NBC renews five dramas

NBC on Friday renewed five dramas for new seasons. Parenthood, Law & Order: SVU and Grimm will be back, along with freshman series Chicago Fire and Revolution. All of the pickups were expected, but they come little more than two weeks before the ratings-challenged network unveils its fall schedule, and mark the first to be officially renewed. "On the verge of our 2013 fall scheduling decisions, we're pleased to renew five drama series that will be important to our new season line-up," said NBC Entertainment president Jennifer Salke, in a statement. "We're proud and very appreciative of all of the actors, producers, writers and directors who work so hard to deliver such high-quality work week in and week out. These complex shows represent a broad range of genres and tones, and all of them stand out for us in a television landscape now filled with one-hour series." On the comedy front, Parks and Recreation is expected to get another season, but NBC is mulling plans for other shows including Community, Whitney, and newcomers The New Normal and Go On.

 News source: www.usatoday.com

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Connie Britton, Star Of ABC's "Nashville" Says "Friday Night Lights" Movie A Possibility: "I Would Love It!

Connie Britton, the gorgeous, red headed actress admitted that there might be a movie adaptation of the show "Friday Night Lights." Ending its five season-run in 2011, "Friday Night Lights" was largely praised by critics, and gained much of its popular acclaim once it was made available on streaming websites such as Netflix. 46-year-old Britton told E! News at the White House Correspondents' Dinner over the weekend, "I would love it to happen," I'm a big supporter of it happening." Britton, who played the beloved Tami Taylor, wife of Kyle Chandler's Coach Eric Taylor, on "Friday Night Lights" said that while nothing's set in stone, several people who were involved with the show are in support of a big-screen adaptation. "I know it was being written and [creator] Peter Berg is really serious about it, so I think if everybody got on board, I don't see why we couldn't have a movie." FNL really put the ginger beauty on the map and she currently stars on ABC's "Nashville" playing country music star, Reyna James. The role is multilayered and fascinating. Reyna's a mother, a wife to a politician, and has an old flame that gets more heated as he keeps turning up in her life. Britton also sings and entertains on "Nashville" and delivers a beautiful, almost Faith Hill inspired, performance every week. If the "Friday Night Lights" movie does get made Connie will be involved but one character may not return; heartthrob Tim Riggins, played by Taylor Kitsch. In a 2012 interview, Kitsch told Access Hollywood that he supports a FNL screenplay, but isn't sure he wants to mess with Tim's storyline. "Pete [Berg] knows this as much as anyone else... I love the way that we ended the character of where he's at," the actor explained at the time. "I love playing him, but I think I want to leave him the way that it is."

 News source: www.kpopstarz.com

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Game Of Thrones Season 3: Access’ Guide To Episode 305’s New Characters & Episode Highlights

Game of Thrones” served up another big episode on Sunday night, expanding the drama with three new characters, and throwing in a handful of eye-raising set-ups. As we’ve been doing each week at AccessHollywood.com, for those (non-book readers) trying to keep things straight, we’re taking a look at the new faces who joined the fold, and making note of the highlights from this week’s episode — 305, “Kissed By Fire.” Selyse Baratheon (Tara Fitzgerald) PHOTOS: ‘Game Of Thrones’ Who Is Who? The Photo Guide How She Was Introduced: She was seen praying for her husband in front of a fire in Stannis’ castle. Stannis came in to see his wife, and tried to apologize for schtupping Melisandre, only to find out Selyse was fine with it because it is in the service of the Lord of Light, and he’s the true king. Characters She’s Tied To: Stannis Baratheon (husband), Shireen Baratheon (daughter), Davos Seaworth (Stannis’ former right-hand man, now imprisoned), and Melisandre, the Red Priestess. WATCH IT NOW: Liam Cunningham On Davos Seaworth’s ‘Game Of Thrones’ Return & Confrontation With Melisandre Where You’ve Seen Tara Before: She was the female lead opposite Hugh Grant in his follow up to “Four Weddings and A Funeral” — 1995’s “The Englishman Who Went Up A hill But Came Down A Mountain.” She’s also a familiar face to Masterpiece of PBS fans, having appeared in the import mini-series’ “The Virgin Queen” (2005) and “Jane Eyre” (2006). *** Shireen Baratheon (Kerry Ingram) How She Was Introduced: Singing a sweet little song in her castle, before her father, Stannis, came in to see her. She asked her father about how Davos, the Onion Knight, was doing, only for Stannis to reveal he’s a traitor and has been locked away. Later, she turned up at Davos’ cell. “She’s an absolute sweetheart,” Liam Cunningham, who plays Davos, told Access of working with Kerry. “So, strangely enough… I don’t think we’ve seen it since Season 1, with Ned and the daughters — we’ve actually got, what I’d like to think is some really kind of touching, lovely family kind of stuff. … She’s teaching him to read, and he’s doing the history of the Targaryens.” PHOTOS: ‘Game Of Thrones’ Season 3 — The Latest Scene Snaps & Character Portaits Characters She’s Tied To: Stannis Baratheon (dad), Selyse Baraheon (mom), Davos Seaworth. Where You’ve Seen Kerry Before: This appears to be Kerry’s first television role. *** Grey Worm (Jacob Anderson) How He Was Introduced: He’s a member of the Unsullied, the army which now fights for Daenerys Targaryen, after she freed them last week. He was chosen by his peers to be their leader. Characters He’s Tied To: Daenerys, Missandei, Ser Jorah Mormont, Ser Barristan Selmy. Where You’ve Seen Jacob Before: Jacob appeared in Showtime’s “Episodes” Season 2. And, like Emilia Clarke, who plays Daenerys, one of Jacob’s first roles on British television was on the medical drama “Doctors.” *** WATCH IT NOW: Kit Harington Talks Jon Snow’s Season 3 Here’s what happened to our established characters The Hound: Beric Dondarrion may have had a flaming sword, but the Lord of Light was done with Sandor Clegane (aka The Hound), who won the battle by putting a sword through the patch-wearing man. But, it wasn’t Beric’s day to die either. Red priest Thoros of Myr prayed over Beric and he came back to life — for the sixth time. Jon Snow: It only took three seasons, but Jon finally had someone to show off his well-toned physique to — Ygritte, who took him to a cave (with a hot spring) in the wildling territory, where she found out her catchphrase, “You know nothing, Jon Snow,” wasn’t actually accurate. WATCH: Kit Harington & Rose Leslie artfully dodge questions at the Season 3 premiere about their love scene. Jaime Lannister: After suffering on the road under Locke in recent episodes, Jaime ended up back in the hands of a Stark ally — Roose Bolton (Robb Stark’s right hand man). He had his stump attended to and later, took a bath with Brienne. During their hot tub confessional, Jaime finally revealed why he killed King Aerys, something which shook Brienne to the core. The truth? The Mad King asked a young Jaime to kill his father (Tywin Lannister) and bring back his head, and he also had plans to burn thousands of innocent people with wildfire he had placed around the city. Robb Stark: The young king had a bit of anarchy on his hands with Lord Rikard Karstark stormed into the cell where two Lannister youngsters were being held and killed them (he was still grieving the loss of his own sons to Lannister forces, including the Kingslayer). Despite the advice of his mother, Catelyn, his uncle, Edmure, and even his wife, Talisa, Robb decided to put Rikard to death for the act. Just like he learned from his father Ned Stark, back in Season 1, he swung the sword, but not before giving Rikard the chance to say a few words. “Kill me and be cursed. You are no king of mine,” Rikard said, his death leading the Karstark troops to abandon King Robb. Knowing he still has a battle on his hands, Robb hatched a new plan — to take the Lannisters’ home — Casterly Rock. To do that, he told Talisa, he needs the army of Walder Frey, the old man whose bridge he crossed in Season 1, after Catelyn Stark’s promised that when they came back, Robb would marry one of Frey’s daughters. Tyrion & Cersei Lannister: Tywin — hoping to foil the Tyrells’ plans of marrying Sansa Stark of to Margaery Tyrell’s brother, Ser Loras Tyrell — revealed Tyrion will marry Sansa. “That’s cruel! Even for you,” Tyrion told his dad. “You should be thanking the gods for this,” Cersei quipped back. “This is more than you deserve.” As for what she deserves? “You’ll marry Ser Loras,” Tywin told the widowed Cersei, noting it would put an end “to the disgusting rumors about” her. “Game of Thrones” airs Sunday nights at 9 PM on HBO.

 News source: www.accesshollywood.com

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Farrah Abraham's Sex Tape, Jenelle Evans' Heroin Arrest: Is Their 'Teen Mom' Fame to Blame?

MTV's Teen Mom was supposed to show the tough reality of being a teenage parent -- but right now, parenthood seems like the least of the cast's problems. Jenelle Evans, 21, was arrested last week for heroin possession and assault. Farrah Abraham has just sold her sex tape, made shortly after she was arrested for DUI at the end of March. And of course, they're now feuding...over who's a better mother. Sigh. The showdown began, in a very passive-aggressive manner, on the video-sharing site Keek. Following her DUI arrest, Farrah posted a wildly inappropriate video of herself mocking her court-ordered breathalyzer device, with her daughter in the backseat. Jenelle, in turn, made a video mocking Farrah's Keek overshare. Then today, Farrah moved the fight to RadarOnline, where she has released a statement directed at Jenelle. "From one helpful and concerned Teen Mom to another Teen Mom, who is clearly struggling, I think it is in your best interest to detract from spouting jealous attacks towards myself and other successful, positive and great mothers," reads a portion of the statement (which refers to Farrah's own recent troubles as "unfortunate personal legal issues"). It's not for us to say if Jenelle or Farrah is a better mother (though Jenelle is on her fifth arrest, and Farrah her first). But is Farrah really in a position to be bragging about her parenting skills right now? She has taken the position that she was wrongly accused of the DUI and exploited by the "leak" of her sex tape, but her stories don't add up -- as made clear by her recent appearance on Dr. Phil. Farrah says she's a great mom because she rises above all the bad things that happen to her -- never mind that they were her fault. Jenelle is also saying that she was wrongly arrested for possession, though police found 12 bindles of heroin in her home. Why are the Teen Moms so delusional? We can't help but wonder if their fame is responsible. After all, on reality TV, they're rewarded for causing "drama" -- which, in real life, has consequences. Then there's the constant outpouring of support from fans, regardless of what these ladies do; you can see it all over their Twitter accounts, where they re-tweet the most flattering messages. On the flip side, there's the constant barrage of criticism. Reality stars like Farrah get used to tuning out the haters -- but pretty soon, they're tuning out all of their critics, even the ones who have their best interests at heart. And then there's the elephant in the Teen Mom green room: These women had babies as teenagers, and while the whole world was telling them it would be a tough road, they proceeded to get rich and famous. Is it any wonder that they don't listen any more? Like this? Want more? Sign up for Hottest Celebrity News Sign up But who knows -- maybe Farrah and Jenelle (and Amber Portwood, the other contender for Most Troubled Teen Mom) would have been just the same without MTV's cameras stalking them. Some of their castmates seem to be doing all right. The irony is that 16 and Pregnant was intended, from the start, as a cautionary tale. Either it totally backfired -- or it's working better than the producers ever could have imagined.

 News source:www.ivillage.com

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Michael Jordan Marries Model Yvette Prieto

alk about a slam dunk! After five years of dating, former NBA star Michael Jordan, 50, and his model-fiancée, Yvette Prieto, 35, made it official with a wedding in Palm Beach, Fla., on Saturday. About 500 people arriving by tour buses piled into an Episcopal church called Bethesda-by-the Sea, where Donald Trump was married to Melania in 2005. Jordan invited another 1,500 to join them for the reception at the Bears Club, a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course community in Jupiter, Fla., where Jordan recently built a 38,000-square-foot home. Get more stories on your favorite celebrities by subscribing now. "They've been planning for months and months," says a source of the nuptials. "He wanted to give Yvette everything she's ever wanted." Jordan, now the owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, proposed over the Christmas holidays in 2011. They applied for their wedding license in March at the Palm Beach County courthouse. On Friday afternoon, they were spotted attending their rehearsal at the church. Prieto, 35, met Jordan at a Miami nightclub in 2008. This is the second marriage for the Chicago Bulls legend. He and his first wife Juanita Vanoy divorced in 2006 after 17 years of marriage, and the couple have three grown children together.

 News source:www.people.com

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Jessica Alba wore corset for THREE MONTHS to get figure back after giving birth

Actress Jessica Alba squeezed into a double corset and wore it night and day to get her figure back after giving birth. And it worked so well she was back at work, ­filming An Invisible Sign, just four months after ­having her first daughter Honor, now four. Jessica, who is 32 today, said: “I wore a double corset day and night for three months. It was brutal, it’s not for everyone. It was sweaty but worth it.” The Fantastic Four star told online magazine Net-a-Porter she had seven months off after second daughter Haven was born 20 months ago. She also revealed how she and her husband, businessman Cash Warren, put the spark back in their five-year marriage on a recent holiday to St Barts in the Caribbean. Jessica, who is in Sin City: A Dame to Kill For later this year, said: “Having time just for us, was cool.” Check out all the latest News, Sport & Celeb gossip at Mirror.co.uk http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/jessica-alba-wore-corset-three-1857516#ixzz2Rj70lkYG Follow us: @DailyMirror on Twitter | DailyMirror on Facebook

 News source: www.mirror.co.uk

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Zach Braff's Kickstarter Project Hits $2 Million Goal

Over 28,000 backers contributed to the director's "Wish I Was Here" project. It didn't catch fire quite as fast as the Veronica Mars movie, but Zach Braff's Kickstarter to create a follow-up to Garden State reached its $2 million goal in short order. our editor recommends The Dangers of the 'Veronica Mars' Kickstarter Victory (Guest Column) 'Oz the Great and Powerful': Zach Braff on Bluescreen Onesies and Becoming a Monkey (Q&A) Zach Braff and Donald Faison Stage Mini 'Scrubs' Reunion (Video) On Saturday, the Scrubs star's project, titled Wish I Was Here, hit $2 million in funding thanks to over 28,000 backers listed on the crowdfunding website. The Kickstarter was launched on Wednesday. STORY: Zach Braff Explains Why He Turned to Kickstarter for New Indie Film "Dear Fans, I cannot believe your unbelievable support for WIWH. I wish I could hug each and every one of you," wrote the actor and director Friday on Twitter. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter earlier in the week, Braff explained why he went the Kickstarter route for the new film, saying that he wanted to maintain control over certain creative aspects of the film. "Now financiers are fine for lots of projects and it works out perfectly for many movies, but when you’re trying to make these smaller personal art films, the idea of giving final cut away to someone else, it doesn’t make any sense for me," Braff told THR. The Garden State director will, however, allow backers of the film to be mentioned or appear in Wish I Was Here. For $200 pledged, the director will feature a backer's name written in graffiti on a wall that the main character walks by.

 News source: www.hollywoodreporter.com

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North Korea charges American of plotting to 'topple' its government

WASHINGTON – North Korea announced Saturday that an American detained for nearly six months is being tried in the Supreme Court on charges of plotting to overthrow the government, a crime that could draw the death penalty if he is convicted. The case involving Kenneth Bae, who has been in North Korean custody since early November, further complicates already fraught relations between Pyongyang and Washington following weeks of heightened rhetoric and tensions. The trial mirrors a similar situation in 2009, when the U.S. and North Korea were locked in a standoff over Pyongyang's decision to launch a long-range rocket and conduct an underground nuclear test. At the time, North Korea had custody of two American journalists, whose eventual release after being sentenced to 12 years of hard labor paved the way for diplomacy following months of tensions. Bae was arrested in early November in Rason, a special economic zone in North Korea's far northeastern region bordering China and Russia, according to official state media. In North Korean dispatches, Bae, a Korean American, is called Pae Jun Ho, the North Korean spelling of his Korean name. The exact nature of his alleged crimes has not been revealed, but North Korea accuses Bae, described as a tour operator, of seeking to overthrow North Korea's leadership. "In the process of investigation he admitted that he committed crimes aimed to topple the DPRK with hostility toward it," the state-run Korean Central News Agency said Saturday. "His crimes were proved by evidence. He will soon be taken to the Supreme Court of the DPRK to face judgment." DPRK is the acronym for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. No timing for the verdict issued at the austere Supreme Court in Pyongyang was given. Friends and colleagues described Bae as a devout Christian from Washington state but based in the Chinese border city of Dalian who traveled frequently to North Korea to feed the country's orphans. At least three other Americans detained in recent years also have been devout Christians. While North Korea's constitution guarantees freedom of religion, in practice only sanctioned services are tolerated by the regime. Under North Korea's criminal code, crimes against the state can draw life imprisonment or the death sentence. In 2009, American journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee were sentenced to hard labor for trespassing and unspecified hostile acts after being arrested near the border with China and held for four months. They were freed later that year to former President Bill Clinton, who flew to Pyongyang to negotiate their release in a visit that then-leader Kim Jong Il treated as a diplomatic coup. Including Ling and Lee, Bae is at least the sixth American detained in North Korea since 2009. The others eventually were deported or released. "For North Korea, Bae is a bargaining chip in dealing with the U.S.," said Koh Yu-hwan, a professor of North Korean Studies at Dongguk University in Seoul, South Korea. "The North will use him in a way that helps bring the U.S. to talks when the mood slowly turns toward dialogue." As in 2009, Pyongyang is locked in a standoff with the Obama administration over North Korea's drive to build nuclear weapons. Washington has led the campaign to punish Pyongyang for launching a long-range rocket in December and carrying out a nuclear test, its third, in February. North Korea claims the need to build atomic weapons to defend itself against the United States, which has 28,500 troops in South Korea and over the past two months has been holding joint military drills with South Korea that have included nuclear-capable stealth bombers and fighter jets. Diplomats from China, South Korea, the U.S., Japan and Russia have been conferring in recent weeks to try to bring down the rhetoric and find a way to rein in Pyongyang before a miscalculation in the region sparks real warfare. South Korean defense officials said earlier in the month that North Korea had moved a medium-range missile designed to strike U.S. territory to its east coast. The Korean Peninsula remains in a technical state of war because the three-year Korean conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty, in 1953. Because Washington and Pyongyang do not have diplomatic relations, the Swedish Embassy in North Korea represents the United States in legal proceedings. Meanwhile, Republican and Democratic lawmakers in the House on Friday proposed to step up sanctions against North Korea amid growing concern over its nuclear programs. The bill, crafted by leaders of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, would punish companies, banks and governments that do prohibited business with North Korea. Congressional staffers say it's intended not only to improve enforcement of existing sanctions, but also to expand them. The bill is modeled on sanctions in force against Iran. The bill was introduced by Reps. Ed Royce, R-Calif., and Eliot Engel, D-N.Y. Its prospects for becoming law are uncertain. The draft bill does not name any particular entities but potentially could impact companies and banks in China through which the North conducts most of its business. The draft gives the president authority to sanction governments for illicit dealings with North Korea but also authority to waive the bill's provisions on a case-by-case basis on national security grounds. The legislation could irk Beijing at a time when the Obama administration seeks greater Chinese cooperation in pressuring Pyongyang to end war threats and honor past commitments on denuclearization. Beijing signed up for the toughest U.N. sanctions yet on North Korea in response to a nuclear test in February. But Royce has called for tougher unilateral steps, as the U.S. government did in 2005 against a Macau-based bank because it held about $25 million in North Korean funds. That measure had a significant impact, but proved complicated to undo when nuclear Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/04/27/bi-partisan-group-lawmakers-introduce-tough-north-korea-sanctions.

 News source: www.foxnews.com

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Scream Pilot Gets A Green Light At MTV

Few franchises have more lasting power than a great horror series. For some reason, the genre just happens to lend itself really well for reboots, to varying degrees of quality, of course. Where will Scream fall among the ranks of reboots and sequels? After a (relatively) recent fourth installment to the film franchise, which brought star Neve Cambell back to the role of Sidney Prescott in 2011, MTV is looking to move forward with a TV version. The network once better associated with music, has given the green light to a one-hour pilot that will reinvent the horror-comedy Scream for the small screen. Scream introduced us to Sidney Prescott, a teen whose mother was murdered and who finds herself at the center of a fresh wave of killings in her small town. The films often bordered on parody, finding humor in acknowledging the "rules" of the horror genre as one character after another was killed off by the mysterious slashing "Ghostface" killer. Whether or not the TV pilot will center on a "new" Sidney or entirely new characters is unclear. MTV didn't get into specifics on the plot in their announcement. We learned that MTV was developing a Scream project about a year ago. Today MTV announced that they've greenlit the pilot from Dimension Films, and that Wes Craven - the director of all four Scream films - is in talks to direct. MTV's also in discussions with various writers for the potential series, which would air next summer (2014) if the project goes to series. There's no mention of Kevin Wlliamson's name, however the original writer of the films probably has his hands full with The Following on Fox these days. But maybe they'd be able to get him on board regardless, if not as an executive producer/writer then perhaps on a consulting basis. Some may think this is a bad idea, but MTV has had some success with quality programming geared toward young adults, with Awkward and Teen Wolf, the latter of which also happens to be a series reboot of a popular film. Of course, things were less successful for Skins and The Inbetweeners, but those were both attempts to remake popular British series. If MTV is intent on working with popular franchises, perhaps rebooting horror-comedies is the way to go. We'll have to wait and see if Scream moves forward at the network.

 News source:www.cinemablend.com

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Mariah Carey And Miguel Tease 'Beautiful' Music Together

We already knew Miguel was crushing hard on Mariah Carey and that the dynamic duo might be working on a song for her upcoming album. We finally got a glimpse of what that collabo might sound and look like on Thursday when she uploaded a 25-second teaser video for the song "Beautiful." The clip begins with the crackling sound of the needle dropping on vinyl and an image of a silver butterfly as a hypnotic, bluesy guitar riff plays behind a shot of Carey's hair blowing around her face.

The track briefly rewinds as Carey laughs, "Mariah" flashes on the screen and we catch a quick glance of Miguel in a mirror. The spare track continues, with more hair-blowing, giggling shots of Carey and then the reveal of what one can assume is the track's title, "#Beautiful." That's followed by the words "The New Era Begins" and the release date, May 6. The final image is of a woman's leg dangling over a motorcycle and kicking off a red-bottom shoe accompanied by more laughter and Carey's MC logo. The song would be the first new effort from Carey since "Almost Home," which appeared on the "Great and Powerful Oz" soundtrack. She's been working on her first studio album of non-holiday songs since 2009's Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel with a number of major producers, including Hit-Boy, The-Dream, Rodney Jerkins and Jermaine Dupri. When MTV News spoke to Miguel at the Time 100 Gala
 earlier this week he was playfully coy about his work with the divine miss M. "Rumor mills? I don't know why fans would put that together. I don't know," he said
 with a smile.The speculation was fueled by tweets sent out by both singers, dating back to April 3, when Mariah praised Miguel's "Saturday Night Live" appearance. She noted at the time that she'd recently run into him in the studio and two weeks later added that she was mixing the album's lead track. The rumors picked up even more on Monday, when sound mixer Fletcher Allison, who works for video director Joseph Kahn, wrote about being on set with the twosome in a since-deleted tweet tweet. "Working on a Mariah Carey + Miguel video for the man Joseph Kahn," he wrote. "Wouldn't trade this for 1,000 Coachellas." In retrospect, perhaps Miguel slyly revealed more than we thought on Monday, when he said a potential collaboration would sound, "beautiful. I think it's a great juxtaposition."

 News source: www.mtv.com

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Amy Winehouse Documentary In The Works

you followed the saga of "Rehab" singer Amy Winehouse during her too-short, chaotic and meteoric rise to worldwide fame, you might remember that it often felt like made-for-TV movie with endless, often tragic, twists and turns. Arrests, hospital visits, trips to rehab, drunken brawls, quickie marriages, Grammy wins, platinum sales and an endless parade of false starts in the studio during sessions for her never-completed third album. Now, director Asif Kapadia is developing an untitled documentary on the late singer's life that Focus Features plans to shop to buyers at next month's Cannes Film Market, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The Winehouse movie from British filmmaker Kapadia, known for "Senna," his 2010 documentary on the life of Brazilian racing champ Ayrton Senna, will be co-produced by Universal Music. "This is an incredibly modern, emotional and relevant film that has the power to capture the zeitgeist and shine a light on the world we live in, in a way that very few films can," said Kapadia in a statement. "Amy was a once-in-a-generation talent who captured everyone's attention; she wrote and sung from the heart and everyone fell under her spell. But tragically Amy seemed to fall apart under the relentless media attention, her troubled relationships, her global success and precarious lifestyle." Winehouse, who died
 at age 27 in July 2011 from accidental alcohol poisoning, continues to influence today's generation of stars, from Adele
 to Lady Gaga
 and Beyoncé, who has teamed
 with Andre 3000 to cover "Back to Black" for the upcoming soundtrack to "The Great Gatsby."

  News source: www.mtv.com

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Evian's video of break-dancing babies goes viral, gets over 32 million views in less than a week

Mineral water company Evian's latest ad campaign has dancing babies in it and has had millions of YouTube users hooked on to it. In less than a week the ad spot titled Baby & Me has racked up more than 32 million views on the video sharing space. The ad shows adults who are shocked to see themselves reflected in the mirror as infants. As the ad progresses both babies and grown-ups break into a series of complicated dance moves. The music that they dance to is Ini Kamoze's Here Comes the Hotstepper, which has been remixed by French electro artist Yuksek. The video seems to have gone viral with many users commenting on the video and the views increasing ever hour since it was released.

 News source: www.dnaindia.com

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Selena Gomez Says She's Given Enough of Herself to Media

Girls just wanna have fun...and that includes Selena Gomez. "I'm in my twenties. I want to have fun," she said today on Z100's Elvis Duran and the Morning Show when asked about her recent rendezvous with Justin Bieber. "I wanna enjoy my life and not have to worry about every single thing." The singer didn't want to spill specifics on her relationship with Justin, saying she likes to keep some things private. "I think I've actually given enough of myself, if that makes sense," Sel explained. "I feel within my music, and even how I handle myself in interviews, people think they know but they really actually don't." So while we don't know if Justin and Selena are back on, they are back together in music, at least. Check out this mash-up of their hits 'As Long As You Love Me' and 'Love You Like A Love Song'!

  News source: www.cambio.com

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January Jones - Fashion, Be Damned: January Jones Muddles Image, Media Recoils In Horror

Oh January Jones, how you hath incurred the wrath of the shallow media world today. January and her Mad Men co-stars arrived at the Paley Centre for Media’s screening of the new Mad men show on Tuesday wearing a denim jackWhat were you thinking, January Jones!? Yes, it’s 2013. Yes, we are a more open-minded breed of people than those portrayed in the retro drama series in which you star. No, there aren’t ACTUALLY any rules about these things. But oh, how you have angered the media with your “confused” look, your carefree mixing of materials, your devil-may-care approach to making sure that you fit in with your co-stars. Frankly, we’re struggling to see the problem with January Jones’ outfit. In fact, we’d happily scour the high street shelves for hours in a vain attempt to copy the look. et, leather trousers and a white, sheer, lacy blouse.
  News source:www.contactmusic.com

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'Idol Panic: Secret Plot to Replace Mariah Carey With Jennifer Lopez Fails (Exclusive)

These sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that Carey, who was touted as the big new addition to the judge’s panel this year, responded with a threat of litigation. With that, the plan was dropped, though Idol's producers still are negotiating with Lopez -- who served as a popular judge during the past two seasons -- to appear on the show’s finale in May. And insiders say a search already has begun to replace Carey, most likely Nicki Minaj and possibly the entire judge’s panel for next season. PHOTOS: The Next Season of 'American Idol': Will It Work? "This is just another ridiculous Idol judge rumor, likely started by talks of Jennifer performing on the finale," a Fox spokeswoman tells THR in a statement. Producer Fremantle NorthAmerica declined comment. A rep for Carey denies these allegations. Idol producer Nigel Lythgoe tells THR, "I have not been included in any conversation regarding replacing Mariah with Jen this season." American Idol kicked off its 12th season on solid enough footing. Earning a 6.0 rating in the key adults 18-to-49 demographic and 17.9 million total viewers in its January return, the 17 percent dip was less precipitous than some of the bigger drops in recent years. But the months since have been less kind. The Wednesday performance show is averaging a 4.3 rating in 18-to-49, its worst performance since its inaugural season in 2001. And it is dropping nearly every week. Even worse for Idol, the robust reboot of NBC’s The Voice with Shakira and Usher recently has seen ratings climb to a 5.2 in the demo during the same week Idol bottomed out with a series-low 2.8. Adding insult to injury, Idol made headlines last week when preliminary numbers showed its total viewers for a results show was beaten by a repeat of CBS' The Big Bang Theory. PHOTOS: 'American Idol' Season 12: Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj Search for a Winner Sources say Fox reality chief Mike Darnell and Fremantle’s Cecile Frot-Coutaz have been especially concerned about the Idol ratings trajectory, and they hoped that a surprise shake-up on the judges' panel would help. Carey, a multiplatinum and Grammy-winning singer, is perhaps Idol's most pedigreed judge ever. But despite her eight-figure salary, she has seemed passive and disengaged in her comments on the show, failing to generate the type of fan following that Lopez had when she judged. By contrast, Minaj has turned into Idol's sharp-tongued firebrand, especially seated next to more vanilla judge Keith Urban and stalwart Randy Jackson. Nonetheless, internal Fox research is said to show that Minaj is not a hit with some of the show's audience. "The core viewer is a Midwestern, Southern, older woman who is threatened by Nicki’s aggressiveness," says one knowledgeable source. Producers are said to have pushed for the pairing of Carey and Minaj, thinking it would provide for a panel of diverse opinions and make for good TV if they were in conflict. But Idol insiders fear the dynamic has turned off some loyal fans. Because producers backed off their plan to shake up the show midseason, attention is said to already have turned to next season. A source who has been approached as a possible judge replacement tells THR that Idol producers are looking for “not necessarily a star” to join the show. That might include a music professional with strong credentials.

 News source: www.hollywoodreporter.com

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Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson Recovering Faster Than A Speeding Bullet After Emergency Surgery

WWE Superstar and action movie hero Dwayne Johnson is recovering from emergency surgery he underwent as a result of injuries sustained during his WrestelMania match with current WWE Champion John Cena. Dwayne Johnson let the "millions and millions" of the Rock's fans know he was having emergency surgery via Twitter. Rocky posted a photo of himself in a Superman shirt flexing his muscles. The caption read, "Surgery a success! Dr repaired 3 hernial tears (fun pain). Superman is on the mend.. #WeFallWeRise." According to the Associated Press Dwayne Johnson is now recovering from his emergency surgery at home. Johnson sustained his injuries in a match he fought on April 7 against John Cena. During the match, the Rock tore his abductor muscle. He announced his injury to fans via Instagram and let them know he was rehabbing and getting back in shape. "In the middle of last night's WrestleMania match I tore my abdomen & abductor muscles off the bone. Just part of the job," Johnson wrote. On Sunday, Dwayne Johnson let his fans know about his emergency surgery in true 'The Rock' style, not holding back any of the details. Johnson tweeted that the doctor had to "push my intestines back thru the tear in my abdomen. Kinda romantic." Monday night was the red carpet premier of the Rock's new film costarring Mark Walberg. "Pain and Gain," directed by Michael Bay, hits theaters on Friday. On the red carpet Bay told E! News, "Dwayne's hurt tonight," when asked about the Rock. "He was pushing it too hard. He needs to grow up and stop wrestling 300-pound men." Despite having just had major emergency surgey, Dwayne Johnson doesn't seem to have any plans of slowing things down. According to the LA Times, the Rock has signed on for another action movie by Brett Ratner, Hercules: The Thracian Wars.

 News source: www.kpopstarz.com

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Dancing With the Stars Results: Who Was a Bust on Stevie Wonder Night

Stevie Wonder was an inspiration for some last night on Dancing With the Stars. And, for others... Well, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer's music could only do so much. For celebs like Kellie Pickler and Zendaya, Monday's performance show brought near-perfection, with Kellie's 29 just edging Zendaya's 29 in the prestige department because one of the country singer's 10s came from Len Goodman. NEWS: See how much Zendaya is getting paid to be on Dancing With the Stars! Only Kellie and Derek Hough's quickstep was called the overall best dance of the season, but both they and Zendaya and Val Chmerkovksiy were safe on Tuesday's results show. Aly Raisman and Mark Ballas, who scored a 27 on their foxtrot and were on the winning Team Samba, were also safe. On to the less estimable scores... NEWS: DWTS and The Bachelor wanted Ryan Lochte, but he turned 'em down Jacoby Jones was coming off an off-night in which he lumbered a bit through his quickstep, but he scored a spot on next week's Latin Night lineup all the same. Ingo Rademacher, with an assist from his adorable little son Peanut, whom the viewers at home just can't get enough of, was also safe.

 News source:www.eonline.com

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Bieber Ordered to Stop Monkey-ing Around

When it comes to Bieber’s newly acquired pet, Mally, a 17-week-old capuchin monkey, Bieber wants to relocate the monkey to a zoo, but according to German custom authorities, Mally isn't going anywhere, yet. PICS: Star Sightings According to the Associated Press, Mally was confiscated by custom authorities on March 28 when Bieber landed in Munich while on tour and failed to produce the proper paperwork for his pet. Since then, Mally has been in the custody of the Munich Animal Protection League where it is being housed. Bieber asks that the monkey be moved from the animal shelter and placed in a zoo. Thomas Meister, a spokesman for customs, said that Mally will stay in the shelter until Bieber or someone with his power of attorney directly gets in contact with customs and either provides the paperwork to regain custody or “forfeits” the animal. In the meantime, the Munich Animal Protection League has received two emails from Bieber’s camp, Judith Brettmeister, spokeswoman for the Munich Animal Protection League shelter, told The AP on April 23. Brettmeister says the first email asked how long Bieber had to provide the paperwork before the monkey would be euthanized to which the Animal Protection League replied that animals are not euthanized in German shelters. The second email from Bieber’s team said "Our team is looking into the idea of placing Mally at a zoo in Germany. Would you happen to have any recommendations for places that Mally would be safe and thrive? Again, we are very concerned that Mally is safe and placed in the best possible residence." Meister said Bieber has until May 17 to provide Mally's paperwork. RELATED: Social Media Reacts To Bieber's Anne Frank Quote "If by May 17 there is nothing, then he loses ownership of the animal and it becomes the property of the Federal Republic of Germany," he said. “If Bieber really does want to place the animal in a zoo, he is welcome to contact customs authorities and forfeit Mally at any time, but will likely have to pay costs associated with keeping the monkey so far and a fine.”

 News source:www.etonline.com

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Dancing with the Stars" sends another contestant packing

It didn't come as a big surprise when champion boxer Victor Ortiz learned his "Dancing with the Stars" fate on Tuesday night. Ortiz and his pro-partner, Lindsay Arnold, received the lowest scores, and subsequently got the boot in week 6. Ortiz didn't seem very surprised about the elimination, taking it in stride -- almost looking relieved about the news. He thanked the viewers and all the "beautiful people" who supported him along the way during season 16. "I've danced my shoes off," Ortiz said, adding, "I would take nothing back. I had a blast...So at the end of the day it was a heck of an experience and hopefully, these beautiful people will follow me to my next championship bout...I'm happy to get this far. I definitely need some dance moves." "Dancing with the Stars" Who will win this season of "Dancing with the Stars"? Aly Raisman Andy Dick Ingo Rademacher Jacoby Jones Kellie Pickler Sean Lowe Victor Ortiz Zendaya Vote Now View results Joining Ortiz in the bottom two were "Bachelor" star Sean Lowe and Peta Murgatroyd. They plan to step it up next week -- something about taking Lowe's pants off...ahem...to help boost their votes, Murgatroyd joked. Surprisingly, Andy Dick, who was tied with Ortiz at the bottom of the individual round, didn't land in the bottom two. The pair only mustered up 18 points this week, with an additional 25 additional points for their group dance as part of Team Samba. But they're sticking around to see another dance. Right now, the battle seems to be brewing between country singer Kellie Pickler and her partner Derek Hough -- and actress Zendaya Coleman and Val Chmerkovskiy. Both pairs earned almost perfect scores on Monday's Stevie Wonder Night. Tuesday's show also saw Will.i.am performing "#thatPOWER," with Justin Bieber doing his portion via video. Tell us: Did the right "DWTS" pair go home?

 News source: www.cbsnews.com

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IDOL Report: JLo Returning as Judge? Entire Panel to Be Replaced for Next Season

According to a report in The Hollywood Reporter, FOX executives had considered the idea of replacing new judge Mariah Carey with Season 11 panelist Jennifer Lopez midway through the current season. The plan however, was cut short after members of Carey's entourage threatened legal action. THR reports that the idea was a desperate attempt to halt the rapidly declining ratings for the singing competition and 'jumpstart' it with the return of Lopez. While no longer under consideration, Idol producers are still in negotiations to have the popular judge return for the season finale this May. According to sources close to the show, Carey will most likely not be returning for Season 13. In addition, a search may already be underway to replace the entire judge's panel before the show returns to the air next January. In response to the reports, a FOX spokeswoman told THR in a statement, "This is just another ridiculous Idol judge rumor, likely started by talks of Jennifer performing on the finale." While a representative for Carey denies the allegations, Idol producer Nigel Lythgoe told THR: "I have not been included in any conversation regarding replacing Mariah with Jen this season." Although IDOL began with relatively strong ratings this season, delivering a 6.0 rating with adults 18-49 and 17.9 million total viewers in its January premiere, the show has proven to be a ratings disaster for FOX. Last Wednesday's show averaged a 4.3 rating with adults 18-49, its worst performance since its debut season back in 2001. Adding salt to the wound is the success of competing series The Voice on NBC. With the addition of new judges Shakira and Usher, the singing competition has seen an increase to a 5.2 rating in the all-important 18-49 demographic. According to sources, FOX executives are highly concerned about this year's ratings slide and plan to 'shake-up' the judges' panel next season. Their hopes that Grammy winner Carey would spark viewer interest have not materialized. In fact, despite her eight-figure salary, Carey's appearance has been described as "passive and disengaged in her comments on the show, failing to generate the kind of fan following that Lopez had when she judged." Who may producers have been in mind for next year's show? A source tells THR that they may be searching for "not necessarily a star" to sit on the judges' panel. Perhaps a professional in the music industry with strong credentials may be the way to go.

 News source:tv.broadwayworld.com

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Futurama' to end seven-season run on Sept. 4 -- EXCLUSIVE

Comedy Central has decided not to renew Futurama, which means that the 31st-century-set animated comedy will end its 140-episode run on Sept. 4. The final 13 episodes, which represent the second half of season 7, begin airing on June 19 at 10 p.m. Futurama is no stranger to cancellation, of course: The series aired from 1999 to 2003 before Fox sent Fry & Co. into oblivion. After thriving in reruns on Adult Swim, Futurama was relaunched in 2007 with four-direct-to-DVD movies that Comedy Central ran in half-hour increments as a 16-episode fifth season in 2008-09. Comedy Central subsequently ordered a sixth season of 26 episodes, which aired in 2010-11, and a seventh season of 26 episodes, the first half of which debuted in 2012. The news did not come as a shock to executive producer David X. Cohen and creator Matt Groening, who had thought their space explorations were ending three previous times (after the Fox run, after the four movies, and after Comedy Central’s first 26-episode order). “I felt like we were already in the bonus round on these last couple of seasons, so I can’t say I was devastated by the news,” Cohen tells EW. “It was what I had expected two years earlier. At this point I keep a suitcase by my office door so I can be cancelled at a moment’s notice.” GET EW ON YOUR TABLET: Subscribe today and get instant access! The series won the Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program twice, in 2002 and 2011. It has declined in the ratings, though, averaging 2.6 million viewers in 2010, 2.3 million in 2011, and 1.7 million in 2012. Comedy Central’s EVP of Programming Dave Bernath views the network’s decision as “the natural end” to the show’s improbable comeback. “That’s a helluva run that few shows achieve, and especially given the fact that it came back to life, it’s really an amazing story,” he says. “I’m more thankful and feel a sense of gratitude toward the whole process — and that we found a way to keep going for 52 more episodes — than I really am even thinking about the ending. It’s a blessing that it came back and lasted so long.” The producers say that they are exploring options for a new home for the show, but there are no serious talks at this point. “We’ve been in this situation before and it’s tempting when you’re doing episodes that are as good or better than anything you’ve ever done to continue doing it,” Groening tells EW. “We’re catching our breath and seeing what the fans have to say. The experience of this show has been so much fun from the very beginning to now — everybody is so happy to work on this show — that it’d be a shame if we all went our separate ways… We would love to continue. We have many more stories to tell. But if we don’t, this is a really great way to go out… I think these episodes are the best ones we’ve ever done.” Cohen calls the final run — which features such guests as Larry Bird, Sarah Silverman, George Takei, Adam West, Dan Castellaneta, and Burt Ward — “our best ‘last season ever’ ever,” noting that there are “a bunch of episodes that I think are going to be classics.” In one installment, Futurama is “reincarnated as various cartoons of your youth, not legally resembling but somehow quite reminiscent of Scooby-Doo, Strawberry Shortcake, and G.I. Joe,” he says. (SPOILER ALERT, SPOILER ALERT) And the series finale, which features a wedding between Fry and Leela, is “a tasteful, emotional gorefest,” he raves. “There’s a lot of death but there’s also a lot of time travel, so that makes for an interesting combination.” Adds Groening: “It’s a really satisfying ending. It’s an epic ending. If indeed it’s the ending.” If, indeed. Somehow we’ll see Bender shout “Bite My Shiny, Revived Metal Ass!” down the road, right? “Perhaps Futurama will return in another form, on the Internet, or as a puppet show in the park,” says Groening. “Or maybe as a puppet show in the park on the Internet.” Deadpans Cohen: “As I said three times before, this is definitely the absolute end of the show. I don’t know why nobody believes me when I say that.”

 News source: insidetv.ew.com

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Rihanna goes topless while prepping backstage for Atlanta concert

Rihanna brought the heat to Atlanta Monday before she even got on stage. The 25-year-old pop princess ditched her top making for one sultry Instagram upload while getting pretty and primped to perform her show. The "Diamonds" singer looked flawless without even trying as she sat perched up wearing nothing but a yellow pair of underwear. RELATED: RIHANNA FLAUNTS BEACH BODY POOLSIDE IN MIAMI RiRi held up a towel that barely covered her upper body showing off some serious tan lines which were most likely from her relaxing day in the Miami sun the day before. Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/rihanna-posts-topless-pic-atlanta-concert-article-

News source:www.nydailynews.com

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Reese Witherspoon Pulls Out Of TV Appearances Following Arrest

Following her arrest for disorderly conduct on Friday, Reese Witherspoon has cancelled a Tuesday appearance on "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" as well as several other engagements. The actress did, however, attend the screening of "Mud" at The Museum of Modern Art in New York City on Sunday. Witherspoon was arrested and charged in Atlanta, Ga., after she argued with a police officer who pulled over the vehicle her husband Jim Toth was driving. Toth was charged with driving while intoxicated. The actress also cancelled a pre-taped segment scheduled for "Good Morning America" on Monday, which was scheduled to air on Wednesday. In response to her arrest, Witherspoon issued the following statement: "Out of respect for the ongoing legal situation, I cannot comment on everything that is being reported right now. But I do want to say, I clearly had one drink too many and I am deeply embarrassed about the things I said. "It was definitely a scary situation and I was frightened for my husband, but that is no excuse. I was disrespectful to the officer who was just doing his job. I have nothing but respect for the police and I'm very sorry for my behavior."

News source: www.starpulse.com

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FrackNation' filmmaker claims group of farmers was barred from

“FrackNation” filmmaker Phelim McAleer claims he, along with a group of farmers, was kept out of the Tribeca Film Festival screening of “Gasland Part II,” an anti-Fracking documentary. He said the exclusion came after he began asking the film’s creator, Josh Fox, some tough questions about fracking on the red carpet before the screening. “I was there on my own and I started asking the question and these farmers started joining in and asking the questions,” McAleer told FOX 411. “It became noisy. It was respectful, not intimidating.” But when it came time to enter the theater for the screening, McAleer said he and the farmers were told they could not come inside. “What happened was they said ‘oh no, you can’t come in. We don’t feel comfortable with you coming in’… They had security block us. They called the cops.” In an opinion article written for the New York Post, McAleer wrote about the farmers’ disappointment at being barred from the movie screening. “Sherry Hart, a mother of three and the wife of a gas worker, was particularly excited to be there. She lives in Pennsylvania and had never been to New York City, but she felt that it was important to make the journey to see what was being said about her and her life,” McAleer wrote in the article. “But she was not to find out.” The festival issued a statement about the incident, blaming a lack of space for the farmers’ exclusion from the screening. “Guests that had purchased advance tickets and were in line for the film 30 minutes prior, as our ticket policy states, were admitted into the screening,” read the statement sent to the FOX 411. “We are sorry that the few ticket holders who stayed outside gave up their seats to those who waited in line. The film is being shown three more times during the festival and we welcome them to come to any of those screenings. Tickets are still available.” But McAleer claimed in his article that there were empty seats at the screening and that his group was turned away for asking “inconvenient questions.” He added that he doesn’t expect the farmers to return to Manhattan to try to view the movie again. “People traveled from 4:30 in the morning to see the movie,” he said. “[Festival founder] Robert De Niro needs to send a limousine to [upstate] New York and Pennsylvania to bring these people in,” he suggested, adding that they will not be able to return on their own. Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2013/04/23/fracknation-filmmaker-claims-group-farmers-was-barred-from-gasland-part-

 News source: www.foxnews.com

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A Comedy Show That Comes via a Hashtag

Next week, Comedy Central will host a five-day comedy festival that includes a lineup of legends like Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner alongside popular young comics like Amy Schumer and the director Paul Feig. Add to Portfolio Viacom Inc Go to your Portfolio » But there will be no smoky comedy clubs. No lone microphones and stools positioned on stage. No two-drink minimum. The festival will take place almost entirely on Twitter, with comedians posting video snippets of routines and round tables and posting jokes using the hashtag #ComedyFest. The partnership between Comedy Central, a cable cannel owned by Viacom, and Twitter represents the evolving relationship between television and social media. Twitter is often incorporated into programming with viewers using the site as a second screen while watching live television. But slowly, Twitter is becoming an outlet on which to watch video. In January, Twitter introduced Vine, a video-sharing service that lets users post six-second clips — brevity that matches Twitter’s model of 140-character messages. On Tuesday, as part of the festival, the comedian Steve Agee will host a “Vine Dining” party, telling stories in six-second videos. The cast of HBO’s “Veep” shares “vines” from the set, as does the cast of ABC’s hit “Scandal.” A&E puts 30-second videos of “Duck Dynasty” on Twitter and the entire third season of Fox’s “Raising Hope” had its debut on the site. “It’s not just hashtags appearing on your TV screen, but TV content appearing in your Twitter feed,” said Debra Aho Williamson, a social media analyst at eMarketer. For Comedy Central, the Twitter partnership is a small part of a larger strategy to become a branded entertainment company that does not rely just on nightly television viewing. In a changing media landscape, the channel’s series like “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” and “South Park,” and their young, mostly male audiences, have led the shift to online video viewing. As early as next month, Comedy Central will introduce a free, ad-supported app, called CC: Stand-Up. Designed to look and feel like a cable channel devoted to stand-up, the app will offer videos of comedians performing routines. A recommendation algorithm (similar to the one used by Amazon) will allow users to discover new comedians. If you watched Jeff Ross, for example, a web of other comics would pop up based on routines with similar topics (like mass transit), style (like dark humor) or other relationships (both like marshmallows). “One of these days we will be ambivalent about where people watch Comedy Central,” said Steve Grimes, the channel’s senior vice president for programming and multiplatform strategy. At least for now Viacom makes the vast majority of its revenue from cable subscribers who watch television the old-fashioned way and the advertisers who pay to reach them there. The company must adapt to the changing ways viewers watch video, but they must also preserve profits. Last year, Nickelodeon’s ratings dropped, partly because shows like “Dora the Explorer” and “SpongeBob SquarePants” had been too readily available on streaming platforms like Netflix. Nickelodeon’s predicament has served as a cautionary tale for Comedy Central as it extends its programming onto other devices. Comedy Central’s total prime-time audience has fallen to a nightly average of 816,000 viewers in the current season to date, from 1.1 million in 2008, according to Nielsen. Of those viewers, 258,000 are men ages 18 to 34, a demographic that disproportionately uses social media while watching television. In a study conducted by Nielsen in September and titled “How Chatter Matters in TV Viewing,” 54 percent of 18- to 34-year-olds said they had started watching a TV show because of Facebook, and 21 percent credited Twitter. Fred Graver, head of TV at Twitter, said partnering with Comedy Central and others was not about turning the service into a television distribution platform, but developing deeper relationships with programmers that eventually lead to more people joining Twitter. The relationship, he said, can be mutually beneficial. “What we spend a lot of time talking to networks and show runners about is, What do you put onto Twitter that will get people to change the channel or alert them to another way of enjoying the show?” Mr. Graver said. For now, Comedy Central looks at the Twitter partnership as a marketing strategy. In the future, the channel could work with a sponsor to bring in ad revenue. “It’s the same way we’d market our comedy through a billboard a few years ago,” said Michele Ganeless, president of Comedy Central. Ms. Ganeless has overseen Comedy Central’s push into other expansions of the brand, including consumer products like DVDs, T-shirts and coffee mugs related to its shows and comedians. Comedians have been particularly ahead of the curve in embracing new ways to distribute stand-up acts that used to rely on cable television. Last year, Louis C.K. sold a “Live at the Beacon Theater” special directly through his Web site and made $1 million in under two weeks. That partly inspired Comedy Central to develop a Web site that lets comedians sell their stand-up specials directly to consumers (with the channel getting a cut). Customers can buy a stand-up special starting at $5 and stream it onto their television screens or mobile devices. It remains to be seen how all these add-ons will ultimately affect Comedy Central’s audience and, in turn, its revenue. “I don’t think anybody is moving forward in the TV business or the brand business without finding ways to develop a true dialogue with consumers,” said Doug Herzog, president of Viacom Entertainment Group, which includes Comedy Central, Spike and TV Land. “What we’re still discovering and what will take a while is what exactly does that mean and what exactly does it add up to and how do you quantify it?” On Monday, Twitter will live stream the only #ComedyFest event that will take place with an actual audience, at the Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles. The panel discussion will include Mr. Brooks, Mr. Reiner and Judd Apatow, who will be the host. Mr. Reiner and Mr. Apatow will try to persuade the technology-averse Mr. Brooks to join Twitter. He has previously resisted, telling friends that it could not possibly capture his “impish” quality. Mr. Reiner has more than 20,400 Twitter followers. During the Oscars this year, he posted, “I was so excited to discover I was not in the in memoriam!” In an interview, Mr. Reiner took a break from writing a book, “I Just Remembered,” (“because it’s about all the things I forgot to put in the first book”) to discuss social media and comedy. Of Mr. Brooks, his longtime friend and partner in “The 2,000 Year Old Man” comedy skit, Mr. Reiner said: “We’ll see if we can get the old man to talk” on Twitter.

 News source: www.nytimes.com

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Kendra Wilkinson rushed to hospital following car accident report

Kendra Wilkinson Baskett was rushed to the hospital Sunday after a car accident, former playmate suffered no serious injuries. Kendra Wilkinson was rushed to the hospital Sunday after a car accident in the Tarzana neighborhood of Los Angeles, according to an Us Weekly report. The 27-year-old was spotted going into Providence Tarzana Medical Center earlier in the day. RELATED: KENDRA WILKINSON QUITS ‘SPLASH’ OVER FEAR OF HEIGHTS A source told the mag the former Playboy model was "in shock" and "really sore" after the traumatic incident. Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/kendra-wilkinson-rushed-hospital-report-article-1.1323902#ixzz2RFAGuWip Kendra Wilkinson, left, son Hank Baskett IV, and husband Hank Baskett attending the LA premiere of "Frankenweenie" at the El Capitan Theatre in September 2012. Doctors examined her to determine whether she had broken any bones, but it appears the injuries she suffered were not too serious and a second source confirmed "she was discharged already." PHOTOS: CELEBRITIES TRAIN FOR 'SPLASH' DIVING COMPETITION SHOW Wilkinson, wife to former NFL player Hank Baskett, 30, and mother to 3 year-old Hank Baskett IV, just recently left the ABC diving show "Splash" due to her fear of getting hurt on the show. "I'm so sorry, everybody. It's bittersweet. One thing I don't do is quit. This is the first time in my life I've quit something," she said in a statement. "This will haunt me for the rest of my life." "Big mistake signing up for the show," she tweeted to her fans who were disappointed Read more:

News source: www.nydailynews.com

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Mad Men' Recap: The Sell-Outs

Forgive the pun, but I found "To Have and to Hold" a bit hard to swallow – which is why I commend Mad Men producer Erin Levy for penning such a smart episode that revolved around the theory that for all the strides Mad Men's principal and supporting female characters have made in their professional and personal lives, at the end of the day, they're still viewed as little more than whores. Megan's continued success on THATH (anyone else notice that was her shorthand for her soap opera?) garnered her a love scene – and a scathing rebuke from Don, whose ever-present double standard has him condemning his wife ("You kiss people for money") while slinking off for more trysts with Sylvia. Joan, who re-emerged from the sidelines this episode, is starting to experience the repercussions of last season's business decision, whereas her married, visiting friend, Kate (nice to see you again, Marley Shelton), having admired Joan's seemingly flawless ability to land any man, wants to dabble in the emerging sexual revolution, just for one night. Peggy, an unwitting pawn in CGC's plot to steal the Heinz empire away from SCDP, not only stole a Draperism for her pitch but lost Stan's trust. Even Dawn, who has deservedly been bestowed her own story line, has no choice but to compromise her self-worth for the sake of keeping her job. 'Mad Men': Rolling Stone's Complete Coverage Rotten Tomatoes The seedy aura of this episode hit us from the get-go as Don and Pete staged an illicit meeting with Heinz Ketchup representative Tim Jablonski in the most appropriate setting possible: Pete's Manhattan pad (anyone else in love with those frosted blue and green sliding doors?). The SCDP admen, along with Stan, arrange to put together a campaign for, as Ken put it last episode, "the Coca-Cola of condiments," but it has to be done under the radar lest Raymond Geiger, a.k.a. "Beans," go all Lee Garner Jr. on the firm and whine that he's not getting enough attention. Everything goes according to plan until the SCDP crew emerge from their ostensibly victorious pitch meeting with "Ketchup" only to find Ted, Peggy and another associate waiting in the wings. To add insult to injury, Don listens in on Peggy's presentation, and is visibly crushed when she uses an acutely familiar phrase: "If you don't like what they're saying, change the conversation." Don first uttered these words in Season Three, only to be reminded of them again by Peggy in Season Four in the aftermath of losing Lucky Strike – perhaps a hint that one day she would take them as her own. But the big build-up to CGC vs. SCDP over Heinz Ketchup wound up being a red herring: Ted and Peggy sidle up to a dejected Don, Pete and Stan at a bar to announce that neither firm got the account. Plus, both parties are further chastised for their unfaithful behavior: "Beans," having gotten wind of the secret meeting with "Ketchup," dumps SCDP, and Stan returns Peggy's sheepish grin with a raise of his middle finger. Don's in a plenty rotten mood by the time he makes it over to the set of To Have and to Hold – where Québécoise Megan has totally been typecast as a French-maid-uniform-clad domestic – so he can watch his wife make out with her co-star and then berate her for it. The climactic scene in Megan's dressing room continues the all-women-are-whores theme that was brought more into focus last episode. Even though Megan proved her commitment to her marital vows the night before by declining a post-dinner "chemistry experiment" invitation (a.k.a. "swinging") from THATH actress Arlene and her husband and head writer, Mel (Ted McGinley – tempting Jump the Shark fate, are you, Mad Men?), in Don's eyes, what Megan is doing for her paycheck is no different than what his prostitute mother and Abigail Whitman did to survive. But ever since Don strode away from Megan on the set of the Butler Shoes commercial, effectively ending his fidelity toward her, we've been counting the minutes until the fallout. The first salvo was fired when Megan, following in Trudy's footsteps from last week, retaliated against her husband's apathy over her career: "I'm sick of tiptoeing around you every time something good happens to me!" At the end of the episode, Don retreats into Sylvia's arms, slipping her gold crucifix pendant behind her head and hiding it from view. She confides that she regularly prays he'll find peace in his life, but that's just too much reality for Don to bear. In that small gesture of removing the crucifix from his sight, Don, immune to the fact that Sylvia is the one person who understands his inner torment better than anyone else (she's the one who gave him Dante's Divine Comedy) has reduced her from compassionate human being to whore. The Grass Is Always Greener The dark side of Joan's decision to sleep with Herb Rennet from Jaguar in exchange for a partnership has started to rear its ugly head: Harry, executing some pretty brilliant damage control, sold a musical variety show to be sponsored by Dow Chemical, new SCDP client and currently suffering from a litany of bad press (napalm will do that to you in 1968). But for all the business he's been bringing in, Harry is still denied a partnership and relegated to the second floor, and he feels that unlike Joan, he's "earned it." The truth that she slept her way to the top haunts Joan throughout the episode, as the majority of the SCDP still treats her as if she's a secretary, overriding her decisions. Joan's pal Kate, a sales director for Mary Kay (but in town for an interview with Avon), thinks that Joan has it all, an executive position, a baby and can still attract any man with a single glance. The two go out on the town, if only so married Kate can know what it's like to be Joan Harris for one night. They end up at East Village psychedelic club the Electric Circus, decorated in Day-Glo lighting and Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot's yé-yé classic "Bonnie and Clyde" on the speakers. Kate gets to make out with a handsome stranger named Leo, while Joan begrudgingly locks lips with a dude named Johnny. In the morning, the two girls wake up in bed together, fully clothed – I know, I was disappointed too – and Joan continues to play down her role at SCDP ("it's a title"), because she doesn't think it warrants Kate's admiration, especially because Kate achieved her success entirely on merit. But it's a dog eat dog world out there, so when Joan arrives at work that day, she wields her power over the only person she can take advantage of: Dawn. Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/news/mad-men-recap-the-sell-outs-20130422#ixzz2RF8ellHM Follow us: @rollingstone on Twitter | RollingStone on Facebook

 News source: www.rollingstone.com

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Reese Witherspoon 'Deeply Embarrassed' About DUI Arrest

Reese Witherspoon issued an apology on Sunday for her actions during the arrest on Friday of her husband, Jim Toth, on DUI charges. "Out of respect for the ongoing legal situation, I cannot comment on everything that is being reported right now," Witherspoon said in a statement, according to Entertainment Weekly. "But I do want to say, I clearly had one drink too many and I am deeply embarrassed about the things I said. It was definitely a scary situation and I was frightened for my husband, but that is no excuse. I was disrespectful to the officer who was just doing his job. I have nothing but respect for the police and I'm very sorry for my behavior." The apology came after Witherspoon and Toth's mugshots in the incident leaked and news emerged of the couple's arrest and brief jailing on Friday morning in Atlanta. Variety, which broke the story, reported that police spotted the couple's silver Ford Fusion weaving in and out of lanes and pulled them over. As officers were speaking to Toth, an agitated Witherspoon reportedly stuck her head out of the window and said she did not believe the arresting officer was really a cop. After stating that she was a U.S. citizen and that she as allowed to "stand on American ground," Witherspoon reportedly said to the officer, "Do you know my name?," at which point he responded, "No, I don't need to know your name." Witherspoon, 37, then added, "You're about to find out who I am ... You are going to be on national news." The site claimed that Witherspoon became upset at how long it was taking to arrest Toth, 42, on suspicion of DUI and exited the car, at which point officers ordered her to get back inside the vehicle. When she got out of the car a second time she was arrested for disorderly conduct. The arrest took place at approximately 3:30 a.m. ET on Friday and both were taken to jail. When Toth was pulled over, the arresting officer said the Hollywood agent appeared disheveled and his breath smelled strongly of alcohol. And though he told the officer he had had only a single drink hours earlier, he reportedly blew a .139 on the Breathalyzer test administered at the scene, well above the legal limit of .08. Witherspoon is in Atlanta shooting the film "The Good Life." Both were released on bond on Friday morning and are slated to appear in Atlanta Municipal Court on Monday morning (April 22).

 News source:www.mtv.com

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Grimm' gets an upgrade to Tuesdays

NBC's ratings news has been grim lately, but one bright spot has been "Grimm." Now in its second season, the supernatural drama, which has performed well on Friday nights, is getting a schedule upgrade. It's moving to Tuesdays. The series, which stars David Giuntoli as a Portland homicide detective who learns he's part of an ancient line of people who battle mythical creatures, will begin airing on Tuesdays on April 30 after a two-hour episode of "The Voice." PHOTOS: Hollywood Backlot moments That may not mean a whole lot for this season, which has only four more episodes left after this week but could mean a huge boost in viewership for the crucial May sweeps period. The move could be seen as a vote of confidence in the show, which is likely headed for a third-season renewal. Of course, the arrival of "Grimm" on Tuesdays means the Eva Longoria-produced reality series "Ready for Love" is finished. And in "Grimm's" old Friday slot, the NBC stalwart "Dateline" will take its place. ALSO: Fox orders two more seasons of 'Glee' 'Hannibal' episode pulled in wake of Boston bombing Amazon asks viewers to vote on its next original series

 News source: www.latimes.com

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Nicole Eggert HOSPITALIZED After Botched High-Dive

ANOTHER celebrity injury on the set of "Splash" -- TMZ has learned Nicole Eggert was hospitalized yesterday after bungling a high-dive and brutally back-flopping into the pool during a taping of the ABC show. Sources tell us ... the "Baywatch" babe was trying to execute a dive that included multiple backflips ... but something went wrong, and she went crashing into the water back first ... hard. We're told the impact looked so painful, on-site EMTs rushed in to pull the 41-year-old out of the pool ... and she went to a nearby hospital for treatment. Sources tell us ... Eggert didn't break any bones, but docs wanted to make sure she didn't suffer internal injuries from the impact -- they're monitoring her kidneys in particular. Eggert was released from the hospital after a few hours. It ain't the first time a star has fallen on the show -- Chuy Bravo 86'd himself from the competition after fracturing his heel during diving practice ... and Katherine Webb bowed out earlier this week thanks to a back injury. Rory Bushfield had ruptured his eardrum during a dive gone wrong a few weeks ago ... but refused to quit the show.

News source: www.tmz.com

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will.i.am defends Justin Bieber: "The guy is all right"

will.i.am told The Sun that the controversy was overblown as the teenager could have indulged in less wholesome activities while in the Dutch city. He saId: "We are like, hey, that guy went to freaking Amsterdam and went to see Anne Frank's museum and said, 'I wonder if she would've been a Belieber'. "The dude was in freaking Amsterdam. He could get sex because it's legal, he could get drugs because it's legal, and now we are making a hoopla because he said, 'I wonder if Anne Frank was a Belieber?' Read more: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/showbiz/news/a474811/william-defends-justin-bieber-the-guy-is-all-right.html#ixzz2R3RQbpE6 Follow us: @digitalspy on Twitter | digitalspyuk on Facebook "He went to a museum! If you go to Amsterdam you are going to see some crazy freaking s**t, you are going to see some titties, there is a lot of s**t to do in Amsterdam but he chose to go to Anne Frank's house. The guy is all right." will.i.am praised the popstar's ability and maturity, despite being scrutinised around the world. He said: "Justin is a great talent. Of all the people I have worked with over the past five years he is one of the best. Read more: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/showbiz/news/a474811/william-defends-justin-bieber-the-guy-is-all-right.html#ixzz2R3RTs0LF Follow us: @digitalspy on Twitter | digitalspyuk on Facebook

News source: www.digitalspy.co.uk

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Thor makes noise in 'Dark World' poster reveal

Iron Man might be the next Marvel super hero to hit theaters in May, but Thor is already making some noise. As this exclusive reveal of Thor: The Dark World teaser poster shows, Chris Hemsworth's Nordic demigod is already ready for action in advance of the Nov. 8 release date. "It doesn't get much badder than Chris Hemsworth as Thor," says Marvel president of production Kevin Feige of the solo image. And that's bad for Christopher Eccleston, who plays the new foe Malekith in Dark World. Feige says that the poster was taken from a typical shooting day during the second Thor solo adventure, this time directed by Alan Taylor (Game of Thrones). "It's rare that you have a poster that is just Chris Hemsworth shooting on the set," says Feige. "But he just looks like Thor. We just put in some lightning, and he's got his hammer and you're there. It's just an incredibly striking image." The Dark World will see Thor reunited with his love Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) and his troublesome brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston).

News source:www.usatoday.com

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New Sandra Bullock comedy a ‘love letter’ to Boston

Las Vegas -- The director and stars of the new cop comedy The Heat say they hope their film will provide some comic relief to Bostonians in the wake of Monday’s marathon bombings. Director Paul Feig and actresses Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy promoted The Heat on Thursday at CinemaCon, the annual convention of theatre exhibitors. The Heat casts Bullock and McCarthy as an FBI agent and a Boston cop forced together to take on a violent drug lord. “The movie is such a love letter to Boston,” Feig (Bridesmaids) said on the press line before presenting the film’s trailer to a theatre full of exhibitors. “It’s not a movie where it’s supposed to be New York but it’s shot in Boston,” he continued. “This takes place in Boston. We have Boston natives in the movie, like Jane Curtin and (comic-actor) Bill Burr and (New Kids on the Block member) Joey McIntyre — all these famous Bostonians are in it. And if this movie can help Boston laugh, than that would be great.” There is at least one major explosion and some Lethal Weapon-style action violence in the film — portions of which were filmed last year in and around Boston. Noted Bullock, “I think having been there, having had our entire crew around us all the time, who are all from Boston, you’re just hoping. And when you see the aftermath, I try to look on the other side, which is, ‘Look how amazing the people were. Look at those people that ran towards everyone without thinking twice about themselves.”’ Bullock, McCarthy and Feig each expressed hope there would be screenings of the film in Boston to assist the bombing victims, but they said no plans had firmed up. A spokesperson for the film’s distributor, 20th Century Fox, said via email, “We plan to screen the film in Boston timed to release. It’s not pegged to a charity or recent events. Just a special screening in the town where it was shot.

News source: www.vancouversun.com

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