Alex's Entertainment Report
Alex
Sunday's BartCopE
Michael Dare
Michael Dare - 'The Life and Death of Captain Preemo'
Fun Link
The Worried Shrimp
The Worried Shrimp has completed another series of photo-cartoons.
Check them out at The Worried Shrimp - 'The Truth Molester'
Reader Response
Chagall Found?
I'm a regular Bartcop reader
saw this today and thought
you'd be interested.
~~ Kim
Missing Chagall Found?
Thanks for the link, Kim.
Being a bit on the anal retentive side, I can't help but notice that not only the story, but the
supplied photo states the picture has yet to be authenticated. (But, I'm more than hopeful!)
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Started the evening with 'Enterprise', and found the episode to be wretchedly-p.c. - yuck! Tonight,
the theme song wasn't the worst part of the show.
Then, ended up at 'Drew Carey' which was beyond astoundingly un-p.c. What was once quirky has become creepy.
Saw Carville on Leno, no BFD. Then, while watching Conan, I realized it was fresh, and
what the fuck is he doing working when he should be on a honeymoon?
Tonight, Thursday, CBS has 2 reruns of 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation', followed by a fresh
'The Agency'.
NBC has a night of reruns ('Friends', 'Will & Grace', 'Will & Grace' (again), 'Just Shoot
Me' & 'ER').
ABC has a fresh night, with 2 episodes of 'Whose Line', 'Regis', & 'Prime Time Thursday'.
The WB has a rerun 'Angel' and a fresh 'Charmed'.
Faux has a fresh evening with 'Family Guy', 'The Tick', 'Fornication Island'.
UPN has 'WWF Smackdown'.
Anyone have any opinions?
Or reviews?
(See below for addresses)
The Perfect Rock & Roll Photo Of All Time?
The Clash
A photo of The Clash bassist Paul Simonon smashing his guitar on stage was picked on Thursday as the perfect
rock 'n' roll photo of all time.
The famous shot taken by Pennie Smith during the group's September 1979 show at the New York Palladium topped a
poll of music writers and 18 of the world's leading photographers.
The group loved the picture so much that they used it on the cover of their ``London Calling'' album. Bits of the
shattered guitar are now on display at the Rock and Hall of Fame Museum in Cleveland, Ohio.
Second in the poll was a highly stylized picture of David Bowie during his 1974 ``Diamond Dogs'' phase, taken by
Terry O'Neil. Third was a 1966 picture of the Beatles at their final concert in San Francisco by Jim Marshall.
The Perfect Rock & Roll Photo Of All Time
Updated (Nearly) Daily!
BartCop TV!
TELEVISION FILMS SINGLES AND TRACKS ALBUMS
The Top Fives in TV, Movies, Music
The Top Fives in TV, Movies, Music
1. ``Friends,'' NBC.
2. ``AFC Divisional Playoffs: Oakland at New England,'' CBS.
3. ``ER,'' NBC.
4. ``CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,'' CBS.
4. (tie) ``Golden Globe Awards,'' NBC.
(From Nielsen Media Research)
1. ``Black Hawk Down,'' Sony.
2. ``Snow Dogs,'' Disney.
3. ``The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,'' New Line.
4. ``A Beautiful Mind,'' Universal.
5. ``Orange County,'' Paramount.
(From Exhibitor Relations Co.)
1. ``U Got It Bad,'' Usher. Arista.
2. ``How You Remind Me,'' Nickelback. Roadrunner.
3. ``Always On Time,'' Ja Rule (feat. Ashanti). Murder Inc.
4. ``Get The Party Started,'' Pink. Arista.
5. ``My Sacrifice,'' Creed. Wind-up.
(From Billboard magazine)
1. ``Weathered,'' Creed. Wind-up. (Platinum - certified sales of 1 million units)
2. ``(Hybrid Theory),'' Linkin Park. Warner Bros. (Platinum)
3. ``Word Of Mouf,'' Ludacris. Disturbing Tha Peace. (Platinum)
4. ``Silver Side Up,'' Nickelback. Roadrunner. (Platinum)
5. ``Stillmatic,'' Nas. Ill Will. (Platinum)
(From Billboard magazine)
The Top Fives in TV, Movies, Music
New Reality-Show On MTV
''The Osbournes''
Forty years after Ozzie Nelson and and his squeaky-clean family dominated TV comes a new Ozzy - the bat-biting rock
star - and his family.
MTV is getting ready to debut a new reality-show called "The Osbournes" starring Ozzy Osbourne, the tattooed former
frontman for Black Sabbath, who now - at age 53 - is struggling to make sense of life with his two teenage children,
his 16-year-old daughter Kelly and 15-year-old son Jack.
"There's one episode when Kelly comes home with a tattoo," says MTV programming chief Brian Graden. "And Ozzy gets
pretty upset about this even though he's covered from head to toe in tattoos."
MTV execs have labeled "The Osbournes" an unprecedented reality "sitcom" in which the network sent a camera crew
to camp out at the Osbourne's Beverly Hills home.
The crew gets nearly unlimited access to the hard rocker's family and their daily lives.
The show debuts on March 5 at 10:30 p.m. after "The Real World."
''The Osbournes''
Serial Philanderer To Be Deified In Film
Rudy Giuliani
A film company has purchased the rights to a biography of former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and is expected
to make Giuliani's story into a television movie.
The company, Five Mile River Films, bought the screen rights to ``Rudy Giuliani: Emperor of the City,'' by Andrew
Kirtzman, a political correspondent for local TV station New York 1. The purchase price wasn't disclosed.
Actors mentioned for the role of Giuliani include Robert Duvall, Daniel Travanti and James Woods. Kagan said no actor had been chosen.
Five Mile River previously has produced television movies about Biblical figures, including ``Abraham,'' ``Moses,'' ``David,'' and ``Jesus.''
Rudy Giuliani
Young Entrepreneur
Free Winona
A T-shirt printed with a drawing of actress Winona Ryder and the slogan "Free Winona" is pictured in this udated publicity photograph. A Los Angeles boutique is selling the shirt as part of a grass roots political campaign regarding Ryder's recent arrest on suspicion of shoplifting at the Beverly Hills Saks Fifth Avenue store.
A new grass roots political campaign has been spreading in Los Angeles and around the world like
an e-mail chain letter: a call to ``free'' actress Winona Ryder.
The 30-year-old ``Girl Interrupted'' star, arrested on suspicion of shoplifting in a posh Beverly Hills Saks Fifth Avenue
store last month, is free on $20,000 bail. She has been accused, but not formally charged, of removing security tags from
nearly $5,000 worth of clothing and accessories and stuffing them into a shopping bag.
In addition to the ``Free Winona'' shirts, sea monkeys, '70s kitsch, ruffled underwear, and ``Trailer Trash'' fashion
dolls he sells a recently created shirt bearing an Enron-esque logo with devilish horns and a tail that reads ``Enron -- evildoer''.
``I like doing the political stuff,'' Tsangares said. ``Enron put themselves in a vulnerable position because they
ripped off the public. You can't find this stuff in a gentrified mall.''
Winona, though, ``She's like royalty,'' Tsangares said. ``I think people find it shocking she would be accused of
a crime like this, someone who is the equivalent of a young princess.''
'Free Winona'
Non-Drinker
Robert Altman
76-year-old director Robert Altman admits that he tokes up daily.
"I stopped drinking because of my heart," he tells Britain's Telegraph. "At the end of the day you want to have a
laugh and sit down and smoke a joint, which I do every day of my life."
In between puffs, Altman has been lining up another all-star ensemble for his next film, "Voltage." Joaquin Phoenix,
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Steve Buscemi, Harry Belafonte, William H. Macy and Liv Tyler have signed on to this satire
about a harried engineering-school grad working at a defense firm on Long Island.
Robert Altman
BC Entertainment Favorite Link
TV News Reader Version Of Musical Chairs
Connie Chung
The music stopped again in the game of musical chairs among television newscasters with Connie Chung getting her own
prime-time show on CNN, the latest of several moves to revamp the 24-hour news channel in the face of stiff competition
from Fox News and other networks.
After a four-year stint with ABC News, Chung, whose career has been marked with both high praise and scathing criticism,
will host a nightly 8 p.m. show starting this spring, replacing Greta Van Susteren, who left CNN for archrival Fox News.
CNN lured newscaster Paula Zahn away from Fox News last year, amid charges that Zahn broke her contract with Fox. which
is controlled by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.
CNN, which is owned by AOL Time Warner Inc., also recently hired former MTV correspondent Serena Altschul in an effort to gain a younger viewership.
The format of Chung's new show, which will compete with Fox's popular ``O'Reilly Factor,'' has yet to be determined. ''It's virtually
unheard of to do this kind of prime time news program,'' Chung said. ``This is a real opportunity to do what CNN does best. We'll
take the top news of the day. We'll do interviews. We'll debate the issues. We'll do live reports. It will be a full range of things.''
Connie Chung
'Friends' Newest Friend?
Lauren Bush
A new friend dropped by the ``Friends'' set: Lauren Bush, the fashion-model niece of President Bush.
The teen-age Bush was a guest of the show last week, a spokesman for the NBC sitcom said Tuesday. She may pop up
as an extra in an upcoming episode.
Bush, whose father, Neil, is the president's younger brother, has appeared in photo shoots for Vanity Fair and Vogue magazines.
Neil's Daughter
Lauren's Daddy
Neil
JEDDAH, 22 January — Neil Bush, brother of US President George Bush, said here yesterday that the distorted image of
the Arab world could be removed through the sustained lobbying of US politicians.
Go ahead, read the rest...Neil cost us
all a few bucks in the S & L debacle under 41's administration, wonder what he's gonna cost us this time?
Receiving Honorary Academy Award
Sidney Poitier
Sidney Poitier, who won an Oscar for his role in the 1963 film "Lilies of the Field," will receive an honorary
Academy Award at this year's ceremony.
The honor bestowed by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' board of governors recognizes Poitier "for
his extraordinary performances and unique presence on the screen" and for representing the industry with "dignity,
style and intelligence."
The award will be presented March 24, academy President Frank Pierson said Wednesday.
Poitier's long career also has included an Oscar nomination for "The Defiant Ones," and distinctive roles in such
films as "Blackboard Jungle," "To Sir, with Love," "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner," "A Raisin in the Sun" and "In
the Heat of the Night."
Sidney Poitier
California Senate Bill 1246 (SB 1246)
Musicians Unite
Don Henley, Sheryl Crow, Carole King and other recording artists announced their support Wednesday for a bill before
the state Legislature that would repeal a part of the labor code tying singers to long recording contracts.
The 1987 amendment exempts the $41 billion-record industry from part of the state's labor laws that concern personal
services, such as those for entertainers. The recording industry says, however, that the exception is necessary in a
business that takes big risks to entertain the world.
Currently, all workers in California except recording artists have the right to terminate their personal-sevice contracts
after seven years. Recording artists say the time it takes to turn out the industry-standard of seven albums means they
frequently spend 14 years or more with the same label.
During Wednesday's announcement at the state Capitol, the room filled with artists and supporters such as Beck, the
Deftones, Stevie Nicks, Dexter Holland of the Offspring and members of the American Federation of Radio and Television
Artists and the American Federation of Musicians. Murray said that the turnout "gives a good indication" of the support for the bill.
Musicians Unite To Repeal CA Law
Recording Artists Coalition Web site
California Senate Bill 1246 (SB 1246)
This Is 620 Carats, Uncut
Uncut Diamond
A South Korean woman looks at an uncut 620 carat diamond, Sefadu, displayed at a local jeweller's store in Seoul
January 14, 2002. The local jeweller rented the jewel from American diamond company, Lazare Kaplan, for two-weeks
to be display in South Korea. The priceless Sefadu was discovered in the Repulic of Sierra Leone in 1970 and is the
largest one in existence in the world, Lazare Kaplan said.
Photo by Lee Jae-won
Hollywood's 115th Birthday Next Month
Johnny Grant
Hollywood is celebrating its 115th birthday next month by saluting the entertainment mecca's No. 1 cheerleader - honorary
mayor Johnny Grant - with a one-of-a-kind star in the Walk of Fame.
Grant's star in front of the new Kodak Theatre will feature a unique emblem depicting what is described as the Great Seal
of Hollywood - a shield depicting landmarks like the Hollywood sign and Hollywood Bowl.
A celebrity-soaked Feb. 1 unveiling ceremony will include Red Buttons, Angie Dickinson, Rhonda Fleming, Leeza Gibbons,
David Hasselhoff, Florence Henderson, Anne Jeffreys, Casey Kasem, Martin Landau, Piper Laurie, Janet Leigh, Garrett
Morris, Rip Taylor, Robert Stack, Connie Stevens, Dick Van Dyke, Betty White, Billy Dee Williams and others.
The Honorary Mayor Of Hollywood, Johnny Grant
Character Development
Rosie O'Donnell
Rosie O'Donnell will guest-star in an upcoming episode of the Emmy-winning sitcom 'Will & Grace' as the former flame
of Jack McFarland (played by Sean Hayes). In the orginal script, Rosie gave birth to a baby boy by McFarland before
both characters discovered they were gay. But, after Rosie accepted the role, the show's creators changed Rosie's role
to heterosexual. When O'Donnell heard about the sexual switcheroo, say our sources, she insisted her character be
changed back to gay. Regarding the character's sexual orientation, Rosie's rep tells us: "The character was always
supposed to be straight. But when she sat down with the producers they all felt that it would be funnier if her character was a lesbian." Got it?
Rosie O'Donnell
In The Kitchen With BartCop & Friends
Lots More Product Placement
``Survivor: Marquesas''
The best player may win $1 million in the next edition of the hit CBS ``Survivor'' series, but less adaptable contestants
could console themselves with shoes, cell phones, soft drinks and even a car.
The network said Tuesday that seven major companies have signed on as ``integrated marketing partners'' for ``Survivor: Marquesas,''
meaning their products could pop up anywhere in the hit reality set to premiere Feb. 28.
The list of big-name sponsors includes such industry giants as Reebok, Visa, Adolph Coors, Sierra Mist/Pepsi, General
Motors, Cingular Wireless and Masterfoods USA.
All sponsors will be guaranteed exclusivity on the show for their product category, as well as logo inclusion in
all ''Survivor'' print ads and product placement where applicable.
For its fourth edition, ``Survivor'' was filmed on Nuku Hiva, the largest island in the Marquesas archipelago of French Polynesia.
``Survivor: Marquesas''
Some Sort Of Trend?
Sean Penn
Forget gladiators and glittering divas - mentally challenged characters are Hollywood's biggest trend this year.
In addition to likely Oscar-contender "I Am Sam," starring Sean Penn, about a developmentally impaired person, two movies
that premiered at Sundance - Brian Austin Green's "Ronnie" and Christina Ricci's "Pumpkin" - are both about people
with average I.Q.'s seducing mentally handicapped hotties.
Tom Hanks isn't the only actor who turned a dim-witted role into Oscar gold. In 1968, Cliff Robertson grabbed the Best Actor
trophy for "Charly" and Dustin Hoffman got one for "Rain Man" in 1988. In between, Mickey Rooney scored a Golden Globe
in 1981 for his part as a slow old man in "Bill."
But Penn's stab at the genre has shocked many of his strongest supporters.
"Why is Sean Penn doing this c- - -?" demands Paper magazine reviewer Dennis Dermody, who calls "I Am Sam" a
"tear-jerking turd of a film."
The craze for "special" characters has even spilled over onto the small screen. On Tuesday, Cinemax premieres "How's
Your News?" - a documentary about reporters afflicted with Down's syndrome who "traverse the U.S. doing interviews."
The documentary, which is said to be quite funny, was produced by "South Park" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone.
Sean Penn
A Very Special Bonus
From BartCop
Special Bonus From BartCop
Indiana Jones and the Big Sequel
Harrison Ford
It's almost time for Harrison Ford to start dusting off the old fedora.
Indiana Jones is definitely coming back for a fourth installment.
A spokesman for Steven Spielberg confirmed Tuesday that the director and fellow Indiana Jones mastermind George Lucas have come
up with a story, and Ford has agreed to reprise his famous role.
Spielberg, meanwhile, is quoted as saying he was planning on beginning the fourth Indiana Jones feature as soon as he wraps Catch
Me If You Can, an action-comedy starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks slated to hit theaters in December.
However, Spielberg's publicist now says that while the talent is onboard, there are still some kinks to iron out.
The odds are good, though, that the team will reunite sooner rather than later. Daily Variety reports Spielberg has dropped
plans to direct Memoirs of a Geisha, a project he had long been flirting with, and will now produce Columbia Pictures' adaptation
of Arthur S. Golden's bestseller instead.
The big question mark is how much input Lucas will have. Beyond helping out on the story, reps for Lucasfilm could not
confirm Lucas' participation. The filmmaker has been busy writing and helming the Star Wars prequels, the last of which
won't hit screens until 2005.
Harrison Ford
Thanks to Alex for this contribution!
Rerunning Elections Earlier Than Expected
Screen Actors Guild
The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) will launch the rerun elections earlier than expected, setting Feb. 11 as the date for sending out
ballots and March 8 as the return deadline. Results will be announced that evening.
The union's elections committee had said two weeks ago that ballots should be mailed out on or before March 15 with an April 10 return deadline.
Although SAG had no comment about the date change, the move is believed to reflect a desire to complete the contest prior to
March 10's TNT telecast of the SAG Awards, since the guild president gives a speech at the ceremonies. If the campaign has
not been completed at that point, the TV appearance could give the president a distinct advantage over the other candidates.
Melissa Gilbert, who won the presidency, will run again against Valerie Harper, Eugene Boggs and Angeltompkins.
Secretary Elliott Gould will run against Renee Aubry and Kevin Kilner, while treasurer Kent McCord will run against
Amy Aquino and Kathleen Haigney.
Screen Actors Guild
Made $48 Million On The Deal!
Mariah Carey
Pop diva Mariah Carey found herself out of a job on Wednesday when record company EMI paid her $28 million to walk away from
the biggest recording contract of all time, in a move to cut costs.
British-based EMI Group confirmed weeks of speculation that it was severing ties with the U.S. vocalist after signing her to
its Virgin Records label in a mammoth deal last year, only to see her first release ``Glitter'' sell a mere 2 million copies.
Some analysts questioned whether EMI was being rash in scrapping the star after one ill-fated album, given that she still
ranks as one of the top selling artists of all time.
EMI also recently parted ways with costly rock legend David Bowie and Levy had been in negotiations for some time to
offload Carey -- a relic of his predecessor Ken Berry who was sacked last year after failing revive EMI's fading U.S. business.
EMI had gone to great efforts to kill recent speculation about Carey's contract and denied earlier this month that it
had paid or agreed to pay Carey a lump sum to get rid of her.
Mariah Carey
Rambo, Rocky & The Future
Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Stallone would love to bring Rocky and Rambo back to the silver screen -- but at the age of 55, the
Hollywood star fears his chances are slim.
Stallone confirmed he had approached Hollywood studios about reviving his superhero Rambo and said: ``What I did
suggest was to have Rambo go into Afghanistan and rescue five girls.
``It would have been too much to have Rambo go in and kill Osama bin Laden I suppose. It would be an insult to
every military guy. This time I don't see Rambo going it alone.''
His other great ambition is to film Rocky 6 about the gritty boxer he immortalized in a string of hit films.
Sylvester Stallone
Currently, 'Rosie' Airs On NBC In LA
Rosie To Caroline
Rosie O'Donnell may be leaving her talk show at the end of this season, but the future is nevertheless looking rosy for
the popular -- and sometimes controversial -- program.
In a bid to keep the ``Oprah'' alternative alive after Rosie's departure, Telepictures Productions, which makes the show,
said last summer that actress-comedian Caroline Rhea was being tapped to take over as host.
But the fate of the new show -- tentatively titled ``The Caroline Rhea Show'' -- remained in limbo until this week when
Telepictures said that eight key ABC affiliates that currently carry ``The Rosie O'Donnell Show'' have agreed to
take the revamped version with Rhea.
Stations that have agreed to carry the show include ABC affiliates in New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Houston.
The series also has been sold in several other major markets, including Phoenix, San Diego, Kansas City and Las Vegas.
A Telepictures spokesman said the company is hoping to secure similar commitments from stations in Los Angeles and
Chicago in the next few days.
The Canadian-born Rhea, meanwhile, is a comedian perhaps best known for her regular appearances on the current rendition
of the TV game show ``Hollywood Squares'' and her role on the WB television series ``Sabrina, the Teenage
Witch,'' where she plays Aunt Hilda.
Rosie To Caroline
More Prelude To The Olympics
Donny and Marie Osmond
Utah natives Donny and Marie Osmond will be among those carrying the Olympic torch on the final stage of its relay
to Salt Lake City for the opening ceremony of the 2002 Winter Games, officials announced Wednesday.
But officials refuse to disclose the identity of the person who will carry the torch into the stadium for the opening ceremony on February 8.
The Olympic Flame will enter the state of Utah at sunrise on February 4 near the Delicate Arch, an icon for the state, in Arches
National Park near Moab. The flame will be carried by an American Indian.
Other celebrities who will carry the torch through the state of Utah include former Utah Jazz and NBA star Thurl Bailey,
former professional baseball player Dale Murphy, Olympic track athlete Henry Marsh and retired Brigham Young
University football coach LaVell Edwards.
Donny and Marie Osmond
Gee, Osmonds representing Utah...I'm shocked!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Missing Chagall Found?
''Study for 'Over Vitebsk'''
A painting believed to be a Marc Chagall work stolen last year from the Jewish Museum in New York City turned up at
a postal installation in Topeka, Kan., the FBI said Tuesday.
Agents said the 8-by-10-inch oil is probably the French-Russian painter's ``Study for `Over Vitebsk,''' valued
at about $1 million.
The work was stolen after a party at the museum June 8. A group calling itself the International Committee for Art
and Peace later said the painting would be returned only after the Israelis and Palestinians made peace.
A package recently declared undeliverable at a postal facility in St. Paul, Minn., was shipped to another installation
in Topeka, where such mail is opened for identification. Workers there noticed the painting's backside bore stickers
from several museums and looked on the FBI's web site, where they found a listing for the stolen Chagall,
prompting them to call authorities.
The 1914 painting, which had been at the New York museum on loan from a private collection in Russia, shows an old
man floating above a village with a walking stick and beggar's sack. It was a practice work for a larger, similar
piece called ``Over Vitebsk'' done the same year.
The painting is now headed to New York for further authentication.
''Study for 'Over Vitebsk'''
NO LONGER MISSING?
Marc Chagall's "Study for 'Over Vitebsk'"
