Internet companies are like musicians. First, they become famous by forming a personal relationship with their fans built on the perception of mutual trust and loyalty; then, they become rich by betraying that loyalty. Or at least that’s the sense one gets reading the knee-jerk reactions to Twitter’s announcement that they are giving themselves the ability to “reactively withhold content from users in a specific country.” By way of explanation, the blog post notes: “As we continue to grow internationally, we will enter countries that have different ideas about the contours of freedom of expression.” As an example, they bring up France and Germany, which have severe bans on pro-Nazi content. Presumably, they’re also referring to certain slightly-more-controversial countries with bans on slightly-more-topical forms of speech. READ FULL STORY »
Joseph Gordon-Levitt covers 'Hey, Jude' and I don't feel bad about loving it
I’ll risk being pelted by knit hat and go on record as saying that this cover of “Hey Jude” isn’t Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s best singing effort ever. (Of course, is there any topping the duet he did with the unnecessary-crown-wearing Zooey Deschanel?) But it isn’t the vocals that make this rendition (performed at Sundance) noteworthy as much as his stage-presence. READ FULL STORY »
Rumor patrol: Oprah as Blue Ivy Carter's godmother? BFF Gayle says no
Blue Ivy Carter’s birth was feted like the second coming: She had a hit single within days of her birth and became a charter member of Oprah Winfrey’s Book Club for Infants… and then the inevitable backlash began. That’s a whole lot to take in for a not-quite-three-week-old. But this train is bound for glory and shows no signs of stopping. So buck up, Blue, you’ve got a new godmother! And she’s kind of a big deal.
According to reports that surfaced yesterday, Blue Ivy’s famous parents Beyoncé and Jay-Z had tapped Oprah Winfrey to serve as godmother to the tot. Hours after the buzz reached a fever pitch, though, Winfrey’s platonic life-partner Gayle King denied the rumors while co-anchoring CBS This Morning. Said King, “It’s absolutely not true that she’s the godmother. She’s friends with them, of course, and likes them both very much.” According to King, Winfrey was traveling to South Africa around the time baby Carter was born, so if she is the second-in-line for custody, spiritually speaking. “It is news to her.” See King’s full denial below. READ FULL STORY »
Four ways to improve the Oscar acceptance speeches
Image Credit: Timothy A Clary/AFP/Getty Images
When it comes to the Academy Awards, everybody is always complaining about something. “The show was too long.” “The host wasn’t funny.” “The half-hour they spent on the short-film Oscars was so boring.” None of that really bothers me. I usually watch with a big group of people and/or a few bottles of champagne, so why would I want the show to be shorter? The hosts only really matter during the opening monologue, and the only great opening monologue in recent Oscar history was Chris Rock’s scorched-earth act. And short films are awesome! But there is one big gripe I have with the Oscars, and with all the various award shows that cling to the Oscars like oxpeckers in the ear of a noble rhinoceros: The big acceptance speeches are incredibly boring. READ FULL STORY »
Paul Rudd answers girly questions. Adorable factor rises exponentially. -- VIDEO
Why do men love breasts? It’s the question that has stumped the human race for years; even Julia Roberts couldn’t figure it out. And in this new video from Rookiemag, Paul Rudd is the next to take a stab at the brain-busting question. “I’m sure there’s some kind of biological explanation such as sustenance,” he postulates. “And when we were babies, breast milk is what kept us alive.” But that’s not all — in the segment (called ”Ask a Grown Man”) Rudd also dives deep into the depths of his psyche to tackle whether guys and girls can really just be friends and if matching underwear is a necessity. Watch the video after the jump. READ FULL STORY »
Emma Stone's eyes have really done it this time
Every time I see Emma Stone’s new Revlon commercial, I think to myself, this is it, this HAS to be the time she’ll crack herself up and let us know how ridiculous she KNOWS it is that she’s showing us how to apply Photoready Airbrush Mousse Makeup. Moments later, I’m left in a trance, unable to focus on anything except how slowly and tenderly I would caress my translucent skin if I, too, were a beautiful green-eyed vampire. What day is it? How long have I been out? Where is my magical pot of beige-speckled goo? READ FULL STORY »
'30 Rock': Two new episodes in one night! Relive the best lines
Image Credit: Ali Goldstein/NBC
Last night we were treated to not one, but two all-new episodes of 30 Rock. Hooray! In lieu of your traditional 3o Rock recap, I’ve opted to present you with the top 10 lines from both “People Are Idiots Three” and “The Ballad of Kenneth Parcell.” Try not to be too upset, and just focus on the gems that the 30 Rock writers give us each week. READ FULL STORY »
'American Idol': Watch Baylie Brown's season 6 audition -- VIDEO
What a difference five years and some honey-colored lowlights can make. American Idol golden ticket winner Baylie Brown had auditioned for season 6 in 2007, only to be thwarted during the dreaded Hollywood week group numbers by some terrible creatures from New Jersey. Watch the now-21-year-old sing Faith Hill in front of (WE MISS YOU) Simon, Paula, and Randy. READ FULL STORY »
Why does it take a Super Bowl commercial to bring back Ferris Bueller?
If you were on the Internet today, you likely saw the news that ’80s movie hero Ferris Bueller — as played by Matthew Broderick and not the guy from the blissfully short-lived NBC spin-off series — will be returning via an advertisement airing during the Super Bowl. At least, that’s the impression left by the 10 second teaser released on YouTube today, in which Broderick-as-Bueller rips open his window shades and asks the camera “How can I handle work on a day like today?” Cue “chick-chicka-chicka” music and a title card sporting the same date as the Super Bowl, and a nation already pickled in ’80s nostalgia is instantly tantalized by the prospect of once more experiencing Ferris’ care-free snarkitude, if only in a 30-to-60-second spot for carbonated cola, or oddly flavored potato chips, or dubiously conceived web ventures.
Here’s the thing: This is something Ferris himself would never actually do. READ FULL STORY »
Andrew Lloyd Webber responds to critics, talks 'Phantom' at 25, 'Love Never Dies'
Image Credit: Yui Mok/AP
He has his critics, but Andrew Lloyd Webber is nothing short of a master at knowing what makes a musical a hit. After 25 years, Phantom of the Opera is the longest running show by a mile on Broadway and the third longest in London’s West End. At 63 and with 18 shows to his name, Lloyd Webber is still writing and producing for the stage without thought of slowing down. Last October, Phantom of the Opera was performed in a special 25th anniversary show at the Royal Albert Hall in London and next month that performance will be available on Blu ray and DVD. His sequel to Phantom, Love Never Dies, follows the Phantom and Christine to turn-of-the-century New York, where the Phantom has come to Coney Island. The troubled show received mixed views; it played in London, and is still running in Australia, but never got a Broadway premiere date after various rewrites and Webber’s bout with prostate cancer. It, too, is coming out on DVD along with its predecessor and will be shown on the big screen. READ FULL STORY »
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