Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Congrats, GaGa! The Fame Monster Named Best-Selling Album Of 2010!

Perez Hilton Filed under: Music Minute > Lady GaGa > Business Blitz
the fame monster is best selling album of 2010
Seems like our wifey is the #1 EVERYTHING of 2010!

Lady GaGa's The Fame Monster has been named the best-selling album of the year after selling 5.8 million copies worldwide!

We are SO proud!

Will GaGa win this honor again for her upcoming album Born This Way?
We're thinking YES!

Click HERE to see a full list of the top 20 best-selling albums of 2010.

Monday, December 27, 2010

Happy Holidays From Bella Swan's House

Filed under: Twilight > Twitter
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Director Bill Condon has a little Christmas treat for all you Twi-Hards- a first look at the Swan residence at Christmas time!
Over the weekend, Bill tweeted out this picture for the loyal fans to enjoy.
Looks pretty sweet to us! Very quaint with a nice tree - and what do we behold by the fireplace but 4 stockings?!
One for Charlie, one for Bella, one for Edward and just perhaps one for Renesmee! Cute!
Still can't believe we have to wait a whole year for Breaking Dawn!
Thoughts, Twi-Hards?!

Analyzing the Doctor Who Series 6 Trailer

By Sam McPherson for TV Overmind on December 26th, 2010



I had completely forgotten about the trailer for the next series of Doctor Who popping up after the Christmas special, and so I was pleasantly surprised to see that familiar "COMING SOON" logo after Michael Gambon and Katherine Jenkins rode off in their shark-sleigh. It was even more surprising to me, though, that the promo held its own against the Christmas special itself. That's nothing against the brilliant "A Christmas Carol" -- the promo was just that good.

Here's the video below, and below that we'll go shot by shot through the promo to try and make sense of all those jump cuts. Strap yourselves in -- this is great stuff.

Link to the Trailer - Click Here

It looks like this is from roughly 17th century France, judging by the musketeers. Last time we were here ("The Girl in the Fireplace" from series 2), things went very creepily.
 Analyzing the Doctor Who Series 6 Trailer

This is clearly from a different episode from the Musketeers. It's still set in the past, though -- these guys are from Hitler's SS. This will mean that we're having our second WWII episode in two years, after last year's abysmal "Victory of the Daleks."
 Analyzing the Doctor Who Series 6 Trailer

Quite clearly, the Doctor has literally been running, followed closely by Amy and... is that River Song?
 Analyzing the Doctor Who Series 6 Trailer

Oscar Nominations Ballots Mailing Today

Just a reminder that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences officially mails out its nominations ballots today for the 83rd Annual Academy Awards. Those ballots have to be back when the polls close on January 14th at 5 PM PT. That's so the Academy can announce its nominations live on January 25th and then telecast the Oscars live on February 27th.

Sunday, December 26, 2010

RIP Teena Marie

Grammy nominated singer Teena Marie -- once known as Rick James' protégée -- died in her sleep last night at the age of 54 ... TMZ has confirmed with Teena's rep Lynn Jeter.

Teena Marie Dead

So far it's unclear what caused the singer's death.

Marie was nominated for a Grammy four times ... her first top ten hit was "I'm Just a Sucker for Your Love."

The Best and Worst Movie Posters of 2010 - Yahoo

Great list - http://movies.yahoo.com/photos/collections/gallery/3140/the-best-and-worst-movie-posters-of-2010#photo0

Avengers Villian Announced?!?!

Does this local newspaper spoil the villain in Joss Whedon's Avengers?

Does this local newspaper spoil the villain in Joss Whedon's Avengers?

Joss Whedon's The Avengers is gearing up to film in New Mexico, and Friday's edition of The Albuquerque Journal included a major spoiler innocuously tucked away in a random paragraph.

This article, which comes courtesy of AICN, reveals that the Avengers will be battling the Kree and Skrulls, two alien races who are perpetually at each other's throats and whose exploits were at the center of a classic Avengers storyline. (Incidentally, this line only appeared in the print edition of the Journal.)

Of course, Skrull participation in the film has been bandied about for a while now, so it's unclear if the writer is rehashing old rumors or confirming that these alien races (and their eternal enmity) are the villains of the piece. Of the two races, the Kree tend to be portrayed in a more positive light, but I could see Whedon putting a twist on this old rivalry to explode fans' expectations.

Favourite Places!!! - Zeus Theaters in Waynesboro

One of my favourite movies theaters and luckily the one near my house.  They opened a couple of months ago and I have lived there since:-)

Check it out -
http://www.zeustheaters.com/

This surprises me - 'Little Fockers' Wins Box Office; 'Gulliver's Travels' Bombs

Yahoo News - Sun Dec 26, 2010

Universal's Little Fockers may have topped the Christmas box office with an estimated $48.3 million five-day debut, but it was Paramount's True Grit that saw the grittiest grosses, earning an estimated $36.8 million to come in No. 2.

Both pics debuted on Wednesday. Estimates are through Sunday.

Critically acclaimed True Grit -- delivering the Coen Brothers their best opening ever -- scored a surprise win over Tron: Legacy in placing No. 2.

Little Fockers fell well short of the $70 million opening for Meet the Parents over the same five days in 2004. International numbers weren't yet available.

Opening on Christmas Day was 20th Century Fox's Gulliver's Travels, which placed only No. 7 for the weekend, grossing an estimated $7.2 million from 2,546 theaters on Saturday and Sunday.

For the weekend itself, Fockers grossed roughly $34 million, providing the bounty of its five-day $48.4 million total from 3,536 theaters.

True Grit, playing in 3,047 theaters, grossed an estimated $25.6 million for the weekend itself on its way to scoring $36.8 million for the five days.

Tron: Legacy, which was expected to place No. 2 for the Christmas sesh, grossed an estimated $20.1 million for the weekend from 3,451 theaters and $31.8 million for the five days. Tron, opening Dec. 17, has grossed a total of $88.3 million.

While Gulliver's was soft, Fox Searchlight's Black Swan continued to be a winner for the Fox empire. Specialty pic grossed an estimated $6.6 million from 1,456 theaters for the weekend and $10.2 million for the five days for a cume of $29 million.

Among limited releases, the Weinstein Co.'s The King's Speech grossed an estimated $4.6 million for the weekend as it expanded to 700 theaters on Friday. Film's cume is a pleasing $8.4 million.

Focus Features' Somewhere, opening on Wednesday in seven theaters, grossed an estimated $196,168 for a per location average $28,024.

Hugh Hefner, DON'T DO IT!!!!

hugh-hefner-engaged-to-crystal-harris.jpg
And we thought wedded bliss wasn't in the cards for America's favorite bachelor!

Hugh Hefner gave his 24-year-old girlfriend, Crystal Harris, a Christmas Eve she'll never forget!

The 84-year-old Playboy founder proposed to Harris after two years of dating. Hef said that she was truly surprised, adding:
"After the movie tonight, Crystal & I exchanged gifts. I gave Crystal a ring. A truly memorable Christmas Eve. When I gave Crystal the ring, she burst into tears. This is the happiest Christmas weekend in memory."
And just to make sure everybody knows that he did in fact get engaged, Hef later said, "Yes, the ring I gave Crystal is an engagement ring. I didn't mean to make a mystery out of it. A very merry Christmas to all."
A very merry Christmas, indeed!

Nothing like a 60-year age difference to keep the romance alive!

Lady GaGa To Make Born This Way Announcement On New Year's Eve

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OH-EM-GEE!! (***Editor's note - Perez Hilton, not Me.  Who would ever type that???)

Lady GaGa is promising some exciting news!!

She sent a Christmas message to her fans and teased an upcoming Born This Way announcement that will be revealed at midnight on New Year's Eve.
She tweeted:
Merry Christmas little monsters! I love you with all my heart. My gift to you is a BORN THIS WAY announcement Midnight on NEW YEARS EVE. -MM
What could it possibly be?? We can't WAIT to find out!!

Seven-Day Summary: 'Tron' Dominates, 'Fockers' Dwindle

Box Office Mojo: Brandon Gray
December 24, 2010


For the week of Dec. 17-23, Tron Legacy dominated with $68.2 million, while Little Fockers took over on Wednesday and Thursday with relatively disappointing numbers. Overall business was down 16 percent from the same week last year when Avatar led.

While Tron Legacy compared favorably to its 1982 predecessor, Speed Racer, The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008) and other titles, it paled relative to Avatar, which raked in $137.1 million its first week. More indicative of Tron Legacy's trajectory was that it did not hold as well as Avatar through the week: Monday-Thursday accounted for 44 percent of Avatar's opening, but only 35 percent of Legacy's. Nonetheless, Legacy's estimated attendance has already surpassed the final levels of Speed Racer, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow and Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within among similar movies, and it's more than half of the first Tron.

Yogi Bear debuted in second with $28 million, which was modest for its talking-animal sub-genre and a fraction of the first Alvin and the Chipmunks' opening.

Easing 25 percent, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader held better than The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Golden Compass and Eragon at the same December point. Voyage earned $22.8 million, lifting its total to $53.1 million in 14 days. While that tally trailed the previous Narnias by a vast margin, it was more than The Golden Compass and Eragon (though Voyage was still behind in attendance).

The Fighter's first week of nationwide release yielded a solid $18.1 million, while Tangled was close behind with $18.6 million (flat with last week), increasing its sum to $137.3 million in 30 days and topping the final gross of Chicken Little (though it still has a long way to go in attendance). Black Swan's nationwide expansion led to a good $15 million. The ballet thriller had its location count upped from 959 to 1,456 on Wednesday, but the impact wasn't pronounced. Its total is $22.4 million in 21 days.

Two days of play was enough to rank Little Fockers seventh for the week, but it was still a huge step backwards from predecessor Meet the Fockers, which opened on the same day and date in 2004. Little Fockers made an estimated $14.3 million ($7.2 million on Wednesday and $7.1 million on Thursday), while Meet the Fockers generated $24.4 million in its first two days ($12.1 million on Wednesday and $12.3 million on Thursday) and more than twice the attendance.

The Tourist's tepid run continued, down 40 percent to $13.4 million for a $35.5 million 14-day sum. True Grit (2010) was the other mid-week nationwide launch, and it pulled in a solid $11.2 million in two days. Meanwhile, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Part 1 was off 21 percent to $9.1 million for a $269.8 million tally in 35 days, gaining some ground on New Moon (which had $277.9 million by day 35) and continuing to decline at a rate close to Goblet of Fire.

'Fockers' Fester, 'Grit' Has Gumption Over Christmas Weekend

Box Office Mojo: Brandon Gray
 December 26, 2010

Box office spirits weren't lifted over Christmas weekend, which marked the seventh down weekend in a row compared to last year. Relatively few joined the Focker family reunion, yet the box office was so tepid that it still drew enough to lead. One bright spot was True Grit (2010), but it's unreasonable to expect a Western to save the collective bacon.

Due in part to Christmas Eve landing on Friday, but mostly due to an unappealing slate of movies, overall business was down 44 percent from Christmas weekend last year, which featured a parade of big hits (Avatar, Sherlock Holmes, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel). The last time Christmas Eve fell on a Friday was in 2004, when Meet the Fockers was on top, and attendance was down considerably from then.

Little Fockers bagged an estimated $34 million on approximately 5,000 screens at 3,536 locations, bringing it five-day opening to $48.3 million. By comparison, Meet the Fockers made $46.1 million on the same weekend in 2004 for a five-day start of $70.5 million, and it had close to double the attendance. Little Fockers' also had lower five-day attendance than Meet the Parents (which had no holiday boost).

Despite the muting effect of Christmas Eve, True Grit posted the top-grossing opening weekend ever for a straight-forward Western, capturing an estimated $25.6 million on around 3,900 screens at 3,047 locations. It was also the biggest launch of the Coen brothers' careers, passing Burn After Reading. With a $36.8 million tally in five days, it's already the highest-grossing Western since 3:10 to Yuma (2007), which started much lower and earned $53.6 million in total.

Gulliver's Travels was the other new nationwide release for Christmas, and it opened on Saturday, pulling in an estimated $7.2 million in two days at 2,546 locations, ranking seventh for the weekend. While it is uncommon for movies to open on Saturday, there are comps from Christmas 2004 and 1999: Fat Albert grabbed $10 million (or close to $13 million adjusted for ticket price inflation) in its two-day launch in 2004, while Galaxy Quest blasted off with $7 million (or the equivalent of $11 million adjusted) in 1999.
In third place, Tron Legacy slipped 54 percent to an estimated $20.1 million, raising its score to $88.3 million in ten days and surpassing the final sum of The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008).

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader held well enough in its third weekend to pull ahead of Yogi Bear's second weekend. Down 13 percent, Voyage enjoyed the smallest decline among nationwide releases, grossing an estimated $10.8 million for a $63.9 million tally in 17 days. Yogi Bear, on the other hand, collapsed by 46 percent, picking up an estimated $8.8 million for a $36.8 million sum in ten days.

Retreating 30 percent, The Fighter collected an estimated $8.5 million for a $27.6 million haul in 17 days. Black Swan jumped to 1,466 locations (from 959 last weekend) and dipped 21 percent, making an estimated $6.6 million for a $29 million sum in 24 days. Tangled ranked ninth with an estimated $6.5 million for a $143.8 million total in 33 days.

The King's Speech marched into nationwide release on Saturday (700 locations) and landed in 11th place with an estimated $4.6 million for an $8.4 million tally in 31 days. Playing at three and a half times the theaters of The King's Speech, How Do You Know's woes continued, taking a steeper hit than Spanglish in 2004 with even lower grosses. How Do You Know packed an estimated $3.7 million for a $15.2 million sum in ten days.

Top Religion Newsmaker: Imam, pope or Sarah Palin?

Imam Abdul Feisal Rauf, the force behind an effort to build a community center-with-a-prayer-room two blocks from the footprint of the World Trade Center twin towers, is my pick for religion newsmaker of the year.

After Christmas season is List Season -- the annual summing up of significant voices and events before we plunge forward into a new year.

Religion Newswriters Association, the professional association of journalists who cover this beat (NOTE: I'm a member) picked Rauf as well in an annual members survey.


You may have someone else in mind. Some contenders:
Pope Benedict XVI jolted believers with a surprising-- and initially confusing -- comment on condoms in a newly published book, based on extraordinary interviews he gave a German journalists.

There is no change to the Catholic Church teaching that artificial contraception is unacceptable but for someone infected with HIV/AIDS using a condom to avoid spreading a killer virus, he says, might be a moral act.

The Vatican also reeled as revelations of clergy sexual abuse exploded across Europe. Coverage of Benedict's role in dealing with abuse allegations against priests in the USA in the decades before he became pope also caught headlines -- and vigorous Vatican defense.


continued to punctuate many paragraphs in her books and speeches with references to God. The ex-governor, maybe-presidential-candidate could be nudging out other voices on the religious right in political influence (although she has one of its most conservative and inflammatory voices, Rev. Franklin Graham, on speed dial.)
By Alex Brandon, Associated Press
Sarah Palin




Graham himself made news, first with leading his aid group into earthquake-devastated Haiti, then with his showdown at the Pentagon over whether someone who calls Islam evil could lead a prayer service at our multi-faith military headquarters on the National Day of Prayer.


By Cliff Owen, Associated Press
In the end of that dust up, Graham prayed on the sidewalk in front of the Pentagon-- but got plenty of TV news air time to continue attacking Islam.



Glenn Beck's rally at the National Mall captured most of the attention but he set out to proclaim God blessed it with a night-before Divine Destiny gathering of prayer, preachers and politicians at the Kennedy Center. His Mormon beliefs rattle some conservative Christians but Beck may be chasing Palin for God-mentions.



By Associated Press
For comic relief, we can thank Christine I-am-not-a-witch O'Donnell for giving politics a brief spiritual buzz -- and giving pagans their day in the sun explaining and defending their beliefs. O'Donnell lost her bid to be the U.S. senator from Delaware but promises to stay in politics.



But I still stand by Rauf as the person whose actions prompted news through much of 2010 and will likely continue to do so in the year to come.


Rauf's plans for a center in Lower Manhattan to serve Muslims and their neighbors was originally intended to be an Islamic version of the Jewish-founded 92nd Street Y which serves the Upper East Side.

But it became known, erroneously, as the Ground Zero Mosque.

And with that mistaken label, the center became a flash point for anyone angry at Muslims, or Islam for any reason including many who falsely conflate all Muslims with potential terrorists.

As the furor built a Florida pastor hogged headlines threatening to burn a Quran and someone torched construction equipment at the construction site for a mosque near Nashville.

Rauf now tells Associated Press he'll tour the country to enlighten people about Islam and the true purpose of Park51, as supporters call the project planned to revitalized a dejected, unused former Burlington Coat Factory outlet.

As he arrives city after city, major media will revisit the controversy over its site near Ground Zero and Rauf will endeavor to outtalk, outpray, objections to the project, which was also the number one religion story of the year on the RNA List.

‘Kitchen witch’ keeps it all together at annual dinner

 
Posted: Sunday, December 26, 2010 3:30 am | Updated: 3:38 am, Sun Dec 26, 2010.

There was no yelling, no hurry, no last-minute catastrophe as volunteers served guests for the associated student government’s 40th annual Christmas Eve Dinner.

Coordinator Tammie Parker credits the evening’s efficiency to Jon Spilker, the “kitchen witch.”

“He comes in here and gets everyone lined up and everybody has a job,” Parker said. “It runs smoothly because of him.”

Spilker is a bit more modest. After 18 years of running the kitchen, he said he has learned many lessons to help him. His first year was nowhere near as smooth, he said.

Spilker’s daughter had asked him to help. When he arrived he got the job of “kitchen witch,” which means he organizes who does what in the kitchen.

“They had nobody else,” Spilker said. “When she brought people in, she’d say, ‘this is the kitchen witch, you do what he says.’”

The mashed potatoes proved to be the biggest disaster that first year.

Spilker, along with everyone else, had never used an industrial strength mixer. They poured in the instant potatoes and water and flipped the switch, not knowing it was set on high.

“It was like a huge snowstorm,” Spilker recalled with a smile. “All these great big snowflakes. Everybody in the room got it.”

Despite the unexpected blizzard of potatoes, the night went fairly well. They still served the usual quota of 400 to 500 people. And at the end of the evening, Spilker knew he’d be back the next year.
Over the past 18 years he has learned many lessons.

One year the directions on the turkey said to defrost it in the refrigerator. That didn’t work. When Spilker arrived at noon on Christmas Eve, only four hours before dinner would be served, all the turkey was still frozen.
“What do you do with 500 pounds of frozen turkey? We broiled it,” he said.

Even this year, when things went smoothly, Spilker knows not to let his guard down. He said he never knows when some new problem may crop up.

“They keep surprising you,” he said. “It keeps it interesting.”

But the most credit, he said, goes to the volunteers who come back year after year.

When Spilker first started as kitchen witch, only the students volunteered. That meant  new students each year. And each year he would have to teach them how to operate kitchen appliances and cook the dinner.

In recent years, more community members have made volunteering for the dinner a part of their Christmas tradition. All those in the kitchen know their jobs well now.

Spilker looks forward to the sense of community he feels each year. If he wasn’t at BMCC on Christmas Eve, he would likely be at home.

“I would be at home thinking about myself. Why do that when I can go up and help so many people?” he said. “I have a choice to help so many people who really need the help or be selfish and help myself. I think that’s why most people do it. Christmas isn’t about helping yourself.”

Archie Comics Gets Political With Obama Vs. Palin Issue

Perez Hilton Filed under: Politik > Barack Obama > Sarah Palin
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Even Archie Comics get into politics!

On the cover of the new Archie Comic #616 released on Wednesday, President Obama and Sarah Palin are shown sharing a milkshake together in an issue centering around Archie and his long-time rival Reggie as they battle it out for student-body president.

In the comic, Archie and his girlfriend Veronica are depicted as Obama supporters as they are showing talking environmental issues with the president.

Meanwhile, Reggie is seen as a Palin fan, as he gets his picture taken with the former VP nominee and current reality show star.

As Obama and Palin are showed sharing a milkshake, Archie can be seen in the background, exclaiming, "Wow! I guess anything's possible!"

Very cool. Seems like the old-fashioned comic is trying to become more contemporary.

Armenian police target teenage rock cult

An Armenian follower of angst-ridden punk-rock subculture known as 'emo' looks at graffiti in Yerevan on December 15, 2010. Police in Yerevan have been conducting a campaign against the capital's small but controversial emo community since the recent suicides of two teenagers who were rumoured to have been emo fans.

AFP - When police officers arrived at 13-year-old Masha's home, searched her room and inspected her computer, it was not because they suspected her of any crime.

Her offence was simply to be a devoted follower of the angst-ridden punk-rock subculture known as 'emo', in an ex-Soviet state where pressures to conform remain strong.

"It was offensive and frightening at the same time," said Masha, a schoolgirl in the Armenian capital, clearly upset by the experience.

Police in Yerevan have been conducting a campaign against the capital's small but controversial emo community since the recent suicides of two teenagers who were rumoured to have been emo fans.

They claim that the subculture represents a threat to young people's welfare.

Officers have visited schools, searched pupils whose distinctive clothing marks them out as possible 'emos', and mounted surveillance on public places where young people gather.

Several fans have been detained for questioning, despite the lack of any specific legislation against the musical genre or its followers.

In a recent newspaper interview, Armenia's Chief of Police, Alik Sarkisian, claimed that emo could "damage our gene pool". "We should fight against such phenomena because they are morally harmful to our people," he said.
Emo -- an abbreviation of 'emotional' -- is a more melodic and melancholy form of punk rock. It has origins in the United States but has become a well-established global subculture in recent years.

Masha and her friend Ani, also 13, say they started dressing in the unconventional emo style in an attempt to stand out from what they call "the grey masses".

But they now feel that they have to disguise themselves in ordinary clothes for fear of detention or harassment by other youths. "They point and laugh at us. Or even worse, they sometimes beat up our boys," Ani said.
Sensationalist media reports in Europe have suggested that the gloomy lyrics of some emo songs can influence teenagers to harm themselves or attempt suicide, although fans have consistently rejected the accusation.

Emo devotees in Britain and Russia staged protests two years ago against what they saw as negative stereotyping.
Some people in Yerevan not only believe that emo can cause suicidal depression, but also see it as a degenerate Western influence on traditional Armenian values.

Members of the youth wing of a local police association held a march against the subculture in the capital this month, carrying banners that read "No to foreign perversions!"

One teacher in a Yerevan suburb, who asked not to be named, said the directors of some schools supported the police action, and had even been actively encouraging officers to search pupils who dressed unusually and check them for signs of self-harm.

"We suspected one female pupil of being an emo. We invited our district policeman and the pupil's parents to come in, and explained how dangerous the consequences of this could be," the teacher said.

A local human rights activist compared the police's behaviour to a Communist-era witch-hunt.

"It is like the repression in Soviet times, when law enforcement agencies were chasing hippies, punks and rockers -- all those who refused to live within society's limits and be like everyone else," said Mikael Danielian, chairman of the Helsinki Committee of Armenia.

But the police say they are only intervening to protect vulnerable youngsters. "We are simply doing our job," said the police colonel responsible for youth affairs, Nelli Durian.

"We are conducting explanatory, preventative work among teenagers and their parents to prevent children from becoming hooligans and from thoughts of suicide."

However, she said that she could not blame emo music for the reported rise in teenage suicide attempts in Armenia this year.

Young fans like Masha and Ani have been worried by the anti-emo campaign, but they insist that they will not be pressured into abandoning the subculture that they love.

"It is impossible to ban youth movements using repressive methods," Ani said defiantly. "We will not stop listening to our music and dressing how we like. This is my choice."

Torchwood star John Barrowman beats Fern Britton and Vince Cable to win Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 11:56 AM on 26th December 2010

Torchwood star John Barrowman was crowned the winner of the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special tonight.

The 43-year-old and partner Kristina Rihanoff gave an energetic and festive performance of the quickstep which thrilled the judges on the show which also included a guest performance from series ten winners Kara Tointon and Artem Chigvintsev.
The former EastEnders star took to the stage with rugby player Gavin Henson,  psychologist Pamela Stephenson and TV presenter Matt Baker.


'It's about time she won!': Torchwood star John Barrowman and 'Kristina Rihanoff are crowned the winners of the Strictly Come Dancing 2010 Christmas special 
Their performance came after Barrowman, dressed in a silver waist and matching waistcoat, won praise from the judges with Bruno Tonioli exclaiming, 'Do dazzlers come any more dazzling than John Barrowman! Is there anything you can't do?'

While an enthusiastic Len Goodman remarked, 'John, you jingled my bells. That was a great way to start the show.

But Craig Revel Horwood was slightly less than impressed by the performance.

'You did lose a bit of body contact and there was one kind of stumble moment,' he said. 
Next to dance was impressionist Ronni Ancona will partner Anton du Beke who danced the Viennese Waltz.


Christmas treat: The pair gave an energetic and festive performance of the quickstep 
Leaning to the right: Business Secretary Vince Cable with partner Erin Boag
Then Anconer, who was dressed in a stunning red and white ball gown, joked: 'I had to play them all' when she received a standing ovation from the crowd.

But the judges had a mixed reaction, with Alesha Dixon commenting that she 'was a little bit shaky and a little bit skippy' at times.

Revel Horwood offered the harshest criticism, 'You had a major balance issue throughout,' he said. 'The spins were a little bit of a disaster.'

However Goodman was full of praise, calling Anconer: 'An absolute Christmas cracker.'
Although he did remark that she looked like 'a duck on ice' at times.

Business Secretary Vince Cable and partner Erin Boag were third to dance, performing the foxtrot.
 
The judges couldn't resist a few digs about the government with Revel Horwood joking, 'You do have a tendency to lean slightly to the right.'
Goodman also joked: 'I'm happier than a banker counting his Christmas bonus.'

Dixon said that she was especially pleased with Cable as she had danced with him previously.

The MP seemed nervous throughout the judges comments and later compared the former Prime Minister to Revel Horwood, joking: 'Gordon Brown is a pussycat compared to him.'
Former This Morning presenter Fern Britton and Matthew Cutler were fourth on the dancefloor, performing the jive.

Britton looked stunning in a figure-hugging costume and Tonioli was thrilled with her dance.

'You've got a really good sense of musicality and lovely legs,' he said.

'The kicks and flicks were a little lame,' said Revel Horwood.
'I thought you coped very well with all of those changes of rhythm.'
While Goodman said the dance was like a trifle, 'Fruity up top and spongy on the bottom.'

EastEnder's veteran June Brown, who plays Dot Cotton in the BBC soap opera, performed an elaborate Tango routine with Vincent Simone.
'Loved the nose to nose action,' said Dixon. 'It was so funny and June, I just want to say you're an inspiration.'
But Revel Horwood pointed out that 'there wasn't a lot of dancing,' to the routine.

Host Tess Daly later praised June for being 'our most senior Strictly contender'. To which the 83-year-old joked, 'Will you stop it!'

Friday, December 24, 2010

Fairuza Balk Lives, Does Some Xmas Shopping

'The Craft' Star Surfaces In Beverly Hills
 
Here’s someone we don’t get to see or hear from very often … if at all … Fairuza Balk, who famously starred in the 1996 film The Craft as well as films like Return to Oz, American History X The Waterboy and more, surfaced in Beverly Hills, CA this week to do a bit of Xmas shopping at Barney’s New York.

Dang, Barney’s must’ve been having one Hell of a sale this week …
Nicole Richie, Rachel Zoe and many other celebs were spotted shopping at Barney’s this week as well. But I digress. I simply had to post these photos of Fairuza because I love her SO MUCH in The Craft and keep a very special place in my heart for all the ladies who starred in that film. According to her IMDB profile, Fairuza hasn’t been doing much acting in recent years but she has a new project listed for 2011. I just love her … glad to see her lookin’ so well … and alive :D

*Pink is the New Blog

Abbey Road Crosswalk Named Historic Landmark!

Perez Hilton Filed under: Anglophilia > Music Minute > Paul McCartney
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As well it should be. Never has there ever been a more memorable place to cross the street!

This week, the crosswalk near Abbey Road studios, made famous by The Beatles and their album, aptly titled Abbey Road, was declared a historic landmark by the British government. The crossing was given Grade II status, an honor generally reserved for buildings of historic significance.

When reached for comment, Paul McCartney expressed his happiness with the recognition, acknowledging that it's been a "great year" for him and the Beatles and "hearing that the Abbey Road crossing is to be preserved is the icing on the cake."

We totally agree! An honor well deserved!

One for the Ladies!!!

Gavin Rosdale Does Bikram Yoga

Filed under: Fitness > Yoga
Gavin Rosdale is literally HAWT!

The singer took a bikram yoga class in El Lay on Thursday.

Reminder - Xmas Doctor Who Special

Here is the trailer is you haven't seen it.  Leave that rock once in a while...

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1078565145/

Thursday, December 23, 2010

'Twisting the knife as I look in your eyes': Ewan McGregor subject of shocking death threat on set of new film

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 2:34 PM on 23rd December 2010


Terror: Ewan McGregor was the subject of a death threat from his stand-in on new film The Impossible
Terror: Ewan McGregor was the subject of a death threat from his stand-in on new film The Impossible
Production on Ewan McGregor's new film had been stopped after the actor received a shocking death threat from an extra on the set.

Shooting of The Impossible in Phang-na, Thailand, a film following a family caught up in the 2004 tsunami, ceased after a stand-in for McGregor was  found in his trailer writing poetic death odes to the Hollywood heartthrob.
The poem, which described the actor's death, included the line: 'Twisting the knife as I look into your eyes.'
A member of local production crew Santa Films said: 'We could not call Thai police because the man had only written poetry, and they would be unlikely to understand. Instead there was no confrontation.

'The extra was told that he would not be needed for a week and he would be called when it was time.
'He was not called. He looked a little wide-eyed and preoccupied. The producers decided that he was a serious risk.'

However, the crewmember insisted the stand-in, an American man living in Thailand, was never on set at the same time as McGregor, although he had been allowed to use the actor's temporary trailer on the set.

The Santa Films employee added: 'I understand he later applied for a position on Scorpion King 3 which is filming in Thailand at the moment.

'I hope there is no further problem.'

McGregor stars alongside Naomi Watts in Impossible, directed Juan Antonio Bayona.

The pair play a couple called Henry and Marta, who on holiday with their three sons Tom, Simon and Thomas, and are enjoying time by the swimming pool when they are swept away by the tsunami.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

SLOW NEWS DAY!!! So, here is your Christian Review of the week - Despicable Me (Now on DVD)

"Negative - The movie tries to have heart warming themes, but the undertones are basically this: a criminal adopts three little girls for his own selfish ends. He is cruel and mean, and the little girls “change” him. This is teaching girls that it doesn't matter how self-centered or cruel a man is; you can change him.

They also make a lot of references to dead things and dead people. A little dog that should be cute and fluffy is mean with sharp teeth, and is made to look “cute”—everything is so twisted. The opponent Vector, also, has a mug that says “I love Evil.” These are subliminal messages being sent to your children. Some parts were funny, but I definitely would not recommend it for children.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 2"

Busy Busy Busy...

The holidays have been crazy, but now it is time to get back to work.  A late Happy Solstice!

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

'I Am Not a Witch' and 9 other, er, Notable Quotes From 2010

Fred Shapiro, associate librarian at Yale Law School, just released his fifth annual list of the most notable quotations of the year.

Tied for first place on the list was Christine O'Donnell with her infamous campaign advertisement, where she explains that she is "not a witch." Seriously.

The ad came out in response to reports that O'Donnell had "dabbled" in witchcraft years ago.
"It was such a remarkable unconventional quote to be a part of the political discourse," Shapiro said.

The original Yale Book of Quotations was published in 2006. Since then, Shapiro has released an annual list of the top ten quotes. He said they will be incorporated into the next edition of the book.

O'Donnell wasn't the only tea partier on the list. Can you guess which quotes by Sarah Palin, Sharron Angle, and Christine O'Donnell (again!) were considered the most revealing of 2010?


Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/i-am-not-a-witch-and-9-other-er-notable-quotes-from-2010-2010-12##ixzz18Bj983q6

Death Becomes Them

Dlisted -

My guess is that Brad Pitt and Angie Jo are dressed up and ready to go to the funeral of her German hairdresser who was immediately consumed by a swarm of locusts shortly after she cursed him for doing THAT to her hair. I do love the "freshly fucked in the back of a convertible going 90mph down the carpool lane" look, but not on Angie. And I do love a good black velvet glove dress straight out of the 80s b-hole, but again, not on Angie. Angie looks as if Morticia Addams had one too many embalming fluid shots at a "Dress As Your Favorite Prince Girl" costume party.

I'm going to curb the hate for Brad Pitt's overall look, because I'm pretty sure I've worn that same outfit before. Unforgivable, I know. And yes, when I wore it I got the memo that wearing an ensemble like that is only acceptable if you're a post-apocalyptic vampire hunter or a Euro technopop star circa 2001.

In other Angie Jo news, she said that being nominated for a Golden Globe for The Tourist was an honor and then she went on to say, "We were laughing because it's the first time that I've been in the comedic category so it's new for me." Yeah, and I'm sure it was one of those "These bitches are so far up my ass that they will even kiss my shit" kind of laughs.

Here's more of Natasha Fatale and the giant Boris with Johnny Depp at the German premiere of that movie tonight.

Jon Favreau will not direct 'Iron Man 3.' Who should replace him?

Jon-FavreauImage Credit: Merrick Morton

Jon Favreau will not return to direct the third installment of Marvel Studios’ Iron Man franchise, EW has confirmed. According to a source familiar with the situation, the parting was amicable. (Vulture first reported the story.) The Cowboys Vs. Aliens helmer — who will remain involved in the Marvel family as an exec producer on The Avengers, helmed by Joss Whedon — wants to focus on other projects, including what’s believed to be his next directing gig, Magic Kingdom, a fantasy that imagines after-hours life at Disneyland, a la Night At The Museum. Marvel will now begin looking for a new director for Iron Man 3, which the company has scheduled for a 2013 release. Which begs the question: Who do you think it should be? Whedon? Perhaps TRON: Legacy‘s Joseph Kosinski? Post your nominees below.

UPDATE: Favreau posted the following to his Twitter feed: “It’s true, I’m directing Magic Kingdom, not Iron Man 3. I’ve had a great run with Marvel and wish them the best.”

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Golden Globe Nominees Announced!!! Johnny Depp Double Nominee!

68th Annual Golden Globe Awards

Winners to be announced on Sunday, January 16th.

Best Motion Picture - Drama

Nominees:

Black Swan (2010)
Inception (2010)

Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy

Nominees:

Burlesque (2010/I)
Red (2010/I)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

Best Director - Motion Picture

Best Original Song - Motion Picture

Nominees:

Burlesque (2010/I)("Bound to You")
Burlesque (2010/I)("You Haven't Seen The Last of Me")
Country Strong (2010)("Coming Home")
Tangled (2010)("I See the Light")

Best Animated Film

Best Foreign Language Film

Nominees:

Biutiful (2010)
I Am Love (2009)
The Edge (2010)

Best Television Series - Drama

Best Television Series - Musical or Comedy

Nominees:

"Glee" (2009)
"30 Rock" (2006)

Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Nominees:

"Carlos" (2010)
Temple Grandin (2010) (TV)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television

Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television