Archive: February 2009 (41-50 of 448)

Feb 26 2009 06:27 PM ET

Beyonce's 'Single Ladies' dance contest: The clock is ticking!

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A friendly PopWatch reminder that the deadline to enter Beyonce’s "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)" dance contest is March 6. (Click here for details.) The best fan-created video of the "Single Ladies" choreography — DO NOT STRAY — will be shown during her 2009 world tour and earn its star(s) $2,500. The bad news: You could win more money than that on America’s Funniest Home Videos. (Though considering no crotches will be harmed during the making of this video — at least if you stretch first — there’s no need for that kind of danger pay, is there?) The good news: EW’s Michael Slezak confirms to me exclusively that he will not be entering unless I get him "really, really drunk."

Anyone throwing their hat (and hips) into the ring? Good luck!

Feb 26 2009 05:56 PM ET

Taylor Swift's 'Fearless' tops the charts...again

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Filed under: Those Crazy Kids! and tagged: , ,

Taylorswift_lIt’s starting to feel like deja vu every time I write these words: Taylor Swift’s Fearless is the No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart this week. This is her 10th non-consecutive week in the top spot, the most any album has racked up since Santana’s music-revolution-sparking Supernatural lasted 12 weeks 10 years ago. (Remember that?) Part of the explanation for Swift’s success has to do with ever-declining CD sales trends. She only had to move a relatively tepid 62,000 copies this week to get to No. 1. But there’s no denying that Ms. Swift is as close to a major young pop star as you get in 2009. What’s more, she’s done it without the benefit of the Disney or American Idol machines — she’s a textbook-definition indie rocker, like it or not, and people buy her CDs because she writes tight, catchy tunes that they can relate to. (I’m not ashamed to admit that "Love Story" is a jam, despite the comically off-base literary references and the sorta-creepy final verse about teenagers getting married.) Not bad at all for a 19-year-old.

There were a few other notable entries on this week’s albums chart. Coming in at No. 2 with 58,000 sold was Charlie Wilson — not the guy with the war, the Gap Band singer who’s pals with Snoop Dogg. Lady GaGa jumped up to No. 10, her highest showing yet, with 32,000. And Morrissey’s Years of Refusal landed at No. 11.

So let’s hear it. What do you think about Taylor Swift’s apparently unstoppable chart reign, or any of those other sales results?

More on Taylor Swift:
Review: ‘Fearless’
She was one of EW’s best-dressed Grammy attendees this year
EW profiled her last year…
…and chatted with her back in ’07
How much do you love her "Love Story" video?

Feb 26 2009 05:40 PM ET

Jerry Seinfeld brings the 'The Marriage Ref' to NBC

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Filed under: Television and tagged: , , ,

Jerryseinfeld_lJerry Seinfeld is creating and exec producing a reality show tentatively titled The Marriage Ref for NBC, the network has announced. According to the release, it will "feature opinionated celebrities, comedians and sports stars who will candidly comment, judge and offer different strategies for real-life couples in the midst of a classic marital dispute." Seinfeld added, "This is not a therapy show, it’s a comedy show. After nine years of marriage, I have discovered that the comedicpotential of this subject is quite rich."

I think this is genius. It’s like getting to talk back to Ray and Debra at the end of an episode of Everybody Loves Raymond (if you’re a celebrity, comedian, or sports star). My dream "refs" are: Ray Romano, Kathy Griffin, Denis Leary (who has experience with the title), Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Ashton Kutcher, Ellen DeGeneres, and Oprah Winfrey. (Seinfeld’s partnered with Oprah Winfrey Show exec producer Ellen Rakieten for the six-episode series, so O should be gettable.) Who would you like to see making the calls?

P.S. This really made me miss Bernie Mac.

Feb 26 2009 05:32 PM ET

'Chuck' preview: Two slaps and some swimsuit model cleavage

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Filed under: Chuck, Television and tagged: ,

What’s it going to take to get more PopWatchers on board with Chuck? I like the nerd content, the frequent allusions to ’80s geekery, and the ow-my-heart adorableness of the Chuck/Sarah romance. But if cleavage and slapping are more your speed, you should enjoy next Monday’s episode (clip below), which features a guest appearance from Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Brooklyn Decker…oh, and you’re welcome.

More ‘Chuck’ and swimsuit models:
‘Sports Illustrated’ Swimsuit Issue: Still not about the swimsuits
Nicole Richie to guest on ‘Chuck’
Employment in ‘Chuck’ and ‘Reaper’
Ratings: 3-D ‘Chuck’ scores, ‘Heroes’ still less than super

Feb 26 2009 05:21 PM ET

'Top Chef' winner Hosea Rosenberg talks!

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Filed under: About Last Night, Television and tagged: ,

Topchefhosea_lOn last night’s Top Chef, 35-year-old Hosea Rosenberg hosed the competition and was awarded the coveted winning title. So how did he begin his first day as the reigning Top Chef? The tight-lipped chef — who didn’t tell a soul about his win — kindly called up EW.com to chat about his victory, Toby, and yes, Leah.    

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How did it feel to watch the show last night?

HOSEA ROSENBERG: Oh, it was so fun. We did a big viewing party at a restaurant. [The show] was [playing] on the big screen and there were hundreds of people there, and people [were] holding up signs with my name on it and just cheering every time the judges said something nice to me.

So you were you back in Boulder?

Yeah, in Boulder.

Did any contestants join you? Or was it just your friends and family?

It was friends and family and Melissa, who was on the show, who works downtown with me.

Did any of them know you won?

I hadn’t told a single soul in Boulder.

Was it hard to keep that a secret?

It was, but it wasn’t as hard as people thought it would be. I had every one of my friends coming up to me and punching me on the arm, like, I can’t believe you kept that a secret. Nobody thinks I’m good at keeping secrets, but this was a good one.

Did you think you had it in the bag all season? You were a formidable competitor…

Early on, I really thought that I would do well. Up until halfway through the season, I was really in a groove and really felt like I was showing myself to be one of the top players. And then things got a little unraveled for me. Toward the end of being in New York, I didn’t really feel like I was putting my best foot forward and creating my best food, and I was kind of just getting by. It was all mental. I was getting too stressed out. I had stuff on my mind about my parents and about my relationship and a lot of things. It kind of threw me off my game for awhile. [But] I had that break [prior to filming the finale], and I was able to just recollect, and I was able to put my head back on straight and remember what I was doing. And going back to New Orleans, I felt confident, I felt happy, I was relaxed. I really felt good about being there. I felt I deserved to be there. And I was there to show everybody that I had what it took.

After the jump: "Stefan is cocky. But he’s cocky for a reason. And he backs it up."

READ FULL STORY »

Feb 26 2009 04:42 PM ET

'Total Recall' remake: We're ('Total'-ly) on board!

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Filed under: Movies and tagged: , , , ,

Right up top: Total Recall is the best Arnold Schwarzenegger flick in the not-directed-by-James Cameron division. (Yes, Predator is a close second.) Even if it wanders a bit from its Philip K. Dick source material, Recall is still a mind-frakkingly smart film; sort of a proto-Matrix in the way it deals with reality and our involvement in/responsibility for the narrative of that reality. Plus, it had Arnold’s gleefully glowering arse-kickery (a sample in the NSFW clip below).

So when I heard that Columbia’s planning on rebooting Total Recall, I decided to hop on board. I’m not usually one for pointless remakes, but with the right creative team, and the proper star — I’m gonna hold out for Jason Statham — a new Recall could be a hoot. There’s enough meat on those bones to make another go worth while. Where do you fall?

More ‘Total Recall’:
‘Total Recall’ remake in the works: This is not a dream
Review: ‘Total Recall’

Feb 26 2009 03:56 PM ET

RuPaul on 'Drag Race': Five rules for a killer comeback

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Filed under: Television and tagged: , , , ,

Rupaul_l_2"You better work," RuPaul famously said in her 1992 dance hit "Supermodel." And now, after a 10-year break from the spotlight, thedrag superstar is heeding her own advice. She’s hosting the incredibly addictive RuPaul’s Drag Race (Mondays at 10 p.m. on LOGO), a campycompetition series that can best be described as America’s Next TopModel with bigger wigs, bigger boobs, and a lot more waxing. On the(high) heels of her new success, EW asked Ru to reveal her five rulesfor making a comeback.

1. Don’t call it a comeback.
Instead, tell people that "you’ve stepped away from the canvas, as mygood friend Valerie Cherish says," suggests RuPaul, referencing LisaKudrow’s tragicomic character from HBO’s The Comeback. Ru says herdisappearance reflected the political climate: While the Bushadministration ruled, RuPaul hibernated, serving up just two poorlyreceived albums and an under-the-radar supermodel action flick calledStarrbooty. "It wasn’t a meltdown or anything,” she says. “It reallyhad more to do with understanding the temperature socially. Now" — in theBarack Obama era — "it’s the perfect time to reemerge."

2. Give pop culture a drag makeover.
Yes, there are supposed to be glaring shades of Top Model and Project Runway reflected in Drag Race. Dressed as a man, RuPaul channels Runwaymentor Tim Gunn while advising contestants in their workroom. (Thecatchphrase: “Don’t f— it up.”) Later, she transforms into aheightened version of Tyra Banks for the elimination portion of thecompetition. “All drag is a sampling of pop culture,” RuPaul says. “Mywhole image is one part Dolly Parton, one part Cher, three parts Diana,and one part David Bowie. If you’ve seen pictures of Tyra, you’d thinkshe was sampling me.” So who’s the chicken and who’s the egg in thisscenario? Unfortunately, Banks declined to help clear things up for EW.

Ru’s rules 3 – 5, after the jump…

READ FULL STORY »

Feb 26 2009 03:02 PM ET

Who should replace Jewel if she leaves 'Dancing with the Stars'?

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Filed under: To Care or Not to Care and tagged: ,

JewelOh, great. Here we go again! Singer/Nashville Star host/former van resident Jewel alerted her fans via blog yesterday that she’s suffering from tendonitis in her knees, probably the result of her intense training sessions for the upcoming season of Dancing with the Stars. Jewel, whose rodeo star husband Ty Murray is also slated to compete this season, says she is "worried I won’t even be able to dance!" Hooray!

Is it just me, or has the DWTS set started to resemble the evacuation hospital on China Beach in recent years? Dance is grueling, y’all! Seems like a celebrity contestant of one of the show’s highly skilled partners hurts themselves every week when the show is filming (and let’s not even start with the national arena tour, where they drop like flies). Still, this could very well be a premature medical hiccup that will be cleared up before the show returns on March 8. But let’s say Jewel does end up forfeiting her spot on the show. Who would you like to see replace her? I’m throwing a hat in the ring for Marilyn Manson. He could use the work, right? Here are a few more reasons why I think Marilyn is an inspired choice:

1) Satisfactorily satisfies the I-was-big-in-1997 standard that has been set by Jewel
2) Certifiable nutjob; likely to provide colorful banter opposite equally certifiable nutjob/judge Bruno Tonioli
3) Opportunity to see Marilyn Manson wearing an outfit that non-ironically encompasses fringe and pleather
4) Likelihood of uncomfortable/totally awesome backstage drama with fellow contestants Lil’ Kim, Nancy O’Dell, and/or Denise Richards
5) Prospect of seeing on-again/off-again girlfriend Evan Rachel Wood in audience, scowling and sporting a baby tee with the slogan DANCIN’ MANSON

So: are you with me? If not, which celebrity do you want to see throw on their cha-cha heels and give it a go?

Feb 26 2009 01:00 PM ET

'Survivor: Tocantins' Episode 3 preview

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Here’s what we know about tonight’s episode of Survivor: Tocantins: contestants will be blindfolded at some point during a challenge and also have to stack some oversized boxes. (Hopefully that will end up being more exciting than I just made it sound.) We also know that there may or may not be an alliance forming between Qui-Gon Jinn-wannabe Coach and naked Mormon Tyson, while Taj will try to get something cooking besides blabbing to everyone about how rich and famous her husband is. All that is well and good, but how much crazier would things be if Candace hadn’t gotten voted off last week? Answer: a lot. Just listen to Candace in the video below going off on all her former tribemates in the most recent episode of Survivor Talk (featuring guest co-host Courtney Yates from Survivor: China). If you dig hearing an angry, bitter ousted contestant going to town on people—and let’s be honest, who doesn’t?—then this is the clip for you! Enjoy.

Feb 26 2009 12:30 PM ET

Clip du jour: In honor of National Chili Day...

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Filed under: Food and Drink and tagged: , , , ,

We wanted to do an EW.com gallery of the Best Natural Gas scenes in honor of National Chili Day, but someone thought better of it. So, we’re celebrating here on PopWatch, where we defend ourselves with the words of Roger Ebert (defending his thumb’s up review of Bachelor Party to Gene Siskel): "I laughed out loud several times during this movie, and you cannot fake laughter. If it’s not funny, you don’t laugh. If it is funny, you do laugh. I laughed."

The recognized champion of such scenes, Blazing Saddles:

Which movie boasts your personal favorite? (I don’t see how it gets better than the layered South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut.)

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