All the fing young cannibals and other tales of the city.
Entertainment Weekly reports that “Seinfeld” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm” writer, Larry David, has been cast as the lead in Woody Allen’s next, as-yet-untitled feature, which is scheduled to shoot in New York City this spring.
Plot details are being kept under wraps, but David, who bares a resemblance to Allen, will star alongside Evan Rachel Wood (”Across the Universe”).
Topless Robot has a hysterical look at The 10 Star Wars Toys that Unintentionally Look Like Other Celebrities.
Woody Allen‚Äö?Ñ?¥s $25.9 million Trowbridge & Livingston Upper East Side townhouse, located on East 70th Street. Just in case you were wondering.
Source: Curbed
Actor Heath Ledger was found dead at a SoHo apartment this afternoon in what appeared to be a possible drug-related death, he was 28. Police sources said signs pointed to a suicide or an accidental overdose.
According to Liz Smith, Quentin Tarentino is hot to remake the 1966 Russ Meyer soft-porn camp classic, “Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!”
The Original film followed three thrill-seeking strippers who come upon a couple in the desert. After killing the boyfriend, they take the girl hostage and hide out on a secluded ranch owned by a wheelchair-bound redneck farmer and his two dim-witted sons. Trying to locate the man’s hidden fortune, the trio seduce the sons to learn of the secret. Soon after, all hell breaks loose.
Tarentino is said to want Kim Kardashian, Eva Mendes and Britney Spears for the roles and wants his version to be even “raunchier”.
Source: Variety
TMZ reports that actor Brad Renfro has passed away.
It is with great sadness that I write this post not only because Brad was an exceptional and often very underrated actor, but also because he was also somewhat of an influence on yours truly on a personal and creative level.
It was no secret that Brad lead a troubled life, but in recent years reports indicated he was doing his best to turn his life around. I had hoped he would win the fight and rise above it all, but sadly, it wasn’t meant to be.
He will truly be missed.
New York firefighter and FDNY calendar coverboy Michael Biserta, has bounced back from his recent “Guys Gone Wild” video scandal by coming out with his own 2008 calendar.
Biserta, who joined the FDNY in April 2006, two years AFTER the racy video was shot, did not face any discipline for appearing in it, but Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta, pulled the plug on the hugely popular FDNY Calendar of Heros, banning any future editions from ever going into publication.
The New York Daily News reports that Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta is banning future editions of the hugely popular FDNY Calendar of Heroes, due to firefighter and FDNY calendar cover boy, Michael Biserta appearing nude in an old “Guys Gone Wild” video.
The clip, which was shot in 2004, shows Biserta showing off for an enthusiastic group of women who urge him to strip naked for the camera. “You girls are bad influences,” he tells the women. The camera then follows the naked firefighter from the bedroom to the shower where he…showers! How shocking!
Mr. March - Santo Ciccarello at Ladder 140
The FDNY Foundation and the New York City Fire Department unveiled the Official New York City Fire Department 2008 Calendar of Heroes today and the hunky men of the FDNY marked the occasion by making an appearance at Rockefeller Center for a press conference and autograph signing, which included a featured segment on NBC’s Today Show as well.
Mr. January - Jarrett Kotarski at Ladder 135
Proceeds from the sale of the Calendar of Heroes benefit the FDNY Foundation, a nonprofit organization established to promote fire safety in New York City and the professional development, training and education of the members of the FDNY.
Mr. June - Nick Stolz at Ladder 140
This year’s calendar also comes with one “huge” bonus in the form of cover boy Michael Biserta of Ladder Co. 131 of Red Hook, Brooklyn. Seems this isn’t the first time the hunky Staten Island native has stripped for the camera, fans of the “Guys Gone Wild” video series will undoubtedly remember Michael going full frontal for a group of eager female fans and showing them how to make a human “wrist watch” using his…uhm well, let’s just say the guys of the FDNY are very lucky to have Michael on their side. He definitely has all the right “equipment” to handle any emergency situation. Hey, at least I didn’t take the low road and make the obligatory “big hose” joke.
2008 FDNY calendar’s cover features Michael Biserta
Some censored screen caps of Michael from his “Guys Gone Wild” days are below and while you’re busy trying to scratch off the black boxes, why not take time out to purchase a copy of the 2008 Calendar of Heroes and help out the FDNY Foundation and all the brave fire fighters who risk their lives to save ours every day. The Official New York City Fire Department 2008 Calendars can be purchased online at fdnyfirezone.org
I took a week off from posting while I worked on redesigning the site, I’m still toiling away and probably won’t have the finished results for another few days, in the mean time however, it seems in seven days since, not much has changed. The media is still fixated on Paris Hilton and covering her jail sentence as if she were that of Nelson Mandela’s and the average Joe could care less –goes to show how out of touch the entertainment media can be at times.
In my honest opinion, if you hear one piece of gossip about Paris Hilton or the other media mess, Lindsay Lohan, you’ve read them all. Seems the same program is always playing on those channels. Here then, is what happened this week outside of rehab and Paris’ jail cell.
Turner And Waters Hit P-Town Drive-In
Actress Kathleen Turner and director John Waters hosted a double-feature at the Wellfleet Drive-In in Cape Cod last Friday, where their 1994 camp classic, “Serial Mom,” was paired with Turner’s 1989 comedy, “War of the Roses,” as part of the Provincetown International Film Festival‚Äö?Ñ?¥s “Family Night.”
“I’ve never been to the drive-in before,” said Turner. “And I haven’t seen ‘Serial Mom’ for some time, so I was looking forward to this.”
Her date for the evening, John Waters, had a different story: “I grew up at the drive-in,” he said. “I got arrested at the drive-in for underage drinking!”
This was Turner’s first visit to Provincetown, the Golden Globe-winning, Oscar and Tony-nominated actress, was in P-Town for the weekend to receive the festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award. “It‚Äö?Ñ?¥s beautiful here,” she said. “But I wish it would warm up.” Source: Boston Herald
Brazilians Don’t Think Bigger Is Better
Here’s something right up John water’s alley, ads for Itamb?¬© Fit Light Yogurt in Brazil are stirring up controversy with their re-working of classic movie scenes featuring plus size models.
The heavily Photoshoped ads (no pun intended), recreate memorable moments from “Basic Instinct,” “The Seven Year Itch” and “American Beauty,” and sport the tag-line “Forget about it. Men’s preferences will never change.”
While American women seem to be on a campaign to embrace their girth with Dove Soap’s “Real Beauty” ad campaigns and Tyra Banks’ recent “kiss my fat ass!” declaration on her talk show, Brazilians are clearly sending the message that fat is not fabulous and BBWs need to stay away from the BBQs. Source: Pop Bytes
FOX And CBS Are Prudish On Trojans
Meanwhile, advertisers here in the U.S. are not without their own bit of controversy. The FOX and CBS TV networks have deemed a new Trojan condoms ad as “not appropriate” for TV despite the fact that their regular program line-ups contain material which is far more objectionable than anything in the 30-second ad.
The commercial shows a bunch of pigs ( literally ), going through the routine of trying to pick up hot women at a bar. Upon scoring with one of the babes, a hog is seen going off to a bathroom and buying a condom, which in turn “evolves” him into a man. According to a press release from Trojan, the hog is a “hero who demonstrates responsibility by choosing to keep his little piggy in a latex blanket.” Nothing wrong with that.
TMZ reports that CBS justified their decision by saying “While we understand and appreciate the humor of this creative (ad), we do not find it appropriate for our network, even with late night only restriction. Also, the hard liquor references/props are not allowed.”
FOX, on the other hand, told Trojan that “Contraceptive advertising must stress health related uses rather than the prevention of pregnancy.” Yes, much like the high quality, educational programming FOX provides. Gimme’ a break.
ABC and NBC have chosen to run the spots, which will be airing after 11:30PM later this month. Source: TMZ
If You Wanna Be My Lover
Someone who could’ve profited from watching those Trojan ads is Eddie Murphy. People Magazine reports a DNA test Murphy took on June 11, proved he is the father of “Scary Spice” Melanie Brown’s 2-month-old daughter.
“He’s the baby’s father, it’s official. The baby is undoubtedly, 110 percent his,” says a source close to Brown. “There was no doubt in people’s minds anyways, least of all hers. It wasn’t a surprise to her. She knew all along.”
Angel Iris Murphy Brown was born to Melanie Brown on April 3, 2007 and Brown maintained from the beginning that Eddie Murphy is the child’s father. Murphy’s reps declined to comment. Source: People Magazine
Witches Conjure Up Magic in The U.S.
Following favorable reviews from D.C. area theatre critics, Signature Theater’s U.S. premier of the Cameron Mackintosh-produced musical “The Witches of Eastwick” has extended its engagement by one week.
The musical, based on the John Updike novel and the 1987 Warner Brothers film, made it’s debut on the London stage in 2000, to mixed reviews and less than magical business. Following extensive revisions to add a darker edge, Mackintosh is hoping the revamped production will click with U.S. audiences and perhaps propelling it to Broadway or other regional theatre dates.
Mackintosh is the mastermind behind the Broadway phenomenon, “Les Miserables,” and more recently co-produced “Mary Poppins” on Broadway for Disney Theatricals. Source: Variety
Happy Birthday Nicole!
And finally, a Happy Birthday to Nicole Kidman, who celebrated her 40th birthday Wednesday, June 20th with friends.
After sitting through the three-hour long Tony Awards ceremonies tonight, I ended up feeling rather disappointed that my favorite new musical, “Grey Gardens”, only walked away with three wins out of the 10 nominations it received. Disappointed, but happy for “Garden’s” two leading ladies, Christine Ebersole and Mary Louise Wilson, both of whom took home the much coveted statuette for best actress and best featured actress in a musical, respectively, for their portrayals of eccentric mother and daughter socialites, Edith Bouvier Beale and “Little” Edie Beale.
The night clearly belonged to the coming-of-age alt-rock musical “Spring Awakening,” which all but swept every major category, winning eight awards including best musical of the year. I’ve yet to see “Spring Awakening,” so I can’t comment on weather it deserved to thumb up it’s nose at the rest of the night’s competition or not, but in what previews I’ve seen, the show struck me as being somewhat reminiscent of “Rent,” a production which in my opinion, failed to live up to all the hype it generated. Musicals such as this are part of a trend which I refer to as “New Broadway,” meaning the production is geared more towards iPod enthusiasts and vacationing tourists than to the avid New York theatergoer. For all intents and purposes, I prefer theatre in the more traditional sense, minus an MTV video.
In any event, congratulations go out to Christine Ebersole, Mary Louise Wilson and the entire company of “Grey Gardens” for their well deserved win. I’m due for another visit with the Beales and “Grey Gardens” very soon.
A new musical adaptation of Margaret Mitchell’s “Gone With the Wind” is set to open in London’s West End in April 2008.
The production, which has been in development for three years, features music and lyrics by unknown composer Margaret Martinhis and will be directed by Trevor Nunn, one of the best theatrical directors of recent times. Nunn’s credits include Les Mis?¬©rables, Cats, Starlight Express, Nicholas Nickleby, and Sunset Boulevard.
The show’s producer, Aldo Scrofani, says the musical will “remain true to Margaret Mitchell’s original story and characters while also revealing its relevance to our lives today.”
Source: Broadway.com
