Did anyone watch?
Betty White solidified her status as TV’s golden girl of the moment by drawing big ratings for her Mother’s Day hosting gig on Saturday Night Live. [The episode] averaged an 8.8 household rating/21 share in the metered markets. That is SNL’s highest rating in 18 months
(via Deadline)
A new song has leaked from Christina Aguilera’s long-awaited fourth LP called “WooHoo” featuring rapper Nicki Minaj. This is the fourth song we’ve heard off Bionic, which comes out June 8th.
There was Not Myself Tonight, which I liked but isn’t great, then there was Bionic and You Lost Me both which I loved–but we only have bootleg live performances of. I hope this becomes a single, Christina really should tap into the urban market. If you want to listen to the new “WooHoo” track produced by Polow Da Don, click below.
Last week when the reports surfaced of actress Nicolette Sheridan filing a lawsuit against Marc Cherry (creator of the show) and ABC because of treatment she received on the set of Desperate Housewives, I shrugged. It seemed like a bitter axed actress who wanted to get back at her former employer for terminating her from one of the biggest gigs in television. Though when I read that part of her lawsuit pertained to reportedly being slapped by Cherry it raised my eyebrow.
I remember hearing rumors a year or so ago about there being a big blow up on set resulting in him slapping her in the face, but it seemed so ridiculous no one believed it. Of course now it seems there may be some truth to it all this time later. Not only has Nicollette cited it in her lawsuit, but former cast-mate Eva Longoria has confirmed that the incident did in fact happen, though according to her not necessarily maliciously.
The new season of HBO’s mega-hit True Blood isn’t too far away and gay creator Alan Ball is throwing us a bone (no pun intended) on a new character named Alcide who, in true True Blood is shirtless quite often, and even has a nude scene. ‘Cause you know, it’s HBO.
“There is definitely some [sexual] energy between the two of them. It’s not like either one of them is looking for romance, but they’re thrown into several intense situations [and] it’s hard not to bond on a deeper level.
The first shirtless scene [Joe] had I was like, ‘Who has those abs?’ He’s in crazy peak physical condition. He’s eating nothing but pure protein. And of course, this being True Blood, he’s already shot his first naked scene. Hello, werewolves when they shift — no clothes!”
The third season premiere airs June 12th. Set your tivos!
P.S. Anna Paquin recently revealed in a PSA that she is bisexual.
The issue has been talked about many times before, by Women and Hollywood blogger Melissa Silverstein as well as many other prominent female writers/directors/producers who struggle to get financing for their films. But it’s rare that young actresses are so vocal about the social inequities for women when it comes to Hollywood.
Oscar nominee Ellen Page spoke out in an interview with The Guardian about the difference between being pro-choice and pro-abortion as well as about the unfairness female-centric films encounter when they aren’t successful.
I am a feminist and I am totally pro-choice, but what’s funny is when you say that people assume that you are pro-abortion. I don’t love abortion but I want women to be able to choose and I don’t want white dudes in an office being able to make laws on things like this. I mean what are we going to do – go back to clothes hangers?
If there’s a movie starring a man that tanks, then I don’t see an article about the fact that the movie starred a man and that must be why it bombed. Then a film comes out where a woman is in the lead, or a movie comes out where a bunch of girls are roller derbying, and it doesn’t make much money and you see articles about how women can’t carry a film.
I love it. I loved Whip It, and I love Ellen Page.
A new trailer for the Phillip Noyce-directed action/thriller Salt just debuted a few days ago and thus far the film seems to be getting pretty good buzz. It stars Angelina Jolie and Liev Shreiber. Here’s the plot summary:
As a CIA officer, Evelyn Salt swore an oath to duty, honor and country. Her loyalty will be tested when a defector accuses her of being a Russian spy. Salt goes on the run, using all her skills and years of experience as a covert operative to elude capture. Salt’s efforts to prove her innocence only serve to cast doubt on her motives, as the hunt to uncover the truth behind her identity continues and the question remains: “Who is Salt?”
To be honest the film doesn’t excite me very much. I’m not a huge Angelina Jolie fan. I think she’s one of the most overrated actresses in Hollywood. I do think she’s talented, but in limited roles. Girl, Interrupted and Gia for example, she was fantastic. Life or Something Like It, not so much.
That said, I’m all about more action films starring women, and Jolie is one of the few women in Hollywood who is actually bankable when it comes to these types of films. And I did love Wanted (which apparently has a sequel in the works, though she declined to be a part of it).
Here’s the trailer.
Desperate Housewives‘ writer/producer Alexandra Cunningham just inked a seven figure deal with NBC to develop new original programming.
Newly discovered letters have revealed the man who inspired the film The English Patient was gay in real life, and in fact in love with a Nazi.
Feministing asks ‘Can we stop pretending beautiful women aren’t beautiful’?, in reference to the trend in television where beautiful actresses play “ugly” characters.
Apparently D.C. has an all male production of Grease currently running, production courtesy of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington D.C.
Shana Feste, writer and director of new Susan Sarandon/Pierce Brosnan film The Greatest talks about the challenges of getting a film made as a female director.
Matt Dillon says in Italian Vanity Fair that he’d love to play gay, stating that there’s already too many limits on him, he doesn’t put any on himself.
The New York Times has an interesting map that shows the best places in Manhattan to catch a cab. It varies depending on time of day.
Donna Langley, actresses Courteney Cox and Zoe Saldana and director of photography Cynthia Pusheck to be honored at Women in Film awards.
Shooting is nearly finished for Burlesque, a contemporary musical that focuses on a neo-burlesque club in Los Angeles, loosely inspired by Bob Fosse’s Cabaret. Entertainment Tonight recently sat down with the cast to get the scoop on what the movie’s about and what it’s like working with the legendary Cher. The film stars a league of notable actors such as Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars, Couples Retreat), Eric Dane (Grey’s Anatomy), Cam Gigandet (Twilight), the now Oscar-nominated Stanley Tucci (The Devil Wears Prada, The Lovely Bones), and Alan Cumming (X-Men 2). That’s not to mention two powerhouse pop divas who co-headline the film, Cher and Christina Aguilera, both of whom will be singing in the film.
Burlesque marks Cher’s first real role in about 10 years, minus a small cameo in 2003’s Stuck On You, and Christina Aguilera’s big screen debut. The movie focuses on a fledgling burlesque club owned by Tess (Cher) in which Nikki (Bell) is the premier dancer. Ali leaves her small midwestern town and heads to L.A. where she discovers the club, and turns everything around for Tess when she’s given a chance to perform and blows everyone away.
It’s been ten years since Aguilera’s debut album and she’s had plenty of opportunities to do films but has held off until now. Unlike contemporaries such as Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, and Beyonce, after all this time she has yet to appear in any feature films because she was waiting for just the right project. She told Marie Claire in January, “I didn’t want to do something that was easy for me. I’ve actually had my character rewritten to be tougher and a little more spunky.” Aguilera also tells Entertainment Tonight, “I’ve always had tremendous respect for [Cher]. A woman who’s done everything before anyone did it.”
Plenty of pop stars have tried foraying into acting and it didn’t turn out very well. Mariah Carey and Madonna come to mind among many others whose acting projects have become infamous and earned them Razzie nominations. When asked about Christina’s acting chops, Cher had glowing things to say. “I’m shocked, but she’s really good. And the other day we were hamming it up so badly, it was so old — like vaudevillians we might as well have been. And she was keeping up. I mean she was hot. She was really up there. Her game is good.”
Aguilera and Cher recently made an appearance at the Golden Globes to do some early film promotion (Burlesque hits theaters Thanksgiving weekend) which created quite the buzz as both women have been known to do. Certainly Screen Gems is hoping the women will be able to return to the ceremony next January as nominees. With such talented actors and a script by Erin Brockovich scribe Susannah Grant, it isn’t a long shot to predict it just might happen.
Below is the full Entertainment Tonight interview with the cast of Burlesque.
A look back at several prime-time moments from American network television over the past 25 years reflecting changes in portrayal of gay male characters in prime-time soaps.
It would be interesting to look at which has portrayed the lgbt community better–primetime soaps or daytime soaps. If Young and the Restless is any indication, I’m going with the former.
New research reveals–not surprisingly–that female writers, directors, producers, etc. fare better in the world of indie films–though still make up only about 24% of the field.
KRS-ONE says hip-hop needs more women. I’m not sure what happened to female rappers. We used to have Queen Latifah, Lil’ Kim, MC Lyte, where’d everyone go?
In its first weekend, the Michael Jackson documentary This Is It grossed over $100 million dollars across the globe, with 21.3% of it coming from the U.S.
A gay man in Karachi, Pakistan was beaten to death after being caught with another man in his home by an angry mob.
Oprah says audiences may not “enjoy” the gritty Lee Daniels film Precious but she says people will appreciate the experience. The film opens on November 6.
West Hollywood, a gay hotspot in California, is trying really hard to reach out to gay and lesbian tourists in order to boost revenue for the city.
Black comedian Wanda Sykes is being criticized for using white sperm to impregnate her white wife–the couple now have two white babies.
Are the Bonobo apes riot grrls? An article about whether the primates known for living in an unusually matriarchal structure are feminist friendly.
