Van Halen postpones 31 concert dates
Classic rockers Van Halen on Thursday abruptly postponed more than 30 tour dates, following their June 26 concert in New Orleans.
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'American Idol' Finalist -- I Wanna Honna Donna
Erika Van Pelt -- the 10th place finisher on this season's "American Idol" -- says Donna Summer gave her a huge leg up in her music career ... and now she wants to honor the Disco Queen's memory on the upcoming "A.I." concert tour. Van Pelt tells.
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'Blade Runner' Sequel May Bring Back the Old Magic with Original Screenwriter Hampton Fancher
For its many fans, Blade Runner is sacrosanct among science fiction films. When news of a sequel first surfaced, many of us screamed internally, "Do not mess with our holy text!" When Scott's name was attached, our nerd rage was soothed. But if the latest rumor is true, our former nerd rage energy will be converted to nerd glee: Scott may be teaming up with the original screenwriter of Blade Runner, Hampton Fancher.…
Prisons unlock new tourist attractions
Prisons, from famous ones such as Alcatraz to less-known facilities, are becoming tourist sites and drawing a growing number of visitors.
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'Bernie' movie coming to Kilgore
The Longview Ballet Theatre is hosting the East Texas premier of Bernie, the movie about a "beloved" Carthage man convicted of murdering an "not-so-loved" elderly woman.…
How Toy Story 2 Almost Got Deleted... Except That One Person Made A Home Backup
Here's a random story found via Kottke, highlighting how Pixar came very close to losing a very large portion of Toy Story 2, because someone did an rm * (non geek: "remove all" command). And that's when they realized that their backups hadn't been working for a month. Then, the technical director of the film noted that, because she wanted to see her family and kids, she had been making copies of the entire film and transferring it to her home computer. After a careful trip from the Pixar offices to her home, they discovered that, indeed, most of the film was saved:
Now, mostly, this is just an amusing little anecdote, but two things struck me:
How in the world do they not have more "official" backups of something as major as Toy Story 2. In the clip they admit that it was potentially 20 to 30 man-years of work that may have been lost. It makes no sense to me that this would include a single backup system.
I wonder if the copy made technical director Galyn Susman was outside of corporate policy. You would have to imagine that at a place like Pixar, there was significant concerns about things "getting out," and so the policy likely wouldn't have looked all that kindly on copies being used on home computers.
The Mythbusters folks wonder if this story was a little over-dramatized, and others have wondered how the technical director would have "multiple terabytes of source material" on her home computer back in 1999. That resulted in an explanation from someone who was there that what was deleted was actually the database containing the master copies of the characters, sets, animation, etc. rather than the movie itself. Of course, once again, that makes you wonder how it is that no one else had a simple backup. You'd think such a thing would be backed up in dozens of places around the globe for safe keeping...Permalink | Comments | Email This Story
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Roger Waters unveils Pink Floyd channel for Sirius XM
In advance of his performance of "The Wall" on Saturday at the Los Angeles Coliseum, British rocker Roger Waters stopped in on veteran rock deejay Jim Ladd's nightly show on Sirius XM on Thursday to announce the launch of a Pink Floyd channel. The new channel is slated to launch May 29 on the satellite network.
The channel will carry Pink Floyd concerts, interviews, rarities and will air the group's full recorded catalog.
"I can't think of a better home for the Pink Floyd catalogue, and all the solo stuff, than SiriusXM," Waters said in a statement. "How cool for all our fans and what a great way to introduce the work to new generations of listeners."
The channel will run May 25-28 on Sirius XM channel 27, and return June 29 to July 8 on Sirius Channel 142 and XM channel 43. It will be available online full-time on channel 802 and for an extended period for smartphones and mobile devices on the Sirius XM Internet Radio App.
Ladd is a longtime advocate of Pink Floyd and was recruited by Waters as the narrator for his 1987 concept album "Radio K.A.O.S."
A full interview with Waters about his return to Los Angeles with "The Wall" will appear in Saturday's Calendar.
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---Randy Lewis
Photo of Roger Waters during his 2010 performance of "The Wall" at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Creidt: Ricardo de Aratanha / Los Angeles Times.
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Wiz Khalifa Will Go 'Hard' As 2012 MTV Movie Awards Performer
Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Emma Watson, Leighton Meester and Logan Lerman added as presenters for June 3 show.By John Mitchell
Wiz Khalifa
Photo: Jason Merritt/ WireImage
Rap superstar Wiz Khalifa will perform his new single "Work Hard, Play Hard" for the first time on television at the 2012 MTV Movie Awards.
Khalifa joins chart-topping indie-pop group Fun. as the second performer announced for the annual Golden Popcorn-fest. "Work Hard, Play Hard" is the debut single from the Pittsburgh rapper's hotly awaited second studio album, O.N.I.F.C., which will hit stores in August.
In addition to Khalifa, several of the biggest stars in film have been added to the lineup of presenters for the big show. "That's My Boy" co-stars Adam Sandler and Andy Samberg, "Gossip Girl" diva Leighton Meester and "Perks of Being a Wallflower" castmates Emma Watson, Logan Lerman and Ezra Miller will join already-announced presenters Emma Stone, Andrew Garfield, Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron, Michael Fassbender, Mila Kunis and Mark Wahlberg at the Russell Brand-hosted event.
Watson, Lerman and Miller will also be on hand during the Movie Awards pre-show to debut the first "Perks" trailer. "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," based on the popular Stephen Chbosky novel of the same name, tells the story of introverted high school freshman Charlie (Lerman) as he slowly comes out of his shell thanks to new friends, siblings Sam (Watson) and Patrick (Miller).
The 2012 MTV Movie Awards will air live on MTV from the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, California, on Sunday, June 3 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
Head over to MovieAwards.MTV.com to vote for your favorite flicks now! The 21st annual MTV Movie Awards air live Sunday, June 3, at 9 p.m. ET.
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Summer Girlfriends' 'Shockwaves' Video Features Death By Popsicle
Summer's almost here, and the Chicago garage-rock quintet Summer Girlfriends are celebrating with the release of a video for their song "Shockwaves." Taken from an upcoming album of the same name (out June 5), the video for the all-girl rock band's quick, catchy jam abounds with laid back, summery fun -- including a kazoo solo and a lethal popsicle. Is there much else going on here? Not really. Although the Onion AV Club, which featured their video in advance of a show at Chicago's Subterranean on May 17, points out that the band has seen quite a bit of action in their brief existence. Read More...
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Cannes 2012 Sexist? Lack Of Woman Directors In Competition Spurs Outrage
The Festival de Cannes, which began Wednesday night with a screening of Wes Anderson's new movie, "Moonrise Empire," should be a time for jubilation. But for advocates of gender parity in film, it has instead become an occasion for outrage. Why? Because, as The Huffington Post noted a month ago, there are exactly zero woman-directed movies in competition at Cannes 2012. Since then, the disappointment has crystallized into action. The movement began on the pages of French newspaper Le Monde, when French feminist group La Barbe published a satirical open letter accusing Cannes of sexism. Read More...
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'Magic Mike' Cast Bares All On Entertainment Weekly Cover
In honor of Channing Tatum, the star of 21 Jump Street and The Vow whose stint as a stripper inspired Magic Mike (out June 29), this week's cover does a little striptease of its own. Once you've taken in the sight of Tatum looking dapper all by himself, the flaps open to reveal a photo of him with his Magic Mike pals Matthew McConaughey, Joe Manganiello (True Blood), and Matt Bomer (White Collar), all of whom play dancers at a male revue in the R-rated drama, directed by Steven Soderbergh.Read More...
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'American Idol' recap: The top three vie for the finale
The three "American Idol" Season 11 finalists -- Joshua Ledet, Jessica Sanchez and Phillip Phillips -- took the stage Wednesday night to compete for a spot in next week's finale and, ultimately, the "Idol" crown. It was a surprisingly unexciting fight for the finish.
How could that be? You may ask. After all, the three remaining contestants are all talented, all have dedicated fan bases, all have a shot at the win. This neck-and-neck-and-neck race should have had us on the edge of our seats.
Yet many of the show's performances didn't seem to fully gel. There were, as Randy Jackson was wont to point out, few "moments." (Though I will say that the critique in which Jackson used the phrases "moment-moment" and "moment-moment-moment" for emphasis was itself a great moment.)
Each contestant sang three songs apiece: one picked for them by the judges, one they chose themselves, and one selected by "Idol" mentor Jimmy Iovine.
Part of the problem may have been the judges' less-than-stellar choices, which in two out of three cases didn't do much to highlight the singers' talents. (Jennifer Lopez said there'd been a lot of back-and-forth, so perhaps they've overthought it.)
Part of it may have been that the contestants' "hero homecoming" montages lacked a certain drama this year. (Phillip Phillips Sr.'s heartfelt description of the pride he felt in his son for pursuing his dreams "with integrity and passion" was lovely, however.)
And who knows? Maybe the fact that it could be anyone's game doesn't add to the excitement, but instead detracts from it because we don't have a clear favorite to root for. (At least, now that arguably the best three have made it to the top three, I don't.)
In any event, even the judges, after rising to their feet to applaud Ledet for singing the song they'd chosen for him (it was their one good song choice), didn't feel moved to scramble onto their tootsies again until the very end. (Steven Tyler gamely stood after Sanchez sang one of his songs, but no one joined him, and he quickly re-took his seat.) They rolled out the superlatives, but then -- to paraphrase Tyler after Ryan Seacrest asked him if, in praising Sanchez, he'd just predicted a winner, which Tyler had also just done while praising Ledet -- don't they always?
Here's how the performances broke down:Joshua LedetLedet proved to be the evening's most consistent performer, kicking off the evening with a song the judges said would highlight his classic R&B style: Etta James' "I'd Rather Go Blind." Ledet gave a solid performance there. (Coincidentally -- or not -- the very same song was used in a commercial aired immediately thereafter.) Then Ledet pulled back to give a restrained, if somewhat schmaltzy, take on his own pick, John Lennon's "Imagine," later explaining that he picked the song after hearing it on the radio. And then he pulled out all the stops on Iovine's pick for him, Mary J. Blige's "No More Drama." His energetic bouncing was a bit distracting, as was all his jacket removal as the song reached its emotional peak, but he can't be faulted for lack of enthusiasm. Jessica SanchezPoor Sanchez got saddled by the judges with one tough song, Mariah Carey's "My All," which was pitched low for her and had a complicated melody and a lot of lyrics to remember, but she managed to pull it off. Then she tasked herself with singing Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" in front of Tyler, the man who'd made it a hit. Tyler often looks irritated when other people sing his songs, but in this case, he generously stood for Sanchez and told her she'd made the song even better. Iovine's selection for Sanchez, the Jackson Five's "I'll Be There," may have brought her best performance of the evening, no matter what Randy Jackson said, showing off her vocal sweetness and the power of her upper range. But Sanchez, usually a compelling presence onstage, seemed to lack a certain weight on Wednesday. Will that spell her doom? Phillip PhillipsThe judges picked Madcon's "Beggin'" for Phillips, Tyler explained, because they wanted to pull the melody out of him. But no matter how much the judges were beggin' for it, the song proved not terribly melodic in Phillips' hands. Of course, that didn't keep Tyler from predicting that Phillips could be the new Springsteen. Phillips' selection for himself, Matchbox Twenty's "Disease," didn't go much better. But on Iovine's pick, Bob Seger's "We've Got Tonight," we saw what felt like a new side of Phillips. He sat still, facing front, unsmiling, with no guitar and none of his trademark leg moves. And he sang the melody faithfully, looking almost fearful in the process, as if he himself was unsure if he could hit all the notes. He did hit them. It was an honest moment -- Jackson hyperbolically called it "giant" -- and startling for its simplicity. Will the audiences respond well to this tame, tender, terrified-looking Phillip Phillips, as they have to him all season long?
We'll find out tonight.
What did you think of the performances? And who do you predict will be sent home?
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- Amy Reiter
Photo: Joshua Ledet performs in front of the judges Wednesday on "American Idol." Credit: Michael Becker / Fox…
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Katowice Street Art Festival 2012 (PHOTOS)
The streets of Eastern Europe are some of the greatest examples of open air galleries, as street artists from the Czech Republic to Russia have taken to exhibiting their best work on walls and pavement. This past April, during the Katowice Street Art Festival, several street artists from around the world gathered in the southern Polish city to demonstrate their skills and give a new face to the forgotten and unattended portions of the city. Among the participants was the Spanish artist Escif, whose super-realistic depiction of a light switch appears as if it's a three-dimensional extension of the apartment complex on which it was painted. As the spokesman for the Katowice Festival told us in an email, the high artistic value of Escif's murals are undeniable, but the artist's real aim is to experiment with the interaction between his work and passersby. More well-known street art pioneers also graced Katowice with their famous stylings, such as Ganzeer (aka Mohammed Fahmy), a primary figure in the Egyptian art scene who began creating Martyr Murals during the Cairo riots. Also contributing was ROA, the artist known for his black and white animal murals across New York, Berlin and Paris. Read More...
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One Thousand Angels and One Painting by Lekim Ibragimov
The Central Asian artist Lekim Ibragimov recently completed a mega-painting debuting in July that brings the ambition of the famous collection of folk tales, "One Thousand and One Nights," to canvas. Consisting of 1000 individual paintings of angels spanning 216 feet, the large-scale work has recently been submitted to the Guinness World Records Committee as "the world's largest painting consisting of 1,000 pieces." Proceeds from the project will be donated to children with disabilities.Ibragimov was born in Kazakhstan and is currently based out of neighboring Uzbekistan. As an accomplished painter and member of the Russian Academy of Arts, Ibragimov has always been fascinated by Asian literature and the compelling history of the silk road. In 2010, he began work on what he calls his "visual epos," creating a nearly 50-foot sketch of what would eventually come to be his 1,001 art project. After 2 1/2 years, he was able to finally put the finishing touches on this 48,500 pound artwork. Using oil paints and free brush strokes, Ibragimov's style mixes Chinese fresco painting styles with European color-blending techniques. Each individual angel is painted onto its own canvas, amounting to 1,000 individual pieces which were then carefully linked to create one unified entity -- hence the "1,001" suggested in the title. The piece urges the viewer to reflect on the process of turning a collection of independent paintings into a singular viewing experience. Through this ambitious undertaking, the artist heavily emphasizes the social aspect of the painting in order to unite the Eastern and Western worlds; this summer, the work will tour key cities across the world in order to bring his message of peace to a large audience. Ibragimov states on his website, "For me, it is an ancient song that will sound over the cities where my angels will be exhibited."Read More...
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Marilyn Monroe Statue Arrives In Palm Springs
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L.A. museum to receive 'extraordinary' gift for Endeavour exhibit
The California Science Center museum has received what officials describe as an "extraordinary" financial contribution to the new Air and Space Center that will house the space shuttle Endeavour.
The gift, to be announced at a news conference Thursday, comes from a foundation chaired by Lynda Oschin, wife of the late Los Angeles businessman and philanthropist Samuel Oschin, whose name already graces the Griffith Observatory planetarium and the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center cancer institute stemming from charitable contributions there.
At Oschin's request, officials would not disclose the amount of the gift from the Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Oschin Family Foundation. But they called it "transformational" for the free state-run museum in South Los Angeles, adjacent to USC.
Officials say the center has now raised, combined with other donations, nearly half of the $200 million it needs to transport Endeavour from Florida, build a temporary hangar, and design and construct a permanent museum wing that will house the spacecraft when it arrives this fall.
The new wing of the museum will be called the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center and is expected to open in 2017. The interim hangar, being built now, will be called the Samuel Oschin Space Shuttle Endeavour Pavilion and will display the vehicle horizontally. Once it moves to the permanent wing, the shuttle will be positioned vertically, as if prepared for launch, for generations of museum visitors to see.
Museum officials were thrilled at the donation.
"It's a huge boost," said museum President Jeffrey N. Rudolph. "It gives us enough money to ensure we can complete the architecture and exhibit design."
Plus, he said, "it lets others in the philanthropic community see that this project has real validity to it.. It's a vote of confidence to let people know that they can join in and have a high likelihood of success."Samuel Oschin, who lived from 1914 to 2003, made his fortune at a savings and loan company and in real estate. Beyond that, he was an avid fan of science, math, and astronomy.
He also made headlines with his outsized penchant for adventure. He once traveled by dogsled to the North Pole and planted an American flag. In Africa, he hunted. In South America, he pushed up the Amazon River in a dugout. In 1969, The Times profiled the businessman and described his plans to climb the French-Italian Alps with two elephants, attempting to reenact Hannibal's military sneak attack. He successfully completed the trip, his wife said.
The son of a house painter, Oschin grew up in poverty, never finished high school but had a knack for business sense even as a child growing up in Detroit.
His initial business ideas included collecting leftover chips of soap, molding them into whole bars and selling them, his wife said.
By the 1930s, he worked the assembly line in a factory. During the war, after an eye injury made him ineligible to enlist, he found his first big success upon casting the low bid for a naval contract to build a component for bomber wings - and he won the job over General Electric and Chrysler even though he had no factory of his own. After arriving in Los Angeles after the war, his wealth grew as the San Fernando Valley was being developed. At various times he owned an air-conditioning firm, Empire Savings and Loan of Van Nuys, and bought with a partner Prudential Square at 5757 Wilshire Blvd.
By 1981, Oschin set up his philanthropic organization and started off small - providing scholarships at UCLA and Stanford for minority disabled students and installing air conditioning at a San Fernando Valley school. In 1986, Oschin's contributions to the Palomar Observatory in San Diego County led officials to name a 48-inch telescope in his honor. Following Oschin's death in 2003, his name went over the Griffith Observatory planetarium and Cedars-Sinai cancer center.
After that, Lynda Oschin thought about having the entire Science Center named after her husband, but she was told it wasn't possible.
Later, after news broke last spring that Endeavour was coming, Rudolph reached out to Lynda Oschin. "I said, 'No, I have no interest in the shuttle,' " she recalled saying.
Rudolph waited awhile, and then invited her to a ceremony where the museum would receive the title to the shuttle from NASA. There she saw scores of ecstatic schoolchildren cheering as Endeavour's last crew of astronauts entered a ballroom.
"The kids just went crazy. And I'm watching those children and thinking - I'm watching the next child who is going into space . because they are going to see the shuttle, they're going to be inspired by what they see . and they are going to do something in math and science and engineering - the areas that my husband loved," Lynda Oschin said.
"So I decided. we were going to make this work," she added.
"I'm so excited I can't even think straight. It's such an incredible legacy for my husband. His memory is going to go on and on. ," she said. "He's very special and I just don't want him to be forgotten."
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-- Rong-Gong Lin II
Photo: The space shuttle Endeavour makes a perfect landing at Edwards Air Force Base in 1995 after being diverted from Florida following a 16-day mission, the longest mission in shuttle history. Credit: Mike Nelson / AFP / Getty Images
Photo: Samuel Oschin. Credit: Handout photo…
Rock the Bells 2012 Lineup Announced: Best Hip Hop Show Ever?
There comes a time in every music festival's life when its organizers decide to go big.For nearly a decade, the lineup at each successive iteration of the annual Rock the Bells festival seems to have gotten more and more audacious, the 2012 festival may take the cake.(SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOS AND LINEUP)Read More...
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'American Idol' -- We Really, Really Want Jennifer Lopez Back
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Who Died On The Explosive 'NCIS' Season 9 Finale? (VIDEO)
Season 9 of "NCIS" (Tue., 8 p.m. ET on CBS) came to an explosive end Tuesday as a terrorist bomb went off outside the team's office. Not only that, but Ducky (David McCallum) escaped the blast only to collapse on the beach when he heard the news. "Dear God," he said. "How many?"Read More...
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'America's Got Talent': 80-Year Old Rapping Granny G Steals The Show With A Positive Message (VIDEO)
The new "America's Got Talent" (Tue., 8 p.m. ET on NBC) continued to send through some surprising candidates, but was Granny G one of those? The 80-year old presented a rap that focused on family values, with some straight talk for all the "horny boys out there."She stole the show, had the audience in her corner, and got three affirmative votes from the judges. Granny G is headed to Las Vegas, where she'll no doubt continue preaching positive messages. If she takes Sharon Osbourne's advice, she'll be doing it from behind a pimped out walker, too.But while the audience and judges seemed unanimous in their love of the rapping senior citizen, critics were mixed. While a writer for Hollywood Life was ready to take Granny G home as his grandmother, The New Jersey Star-Ledger categorized her among their worst of the night. "This was a 9 on the weird factor," they declared.Read More...
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The 2012 TV Upfronts
In 2008, ABC began the fall season airing precisely one half-hour comedy, Samantha Who?, starring Christina Applegate as Doesn't Matter. In 2009, ABC began the fall season airing four sitcoms. In 2010, a month before the networks announced their fall schedules, the New York Times' Brian Stetler reported of "a renaissance.for the network TV sitcom, which not too long ago was pronounced terminally ill." The piece relayed audience research determining that painful economic times called for belly-aching laughter; it forwarded the notion that 22-minute sitcoms were well-suited to online viewing; and it decided that the unfunny mid-00s were "merely an anemic period." And now we have gone from drought to glut. Today at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall, ABC announced that it will begin the fall season airing six sitcoms and expand to eight in November.
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'Antiques Roadshow' Finds A Rare And Valuable Cardboard Cutout Of Elvis Presley (VIDEO)
"Antiques Roadshow" (Mon., 8 p.m. ET on PBS) was in Minneapolis Monday night, and one of the standout items brought in to be appraised was a cardboard cutout, or standee, of The King himself, Elvis Presley.The figure was a promotional one used in movie theaters to advertise Presley's 1956 movie debut, "Love Me Tender," and is believed to be one of only two or three still extant. The owner was a huge Elvis fan who said she kept it at the side of her bed. So, how much for a cardboard cutout of Elvis? The estimated sale price was a cool $10,000 to $15,000.Read More...
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'Grey's Anatomy' Finale, 'Mrs. Eastwood And Company' Premiere And More: What To Watch On TV
It's a week of finales on TV this week, so before getting excited about next season's series, let's remember to say goodbye to our tried and true shows.We're saying so long to some favorites, including "Community," (Thurs., 9 p.m ET on NBC) "Grey's Anatomy," (Thurs., 9 p.m. ET on ABC ) and "Smash" (Mon., 10 p.m. ET on NBC), the show everyone loves to group-hate.Luckily, mourning the loss of our weekly fixes isn't all we're doing. "Mrs. Eastwood And Company" (Sunday, 8 p.m. ET on E!) kicks off this week, and a double-bill of "Glee" (Tues., 8 p.m. ET on Fox) features Lindsay Lohan as a guest judge. Read More...
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Howard Stern -- Penis Jokes on 'America's Got Talent' Debut
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'Dancing With The Stars': Final Four In Dead Heat
William Levy and Maria Menounos tie for top of leaderboard Monday night, earning nearly perfect scores.By Kelley L. Carter
Maria Menounos and Derek Hough
Photo: ABC
Looks like the right couples made it to the final four on ABC's hit show "Dancing With the Stars." For the most part, the remaining celebrities all ran neck-and-neck in their scores from the judging panel.
Monday night, they were tasked with two dances, and considering that everyone scored at least one 10 for their performances, the judges were pleased with how things worked out. It was a tie for the top of the leaderboard, with both William Levy and Maria Menounos earning nearly perfect scores.
Here's how it all shook down:
William Levy and Cheryl Burke
The Latin heartthrob and soap star took on the tango for his first dance. For his second performance, he danced the samba. The judges found his first performance a bit flatfooted, but it didn't stop them from scoring him with two 9's and a 10. In the second performance, head judge Len Goodman said,"Talk about the hunk with the junk in his trunks!" He earned a perfect trio of 10's. 59/60
Maria Menounos and Derek Hough
The TV journalist danced the Argentine tango in her first time out on the ballroom floor, and the judges raved, rewarding her with 10's across the board. Judge Bruno Tonioli called her routine "titillating beyond my wildest dreams!" For her second performance, she danced the jive, and the judges pretty much crowned her the winner of the night, saying that even though it wasn't traditional, it worked quite well. 59/60
Donald Driver and Peta Murgatroyd
The NFL star danced the waltz and impressed the judges with what they called a dreamy rendition of the ballroom dance. Goodman said it was "absolutely charming," a score from the hard-to-please judge. His next dance was the samba, which earned him two perfect paddle scores from judges. 57/60
Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas
The opera singer challenged herself with the quickstep, and judges could hardly contain themselves with how much they loved it. Tonioli was a bit more animated than usual, shouting out "Outstanding!" when it was his turn to speak. Jenkins' second dance was a salsa, and the judges noted she made a few missteps. That said, the judges were still impressed with her moves. Carrie Ann Inaba told her it was "like you hung out with Beyonce over the weekend." 56/60
Share your thoughts on "Dancing With the Stars" in the comments below!
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'Two And A Half Men' Finale: Jake Graduates High School And Joins The Army (VIDEO)
With its renewal confirmed, fans of "Two and a Half Men" (Mon., 9:30 p.m. ET on CBS) went into this season finale knowing that the adventures of Alan, Jake, Berta and Walden would continue on. Nevertheless, there was a major milestone to get through.While it may stretch credulity to believe that both Jake and Eldridge managed to graduate in a normal span of time, they did. They still spent much of their time smoking pot and snacking, but now they had to figure out what to do with their futures.Alan convinced Walden's business partner Billy (Patton Oswalt) to give the boys a chance at their new technology start-up, but the pair inevitably screwed that up. After downloading thousands of hours of pornography onto the serves, they infected the system with a virus.Read More...
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'Men in Black 3' -- Topless Invader in Germany
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'Bones' Finale: All The Evidence Points To Brennan, Leading Her To Run Away (VIDEO)
It's a good thing "Bones" (Mon., 8 p.m. ET on Fox) has already secured its same time slot on Fox's Fall 2012 schedule. There is no way fans would be satisfied to wait until 2013 to find out where things go after the wild turn of events that went down in this finale.Things quickly went from good to bad for Booth and Brennan, and their entire team and support system. After convincing the parole board to to deny Pelant, he implemented the most dastardly element of his master plan. It started with him changing the couple's ring tones to wolves howling.This teased the victim of the week, which turned out to be a former associate of Brennan's who'd been almost completely devoured by wolves. Only there was more to it, as he was also purposefully bled to lure them -- he was alive when the animals attacked. The brutality of the kill was nothing compared to the masterful way in which Pelant apparently managed to have all the evidence and clues and even motive placed at the feet of Brennan.Read More...
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Freddie Mercury to "appear" on London stage
Queen guitarist Brian May says "We Will Rock You" will feature an optical illusion of the late Queen singer
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Mad Men, Season 5
Don and Betty both misbehaved this episode-and as sins go, we're not just talking about sneaking an extra cube of Jarlsberg. Betty's stunt with Sally was perhaps the cruelest thing she's done to her daughter yet, and when Don left Michael's Snoball idea in the back of that cab, I scribbled DON'S A MONSTROUS CRAZY SABOTEUR! You're right, Patrick, that Don's mistreatment of Michael last night represented a shocking new low, even for our favorite scoundrel.
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Arnold Schwarzenegger -- Ex-Factor: Mother's Day Edition
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Musicians Realizing They Don't Need Major Labels Anymore
Music reality TV has become a key feeding ground for the major labels lately. Shows like American Idol, the Voice, X Factor and the like seem to be where the labels have been picking up some of their bigger name stars lately -- allowing the shows to help build up an initial following and then picking off the stars with typical record label deals. Except... it appears that some of those musicians are realizing that they don't need the labels any more. Jordis Unga, a singer who has appeared on two reality TV shows (Rock Star: INXS and The Voice), has decided that she doesn't need to sign a label deal. While she didn't win on either show, she did build up quite a following, and she decided that for her debut album, she might as well just hit up Kickstarter, and ask for $33,000. Which she got. In less than a day. In the first day alone her project on Kickstarter raised over $50,000.
Now, perhaps some will complain that she is now beholden to her fans, but that seems a lot better than being beholden to a multinational conglomerate who claims all ownership and control of your work. Others, quite reasonably, will point out that she built up some of this following by being on two prime time network national TV shows. That's absolutely true. No one is saying that the trick to being a successful musician today is to just go on reality TV. But the point is that if you can build up a following -- in any way possible -- the need for a record label diminishes. And there are more and more and more ways to build up that audience today. If the labels aren't worried about these alternatives, they're not paying very much attention.Permalink | Comments | Email This Story
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Ross Avenue facelift brightens gateway to Dallas Arts District
Residents say a walk to museums once meant passing businesses with burglar bars. Now, there are signs of luxury living, with $300,000 town homes under construction in the Bryan Place neighborhood, where the city says image is everything.…
Roger Waters 'The Wall' Rocks San Francisco's AT&T Park
Roger Waters, the British rocker and Pink Floyd founder, brought AT&T Park to its knees on Friday night with a live performance of his legendary album, "The Wall."Check out photos from the show in our slideshow below, courtesy of Soja Photography:Read More...
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Keane get fifth number one album
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Usher Keeps It Smooth On 'Saturday Night Live'
Plus Justin Bieber, Justin Timberlake and others make special cameos in the show's 100th Digital Short segment.
Exactly one month before his new album, Looking 4 Myself, hits shelves, the wheels of Usher's promotional wagon gained momentum when the entertainer provided America with a set of contrasting performances and chuckles during this weekend's "Saturday Night Live" episode, which was hosted by "SNL" alum Will Ferrell.
Rocking simple black jeans, a jacket and tee, and a faux hawk, Ursh looked vibrant and energetic as he performed his brand-new single "Scream." Unlike previous expertly choreographed numbers for his dance tunes, the sunglass-donning singer showed off minimal, but nonetheless slick, moves, while his band and two backup singers filled his Studio 8 back stage.
"We at it again, 'SNL,' and this time we going to make you scream," he told the crowd at the start of the energetic cut.
His second performance was for the Diplo-produced cut "Climax," during which the singer showed off his sensual and smooth side. Clearing the area of his accompanying singers, Usher made his smooth falsetto the forefront of the number. It was a simple, authentic rendition of the hit song that was essential proof of his multi-faceted vocal talents.
In addition to his set of performances, the ATL singer appeared alongside Ferrell in the "2012 Funkytown Debate" skit, in which he played a character named Galactic Fantastic. Dressed in some sparkling duds and an oversized afro, the R&B entertainer played a wacky sidekick who brought in his singing voice to support Farrell's side of the grooving song debate.
Usher got even more airtime when he was joined by Justin Bieber, Justin Timberlake, Michael Bolton, Will Ferrell and Natalie Portman, who all made cameos in the episode's special 100th Digital Short. Paying tribute to some of the most popular Shorts like "Di-- in a Box" and "Shy Ronnie," Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone and the Biebs most fittingly put on a big-time celebration with accompanying jingle. It was an all-star affair and brought back some major giggles - especially when JT and Portman reprised their original Short roles.
To add to the night's surprises, Liam Neeson popped up during a "Weekend Update" segment for the Nicolas Cage parody "Get in the Cage." Neeson's upcoming summer flick "Battleship" was the main topic of conversation, with Samberg, as Cage, asking his usual "How am I not in that movie?!" Samberg went on to babble jealous nonsense about Neeson's other flicks in his spot-on Cage impersonation.
Like last week's musical guest Rihanna, Mr. Raymond's gig on the late-night sketch show marks his third appearance. And it's one of the many stops that the singer will make to promote his upcoming project. He's set to kick off the "Today" show's summer concert series on Friday, perform at the Billboard Music Awards on May 20 and head overseas for Capital FM's Summertime Ball 2012 in London in early June.
Mick Jagger will perform double duty as host and musical guest on next week's "Saturday Night Live" season finale.
What did you think of Usher's "SNL" performances? Sound off below.
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Johnny Depp's 'Dark Shadows' sunglasses were a costume challenge
Tim Burton's big-screen remake of "Dark Shadows" might not be everyone's cup of fresh AB-Negative, but since it reunited the director not only with Johnny Depp but with another frequent collaborator -- three-time Academy Award-winning costume designer Colleen Atwood -- on a period movie set in 1972, we knew the costumes would be a rich vein to tap indeed.
My Q&A with Atwood about the costume inspirations (which include everything from a Virginia Slims ad to David Bailey books and DIY crafts) and the provenance of some of the key wardrobe pieces appears in this Sunday's Image section.
Among the things we learned from Atwood? Apparently American heads circa 1972 were a wee bit smaller, something she said made it challenging once she'd found the right vintage sunglasses for the characters.
"And, once I found the perfect pair for Johnny [Depp] I needed to get several pair made -- since he's a principal," she told us. "And I couldn't find anyone here willing to do it. Finally, when I got to London, I found someone there who would rise to the occasion."
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-- Adam Tschorn
Photos: Left, the cast of the Tim Burton directed "Dark Shadows" includes Helena Bonham Carter, from left, Chloe Grace Moretz, Eva Green, Gully McGrath, Bella Heathcote, Johnny Depp, Ray Shirley, Jackie Earle Haley, Jonny Lee Miller and Michelle Pfeiffer. At right, Eva Green as Angelique Bouchard. Credit: Warner Bros.…
An art collection's new home in Philly
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'America's Got Talent' -- Cheesy Sponsor Stands By Howard Stern
PIZZA FEARS NO ONE ... especially not a group of angry Howard Stern-hating parents -- which is why Pizza Hut is refusing to pull its advertisements from the controversial new season of "America's Got Talent."A rep for the Pizza company tells TMZ,.
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Lincoln tomb statue gets sword back thanks to Chicago sculptor
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'Survivor One World' Finale: Predicting The Winner
Former 'Survivor' contestant Rob Cesternino weighs in on the final five contestants vying for the title of Sole Survivor.By Josh Wigler
Kim Spradlin on "Survivor: One World"
Photo: CBS
A foulmouthed special-ed teacher, a medical-sales-repping Southern belle, an indecisive career consultant from Hollywood, a sneaky bridal shop owner and a high school teacher from Brooklyn: These are the women competing for the million-dollar prize on Sunday night's (May 13) "Survivor: One World" season finale.
In a season dominated by just one contestant - 29-year-old Kim Spradlin, who has won numerous immunity challenges and forged multiple alliances to get to the endgame - predicting the "One World" winner isn't quite as challenging as it's been in "Survivor" seasons of yore. But this is "Survivor" we're talking about, and twists are the name of the game. There's no shortage of curveballs that could be thrown at the final five contestants in tonight's race for the Sole Survivor title.
As we've done all season long, MTV News joined forces with two-time "Survivor" contestant and regular commentator Rob Cesternino once again for his final "One World" predictions.
Most Likely to Win: Kim Spradlin
"Since the departure of Colton, 'Survivor: One World' has been the season of Kim," Cesternino said. "She's been in control of every single thing that's happened the whole way. She's had her finger on the pulse of the game. She played an amazing game and I think it would be almost criminal if she did not win - barring a total collapse during the finale."
Least Likely to Win: Christina Cha
"Christina at no point in the game has been in a favorable position," Rob reasoned. "It seems unlikely to think that she'll run off with two consecutive immunity challenges here at the end, when she's never even been in the mix to win one immunity challenge. She doesn't have the respect of the jury, considering some of those people were terrified by the possibility of going home before Christina. She hasn't done anything to get there."
Dark-Horse Pick: Sabrina Thompson
"I think she is very savvy," the former player said. "I also think she's well-liked by the jury. I think she could be an alternative to Kim in the finals, where she's able to sit there and say, 'Look, I didn't lie to you, and I didn't backstab you. That was all Kim. All of that bad stuff? Kim. I was here the whole way, and I was tough.' Sabrina is someone who could at least get a couple of votes in the finals. Maybe, if the jury goes anti-Kim, she could potentially squeak out a victory."
Worst-Case Scenario: Bitter Jury Syndrome
"I think it would be a shame if Kim makes it all the way to the finals and ends up losing the jury vote just as a way of getting back at her for voting out all of the men in the game," Rob said. "It's happened before on 'Survivor,' where the jury is bitter. I don't think Kim's social game has been lacking. It would be good to see someone who plays the best game get rewarded by the jury. Otherwise, as Russell Hantz has said before, the game would be flawed."
Biggest Possible Surprise: Kim Goes at Four
"The most surprising thing that could happen at the end of the season, for me, would be that one of these players smartens up and realizes that Kim has had the immunity idol and can't play it once she hits the final four. If she doesn't win that immunity challenge, the smartest thing that any of them can do is to take her out," Cesternino said. "If I'm Chelsea, and if I'm Sabrina, I don't know how I've gone this far without ever trying to take out Kim. It kills me to see these players roll over and die and give this game to Kim as they've done all season. If they turned on her at the final four, I would be very surprised."
Get more of Rob's thoughts on "Survivor" by following him on Twitter.
Previously on MTV News' "Survivor" coverage:
» "Survivor: One World" gets Tarzaned
» Leif gets blown away
» Kimsanity heats up
» Tarzan denies "poop pants" allegations
Leave your "Survivor One World" predictions in the comments section or tweet them my way at @roundhoward!
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'Saturday Night Live's' eight greatest stars
Will Ferrell is back on "Saturday Night Live" this weekend, hosting the show for the third time since leaving the cast in 2002. And those pining for the actor's glory days on the show will be reminded once again of just how big of a sketch comedy star Ferrell was during his tenure from 1995-2002.
And though his post-"SNL" career has had its share of hits ("Elf","Anchorman") and misses ("Land of the Lost," "Bewitched"), nothing has quite tarnished the huge amount of goodwill he built up playing such characters as the Spartan cheerleader, the cowbell guy in Blue Oyster Cult and President George W. Bush.
"SNL" is famous for being a launching pad for comedy stars. But it doesn't always work that way. Some have undistinguished "SNL" careers before blowing up huge after, like Robert Downey Jr. or Chris Rock. And others do well on the show before promptly vanishing into the mists of Hollywood.
But disregarding everything that happened after their time on the floor of Studio 8H in 30 Rockefeller Center, who were the biggest stars of "Saturday Night Live?" Which performers used the live sketch format to its fullest to connect to an audience?
Everyone has their favorites and (nearly) every current and former cast member has advocates. But these eight are widely regarded as the people who went on the air on a Saturday night and made it their own.
8. Darrell Hammond
Despite his serious personal problems (in his memoir he recounted his struggles with mental disorders while on the show), Hammond stayed with the high-pressure live gig for 14 seasons, longer than any other single cast member. He was also the oldest cast member to leave the show, departing in 2009 at age 53. He also distinguished himself by racking up the most celebrity impersonations on the show (107) including a belligerent Sean Connery as "Celebrity Jeopardy" contestant, President Bill Clinton, Donald Trump and Chris Matthews. Though he hasn't transitioned into big-time comedy blockbusters or a hip cable series, it in no way diminishes his amazing track-record.
7. Gilda Radner
As the first cast member to be hired on "Saturday Night Live," Radner will always have a bit of an advantage over those who came later, but she did manage to pave the way for future female cast members by becoming a star even while going toe-to-toe with the rowdy boys club of Chevy Chase, John Belushi and Bill Murray. Radner's characters and catchphrases outlive her: Roseanne Roseannadanna, Baba Wawa (Barbara Walters even made mention of it again on "The View" a few weeks ago) and Emily Litella. Radner's post-"SNL" career was unspectacular and ended far too early in 1989, but her influence over the show remains after 30 years.
6. Will Ferrell
Ferrell was on "SNL" for seven seasons, leaving in 2002, just as his film career was about to launch into the stratosphere with "Old School" and "Elf." Though his tenure on the show overlapped with the Bush administration for just a couple of years, Ferrell's lumbering George W. was a force unto itself (and even got him a one-man Broadway show). His impression of James Lipton (host of "Inside the Actors Studio") has earned the praise of Lipton himself, and his aforementioned cowbell guy from Blue Oyster Cult is an original creation no one else could describe or replicate.
More Cowbell! - watch more funny videos
5. Dana Carvey
Carvey, along with his fellow cast members, helped make "SNL" a must-watch program again in the late '80s following many years of creative stagnation. Carvey's ability to create quote-worthy original characters, including the judgmental Church Lady and the body-building Hans (of Hans and Franz) made him a household name. But it was his ability to create versions of real life celebrities that could almost surpass the original in popularity that makes him one of "SNL's" all-time most valuable players. His Johnny Carson and Regis Philbin impersonations have been quoted more often than either Carson or Philbin themselves and President George H.W. Bush even quoted Carvey pretending to be him at the funeral of President Gerald Ford. Carvey left "SNL" in 1993 and has returned to host four times and won an Emmy for his work in 1993.
4. Mike Myers
In his book, "Gasping for Airtime," former cast member Jay Mohr recalled that Myers always wrote his sketches alone and they were always funny. That probably helps explain how Myers was so deftly able to distinguish himself on a cast already filled with powerful performers, such as Chris Farley. Myers' characters were quote-worthy (Linda Richman, host of "Coffee Talk") and unique (Dieter, host of "Sprockets") without ever relying on the familiarity of the celebrity impression. One of his most popular characters, Wayne, host of "Wayne's World," isn't easily described in a few sentences, yet he became the basis of one of "SNL's" most successful spin-off movies.
3. Chevy Chase
Chase was the first breakout star of "Saturday Night Live." His star ascended so rapidly, in fact, that he only stayed with the show for a single season. But despite his limited airtime, his influence has lasted far beyond the '70s. He managed to make a couple of isolated incidents -- President Gerald Ford tripping in public -- and use it to completely reshape the American public's view of the man. (Ford even stated in his autobiography that he believed Chase's impersonation influenced the 1976 presidential election). And his style of anchoring "Weekend Update" created the show's first catchphrase ("I'm Chevy Chase and you're not") which managed to work, even when the people quoting it weren't Chevy Chase.
2. Phil Hartman
Nicknamed "The Glue," Hartman was the kind of versatile performer who made any sketch he was in work, even if he didn't appear to the star of it. Like Hammond after him, Hartman was best known for his Bill Clinton impersonation. But he also did a great Frank Sinatra, Phil Donohue and Ronald Reagan as a secret evil genius. He left the show in 1994 and went on to a successful career as a supporting player on the sitcom "NewsRadio," but the deep respect of his former "SNL" peers continued on past his years on the show and even after his death in 1998. (His is perhaps the most shocking death of an "SNL" alum, even more than John Belushi's).
1. Eddie Murphy
Without the aid of a strong ensemble or writing, Murphy managed to be one of the only "SNL" superstars to come out of the post/pre-Lorne Michaels era of 1980-1985. (Michaels, who created the show, left in 1980 and returned in 1985). Murphy was just 19 when he joined the cast of "Saturday Night Live" in 1980. Yet he managed to eventually become the era's most memorable talent, with such characters as Gumby, Buckwheat (from "The Little Rascals"), and the urban version of Mr. Rogers, Mr. Robinson. Though many "SNL" performers had starred in movies while also performing on the show, he became the first marquee name to do both at the same time, and even became the first cast member to host the show while still being part of the cast. He replaced his ill "48 Hrs." co-star Nick Nolte at the last minute for a 1982 show.
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-- Patrick Kevin Day
Photo: Darrell Hammond, left, and Will Ferrell on "Saturday Night Live" in 2000. Credit: Mary Ellen Matthews / NBC.…
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'Dark Shadows': The Reviews Are In!
Johnny Depp and Tim Burton's latest is 'ghoulishly endearing' but 'mostly unfunny,' critics say.By Kevin P. Sullivan
Johnny Depp in "Dark Shadows"
Photo: Warner Bros.
Johnny Depp and director Tim Burton's latest collaboration, "Dark Shadows," once again has the actor donning some white powder makeup, but this time around, their work isn't charming the critics as much as previous films.
The critics agree that Depp is in his usual top form and Burton's visuals still demand attention, but some issues with the script keep "Dark Shadows" from being all it can be.
Check out what the critics are saying about "Dark Shadows":
The Story
"As a child, Barnabas and his wealthy family sailed from England in 1750 and founded the fishing village of Collinsport in coastal Maine. They spent 15 years building the grand Collinwood Manor, where a maid named Angelique (Eva Green) loved Barnabas passionately, but he never returned her affections. Because she felt scorned - and happened to be a witch - she turned him into a vampire, chained him up and stuck him in a coffin in the ground. Nearly 200 years later, a construction crew unearths him and sets him free." - Christy Lemire, Associated Press
Johnny Depp
"Depp's performance is more than just funny - it's ghoulishly endearing. He caresses each line with great care, as if it were a piece of candy he's unwrapping, and he gives Barnabas, in his very 'demonic' intensity, a quality of almost elfin innocence that recalls the characters Depp has most memorably played for Burton: Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood and Willy Wonka. But 'Dark Shadows,' entertaining as it is, is a milder echo of those earlier collaborations." - Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly
The Script
"It's hard to suppress my preference for talking about the original over Tim Burton's film, which isn't a remake so much as a mostly unfunny camp sendup. The script by Seth Grahame-Smith is witless and meandering - and I wouldn't mind the witless so much if it moved, or the meandering if it were droll." - David Edelstein, NPR
Compared to Other Depp/Burton Films
"And yet I wonder if the ongoing Depp/Burton collaboration has its pitfalls. Depp often settles for posing and making droll faces, in reaction-shot mode, instead of building an eccentric comic portrait of any size. I long for the energy and invention of a performance such as Depp's Ed Wood in Burton's 'Ed Wood.' But then, that wasn't a $125 million international export." - Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune
The Final Word
" 'Dark Shadows' isn't among Mr. Burton's most richly realized works, but it's very enjoyable, visually sumptuous and, despite its lugubrious source material and a sporadic tremor of violence, surprisingly effervescent." - Manohla Dargis, The New York Times
Check out everything we've got on "Dark Shadows."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more - updated around the clock - visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
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Charlie Chaplin Musical Heading To Broadway
NEW YORK - A funny guy with a cane, a hat and an unforgettable mustache is heading to Broadway.Producers announced Thursday that a new musical depicting the life of Charlie Chaplin will begin performances later this summer at the Barrymore Theatre. Previews begin Aug. 21 with an opening set for Sept. 10.Read More...
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ABC renews 'Dancing with the Stars,' 'The Bachelor,' 'Shark Tank'
Because seven re-ups just wasn't enough for a Thursday night, ABC has, unsurprisingly, decided to renew reality staples "Dancing with the Stars," "The Bachelor" and "Shark Tank" too.
"Dancing with the Stars," currently in its 14th season, will make a glittery return next season -- but there's no word yet on whether there will be the usual two installments. The veteran hoofer show has been a proven ratings hit for the network, but has experienced some dips this season.
The younger "Shark Tank" has performed well in its Friday slot. Now in its third season, it will get a 22-episode order for its fourth.
And host Chris Harrison might be experiencing some personal woes with his recent split from wife, but "The Bachelor" maintains a strong relationship with the network and will return for a 17th cycle.
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-- Yvonne Villarreal twitter.com/villarrealy
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Obama woos Hollywood, takes home $15M
President touts marriage stance at George Clooney's record-setting fundraiser, says GOP will leave you "on your own"
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ABC renews 'Grey's Anatomy,' 'Revenge,' 'Once ..." and more
ABC has renewed seven of its series: "Grey's Anatomy," "Revenge," "Once Upon a Time," "Suburgatory," "The Middle," "Modern Family" and "Castle."
Quite a mouthful, eh?
"Modern Family," though experiencing a dip in viewers, will come back for Season 4, and "Grey's Anatomy" will enter its ninth. "Castle" has been a steady performer in its Monday slot; its renewal will take the crime dramedy into its fifth season, helping it reach the 100-episode benchmark.
"The Middle" has held its own on the network in the Wednesday comedy block -- helping to pass the viewer baton as a lead-in for freshman series "Suburgatory."
"Suburgatory" has some fellow rookies with which to revel in the renewal elation: The fairy-tale drama "Once Upon a Time" had an impressive debut last fall, with 13 million viewers and a 4.0 in the 18-49 demo, and it has continued to perform well for the network, helping the show to land a spot next season. The devilishly soapy "Revenge" also will get a sophomore season.
The renewals comes on the heels of news that "Cougar Town" is moving from ABC to TBS.
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NBC renews 'Community' for fourth season
#Sixseasonsandamovie -- oh, the power of suggestion. NBC has renewed "Community" for a fourth season, sources close to production confirmed Thursday.
The series will return with an abbreviated 13-episode order - but, hey, it's 13 more than some had predicted. (And we expect the actors reaction to the news is similar to the one in the above photo.) The cult comedy has endured a rocky third season on the network, getting pulled from the schedule midseason that had fans rallying for its return, which it made in March. And then there was the whole voicemail kerfuffle between cast member Chevy Chase and executive producer Dan Harmon.
The series, a vortex of pop culture allusions and spoofs involving oddball students at an equally oddball community college, has found a fierce following among young viewers who are more likely to catch it later on DVR or online - in December, its production company Sony struck a digital syndication deal with Hulu, making its entire library of episodes available.
Its final three episodes of this season will air May 17.
The quirky laffer joins fellow Thursday comedy "30 Rock" in the renewal bin.
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'Vampire Diaries' Finale: Nina Dobrev Teases Elena's Flashback And Taking A Break From Vampires
In the Season 3 finale of "The Vampire Diaries" (Thurs., May 10, 8 p.m. ET on The CW), Elena finally makes a choice -- but it might not be what you expect.For the past three seasons, Stelena and Delena fans have been anxiously awaiting Elena's decision -- will she be with Stefan (Paul Wesley) or his brother Damon (Ian Somerhalder). We've been teased countless time with steamy motel make outs and swoon-worthy slow dances, but what if Elena were to choose herself? "If it was me, I would think that I would want to take a break from the whole vampire thing altogether," star Nina Dobrev told HuffPost TV at the unveiling of her new Got Milk? ad campaign in New York City. "That's what the whole finale episode is about. It's about showing Elena's progression, and showing her life now versus what it used to be and how normal she was. Her life is crazy now, and she really just wants to go back to her core. She wants to make things simple and stop running from vampires who try to save her life every five seconds." Read More...
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Did Time's Breast-Feeding Cover Cross the Line?
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Hollywood Shooting Heroes Craig Marquez & Kevin Cotter Sr. To Be Honored At White House
The White House is rolling out the red carpet for TOP COPS all across the nation Saturday, and two of our very own Los Angeles Police Department officers have been invited to Washington D.C. to be feted by President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden. LAPD detective Craig Marquez and officer Kevin Cotter Sr. are among 34 law enforcement officers that will be honored with the 2012 National Association of Police Organization TOP COPS award for going above and beyond the call of duty.Marquez and Cotter both just happened to be near the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Vine Street when Tyler Brehm started randomly shooting at drivers and pedestrians December 9, 2011. Read More...
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Michael Jackson Estate Settles War with Thriller 'Date'
Michael Jackson's Estate has finally settled its beef with the girl who played MJ's date in the famed "Thriller" video -- three years after she filed her lawsuit.TMZ broke the story ... Ola Ray sued MJ and his production company in May 2009 -- the.
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Tricky Effects Transport Hemingway & Gellhorn Stars Into the 1930s
Ever since Forrest Gump shook JFK's hand in 1994, we've been obsessed with putting new things into old film footage. But just because we can doesn't mean we should: Pull it off and it's amazing; fail and the audience can only think about how fake it looks.
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Ryan Seacrest pulls proposal fake-out on "Idol"
"American Idol" host had a question to ask girlfriend Julianne Hough - but it wasn't about marriage
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Ryan Gosling's 'Gangster Squad' Trailer: Five Key Scenes
Gosling reunites with Emma Stone in the star-studded, Tommy gun-packed clip.
One of the fall's most anticipated releases, "Gangster Squad," packs an all-star cast, old-school vibe and a bunch of Tommy guns. Needless to say, we're interested.
The film from "Zombieland" director Ruben Fleischer just got its first trailer, so we've broken it down for you into these five keys scenes.
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Beastie Boys return to US top 20
The Beastie Boys have returned to the US album charts following the death of band member Adam Yauch last week.…
Texas 'Rebels' host first ETX country music festival this weekend
If there's one thing Texas is good at, it's hosting a music festival -- you've got Austin City Limits, Chili Fest, and South by Southwest, to name just a few.…
Spring in America: Austin
David Evans took this photo of agave in an April walk through the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin.
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Scenes From Spending the Night With Strangers
Photographer Bieke Depoorter has been traveling around Russia and the United States asking random people on the street if she can sleep at their homes on and off for the past three years. The result is a series of eerily intimate photos that capture the inside lives of people and families throughout these two countries.
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Mad Men, The Walking Dead Network Suprises Wall Street With 43% Proft Rise
Since it was spun off from Cablevision last June, the stock has risen more than 11%.…
2012 Olympic flame lit in ancient stadium
Thousands of years after the first athletes competed at the ancient stadium in Greece, a high priestess swathed in white lit a flame from the sun to mark the start of a new Olympiad on Thursday.
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Billy the Blind Kid in "Dumb and Dumber": 'Memba Him?!
Brady Bluhm is best known for playing Billy the blind kid who bought Petey the dead parakeet in the 1994 funny film "Dumb and Dumber." Guess what he looks like now!
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'When Wrong TV Subtitles Get It Right' On 'Conan' (VIDEO)
MSNBC recently made the mistake of putting up the wrong graphic while a clip of French President Nicolas Sarkozy was on the screen. The result? The network inadvertently called the politician a "prostitute." Not the best error to make. But the flub got Conan thinking: What if there's more to those incorrect subtitles than we realize? What if they're trying to tell us something?Read More...
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Sandy Kim Puts Fresh Spin on Sex, Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll (NSFW)
Like many photographers who struggle to find subject matter worthy of photographing, Sandy Kim turns her camera on a subject with which she is intimately familiar - her friends, her love and her life.
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Art records fall led by Rothko in New York
One week after Edvard Munch's "The Scream" shattered art auction records, Mark Rothko's "Orange, Red, Yellow" has broken the price ceiling for a work of contemporary art.
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Disney Confirms The Avengers 2 Movie, Theme Park Rides, Games
Disney CEO Bob Iger has confirmed the obvious today. After smashing through the record books with its $207 million domestic opening weekend and ruling the world with over $702 million grossed to date, Studios is working on The Avengers 2. Iger also said The Avengers would appear at Disney theme parks in the future, which …
First Trailer for Ben Affleck's Wired-Inspired CIA Thriller, Argo
The first trailer for Ben Affleck's spy film Argo looks as fascinating, funny and unbelievable as the true story from which the film was derived.
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Forever Marilyn leaves Mag Mile
About 60 tourists watched tonight as a crane was lifted to dismantle the 40,000-pound "Forever Marilyn" sculpture that has towered in Pioneer Court since last fall.
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'Two And A Half Men' 200th Episode: Jason Alexander Gives Alan A Clean Bill Of Health (VIDEO)
Jason Alexander popped up as Alan's doctor on the 200th episode of "Two and a Half Men" (Mon., 9 p.m. ET on CBS). He gave Alan the worst news a heart patient could ever want to hear. It turns out Alan is in perfect health, as if he'd never had the heart attack at all.Considering Alan is a world-class mooch, and his friends and family had never been more kind and generous than since he had that mild heart attack, finding out he was now healthy as a horse was like his worst nightmare coming true.To ensure fans think Alan is as despicable as possible, the rest of the episode saw him taking full advantage of Walden's weak spot for people dying around him. He hit him up for a new room, motorized chair for going up the stairs and even a premium television package. All simply because he has no moral compass whatsoever
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'Antiques Roadshow': Woman's Yellow Diamond Engagement Ring Is Worth A Fortune (VIDEO)
The "Antiques Roadshow" (Mon., 8 p.m. ET on PBS) stopped in Minneapolis Monday night where it gave regular viewer Lesley a bit of a shock. She had brought her engagement ring to be appraised and discovered that it was potentially worth a fortune. The ring featured a large yellow diamond that she chose on a trip to New York City in 1976 with her then-fiance. Lesley said she's not married any more and hadn't worn the ring in 20 years. She had no idea that the diamond was an extremely valuable 3.4 carats, which, the apppraiser said, could fetch as much as $160,000 at auction. Read More...
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'Bait Car' TV show busts sheriff's detective with video
The reality TV show "Bait Car" is supposed to catch car thieves in the act. Undercover cops park a rigged car on the side of the road, conspicuously leaving the keys inside, while a television crew waits nearby for an unsuspecting passerby to take the bait and steal the car.
But in one recent sting filmed in cooperation with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, the lead detective on the case ended up getting busted instead…
That Beatles Moment on 'Mad Men' Cost a Cool Quarter Million
The fifth season of "Mad Men" was delayed by a contract standoff between creator Matt Weiner, Lionsgate studio and the AMC cable network, a dispute that reportedly revolved around Weiner's belief that the other parties were trying to nickel-and-dime him.
You couldn't have guessed that from Sunday night's episode, which prominently featured the song "Tomorrow Never Knows" by the Beatles.…
New Ambitions in Philippine Film Business
As independent filmmakers break away from the country's formulaic movie productions, a Philippine film is getting a first-ever release in North America.…
'Teen Wolf' Season-Two Trailer: Watch It Here!
If brand-new trailer attracts 5 million views from fans, MTV will unlock first 10 minutes of season two. Start sharing!
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Kids Triumph Over Gloomy School Photographer in Clever Short Film
In the semi-viral, Webby-nominated short film "School Portrait," a grumpy school-portrait photographer berates his lovable subjects with his cynical views of the world, sadistically trying to elicit frowns for his photos. It's a simple concept, but the kids reactions make the film stand out.
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Eli Manning Scores As SNL Host
Check out video of Eli Manning hosting Saturday Night Live…
Rihanna Brings Eye-Popping Sets To 'Saturday Night Live'
Despite early talk, singer did not appear in any of episode's skits
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Stiller film renamed after death
A Ben Stiller comedy is given a new title to avoid it being linked to the controversial shooting of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin in Florida.…
'SNL' Skewers 'Fox And Friends' With Bin Laden Anniversary Coverage (VIDEO)
"Saturday Night Live" opened this week's show with a parody of "Fox and Friends," the morning show on Fox News. But the NBC comedy program's parody of Steve Doocy, Gretchen Carlson and Brian Kilmeade was hardly a caricature of the lengths that the cable program reaches in portraying a hard-right agenda in covering non-partisan topics.As Doocy, Taran Killam reacted to an Obama ad the same way many in the conservative press (and beyond) did. "Shame on President Barack Obama, who is running a campaign ad that argues that Mitt Romney would not have made the decision to launch the raid," said Killam as Doocy, referring to the military raid that killed September 11th mastermind Osama bin Laden."I can name one person who wouldn't have launched that raid: Barack Obama!" said Bobby Moynihan as Brian Kilmeade
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'Glee' -- Female Stars Addicted to Buying Los Angeles Area Real Estate
The "Glee" chicks are getting way too much dough to sing other people's hits songs ... 'cause 3 of 'em bought sweet new pads in the last MONTH alone!Naya Rivera -- aka the hispanic one -- is now in the Hills of Beverly after scooping up a 3300 sq..
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Life in the city of 1,000 statues
In Rome, you are never far from a statue with a story to tell…
Tibetan Freedom Concert Part Of Adam Yauch's Legacy
'It's given some meaning to me to be famous ... if I can use that attention to help other people,' late Beastie Boy tells MTV News
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'The Avengers' Stuns With Worldwide Total Of $500+ Million
The Avengers, which opened to massive foreign box office totals before storming the domestic box office with enormous opening day receipts, appears poised to finish this weekend with a global box office topping $500 million. That?s after only ten days in release (the film opened April 25th in foreign markets). Some are now predicting the …
Walt Disney Family Museum
Last month I had the opportunity to visit the Walt Disney Family Museum, located in the historic Presidio in San Francisco; this was something I was looking forward to, since my friend Floyd Norman had served as a consultant in the creation of the exhibits and had told me a little about it at the time. Even so, the museum exceeded my expectations, providing an interesting and educational experience that's ideally suited for children and adults.
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'Star Trek' Star SMASHES Porsche -- I Come in Pieces
KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAr crash ...One of the stars of the original "Star Trek" series back in the 60s hit warp10 this week -- plowing her sleek white Porsche into another car in L.A. ... and TMZ has obtained a pic of the damage.Law enforcement.
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Official opening for 2012 stadium
Forty thousand people are expected to descend on the London Olympic Stadium on Saturday, as the landmark venue is officially opened to the public.…
Pepsi's Michael Jackson Resurrection: Strangely Appropriate?
Yesterday, Forbes contributor remarked about 's new collaboration with the Michael estate. Friedman asks: is it really a great idea to use 's likeness on a product that for many marks the beginning of public trials with drugs and exploitation by others? I'm not talking about 's private tribulations - those had been going on …
Late Night: 'The Daily Show' targets pro-gun, anti-gay lawmaker
When it comes to pointing out hypocrisy, "The Daily Show" usually goes for the prominent targets: politicians, celebrities, the media. But every once in a while the show turns its satirical gaze to the lesser-known men and women toiling away to make the world a less tolerant place…
Sound of My Voice Writers Decode Their Time-Travel Cult Thriller
Zal Batmanglij and Brit Marling know their movie is hard to decipher: They intentionally crafted a story that's like a jigsaw puzzle of modern art -- full of odd-shaped pieces and open to interpretation. Wired got on the phone with the film's director and star of the film to try to crack the code, and along the way got their thoughts on the possibilities of time travel, cults named after IP addresses, and what's going on with their upcoming anarchist infiltration film, The East.
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Leaping Tall Buildings Shines Light on Comics' Legendary Creators
Superheroes might hog the spotlight in comic books, but new photobook Leaping Tall Buildings: The Origins of American Comics gives the writers and artists who create them a chance to shine. Arresting portraits of people like Stan Lee and Grant Morrison fill the 240-page hardcover, which will be published Sunday. Get a sneak peek in this preview gallery.
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'American Idol': Skylar Laine Eliminated, Season 11 Top 4 Revealed
"American Idol" (Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on Fox) is down to its top four, but to get there, contestants faced one of the toughest eliminations yet on Thursday.Of course, the constantly praised Joshua Ledet was safe and despite his unimpressive night, Phillip Phillips was saved by America, as was Jessica Sanchez, leaving roommates Skylar Laine and Hollie Cavanagh in the bottom two.After a season-high of nearly 60 million votes and a torturous back-and-forth from host Ryan Seacrest, it was revealed that Skylar had received the fewest number of votes and was eliminated from the competition. Although the young country singer didn't have her best night on Wednesday -- and Hollie made a major comeback -- many think she shouldn't have been eliminated. American Idol
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Cool Clip: Matthew Modine, Eva Mendes in "Girl in Progress"
?Girl in Progress? stars Matthew Modine?who?s on the comeback trail big time, he?s also in ?The Dark Knight Rises.? Two wonderful actresses ?Eva Mendes and Patricia Arquette? co-star in this lovely little indie film, distributed by LionsGate. It opens on May 11th and hopefully LionsGate/Summit will give it a push into some major markets as …
Where Does Brandy's 'Behind The Music' Rank On All-Time List?
Singer reveals eating disorder, feelings about deadly car crash and secret affair with Boyz II Men singer…
Boy Band Allegiances: Why They Matter
In honor of MTV's Battle of the Boy Bands, Above the Buzz breaks down boy-band mania and why picking a favorite really matters…
Famed conductor falls from stage
The former director of the New York Philharmonic is recovering in hospital after falling off the stage during a concert in Paris.…
At 92, Movie Bootlegger Is Soldiers' Hero
Hyman Strachman found a fulfilling hobby after his wife died: sending hundreds of thousands of illicitly copied Hollywood hits to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.…
'American Idol' Castoff Elise Testone Will Be Calling Brian May
Testone wants Queen guitarist for her album: 'He's like, 'Call me up. Let's do it…
Firth overwhelmed by film's story
Actor Colin Firth says he felt "a little overwhelmed" by the enormity of the story to be told in his latest film The Railway Man.…
Jack White Headed For First #1 Album
'I've got another 12 songs that I haven't finished yet,' White says of his extra tracks for another LP…
James May 'hologram' raves about old tech at Science Museum
Top Gear's Captain Slow stars in mobe app
Pictures Top Gear presenter James May has been transformed into a floating chatterbox spectre that hovers next to exhibits in the London Science Museum..…
'Jersey Shore' spinoff 'Snooki & JWoww' to debut June 21
MTV announced Thursday it will debut "Jersey Shore" spinoff "Snooki & JWoww" on Thursday, June 21, at 10 p.m., and confirmed the earlier Show Tracker report that the show will be followed this season with teen-girl dramedy "Awkward," which will premiere after the "Snooki" episode on June 28…
'Grey's Anatomy' Main Character Death On Season Finale: Update From Shonda Rhimes
If fans of "Grey's Anatomy" (Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on ABC) were thinking Seattle Grace would be saying goodbye to a guest star, it may be time to prepare for a more tearful finale. After telling TV Guide Magazine that a lot of the writers were crying and that there were "really shocking, horrible moments" in the upcoming Season 8 finale, creator Shonda Rhimes has now confirmed that it's a main character who will. "We're not talking [about] some guest star [who] is going to come in and die kind of thing; it's a a big death and it's fairly shocking," Rhimes told The Hollywood Reporter. "It was hard, it was hard to write, it was hard to listen to at the table read. When one of your main characters dies, it always affects the heart and soul of the hospital."
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Chemical Brothers' 'Don't Think' at ArcLight Hollywood on Saturday
Big-beat techno duo the Chemical Brothers have long used wide-screen visuals to amplify their pulverising drums and synth work. The concert doc "Don't Think" captured their latest …
'Five-Year Engagement' Cast Reveals How They Keep Composure
Jason Segel, Emily Blunt and Alison Brie share with MTV News cures for avoiding on-set laughter: 'I just think of really dark, morbid stuff…
'American Idol' Report Card: Joshua Ledet Soars Again, Hollie Cavanagh Climbs
The top six tackled Queen songs and their own picks; here's how they did…
Star Trek role-players' privates sniffed by alien invader
Cryptic Studios coughs to database hack
Gaming studio Cryptic, the company behind Star Trek Online, Champions Online and City of Heroes, has admitted that its players' details were lifted in an unauthorised database access two years ago..…
Muppets to return in film sequel
Disney have announced a sequel to last year's Muppet movie, but not the return of star and writer Jason Segel.…
Michael Jackson -- Black Surgical Mask Fetching Over $20,000 at Auction
A black surgical mask that Michael Jackson allegedly wore the night before he died in 2009 has hit the auction block -- and the bids have already surpassed $20,000.According to the auction house -- Nate D. Sanders Auctions -- MJ wore the mask.
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Dominican pageant: Married beauty queen must return crown
Officials are forcing the 25-year-old model who won the Dominican Republic's top beauty pageant to hand over her crown, saying she violated contest rules when she hid her marriage.
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Gladys Knight: 'Dancing With The Stars' Experience Made Me Feel 'Young' And 'Alive' (VIDEO)
The morning after Gladys Knight was voted off "Dancing With The Stars," she stopped by "GMA" to reflect on her experience.Robin Roberts asked "the Empress of Soul" to expand on her thought that the show helped her find the "fountain of youth." Knight said she felt rejuvenated because, "Everybody was so young at heart here, and the whole family feeling, it just makes you feel young, it makes you feel alive."Knight, who noted she'd always loved dancing, explained that the show was as challenging as it was rewarding. "When I got an opportunity to do this, it was more than the dance. It was taking the chance to put another memory, another something into my life, which is what I like to try to do, go outside of my little comfort zone. And I'm so glad I made that decision, because I got way more than I expected." TV Replay
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Did Hollywood dirty its hands in China? Reaction to SEC inquiry
BEIJING - News of a U.S. government inquiry into Hollywood studios' business practices in China - now their largest foreign market - caught some Beijing International Film Festival guests by surprise on Wednesday. But it didn't surprise others familiar with the Asian nation's longstanding gift-giving culture…
Johnny Depp 'Created' His Tonto For 'Lone Ranger'
'He's not the servant that he was in the radio series,' producer Jerry Bruckheimer tells MTV News about Depp's character in Disney film
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'Dancing With the Stars' results recap: Good Knight, Gladys
We said goodbye to Motown Week, as well as to a Motown legend on Tuesday night, as Gladys Knight was sent home after the sixth week of the "Dancing With the Stars" Season 14 competition…
S.E.C. Asks if Hollywood Paid Bribes in China
The inquiry by the Securities and Exchange Commission is focused on at least three studios and creates a potential roadblock for the industry's plans to expand in one of the world's largest markets.…
Web Documentary: How The Internet Changed Heavy Metal
A few weeks ago, I wrote about an upcoming web documentary by Metal Injection looking at the impact of the internet on heavy metal, among other things…
Extreme Mammals at Chicago's Field Museum
I make a habit of visiting science museums wherever I travel. I've been to the Museum of Science in Boston several times, I've visited the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C. and aquariums in Atlanta, Boston, and Mystic, Connecticut.
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'New Girl': Jess And Nick Get Into A Screaming, Butt Shaking Fight (VIDEO)
At the start of this week's episode of "New Girl" (Tue., 9 p.m. ET on Fox), Nick found himself alone in the group. Everyone had a boyfriend or girlfriend or whatever Cece and Schmidt are, and he had no one. Apparently, the college floozies just weren't enough for him anymore. So he devoted his life to tomatoes.But it turned out to be the beginning of the end for Jess and Russell. After she unwisely invited Russell's ex-wife to have dinner with them, Jess discovered a passion -- albeit fueled by hate -- between them that she didn't have in her relationship, and desperately wanted. So she broke it off with him and returned home, where she found a hate-filled and passionate argument with Nick. There's the passion she was looking for...Cece broke things off with Schmidt as well, but doing so in front of one of her roommates lead to him going on an ill-fated date that night with her instead. By the time the night was over, she would abandon him at the hospital, after literally breaking his penis, and go bowling. Reality-Free
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Egyptian Actor Guilty of Insulting Islam in Films
A court's ruling against Adel Imam, Egypt's most popular comic actor, alarmed those already anxious about the growing power of Islamists.…
'Kurt Sutter's Outlaw Empires' will air on Discovery
The fifth season of "Sons of Anarchy" will air on FX this fall, but series creator Kurt Sutter hasn't slowed. He's got another series set to premiere next month on Discovery: "Kurt Sutter's Outlaw Empires…
Nas To Release Life Is Good On July 17
God's Son sets date for 10th solo album and will drop 'The Don' video and 'Daughters' single in the coming week…
Disney opera to get UK premiere
Philip Glass's opera about Walt Disney is to get its UK premiere at the English National Opera (ENO).…
Mel Gibson Suits Up For 'Machete Kills'
Actor will reportedly join cast of Robert Rodriguez's 'Machete' sequel…
Starbucks to open cafes at Disney parks
Starbucks is about to perk up "the happiest place on earth." Starbucks plans to open six cafes at Disney locations.…
Historic ship Cutty Sark rises from ashes after $81 million restoration
One of Britain's most cherished maritime treasures will complete a miraculous rise from the ashes when it reopens to the public later this week.
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Director: "Pretty Woman" didn't have an ending
Garry Marshall says fairy tale ending was a decision he agonized over, Richard Gere predicted Julia Roberts would "pop" in role
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Seacrest signs on to continue hosting 'American Idol'
All-but-omnipresent entertainment personality Ryan Seacrest is sticking with the job that propelled him to national fame, announcing Monday that he'll continue hosting "American Idol."
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American Psycho stage musical due
Bret Easton Ellis' 1991 novel American Psycho is to be turned into a stage musical by the company that produced the play Enron.…
Archie Comics Power Struggle Teaches A Lesson
The Times had a??fascinating article over the weekend called The Battle for a Comic-Book Empire That Archie Built. ??It detailed the ongoing legal battle over the two dueling CEO?s of Archie Comic Publications. On one side is Jonathan Goldwater, the son of John L. Goldwater who was one of three founders of the company and …
Box office report: 'Hunger Games' wins again with $21.5 million
For the fourth weekend in a row, The Hunger Games easily led the domestic box office, holding off three new wide releases from the top spot.
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Disney, DMG team up to make 'Iron Man 3' a Chinese co-production
The Walt Disney Co. and its Marvel Studios subsidiary said Monday that "Iron Man 3" will be a co-production with China, as the Burbank company teamed with DMG Entertainment of Beijing to co-finance and distribute the film…
Resident Evil 6 debut moved up to October 2
Capcom says next installment in zombie action horror series will arrive more than a month earlier than the original November 20 release date.
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'Dark Knight Rises' Gets PG-13 Rating For 'Some Sensuality'
MPAA's ratings explanation offers hints at Bruce Wayne's relationships with Selina Kyle and Talia al Ghul. By Kevin P. Sullivan…
'Dancing With The Stars': Donald Driver Rules Rock Week
Melissa Gilbert is taken to hospital after injuring herself during performance. By Kelley L. Carter…
James Bond Ditches Martinis for Beer - 007 Fans Cry Sell Out
Perhaps for the next film they can take the route of modern sports stadium and sell off naming rights to his iconic codename - he could ditch the 007 moniker and become simply Agent Emirates.…
Album review: The Alabama Shakes' 'Boys & Girls'
The Alabama Shakes' first album, "Boys & Girls," is an electric jolt that anyone who loves blues-based rock music should track down immediately…
Learning To Love Mozart
In the mid-'70s I was living in Northampton, Mass., biding my time for the summer before becoming an impoverished graduate student in music. Every morning I got up at 5 a.m. to go sweep floors and clean bathrooms at Kmart. One day after work I was browsing the record store next door in the mall and came across a deluxe album of Mozart's Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) by the Vienna Opera under the legendary conductor Karl Böhm. I hardly knew any Mozart operas at that point, and this seemed like the perfect place to start. Besides, as I prepared to go back to school I figured it was time I knew Mozart better. I shelled out 20 bucks for the album, which at that moment happened to be the last 20 bucks my wife and I had to our name.
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'Dancing With the Stars' recap: Rock ballroom with a KISS
Break out the pleather and guyliner, ballroom fans. It's rock week on "Dancing With the Stars"! To kick things off on an appropriately headbanging note KISS(!)…
Lion King show reigns on Broadway
Hit musical adaptation The Lion King becomes the highest earning show in Broadway history, according to new figures released by Disney.…
Public Theater 2012-13 Season: David Byrne, Fatboy Slim Musical And More
NEW YORK - The Public Theater will offer six plays making their world premiere and two new musicals during its 2012-2013 season, including a show with songs by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim.The Public said Monday that the former Talking Heads frontman and the British DJ will team up next April for "Here Lies Love," a musical about former Filipina first lady Imelda Marcos…
European Crises Pervade Films in Disappearing Act Festival
The Disappearing Act film festival in New York highlights recent European movies that received little notice in the United States.…
California State Park Closures: Packing Artifacts May Reduce Savings
SAN FRANCISCO -- Shuttering dozens of California state parks to trim millions from the state budget will take more than simply hanging a "Closed" sign on trailheads and beach parking lots. Many on the closure list house thousands of historical treasures that must be packed up, catalogued and stored if deals are not reached to save them.The tens of thousands of items on public display paint a rich portrait of California's past. Among them are rare crystalline gold nuggets at the California Mining and Minerals Museum in Mariposa, painting masterworks showing early 20th century San Francisco street scenes and coastal landscapes at Shasta State Historical Park, and the writer Jack London's home and writing memorabilia in Sonoma County.
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Joy in the Congo: A musical miracle
There's a remarkable symphony orchestra in the Congo, 200 musicians defying the poverty of their war-torn country and creating some of the most moving music we have ever heard.
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Premiere for Sheen's Passion film
A film version of actor Michael Sheen's biblical passion play in Port Talbot is to receive its world premiere in the town.…
The Game Stops Concert to Help Fallen Fan
The Game is a changed man -- just 4 months after stopping a concert to fight a guy in the crowd ... the rapper stopped a concert to SAVE someone ... and TMZ has the footage.It all went down on March 18th -- The Game was in the middle of his.
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Pioneer Day: Taking families on a blast to the past
If you love history, or the chance to time travel a little, one local museum and park is giving your family that chance to go back in time this weekend.…
'Scandal' Episode 2 Sneak Peek: A Very Juicy Exclusive Scene From ABC's New Show
Is "Scandal" even more outrageous than you expected? ABC's new drama from Shonda Rhimes (Thursdays, 10 p.m. ET) stars Kerry Washington as Olivia Pope, a powerful D.C.…
It's 'Zoo-born' time at the Dallas Zoo
The Dallas Zoo is getting ready to take care of another round of newborns this spring and summer.…
Discovery Channel Announces Return Of 'Shark Week' And Other Series And Specials
Discovery Channel has just announced its 2012-2013 slate, and "Shark Week" is back for another run, promising to be even more exciting than last year's seven-day adventure. The network has also…
'Good Morning America' Wins Wednesday Ratings War With 'Today'
Wednesday brought good news for "Good Morning America."The ABC show won the third day of this week's morning show ratings wars -- its first win of the intensively hyped battle between Katie Couric and her former colleagues on "Today."GMA" drew 5.236 million total viewers, while "Today" was watched by 5.149 million viewers
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Pasadena Symphony: Michael Stern takes baton for ailing DePreist
James DePreist, artistic advisor of the Pasadena Symphony, is recovering from heart bypass surgery and won't be able to conduct its April 28 program at the Ambassador Auditorium…
Guitar amp pioneer Marshall dies
Guitar amp innovator Jim Marshall - dubbed "the Father of Loud" for creating kit used by some of the biggest names in music - dies aged 88.…
'American Idol' recap: The top 8 take on the '80s
"I hope none of you win," Heejun Han, who was voted off "American Idol" last week, told his fellow contestants in a look-back sequence at the top of…
VIDEO: Libyans flock to Gaddafi beaches
After the revolution which ended Gaddafi's 42 years of rule, Libyans are returning to the country's beach resorts which previously had almost exclusively been used by members of Gaddafi's family.…
Nicki Minaj To Top Billboard Charts Next Week
Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded expected to sell more than 200,000…
The Green Band Trailer for Seth MacFarlane's Ted
We got the Red Band trailer on Sunday and now here is the Green Band trailer for Seth MacFarlane's Ted , starring Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Giovanni Ribisi, MacFarlane, Joel McHale, Patrick Warburton, Jessica Stroup and Laura Vandervoort.…
Two Villains Sign on for A Good Day to Die Hard
Two more actors have signed on for the upcoming fifth Die Hard installment, A Good Day to Die Hard . Variety reports that Sebastian Koch and Yulia Snigir have signed on for villainous roles, playing characters named Komorov and Irina, respectively. They join Bruce Willis, returning as John McClane, and Jai Courtney, playing his son, Jack.…
Dylan's 'Blood on the Tracks' as a film? 10 albums seeking scripts
A Brazilian production company has acquired the rights to Bob Dylan's landmark 1975 album "Blood on the Tracks" for an English-language feature film, according to Variety…
'Total Recall' debut trailer logs 10.8 million views in 48 hours
Sony Pictures' debut trailer for "Total Recall" racked up 10.8 million views online in its first 48 hours, demonstrating that a "trailer for the trailer" was effective in building hype…
Fox stages 'That '70s Show' reunion
Ashton Kutcher may be one of the highest paid actors on TV right now but he hasn't forgotten his roots: EW has learned exclusively that the star of "Two and a Half Men" will join Mila Kunis, Laura Prepon and Wilmer Valderrama for a "That '70s Show" reunion during Fox's 25th Anniversary Special, airing April 22 on the network.
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Bravo: 'Silicon Valley' reality show is part of digital push
Move over "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills." Here come the geeks of "Silicon Valley."
Bravo Media, the cable network owned by NBCUniversal, on Wednesday unveiled two digital-themed…
Exclusive: Keith Richards Produces New Aaron Neville Album, Taschen to Release Stones Book
Exclusive: Everyone?s been wondering what Rolling Stone Keith Richards would do this year?a new Rolling Stones record? Nope. He?s just finished producing a new doo wop album for Aaron Neville on Blue Note Records. Don Was, who?s running A&R at Blue Note Records. ?Keith had a great time,? says a source, making the album with …
Michael Rosenberg: Opening Day is not what it used to be but that's just fine
Yes, Opening Day isn't what it used to be. It's spread over four days and two continents. But call it a casualty of progress, says Michael Rosenberg. The bottom line: Let the games begin.…
'Extreme Makeover' Dentist -- I Secretly Collect the Teeth Of My Celebrity Patients
Dr. Bill Dorfman -- a world famous dentist who treats some of the biggest stars on Earth -- tells TMZ he keeps a "secret stash" of the teeth he's plucked from the mouths of his famous patients ... in the hopes of eventually selling them on eBay..
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'American Idol' Loves The '80s: What Should They Sing?
Gil Kaufman and James Montgomery face off over song selections for the 'Idol' top eight.By Gil Kaufman and James Montgomery…
'October Baby' Film Makes a Dent at the Box Office
"October Baby," inspired by a woman who claims to be an "abortion survivor," is doing well in movie theaters…
Smithsonian celebrates 'Art of Video Games'
Thirty to 40 years ago, when arcade and console games were primitive and parents condemned them as a new threat to their children's schooling, it was probably hard to imagine one of America's leading museums embracing video games as an artform
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'Dancing With the Stars' results recap: Jack Wagner eliminated
Results shows are hard. And as Tom said, with a cast this good, "every week it's going to hurt" when a star is ceremoniously launched out of the Mirrorball's orbit…
IMAX gives 2 space shuttle cameras to Smithsonian
IMAX Corp. is donating its first cameras used to film aboard the space shuttle to the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington.
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Exclusive Media Options The Odds: A Love Story
Exclusive Media has optioned all rights to award-winning author Stewart O'Nan's latest novel, "The Odds: A Love Story," to develop and produce with Le Grisbi Productions and LBI Entertainment, it was announced today by Exclusive Media Co-Chairmen, Nigel Sinclair and Guy East…
The Trailer for Woody Allen's To Rome With Love is Here
Following the critical and box office hit that was his Midnight in Paris , Woody Allen is headed to another European locale with his next, To Rome With Love . The trailer for the June 22nd limited release has just premiered on Yahoo! Movies and you can check it out in the player below!…
Go Behind the Scenes of Total Recall
ET has posted this new behind-the-scenes look at Total Recall featuring interviews with Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale and Jessica Biel…
Men in Black 3 Releases a Second TV Spot
Columbia Pictures has released a second TV spot for their Men in Black 3 , arriving in 3D, 2D and IMAX 3D theaters on May 25th. Check it out in the player below!…
Abigail Breslin Takes Haunter
Abigail Breslin is set to headline Vincenzo Natali's upcoming ghost tale, Haunter , Variety reports…
'Clerks III': Kevin Smith on bringing his Jersey boys to Broadway
When Kevin Smith announced last year that his upcoming hockey movie "Hit Somebody" would be his final film as a director, you could almost hear a collective sigh of disappointment from hard-core fans of Dante and Randal, Jay and Silent Bob.
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Bohemian Rhapsody Video Taken Down Again, This Time By The Drunk Guy Himself
Well, this is a fun twist. We just wrote about the story of now-world-famous drunk guy Robert Wilkinson, his poor Freddy Mercury impersonation, and the resulting takedown and reinstatement of the video by EMI.
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NASA Announces Events For Shuttle Discovery Departure - PR Newswire
Journalists are invited to cover the following events (all times are EDT): Saturday ... Accreditation for international news media for the arrival is closed…
Stars literally overhauled for Titanic 3D
Director James Cameron cedes to eagle-eyed astrophysicist who spotted imperfection in blockbuster film Titanic, 100 Years Later
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Mad Men, Season 5
Great observation about Sally, Julia. I hadn't caught her watching Megan and Betty's eating habits, but you're right. Even if she doesn't go on to develop a disorder, it's a lovely reminder of how children study their elders for cues about how to navigate life (and how not to), even in those moments when the adults themselves feel lost.
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Allan Quatermain Series is Coming to Television
Sonar Entertainment and Ecosse Films have teamed up for a $30 million, 10-part action-adventure series based on the Allan Quatermain books, says The Hollywood Reporter …
Hellraiser: The Series is Now in Development
Accoring to Variety , Sonar Entertainment and executive producer Larry Kupin are developing "Hellraiser: The Series." Kupin is behind New World, the company that brought us Hellraiser and Hellbound: Hellraiser II …
Album review: Dr. John's 'Locked Down'
It may come as a surprise that the character of Dr. John, whose new album, "Locked Down," comes out Tuesday, was birthed in Los Angeles.
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'Dancing With The Stars': Katherine Jenkins Rules Once More
Opera singer scored 29 out of 30 on night when contestants danced to music from their 'most memorable years.'By Kelley L. Carter
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Woman in Black sequel announced
The Hammer film studio announces a sequel to the Woman in Black, the highest grosssing British horror film in twenty years…
Yahoo! Unveils New Web Shows Featuring Cat Deeley, Rebecca Minkoff, and Michael Yo; Renews Second Season of Successful Women's Slate Programming - Yahoo Finance
featuring entertainment news reporter Michael Yo (launching today), and a new version of "In the Dressing Room with Cat Deeley" hosted by the fashion expert and TV personality (coming spring 2012). Yahoo! has also renewed five shows from the …
Whitney Houston items auctioned
Bidders paid a total of $80,000 for clothes and jewelry once owned by Whitney Houston in a Beverly Hills auction that took place Saturday just blocks from where the singer died seven weeks ago…
Hunger Games appetite continues
Action movie Hunger Games remains at the top of the US box office for the second week following its record-breaking debut…
Aerosmith to announce July show at the Palace - Detroit Free Press
Aerosmith will play the Palace of Auburn Hills on July 5, the band is set to announce. / PALACENET.COM By Brian McCollum Aerosmith will play the Palace of Auburn Hills on July 5, the band is set to announce today
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Patricia Velasquez Fired on Celebrity Apprentice - The Hollywood Gossip
On this week's Celebrity Apprentice, tensions ran high on the women's team after the dramatic firing of Tia Carrere for her failings on the previous task
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Madonna's 'MDNA' is rocking and revelatory - USA TODAY
By Elysa Gardner, USA TODAY Madonna opens up to reveal inner pain and turmoil on her new album, but the dance groove never slows. Vulnerability isn't likely the first trait that comes to mind when you think of Madonna
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'American Idol': Erika Van Pelt Performs 'New York State of Mind,' Wows Judges - Hollywood Reporter
The top 10 finalist impressed Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler with her rendition of the Billy Joel song. On American Idol's top 10 performance show on Wednesday night, finalist Erika Van Pelt performed Billy Joel's "New York State of
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'American Idol' sings the songs of the Piano Man - USA TODAY
By Brian Mansfield, USA TODAY On Billy Joel night, Heejun Han nearly stole the show. Fortunately, Jessica Sanchez brought it back
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'Pretty Little Liars' shocker: 'A' is - New York Daily News
By David Hinckley / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS From L., Troiann Bellisario, Shay Mitchell, Ashley ABenson and Lucy Hale hope to unmask 'A' on the season finale of 'Pretty Little Liars'
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Marilyn Manson, Johnny Depp to Cover Simon's 'You're So Vain' - RollingStone.com
By Rolling Stone Johnny Depp and Marilyn Manson during the premiere of 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest' in Anaheim, California
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Starz Renews Magic City for Season 2, in Advance of the Series Premiere - TV.com
By Tim Surette Follow 16 minutes ago Shazam! Open Sesame! Renewacadabra! Premium-cable network Starz has ordered a second city of its new series Magic City
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'Dancing With the Stars' premieres to all-time low ratings - Entertainment Weekly
by James Hibberd Dancing With the Stars judges may have given Monday's dancers the best performance scores ever for a premiere, but fans gave the show its lowest Nielsen ratings ever for a debut episode
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'Dancing with the Stars' - Washington Post
Kym Johnson and Jaleel White perform. This season's spectacular new cast of celebrities brought the glamour, the glitter and -- most importantly - the savvy dance moves during the two-hour Season 14 premiere of "Dancing with the Stars
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ADHD Diagnoses Up 66 Percent Since 2000 - PsychCentral.com
By Rick Nauert PhD Senior News Editor According to a new study, the number of children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has increased by 66 percent over the past 10 years
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New Israeli Law Bans Underweight Models in Ads - Wall Street Journal
By AP JERUSALEM- A new Israeli law bans showing overly thin models from local advertising in an attempt to fight the spread of eating disorders
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Somalia's National Theater Reopens After 20 Years of Silence - Voice of America
March 20, 2012 Somalia's National Theater Reopens After 20 Years of Silence Somalia's long-dormant theater hopes to breathe life back into country's entertainment industry
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Oprah Winfrey -- Bloodbath at OWN - TMZ.com
First Rosie ... now TMZ has learned at least 10 people got the chop at the Oprah Winfrey Network today ... including 2 high level execs
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'Jersey Shore', with pregnant Snooki, will return for sixth season, MTV announces - New York Daily News
By Richard Huff / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi, left, and Jennifer 'JWoww' Farley will be back with the rest of the cast on MTV's 'Jersey Shore
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Original 'Teen Mom' cast's fourth season to be final - USA TODAY
By Cindy Clark, USA TODAY Get ready to say goodbye to Farrah, Catelynn, Amber and Maci -- the four young mothers who comprise the original cast of MTV's Teen Mom franchise
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