Here Are Some Great Dancing Party Ideas

Dancing is not merely a terrific pastime or a occupation for the more competitive dancer it can be a terrific source of enjoyment which can make practically any party or function a time to remember. This happens because dancing causes the release of endorphins within the body creating a feeling of euphoria or wellbeing.

Dancing parties also provide great scope for the imagination, especially since there are an infinite number of themes you could choose from. Furthermore you can include further excitement to the get together simply by dressing up in dance outfits that will appeal to children of all ages.

The sort of celebration will usually depend on your finances. If you have the cash for you to splash out then you could hold a sizable party deciding on a venue, caterers, Band / DJ's etc whilst if the budget is tight a party your own house using your stereo system.

They're probably the most recognized type of get together, particularly for teenagers where by they're able to dress up in 70′s dancing outfits for example; or go to the other extreme with a luau party theme in which the ladies dress in hula skirts and the men in Hawaiian shirts.

Dance is one of the best activities that children can do because it makes their minds healthier as well as their bodies. No matter what style of dance they are participating in, they are developing their co-ordination, strength and flexibility and building stamina. Listening to the rhythm in the music and memorizing a sequence of steps gives their brain a workout too.

With regards to selecting the most suitable dancing costumes to wear you may either select a complete dancing costume or possibly design your very own out of an assortment of several types of clothes to go along with the subject of your celebration.

Young kids, particularly little girls usually opt for fairy or ballerina kids costumes. Adults may go for more comical outfits like a fuzzy chicken or something sexy such as a Dance Queen or Disco Fever costume.

When it comes to Do it yourself outfits, combination's of dancewear clothing such as disco pants, go-go boots, leotards and even Michael Jackson jackets may be used in a number of combination's. Additionally for the girls that desire to be the belle of the ball and look truly hot whilst giving off a hint of mystery then why not consider wearing some sensuous belly dance clothes.

There Are A Few Great Formal Dinner Party Ideas

We all love spending time at a dinner party with friends and family. But being the host of such a formal dinner party can come with the pressure of standing up to your guests' expectations of delicious food and great times. A formal dinner party is an ideal opportunity to share the comfort of your home with others, as well as the perfect stage for introducing new people into your circle of friends. Set the stage with irresistible dinner party invitations. Then with good company, good food and good wine – you'll have all the makings of a perfect evening. Here are some tips to help you plan your formal dinner party.

Organizing a proper budget for your formal dinner party is a must. You should keep in mind the amount that will be spent on food and beverages such as wine or liquor, as well as any party supplies which you may require. Remember that the most expensive brands of food aren't necessarily the best, so skip on fancy packaging and go for casual stuff. Even the smallest dinner parties can be elegant affairs if the right amount of care and attention is paid during the planning stages.

Dinner parties can be easy relaxed gatherings or formal dressed affairs. What ever the occasion be, try to be clear about who to invite, the menu of the party, the budget etc.

Once the pre-planning is done and you are prepared with the list of guests you want to invite, you are ready for the invitations. For a formal party the best way to invite your guests is by sending out formal dinner invitations a couple of weeks in advance. For sending out online invites, select a formal dinner theme and customize it by including date, time, your address, and contact information. Explain the event, as the guests need to know exactly what you're inviting them to and what the purpose of the gathering is. Decide ahead of time what you will say to guests who ask what to bring when they RSVP. "Bring yourself!" is a standard answer. Lastly, request a response so that you will know how many people are attending.

As this is a formal party, you should plan an elaborate menu and use dinnerware. In general you should plan to serve 2 to 3 appetizers, salad, a main course and 2 side dishes or vegetables. To finish the dinner, be sure to offer a delicious dessert. It is also a good idea to have several beverage choices available throughout the evening. Remember that a formal dinner party is not the time to try out a new or challenging recipe. A week or two before the party, do some general cleaning. If there are any dishes you can cook ahead and freeze, now is the time. Another excellent idea is to prepare cold appetizers and desserts so that they are not taking up precious oven space.

In the hour before your gathering, set out non-perishable drinks and beverages and take care of any last minute cooking. Put out the ice bucket and remaining perishables just before your guests arrive. If you choose to play music, turn it on at this time. Remember to play a wide variety to keep everyone happy. For added ambiance you can light a few candles. After the meal be sure to offer mints and a nice liqueur or dessert wine. Coffee is also excellent with dessert and will help give finality to the meal.

Set your dining table with your best linen, china and silverware. Formal dinner parties are among the few opportunities we have to treat our guests to a complete dining experience. You could set your table a day in advance or the night before the dinner, as this will give you enough time to attend to other finer details before the guests start arriving.

At a formal party the best way to keep your guests entertained is by arranging for some simple games. Even a formal dinner party can use games. Try putting winning tags on the bottoms of certain plates, so that the person with that plate receives a prize. Another option may be to have random drawings and door prizes. Even something as simple as two truths and a lie over dessert can be a fun way to learn new things about your guests. Keeping your guests engaged during the party will surely make your dinner more of a success.

If you are the guest to a formal dinner party, it is always nice to bring along a special gift for the host. Flowers and candies are always good options. As the host of a dinner party, it is often nice to give gifts for the guests to take home as well. This is especially true if you are hosting a corporate dinner party.

How to Hire Corporate Entertainment

For many people, hiring entertainment for a corporate event can be an overwhelming task. The entertainment you select has to be professional and suited for all audiences. On the other hand, it is easy to get stuck in the corporate rut of doing “the same old thing” year after year.
How important is keeping your existing clients and employees for your organization? Showing appreciation to clients and your staff can boost morale, strengthen business relationships and help your company grow. Having the right entertainment at your event will accomplish that!
So how do you break from the ordinary and book entertainment that is new and engaging for your group? Below are some suggestions to make the hiring process easier for you.

1. Plan Your Event
Plan how would like the evening to go. If you know the exact type of entertainment you are having, then plan the event around that entertainment. Otherwise, plan out time for the different events and make a time-table. If you haven’t decided on the entertainment then be sure to leave some room in your time-table for adjustments. The setup of the room can vary depending on the performer you desire, and the itinerary can change as well.
2. Know Your Budget
Know how much you can spend on entertainment before approaching entertainers to find out about their acts. What you can spend on an entertainer will often dictate the level of entertainment you get. Every event has a budget and you need to stay within it and meet your needs. However, hiring an entertainer based solely on them being the lowest priced can lead to disaster. Put things in a better perspective, you may wish to determine your “per-person” cost budgeted for entertainment or activities. The finest food and beverages will soon be a fading memory to your guests, but high quality entertainment creates an emotional impact and lasting impression. How much fun they had at your event is what creates lasting memories.
3. Be Prepared to Discuss Your Event and Your Budget
Any professional entertainer is going to be asking you questions about your event, such as what type of event you are having, how many guests you expect, if there is a theme to the event, a general timeline of the event, etc. By doing this, they are determining if their act is a good match for your group and function. They may even be able to present ideas to enhance your event that you hadn’t thought of yet! Ask the entertainer if they offer any special packages. Your entertainer may have a package that will make your event extra special. By discussing your budget with them, you are also finding out if they are within your price range. If so you can move on with the process; if not, you are saving everyone time and should call the next entertainer on your list.
4. Request References and Promotional Material
If after your initial contact with the entertainer you feel comfortable with them and you both agree that there is a possibility that they will be a good match for your group, ask them for references and promotional materials. You will find that most entertainers have websites that will contain most of the promotional materials, if not all of it. If an entertainer cannot provide you with references then DO NOT engage this performer.

Ideas Of Wedding Entertainment for Your Reception

So you've just got engaged! It's now time for the excitement to begin. You've got a wedding to plan! At this point you've probably got a lot of questions running through your mind. Where do you begin? What questions should I ask vendors? Where am I going to get the money? Wait, how much money are we talking about? On the contrary to what most couples believe, wedding planning can actually be fun. With proper planning and allocated time to complete it you can create your truly unique and exciting Chicago Wedding reception.
When it comes to the entertainment portion of your reception this should be treated with care as with all your other very important wedding details. The entertainment seems to be one of, if not the most important components to a reception. Sure, the food, decorations, and socialization are very important but without entertainment, these events would take on an entirely different personality.

For affairs that are focuses around the entertainment, or at least ones where it is responsible for a major role in the success or failure of the event, some serious considerations must be taken when hiring the right wedding entertainment.
Will you find the right entertainment by hiring the one that answers the phone first or the one that has the lowest price or would you select one just because they live in your hometown? These are actually several things you should consider before selecting your entertainer:
Is the entertainer experienced in providing services for your event type? This question can't just be answered in a yes or no question either. You'll want someone who knows the ropes. How much experience do you want your entertainer to have? Consider getting a list of references from previous clients.
Is your entertainer insured? Every legitimate business has insurance. This may not seem important upfront, but heaven forbid something were to happen at your event. Are you willing to hire an entertainer without it? Ask your entertainer for his proof of property AND liability insurance.
With so much riding on the success of your event your entertainment should never be over looked. There should be several factors that come into play rather than just price when shopping for your wedding entertainment. Don't ever be afraid to ask questions as the entertainment will have a direct impact on the entire success of your reception.

Drake's Tour Made Up Of Artists 'On Top Of Their Game'

The Bay got quite the treat on Monday night when Drake rolled into Concord, California's Sleep Train Pavilion for the latest leg of his Club Paradise Tour. It was a memorable kickoff for not only Drizzy, but his some of his tourmates, too, as 2 Chainz, Waka Flocka Flame, Meek Mill and French Montana joined him.

Coachella, Bluesfest, PITCH Fest, OSHEAGA, Lollapalooza, OVO fest. Damn. The Weeknd has amassed a pretty impressive line up of concerts and impending performances in a relatively short time, and to add to that, Abel + band will now be opening at select performances by Florence + The Machine. Having developed such a cult-following before even stepping on stage, selling out shows has appeared to be The Weeknd’s forte.

And all this while busy re-mastering his trilogy of mixtapes for re-release. Well, although his mix engineers and producers are undoubtedly shouldering the brunt of the work, there is good possibility he’s present during the process – it’s his voice, after all.

Hard work. Dedication. And according to reviews, an improving stage show, which is going to be very important, especially when performing in such large-scale venues and as a supporting performer for Florence + The Machine. There’s only one way to truly know, and that’s by attending one of the shows – if you can still get tickets.

"I tried to put together a tour that consisted of ... everybody that you hear in your spare time," Drake told MTV News while on the set of 2 Chainz's "No Lie" video in L.A. just before the tour. "These are the guys that are currently on the top of the game, so I tried to bring 'em all out [for] one night. And that's why the tour's called Club Paradise, because I want it to feel like you're gonna hear every song that you wait to hear in the club."

The Young Money star had a number of surprises. For starters, he brought out his buddy the Weeknd to perform their collabo "Crew Love," and then he made way for his mentor, Lil Wayne. Together they rocked their Bay-inspired jam "The Motto" — twice.

The current leg of the Club Paradise Tour will run through June and will take Drake to some of his favorite cities, including Houston, Atlanta and Las Vegas (or "Houstatlantavegas" as he so affectionately referred to the trio of party towns on his 2009 breakout So Far Gone mixtape). Those stops are special for him although, Drizzy told us he doesn't get to spend as much time visiting them as he'd like to.

"It's sad because I love those places, so I wanted to bring something real special and I've got all these guys looking amazing onstage and set changes for everybody," Drake said. "It's gonna be really great."

As focused as he is on the task at hand, however, the Toronto rapper can't help but look forward to his upcoming third his annual OVO Fest. Last July, Drake brought Stevie Wonder, Weezy, Rick Ross and Nas to perform at yearly hometown concert in Toronto; the year before that he welcomed Jay-Z and Eminem. He isn't ready to announce the 2012 lineup just yet, but the "Headlines" MC promises a well-rounded mix of musical guests.

"The lineup this year is kinda a mash-up of everybody," Drake said, hinting that some of his Club Paradise collaborators will be in attendance, as well as the Weeknd. "That's the most important show of the year to me, OVO Fest, so I'm hoping that we really make it special this year.

"The premise of OVO Fest is you never know who you gonna see," he teased.

Spidey Fans: Another Trailer For "The Amazing Spider-Man" Has Arrived!

Holy web-slingers, Spidey fans: Another trailer for "The Amazing Spider-Man" has arrived! While there are several familiar scenes from the first two epic teasers weaved into this exciting new two-and-a-half minutes, director Marc Webb has introduced a bunch of intriguing new elements into the new footage.

Here are five key scenes from the latest trailer:

Lonely Boy
Webb told us previously that the fact that Peter Parker is an orphan will play heavily into the story of this film, which is very much exemplified by the multiple "lonely boy" shots of Parker standing atop various buildings or walking by himself through the city streets with a forlorn look on his face. Not to mention Andrew Garfield's voice-over: "This life is not an easy one. I've made enemies, powerful enemies. I've put people I love in danger, but the one thing that has haunted me my entire life is finding the truth about my parents ... "

"I think there's a real emotional consequence to someone who's left by their parents when they're 7 or 8 years old," Webb has said. "And that contributes to sort of this trickster, chip-on-his-shoulder attitude."

Other Mischief May Come
Speaking of Parker's trickster side, we get another glimpse of his comedic and sarcastic sensibilities during his encounter with a carjacker, as shown in the previous trailer. What's new and fun this time around is Parker taunting the guy: "You found my weakness!" Parker says to the carjacker sarcastically. "It's small knives!"

The other intriguing and very possibly mischievous element in play here is the quick shot we see of Parker looking up at the impossibly tall and menacing Oscorp skyscraper. Yes, we know Parker is interested in the building because of its ties to his father and that Oscorp ID card he holds onto, but we can't help but feel a little bit of foreshadowing is at play in knowing what plays out with one Norman Osborn.

Lizard in a Lab Coat
Behold, the recently transformed, very dangerous-looking Lizard crumpled on the floor and bursting out of his lab coat — or the lab coat of his former self, Dr. Curt Connors (played by Rhys Ifans). We've seen some very quick shots of the film's central villain before, but this trailer offers us multiple glimpses at the before-and-after of Dr. Connors. And he is not at all a nice guy in his hulking green lizardy form ("Avengers" pun un-intended). We see the Lizard hurling innocent people around and later in heated pursuit of our heroic web-slinger.

Mystery Man With Intel
Speaking of the pre-reptilian Dr. Connors, there is a very brief, but intriguing interrogation-like scene in the trailer between Connors and an unidentified older gentleman. The gentleman looks to have long-ish white hair and is shown in a sort of shadowy silhouette asking the good doctor a very pointed question about Peter Parker and his parents. "Did you tell the boy about his father?" he says to Connors. We don't get to hear the Doc's response during this brief exchange, but the worried-but-stubborn look on Connors' face says the man is definitely withholding some key information that will undoubtedly prove to be of major importance to Parker down the line.

Action, Action and More Action
And just like all great superheroic trailers before it, Webb spends the last minute or so of his new trailer impressing us with tons of action. We see Parker-as-Spider-Man's extraordinary athleticism in some scenes of good old-fashioned chasery: He dodges police officers, carjackers and the Lizard, not to mention one impressive feat wherein he appears to be holding a burning car from plunging into a river — which, by the way, totally reminds us of a scene from Sam Raimi's "Spider-Man," whether that was intended or not; we'll have to see the finished film to decide. There is also more demonstration of Spidey's fancy web-slingers as he masters his skills with swinging from buil

New Orleans Jazz And Heritage Festival - It Didn't Disappoint

Day Two of the New Orleans Jazz And Heritage Festival brought banging pianos, fresh voices, Louisiana funk, hip-hop edginess and longtime favorites.

A sunny, breezy day Saturday drew thousands of festival goers for headliners Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Feist and Cee Lo Green, as well as local favorites Irvin Mayfield and Tab Benoit.
Gal Holiday and the Honky Tonk Revue kicked off an early set with their New Orleans-based style of tattooed rockabilly, sparking spontaneous fais do-do dancing in the audience with original songs like Don't Think Twice and a rollicking cover of Pat Benatar's Love Is a Battlefield.

In the audience was Eric and Dianne Mayer, who traveled from southern California for the seven-day festival. It was their first Jazz Fest. They said the HBO series Treme got them into New Orleans music - and the festival didn't disappoint.

"There's no other place where jazz and blues and Cajun music all blends together like here," Dianne Mayer said. "It's so much more than jazz."

One of the day's highlights was local pianist Jon Cleary, backed on Saturday with the three-member Absolute Monster Gentlemen. It was fitting that Cleary played under a colorful mural of Professor Longhair, the legendary New Orleans piano virtuoso who died in 1980. Cleary, Bonnie Raitt's former touring pianist, channeled Professor Longhair on Saturday, pounding on the keyboard like it was on fire and running through songs like When You Get Back and Unnecessarily Mercenary with revivalist fervor.

One of the most anticipated acts of the day was Cee Lo Green, the cat-stroking judge on The Voice reality TV show and former member of the Goodie Mob hip-hop group. Several thousand enthusiasts crowded around the smallish Congo Square tent for the show. But the expletive-laced performance mostly felt disjointed and overproduced, leaving the throngs to politely sway instead of bouncing or dancing to the music. At one point, during an awkward break in the music, Green turned to his band and yelled, "What are y'all standing around for? Play the (expletive) music!"

The crowd got moving during his hit songs Crazy and Forget You - but barely.

New Orleans club owner and impresario Irvin Mayfield blows a mean trumpet and is a fine musical arranger. Saturday in the Jazz Tent, the Grammy winner put the latter skills to use in directing the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra (itself a Grammy winning outfit) in a dynamic program. Mayfield welcomed Mardi Gras Indian leader Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, clad in his spectacular beaded parade costume, and the local legend led the group in an opening chant. A gorgeous and respectful orchestrated version of the Star Spangled Banner followed, composed he said, for the 200th anniversary of its adoption as the national anthem. Other guests included Cyril Neville and Kermit Ruffins.

The advocacy/musical group Voice of the Wetlands All-Stars, led by guitarist Tab Benoit, got right to their message, opening with Don't Let the Water Wash Us Away. Anders Osborne punctuated it with furious guitar runs and Jumpin' Johnny Sansone took it home with powerful harmonica riffs.

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Dr. John later took lead on local R&B classic Ooh Poo Pah Doo and Neville summed up the prevailing sentiment of the afternoon - and perhaps the entire festival - by spitting out: "Ain't no funk like Louisiana funk!"

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers took the stage in front of thousands of enthusiasts - and delivered. The 61-year-old legendary rocker got the crowd singing along early with popular hits Here Comes My Girl and Free Fallin', as well as Handle With Care, a shout-out to his time with the Traveling Wilburys.

He wrapped up the show to a massive sing-along with Runnin' Down a Dream and, as a sizzling encore, American Girl.

Across the fairgrounds, fellow headliner Feist acknowledged the challenge of performing in the same time slot as Petty. "If we weren't playing, we'd be over there, too," she told her audience, several hundred strong. "Thank you for not abandoning us!"

They didn't. Those gathered stuck around to the end and clapped until Feist returned to the stage for a searing encore of When I Was a Young Girl. "Now go get in some trouble!" she shouted.

More Humor And Laughter Make You More Happier

The powers of humor and laughter are numerous.They entertain us and make us feel good, but above all, we have discovered that humor and laughter are the best medicine, they heal, alleviate pain, relieve stress and anxiety, are anti-aging and longevity facilitators and much more The ones who enjoy humor, laughter, fun and play to the fullest are always young children.

A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales. The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though a whale is a very large mammal, its throat is very small.

The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale. The teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human, it was impossible. The little girl said, “When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah”.

The teacher asked, “What if Jonah went to hell?” The little girl replied, “Then you ask him!”

A man walks into a store to buy a Barbie doll forhis daughter. “How much is that Barbie in the window?”, he asks the shop assistant.

The guy asks, “Why is Divorced Barbie different from all the others?”

“That’s obvious,” the assistant states, “Divorced Barbie comes with Ken’s house, Ken’s car, Ken’s boat, Ken’s future…..”

Did you hear about the teacher who was helping one of her kindergarten students put on his boots?

He asked for help and she could see why. With her pulling and him pushing, the boots still didn't want to go on. When the second boot was on, she had worked up a sweat. She almost whimpered when the little boy said, "Teacher, they're on the wrong feet." She looked and sure enough, they were.

It wasn't any easier pulling the boots off than it was putting them on. She managed to keep her cool as together they worked to get the boots back on, this time on the right feet. He then announced, "These aren't my boots."

She bit her tongue rather than get right in his face and scream,"Why didn't you say so?" like she wanted to.

Once again she struggled to help him pull the ill-fitting boots off. He then said, "They're my brother's boots. My Mom made me wear them."

She didn't know if she should laugh or cry. She mustered up the grace and courage she had left to wrestle the boots on his feet again. She said, "Now, where are your mittens?"

He said, "I stuffed them in the toes of my boots..."

Her trial starts next month.

They are essential in helping us to find and maintain balance in life and career “If you are to busy to laugh ,you are too busy.”, they say. Let's dedicate some time from our ‘busy’ lives to analyse this unique propensity of mankind

Axl Rose Admitted He Had Mixed Feelings About The Induction

Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose has declined his entry into the New York Rock and Roll Hall of Fame saying he does not feel wanted or respected.

In an open letter, Rose, the only original member still in the band, said: "I strongly request that I not be inducted in absentia."

In a statement, the Hall said: "We are sorry he will not be able to accept his induction in person."

Guns N' Roses are due to be inducted into the Hall of Fame on Saturday.

'Honoured and excited'

Former members include Slash, Steven Adler, Izzy Stradlin, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum.

Although Rose has since replaced all the band members, it had been hoped the induction would bring together the original line-up.

Speaking in an interview with news agency The Associated Press, Slash said: "I have no idea what's going to happen on that day. It's more like going into it with blinders on and just see what happens."

But Rose rebuffed any hope of reuniting, writing in his letter: "There's a seemingly endless amount of revisionism and fantasies out there for the sake of self-promotion and business opportunities masking the actual realities.

"So let sleeping dogs lie or lying dogs sleep or whatever. Time to move on. People get divorced. Life doesn't owe you your own personal happy ending especially at another's, or in this case several others', expense.
Slash Original guitarist Slash left the band in 1996

"I strongly request that I not be inducted in absentia and please know that no one is authorised nor may anyone be permitted to accept any induction for me or speak on my behalf."

Rose admitted when it was first announced the band would be inducted, he had mixed feelings.

"I was honoured, excited and hoped that somehow this would be a good thing. Of course, if Guns N' Roses were to be inducted it'd be somewhat of a complicated or awkward situation."

A representative for Slash said he would still attend Saturday's ceremony but had no further comment to make.

The current line-up of the group last performed in the UK in 2010, but they were bottled off stage at a concert in Dublin after they arrived on stage nearly an hour late.

Other new inductees due to be included in the Hall of Fame are the Beastie Boys, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Donovan, and The Small Faces/The Faces.

According to the Hall, the Sex Pistols are the only band who have previously declined to be inducted.

Fans AreThrilled By The Return Of Season 2 Of Game Of Thrones To HBO

"Game of Thrones", the HBO miniseries which has set a new standard by which all other epic series will now be measured, thrills its many fans by returning for its long-awaited second season on Sunday, April 1, at 9 p.m. Eastern Time on HBO East and HBO Latino East (with Spanish subtitles); followed by airings on HBO West and Latino West at 9 p.m. Pacific Time. All four channels repeat the episode immediately multiple viewings back to back.

When we last saw the people of Westeros, King Robert Baratheon had been killed. Ned Stark had lost his head, leaving his surviving daughters in their own personal forms of Hell. Joffrey Baratheon sits on the throne, but it his mother Queen Cersei, aided by her advisor Littlefinger, who is truly in control. Starks’ oldest son Robb has captured Jamie Lannister during a surprise attack and hopes to use him to free his sisters.

Dothraki ruler Khal Drogo has died of an infection, and his devoted widow Daenerys Targaryen ends the first season by walking into the flames of his funeral pyre along with her priceless dragon eggs. We are left with the stunning scene of Daenerys having survived the fire unharmed, holding three newly hatched dragons.

Fans are thrilled by the return of Season 2 of Game of Thrones to HBO this Sunday, April 1. Game of Thrones” is based on the beloved series of novels A Song of Fire and Ice by George R.R. Martin. The plot of Season 2 follows for the most part the second novel in the series, A Clash of Kings. If you have read the books, you will notice some characters actually come from the first novel where the series gets its name. There are also details from the third novel, A Storm of Swords, brought forward into Season 2, mainly to increase the role of Jamie Lannister.

More than two dozen new characters will be introduced this year including Stannis Baratheon; oldest brother of the late King Robert; Mellisandre, an eastern priestess and advisor to Stannis Baratheon; Sir Davos Seaworth, also allied to House Baratheon; and Brienne, a female warrior allied with King Renly Baratheon.

"Game of Thrones” Season 2 was filmed in Ireland, Croatia, Malta, and Iceland from late July through early December 2011. The lavish production sets a whole new standard for the miniseries on television. It is essentially a ten-hour long feature film, the equivalent of producing the entire “Lord of the Rings” movie trilogy every single year. The cast and crew are shooting an extremely complex story on location in less than comfortable circumstances. The costumers, artists, designers, set-builders, and every other artisan involved leave no detail out, bring the richly imagined world Martin created in his books to life for the lucky viewers.

Fair warning: this is NOT a series for young children, and parents should preview the series before allowing teens to watch. “Game of Thrones” would earn a strong R-rating if it were a theatrical film due to the violence, sex, nudity and profanity. Children and animals are hurt on screen, and there are monsters that will lurk under the beds and in the closets of younger kids. For adults who relish the delicious evil of it, it’s mature entertainment at its best.

Mad Men Season 5: It's Every Man For Himself

Mad Men's long-delayed and much-anticipated fifth season premiere finds Don (Jon Hamm) and Megan (Jessica Pare) still in the honeymoon phase of their recent marriage. Don's apparent happiness has one drawback, however: He seems less concerned with work than ever before.

"Don is seemingly becoming a little bit disengaged at work," Hamm tells TV. "What happens when you have it all? What happens when you're satisfied? Maybe you lose some of that fire."

But life with Megan isn't all hearts and flowers. Look no further than Don's humiliation when Megan throws him a surprise 40th birthday party, during which she does a sexy song-and-dance better suited for the bedroom than for cocktail hour. So how does the ballad of Don and Megan go? What's up with Roger and Joan's baby (hello, little Kevin!) and why was Lane so obsessed with a photo of another man's wife? We took our burning questions to Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner, who also tells us why Pete (Vincent Kartheiser) and Peggy (Elisabeth Moss) are the ones to watch.

You haven't jumped years between seasons since Season 2. How did you land on picking up the story where you did?

Matthew Weiner: [It was] the baby with Joan, the first six months basically of [Don and Megan's] marriage. It just seemed like far enough in advance. I don't want to skip too much of the story. I'm always looking at how people are related to each other in the hierarchy of the business, and how Don's personal life is interacting with the business and with himself and with his family. And it just seemed like the perfect amount of time.

In Season 3, you deliberately chose 1963 for the Kennedy assassination. Were there any historical advantages this time?

Weiner: I would say the show is not a history lesson, but ... the period we're in, people can look at Wikipedia and they're not going to find anything earth-shattering in the next 12 months. Everything that they think of that happened in the '60s happened between the Kennedy assassination and Woodstock; it's sort of blurred together. And it certainly will be as it's passing in the lives of our characters. It's always about the story in the people's lives, and for me there is a shift that is starting to go on that is actually affecting these characters' lives.

The show has always touched on the Civil Rights Movement, but the premiere is bookended with scenes about race. Is that going to more of an issue this season than in years past?

Weiner: I would not say that. That event with the guys dropping the bags full of water out on the protesters really happened. It's in the newspaper; the dialogue was taken from The New York Times, and to me it was just a great symbol of how race affects these people. It's being brought into their world and it's still a joke to them. ... I will never diminish the Civil Rights Movement by acting like it was the focal point of white America. It wasn't. It's part of why they struggled so hard, and it's part of why people had to die to get things changed.

I'm never going to rewrite history and it's out of respect. I'm not going to say, "Oh, now civil rights is a big deal to these people." It's not. As you can see, this comes into their house and it's totally a practical joke. What I love is, change is happening and they can't do anything about it. They don't even know it, and that's part of the entertainment of the show.

So Don and Megan are married. I was most surprised that Don told Megan about his past as Dick Whitman, since I believed he chose Megan over Faye because she knew less about him.

Weiner: It's shocking. I'm hoping the audience is going to be like, "Oh my God, what's this show going to be about?" ... Yes, it made Faye less attractive to him once he told her who he was, but Faye was saying to him, "Deal with who you are and live as that person." And Megan said, "I don't care who you are." That's why he felt free to tell her that.

"21 Jump Street" Turns Into Gleefully Fun Film

Of all the movies to turn out to be laugh-out-loud, side-achingly funny, "21 Jump Street" didn't seem a likely candidate. Who knew? Turns out that remakes of old favorites don't have to be phoned-in bores after all.

Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum play incompetent bike cops whose baby faces earn them undercover assignments digging into a high-school drug ring. Right from the start, the film addresses its recycled premise, with their police captain (an awesome Ice Cube) telling Hill and Tatum, "We're reviving a canceled undercover program from the '80s," confessing that the department is "out of ideas" and "they expect us all to not notice." Smart move. Get the audience on your side about the big ol' elephant in the room early, and they'll roll with you.

Tatum's Jenko is the jock, Hill's Schmidt is the nerd, and they are shocked to discover that times have changed and their respective spots in the school pecking order are reversed. Kids sneer at Jenko, who appears to be a gay-bashing lunkhead, while Schmidt the smartypants is delighted to at last be cool.

This may not resemble the true social strata at any real high school now or ever, but it's entertaining as heck to watch Jenko and Schmidt swap roles. They swap again when they're too dim to remember whose alias is whose, and thus dummy Jenko lands in the AP chemistry class meant for Schmidt and shy Schmidt gets Jenko's drama class, doubling up on the fish-out-of-water scenarios.

Parents and those with sensitive ears should know the film earns every bit of its R rating, with plenty of swearing, lots of shooting and one weird flash of a threeway nude scene. This isn't your mother's John Hughes movie, but the dialogue is just as smart and some of the high-school bits feel just as real. ("Are you two-strapping?" Jenko snaps at Schmidt when he sees him wearing his backpack dorkily.)

Viewers may have expected Oscar-nominated Hill to carry the show, but Tatum matches him laugh for laugh. And yes, even the promised Johnny Depp cameo pays off. (Several other original "Jump Streeters" also make appearances.) It's perhaps the most satisfying cameo of its kind in recent memory, and Depp plays it to the hilt. In the end, there's a joke about Schmidt and Jenko going on to college, and truly, if that sequel were made, it'd probably be pretty darn good.

American Idol-First Ousted Idolette

Tonight, “for one night only, the judges decide,” says American Idol host Ryan Seacrest at the top of Thursday’s show. The one guy and one chick with the fewest viewer votes will be revealed, then the show’s three judges will decide which gets whacked.

Bring out the judges: Steven Tyler is decked out in velvet and shrink-wrap leather, and Jennifer Lopez has put on a sexy cocktail dress for her date with Mr. Rogers, aka sweater-vested Randy Jackson.

The entire population of Idolettes perform Stevie Wonder’s “As,” after which, in a Ford video, all the Idolettes get scaled up to the size of Jermaine “Gentle Giant” Jones and stomp around Los Angeles, stepping over buildings, to Peter Gabriel’s “Big Time.”

Roll tape of Super Mentor and Second-Guesser-In-Chief Jimmy Iovine, who will begin his weekly critiques of the Idolettes’ performances from the previous night.
“God mass-produces billions of people — in my opinion too many,” he begins.
What? So now we’re jumping into the Limbaugh versus Fluke birth-control debate?
“But in the case of Whitney Houston, he stopped everything and made one by hand,” Iovine continues.

Okay, now we know where this is going. Jimmy is addressing the notion that occurred to many on Wednesday — that the girls got a harder assignment when they were told they had to sing Whitney, compared to the boys, who had to sing Stevie Wonder.

Anyway, Iovine continues, because of God, “it’s difficult to sing these songs” — though singing Stevie “is no walk in the park, either.”
Whew!

So let’s whack some Idolettes — there are too many people anyway. Elise “The Dour One” Testone, Hollie “Big Voice Little Girl” Cavanagh, and the enormously talented Jessica Sanchez are called to the front by Ryan.
Elise “didn’t rise to the occasion,” Iovine chides.
Hollie, however, “delivered on the promise.”

And Jessica tackling “I Will Always Love You” was “probably the best performance I’ve ever seen of anyone on ‘American Idol,’ ” Iovine proclaims. But, Mr. Glass Half Empty Iovine worries Jessica will “believe the applause too early” and grow overconfident.

Jessica and Hollie go through, Elise gets sent to The Stools, as Ryan calls the penalty box.

Next, double threat comedian/singer Heejun Han, Jermaine, and Colton “Lestat” Dixon.

Stevie Wonder songs show up all of Heejun’s flaws, Iovine mourns.
And Colton hasn’t found his truth yet.

Jermaine was thinking too much, Iovine says, and takes issue with Tyler having said Jermaine’s Wonder tune fit him “like an Armani suit.” Armani suits, Iovine says, don’t come that large.

To The Stools with Jermaine — Colton and Heejun are safe.
Next a performance by Lauren Alaina, last year’s “Idol” country cutie. Alaina has spent the past year releasing her debut album, dropping weight, and losing that charming shyness. She does a brassy rendition of her single “Georgia Peaches”.
Call forward the interesting but uneven performer Erika Van Pelt, Shannon “Stretch” Magrane, and Skylar Laine — this year’s Lauren Alaina.

Iovine thinks Erika needs to work on her “presentation.”
Nerves “tightened” Shannon’s vocal cords, Iovine says, while Shannon insists her voice only cracked on one note. She is not remembering correctly.
Plus, JLo needs to get used to Skylar sounding “nasally,” because Jimmy likes nasal.

Erika is sent to The Stools where a mike picks up either Erika or Elise saying “it’s the old ladies.” However, they’re soon joined by the teenage Shannon.

Lady Gaga Launches Born This Way Foundation At Harvard

What better place than Harvard for Lady Gaga to take the world to school?!
The pop superstar, her mother Cynthia and the mother of all talk show hosts, Oprah Winfrey, were at the Ivy League university's Sanders Theatre to officially launch Gaga's Born This Way Foundation.

Which, contrary to the singer's reputation as a fervent antibullying advocate, is not an antibullying charity. And no, Oprah, the three pillars of the organization are not "bravery, acceptance and love."

"Those are...well, those are three important aspects of the foundation," Gaga tactfully corrected the OWN founder, "but the three pillars are 'SSO.' Remember these things today, it would make me very very happy: Safety. Skills. Opportunity."

Well, then.
"I want to help, I want to be brave, I want there to be more tolerance in the universe," the "Edge of Glory" singer said of what prompted her to start the Born This Way Foundation, which she describes as a "youth-empowerment" foundation. "I want there to be more acceptance. What I realize more than anything was that I never wanted this dialogue to end."

"This is about transformative change in culture over a period of time," she said.
Lady Gaga also announced that fans should be on the lookout for the Born Brave Bus, which will travel along with her tour bus and serve as the focal point of a massive, cross-country tailgating party for young people who just want to talk about life -- as well as kids who want to help and inspire others.

"It will welcome anyone from any walk of life, whether you have a ticket to the show or you don't, to come and hang out and talk about love, acceptance, kindness and so forth," she said.

More from E: So what does Madonna really think of Lady Gaga's "Born This Way"?
She admitted that she doesn't have all the answers, and she playfully shot down panel member Dr. Deepak Chopra when he teased her about seeing herself as a global leader.

"I know you want me to see myself as a global leader, because I know you," she teased the author. "I would like for everyone to see themselves as global leaders. I suppose that would be what I mean when I say you are all born superstars.
"When I say it takes very little to change the world," she continued, "I really mean that. If each one of us just transformed one small bit of ourselves to be a bit kinder, more loving, more tolerant...I believe it will be quite easy to change the world. The only problem is, there's so damn many of us."

"If there was a law, you know I'd be chained naked to a fence somewhere trying to pass it," Gaga cracked, acknowledging how implementing widespread change is a daunting prospect.

"Change could be 50 years from now," she admitted. "And if I'm dead, I don't give a s--t, I just hope it happens."

The 84th Annual Academy Awards:We Review

Bringing her stunning beauty to the red carpet, Natalie Portman turned up for the 84th Academy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday evening (February 26).

Held at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center, the "Black Swan" beauty garnered plenty of attention as she charmed her way down the red carpet alongside fiance Benjamin Millepied.

During the course of the night, Natalie - who won Best Actress the previous year - is set to take the stage to hand out one of the coveted trophies while other presenters include Angelina Jolie, Tom Cruise, Jennifer Lopez and Cameron Diaz.

With "Hugo" leading the pack at 11 nominations while "The Artist" sits close behind at 10 chances for Oscar glory, the 2012 Academy Awards will be hosted by Billy Crystal and will broadcast live on ABC on Sunday, February 26th beginning at 7 ET.

After an eight-year absence, host Billy Crystal — back for his ninth time as host — kicked off the The 84th Academy Awards show in Los Angeles.

Best actor nominees George Clooney and Jean Dujardin hit the Academy Award red carpet Sunday night to the delight of fans in the bleachers outside the Hollywood & Highland Center, the first group of A-listers to arrive for the ceremony under a glorious California sky.

Dujardin hopes to become the first Frenchman to win best actor and his The Artist is favored to become the only silent movie to take the best-picture prize since the first Oscar ceremony 83 years ago.

Christopher Plummer is in line to become the oldest acting winner ever at 82. Meryl Streep might join the acting three-peat club with a third Academy Award.

Along with Streep, Hollywood's big night on Sunday has plenty of returning stars, too, with past Oscar winners and nominees such as Clooney, Brad Pitt, Glenn Close, Michelle Williams and Nick Nolte in the running again.

Because of a change in voting rules, the Oscars feature nine best-picture nominees for the first time, instead of the 10 they had the last two years.

Competing against The Artist for the top honor are Clooney's family drama The Descendants; the Deep South tale The Help, featuring best-actress nominee Viola Davis and supporting-actress favorite Octavia Spencer; and the Paris adventure Hugo, from director Martin Scorsese.

Also in the lineup: the romantic fantasy Midnight in Paris, from writer-director Woody Allen; Pitt's baseball tale Moneyball and his family saga The Tree of Life; the World War I epic War Horse, directed by Steven Spielberg; and Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock's Sept. 11 story Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.
Hugo leads with 11 nominations, with "The Artist" right behind with 10.

Spencer's a virtual lock for supporting actress, having dominated earlier film honors for her breakout role in The Help as a brash maid in 1960s Mississippi. The same holds true for Plummer, the front-runner for supporting actor for his role as an elderly widower who comes out as gay in Beginners.

The lead-acting categories are where the drama lies. Best actress shapes up as a two-woman race between Davis as a courageous maid leading an effort to reveal the hardships of black housekeepers' lives in The Help and Streep as British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady.

The record-holder with 17 acting nominations, Streep has won twice and would become only the fifth performer to receive three Oscars. Jack Nicholson, Ingrid Bergman and Walter Brennan all earned three, while Katharine Hepburn won four.
It's been almost three decades since Streep last received an Oscar, for 1982's Sophie's Choice. Though she has the most acting nominations, she also has the most losses —14. Another loss would be her 13th in a row.

Best actor also looks like a two-person contest between Clooney as the distressed patriarch of a Hawaiian clan in The Descendants and Dujardin as a silent-era superstar whose career tanks as talking pictures take over in The Artist.

It would be the second Oscar for Clooney, who won the supporting-actor prize for 2005's Syriana. While French actresses have won before, among them Marion Cotillard and Juliette Binoche, Dujardin would be the first actor from France to receive an Oscar.

Dujardin was picked as best actor Saturday at the Spirit Awards honoring independent film, where The Artist ruled with four prizes, including best picture and director for Michel Hazanavicius, who is favored for the same trophy at the Oscars.

The Artist has dominated Hollywood honors this season, winning key prizes at the Golden Globes and awards shows held by the Directors, Producers and Screen Actors guilds.

"This means a lot, because it's a small movie. It's not expensive. We did it with small money," Hazanavicius said backstage at the Spirit Awards. "And it's black and white and silent."

If The Artist comes away with the best-picture trophy, it would be the first win for a silent film since the war story Wings was named outstanding picture at the inaugural Oscars in 1929.

One Direction Apologise For Speech Mistake

One Direction have reportedly found themselves on the wrong side of one of the most powerful radio stations in the UK following a BRIT Awards speech mix up.
As previously reported, One Direction took home the Best Single award at the BRITs last night - an award voted for by the listeners of Capital FM.

Unfortunately, Harry Styles got on stage and thanked the listeners of Radio 1, Capital's main rival, for their votes. This has not gone down well at Capital according to sources in the industry and the belief is that they will no longer play any of One Direction's songs on their station.

"One Direction, as far as Capital are concerned, are only going in one direction," a source told The Guardian.

However, the boys have since apologised for the mix up in a statement given to Entertainmentwise by a rep for the group.

“One Direction forgot to thank the Capital Radio listeners last night when picking up their BRIT Award for Best British Single. This was an oversight as the boys were caught up in the excitement of winning.

The band would like take this opportunity to thank Capital Radio and all their listeners for their support and for voting for them,” it reads Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles joined in the fun last night, tweeting: "Best British single voted by listeners to Capital FM, One Direction. Harry Styles said 'a massive thank you to Radio 1' HaHa Nice one!"
It is also reported that a previously scheduled appearance by the boyband at the Capital studios has been cancelled.

Backstage One Direction joked that they were going to struggle with just one trophy between them.

The group's Niall Horan said: "We have to break the award into five. Or we need to photocopy it.

And Styles said the group had their eye on a big name collaborator: "We would love to work with Adele."

US singer Lana Del Rey collected the international breakthrough prize, beating Aloe Blacc and Bon Iver.

The former X Factor contestants, signed to Simon Cowell's Syco label, won the best single award at Tuesday's Brits, as voted for by listeners of Capital FM and iTunes users.

But accepting the award for their song, What Makes You Beautiful, at London's O2 Arena and in front of more than 6 million ITV1 viewers, band member Harry Styles said a "massive thank you to Radio 1".

Global Radio boss Ashley Tabor and his director of programming Richard Park, who were at the Brits, were both said to be upset by the incident.

An appearance by One Direction planned for Wednesday on Capital was dropped. The band are also understood to have been bumped down the station's playlist with their music said to be conspicuous only by its absence this morning.

"One Direction as far as Capital are concerned are only going in one direction," said one industry source.

The gaffe was seized on Radio 1 DJs including breakfast presenter Chris Moyles who tweeted: "Best British single voted by listeners to Capital FM, One Direction. Harry Styles said 'a massive thank you to Radio 1' HaHa Nice one!"

Global's talent division manages One Direction's boyband rivals The Wanted, who were also shortlisted for the best single prize.

She appeared to be choking back tears as she said: "This award means much more to me than you know and I just want to say that without the support of everyone in this room and everyone in the UK, I'd really be lost. Thank you, I love you."
Blur were rewarded with the outstanding contribution prize, which had been pre-announced late last year.

Meanwhile, One Direction have announced details of a 2013 UK arena tour.
The band last won a Brit in 1995 when they swept the board collecting four prizes on the strength of their hit third album Parklife.

Collecting the trophy - designed by pop artists Sir Peter Blake - frontman Damon Albarn said: "Last time we were here was 17 years ago. And what happened that night seemed to have a really profound effect on our lives, and it's nice to come back and say thank you very much for this honour."
 
Albarn dedicated the award to long-time manager Chris Morrison.

Whitney Houston's Body Reach In New Jersey

Whitney Houston's body has been flown from California to her home state of New Jersey, ahead of a funeral expected later this week.

A gold hearse took her body from Teterboro airport to a funeral home in her hometown of Newark, reports said.The 48-year-old singer was found underwater and unconscious on Saturday in a bath at a hotel in Beverly Hills, police said.

Toxicology tests are under way after an autopsy on Sunday.The authorities say it may be up to eight weeks before they can confirm the cause of death.No criminal probe is under way, police said, but LA's coroner said her room did contain some prescription drugs.

  In a news conference on Monday, Beverly Hills police spokesman Lt Mark Rosen said fire department officials were told the singer was found unresponsive on Saturday morning.

"Ms Houston was pulled from the tub by members of her staff and hotel security was promptly notified," he said.

 Lt. Mark Rosen, Beverly Hills Police: Houston was "pulled from bath"

"First aid and CPR measures were performed in an attempt to revive her," he said, adding that after unsuccessful attempts, Houston was pronounced dead at 15:55 local time (23:55 GMT).

The police spokesman played down reports that prescription drugs might have been involved in her death.
"Our intent at Beverly Hills Police Department is not to fuel the speculation or rumours that are circulating right now," Lt Rosen said. "We can't comment on where those rumours have come from."

However, the Los Angeles coroner's office then said there were bottles of prescription medicine in the room, although it did not provide further details.

"There weren't a lot of prescription bottles," said Ed Winter, the coroner's assistant chief. "You probably have just as many prescription bottles in your medicine cabinet."

Houston's body was released to her family late on Monday morning. The body was then flown from Van Nuys Airport in the Los Angeles area east to New Jersey.

Born in Newark, Whitney Houston began her singing career as a child at the city's New Hope Baptist Church. Her cousin, singer Dionne Warwick, also sang in its choir.

On Monday, mourners left tributes, including flowers, balloons and candles, alongside the church's fence.

Houston's hits included I Will Always Love You and I Have Nothing "She was an inspiration to everybody,'' said Gregory Hanks, a 26-year-old actor who grew up in the area.

The White House said President Barack Obama offered his condolences.
Press secretary Jay Carney said: "I know that his thoughts and prayers are with her family, especially her daughter.

"It's a tragedy to lose somebody so talented at such a young age."

Houston was one of the world's best-selling artists from the mid-1980s to the late 1990s, selling 170 million records worldwide.

But her later career was overshadowed by drug use and a turbulent marriage to singer Bobby Brown.
Houston was found in her hotel room just hours before she was supposed to appear at a gala before the Grammy Awards.

Jorgie Porter Enjoys Sunbath In tiny Bikini In Spain

She's gearing herself up for a cold few months on Dancing on Ice so Jorgie Porter decided to soak up some last minute sun.
The 24-year-old actress took some time out from training for the ITV1 show to soak up some sunshine in Gran Canaria.
Wearing a tiny pink bikini, the Hollyoaks star relaxed on her sun lounger before deciding to take a dip in the pool.
Slowly easing herself into the water, Porter, who plays Theresa McQueen in the Channel 4 soap, soon went for a full-on swim and later emerged with her blonde hair soaking wet.
Showing off her enviable figure, she stopped halfway through getting out of the pool and looked as though she may have been striking a pose.
She then made her way to the public shower where she clutched her chest and acted as if she was on her very own photo shoot.
Her trip to the Canary Islands wasn't the only holiday she's had recently as her boyfriend and co-star James Atherton whisked her off to Brussels on Boxing Day.'Ew I have the best boyfriend ever!! #gross @jatherton87 he's taking on a surprise holiday right now!!!!!' Porter tweeted on Monday.
The on and off screen couple were on their way home today as Porter informed her followers by posting: 'On train back to Brussels airport brugges is beautiful city!!! Very romantic ;D x x'
Porter confirmed her relationship with Atherton - who plays Will Savage - back in September.'Me and James have been dating a while and it is the first time I have dated a co-star,' reported Digital Spy.
'I've never actually admitted that we have been going out, but things are going really well and he is a great guy, I can't shut up about him!'
Porter, who celebrated her birthday on Christmas Day, will join a whole host of famous faces when Dancing On Ice begins next month - and no doubt Atherton will be there cheering her on.
Former Brookside star Jennifer Ellison, EastEnders actress Laila Morse and Sugababe Heidi Range will join Porter on the ice on January 8.

Keith Olbermann Committed To Current TV

Former Vice President Al Gore on Friday described Current TV as the "consistent" liberal TV network compared with MSNBC, and said it will keep Keith Olbermann in the fold.
Olbermann, Current's most popular personality, didn't participate in Iowa and New Hampshire political coverage, reportedly because he was upset over production problems at the network.
"He's fine," said Gore, chairman of the network in 63 million U.S. homes, dismissing rumors that Olbermann was seeking to leave. "He has been the key to our ability to pivot and develop our whole network as a progressive news and commentary network."
Olbermann did not attend a news conference here on Current's programming, with network officials saying he was on vacation. He also did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press.
Gore himself has taken on the role of pundit, working as a commentator for Current's political night coverage on Iowa and New Hampshire.
While he said it's been fun, Gore said in an interview that he has no desire for a regular on-camera job.
Current is touting Gore and former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, a regular prime-time personality, as offering a unique perspective since they have held political office and aren't like the journalists or political advisers on other networks. Granholm's prime-time show "The War Room" debuts Jan. 30.
"They've got a few progressive shows on MSNBC in prime time," Gore said, "but they'll start the day with a conservative show in the mornings, and then they'll get the prison channel on the weekends. They'll be all over the lot in the middle of the day. We're consistent."
Joel Hyatt, Current's CEO, said MSNBC only became liberal after Olbermann - who used to work there - made his show politically pointed and it showed ratings growth.
"There is no authenticity to the MSNBC brand," he said.
MSNBC spokesman Jeremy Gaines said he would not comment.
A report issued by the cable analysts SNL Kagan on Friday suggested keeping Olbermann and improving his ratings could be key to the network's survival.

'Porgy And Bess' is Rich And Luscious

In the end, "Porgy and Bess" didn't need anyone coming to its rescue after all.
A gorgeous version of the American stage classic opened at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on Thursday for the first time in more than three decades with plenty of hand-wringing that this updated version led by director Diane Paulus and playwright Suzan-Lori Parks was messing with a Gershwin masterpiece.
Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, Paulus and Parks have protected and cared for this theatrical baby as well as the actors on stage coo over Clara's swaddled infant boy. The controversy? Plenty of nothing.
Audra McDonald and Norm Lewis lead this reconception of life in Depression-era Catfish Row and the fact that subtle changes have been made are clear as soon as Lewis appears using a cane to navigate across the stage with his malformed, twisted left leg - and not the goat cart of old.
Purists upset to hear about this artistic travesty - good grief, no goat cart?! - should leave the theater immediately. The rest of us can then sit back and enjoy a first-rate cast give life to one of America's greatest love triangles and hear beautiful songs such as "Summertime" and "Bess, You Is My Woman Now."
Besides a terrific McDonald and Lewis, the cast also includes Phillip Boykin, who plays a fearsome Crown (physically he looks like a tank) and David Alan Grier is surprisingly wonderful as the funny, slithery, "lowlife buzzard" Sporting Life. The lovely Nikki Renee Daniels and the always-welcomed Joshua Henry play the doomed couple Clara and Jake and leave us wanting to see and hear more.
The production, which had a tryout run at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Mass., in late summer, began when the estates of songwriting team George and Ira Gershwin and wordsmiths DuBose and Dorothy Heyward began seeking a team to change the dated 1935 opera to fit commercial Broadway.
Paulus and Parks have indeed made it more musical than opera, though they haven't expunged all the recitative, transforming it into more of a hybrid that takes some getting used, especially when opera emerges from one character and the reply comes in musical theater.
While it was in Massachusetts, there was talk of possibly changing the ending and deepening characters, which triggered a cranky Stephen Sondheim to criticize the project - one he had not yet seen, mind you - for disrespecting its elders. The ending has remained the same, but the characters have been deepened.
In fact, McDonald has disfigured her beauty with a scar that runs ominously across her left cheek, as much a sign of Bess' sordid past as a nod to the battles she's endured in this production, now called "The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess."
At one point, Porgy sings to Bess, "You're gonna outshine every woman in this town," and McDonald does just that, giving Bess a hard exterior at the beginning, a soft, schoolgirl side at the town picnic, a hellcat when fighting and a sad emptiness when she feels she must leave. All the while, she conveys the awful pull on her generated by Sporting Life's "magic dust." At one point, McDonald even sings while lying down following a bout of delirium.
It's a stunning performance - as much visceral as presentational. Her scenes with Porgy toward the end are tender without being mushy and her whole body seems to go to war as she fends off Crown's attempted rape.
Lewis' Porgy is proud but determined and the way he winces across the stage conveys his daily pain all too well. His Porgy knows Bess is out of his league, which makes his attempt to better himself - to be a "natural man" with a brace - even more heartbreaking. Lewis' deep, rich voice melds nicely with McDonald's, and their "Bess, You Is My Woman Now" is a triumph. In this duet, as in the plaintive "I Loves You, Porgy," the two go beyond merely singing a tune: They reach inside and act the songs with a powerful honesty and intensity.
And Grier, known more for his comedy in such shows as "In Living Color," struts and pimp-walks in his ESosa-designed spats and stripped suits with an air of manipulative danger and literally swings off stage a few times. He sings pretty well, too.

Katy Perry's Agent Told The Associated Press The Singer Does Not Comment On Her Personal Life

A suburban Cleveland church where the father of pop star Katy Perry delivered a sermon that drew accusations of anti-Semitism has released an apology in which he says he regrets his "hurtful and ugly language."
Pastor Paul Endrei of the Church on the Rise in Westlake said Wednesday that Perry's father, the Rev. Keith Hudson, meant to compliment Jewish people's prosperity when he said having money is what it takes to make Jews jealous. Endrei says the visiting Hudson was blessing businesspeople during the Jan. 5 sermon and "just went too far."
"Even though this is wrong and it was not a right comment, he wasn't preaching about Jews, neither was he ranting against Jews," Endrei said, adding that he received only one complaint from among the roughly 300 people who heard the sermon.
He said Hudson had referred to God telling Abraham, considered the father of Judaism, that he was to be blessed. "And then he started talked about being blessed so much that you would make a Jew jealous," Endrei said.
In the apology released this week, Hudson said he is not an anti-Semite.
"I deeply regret the hurtful and ugly language I used in my message in Ohio," the statement said.
The Simon Wiesenthal Center, a Jewish human rights organization based in Los Angeles, earlier in the week denounced Hudson's remarks as anti-Semitic.
Endrei said the church would be open to welcoming Hudson back, not immediately but after some time has passed.
In his apology, Hudson says that with the help of God, he won't again make such comments.
"We can do lots of harm even to those we love simply by using words irresponsibly. ... I apologize for the hurt that I caused my Jewish friends," he said.

Agyness Deyn bondage in movie still

She has been trying her hand at a spot of acting appearing as Aphrodite in the Clash of the Titans remake and a couple of music videos.
But supermodel Agyness Deyn has swapped the catwalk for a more prominent part as she makes her lead role debut - as a stripper.
The 28-year-old stars in the remake of a a Danish film called Pusher, with the first stills from the movie released today.
In them they show the Mancunian model in bondage-style black lingerie, red nipple tassels and her blonde hair dyed a very alluring shade of red.
Agyness plays Flo, who is described as a 'strong-minded' stripper, in the movie which was made by Spanish film director Luis Prieto in London earlier this year.
It tells the story of a week in the life of drug dealer Frank, played by Richard Coyle, in London and whose life soon spins out of control.
Coyle, 39, is best known for his roles as Welsh Jeff in the BBC comedy Coupling and more recently as William Winthrop in Madonna's feature-directorial debut W.E.
Agyness has dabbled in some acting prior to Pusher, starring as the Greek goddess of love Aphrodite in the Clash of the Titans remake.
She has also starred in a couple of music videos for Five O'Clock Heroes and Woodkid.
But her role in Pusher is her first lead and speaking to the Evening Standard, she said: 'When I did Pusher in the summer, it was like: this is what I'm supposed to be doing.
'I just loved it so much and it excites me to be able to do it. I want to do it as much as possible - film, theatre, everything.'
And it would seem that she has really been bitten by the acting bug as she is set to make her theatre debut - and it's not too far removed from her role in Pusher.
Deyn will star in the British premiere of The Leisure Society, a dark comedy about a disastrous dinner party, as Paula, a promiscuous 'free-spirited' woman alongside Ed Stoppard.
But she has no plans to give up modelling and told the Standard: 'They're both creative.'
And director Harry Burton said: 'Everybody who knows about Pusher thinks Agyness is genuinely talented.'

David Beckham Strips Down For H&M Underwear

Fans have been excited to see David Beckham in his underwear ever since he announced his new campaign back in July - and now the wait is over.New images showing the 36-year-old footballer posing in tight briefs for retail fashion chain H&M were released today and are bound to please the ladies.David is showing off his toned body, his extensive body art and of course an impressive package in the advertisement for his own bodywear.
Wearing a pair of tight white trunk briefs - that will retail at £9.99 a pair - the father-of-four looks mean and moody as he stares into the distance.The image bears many similarities to that of David's previous campaign with Italian designer brand Armani who he first modelled for in 2007.
The only props missing from his latest campaign are a giant rope, lots of hair gel and a bottle of baby oil.The sportsman caused quite a stir two years ago when he revealed his bulge in the black designer briefs, and even opted for a skimpier pair in an image that saw him laying down wearing an unbuttoned white shirt.
Of course the high-street brand is worlds away from Armani, but men will still be pleased to know they can wear a pair of David's designs.Earlier this year, the LA Galaxy star spoke of his plans to branch out into the fashion industry.'I have had the idea of doing a bodywear collection for some time now,' he told WWD.'The push to do something of my own really came as a result of my collaboration with Armani.'
David's appearance on giant billboards across the world worked extremely well for the designer brand and resulted in a doubling of profits for the company in one year.'It proved to me that there is a real market for good-looking, well-made men's bodywear,' he continued.'I can't wait to show people the collection - although I'm not sure my mum will be too happy seeing a billboard image of me in underwear again.'The new range will be available to buy in H&M stores from February 2 - just in time for Valentine's Day.