Angelina Jolie has topped Oprah Winfrey to become the World’s Most Powerful Celebrity, according Forbes magazine. The methodology is, shall we say, unclear. But here’s what they say about Jolie:
Eclectic actress and gossip-column favorite dethrones media maven Oprah Winfrey atop this year’s Celebrity 100. Jolie has always been able to attract tabloid attention and Oscar nods, but this year, she’s finally figured out a way to make serious money. Her most recent blockbuster, Wanted, proved this mother of six’s sweet spot is action films; the movie earned $340 million at the box office. Up next: Salt, in which Jolie plays a CIA officer accused of being a spy.
Oddly, Oprah earned a whole order of magnitude more money — $275 millionto Jolie’s paltry $27 — but, since they don’t tell us what factors were used or how they were weighed, who’s to criticize. And, certainly, Jolie’s hotter. (Were I employed by Playboy magazine, I would compile a list. As it is, I shall pass.)
About halfway down the list sits a very familiar face: President Barack Obama. At No. 49, Obama’s the first sitting head of state to appear on this Forbes fixture because of his worldwide fame, his historic election and his career as a best-selling author.
On what planet is Angelina Jolie more powerful than Barack Obama?
The 2009 MTV Movie Awards may have resembled the Teen Choice Awards, but that doesn’t mean the show was any less entertaining.
Host Andy Samberg presided over a fast-paced evening filled with plenty of songs, surprises and salty language.
Let’s get to the highlights…
Twilighttastic: To the surprise of, well, no one, Twilight dominated the show with a whopping five Golden Popcorns, and Rob Pattinson popped up onstage throughout the festivities. Kristen Stewart was also a scene stealer—the actress took home the prize for Best Actress and proceeded to drop the trophy onstage, saying, “So I was just about as awkward as you thought I would be.”
Old Folks Steal the Show: Much of the night looked like a scene from one of the show’s most nominated flicks, High School Musical 3, but even the old folks had something to offer…
Jim Carrey popped up out of the crowd (vaguely resembling a trenchcoat flasher) and egged Samberg on, taunting him to show off those insanely successful Saturday Night Live Digital Shorts, which led into Forest Whitaker, Chris Isaak and LeAnn Rimes performing a rousing medley of “Jizz in My Pants,” “I’m on a Boat” and the classic “D–k in a Box.”
Ben Stiller was honored with the MTV Generation Award, but he was overshadowed by the presentation itself. A good sport and clearly in on the joke, Stiller sat back while Zac Efron, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog and Kiefer Sutherland “praised” the actor’s work.
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source: Twilight, Teens Dominate MTV Movie Awards [e online]
The notoriously red carpet-tardy Mariah Carey was reportedly ticked off when the tables were turned at the Cannes Film Festival premiere of her film “Precious” on Friday night, when director Lee Daniels showed up nearly an hour late.
We hear the songbird - who plays a frumpy Harlem-based social worker in the flick - was forced to wait at her French digs, the Hotel Martinez, until Daniels arrived, which made her more than just fashionably late to walk the red carpet.
“Can you imagine Mariah Carey waiting for anyone?” wondered our incredulous source, adding, “Both Mariah and (co-star) Lenny Kravitz were pissed off. They thought it was disrespectful.”
At the film’s after-party at Greenhouse, however, nearly everyone’s good humor was restored.
“Mariah seemed to be in a great mood at the after-party. She introduced her hubby Nick (Cannon) to Lee and chatted to him for a while. She was really sweet to everyone there, but you could see there was tension between her and Lee, and Nick didn’t seem that pleased, either.”
But if the singer was annoyed, she didn’t show it, gamely staying at the fete for nearly an hour to chat with co-star Paula Patton, her hubby Robin Thicke and Ne-Yo.
Thankfully, Mariah got over any lingering anger by the following evening, when she attended a private dinner for the cast and crew of “Precious” at Nikki Beach. She and Daniels appeared to be on good terms; Mimi even hugged the director, congratulated him on a job well done and told him how pleased she was to be in his movie.
When we reached out to Daniels for comment, he seemed a bit puzzled by any animosity on Carey’s part. “I was not late,” he insisted. “I believe you have been misinformed.” He hastened to add, “I had the best time of my life though.
For his role as the Joker in “The Dark Knight“, Heath Ledger was honored with an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor at last night’s Oscars.
It was a win that some predicted may not happen, saying that his acting was good, but not Oscar-worthy. I disagreed completely, as I thought Heath was really good in upping the creepiness factor to the role.
Naysayers said that he didn’t deserve the award and that it should have been bestowed upon Josh Brolin for his role in “Milk”. While I wouldn’t disagree that Josh’s performance was outstanding, Heath really deserved the award and I’m glad he won.
Matilda is set to receive the award for her father, when she turns 18. His father, mother, and sister were on hand to accept the award on his behalf. They delivered a sentimental and emotional speech.
It was sad and as the camera panned throughout the audience, you could feel the emotion in the air.
Congratulations to Heath Ledger and his daughter, for the token of appreciation for his work from the Academy. We all wish he could’ve been there to accept it, personally.
It was that time of the year, the Golden Globes were televised last night, and celebrities were dressed to the nine’s for the event. Well, most of them were.
Vanessa Hudgens looked cute in her dress and pearls, but the annoying thing about her was how much swag she walked away with. Vanessa reportedly had her assistant lugging home four bags full of gifts with her, totaling a whopping $12,000!
Swag is one way for advertisers to boost sales for their product. The celebrity takes a photo with the item and gets to keep one for themselves. How much time do you think Vanessa spent in the gifting lounges? Five hours?
She reportedly made off with a one-year pass for her and a pal to a AMC Theaters, a BlackBerry Pearl, a coffee machine, a $4,000 diamond pendant, designer clutches, a year-long gym membership and more.
Clint Eastwood took the old Hollywood approach and opted out of the gifting lounges. Ricky Gervais said he only wanted a pair of sunglasses.
Vanessa Hudgens made out like a bandit, but she wasn’t the only one. “Mad Men’s” January Jones also took home $10,000 worth of gifts, while Samaire Armstrong took home a $4,500 necklace.
With the economy in shambles and big CEO’s getting all kinds of taxpayer money, it’s a shame that celebrities are allowed to brag about the stuff they get for free. Tacky.
She really, really wants one. And if the Golden Globe nominations are anything to go by, she might just get one.
Kate Winslet stars in Revolutionary Road
Last month Vanity Fair askedKate Winslet if she’d like an Oscar. She would, she said. In fact she said: “You bet your f#king ass.”
There’s bound to have been an actress who wanted an Academy award more desperately than Winslet. But there’s surely never been one who’s fessed up to the desire more frankly.
That big, gold shadow has long hung over her, from the moment she became, at 22, the youngest woman to receive two Oscar nominations. Currently, her tally is five. But if Academy voters follow in the footsteps of the foreign press who tick the forms for the Golden Globes, then she’ll rack up another couple - making her the youngest ever actress to have gained seven.
Ever the practical-minded gal, Winslet has been forthright about the prize-pressure under which she finds herself. Remember her spoofy turn in the first series of Extras, playing herself, playing a nun under Nazi occupation – purely, she says, with the intention of getting her paws on a little yellow man?
This year, she’s taking a belt-and-braces approach, giving barnstorming performances in both Revolutionary Road and The Reader. Both are films with Oscar firmly in their crosshairs: released at exactly the right time of year, adapted from acclaimed novels (by Richard Yates and Bernard Schlink respectively), and directed by Brit heavyweights (Winslet’s husband, Sam Mendes, and Stephen Daldry).
Kate Winslet with Leonardo DiCaprio in Revolutionary Road (2008)
In the former she plays an emergent feminist battling husband Leonardo DiCaprio in 50s suburbia (the film plays like some fantastically mannered east-coast episode of Eastenders). And in The Reader (rather remarkably, in light of her Extras turn) she’s an ex-Nazi prison guard who has a fling with a schoolboy and struggles to overcome her illiteracy in post-war Germany.
It’s a performance that’s already stoked controversy for the full-frontal scenes deemed by some critics to cast Nazis in too sexy a light. And, indeed, there is something amusingly porn-ish about the initial erotic encounter (naughty schoolboy fetches older lady some coal, gets mucky, has a bath, etc).
But that controversy looks now to be overshadowed by a more prosaic one. Winslet is being put forward by the film’s distributors not for the best actress accolade, but best supporting actress. It seems, if you’ve seen the film, like potty logic. She’s unquestionably the star: the titular character, the actor with the most screen time, the centre of the whole enterprise.
In an excellent piece on spout.com, Christopher Campbell discusses the ins and outs of the Weinstein brothers’ decision; the precedents and the rules. Could it be because she’s guaranteed a best actress nod on Revolutionary Road?
What do you think? Does it matter? And what of the Golden Globe noms in general? Any notable omissions? Or are they just a wearisome warm-up for the main event?
Paris Hilton attended the MTV VMA’s with a mission in mind, performing a duet with Britney Spears for her new album — the album Paris is compiling with boyfriend Benji Madden.
Hilton squealed,
“My new album’s out soon and it would be hot if I could do a duet with Britney. It is really poppy and sounds a bit like Kylie Minogue.”
[...]
“She looked beautiful. I’m so happy for her. She definitely deserves it.”
What did Hilton tell Spears? “‘I love you, I miss you, so good to see you,’” she said.
Russell Brand faces being blacklisted by the American media after causing outrage with a string of offensive jokes at the live MTV Video Music Awards.
The Essex-born comedian labeled President George Bush a ‘retard’, called Britney Spears ‘the female Christ‘ and poked fun at young virgins.
Brand, 33, who was hosting the ceremony live, had already been forbidden by MTV bosses to mention the C-word or, more bizarrely, Scientology.
He began his opening monologue by saying: ‘Please, America, elect Barack Obama. On behalf of the world. Some people, I think they’re called racists, say America is not ready for a black president.
‘But I know America to be a forward-thinking country because otherwise why would you have let that retard and cowboy fella be president for eight years?’
He added: ‘We thought it was nice of you to let him have a go, because in England he wouldn’t be trusted with a pair of scissors.’
Onlookers caught sight of Britney Spears sitting straight-faced in the audience and refusing to clap.
source: Russell Brand’s ‘retarded cowboy’ jibe at George Bush shocks MTV audience [daily mail]
Not everybody is laughing at Russell Brand at this year’s Video Music Awards.
Jordin Sparks spoke out against the British comedian’s jokes about the Jonas Brothers and their purity rings before introducing T.I.’s performance.
“I just have one thing to say about promise rings. It’s not bad to wear a promise ring,” Sparks, 18, told the crowd, off-the-cuff, “because not everybody – guy or girl – wants to be a slut.”
The former American Idol’s comments were met by an audible cheer from the crowd.
During his opening monologue, Brand had poked fun at the Jonas Brothers, suggesting that they should be taking advantage of their celebrity to win dates. (Brand, himself, is a famous lothario in his native England.)
Sparks has long spoken publicity about holding onto her virginity. She, too, wears a purity ring.
Later, Brand returned to the stage to offer an apology of sorts.
“I didn’t meant to take it lightly,” the host said about his purity ring remarks. “I don’t want to piss off teenage fans.” Still, Brand, whose apology soon morphed into a series of off-color jokes, said, “Promise rings, I’m well up for it. [But] a bit of sex, it never hurt anybody.”
source: Jordin Sparks Defends Purity Rings on VMAs [people]
Chinese press and bloggers have been less than favorable about London’s contribution to Beijing’s Olympic closing ceremony – criticizing contributions from the London Mayor Boris Johnson and David Beckham.
As the torch was put out in the “Bird’s Nest” stadium, one blogger described Mr Johnson as “arrogant, rude and disrespectful” when he accepted the Olympic flag. There were mixed opinions too about the eight-minute cameo performance featuring a London bus, Beckham, the singer Leona Lewis, Led Zeppelin’s guitarist Jimmy Page, dancers and singers.
The Titan Sports Daily contrasted the “neatness” of the Chinese performers with the “outrageous outfits” worn by the Britons. Unlike the Chinese custom which tends not to reveal their weakness to the outsiders, “the British seem to like to laugh about their stupidity in a funny way”, it said.
“During the performance, when the London bus pulled over, all the passengers waiting for the bus rushed into the door at the same time, which truly damaged the British image,” it added.
In the run-up to the Games, Beijing officials had run a campaign to “civilize” the city’s inhabitants, teaching them of the importance of queuing in Western culture.
It also complained that Lewis and Page were not A-list celebrities. “Unfortunately, the singer and Jimmy Page are absolutely not famous enough to be known or recognized by millions of the Chinese audiences. As for David Beckham, he was supposed to kick the football towards the red circle in the center of the ‘Bird’s Nest’. In the end, just like any of his penalties at a football match, he totally missed it. He kicked the ball to the left and dropped in the crowd, then was picked up by a lucky Chinese volunteer who would not let go of the ball.”
The Daily First praised the use of a red London bus, but questioned whether the performance had anything to do with sport or the Olympic Games. Mr Johnson was also criticized for accepting the Olympic flag with one hand only.
source: Chinese ridicule London’s part in closing ceremony [independent]
Justin Timberlake does his best Jessica Simpson impersonation as he stands in front of a cutout of the aspiring country singer onstage at the 2008 ESPY Awards held at NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE on Wednesday in Los Angeles.
The singer earned raves as he alternated between self-depricating humor (at one point, he poked fun at his infamous 2004 Super Bowl performance with Janet Jackson, saying “I wanted to be the only guy at a football game to get to second base”) and playfully mocking audience members (he lowered his nose to one of David Beckham’s Tom Ford shoes and proclaimed, “Smells like $250 million to me!”). He also performed several big musical numbers.
“If I made the decisions, I’d ask Justin to be [our] entertainment every week,” Monday Night Football host Stuart Scott told reporters during the show. “After what he’s putting down tonight … Justin can come hang out with us on the set anytime.”
Seconded snowboarder Gretchen Bleiler, who won best female action sport athlete: “Not only is he funny, but he obviously knows [the sports] he’s talking about. I was here two years ago when Lance Armstrong was hosting and he did a great job, but JT is ruling it.”
Even the athletes he poked fun at seemed impressed. “It’s all in good fun,” said Terrell Owens, whose emotional news conference after the Dallas Cowboys’ season ended was spoofed during the show at L.A.’s Nokia Theater. “He’s had some funny dialogue; his interaction with the crowd is good. He’s an entertainer, and he did a great job.”
Hayden Panettiere attended the Berlin Film Festival and amidst all of the chaos and flashing bulbs, she managed to drop a bottle of red nail polish on the red carpet.
Fortunately for us,… she picked it up.
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What others said:
Egotastic says, “She went from being elegant one second, to practically flashing her boobs the next. Which means it was a fun night for all!”
Celebslam says, “If those things were any saggier she’d be legally required to start eating dinner at 4 PM.”
A deal has been struck between the major media companies and the Writers Guild of America to end the writers’ strike, former Walt Disney chief executive Michael Eisner revealed on CNBC.
“It’s over,” Eisner said. “They made the deal, they shook hands on the deal. It’s going on Saturday to the writers in general.”
Eisner, speaking live on CNBC’s “Fast Money,” seemed to hesitate initially about whether it was possible that the writers could still reject the agreement, but finally suggested the deal’s acceptance was inevitable.
“A deal has been made, and they’ll be back to work very soon,” Eisner said, adding, “I know a deal’s been made. I know it’s over.”
Eisner did not elaborate on terms of the agreement. He said he expects most of the media companies affected by the strike to have “small” write-downs as a result of the deal. Eisner said the deal was struck last Friday.
As a result of studio cutbacks, however, many of the writers who went on strike are unlikely to return to the same big-money contracts they’d had as individuals with the studios, Eisner said.
Shares of Walt Disney and CBS were both up in extended electronic trading Thursday.
It’s about damn time!
source: Deal Has Been Reached to End Writers’ Strike: Eisner [cnbc]
Eclectic actress and gossip-column favorite dethrones media maven Oprah Winfrey atop this year’s Celebrity 100. Jolie has always been able to attract tabloid attention and Oscar nods, but this year, she’s finally figured out a way to make serious money. Her most recent blockbuster, Wanted, proved this mother of six’s sweet spot is action films; the movie earned $340 million at the box office. Up next: Salt, in which Jolie plays a CIA officer accused of being a spy.
“My new album’s out soon and it would be hot if I could do a duet with Britney. It is really poppy and sounds a bit like Kylie Minogue.”
In the run-up to the Games, Beijing officials had run a campaign to “civilize” the city’s inhabitants, teaching them of the importance of queuing in Western culture.
“It’s over,” Eisner said. “They made the deal, they shook hands on the deal. It’s going on Saturday to the writers in general.”
