I saw this article in the NY Times and thought it expressed things I was thinking of. Read on.
Red Carpet Recycling: Who Said Knockoff?
By ERIC WILSON
HOLLYWOOD, Feb. 25 — Watching the designer Randolph Duke as a commentator for ABC describing what a wonderful impact dressing an Oscar-nominated actress for the red carpet has on a designer’s career, it was hard not to wonder how the man ended up so far on the wrong side of the velvet rope, speaking from a perch so distant it had to be called the Fashion Skyway. You could imagine Sally Kirkland running him over in the skyway’s H.O.V. lane with her loopy butterfly getup — she called it “a rabbi and a reverend” — that she claimed was made by her cabala teacher.
If this is what designers have to look forward to, it may be the year to re-evaluate whether their rumored deals to dress actresses are really worth all that money — what with Giorgio Armani, who put on an extravagant fashion show in Beverly Hills the night before, among the celebrities making the rounds on the red carpet this year. Like a good number of the Oscars that were considered locked up weeks before the event, the generally frumpy, overly beaded fashion picks offered such a diminishing return of suspense or variety that the event could have been mistaken for a repeat.
Penélope Cruz made her entrance in a pale pink bustier gown by Versace with a full skirt of tiered ruffles dragging behind her that was almost a duplicate of the pale blue Dior dress Charlize Theron wore two years ago. Then Nicole Kidman turned up in a red halter dress tied up with a gift-wrapping bow at the neck so enormous that one could not help but think of Ms. Theron’s big-bow Dior dress from last year. Ms. Theron, annually drubbed by the fashion police, should be entitled to some retroactive style points for instigating a theme of holiday dressing.
And the knockoff artists will be thrilled, as Mr. Duke pointed out. There was also a clear trend of gaudy jewelry built into the dresses, beginning with Jennifer Lopez, caged in five chains of metallic rhinestones on top of her ruched empire-waist Marchesa gown and followed by Rachel Weisz in a gold Vera Wang dress. As if the crystal bow at its bodice and the crystal tiers sewn into the hem of its train were not sparkling enough, Ms. Weisz added what looked like a Christmas ornament from Cartier around her neck. “I don’t know where to look,” Mr. Duke cried.
Cate Blanchett, duly ornamented, was among the nominees who attended Mr. Armani’s fashion show on Saturday, when she indicated she would wear a dress by him to the awards, as she did. She wore a silver one-shoulder mesh gown, overlaid with a veil of flowers made of jet black paillettes; her hair up, she was basically the picture of prepackaged elegance, though she said she is not an actress who concerns herself with the opinions of fashion critics.
“I think the fashion has probably gotten a lot safer,” Ms. Blanchett said. “But if you are dressing to impress other people, then I think you’re going to get in trouble.”
What else could explain the endless chain of strapless dresses this awards season in Hollywood that have made actresses, once they are all seated, look practically naked? I would concede that Jada Pinkett Smith in a gold Carolina Herrera strapless dress looked sublime, and Reese Witherspoon’s layered black dress by Olivier Theyskens of Nina Ricci should sufficiently broadcast his name to the far reaches of the planet before he has even had his first fashion show for this French house. (Until last season Mr. Theyskens was the designer of Rochas.)
The Oscars offered some respite to the strapless trend, though, in a few shapes that were interesting without being potentially offensive to mainstream tastes. Gwyneth Paltrow, for example, wore a pink Zac Posen dress with articulated seams that stretched across her torso like a spider web, and Maggie Gyllenhaal’s black and blue Proenza Schouler gown, tipped in hundreds of black feathers at the hem, was held up by a strap that slashed provocatively across her shoulder. You could imagine any of these designers having a bright future in television.
But it seems that no matter how many stylists and designers become involved in the process, something goes haywire. Perhaps the biggest surprise leading up to the awards was the attention lavished on the supporting actress nominee Jennifer Hudson, who proudly wears a size 12, by a roster of international designers who do not usually offer such sizes in their stores. Ms. Hudson, taken under the wing of André Leon Talley, the editor at large of Vogue, had her choice of dresses and selected a brown ruched one by Oscar de la Renta. The dress cleverly had hidden pockets, so Ms. Hudson, who was visibly nervous, could hide her hands when she was talking on television and, most thankfully, spare the audience another remark from a celebrity about wearing a dress so that people couldn’t see her knees shake. Seriously, do Celine Dion and Jessica Biel share a publicist?
It was a shame, then, that Ms. Hudson topped the look with a metallic python bolero jacket that seemed designed to protect her from the prying ears of invading space aliens.
Meryl Streep too was already taking heat last night for the papery black silk radzimire coat she covered with a hodgepodge of dancing coral and turquoise jewelry, but the broadcasters neglected to mention that Ms. Streep, one of the few actresses who refuses to hire a stylist, was in on the joke. Nominated for her role as the icy fashion editor in “The Devil Wears Prada,” Ms. Streep did, indeed, wear Prada.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Saturday, February 24, 2007
The OC Ends
So it's all over. No more Newport -- no more awesome quotes and catchy theme song -- no more sexy Ryan Atwood saving the day or jogging on the beach :-( . Now what am I going to do with my Thursday nights?! There's always Grey's Anatomy and McDreamy, but I don't really want to watch it. I could always watch Supernatural on the CW network, but I don't really want to watch that either. Hopefully the good people at FOX decide to show all the old OC Season 4 episodes. That would be nice.
The OC Season 4lives on on MySpace. Check it out here: myspace.com/theoc
--> California, California, here we cooooooommmmmmeeee, ohohohohoh :-(
VP - Move Bounce Shake
the latest from David Lehre, Vendetta Productions
vote for it on Music Nation - a contest in which the winner gets a record deal from Epic Records
--> this rap's in sync like he rolls with Justin
Sunday, February 18, 2007
How come I don't get a lolli from my doctor?
Justin Timberlake, it seems, was a very good boy at his recent trip to the doctor's office:
He was rewarded with a lolli!
---
source: Pink is the New Blog
He was rewarded with a lolli!
---
source: Pink is the New Blog
So Hot I Don't Even Know What To Title This
Daniel Radcliffe, a.k.a. Harry Potter, made headlines (like the one below) on both sides of the pond when it was announced that he would be starring in the play Equus. 
Here are some stories and pics I've gathered from Pink is the New Blog and the Daily Mail (UK).
=====
Pink is the New Blog
The West End stage play Equus which began its preview run on Friday night has yet to let a clear photo of the nekkid Daniel Radcliffe make its way outside of the theater but Pink reader Kate was fortunate enough to see the show on Saturday afternoon and sends in this photo from outside the theater:
She explained that security is EXTREMELY tight at the venue and ABSOLUTELY no photography is allowed (but she did mention that Daniel is amazing in this role and that "he looks great naked. Especially through ... opera glasses" Tho a good, clear shot of the good stuff is bound to get out eventually. So far, this is only the second picture to leak from the show and altho blurry it gives you an idea of how Daniel looks nekkid from the backside on stage:
====
the Daily Mail (UK)
The bare facts are: Radcliffe's a revelation
by BAZ BAMIGBOYE
It wasn't a question of horsing around when Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe took to the London stage in all his glory. The 17-year-old truly impressed with a bravura full-frontal display that earned him a standing ovation.
For his first leading role in the West End, Radcliffe chose Peter Shaffer's 34-year-old play Equus, where he plays a stable boy being treated by a psychiatrist for blinding six horses with a hoof pick.
All 980 seats at the theatre were taken for the preview performance, and many in the audience had their fantasies fulfilled when three-quarters of the way through the second act, Radcliffe bared all for a sex scene with his young leading lady, Joanna Christie.
All of a sudden there was no coughing, no muttering, just people holding their breath at the sight of a pale teenager engaging in a full embrace with a beautiful young girl.
For Radcliffe, it was a big mental leap from portraying JK Rowling's boy wizard to taking on a character in the psychoreligious exploration of equine worship. Radcliffe could have stood on the stage and read the London telephone book and the play still would have sold out. That he took on such an intellectual theatrical challenge was brave - and he succeeded.
To be sure, there is much work to be done and the next ten preview performances before opening night on February 27 will further refine the drama.
The show at the Gielgud Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue overran by some 25 minutes, but producer David Pugh promised that the production would become much tighter as everyone gained confidence.
However, Radcliffe was in full control of his acting abilities. He had been preparing for his debut for 14 months and was word perfect and knew every entrance and exit by heart. The audience had come from far and wide. Suzanne Fournier, 16, and her friend Bethany Williams, 15, travelled from New Brunswick, Canada, with Bethany's parents, just to see their young idol on the stage.
Suzanne said: "We came just to see the play and I loved it. I was quite surprised at how good Daniel was because I had been wondering if he could pull it off and he did. I must say he was very, very fit."
Bethany's mother, Cathy Williams explained: "Both the girls talked us into bringing them to see Daniel so we have made a week's holiday of it and I must say he was brilliant."
Julianna Shtroblya, from the Ukraine, a 20-year-old economics student, saw the play with her mother Tamara.
"It was really hard to get a visa to come to your country to see the play but it was worth it. I am going to see it again on Monday. I heard about Equus six months ago and that was when we booked our tickets."
Roger Berlind, a veteran New York theatre producer, said that if the production with Radcliffe and his fellow leading man, Richard Griffiths, wanted to move to Broadway, he would help raise the finance to present it.
He said that he thought Radcliffe was a "natural stage performer".
The play, which is clearly for grown-ups, has already sold £1.7million in tickets and the box office is taking a healthy amount every day.
Radcliffe's first entrance on stage startled some who hadn't studied the play. He bounded into view, clad only in jeans, to begin his sessions with the psychiatrist, played by Griffiths.
The first words out of Radcliffe's mouth were in fact sung. His character Alan Strang sang several bars of the Milky Bar advertising ditty: "The Milky Bar kid is strong and tough..." and then launched into the song from the Martini commercial.
Essentially, the play is a psychological mystery as Griffiths investigates the reasons why Radcliffe's stable boy maims the horses.
Pugh commented: "It's the first preview, we've got until the first night to continue working and we know what we have to do, but the boy's a revelation."
For once a producer wasn't uttering the usual West End producer hyperbole.
Radcliffe can certainly act and it was clear from last night's audience reception that he won't always be remembered for playing a boy wizard.
====
Here are the initial photos that caused a stir at Hogwarts.
Here are some stories and pics I've gathered from Pink is the New Blog and the Daily Mail (UK).
=====
Pink is the New Blog
The West End stage play Equus which began its preview run on Friday night has yet to let a clear photo of the nekkid Daniel Radcliffe make its way outside of the theater but Pink reader Kate was fortunate enough to see the show on Saturday afternoon and sends in this photo from outside the theater:
She explained that security is EXTREMELY tight at the venue and ABSOLUTELY no photography is allowed (but she did mention that Daniel is amazing in this role and that "he looks great naked. Especially through ... opera glasses" Tho a good, clear shot of the good stuff is bound to get out eventually. So far, this is only the second picture to leak from the show and altho blurry it gives you an idea of how Daniel looks nekkid from the backside on stage:
====
the Daily Mail (UK)
The bare facts are: Radcliffe's a revelation
by BAZ BAMIGBOYE
It wasn't a question of horsing around when Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe took to the London stage in all his glory. The 17-year-old truly impressed with a bravura full-frontal display that earned him a standing ovation.
For his first leading role in the West End, Radcliffe chose Peter Shaffer's 34-year-old play Equus, where he plays a stable boy being treated by a psychiatrist for blinding six horses with a hoof pick.
All 980 seats at the theatre were taken for the preview performance, and many in the audience had their fantasies fulfilled when three-quarters of the way through the second act, Radcliffe bared all for a sex scene with his young leading lady, Joanna Christie. All of a sudden there was no coughing, no muttering, just people holding their breath at the sight of a pale teenager engaging in a full embrace with a beautiful young girl.
For Radcliffe, it was a big mental leap from portraying JK Rowling's boy wizard to taking on a character in the psychoreligious exploration of equine worship. Radcliffe could have stood on the stage and read the London telephone book and the play still would have sold out. That he took on such an intellectual theatrical challenge was brave - and he succeeded.
To be sure, there is much work to be done and the next ten preview performances before opening night on February 27 will further refine the drama.
The show at the Gielgud Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue overran by some 25 minutes, but producer David Pugh promised that the production would become much tighter as everyone gained confidence.
However, Radcliffe was in full control of his acting abilities. He had been preparing for his debut for 14 months and was word perfect and knew every entrance and exit by heart. The audience had come from far and wide. Suzanne Fournier, 16, and her friend Bethany Williams, 15, travelled from New Brunswick, Canada, with Bethany's parents, just to see their young idol on the stage.
Suzanne said: "We came just to see the play and I loved it. I was quite surprised at how good Daniel was because I had been wondering if he could pull it off and he did. I must say he was very, very fit."
Bethany's mother, Cathy Williams explained: "Both the girls talked us into bringing them to see Daniel so we have made a week's holiday of it and I must say he was brilliant."
Julianna Shtroblya, from the Ukraine, a 20-year-old economics student, saw the play with her mother Tamara.
"It was really hard to get a visa to come to your country to see the play but it was worth it. I am going to see it again on Monday. I heard about Equus six months ago and that was when we booked our tickets."
Roger Berlind, a veteran New York theatre producer, said that if the production with Radcliffe and his fellow leading man, Richard Griffiths, wanted to move to Broadway, he would help raise the finance to present it.
He said that he thought Radcliffe was a "natural stage performer".
The play, which is clearly for grown-ups, has already sold £1.7million in tickets and the box office is taking a healthy amount every day.
Radcliffe's first entrance on stage startled some who hadn't studied the play. He bounded into view, clad only in jeans, to begin his sessions with the psychiatrist, played by Griffiths.
The first words out of Radcliffe's mouth were in fact sung. His character Alan Strang sang several bars of the Milky Bar advertising ditty: "The Milky Bar kid is strong and tough..." and then launched into the song from the Martini commercial.
Essentially, the play is a psychological mystery as Griffiths investigates the reasons why Radcliffe's stable boy maims the horses.
Pugh commented: "It's the first preview, we've got until the first night to continue working and we know what we have to do, but the boy's a revelation."
For once a producer wasn't uttering the usual West End producer hyperbole.
Radcliffe can certainly act and it was clear from last night's audience reception that he won't always be remembered for playing a boy wizard.
====
Here are the initial photos that caused a stir at Hogwarts.
One for the ladies...
This if for my friend who's in love with McDreamy. Yes you. (*click McDreamy for a little surprise*)
And here's something for those Mathew McConaughey fans (a.k.a. me)!!
And here's something for those Mathew McConaughey fans (a.k.a. me)!!
♥ Becks & Posh ♥
Is anyone else counting down the days til Becks and Posh step onto US soil for good? Just me? :(
They're so stylish. I was watching one of those entertainment news shows the other night, either Access Hollywood or Extra, and they showed a clip of Victoria Beckham saying this: "I think Americans think that the British are most sophisticated, and we are."
I ♥ Posh. At least she can back up her words with style. The coat, the skirt, the shirt, the heels.
Sophisticated darling, sophisticated. I love her style. I can't wait for her clothing line. You just know it's going to be hot. She's got a great sense of style. You can check out her guest editor work for Harper's Bazaar. I'm not sure which month it is, but Katie Holmes is on the cover.
Just for 'Sexy' Kicks
On AOL's music site, there's a feature about the 69 sexiest songs. I was more interested in the failed 'sexy' songs (Sisqo's "Thong Song" being one of them). Here's another:
And Justin pauses during his Grammy performance to wonder why that is.
As do Carson Kressley, Petra Nemcova, and Carmen Electra.
And Justin pauses during his Grammy performance to wonder why that is.
As do Carson Kressley, Petra Nemcova, and Carmen Electra.
Carnival Jump Up
So it's 82 degrees in sexy Rio de Janeiro, and I'm trapped in 27 degree New York. Yay! :o Maybe this article about carnival will warm me up.
At carnival, samba is serious business
By MICHAEL ASTOR, Associated Press Writer
Armies of shirtless men pushed opulent floats toward Rio's samba stadium Sunday for the centerpiece of Brazil's carnival celebrations, a hard-fought samba dance competition.
The parades last all night Sunday and Monday, featuring women wearing impossibly high heels and glittering body paint shaking their stuff alongside bare-chested men. Thousands of elaborately costumed dancers and hundreds of drummers escort the floats, keeping up an earsplitting rhythm.
But it's much more than pure spectacle. The groups spend upward of a million dollars to mount 80-minute-long spectacles in the Sambadrome — a 60,000-seat venue built exclusively for the parades — featuring as many 4,500 dancers, all in an attempt to impress a panel of judges made up of folklorists, musicologists and carnival scholars.
The 13 competing dance groups come from the city's shantytowns, and their showdown is a welcome distraction from the gunfights between drug traffickers, militias and police that have left at least 15 dead over the past week alone in the hills around downtown Rio. Adoring fans follow the live broadcasts with a passion usually reserved for the World Cup.
This year organizers have change the rules to wrap up the parade at an earlier hour. In the past, the Samba parade dragged on well past dawn, ending as late as 9:30 a.m., with revelers often struggling under the weight of heavy costumes under the punishing tropical sun.
The schools are judged in 10 different categories including music, the quality of their dancing and floats, their parade theme, and crowd reaction. A less than perfect score can dash a school's chances of victory.
The featured dancers — especially the female flag bearers and their male counterparts — practice all year to perfect their steps, which are actually closer to minuet than samba.
"Being a flag bearer is almost like being a ballet dancer, it's not just samba, not everyone can do it. For me it's a way of life," said Selma Sorriso, flag bearer for the Beija Flor carnival group.
Being relegated to the second division — which gets much less television exposure — means losing hundreds of thousands of dollars in sponsorships.
It's long been an open secret that funding for the parade comes from an illegal numbers game but legitimate sponsors, such as corporations and Brazilian states, also have emerged in recent years.
The winners and losers are the subject of much squabbling among Brazilians, who frequently accuse judges of bias when their favorite schools achieve less than a perfect score.
But such rivalries are of little consequence to the more than 200,000 foreign tourists watching the show.
"I expect there will be a lot of color and fun," said Hayley Purvrick, a 23-year-old student from Australia, while sipping a caipirinha, Brazil's national drink, on Copacabana beach.
---
God I got to get my behind to Brazil one of these days. If not for the beautiful people and culture, for the weather and the beach. Oh who am I kidding, I wanna see some hotties!! ;-)
At carnival, samba is serious business
By MICHAEL ASTOR, Associated Press Writer
Armies of shirtless men pushed opulent floats toward Rio's samba stadium Sunday for the centerpiece of Brazil's carnival celebrations, a hard-fought samba dance competition.The parades last all night Sunday and Monday, featuring women wearing impossibly high heels and glittering body paint shaking their stuff alongside bare-chested men. Thousands of elaborately costumed dancers and hundreds of drummers escort the floats, keeping up an earsplitting rhythm.
But it's much more than pure spectacle. The groups spend upward of a million dollars to mount 80-minute-long spectacles in the Sambadrome — a 60,000-seat venue built exclusively for the parades — featuring as many 4,500 dancers, all in an attempt to impress a panel of judges made up of folklorists, musicologists and carnival scholars.
The 13 competing dance groups come from the city's shantytowns, and their showdown is a welcome distraction from the gunfights between drug traffickers, militias and police that have left at least 15 dead over the past week alone in the hills around downtown Rio. Adoring fans follow the live broadcasts with a passion usually reserved for the World Cup.
This year organizers have change the rules to wrap up the parade at an earlier hour. In the past, the Samba parade dragged on well past dawn, ending as late as 9:30 a.m., with revelers often struggling under the weight of heavy costumes under the punishing tropical sun.The schools are judged in 10 different categories including music, the quality of their dancing and floats, their parade theme, and crowd reaction. A less than perfect score can dash a school's chances of victory.
The featured dancers — especially the female flag bearers and their male counterparts — practice all year to perfect their steps, which are actually closer to minuet than samba.
"Being a flag bearer is almost like being a ballet dancer, it's not just samba, not everyone can do it. For me it's a way of life," said Selma Sorriso, flag bearer for the Beija Flor carnival group.
Being relegated to the second division — which gets much less television exposure — means losing hundreds of thousands of dollars in sponsorships.
It's long been an open secret that funding for the parade comes from an illegal numbers game but legitimate sponsors, such as corporations and Brazilian states, also have emerged in recent years.The winners and losers are the subject of much squabbling among Brazilians, who frequently accuse judges of bias when their favorite schools achieve less than a perfect score.
But such rivalries are of little consequence to the more than 200,000 foreign tourists watching the show.
"I expect there will be a lot of color and fun," said Hayley Purvrick, a 23-year-old student from Australia, while sipping a caipirinha, Brazil's national drink, on Copacabana beach.
---
God I got to get my behind to Brazil one of these days. If not for the beautiful people and culture, for the weather and the beach. Oh who am I kidding, I wanna see some hotties!! ;-)
California, California Here We Go
So this Thursday (February 22nd), one of the biggest teen shows (and one of my favorites) The OC, will be ending with its 92nd episode. I wish they had stuck around for 8 more so they could have made it to their hundredth. Here's a story I found on yahoo.com. Read on, read on, you know you want to.
Sun poised to set on Fox's `The O.C.'
By LYNN ELBER, AP Television Writer
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. - A moment of respectful silence, please, for Fox's departing "The O.C."
Yes, the drama wiped out in the ratings like a klutzy Southern California surfer. Yes, it lost its storytelling punch in season three and then really bummed out fans with the violent death of Marissa, played by Mischa Barton.
But credit where credit's due. "The O.C." brought dramatized adolescent angst back to TV, gave the tabloids fresh faces like Barton and Rachel Bilson and boosted pop artists by showcasing their music (the band Rooney) or just mentioning them (Death Cab for Cutie).
Set in the Orange County city of Newport Beach, the show even managed to make cultural and economic waves: Residents who knew better began referring to the county with the artificially hip "the" in front of O.C., and the postcard-perfect coastal town enjoyed a bump in tourism.
"The O.C." generated a reality TV boomlet, with MTV's "Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County" and Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Orange County" following in its footsteps.
Not bad for a four-season, 92-episode series about the loves and lives of rich, golden California teenagers — one even named Summer, to drive home the point — and the parents that watched over them, or not, depending on their own foibles.
"Overall, I'm incredibly proud of the run the show had," series creator Josh Schwartz said as production ended this month. Just the day before, he recounted, "we were filming on location and there were packs of teenagers screaming for autographs when the cast walked by, and crying that the show was coming to an end."
"We were 24 hours away from wrapping the show and it was surreal to have that level of emotion from our audience," Schwartz said.
The series finale airs 9 p.m. EST Thursday, Feb. 22, and won't leave viewers hanging, he vowed.
"We went into this season sort of assuming that it was going to be the last season," Schwartz said. "So we were able to build naturally to this final episode and do the finale the way we always planned."
The conclusion will focus on the show's core — the affluent Cohen family of Newport Beach and the needy young man, Ryan, they took in, he said. The hope is that fans will find it fun, emotional and "really satisfying," Schwartz said.
Will Marissa, killed in a car crash in last season's finale, manage to reappear?
"All of the characters of the show will be touched on in some way," Schwartz said. He's carefully guarding the final plot twists, including the romantic fates of couples Ryan (Benjamin McKenzie) and Taylor (Autumn Reeser) and Seth (Adam Brody) and Summer (Bilson).
All that, and an earthquake hit the fictional Newport Beach in the Feb. 8 episode, imperiling pregnant Kirsten Cohen (Kelly Rowan) and others.
"The O.C." itself rattled the TV landscape when it debuted in summer 2003. It was a ratings phenom in its first year, ranking as the top-rated drama among advertiser-favored young adults and attracting a total audience of nearly 10 million.
Schwartz, then only 26 and a recent University of Southern California grad, said the show's young actors became stars "very, very quickly, within two months of the show airing. It was nuts."
"To have had the experience and see those kids be in an airport and walk by a magazine stand and the magazine covers are the cast of your show — it's exciting," Schwartz said. So was the fact "that we all were able to work together for this time and kind of grow together. I mean, we all really did grow up together. I feel like I did. This is like college."
Newport Beach got a few lessons in the power of TV, according to the town's mayor.
"I think there were some people in town not too pleased about how Newport Beach was portrayed in the series. But I think everybody understands that TV distorts reality," Mayor Steven Rosansky said, a truth known to anybody who used to watch the `80s serial "Dallas."
But while some grumbled about the show's satiric depiction of a hedonistic and shallow Newport, the city gained a higher profile and an influx of visitors, said Rosansky.
The local visitors' bureau capitalized on the attention with a map of locations referred to in the series — although production mostly took place in Los Angeles — and by recording the hand- and footprints of some cast members in concrete, he said.
But the show proved unable to hold its audience, slipping to about 7 million weekly viewers during 2004-05 and then to fewer than 6 million last season. Returning last November after Fox wrapped postseason baseball coverage, "The O.C." has averaged about 4 million viewers.
A time-slot change, to the highly competitive 9 p.m. EST Thursday period opposite CBS' "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" and then ABC's "Grey's Anatomy," contributed to the slump and probably hastened the defection of fickle young viewers.
Does Schwartz long for a different ending, with more seasons still ahead?
"Coulda, woulda, shoulda, I guess," he says, the verbal equivalent of a shrug. He called four seasons "a pretty damn good run. Especially for a show like this, where the audience we're speaking to is younger and moves on faster."
"I'd never worked on a television series in any capacity before it began, so it was learn as you go and I certainly learned a lot," he said. "But to be able to learn on a show that had the impact on its audience this show had is a really incredible gift."
Schwartz already is looking ahead to new projects, including adapting the book "Looking for Alaska" for film and producing two television pilots.
But what about the future of Newport Beach? Will it miss basking in its fake counterpart's limelight?
"It ran its course and we'll wait for the next show. ... I'm sure some creative television person will create another show," Mayor Rosanksy said.
Sun poised to set on Fox's `The O.C.'
By LYNN ELBER, AP Television Writer
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. - A moment of respectful silence, please, for Fox's departing "The O.C."
Yes, the drama wiped out in the ratings like a klutzy Southern California surfer. Yes, it lost its storytelling punch in season three and then really bummed out fans with the violent death of Marissa, played by Mischa Barton.
But credit where credit's due. "The O.C." brought dramatized adolescent angst back to TV, gave the tabloids fresh faces like Barton and Rachel Bilson and boosted pop artists by showcasing their music (the band Rooney) or just mentioning them (Death Cab for Cutie).
Set in the Orange County city of Newport Beach, the show even managed to make cultural and economic waves: Residents who knew better began referring to the county with the artificially hip "the" in front of O.C., and the postcard-perfect coastal town enjoyed a bump in tourism.
"The O.C." generated a reality TV boomlet, with MTV's "Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County" and Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Orange County" following in its footsteps.
Not bad for a four-season, 92-episode series about the loves and lives of rich, golden California teenagers — one even named Summer, to drive home the point — and the parents that watched over them, or not, depending on their own foibles.
"Overall, I'm incredibly proud of the run the show had," series creator Josh Schwartz said as production ended this month. Just the day before, he recounted, "we were filming on location and there were packs of teenagers screaming for autographs when the cast walked by, and crying that the show was coming to an end."
"We were 24 hours away from wrapping the show and it was surreal to have that level of emotion from our audience," Schwartz said.
The series finale airs 9 p.m. EST Thursday, Feb. 22, and won't leave viewers hanging, he vowed.
"We went into this season sort of assuming that it was going to be the last season," Schwartz said. "So we were able to build naturally to this final episode and do the finale the way we always planned."
The conclusion will focus on the show's core — the affluent Cohen family of Newport Beach and the needy young man, Ryan, they took in, he said. The hope is that fans will find it fun, emotional and "really satisfying," Schwartz said.
Will Marissa, killed in a car crash in last season's finale, manage to reappear?
"All of the characters of the show will be touched on in some way," Schwartz said. He's carefully guarding the final plot twists, including the romantic fates of couples Ryan (Benjamin McKenzie) and Taylor (Autumn Reeser) and Seth (Adam Brody) and Summer (Bilson).
All that, and an earthquake hit the fictional Newport Beach in the Feb. 8 episode, imperiling pregnant Kirsten Cohen (Kelly Rowan) and others.
"The O.C." itself rattled the TV landscape when it debuted in summer 2003. It was a ratings phenom in its first year, ranking as the top-rated drama among advertiser-favored young adults and attracting a total audience of nearly 10 million.
Schwartz, then only 26 and a recent University of Southern California grad, said the show's young actors became stars "very, very quickly, within two months of the show airing. It was nuts."
"To have had the experience and see those kids be in an airport and walk by a magazine stand and the magazine covers are the cast of your show — it's exciting," Schwartz said. So was the fact "that we all were able to work together for this time and kind of grow together. I mean, we all really did grow up together. I feel like I did. This is like college."
Newport Beach got a few lessons in the power of TV, according to the town's mayor.
"I think there were some people in town not too pleased about how Newport Beach was portrayed in the series. But I think everybody understands that TV distorts reality," Mayor Steven Rosansky said, a truth known to anybody who used to watch the `80s serial "Dallas."
But while some grumbled about the show's satiric depiction of a hedonistic and shallow Newport, the city gained a higher profile and an influx of visitors, said Rosansky.
The local visitors' bureau capitalized on the attention with a map of locations referred to in the series — although production mostly took place in Los Angeles — and by recording the hand- and footprints of some cast members in concrete, he said.
But the show proved unable to hold its audience, slipping to about 7 million weekly viewers during 2004-05 and then to fewer than 6 million last season. Returning last November after Fox wrapped postseason baseball coverage, "The O.C." has averaged about 4 million viewers.
A time-slot change, to the highly competitive 9 p.m. EST Thursday period opposite CBS' "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" and then ABC's "Grey's Anatomy," contributed to the slump and probably hastened the defection of fickle young viewers.
Does Schwartz long for a different ending, with more seasons still ahead?
"Coulda, woulda, shoulda, I guess," he says, the verbal equivalent of a shrug. He called four seasons "a pretty damn good run. Especially for a show like this, where the audience we're speaking to is younger and moves on faster."
"I'd never worked on a television series in any capacity before it began, so it was learn as you go and I certainly learned a lot," he said. "But to be able to learn on a show that had the impact on its audience this show had is a really incredible gift."
Schwartz already is looking ahead to new projects, including adapting the book "Looking for Alaska" for film and producing two television pilots.
But what about the future of Newport Beach? Will it miss basking in its fake counterpart's limelight?
"It ran its course and we'll wait for the next show. ... I'm sure some creative television person will create another show," Mayor Rosanksy said.
Sting's So Hot
As my friends will tell you, I love Sting like my other friend loves Bowie (and that's saying a lot). I don't know why I do, but I just do. The funny thing is I don't really know any of his songs. The first time I remember hearing a Sting song was when he came out with Desert Rose and Brand New Day (which will forever be my favorite Sting songs, seeing as those are the only songs I know ;) ). As you probably saw on the Grammys last Sunday, Sting reuinted with his band The Police for their 30th anniversary. The performance rocked! And I learned that they're the singers of Roxanne (this song one of the contestants on my favorite summer series Rockstar Supernova, Dilana, sang and rocked out to. 
The Police will be hitting the road this summer for tour and you know it's gonna be hot so check 'em out!! If not for the music, go for Sting's charming good looks ;)
New Hair Trends for '07
Celebs are always influencing how a number of things in society -- hair being one of them. Since Cameron Diaz went darker last year, I've been noticing a new trend in hair color. More celebs are going for darker, richer hues. Take a look below.
Jessica Simpson is jumping on the new wave of celebs going darker.
And it looks like she's having fun with it too. Just look at that smile. Maybe blondes don't have all the fun after all.
Even Beyoncé and Hilary Duff gave up their trademark blonde hues to jump on the brunette bandwagon.
And this trend isn't just for the girls. Check out Owen Wilson on the set of his new movie The Darjeeling Limited with Jason Schwartzman.
Now if only someone had alerted Britney Shears, we wouldn't be looking at these disturbing photos of the pop princess shaving off her locks at a Sherman Oaks salon last Friday night. 
What will she do next?
--> so so so so scandalous
Jessica Simpson is jumping on the new wave of celebs going darker.
And it looks like she's having fun with it too. Just look at that smile. Maybe blondes don't have all the fun after all.
Even Beyoncé and Hilary Duff gave up their trademark blonde hues to jump on the brunette bandwagon.
And this trend isn't just for the girls. Check out Owen Wilson on the set of his new movie The Darjeeling Limited with Jason Schwartzman.
Now if only someone had alerted Britney Shears, we wouldn't be looking at these disturbing photos of the pop princess shaving off her locks at a Sherman Oaks salon last Friday night. 
What will she do next?
--> so so so so scandalous
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
A little JT in your pocket, kinda
As if a hot record and clothing line weren't enough, Justin Timberlake is launching JT-TV with Verizon. Here's the article I found on VH1.com:
Justin Takes You Everywhere — Backstage, Parties, Shows — With JT-TV
Want to spend every day with Justin Timberlake? Well, he wants to spend every day with you too — at least, on your phone. The singer's starting his own channel on Verizon Wireless' VCast called JT-TV.
"It started from Verizon sponsoring the tour, and they came to me with the initial idea. 'What if you had your own channel? What would it be like to be backstage with you?' " Timberlake said. "And instead, I was like, 'What would it be like to be there every day with us?' "
The backstage footage will be part of JT-TV's lifestyle channel, which has yet to launch. The first priority, Timberlake said, is the fashion channel, which launched Friday from Timberlake's party at the Avalon in Hollywood, where Jennifer Hudson, the Black Eyed Peas, Danity Kane, Kenna, and Nelly Furtado performed (see "Aguilera, Hudson Play For Clive Davis; FOB Rock Roots' Grammys Eve Jam").
"That's the biggest thing that came out of all this," Timberlake said. JT can tie the fashion channel in with William Rast, the clothing line he launched with best friend and business partner Trace Ayala (see "Timberlake Wants To Rock Your Body With A New Clothing Line"). So for one of the segments, for instance, Ayala takes the viewer on a tour of the backstage goings-on as the models get done up for a fashion show. "Let's see if they're ready," Ayala teases in the video.
Filming for the fashion channel started at the Avalon event, while other channels focusing on music and movie programming will follow starting in March.
"This really has been a huge work in progress," Timberlake said. "When Verizon said, 'What if you could put on your original content?,' I said, 'Why don't we just have channels where I can put my favorite music videos up? My favorite movies?' It's crazy how you get there, but it all started from them sponsoring the tour."
"For us to have access to our artists on the level that Verizon is doing is vital," said Clive Davis, Justin's label boss. "For years, we've been too dependent on radio, and if radio narrows its formatting and it's disenfranchised certain formats of music, we have to see, how do we get around radio, which traditionally has been the main trigger of our artists."
That sounds cool to me. Too bad I don't have a Verizon phone. That's totally on my wish list now.
Anyway Kevin Federline and Justin Timberlake were spotted on the red carpet giving each other a "man hug".
Nice to see they're cool with each other. Justin also took the stage that night with a bevy of singers, Nelly Furtado, Fergie, and Will.I.Am. just to name a few (or that might be the total list of people who performed -- I'll find out later and edit this if I have to).
Anyway during the performance, a camera caught a little (for lack of a better word) something interesting.
Now are those keys in his pocket or is he just excited to see her. (*scandalous* -- God I love that word). Too bad there was no box to cover this one up like there was last week when Justin Timberlake along with Andy Samberg of SNL took the stage at Madison Square Garden to sing the Valentine's Day remix (kinda) of their smash YouTube hit Dick in a Box). I'll post a video for this one later, but here's a photo to get you started.
GOOD THINGS, SMALL BOX
Winding down a two-hour concert at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, Justin Timberlake takes the stage in costume to reprise his SNL song "D--- in a Box" with special guest Andy Samberg. "I'm sorry if I offended some of you, but I could not resist," Timberlake told the enthusiastic crowd after the performance. (source: people.com)
Justin Takes You Everywhere — Backstage, Parties, Shows — With JT-TV
Want to spend every day with Justin Timberlake? Well, he wants to spend every day with you too — at least, on your phone. The singer's starting his own channel on Verizon Wireless' VCast called JT-TV.
"It started from Verizon sponsoring the tour, and they came to me with the initial idea. 'What if you had your own channel? What would it be like to be backstage with you?' " Timberlake said. "And instead, I was like, 'What would it be like to be there every day with us?' "
The backstage footage will be part of JT-TV's lifestyle channel, which has yet to launch. The first priority, Timberlake said, is the fashion channel, which launched Friday from Timberlake's party at the Avalon in Hollywood, where Jennifer Hudson, the Black Eyed Peas, Danity Kane, Kenna, and Nelly Furtado performed (see "Aguilera, Hudson Play For Clive Davis; FOB Rock Roots' Grammys Eve Jam").
"That's the biggest thing that came out of all this," Timberlake said. JT can tie the fashion channel in with William Rast, the clothing line he launched with best friend and business partner Trace Ayala (see "Timberlake Wants To Rock Your Body With A New Clothing Line"). So for one of the segments, for instance, Ayala takes the viewer on a tour of the backstage goings-on as the models get done up for a fashion show. "Let's see if they're ready," Ayala teases in the video.
Filming for the fashion channel started at the Avalon event, while other channels focusing on music and movie programming will follow starting in March.
"This really has been a huge work in progress," Timberlake said. "When Verizon said, 'What if you could put on your original content?,' I said, 'Why don't we just have channels where I can put my favorite music videos up? My favorite movies?' It's crazy how you get there, but it all started from them sponsoring the tour."
"For us to have access to our artists on the level that Verizon is doing is vital," said Clive Davis, Justin's label boss. "For years, we've been too dependent on radio, and if radio narrows its formatting and it's disenfranchised certain formats of music, we have to see, how do we get around radio, which traditionally has been the main trigger of our artists."
That sounds cool to me. Too bad I don't have a Verizon phone. That's totally on my wish list now.
Anyway Kevin Federline and Justin Timberlake were spotted on the red carpet giving each other a "man hug".
Nice to see they're cool with each other. Justin also took the stage that night with a bevy of singers, Nelly Furtado, Fergie, and Will.I.Am. just to name a few (or that might be the total list of people who performed -- I'll find out later and edit this if I have to).Anyway during the performance, a camera caught a little (for lack of a better word) something interesting.
Now are those keys in his pocket or is he just excited to see her. (*scandalous* -- God I love that word). Too bad there was no box to cover this one up like there was last week when Justin Timberlake along with Andy Samberg of SNL took the stage at Madison Square Garden to sing the Valentine's Day remix (kinda) of their smash YouTube hit Dick in a Box). I'll post a video for this one later, but here's a photo to get you started.
GOOD THINGS, SMALL BOX
Winding down a two-hour concert at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, Justin Timberlake takes the stage in costume to reprise his SNL song "D--- in a Box" with special guest Andy Samberg. "I'm sorry if I offended some of you, but I could not resist," Timberlake told the enthusiastic crowd after the performance. (source: people.com)
Hmm
Well there's a whole lot of scandal going on in Hollywood, but that's nothing new. What is new is that Kevin Federline and Justin Timberlake (my two fave male celebs, and I'm not even being sarcastic about that for once) have been seen at a lot of the same parties lately hanging out. Well that's not really scandalous (Did I mention how I like the word "scandalous"? It's so fun to write. Try it.) 
Anyway Timberlake and Federline have been spotted at a lot of the same events lately; there's even a rumor saying that they've been spotted making out! (just kidding) They've been spotted making fun of Britney allegedly. US Weekly (my bible, only not really), or one of those other tabloids, even made this their cover story this week. They're probably just catching up on old times (while making fun of Britney -- who wouldn't? have you seen the girl lately. She looks so damn trashy -- take a look at that photo I posted earlier with that "Valentine to Britney" video). I don't know what's going on with her. Maybe she's depressed, but whatever it is she needs help. She needs a good team around her -- a good publicist, manager, and not to mention, an amazing stylist. I'm sure Rachel Zoe could work wonders with her. I hope she cleans up her act because if she and Kevin are still fighting for sole custody, he would totally win. I hope she gets some help soon cause I'm tired of the whole "White Trash" phase.
(photo from pinkisthenewblog.com -- ignore the pink writing, so not my style)
Anyway Timberlake and Federline have been spotted at a lot of the same events lately; there's even a rumor saying that they've been spotted making out! (just kidding) They've been spotted making fun of Britney allegedly. US Weekly (my bible, only not really), or one of those other tabloids, even made this their cover story this week. They're probably just catching up on old times (while making fun of Britney -- who wouldn't? have you seen the girl lately. She looks so damn trashy -- take a look at that photo I posted earlier with that "Valentine to Britney" video). I don't know what's going on with her. Maybe she's depressed, but whatever it is she needs help. She needs a good team around her -- a good publicist, manager, and not to mention, an amazing stylist. I'm sure Rachel Zoe could work wonders with her. I hope she cleans up her act because if she and Kevin are still fighting for sole custody, he would totally win. I hope she gets some help soon cause I'm tired of the whole "White Trash" phase.(photo from pinkisthenewblog.com -- ignore the pink writing, so not my style)
Tell 'em Johnny
While it may 7:30pm, love is still in the air on this Valentine's Day. Here's a vid I found on tinypic.com about the ultimate love story, Dirty Dancing.
(If that video doesn't work, here's the link. Dirty Dancing)
Who doesn't love a little Dirty Dancing.
I'll be the Baby to his Johnny Castle any day.
(If that video doesn't work, here's the link. Dirty Dancing)
Who doesn't love a little Dirty Dancing.
I'll be the Baby to his Johnny Castle any day.
Valentines for You
So it's Valentine's Day once again. I have found some cute Valentine's messages for you. Feel free to steal them for your own valentine.
And for those of you who are single like myself, here's one for you.
And for those of you who are single like myself, here's one for you.
Valentine to Britney Spears
I've been on MySpace for the better part of the day and came across this video. It's too funny.
Valentine to Britney Spears
Add to My Profile | More Videos
I saw this on pinkisthenewblog.com.
It's kind of scary now when I look back and realize that Britney was totally my idol like 8 years ago.
Quick Question: Who's snapping her thong??
Valentine to Britney Spears
Add to My Profile | More Videos
I saw this on pinkisthenewblog.com.
It's kind of scary now when I look back and realize that Britney was totally my idol like 8 years ago.
Quick Question: Who's snapping her thong??
Saturday, February 3, 2007
Burlesque meets Glamour Girl
Nowadays I'm totally into the whole burlesque/Moulin Rouge/Panic! at the Disco/Christina Aguilera look (although I don't pull any of these looks off myself). I see in the trailer for Justin Timberlake's new music video/mini-movie for his latest single What Comes Around ... Goes Around (available on iTunes on February 9th) that that's the look the vid's going for. From what I've seen so far it looks pretty good; very class!c w!th a tw!st.
--> now that's Subtle Sexy
--> now that's Subtle Sexy
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