Archive: December 2009 (141-150 of 461)

Dec 18 2009 10:54 AM ET

Allison Iraheta on Kimmel: 'Oh yeah!'

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Categories: American Idol, Late Night, Music, Things That Are Awesome!

Last night found American Idol fourth-place finisher Allison Iraheta performing on Jimmy Kimmel Live! The rocker did her hot, screw-you single “Friday I’ll Be Over U,” and I must say, she’s really coming into her own as a performer. See for yourself here:

I feel like people will continue to sort of compare her to P!nk, but whatever. This girl’s got style, a cool look, a good voice, and crazy-fun hair. And I feel like her signature “Oh yeah!” screams are especially good here.

What do you think, PopWatchers? Are you impressed with Allison’s performance? Is “Friday I’ll Be Over U” in your iPod rotation?

More Allison Iraheta:
Allison Iraheta’s ‘Just Like You’ album cover: EW’s exclusive first look!
‘Idol’ exit Q&A: Allison Iraheta
Allison Iraheta sits down with EW’s Michael Slezak

Dec 18 2009 10:30 AM ET

'Avatar' and augmented reality: The future of toys?

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Categories: Avatar, Movies, Tech, Toys

You may not know it yet, but your kids are definitely going to want some Avatar toys. The movie, like Star Wars before it, is a visual-effects watershed that should blow the minds of 10-year-old kids everywhere (and should blow your mind too, as long as you can get past the simplistic plot and occasionally hokey dialogue). Mattel’s new line of Avatar toys includes action figures, an assortment of Pandora creatures, and a few nifty military vehicles. But the toys wouldn’t warrant an association with Avatar if they weren’t high-tech in some way, so Mattel went to the effort to make this the first toy line that uses augmented reality.

Each toy ships with an “i-TAG” badge that you hold in front of your computer’s webcam. Magically, a 3-D model of your toy appears on the screen. As you move the badge around, the animated model follows. Most impressively, if you purchase the Battle Pack collection ($14.99), which features six i-TAG badges, you can have various 3-D models actually fight one another on your screen. READ FULL STORY »

Dec 18 2009 10:00 AM ET

Yule Log = Cool Log?

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Categories: DVD/Video, Happy Holidays, Ridiculata, Tech, Things That Are Awesome!

You know that cheesy-but-endearing fake fireplace that local cable stations use to fill time at the holidays? Well, it’s had a 21st-century upgrade. A company called Screen Dreams has amped up the “TV fireplace” for a pretty incredible new DVD and first-time Blu-ray release, Living Fireplace Vol. 2. There’s even an iPhone app to offer your favorite Mac geek a little fire on the go.

I expected this to be something a little kistchy for PopWatch to experiment with at the holidays, but after seeing the DVD I’m completely sold. This DVD is definitely getting “fired up” (sorry, couldn’t resist) for the Mitchell Family Christmas next week. There are 21 total high-def “scenescapes” (different fireplace settings to match your mood or your décor, including some holiday themed ones) and you can listen to sound-effects fire crackling or some pretty decent music (holiday or non-holiday) to accompany the yule log scenes.

Screen Dreams founder Stephen Spivak said he used to watch the broadcast of the Yule Log on WPIX-TV in New York (which started in the 1960s). He wanted to give that vintage fireplace an upgrade. “From a quality standpoint, Blu-ray is the best digital distribution on the market so we wanted to offer this in Blu-ray. Also we’ve got all kinds of styles and fireplaces, so you’ve got tons of choices,” he tells EW.

Who else is a fan of the old TV Yule Log? Anyone willing to upgrade?

Image Credit: Screen Dreams 


Dec 18 2009 09:53 AM ET

Taylor Lautner to star in 'Cancun': Spring break and drug cartels, eh?

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Categories: Casting, Dude, THAT's Your Plot?, Movies, Taylor Lautner Bicep Watch, Twilight

We’re starting to get a hint of what post-Twilight careers might look like for the various costars. Ashley Greene seems headed for damsel-in-distress territory. Kellan Lutz will reportedly be the new hunk of beefcake in Calvin Klein underwear ads. (Fitting I think, since he never actually talks much in the movies. Are we allowed to say that? Too soon?) And according to the news yesterday, Lautner will be starring in a thriller called Cancun, the first movie from his own production company — founded with his father Dan Lautner — partnered with Summit Entertainment. In it, he’ll play a misfit college kid on spring break who has to rescue a girl and her friends using kick-ass martial arts when they are taken hostage by a drug cartel. So it looks like Taylor is planning to be an action star. From 1986. Seriously, isn’t that the plot of Crocodile Dundee II, with a little Commando thrown in? Not that I’m opposed of course — Commando has its charms, and it makes sense that Taylor wants to show off his fighting skills. But spring break and a drug cartel? What do you think?

Photo Credit: Bob Charlotte /PR Photos

Dec 18 2009 09:30 AM ET

More Christmas-y video fun: Blondie, Wham, and a snowy cat

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Categories: Animals, Animation, Happy Holidays, Viral Video!!!

There are a lot of holiday-geared videos going around this week, including but not limited to that drunk four-year-old stealing Christmas presents. Sad and strange… and strangely amusing. But that isn’t best! These are!

Blondie singing “We Three Kings”:

They’ve still got it. And by “it” I mean the ability to plug in amps in the woods. More, more, more, you say? READ FULL STORY »

Dec 18 2009 08:30 AM ET

Dress or Dog? Guilty Pleasures Real Lives Finals: 'Say Yes to the Dress' vs. 'Dog the Bounty Hunter'

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Categories: Guilty Pleasures Reality TV Showdown, Reality TV, Television

We’re getting closer to the Final Four, PopWatchers! Our Guilty Pleasures Reality TV Showdown now moves into the Finals for each of our categories. The results have been quite unexpected in this “Real” Lives category, with our number six and seven seeds taking top votes so far. Say Yes to the Dress now goes head to head with Dog the Bounty Hunter. Have those shows ever been mentioned in the same sentence? Who will triumph, Kleinfeld’s fashion director Randy and the visiting bitchy bridesmaids, or Duane “Dog” Chapman, Beth and the kids?

Let’s remind you of just a few highlights from each show:

Say Yes to the Dress
The bride who wanted leopard print, the buzzkill bridesmaid who said “I’m not excited by it,” the (many) ludicrously expensive gowns, the sorority sisters who didn’t intend to buy, the mother who slapped alterations queen Vera, Michelle Duggar’s modesty panel, brides fighting over the same dress, the bride who wore a mask for her try-ons, and the private jet customers who didn’t care that the store was closed…

Dog the Bounty Hunter
The wedding, the Rocky Mountain round-up, Ozzy’s theme song, bunnies for the kids, Dog’s surprising arrest, the unique hairstyles and fashion statements…

Let us know YOUR favorite moment from each show in the comments below. But first, the shows need your votes:

Also on EW.com
Guilty Pleasures Reality TV showdown begins
Updated Bracket

Other polls still open:
Finals, Relationships: Flavor of Love vs. Rock of Love

Dec 18 2009 06:30 AM ET

Jeff Probst blogs 'Survivor: Samoa': episode #14

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Categories: Survivor, Television, Things That Are Awesome!, TV Recap

Hey everybody, let’s get right into it…

ANATOMY OF A REWARD CHALLENGE

Long before the Survivors participate in a challenge it has already gone through an extensive testing process. It begins with a “test block” where our dreamteamers do a light run-through of the challenge so we can see how it’s coming along.

When we did the first test block for last night’s “Coconut Drop” reward challenge it was rough. We all agreed that it was a brilliant and inventive challenge but it wasn’t quite right. So we gave some notes and our art department made some changes and we tested it again. Technically it was working much better but it was still taking a long time to complete. READ FULL STORY »

Dec 18 2009 06:27 AM ET

'Jersey Shore': Last night's top 10 amazingly ridiculous lines

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Categories: About Last Night, Jersey Shore

Aside from The Situation’s quipping, a lot happened in this episode. Despite only knowing each other for less time than it takes to mail a letter cross-country, Sammi and Ronnie’s tearful argument somehow managed to feel surprisingly genuine. Pauly D spent the episode as a supporting player in a Situation comedy, as he and Mike brought two separate sets of girls (four in total) back to the house and had to figure out how to juggle them all for maximum Jacuzzi time. It was so farcical, I kept expecting a bewildered Don Knotts to throw open the door and yell, “What’s going on in here!”

But of course, the most important element of this week’s episode was what they didn’t show, namely the punch seen ’round the Net. The cynic in me would say that MTV’s decision to show Snooki’s attack in last week’s promo but cut it out of the episode itself was just a blatant attempt to exploit and sensationalize violence against women for ratings without having to deal with the consequences. Luckily, that can’t be the case since we all know that MTV programming is the height of good taste and restraint. Right, Tila Tequila? Right?!

In any case, there were quite a few fantastic one liners this week.  So, without further ado, I present to you, in order of ridiculousness, this week’s Top 10 Moments in Guidocity: READ FULL STORY »

Dec 17 2009 10:48 PM ET

Madonna gets domestic in new Dolce & Gabbana ad campaign

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Categories: Fa-fa-fa-fa-fashion, Music, Sexytimes, This Could Be Interesting...

People.com has a sneak peek of Madonna’s new Steven Klein-shot ad campaign for Dolce & Gabbana, a series of black and white photos that feature Madge in the kitchen playing the role of busty housewife. The third-highest-grossing concert artist of the Oughts is shown washing the dishes, shredding lettuce, and digging into a bowl of pasta with her fingers.

There’s a variety of things going on in the campaign that please me. First, she’s on the verge of eating in two shots, which can’t hurt, given her rescued-greyhound physique of late. Second, she is seemingly unable to perform even the simplest domestic tasks without courting scandal: note the veggie photo (pictured here), in which her bazooming bosoms swoon beneath an enormous crucifix — exactly the sort of setup that tends to rile religious conservatives. (The breasts shall never touch the cross!)

READ FULL STORY »

Dec 17 2009 05:55 PM ET

'So You Think You Can Dance' exit interview: Kathryn McCormick on crying, dancing and (rumored) romancing

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Categories: About Last Night, Reality TV, So You Think You Can Dance, SYTYCD Exit Q&A, Television

When the So You Think You Can Dance competition began, we only knew Kathryn McCormick as the girl with the inappropriately high crying voice. But as the season progressed, we began to cry the contemporary dancer’s name as we watched her unleash her beautiful dance skills. Just hours after landing third place in the competition, Kathryn called us up to talk about those notorious tears, her favorite dance, and her rumored romance with Legacy.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: We all thought you were going to at least land second place last night. Third place isn’t shabby, but are you surprised at the outcome last night?
I wasn’t surprised at all. I think that Russell deserves to win. He’s just an amazing person, and such a hard worker. I think that he deserves everything he’s gotten. It’s an honor to be third-place beside those two guys. And to be the top girl is an honor and a blessing in itself. So I’m very happy.

KATHRYN MCCORMICK: As we all know, Russell was injured last night. Were you sad that you weren’t able to reprise your hip-hop performance with him because of his injury?
A little bit just because I love that dance and it’s so much fun to do. But I understand. It was fine that we didn’t get to do it. READ FULL STORY »

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