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'The Game' Recap: 'No Money, Mo' Problems' (5.03)

2012-01-26T13:38:00.000-08:00

Michelle Williams Doesn't Want To Play 'The Sexy Girl'

After The Game came back strong with last week's premiere, it hits the skids with this week's episode, which feels all too familiar and not necessarily in a good way.

Tasha talks to Malik about making easy money by going to J.J. Abrams' son's bar mitzvah (first name check of the new season!), while Derwin tells Melanie that he's landed a lucrative Verizon endorsement, thanks to his new manager Irv. Mel isn't thrilled that he didn't tell her before re-hiring Irv, leading Derwin to give her a spiel that involves him comparing himself to Charlie Sheen (really?). Someone was dropped on his head. Yet when Mel threatens to withhold sex, he agrees to let her "oversee" Irv.

Irv (P.J. Byrne) is his usual pain in the behind self, clashing with Mel from the moment they start talking. In the middle of their argument, Tasha calls Irv threatening to sue him since she initiated the Verizon deal. This means Mel is in the room while Irv, Tasha and a mediator talk things out. Over Irv's warning, Mel takes over the meeting, leading Tasha to call her "little girl" and bury her under call logs and transcripts. The mediator awards Tasha 10 percent of the profits in perpetuity, which makes Derwin pouty. He blurts out that "you can't handle the truth. You're not the CEO, you're not the president, you're not the vice president, you're not the manager. You're just my wife."

As you can expect, those words start another argument in which they bicker over how important she is to his success. It's clear that Melanie is trying to find her place in Derwin's life and that Derwin's success is going to his head just a little. But as we've seen in many previous episodes, one of them apologizes in the next scene and they make up pretty quickly. If you got deja vu I'd forgive you.

Malik's accountant tells him that he has no money after blowing what remained of his expensive contract on his 40 million dollar house. "I'm putting you on a budget," the guy says, which does not go over well, especially when it comes to Malik's sports cars. Yet it's the perfect test to see if Malik really has changed.

Unfortunately, the answer to that is "apparently not," as the last scene in the episode is of him drinking alone, while his mother asks him if he has to be "every stereotype."

I talked last week about how the season premiere gave me thoughts for possibilities for all of the show's characters; unfortunately, this episode doesn't capitalize on any of that potential. Worse, it actually feels like it's going backwards to the same old stuff. We've seen Melanie and Derwin argue and then quickly make up so many times that it has little effect on me anymore. At least if they have to fight again, I'd liked to have seen it matter and not be over so quickly. The idea of Melanie finding her place is a valid one, but it deserved to be explored more. Granted, there's not a lot of time to get that ball rolling in a half-hour sitcom, but maybe the show could have used her last scene to have them talking about other possibilities for her, or maybe showing her taking a step of her own, like looking into career options. Push the storyline forward in some way.

We've seen Malik's problems with excess before, too. Again, the idea presented in the episode fit perfectly with where his character could go, but instead of having him step back and consider that maybe it might be a good thing (even if not right away), we merely saw more of his bluster. There's no reference to how Jenna is doing or the status of his relationship with her, which would have been nice, just to give us an idea of what's going on there. Instead, we got to see more of the old Malik Wright, who already started to wear out his welcome last season. Here's hoping that next week he realizes one doesn't need a topiary of one's mom to feel fulfilled.

The too-familiar storylines for Malik, Derwin and Melanie made the absence of Jason all the more obvious to me. I wonder what's happening there. And one last thing: no matter how angry Tasha is with Melanie, cracking a joke about her inability to have a baby is just a ridiculously low blow, and came across to me as tasteless rather than funny. That's probably the part I'm most concerned with. The heart of this show used to be the friendship between these characters, and in episodes like this, it's not just absent, but they feel downright cruel towards each other, and that's depressing.

Let's hope this was just a detour and that The Game gets back on track next week, because there's so much left out there that this episode didn't even touch.

Vanessa Hudgens Dazzles Australians In Orange & Silver Dress Michelle Williams Doesn't Want To Play 'The Sexy Girl'

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Steven Spielberg Struggled To Sell 'Smash'

2012-01-26T12:32:00.000-08:00

Happy 90th Birthday, Betty White!

Steven Spielberg spent five years trying to bring his new TV drama Smash to the small screen because the concept failed to win over network executives.

The Jaws director came up with the idea of a series set behind-the-scenes of a Broadway show, and teamed with his Dreamworks Television company and writer Theresa Rebeck to turn his vision into a program.

However, despite Spielberg's power in Hollywood, it took years to persuade TV executives to take on the show - until NBC entertainment boss Bob Greenblatt agreed to commission the series.

Spielberg tells Access Hollywood, "I came up with the idea for the series. I'd been flogging it for about five years. It took Bob Greenblatt to step forward, because he's done musical theatre with 9 to 5. He really responded to the material."

"I couldn't get anybody else to buy it. Bob stepped forward and took the show for NBC. So, I hired myself and my... two TV partners at DreamWorks Television... We then hired Theresa Rebeck to really create the show. She wrote a wonderful play called, The Understudy. She had done a lot of writing for theatre and I wanted theatre. I wanted writers from theatre to write about theatre."

The show stars Debra Messing, Anjelica Huston and Katherine McPhee and will premiere in the next month.

Review: Steven Soderbergh's 'Haywire' A Welcome Return To The Fabulous Films Of His Past Happy 90th Birthday, Betty White!

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'Parks And Recreation' - 'Campaign Ad' Recap

2012-01-26T10:00:00.000-08:00

I can’t think of another show with actors as skilled at playing stupid as some of the ones on Parks and Recreation. Be it the insane, witless ramblings of the Pawnee general public or Andy’s never-ending parade of catastrophic accidents, it really makes you wonder if Leslie and co. should look into the content of Pawnee’s water supply. Tonight, we meet perhaps the most delightfully dumb specimen to ever cross paths with the Parks department: city council candidate and heir to the Sweetums candy fortune Bobby Newport, played by the wonderful Paul Rudd.

For all of the hubbub around Leslie’s candidacy for City Council over the past several episode, there hasn’t been much thought put into exactly who she would be running against. In fact, I’m not even certain it was ever mentioned. Regardless, with “Campaign Ad,” Leslie’s opponent finally materializes and he’s good looking, universally loved and rich rich rich.

As if Leslie being down 70 points in the polls weren’t enough, Bobby Newport has a seemingly endless well of money to draw from, and has plastered his face all across town. To counter, Leslie’s newly minted campaign manager Ben proposes that the group air a campaign ad aimed at shining a light on Newport’s status as a do-nothing rich boy who has never accomplished anything in his life. An attack ad, essentially--and a warranted one at that.

As charming and good looking as he is, Bobby is basically only running for city council to appease his father, that and because he thought he would be running unopposed. If he were to get elected, finding the bathroom by himself would probably be too much for City Councilman Newport.

This proves to be a real challenge for Leslie, who refuses to allow her campaign to go negative. This causes a rift in her camp with her wishing to highlight her own strengths in the ad, and everyone else wanting to crush Newport in one swift stroke. This being a sitcom, the solution, of course, is a contest where Ben and his team make the negative ad, where Leslie and the rest go positive.

The hive mind of Ben, Jerry and Tom getting down to the science of a negative campaign ad was one of the funniest, and strangest, gags that Parks has done in a while, mostly amounting to the three of them grumbling “Bobby Newport” in slightly varying movie trailer voiceover tones. By the end of it they’re mostly just grunting at one another.

When the time comes to choose an ad, Ben’s, while over the top, is clearly more effective than Leslie's. It makes the case for Leslie while crushing poor old Bobby Newport in a way that doesn't seem petty. Leslie’s ad, though, was a non-start, mostly amounting to Leslie standing beside a remarkably long list of nice things that she supports. Though the group ultimately decides on Ben’s ad, Leslie jumps in at the last minute to disapprove of Ben’s message, taking him down with a tackle in the lobby of the TV studio.

If there’s one thing that Leslie is going to have to face with this coming election, it’s her own idealism. Even though Leslie likes to think that she is incapable of mistreating people, we have all seen her mean streak at the library, talking to Jerry or visiting Eagleton. But because she’s idealized the political process her whole life, it renders her campaign potentially toothless. This is what Ben is trying to break to her when he tells her that she needs to get tough.

And get tough she does.

While the ad that Leslie and Ben put together isn’t as cartoonishly foreboding as Ben’s original, it does a fine job of making Bobby Newport looking like a dribbling idiot while highlighting Leslie’s strongest traits. It’s so effective that Bobby Newport himself asks the pair of them to stop airing it because, gosh, it’s so mean. Then he begs her to give up the election because, gosh, campaigning is hard. He even offers to let Leslie do all of the work for him if she just lets him win. Sweet deal as it is, Leslie advises Bobby to get his act together or she's going to wipe the floor with him.

The upcoming debate should be fun.

With Rudd’s Bobby Newport (Have a Bobby Bar, my dad made them!) hamming it up for much of the episode, our home team idiot Andy Dwyer had to kick things into over drive to compete. It seems that playing the village idiot has finally taken its toll on poor old Andy. When Andy bashes his head against the wall hanging his gold record, giving himself a small concussion, April takes him to Ann for medical advice, who then reminds the pair of them that, as city employees, they both have rather generous health insurance plans.

Excited by their newly discovered free medicine cards, Andy and April jump around to every doctor in Pawnee to fix Andy’s laundry list of ailments. He’s blind as a bat, has a broken thumb, his ankles sound like a rattlesnake and it wouldn’t surprise me if every tooth in his head was rotten. April isn’t in great shape either, it turns out, as she likely hasn’t been to a doctor since the last time her parents dragged her to one.

Too bad neither one of them knows how insurance works, and when they’re slapped with a $500 deductible fee, the couple makes a break for it—that is until Andy slams right into a parked ambulance.

Andy probably needs better insurance.

Other notes

Andy's doctor might be my favorite Pawnee tertiary character we’ve seen in a long time.

I didn’t even bother to mention Ron and Chris’s action tonight. Chris takes Ron on as his surrogate Ben Wyatt, much to Ron’s dismay. It turns out Chris is considering Ron for the Assistant City Manager position—which, frankly, would be pretty great, they made a pretty great team when cancelling a public works project. But with Ron out of the Parks Department, and if Leslie gets elected to office… who’s going to run the Parks Department….. Tom?

It also looks like Ron’s remote controlled closing doors are on the fritz.

When Bobby Newport was petulantly complaining about the difficulty of running for office, flashes of Paul Rudd picking up the tray that he drops in Wet Hot American Summer came running through my head, and I was suddenly extremely hopeful that he will play a bigger part in the rest of the season.

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Paula Deen Diabetes Backlash Led By Anthony Bourdain

2012-01-26T07:57:00.000-08:00

Jennifer Hudson Looks Adorable In Polka Dot Panty Hose

As news of Paula Deen's Type 2 diabetes diagnosis spread, followers of the Southern cooking maven awaited a response from nemesis Anthony Bourdain. See just what the fellow chef had to say Tuesday!

When word broke Tuesday of Paula Deen's diabetes announcement fans of celebrity chefs knew it was only a matter of time before her sworn enemy, Anthony Bourdain, responded. True to form, the man who once called Deen the most dangerous person in America, took to Twitter to share his thinly veiled opinion.

Early Tuesday morning Paula Deen appeared on the Today show to announce her Type 2 diabetes diagnosis. Though rumors have circulated the celebrity chef has been dealing with the disease for years, this was the first time she made any admission.

An admission that, much to the irking of Anthony Bourdain, came right along with a promotional deal. Paula Deen, out and proud Type 2 diabetes sufferer, is now the spokesperson for Diabetes in a New Light -- a site run by pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk.

Barely masking his response to Paula Deen's diabetes admission and ensuing endorsement deal, Anthony Bourdain tweeted Tuesday afternoon, "Thinking of getting into the leg-breaking business, so I can profitably sell crutches later."

Response from the public to Paula Deen's diabetes diagnosis has been mixed.

Siding with Bourdain one person wrote Tuesday, "I would never make any of her recipes! Butter, Cream, High Fat, High Calorie Sugary Recipes. NO WAY, love yourself and your family enough to never cook like she does. It is like putting a loaded gun to your head. I think what she is doing is hypocritical and hurtful to those with diabetes. I think she hid it because she cares more about her next endorsement and her bottom line then she does about her viewing audience or cookbook buyers."

Defending the cooking queen one gossip reader commented, "Don't like the food don't got to watch the show or follow the recipe. This is like people suing McDonald's. Bourdain needs to STFU."

Still another commenter, apparently no fan of Deen or Bourdain wrote, "They're both charlatans for their respective fields. Six of one, half dozen of the other."

Whose side are you on? Team Anthony Bourdain or team Paula Deen? Image via WENN Meet The 'Survivor: One World' Cast Jennifer Hudson Looks Adorable In Polka Dot Panty Hose

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TV Book Club: 'How To Archer'

2012-01-26T06:13:00.000-08:00

'American Idol' Recap: The Auditions Return In Savannah

We should all learn How To Archer.

Not because it would actually be constructive - the hero of FX's hit comedy series Archer is about the last person that I'd take as a role model - but because it is so entertaining that I actually pulled a muscle laughing.

This is not the first time we've seen a book penned by a fictional character (anyone else remember Bart Simpson's Guide To Life? Or more recently, the Richard Castle novels?) but it is undoubtedly the best one I've read.

In this how-to guide on everything he cares about (it's all there in the subtitle: The Ultimate Guide to Espionage and Style and Women and Also Cocktails Ever Written), you can really hear ISIS superspy Sterling Archer's voice on every page.

For example, a running thread throughout the book's 192 pages is Archer's petulance over not being allowed to write a chapter on cobras.

And you'll read along as he tries to pad the book's word count with filler.

And because this is Archer, you'll find plenty of gleefully inappropriate jokes about sex, foreign countries, and abusing his loyal valet Woodhouse.

Plus, there's even a contribution from Archer's mother and tyrannical boss, Malory.

Archer fans will find plenty to love in this book, and catch all the episodic references, plus some stuff that we haven't yet heard of (and some of which borders on TMI, but that's Archer for you).

If you're still not convinced, here's a quote from the back cover:

...If you want to learn more about how to be more—or at all—like Sterling Archer, the world’s greatest secret agent, quit smearing your greasy fingerprints all over this book and buy it. For one thing, I really need the royalties. For another thing, the last time I checked, this wasn’t a damn library.

What truly endears me to How To Archer, though, is that not only is it faithful to the show, but it is legitimately a great book. There have been plenty of TV tie-ins that just don't translate into print well. They're faithful to the property but they're not good books. This is not one of them.

It stands on its own even if you're not familiar with the series. I showed excerpts from it to my mother, who is not only not an Archer fan but whose sense of humor could be called prudish, and even she was laughing. It doesn't matter if you've never heard of the show. If you want an excellent humor book, this is also one that needs to be on your shelf.

Really, the only way this book would get any better is if H. Jon Benjamin read the audio version. (Please? I'm willing to bribe.)

How To Archer is a great read that will make a perfect companion for those Archer season two Blu-Rays on your coffee table.

You can order your copy here and don't miss Archer's third-season premiere tonight at 10 PM ET/PT on FX!

Snooki Looks Pretty Good Without Makeup 'American Idol' Recap: The Auditions Return In Savannah

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Claire Danes' Husband Skipped Golden Globes For Bachelor Party

2012-01-26T03:19:00.000-08:00

Jennifer Hudson Looks Adorable In Polka Dot Panty Hose

Hugh Dancy missed out on celebrating wife Claire Danes' Golden Globes glory on Sunday night because he was hosting his brother's bachelor bash in London.
The star picked up the Best Actress in a Dramatic TV Series prize for her turn in "Homeland," but she was left to party with pals as Dancy was unable to make the Los Angeles awards ceremony due to his family commitment.
She tells E! News, "My husband has just been hosting his brother's bachelor weekend in London. He'll tune in tomorrow. We left a message (to tell him I won)."

Meet The 'Survivor: One World' Cast Jennifer Hudson Looks Adorable In Polka Dot Panty Hose

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Country Legend Merle Haggard Hospitalized

2012-01-26T02:13:00.000-08:00

Jennifer Hudson Looks Adorable In Polka Dot Panty Hose

Merle Haggard has been hospitalized with an undisclosed illness, forcing him to scrap a concert in Georgia at the last minute on Tuesday.

The musician was taken ill shortly before his scheduled slot at the Macon City Auditorium and promoters abruptly announced the show wasn't going ahead minutes before the Okie from Muskogee hitmaker was due on stage.
Haggard's tour manager, Frank Mull, reveals the singer has felt sick since leaving his home in California last week.
Promoters have also scrapped his gig in Columbus, Georgia on Wednesday as he recuperates, and he is next due on stage in Kentucky on Thursday.
It's not the first time the musician, who underwent surgery for lung cancer in 2008, has fallen sick in the last year - in August he scrapped a gig in Texas when he was hospitalized with another unknown ailment.

Photo Credits: Capitol Records Nashville Meet The 'Survivor: One World' Cast Jennifer Hudson Looks Adorable In Polka Dot Panty Hose

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Matt LeBlanc: 'There's No Plans For A 'Friends' Movie'

2012-01-25T23:28:00.000-08:00

Avril Lavigne & Brody Jenner Reportedly Split

Matt LeBlanc has ruled out a "Friends" movie because he'd rather fans remember the beloved TV characters as they were when the sitcom ended.
There has been much speculation about a "Friends" reunion ever since the hit show went off the air in 2004, but LeBlanc insists a get together is as unlikely as ever - and talk of a possible film is futile.
He insists Friends will never be able to transition from the small screen to the big screen like Sex & the City did.
The actor explains, "Sex & the City is always a single kind of a show, like a film, so it made the transition from television to film much more readily. Friends is a multi-camera kind of sitcom in front of a live audience and to do that single camera, that alone would be weird.
"Also Friends was about this final period in six people's lives. You know that saying the book is always better than the movie because your imagination as to what these characters have moved on to and done with their lives is gonna do more justice for the characters than for us to try and put them back in a room together.
"It was about that 20-something age and that's how I feel. There's no plans for a movie."

Photo Credits: PR Photos; Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Happy 90th Birthday, Betty White! Avril Lavigne & Brody Jenner Reportedly Split

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Katherine Heigl Wants To Return To 'Grey's Anatomy'

2012-01-25T20:32:00.000-08:00

Two Jews' Review 'Haywire' & Only One Finds It Exciting, Action Packed and Sexy (Video)

Katherine Heigl is eager to return to her breakthrough role on Grey's Anatomy, two years after walking away from the TV show.

The actress got her big break playing popular character Dr. Izzie Stevens for six years on the hit medical drama.

She was dogged by rumors of a rift with co-stars and producers following her success in 2007 movie Knocked Up, and she finally left the series after adopting her daughter Naleigh in late 2009.

Heigl has carved out a big screen career since her departure, but she has now declared her desire to return to the show because she is desperate to find out what happened to her character.

She tells E! Online, "I've told them (show bosses) I want to. (But they have) about 40 different storylines, so I don't know if it fits in to their sort of vision for this season or next or however many seasons it goes."

"I really, really, really want to see where she (character) is. I just want to know what happened to her, and where she went, and what she's doing now."

Photo Credits: PR Photos , ABC 'American Idol' Recap: Pittsburgh Auditions Best And Worst Two Jews' Review 'Haywire' & Only One Finds It Exciting, Action Packed and Sexy (Video)

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'White Collar' Recap: 'Checkmate' (3.11)

2012-01-25T18:47:00.000-08:00

White Collar is back, and we answer the question: where is Elizabeth Burke?

"Checkmate" picks up immediately from the midseason finale, with Mrs. Burke in the hands of now very familiar bad guy Matthew Keller (Ross McCall), who wants to exchange her for the hidden treasure. "You could've walked away," Peter tells Neal angrily, and a recalcitrant Neal admits that "I should be paying for it, not Elizabeth."

Yet when Neal brings Peter to the warehouse where the treasure was, he finds that Mozzie has moved all of it on his own. This means that in order to find Elizabeth, our dynamic duo has to locate Mozzie first - and do so in less than twelve hours.

Neal tells Peter that he chose not to leave New York because he has a life here, and believes that as Mozzie hasn't caught a plane, he must also be having second thoughts. He is able to communicate with Mozzie via (what else?) carrier pigeon and bring him back into the fold. "We've been playing by Keller's rules," Peter tells them both. "Let's change the game."

And so the trio enlists the help of two of Mozzie's old contacts, before meeting with Keller to make the exchange. The two 'old friends' just so happen to get arrested as our heroes and Keller sneak out the back. This leads Keller to propose that the four of them steal back the treasure, whether Peter likes it or not. A plan is hastily devised, while Neal hopes that the FBI will find Elizabeth before they actually have to break in to the warehouse where the treasure is.

As an FBI team led by Diana and Jones hits the streets and Elizabeth does her best to give them as many hints as possible to her location, our unlikely team borrows some Army uniforms and a National Guard truck. Peter is able to get the truck into the warehouse with the help of a cop he intimidates, but the plan hits a big snag when the place is crawling with cops. Neal and Keller end up posing as NYPD, convincing the boys in blue to help them load the treasure onto the truck. Keller's ready to strangle a suspicious sergeant, but the guy's life is saved when Neal has Peter pretend to be a DA's aide to convince the man everything is kosher. Unsurprisingly, Keller turns on Neal the moment the treasure is loaded into the truck.

Elizabeth breaks out of the room where she's being held, and the guy with her is quickly shot as Diana and Jones arrive on the scene. She phones her husband and tells him to go get Neal, who wakes up in the back of the truck and gets himself into a fight with Keller. Peter saves Neal from being beaten, then gets in a few good shots himself before Neal shoots Keller. It makes him realize that he needs to put Keller away for good, even if that means offering a full confession for his own crimes.

Vanessa Hudgens Dazzles Australians In Orange & Silver Dress Michelle Williams Doesn't Want To Play 'The Sexy Girl'

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Ricky Gervais Doesn't Want To Host The Golden Globes Again

2012-01-25T16:12:00.000-08:00

Vanessa Hudgens Dazzles Australians In Orange & Silver Dress

Ricky Gervais has ruled out a fourth stint as host at the Golden Globes - insisting he's going out on a high.
"The Office" creator returned to oversee the prizegiving ceremony for a third time on Sunday, a year after he was slammed for his mean-spirited jokes at the expense of the Hollywood elite.
But the Brit is adamant he's not aiming for another comeback.
In a post on his website, Gervais writes, "Phew! Thank f**k that's over. I had a blast actually. It was by far my favourite of the three hosting stints.
"I've told my agent to never let me be persuaded to do it again though. It's like a parachute jump. You can only really enjoy it in retrospect when you realise you didn't die and it was quite an amazing thing to do.
"The crowd were great this year too. I think they finally worked out that my gags only seemed rude and nasty but were actually not too scary at all. Or they were just drunker. Either way, it was fun but I'm glad to say I'm off to New York to chill out a bit."

Rihanna And Chris Brown Secretly Seeing One Another? Vanessa Hudgens Dazzles Australians In Orange & Silver Dress

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Steven Tyler Didn't Tell Aerosmith About 'American Idol' Job

2012-01-25T13:28:00.000-08:00

Zooey Deschanel: 'Girls Spit In My Face'

Rocker Steven Tyler refused to tell his bandmates in Aerosmith he had signed on as an American Idol judge - because he knew they'd give him grief.

The "Love in an Elevator" singer had just rejoined the band after a spell in rehab when it was announced he was joining Jennifer Lopez as the talent show's new judge, and he admits the members of Aerosmith found out just like fans did - from the Internet.

In a pre-taped interview with former Idol judge Ellen Degeneres, which aired on her show on Tuesday, Tyler says, "I didn't tell them. A band is like a... It's not women. It's men. It's a different world. We keep a lot to ourselves. We don't often tell the truth.

"(When they found out) they were like an old girlfriend, right - 'Why didn't you tell me first?' and that kind of crap. But they're very happy (now)."

Photo Credits: PRN / PR Photos Michelle Williams Doesn't Want To Play 'The Sexy Girl' Zooey Deschanel: 'Girls Spit In My Face'

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Lady Gaga And 'Glee' Lead 2012 GLAAD Awards Nominations

2012-01-25T11:38:00.000-08:00

Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

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Interview: 'The Innkeepers' Sara Paxton On Ghosts, Haunted Hotels And Ti West

2012-01-25T10:33:00.000-08:00

Having played more then her share of memorable weighty roles in films like the remake of "Last House on the Left" and "Shark Night 3D," actress Sara Paxton has already proved she can do drama like a pro. But leave it to the likes of talented filmmaker to watch Ti "The House of the Devil" West to help bring out a different side of the actress audiences haven’t yet seen – delightfully quirky. In the new eerie thriller "The Innkeepers" (currently available via VOD and in select theaters on Feb. 3 from the great Magnolia Pictures!), Paxton plays the inquisitive Claire, an employee of the famed ghost ridden Yankee Pedlar Inn who becomes determined to find out if all the haunted talk is true. The film is a terrific mix of comedy and suspense and is, in true Ti West fashion, an entrancing slow pot boil where the journey almost becomes more important then the final destination. We’re celebrating the film with some cool coverage this week, beginning with a one-on-one interview with lead ghost hunter Paxton, who talked to Starpulse about working with Ti West, the reality of the hotel they shot in actually being haunted and what’s next for her. Spirits beware, here’s...

ACTRESS SARA PAXTON!

Where did you first hear about "The Innkeepers" and what was your reaction after reading the script?

Sara Paxton: I was doing another movie called "Enter Nowhere" and Ti and I have a mutual friend in that movie. And she was on her phone and she was like, ‘Do you know Ti West – he’s texting me about you.’ So I read the script and we spoke on the phone and we just clicked – I understood the vibe of the script. I really liked the character of Claire, I thought she was super relatable and her dialogue was so natural that I could see myself saying it.

Had you already seen his previous film "The House of the Devil?"

SP: No, I hadn’t! I didn't know anything about Ti, so I was embarrassed when I did find out. But I was really impressed how much he’d accomplished and how talented he is being so young.

There was a story about you being scared of staying at the hotel where the film was shot – what was it that made you so nervous?

SP: When I talked to Ti he was really hyping it, talking a mile a minute and saying, ‘Everyone’s so fun and amazing on the crew and the hotel...so haunted! So friggin’ haunted – haunted as sh#t! Ghosts are going to pop out and talk to you!’ And I was like (recoiling in fear)...ahhh! So I called PJ my manager and I was like I’m not staying at that hotel. I didn’t want to stay there – he scared me! So when Ti called he was like, ‘Sara, whoa, you’re way in the weeds! We’re gonna be fine. Stay one day and if you’re still not okay that will be fine.’ And it did end up being fine. Yes, it’s creepy and weird and probably haunted, but it was so much fun that I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

What was it like when you actually stayed there for real?

SP: It was unsettling from the moment you walk in. Everyone in the town thinks it’s haunted, but it’s just weird and off. Askew - built in 1800’s with 70’s renovation. And at night strange things happen and everyone has the same experience. Everyone wakes up the next morning and is like ‘the door slammed open again’ or ‘the lights flickered on and off’ or ‘the phone rang and no one was there.’ And you have to go to the front desk to call someone’s room, but there’s no one at the front desk. I worked at the front desk in the movie and no one is there. (Laughs) I know for a fact no one’s there!

Having worked on fast paced horror stuff like "Last House on the Left" and "Shark Night 3D" what is it like to work on a film like "The Innkeepers" where the pace is purposefully slow?

SP: Ti would give me direction to slow things down. Like walking slower to open something and we coined a term and called it snailbuck! (Laughs) He’d be behind the camera and be like, ‘Snailbuck, take two!’ And I’d be like gotcha – I knew what that was. The moment you feel like you’re dying and you’ve got to open the door...more snailbuck! It felt weird obviously, but it looked great in the movie.

Being a filmmaker who is known for taking his time, what kind of a director is Ti West on set?

SP: He’s amazing and so specific with what he wants. He has it all planned out in his head and he’s such a perfectionist that it makes my job so much easier because we’re not doing fifty million takes. Sometimes a director doesn’t know what they want to do, so they shoot everything. A take of everything – suddenly you’re doing the chair’s POV! For this every single person was on the same page. He’d just shout a word and everyone knew what that meant. It was one of the most efficient experiences ever.

Kelly McGillis plays such an oddly interesting role in this one – what was she like to work with?

SP: It’s funny because it all played out really well with Kelly. She arrived five days later then everyone else and of course she made everyone nervous because she’s "Top Gun" – hello?! So she made me a little bit nervous, but it worked, especially for the first scene where I bring her the towels. It was easy! And then we became better friends, which worked for the other scenes where we become better friends – so it all worked out to my advantage.

And what’s next for you?

SP: I’m really excited for 2012 because I did a lot last year. I did a movie called "Static," which is another ghost story, plus I did another movie that’s a murder mystery called "Liars All" and one called "The Boys of Abu Ghraib." Not only am I excited to see what happens with those, but it’s a whole new chapter for me – I’m just curious what’s gonna happen next.

Stay tuned for more coverage from "The Innkeepers" this week!

"THE INNKEEPERS" IS CURRENTLY ON VOD AND OPENS IN SELECT THEATERS ON FEB. 3 FROM MAGNOLIA PICTURES.

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'Two And A Half Men' - Hipster Jesus To Chiseled Stud. Hold The Cranberry Juice

2012-01-25T08:08:00.000-08:00

As Walden and Zoey prepare for an evening out, he is surprised to find that Zoey is not a fan of his beard. He had assumed that she liked it as much as he did. But that’s not the case, and she’d like him to shave, and as soon as possible. She’s also not crazy about the ‘Jennifer Aniston’ hairdo.

In the living room, Alan isn’t having much luck creating an online dating profile. Walden invites him to join them for dinner.

At the restaurant, Zoey notices how food catches in Walden’s beard. Alan defends Walden’s rugged, sexy look. Zoey reiterates that women prefer men to be properly groomed. They notice that Alan’s old girlfriend, Lyndsey, is sitting at the bar. Alan is nervous about approaching her, but Zoey and Walden encourage him to give it a try. As he chats her up, her very handsome, and much younger, date Dylan arrives, complaining that the parking attendant didn’t seem to know how to drive a Ferrari. Alan tries to excuse himself, saying that he’s there with Walden, who’s trying to set him up with his baby sister. But when they all turn to look at Walden, he’s in the middle of a passionate kiss with Zoey.

Jake and his friend Eldridge are watching Beavis and Butthead on the beach house TV. They have a meandering conversation, while commenting on the stupidity of the characters. When they hear someone coming in, Jake asks for the air freshener. His friend passes him the bug spray, since it says it’s for ‘roaches.’

Walden, Zoey and Alan enter the house, with Alan noting how young Lyndsey’s date was. Zoey points out that he was also clean shaven. They go up to bed, and Alan joins the boys watching TV. He tells Eldridge that he ran into his mom, Lyndsey, at the restaurant with Dylan. Eldridge thinks Dylan prefers men to women, and says that Lyndsey talks about Alan all the time. When Alan leaves to visit Lyndsey, Eldridge admits that he was lying to get rid of Alan. Alan shows up at Lyndsey’s house with a bottle of champagne and a bouquet of flowers, and hears her having loud sex with Dylan.

Zoey pretends to have beard hair stuck in her mouth. Walden asks if she really hates his beard that much and she says that she does. When he asks why she’s suddenly so down on his beard, she admits that there is an important cocktail party coming up at her work, and she’d rather not show up with ’hipster Jesus.’ He’s not happy, but if it will make her happy, he’ll have his hair cut, and his beard shaved.

As Walden has his hair washed by Berta, who it seems used to be a prison barber, Alan enters the kitchen, and makes a few snide remarks about Walden being told what to do by Zoey. Walden insists he’s having the makeover for himself, not Zoey.

Lyndsey calls and Alan is thrilled. He can’t figure out why she’d want to see him, rather than her young, good looking stud with money. Maybe she needs a kidney, he thinks.

Walden shows up for the party, and Zoey is disappointed that he hasn’t shaved or had his hair cut. He admits that he only said he would so that she would stop nagging him. She’s furious. He says that he couldn’t go through with it, because ‘this’ is who he is, and if she doesn’t like that, what’s the point of their relationship. She says that the point is that he lied to her. He says that what she was trying to make him do was wrong. She slams the door in his face. He shouts that he’s glad he found out about her attitude before falling desperately in love with her.

Alan and Lyndsey are making out on the couch at the beach house. He has to ask, though, what’s going on with her boyfriend. She says they have broken up, but certainly not over Alan. She’s just exhausted from going out with a gorgeous 25 year old man; having to get up an hour before him to put on makeup, having sex constantly, working to keep in perfect shape. She’s missed Alan because Alan’s standards are so much lower – she doesn’t have to worry about disappointing him. She could even fart, and he’d put up with it. To test him, she does so.

Zoey drops by to see Walden, and she is delighted to see him short haired and clean shaven. She asks him why he’s done it now, and he says that when she wasn’t nagging him, he wanted to. She’s come by to apologize for nagging him, and to have him elaborate on his ‘falling in love’ comment. They head upstairs to test drive his new face.

Lyndsey says to Alan, “that poor girl. She’s going to have to hold in her farts until the fourth of July.”

Later, Alan brings Lyndsey cranberry juice as she reads a magazine in bed, and asks when they’ll know that her ‘lady problems’ have cleared up. She explains that she’ll be able to pee without screaming. Zoey comes out of Alan’s bathroom, thanking him for letting her use his, as she doesn’t want Walden to hear any of her private noises. Lyndsey and Alan lie in the dark, listening to Zoey and Walden’s love making. Lyndsey is grateful she’s not in Zoey’s place, but Alan’s not so sure.

What a cheery little episode to brighten up the winter doldrums! Walden still gets what he wants, Alan – well, Alan almost gets the girl. Might be a while until she’s functional, and she’s opting to highlight the cruder aspects of everyday life, but at least he’s got someone.

I am a huge fan of Walden’s new look. What did you think? And were you a little surprised to see Alan back with Lyndsey? Let us know in the comments, below. See you next week!

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Jeff Goldblum To Play Lea Michele's Gay Dad On 'Glee'

2012-01-25T05:30:00.000-08:00

Jennifer Hudson Looks Adorable In Polka Dot Panty Hose

Jeff Goldblum has become the latest big name to land a role on hit show "Glee."
The star is to follow in the footsteps of Gywneth Paltrow, John Stamos, Neil Patrick Harris and Olivia Newton-John, who have all previously appeared in episodes of the high school comedy series.
Goldblum is set to play one of Lea Michele's character's gay fathers, alongside Brian Stokes Mitchell, who will play her other dad.
Sir Elton John was previously linked to one of the roles but was unable to sign up because of his touring schedule.

Meet The 'Survivor: One World' Cast Jennifer Hudson Looks Adorable In Polka Dot Panty Hose

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Daniel Radcliffe Defends Lana Del Rey's 'SNL' Performance

2012-01-25T02:58:00.000-08:00

Vanessa Hudgens Dazzles Australians In Orange & Silver Dress

Daniel Radcliffe has defended singer Lana Del Rey after her performance on the "Saturday Night Live" show he hosted over the weekend was savaged by critics.
Radcliffe showed off his comedic timing during his hosting duties on the legendary sketch show, and Del Rey provided the musical interlude, but her lacklustre performances of Video Games and Blue Jeans left viewers far from impressed, and many, like rocker/actress Juliette Lewis, took to the Internet to question her talent and credentials for appearing.
Now Radcliffe has spoken out in defence of the young star, and insists he can't believe how quickly the public have turned on her.
He tells the BBC, "It was unfortunate that people seemed to turn on her so quickly. I also think people are making it about things other than the performance.
"If you read what people are saying about her online, it's all about her past and her family and stuff that's nobody else's business. I don't think it (her performance) warranted anywhere near that reaction."
Del Rey, real name Elizabeth Grant, is the daughter of multi-millionaire tycoon Rob Grant, and has come under fire for her privileged background and top-class private education.

Photo Credits: PR Photos; Universal Music Group Rihanna And Chris Brown Secretly Seeing One Another? Vanessa Hudgens Dazzles Australians In Orange & Silver Dress

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Betsy Brandt Returns To "Private Practice" Tonight

2012-01-24T23:24:00.000-08:00

Blake Lively Does Her Best Marilyn Monroe Impression (Photos)
Breaking Bad star Betsy Brandt returns to ABC's Private Practice tonight.

In the episode, entitled "Losing Battles," she reprises the role of Joanna Gibson. After first meeting Violet (Amy Brenneman) in the fifth-season premiere, Joanna returns "pregnant and badly beaten, and in need of Violet's help. Joanna is a smart, successful lawyer and the ending will certainly prove that...in more ways than one."
The episode has a special start time of 10:02 PM ET/PT on ABC.
Brandt also appeared in an episode of Brenneman's previous series Judging Amy back in 2001.
She recently completed the fourth season of AMC's Breaking Bad, on which she portrays Marie Schrader. As part of that cast, she was nominated for "Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series" at the upcoming 2012 Screen Actors Guild Awards. The SAG Awards will be announced on January 29.
If you missed it, you can read my Q&A with Betsy using this link.
Rihanna Tweets Sexy Bikini Pics From Hawaiian Vacation Blake Lively Does Her Best Marilyn Monroe Impression (Photos)

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'The Help' Leads 2012 NAACP Image Awards Nominations

2012-01-24T21:48:00.000-08:00

Gina Carano Talks About Becoming A Movie Star In 'Haywire' And Her Reasons For Fighting

Critically-acclaimed drama The Help looks set to dominate the 2012 NAACP Image Awards after landing eight nominations.
The movie adaptation of Kathryn Stockett's bestselling book of the same name will compete for Outstanding Motion Picture against seven-time nominee Pariah, comedy Tower Heist, Jumping The Broom and The First Grader, while stars Viola Davis and Emma Stone will go head-to-head for the title of Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture.
The Help co-stars Bryce Dallas Howard, Octavia Spencer and Cicely Tyson are also nominated in the Outstanding Supporting Actress field, alongside Pariah's Kim Wayans and Bridesmaids comedienne Maya Rudolph.
Eddie Murphy (Tower Heist), Vin Diesel (Fast Five), Don Cheadle (The Guard) and Charles Parnell (Pariah) also land nods in the male acting categories.
In the TV nominations, Modern Family, Tyler Perry's House of Payne and The Game will fight for the Outstanding Comedy Series trophy, while Grey's Anatomy and Boardwalk Empire have been named among the Outstanding Drama Series.
Nominees for TV acting include Ice T (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit), Vanessa Williams (Desperate Housewives), 30 Rock's Tracy Morgan, Gabourey Sidibe (The Big C) and Taraji P. Henson (Person of Interest).
Meanwhile, in the music categories, Chris Brown, Bruno Mars and Cee Lo Green are up for Outstanding Male Artist, while Beyonce, Jill Scott and Mary J. Blige have landed nods for the female equivalent.
Beyonce will also compete for Outstanding Album (4), Song (Best Thing I Never Had) and Music Video (I Was Here), as will Adele, whose Someone Like You song and promo are nominated.
The winners will be unveiled during a Hollywood ceremony on February 17th.

Photo Credits: PR Photos , Disney Blake Lively Does Her Best Marilyn Monroe Impression (Photos) Gina Carano Talks About Becoming A Movie Star In 'Haywire' And Her Reasons For Fighting

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Emily Maynard Is The New 'Bachelorette'!

2012-01-24T20:13:00.000-08:00

Neil Patrick Harris' Better Half: 'We Don't Want To Be The Poster Boys For Gay Relationships'

Last summer, Emily Maynard tweeted that she didn't "want to be the Bachelorette" on the then upcoming season of ABC's hit series of the same name - but that was just after appearing on the 15th season of The Bachelor, which culminated with an engagement to star Brad Womack. The couple went through a very rocky engagement and subsequent breakup just six months after filming ended (Emily accepted Brad's proposal in November 2010, but the public didn't find out until the show's season finale the following March), and Emily wasn't interested in putting herself through the whole process again.
"Right now my main focus is being a mom," she told People magazine. "I'm just like any girl dealing with a heartbreak. The last thing on my mind is to do this all over again…I'm done with all the media speculation. I want to move on and get back to normal."
Things turned sour for the couple once the show started airing and Emily got to watch how Brad handled himself with all the other women on the show, and by mid-2011 the couple officially split, despite trying to make things work.
At the time, Emily just wanted to go back to her normal life in her hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina; but now it seems she's had a change of heart, an insider tells Life & Style magazine.
"It's official, Emily is the new Bachelorette," the insider says. "ABC is even going to move filming to Charlotte. It won't be in L.A. at all."
Chances are Emily won't be finding love again, either, as neither The Bachelor or The Bachelorette's track records aren't very good...
The Bachelorette
Season 1: Success! Trista Rehn picked Ryan Sutter and the couple has been married for seven years.
Season 2: Meredith Phillips and Ian McKee failed to make it past a year of being engaged.
Season 3: Jen Schefft and nobody. None of the guys on season 3 were worthy enough for Jen.
Season 4: DeAnna Pappas and Jesse Csincsak were engaged for four months before it ended.
Season 5: Jillian Harris and Ed Swiderski lasted through a year of being engaged before splitting.
Season 6: Ali Fedotowsky and Roberto Martinez were engaged for 18 months.
Season 7: Ashley Hebert and J.P. Rosenbaum were engaged on May 13, 2011 and are still together! (J.P. wasn't her first choice though - she fell for contestant Bentley Williams but he walked out on her in one of the final few episodes of the show)
Season 8: Emily Maynard and ?
The Bachelor
Season 1: Alex Michel and Amanda Marsh never got engaged and only dated for several months.
Season 2: Aaron Buerge and Helene Eksterowicz were engaged for two months before calling it quits.
Season 3: Andrew Firestone and Jen Schefft were engaged for 10 months before splitting. Jen went on to star in The Bachelorette season 3 (see above).
Season 4: Bob Guiney and Estella Gardinier were together for less than a month.
Season 5: Jesse Palmer and Jessica Bowlin dated for under a month.
Season 6: Byron Velvick and Mary Delgado - Almost! They were engaged for five years before ending their relationship.
Season 7: Charlie O'Connell and Sarah Brice didnt' get engaged, but they did date for five years before splitting.
Season 8: Travis Lane Stork and Sarah Stone didn't make the half-year mark and get engaged, they split after only six months of dating.
Season 9: Prince Lorenzo Borghese and Jennifer Wilson: see season 8.
Season 10: Andy Baldwin and Tessa Horst were engaged for three months before the ring came off.
Season 11: Brad Womack fell for both DeAnna Pappas and Jenni Croft, but proposed to neither.
Season 12: Matt Grant and Shayne Lamas ended their engagement after five months.
Season 13: Jason Mesnick and Molly Malaney - Jason actually proposed to Melissa Rycroft on the show's finale, but he had second thoughts during the reunion show and instead proposed to Melissa Rycroft. The couple have been married for four months.
Season 14: Jake Pavelka and Vienna Girardi split up after just a three-month engagement.
Season 15: Brad Womack and Emily Maynard struggled through six months of being engaged before giving in to the pressures and troubles.
Season 16: Ben Flajnik and ?
© 2012 Starpulse.com Neil Patrick Harris' Better Half: 'We Don't Want To Be The Poster Boys For Gay Relationships'

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Q&A: New Elmore Leonard Novel As 'Justified' Premieres

2012-01-24T18:03:00.000-08:00

Fans eagerly awaiting Justified's third season tonight shouldn't miss the newest Raylan Givens novel, which hits shelves today.
Before he was played to perfection by Timothy Olyphant, the character was created by legendary novelist Elmore Leonard.
Raylan's first appearance was in the 1993 novel Pronto, which was followed by 1995's Riding The Rap and the 2001 short story Fire In The Hole. The latter has been cited as the inspiration for Justified.
Now Mr. Leonard has brought back the literary incarnation with a new work, appropriately titled Raylan. At this weekend's Television Critics Association press tour, I had the chance to sit down with Mr. Leonard and talk about the past and present of Raylan Givens.
You might be surprised to know that our favorite Marshal wasn't even supposed to be in the book that bears his name.
"I wasn't even going to put Raylan in it," he said of the new novel. "But I really need him. The guy I thought was the male lead, I can't get him to do anything, but he's the love interest of two of the girls. So I think if Raylan comes in, he can steal the two girls away from him."
He explained that the existence of Justified hasn't changed his writing process, nor has he tried to influence his TV counterparts. Although Raylan may be his character, he deeply respects their work.
"I don't ask them what they're doing. I always keep away from them," he told me. "I'll do some episodes I think will work and they can use little bits then to sprinkle into thirteen episodes. I don't want them feeling that they have to use my stuff, because I'm not a screenwriter, and they have good writers. I think they have very good writers."
The existence and acclaim of the series has helped many people discover or even rediscover Leonard's writings, but he's had a fan base for decades.
"I get letters. I get several a week I think. A lot of people want a picture, a lot of people just want an autograph," he said when asked if he thought the show had increased his profile. "But then there are some people who have been reading me for years and they keep saying kind things about the writing. That's what you're writing for, to get people to respond to it."
For those just now reading his work, Leonard said there's no particular novel out of his lengthy resume that he'd recommend over any other. "I like them all," he told me. "I think of Freaky Deaky as really a good book that holds together and works, but I think they all work. It's just what I do for 60 years."
Instead, he recommended the works of Richard Bissell, whom he once wrote "had influenced my style more than any other writer with the exception of Ernest Hemingway." Bissell's High Water is one of his favorite reads.
As the two previous Raylan Givens novels are two of my favorites, I had to ask: will we see more of Raylan in print?
"Maybe just one more time," he said.
And Justified fans should feel free to dig into the novel right away: although he gave permission for the writers to take from the novel, Mr. Leonard assured me that reading it won't spoil the third season.
You can order your copy of Raylan by using this link. Season three of Justified begins tonight at 10 PM ET/PT on FX; click to Starpulse afterward for my full review of the first episode.

Bravo's 'Watch What Happens Live': Best Party on Late-Night

2012-01-24T16:50:00.001-08:00

Gina Carano Talks About Becoming A Movie Star In 'Haywire' And Her Reasons For Fighting

The Bravo network is making a power move for the late-night crowd by expanding its live late-night talk show, “Watch What Happens Live,” from two to five nights a week.

Hosted by Andy Cohen, Bravo’s Executive Vice-President of Original Development and Programming, WWHL mixes real celebrities, the network's own stars (like the bombastic NeNe Leaks) with pop culture-themed games and a lot of alcohol, creating an intoxicating cocktail of entertainment.

Airing at 11 p.m. EST, the show is timely follow-up to Bravo’s original programming. Earlier this week, Housewife Kyle Richards and her hottie husband, Maurico Umansky, dropped by the clubhouse to field questions about the emotional and scandalous penultimate episode of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" from Cohen and fans via tweets, emails and even live phone calls.

Although he's responsible for creating shows like the Emmy-winning “Top Chef” and Real Housewives, Cohen takes perverse pleasure in coaxing golden nuggets of gossip out of his own “Bravolebrities” with campy games like “Plead The Fifth,” that all but forces guests to answer intimate and feud-inducing questions about other housewives and current celebrity news.

"Watch What Happens Live" has yet to perfect its kitschy format in its first two weeks of the expanded run. Cohen and company pack too many gags into the 30-minute program, which forces him to rush through interview segments. Despite that and a few technical difficulties, WWHL is the late-night party the broadcast late-shows claim to be. Sorry, Leno and Letterman!

Be sure to tune into “Watch What Happens Live” Sunday through Thursday on Bravo at 11 p.m. EST. The much-hyped Pajama Party with Ralph Fiennes ("Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2") and Holly Hunter (TNT’s “Saving Grace”) airs tonight. I know I’ll be watching in my jammies and with my favorite cocktail! Mazel!

Watch the silverest of foxes, Anderson Cooper, dish on “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” with salacious candor.

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'Archer' Recap: 'The Man From Jupiter' (3.04)

2012-01-24T15:59:00.000-08:00

Johnny Depp Named America's Favorite Actor
Archer officially starts its third season with a great get: Burt Reynolds. Having Archer's hero in the house makes for a fantastic opening episode.

He comes into the picture when he and Archer are at the same bar; after trying and failing to pick up another random woman, Archer gets his face introduced to the bar by none other than his favorite actor. Unfortunately for Sterling, Burt Reynolds is there because he's meeting Malory for a date. Rather than throw up, as he would usually do, Archer decides to faint instead. "It was an involuntary reaction," he declares the next day, sporting a black eye courtesy of the floor. Adding insult to injury, Malory has no idea that Burt is Archer's hero despite it having been obvious since childhood.
In other news, apparently a Cuban hit squad is targeting our favorite superspy, and he'd have known that a week earlier if he actually picked up his phone instead of letting his mom sit through an "elaborate voicemail hoax." The sane plan would be for Archer to lay low, but this is Archer we're talking about. He spends his time trying to break up Burt and Malory, making her think she's been dumped while he abducts Burt and threatens to put him in a mental hpspital "in someone else's name." Unfortunately, his love for Burt distracts him from his plan.
After his last van got destroyed at Archer's wedding, Krieger (Lucky Yates) has a new one, complete with a wheelchair ramp for the now-paralyzed Ray (Adam Reed). The new van quickly gets shot up outside Archer's pad when the Cubans roll up. Archer ends up cutting Burt loose to help save his friends (once they get out of the world's slowest elevator). Burt scares the daylights out of Archer with his driving, while trying to talk some sense into Archer at the same time. It's pretty hilarious to see the overconfident Archer completely freaked out.
Burt saves the day, leading Archer to tell his now-drunken mother that Burt didn't really break up with her, and send her off to a movie premiere with his hero. It's neat to see him be nice toward his mother, though we can't blame him for that being a rarity when her response is to tell him to "blow it out your ass."
I have to admit that unlike Archer, I am not a huge Burt Reynolds fan, but being able to cast him is so spot-on perfect for the show after numerous references. I absolutely love that the show introduces him in the way that does the most psychological damage to Archer, as his mom's newest boyfriend. So much of the show involves putting the screws to everyone, and you can't do it any better than that.
What I appreciate about the episode, though, is that the show is still called Archer. It doesn't become The Burt Reynolds Show. Adam Reed gets the best use out of his guest appearance, but the focus is on (and the brunt of the humor comes from) other sources, whether it's Krieger's new van following the same fate as his first, the elevator gag, or the always-awesome moment where Cheryl/Carol screams "You're not my supervisor!" (doesn't Judy Greer do that so well?). In that sense, having Reynolds is just the icing on the cake. A predictably awesome cake.
I'm so glad that Archer is catching on, because it really is the funniest show currently on television, and I'm glad to have it back.
If you missed them earlier: check out my interview with H. Jon Benjamin (the voice of Archer) and my review of the brand-new tie-in book How To Archer.
(c)2012 Brittany Frederick/Digital Airwaves. All rights reserved. No reproduction permitted.
Two Jews' Review 'Haywire' & Only One Finds It Exciting, Action Packed and Sexy (Video) Johnny Depp Named America's Favorite Actor

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'Blair Witch' Star Wants To Turn Pot-Growing Story Into A TV Series

2012-01-21T15:58:00.000-08:00

Happy 90th Birthday, Betty White!

"The Blair Witch Project" star Heather Donahue is hoping to turn her medical marijuana business into a quirky new TV drama.
The actress quit showbusiness to grow marijuana legally in California and she has just written a book, called "Grow Girl," about her experiences as a farmer.
The publicity has sparked fresh interest in Donahue and now she's hoping to return to Hollywood as the writer/producer of a new series.
She tells BlogTalkRadio.com, "I would very much like to develop Grow Girl into a television series... As a matter of fact it's something that I am working on right now. I will not be in front of the camera but I'm creating the series.
"It's a little bit Northern Exposure, a little bit Little House on the Prairie - but naked with hot tubs! It's sexy, a little bit illicit... and also wholesome. There is such a wonderful set of characters and so many stories to be told."
The characters will feature her ex-boyfriend Judah and his daughter Sprout, Zeus and Sadora - the royal power couple of the community - and their son Syrah, Willa, the waitress at the Eggloo, who is not a grower but is an occasional trimmer, and my wonderful dog Vito and my former tortoise Booga."
And Donahue is convinced the time is right for a good mainstream pot-growing series: "My friend, who is a wonderful writer actually, sold a pot lady buddy comedy to Natalie Portman's company called Best Buds."
Review: Steven Soderbergh's 'Haywire' A Welcome Return To The Fabulous Films Of His Past Happy 90th Birthday, Betty White!

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'American Idol' Recap: Pittsburgh Auditions Best And Worst

2012-01-21T13:25:00.000-08:00

Ah, Pittsburgh – land of Steelers, Pirates, Penguins and me for college.
Living in Los Angeles, I’ve become a bit jaded by seeing places I know well on television and in the movies, but there’s something about seeing Pittsburgh on TV that takes me back to a time when I was just learning journalism. Clearly, I’ve put my college learnin’ to good use with this column.
Speaking of the column, I realized I made a gaffe yesterday, when I pointed you to my Twitter feed. You actually have to click on my name at the top of the page and then click the Twitter link from there to find my feed. Or you can just follow me @paynehumor. Remember, if I get to 1,000 by the end of the ‘Idol’ season, I will post a YouTube video of me singing a song. So your follow brings you one step closer to watching me humiliate yourself.
But enough about me. What about the number one show in America? The big buzz on the web this morning was about ‘Idol’s’ disconcerting 24% ratings drop. I actually read people say they thought it was going to be cancelled. Not to worry, kids. It’s 7.4 18-49 is still far and away the biggest show on TV. The only danger ‘Idol’ has is losing its number one program to NBC’s ‘Sunday Night Football’. In other words, it’s not going anywhere.
And you know what? After last night, I couldn’t be happier with that. After a few months in the ‘X-Factor’ torture chamber, I’m instantly reminded why this show is better. It’s more positive, the contestants are less pre-packaged, and it’s just more fun to watch. It’s good to have it back.
So did the town of my Alma Mater hold up to this trend? Read on to find out.
The Three Best Auditions:
3 - Reed
This is the guy who played a fake air bass, making the noise with his mouth, but still sounded better than Casey Abrams playing the real bass. He had kind of a backwoods-cool blues sound to his voice. Like a Ray LaMontagne gone to the bayou. He’s very unique and a lot of fun. Just as long as he cuts the fake bass.
2 - Erika
This was the wedding singer/DJ with the too-bright-for-this-world shirt. She’s also the girl with the surreptitiously smoky and sultry voice. It was so subtle the way she put a touch of lounge in there to go along with a pretty modern blues sound that just worked. A great song choice and great re-working of it. I think she has real talent.
1 - Heejun
This is the Asian guy who could barely speak English but sang like a seasoned blues torch singer. Kind of the male Celine Dion. It’s a bit bigoted of me to say this – but it was just incredibly weird to hear that voice come out of him. Maybe it’s because of the way he talked. Maybe it’s because I simply am unaware of any Asian pop stars. With Heejun, we have a guy with an unreal tone and a passionate voice. Maybe we have our first big-time Asian sensation.
© 2012 Starpulse.com Photo Credits: Michael Becker / FOX Etta James Dead At 73 Two Jews' Review 'Haywire' & Only One Finds It Exciting, Action Packed and Sexy (Video)

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