Late Show’ host David Letterman apologized to Sarah Palin on Thursday and admitted the jokes about the GOP star and her daughter were in “poor taste,” but again denied he was ever talking about the former VP hopeful’s 14-year-old child.
Palin, in turn, appeared on NBC’s ‘Today’ show on Friday and asserted Letterman now has to “apologize to young women” the world over for his gaffe.
As you may have heard, Letterman’s Top Ten List on Monday, titled “Highlights of Sarah Palin’s Trip” to New York City, joked that there was “an awkward moment” for Palin when she attended a Yankees game when,
“during the seventh inning, her daughter was knocked up by (Yankee third baseman) Alex Rodriguez.”
The joke seemed to refer to Palin’s 18-year-old daughter Bristol, an unwed mother. But it was 14-year-old daughter Willow, not Bristol, who had been at the game.
“I would never, never make jokes about raping or having sex of any description with a 14-year-old girl. I don’t think it’s funny. I would never think it was funny.
I’m not necessarily proud of these jokes. We do stuff all the time and our objective here is to get a laugh, and thank God we don’t have to go to the Hague and the World Court to defend them. It’s a joke and that’s all it’s supposed to be.”
Palin told ‘Today’ she thought it was “a degrading comment about a young woman. And I would hope that people would star really rising up and not accepting this.” Adding, “it’s no wonder girls have such low self-esteem in America when a comedian can make a remark like this.”
source: Palin: Letterman owes apology to young women [MSNBC]
10. Chace Crawford
Texas-born Chace Crawford’s career has taken off since his start as rich-kid Nate Archibald on the popular television show Gossip Girl. At the beginning of his run on the show the star was confused with look-alike and fellow teen heartthrob Zac Efron. The part that Efron was rumored to play in the upcoming remake of Footloose has gone to Crawford. The film, directed by High School Musical mogul Kenny Ortega, is in the pre-production phase and reportedly will be released in June 2010.
9. Katy Perry
Her best-selling pop record One of the Boys placed Katy Perry on the charts after the song “I Kissed a Girl” was released in May 2008. In February 2009, the Grammy nominee was in the top spot with the most gold and platinum titles from the Recording Industry Association of America. “I Kissed a Girl” and Perry’s other hit, “Hot N Cold,” both reached triple platinum status having sold more than seven million units total. The singer’s eccentric style has gotten almost as much press as her songs.
8. Robert Pattinson
Pattinson, tied for seventh place with fellow vampire Anna Paquin of True Blood, has created a teenage heartthrob empire since the release of Twilight in November 2008. The film, whose opening box office earnings were $70 million, played in theaters for over four months. Pattinson has been featured on several magazine covers, including the April 2009 cover of GQ magazine, and is slated to have lead roles in three upcoming films, including the sequel to Twilight in theaters this November.
7. Anna Paquin
Paquin is back, playing the lead role in HBO’s True Blood, proving once again that vampires sell. The cable program’s opening broadcast totaled 2.1 million viewers in September 2008. Because of her new role, however, Paquin did not return to her role as Rogue in the cast of the X-Men franchise, which released its fourth film this spring.
6. Anna Faris
Funny girl Anna Faris was The House Bunny in last summer’s hit comedy. The actress gained fame in the Scary Movie franchise early in the decade and has played a myriad of characters since then, showcasing her versatility. But the comic seems most comfortable making audiences laugh: she will reportedly be returning to her roots in 2011’s Scary Movie 5.
5. Chris Pine
Chris Pine heated up the silver screen in this spring’s remake of Star Trek. The actor, who had landed roles in less lucrative, recent films, played James T. Kirk–the character made famous by William Shatner in the original television series–in this year’s movie. The film grossed $75 million opening weekend, just short of opening weekend box office sales of X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
4. Shenae Grimes
The ginger-haired actress was first seen on the Canadian television program Degrassi: The Next Generation in 2004. She then took the lead role in 90210, a modern spin-off of ’90s drama Beverly Hills, 90210. Grimes’ controversial battles with weight have increased her tabloid visibility, but have not affected her work. The rising star appeared on the cover of Teen Prom magazine this spring.
3. Jon and Kate
Jon and Kate Gosselin, the parents of eight children–sextuplets and twins–became a reality TV sensation after television channel Discovery Health filmed a few specials about the super-sized family. TLC then picked up Jon & Kate Plus 8 for its third season. But the family has gained more infamy than fame with recent allegations of Jon’s affair with an elementary school teacher.
2. Freida Pinto
Mumbai native Freida Pinto made her big-screen debut in last year’s Slumdog Millionaire. In the 2009 Oscar Best Picture winner, Pinto played the lifelong friend, and ultimately lover, of the protagonist played by Dev Patel. The actress is now in the pre-production stage of three films, including an untitled project with Woody Allen.
1. Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga’s debut album The Fame sold over one million copies in the U.S. and hit No. 1 in five countries. The newly illustrious star has lived up to her offbeat name with bright and often sparkly fashion statements on and off the stage. “Poker Face,” Gaga’s second No. 1 Billboard chart topper, is an international dance club favorite.
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?
None of these tasteless, unfunny flicks even come close to holding a candle to 1980’s Airplane, the prime example of a spoof done right. And at least the Airplane folks had the good sense to make only one terrible sequel.
THE MUMMY
We dug the Brendan Fraser-Rachel Weisz action film the first time around, but when it comes to the third film — which hit theatres eight long years after the second installment — we think this mummy should have stayed in its tomb.
AMERICAN PIE
The dirty high school comedy rightly cooked up legions of teenage fans, thanks to its illicit appeal and, of course, the always-reliable Eugene Levy. But after two sequels, and a string of terrible straight-to-DVD flicks starring the ever-annoying Stifler family, we suddenly had a second reason to dread band camp.
BRING IT ON
I said, Brr! It’s cold in here! Must be our reaction to the never-ending Bring It On films! The three installments following the original 2000 film were so terrible, not even a squad of spirit fingers could save the franchise. AUSTIN POWERS
Somewhere between Mr. Bigglesworth and Alotta Fagina, we fell in love with Mike Myers’ James Bond spoof. But the comedian’s shtick became all too predictable with its two sequels. Even before Goldmember, the International Man of Mystery was starting to make us bored, baby.
STARSHIP TROOPERS
For the love of Casper Van Dien, did TriStar really need to add two films to the ”bug”-filled B-movie cult classic? We only wish we could swat the sequels away.
INDIANA JONES
Sure, the first three Indy flicks were solid enough to be considered classics, but we’d rather stand in a pit of snakes than watch the humdrum Kingdom of the Crystal Skull again. Too bad George Lucas didn’t take note — he’s said he hopes to release a fifth film. But if Indy’s dad, played by Sean Connery, isn’t going to make any more appearances, we’ll just stick to Celebrity Jeopardy.
CRUEL INTENTIONS
Although the 1999 catty teen drama was an undeniable hit, the franchise’s two sequels were as ill-advised as Joshua Jackson’s blond ‘do.
THE LAND BEFORE TIME
Baby dinosaur Littlefoot found the leaf and found his mother. All was well. Now, if only the animated kidflick series went extinct so we wouldn’t have to endure its 12 sequels.
NATIONAL LAMPOON
If your franchise is using Paris Hilton as a last resort, you know its time to put it to bed (and, no, not Hilton’s bed). Though National Lampoon started out on a good foot (hello, National Lampoon’s Vacation and Animal House!), once Girls of National Lampoon’s Strip Poker was released, we realized the franchise was ready to fold.
LEPRECHAUN
We know he’s supposed to be scary, but after six installments (culminating in Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood), the vertically challenged title character is about as frightening as General Mills’ Lucky Charms mascot.
POISON IVY
Letting a Lolita-like bad girl into your home is a bad idea. But an even worse idea is greenlighting three sequels, none of which hold a candle to the not-all-that-great-to-begin-with original.
SAW
Once Dr. Lawrence Gordon (Cary Elwes) began cutting his own foot off with a rusty saw, we were done. And yet, the Saw factory keeps sending installments into multiplexes.
FRIDAY THE 13TH
Okay, so 2009’s Friday the 13th is a remake and not necessarily part of the slasher franchise. Still, that doesn’t excuse the slew of Jason films — 11 in total! — that somehow found their way onto the big screen. We were happy to visit Camp Crystal Lake just the once, thankyouverymuch.
source: Running on Empty: 14 Movie Franchises We Think Should Stop [entertainment weekly]
Let’s face it: if you were a celebrity, you’d be doin’ everything around you. And you could…because you would be a celebrity, and everyone would want a piece of your sweet, sweet celebrity junk. But as history has shown us, gettin’ down with too many anonymous people means you’ll feel the burn, quite literally. Oh well.
Check out these celebs who allegedly have herpes.
Paris Hilton
Shock level: Low
Amount You Enjoy Knowing: Highest
How We Know:
You’ve certainly seen or least heard about Paris’ horrifying sex-tape (yes there’s an IMDB page) with douchebag nobody Rick Salomon, so right there you know doin’ it is important to her. To be fair, it’s important to everyone. But when you’re as indiscriminate about your partners as she is, well, that’s where the trouble lies. She’s seen around the world with men as promiscuous as she is, so it’s fair to assume she’s got it. Oh, and then there’s her prescription for Valtrex which has been featured on many credible websites.
Jessica Alba
Shock level: Medium
Amount You Enjoy Knowing: Minimal
How We Know:
But she had a baby! Anyone with a baby can’t have herpes. Except they can…and she does. Apparently she got it from Derek Jeter. Yes, it’s a rumor, but there has been quite a bit of sources who worked closely with Alba and recalled having to pick up her Valtrex prescription on a regular basis. She’s also on the recently created Derek Jeter Herpes Tree.
Derek Jeter
Shock level: Medium
Amount You Enjoy Knowing: Depends on if you are a Red Sox or Yankees fan
How We Know:
Again, rumors have been flying around about this guy’s sexual deviancy for quite a while. Hey, making $17 million a year for baseball’s most famous team allows you access to the most coveted poon. Anyway, there’s been enough speculation on the subject for someone to create the aforementioned tree, so we figured, “Why not post it and let YOU decide”? Even if you think it’s bull, it’s pretty funny to see the progression because even if the herpes speculation isn’t true, the fact that these celebrities dated one another is, meaning they’d be exposed to Jeter’s Yankee doodle.
Billy Idol
Shock Level: Low
Amount You Enjoy Knowing: It’s less interesting than it would be 20 years ago.
Robin Williams
Shock Level: High
Amount You Enjoy Knowing: Depends on how much you liked “Aladdin”
How We Know:
Williams was slapped with a lawsuit in the mid-80s by a cocktail waitress who claimed he had given it to her without warning her he had it first. But hey, celebrities get accused of stuff they didn’t do all the time right? Sure. But the case was settled out of court, implying that Mrs. Doubtfire felt a bit guilty about it.
Anne Heche
Shock Level: Low-Medium
Amount You Enjoy Knowing: Ehh
Tony Bennett
Shock Level: Very high
Amount You Enjoy Knowing: I left my heart in San Francisco, and my virus in some girl.
How We Know:
We admit, we were surprised by this one too. Bennett adamantly denies the allegations and even produced medical records which indicate he doesn’t. Oh well, the fact that someone would go far enough to accuse Tony Bennett of giving them herpes is all we need to find this hilarious.
Michael Vick
Shock level: Low
Amount You Enjoy Knowing: Pre-dog murder: Medium Post-dog murder: High
How We Know:
Ron Mexico. Vick was getting treatments and medication under the name “Ron Mexico,” a fact that was discovered when a woman sued him for giving her the disease in 2002, claiming he willfully gave it to her without warning. Our thought is: if you’re willfully having unprotected sex with a professional athlete like Michael Vick, you were going to end up with it anyway, and you’re lucky you got it from a rich dude.
David Hasselhoff
Shock level: Low
Amount You Enjoy Knowing: High, if you aren’t German
How We Know:
During the Hoff’s divorce from Pamela Bach, the latter cited such marital problems as domestic violence and his penchant for drinking himself shitty, and by shitty, we mean he loved to shit his pants when he got drunk. Another problem Bach cited was that Hoff has genital herpes. A man that poops his pants and has herpes?
Liza Minnelli
Shock level: High
Amount You Enjoy Knowing: Should be ridiculously high
How We Know:
Alright, so it’s mentioned in her divorce proceedings from David Gest, who probably isn’t the greatest source in the world, but then again, he was divorcing Liza Minnelli. There are hundreds of things he could have made up to worsen her already horrible reputation.
Every year, People Magazine gives recognition to good looking celebrities, and the results are finally in.
After surviving a very public battle with breast cancer, actress Christina Applegate has been named one of the World’s Most Beautiful People. The most beautiful celebrities dish about being honored by People in its latest issue.
After a very public battle with breast cancer and undergoing a double mastectomy, Applegate felt less than perfect. But the support from her boyfriend, Martyn Lenoble made her feel beautiful — inside and out.
“I’m very grateful to Martyn for coming along at a time that he did because he’s been my rock through all of this. He gave me something to really want to live for and something to smile about.”
He’s been a friend for about 13 years. Our relationship gets stronger and stronger. I’m really lucky.”
So who else made People’s Most Beautiful list?
Michelle Obama, Zac Efron, Robert Pattinson (no brainer), Angelina Jolie, Taylor Swift and Halle Berry.
Check out what these celebrities thoughts about being honored in People’s latest issue.
Julianne Hough: “I’m the first to admit it: I like being sexy! I always wear the shorter shorts and my dad’s like, ‘Cover up!’” the 20-year-old told PEOPLE. “Modesty, that’s my biggest downfall.”
Robert Pattinson: “I don’t get it. It’s funny, you look the same for years and no one ever mentions it. Then suddenly it’s a big deal.”
Taylor Swift: “It’s important to be comfortable with who you are and go natural once in a while.”
Christina Aguilera: “Since becoming a mom, I feel I have more knowledge and that makes me feel beautiful. I feel more centered, which makes me feel confident and sexy.” [read her full interview]
Michelle Obama: “I had a father and a brother who thought I was beautiful, and they made me feel that way every single day. I grew up with very strong male role models who thought I was smart and fast and funny, so I heard that a lot. I know that there are many young girls who don’t hear it.”
Who’s the World’s Most Influential Person? The answer is moot.
No, really. Time Magazine asked readers to vote online for the most influential person, and the winner was “moot” — aka Christopher Poole. He’s the founder of 4chan.org, an image-based bulletin board that averages 13 million page views a day and 5.6 million visitors a month. 4chan has spawned other wildly popular sites, such as Lolcats.
moot, real name is Christopher Poole, and at 21 he is the founder of the sprawling Web site 4chan.org, which averages 13 million page views a day. And not to accuse him of hiding behind the Internet, but he doesn't like to have his photo taken.
Poole, a 21-year-old college student, received 16,794,368 votes and an average influence rating of 90 out of a possible 100 in the third annual Time 100 poll. That put him way ahead of President Barack Obama, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Oprah Winfrey.
Time.com said its technical team did thwart several attempts to hack the vote, but the results are still like to raise eyebrows.
“I would remind anyone who doubts the results that this is an Internet poll,” said Time.com managing editor Josh Tyrangiel. “Doubting the results is kind of the point.”
There are few things finer in this world than getting hammered and rapping along with an extremely dirty rap jam. Some people find these songs to be disgusting and degrading, but they’re just missing the point. Being able to magically mix together expletives over dope hip-hop breaks is a lot harder than it seems, and the following tracks are the dopest of the dirty.
If it wasn’t for dirty curse words, this Miami rap crew would have never made it in the music business. All of their popularity came from the fact that they were raw, raunchy, and nasty as they wanted to be. “Pop That P****” is a great example of the group’s skill at putting together classic club jams filled with hedonism.
The thing that blows my mind the most is that this method of finding out if your man is cheating hasn’t been brought up in song more often. You would think that this procedure would be a staple for every women on planet earth. If I was a mother and had a daughter, I would totally teach her to use her nose more wisely. “I know you’ve been cheating! I can smell a hooker on yo dong!”
Lil Kim has always had a way with trashy words. Hearing a women talk about sex as raw as she does sometimes makes me feel a little uncomfortable though. It kinda makes me understand what it feels like to be a women listening to NWA rapping about having sex with all types of hos. After my first listen of this song, I came to the conclusion that Kim has worn the pants in every single relationship she has ever been involved in. Besides Biggie, of course.
What an underrated jam this is. Hearing Afroman rap endlessly about his wild eastside Palmdale adventures is about as awesome as it gets. People have spent days on end smoking weed, eating Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and listenin’ to Joseph Edgar Foreman spit ridiculous nonsense off the top of his head at random. I know some might consider him a gimmick rapper, but I would much rather hear him speak his mind than listen to 50 Cent rap about Vitamin Water.
If it was possible to giggle while typing, this entire entry would be unreadable. The moment Khia starts in on this nasty 2002 ladies anthem I can’t help but lose my poker face. There’s something to be said for a woman who takes sex and owns it, and Khia does just that on this nasty jam. This song has people questioning which sex has the dirtier mind.
No matter what I do, I will always have this image in my head of every white girl on the planet singing this 1996 track at the top of their lungs while their suburban parents scream in horror.
The song owns due to its deceptively smooth piano intro. You totally think that it’s gonna be some whiny chick bitching about her cheatin’ man for the entire song, but when the nasty lyrics of Queens MC Akinyele rip in, the s*** definitely hits the fan.
04. “Adults Only” - Slick Rick [no video found]
The first time I heard this song I almost puked up my milk and cookies. I’m not really sure about Rick’s fascination with doin’ girls in the booty hole, but he makes his infatuation loud and clear on this 1999 Art of Storytelling track. I ain’t gonna talk s*** on Rick, but this song was released after he spent five years in prison. I’m just sayin’.
I don’t know what Necro was smoking when he recorded this 2005 joint, but I assume angel dust was involved. I say this because he paints images that are so raw and disturbing that you almost need to take a break mid-song to wipe the sweat from your forehead. I felt so guilty for listening to this track that I almost wanted to go to confession. Listen at your own risk.
All nastiness aside, this man does have some serious flows.
Eric Wright is just one of those MCs who could put dirty words together like no one else. Eazy is also one the most fun lyricists to rap along with. I remember being in middle school singing along with “Automobile” and thinking it was the greatest thing since boxer briefs.
With “Gimme That Nut,” E paints a picture of gettin’ nasty with a local honey during a beautiful Compton day. Needless to say, it’s dirty, hilarious, and never ever gets old.
There are some tracks on this list that contain some really putrid rhymes, but I have to praise the undisputed king of the dirty rap with the number one spot. The reason why I love Too $hort so much is the fact that his flows are absolutely effortless. People may complain that his raps are too simple, but that’s totally selling the man short. He’s like the AC/DC of hip-hop. He’s been putting out the same record since 1983 and every one is as good as the next. The 1987 landmark “B***Job Betty” and many others were years ahead of their time. It still blows my mind that $hort actually wrote a rap song about killing a chick during a sex session. Biatch!
Can we just be friends? After all the late-night phone calls, the love notes, the long talks, the weeks spent making promises, that’s all you get. Thanks a lot!
There’s no gentle way around it — breakups blow. When your heart (and ego) has been ripped to shreds, these artists offer some solace. Walk away from the Ben & Jerry’s and rock out to our “screw you” breakup ballads.
10. No Doubt - “Ex-Girlfriend”
Gwen Stefani and crew visit the “woulda-shoulda-coulda” mentality that often rears its ugly head when a relationship kicks the bucket.
9. Jennifer Lopez - “Ain’t It Funny”
J.Lo shows her ex the door in this 2002 anthem. Nexxxxxt!
8. The Ting Tings - “Shut Up and Let Me Go”
We couldn’t have said it better than the title, which is why we heart the Ting Tings.
7. Kanye West - “Heartless”
Kanye asks the same question on all our minds: “How could you be so heartless?”
6. Carrie Underwood - “Before He Cheats”
Channel all your anger through this 2007 breakup ballad. Just don’t follow Carrie’s lead by keying your ex’s car or slashing his or her tires. Restraining orders aren’t “sexy.”
5. Pink - “So What”
Think of Pink as a burly high school football coach. In this song, she lyrically smacks your ass and tells you to get back in the game.
4. Justin Timberlake - “Cry Me a River”
Long rumored to be about his famous ex Britney Spears, Justin doesn’t mince words: He’s pissed and he wants revenge. And after her last few turbulent years, something tells us Brit did a lot of crying.
3. Destiny’s Child - “Survivor”
Gather your strength and move on with the help of Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. You will get through this.
2. Alanis Morissette - “You Oughta Know”
Have they already forgotten about you and moved on? Alanis leaves a nasty reminder note in this ultimate breakup song.
1. Kelly Clarkson - “Since U Been Gone”
This “American Idol” alum tells her ex to suck it! If this 2004 single doesn’t bring a smile to your face, nothing will.
2009 lies before us like an unsullied field of snow, and all we can see for the next 12 months is possibility. And of course, as red-blooded American men, that possibility is directly related to beautiful women.
Who has maximum potential for sexy in 2009, and what once-towering paragons of hotness will fall by the wayside? We combed through Ask Men’s comprehensive Top 99 Most Desirable Women of 2009 list in order to select our picks for which women we’ll be drooling over in 2009 … and which we’re just over. If you’re dreaming about new ladies to date, consider this your reference list for the future — not that any of them would ever talk to you.
Women We’ll Love #10:Cassie - Model, actress, dancer and R&B singer with a hit single? Is there anything this one-name wonder can’t do?
Women We’ll Love #9:Bianca Beauchamp - If you haven’t heard of her, it’s probably because your reading material is a little too high-brow. The buxom fetish model has posed for Bizarre, Heavy Rubber, Marquis, Nightlife, Penthouse, Playboy, Skin Two and Whiplash.
Women We’ll Love #8:Odette Yustman - We’re hoping that panty-clad poster for “The Unborn” is just a hint of what’s to come for the lovely actress in 2009.
Women We’ll Love #7:Sarah Shahi - The Iranian-American model, actress and former NFL cheerleader is currently working her way up the Maxim Hot 100 list and starring on the TV show “Life.”
Women We’ll Love #6:Paz Vega - Once this foxy Spanish actress marches in the hotness parade that is “The Spirit,” we expect her to become much better known in 2009.
Women We’ll Love #5:Dania Ramirez - The Dominican-American actress’s eye-bleeding character on “Heroes” may have kind of sucked, but there’s something about Dania Ramirez we like.
Women We’ll Love #4:Holly Weber - With credits such as “beautiful,” “dream girl” and “bikini acting character,” we think this model and actress is really going somewhere.
Women We’ll Love #3:Aishwarya Rai - This Bollywood actress and former Miss World is often referred to as “the most beautiful woman in the world.” We concur.
Women We’ll Love #2:Christina Hendricks - A head of flaming red locks, an hourglass body built for sin, and a plum role on hit TV show “Mad Men” — things that make you say YOWZA.
Women We’ll Love #1:Bar Refaeli - We like to think of this Israeli model as “the thinking man’s Gisele.”
Some actors specialize in romantic leads. Others make careers as evil geniuses or nurturing moms. Today, let’s give nerds a place in the sun. They trip, they choke, they make us roll our eyes and shake our heads. Sometimes, they even get the girl (or guy). They are the kids you made fun of in high school — or they’re you in high school. No need to say which.
Woody Allen
Although he played the romantic lead in many of his own movies (especially the early ones), Woody Allen is a nerd extraordinaire. In Play It Again, Sam, he makes a killer first impression on his date by dropping her coat on the floor and then swinging it into some breakables. The agonizing discomfort he goes through in Bananas while trying to buy a nude magazine might literally make you itch. With his thick glasses, unkempt hair, and nervous stammer, Allen remains the gold standard of nerds.
Anthony Michael Hall
Sometimes a director finds a go-to nerd and sticks with him, which is what happened when John Hughes found Anthony Michael Hall. Hall managed a triple dose of teenage awkwardness in Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, and Weird Science. Whether dancing in a “very hot” manner for Molly Ringwald or recounting his tragic inability to make a lamp that works, Hall is, by turns, cringe-worthy and sympathetic. Getting his pants pulled down by Robert Downey Jr. elevates him to classic status.
Ben Stiller
Ben Stiller perfectly illustrates the nerd necessities. First, an obliviousness to looking and acting stupid. See: Zoolander (pursed lips, odd strut, interchangeable “looks”). Second, incurable klutziness: in There’s Something About Mary, he suffers the ultimate self-inflicted groin injury. Third, a genuine desire to fit in: witness Stiller’s sad attempts to impress — or at least survive — his alarming potential father-in-law in Meet the Parents.
Joan Cusack
Joan Cusack’s character in Sixteen Candles was officially called Geek Girl #1, and her big scene involved banging her headgear against a water fountain as she tried to get a drink. She went on to play a boatload of wacky sidekicks, from the inappropriately loud and brassy (Working Girl) to the frazzled and clumsy (Broadcast News) to the cross-eyed and rather dim (Married to the Mob).
Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis elevated nerdiness to an art form, incorporating slapstick, weird costuming, and even weirder voices as he played put-upon working-class heroes in The Disorderly Orderly, The Errand Boy, and The Big Mouth. He could wring laughs and squirms out of a confrontation with a salty bowl of soup (Cinderfella) or an invisible typewriter (Who’s Minding the Store?). Even his smoothies, like Buddy Love, in The Nutty Professor, were dweeby.
Clint Howard
For stellar under-the-radar nerd performances, look no further than the career of Clint Howard, brother of director Ron Howard. He played small but memorable roles in a slew of comedies like the Austin Powers series and Rock ‘n’ Roll High School. He also appeared in B-horror flicks like Carnosaur and The Wraith and some high-profiles (Apollo 13, Cinderella Man, Frost/Nixon).
Rick Moranis
Rick Moranis rose to prominence on Second City Television, then went on to reprise one of his most notable characters — co-host of The Great White North — in The Adventures of Bob and Doug McKenzie: Strange Brew. His nebbish visage graced Club Paradise and Brewster’s Millions, but he really hit his stride with roles in Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and Little Shop of Horrors. Moranis impresses most when contrasted with a more confident screen mate, as when he played opposite Bill Murray, in Ghostbusters.
Curtis Armstrong
Curtis Armstrong is uncool yet defiant as the repulsive Dudley “Booger” Dawson in the Revenge of the Nerds series. In the first film, he won an arm-wrestling match by picking his nose and grossing out his opponent. He followed up by snorting snow, in Better Off Dead, and displaying his extreme delicacy, in One Crazy Summer. Armstrong went on to roles in other loser-friendly movies like Bad Medicine, Van Wilder, and Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story.
Amy Sedaris
Her résumé is heavy with television roles, but Amy Sedaris’s cinematic turns as a nerd girl are strong enough to warrant inclusion here. As Jerri Blank, in Strangers With Candy (which she co-wrote), she’s painful to watch: seeing a grown woman struggle to fit in with snobby high-school students is almost as excruciating as watching a teen do it. In Bewitched, she played nosy neighbor Gladys Kravitz, a role originated by Alice Pearce.
Michael Cera
If anyone can make it desirable to be (or date) a nerd, it’s Michael Cera as Paulie Bleeker, the chronically uncomfortable baby daddy of the title character in Juno. In Superbad, McLovin (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) may have out-geeked him point for point, but Cera’s Evan was still the nerd linchpin. He’s showing signs of inching toward romantic hero (Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist).
On Tuesday, I posted the top 9 of MTV’s top men and women of 2008, today they revealed the top spot and I don’t even know what to say about it.
1 - Lil Wayne:
The fact remains that for 12 long months, no one dominated hip-hop like Wayne did. No one sold more records, generated more headlines or appeared on as many tracks. No one flooded the market with as much product, and — in a genre loaded with compelling characters — no one was as mercurial, controversial, hilarious and, well, bizarre as Weezy was. Not to mention, when you move 1 million copies of an album in one week, it’s pretty safe to say you’ve crossed over to the mainstream. Wayne most definitely was hip-hop in 2008, but he was pop culture too.
So considering all that — and after sifting through a year’s worth of headlines, videos and reader comments — we’ve decided to crown Lil Wayne as MTV News’ Man of the Year. From his epic Arizona drug bust in January to selling a million copies of Tha Carter III in June and, finally, nabbing eight Grammy nods in December, ‘08 has been anything but dull for Wayne … and that’s just skimming the surface. Below, for your perusal, we’ve compiled his entire 2008 résumé — a list of accomplishments truly befitting our Man of the Year.
1 - Twlighters:
If you’re one of the millions of women who live and die by “Twilight,” please take a quick glance into the nearest mirror — because MTV News’ Woman of the Year is you.
Our sincerest apologies to male Stephenie Meyer lovers, Kaleb the Twilight Guy and, well, me. But even Forks fans of the testosterone persuasion have to admit that “Twilight” is a franchise driven by sincere, shrieking and borderline-stalker female fans.
I thought they would have someone like Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton but then again it is MTV.
What will it take for A-list actresses to earn as much as actors?
The ninth-highest grossing movie of the year so far — with $153 million in U.S. box office sales — is “Sex and the City,” a film that features four leading women and a cursory supporting role for Mr. Big. The 11th highest grossing film is “Mamma Mia,” another estrogen fest, which has earned $144 million.
So with female-centric movies performing so well at the box office (between them, the two films have earned $980 million worldwide), why are women still earning so much less than their male counterparts?
Only two women make the list of the top 10 earning actors in Hollywood between June 2007 and June 2008. Cameron Diaz comes in fifth with $50 million for her work in solid romantic comedies like “What Happens in Vegas” and “The Holiday.” She also earned big for her voice work in the “Shrek” films as the far-from-helpless Princess Fiona.
But she earned a full $30 million less than Hollywood’s highest earner, Will Smith, who cashes mega paychecks for films like the post-apocalyptic “I Am Legend.” In the same time period, Smith earned $80 million.
Hollywood’s top earners
Will Smith — $80 million:
Smith earns big bucks for his action hero roles in films like Hancock and I Am Legend. But he’s also looking out for an Oscar. He was nominated for his work in Ali and The Pursuit of Happyness.
Johnny Depp — $72 million:
Depp rakes it in with his bizarre turn as drunken Captain Jack Sparrow in Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Rumors are now swirling that he’ll earn $56 million upfront for a fourth installment.
Eddie Murphy — $55 million:
The reclusive comedian may have bombed with his most recent film, Meet Dave, but his overall track record for family-friendly fare is good enough for studios to keep producing his movies.
Mike Myers — $55 million:
His Shrek movies appeal to both kids and grown-ups, but his live-action films are a tougher sell. His summer movie The Love Guru earned a paltry $41 million worldwide.
Cameron Diaz — $50 million:
The top-earning woman on our list, Diaz turns out solid performances in romantic comedies like this year’s What Happens in Vegas. But she still earned $30 million less than top-earning actor Will Smith last year.
Leonardo DiCaprio — $45 million:
DiCaprio is the rare actor who can bring in large audiences for adult fare like Blood Diamond and The Aviator. He’s been nominated for three Oscars but has yet to win.
Bruce Willis — $41 million:
His action star days are mostly behind him, but Willis still managed to fill seats with his fourth turn as John McClane in last year’s Live Free or Die Hard.
Ben Stiller — $40 million:
Stiller’s Night at the Museum was a monster hit earning $575 million at the worldwide box office. No surprise that a sequel is in the works for next year.
Nicolas Cage — $38 million:
Cage’s films can be hit or miss but he still earns big paychecks. They pay off when a movie like National Treasure: Book of Secrets earns $457 million worldwide.
Keira Knightley — $32 million:
The second woman on our list, Knightley earns out from her role in the Pirate movies as Elizabeth Swan. When not appearing in the blockbusters, she sticks to more serious films like last year’s Atonement.
Nearly four years after the launch of YouTube, it’s startling just how much viral videos have come to resemble a highlight reel (or a gag reel) of recent history.
In 2008, the election was constantly reflected on video-sharing sites — and sometimes even influenced by such clips. But the year in viral video was not all politics; there was still plenty of room for a litter of puppies, brawling late-night hosts and a lion with an excellent memory.
Here are the year’s top 10 Web videos:
1. Tina Fey As Sarah Palin: Not only was Fey’s impression of the Alaskan governor arguably the seminal pop culture event of the year, it also represented a turning point in the paradigm between TV and the Web. More people watched Fey’s sketches on NBC.com and Hulu.com than on television.
2. The Real Palin: Though Fey’s many parodies of Sen. John McCain’s running mate set the Internet on fire, the real McCoy gave her a run for her money. Online, many were obsessed with Palin’s every move, and millions logged on to watch clips of her interview with CBS’ Katie Couric, her unfortunately positioned Thanksgiving turkey pardon and, yes, her appearance on “SNL.”
3. Christian the Lion: Easy fabrications have made us all suspicious of Internet videos, but more than 20 million have been captivated by the heartwarming (and true) story of Christian the Lion being reunited with the two men who raised him as a cub. What’s funny is that the story wasn’t new to this year (see the Daily Mail’s Web site for the full back story), but it took off when paired with Whitney Houston’s version of “I Will Always Love You.” “The Bodyguard” lives. [CLIP HERE]
4. “Yes We Can“: In all the songs and performances devoted to this year’s election, none connected quite like will.i.am’s music video. By pairing Barack Obama’s words with music, will.i.am created the most indelible campaign message of the year. [CLIP HERE]
5. “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog“: The entry of Joss Whedon (creator of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Angel” and “Firefly”) to the Internet resulted in perhaps the greatest and most substantial Web series yet. In three parts, the 43-minute film starring Neil Patrick Harris as a wannabe evildoer was distributed for free on Hulu and then for pay on iTunes (and then for free again on Hulu). [CLIPS HERE]
6. Paris Hilton Responds to McCain Ad: When McCain ran a campaign ad comparing Obama’s celebrity to that of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton, the hotel heiress jumped right into the fray. In a video created by FunnyOrDie.com co-founder Adam McKay (the director of “Anchorman” and “Step Brothers”), Hilton — sitting poolside in a bikini — announced her mock-candidacy for the presidency. More than 8 million watched. [CLIP HERE]
7. Sarah Silverman and Matt Damon: ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel got an interesting surprise from his then-girlfriend Sarah Silverman during a show in early 2008. In the video — the name of which isn’t fit to print — Silverman ever so slightly suggested that she was sleeping with Matt Damon. Unfortunately, by July, Kimmel and Silverman really did split after five years together.[CLIP HERE] [CLIP HERE]
8. Puppy Cam: The litter is now being dispersed, but while the six Shiba Inu pups were together, they were stars on Ustream.tv’s “Puppy Cam.” More than 4 million watched the young dogs — Autumn, Amaya, Aymui, Aki, Akoni and Ando — grow up (at least for a few weeks) and eventually find adopted homes.[CLIP HERE]
9. Frozen Grand Central: Flash mobs seem so early 2000s, but one stunt by the New York comedy troupe Improve Everywhere discovered that jokes on a bewildered public can still charm. In a video posted in late January, the group gathered 200 “agents” to — all at the same time — suddenly stand frozen in place at New York’s Grand Central Terminal for five minutes while confused travelers gawked at the strange sight. The video has been watched by more than 14 million on YouTube.[CLIP HERE]
10. Late-night Hosts Brawl: During the writers strike earlier in the year, late-night hosts were downright desperate for material. So in a mock feud over who was most influential to Mike Huckabee’s unlikely rise among Republican presidential candidates, Conan O’Brien, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert convened to settle the score. In a hysterical fight (which is still available on NBC.com), the three hosts battled to a perfect tri-knock-out. How often do three people that funny come together in a video perfect for the Web?
