Thought the final Survivor: Micronesia Tribal Council was a tad on the bizarre side? It wasn't half as bizarre as what you didn't see.
According to winner Parvati Shallow, Ozzy at one point asked her to get
up and do an "interpretive dance" that symbolized their broken
friendship. Speaking of things you didn't see, the winner reveals that
she actually found the hidden immunity idol on Exile Island but then
decided to simply leave it there. Find out why by clicking on the video
below, and interviews with final four contestants Amanda, Cirie, and
Natalie are all after the jump.
Parvati
Last month, a leaked copy of an early draft of the screenplay for Oliver Stone's George W. Bush biopic made the rounds, sending moviegoers and political junkies alike into paroxysms of speculation about just how Stone would depict the still-sitting president on film. Now we have some answers. In this week's EW cover story, we have an exclusive first look at the production of W, including interviews with stars Josh Brolin and Elizabeth Banks (pictured) and director/co-screenwriter Stone. In the article, the creators discuss the inevitable questions about the film's accuracy and fairness, the reluctance of almost everyone in Hollywood (right or left) to get involved in the project, the still ongoing search for an actor to play Dick Cheney, and the film's possible impact on the 2008 presidential election (the producers want Stone to rush the film into theaters by October — unlikely but not impossible).
Here's your chance, PopWatchers, to weigh in. Read the story, then tell us: Do you think the movie will be good? Will it be fair? Is it too soon to make a movie about the still-in-office president, or is it important to have a biopic out while he's still in power and on everyone's mind? Will W have any real-world impact? Do Brolin and Banks look like good fits to play George and Laura Bush? And given the president's current unpopularity, do you think many ticketbuyers will want to see W?
I may be the only person at EW who genuinely, strongly dislikes most of Judd Apatow's oeuvre (except for Talladega Nights and Superbad, both of which I adore). I especially can't stand those ubiquitous billboards for the latest movie he's producing — "YOU SUCK SARAH MARSHALL," "YOU DO LOOK FAT IN THOSE JEANS, SARAH MARSHALL," pretty much any pithy, sorta-misogynist insult plus the name "Sarah Marshall". But you know what? I kinda love this new EW.com exclusive music video from "Infant Sorrow," the fake band fronted by Ms. Marshall's poser-y new boyfriend in the film.
I haven't laughed so hard at a vague, preachy pseudo-protest song since John Mayer's "Waiting on the World to Change"! Seriously, British comedian Russell Brand — prancing here as frontman "Aldous Snow" — had better get his own starring vehicle soon. EW.com also got a hold of some liner notes allegedly written by Snow, and, well, I'll let the man speak for himself: "This song is a manifesto — we literally do have to do something, and in this case I mean something constructive for the planet. In a way this is the least sexual song I've ever written — although it's still very sexual indeed, I'm hard now while writing this."
Okay then! On that note, how does "We've Got To Do Something" make you all feel?
Our reactions thus far to the still-in-post-production Repo! The Genetic Opera — the sung-through sci-fi/horror musical about organ donation and repossession, starring Paris Hilton, Anthony Stewart Head, Sarah Brightman, and Paul Sorvino — have ranged from bemusement to skepticism. Still, we have to give the film props for its retro-grimy Soviet-style poster art. You've probably seen the poster featuring Hilton popping up around the Web, but here's an exclusive look at the Sorvino one in full. Creepy, no? The film, currently in post-production, seems not to have a firm release date (Lionsgate will likely release it this fall), but you can track its progress on its official website and its MySpace page, where you can also hear some of the songs. I was hoping for a tune called "50 Ways to Lose Your Liver," but alas, no such luck.
For the third and, sadly, final part of my interview with Katee "Starbuck" Sackhoff, we talk about working with the dudes at Robot Chicken (link kinda NSFW), what she sees in her future post-Battlestar Galactica, and whether attending BSG sci-fi conventions will be a part of it. (And mea culpa: Yes, that's me laughing after Katee's answer about the conventions, but in my defense I had, uh, just remembered that Robot Chicken sketch about pratfalling Cylons. Er, yeah, that's totally it. Not making light of sci-fi conventioneers at all. Nope.)
*At least, the last time this week! In the final Battlestar PopWatch post of the day**!
**Probably!
For part two of my three part interview with the lovely Katee Sackhoff, I asked the actress about what she'll miss least now that the show is coming to a close, and whether she ever says "frak" in real life (like, say, certain geeky entertainment journalists do). And don't worry, this video's spoiler-free! Part three, in which Sackhoff looks to The Future, hits the web on Monday.
Can't say I blame you! Try 2.5 minutes instead — a quick rundown of week 2's most ridiculous moments that can only be captured visually. Fine, and the real draw: EW.com intern Maksim Chmerkovskiy's answer to PopWatch reader "makslove"'s question: "Do you believe in love at first sight?" It's a yes!
Don't miss the former Kitty Sanchez and current Miss Guided star's spot-on dramatization of Pretty in Pink's heated pre-prom locker encounter. It's her No. 1 on the Take 5 list below, and it might be better than the movie version. Don't you wish Judy Greer would float around your cube, reenacting bit parts of your work day?
After last night's two-episode official "premiere," I'm a little more on board than Gary was about Miss Guided. I don't think it's too steep of a comparison to say the show reminds me of 30 Rock, Scrubs, and Arrested Development (fine, and Samantha Who?) where every line is a joke, but the actors are incredibly earnest while saying things like "I think the expression is 'Think outside the bun.'" Any show featuring an English teacher named Ms. Germain and tongue-in-cheek product placement for Taco Bell and Disney's Typhoon Lagoon waterpark (!!!) has me hooked. I'm pretty easy that way. "Hot Sub" co-starred Jamie Lynn Spears as a more successful version of herself and Asthon Kutcher as a substitute teacher full of s--- (which reminded me of a very special My So-Called Life). In "The List" (hello again, MSCL), Judy's character accidentally offers a full-on crotch shot to the whole school via an obnoxious gossip blog called LindsayLopez.com. Topical! The series deserves a chance, so go watch the full eps on ABC.com. What else do you have to do -- respond to an Evite? Just say no!
Hey was this a great "blarg" item or what?
What's it like to be a part of American Idol's studio audience as an alumnus? EW.com contributor and former contestant Jon Peter Lewis, who returned to Stage 36 for last night's elimination show, reflects on how the show's changed since he rocked Elvis' "A Little Less Conversation" on season three, and ponders where it's headed.
Did you see me Wednesday night? There I was, seated next to Chicken Little (a.k.a. Kevin Covais) catching up on the good old days... kind of. He's not really the talkative kind. But what he did have to say captured my attention completely. Somewhere in the ordinary getting-to-know-you chit-chat, Kevin mentioned that he's working on a movie at MGM studios. I think that's cool and he seemed really excited about it. I mean, he said MGM, like, 12 times in one minute. I think he's got a really good look for film. He could totally play the beta male roles. The story only got better and more disturbing from there, though. He started talking about how he recently moved in with Ace Young and then mentioned something about picking up Ace's womanizing leftovers? Yikes! Now that's a movie script waiting to be written.
So, it seems we hadn't heard from Ashanti in a while, and then this mugshot suddenly comes our way. What on earth has happened to the R&B thrush? What's she been busted for? Has the good girl of Murder, Inc. finally snapped?
Well, okay, the cat's kind of out of the bag already on this one. Still, EW.com has the exclusive first-look photo on the left; watch for the full clip later this week on PopWatch.
As if you needed further proof that Idolatry is the most important video series on the Internet (which, by the way, Idolatry invented), here's Randy Jackson keepin' it real with unprofessional singer Michael Slezak in the esteemed EW.com studio! I'm gonna be straight up wit' you dawg, I had zero to do with any of this, but I did attempt to contribute to the flow by placing a digital image of The Dawg in "tile" formation on my desktop background while spying on Randy and Slezak over the great wall of my neighboring cube. Yo, so listen, the interview is a bit pitchy and all over the place, but duuuuuuude, overall, I gotta say I'm feelin' it. Watch Randy stake out office space, discuss his new MTV series America's Next Dance Crew, and defend Carly Smithson and other contestants with unprofitable record deals, below. It's just the first of a three-part series; check back here for the rest, later on.
P.S. Yes, Randy, it is indeed real wood — the finest wood in all the land. Also: You're expected back in the office Monday morning to file press releases, write captions, play with dolls, and prepare Slezak's and my expense reports for the last 18 months. And would you mind live-blogging the Oscars for us too? Great thanks bye!
Just in time for the Oscars, EW columnist Mark Harris' new book Pictures at a Revolution, in stores today, offers a snapshot of the tumultuous upheavals in American filmmaking during the 1960s as seen through the lens of the 1968 Best Picture Oscar race, when the nominees — The Graduate, Bonnie and Clyde, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, Dr. Dolittle, and eventual winner In the Heat of the Night — were emblematic of the struggle between old and new for the soul of Hollywood. Now, PopWatchers, Mark is ready to answer your questions about the book (you can read an excerpt here), the films of the 1960s, the Oscars then and now, or movies in general. First, though, I had a few questions for him myself. Read our IM conversation, then submit your questions in the comment section. Watch for Mark's answers in a future post.
Gary: Mark, what lessons does the Oscar class of 1968 offer for this year's Oscar handicappers?
Mark: Well, not that Oscar handicappers need or want lessons from me. But I think one thing to
remember is that Academy voters are often more willing to reach out to innovative or forward-looking films in the nomination stage than people give them credit for being. In '68, that meant a huge number of nominations for Bonnie and Clyde, which had been the subject of a bitter months-long critical dispute, and The Graduate, which was the emblematic movie of the Generation Gap. And this year, we see that with There Will Be Blood — it's exactly the type of movie that people who hate the Oscars always claim is too cool to be nominated for Oscars, and it's up for eight.
But when it comes to the awards themselves (as opposed to the nominations), voters tend to go toward the middle ground. In '68, Bonnie and Clyde and The Graduate only won three Oscars between them, and the big winner turned out to be In the Heat of the Night. The thing is, this year, I don't think anybody knows what the "middle ground" is. Juno? Michael Clayton? No Country For Old Men?
Attention American Idol addicts: "Hollywood's Not America" is the new "Bad Day." Indeed, the piano-driven ballad by Ferras, whose debut album Aliens & Rainbows will hit stores this spring, will be the soundtrack by which sobbing, devastated contestants make their exits during Hollywood Week on Idol (Feb. 12 and 13). And lucky for you, Ferras was crazy nice enough to drop by the Idolatry studios and perform "Hollywood's Not America" smack in the middle of the EW.com cubicles. Ch-ch-check out his performance below — before 30 million other folks jump on the Ferras bandwagon next week!
Also, while you're in Idol mode, catch our latest, loopiest installment of Idolatry, the one we like to call "The Cougar (Disguised as a Leopard)." Annie Barrett staggers, Dawnie Walton raises the roof, and I use the phrase "glistening biceps." Come on, in the middle of a writer's strike, how can you resist? (Watch it after the jump.)
Earlier this week, I had lunch with Carnie Wilson, Bobby Brown, and John Rich (of country duo Big & Rich) to chat about their new CMT reality show, Gone Country, which premieres tonight at 8 p.m. ET. Now, I knew I'd like Carnie from the moment I watched a screener of the first episode and saw that she was the first person to get bleeped (while talking to castmate Dee Snider). But I discovered that I loved her when she and Rich launched into the following saucy conversation after Brown stepped outside for a smoke.
Note: I should preface this by saying that Wilson, who'd already told me how sexy and smart Rich is, is a happily married woman. That I know because she'd also told me that she and her husband are trying for a second child. And that she ovulated that day. And unless he wanted to FedEx his sperm to New York...
Carnie Wilson: I want the ratings [for Gone Country] to be great. Of course you do. But I have my own selfish reasons, too. Because I'm thinking about moving to Nashville, and doing something really special there. I can't say what it is, but it's a lifelong dream. And I want to do it in Nashville because I think I'd be wildly successful. And my heart's in it, too. [Pause] Open up a strip club! I'm just kidding.
John Rich: The Carnie Barn.
Wilson: Oh sh--. That'd be great.
Rich: You know what you got to do: Open a strip club called Carnie's, and the theme is all the strippers are circus performers.
Wilson: That's genius! A carnival. That's genius! I love it!
Rich: Yeah, they're all, like, acrobats. They're clowns. Stripper clowns.
Wilson: Ohmygod, I almost said the most disgusting thing. I am so foul, that I have to really hold back. 'Cause you don't even know, my mind is sick.
Rich: I have somewhat of an idea. I've seen some of the outtakes.
Wilson: I am bad, bad.
Entertainment Weekly: What's a good outtake of her?
Rich: Ah... Carnie said a few things about me she doesn't know that I heard.
Wilson: Shut up! (Gasps)
EW: Like what?
Rich: Now she's embarrassed.
EW: Oh, she can handle it.
Wilson: Are you kidding? I've posed for Playboy. Do you think I'm embarrassed? My a------ was in the lighting guy's face. Are you kidding me? If you can do that, you can do anything. I mean it. I've done it.
Seriously. How much do you love her?
It's Round No. 2 of PopWatch Duel — and this time, we might break a sweat. In case you missed our inaugural bout (in which Psych's James Roday defeated his costar Dulé Hill on the subject of great pop-culture mysteries that need to be solved), here's how this works. We ask two celebs for their lists on a certain topic. You decide whose list is better by casting a vote in the comments section. (They try to tell themselves that they don't care who wins.)
This week, October Road's Geoff Stults and Rebecca Field step into the ring. Since their characters, Eddie and Janet, are finally feelin' frisky on tonight's episode (ABC, 10 p.m.), we had them name
the five best movie love scenes.
Their picks...
One reason we're psyched about the return of late-night talk-shows: The chance to catch excellent musical performances. And last week on Jimmy Kimmel Live, San Francisco rockers Two Gallants—a duo we appreciate not only for
their literary pretensions (named after a James Joyce story, no less)
but the raw, blooze-folk power of their songcraft (see the most recent
self-titled release, on Saddle Creek)—punctuated our point with a fine rendition of the Dylan-esque angst-romp "Despite What You've Been Told" (YouTube views of the song's video are closing in on a half-million).
One (of so many!) good reasons to love Popwatch: We've got the exclusive video of Two Gallants' incendiary after-show performance of "Reflections of the Marionette," which was only hinted at during Kimmel's outro. You're welcome!
Reflections of the Marionette
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We love two things here on PopWatch: lists and the debates that follow them. And so, we've created the PopWatch Duel. Here's how it works: We'll ask two celebs for their picks on a certain topic. You'll decide whose responses are better by casting a vote in the comments section. (They'll try to tell themselves that they don't care who wins.)
In honor of Psych's return tonight with the first of six new episodes (Fridays, 10 p.m., USA) we asked stars James Roday (left) and Dulé Hill (right) to name the five pop-culture mysteries they'd like solved.
Their responses...
Last night at L.A.'s Steve Allen Theater — a small proscenium whose full name is "The Steve Allen Theater At The Center For Inquiry West" and whose upstairs houses a variety of inquisitive groups like the empoweringly-named "Atheists United" — a rag-tag bunch of kids got together and put on The Strike Show, the first of two performances intended to raise money for the Motion Picture Television Fund, and help out some of the folks being financially afflicted by the writers' strike.
Okay, not so rag-tag. The show's actually the brainchild of 'Til Death's Kat Foster (pictured) and her associate, occasional Cavemen man Nick Kroll, who called up a bunch of industry pals — including Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, Emily Deschanel from Bones, Ed Helms, Brad Garrett, and perfectly-matched comedians the Sklar Brothers — to help them slap together a combo sketch and improv comedy show. The good news: It's really, really funny. Not just funny in a "oh that's nice you're all finding a way to fill your spare time" way. Funny, like, "let's turn Death of a Salesman into a sitcom" funny. Funny like, "let's do a hyper-melodramatic staged reading of the infamous Saved By the Bell episode in which Jessie takes too many caffeine pills and utters possibly the greatest line in the history of Saturday morning TV" funny.
I'm trying not to overstate the case here, or to spoil too much, because L.A. residents can catch the whole thing again on Friday night — and if you've got an extra $25 (and are not an easily-offended member of the AMPTP, or NBC president Ben Silverman, who may just want to stay home and feel good about himself instead), you really should. It's got musical numbers. It's got dance numbers. It's got puppets. It even, in a way, has the Olsen Twins. It's a solid hour of laffs for a worthy cause. And I'd say that even if I wasn't biased.
Oh, by the way, I'm biased: Ms. Foster was three years behind me in theater school at NYU, and once I became faculty, I taught her everything she knows, or at least like to tell people I did inappropriately. As I'm currently spending the night at her apartment, I thought I'd take the opportunity to interview her over a glass of wine and some reheated zucchini pizza. She has a very nice white shag rug that feels good on my sleepy feet. After the jump, some words from Kat. Meanwhile, first person to quote the aforementioned Saved By the Bell line in the comments gets their pick of swag from my office.
It's easy to remember Kevin DuBrow (pictured), the Quiet Riot frontman who was found dead at 52 of undisclosed causes at his Las Vegas home on Sunday, from his old videos, smiling and jumping around in spandex pants while belting out "Cum on Feel the Noize" and other early '80s hits. Maybe you even remember that QR's Metal Health was the first metal debut album to top the Billboard chart, ushering in the era of hair metal. But not everyone remembers that DuBrow paid his dues for a decade before QR's 1983 breakthrough, keeping the flame alive through metal's wilderness years in the disco '70s, or that after his success, he betrayed the metal community he'd helped build, or that in recent years, he'd finally made peace with his fellow metal vets — but not with the passage of time that had rendered them all safe nostalgia acts. Fortunately, the guys from Twisted Sister — guitarist and founder Jay Jay French, and frontman Dee Snider — do remember all that, and they were gracious enough to reminisce when I reached them Tuesday to ask for comments about DuBrow's passing.
"I'm just stunned," says French. "We played with Quiet Riot a few years ago in Mexico, and Kevin looked great." Of DuBrow and Quiet Riot's legacy, French says, "When they broke through with Metal Health, that was the record that made it possible for every single metal band to break through. The effect that record had on the entire '80s scene cannot be understated." Regarding DuBrow's personal style, French says," He was an outrageous frontman, a funny guy. He had a great sense of humor. He was out there."
That outrageousness often got DuBrow in trouble with his metal peers, whom he dissed in interviews throughout the '80s. "He was a loudmouth and he said a lot of s---" French acknowledges, "but if you're in the metal community, who hasn't? The only band that never said anything about anybody was AC/DC." In any case, French adds, "Time tends to heal," which is why DuBrow was friendly once again with other '80s metal vets in his last years. French says he remembers chatting with DuBrow during that recent Mexican tour, comparing notes on being a rock 'n' roll survivor. "I'll treasure those conversations," he says.
With this post, we bid adieu to comedian Michael Showalter, who concludes his stint as PopWatch celebrity guest blogger by recounting his adventure's on his virtual promotional tour of cyberspace today.
I'm wrapping my day of world tour blogging. I've been all over the
place,
even on a sports blog called Deadspin
and this great place in Kentucky. Even whisked by Defamer in LA,
which said I was blogging about "MTV's bisexual love odyssey" for EW
because
of the writer's strike. No no. It's because of my brand new album, which
dropped today called Sandwiches & Cats.
Anyway, I must say, I'm tired, I'm hungry, and I need to prepare to
witness
America's Next Top Model. Goodbye, PopWatch, and thank you.
This is the second post of Michael Showalter's stint today as PopWatch's celebrity guest blogger. Keep checking back throughout the day for more from the funnyman.
Why can't the "snarky/shoots-straight-from-the hip/insults people judge" on these reality shows ever be an American? Just because Simon is a Brit doesn't mean they ALL need to be Brits. The snarky judge on Next Great American Band is, like, Tasmanian, or Welsh, or something. His name is "Stinko." I'm getting all my details wrong and it would take five seconds to Google the show and find out the truth but I prefer to think he's Tasmanian and named Stinko. (For what it's worth his name is "Dicko" and he's Australian. I Googled it.) Still, as far as most Americans are concerned, Australian IS British. As long as they sound like they could be in a Merchant/Ivory movie we think they're Brits.
There's a snarky British judge on America's Got Talent, too. He shoots from the hip. "Those Brits really shoot from the hip." I think that it's been decided that Americans aren't allowed to be honest with each other or we'll get pissed at them.
The producers of these shows have figured out that non-Americans can be really mean to the contestants and no one will get upset. Like, Paula and Randy can't say what they REALLY think or else they're unpatriotic, but Simon can say whatever he wants. Same thing with Dicko. He tells it like he sees it. He called one of the singers on the show an "emo leprechaun." I thought that was brilliant but it saddened me that Sheila E. and the guy from the Goo Goo Dolls would have been booed lustily if they'd said it. In fact, the Goo Goo Dolls guy gets booed everytime he opens his mouth, but when it's Dicko's turn to speak you could hear a pin drop. We've been trained to get quiet when the Brit speaks on these shows as if his accent alone signifies something very important. "Ssh. The British judge is about to talk. I want to hear what he has to say. It's going to be more important than what the other judges are saying."
But why? It's got to have something to do with the American Revolution. It's like, 300 years later, and we still feel kinda dumb around a British person. Yeah, we have more bombs than they do, and we're better at sports but they sound much smarter when they talk. Who knows? Maybe it's got nothing to do with the Brits at all. Maybe it's because Americans are afraid of each other. Maybe it's because we're afraid of ever saying the wrong thing. Maybe it's less about them and more about us.
Funnyman Michael Showalter, who knows a thing or two about the interwebs, will be guest-blogging throughout the day on PopWatch, sharing with us his take on what's new in entertainment. (First post, below, finds him getting his heart broken by reality dating shows.) It's a busy day for Showalter, who's promoting today's release of his concert CD, Sandwiches & Cats, and while he'll be popping up at various places across the blogosphere to tout his record, he'll be here at PopWatch all day dropping pop culture punditry. (Tip your waitstaff generously, folks.) Check back throughout the day for more from Mr. Showalter.
My name is Michael Showalter. You may know me from Wet Hot American Summer or Stella or The Baxter or even the guy from Sex and the City who's at Bed Bar. I have a comedy record that's "dropping" today and I'm blogging all over the place. For more on that, check out Stereogum. It's called Sandwiches & Cats, and it's mostly about sandwiches and kind of about cats. It has music and curse words and some help from my friends Janeane Garofalo, Eugene Mirman, and Zak Orth. It's sort of like Free to Be You And Me but totally different. I'm told you can get it on iTunes and Amazon and just about anywhere that sells stuff. "Even a shoe store?" you ask. Maybe.
Now that there's a writer's strike I've had even more to time catch up on all those important things I've been needing to do like watching reality shows on basic cable. For instance... I've been watching this new show called Shot at Love With Tila Tequila. It's on MTV. Tila Tequila is a pop music star with a website on MySpace that features downloads of her songs and many pictures of her in skimpy outfits. Until I saw the show that was all I knew about her. But I now know all sorts of new things: I know that she's bisexual; I know she's a pretty down-to-earth lady, when push comes to shove; and I know that's she's looking for a soulmate. That's what the show is about: a horde of men and a horde of women competing to be Tila's next main squeeze.
So far there have been lots of fireworks on the show. There was the scene where Vanessa, the "dancer" from upstate New York threw her drink at Brandy, and then there was the time when Rebecca was fooling around with Steven in the giant bed that they all sleep in. Yes, they all sleep in a giant bed. Fooling around with anyone other than Tila is against the rules, and Tila was very hurt that Rebecca would do something like that.
Back in August, I interviewed best-selling novelist/Oscar-nominated screenwriter Tom Perrotta about his new book, The Abstinence Teacher. When I was prepping for our chat, I had a look at the biographical timeline posted on his website, and was intrigued by the summary of 1993: "... Tom begins his own novel about a three-way race for high-school president. At the same time, he ghost-writes teen horror novel for best-selling series (don't ask which one; he's taken an oath of non-disclosure)..."
The novel about high school politics became, of course, 1999's Election. (Which Alexander Payne also turned into a great flick starring Reese Witherspoon and Matthew Broderick that same year.) But what was this teen-horror business? Brazenly ignoring Perrotta's warning not to bother inquiring about which illustrious series helped him pay the bills in the early Clinton years, I grilled the guy. Cornered him. Made him an offer he couldn't refuse.
Following the movie-to-stage-musical paths of The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast (which continue to earn for Disney the kind of money that haunts Scrooge McDuck's dreams), comes the fish-girl-out-of-water tale The Little Mermaid. Acclaimed theater/opera vet Francesca Zambello is directing the show, which will feature songs from the 1989 movie (including the
Oscar-winning "Under the Sea"), as well as 10 new songs written by Alan
Menken and Glenn Slater. Here is the one of the very first photos from the production, showing the moment when Ariel (Sierra Boggess) sees Prince Eric (Sean Palmer) for the very first time. First impressions, PopWatchers? Any of you planning to catch any of the first Broadway performances, which begin November 3? And who else thinks Mulan would make for a pretty spiffy show?
Who's got the skills to fill the notoriously big shoes of the late Christopher Wallace? The question that countless rappers have grappled with in the last decade took on an all-new urgency in 2005, when Fox Searchlight announced plans for a feature film about the Notorious B.I.G.'s life. Just a few months ago, the studio issued an open casting call for the central role in Notorious, inviting Wallace lookalikes across the country to submit auditions online; tomorrow morning, they'll bring the search to Biggie's hometown with in-person auditioning sessions in New York City. Anyway, they've graciously granted PopWatch an exclusive look at some of the results already sent in. (Sadly, they include neither the audition reportedly submitted by Roc-A-Fella rapper Beanie Sigel, nor that of Jamaican teen sensation Sean Kingston.) Here's the first of the wannabe Biggies — with two more after the jump.
Pemberton, NJ's David Williams is a decently convincing
actor, and he's got B.I.G's body language totally nailed. Those jumpy
hand gestures, that cocky, swaying stance — they're straight out of the "Flava in Ya Ear" video.
The original lyrics he spits after reciting the studio-provided
monologue are pretty solid, too, even if they're nowhere near Biggie's
league: "You want beef?/Well, I'm not a vegetarian/I'm 300 pounds, so
I'll gladly eat." (Don't laugh — it sounds more menacing than it reads.)
It's been a tough six months since the first season of VH1's I Love New York ended in reunion-show heartbreak. The series returns to the air for a second season next Monday night, not a moment too soon — and true fans might be finding it hard to wait even that long. Good thing Tiffany "New York" Pollard herself (pictured, right, with yours truly) stopped by EW's East Coast office this afternoon to give our eager staffers the lowdown on her rematch with Cupid.
On new romance:
- "It's a really serious season," New York promised. How serious? One episode will see the contestants going through psychiatric evaluations. "I don't want to get with somebody who's crazy!"
- Will we be seeing any familiar faces from last season? "There are a few blasts from the past," she coyly offered, quickly adding that they'll serve only as guests, not
contestants.
- One guy who's definitely vying for her heart, however: "There's a midget this season! This was a surprise for me. But overall, he's a great person."
- Meanwhile, watch out for her meddlesome mom, the one and only Sister Patterson. "She is gonna cut up."
On old grudges:
- Does she ever talk to Tango, the season 1 winner who dumped her on national TV in the reunion show? "Absolutely not!" she says indignantly. The last she heard from Tango was when, she claims, he texted her immediately after that show taped, begging her to get back together. (Runners-up Chance and Real are another story entirely: "We're cool," she said warmly.)
- That televised breakup, in case you're wondering, was all authentic. "He dumped me in that moment. There was nothing that led up to it. If it was scripted, I would've had more ammo!"
I'm still recovering from the mess that was the MTV VMAs last night (well, okay, a lot of that has to do with Britney kicking off the awards show on the wrong stiletto-heeled foot), but I wanted to report back to you guys on my experience on the red carpet before I head on a plane back to NYC. (I'll admit it: Sin City has worn me out.)
The red carpet took place along a walkway through the casino inside the Palms Hotel. Across from where the press were standing were hand-picked pretty people playing poker — with fake chips — who were basically strategically placed by MTV to look like they were having way more fun than they actually were. Good thing they were provided with free drinks. Behind the fence where I was standing were tons of hotel guests, Vegas townies, stalkers, and basically anyone who wanted to catch a glimpse of Justin Timberlake on their cell phone cam as he passed through. Needless to say, the entire hotel turned into a natural disaster as more and more people crammed into the casino during the pre-show.
- First to arrive was Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls, who in person, looks amazingly like she could be Kim Kardashian's twin. Nicole was wearing a pretty interesting black Alice Temperly dress that was long in back and short in front. Not sure if it was Vegas enough for me, she almost looked like she belonged in a Cleopatra movie.
- The boys of Panic! At The Disco were adorable. I asked two of 'em what there is to do in Vegas when you are under 21, and they said they'd hung out at the pool a lot (uh huh, and I'm sure they didn't sneak into any clubs at all, right boys?). Brendon Urie mentioned he thought Brit Brit's performance was going to be incredible, "The thing is, it's Britney, so I don't know how it couldn't be incredible," he said. "Everybody's looking forward to it, whether you like her or not." Bet he ate his words for breakfast this morning.
EW.com's Shirley Halperin is reporting live from the Foo Fighters and Fall Out Boy's private performance suites at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
6:07 p.m. (PDT): "Did Britney do her thing?," Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl asks from the stage at his party. "Is it over? She did it? She made it? So what." Yes, it turns out we can't watch the show from the lounge or anywhere on the 26th floor, for that matter. The only thing coming through on the monitor is Timbaland's suite in action. So yeah, missed the whole Britney thing. (But here's what Dawnie Walton, who watched it on TV in New York, had to say about it.)
6:08: Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz just dashed into the Foos' suite from his down the hall to see them play "All My Life." What a fan.
6:15: "You know there's a bunch of beer bongs here? Have you had one yet?" Grohl asks a guy in the front row. "Dude, you have to try it." Sounds like "The Pretender," their new single, is on next. So this is the big live moment? Hard to tell what the hell's going on.
6:25: Grohl: "It's a little toasty in here. That wasn't in the contract." Understatement of the night. "I'm gonna do something so bad ass it's gonna make you sh-- out your butt. How's that for an introduction?" Now please welcome Mr. Serj Tankian for the most kick-ass cover of the Dead Kennedys "Holiday in Cambodia" that you'll ever witness. This is by far the most raging room in this joint.
6:31: Talk about surreal - Lemmy from Motorhead is sitting at the Foos' suite bar smoking away.
6:35: Cee-Lo is singing lead on Eagles of Death Metal's "Make It Wit Chu." Afterwards, he yells "F--- yeah, Foo fighters rule! Queens of the Stone Age, Eagles of Death Metal!" And with that, a much needed cool-off break for the Foos.
6:43: Serj is having his picture taken with Lemmy. The Foos are gearing up to rock once more. That break was awfully short.
7:03: I've moved down to Timbaland's party. Once people figure out Justin's with him, it"s off the hook. And how weird to be singing about technology? Hey, it's better than booty and bitches.
7:08: "AYO" sounds fantastic. Put your hands up! The people all oblige.
7:13: 50 Cent is walking towards me. I'm scared.
7:14: Oh wait, now he's making his way over to a slinky brunette on a stripper pole.
7:16: I moved to the Fall Out Boy room where Travis from Gym Class Heroes is about to join Cobra Starship for a song
7:18: The DJ is playing that awesome Bloc Party song (I always forget the name), and Kat Von D Is lounging on a couch, Grohl and Josh Homme just walked in. Let's see how they're holding up...
7:23: Well. Grohl has had his first beer bong. He handled it like a consummate pro and is already getting another. Their performance is over and now starts their own private after-party.
7:25: Grohl is teaching people how to beer bong in between posing for photos. He really is a great host.
7:38: Okay, there's people in bunny rabbit costumes roaming the 100-degree-hot hallway. And girls in provocative cop uniforms. Strange scene outside the FOB suite...
7:43: Wow, now Nate Mendel, Foos' bassist, is doing a beer bong. The quiet, some would say shy Foo Fighter left the kid at home (ridiculously adorable Noah, 3) and he's letting loose for the night. He has every right to after that insane set.
7:50: The verdict is coming in and it seems like Britney's performance did not really impress. And everyone's wondering what happened to the Criss Angel production? We heard there were supposed to be mirrors and a disappearing act. We'll have to get to the bottom of that.
7:54: Okay, so things are winding down, and at the same time, picking up. Dr. Dre, we hear, was the special guest (Madonna was the rampant rumor for that). But it's all good and everyone is about to head to the after party at the Palms pool. Or is it a beach? Who knows. We'll get the full report for you there.
A month ago, PopWatch asked "Has Clint Eastwood retired from acting?" I'd just talked to Million Dollar Baby screenwriter Paul Haggis, who said he offered Clint the lead role in his upcoming movie, In the Valley of Elah. According to Haggis, Eastwood turned down the part, explaining that he was in retirement when he agreed to get back in front of the camera for Million Dollar Baby (pictured), and, after that film's Oscar-winning success, he was leery of trying to top himself again. Said Eastwood to Haggis: "I don't think I can go out better, do you?"
Well, this afternoon, I had Eastwood on the phone, so I asked the man directly: Are we going to see him onscreen ever again? "I don't know if we are," replied Eastwood, who, by the way, is a friendly and engaged phone presence. "You never say never, but right now, I've moved to the back of the camera, and I've sort of been enjoying it there. So we'll have to wait and see on that. If I don't do it again, it won't break my heart, because I've had a good, long run, but if something good comes along down the line..." His voice trailed off for a second. "If something like Million Dollar Baby comes along again, maybe I will. It was tough to pass on [In the Valley of Elah]. I liked where Paul was headed with it, but at the same time I was doing a lot of other stuff then — Flags [of Our Fathers], Letters from Iwo Jima. It was a tough one to pass up, but by the same token, Tommy Lee Jones [who took the lead role in Elah] is terrific."
We asked him if there are a lot of scripts floating around with meaty parts for old guys. Eastwood laughed and said, "It's not a question of that. I'm sure there are some out there. I've read a couple. But not enough to bring me back in front. I like the back of the camera."
After the jump, Eastwood answers a couple of questions about his next gig, directing Angelina Jolie.
From EW senior writer Lynette Rice:
Though ABC hasn't officially announced the roster, EW has learned that Wayne Newton (pictured), aka Mr. Las Vegas, will follow in the tanned footsteps of George Hamilton and John O'Hurley when he joins Dancing with the Stars this fall. At 65, Newton still tours with the USO and makes regular appearances in his hometown of Vegas.
No word yet on which professional dancer he'll be paired with, or on the identities of his fellow competitors — but we're keeping our fingers crossed for Bob Barker since he's free as a bird (hey, a girl can dream!). ABC would not confirm or deny Newton's participation.
Judge Carrie Ann and Season 4 winner Apolo Ohno will announce the next lineup Aug. 29 on Good Morning America.
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