Random observations from the entertainment world
A woman photographs Marc Quinn's giant sculpture, "Planet," part of Sotheby's "Beyond Limits," a selling exhibition of works scattered throughout the grounds of a UK estate.
Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images
By Sharon Eberson / Monday morning, Sept. 15
This just in ...
Jennifer Hudson got a big surprise on her 27th birthday Friday: an engagement ring from beau David Otunga (he was "Punk" on the VH1 reality dating show "I Love New York 2.") ... Britney Spears is due to release a new album Dec. 2, her 27th birthday. "Circus" will arrive a little over a year after she released last November's "Blackout," which was perhaps her most critically acclaimed CD. ... George Takei and his longtime partner, Brad Altman, have agreed to live long and prosper together: Takei, 71, Mr. Sulu on "Star Trek" and lately a "Heroes" role player, and Altman, 54, were married Sunday in a multicultural ceremony in L.A. ... Chris Noth, "Sex and the City's" Mr. Big and Mike Logan on "Law & Order," will appear in the premiere of "Farragut North," Beau Willimon's play of political intrigue, beginning Nov. 1 at The Atlantic Theater Company's off-Broadway theater. John Gallagher Jr., a Tony winner for "Spring Awakening," portrays a young press secretary in the show, directed by Doug Hughes. Noth was on Broadway in 2000 in another political play, "Gore Vidal's The Best Man." (Associated Press)
From here and there ...
I was puzzled by the word "territories" in the press release for Spike TV's Scream 2008 awards, an event honoring the best in the comic book, horror, sci-fi and fantasy genres to be taped Oct. 18 and aired Oct. 21. The announcement said: " ‘Scream' To Be Seen Internationally In Over 160 Territories Around The World."
Whatever ... the point is that "Scream" has gone global.
Much more interesting are the names on the advisory board responsible for selecting the nominees. The board includes Guillermo Del Toro, Frank Miller, Neil Gaiman, Stephen King, Kevin Smith, Stephenie Meyer, Wes Craven, Tim Kring, Geoff Johns, Paula Wagner and many more, we're told. Now there's something to scream about -- a who's who of Hollywood, comic books and popular fiction.
They may select the nominees, but you pick the winners at Scream.Spike.com. Voting began Friday and goes through Oct. 17.
Tops on the list is blockbuster "The Dark Knight" with 21 nominations, including The Ultimate Scream, Best Superhero, Best Villain, Best Director, Most Memorable Mutilation and Best Fantasy Movie. "Iron Man" came in second with 14 nominations and Del Toro's "Hellboy II: The Golden Army" is next with 13. A full list of categories and nominations are at Scream.Spike.com.
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Not a day goes by when the World Entertainment News Network (WENN) reports at imdb.com don't entertain or amuse. (The Internet Movie Date Base is a much valued resource for any entertainment buff.)
Sometimes, it's the decidedly Brit slant on stories. And sometimes, it's the "news" they choose.
Here's a post from last Thursday that ironically moved earlier in the day of Kanye West's airport altercation with a photographer:
MORTENSEN'S TEA CAUSES AIRPORT SECURITY PROBLEMS
"Lord Of The Rings" star Viggo Mortensen's favourite tea often causes him problems on his travels - because airport security officials think it's pot. The actor refuses to travel without his beloved Argentinean Mate, which often confuses the authorities - because it looks like a bag of weed. And it doesn't help that Mortensen, who grew up in Argentina, drinks his tea with a pipe. He was recently stopped on his way to the Toronto Film Festival in Canada. He says, "They asked me if it's (pipe) a bong or a pipe to smoke pot. I've made the mistake of putting the mate in a plastic Ziploc bag instead of its original packaging, so that it ends up looking like pot. "At first, they (officials) always think the worst, but then you explain to them what it is, and it's always been OK." Mortensen explains he likes to travel with his own tea because he finds it difficult to find in local stores around the world.
Wonder if he had to search for any locally while filming "The Road" in Western Pennsylvania?