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Paris Hilton Wins Sexiest Celebrity of 2005...
600.org has named Paris Hilton iest celebrity 2005. She couldn't gett any hotter this year...It was a clear choice at the end of the day...Read Full Article...
Oprah to dramatize lesser known work!
With typical restraint, Oprah Winfrey explained why she had chosen to make a TV movie of Zora Neale Hurston’s “Their Eyes Were Watching God.” “I love, love, love this book,” Winfrey told critics Sunday, the last day of the TV industry’s two-week preview marathon. “Other than ‘The Color Purple,’ I don’t think I’ve ever loved a book as much.” Designated the world’s No. 1 Pop Idol by no less an authority than cable’s VH1, the artist known universally as Oprah was here not as talk show host or magazine mogul but in a slightly less visible role: as executive producer of ABC’s “Oprah Winfrey Presents” series of dramas. Winfrey wears more hats than a baseball team, which has left her less time to produce than she would like. She has not made a movie since ABC’s “Amy & Isabelle” in 2001. What drove her to make this one — and to appear before critics for the first time since she promoted “The Women of Brewster Place” in 1989 — was her conviction that Hurston, an African-American novelist who died in 1960, is a neglected master. Winfrey hopes the film, which stars Halle Berry as an independent spirit fighting the constraints of the South of the 1920s, will introduce the book to “a public that probably never knew she existed,” she said. “I’m still astounded when I bring up her name and people who are supposed to know something about books don’t know her name.” The movie, directed by Darnell Martin from a screenplay by Pulitzer Prize winner Suzan-Lori Parks (“Topdog/Underdog”), will premiere March 6. But Winfrey said it had been on her mind for about a decade. Not quite three years ago, she took the plunge and called her friend Berry about it. The actress, Winfrey recalled, had won an Oscar for “Monster’s Ball” the night before. “I thought, ‘I better get in now, because I know everybody else is going to be calling her up. And I know it’s a bold move to say, ‘Congratulations, you looked really nice at the Academy, but could you do that movie I’ve been talking about for 10 years?’” In fact, to hear America’s champion talker tell it, she was nervous about the call: “I didn’t know whether she was going to be, like” — here Winfrey adopted a “Masterpiece Theatre” tone — “‘Now I have an Oscar. I’m sorry. I cannot talk to you.’” Didn’t happen. “Not when Oprah calls and asks you, and not when it’s a book you love,” said Berry. Given a chance to portray one of Hurston’s women, Berry added, “I’d do it on a street corner in New York City.” For Berry, one perk of filming was getting slapped by 80-year-old co-star Ruby Dee. In character, of course. “Maybe she’s 5 feet tall, if she’s that tall,” Berry said, so “when the smack came up (in the script), I told Darnell, ‘Somebody needs to tell her it’s OK to slap me. I’ll be OK.’ “Well, the first time she slapped me, she slapped me to the ground,” the actress said with a grin. Read Full Article
U2 Tour Set to Begin March 28 in San Diego
Irish rock band U2 is set to explode on the road at the end of March, just in time for a beleaguered concert industry desperate for a major buzz-generating tour. The band will begin its worldwide Vertigo tour March 28 at the San Diego Sports Arena, Billboard has learned. Details will be provided in a Jan. 24 announcement. Tennessee rock band Kings of Leon will open the first leg. Conservative estimates put the Vertigo tour's gross potential at $225 million-$250 million from as many as 110 shows. U2's Elevation tour in 2001 grossed $143 million from 113 shows worldwide, playing to more than 2.1 million fans. The first U.S. leg will wrap in Boston in late May. The tour, in support of its latest release, "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb," is routed to accommodate multiple shows in many markets. History suggests quick sellouts. In 2001, U2 rang up six sellouts at Chicago's United Center that grossed a combined $9.6 million. The band also notched four sellouts in 2001 at Boston's FleetCenter ($5.6 million) and at Earls Court in London ($4.5 million). Two sellouts at Dublin's Slane Castle drew 157,418 and took in $6.7 million. Following two months of U.S. shows, the Vertigo tour will hit some 30 European stadiums, beginning June 10 in Brussels. The band will stay in Europe through mid-August, then return to North America for another run of 30 arena dates. Ticket prices will average $90, with $49.50 at the low end and $165 at the high end. Last time out, the range was $45-$135. As on the Elevation tour, the arena floor will be general admission for about 1,700 seats, depending on the building. And, again like Elevation, the tour will feature unique production elements. "This tour will be not unlike the last production, in that the lowest- priced tickets will be on the floor," said U2 manager Paul McGuinness. "The best seats are the cheapest, and we want people to get excited. Read Full Article
Donald Trump to Martha Stewart.. You're Hired!
Lifestyle mogul Martha Stewart will star in a prime-time spinoff of NBC's hit reality show "The Apprentice" sometime after her release from prison next month, the network said on Wednesday. The NBC show, titled "The Apprentice: Martha Stewart," will be modeled after the series hosted by Stewart's friend and fellow tycoon, Donald Trump. No air date was given, but executive producer Rob Burnett said production on the series may begin while the domestic diva is under home confinement following her scheduled release in March. Burnett said the show would follow the format of the original "Apprentice," which features Trump and a group of would-be tycoons competing for a high-ranking executive post in one of his companies. On Stewart's spinoff, which Trump will have a hand in producing, contestants will vie for an unspecified job somewhere in her company, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Burnett said. Trump said he doubted Stewart would use the signature phrase he has made famous on his own program. "She's probably not going to say, 'You're fired.' She's probably got her own expression that's different from what I do," the real estate magnate said. He said he had not decided whether he would appear on her show. Trump said he and Burnett, the man behind the CBS reality hit "Survivor" as well as "The Apprentice," began discussing a prospective "Apprentice" spinoff several months ago. "I'm a good friend of Martha's. I have been for a long time," Trump told reporters in a conference call announcing the deal. "And I've learned one thing fairly recently over the last couple of years. She's a very brave woman. Very few people could have withstood what she's withstood. She's gone through a tough time. And she's done it admirably." Read Full Article
Jesse McCartney's Beautiful Soul Goes Gold
Hollywood Recording artist Jesse McCartney has officially reached gold sales status today after merely 16 weeks. Jesse's single and title track "Beautiful Soul" is currently the #5 most played song in the country according to the Top 40 BDS radio chart this week, with an audience of over 45 million! Jesse's album is #34 on Billboard's Top 200 chart this week as well, up from #45 last week. The momentum for an even bigger week is building with A/C stations quickly adding "Beautiful Soul" and multiple TV appearances this week including "Breakout Stars Week" on MTV's "TRL" and ABC's "The View." Jesse McCartney is currently shooting episodes for the second season of The WB's hit show "Summerland," which will premiere Monday, February 28 (9:00 - 10:00 p.m. ET). Jesse plays Bradin Westerly, a teen overcoming his grief over the loss of his parents as he builds a new life in Southern California and helps his aunt Ava (Lori Loughlin) care for his siblings. About to turn 18 this spring, Jesse is already an accomplished actor, having garnered two Emmy nominations for his portrayal of Adam Chandler, Jr. on "All My Children." Jesse began performing at age seven in the musical "Oliver," and performed on Broadway in the "King & I" by age ten, and opposite Roger Daltrey in "A Christmas Carol." Up next, Jesse McCartney will be announcing his spring and summer tour plans. Read Full Article
Rachel Bilson is the hottest one commodity
A raven-haired seductress, Rachel Bilson is the hottest thing to hit FOX's primetime slot since Jessica Alba. With a y gaze and tight body, she has captured our hearts and invaded our fantasies. Let's all hope Bilson continues to brighten our days and frequent our dreams for many, many, years to come. To date, beautiful Bilson's career has been short and sweet. But she landed a role that has left everyone talking: that of Summer Roberts on FOX's newest hit drama, The O.C. With the success of this show, Bilson has become a hot commodity -- one we'd love to deal with during any season. Beverly Hills, 90210, Melrose Place, Party of Five, and The O.C. -- they have more in common than you think. Sure, they were (or are) all successful FOX dramas that focused on the loves and losses of the young, rich and beautiful. More importantly, however, each primetime series has produced some real standout beauties. Take a look at the list: Tiffani Thiessen, Heather Locklear and Jennifer Love Hewitt are all well-known hotties and now, Mischa Barton and -- arguably the finest of them all -- Rachel Bilson can be added to the list. Thanks to the success of The O.C. (which stands for Orange County, for those out of the loop), the world has become acquainted with these last two babes. In particular, Bilson piques our interest with her dark features and naughty smile. Although she has spent less than a full season on FOX, she has been able to nab the spotlight thanks to these attractive traits, as well as a natural flair for the camera. In the limited time we have gotten to know her, she has made an incredible impression. Whether or not The O.C. continues its successful run, we're convinced that Bilson will leave her mark on TV or even the big screen. Since Bilson is a newcomer to television stardom, many are quick to ociate her real personality with that of spoiled, gossipy Summer Roberts on The O.C. This umption, it turns out, is not far off. Bilson admits to having been spoiled as a child and is the first to point out that, as a quick-witted and cunning babe, she usually gets what she wants, whether it's acting roles, gifts or guys. Read Full Article
Avril Lavigne Helps Kelly Clarkson Become A Pop 'Princess'
Soundtrack song 'Breakaway' penned by Canadian songwriter. Avril Lavigne has had harsh words for pop singers in the past, but her words for Kelly Clarkson could not have been better suited. Along with producer Matthew Gerrard, Lavigne wrote Clarkson's new single, "Breakaway," which "fits my lifE perfectly,'' the original ''American Idol'' told. The song is so autobiographical that for the video Kelly decided to act out most of the lyrics, with the help of an actress portraying a younger version of herself. Directed by Dave Meyers (Missy Elliott, Britney Spears), the video begins with the 8-year-old version of Clarkson singing from the back seat of a car as she watches a Texas thunderstorm out the window. "Grew up in a small town/ And when the rain would fall down/ I just stared out my window," Clarkson sings. The video then flashes to present-day Kelly arriving on the red carpet for the premiere of "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement," the movie that features the song. "Since it's a movie tie-in, the idea stems from trying to figure out a new way of addressing the film-footage requirement they put on you, so we came up with the idea of her attending the premiere, which is very much something she will do in real life," Meyers said. "And 'Princess Diaries' sort of parallels the humble kid who stumbles across the riches." Clarkson's the star of the premiere, but with the flash of a camera bulb, the video switches back again, showing the little girl praying by her bedside as she sing the chorus: "I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly/ I'll do what it takes 'til I touch the sky/ ... I'll take a risk/ Take a chance/ Make a change/ And break away." "We tied [the premiere] in with how she grew up as a kid, her first flight where she's afraid of turbulence, just some of the human qualities behind a pop star," Meyers explained. "It's so rare you get to see who these people are. In Kelly's case, I felt the song was so telling and emotional that it would be a good opportunity." Read Full Article
Courtney Thorne-Smith is a bride in June and a divorsee in January
Even in Hollywood, where celebrity marriages, like sitcoms, tend to last only a few seasons, this one had a stunningly short run. On Jan. 3, just seven months after staging a spur-of-the-moment wedding on the Hawaiian island of Lanai, actress Courtney Thorne-Smith announced that she and her husband, genetic scientist Andrew Conrad, have "mutually decided to separate," adding that no third parties were involved. Friends who had witnessed the three-year courtship of the former Ally McBeal star and her beau were all but speechless. "To be honest," says one intimate, "I am as confused as the next guy." Also taken by surprise were the editors of IN STYLE WEDDINGS (a sister publication to PEOPLE), which had hit the newsstands a week earlier with Thorne-Smith, 33, on the cover in her bridal gown. Still, says the magazine's managing editor Martha Nelson, "Whatever we're going through, it is not as bad as whatever she is going through." Though Conrad, 37, and his wife's former Melrose Place co-star Rob Estes were high school friends, Conrad and Thorne-Smith didn't meet until 1997, when her sister Jennifer fixed them up. They became engaged in October 1998, but their June 1 wedding was so impromptu that they hadn't even procured a marriage license. Now, no one knows what will become of the $1 million-plus lot that they bought in Lanai, where they planned to build their dream house. Read Full Article
What's Up With The Outkast Movie?
The Director Spills It All. Oh, it'll come out, all right. But it won't be called 'My Life in Idlewild.'
For all the talk about the Outkast movie in recent years, few details have actually surfaced. But now that the HBO-produced movie starring Andre 3000 and Big Boi is finished shooting, we went after its director, Bryan Barber, the group's longtime go-to video director, to fill us in. Yes, it's really coming out. "Probably mid-June," Barber said. "The rumor is that it'll hit theaters first. I'm not supposed to spread the rumor, but I am." No, it's not really called "My Life in Idlewild." "I was kidding around when I said that title, because where it takes place is called Idlewild," Barber said. "I didn't think anyone would like it. Originally it was called 'Speakerbo' and I might still call it that. 'Speakerbo' is what the film is. It's actually the first part to another film I wrote, 'The Love Below,' which I wrote for Andre." However, it's not really based on Big Boi's album. "I had this idea in my mind for two years and wrote it loosely based on my life and wrote their parts loosely based on some of our experiences together as well," Barber said. "Basically, Dre and Big Boi have coinciding stories. Big Boi's in a love triangle and has to choose between his dream of being a businessman and his family. And Dre's is more of a tragic love story. He falls in love with someone from out of town, which motivates him to follow his dream." Read Full Article
LeBlanc and Berlanti Back Frog's 'Prince'
"Joey" star Matt LeBlanc and "Everwood" creator Greg Berlanti are teaming up for a pilot at The WB. The two are among the executive producers of "The Prince," a drama project that's received the green light from the Frog, the Hollywood trade papers report. The show is a family drama set in the upper echelons of New York society, revolving around the relationship between a father and son following the death of the kid's older brother. Jesse Wigutow ("It Runs in the Family") wrote the pilot script and will receive a co-exec producer credit. The pilot is one of LeBlanc's first forays into producing via his production company, Fort Hill Productions. The Warner Bros.-based company is also developing a comedy project that will star Dennis Hopper. On "The Prince," LeBlanc and John Goldstone will serve as executive producers along with Berlanti and Mickey Liddell, who serve the same capacity on The WB's "Everwood" and "Jack & Bobby." Read Full Article