July 27, 2009

Andrew WK does the weather

I wish Andrew WK did the weather every day.

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Posted by Emily Hulme on July 27, 2009 6:36 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Stephanie Pratt's newest pal?

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Now that Lauren Conrad has left "The Hills," has Stephanie Pratt found a replacement pal who keeps her mouth shut? Well, kinda. Old Navy placed its "Modelquins" outside busy Los Angeles spots, and Steph ran into one when exiting a Starbucks.

(Photo: Startraksphoto.com)

Posted by Julie Gordon on July 27, 2009 1:07 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

'Real' Tru Blood to hit stores in September ... as orange soda

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The fictional beverage featured prominently in HBO's vampire series 'True Blood' will be mass-marketed as orange soda in September.


Look, I love HBO's campy vamp dramedy "True Blood" just as much as the next person, but I tend to think the network is taking the whole bloodsucker craze a bit too far.

It was announced Monday that the show's fictional beverage, Tru Blood, will be available for purchase in stores this September — but instead of it being, you know, actual blood, it's now orange soda.

What?

According to the press release:

"The once-fictional Tru Blood beverage has now emerged as a real Blood Orange
carbonated drink ... The beverage boasts a crisp, slightly tart and lightly sweet tang, and the bottle has been crafted to replicate the appearance of the vampiric sustenance found on the series — blood type, logo and all."

No offense to those looking forward to running into their local bodega and grabbing a six-pack of Tru Blood orange soda, but I think this is consumerism at it's worst. I have to wonder who, exactly, this is being targeted to. I'd like to think that even die-hard fans of the show could separate entertainment from reality.

However, it seems there's actually been a demand for this.

"From its first season, fans have been enamored with the show and have expressed a keen interest in the Tru Blood beverage," [said] James Costos, vice president, Licensing & Retail at HBO. "We're extremely excited to be able to bring this original drink to life."

Yeah, it's interesting on the show, when it's actual synthetic blood created by people in Japan as a way to integrate vampires into mainstream society, not orange soda.

If I saw saw someone walking down the street swigging a bottle of O negative Tru Blood with a straight face, I might die laughing.
—Perrie Samotin


Posted by Perrie Samotin on July 27, 2009 11:16 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

July 26, 2009

The 'Millionaire Matchmaker's' million-dollar wedding ideas

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By Julie Gordon

“Millionaire Matchmaker” Patti Stanger doesn’t care what her fiance does during his bachelor party — as long as he’s, err ... protected.

“He can do whatever he wants as long as he double-gloves it,” Patti, 48, laughingly told us about real estate executive Andy Friedman, 51, who she plans to wed next year.

With that attitude from his girlfriend, Andy could have at least honored Patti’s request to pick the strippers for the soiree. But, unfortunately, Patti said her guy doesn’t trust her taste in women.

Patti is planning to have a bit more of a low-key bachelorette party: a spa trip. So when it comes to the wedding itself, Patti's and Andy's attitudes are also pretty different; Patti wants something low-key, while Andy prefers a blow-out bash.

"I would elope but he wants a hoo-ha wedding," Patti said. "I'd have a barbecue if I could. I love ribs."

A compromise? Possibly a party on the beach.

Photo: Patti Stanger (Getty)

Posted by Julie Gordon on July 26, 2009 5:07 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Neil Lane designs 'Bachelorette' engagement ring

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Will Jillian choose Ed, left, or Kiptyn on the finale of "The Bachelorette?" Or will Reid make a surprise comeback? (Photo: Courtesy ABC)

Get ready for a rock of an engagement ring, "Bachelorette" fans.

Jeweler to the stars Neil Lane has designed the ring that "Bachelorette" Jillian Harris will receive on Monday night's season finale, a spokeswoman for Neil Lane confirmed to us. The spokeswoman wouldn't give details, but if it's anything like the 171-diamond ring that Lane designed for "Bachelor" Jason Mesnick last season, it's sure to be a knock-out.

The season finale airs on Monday at 8 p.m. on ABC.

Posted by Julie Gordon on July 26, 2009 1:44 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

July 22, 2009

Lost tidbits

I don't want to wish away the rest of the year, but I do want to wish "Lost" back onto TV. So from here, January looks very far away.

But maybe the next best thing to new episodes is haiku summaries of each old episode. Read them here.

"Homecoming"
Ethan is captured
But there's no time for questions
'Cause Charlie shoots first

Also, ABC will be auctioning off props later this year. Get a sneak peak at Comic-Con in San Diego.

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Posted by Emily Hulme on July 22, 2009 3:12 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Natasha Lyonne, Gothamist style

You should really read this Gothamist interview with Natasha Lyonne. I really liked her work before the drugs got the better of her, and it seems like she's back on track.

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Posted by Emily Hulme on July 22, 2009 3:05 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Youngest Jagger the new face of Hudson Jeans

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Georgia May Jagger, right, is Mick's youngest and the new face of Hudson Jeans. Photo: Getty

Yet another Rolling Stones offspring is making a foray into modeling, clearing up any confusion I had about whether rock star progeny ever go on to do things like become lawyers or ad sales reps or speech pathologists.

Mick Jagger's youngest offspring, 17-year-old Georgia May, has been tapped as the new face of Hudson Jeans, reported WWD.com on Wednesday. (Unless Mick went through a serious "Gone With the Wind" stage 17 years ago, we're guessing Georgia May's mom, Texan Jerry Hall, had a hand in choosing that name).

The waify blond will appear in a series of ads for the brand's fall campaign. Among the campaign images are ones of Jagger wearing denim cutoffs and lounging on a Union Jack pillow or posing in ripped, bleached jeans against the background of a disheveled apartment, WWD.com reported.

Jagger — with her high cheekbones, pale complexion and soon-to-be signature gap in her teeth — looks every inch the model. Clearly, if you're born to a Stone, you're guaranteed to look hip, cool and model-y.

My mom totally should have been a groupie.
— Perrie Samotin

Click here to read the full story.

Posted by Perrie Samotin on July 22, 2009 1:08 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

July 21, 2009

Julianne Hough: On 'Footloose,' Zac Efron and love

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By Julie Gordon and Amanda Lindner

Julianne Hough isn’t returning to “Dancing with the Stars” next season, but she still has an opinion about which celebs she’d like to hit the dance floor — even if one is too famous (or just busy) to compete.

“I’m always like, ‘I want a good dancer that’s young,’ so Zac Efron would be awesome, but I’m sure he wouldn’t do that,” Hough told us while promoting Venus Embrace’s “Goddess Guide to Getting Closer,” an advice guide for girls on getting what they want out of life.

Hough almost had the chance to work with the “High School Musical” star. He was under consideration for the lead role in the “Footloose” remake, in which Hough is also starring. Ultimately, the part that Kevin Bacon originated went to “Gossip Girl” actor Chace Crawford.

Continue reading "Julianne Hough: On 'Footloose,' Zac Efron and love" »

Posted by Julie Gordon on July 21, 2009 3:06 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

VH1: Kevin Federline is not working on reality show with us

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By Julie Gordon

Kevin Federline and his girlfriend, volleyball player Victoria Prince, are not working on a reality show for VH1, despite reports to the contrary.

"Nope, not with us," a rep for VH1 told us yesterday.

Perhaps E! News, which reported the info, just got the network wrong, because according to E!, the show is set to follow the lives of Federline, Prince and Federline’s two sons with ex-wife Britney Spears — James Preston and Jayden James.

“They are not engaged, but [Prince] lives with him full-time in his place in Encino,” a source told E!

Added the source: "Victoria and Britney first met before Britney's tour at Kevin’s home," says our source. "They had a meeting face-to-face, when Victoria was home alone with the kids. It was awkward, but Britney was nice."

(Photo: Getty)

Posted by Julie Gordon on July 21, 2009 1:27 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

July 20, 2009

Batali joins "Feast"

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Famed NYC chef Mario Batali has joined the cast of dark comedic thriller “Bitter Feast.” The film is about a chef and TV cooking personality (sound familiar?) who takes culinary revenge on a food critic who's given his restaurant a bad review. Batali will play the owner of the restaurant.

The film stars Josh Leonard and James LeGros and is currently filming in Manhattan and Woodstock.

— Lucy Blatter

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Posted by Emily Hulme on July 20, 2009 4:11 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

July 19, 2009

Interview with Aviva Kempner

By Robert Levin
Special to amNewYork

Gertrude Berg is often touted as “the Oprah of her day.” Yet today this mid-20th century icon has largely been forgotten. Documentarian Aviva Kempner hopes to rectify that with her new film “Yoo-Hoo, Mrs. Goldberg,” the title of which was her subject’s famous alter ego’s favorite catchphrase.

Now in theaters, the film chronicles the life and achievements of Berg, creator and star of the early television show “The Goldbergs,” which served as the harbinger of “Leave it to Beaver” and generations of other family based sitcoms. With her distinct style of leaning out her apartment window and chatting with her neighbors, or breaking the fourth wall by directly addressing the audience, she became a beloved Jewish-American icon.

amNewYork spoke to the filmmaker.

What are your own personal memories of Gertrude Berg and “The Goldbergs?”
I myself am an immigrant. I was born in Berlin after the war, the first American war baby, and I came to Detroit [when I was] I think three-years-old, so I remember in the home us watching her on TV. But it’s a very vague memory.

What led you to your professional interest in the subject?
In my making film life, in “Hank Greenberg” (“The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg,” her film about the baseball legend) there’s a scene where again in the Bronx, I seem to be a Bronx maven, Greenberg’s neighbors are yelling out the window saying, “Greenberg is a bum.” And I used to see from “Going My Way” where women are yelling out the window, and that [led me to] “The Goldbergs.” And then I made a short film called “Today I Vote for My Joey,” about the Jewish vote going for Pat Buchanan and I wrote that, it’s my one dramatic script, and in it the main character yells, “Yoo hoo, let’s go to vote” and it’s about the 2000 election, so I was really channeling Gertrude Berg. And then when I went to the Jewish Museum and saw an exhibit called “Jews Entertaining America,” the recreation of the Goldberg living room, I said “that’s my next film.” My M.O. is doing under known Jewish heroes, in this particular instance a Jewish heroine.

Continue reading "Interview with Aviva Kempner" »

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Posted by Emily Hulme on July 19, 2009 6:00 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Boosh extras

By Emily Hulme

I spoke with Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt for a jam-packed and hilarious 15 minutes last week, and not even a third of the good stuff made it into the interview. So here are some more excerpts from our chat.

These are some silly guys.

(I asked something like, "How close are Vince and Howard to your real personalities?")
BarratT: When we started out, we had nothing else in our lives other than that, so we pretty much spent our lives together ...
Fielding: Like a marriage ...
Barratt: and then the next ten years was pretty much us doing the Boosh, we were always seeing each other. So we got to know each other quite well. The characters are a few degrees left of our actual characters; they’re not too far away.
Fielding: I’m a bit more like Julian and Julian’s a bit more like me in real life. I think with all double acts, it is as close as if you’re going out with someone or if you’re best friends with someone, because you spend so much time together.

Continue reading "Boosh extras" »

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Posted by Emily Hulme on July 19, 2009 5:26 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Mighty Boosh hits the states

By Emily Hulme

The Mighty Boosh

It’s hard to describe exactly what The Mighty Boosh is. British comedians Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt have been working under that name for about a decade, doing their act live and on radio and television.

The show centers around the absurd adventures of Vince Noir and Howard Moon as they get stranded on desert islands, fight kangaroos, etc.

A comedy sensation in their home country, the Boosh has gathered a growing following stateside.

We spoke with the pair about their act.

After 10 years, what keeps you attached to the Mighty Boosh?
Fielding: We’re rubbish at everything else. Sometimes we say we’re going to take a break and do something else, but I can’t repair cars; I can’t do anything else. We always end up coming back together.

Continue reading "The Mighty Boosh hits the states" »

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Posted by Emily Hulme on July 19, 2009 5:21 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Pop music pianist

If you haven't seen Lovemusic177's series of videos on YouTube, you're missing out.

Her name's Marinna and she basically "immortalizes" up-to-the-minute pop songs by adapting them into classical sonatas and rhapsodies. It's incredible.

While it's remarkable to hear the catchy, if manufactured, music of Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, Chris Brown, Kanye West, Sean Kingston and Rihanna (to name a few) stripped down and turned into classical pieces, it's also entertaining to watch Marinna's masterful command over her instrument.

While they're all awesome, I keep going back to Marinna's dramatic take on Timbaland and Keri Hilson's "The Way I Are."
—Perrie Samotin

Posted by Perrie Samotin on July 19, 2009 2:12 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

July 16, 2009

Movie review: Somers Town

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Somers Town
3 stars
Directed by Shane Meadows
Starring Thomas Turgoose, Piotr Jagiello

By Mina Hochberg

At a next-to-nothing 68 minutes, “Somers Town” is the sore thumb in a summer full of bloated, special effects-driven movies. Directed by Shane Meadows, this black-and-white film is set in the titular working class neighborhood of London. Tomo (Thomas Turgoose) is a young runaway orphan who’s just arrived in Somers Town via train. Alone and fierce, his face is unusually somber and adorable at the same time.

Having no qualms over being a parasite, Tomo quickly befriends another boy, Marek (Piotr Jagiello), a Polish immigrant who lives with his father, a construction worker. Marek gets a lot of love from his father, but he’s also left alone a lot. When his father does happen to be around, Marek is treated more like a pal at the water cooler than a son. In other words, he needs a friend his own age.

Marek is quiet and sensitive, while Tomo is swaggering and virile. Different as they are, they offer each other the opportunity to let down their guard and just be boys. They talk about women, wander the streets and occasionally get up to no-good. Turgoose is remarkably precocious — he made a strong impression as a budding skinhead in Meadows’ last film, “This Is England,” and he instantly makes an impression here as well.

“Somers Town” feels more like a parable than a film, and its brevity leaves you wanting more. If the story is too slender, though, it’s because Meadows is more concerned with documenting than storytelling. Rather than spin an elaborate yarn, he’d rather explore the gritty landscape of this London enclave. To be sure, there’s no better way to delve into the nooks and crannies of a town than by letting a couple of boys loose on its streets.

Posted by Julie Gordon on July 16, 2009 6:32 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Movie review: (500) Days of Summer

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(500) Days of Summer
3 stars
Directed by Marc Webb
Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel, Geoffrey Arend

By Mina Hochberg

In “(500) Days of Summer,” Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars as a hopeless romantic named Tom. He’s such a romantic, in fact, that he’s the star copywriter at a greeting card company. Go figure. At his job, he falls hard for the new secretary, Summer (Zooey Deschanel), who happens to be a staunch disbeliever in the notion of love. Despite their battling philosophies on romance, they hit it off, bonding over music, common propensities for public goofiness and all the other unseen forces that bring lovers together. After a year, though, Summer calls it quits, breaking Tom’s heart.

“(500) Days” reviews their relationship from beginning to end. A la “Memento,” though, it does so out of order, hopscotching back and forth among the landmark days of their romance: the day they met, the days they fought, the day Tom realized he was in love. The movie simulates the rewind/fast forward process taking place in the jilted Tom’s head as he pines away and tries to figure out what went wrong.

Continue reading "Movie review: (500) Days of Summer" »

Posted by Julie Gordon on July 16, 2009 6:32 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

John Krasinski's "BIWHM" finds distribution

IFC Films has picked up Krasinski's adaptation of David Foster Wallace's "Brief Interviews With Hideous Men," according to the Times, to be released in September. Whoa.

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Posted by Emily Hulme on July 16, 2009 4:37 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

July 15, 2009

Dave Chappelle surprises Portland

Dave Chappelle at Pioneer Square

Last night, Dave Chappelle surprised the folks of Portland, Ore., with an impromptu show. Almost. Because of the overwhelming response (The Oregonian is reporting that about 4,000 people showed up; Chappelle expected 200), the PA system was too small for the crowd, and the show never really got going.

Despite remaining mostly out of the spotlight since his abrupt, high profile retirement from "Chappelle's Show" in 2005, the comedian has remained much beloved. At one point in the video above, Chappelle says, "I'll plan next time. I didn't know that I was still famous. Now I know. And I'll be more careful."

More details here.

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Posted by Emily Hulme on July 15, 2009 3:31 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

'Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters'

I was talking about "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" just yesterday, and today comes the news that publisher Quirk Books is coming out with "Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters" in September (trailer above).

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Posted by Emily Hulme on July 15, 2009 3:15 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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