The Tangent

Andrew WK does the weather

2009-07-27T22:36:44Z

I wish Andrew WK did the weather every day.

Stephanie Pratt's newest pal?

2009-07-27T17:07:41Z

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)

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

2009-07-27T15:16:44Z

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

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

2009-07-26T21:07:42Z

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)

Neil Lane designs 'Bachelorette' engagement ring

2009-07-26T17:44:19Z

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.

Lost tidbits

2009-07-22T19:12:59Z

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.

Natasha Lyonne, Gothamist style

2009-07-22T19:05:52Z

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.

Youngest Jagger the new face of Hudson Jeans

2009-07-22T17:08:26Z

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.

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

2009-07-21T19:06:40Z

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.]]> Here are some other bits of wisdom from the adorable Hough: • On dieting: "When I’m on ["Dancing with the Stars" I can eat whatever because I burn so many calories, but when I’m not, I try to stay away from the cake and the sweets and the breads and stuff like that. I eat vegetables and chicken breasts and things like that, salads. But my key is just eat what you want, but stop when you’re full and don’t eat too much and eat at good times in the day." • On reinventing one's look for summer: "I would say try and get a cute tan, but not over do it. Get a haircut or color your hair or something." • On keeping clear skin: "Well, my sister is an aesthetician and so that’s my guilty pleasure. I love just to go to my sister had have her give me facials and wax my eyebrows. But doing shows every night and wearing makeup every day, I always take my makeup off with the Neutrogena face wipes and then I’ll wash my face afterwards, always moisturize and drink tons and tons of water." (Photo: Getty)

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

2009-07-21T17:27:37Z

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)

Batali joins "Feast"

2009-07-20T20:11:10Z

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

Interview with Aviva Kempner

2009-07-19T22:00:58Z

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.]]> Why has Gertrude Berg been largely forgotten? I think there are several reasons. I think, one, she was too early and oftentimes the pioneers get forgotten until the writers and the filmmakers bring them to life. Two is she wasn’t syndicated, and I think she lost out because people didn’t get to keep on seeing the episodes, although there is going to be a DVD release of her episodes I think by the end of the year. Third of all, the blacklist hurt her. She lost some time on TV. And I think fourth of all, her humor, her poignancy, stands up in time, but she wasn’t a physical comedian like Lucille Ball. But what’s amazing [is] it’s like forgetting Oprah in 50 years. No one will ever stop talking about what Oprah did and accomplished or the profound influence she had. That’s what doc filmmakers are all about. As I tell my relatives, “I don’t make money, I make history,” so hopefully that will be different [this time]. [laughs] What sets “The Goldbergs” apart from other onscreen portrayals of Jews, past and present? We could argue Larry David’s Jewish, Seinfeld’s Jewish, “The Nanny” is very Jewish, but no one was so overly Jewish in terms of employing actors from the Yiddish theater [and depicting] ceremonies that you celebrate together. You saw in the film they would have Passover, and the poignancy of World War II, [and] you would see synagogues. And there’s never been, I think, as positive a Jewish mother role. I ran into Fran Drescher at a Creative Coalition event and I said to her, “I’m making a film about Gertrude Berg of ‘The Goldbergs,’” and she said, “Who is that?” I thought “The Nanny” was very funny, I think we could argue the other shows I’ve mentioned, they’re hysterical, but are they really positively Jewish?

Boosh extras

2009-07-19T21:26:48Z

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.]]> (Their working methods; this is a continuation of Fielding talking about the drinks.) Barratt: We always sit in a room, trying to crack a problem. And then when we leave the office ... [we would] have ideas while we were saying goodbye to each other. Fielding: Then we [ditched] the office and got a street, so then we would leave the street and get inside a cab and have the ideas. And then we bought a cab. It’s not where you are, we realized. I think your brain relaxes as you’re leaving at the end of the day. Barratt: It’s always about leaving somewhere. So now we’ve got 15 offices which we leave. Fielding: We just got someone following us around with a Dictaphone. (On appearing on Jimmy Fallon.) Fielding: We’re not very amazingly brilliant on chat shows, so he needs to be gentle with us. Barratt: I’m going to work up some spicy anecdotes, really wow the crowd with some showbiz tales. Fielding: I’m going to wear some interesting costumes. (More future plans) Barratt: One thing, though, when we meet the Flight of the Conchords, we’re going to fight them in the street. Fielding: We’d quite like to do something with them. We should at least write a song with them. Barratt: A sort of double act face-off. Fielding: We know them; we’re friends with them. It could be quite fun.

The Mighty Boosh hits the states

2009-07-19T21:21:05Z

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.]]> How did you start out? Barratt: Initially, we wanted to make a TV show. We gave people a script and they said it was going to cost too much money and it didn’t make sense. And so we did it live to show people how that worked. Then we did a radio show. Everything was to prove that we could do these things. What is your writing process like? Fielding: We talk about what we’re going to do for weeks, but we don’t actually do anything. You have to drink lots of different sort of drinks. You drink lots of coffees, then you’re going to need juice, then you need some water, then you need some tea. ... You go through the whole gamut of drinks. Anything to not do any actual work until you have to. Will there be a fourth season of the TV show? Barratt: We’re wondering what we should do next — whether we should do a film, which is in the pipeline, in a very early stage. Or we could do another TV show, or work out if America ... would be interested in doing something. Fielding: There’s music as well; we’d like to do an album at some point. There’s a lot we could do. Noel and Julian are in New York this week. Here's where you can find them: Tuesday: • Seasons 1-3 of the TV show available on DVD. • Fielding, Barratt and other cast members sign DVDs at Other Music (15 E. Fourth St.), 6-8 p.m. • The Mighty Boosh performs at Bowery Ballroom, 9 p.m. For details, visit myspace.com/themightyboosh. Wednesday • Fielding and Barratt on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.”

Pop music pianist

2009-07-19T18:12:48Z

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