Red, White & Blue Blog

OSCARS DRAW LARGEST AUDIENCE IN FIVE YEARS

2010-03-09T09:38:00.000-08:00

Ratings for the 2010 Oscars were way up from the previous year. The Nielsen Co.'s overnight ratings showed that 41.3 million people tuned in on Sunday (March 7th) night -- up 14 percent from 2009. The figure also marked the largest Oscar audience in five years.

Meanwhile, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin's joint hosting was generally well received, but critics attacked the show's length and focus on teen stars.

Alec agreed with the positive response to his performance, telling Usmagazine.com, "I think it went great! I think it went really well. We decided it wasn't about Steve and me, it's about the nominees and the presenters. You don't need to see us!"

The New York Post printed, "The two seriously funny guys got seriously funny. Having all the Best Actor nominees on stage at once was great because it gave the hosts a way to start riffing on them all as they sat down... Instead of the usual deference to the stars, and/or spoof of the movies' openers, Martin and Baldwin cleverly roasted each of the nominees -- and some of it was hilarious."
The Washington Post noted that, "Twilight's Kirsten Stewart still looks like your sullen, no-one-else-was-available babysitter," while the Los Angeles Times mused, " This year's Oscars seemed to suffer from a crisis of confidence. Although studded with entertaining and emotional moments, it just never seemed to get going."

HOLLYWOOD NEWS

2010-03-09T09:37:00.001-08:00

BETTY WHITE CONFIRMS 'SNL' APPEARANCE: Although the prospect of a Betty White SNL appearance was recently brought into question, the former Golden Girl assured fans that she will indeed be part of a future production. When asked if she's doing the show, White told People magazine, "Yes." She didn't offer any details about the gig, and it remains unclear when she will appear -- or in what capacity. As for the popular Facebook campaign that been championing the appearance, White said, "I don't know why or how, but it's been wonderful."

ANOTHER JOHN HUGHES FILM IN THE WORKS? Even though he passed away last year, there's still hope for another John Hughes film. The Hollywood Reporter revealed that the director left behind an unproduced screenplay called Grisbys Go Broke, which is about "a wealthy Chicago family" who lose everything and are "forced to move to the sticks." The screenplay's fate is unclear.

DEBRA MESSING PILOT DEVELOPMENTS: Almost Famous star Patrick Fugit has joined Debra Messing in ABC's comedy pilot Wright vs. Wrong. Messing will star as "Evelyn Wright, a driven conservative pundit who tries to maintain her public persona despite facing her own vulnerabilities."

BROOKE SHIELDS WRITING MEMOIR: Brooke Shields is writing a memoir -- in which she'll give her account of marital troubles with ex-husband Andrew Agassi. The actress told Ladies' Home Journal that when she was on the set of Friends, Agassi threw a tantrum when she licked Matt Le Blanc's hand in a scene. He stormed off, drove home and smashed his tennis awards. Brooke said, "Does he mention I spent the next three years replicating those trophies? He doesn't say that, does he? Of course not. That'll be in my book!"

CELEBRITY GOSSIP!!!

2010-03-09T09:36:00.000-08:00

FUNERAL HELD FOR MARIE OSMOND'S SON: A funeral service was held for Marie Osmond's son yesterday in Utah. Her publicist confirmed that a private gathering was held in a Mormon chapel to remember 18-year-old Michael Bryan. Police in Los Angeles have said Bryan died from an apparent suicide after jumping from the eighth floor of an apartment building on February 26th. An official cause of death is pending the results of an autopsy and toxicology tests.

SEAN HAYES TALKS ABOUT HIS SEXUALITY: Former Will & Grace star Sean Hayes is finally opening up about his sexuality. The actor, who played the flamboyant Jack McFarland on the NBC hit, has never admitted to being gay despite widespread belief. However he recently told the Advocate, "I am who I am. I was never in, as they say. Never." Responding to those who are critical about his perceived silence, Hayes said, "I feel like I've contributed monumentally to the success of the gay movement in America, and if anyone wants to argue that, I'm open to it. What more do you want me to do? Do you want me to stand on a float? And then what? It's never enough."

JAMIE FOXX DATING STACEY DASH? Is Jamie Foxx dating Clueless alum Stacey Dash? That's the buzz after the two were spotted together at the Oscar ceremony and the after parties. PerezHilton.com noted that they looked "mighty fine together."

MIXED REPORTS ON TOM CRUISE MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT: There are conflicting reports circulating on the internet about whether or not Tom Cruise was involved in a motorcycle accident over the weekend. HollywoodLife.com claims the actor was "slightly hurt" after crashing his bike at a Los Angeles intersection while trying to avoid colliding with a car, but his camp denies it. A post on the star's official Twitter page reads, "Tom NOT in motorcycle accident 2day (today) . . . Tom tells us he hasn't been on his bike in days due 2 (to) the weather, but when it clears up, look out."

BROOKE BURKE LANDS 'DANCING WITH THE STARS' CO-HOST GIG

2010-03-09T09:35:00.001-08:00

Brooke Burke is the new co-host of Dancing With the Stars. The season seven champ's new gig was made official Monday (March 8th) morning, when it was announced she'll take the stage with Tom Bergeron in place of Samantha Harris.

After the announcement she wrote on her website, "Today is one of the most exciting days ever!!! With the exception of my family and children, today tops the list of all my professional endeavors!!!"

Burke had reportedly been up against several high-profile finalists that included Melissa Rycroft, Vanessa Minillo and former Spice Girl Mel B.

Brooke came into her audition with both the mirror ball trophy -- and a slew of hosting experience. She previously fronted shows like Rock Star: INXS, Rock Star: Supernova and E!'s Wild On.
Dancing With the Stars returns to ABC on March 22nd.

HEADLINE NEWS!!

2010-03-09T09:33:00.000-08:00

OBAMA PUSHES HEALTH REFORM IN CAMPAIGN-STYLE APPEARANCE: President Obama was in Pennsylvania yesterday (March 8th) making an appeal for the passage of health care reform in a high-energy appearance that brought back memories of his presidential campaign. Obama denounced insurance companies and their current practices, as well as taking aim at his Republican criticism, saying, "You had 10 years. What happened? What were you doing?" Obama began by saying, "I'm kind of fired up," recalling his 2008 campaign slogan, "Fired up. Ready to go," and he appealed to the audience to talk some campaign-style steps of their own, such as knocking on doors and talking to their neighbors. The plan currently being pursued if for the House to adopt the measure the Senate passed in December, and then used reconciliation in the Senate -- which requires only a 51-vote majority -- to make the changes House Democrats want.

CAPTURED AL-QAIDA ISN'T AMERICAN SPOKESMAN GADAHN: Pakistani officials said yesterday (March 8th) that they'd made a mistake in identifying a captured suspect as Adam Gadahn, al-Qaida's American-born spokesman. Instead the man arrested in Karachi in another American, Abu Yahya Majadin Adam, with the confusion caused by the resemblance of the names.

BOTH SIDES CLAIM LEAD ON DAY AFTER IRAQI VOTE: Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's coalition and its main secular rival both claimed to be ahead in the vote count Monday (March 8th), one day after historic parliamentary elections. Initial results for some provinces, as well as for Baghdad are set to be announced today. Some 62 percent of the population voted, down from 76 percent in the last such election in December 2005. The lower turnout was attributed to a combination of voter intimidation, tougher ID requirements, and a drop in voter excitement. General Ray Odierno, the U.S. commander in Iraq, called the election a milestone and said that every sign suggests Iraq will be able to peacefully form a new government in the coming months, and U.S. combat troops can head home by the end of August.

U.S. MISSIONARY FREED IN HAITI: One of two Baptist missionaries from the U.S. that was still being held on kidnapping charges in Haiti was released yesterday (March 8th) and flew to Miami. However, the group's leader, Laura Silsby, is still jailed. Silsby and her group were arrested on January 29th while trying to cross the border into the Dominican Republic with 33 Haitian children. Silsby initially said the children were orphaned in the massive earthquake, but they in fact were found to have living parents. The judge released eight of the Americans on February 17th after concluding the parents voluntarily gave up their children in the belief that the Baptist group would give them a better life. But he decided he still had additional questions for Silsby and Coulter.

TODAY'S FYI:

CALIFORNIA STATE SENATOR COMES OUT AS GAY AFTER DUI: California State Senator Roy Ashburn came out as gay Monday (March 8th) in a radio interview, five days after his DUI arrest near the Capitol in Sacramento. Rumors had been flying that Ashburn's arrest came after he'd left a gay nightclub with a male passenger, and the Bakersfield Republican said in a KERN interview, "I am gay . . . those are the words that have been so difficult for me for so long." But he added, "I don't think it's something that has affected, not will it affect, how I do my job." Ashburn, a 55-year-old divorced father of four, has consistently voted against gay rights measures during his 14 years in office, but he said his votes reflected the way his constituents wanted him to vote, not necessarily his own views. He explained, "I felt my duty -- and I still feel this way -- is to represent my constituents, not my own point of view, not my own internal conflict." Ashburn said he won't run for public office again after his term ends this year.

ROVE DENIES INVOLVEMENT WITH 2000 SMEAR ABOUT MCCAIN'S DAUGHTER: Karl Rove, who was the top political adviser to former President George W. Bush, is denying that he had any role in the ugly rumor during the 2000 Republican primary in South Carolina that John McCain had fathered a black child. Appearing on NBC's Today show yesterday (March 8th) to promote his new book, Courage and Consequence, Rove not only flat-out denied involvement, he said he was, quote, "seized with fear" by the rumor. During the crucial primary, a push poll suggested McCain had fathered an illegitimate black child, exploiting the fact that McCain and his wife had adopted a dark-skinned daughter from Bangladesh. Rove claimed yesterday that the rumor actually started with a professor at conservative Bob Jones University, and said McCain handled it all wrong. He explained, "I thought John McCain would seize it for what it was, which was an enormous opportunity to give an insight into who he and his wife are, because Cindy McCain adopted a child from an orphanage in Bangladesh. . . . But rather than doing that, John McCain said, 'I'm a victim,' and was angry and complained about it and pointed the finger at Bush when he had no evidence whatsoever."

NEW BOOK OUT OF CONDOLENCE LETTERS OVER JFK'S DEATH: Some of the 1.5 million condolence letters that were sent to Jacqueline Kennedy after the assassination of her husband, President John F. Kennedy, have now been published for the first time, assembled in a new book called Letters to Jackie: Condolences from a Grieving Nation. Because of the sheer volume of letters received after the assassination, most of them were destroyed. But some 200,000 pages were sent to the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston, which is where University of New Hampshire history professor Ellen Fitzpatrick began looking at them while researching another book. Fascinated by the letters, Fitzpatrick dropped her other project. She whittled down her favorite letters to the just over 200 that are published in the book, divided into three categories: recollections of the day Kennedy was killed; letters that express views on society, politics and the presidency; and personal experiences of grief and loss.

CANADA'S NATIONAL ANTHEM WON'T GET PC MAKEOVER: Canada has dropped the idea of giving its national anthem, "O Canada," a politically correct makeover in which the line, "True patriot love in all they sons' command" would have been changed to be inclusive of women. Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government had proposed discussing making a change to the anthem, but Canadians forcefully spoke out against it, invoking tradition and symbols as they complained on radio and TV shows. Many were also unhappy that the idea was proposed during the same week that the Vancouver Winter Olympics ended, when Canada's anthem was heard for each of the country's 14 gold medal winners. Harper's spokesman said, "We offered to hear from Canadians on this issue and they have already spoken loud and clear."

OLDEST AMERICAN DIES AT 114: Mary Josephine Ray, who held the title of oldest living American -- and second-oldest person in the world -- died Sunday (March 7th) at a New Hampshire nursing home at age 114 years and 294 days. Her granddaughter said Ray had been active until about two weeks before her death, and said of her, "She just enjoyed life. She never thought of dying at all. She was planning for her birthday party." The oldest living American is now Neva Morris of Iowa, who's 114 years and 217 days, while the oldest person in the world is Kama Chinen of Japan, who's 114 years and 301 days.

SPORTS:

ROETHLISBERGER ATTORNEY DENIES SEX ASSAULT: A high-profile defense attorney who's now representing Ben Roethlisberger denied yesterday (March 8th) that the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback sexually assaulted a 20-year-old college student at a Milledgeville, Georgia, nightclub early Friday. Attorney Ed Garland said in a statement, "The facts show that there was no criminal activity. No sexual assault occurred. Ben is completely innocent of any crime." Milledgeville's police chief said at a press conference yesterday that they expect to interview Roethlisberger in the next several days. He also said they intend to interview about eight people and are reviewing video footage obtained from several businesses. Garland previously represented Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis in a murder case. The more serious charges against Lewis were dropped and he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor obstruction of justice charge.

(Headline News, FYI and Sports stories were compiled in part from reports by the Associated Press and Reuters.)

ON THE TUBE TODAY!!!!!

2010-03-09T09:32:00.001-08:00

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

CBS

NCIS - While investigating a Marine's shooting, the team uncovers more to his life than anyone would have imagined.
NCIS: LOS ANGELES - When a sailor dies in an underground street race, the team determines that his car, which contained Navy equipment, have been sabotaged.
THE GOOD WIFE - Peter strategizes on how to handle his retrial and the next steps in his public rehabilitation; Alicia and Will defend an attorney arrested for murder.

NBC

THE BIGGEST LOSER - The blue and black teams compete in a challenge that tests their strength.
PARENTHOOD - Zeek encourages Sarah to dream big while searching for a job; Crosby bonds with his newly discovered son.

FOX

AMERICAN IDOL - The top eight female semifinalists perform.
GLEE (repeat)

ABC

LOST (repeat)
LOST - Ben deals with the consequence of a undiscovered lie.
THE FORGOTTEN - When a girl's bones are discovered in an old ammunition box, Russell goes to the Forgotten network with the revelation that they may be the remains of Alex's daughter.

90210 - Naomi and Liam get up close and personal; Dixon and Navid try to get rid of Jasper; Debbie confronts Kelly.
MELROSE PLACE - Auggie and Violet prepare to leave town; Riley asks Jonah for another chance; Amanda puts Ella in charge of a lavish party.

MTV

16 AND PREGNANT - A popular girl believes life will return to normal after giving birth.

TNT

SOUTHLAND - Ben and John respond to a triple homicide; Lydia and her partner realize they have different style of investigating.

DAY TIME TALK SHOW

THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW - Nicole Richie, Ben McKenzie
THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW - Celebs Dig Up Their Family Secrets
THE VIEW - Andy Garcia, Dominik Garcia-Lorido, Elissa Stein & Susan Kim

LATE NIGHT TALK SHOWS

THE LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN (CBS) - Julianna Margulies, grocery bagging champion Kyle Perry, Broken Bells
THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO (NBC) - Christoph Waltz, Dave Salmoni, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE (ABC) - Gabourney Sidibe, Josh Hopkins, Gary Allan
THE LATE LATE SHOW WITH CRAIG FERGUSON (CBS) - Lisa Kudrow, Adhir Kalyan
LATE NIGHT WITH JIMMY FALLON (NBC) - Chelsea Handler, Matt Walsh, Allman Brothers
LAST CALL WITH CARSON DALY (NBC) - T-Pain, aerial base jumper Miles Daisher, Weezer
THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART (COMEDY CENTRAL) - Marc Thiessen
THE COLBERT REPORT (COMEDY CENTRAL) - Annie Leonard
LOPEZ TONIGHT - Freddie Prinze Jr., Steve Austin

IMPOSSIBLE QUESTION

2010-03-09T07:51:00.001-08:00

Name two Desperate Housewives actresses that have played Lois Lane.

A: Teri Hatcher and Dana Delany

Hatcher landed a co-starring role of Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane (opposite Dean Cain) in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman from 1993 to 1997.

Delany played Lois Lane from 1996-2000 on 54 episodes of "Superman: The Animated Series"; in the 2002 video game, "Superman: Shadow of Apokolips"; on "Justice League" beginning with its second season; and continuing on the "JL" spin-off show "Justice League Unlimited"

(Source: Wikipedia)

Survey Finds iPhones are Addictive

2010-03-09T07:47:00.000-08:00

In a result that may not be surprising to you if you're an iPhone user, a new Stanford University survey has found that the iPhone can be addicting. The survey of 200 students with iPhones asked them to rank their dependence on the iPhone on a scale of one to five, with five being addicted and one not addicted at all. Ten percent said they were addicted, while another 34 percent said they were just one step below, at four on the scale. Only six percent said they weren't addicted at all. The survey also found that nearly 25 percent said the iPhone felt like an extension of their brain or body, 25 percent said the phone was "dangerously alluring," and 41 percent said losing their iPhone would be "a tragedy." And showing the few truly iPod obsessed:

three percent don't let anyone touch their iPhone.
three percent have named their iPhone.
nine percent have patted their iPhone.
eight percent admitted having at some time thought, "My iPod is jealous of my iPhone."

Five-Course Meals on the School Lunch Menu in France

2010-03-09T07:46:00.000-08:00

As efforts are being made in the U.S. to add healthier options to school lunches, such as salads and whole grain bread instead of hot dogs and burgers, it's probably no surprise to learn that food-centric France is way ahead of us. Not only do school kids get healthy lunches from a well-funded program, they get sit-down, five-course meals. Reporter Vivienne Walt, who's currently living in Paris, writes about the French school lunches in this week's Time magazine, saying that her pre-schooler's lunch, like that of all school children in France, includes an hors d'oeuvre, salad, main course, cheese plate and dessert, and that the week's menus are posted on a wall outside every school in the country, with no meal repeated over the 32 days in a single period. As for snack and soda machines, they aren't allowed in school buildings. Walt writes that from a young age, French children get the message about food: "Sit down and take your time, because food is serious business." She suggests this attitude contributes to the famous French ability to stay slim despite all the rich food they eat.

KFLAG COUNTRY MUSIC UPDATE

2010-03-08T08:00:00.000-08:00

Brad Paisley's last show on his American Saturday Night tour in Charleston, South Carolina on Saturday (March 6th) ended with a trip to the emergency room for the singer. Brad was playing the final note of his encore song, "Alcohol," when he ran down a ramp and tripped, landing partially on his guitar. He immediately jumped back up and finished the show, thanking the crowd and waving, but then was quickly transported by ambulance to a local hospital. A badly bruised Brad was released from the hospital early Sunday morning and he headed home to Nashville.

During his stay at the hospital, Brad took to Twitter to keep fans up to date. With his humor fully intact, Brad's first tweet said, "Allright, whoever posts the YouTube footage of it gets a meet and greet. I have got to see it. I hit hard. And I mean freaking hard."

A bit later, Brad wrote, "If ur wondering,it was the last song&last night of the tour&I was running fast on stage,tripped.really did think I broke a rib or something."

He ended the night posting a picture of himself with the emergency room staff and saying, "Charleston rocked though. Out with a bang for the ASN tour.literally. Bring on the H2O. Actually, the frozen stuff's on me right now."

Yesterday afternoon, Brad update fans by tweeting, "Man am I sore today. You guys should see the bruise."

Fortunately for Brad, he'll have plenty of time to heal before hitting the road again in May on the H2O tour.

CHECK IT OUT

Click here to watch youtube footage of Brad's tumble: http://tinyurl.com/ykbxbea

Wedding bells may be ringing in Blake Shelton's future! He and Miranda Lambert have been steadily dating since his divorce in 2006, but up until now, Blake has shunned the idea of tying the knot again. Now, he tells us, it's a real possibility. "I don't know that there's a wedding anytime in the near future, but I will tell you that for the first time I can see that. I can see something like that happening, and it doesn't seem far-fetched to me anymore like it used to."

Blake says his relationship with Miranda is solid as a rock thanks to the many trials and tribulations they've had to endure. "It's been up and down. We have been through the wringer. We've seen the best and the absolute worst of each other, I think, and for whatever reason through all that we're still together, and I think we're probably . . . I mean, right now we're stronger than we've ever been together, and I think sometimes it takes goin' through ups and downs and rough spots to get there finally."

Blake recently released his new Hillbilly Bone CD. The project includes six songs for less than $6.
The album's title track, which features Trace Adkins, is a Top Five hit and climbing on the country charts.

Karen Fairchild and Jimi Westbrook of Little Big Town welcomed their first child into the world on Friday (March 5th) in Nashville. Son Elijah Dylan Westbrook weighed in at seven pounds, 14 ounces.

Karen told People magazine, "We've been waiting for this for a long time and can't tell you how thrilled and blessed we both feel."

Jimi said of his wife, "Karen is going to be an incredible mom. She has always been so good with children. Besides, she's done a great job raising me to become a responsible adult!"

Before setting her sights on music, Karen earned a degree in early childhood education.
Little Elijah will have lots of company on the bus when the group hits the road again in May. Bandmate Kimberly Schlapman has a two-and-a-half year old daughter, Daisy, while Phillip Sweet is dad to two-year-old daughter Penelopi.
Kimberly told People, "Our hearts are bursting with joy for Karen and Jimi. We have dreamed of this moment with them for a long time. We can't wait to welcome another little angel onto our bus."
Little Big Town will kick off the Country Throwdown tour on May 14th in Tampa. The trek also features Montgomery Gentry, Jamey Johnson and Jack Ingram.
The group's new single, "Little White Church," heads to radio soon.

FAST FACTS

Karen and Jimi were secretly married in 2006.
That same year, Little Big Town won their first ACM Award for Top New Vocal Duo or Group.
They are nominated for Top Vocal Group at this year's ACMs, which takes place on April 18th in Las Vegas.

Easton Corbin was his own biggest fan when his debut self-titled CD was released last week. The singer went to a local Walmart at midnight on the release date to be one of the first to buy it, but got a less than enthusiastic reception from the saleswoman helping him, as Easton tells us: "Going out to Walmart, I was there at 12 a.m. Tuesday morning and it was kind of funny. We got there, and they hadn't actually gotten the CDs out there on the shelf yet, so I went up to the lady and was like, 'Hey, do you have a CD by a guy named Easton Corbin?' She's like, 'Yeah, I got it right here.' So she handed it to me, and we were actually filming just to get footage of me buying my first CD in the store, and I asked her, 'Hey, have you ever heard of this guy, Easton Corbin?' and she was like, 'Yeah, it's you.' And I was like, 'Well, act a little more excited. We've got you on camera here,' and she was just like, 'Woo-hoo.' I'll never forget that night. That was pretty funny."

Easton's debut single, "A Little More Country Than That," is a Top Five hit and climbing on the country charts.

FAST FACTS

Easton was born and raised in Trenton, Florida.
He attended the University of Florida, where he earned a degree in business.
He got married and moved to Nashville to pursue his music dream all in 2006.

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill were at last night's (Sunday, March 7th) Academy Awards in Los Angeles. The couple walked the red carpet, Faith in a black, strapless Roberto Cavalli gown and Tim in a Dolce (DOHL-CHAY) & Gabbana tux.

Gretchen Wilson, Gregg Allman and Buddy Guy are among the acts added to the Verizon Wireless BamaJam Music & Arts Festival. Previously announced performers include Kenny Chesney, Dierks Bentley, Hank Williams, Jr., Zac Brown Band, Miranda Lambert, Jamey Johnson, Travis Tritt, Randy Houser, Jake Owen, Chris Young, Rodney Atkins, and Danny Gokey. BamaJam takes place June 3-5th in Enterprise, Alabama.

The 2010 Juno Awards nominees include Taylor Swift's Fearless in the International Album category and Emerson Drive's Believe, Terri Clark's The Long Way Home and the Road Hammers' The Road Hammers II in the Country Album category. The Junos will air on April 18th on CTV.

COUNTRY TRIVIA

2010-03-08T07:20:00.000-08:00

Q. What group has more ACM wins for Top Vocal Group than any other?
A. Rascal Flatts, with seven

COUNTRY ON THE TUBE TODAY

2010-03-08T07:07:00.000-08:00

TOP 20 COUNTRY COUNTDOWN/GAC 10:00AM (ET)
Gary Allan

BLUE COLLAR COMEDY TOUR/CMT 9:00PM (ET)
Larry the Cable Guy, Jeff Foxworthy, Ron White, Bill Engvall

THE LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN/CBS 11:35PM (ET)
Lady Antebellum

CELEBRATING BIRTHDAYS TODAY!

2010-03-08T07:06:00.000-08:00

Jim Bouton (former baseball player and Ball Four author) (71)

Micky Dolenz (The Monkees' singer, actor) (65)
Camryn Manheim (actress, The Practice, ghost Whisperer, Eraser, Romy and Michele's High School Reunion) (49)
Freddie Prinze, Jr. (actor, I Know What You Did Last Summer, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, the Scooby Doo movies, Down To You, She's All That; married to Sarah Michelle Gellar) (34)
Aidan Quinn (actor, Desperately Seeking Susan, Legends Of The Fall, Benny & Joon) (51)
Lynn Redgrave (actress, Tom Jones, Georgy Girl, Vanessa Redgrave's sister) (67)
James Van Der Beek (actor, Mercy, Dawson's Creek, Varsity Blues) (33)
Keith Jarrett (pianist) (65)
"Little" Peggy March ("I Will Follow Him") (62)
Carole Bayer Sager (songwriter, "Groovy Kind Of Love," "Midnight Blue," "Nobody Does It Better") (63)
Randy Meisner (former singer-bassist, Poco, the Eagles) (64)
Gary Numan (singer, "Cars") (52)
Mike Allsup (guitarist, Three Dog Night) (63)

ON THIS DAY IN COUNTRY....

2010-03-08T07:05:00.001-08:00

Carrie Underwood performed "Wasted" during an episode of FOX-TV's American Idol in 2007.
Patty Loveless' "Blame It On Your Heart" was released in 1993.
The Judds' Love Can Build A Bridge album was certified gold in 1991.
The Oak Ridge Boys earned a platinum single for shipping 2 million copies of "Elvira" in 1982.
Willie Nelson topped the Billboard country charts with "My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys" in 1980.
Conway Twitty's "Linda On My Mind" claimed Number One on the Billboard country chart in 1975.
"Kiss An Angel Good Mornin'" brought Charley Pride a gold single in 1972.

'THE HURT LOCKER' DOMINATES THE 82ND ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS

2010-03-08T07:04:00.000-08:00

The Hurt Locker won big last night (Sunday, March 8th) at the 82nd Annual Academy Awards in Hollywood, scoring Oscars in some of the night's most prestigious categories, including best director and best picture. The Iraq War drama beat out the nine other best picture-nominated films -- winning six of nine awards. The event's other leading nominated film, Avatar, scored three nominations, including visual effects.

It was a night of firsts for some categories and nominees. Kathryn Bigelow took home best director for The Hurt Locker, marking the first time a woman has ever won an Oscar in the category. Bigelow and The Hurt Locker beat out her ex-husband James Cameron and his high-grossing flick, Avatar in several other categories, including sound mixing and sound editing. Jeff Bridges scored the best actor award for his role as a country music star in Crazy Heart. He's been nominated a total of five times, but this was his first-ever win. First time best actress nominee Sandra Bullock won for her role in The Blind Side, which meant Meryl Streep went home Oscar-less for the 16th time.

Supporting-acting Oscars went to Mo'Nique for Precious and Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds. Mo'Nique is the fifth black woman to take home an acting Oscar.

HIGHLIGHTS

The show opened with all of the best actress and actor nominees on stage together.
Neil Patrick Harris got the night rolling with a song and dance performance -- "No One Wants To Do It Alone."
Hosts Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin descended from the air holding hands. They called out various nominees in the audience, poking fun at everyone from Merryl Streep and Sandra Bullock to James Cameron and Woody Harrelson. They pointed out that 16 nominations for Streep equal the most losses and said Harrelson looked high. George Clooney was playing absolutely stoned-face while Martin and Baldwin poked fun at him.
While presenting with Steve Carell, Cameron Diaz joked that she was actually supposed to present with Jude Law.
The Hurt Locker screenwriter Mark Boal thanked director Kathryn Bigelow, calling her an "extraordinary and visionary filmmaker. He dedicated his Oscar win to the troops still in Iraq and Afghanistan, and remembered his father who died a month ago.
Best supporting actor winner Christoph Waltz said, "Quentin (Tarantino) with his unorthodox methods of navigation, this fearless explorer, took this ship across and brought it in with flying colors, and that's why I'm here. This is your welcoming embrace, and there's no way I can ever thank you enough."
While presenting with Amanda Seigfried, Miley Cyrus said that they were nervous.
Molly Ringwald and Matthew Broderick paid special tribute to late director John Hughes. Some "Brat Pack" actors appeared on stage for the dedication, including Macaulay Culkin, Ally Sheedy, Jon Cryer, Judd Nelson and Anthony Michael Hall.
Presenter Ben Stiller showed up on stage decked out in Avatar gear, sporting the full Na'vi costume and make-up. He said, "This seemed like a better idea in rehearsal. It was between this and the Nazi uniform but the show seemed a little Hitler heavy."
While accepting her award Mo'Nique said, "I would like to thank the academy for showing that it can be about the performance and not the politics."
Maggie Gyllenhall seemed to cry during clips of her own movie, Crazy Heart.
Taylor Lautner and Kristen Stewart introduced a horror film tribute.
James Taylor performed a version of the Beatles "In My Life" to honor the lives lost over the past year.
Many bloggers commented that Farrah Fawcett was left out of the tribute.
This year's event didn't include live performances of the best original song nominees. Instead, the musical number of the night featured interpretive dance.
Tim Robbins, Colin Farrell, Vera Farmiga, Julianne Moore and Michelle Pfeiffer presented Best Actor.
Best Actress montage -- Presenting nominees were Michael Sheen, Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, Stanley Tucci and Peter Sarsgaard.
Bridges received a standing ovation upon receiving the best actor award for his role in Crazy Heart. He went on to give a long speech, revealing how his parents inspired him to get into showbiz, noting, "Thank you mom and dad for turning me onto such a groovy profession."
While accepting the best actress award, Sandra Bullock said, "Did I really earn this or did I just wear y'all down?" Bullock individually acknowledged all of the other nominees and got choked up while thanking her late mother.
While accepting best director, Bigelow said, "There's no other way to describe it. It's the moment of a lifetime. It's so extraordinary to be in the company of my fellow nominees, such powerful filmmakers, who have inspired me and I have admired, some of them for decades."
The show ran a half over it's scheduled time, prompting Steve Martin to conclude that it was so long -- Avatar now takes place in the past.

WINNERS LIST

Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz, Inglorious Basterds
Best Animated Feature Film: Up
Best Original Song: "The Weary Kind" Ryan Bingham, T Bone Burnett, Crazy Heart
Best Original Screenplay: Mark Boal, The Hurt Locker
Best Animated Short: Logorama
Best Documentary Short: Music By Prudence
Best Live Action Short: The New Tenants
Best Makeup: Star Trek
Best Adapted Screenplay: Jeffery Fletcher, Precious
Best Supporting Actress: Mo'Nique, Precious
Best Art Direction: Avatar
Best Costume Design: The Young Victoria
Best Sound Editing: The Hurt Locker
Best Cinematography: Avatar
Best Sound Mixing: The Hurt Locker
Best Original Score: Up
Best Visual Effects: Avatar
Best Documentary Feature: The Cove
Best Film Editing: The Hurt Locker
Best Foreign Language Film: The Secret In Their Eyes (Argentina)
Best Actor: Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
Best Actress: Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side
Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
Best Picture: The Hurt Locker

OSCAR COMMENTARY

2010-03-08T07:03:00.000-08:00

OSCAR FASHION

Trends: Jewel tones! Silver, gold, beads, diamonds! From Sandra to JLo and Cameron, the red carpet was sparkling!

Check out the stars: http://tinyurl.com/ybm34qx

BEST OF THE RED CARPET

Sandra Bullock: "If I don't get an Oscar . . . at least I'll look like one!"
Meryl Streep: Way to pull off white! Impressive. The low cut, simple gown is one of her all time bests.
Maggie Gyllenhaal: Best tie-dying on the red carpet, ever! She managed to look stunning in the blue-black splashed gown.
Miley Cyrus: Looking like a 30-year-old is better than looking like an 18-year-old, at least in the eyes of her critics.
Amanda Seyfried/Jennifer Lopez: I didn't know they were getting married after the show! Smart to combine two special occasions in one night.
Gabourey Sidibe: The best of her gowns all season!
Rachel McAdams: Again with the tie-dye-ish look. A flowing gown that would make any woman feel beautiful.
Cameron Diaz: Another one in gold! Color of the night?

WORST OF THE RED CARPET

Charlize Theron: "No one ever comments on my boobs . . . I shall outline them so that you do."
Zoe Saldana: You have to be amazingly beautiful to still look decent in her purple-y flower-y foo-foo gown.
Kathryn Bigelow: If you're going to pick something off the rack -- go to the adult, not the prom section . . .
Nicole Richie: Very demure for the former wild child. Kind of boring though. I've done that hairdo on myself before hopping on the treadmill. . .
Diane Kruger: It was a good attempt to control the peach fluff with black ribbon. Not sure if she succeeded. . .
Vera Farmiga: Very interesting red ruffles. . . and there were a lot of ruffles.
Sarah Jessica Parker: Is she trying to cover up a pregnancy? That seems like the only excuse for this sack-ish jeweled -- bag?

SO-SO ON THE RED CARPET

Demi Moore: Peaches 'n cream ('n Botox) Barbie!
Tina Fey: Fine, black, plain, whatever. She's always so boring. . .
Mo'Nique: She picked a stand-out shade of blue. Very smart for the actress, who shouldn't be looking to stand out with a daring cut.
Mariah Carey: Okay. Not too good, not too bad. Better putting the leg on display than the boobs!

MEN ON THE RED CARPET

Christoph Waltz: No one told him that Brad Pitt's beard didn't go over well. No need to copy. . .
Zac Efron: It's not that hard to style plain, short, man-hair! How come you showed up with bed head??
Jay Manuel: We've never seen a jacket quite like that of the E! red carpet commentator. Fashion critique by a man wearing a curtain/snakeskin jacket. Interesting . . .
Keanu Reeves: Wolverine! Oh wait, no, just Keanu with bad facial hair . . .
Robert Downey Jr.: Yikes . . . blue bow tie? Blue tinted glasses? Just stick to the classics from now on.

SEGMENTS THAT MAYBE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CUT

2010-03-08T07:00:00.000-08:00

One minute off every nominee clip

Introduction of best actor/actress nominees at the beginning of the show.

The introduction to the category . . before the introduction of the individual nominees (Like we didn't know what animation was)

No disrespect to John Hughes, but a special segment for him?

Governor's Awards -- the standing ovation. Yay for them, you clap, we get it.

Tribute to horror movies -- there's a reason they don't get nominated, why do we have to watch them here?

Dance/Score/Music performance . . . would have been more appropriate for the Tonys -- or America's Next Best Dance Crew

Personal tribute to best actor/actress nominees: It took 15 minutes to announce best actor!!

FUNNIEST TWEETS FROM THE OSCARS (Yahoo!)

"Shhhh. I'm live tweeting from directly under Sandra Bullocks chair." -- Rainn Wilson (rainnwilson), actor.

"Charlize Theron would like to thank R. Crumb and my 16-year-old id for designing her outfit tonight." -- David Itzkoff (ditzkoff), New York Times reporter.

"Just got lost for a minute, sorry. Where was I? Oh yeah ... Zach Effron's (Zac Efron) eyes!" -- Rob Corddry (robcorddr), comedian.

"Looks like a Young Victoria sweep." -- David Wain (davidwain), comedian.

"Shortest Oscar story in history: ( ! > $ )" -- Roger Ebert (ebertchicago), film critic.

"Jeff Bridges is quickly closing in on Matthew McConaughey for 'best actor who has become a character from an early movie.'" -- Bill Simmons (sportsguy33), ESPN columnist.

"Oscars Fun Fact -- Samuel L. Jackson spends 40 percent of his yearly income on Kangol hats ..." -- Eric Stangel (EricStangel), "Late Show With David Letterman" writer-producer.

"Oh, Sam Worthington, your glasses make me think you're imperfect and therefore accessible." -- Mindy Kaling (mindykaling), actor-writer.

"Oprah's about to tell everyone in the audience there's an Oscar under their seat." -- Foster Kamer (weareyourfek), blogger.

"James Cameron is going into his own hurt locker right now." -- Paul Scheer (paulscheer), comedian.

THIS WEEKEND'S TOP TEN MOVIES -- MARCH 5-7

2010-03-08T06:59:00.001-08:00

Alice in Wonderland, $116.3 million
Brookyn's Finest, $13.5 million
Shutter Island, $13.3 million
Cop Out, $9.1 million
Avatar, $7.7 million
The Crazies, $7 million
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, $5.1 million
Valentine's Day, $4.3 million
Crazy Heart, $3.4 million
Dear John, $2.9 million

Alice in Wonderland, starring Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Mia Wasikowska, Crispin Glover and Anne Hathaway dominated the box office this past weekend. The film is a live action version of the fantasy adventure story following Alice, played by Wasikowska, as she embarks on a journey to find to her destiny and reinstate the White Queen by ending the Red Queen's reign of terror.

Alice in Wonderland is rated PG and has a running time of 1 hour and 50 minutes.

The crime drama, Brooklyn's Finest, starring Richard Gere, Ethan Hawke, Wesley Snipes and Vincent D'Onofrio made its debut over the weekend. The film follows a chaotic week of three conflict NYPD officers when their lives are transformed by their involvement in a massive drug operation and each man faces the tests of judgment and honor in one of the world's toughest jobs.

Brooklyn's Finest is rated R and has a running time of 2 hours and 15 minutes.
Brooklyn's Finest was directed by Antoine Fuqua, best know for directing Training Day.

HOLLYWOOD NEWS

2010-03-08T06:57:00.000-08:00

BROOKE BURKE IS NEW 'DWTS' CO-HOST? Former Dancing With the Stars champ Brooke Burke has reportedly been tapped as the show's new co-host. Star magazine reports that Burke -- who tweeted about her audition last month -- has secured the job. The official announcement will take place this morning on ABC's Good Morning America. Burke would be replacing Samantha Harris, who stepped down from the program earlier this year.

DANNY GLOVER BACKS HUGE BOSS BOYCOTT AT OSCARS: Danny Glover called on Academy Award nominees and others in the film industry not to wear Hugo Boss suits at last night's Oscars ceremony. The actor sent out a letter late last month on behalf of 375 Cleveland factory workers who'll lose their jobs if the German company closes the plant next month as planned. He also asked Oscars attendees to wear on their lapels a pin reading, "Keep the Hugo Boss Plant Open." Glover is collaborating with the labor union Workers United. The union says the plant is profitable and the company is shutting it because it can make clothing more cheaply in Europe.

FOX RENEWS 'FRINGE': Fringe will return to Fox for a third season. EW.com reports that the sci-fi show will be back, even though it's been averaging a less-than-stellar 7.6 million viewers and is ranked number 50 in the 18-49 demographic this season. New episodes begin on April 1st.

CELEBRITY GOSSIP!

2010-03-08T06:54:00.000-08:00

JENNA ELFMAN GIVES BIRTH: Jenna Elfman gave birth to a son last week in Los Angeles. The 38-year-old Accidentally on Purpose star announced the birth of Easton Quinn Monroe Elfman via Twitter on Friday (March 5th), writing, "He's an impressive sleeper (thank god!)& I'm his biggest fan. Thank you all so much for your kind words and congrats. We really appreciate it." The actress and her husband Bohdi Elfman also have a two-and-a-half-year-old son named Story Elias.

MICKEY ROURKE CLAIMS HE SLEPT WITH 14 WOMEN IN ONE NIGHT: At this time last year, Mickey Rourke was making headlines for his Oscar-nominated turn in The Wrestler, but now the focus is on -- his sex life. Commenting on the infidelities of a British soccer star, Rourke told London's The Sun, "Forget Ashley Cole, his behavior has nothing on a film star. WAGs [wives and girlfriends of soccer stars] get an easy time -- they should try living with Hollywood hellraisers. I once spent a weekend in the UK and had 14 women in one night."

DR. DREW GETS RESTRAINING ORDER: Dr. Drew Pinsky has procured a restraining order against his alleged stalker. Charles Pearson, who was accused of stalking the Celebrity Rehab star last week, has been ordered to stay away from the doctor, his wife and their three children. Pearson was arrested after sending threatening messages to Dr. Drew, claiming Pinsky placed a tracking device in his genitals and that he would kill his children and make his wife eat them.

MICHAEL LOHAN HOSPITALIZED: Michael Lohan was released from a Massachusetts hospital late Saturday (March 6th) after experiencing chest pains. TMZ.com reports that Lindsay's dad was rushed to the hospital as he was preparing for a celebrity boxing match. He was examined, but did not stay the night. His girlfriend, Kate Major, told the website Lohan wants to be checked out by doctors in New York and is scheduled to see a cardiologist this week.

KATE GOSSELIN SETTLES SPEEDING TICKET: GossipCop.com discovered that police busted Kate Gosselin last month -- for speeding. On February 21st, the reality star was caught going above the speed limit for the second time in less than four months. Gosselin was stopped doing 73 miles per hour in a 55 miles per hour zone in Pennsylvania. She pleaded guilty on February 26th and quietly paid the $155.50 fine.

SANDRA BULLOCK SHOWS UP TO ACCEPT TWO RAZZIES

2010-03-08T06:49:00.000-08:00

Sandra Bullock was the focus at yet another awards show on Saturday (March 6th) -- this time the 2010 Razzies, where she was named worst actress of the year and worst on-screen couple with Bradley Cooper for their comedy, All About Steve.

Bullock, who showed up to Hollywood's Barnsdall Gallery Theater pulling a wagon filled with All About Steve DVDs, said to the crowd, "I thought no one went to see this film, but I know that there are more than 700 members here."

She continued, "I brought the shooting script. I'm willing to go through page by page, read the line the way I did it in the film and, if anyone wants to give me a line read of how I could've done it better . . . We can do this till about 4 o'clock in the morning. Or you guys can just watch the movie and rethink your decision, and I'll show up next year and we can go out for a drink afterward."
As for the worst couple award, Bullock noted, "Again, if you had seen the film, seen it with your eyes, it's pretty much a film about a woman stalking a man. That doesn't really set up the premise for a loving couple. So giving us the worst couple award is kind of, duh."

OTHER RAZZIE "WINNERS"

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen was named as worst picture, worst director (Michael Bay) and worst screenplay, while the Jonas Brothers were deemed worst actors for the Jonas Brothers: The 3-D Concert Experience.

Because this year marked the 30th anniversary of the awards, prizes were given for worst-of-decade. Notable winners in these categories included Battlefield Earth as worst picture of the 00's and Eddie Murphy and Paris Hilton for their acting.

The complete Razzie results are as follows:

Worst Picture of 2009: Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen
Worst Actress of 2009: Sandra Bullock, All About Steve
Worst Actor(s) of 2009: All Three Jonas Brothers, Jonas Brothers: The 3-D Concert Experience
Worst Screen Couple: Sandra Bullock & Bradley Cooper, All About Steve
Worst Supporting Actress: Sienna Miller, G.I. Joe
Worst Supporting Actor: Billy Ray Cyrus, Hannah Montana: The Movie
Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-off or Sequel: Land of The Lost
Worst Director: Michael Bay, Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen
Worst Screenplay: Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen
Worst Picture of the Decade: Battlefield Earth, Nominated for 10 Razzies/ "Winner" of 8
Worst Actor of the Decade: Eddie Murphy, Nominated for 12 "Achievements" / "Winner" of 3 Razzies
Worst Actress of the decade: Paris Hilton, Nominated for 5 "Achievements," "Winner" of 4 Razzies

TIGER WOODS UPDATES:

2010-03-08T06:47:00.000-08:00

TIGER WOODS JOKES YANKED FROM OSCAR SHOW: Producers for the Academy Awards reportedly deleted a series of rude Tiger Woods jokes from the script. A source told the New York Post that writers penned a series of cracks about the Woods' scandal for hosts Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin, but the producers decided against them. "Some of the Tiger jokes were deemed too rude," said the source.

AMAZING KRESKIN SAYS TIGER WILL NEVER LIVE DOWN THE SCANDAL: Noted mentalist the Amazing Kreskin predicted Saturday that while Woods will reign once more on the golf links, his fan base will never recover from his sex scandal. And the main problem is his sport, which doesn't provide the fast action that football and basketball provides to distract fans. "Golf, unlike football, is a pastoral sport. It's like a painting on a horizon which you can see and gaze and spread your eyes over. It's an extraordinarily slow-moving sport," the 75-year-old Kreskin told the New York Daily News. "Unlike [other sports], it would be impossible for any human being who knows his story to watch him play, frequently reflecting and thinking in that down time about the scandal of his life."

CADDY SAYS HE WOULD HAVE BLOWN WHISTLE ON TIGER: Tiger's caddy Steve Williams says he would not have kept Tiger's cheating secrets. "I'm a straight-up sort of person," Williams told New Zealand's TV3. "If I had known something was going on, the whistle would have been blown." He said he hasn't relaly spoken to Woods since the scandal broke. "Of course I'm mad at him, why would you not be? I'm close with his wife and he's got two lovely children and he's let them down," he said, adding that he wouldn't abandon his buddy. "When a guy's having a tough time, it's not up to me to beat him with a stick right now. He's getting enough grilling from everybody else."

TIGER & ELIN HOME TOGETHER TO REBUILD HIS IMAGE: Tiger has returned home to Florida after two separate stints in rehab, and there's still no divorce on the horizon. Though Elin and the children had reportedly been living in a separate home, now reports say that Tiger and Elin are attempting to share a home again. "The marriage is all smoke and mirrors, but Elin will help Tiger rebuild his image and gain new sponsorships because this is what his life is all about," a source told People.com; "She is doing this more for the kids and holding the family together then anything else." The united family front will also soothe ruffled sponsors, according to the source. "Elin will put a new face on platonic relationships," the source says.

MTV SUED OVER 'JERSEY SHORE' BRAWL

2010-03-08T06:46:00.002-08:00

MTV is being sued over a brawl involving Jersey Shore stars Ronnie Magro and Sammi "Sweetheart" Giancola. The New York Daily News reports that Joshua Thomas and Kristin Perrenod -- the couple who got into a fight with Sammi and Ronnie -- have filed a lawsuit against the network, claiming that the footage aired by MTV was edited to "cover up" what really happened during the actual altercation.

In the lawsuit, Thomas and Perrenod contend that Ronnie and Sami were provoking them by yelling homophobic slurs and other insults before the incident became violent.

In the episode that MTV aired, a passerby is shown insulting Ronnie and Sammi as they walk on the boardwalk, while Sammi responds with trash talk of her own. The fight begins after Ronnie is seen charging after the other individual.
Thomas and Parrenod also claim a release form they signed with MTV after the incident should not be considered valid because they were "clearly intoxicated" at the time.

'GOSSIP GIRL' CO-STARS 'BONDING' OVER DIVORCES

2010-03-08T06:46:00.001-08:00

Gossip Girl stars Matthew Settle and Kelly Rutherford are helping each other as they simultaneously experience divorce. Rutherford, who is the midst of a messy battle with her ex, recently told reporters, "He's going through his own thing, I'm going through my own thing -- we kind of just support each other."

She added, "We both have small children that we really love, so we both just talk about them the whole time. Matthew was saying his daughter, [Aven Angelica, 1], just took her first steps the other day, and he was kind of teary-eyed, it was just beautiful."

As for speculation that the two are romantically involved, Rutherford said, "[Dating] is not really my focus at the moment. If it happens, great, but I have the two most beautiful little ones, a great job, and it's really all-consuming."

SUSAN BOYLE AND CAT REPORTEDLY MOVING TO LONDON

2010-03-08T06:45:00.000-08:00

Susan Boyle is reportedly leaving her native Scotland in favor of a more secure property in London. The singer's brother told London's The Sun that the 48-year-old lives in constant fear of attack after an intruder broke into her home in January.

The paper reports that Boyle has agreed to live in London "most of the time," but will still keep her three-bedroom house in West Lothian, Scotland.

A source said, "She has now agreed to move to a place in the city, where she'll stay when busy working. During promotion commitments, it is thought she will stay for weeks at a time. The flat will be cat-friendly, so she can take Pebbles too."