes in seven cool colors.
THE BUZZ
Miami's Fashion Notables
Web Watcher
Alexis Zipp
InStyle Magazine September 2005
This cutting-edge clothing and accessories shop carries unique lariats, shell earrings, bracelets with vintage charms, and more, many at about $100, by up-and-coming designers.
Miami Herald
Profiles In Style
OLD BUDDIES REV UP PULSE OF FASHION - ON INTERNET
It all began with a few dollars and a dream.
The dream: not to have to shop in a store.
''I've always been a huge online shopper,'' says Jennifer Terzian, cofounder of www.thefashionpulse.com, an upscale retail website. She launched the cyberspace venture with longtime friend Kristie Quiñones in February. The two stylistas met in eighth grade at Ransom Everglades School in Miami and never fell out of touch, even when the now 27-year-olds started post-college careers -- Terzian in law; Quiñones in real estate.
And they never stopped shopping.
While their goal is to spread the word about emerging designers, Terzian and Quiñones also carry lines that have gotten their share of ink. Rebel Yell distressed, vintage-style T-shirts ($85), for example, are getting snapped up by eagle eyed clickers who spotted Jessica Simpson in one that read ''More, More, More'' a few weeks back in the tabs.
''Once a celebrity is photographed in something, that's it. It takes off.'' Like the Michelle Mason halter dress worn recently by Nicole Richie ($245). ``We sold over 100 in two weeks.''
Another name they carry may be quasi-familiar to watchers of Desperate Housewives. Marla Sokoloff, who guest-starred as a nanny, also plays in a rock band (Smittin) and designs Kiss My Axe guitar straps embellished with flower patches, skulls and crystals ($125).
For those not inclined to let their mouse to do the buying, Terzian and Quiñones run a freestanding boutique cum showroom on Brickell Key. Don't be put off by the placard outside the office that reads ''Deborah A. Terzian, Attorney At Law.'' Terzian's lawyer mom gave them the space, which doubles as their office. It's a friendly spot; the browsing made so much more buyer-friendly with luscious-smelling candles by Flicker, Kai and Swoon (for sale) and cookies (free). The mascot of the spot is Murphy, Terzian's Westie, who jumps up on visitors and barks (sadly) when they leave.
So long, New York. Au revoir, Paris. Local labelholics no longer have to jet across the globe in search of the latest designer "it" items. Launching this month, The Fashion Pulse is a one-stop online shop filled with hard-to-find fashion essentials from such designers as Editte Keshishyan, Petro Zillia, and Sass & Bide. "If it's available in a mall," says cofounder Jennifer Terzian, "we won't even look at it." Most recently, Terzian and partner Kristie Quinones signed on as sole retailer for L.A.-based designer Lloyd Klein's made-to-order outure pieces. But how to get a custom fitting online? Simply send in your measurements - no fudging allowed - and within eight weeks you'll have a Lloyd Klein original of your very own.
The Fashion Pulse is a brand new high-end fashion site that launched just one month ago. It features all our favorites including Desanka, Rachel Pally, Sass & Bide and Kimberly Faith jewelry. There are even impressive pics of runway shots from some of the designer's fashion shows.
The future will bring even more distortion of cultural feedbacks. In the United States, public relations employees now outnumber real news reporters by an ever-widening margin. Corporate PR firms work hard to sway reporters, and often do. Those firms can also now make news while skipping reporters altogether, with a new tool called a video news release. The VNRs are mock news clips, PR dressed up to look like actual reportage. They’re distributed free to local television stations, which are typically hungry for footage and short of the cash needed to produce it. So VNRs get downlinked from a satellite and plugged into the six o’clock news. People watching that “news” at home have no idea where it came from. (The current White House administration was reprimanded for preparing and releasing these, with help from the giant PR firm Ketchum, as a way of propagating favorable media reports on its policies. It also accredited a fake reporter for White House news conferences, who then asked softball questions. Meanwhile, cabinet-level agencies secretly paid established journalists to promote their agendas.) Some TV and radio stations now carry whole programs that resemble news shows but promote hidden agendas without informing their audiences of that.
Corporations also use their financial power to distort the science that so often serves as basis for the news. Science done in-house by corporations, or paid for by them, is often viewed with skepticism, and for good reason. Studies funded by cigarette makers, by petroleum companies, by the chemical industry, by drugmakers, by firms designing genetically modified crops often seem to prove their products do no harm—even when there’s overwhelming outside evidence to the contrary. Countering that, the research gold standard has long been academic science. By the disinterested pursuit of knowledge, universities stood apart.
That began to change in 1980, when the U.S. Supreme Court sanctioned the patenting of living things. The change accelerated as universities were faced with shrinking funds from government, and so turned to the money flooding into research for biotech, nanotech, cybertech, and other growing fields. American universities garnered ninety-five patents back in 1965. In 2000 they received thirty-two hundred. This trend is a growing concern, as documented in a recent book by Harvard University’s former president Derek Bok: Universities in the Marketplace: The Commercialization of Higher Education. In 2000, Bok notes, U.S. universities also received more than $1 billion from those patents.
Another critic is Tufts University professor Sheldon Krimsky. He points out, “Today, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies regularly give universities multimillion-dollar grants…At the same time, universities and their professors are plunging into the business world themselves, creating companies to sell products discovered in academic laboratories.” Krimsky is concerned about what he calls “the funding effect in science”—the well-known phenomenon by which research outcomes tend “to favor the financial interests of their sponsors.” In his book Science in the Private Interest, he argues that the funding effect has now arrived at universities, and as a result they are no longer disinterested sources of reliable information.
But what if results are monitored by federal advisory boards? Says Krimsky, “There are two rules that guide federal advisory committees. Rule No. 1 is that no scientist with a substantial conflict of interest should be permitted to serve on an advisory committee. Rule No. 2 is that Rule No. 1 can be waived. And the number of waivers is extraordinary.”
A recent study at the Yale University School of Medicine confirmed the funding effect on drug studies. It looked at eleven hundred English-language research papers published since 1980. In studies where no pharmaceutical industry funding was involved, 53 percent had positive results. Where there was industry funding, positive evaluations increased to 80 percent. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that one in three researchers, and now two out of three universities, also have equity stakes in the research being done. Moreover, few of the journals publishing drug research require disclosure of those ties.
