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Archive for March, 2008

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Paris Hilton, Role Model?

In Hollywood, Movies, celebrity, entertainment, hilton on March 30, 2008 at 9:41 pm

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She won the fame game by appearing on the Internet in the buff and bringing her own brand of chic to the slammer.

Now Paris Hilton is trying to convince folks that she’s a good role model for young people.

“I work very hard and I’ve built this empire on my own. I think this is an inspiration for a lot of girls out there,” Paris told Reuters.

Recently, the heiress was getting ready to judge the Miss Turkey beauty contest and to prove to the citizens of Turkey just what an exemplary figure she is, the would-be singer and reality show actress took to the stage alongside one of the local women and performed a belly dance.

Prior to traveling to Turkey, Hilton visited Johannesburg, South Africa with rocker boyfriend Benji Madden. Reporters asked her about her impression of South Africa.

“I love Africa in general, South Africa and West Africa,” Hilton responded. “They are both great countries.”

I think Paris may have a future as a celebrity spokesperson for Google Earth.

Another one of Hollywood’s “finest” role models is in the news as well.

Here’s looking at you, Madge.

Never one to give up easily, Madonna has yet another plan to establish her acting creds.

This time around she has her sights set on a classic film, one with plot, depth and built-in appeal to the public.

The material girl is looking to do a remake of “Casablanca.” But rather than having the story set in WWII like the original, the popster plans on paying homage to Hollywood’s current politics.

The Bogie-Bergman revamp will reportedly be set in Iraq during the ongoing war.

In the past, Madonna has been panned by film critics and moviegoers alike for her big-screen bloopers, which include “Shanghai Surprise,” “Body Of Evidence” and “Swept Away.”

Seemingly undeterred, she now seeks to play the role of Ilsa Lund, the “Casablanca” character that caused Ingrid Bergman’s career to skyrocket.

Despite an aggressive push, though, Hollywood execs haven’t been too excited about taking on a project that tries to overhaul one of the best films ever made.

Some of them must be thinking, “Of all the film joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine.”

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Simon Cowell’s TV Fights For Real

In American Idol, Hollywood, Media, Television, celebrity, entertainment on March 23, 2008 at 9:53 pm

“American Idol”’s famed Brit judge Simon Cowell has been trading barbs with host Ryan Seacrest, and each week the rhetoric seems to rise a notch.

Things have gotten so bad even Oprah Winfrey has taken note.

Cowell recently appeared on Oprah’s daytime talk show, and she asked him about the on-air squabbling with Seacrest.

Cowell explained that over the years his relationship with members of the show has changed.

“They used to be more groveling towards me,” he said, adding, “As the show has gotten more successful, they got more confidence . . . and they probably dislike me more than seven years ago.”

The “Idol” maker told Winfrey that there is no time to prepare a simulated fight prior to the show. “I see Paula maybe two seconds before the show starts. Ryan, it’s the same thing,” Cowell said.

He then went on to compare Seacrest to an annoying bug.

“Ryan has developed this – he’s like a mosquito in your face,” Cowell said. “It’s like he’s flying around, and you want to swat him but he can’t be bothered. That’s my relationship now with Ryan.”

No one knows more about bugging people than the master mosquito himself.

In more Oprah news, lawsuits involving daytime’s reigning queen are starting to clog up the courts.

One woman has brought legal action against Oprah’s production company and daytime talk show, claiming that in their mad dash to be in the studio audience, overly excited fans of the show pushed her down the stairs. And another female plaintiff from Boston alleges that it was she who years ago came up with a television reality show almost identical to “Oprah’s Big Give.”

In the first case, Orit Greenberg filed papers in an Illinois state court, which claimed that she went to Harpo Studios in December 2006 to be an audience member for Oprah’s TV show; however, when audience members were purportedly told to go sit where they wished in the studio, a stampede resulted. Greenberg alleges that she was pushed down a flight of stairs by the rushing crowd. She says she has suffered “severe and permanent injuries” from the incident and is seeking more than $50,000 in damages.

In the second suit, Darlene Tracy, a mother of four who is representing herself, filed a complaint in U.S. District Court in Boston, seeking to stop “Oprah’s Big Give” from airing. Tracy claims that she created a reality show titled “The Philanthropist” in February 2005. The show purportedly featured contestants who were challenged to help the needy.

According to Tracy, she submitted the idea to the executive producer of Oprah’s show, Ellen Rakieten, and claims that Rakieten and another producer wrote and requested additional details. After Tracy purportedly responded in early 2005 with a more complete package, she was allegedly informed that Oprah’s company, Harpo Productions, was going to pass on the project. In December 2006, ABC announced a new show, “Oprah’s Big Give,” which Tracy claims came from her idea.

A trial judge has dismissed the suit without explanation and Tracy has hired an attorney and filed an appeal.

We’ll have to stay tuned to see if after the big appeal the “Big Give” will be forced to shell out the big bucks.

James Hirsen is a media analyst, Trinity Law School professor and teacher of mass media law at Biola University.

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Richard Gere’s Kiss Off India’s List

In Culture, Hollywood, Politics, celebrity, film, law on March 16, 2008 at 8:21 pm

Richard Gere is in the clear.

The highest court in India has ordered that an arrest warrant against the actor be suspended.

Indian Supreme Court Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justice R.V. Raveendran have indefinitely stayed the warrant, which had been issued against Gere for allegedly violating public obscenity laws.

It turns out that while at a 2007 AIDS awareness event, the actor publicly embraced Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty and gave her a big kiss.

Hindu activists had filed three cases against Gere and Shetty, alleging that the two had offended the sensibilities of India’s culture.

An unauthorized spokesperson for Gere suggests that the actor should never have been held responsible for his slippery lip behavior since he has an inherent condition that causes him to offend sensibilities the world over.

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Paul McCartney’s Head-turning Fish Tale

In Culture, Music, Politics, celebrity on March 16, 2008 at 8:16 pm

We now know how Paul McCartney came to be a vegetarian.

Those who thought there was something fishy about the former Beatle’s commitment to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have been proven right.

McCartney is now part of the celebrity team (along with Pamela Anderson, Casey Affleck, Alicia Silverstone, Forest Whitaker and others) that PETA is using to advance its causes.

A new PETA poster that is promoting vegetarianism features the famed bass player from Liverpool and reads as follows: “Many years ago, I was fishing, and as I was reeling in the poor fish, I realized, ‘I am killing him – all for the passing pleasure it brings me.’ Something inside me clicked.”

Paul probably wishes something inside him had clicked before he took Heather Mills as his bride.

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‘10,000’ Thumbs-down for Film Critics

In Academy Awards, Culture, Media, entertainment, film on March 10, 2008 at 8:40 am

Film critics gave the prehistoric adventure film “10,000 B.C.” some scathing reviews.

The San Francisco Chronicle called the movie “completely ridiculous.”

The Washington Post said it was “just plain nuts.”

The New York Post said audiences would be “sorely disappointed with this bloodless PG-13 adventure.”

The USA Today called it a “bombastic bore.”

Despite the hurling of insults by film critics, the public ignored the gibes and flocked to theaters anyway. The cavemen confrontations with woolly mammoths, saber toothed tigers and other prehistoric predators were just too compelling.

The flick was #1 right out of the box, with a weekend take just shy of $36 mill in North America and just over $25 mill overseas.

In the most explicit terms, the Newark Star Ledger warned anyone who was even thinking of seeing the film to “Yabba-dabba-don’t.”

In a clear response, no doubt to the chagrin of film critics across the nation, the public “Yabba-dabba did.”

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Angelina Jolie Wants Troops to Stay in Iraq

In Angelina Jolie, Culture, Hollywood, Media, Politics, celebrity, genocide on March 2, 2008 at 10:41 pm

Hollywood celebrities are known for supporting candidates who campaign on the promise to bring the troops home from Iraq.

But Angelina Jolie, in her capacity as a UN Goodwill Ambassador, visited Iraq and had the opportunity to meet with the military genius responsible for the success of the “surge,” General David Petraeus. And the actress-diplomat is now distinguishing herself from most of the Hollywood Left.

In an op-ed titled, “Staying to Help in Iraq,” Jolie writes about speaking to the general and how she is “pleased that he has offered that support.”

“General Petraeus also told me he would support new efforts to address the humanitarian crisis ‘to the maximum extent possible’ — which leaves me hopeful that more progress can be made.” Jolie adds.

As for the surge, Jolie explains, “I can only state what I witnessed: U.N. staff and those of non-governmental organizations seem to feel they have the right set of circumstances to attempt to scale up their programs. And when I asked the troops if they wanted to go home as soon as possible, they said that they miss home but feel invested in Iraq. They have lost many friends and want to be a part of the humanitarian progress they now feel is possible.”

Sounding like Bill Krystol, Jolie asks: “Can the United States afford to gamble that four million or more poor and displaced people, in the heart of the Middle East, won’t explode in violent desperation, sending the whole region into further disorder?”

It appears as though Jolie is affirming what military leaders have been saying; that not only will humanitarian progress be halted if the U.S. pulls out, a humanitarian calamity will ensue.

James Hirsen is a media analyst, Trinity Law School professor and teacher of mass media law at Biola University.