Obama Sits Courtside at NBA Game. Cooler than Kennedy?

February282009
From Associated Press/ESPN.com/Fox Sports.com
By Talent Network News-Frank Murgia
---

President Obama sat courtside at an NBA game last evening. My first thought when viewing the photos was ‘man is this guy cool.’ Not since President John F. Kennedy hanging with the rat pack have we seen this connection with the White House and the Hollywood. I love the fact that he is not wearing a suit and tie. He is wearing hip all-black casual clothes, drinking a beer sitting front row courtside. The guy is just like Jack Nicholson at a Lakers game and Will Ferrell at a Knicks game. Just kicking it looking just as cool as can be taking in a hoops game. To take a line from a song by “Outkast.” President Obama looked ‘Cooler than Freddie Jackson Sippin’ a Milkshake.’

It is just fantastic that our Prez is almost bigger than Jesus. It is a good feeling. The dude always looks in control and unfazed and is always in public and always making speeches to get his word out to let us have more access to what he is trying to do and explaining his game plan as well as always there to accept blame and explain things.

Just fantastic. Obama - 44

P.S. - What ever happened to Outkast?


The STORY…

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama took a break from politics Friday to sit courtside at a basketball game between his hometown team Chicago Bulls and the Washington Wizards.

Officials slightly delayed the game, waiting for his entrance. Once he entered, fans gave him a standing ovation and flashed their cameras.

The president pumped his fist and grinned when the Bulls scored some of their points. But he was largely subdued, clapping politely, with his Chicago team losing for much of the game.

Obama sat courtside across the court from the Wizards in seats that are usually taken by season ticket holders. White House senior adviser David Axelrod chose his seat in another section right before Obama entered. Once the game was under way, Obama chatted much of the time with a Chicago friend, and shook hands with fans as they passed in front of him.

Associated Press writer Howard Fendrich contributed to this report.


The PHOTO’s…









Photos: Evan Vucci, Associated Press, FOX Sports.com

25 MORE COOL PHOTOS OF PRESIDENT OBAMA AT THE GAME HERE

Evangeline Lilly Being Killed off LOST?

February272009
From Heckler Spray.com
By Stuart Heritage
---

UPDATE: Lost: Evangeline Lilly Is Keeping Her Job (Yay!)

Evangeline Lilly About To Die A Horrible Lost Death?

Evangeline Lilly plays a big part on Lost, specifically the part of the pretty girl who can’t convey emotion too well.

But no actor is safe on Lost. Just look at what the show did to Charlie. Or Mr Eko. Or that moany bloke who blew himself up with dynamite. Any Lost character can bite it at any point - and recently there’s been speculation about Evangeline Lilly getting the chop soon.

But relax, because Evangeline Lilly’s rep has denied everything, hinting that she’ll stay on Lost until the last episode, when the smoke monster will kill her. Oh, spoiler alert.

Regardless of how brain-crampingly intellectual Lost gets, it’s a safe bet that every six weeks or so we’ll get an episode about Evangeline Lilly whining and looking a bit arsey and getting off with Jack or Sawyer or Anonymous Policeman Husband Number One or Ben. Oh, spoiler alert. Anyway, Evangeline Lilly’s episodes always ground Lost when it threatens to get all out of hand.

Which is why it was so weird that reports started emerging yesterday stating that Lost was going to kill off Evangeline Lilly and that she was already looking for other work. Zap2it reported:

Rumor has it, Kate might not live “ever after” at all. Solid sources tell me exclusively that Evangeline Lilly is auditioning for pilots … pilots that are intended to launch this fall. And Ms. Lilly’s people apparently told producers she will be available. Say wha–??

Evangeline Lilly’s rep has issued a statement claiming that any rumours of her leaving Lost before it finishes have no validity whatsoever. So it looks like Evangeline Lilly will remain a part of Lost right up until the end, then.

ALL OF OUR ARCHIVED & UP-TO-DATE LOST POSTINGS HERE ON OUR 'LOST' PAGE

LOST (My Mind) - My Theory on "Lost"

February262009
From Talent NETWORK NEWS
By John Piermarini, Lost Theorist
---

LOST (My Mind)

Let me start by saying that I am new to ABC Television’s hit drama “Lost.” I did the DVD marathon of the first four seasons of the show in a five-week span. I am now caught up and on schedule for my weekly dose of mind-bending minutia.

My initial prediction to this coo-coo for coco puffs story was that the members of Oceanic flight 815 were stuck in purgatory. Ooh samsonite, I was way off! Aren’t you glad your listening to me for new "Lost" theories? But stick with me I have a good vibe about this one. Before you get your panties all in a knot, I am indeed going off a few tidbits from theories I have read, all of which I don’t agree with completely but do like a few things I have seen and of course spread all over with my own theories for that special taste that goes down smooth. Sorry to make it all about me.



It’s early and I am still hung over from the night before so let’s keep it simple. The “incident” that occurred on the Island before Oceanic flight 815 was a time warp. During that warp Ben was witness to the future. When time corrected itself, Ben knew what needed to be done to fix whatever problem he encountered in the future. So what did he need? Jack, John Locke, and the others. What else did he need? An airport runway… that is what the Hydra people were having Kate and Sawyer help build when they were held captive. This same runway was how Ajira Airways landed back on the island. But don’t worry there’s more. Christmas came late, ya’ll! We have touched on a broad theory here but like Jacques Cousteau once may have said to his underachieving son, “That’s not deep enough.” On to the next station.

John Locke received a compass from Richard Alpert during one of the trippy time warps. Here is a time warp of our own (Remember, I began my Lost viewing pattern as a marathon so I won’t be able to give details as to when I specifically saw something so don’t sue me.) In one of the first few seasons Locke was leading a team of Oceanic survivors through the jungle and had a compass. When asked where he got it he mentioned that he “had it on the plane” or something to that effect Well I don’t remember a reason given for why he would be carrying a compass that points to the North on a flight to Los Angeles. That doesn’t make a whole lotta sense, Big Bird. You’re right, Mr. Snuffleupagus. So what was going on there? Hmm… I’m going use Step One from my brand-new, unwritten pamphlet called, “Use Your Brain, John” and see what I can surmise. Theory part II: Everything we have seen as a viewer Locke has already lived. We are watching him do it for the second time. Makes sense now that he always had all the right answers and how he saw the “eye of the island” and it’s beautiful. Locke also seems to get his legs taken from under him (literally) and I believe that is the island punishing him for going off course, when he finds the “right” way or as I see it the way he went during his first go around on the island his legs are finally given back to him. Locke knows the ending already (jealous?) Something also tells me Locke may have made his way BACK ON the island using Oceanic flight 815 (Caps are for emphasis and those that might be reading this from across the room.) Locke used the term “leap of faith” more times than I picked out the marshmallows out of the Lucky Charms box and then who do we hear say it? You in the back! Yes, Mrs. Hawking. Could that have been who helped Locke back onto the island and onto flight 81-fizive? Wow, this not-yet-written pamphlet works! Now it could all be wrong, so let’s not start kissing each other just yet.

Theory Tres: Christian Shepard lived on the island before his dead carcass dropped from the sky with the rest of the Oceanic passengers. I will call this the John Lock syndrome. Die. Wake up reborn on the island. Sometimes I feel like this when the drunk goggle girl doesn’t spend the night. But what was Christian’s purpose in leaving the island? To bring Jack! Again, just like John Locke, Christian gave the ultimate sacrifice in order to get Jack on the island. I’m starting to think the island is somehow connected to the Shepard name, including “Grand Dad” Shepard. I’ll even go as far as say that “Grand Dad” attempted an escape because he knew Jack would show up and find Christian’s shoes. Don’t you remember Jack saying that it had been 3 years and didn’t know how he could find something to duplicate his father on the plane. My other thought (sometimes my thoughts even play with each other when I am not looking) is that “Grand Dad” isn’t his Grandfather. “Grand Dad” is Jack helping younger Jack find his way. Crizzap, I can’t give a good explanation why but I remember reading that theory and liked it. Back to our regularly scheduled blogging…I could be wrong here but if I recall correctly, and I usually don’t, I remember Jack recalling how his father was always “gone” while growing up. Why was his father a drunk, you ask? Same reason Jack was addicted to those pretty little pills. You know being chief surgeon means you sure do know a lot about medicine, healing, etc. and could be the reason why he was wanted on the island. Boo boo boooo ya!

Final theory friends. I haven’t completely answered some of my own questions but my questions are answers. Mind triiiiiiiiiiip. Dharma’s main purpose and now Ben’s purpose is exploiting the island for its resources while trying to convince the Oceanic 6 that they should keep this all a secret. Widmore is no more the hero or evil he just doesn’t like Ben pulling rank here. Thus, the fight for the island. Mrs. Hawking is on Ben’s evil team. Poor Widmore doesn’t have one of her on his team; hence he can’t get on the island as he wishes. This Hawking character, how is she evil? She works in a church to the naked eye but what really goes on is down in the basement, a side of her nobody knows (the evil side.) Back to Ben. Maybe Ben’s trying to alter the future, past, and any other time that roams around that little head of his to get his mother back. Or maybe his mother gave him this mission when it was finally “time” to communicate with her which will lead him to where she was headed. Eternal life perhaps. Perhaps, I guess. Now I don’t write the show nor did I create it so how the heck would I know the rest of the story? That’s for all of us to wait for. But quit heckling me I gave you this much. Okay, school’s out, Alice Cooper.

Frank Nicotero a Rising Star on Yahoo.

February262009
From The Wrap.com
By Michael Janofsky
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As host of “Primetime in No Time,” a daily, three-minute romp on Yahoo.com that features clips from the previous night's primetime network shows, Frank Nicotero may be the world’s best-known comedian.

The show has recorded nearly 150 million streams since its debut a year ago, which not only makes him one of the web’s superstars but also gives Yahoo a show that peeks above a sea of professionally produced mediocrity, past and present.

“It’s a reflection of how we are consuming content,’’ said Sibyl Goldman, general manager of Yahoo! Entertainment in Santa Monica. “It provides all the immediacy for being well-versed in popular culture.’’

Why Frank -- a wise-cracking standup comic a certain degree less handsome than Hugh Jackman? For one thing, his zingers are funny. For another, he allows viewers who have neither time nor patience for network primetime to get highlights in one gulp.

Perhaps the biggest factor: Frank has benefit of Big Daddy Yahoo, whose top-rated sites of aggregated news, sports and finance link to him.




Fueled by links on Yahoo’s main page occasionally and the entertainment page regularly, five of his shows have generated 4 million streams or more, led by 5.5 million on July 2 last year, nearly half the audience NBC got for winning the 9-11 time slots the night before.

Last month, he drew 4.8 million the day after the first 2009 episode of “American Idol” and 4.7 million two days earlier, following the Golden Globes.

In these early stages of professionally produced web-entertainment shows, the Yahoo link has proven to be a huge advantage as measured against web-based shows with more targeted audiences, like Aston Kutcher’s “Blah Girls,” an animated site for celebrity gossip, or Next New Networks’ “Pulp Secret,” billed as “the world’s first network dedicated to comic books, news and culture.”

The difference suggests that the current evolutionary phase of web television mirrors television of more than 20 years ago, when cable channels struggled to narrow the dominant reach of the major networks. Even now, while a flattening out is under way, parity remains a ways off.

For now, star brands on the web like Yahoo, Google, AOL and the New York Times draw the biggest audiences and provide a boost to sites linked to them. Thus, an Average Joe like Nicotero, whose show is sponsored by Verizon, can achieve a status he says now he never knew possible.

More narrowly focused websites, like “Scam School” on revision3.com (magicians tricking friends into buying drinks) face higher hurdles in the chicken-or-egg challenge of finding audience and advertisers.

“Yahoo’s home page has 30 million uniques a day, so traffic turns on like a spigot,’’ said Jim Moloshok, executive chairman of Betawave, a digital media company aimed at those aged 6 to 17, and mothers.

“There’s a value of big names attached,’’ said Ryan Barlow, director of distribution and marketing for Michael Eisner’s Tornante Co.

As one example, Barlow cited “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog,’’ a three-episode musical last year from Joss Whedon starring Neil Patrick Harris that achieved a cult-like following because of Whedon’s work on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Firefly.”

But the big name can also be a portal, as Tornante found with two of its original productions, the daily 90-second episodes of “Prom Queen” on MySpace and the twice-weekly “Back on Topps” show on Fox Sports.

“Going forward, I’d love to see us work closer with the Yahoos of the world,” Barlow said.

Yahoo has certainly made a difference for Nicotero, and vice versa, in a way: Most of the recent news involving Yahoo has been bad: The decision to fend off a takeover by Microsoft, a plummeting stock price, fourth quarter losses of $300 million, the shedding of 1,600 jobs, about 10 percent of the company workforce.

Carol Bartz, former president and CEO of Autodesk, a software design company, was named CEO last month, replacing founder Jerry Yang, the leading resister to Microsoft’s bid.

Goldman makes the case for Frank’s show by citing award shows, like the Oscars, that play to smaller audiences than in years past. The 2008 Oscars played to an average 32 million viewers, the least-watched since ratings started; this month’s show improved slightly. She wondered whether people really care about best sound and lifetime achievement awards. Or even how much “American Idol” people really need to see to hold their own on the water-cooler circuit?

“There are 400 channels out there, and there’s always something goofy happening,” Goldman said. “It’s likely you’re not going to see the craziest thing that happened.”

With Frank, you don’t have to.

A standup comedian from Pittsburgh and former host of a syndicated game show, “Street Smarts,’’ Frank got the Yahoo gig through a “casting call” – they looked at a bunch of comedians to promote, before landing on him. Now he watches and records the east coast feeds of primetime shows each night, Sunday through Thursday. Then, as he chooses what moments to parody, Yahoo producers boil it all down to match a script Frank delivers from a living room-like setting.

Nobody is more surprised by his success than Frank, who’s now bumping into viewers who say they recognized him.

“Even when I got this job last year, I

thought it was a step backward for me,’’ he said. “I never thought it would become anything like this. It just blows my mind.”


FRANK NICOTERO LINKS

Frank Nicotero's Primtime TV Blog

Frank Nicotero - Web Site

Frank Nicotero - You Tube

Frank Nicotero - Bookings-Talent Network, inc.

Frank Nicotero - Story Archives

Five Reasons to Love "LOST"

February262009
From Lost Fan.Today.com
By msterri under Meta Edit This
---

The top five reasons why LOST is grand

Frequent commenter Laneerg, who writes, on her Single Frugalton blog, about how to enrich your life with kind deeds and pancakes, honored me with a Life is Grand award. Thanks, Laneerg!

The award is intended to prompt people to count their blessings by writing posts that give five reasons why life is grand.

Being the nerd that I am, I opted to do a nerd version and write five reasons why LOST is grand.

1. It rewards patience. Most TV shows dole out their rewards after 30 minutes or an hour. LOST makes us wait for six years. The best part of anything is the anticipation, and LOST, which has the longest build-up of any show ever, gives us that in spades.

2. It gives us pretty things to look at. While horrific things happen in LOST — you never know who will get a flaming arrow through the chest or an arm torn off by a CGI monster — the scenery is so gorgeous, and the actors so much better-looking than any real-life planeload of passengers, that the show is able to function, among many other things, as a pleasant form of escapism.




3. Many of the actors are amazing. Has any other show, ever, had a better character actor than Michael Emerson (Ben)? It’s thrilling to hear what character actors Emerson, Ken Leung (Miles), and now also Fionnula Flanagan (Eloise Hawking) can do with their lines. Among the more rounded characters, Jorge Garcia (Hurley) and Josh Holloway (Sawyer) also put a distinctive spin on what they say — Dude! Yunjin Kim (Sun) gives a more subtle performance that doesn’t draw attention to itself, but is convincing in its portrayal of a woman who changes from a meek abused wife to a revenge-seeking mogul. I also give credit to the directors here, because when there are so many performances from so many actors that are this good, it’s not a coincidence.

3 (a). The overall quality and attention to detail are outstanding — the writing, the music, the cinematography all are wonderful. It’s the kind of quality I expect from a top-notch movie, not from a TV show.

4. Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof, the producer-writers who are often the public face of LOST, are funny and smart. The first time I heard them do a DVD commentary (which was only recently, as my hard-core LOST nerdism didn’t start until after I began writing this blog), I knew I was in good hands.

5. The show is like a novel on steroids. It packs in almost any big literary theme you could think of — faith versus science, free will versus destiny, redemption, family, love, betrayal, the nature of time, the meaning of death. It has a cast of characters worthy of a sprawling Russian novel. It has more time to develop the characters than even the fattest book. And then it lightens it all up with monsters and shirtless stars.

"LOST" - Episode Theories, Recaps, Breakdowns for "The Life & Death of Jeremy Bentham

February262009
From The World Wide Web
Gathered by talent NETWORK NEWS
---

Here are this weeks "Lost" episode thoughts, theories, breakdowns and recaps for the episode "The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham." Each link has a wealth of information. We hope you link to read then come back for more.

This post will be updated throughout the day as more information comes in so please check back.

From THE TAIL SECTION.com
Once again, Lost provided an episode that absolutely blew my mind and left me speechless.

I guess John Locke was reincarnated or somehow brought back to life, but even that I’m not sure of. Is he real on the Island with Caesar and Ilana?

..this suggests they are immune from the time jumps and are stuck in a fixed timeline on the Island, theoretically putting them some time in 2007 or 2008. But why are the frozen in time while Jack, Kate and Hurley (and possibly more) are jumping with the rest of the survivors?
{Full Story Link}



From E! ONLINE.com- Watch w/ Kristin
Lost Redux: Casualties of the War
...Um, if John Locke came back to life on the Island, does that mean Jack and Claire's dad Christian Shepherd (John Terry) was similarly resurrected, back when Oceanic 815 crashed on Sept. 22, 2004? The mind boggles...
{Full Story Link}



From PUBLISHERS WEEKLY-The Beat
LOST: Which side is the right side?
I think, given the events of tonight’s show, I have finally found a way to encapsulate the Benjamin Linus vs. Charles Widmore struggle.
{Full Story Link}



From THE BIG LEAD.com
Lost: The Indestructible John Locke
Random text from a friend at 10:02 pm: Ash Wednesday, Locke, Jesus.

Who was the woman who was about to be killed in next week’s preview? Sawyer saved her at the last moment, and we watched it over and over in slow motion and all we could see was curly blonde hair. Assuming they are in the past … Charlotte? Eloise Hawking? Charlotte’s mom?
{Full Story Link}



From EW.com (Entertainment Weekly)
'Lost' Recap: Magical Mystery Tour
John's path from the island, to a coffin, and back to the island again is revealed, and we see his sales pitch to Sayid, Hurley, Kate, Jack

Jeremy Bentham, another philosopher name, just like John Locke.

Why does ''Jeremy Bentham'' amuse Widmore so?: And might the name hold a clue to Widmore's sincerity? Consider:
{Full Story Link}



From INFINITE REGRESS.tv
Lost 5.7: Bentham and Ben
question about Ben: if he knew the island would definitely bring Locke back to life, maybe Ben wasn't so evil to kill Locke, after all...

Ben kills Locke! Now, maybe this is part of some more complex master plan, but it sure seems as if Ben doesn't want Locke to interact with Eloise (Faraday's mother), because that could lead to dangerous consequences of some kind for Ben
{Full Story Link}



From MSN.com
Lost' Full Episode Recap: The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham
There's Locke after death
{Full Story Link}



MORE "LOST" LINKS

From E! ONLINE.com
Is Lost's Mrs. Hawking From Another Planet?
Lost fans want to know: Who is Mrs. Eloise Hawking?
{Full Story Link}

From EW.com (Entertainment Weekly)
Totally Lost: Sayid in action?
Doc Jensen and Dan Snierson predict Jack's future, analyze Ms. Hawking, and dial up Team Darlton for teasers on tonight's show
{Video Link}

From EW.com (Entertainment Weekly)
'Lost': The Keys to Locke
Doc Jensen digs into the story of Doubting Thomas and the real life of Jeremy Bentham for enlightenment on themes in this week's episode. Plus: Teases galore, corrections about Narnia, and a new installment of ''Totally Lost''
{Full Story Link}

ALL OF OUR ARCHIVED & UP-TO-DATE LOST POSTINGS HERE ON OUR 'LOST' PAGE

Denny's Offers New Octo-Mom Breakfast. The Octo-Slam

February252009
From Friends of the Network
By Friends of the Network
---

In honor of the mother of the Octuplets, Denny's is offering a new breakfast meal:

The Octo-Slam.
You get fourteen eggs, no sausage, and the guy next to you has to pay the bill.

Slumdog Star Sexy Frieda Pinto Broke Ex-Fiance's Heart. Hates the Movie.

February252009
From The Sun-News of the World
By Jane Atkinson and Gethin Chamberlain
---

Star Freida Pinto's dumped fiance reveals movie stole his happiness

THE heartbroken fiancé of Slumdog Millionaire beauty Freida Pinto today reveals how the film’s success and her “infatuation” with co-star Dev Patel finished their relationship.

Dumped Rohan Antao blames the hit movie and her on-screen lover for wrecking his wedding plans.

As gorgeous Freida (pictured above in USA GQ) prepares to walk down the red carpet at tonight’s Oscars on the arm of the Slumdog star, Rohan told the News of the World: “She ended it with me after getting close to Dev Patel.

“Now everywhere I go I see them on billboards. I am devastated.”

In an exclusive interview Rohan, 24, revealed how Freida:

• FORCED him to keep their engagement secret to boost her career.
• IGNORED his pleas to stop spending so much time with Dev.
• ENDED their 16-month relationship in a phone call while she was promoting Slumdog with her co-star.

The blockbuster—up for ten Oscars— has made overnight global stars of young Londoner Dev and Freida. It tells the story of sweethearts Latika and Jamal, who rises from the slums of Mumbai to win India’s Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? show.

Click here to see more sexy photos of Slumdog Millionaire star Freida Pinto

But Rohan fumed: “I hate the film. It wrecked my relationship. As soon as it became a success and she started spending all her time with Dev, she ended it.”

RED CARPET PAIR: Dev and Freida

Rohan first fell for Freida at university in Mumbai six years ago, where she was studying for an arts BA.

Marketing executive Rohan recalled: “We were from different groups but I thought she was stunning and we had so much in common.

“We spent all our time together, just the two of us. We were a modern couple, so we didn’t need a chaperone.”

In September 2007 they started dating properly. By then Freida, 24, had done an acting course and was working in TV and modelling, appearing in magazines and ads for Wrigley’s chewing gum and Skoda.

Rohan said: “We were from different fields but our friendship and respect for each other made it special. We both agreed we wanted to spend our lives together.”

MUCH MORE on this Story and MORE Photos of Freida

HERE at "The Sun-News of the World"

Paula Abdul Doesn't Like Fourth Judge on American Idol.

February252009
From NY Post.com-TV
By Michael Starr
---

PAULA: FOURTH JUDGE IS MISTAKE

PAULA Abdul isn't too keen on the addition of fourth judge Kara DioGuardi to "American Idol" this season.

It's nothing personal, she says - just business.

"Kara and I have known each other for years and we get along great," Abdul tells the March 9 issue of OK! magazine.

"But we tried four judges before and it doesn't work."

Abdul is referring to Angie Martinez, the Hot 97 DJ who joined "Idol" as a judge before the second season but bailed before the season kicked off.

Abdul also says the extra person disrupts the flow of the show.

"It takes up so much time for each of us to give our opinion that it slows down the pace of the show," she says.

As for her future on "Idol," Abdul is a little more cagey.

"It is the last season of my contract, and I have so many other things I want to do," she says.

Comedian Louis CK Explains that Everything is Amazing and but Nobody is Happy.

February242009
From Usually Barefooot Meg
By Louis CK
---


Comedian Louis CK on Conan O'Brien Explains that Everything is Amazing and but Nobody is Happy.

.

Heath Ledger Wins Oscar, Family Accepts, Crowd Cries. (Video)

February222009
From ABC Television-81st Oscar's
By YouTube
---


Heath Ledger's family accepts his posthumous Best Supporting Actor Award at the 81st Oscar Awards. Tears-a-plenty in the Kodack Theater

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81st Oscars photos, Results, Best 2009 Oscar Moments Video

February232009
From PopSugar.com
By Sugar inc.
---

web site PopSugar.com always has fantastic photo coverage of awards shows. See below along with links to more photos on their site.

The Oscars Brought Laughter, Tears, and Lots of Singing

Last night, the Oscars provided an exciting finale to another awesome award season. We were treated to a new format that kicked off with Hugh Jackman showing off his singing and dancing skills before having fun and joking with the big names of the night. Later on he was joined by Beyonce, Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens and Amanda Seyfried for a fun medley honoring musicals. Jennifer Aniston looked gorgeous onstage and happy sitting next to John, although we were so hoping to see her on the red carpet. Among the big surprises of the night were the presenters — we were treated to sightings of some of our favorites from Reese to Will, with a special shout-out to Ben Stiller for cracking us up with his Joaquin Phoenix impersonation.



View 90 Photos from the whole Oscar telecast HERE

View 180 Photos of the LADIES at the Oscar's HERE

View 115 Photos of the MEN at the Oscar's HERE

More Oscar coverage at the official site of the Oscars HERE

THE COMPLETE LIST OF WINNERS HERE AT OSCAR.COM

Best 2009 Oscar Moments
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Conan O'Brien goes Barbaric on His Stage with an Ax.

February222009
From MSN.com
By NBC-Late Night w/Conan O'Brien
---

Conan says 'goodbye' to New York

NEW YORK (AP) -- Conan O'Brien said goodbye to New York and NBC's "Late Night" by passing out shards of his stage, enjoying one last rub from Will Ferrell and promising fans he wouldn't grow up for an earlier time slot.

O'Brien is heading to Los Angeles, where NBC will fulfill a promise it made five years ago to make him "Tonight" show host. That new gig begins in June.

O'Brien took a sledgehammer and ax to his stage set this week, giving fans souvenirs. On his last show, taped Friday evening and aired at 12:35 a.m. ET, a construction vehicle was used to tear down a pillar of lights, which was cut up offstage.

MORE on this story HERE at MSN.com


FROM THR.com-The Live Feed

Conan O'Brien says goodbye ... for now

Conan O'Brien celebrated his final "Late Night" episode with best-of clips and a touching sendoff that praised future rival David Letterman and thanked his ongoing lead-in Jay Leno.

"He's probably one of the most brilliant broadcasters certainly of the last century, and this century, and for all time," O'Brien said of Letterman, whom he'll face in the fall when O'Brien takes over as "Tonight Show" host. "I have a terrific amount of respect for him and what he did -- he set the bar absurdly high for everybody in my generation who does this."

O'Brien appeared to get choked up as he thanked his crew and writers, as well as NBC executives (clips below).

"Lorne Michaels single-handedly made my career in television," O'Brien said. "I don't know what I did. I must have saved his life at some point. He certainly saved mine."

And regarding Leno, who will launch a new 10 p.m. show on NBC in the fall, O'Brien said: "His success turned into success for us. I owe that man a great deal, (and) I'm thrilled that he will continue to be my lead-in."

Signing off, O'Brien said, "I read that it's time for Conan to grow up because he's going to 11:30, and I assure you ... that's not going to happen."

Last night's final original telecast of "Late Night" delivered the show's highest metered-market household rating since 2006 (2.6 HH rating).

Here's O'Brien's emotional farewell (begins around seven-minute mark), giving thanks to Michaels, Letterman and Leno:

Conan O'Brien Stage Demolition


Conan Thanks Michael's, Lettemrman, leno.


Conan Looks back at some memorable Late Night moments


Will Ferrell as Pres. Bush wishes Conan luck
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The Sensitive Man

February222009
Sent in by friend John Piermarini
By talent network news
---


THE SENSITIVE MAN

A woman meets a man in a bar.

They talk; they connect; they end
up leaving together.

They get back to his place,
and as he shows her around his
apartment.

She notices that one wall of his bedroom
is completely filled with soft, sweet,
cuddly teddy bears.

There are three shelves in the bedroom,
with hundreds and hundreds of cute,
cuddly teddy bears carefully placed
in rows, covering the entire wall!

It was obvious that he had taken
quite some time to lovingly arrange them
and she was immediately touched
by the amount of thought he had
put into organizing the display.

There were small bears all along
the bottom shelf,
medium-sized bears covering the
length of the middle shelf,
and huge, enormous bears running
all the way along the top shelf.

She found it strange for an
obviously masculine guy
to have such a large collection of
Teddy Bears,

She is quite impressed by his
sensitive side,
but doesn't mention this to him.

They share a bottle of wine and
continue talking and,
after awhile, she finds herself
thinking,
'Oh my God! Maybe, this guy
could be the one!

Maybe he could be the future
father of my children?'
She turns to him and kisses him
lightly on the lips..

He responds warmly.
They continue to kiss, the passion builds,
and he romantically lifts her in
his arms and carries her into his bedroom
where they rip off each other's clothes and make hot, steamy love.

She is so overwhelmed that she
responds with more passion,
more creativity, more heat than she
has ever known.

After an intense, explosive night
of raw passion with this sensitive guy,
they are lying there together in
the afterglow.
The woman rolls over, gently
strokes his chest and asks coyly,

'Well, how was it?'

The guy gently smiles at her,
strokes her cheek,

looks deeply into her eyes, =

and says:


'Help yourself to any prize
from the middle shelf'

Comedy Fundraiser-Chance to Win Steelers Memorabilia.

February202009
From talent network, inc
By talent network news
---

Comedy Fundraiser featuring Pittsburgh's own John Knight. Chance to win great Steelers memorabilia.

On Thursday, February 26, 2009 a fund raising event to benefit Fisher House, which is the Veterans Administration version of Ronald McDonald House to be built at the VA in Oakland.



The night includes dinner and a comedy show featuring John Knight and Shaun Blackham. Each ticket sold will be registered for a drawing to win an Autographed Hines Ward helmet. There will also be a silent auction for other Steeler memorabilia including helmets signed by Ben Roethlisberger, Willie Parker and Troy Polamalu.

For ticket information call {412} 638-9154

Headline Comedian John Knight



Feature Comedian Shaun Blackham
.

Le Mont Restaurant
1114 Grandview Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15211
412-431-3100
www.lemontpittsburgh.com

LINKS
John Knight Bookings
John Knight Web Site
Shaun Blackham
Pittsburgh VA
Fisher House

"Ajira Airways" Web Site Offering Flights to the LOST Island.

February192009
From Lost Pedia
By Frank Murgia - Talent Network News
---

The producers of the great tale that is ABC television's LOST have been so brilliant of the course of the series. The web world is rabid on theories and breakdowns and clues but the producers are playing a bit part in the frenzy by releasing hints and clues and flashes of Dharma logo's in producer interviews, creating a wiki site called LostPedia and creating a Lost book club. But the best piece of manipulative mastery to date is a fake web site for Ajira Airways which is the airliner that just went back to the Island in last evenings episode titled "316."

Here is what "Lostpedia" has to say about this web site and the appearances and hints of the Dharma Lamp Post logo.


The website Ajiraairways.com sports their tagline "destiny calls"; the same as the promotional tagline being used to promote the fifth season of Lost. The website states that new destinations launch on January 21st, 2009, the scheduled US airdate for the fifth season premiere. Other links to the show are present in the form of consistent advertising by the company about "returning to the Island", providing subtle links to the Island on the show. Visitors to the website could at first only sign up to the site's mailing list for future updates. However, the site was fully launched on December 29th, featuring numerous pages of information such as flights and promotions.

The Lamp Post was first known from a logo released in the course of the alternate reality game Dharma Initiative Recruiting Project. A Dharma Special Access e-mail described it is a "yet-unseen Dharma station", and the logo was visible for a split second at the end of the Dec. 9, 2008 video with Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse.

The logo was seen again on the Ajira Airways website. After entering the flight booking system and selecting seats, the 35th seat selected causes the logo to be visible for a brief moment on the sidebar.

The logo appeared later for the first time on the show on a computer used by Eloise Hawking in "The Lie".


I love every morsel of hidden information and love that the web world as well as the producers create all that is false and all that is fact. It is a great scavenger hunt for the truth week-to-week between episodes and in the off-season.

""316' last night was great. I think it was great because it went back to storytelling with mystery and open-ended questions. The past few episodes on the island with all of the flashes were just tough to get through.

You can view the Ajira Airways living but fake web site by by clicking the photo below or just go to http://ajiraairways.com

ALL OF OUR ARCHIVED & UP-TO-DATE LOST POSTINGS HERE ON OUR 'LOST' PAGE

"LOST-316" - Episode Theories, Recaps, Breakdowns.

February192009
From The World Wide Web
Gathered by talent NETWORK NEWS
---

Here are this weeks "Lost" episode thoughts, theories, breakdowns and recaps for the episode "316". Each link has a wealth of information.

First a question I know that will be answered in a future episode but why would nobody ask Ben why he was all beat up?

This post will be updated throughout the day as more information comes in so please check back.

I was more struck by the “Chronicles of Narnia” link with the name of “The Lamp Post” Dharma station. (A lamp post is a major landmark in the “Narnia” story.)
The Transmission {link}


Lost: Ben Got Jacked Up … But By Whom?
The Big Lead {link}


Lost Episode Six: "316" It's all faith vs. reason
"The Lamp-Post." This is apparently a reference to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in which "a lamp-post marks the passage between Narnia and our world."
Buzz Sugar.com {link}


'Lost' 316 Recap: Keeping the Faith.- After most of them seem to buy the exposition from Ms. Hawking, the Oceanic 6 (minus Aaron) hop a plane and set off to find the Island, where we see Kate, Hurley, and a reborn Jack
EW.com (Entertainment Weekly) {link}


LIFE AND DEATH -Those are the two words that hang in mind after seeing this episode.
Lost Tidbits {link}


“316,” is a reference to the Ajira flight number. Others have pointed out that it may also be a reference to John 3:16, perhaps the most famous verse in Christianity.
Kulturblog {link}


“316″ Review: They’re Baaaaaaaaaaack!
Trying to put my thoughts about “316″ into words is a little tricky.
The Tail Section {link}


LOST "316": Hello Lampost, Whatcha knowin?
So who built the pendulum? Widmore? Faraday?
PW The Beat {link}


Lost: 316 No way Frank Lapidus flying that plane is coincidence.
Tv Squad {link}


Lost Redux: Did the Losties Lose Sawyer to the 70's?
E! Online - Watch With Kristin {link}


Most of the Oceanic Six try to get back to the Island in time, but at least some are back in time on the Island
MSN {link}


Who kicked the crap out of Ben?
The reason only jake, kate and Hurley "Landed"
The Tao of Hurley
Jin? Dharma?
Sledgeweb's Lost...Stuff (Fan Forum Boards) {link}



MORE LOST...

Did the man we know as Christian Shephard die in order to grant his only son passage to the Island? Let's look at the Bible passage that partially inspires the next episode, entitled "316."
John 3:16: For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
READ 'Lost': A tale of two Christians {link}


Why the road back to the Island begins with ''316''
Lost producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse have often cited The Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis' beloved fantasy series, as a major creative touchstone for their own fantastical epic.
READ 'Lost': 'Caspian,' See? {link}


We get a long glimpse of Hurley reading a spanish version of "Y: The Last Man". The story is about "the only man to survive the mysterious simultaneous death of every male mammal on Earth. "
READ Hurley's Comic and Ben's Book {link}


Christian
Reincarnation
Adam and Eve are...
READ LOST Theories & Specualtion Board {link}

ALL OF OUR ARCHIVED & UP-TO-DATE LOST POSTINGS HERE ON OUR 'LOST' PAGE

The Best Show on TV: Mad Men, 24, Lost?

February192009
From USA Today -TV News & Views
By Robert Bianco
---

'Lost' and '24': Simple titles, complex, brilliant shows
Serialized series finding new life

There's more than one way to revive a great series.

For Fox's 24, this season's creative uptick stems from a simpler story that's easier to follow and motivations — so far, money and power — that are easier to understand. Compare that with ABC's re-energized Lost, which has become, if anything, even more complex, ricocheting through time with an almost willful disregard for the demands of more casual viewers.

Wildly different shows and wildly different paths, but they have arrived at the same place. For the moment, at least, they're the two best shows on TV.

Because it fell further from grace, the course corrections at 24 are probably more noticeable. In place of the hysterics and overdone family histrionics of the last go-round, we have a stripped-down plot that frees Jack (the reliably terrific Kiefer Sutherland) from back-story build-up and returns the show to its roots. Jack's not trying to save the world this time, just the president — and thanks to the writers and the fabulous Cherry Jones, he once again has a president worth saving. Even Monday's revelation of Sean as the FBI mole could be read as tweaking our built-in 24 expectations; he was so obvious, you figured he had to be a red herring.

Adjusting to a new world order, 24 has found a way to comment on Jack without degrading his status as a hero, even dropping hints (made physical, it appears, next week) that while Jack's actions may be right, his contained reactions to them are open to question. It's also found room for a little humor in Jack's obstinacy: Annoyed by FBI agent Larry Moss' insistence that "rules are what make us better," Jack's brusque response was "not today."

Just as important as the mistakes the show has corrected are the outsized ones it has avoided, from murdering the president's husband to releasing a chemical that would have killed thousands. The plotting remains preposterous, as is 24's concept of time and space. But this year, it's preposterous on an acceptable, entertaining scale.

If people seem less happy with Lost, it may be because the show rejected more-readily grasped answers to its mystery (dream, purgatory, alien abduction) in favor of a smarter but more complicated solution. You can think of that as one of the benefits of having a set end date, which has liberated the show from some (though hardly all) ratings concerns. And you can think of Lost now as the network equivalent of The Wire, a challenging show telling its story in its own way, and brilliantly.

Still, if you're finding Lost especially hard to follow, that may be because you're trying too hard to follow it, to catch every call-back reference, or worse, to get ahead of where the story is going. Lost is one of TV's best series not because of the intricacies of its myth but because of the depth and richness of its characters. They will lead you through the story, if you let them.

Turn to Sawyer, for example, who has become an outlet for our reactions, slapping Daniel for refusing to explain what's happening and showing increased exasperation with every time leap. Or just enjoy the by-play among the island escapees and appreciate the way Lost made it impossible to believe they'll agree to return, even though we know they will. (Which, by the way, should cut into those time leaps.)

Time and change have taken a ratings toll on both series, and neither is the powerhouse it once was. Still, at about 12 million viewers each a week (more if DVRs are fully counted), they're still remarkably popular, especially by today's splintered standards. And this year, they're remarkably good.

That's a revival we can all support.

Celebrity News from Gossip Girls-Tuesday Feb. 17, 2009

February172009
From Celebrity-Gossip.net
By GossipGirls.com
---

Celebrity Gossip and Entertainment News brought to you by the Gossip Girls at Celebrity-gossip.net

• Katy Perry Visits Italy, Denies Benji Romance
• Heidi Klum Fires Back at Sharp-Tongued Designer
• Taylor Swift Visits BBC Radio Two
• Jennifer Aniston and John Mayer: Bahamian Valentine
• AnnaLynne McCord Has “New Moon” Fever
• Kim and Khloe Kardashian Check Out Alice & Olivia
• Paris Hilton: Butter Birthday Party!
• Fergie and Josh Duhamel: Back from Mexico
• Sienna Miller: Taking Care of Business
• Gerard Butler: Fashion Week Stud
• Drew Barrymore: Il Sole Sweetie
• Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel: Fashion Lovers
• “The Hills” Heads to Hawaii
• Ashley Tisdale: Lunch Lady
• Taylor Swift: Living It Up in London

• Kim and Khloe Kardashian Check Out Alice & Olivia
• Paris Hilton: Butter Birthday Party!
• Fergie and Josh Duhamel: Back from Mexico
• Sienna Miller: Taking Care of Business
• Gerard Butler: Fashion Week Stud
• Drew Barrymore: Il Sole Sweetie
• Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel: Fashion Lovers
• “The Hills” Heads to Hawaii
• Ashley Tisdale: Lunch Lady
• Taylor Swift: Living It Up in London
• Jill Stuart Draws Star-Studded Front Row
• Hayden Panettiere and Milo Ventimiglia Call It Quits
• Lindsay Lohan Arrives Home from Fashion Week
• Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel Shack Up in NYC
• Fergie and Josh Duhamel: South of the Border Romance
• Blake Lively and Penn Badgley: Midtown Mates
• Tracy Reese Draws Kim, Reggie, Paris and Nicky
• Isla Fisher Takes “Shopaholic” to the UK
• 90210 Ladies Check Out New York Fashion Week
• Pete Wentz: Punky in Perth
• Ashley Tisdale: On the Go
• Lindsay Lohan Defends Thin Frame
• Hiltons Check Out Jill Stuart, New Tattoo For Paris?
• Jessica Alba Makes Off to Mexico
• Emily Osment: “Dadnapped” Promoter
• Gwen Stefani and Family Head Home from London
• Joe Jonas and Camilla Belle: NYC Lovers
• Dita Von Teese Closes Up at the Crazy Horse
• Hilary Duff Checks Out DKNY’s Latest Looks
• Tom Cruise Does the Daytona 500
• Jared Leto Goes Blonde, Hits Fashion Week
• Jennifer Lopez and Family Check Out of NYC
• Katy Perry and Benji Madden: A New Item?
• Kim Kardashian and Reggie Bush: Fashion Lovers
• Paris Hilton Leaves LA, Wants to Be an Idol

"All My Faves" a Cool New Search Engine by Google

February172009
From Google
By All My Faves
---

"All My Faves" is a compilation search engine by Google. It is quite cool. Just about every cool site that you would search for is included on the search engine wall. The web site logos are depicted on the wall and listed in numerous easy to navigate categories. Just click and go. There is also an "All My Faves" search engine wall for kids.


Go to All My Faves.com
http://www.allmyfaves.com/

"WonderWall" Site New from MSN. Very Cool

February162009
From WonderWall
by MSN
---

MSN has launched in Beta its new celebrity/entertainment site "WonderWall " Very cool wall of photos that change based on the day's current events. The wall is huge as you can move the slider left to right and watch the celebrity photos appear on the wall. You can the hover above a photo to get a snippet of info on that celebs current story in the news then click on the photo for the full story. Clicking on a photo is cool as then the wall slides and opens up into the story you chose. Also included of course our links to the days buzzing Hollywood news.

Click on the WonderWall below to go to the site or click on one of the WonderWall story links below. Enjoy!




Just In...

• Lovers' day wedding in Paris for Salma Hayek 4 hours ago
• Salma Hayek reportedly marries on Valentine's Day 4 hours ago
• Director: Jackie Chan film too violent for China 5 hours ago
• Chinese blogger stabbed after public reading 7 hours ago
• Timberlake tops GQ's list of `10 Most Stylish Men' 13 hours ago
• Win iPods Signed by Mariah Carey, Gwen Stefani and More! 20 hour

Hollywood News from Hollywood Rag-Monday Feb. 16, 2009

February162009
From Hollywood Rag.com

---

Hollywood and Celebrity news brought to you from web site Hollywood rag.com


MORNING NEWS -Monday February 16, 2009

Salma Hayek got married on Valentine's Day!
Bono's political campaigning nearly split up U2
Sienna Miller is "at war" with women
Colin Farrell is single again
Tori Spelling's son does the Potty Dance
Britney Spears was 50 Cent's Inspiration
Celine Dion has a “crazy” stalker - wants to get pregnant
Madonna’s relationship with Jesus Luz is a sham, according to friends
Duffy's shyness almost stopped her becoming a singer
Kate Moss is “desperate” to get married
Justin Timberlake is GQ's most stylish man
M.I.A. has given birth to a baby boy

Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson canceled a Valentine’s Day appearance following a public argument

Chris Brown: Much of what has been speculated or reported on blogs and/or reported in the media is wrong

Jessica Simpson has ripped her pants "every time" she's performed at Madison Square Garden

Joaquin Phoenix’s most recent movie director feels responsible for his bizarre career change

Ronnie Wood faces being axed from the Rolling Stones because of his drinking

Steelers Jeff Reed Kicks the Sheetz out of a Terrible Towel Dispenser.

February162009
From ThePittsburghChannel.Com
By MSNBC.com
---

Steelers' Jeff Reed Charged With Criminal Mischief
Pittsburgh Steelers' Kicker Accused Of Damaging Paper Towel Dispenser

NEW ALEXANDRIA, Pa. - Two-time Super Bowl champion Jeff Reed faces criminal charges this weekend after an alleged incident in Westmoreland County.

Reed, 29, one of the most effective field goal kickers in the NFL, was charged with disorderly conduct and criminal mischief shortly before 3 a.m. Saturday.

According to a state police press release, Reed damaged a towel dispenser inside the men's room at a Sheetz gas station on Route 22 in New Alexandria after he became infuriated that it did not contain towels.

Store employees told state police that they heard Reed "banging on something and that it was really loud." The employees said Reed then left the bathroom "using profane language in a loud manner" and stating that there were no towels in the restroom.

State police cited Reed with disorderly conduct and criminal mischief, which carry a maximum fine of $300 and 90 days in jail each. Next, the case goes before a magistrate.

Some fans shopping at the Sheetz store Saturday night expressed surprise about the news, mostly that a Steeler would even stop by their small community about 45 minutes southeast of Pittsburgh.

"I root for him because he's on my favorite team, but every team has guys that get in trouble, so it doesn't surprise me," said Mike Polinsky, a Steelers fan and Sheetz customer.

"Jeff's a good guy. He's a great kicker. So, I would just say, you know, that's no big deal. Let it be," said Bill Kenly, a Steelers fan and Sheetz customer.

Calls to Reed were not immediately returned Saturday, and no one answered the door when WTAE Chnanel 4 Action News reporter Aaron Saykin knocked on the door of Reed's South Side home. The Steelers declined WTAE Channel 4's request for comment as they gather more information.

Employees at the Sheetz store told WTAE Channel 4 Action News they were not allowed to talk about the incident.

Reed is a seven-year veteran on the Steelers.


Channel 4 News Video Report HERE.
http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/video/18716603/