Nov
16
Animal rights group throws flour on fur-clad Lohan
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PARIS - U.S. actress Lindsay Lohan has been pelted with a flour bomb on arrival at a Paris nightclub wearing a fur stole.
Animal rights activists showered the 22-year-old actress with flour when she went to the VIP Room Theater in the early hours of Saturday with her friend, disc jockey Samantha Ronson.
The owner of the nightclub helped Lohan dust off her blue sequined dress and black stole before she posed on the red carpet. Ronson went on to spin tracks for a crowd that included reggae rapper Shaggy and “I Kissed a Girl” singer Katy Perry.
Nov
14
NEW YORK - Elton John still can’t believe he’s a Broadway hitmaker.
The 61-year-old musician marveled at his success Thursday night at the opening of “Billy Elliot.” He composed the score for that show, “Aida” and “The Lion King,” which is still playing on the Great White Way.
“I’m looking up at the street and I’m seeing the sign for `The Lion King,’ and I’m standing here and I’m thinking, `I had never thought in a million years I’d ever be standing in Broadway and talking about something I’d written for the stage,” said John, beaming with pride.
John, accompanied by partner David Furnish, said he’d rather write a musical than record an album because he likes having a story line and characters.
“I love it - but I’ve got a lot to learn,” he said. “I’m a novice at this.”
“Billy Elliot,” at the Imperial Theater, is based on the popular 2000 movie about a young boy who longs to dance but lives in the bleak coal-mining area of Northern England. His story is set against the backdrop of a bitter miners’ strike.
“It’s a triumph over adversity. It’s something beautiful coming out of something tragic,” John mused about the show, which has had successful runs in London and Sydney, Australia.
The role of Billy has been cast with three actors - David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik and Kiril Kulish - rotating the physically demanding part.
Joining John at Thursday’s performance: Barbara Walters, Rosie O’Donnell, Ron Howard, Rachel Weisz, Kevin Spacey, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and tennis legend Billie Jean King.
Nov
8
LOS ANGELES - Sen. John McCain will make his first post-election TV appearance on the “Tonight” show next week, NBC said Friday.
The Republican presidential candidate is set to join “Tonight” host Jay Leno on Tuesday in honor of Veteran’s Day, the network announced. McCain is a former Naval officer and prisoner of war in Vietnam.
Picking a talk show over a news show for his first TV interview guarantees McCain a more lighthearted experience after his loss to President-elect Obama.
That McCain chose “Tonight” instead of David Letterman’s “Late Show” on CBS may have its roots in the campaign. Letterman repeatedly roasted McCain for canceling a September guest shot because of the economic crisis, finally relenting when McCain came on and said he had “screwed up.”
Nov
8
LOS ANGELES - Thousands of protesters are angry about California’s ban on gay marriage - and so are the stars.
Many celebrities grieved the passing of Proposition 8 in California this week. Some - such as Wanda Sykes, Rose McGowen and Lance Bass - attended a Wednesday protest criticizing the state’s gay marriage ban. Others - like Ellen DeGeneres, Rosie O’Donnell, Samantha Ronson and Melissa Etheridge - vented their frustrations online, on TV, and onstage.
Blocks away from the Thursday rally of more than 2,000 gay-rights advocates outside the gates of a Mormon temple, several stars - including James Cromwell, Patricia Clarkson, Anjelica Huston and Sean Penn - said they supported the protesters while walking the red carpet at the BAFTA L.A. Brittania Awards at Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel.
“I think it might be an idea to go out and join them shortly,” Penn said. “It was a shameful decision that was made.”
Etheridge, who exchanged vows with her longtime partner in a 2003 ceremony, declared she wouldn’t pay her taxes in a blog entry posted Thursday on TheDailyBeast.com. The gay Oscar- and Grammy-winning singer-songwriter said without the right to marry in California, she didn’t think she should have to pay taxes because “I am not a full citizen.”
“I don’t mean to get too personal here,” Etheridge wrote. “But there is a lot I can do with the extra half a million dollars that I will be keeping instead of handing it over to the state of California. Oh, and I am sure Ellen will be a little excited to keep her bazillion bucks that she pays in taxes, too.”
DeGeneres posted a brief message of support for President-elect Barack Obama and the gay-rights advocates protesting against Proposition 8 on her show’s Web site Friday. The talk show host, who married actress Portia de Rossi in August, previously donated $100,000 against the ballot initiative and starred in a commercial lamenting the measure.
“So there was a demonstration here on Wednesday night,” DeGeneres wrote, “and just before I walked out here, I was watching the news and there is a huge, huge, peaceful demonstration going on in the streets, and I say, good for you, and I support you, and if I weren’t here, I’d be out there with you.”
O’Donnell, who lives in New York, responded to comments and questions about her stance on the issue on her Web site. When one person said he understood why she didn’t come out against the proposition, O’Donnell responded: “I AM AGAINST PROP 8. DUH.” She also wrote she believes the estimated 18,000 gay marriages would be annulled “like mine was years ago.”
The former talk show host, who lives in New York with partner Kelli Carpenter and their four children, publicly wed Carpenter in San Francisco in 2004, two weeks after Mayor Gavin Newsom authorized granting marriage licenses to same-sex couples. The licenses were later voided by the California Supreme Court.
Also ranting online was celebrity disc jockey Samantha Ronson. Lindsay Lohan’s gal pal blogged Thursday that she was shocked California voters approved an animal-rights initiative but that ballot measures about gay marriage and adoption in California, Florida, Arizona and Arkansas were shot down.
“I guess people care more about farm animals than they do their fellow man, that’s really sad to me,” Ronson wrote on her MySpace blog. “Yes, I am glad that the chickens will have more room and better conditions as they wait to die, but I just think it’s frightening that people show more compassion for tomorrow’s dinner than for the chef.”
Other celebs used time in the spotlight to decry the decision. Madonna took a moment during her concert at Dodger Stadium to declare to the audience that she was sad “because African-Americans are equal finally, but gay marriage is not.” Former teen queen Christina Aguilera also spoke out against the ban.
“I think it’s discrimination,” Aguilera said in a Thursday interview with MTV News. “I don’t understand how people can be so close-minded and so judgmental. We chose an African-American president who means so much in a time in history of great change and open-mindedness. Why is this any different? It just doesn’t make sense to me.”
Nov
3
McCain pokes fun at presidential campaign on ‘SNL’
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NEW YORK - Republican John McCain poked fun at his presidential campaign’s financial shortcomings and his reputation as a political maverick in an appearance on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live.”
The presidential hopeful made a cameo appearance at the beginning of the show, with Tina Fey reprising her memorable impersonation of McCain’s running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.
McCain, who is trailing Democrat Barack Obama in most battleground state polls, also appeared during the show’s “Weekend Update” newscast to announce he would pursue a new campaign strategy in the closing days of the campaign.
“I thought I might try a strategy called the reverse maverick. That’s where I’d do whatever anybody tells me,” McCain said.
And if that didn’t work, “I’d go to the double maverick. I’d just go totally berserk and freak everybody out,” the Arizona senator quipped.
Earlier in the show, McCain and Fey’s Palin, said they couldn’t afford a half-hour campaign commercial on network television like the one Obama aired earlier this week. They said they’d sell campaign products on the QVC shopping channel instead.
Among other things, McCain advertised a set of knives to cut through pork in Washington. His wife, Cindy McCain, briefly appeared to advertise “McCain Fine-Gold” jewelry, a play on the campaign finance law McCain authored with Wisconsin Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold.
Fey’s Palin advertised a set of “Joe” dolls commemorating “Joe the Plumber,” “Joe Six Pack” and her Democratic rival, Joe Biden. She also pulled out T-shirts saying “Palin 2012″ and announced she wouldn’t be returning to Alaska after the election.
“I’m either running in four years or I’m going to be a white Oprah,” she said.
Obama said Sunday that McCain was funny. Addressing supporters in Ohio, he said the performance was an example of how politicians can fight on the issues but bring civility to politics by having a sense of humor.
Obama said he missed seeing “Saturday Night Live” - he was in a motorcade in Missouri - but caught up by watching it on YouTube.
Nov
3
LOS ANGELES - Hollywood made audiences repeat senior year. Disney’s “High School Musical 3: Senior Year” hauled in $15 million to remain the top movie for the second straight weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday.
Starring Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens in a big-screen sequel to the Disney Channel TV movies, “High School Musical 3″ raised its 10-day total to $61.8 million.
Debuting at No. 2 with $10.7 million was the Weinstein Co. comedy “Zack and Miri Make a Porno,” starring Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks as pals who do a skin flick to dig themselves out of debt.
Lionsgate’s horror sequel “Saw V,” the latest tale about psychokiller Jigsaw, slipped from second place to third with $10.1 million, lifting its 10-day total to $45.8 million.
Expanding nationwide after a weekend in limited release was Clint Eastwood’s “Changeling,” which took in $9.4 million to finish at No. 4. The Universal Pictures drama stars Angelina Jolie as a single mother victimized by police who botched the investigation into her missing son.
Freestyle Releasing’s “The Haunting of Molly Hartley” debuted with $6 million to come in at No. 5. The movie stars Haley Bennett as a traumatized teen who finds fresh terror at her new school.
“RocknRolla” - the latest from Madonna’s soon-to-be-ex-husband, Guy Ritchie - was a dud as it expanded from limited to nationwide release. The crime romp featuring Gerard Butler and Thandie Newton took in just $1.8 million, finishing well outside the top 10. Madonna and Ritchie announced their separation last month.
After a big surge the previous weekend, Hollywood revenues plunged. The top 12 movies took in $75.2 million, off 38 percent from the same weekend last year, when “American Gangster” opened with $43.6 million and “Bee Movie” debuted with $38 million.
Non-scary movies were hurt with Halloween falling on Friday. “High School Musical 3″ did just $1.7 million on Friday, but it rebounded with $8.2 million Saturday.
“The target audience was out collecting candy or trick-or-treating Friday, but Saturday came back like a monster,” said Mark Zoradi, president of Disney’s motion-picture group.
Likewise, “Zack and Miri” opened with only $2.2 million Friday but pulled in $4.8 million Saturday. The movie also faced some audience resistance over the racy subject matter and the word “Porno” in the title.
“I would anecdotally speculate that that hurt us,” said Steve Bunnell, head of distribution for Weinstein, which had trouble placing ads because of the movie’s title and themes. “We were surprised that we ended up with the controversy. We thought everybody in America would understand that it was a joke.”
The film has nudity but is tame compared to hard-core adult films. Yet the ratings board of the Motion Picture Association of America initially slapped it with an NC-17 rating, the kiss of death at the box office.
Writer-director Kevin Smith talked it down to an R rating on appeal.
James Bond got off to a big start overseas in advance of the U.S. debut of the super-spy’s latest adventure, with Sony’s “Quantum of Solace” taking in $38.6 million in Great Britain, France and Sweden.
“Quantum of Solace” opens in 57 more countries this week and arrives in U.S. theaters Nov. 14. The film picks up where 2006’s “Casino Royale” left off, with Bond (Daniel Craig) out for payback over his lover’s death.
Hollywood blockbusters rarely open weeks in advance of their U.S. premiere, but the Bond franchise does a huge ratio of its business overseas. “Casino Royale” took in 72 percent of its $600 million worldwide total outside the United States, said Mark Zucker, Sony’s president of international distribution.
“Bond is like a national hero in the UK,” Zucker said.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Media By Numbers LLC. Final figures will be released Monday.
Oct
25
The second and last cricket test between Bangladesh and New Zealand will start in Dhaka from tomorrow.
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New Zealand is leading the two match series 1-nil by winning the first test in Chittagong . New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori is confident his team can overcome the loss of all-rounder Jacob Oram in the second test. Oram, 30, was ruled out of the second test with a sore back and will be flying back to New Zealand on Saturday. He was man-of-the-series in the one-day games preceding the tests, which the visitors won 2-1.
Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful denied his team was under extra pressure following their defeat in the first test.
Oct
22
James Marsden takes ’slow-burn’ approach to acting
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WEST HOLLYWOOD, California (AP) — Hollywood’s leading men are usually perfect physical specimens. Those who aren’t become character actors.
James Marsden wanted to do comedy, especially after his turn as Cyclops in the “X-Men” movies.
James Marsden wanted to do comedy, especially after his turn as Cyclops in the “X-Men” movies.
Except James Marsden. He’s pursued quirky characters despite his leading-man looks. Marsden is the guy on the sidelines, the goofy one who doesn’t get the girl. So his face is familiar but not immediately identifiable.
“Most people are like, `Didn’t we go to high school together?”‘ said the 35-year-old actor, whose screen credits include “Superman Returns,” “The Notebook” and three “X-Men” movies.
Marsden is taking a “slow-burn” approach; choosing roles that appeal to him in the hope that a gradual and meandering ascent will lead to a long and varied career.
“In going for the movie-star thing, the lead-guy thing, I’ve managed to have this whole sidetrack thing going where I’m playing these silly roles and doing great, offbeat, different things,” he said. “It was just to have fun being an actor, entertain yourself while you’re going for the gold. There was the career path and the work path. And now the work path has sort of become the career path.”
After his roles in big-budget movies such as “Hairspray” (he played Corny Collins), “Enchanted” (he was the prince who lost his princess to Patrick Dempsey) and “27 Dresses” (where he finally got the girl), Marsden plays a foul-mouthed bigot in the independent teen comedy “Sex Drive,” in theaters Friday.
He steals every scene as Rex, an overbearing tough guy who mercilessly teases his virginal younger brother.
Director Sean Anders had reservations about casting Marsden.
“I thought, `Oh no, this is some pretty-boy actor who wants to be in a comedy and thinks he’s funny but isn’t,”‘ Anders said.
Then he saw an audition tape that Marsden recorded for a different movie. Marsden was so ego-less and goofy, he used his computer Web cam to film himself reading lines for the role he wanted.
“By the end of it, I was like, `Can we really get this guy?”‘ Anders said.
Marsden wanted to do comedy, especially after his turn as Cyclops in the “X-Men” movies. Even after “Hairspray” and “Enchanted,” though, he longed for something edgier. With “Sex Drive,” he could see the character in his mind: the muscle shirts, the highlighted hair.
Marsden said he also hoped the part might catch the eye of Judd Apatow, director of “Knocked Up” and “The 40-Year-Old Virgin.”
“This is completely over the top, and it’s so different from anything you’ve seen me do,” he said. “Now I feel like people will go, `OK, he’s funny. He can do comedy. But then I’ve got to put the brakes on a little bit and remind people I can do other things.”
Though he happily plays quirky roles, Marsden hasn’t taken his eye off the leading-man prize. “I’d be lying to you if I said I didn’t aspire to that,” he said. “I want to be a version of that. … But I’m more like these weirdo, wacky, stupid characters I keep playing in these movies.”
The Oklahoma native began acting in junior high. After a brief stint in college, he headed to Los Angeles, California, where he had a string of small parts before landing a role in 2000’s “X-Men.” The following year, his wife, actress Lisa Linde, gave birth to their first child.
“I just sort of loosened up a little bit and stopped trying to navigate every little point, all of this career trajectory,” he said. “I just started having more fun with the roles and choosing more fun roles.”
He’s a bit daunted about being the leading man; to play, as he puts it, a nuance of himself rather than a caricature.
But Anders said it’s inevitable.
“He’s going to become more of a leading man as time goes by because everyone who works with him is so impressed with what he does,” he said. “He is great-looking, yet you can still laugh at him and laugh with him. He’s got such a real quality about him that guys aren’t put off by him. Everybody’s seen how great he is in other genres, and how he can be so funny in ‘Enchanted’ and ‘Sex Drive.’ The guy’s got range.”
The slow-burn approach suits Marsden just fine.
“I just want to stay in the game and keep working,” he said. “The ideal career for me is to be able to let whatever inspires you creatively dictate what you choose to do, then the financial stability and all that stuff follows.”
Oct
16
Belarus 1-3 England
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Wayne Rooney scored twice as England took a giant stride towards World Cup qualification by beating Belarus to make it maximum points from four games.
Steven Gerrard gave England the lead from 30 yards after 11 minutes, but Pavel Sitko headed a deserved leveller for Belarus before the break.
Rooney turned in a cross from Emile Heskey five minutes after the break. Source
And he lifted home a superb third from Gerrard’s pass 16 minutes from time to give coach Fabio Capello another win.
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It gives England a perfect record of 12 points so far, with Capello’s huge reputation bolstered further by two convincing away wins against dangerous opposition in Croatia and Belarus.
And for Gerrard, a spectacular strike will increase his fragile self-confidence in an England shirt and silence any lingering doubts about his worth at international level.
Rooney’s double also demonstrated his growing maturity as he provided a deadly spearhead to the attack, ably assisted by the powerful Heskey, who was winning his 50th England cap.
The Manchester United striker has now scored five goals in England’s last three qualifiers as he plays a leading role in the new Capello era.
Gerrard had pleaded with coach Capello to keep faith with him after a low-key display in the win against Kazakhstan - and he repaid his confidence with a stunning opener.
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He picked up the ball from Rooney before placing a perfect slide-rule finish into the bottom corner beyond Belarus keeper Yury Zhevnov from fully 30 yards.
Instead of settling England, the goal was the signal for a period of Belarus dominance, with keeper David James having to save from Dmitry Molosh and Vitaly Kutuzov.
Heskey was working tirelessly up front to keep the Belarus defence occupied, and his fine cross set up Rooney for a far post header, but he could not find the target.
Belarus were in the ascendancy, however, and it was no surprise when they drew level after 28 minutes at the end of a glorious 23-pass move.
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Igor Stasevich was the creator, popping up an inviting cross to the far post for Sitko to arrived unmarked and head beyond the exposed James.
England needed to apply more pressure to the gifted Belarus attacking players after the break, and Rooney almost provided the perfect start with a great run that was only marred by a tame finish.
He made no mistake as England regained the lead after 50 minutes, but credit must go to Heskey again with a powerful run and perfect cross for Rooney to slide home from close range.
As Belarus attempted to force their way back into contention, Capello made two changes to his attacking personnel, sending on Shaun Wright-Phillips for Theo Walcott and Peter Crouch for the excellent Heskey, who was struggling with an injury.
It did not stop Rooney taking the game by the scruff of the neck and he scored his second, and England’s third, with a goal of the highest class 16 minutes from time.
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Gerrard slid a superb instant pass into his path, and Rooney dummied a defender before lifting a composed finish over Zhevnov.
The Liverpool captain should have added a fourth five minutes from time when he rounded Zhevnov, but carelessly shot again the outside of the post with the goal at his mercy.
It was not a costly miss as England entered new territory by winning their opening four World Cup qualifiers for the first time.
Jul
24
Cricket
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Sri Lankan opener Malinda Warnapura defied India’s attack with an unbeaten half-century on the opening day of the rain-hit first Test.
The hosts lost two wickets cheaply after electing to bat in overcast conditions at the Sinhalese Sports Club, but left-handed Warnapura (50 not out) helped his team reach 85-2 in the first innings at stumps.
Skipper Mahela Jayawardene was the other not-out batsman on 16 when play was called off due to bad light with 20 overs remaining. No play was possible before tea because of the rain.
Indian fast bowlers Ishant Sharma and Zaheer Khan shared the wickets.
Sri Lanka made a shaky start, losing Michael Vandort in the fourth over. The batsman was caught behind while chasing a Sharma delivery, with Dinesh Karthik taking a high catch to his left.
Warnapura added 50 runs for the second wicket with experienced Kumar Sangakkara before left-arm seamer Zaheer struck a vital blow in the 13th over. Zaheer had Sangakkara (12) caught by former captain Rahul Dravid, who held a low catch at first slip.
Warnapura executed handsome shots on both sides of the wicket during his third Test half-century in five matches. He punished Sharma early in the innings, hitting three fours in an over.
India captain Anil Kumble also pressed Saurav Ganguly and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh into the attack in a bid to get one more wicket, but Warnapura and Jayawardene batted sensibly. Harbhajan, who recently served a ban for five One-day Internationals for slapping India team-mate Shanthakumaran Sreesanth during a domestic Twenty20 match in April, bowled just one over before play was called off.