"Looks like she might be a Mennonite." --The man cast as "Web designer" on a recent rerun of Canadian makeover series Style by Jury. (The show, my new all-out obsession, airsweekdays at noon on NBC in NYC.) Seriously, look it up and just watch the "jury" segments at the beginning of each episode. This show is going to be on my Must List forever.
Stop the tresses! This week MTV2 is hosting a 20th anniversary celebration for Headbangers Ball, the show that unspooled heavy metal videos and taught young Americans how to rock evil. The marking of this milestone—which includes a Metallica special, an Avenged Sevenfold concert, and a VJ roundtable discussion—is thoroughly appreciated, though not quite historically accurate, as MTV’s Ball rolled out on April 18, 1987. (And since we’re already nitpicking, the show has aired only for 13 years: It was canceled in early 1995 and didn’t return until mid-2003, when it moved to MTV2.) Of course, far be it from us to turn down festivities, so we’re honoring the occasion by watching Judas Priest’s “Breaking the Law” on a loop in our offices. We’ve also been crafting some Headbanger Haikus. (Instead of 5-7-5, the following are in 6-6-6 format. You know, Number of the Beast and all.)
Adam Curry, that hair
made you less VJ and
more member of Europe
Riki Rachtman—oh wait,
is it Rikki Rockett?
No, he was in Poison
Riki Rachtman, when you
talked to Rikki Rockett
it was confusing, right?
Not to split (long) hairs, but
in the show title, ummm…
where’s the apostrophe?
Dear Ball, thanks for playing
Megadeth and Slayer;
Martha Quinn wasn’t down
Got a better Headbanger Haiku? Or a favorite Headbangers Ball moment? Let 'em rip.
I'd been blissfully unaware of Nicolas Cage's new release, Bangkok Dangerous, until this morning, when I was optically assaulted by the photo of him accompanying Josh Rich's Box Office Preview.
STOP WITH THE LONG HAIR, NICOLAS CAGE. Rich may estimate that your Hong Kong action remake will debut at No. 1, but you won't even get me to watch the trailer. I know that you're dedicated to your craft, and that you have a history of controversial hairdos assumed for various roles, but I need to ask you to let this one go.
Sign our petition below, if you agree. If another bad hairdo has ever stopped you from seeing a film, feel free to sound off on it as well. (Our old Cruelest Cuts gallery is full of inspiration.)
On week 3 of The Wendy Williams Show's six-week trial run (in four major cities) on Fox daytime, we thought we'd check in and "Say What?" is going on. The show, which airs live (?!) definitely needs to work out some timing and content kinks, but generally, the somewhat polarizing and, in my opinion, hilarious radio personality translates very well to the screen. (Maybe I'm biased -- I'm automatically thrilled when any woman over six feet tall gets to do anything in front of a camera that's not, like, a sport.) Last week, Williams endured a blisteringly uncomfortable interview with Omarosa. You can watch that here and here, or just settle for my three-word recap: Omarosa is delusional. But today's installment was a bit more low-key. Popwatch presents...
7 Things Wendy Williams Did This Morning That Might Make Us Watch Again *Pulled her notes out of her weave as soon as she sat down, saying "It is what it is! If a wig can't hide things, then what is the purpose?" *Threatened her audience: "YOU BETTER CLAP IT UP!" *Told everyone to buy lingerie from Target. "Peruse! The panties and bras are fabulous! Target bras!" *Explained, re: Mario Lopez overload: "Mario's got a bunch of little balls up in the air instead of one big ball." *Wore a leopard-print "apron" (read: miniskirt) to stand next to Rocco DiSpirito while he cooked and she gabbed *Playfully shoved How to Understand Men and Their Dogs author Wendy Diamond so hard that Diamond fell over onto her own dog (who had it comin') *Wondered "Under the arms or in the trap?" when an audience member asked if she should confront a friend with poor personal hygiene (whoa!)
The show should enter syndication this fall. What think you -- wanna give Wendy a chance?
I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy this week's episode. There. You, happy? Here are the highlights:
• Most pleasantly uncomfortable moment: Beth Joy got verbally bitch-slapped for dressing up her mutt, Bella Starlet (pictured). This week's theme was obedience, so in the Best in Show elimination challenge, the owners were judged on grooming of their dogs, as well as their dogs' responses to the commands "Sit. Stay," "Leave it," and "Heel." I didn't think anything would top Tillman, the skateboarding English Bull Dog, fighting his desire to eat the steak that was placed before him. (Amazingly, all the dogs left their favorite foods untouched.) But then, when Beth Joy and Bella Starlet were placed again in the bottom three, all bets were off. The judges explained to Beth Joy that by putting Bella in clothing (a dress that wasn't as cute as Beth Joy thought it was), she was actually masking the body language that Bella uses to communicate with other dogs. After being told that clothing was "completely inappropriate," Beth Joy spoke: "This is a fancy dinner party. Yeah, I'm gonna dress her up because when she walks a red carpet, she dresses up." After judge Wendy Diamond said, "A dog is not a Barbie Doll," Elan got a smug look on her face, thinking that she and her Giant Schnauzer, Kenji, had just been saved. But no, they were sent home...
• Most delusional moment: Elan thought that she and Kenji actually had a chance at scoring the luxury suite by winning this week's obedience-themed Dog Bone Challenge. Ha! They went out in the third round when Elan couldn't get Kenji to give her a shake with her right paw. Eventually, it came down to two of my favorites, Laura and her Pomeranian (Preston) and Travis and his boxer (Presley). Travis got Presley to circle left, then circle right, first. Everyone was happy for him because he's caused no drama in the house. I was happy for him because he is absolutely adorable. He was so sweet with Presley, petting him between rounds and giving him plenty of "Good boy" kudos. Like judge Victoria Stilwell said after Travis' performance in the Best in Show challenge, it takes a big man to use baby talk with his dog. ("That's my good boy. That's my good boopers.") And it's a good owner who can use baby talk and still be an authority figure. But back to Elan and Kenji. Elan's constant "Eh-ehs" to rambunctious Kenji irritated her fellow competitors, the judges, and, I think it's fair to say, the viewers. That duo got eliminated.
According to Billboard, ZZ Top thinks producer/mogul Rick Rubin (inset) can do for them what he did for Johnny Cash and
(to a lesser extent) Neil Diamond. The boogie-rock trio reportedly wants to return to its raspy roots and make a record that resembles its '70s hits like "La Grange" (embedded after the jump). I think this is a good idea, if only because I really liked those grimy older ZZ Top tunes and didn't care much for the more streamlined pop sound that's been their bread and butter for the last 25 years. Rubin tends to favor a stripped-down approach as well. I don't know if he can restore the band to its former glory, or if anyone
at this late date still cares or still thinks of ZZ Top as more than a
novelty act, but I'd love to be there in the studio just to watch Rubin
and Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill trade beard grooming tips. What think you, PopWatchers?
Definitely one of the sweetest moments in SATC history. (Sniff.) And if you need a little Smith Jerrod fix, check out our new Q&A with Jason Lewis by clicking here.
Is Mel the only man whose mullet-y hotness is timeless? And which classic mullets did Asylum overlook?
* Especially you folks who freaked when Moonlight's Alex O'Loughlin named the mullet as one of the five things that should live forever in pop culture. You need to face that fear.
As president of Island Urban Records, Jermaine Dupri has spent a lot of time thinking about the future of music. And his latest brainchild is... TAG Records, a joint venture with, yes, TAG Body Spray, the favored scent of skeezy dudes everywhere. When I first saw this press release in my inbox, I thought it had to be a way-late April Fool's joke. I still wish it were. "Today, we make history in the music industry with TAG Records," Dupri pompously offers. What kind of history — terrible-idea history?! I'm sorry, but sure-to-fail vanity labels and cheap-o deodorant brands (what, he couldn't have gone upmarket and partnered with Axe?) are two cultural phenomena which did not need to join forces. Besides, there's already a defunct label called Tag Recordings!
Oh, this label. As Jay Sherman would say, it stinks! (Indeed, one blogger has already dubbed it "Stanky Records.") It hurts me to give it even a little bit more publicity with this post. But now that I have, what do you say — would you ever willingly buy a CD with the TAG logo on it?
It IS our new favorite talk show. Actor Craig Bierko (Fox's Unhitched) interviews John Malkovich. In a tub. While lathering up the two-time Oscar nominee's bald head. Malkovich's greatest role to date? That of a McDonald's drive-thru worker.
Official Winner of Tuesday, 1/29/08: Craig Ferguson (pictured), who scored 100 percent on his U.S. citizenship test. I guess this means he will have to stop making fun of the president. Not! Ferguson's made an issue of his quest for citizenship ever since June, when the mayor of Ozark, Alabama made him an honorary citizen because the Late Late Show host had complimented the region's catfish. 16,109 communities have citizenshipped him since then. That sounds awesome. We should all try it. Hey, Belgium — I dig your waffles and snooty attitude.
Official Disappointment of Tuesday, 1/29/08: Conan O'Brien, who shaved his magnificent strike beard before Monday night's show and didn't bother to A) document it on-air or B) send me a lock of his beard in the mail. Emphasis on B, yo. I'm devastated. A few weeks ago, at the photo shoot for Conan's sexy jungle-themed EW cover, I got to sit mere inches away from this beard. It was so close I could make out the tiny morsels of food and old coins from the 1930s that had lodged themselves in there over time. Now the beard's just floating in a drain somewhere. If I didn't have to be here right now, I'd dive in there, Fugitive-style, and swim it down. Ew. I'll stop.
The Screengrab recently posted a list of the 10 Worst Movie Hairdos, prompted by Javier Bardem's No Country for Old Men 'do. And while it's true that the bargain bob in question obscures the actor's stone-cold hotness, I'd hesitate to file it under 'Worst.' After all, Bardem created one of the most frightening characters in recent screen memory with his Oscar-nominated turn, and his hair contributes to the overall mood, whether or not anyone ever goes into a salon and asks for "The Anton Chigurh."
I think The Screengrab's list should have focused more on the kind of hideous that looks so wrong and incongruous that you end up skipping the movie (or failing to enjoy the movie) because of it. For me, the best recent example has to be Colin Farrell's blond catastrophe in Alexander (pictured). What was that mess all about? And while we're on this hairy topic, who else should've made the cut (badum-bum)?
Finally. Now that Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert are back (catch Ken Tucker's review of their performances here), we can add 'em to the O'Brien-Letterman mix and make a fair and balanced decision about who has the best-looking new facial hair on late-night TV. This is important! Stewart went with a traditional Strike Unibrow to show solidarity with writers and also Sam the Eagle. I give it one "ha"; points knocked off for mediocre color-blending. He could have gone at that thing with some Jolene. Colbert emerged at the end of A Daily Show looking like a prominent pilgrim community leader. His devotion to beard-growing is impressive and awesome. Still, I have to give PopWatch's prestigious Best Strike Facial Hair award to Conan O'Brien. You guys can't argue with me here, and not just because Letterman shaved his stubble on air last night. Conan just looks hot. He shouldn't shave it. Someone will have to console me with this doll if/when he does.
If you somehow missed Conan singing "Sabotage" in the voice of Edith Bunker while his production crew plays Rock Band, squeal it with him after the jump. And here is a creepy picture of a little boy dressed as a pilgrim. You're welcome!
If you've watched our Take 5 video with Hitman star Timothy Olyphant—and really, you should: he's hot and hysterical—you're already sensing that the actor wasn't initially psyched to shave his head for the role of Agent 47. Here, in an excerpt from an earlier interview with EW, you learn that acting really is all about the hair. That I should no longer be made to feel guilty for boycotting Tom Hanks in The Da Vinci Code and Nicolas Cage in Next. And that we should have expected our recent Best and Worst Hair on TV gallery to be that popular. In fact, we're now taking nominations for those titles in the motion picture category in the comments section below!
EW: Was the shaved head at all a concern for you? It was a bit of an issue for me because I liked your hair. Olyphant: Yeah. Yeah. Because why? EW: I liked your hair. Olyphant: Well, god bless you, I appreciate you saying that. And you’re not alone because the family, they were all very anti-shaved. My wife and the kids. Then, they kinda enjoyed it, I guess. Who doesn’t love walking up and rubbing a bald guy's head? I think it was a concern because you're never quite sure the shape of your head until all the hair comes off. Let me put it this way: If it was a concern of mine, I’m quite certain it was a concern of the powers that be. I think they all huddled around, watched the hair come off, and let out a sigh of relief that my head was, in fact, round. Honestly, I figure the studio took a major risk by hiring a guy who
wasn’t bald. I refused to shave my hair until the money was in the
bank. That’s absolutely true. They were like, "You should shave your
head to prepare for the role, just to get used to it," and I was like,
"Pay me. Go ahead. Cough it up." 'Cause I know what they were gonna do:
I was gonna shave my head, and then they were gonna look at it and go,
"Eh, no. Maybe we’ll go to somebody else." That was my hunch. I can’t
confirm whether they would have done that or not because I held strong. EW: I know your Deadwood contract had a clause that said your facial hair had to be at a certain length by a certain date for filming. Olyphant: I did a movie with a buddy of mine named Tom Jane years ago [2003's Dreamcatcher], and he used to tell me, "It’s all about the hair." I always thought, Ha ha. I know it’s a saying. And then he’d say, "No, I’m serious. It’s all about the hair." And I have had one job after another that has confirmed that to be a fact....
So, nominate away: Which roles have produced the best and worst hair in cinema?
I love everything about ABC's Brothers & Sisters. Actually, that's a lie. I love everything about ABC's Brothers & Sisters except for the heinous new bangs they've slapped on Emily VanCamp's moody half-sister Rebecca this season. Every time she takes the screen, I'm so disoriented/distraught that I have to use my DVR "seven-second jumpback button" (the one with the swirly arrow — if you haven't discovered it, it's downright miraculous)to get myself back into the action.
Meanwhile, I'd agree with 99 percent of the world (including series creator Tim Kring) that season two of Heroes has been hella jank. That said, there's been one positive development lost in all the kvetching: Milo Ventimiglia's shorter haircut. Out are the floppy, emo-boy locks that obscured Peter's eyes throughout season one. In: a sudden and unfeasible case of sexy.
In fact, I feel so strongly about Peter and Rebecca's 'dos, I nominate them respectively as the best and worst new hairstyles of the current TV season. But, by all means, if you think other updated coifs deserve recognition, list 'em in the comments section below. After all, winning first prize doesn't mean anything unless there's a first-runner-up in tears.
Ever wake up in the morning and think to yourself, ''I'd really like to dress like a Saxon warrior/furry pimp but I've got nothing in my closet?'' Well Paramount's PR department has just the thing for you: a 4-foot x 5-foot fake-fur blanket in a lovely stripey brown pattern. Seriously, cooler swag has not crossed our desk since the magical Transformers pen (which, at the touch of a button, transforms from a plastic wedge into something you can write with).
Why is this Beowulf item so great? Because it's got tons of uses: makeshift bear rug, car-seat cover, Quest for Fire Halloween costume, really comfy adult diaper, tiger pit cover, luxury parachute, etc.
Thanks, Paramount! That's two for two. Can't wait to see what you guys come up with for next year's Star Trek. (But you can't just slice up this blanket into squares and pass 'em off as tribbles. That'd be cheating.)
Is this perfume ad, for Diddy's "Unforgivable Woman" fragrance, really too steamy for cable? Methinks someone is protesting too much. If MTV, after airing countless spring-break and Real World gropefests, objects to the clip below, it's probably due to the ad's extreme length, not its sensuality. If MTV did squelch the ad, they did Diddy a favor, since without the controversy, there's nothing here that would be too hot for even a network TV drama like, say, Men in Trees. Not sure what's so "unforgivable" here, except maybe the spot's underlying message: that if you wear this fragrance to a bar and Diddy is there (and if you look like model Jessica Gomez), he'll take you to a hotel room for a night of nuzzling and some implied casual sex, after which he'll quickly dress and be on his way. Is that really a selling point? If you still care, check out the clip below, which is hosted on Diddy's MySpace page.
Let the record show that I am a huge Mariah Carey fan. At her 2003 Charmbracelet tour, she walked past my row and I cried for 30 seconds (stopping only after I saw the horrified glances from my friends). And last September, when I got an email notifying me that I had won front row seats to her The Adventures of Mimi tour, I tracked down the fan club publicist to make sure that it wasn't a cruel joke. (It wasn't — I was thisclose to Mimi as she hit high note after high note). So a part of me rejoiced when I learned that Mariah will be releasing her own fragrance — called M by Mariah Carey.
As someone who owns an "I heart MC" tank top , two Honey B. Fly t-shirts, an HBF camo hat, and a fan club membership card (really), I feel conflicted. And I must say, the packaging is adorable — a floral-shaped purple bottle with a butterfly on top. But for you, PopWatchers, I've dug deep — past my MC love — to pose this question: Do we really need another celebrity fragrance?
Among Mimi's competitors in the perfumery are purported rival J.Lo, Sarah Jessica Parker, Beyonce, and Hilary Duff. Not to mention, her fragrance is fresh off the heels of Prince’s 3121. There’s no word yet on what her fragrance will smell like. (What is the scent of staying power?)
You buying, PopWatchers? I'm not one for bottled fame, and I haven't worn perfume since Ralph by Ralph Lauren, but I just might have to have that cute bottle.
I know I should not be blogging about this Access Hollywood clip titled "Kristy Swanson Shows Off Alleged Assault Bruises." After all, it's one of those depressing actress-meets -married-skater, skater- leaves-pregnant-wife-and-has-baby-with-actress, actress-and-now-ex-wife-get-into-alleged-physical- tussle stories that don't really belong on EW.com. But the whole video is so crazy-heinous, I cannot ignore it. Hear Lloyd Eisler (pictured, a/k/a the "skater") utter the sentence, "it's a good black eye." Listen to the odd background noises (screaming baby, random cellphone, loud thuds). Marvel at Swanson's dramatic pronunciation of "arm…pit." And remember the moral of the story: "When you hit somebody with a ring, you're getting cut!"
Still, none of that would be PopWatch worthy if it were not for the most dramatic bit of chin foliage in the history of ever. Won't you watch for yourself (click here!), then take the corresponding pop quiz?
The thing on Lloyd Eisler's chin:
(A) is the world's most robust soul patch. (B) required the use of Miracle-Gro ™. (C) makes me feel funny. (D) is actually responsible for all the alleged bruises and scrapes discussed in the video, but everyone's too scared of it to make the accusation. (E) Did Kristy Swanson say "lollygagging"? (F) All of the above.
Stop the tresses! This week MTV2 is hosting a 20th anniversary celebration for 
I'd been blissfully unaware of Nicolas Cage's new release, Bangkok Dangerous, until this morning, when I was optically assaulted by the photo of him accompanying Josh Rich's 
On week 3 of The Wendy Williams Show's six-week trial run (in four major cities) on Fox daytime, we thought we'd check in and "Say What?" is going on. The show, which airs live (?!) definitely needs to work out some timing and content kinks, but generally, the somewhat polarizing and, in my opinion, hilarious radio personality translates very well to the screen. (Maybe I'm biased -- I'm automatically thrilled when any woman over six feet tall gets to do anything in front of a camera that's not, like, a sport.) Last week, Williams endured a blisteringly uncomfortable interview with Omarosa. You can watch that 
I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy this week's episode. There. You, happy? Here are the highlights:
According to 
Have you seen 
That's right! According to our corporate cousins at 
As president of Island Urban Records, Jermaine Dupri has spent a lot of time 
Official Winner of Tuesday, 1/29/08: Craig Ferguson (pictured), who 
The Screengrab recently posted a list of the 
Finally. Now that 
If you've watched our 
I love everything about ABC's Brothers & Sisters. Actually, that's a lie. I love everything about ABC's Brothers & Sisters except for the heinous new bangs they've slapped on Emily VanCamp's moody half-sister Rebecca this season. Every time she takes the screen, I'm so disoriented/distraught that I have to use my DVR "seven-second jumpback button" (the one with the swirly arrow — if you haven't discovered it, it's downright miraculous)to get myself back into the action.
Ever wake up in the morning and think to yourself, ''I'd really like to dress like a Saxon warrior/furry pimp but I've got nothing in my closet?'' Well Paramount's PR department has just the thing for you: a 4-foot x 5-foot fake-fur blanket in a lovely stripey brown pattern. Seriously, cooler swag has not crossed our desk since the magical Transformers pen (which, at the touch of a button, transforms from a plastic wedge into something you can write with). 
Let the record show that I am a huge Mariah Carey fan. At her 2003 Charmbracelet tour, she walked past my row and I cried for 30 seconds (stopping only after I saw the horrified glances from my friends). And last September, when I got an email notifying me that I had won front row seats to her The Adventures of Mimi tour, I tracked down the fan club publicist to make sure that it wasn't a cruel joke. (It wasn't — I was thisclose to Mimi as she hit high note after high note). So a part of me rejoiced when I learned that Mariah will be 
I know I should not be blogging about this Access Hollywood clip titled "Kristy Swanson Shows Off Alleged Assault Bruises." After all, it's one of those depressing actress-meets -married-skater, skater- leaves-pregnant-wife-and-has-baby-with-actress, actress-and-now-ex-wife-get-into-alleged-physical- tussle stories that don't really belong on EW.com. But the whole video is so crazy-heinous, I cannot ignore it. Hear Lloyd Eisler (pictured, a/k/a the "skater") utter the sentence, "it's a good black eye." Listen to the odd background noises (screaming baby, random cellphone, loud thuds). Marvel at Swanson's dramatic pronunciation of "arm…pit." And remember the moral of the story: "When you hit somebody with a ring, you're getting cut!" 
