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ARCHIVE The Hunters Get Captured By The Game March 18, 2003 Ain't That Funny? Big Daddy? Guess Who? Signs & Saviors & Celebs March 11, 2003 Time To Suit
Up... Holy Cow! Britney Got
Back? Everybody wants their 50 March 4, 2003 The Divine Ms.
Bette Chasing Britney You Got 50?
Play That Funky Music February 25, 2003 Go Ricki! Reachin' For
the Stars… Don't Know Why??
The new Michael Jackson-and the old one! February 18, 2003 Happy Birthday
Baby! Wacko Jacko!!
Billy Boy Got Game February 10, 2003 How 'bout that game? What game? The NBA ALL-STAR GAME in Atlanta, Georgia, of course! The event had the town crawling with all sorts of celebs-- singers, actors and even a former US President was in attendance! Everyone from Bill Clinton to Puffy and posse made appearances throughout the weekend. The streets were gridlocked, malls and train stations had to be shut down, and hotel lobbies were filled with groupies who would do just about anything to meet a celeb. But what were the stars up to? Well, Tara Reid was spotted at a bar surrounded by a group of men, while Allen Iverson and Nelly walked around town with the largest entourage out of all of the celebs. One insider reported that Matthew Lillard (Shaggy from this summer's Scoobie Doo The Movie, was ordering double shots of Gentlemen Jack's all night long! Bars and restaurants were closed for private parties all over town. Supposedly Puffy and Iverson threw a bash, at a club called "Level 3", that had everyone talking. Friday night bad boy Ex-Prez Billy Boy Clinton, supposedly attended private party with comedian Chris Tucker. And get this, All Star Michael Jordan missed his pre-game private dinner reservations at "Cherry" because of city traffic! And the award for the snobbiest celeb goes to… Mariah Carey! Apparently Mariah was not so nice during rehearsal week, constantly demanding that she have fresh water brought to her. Sources tell Gossip Girl that they were happy to see Mariah leave after the week was over! Welcome to the Unreal World February 4, 2003 MTV Real
World Exclusive! Not again... Not So Lucky
Anymore...
American Idles
Also out and about was Twisted Sister's 80's rocker Dee Snyder. Unlike most other 80's rockers whose careers were over as fast as the big hair trend, Dee has maintained a presence in the music industry working behind the scenes -- even penning a song for Celine Dion. Anyways, the 80's superstar was spotted steppin' out of his white limo on 49th Street, and saying hi to some of his decades- dedicated fans! Seems like NYC is just crawling with stars lately... James Caan, star of "The Godfather," clad in a full-length camel-haired coat, was spotted standing unnoticed on 6th Ave in front of Del Frisco, where his new movie "The Elf" was lensing. Caan watched as the crew worked with his stand-in double. But he wasn't the only one watching... fans gawked at the stand-in-- thinking the double was really James Caan! Caan seemed to get a chuckle over the confusion... Piano Man Billy Joel has something to be unhappy about. Joel was hospitalized
early Sunday morning after crashing his Mercedes Benz into a tree on a highway
in Eastern Long Island. Paramedics arrived and immediately took Joel to the
nearest hospital in Sag Harbor. Regardless of what the early morning accident
would have you believe, Joel wasn't given a breathalyzer test or even a ticket.
Mums the word on the singers' injuries. He was initially treated and released
from the hospital early Sunday morning, but returned later in the day for testing. Love the one(s) you're with 20 January 2003 OOPS! Not Again One would think that after dating women like Janet Jackson and Alyssa Milano, Justin Timberlake would not go back to the played-out Britney Spears! Unfortunately though, this is the buzz around Tinseltown. There have been reports that Brit and Justin were seen together in some of New York and L.A.'s hot spots, and it didn't look like either of them were too sad about it. But what about Alyssa, when did that relationship ever end?? Well. according to E!online, Alyssa was swept away by bad-ass rocker Fred Durst of the band Limp Bizkit Alyssa must have shown Justin who's the boss and told him BYE, BYE, BYE! To Be or Not to Be... Married! Vegas Baby! Leftovers, Hangovers & Layovers 13 January 2003 Guess Who's Back? Eminem has once again cleaned out his closet, but this time he is going to make his clothes available to the public! That's right Em fans, make room in your closets for Eminem's new sportswear collection. Em recently signed a deal with Nesi Apparel, which is the same company that the licenses and produces a junior division of Damon Dash's Rocawear line. This new line of clothing is a direct representation and modeled after Em's own personal style. The fashions are going to be appropriately titled "Shady" after the mastermind himself! Who knows what will be next for this rap superstar, turn movie star, turn fashion designer!!! Whatever it is, the whole world is watching as this Eminem Show continues! Miami Is the Place to Be! A Romantic Holiday Theft, Porn, Booze, Drugs-That's Entertainment! 7 January 2003 Sinfully Married? Seems there is plenty of scandal surrounding Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr.'s love nest. The two were married recently in a very exotic ceremony in Mexico. The wedding was small but their closest family and friends surrounded the couple. Sounds ideal right? Wrong! Who would have thought that the two love birds could have already been married before their wedding celebration and ceremony? Recently a minister from the Sin City alleged that she married the two in Vegas prior to the wedding in Mexico! The couple has come forth to deny all accusations against them, however the minister claims she has no reason to lie. If that wasn't enough for poor Sarah, who enjoys spending time with her dogs and her new hubby, she then had to deal with accusations that she's a thief! That's right, it appears that Tiffani Theissen, former Max and Peach Pit babe, claims that the color scheme of Sarah's wedding was originally Tiffani's idea. Can everyone just leave Sarah and Freddie alone to enjoy their honeymoon? Dirrrrty Girl OOPS! Movin' On OUT! Say It Ain't So, Justin & Leo- Oh, Heck, Say It Is So! 23 December 2002 You've got it: pop princess Britney Spears is back! Britney Jjined Liza Minnelli for radio station WKTU's holiday concert, Miracle on 34th Street. The concert was held at New York City's Madison Square Garden. Britney guest hosted the event, and told the audience, "This is amazing, I am so in the Christmas spirit right now!" Tons of celebs showed up to watch Britney and Liza as they celebrated the season. Guests included Patti LaBelle, Luther Vandross, Ashanti, Kylie Minogue, Gloria Gaynor, Shaggy, and Joey Fatone. Joey told Entertainment Tonight that he and the Boys form N' SYNC were all working on their own special projects. The event was also a tribute to Ray Charles, who himself took center stage with Liza to do a rendition of "Chicago". All who attended the holly jolly event agreed that it was one hell of a way to get into the spirit! Not So Lucky Seems Britney didn't have to do anything to get her name back in the spotlight, her ex boy toy Justin Timberlake could have done it for her. Justin just recently released his first solo album "Justified" which includes a song entitled "Cry me a River". Word is that the song is a direct jab at Britney, and tells the truth about why the couple is through. In the song, Justin says "You don't have to say what you did, I already know, I found out from him"!!!! Couldthis be???? No! Who would be stupid enough to cheat on Justin Timberlake? Well, as if the lyrics aren't hot enough, the video leaves nothing to the imagination. Is the song really about Brit? Sure seems like it, after seeing a Britney lookalike in the video. In case you were wondering, Justin says there is no chance for a second shot at this romance. So Britney, does that make you sad about it? Diaz Dazzled? When originally approached about the script, Cameron told reporters, "I was honored. I was fortunate I got to go and read with Leo. I booked my flight, booked my hotel, and came for the night." I wonder was she excited
about the script or Leo? I'll Believe It When I See It! 17 December 2002 Seems like J. Lo is all over the news these days. First, her not-so-secret engagement to Ben Affleck, then her new album, and just last weekend, her new movie Maid in Manhattan took the box office by storm. Well, the engagement wasn't a shocker... we all know Jenny is capable of falling in love for five minutes. But now some people are saying J. Lo is comparing herself to Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. Could that possibly be true? While some fans may be buying it, Gossip Girl isn't. Come on J. Lo, you may have it maid, but you are no Julia Roberts. Not yet, anyway. Guess everybody's getting married these days. This past weekend a spokesperson for bad boy Russell Crowe confirmed that he is engaged to gal pal Danielle Spencer. Just who is she? Well, she's no Meg Ryan... and Russell's probably very happy about that! Danielle is as hardy as Aussies come. She has her own band, White Monkey (we hope it's better than Russell's band), and has been rocking since the early 80's, when she met Russell. Seems the two have been on and off since they met, but now are ready to tie the knot. File this under: "I'll believe it when I see it." Look out Calista Flockart, looks like Brittany Murphy wants to be Tinsel Town's newest skinny minnie! At the VH-1 Fashion Awards, Brittany definitely looked like she could use a good meal or two. Please Britney, go ahead and eat something-- we'll never tell. Whitney Houston and
Mariah Carey are both trying to battle their way back to the top of the
music charts. I wonder if both divas have the same people giving them advice.
I mean, at almost the same time, Whitney and Mariah are giving "exclusive"
interviews and dishing the dirt on... themselves! So will their "honesty"
turn into cold hard cash and Grammy Awards? Gossip Girl isn't holding her breath...
or feeling sorry for either of these two.
Guilty As Charged! 10 December 2002 Poor Winona Ryder. This girl was interrupted while attempting to steal over five thousand dollars worth of merchandise from a Beverly Hills Saks Fifth Avenue. Last Friday, she realized just how much reality bites when she was convicted of two felony charges, sentenced to 480 hours of community service, and was fined $10,000. Plus, if she gets caught again she goes right to jail. Maybe next time she should hire OJ's Dream Team. The LA District Attorney also released two very interesting documents about little miss sticky fingers. The documents contain a list of pharmaceuticals that Winona had in her possession the day of her arrest, many of which she had gotten under an alias. The second document reports that the pill poppin' shoplifter had received 37 prescriptions between January 1996 and December 1998. (Is that too many????) Sad little Winona, seems there's nothing innocent about her at this age. Brittney Murphy keeps her love life hush, hush, and we all know she'll never tell. But was there something going on between her and rap superstar Emimen after the MTV Music Awards? It seemed that way to some people. Apparently some guys were even afraid to talk to Brittney because they didn't want cross the EM. So is Brittney's love affair with That 70's Show Ashton Kutcher over? Or does Ashton just have a death wish? Everybody knows Ashton and Brittney spent Thanksgiving in Ashton's hometown of Cedar Rapids, Iowa-- so their relationship is at least stronger than that of Nic Cage and Lisa Marie. Still, Ashton should be careful. Let's just hope that Emimen has no left over feelings, because he would definitely clean Ashton's closet! Sandra Bullock and
Hugh Grant are returning to the silver screen with their new movie,
Two Weeks Notice. Sandra is infamous for her "intimate relationships"
with many of her costars. So, you guessed it, tongues are already wagging
about her and Hugh. Hugh gushed to Entertainment Tonight, "She
can be attractive, sexy, believable, funny and romantic all at the same
time." Sandy, don't get your hopes up with this guy. He thought
the same things about Divine Brown. Domestic Abuses 3 December 2002 There Goes the Bride.... Home Sweet *$&#!!@& Home The $&*@#!!! Osbournes #@%&!!* Justin Dumb, Dumber & Dumbest! 19 November 2002 All that glitters just might not be P. Diddy's... P. Diddy loves to impress us with all his jewelry, but doesn't want us to know that most of it is not even his! Sources claim the bad boy rapper is "rockin' rocks" that are just on loan from jewelers. So most of that bling bling belongs to somebody else... and Puffy doesn't even give credit to the stores! Maybe J. Lo knew the real deal… and wanted not only her love to be for real, but her diamonds as well. She scored big time with the three million dollar pink diamond engagement ring that fiance Ben Affleck gave her. Don't worry J. Lo....we know you aren't the one trying to fool us with "the rocks that you got"! The 'tweetest thing... All that chirps is Dustin Hoffman??? When a couple recently ducked into the pricey Ritz Carlton in New Orleans for a quiet nightcap at the bar, it seems they couldn't get a moment's peace... even though the bar was practically empty! Seems a customer, out of the view of the couple, was tweeting and chirping every time something he liked happened in the football game he was watching. The racket caused the couple to ask the bartender just what was going on. "Oh, that's just Dustin Hoffman. He does that all the time." The bartender told the couple Dustin was watching the game with his daughter, and that he was in town lensing a movie with Gene Hackman. The "yeah right" couple soon found themselves face to face with the star himself when he got up to leave. So impressed where they, the next day they drove by the New Orleans location where the movie's production was underway. Dumb again… Jim Carrey is finally giving up his dopey serious roles to make a comeback with some of his old school humor. Seems America's funny man will be filming Dumb and Dumber II in Atlanta, Georgia. If you feel like taking a trip to the Peach Tree State, movie producers are looking for a hundred paid extras. Speaking of movies, I hope American Pie fans are hungry again, because American Pie III is in the oven as we speak...only this time, not all the ingredients are the same. Don't be expecting to see Chris Klein this go- round... apparently there is no room for his character Oz in the new movie. Well Chris, lucky for you, girlfriend Katie Holmes will be able to bring home the dough after her starring role in Abandon! Punch Drunk Love 12 November 2002 Winona Ryder isn't the only celeb in hot water these days.....this past Saturday, Dawson Creek star Joshua Jackson (Pacey) found himself in a North Carolina slammer charged with drunken assault. Seems Jackson, who starred in the Mighty Ducks hockey movies, got out of hand at a hockey game between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Police documents allege Jackson grabbed a forty-year-old security guard by the neck and struck him. Jackson's blood alcohol level later tested above the legal limit. He's out on bail, dodging comments about the whole thing, and waiting for his court appearance on December 4th. It's a misdemeanor folks, so he's not looking at any more jail time. J. Lo's coming clean about her engagement to Ben Affleck. If you missed her this week on ABC with Diane Sawyer (hard to imagine with all the hype), you can catch her next week giving a concert on the Today show. And if you're not interested in J. Lo for her music, make sure you grab December's GQ issue where, of course, she's scantily-clad on the cover. I'm sure this will be a big seller for all the deep things she says inside... like, how much she loves Ben (yawn) and how she struggled with anxiety ( so Mariah Carey and Christina Aguillera). Elizabeth Vargas weighs in next Monday with Di's butler, Paul Burrell. ABC insists (with a straight face, I might add) that it did not pay for the interview. It did, however, pay between $300,000 and $400,000 for a British documentary, Diana's Rock, that will accompany Vargas' interview. Burrell is also interviewed in the documentary. I don't know about you, but I can't help thinking some of that money has got to end up in Burrell's pocket. If I'm wrong, apologies all around. Eminem's "8 Mile" topped the box office with $54 million dollars. Seems even if they hate him, people are lining up to buy tickets to his movie.... Bare Naked Ladies 5 November 2002 While the jury is still out in Winona Ryder's shoplifting trial, the American public has weighed in on the Prosecution's tactics... and they love Top 10 List created by the District Attorney. If you missed it, Los Angeles Deputy DA Ann Rundle stole the show by ripping off David Letterman's Top 10 format in her closing arguments. Here's what she said: Top Ten Things the law doesn't say: 1) Only poor people steal. Legal analysts are buzzing that the List went too far in attacking Winona, and just may back fire with the jury. But since the talking heads we'all wrong in the Sniper Case, I say we ignore them this time as well. One thing is sure, the jury was paying close attention. November 26th marks the return of The Osbournes to MTV. But if you want to catch Sharon before then, tune in to Barbra Walters on Wednesday, November 6th. ABC has already leaked bits of the interview, including Sharon saying the second season will be the last. The Butler plans to tell all... Princess Diana's Butler Paul Burrell is so delighted that the case against him has been dropped, he's decided to spill his secrets to London's Daily Mirror. Stay tuned... Royal Watching has never been so much fun. Finally, you won't want to miss Rolling Stone's November 14th issue. A naked Christina Aguilera is on the cover, with a strategically placed blue guitar and black boots. She's promoting her new album Stripped, which debuted last week. A Halloween Witch Hunt 22 October 2002 The SEC has told domestic goddess Martha Stewart that is going to recommend fraud charges be brought against her for insider trading regarding the sale of her IMClone stock. This paves the way for the FBI to bring criminal charges against America's most hated success story. I don't know about you, but I actually feel sorry for Martha. But it is Halloween, so I guess a witch hunt is appropriate! NBC has finally decided to kill it's super sappy Friday night drama Providence, starring Melina Kanakaredes. Providence was on the air for five seasons-- five seasons too long if you ask me. NBC pulled the plug after only four episodes aired this season. If your a big fan, there's still one last chance to catch Providence. A two-hour season finale is slated to air December 20th. If you're the type of person who's going to miss Providence, you should probably begin making your travel plans to catch Celine Dion's new show at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Dion's new show is titled A New Day and performances begin March 25, 2003. The show promises to combine the best that Celine and Las Vegas have to offer (how that's for winning combination?). Dion decided to do the Las Vegas hows as a way to continue performing and be with her family. She's committed to 200 shows over the next three years. Gwyneth Paltrow presented long time friend and Miramax head Harvey Weinstein with the honorary British Film Institute Fellowship. Just what is it? We're not exactly sure....but it's a good award to get. Past recipients include: Orson Welles, Martin Scorsese and Liz Taylor. Weinstein's brother Bob also received the award, but was a no-show at the ceremony. Dreamwork's "The Ring" topped the box office this weekend with $15 million dollars. "Sweet Home Alabama" came in second with $9.6 million, and "Red Dragon" dropped to third place with $8.8 million. Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes 15 October 2002 Model Woes Naomi Campbell suffered a shocking blow from the London Courts this week, when an appeals court ruled that a British newspaper had every right to publish a picture of the supermodel leaving a drug rehab last winter. An earlier court ruled in Naomi's favor saying the newspaper had violated her right to privacy and confidentiality. The reason for the overturned ruling? One of the Judges, Lord Phillips, blames the whole thing on Naomi, saying, "Where a public figure chooses to make untrue pronouncements about his or her private life, the press will normally be entitled to put the record straight." Just what does he mean? Seems Naomi bragged to the press that she never was involved with drugs. So according to the judge, the press has the right to verify her claims. Seems harsh to me. When will our celebs finally learn that they just can't lie to the press??? Swept Up in the Confusion.... Poor Vincent D'Onofrio. He's the unknown actor suing Madonna for stealing his idea to make the movie Swept Away. Poor Vincent D'Onofrio. He's the star of Law & Order: Criminal Intent, who keeps getting blamed for suing Madonna when he has nothing to do with the whole affair. That's right. There are two Vincent D'Onofrios. And the Vincent D'Onofrio of Law & Order fame has found himself drug into a legal battle he knows nothing about. Some media outlets, including The New York Post, wrongly identified him as a key player in the lawsuit. Let's hope the confusion clears up faster than the court case, which looks like it's headed for litigation. West Wing Losing Ground In a crushing blow to civilized society, NBC's drama The West Wing is losing its younger viewers to ABC's The Bachelor. Now, that's gotta hurt. Especially since The West Wing is negotiating its new contract and its future. My advice to Aaron Sorkin: try making the show less boring. The Revamped CBS Early Show (again).... CBS just won't quit trying to make The Early Show work. The latest incarnation? A four person "anchor team." The new round up includes: Harry Smith, Julie Chen, sportscaster Hannah Storm, and former Dallas anchorwoman Rene Syler. Think The View with a guy. I don't know... stranger things have worked... but I doubt it. What's The Matter with Kids Today? 8 October 2002 Baby in The Sky with Diamonds? Okay, it wasn't LSD, it was Ecstasy, but actor Jude Law and wife Sadie Frost still won't be winning any parenting awards this year. This past weekend Sadie took their two-year-old daughter to a kids birthday party held at London hotspot SoHo House Club. Although the club rocks out at night, it can be rented for more tame birthday parties during the day. At the party, the couple's toddler started munching on what turned out to be an Ecstasy tablet. The baby was taken to the hospital, where she stayed overnight before being released. Word is the baby is fine, but my guess is the nightclub is facing some bigtime legal trouble. File this under: "Kids do the cutest things." And we thought it was true love. Lorenzo Lamas and his third wife, former Playboy Playmate Shauna Sand, are finally calling it quits. After being married for six years, which is impressive in Hollywood, the couple officially separated this weekend. Lamas released the following statement: "Shauna and I are separated due to problems of incompatibility. We have a mutual respect for each other and are seeking the best advice in order to ensure that our three children are protected and loved." In other words, the standard Hollywood separation/divorce press release. Mick Jagger just donated $150,000 to his elementary school Dartford Grammar School in Kent County, England. The school is getting enormous satisfaction out of their most famous pupil's generosity. The money will be used solely for the music program. Some might say the school was hoping for a handout when it named the music program "Red Rooster," after Mick's Number 1 British hit, "Little Red Rooster." Others might say Mick was just looking for another one of his infamous tax breaks. No matter who says what, this is a case where everyone ends up singing a happy tune. Hannibal can still take a bite out of the box office. This weekend Anthony Hopkins, his third time portraying Hannibal Lecter, ruled the box office in Red Dragon. The flick raked in $36.5 million. Celebs, Pols & Media Bigs… at Liberty 1 October 2002 It was a rainy, blustery night, not fit for man nor beast, but Gossip Girl weathered the storm to check out the inaugural ceremony for The New York Post Liberty Medals Awards last Thursday at Gracie Mansion in New York City. Despite the awful weather, powerbrokers and celebs turned out in droves to support the Liberty Medals, which were created by Lachlan Murdoch, chairman and publisher of The Post and all around great-looking rich guy, who saw a need to honor the unsung heroes in NYC. In all, eleven medals were awarded for bravery, courage and outstanding achievement. If you had scored an invitation, and not many did, you would have mingled with emcee Regis Philbin, Jerry Seinfeld and pregnant wife Jessica (dressed in black she was showing ever so slightly...), Governor Pataki, Mayor Bloomberg, Rupert Murdoch, Miramax head Harvey Weinstein, FOX CEO Roger Ailes and his beautiful wife Beth, fashion designer Cynthia Rowley and Channel Five anchor Rosanna Scotto. Believe me, there were more big names, but a girl can only take sooo much schmoozing. The event was held in a huge white tent outside of Gracie Mansion, which was the springboard for the best jokes of the evening. Regis thanked the Mayor for lending us his childhood boy scout tent. Seinfeld later claimed the tent was originally built for Donna Hanover, causing her bitter divorce from Rudy Giuliani. "This (the tent) is what started the whole thing. She wanted a new room. This is what he gave her." The crowd loved Seinfeld, Seinfeld loved the crowd. Despite the driving rain, it was the feel good event of the year. (At least for now....) The Liberty Awards will be awarded annually... so start your good deed now. It's one party that's worth going too... Topsy-Tyler-Turvy 23 September 2002 Last week I told you all about the problems Mary Tyler Moore was causing with drivers on the set of her latest project, lensing in Georgia. Well, it seems Ms. Moore's antics continue. This week she lobbied to fire drive Number Three, whose job it was to drive Moore the short distance between make-up and the set. When producers refused to fire yet another driver, Moore arranged for her personal assistant to haul her around. Moore let it be known that she was very unhappy. Insiders report she's complaining about everything from craft services to make-up. Moore was particularly displeased when the movie's name was tentatively changed from "Lettie & Me" to "A Sweeter Season." The name change took the emphasis from Moore's character Lettie and placed it more on the story line. This was not to our star's liking. Her complaints and behavior have at least one crew member labeling Moore "a ninety pound psychotic *#@!*." One person even wished "America would find out just how nasty Miss Goody Two Shoes is." Costar Burt Reynolds, on the other hand, is getting rave reviews from the cast and crew. Reynolds is described as "the nicest guy" and "awesome." Two celebrities. Two different approaches. When William Shatner beamed into Hurley's Bar last week in NYC, the happy hour crowd couldn't have been more pleased to see him. But Shatner didn't feel like sharing the love. As fans called out "Hi Bill!" and "Hi William," Captain Kirk quickly rushed upstairs, ignoring everyone. While Captain Kirk dined, restaurant workers did their best to keep gawkers from going upstairs and disturbing him. No autographs were signed, no fond hellos. A disappointing night for fans, who were left wondering why the Priceline pitchman is so unfriendly… Emmy Upsets? Well, there weren't really any! Even though Jennifer Aniston was passed over twice before for an Emmy, no one was shocked when she won this year for Best Comedy Actress. It's not enough that she has looks, money and fame. Now she has the Emmy, and husband Brad Pitt couldn't be more proud. It's enough to make us jealous types downright sick. Ray Romano also picked up an Emmy for Best Comedy Actor after being passed over three times. But then, who cares about him? Driving Miss Mary, dating Mr. Billy & paying to laugh at Mr. Jerry 16 September 2002 Mary Tyler Moore's latest project in Georgia has taken a back seat to the her demands for a "safe driver." Two drivers deemed unsafe by the TV legend have already been fired. Now a third driver is slated to get behind the wheel and chauffeur America's longtime sweetheart from the makeup location to the set location. The punchline to this whole story? It's only about a quarter mile drive from makeup to the set! Nonetheless, the newest designated driver is racked with nerves at having to drive the small screen queen. To make matters worse, the driver has been instructed not to look at Ms. Moore until her makeup has been completed. Even though Mary's 66, that still seems a bit extreme. Anyway, safe journeys, Mary. Ladies, if your looking to land a husband, forget ABC's tacky reality show The Bachelor. Piano man Billy Joel tells The New York Times Magazine that he's seriously looking for love and relocating to improve his chances of finding the perfect woman. (Guess a personal ad wouldn't have the same impact as telling The New York Times). Joel has given up hope of meeting anyone in East Hampton, where he lives, and is setting up his bachelor pad in a New York City apartment. So just what is Joel looking for? "I want what everybody else wants: to love and be loved, and to have a family. Being in love has always been the most important thing in my life." Isn't that sweet. If you're still interested after all that mush, we'll keep you posted on his new NY location. We've watched Jason Alexander, Julia Louise Dreyfuss and Michael Richards all go down in flames with their post-Seinfeld TV flops. Now, Jerry's stepping up with his latest project. It's a film called Comedian, slated to open in New York and Los Angeles on October 11. In typical Seinfeld fashion, the movie is about, well, Seinfeld. This time it centers on how Seinfeld comes up with new material. After the sitcom ended, Jerry retired all his old material. Now, he's searching for new laughs and we get a chance to see if he's got anything left. Jerry, however, isn't worried. He doesn't need money. He doesn't need fame. He just wants to "maintain a creative arc." That doesn't sound very funny to me, but I guess we'll see. Red Hot Summer Nights in The City 12 August 2002 A couple guitar lovers were treated to a private concert at Rudy's Music Stop on 48th Street in NYC last week. Well, sort of. Seems Santana was in the back of the small store checking out and playing a custom red Paul Reed Smith guitar. (I'm guessing it was the "Santana." Its pricetag will cost you in the thousands. It's the line of guitars Carlos endorses). He was with two big guys (I'm guessing bodyguards -- makes it more exciting). Seems he liked what he played because he carried one out in a soft case (that means hard guitar cases are out. Don't let me catch you with one). The same fans who spotted Santana at Rudy's had tickets to see him two days later at the P & C Arts Center on the Garden State Parkway. You guessed it. They're convinced he played the same red guitar at the show. Steppin' out... Jane Krakowski ("Elaine" from Ally McBeal) enjoying a quiet dinner at a booth by the bar at Baldoria in NYC. My source says the Ally actress looked terrific in jeans and a red leather jacket. She was with an older couple and a tall handsome man. And when we say a quiet dinner, we mean quiet. Nobody recognized Jane. Nobody asked for her autograph. Nobody gave her any special treatment. Guess life isn't so good after your show's been canceled. To be fair to Jane, it was early and their weren't many customers... which is probably why comedian Al Franken came in with a couple of pals, took one look around, consulted the hostess, and got the heck out of there. Also steppin' out last week: Brooke (two-time Daytime Emmy winner Julia Barr) from All My Children at Osteria al Doge with her husband and another gentleman (Agent? Father? Who knows?). Seeing Brooke in person makes you feel like your in an episode of All My Children. (Sorry, it's hard to call her Julia). Anyway, if you're a fan of Brooke's be sure to start checking out The Guiding Light. Brooke's daughter-- I mean Julia's real-life daughter-- Allison Hirschlag, has just been cast to star in GL. Seems soap acting runs in the family. Follow The 'Signs' 30 July 2002 This week… Coleen Christian returns to the scene of the SIGNS with more of her EXCLUSIVE coverage from the Bucks County, Pennsylvania location of M. Knight's new movie, starring Mel Gibson: Surprises were exactly what Newtown, Pennsylvania got when M. Knight Shyamalan and crew rolled into town. Residents were expecting a disruption, but what they ultimately got was a big helping hand from Hollywood. Now, all attention the movie has gotten, has jump-started the effort to save the town's 1938 art deco theater, which is one of the few single-screen theaters left in the country. "It's ironic that a big Hollywood picture came into town and started a renaissance to save our theater. It's turned into a great cause," says Theater Committee Chairman Tony Petsis. And the movement to save the theater has turned into a whole lot of movie fun. The black-tie fundraising premiere is this Saturday night. There will be champagne and a whole lot of Hollywood fun. A few tickets remain, so jump in the car and take a road trip. Tickets can be purchased by calling (215) 968-6638. And expect some great Mel Gibson stories, because according to Petsis, "everyone has a great Mel story." Is it a Sign? 23 July 2002 I don't know about you, but I cannot wait for M. Knight Shyamalan's new flick Signs to open in August. It's not just that I love Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix. It's not just that I love super-scary movies. But, as you already know dear readers, this blockbuster was filmed right in my home town, in locations all around Bucks County, PA. Can a girl get a better sign from the universe that she's working in the right business? Like Knight's The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable, Signs takes a look at what happens to an ordinary man when otherworldly things start occurring around him. This time it's Mel Gibson as a farmer who's getting messages in five hundred foot crop circles appearing mysteriously (how else would they appear???) on his property. Enter little old Bucks County with it's fields, fields, and fields of crops. It was a match made in movie heaven. But it wasn't just the crops that caught M. Knight's eye. Nestled in Bucks County is the little town of Newtown. The movie's cast and crew took over the main street in this quaint borough, which looks like a Norman Rockwell painting. On this one little street, shooting took place in the hardware store, the bookstore, the army recruiting office, and the pizza joint. Residents lined up all day to get a glimpse of Mel (they got it), and locals regaled each other with the story of how the movie people took all the books out of the bookstore only to bring in other books to make it look like, well, a bookstore. (That's big time Hollywood thinking people). And, of course, there were signs everywhere. As in, the production team changed almost every business sign on the street (only the jeweler was spared!). The town, first apprehensive about big time Hollywood moving in on it's main street, couldn't have been happier with how things worked out. Now, the townspeople are hoping to pull together and create a little movie magic themselves. In an effort to save the town's original theater built in 1938, the Newtown Movie Theater Renovation Committee is throwing a premiere of their own on August 3rd. ( A premiere...in my hometown!!!). Tickets are $100 a person, and well, of course all the movie people have been invited. And although no one's confirmed yet, Theater Committee Chairman Tony Petsis assures me he's "expecting a lot of surprises. Expect a lot of surprises." Next week: More on the Premiere as the countdown to Signs continues.... Crimes Against Nature 16 July 2002 The trial interrupted will continue... This week the Judge rejected a motion by Winona's attorney to disqualify the Los Angeles County DA's Office from moving forward with their case. Ryder's attorney Mark Geragos claimed that the DA's office was working to humiliate Ryder and keep her from having a fair trial. (Hey, they couldn't get O.J., and things have stalled on the Robert Blake front, so let's nail Winona with three years in prison...). Specifically, Geragos pointed the finger at Sandi Gibbons, the spokeswoman for the DA's office, who told everybody that Winona was caught on video ripping antitheft tags off of the clothes she allegedly stole from Saks. (How do you get those things off?? I've had to go all the way back to the store when idiot salespeople mistakenly leave them on...) Geragos says that never happens on the security tape. I don't know about you, but if that section of tape doesn't exist, I think Geragos has a point. I know when I heard she was caught on tape clipping off the tags, I thought, "Guilty. Done." But the Judge doesn't agree. Claims what the spokesperson said has little to do with the attorneys and the trial. So the trial moves forward as planned. Next stop: on August 13 the Judge sets the trial date. Speaking of other Trials of the Century… Kato Kaelin may finally have his day. And while Kato claims the O.J. Trial derailed his career, he's no dummy. He's been trying to cash on his role as America's Houseguest for years. And now, with the huge popularly of The Osbournes, Kato is getting his chance. TV Executives are scrambling for b-list (that's generous, folks) celebs to shoot reality shows around. Kato made the cut. Three episodes of House Guest are already complete. You can pretty much guess the idea: Kato shows up unexpectedly at your home and is your houseguest for a couple days. Who knows? Maybe it'll be a hit. Other Reality Shows headed to a channel near you: The Anna Nicole Show - premieres August 4th on E! Sean 'P. Diddy' Combs - planned for MTV Newlyweds Liza Minnelli & David Gest-- in talks with VH-1. Please, don't let this one ever make air. Arnold Schwarzenegger still wants to be Governor of California. Speaking to the National Governor's Association, Schwarzenegger claimed that he wanted to challenge Governor Gray Davis in this year's race, but could not due to movie commitments. (Cynical politicos tell a different story. They say Arnie's political hopes were destroyed when The National Enquirer ran a cover story about him as a cheating husband.) The Terminator told the crowd, "It's something that I'm still interested in for the future. I think the greatest thing you can do is serve the people." How touching. Condo Board to Ozzy: #*$@%!! Off! 1 July 2002 America may love the Osbournes, but condo boards do not. Ozzy, Sharon, Jack, Kelly and their dogs have been turned away in their attempt to purchase a $7 million dollar condominium in Trump Palace in New York City. Perhaps, Trump Palace is rated G? Foul language not suitable for ritzy Upper East Side ears? Fear of frozen meat being tossed at neighbors? Bat-phobia? While these may very well be the reasons the Osbournes are not being welcomed to the neighborhood, the official cause of their rejection is their dogs. (hmmm, do you really think they'd get a different answer if Ozzy,--make that Sharon-- resubmitted the application without the dogs???) Also house hunting, but with more luck, is Al Gore. Gore and wife Tipper just handed over $2.3 million for a house in Belle Meade, Tennessee. (For those of you as up on geography as I am, that's just outside of Nashville.) What's the big deal, you say? Just an indication that Gore might be willing to put himself through another Presidential Election. Gore lost Tennessee, his home state, to George W. He later indicated he'd pay more attention to Tennessee if he were to run again. But don't expect to see too much of the Gores in Belle Meade. They have two other homes to divide their time amongst. File this under, I'll believe it when I see it.... Candace Bushnell, creator and real-life inspiration behind Sex and the City, just might be headed for marital bliss. Bushnell, who also authored Four Blondes, is currently head over heels, Manolo Blahnik's of course, with New York City ballet dancer Charles Askegard. The couple has known each other two months, a lifetime compared to some of Bushnell's past relationships. If it happens, count on Bushnell's buddy Darren Star to be at the nuptials. Kids in Black Make sure you're looking closely when you go to see Men in Black. This time around it's a family affair-- the kids of Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones all make appearances in the movie. (Who do you think thought of it first?) Smith's kids Trey, 9, and Jordan, 3, appear quickly at the end of the movie, while Jones' daughter, Victoria, 11, appears earlier in the film. Their cameos are quick... so be ready. None of the kids had any speaking lines... yet. If you're a Dawson's Creek fan you probably already know Michelle Williams has a new movie, Me Without You, opening in select theaters this Friday. But this one's not the traditional Dawson's Creek fare. Williams has several racy sex scenes, including one with Kyle McLachlan. So what do her parents think? Doesn't matter. Williams, now 21, took them to court when she was 15 to become her own guardian. Fat Cats 25 June 2002 Nothing to Crowe About.... This past Monday, two men down under were officially cleared of trying to blackmail Russell Crowe. Philip Cropper and Malcolm Mercer, both 38, were accused trying to get $114,000 out of Crowe in return for destroying a 1999 videotape of Crowe outside a bar fighting with a man and "arguing with a woman" (that's the wording you always see... so I'm guessing the distinction is that he doesn't hit or shove the woman). The prosecution claimed that if Russell didn't give them the cash, the two men would give the tape to the press. But, while the judge believed the two men were probably looking for money, he ruled the prosecution did not prove "a specific threat" to Crowe. That means the two men are free to go. For their part, the duo has always said they were innocent, with Cropper stating, "We've always been of the belief that we should never have been here in the first place." Crowe was not present at the trial. Nothing to sing about.... Elton John takes time to stop and smell the roses (over $400,000 of them in twenty months if you believe published reports), but he doesn't have a nose for business. So says a High Court Judge in England. Elton was trying to bring a multimillion dollar negligence suit against Price Waterhouse Coopers. Elton charges that when Price Waterhouse represented him, the company failed to put into the contracts that his touring costs would be covered. Just what kind of "costs" are we talking about? $10.5 million big ones, which is actually not bad given Elton's preference for the finest things in life. But the judge, actually three of them, threw Elton's case out, basically saying that Elton should have read the small print. Or read the contracts at all. You can believe Sir Elton is not at all happy about this. "Sarah Jessica Parker is having a baby, Carrie Bradshaw is having a cocktail." So says Sex and the City Executive Producer Michael Patrick, making it official that Parker's pregnancy will not be written into the storyline of the hit show. Instead of a baby, Parker's character is getting... a book deal. If the producers have any worries about hiding Parker's protruding waistline, they need only check out the series of Pier One commercials that hide Kirstie Alley's weight gain (non-pregnancy related as far as we know). The commercials have tried every way under the sun to hide Kirstie and are a cult hit among the college set. Hey Scooby! If you haven't seen Scooby Doo, you'd better get going. The sequel is already on its way. Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, Matthew Lillard and Linda Cadellini are all headed back to the big screen with their favorite pooch. Scooby Doo 2 is set to shoot next year, and open in 2004. Amy & Ailes: Journalism as Blood Sport 18 June 2002 Long Island Lolita Goes Legit Amy Fisher has swapped her gun toting-teenage ways for a more powerful weapon... the pen. Giving new meaning to the phrase "ink stained wretch," Fisher has accepted a job at a Long Island free paper called "The New Island Ear." Fisher's column will appear twice a week and will be about... whatever she wants. (Much like this column, if you listen to my editor). So what do we think of this? Brilliant, brilliant move on behalf of the paper. Other than Mary Jo, who wouldn't return a phone call from Amy? Newspaper hounds everywhere should be sick with envy. First up, Amy writes about her seven years in the slammer, followed by a celebrity interview with Sugar Ray. Go figure. Summer Days in the Court of the Rich & Powerful Roger Ailes, Chairman and CEO of The Fox News Channel, holding court at an employee picnic in Connecticut. (I still crack up every time I hear the now famous quote where he said "a dead raccoon could get better ratings than Paula Zahn.") Amid the hot-dogs and the potato salad, employees swapped war stories of exploits in TV news, and trust me, Ailes made Machiavelli seem like a schoolboy. For Ailes, TV news is nothing short of a blood sport. So farewell, poor CNN... you didn't stand a chance. Mission Impossible: Turning Back Time Big name celebs are hitting major birthday milestones this month: Box office superstar and brace-face, Tom Cruise is 40; Ageless beauty (it's true... I've interviewed her) Isabella Rossilini is 50; Newlywed Beatle Paul McCartney is 60. Diff'rent Strokes star Todd Bridges is trying for a much needed celebrity comeback... This time the troubled actor is looking to the soaps for success. He's been cast on The Young and the Restless as, you guessed it, a bad guy. No doubt, he'll be able to use his real-life troubles with the law and drugs for inspiration. Who knows, maybe he's the next Robert Downey Junior. Bridges' first appearance is July 12th. Congrats to Tea Leoni and David Duchovny on the birth of their new little boy, who was born this past Saturday. No name yet for the little guy. All American Eaters 28 May 2002 Well, with Memorial Day just days behind us, and the start of summer officially here, you can probably guess what time it is. That's right-- time for another shameless plug for someone in my family. (Okay, if you're a first time reader you probably would not have been able to guess that one.) So just who is it this time? And what's the connection to Memorial Day? Maureen Christian-Petrosky is my little sister, and yes, that name might sound familiar because she was all over CNN's airwaves this past weekend. Maureen is an Atlanta-based chef and wine sommelier (that's the fancy French term for "wine expert."). When guys used to learn my sister loved to cook and drink, they thought she was a dream come true. When CNN heard about her, they promptly put her on air. So there she was this past weekend, grillin' for CNN and recommending the best wines for your barbecue-- not once, not twice, but three times! We even cooked up a segment about celebrities and their favorite foods for summer season. So just what are our celebs eating on these hot summer days? Harrison Ford and David Duchovny weigh in as "All American" eaters, gulping down the All American foods we non-healthy eaters love. Ford's friends joke that his favorite is "the hundred dollar burger"-- so named because that's how much it costs when Ford jumps in his helicopter to go grab a burger. For Ford, a perfect meal ends with a Malt whiskey. (If you want to learn more about whiskey, Maureen is covering it for CNN on Father's Day). Arnold Schwarzenegger also is a meat eater-- but only the lean variety. The Terminator loves nuts and will only drink water. Brad Pitt is a pizza man, but he prefers eating it in bed beside wife Jennifer Anniston instead of at the back yard picnic. Our starlets aren't as robust when it comes to their appetites. Drew Barrymore and Alicia Silverstone are both vegans, meaning they won't touch meat or burgers, or any food made with an animal product. One of Silverstone's favorites foods is lentil (I can imagine the Memorial Day Picnic at her place). It's always sprouts on the side for Gillian Anderson and Gwyneth Paltrow, who both adhere to a strict macrobiotic diet. That means no processed foods, including sugar. Julia Roberts and Christina Aguilera prefer organic foods. Cameron Diaz is a vegetarian who says she eats whatever she wants, claiming she has a high metabolism. But while, yawn, healthy eating is the trend among our screen queens, there are still some celebs having fun. P. Diddy loves his Cuervo 1800. Kelly and Jack Osbourne may have set off another trend by publicly sipping frozen hot chocolate. And don't forget your Long Island Ice Teas. They are the drink to have this summer as you sit back and watch the summers newest reality series, The Hamptons. (It premieres this Sunday on ABC… so you have plenty of time to get your bar stocked...) All Kinds of Survivors, Cashing In 20 May 2002 Vecepia Towery walked away with the million dollar prize in Sunday night's finale of Survivor Marquesas. She says she's proud to be the first black contestant to "out wit, out play, and out last" the other castaways. Vecepia, a 36-year old office manager, beat 21-year-old Neleh Dennis by just one vote. Along with the strange names, Survivor Four was marked by the sudden emergence of a 17th player-- religion. For all the backstabbing, there was an awful lot of praying going on. While on the island, Vecepia even claimed that she could betray others because she knew her God would forgive her. Pretty convenient if you ask me. But since she won, I'll concede that "Vee" may be onto something. Today, Vee is crediting God with her victory and planning to keep her life "normal." She's going to finish renovating a house she bought with her fiance, and to her credit, is going to give "tithes and offerings" to the church. We hope that she will also throw some money Sean's way... because he was funny enough to ask when casting his final vote. It's not Miami Vice, but it's close. Backstreet Boy Nick Carter had to bail out of the Marathon Offshore Grand Prix this past weekend in the Florida Keys. It's the first time in several years that offshore power boat racing was held in the Keys, and Nick had his heart set on winning. But before you actually think this Backstreet Boy is actually doing something cool, I should tell you he wasn't even driving the boat-- he just owns it! So what went wrong during the race? A drive shaft broke in one of the engines on the forty-foot boat, during the 3rd lap of the course. So sad to see a Backstreet Boy lose. Now that the summer reruns are almost here... the networks are talking about what we'll be seeing next fall. Don't get too excited people. The folks at the networks have only worked hard enough to come up with the same old recycled ideas. Both ABC and the WB are producing shows that have a thirtysomething man going back in time to his high school, a la Michael J. Fox in Back to the Future. Only ABC's is a drama, and the WB's is a comedy. On CBS, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation wants to cash in the way Law & Order has with its various spin-offs. CSI launches CSI Miami. It stars David Caruso, the actor best known for making the colossal mistake of leaving NYPD Blue. The strangest TV offerings next fall just might be some of the remakes slotted to hit the airwaves. The WB is resurrecting Family Affair, only this time the butler is Tim Curry! Now, I am a huge Tim Curry fan, but even I find this bizarre. On Fox, David Kelley was asked to come up with a show to replace Ally McBeal and he did. His idea for Ally's time slot? A show about female lawyers... does that seem redundant to anyone but me? Do you guys know what redundant means? Pot in an airport? What was Dionne smoking? 13 May 2002 Maybe singer Dionne Warwick was "saying a little prayer" that security guards would "walk on by" her carry-on luggage this past Sunday at Miami International Airport. Maybe she should have just checked with her friends at The Psychic Network before trying to take a couple joints onboard a plane to Los Angeles-- surely they would have been able to tell her about the heightened security at airports. Whatever the reason, Ms. Warwick just did not get the security memo, and allegedly had anywhere from seven to eleven marijuana joints in a lipstick case when she was arrested. Dionne's sister, Dee Dee Warwick, told The South Florida Sun-Sentinel that she was certain Dionne did not use drugs, adding, "I think someone put that on her." Other published reports say Dionne, 61, may be using marijuana to battle glaucoma. Warwick faces a misdemeanor charge, which carries up to one year in prison. She has promised to appear in court. The most shocking thing about the whole story is that she was able to make the very next flight! How many of us could get arrested, sign an affidavit, promise to appear in court, and make the next flight???? Rapper/Actor Eminem did not take it lightly when the Vice President's wife, Lynne Cheney, testified before a Senate Committee condemning his music. (What is it about VP's wives that they choose to make the music lyrics their personal cause? Remember when Tipper was pushing to have "ratings" placed on music?) Cheney told the committee that Eminem is "a violent misogynist. He advocates raping and murdering his mother in one of his songs." Now, according to Matt Drudge, the rapper is striking back in his new song White America, where he lashes out at Lynne Cheney by name, using Ozzy's favorite word. The album is due out this June and is produced by Universal. We can't wait to hear Lynne's response. Cruise Control... Tom Cruise has announced that he's teaming up with Paramount Pictures to produce a remake of H.G. Wells' "War of the Worlds." Wells originally broadcast the story of aliens taking over the world as if it were a news story, setting off a panic amongst his listeners. Will Cruise appear on screen or just work behind the scenes? Right now, he's not saying. But if he cares about the box office, and he has enough money not too, he'll appear on camera braces and all. If you remember Cruise produced and starred in Mission Impossible-- an instant smash hit. He only produced The Others-- considered a box office miss. Short notes: Richard Karn, aka "Al" on Home Improvement, takes over for Louie Anderson as host of The Family Feud next season. Spider Man broke more box office records this weekend. It brought in an additional $72 million dollars, making it the fastest movie to hit the $200 million mark-- taking only nine days to rack in that much cash. Previously, the $200 million record was held by Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, which took thirteen days to reach the $200 million mark. American Son of A Guns 6 May 2002 If you were ever to the offices of George Magazine, which I was lucky enough to visit when I was commissioned to do an article for them, you would instantly feel the place was fiercely guarded from outsiders. Talk about a paranoid feeling. So I can only imagine that George employees were shocked when Editor Richard Blow, (what were his parents thinking with that name?), penned a book about his former boss John F. Kennedy Junior. Now that book has been sold to CBS to become a movie called "American Son" -- even before it hits bookstores! I bet George staffers are horrified for one of two reasons: 1) they can't believe Blow broke the code of silence, or 2) they can't believe they didn't "tell all" first. Now the quest is on to "discover" the hunk who will play JFK Jr. in the TV movie. No well known actors need apply. The producers are looking for a complete unknown who can shoot to stardom. Don't forget...Roma Downey was "discovered" when she was cast to play John's mother, Jackie O. in 1991's A Woman Named Jackie. Tobey Maguire has knocked off his pal Leonardo DiCaprio as king of the box office. Maguire's Spider Man hauled in $114 million dollars this weekend, breaking all records for a film's opening weekend. Presently, Maguire gets a measly $4 million a picture (compared to DiCaprio's $20 million), but thats all sure to change after Spider Man's enormous success. Sony Pictures, the studio behind Spider Man, is salivating at the thought of sequels two and three, for which Maguire and Kirsten Dunst are already contractually committed. More Matt in the morning....Matt Lauer has reportedly signed on for another three years at the Today Show. Published reports have the popular anchor making a cool $8 million a year.... But Matt's money pales in comparison to the figures being thrown around in the press for the Osbourne's second season. Sharon and Kelly have both admitted season two is definite, but they usually !#@* chatty duo are mum on the sum. The press is reporting MTV could pay as much as $20 million dollars for seasons two and three. Not bad considering you can't even understand Ozzy. Not bad considering they only made $200,000 for the first ten episodes. Stars Step Out: Catch Them If You Can 29 April 2002 Several youngsters had no trouble catching up with Steven Spielberg as he waited to order breakfast this past Saturday in the back room of the Carneige Deli in New York City. Even though the superstar director had sneaked in the back door and was hiding under his trademark ball cap, he happily signed autographs and chatted with a couple of kids brave enough to venture over to his table. Spielberg, seated with a friend who was also wearing a ball cap, was soon joined by his wife Kate Capshaw, who was brave enough to enter through the front door. (Adhering to the mandatory rule that all celebrities must wear hats when in public, Ms. Capshaw was also wearing a hat.) Spielberg's in town filming Catch Me If You Can with Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks. Steppin Out... Ice T, the only good thing about Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, melted the hearts of two tourists when he stopped to take a photos with them last week in NYC. Ice T told the happy tourists to enjoy their day in the Big City, and quickly jumped into a gray sports car driven by a pal. How's that for a tough guy? Also steppin out... White House Press Secretary, and my old pal, Ari Fleischer, brave enough to make an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno tonight. (I guess if you can face the White House Press Corps everyday, Leno is no problem). Ari says he appeared on the show hoping that Jay could give him some good advice on his jokes... trust me, Ari needs all the help he can get. Belated congrats to Ari on his engagement to Rebecca Davis, who works in the White House Office of Management and Budget. Steppin Up... My brilliant husband, Jerry Burke, promoted to Executive Producer of Daytime Programming for The Fox News Channel. Jerry leaves behind The Fox Report with Shepard Smith, which became the most-watched news program in cable under his watch, and consistently beat Larry King Live. Prized Production... They've dazzled Dateline's audience for years with their hard-hitting, prize winning, journalistic endeavors. Now my favorite married producers, Bob and Charmian Gilmartin, have produced their best work ever. Little Dorian Gilmartin made his way into the world this past Saturday morning, weighing in at over 8 pounds. Congrats to all! Sandra Bullock Learns Her Lesson 22 April 2002 What will stop the meanest, toughest Special Forces guys cold in their tracks? How about a make-up trailer with the name "Sandra Bullock" on the door? That's right. Some of America's toughest fighting men, who have seen and done it all, were awestruck at the sight of Sandy's trailer parked on 48th Street, right outside the Fox News Channel. They had just finished a segment on Fox & Friends demonstrating the newest weapons available to our fighting boys overseas. Although now wearing civilian clothes, our boys flexed their military muscle by marching up to Sandra's bodyguard, to see, if just maybe, please, they could meet the movie star. After they explained who they were, Sandy's bodyguard gave them a winning tip: come back in combat gear and your wish just might come true. The guys went back to Fox, where they changed back into their military garb and weapons, and returned to the trailer. It seems the uniform made all the difference. Sandra happily came out to meet with them, signed autographs, and was even willing to pose for pictures. The only problem? No one had a camera. This was a complete "about face" from the Sandra Bullock of a couple of weeks ago, who shocked and saddened fans everywhere when she refused to take a couple of minutes and meet with some firemen who were big fans. I guess one could say Sandy learned her lesson. She pummeled Paula Jones in Fox's "Celebrity Boxing," but it's not clear if Tonya Harding will be able to beat the rap on her latest escapade. Seems lovely Tonya was busted last Saturday in Battle Ground, Washington for drunk driving. At 1:30 am, Tonya ran her pickup truck (what else would she be driving?) into a ditch. When police responded, Harding failed both the breathalyzer and the sobriety test. No word on how high her blood alcohol level was. She was traveling with a passenger, and neither are reported hurt. Also out of Washington State, police in Seattle have determined that Alice in Chains singer Layne Staley had been dead for at least two weeks before his body was discovered last Friday. Police have also confirmed that "heroin paraphernalia" was found near his body. Seattle police representatives believe the death to be an overdose or, and this one will shock you, of "natural causes." It will be several weeks before the medical examiner's office will release their findings. Staley was 34. The Rock ruled this week's Box Office, bringing in over $36 million with his starring movie debut, "The Scorpion King." "Changing Lanes" slipped to second place with $11 million. Sandra Bullock's "Murder by Numbers" placed a disappointing third with $9.5 million. We hope that America forgives Sandy, now that she's back to being nice again. The Toughest Race on Earth (Go, Dave!) 16 April 2002 It's that time again... Eco-Challenge, the hardest, toughest physical race on the planet is back. This time the race airs on April 21st - 24th on USA Networks. And of course, my brother Dave is back and fighting to finish. You can see him all over the last two nights of the series (next Tuesday and Wednesday). He'll be the one literally carrying his very large teammate the last miles of race (more on that later). So you remember Eco-Challenge, don't you? It's the adventure race created by Mark Burnett before he struck it mega-rich with Survivor. It's the race where contestants push themselves to their absolute physical limits, and pay $13,000 each for the privilege. (Okay, the smart ones get sponsors). It's the race where most contestants practically stay up for thirteen days straight, racing over an impossible course, doing things you shouldn't even do on a full night's sleep. That said, even getting into this race is a huge competition. When registration opened online, within twenty minutes 1,000 teams had applied. Only 67 teams made it in. (Each team has four members, and one must be a woman.) So we were pretty impressed when Dave's team, Team Go, was asked to come back for their second race. This year the 220-mile course was set in New Zealand. Some of the events included riding wild horses, mountaineering (we're talking lots of ice, people), rafting, and rip-lining (that's the scary one across huge mountain drops). There are more events of course, but I can't remember them all, and I'm already exhausted just writing this. To give you an idea, Burnett says this year's course was the equivalent of "climbing two Mount Everests in thirteen days." All this just for the shot of winning $50,000-- which you then have to split four ways. Dave's technique of hardly training at all did not come in particularly useful this year. His iron willpower, however, did help. Unfortunately, one of Dave's teammates, Alex Basile, did not have the same desire to finish. This created a very big problem in New Zealand, because once one team member quits, the whole team is disqualified. Let's just say there's some very compelling video of Dave telling Alex exactly what he thinks of the decision to quit. This is followed by video of Dave, with a very heavy Alex tied to his body, carrying him. Do they finish? Is Alex killed right there in New Zealand? Will they compete again? You'll have to tune in to see. CLICK HERE FOR HI-RESOLUTION DIGITAL IMAGES OF THIS YEAR'S ECO-CHALLENGE-- AND TEAM GO! www.usanetwork.com/newsroom/econewzealand It's a Family Affair 7 April 2002 I know you love The Osbournes as much as I do, but probably not as much as MTV. The smash hit starring Ozzy, his wife Sharon, and his kids Jack and Kelly pulled in 7 million viewers last week, and the number is expected to just keep growing. A soundtrack featuring the foursome is in the works, with Kelly slated to remake Madonna's "Papa Don't Preach." Kelly claims her Mom chose the song, and she's nervous about doing it. Don't worry, that won't stop production on the record. Expect the soundtrack to hit the stores in May. Sarah Jessica Parker's bundle of joy is giving HBO a great big headache... Sex and the City will shut down production this week to figure out how it wants to deal with Parker's real-life pregnancy. The series was planning to launch its fifth season this June, but has changed that "due date" to July. With only two of the new season's episodes shot, HBO is convening emergency meetings to figure out how it will change the series to handle Parker's pregnancy. Parker and hubby Matthew Broderick will become parents this fall. The couple has been married for five years. Soap fans are getting a groundbreaking dose of reality on All My Children. Erica Kane's cosmetic company will soon be the victim of corporate raiding. But the fake-soap company is being taken over by real life Revlon. That's right. The lines between what's real and what's TV are blurring even more. For the first time in soap opera history, an actual company is being introduced as part of the storyline. For the history-making privilege, Revlon is paying a ton of dough. Advertisers everywhere are heralding AMC's idea, and wondering why it wasn't thought of sooner. And it looks like AMC just might need all the extra cash it's getting from Revlon. The soap is being sued for a whopping $32 million dollars by Michael Nader, who played Erica Kane's love interest Dimitri Marich. Nader claims he was unfairly let go from his contract while on medical leave. (FYI the guy made over $450,000 a year, and had a four-year deal.) Nader's medical leave was for drug rehab, and during his time away from the show, he was busted for buying about $20 worth of dope from an undercover agent. We doubt this one will be written into AMC's storyline, but hey, it sounds like a soap opera to us. How cute is Chelsea's boyfriend? The former First Daughter has been seen just about everywhere (Paris, Venice, The Dominican Republic) with her adorable boyfriend Ian Klaus. But it's not just the paparazzi that's keeping their eye on the pair. Officials at Oxford are keeping tabs as well. The University has a strict policy that students must live on campus six weeks out of eleven. Still, if Bill could figure out how to get out of Monica-gate, we're not worried about Chelsea. Hollywood's dainty derrieres 2 April 2002 I know, I know. You're so Oscared out. And it's so over. But just a little bit more… since the 74th Academy Awards came and went without incident, it's easy to say the security measures were a success. I'm sure you heard that everyone who attended, no matter how big a celeb, went through a metal detector before entering the Kodak Theater, but did you know that every limo door was opened by a cop? And all the people we saw gathered on the other side of the red carpet, cheering our stars on? Those people were all prescreened and given special passes that allowed them to watch the festivities from the sidelines. In fact, you had to apply weeks ahead of time to be checked out if you wanted to be part of the "crowd." Five thousand people applied for only 400 spots. Those who made it in were all considered "safe." And the fanciest fannies in Tinseltown were sitting in chairs made in my hometown. That's right. Proving once again you can make an impact on Hollywood from anywhere, a company right here in Bucks County made the 3,600 chairs that went into the Kodak Theater. The company, Theatre Solutions Inc. , created the chairs from American Black cherry wood. An illuminated hand-blown glass sculpture was hung on each aisle chair. Of course, the chairs were heavily cushioned. And to make sure Hollywood's dainty derrieres weren't squished, every seat was made to extra-wide proportions. (average chairs are 16 inches wide; these are 23... seems a bit unnecessary in such an anorexic place). And I know you're a tiny bit tired of me saying that Bucks County is a contender in the Hollywood game, so I will admit defeat this year. Next year, however, is a different story. M. Knight Shyamalan's "Signs" with Mel Gibson, shot in Bucks County, will surely be a contender. Remember, The Sixth Sense garnered six Academy Award nominations... Stepping out... director Spike Lee was spotted last week at Virgil's in New York City, the famous barbecue joint. Virgil's is known for terrific ribs and pulled pork... so we're sure Spike enjoyed his dinner... If you're Watching Ellie, you might be the only one. The series, starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus, looks like it's ready for the history books. Despite strong ratings early on, and constantly being scheduled between episodes of Frasier, the sitcom just hasn't caught on. If the series is canceled, Dreyfus joins her former Seinfeld castmates Jason Alexander and Michael Richards, who both also attempted sitcoms--unsuccessfully. TV can be so cruel. Oscar: Back In Black 25 March 2002 Oscar, Oscar, Oscar… what happened? The 74th Academy Awards will go down in history for two reasons: Halle Berry wins Best Actress and it was the ugliest awards show in history. Where was the glamour? The magic? The fantasy? The red carpet was marred by one awful dress after another. Topping the "could they have looked worse?" list were: Gwyneth Paltrow (no wonder she's leaving Hollywood for London), Jennifer Connelly, Uma Thurman, Cameron Diaz (she said her dress felt like her pajamas-- too bad it looked like them too), and Jennifer Lopez. I can only hope they've learned their beauty lessons, and bring back the glam next year. Outfits that were winners (because it's all about the outfit, baby) included Halle Berry (the only actress who truly looked like a movie star), Renee Zellweger, Reese Witherspoon, Kirsten Dunst, and Nicole Kidman (Note: the fashion police disagree with me on Kidman. Maybe I'm putting her on the "Best Dressed" because I'm annoyed ex-hubby Tom Cruise stole her thunder... instead of letting Nicole have her night in the spotlight, he had to open the show, and appear on Barbara Walters!) My sources tell me the ladies had trouble dressing this year. After all, this was the first Academy Awards post 9/11. Stars struggled to dress appropriately for the mood of the country. That was why we saw a lot of black, and a lot of muted colors. Some actresses succeeded, most failed. The bad hair and make-up? Who knows what they were thinking? I can only say that the "natural look" should be abolished. If we must talk about the actual awards, the shining moments involved Best Actress Halle Berry's tearful acceptance speech, Best Actor's Denzel Washington's grace and likability in finally winning his Oscar, and Sidney Poitier's Lifetime Achievement Award. The 74th Academy Awards will go down in history as a triumph for African American actors. It will be interesting to see if the awards given to Berry, Washington and Poitier will impact how Hollywood casts in the future. So just what was in those famous gift bags given to the presenters and nominees? This time around, the bags were worth at least $20,000! But the treasures in them were a bit unusual. The gift bags included gift certificates for the following: $1500 for an office chair, $1450 for an Ebel watch, $2000 to be spent in Cabo San Lucas, a $1000 mattress voucher, and $600 towards teeth whitening! If that's odd enough, Victoria's Secret gave all the Best Actress Nominees diamond-studded bras. Now that's Hollywood... Inside Liza's Wedding 18 March 2002 Liza Minnelli swears the fourth time is "four-ever," and we hope she's right. If you were under a rock this weekend, and missed the fact that Judy Garland's daughter got hitched for the fourth time to producer David Gest, don't worry. Gossip Girl has all the scoop from inside the reception. After saying "I do" at the Marble Collegiate Church on Fifth Ave., the happy couple, with Liza wearing what appeared to be a full length white mink, were whisked to the Regent Hotel on Wall Street to party with 800 of their closest friends. The guest list included Maid of Honor Liz Taylor, Michael Jackson, Rosie O'Donnell with kids in tow (the O'Donnell gang left early), Martha Stewart, Natalie Cole, and Donald Trump. Every twenty feet or so, there was a security guard wearing an "American Academy" badge. The guards patrolled the perimeter room looking for "anything suspicious," and were told to confiscate all cameras and destroy all film. An official photographer got guests to "cuddle together" for pictures at the tables, and the DJ was spotted with a digital camera. Music was the main event, with a two-tiered stage set up for musicians and performers. It appeared to eyewitnesses that the balcony railing had been removed for the sixty-piece house orchestra, and beneath that a stage had been constructed for the guest performers, which included the Doobie Brothers and Natalie Cole singing "Unforgettable." Some guests were disappointed that Jacko did not sing, but before the night was through, he made a speech toasting the happy couple. So what does a celebrity reception look like these days? Sound stage aside, the most striking thing was the way the room's massive pillars were decorated. Foot-thick green vines, sprinkled with white flowers, started at the floor and wrapped around until they reached the ceiling. Each pillar was illuminated by a spotlight on the floor. The tables were described as simple, with a low red flower arrangement placed at the center of each. Guests were given a small "red-velvety" looking, heart-shaped boxes filled with chocolates. (I was expecting something a little more than chocolates... heck, I gave those out at my wedding!) The guests were served lobster salad, followed by either beef tenderloin, sea bass, or a vegetable platter. (Of course, the Gloved One had the veggies). There was also sorbet, chocolate mouse cake, mini-cakes and cookies. But the best thing I can tell about a celebrity wedding, is that if you stay long enough, say 2am, you can order breakfast, which in this case was bacon and eggs. So congrats to the happy couple, we're glad Liza finally found the end of her rainbow. Blather, Rinse, Repeat… 11 March 2002 Hollywood has found a way to just keep giving itself awards... the latest go-round of self-congratulations came from the 98,000 members of the Screen Actors Guild Sunday night. Just like the Golden Globes, the SAG Awards are supposed to give us an idea of just who might walk away with the Oscars. If this sounds repetitive to you, it is. Everybody basically keeps winning the same award, over and over, ad nauseum. So how did the awards shake out this time? No big surprises. Russell Crowe took Best Actor for "A Beautiful Mind." Halle Berry won Best Actress for "Monster's Ball." Ron Howard got Best Director for "A Beautiful Mind." Stop me if it sounds like you've heard all this before, and forgive me for when it all gets repeated one more time at the Oscars on March 24th. Once again, Russell Crowe turned in an acceptance speech that was better than some of his actual movie performances. He told the crowd, "This is a great job, and I want to encourage every one of you in this room to give everything you can to the story. God bless narrative. God bless originality." When he says things like this, I actually like the guy. To his credit, bad boy Crowe was on his best behavior at the SAG Awards, unlike his recent outburst at the British Academy Film Awards on February 24th. After winning the British Best Actor Award (see what I mean about these thespians just giving out the same award, over and over and over?), Crowe reportedly cursed out the show's director, Malcolm Gerrie, and pushed him into a wall. The reason? Gerrie cut Crowe's acceptance speech short. To be exact, Gerrie cut away from Crowe when he started reciting a four-line poem called "Sanctity," by the Irish poet Patrick Kavanagh. The cut made Gerrie's bosses very happy, but sent dear Russell over the edge. At the SAG Awards, a repentant Russell admitted he regretted the incident, saying he even called Gerrie to apologize, after learning Gerrie's son was being ridiculed at school over the outburst. * * * Diners at the upscale steakhouse Prime in Atlanta were amused, concerned and irritated by the recent "skittish" behavior of Whitney Houston. Onlookers say Houston couldn't sit still, and kept jumping up and moving around the restaurant, and wasn't interested in her dinner. But husband Bobby Brown wasn't bothered a bit. Seems he merely enjoyed his dinner, and a few drinks. * * * And it just wouldn't be right not to mention the six-month anniversary of 9/11. Actor John Leguizamo helped mark the anniversary of the attacks by taping a public service announcement for a nonprofit organization called "The Gift of New York." The Gift of New York gives the families of victims free admission to entertainment and sports events. Leguizamo taped the PSA in both English and Spanish, hoping the Spanish version will help those who've been left out due to language barriers. Four Journalists Remember 9/11: "The fabric of reality was just ripped in half." 4 March 2002 I know you will be shocked to hear me say there's something more important than Hollywood, but of course there is. Like a war. Like what happened on 9-11. So when my husband Jerry Burke, Senior Producer of The Fox Report, told me he was joining Steve Capus, Executive Producer of the NBC Nightly News, to discuss the impact of September 11th at Bucks County Community College in Pennsylvania, I listened up. "What's Capus doing speaking at BCCC?" I asked. Turns out he's an alumnus. So on March 4th, Jerry and Steve joined Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times reporter Charlie LeDuff (my absolute favorite new wacky character) and New York Daily News star reporter Ralph Ortega to share their recollections of September 11th. You know I'm biased, but even if I wasn't, I'd still tell you it was the best discussion of 9-11 and the anthrax attacks that I've ever heard. Steve said he was at his desk when he got word that a small plane hit the North Tower, and immediately called Tom Brokaw at home. He recalled that Brokaw "was as emotional as I've ever heard him." Connected by the phone line, Capus and Brokaw, watched on TV as the second plane hit the South Tower. Jerry recalled looking out the Amtrak train window as the South Tower fell, thinking, "I can't believe this just happened." In a blizzard of snowing concrete, Ralph wiped his burning eyes and kept asking himself, "Why isn't this affecting me?" as he tried not to look at the people hanging from the windows. When Charlie got to Ground Zero later in the day, someone lifted an orange street cone, and showed him a severed human hand. Charlie described a bizarre costume party-- seeing other journalists dressed as priests, construction workers and EMS personnel because journalists had been shut out of the site. Charlie chose to pick up a bucket and try to help. Jerry and Steve remembered having men in "moon suits" all over their offices scouring for anthrax in the days that followed the attacks. Capus himself touched the contaminated anthrax letter that had been lying around the NBC newsroom "for days." He remembered joking that the letter's author "didn't know how to spell penicillin." "I thought it was just a piece of hate mail," Capus told the audience, noting that the letter contained a brown sandy powder, not a fine white substance as widely reported. Capus knew the letter was the real deal when the FBI called him demanding to know where To | |