‘Stargate’ Producers Land A Leo

Robert Cooper and Brad Wright, co-creators and executive producers of the three television series that make up the Stargate franchise, are to be rewarded by the Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Foundation of British Columbia for their contributions to that Canadian province's film industry. The pair are to receive one of the Foundation's 2009 Leo Awards for Outstanding Achievement.
"Robert and Brad's achievements with the Stargatefranchises have brought international attention and acclaim to BC film and television and, in the process, made them an institution on the West Coast," said Leo Awards President Walter Daroshin.
Wright and Cooper were show-runners on Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis. They are currently at work on the upcoming SGU: Stargate Universe. All three series are shot in and around Vancouver in British Columbia.
Stargate SG-1 was a spinoff from the 1994 theatrical science fiction film Stargate, directed by Roland Emmerich and starring Kurt Russell and James Spader. Their roles were recast for SG-1, which ran for 10 seasons. Stargate Atlantis debuted before SG-1 ended and lasted five seasons.
SGU: Stargate Universe will debut in the United States as a two-hour movie event on Syfy in the Fall. Wright and Cooper will serve as executive producers and writers on the series, which revolves around a band of soldiers, scientists and civilians. The group must fend for themselves after they are forced through a Stargate when their hidden base comes under attack. The desperate survivors emerge aboard an ancient ship, the Destiny, which is locked on an unknown course and unable to return to Earth. The cast includes Robert Carlyle, Justin Louis, Brian J. Smith, Elyse Levesque, David Blue, Alaina Huffman, Jamil Walker Smith, Ming-Na and Lou Diamond Phillips.
The LEO Awards were established in 1998 to celebrate excellence in British Columbia film and television. The Celebration and Gala Ceremonies will take place May 8th and 9th in Vancouver. An Outstanding Achievement Award will also be presented to stunt co-ordinator and actor Jacob Rupp. Rupp has worked on many films and shows shot in British Columbia, including First Blood, The X-Files,Andromeda, The Outer Limits, X2 and Smallville.

Holographic TV on the Horizon

Don't be surprised if within our lifetime you find yourself discarding your plasma and LCD sets in exchange for a holographic 3D television, one capable of letting you watch just about any film or TV show you want. According to a report at CNN, the key to a new breakthrough that may enable you to do just that in only five to ten years lies in a rewritable and erasable holographic system made earlier this year by researchers at the University of Arizona.
Dr Nasser Peyghambarian, chair of photonics and lasers at the university's Optical Sciences department, told the news organization that scientists have broken a barrier by making the first updatable three-dimensional displays with memory.
"This is a prerequisite for any type of moving holographic technology. The way it works presently is not suitable for 3-D images," he said.The researchers produced displays that can be erased and rewritten in a matter of minutes.
There are no more great barriers to overcome now, Peyghambarian said.According to Peyghambarian, these holographic televisions could be constructed as a screen on the wall (like flat panel displays) that show 3-D images, with all the image writing lasers behind the wall; or they could be like a horizontal panel on a table with holographic writing apparatus underneath."Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope."
Imagine a football match on your coffee table, or horror-movie villains jumping out of your wall. Or Princess Leia in glorious 3D standing right beside your beer can and popcorn.Meanwhile, Justin Lawrence, a lecturer in Electronic Engineering at Bangor University in Wales believes five to ten years is too optimistic to see consumer applications of this technology."It's one thing to demonstrate something in a lab but it's another thing to be able to produce it cheaply and efficiently enough to distribute it to the mass market," Lawrence said.
Nevertheless, according to the report, there are reasons to be optimistic that additional resources will be channeled into developing this technology more quickly, including a major financial push by the Japanese government to create three-dimensional, virtual-reality television by 2020.All of which, sound very, very cool.

Writer Michael Crichton Succumbs to Cancer

He is lauded as one of the most innovative science fiction writers in recent memory, a scribe whose work about alien pathogens and re-animated dinosaurs became the stuff of Hollywood legend. But today, the world mourns the death of author Michael Crichton, who passed away unexpectedly in Los Angeles on Tuesday, after a courageous and private battle against cancer.
He wrote numerous blockbusters, some of which sold more than 100 million copies, translated into 30 languages worldwide. Moreover, many of his books became major Hollywood movies, including Jurassic Park, Rising Sun and Disclosure.A man of multiple creative talents, he also co-wrote the script for the blockbuster Twister, helmed The Great Train Robbery, and in 1994 created the award-winning television series ER.
He has even had a dinosaur named for him, Crichton's ankylosaur."The Andromeda Strain", which catapulted him to Hollywood fame after it was published in 1969, told the story of US scientists battling an alien virus that lands in New Mexico from outer space and drives humans to bizarre and grisly deaths.
In "Jurassic Park", made into a blockbuster 1993 movie, Crichton's human characters were chased around by rampaging dinosaurs created genetically on an island run by an ambitious scientist."The world knew him as a great storyteller that challenged our preconceived notions about the world around us—and entertained us all while doing so," the family statement said. "His family and friends knew Michael Crichton as a devoted husband, loving father and generous friend who inspired each of us to strive to see the wonders of our world through new eyes", it went on. "Through his books, Michael Crichton served as an inspiration to students of all ages, challenged scientists in many fields, and illuminated the mysteries of the world in a way we could all understand," the statement added.
"He leaves behind the greatest gifts of a thirst for knowledge, the desire to understand, and the wisdom to use our minds to better our world."The family appealed for privacy and said no details of the writer's funeral would be released.was born in October 1942 in Chicago, Illinois. He studied anthropology at Harvard and taught at Cambridge University in England before spending time in Europe and North Africa.

He then returned to the United States to train as a doctor, writing thrillers to pay his university fees.His first hit, "The Andromeda Strain", was written while he was still in medical school and quickly caught on upon its release in 1969. It was a featured selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club and was sold to Universal in Hollywood for $US250,000.
Steven Spielberg paid tribute to Crichton. "Michael's talent outscaled even his own dinosaurs of Jurassic Park," the producer/director said in a statement. "He was the greatest at blending science with big theatrical concepts, which is what gave credibility to dinosaurs again walking the earth. Michael was a gentle soul who reserved his flamboyant side for his novels. There is no one in the wings that will ever take his place."
John Wells, executive producer of ER called the author "an extraordinary man. Brilliant, funny, erudite, gracious, exceptionally inquisitive and always thoughtful. No lunch with Michael lasted less than three hours and no subject was too prosaic or obscure to attract his interest. Sexual politics, medical and scientific ethics, anthropology, archaeology, economics, astronomy, astrology, quantum physics and molecular biology were all regular topics of conversation."
ER offered a fresh take on the TV medical drama, making doctors the central focus rather than patients.In the early life of ER, Crichton, who hadn't been involved in medicine for years, and Spielberg, would take part in writers' room discussions.In recent years, Crichton was the rare novelist granted a White House meeting with President George Bush, perhaps because of his scepticism about global warming, which Crichton addressed in the 2004 novel, "State of Fear"A new novel by Crichton had been tentatively scheduled to come out next month, but publisher HarperCollins said the book was postponed indefinitely because of his illness.

Dom DeLuise Dead at 75

Dom DeLuise, who brought his unique comedic gifts to many films passed away Monday evening in his sleep, according to his son's publicist. He was 75.
DeLuise appeared in several Mel Brooks films, including Blazing Saddles and Silent Movie. Later, he was a frequent co-star of Burt Reynolds, appearing in films like The End, Smokey and the Bandit II and The Cannonball Run.
Reynolds released a statement to EntertainmentTonight Tuesday morning. "I was thinking the other day about this," Reynolds said. "As you get older you think about this more and more, I was dreading this moment. Dom always made everyone feel better when he was around. I never heard him say an unkind word about anyone. I will miss him very much."
DeLuise was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1933. In the 1960s he had bit parts in a handful of movies, including Fail Safe (1964), but became well known as a regular on The Entertainers and a Dean Martin variety show. He had his own summer replacement show in 1968 and was a regular on Glen Campbell'sGoodtime Hour in 1971-72.
DeLuise made his directorial debut in 1973 with Hot Stuff.
Later in his career, DeLuise supplied his vocal talents to animated films such as An American Tail andAll Dogs Go to Heaven.
Dom DeLuise was married to Carol Arthur, and was the father of actor, writer, director Peter DeLuise, and actors David DeLuise and Michael DeLuise.

Are Big Studio Mergers Coming?

Right up front we'll admit that for the moment this is nothing more than an intriguing headline driven by high-power speculation, yet it wouldn't be unheard of if some of the big studios were to soon engage in mergers.
It's a theory that veteran investor Mario Gabelli told Barron's magazine recently. Gabelli, it seems, expects a wave of consolidation in the industry over the next few months.
Gabelli told Barron's magazine that he expects Paramount Pictures to soon merge with Sony Pictures, Universal Pictures or another studio as a way to cut costs.
"Today there are seven or eight motion-picture studios. A round of consolidation will occur in the next six to 12 months because of the costs of financing, prints and advertising, the benefits of globalization and such," said Gabelli. "We hear talk of something going on."
It seems perhaps counter-intuitive with some of the current tentpoles seemingly making money hand over fist, plus record annual profits for studios. But if you stop to consider the enormous up-front risks, preposterously high marketing budgets (sometimes as costly as the films themselves), empowerment of independent filmmakers thanks to advancing technology, and lost revenue due to challenges from other forms of media, such a move might make sense from a corporate perspective.
Moreover, with vertical integration and corporate ownership of major studios (Universal Studios owned by GE, Warner Bros Pictures owned by Time Warner, etc.) — and the current economic downturn — corporate owned studios are being left with dwindling advertising budgets.
Quite frankly, this doesn't sound like a good thing to us. Many believe that corporate ownership of the studios has stifled overall creativity as continued emphasis is placed on the reworking of owned properties and FX-driven "event films," which nonetheless offer several irresistible lures for corporate management, including increased profitability from marketing and merchandising tie-ins.
Somewhere along the way, the studios seem to have largely forgotten that at the end of the day, it's all about the story.

The 20 Sexiest Male Vampires of All Time

Here's a list that makes me scratch my head, frankly. The website Guide To Beauty Schools has compiled a list of who they believe to be the 20 hottest male vampires ever.
Before we get to that, let me describe the problem I have with this. Vampires shouldn't be hot for hot's sake with poofy hair and eye makeup. They should be wretched, evil things, with embers for eyes and the smell of rotting fish for breath. They should scare the living daylights out of you and make you want to run and hide someplace, not head together down to the dance club, after which you follow up with a night of spooning and talking about your "feelings."
They should have a presence that is both majestic and chilling. As described in Bram Stoker's novel, "Dracula":
How he came there, I know not, but I heard his voice raised in a tone of imperious command, and looking towards the sound, saw him stand in the roadway. As he swept his long arms, as though brushing aside some impalpable obstacle, the wolves fell back and back further still. Just then a heavy cloud passed across the face of the moon, so that we were again in darkness.
Now, no one will deny that vampires offer plenty of metaphors for sex, this we've known for years. For example, listen with your Freudian ear to the language in which Dr. Seward describes the driving of a stake into Lucy's breast by her finance in Stoker's novel:
The thing in the coffin writhed; and a hideous, blood-curdly screech came from the opened red lips. The body shook and quivered and twisted in wild contortions; the sharp white teeth champed together till the lips were cut, and the mouth was smeared with a crimson foam.
But a metaphor for sex is different from a sexy vampire, and so we present to you the below list with the following caveat: we think this whole trend of "sexy" vampires is total crap!
James Marsters as Spike in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel
Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen in Twilight
Alexander Skarsgard as Eric Northman in True Blood
Antonio Banderas as Armand in Interview with a Vampire
David Boreanaz as Angel in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel
Keifer Sutherland as David in The Lost Boys
Brad Pitt as Louis de Pointe du Lac in Interview with a Vampire
Jason Dohring as Josef Kostan in Moonlight
Wesley Snipes as Blade in Blade
Stephen Moyer as Bill Compton in True Blood
Gerard Butler as Dracula in Dracula 2000
Ian Somerhalder as Damon Salvatore in The Vampire Diaires
Tom Cruise as Lestat de Lioncourt in Interview with a Vampire
Alex O’Loughlin as Mich St. John in Moonlight
Jason Patric as Michael from The Lost Boys
Kellan Lutz as Emmett Cullen from Twilight
Aidan Turner as Mitchell in Being Human
Ethan Hawke as Edward in Daybreakers
Paul Wesley as Stefan in The Vampire Diaries
Stuart Townsend as Lestat in Queen of the Damned
Hey Hollywood: Can we please have real vampires back again?

Warner Bros. Celebrates Success

Warner Home Video Canada held its quarterly press event in Toronto on Thursday, January 14. The Oscar-themed event, staged at the Capitol Theatre, was appropriate given that award season is upon us. And because release dates for Warner Home Video titles are the same in Canada as in the U.S., we were more than happy to make the trip.
In the spirit of the event, president John Grant was escorted to the stage by shade-wearing security. He started by saying that "2009 was an amazing year", referencing the record theatrical box office enjoyed by the industry worldwide.
Warner, he continued, pulled in $4 billion in box office, thanks to having nine films hit number 1, and eight earning more than $100 million. "The state of the industry is very healthy."
Manager of publicity Dyan Eaton took over at that point, introducing a series of clips of memorable Oscar moments, including David Niven and the streaker, Marlon Brando's rejection, Jack Palance's one-armed push-ups, and Halle Berry's cry-fest.
Eaton was then joined on stage by Chris Lewchuk, senior publicist, who was wearing a bald cap and was completely covered in gold paint. Lewchuk was much more animated than the traditional Oscar as he walked media through Warner Bros. upcoming releases.
One significant new packaging option from Warner Bros. is the new Blu-ray Combo Pack, which includes DVD, Blu-ray and digital copy editions of a film in one package. Lewchuk said the new SKU was so audiences could "decide how and where they want to watch."
Chuck: The Complete Second Season was released on January 5 and should already be on rotation in your home.
New Warner Bros. films coming soon to DVD and Blu-ray include Whiteout (January 19), starring Kate Beckinsale as a U.S. Marshall stationed in Antarctica, The Invention of Lying (January 19), starring Ricky Gervais — who will be hosting the Golden Globes this weekend — and Jennifer Garner, and The Final Destination in 3D (January 5) includes both 2D and 3D versions.
Films being released on Blu-ray for the first time include: Fame (January 26), The Green Berets (January 5) and Mystic River (February 2).
Some of the best series from Britain continue to find their way to North America courtesy of Warner Bros.
Doctor Who: The Complete Specials, releasing on February 2 on DVD and Blu-ray, includes the four specials that round out David Tennant's tenure as the Doctor: "The Next Doctor", "Planet of the Dead", "The Waters of Mars", and the two-part "The End of Time".
The seventh season of MI-5 — known as Spooks in Jolly Old England — comes out on January 26.
Series 11 and Series 12 of Top Gear, which is more fun with motor vehicles than you can possible imagine, landed on DVD on January 12.
Also coming from Warner Bros. in 2010, but not yet dated, are films such as The Informant! and Where the Wild Things Are, and Halo Legends, an anthology of eight short animated films, each created by a different studio, set in the Halo universe, popularized by the video games.

Are Hollywood Celebrities Being Murdered? Randy Quaid Thinks So.

Either a shadowy group responsible for murdering Hollywood celebrities is out to kill actor Randy Quaid and his wife, or the celebrity couple are suffering from paranoia-fueled delusions triggered by substance-abuse. Or perhaps something else altogether.
Most believe it's the latter two. And by most, we mean everyone except Dog the Bounty Hunter (and we seriously doubt he believes their story, either—more on that in a bit).
The older brother of actor Dennis Quaid was arrested last Thursday in Vancouver by several Canada Border Service Agency officials and police officers on outstanding warrants from the United States. Randy Quaid's 47 year-old wife, Evi, was arrested, too.
The couple appeared to be living out of a 10 year-old Toyota.
The couple reportedly failed to show up for a court hearing in Santa Barbara, Calif., on allegations they were squatting in the guest house of a Montecito home they once owned in the 1990s. Evi was also charged with resisting arrest.
After their arrest the Quaids made an appearance before the Immigration and Refugee Board for a detention hearing on Friday where they filed for refugee status. Quaid alleges that a shadowy group he calls 'Star Whackers' is responsible for killing a number of his Hollywood friends, and is now after he and his wife.
Quaid cited the deaths of Dark Knight star Heath Ledger and David Carradine of Kung Fu and the Kill Billfranchise as examples.
In a handwritten note, shown to media by their Vancouver-based lawyer, Brian Tsuji, the couple said: "Yes we are requesting asylum from Hollywood 'STAR WHACKERS.'"
When the issue was raised about his reported problems with substance abuse, 66 year-old Randy Quaid denied the couple had drug or alcohol problems.
Evi Quaid told reporters that "Hollywood is murdering its movie stars for ad sales."
A secret group of international assassins targeting celebrities, you say? Hollywood studios offing its stars to raise ticket revenue? Or how about disgruntled moviegoers?
If all this sounds a bit whacked to you, it gets better. The couple's verbal plea has piqued curiosity about who, or what, 'star whackers' refers to. And the plea may allow the couple to stay in B.C. as refugee claimants.
Which might just be the point.
Meanwhile, a private investigator told Sun Media that the conspiracy theory Evi Quaid hopes will allow her and Randy to claim refugee status in Canada is fictitious.
"Evi believes the ‘union mob’ is out to destroy them, and that they're going to kill Randy and herself and make it look like a murder-suicide," said Becky Altringer by phone from La Verne, Calif.
"There is nobody out to kill Randy or Evi," Altringer went on. "The only one trying to hurt Randy and Evi is Evi, she is really mentally ill."
"Heath Ledger, Chris Penn, David Carradine all died of different things," she added, "they all died of self-inflicted (matters)."
Yep, no need to employ a P.I. to figure that one out.
According to Altringer, she was hired by the Quaids last year to investigate the alleged conspiracy, but ended up quitting and filing a restraining order against the couple, who ran up a $19,000 bill. She said she gave them a place to stay but eventually evicted them over Evi’s behavior.
So the plot thickens.
Asked whether he really wanted refugee status, Randy Quaid stated that "Canada is a very protective nation." If the couple is allowed to access the refugee system, the process will take a minimum of one to two years. During that period, they will have access to Canadian benefits, including work permits, medical care and welfare.
Still, experts doubt the couple's claim for refugee status will be approved. Criminality is typically not an open door to Canada's refugee process.
If unable to discredit the California charges and prove fear of prosecution back home, their time in Canada will be brief, and the likelihood is that the couple will be escorted from the hearing room directly to the back of an immigration truck, where they will face a one one-way trip to the U.S. border and the waiting arms of American law enforcement officials (or the 'star whackers', whomever gets there first, we reckon).
Quaid and his wife also claimed that they chose Vancouver as their destination to talk to an agent about jump-starting Quaid's acting career.
Duane Chapman has wasted no time inserting himself into this sordid saga. After threatening to hunt down Quaid and "do an intervention, Doggy style" (sorry, "Dog style"), the star of A&E's Dog the Bounty Hunter now claims he wants to hear Quaid's 'star whackers' story.
"That is the first time I heard about it," Chapman said. "Something is wrong here and we need to find out … Something is up and we need to get to the bottom of it."
It's unlikely Chapman really believes this story about assassins targeting Hollywood celebrities, either. Anything for ratings, we suppose.
If Dog really wants to pull off a ratings coup, he should consider traveling to Pakistan to hunt down Bin Laden…with Randy Quaid riding shotgun (certainly a better way to jump start Quaid's career than a guest-stint on Smallville).

‘Star Trek’ Actor Walter Koenig’s Son, Andrew, Vanishes in Vancouver

Andrew Koenig, the son of Star Trek veteran Walter Koenig, hasn't been heard from since before February 16, when he was supposed to board a flight from Vancouver back to the United States, but never showed up. He was reported missing in Vancouver on February 18.
Koenig is a California resident, who was visiting friends in South Vancouver, reports the Vancouver Sun.
A number of celebrities, including Sarah Silverman, Alyssa Milano, Dave Holmes and others — along with many fans — have been blogging and tweeting about Andrew's disappearance. The Twitter hash tag is: #andrewkoenigmissing
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Raymond Payette of the Vancouver Police Department at 604-717-2534.
Koenig's family said he was despondent and they were concerned about his well-being. The 41 year-old is described as caucasian, 5’5” tall, 135 lbs., with long, brown shoulder-length hair and brown eyes.
The actor once lived in Vancouver, and police said he liked walking in Stanley Park.
Koenig is perhaps best known for his role as "Boner" on the popular '80s sitcom Growing Pains. He is the brother-in-law of Jimmy Pardo.

We’ve never had the privilege

Esquire Magazine, the self-described publication about ‘Beautiful Women, Men’s Fashion, Best Music and Drink Recipes,’ has declared that R&B singer Rihanna is the ‘Sexiest Woman Alive.’
We’ve never had the privilege of meeting Ms. R. and wouldn’t presume to comment on her personality but we will admit that her well cultivated image as an attractive singer is appealing. Quite what she looks like after a day weeding is another matter.
In general, however, we reckon these kinds of polls are nonsense. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Nonetheless, we can’t let this one go by without offering a nod to some of the women in film and TV whom we think should challenge Rihanna for her new title.
Strangely, our five suggestions don’t appear anywhere in Esquire list of runner’s up.
Anne Hathaway: If you share the name of Shakespeare’s wife you’ve got to have something. Hathaway’s star has risen rapidly since she played the unhappy wife of a gay sheep herder in Brokeback Mountainand with good reason: She has considerable smarts to go with her slender frame and bright eyes. Fanboys are eagerly anticipating her appearance as Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises. Her costume is more conservative than Halle Berry’s (as we might expect from Chris Nolan) but she’ll doubtless have audiences purring when the movie debuts next year. She can leave hair on our office couch any day.
Scarlett Johansson: Men all over the world today are having palpatations after seeing Black Widow throw back her hair in the trailer for Marvel’s The Avengers. There’s a reason why Johansson got the part and you don’t need to have seen those dodgy pictures that someone might have pilfered from her phone to recognise it. Scandinavian beauty + tight-fitting ass-kicking catsuit = surefire box office appeal.
Archie Panjabi has been sultry and a bit scary in The Good Wife.Amanda Tapping: She’s tall, charming, intelligent, attractive and successful. That’s not all. She also somehow finds time to appear in and direct episodes ofSanctuary, raise a family, run a foundation for disadvantaged children (Sanctuary for Kids) and generate awareness of other good causes, such as Once Upon a Cureand Waterkeepers. Now that’s what we call sexy.
Archie Panjabi: One of the hottest women currently on television, Panjabi is also a superb actress. She has deservedly won critical acclaim and an Emmy for her performance as Kalinda in The Good Wifeand you’d be hard pressed to find a better performer in Postman Pat. Bend it Like Beckham boosted her profile. Since then he’s disappeared and she hasn’t.

Apple, Disney and Pixar Innovator Steve Jobs Dies, Aged 56

Apple has announced the death of Steve Jobs at the age of 56. His passing comes one day after the company heralded the launch of it’s follow-up to the iPhone 4, the iPhone 4S.
Although Jobs, who was born in 1955, is probably associated in the public consciousness primarily with his innovative work with Apple and its products, he also has historic ties to Lucasfilm, The Walt Disney Company and Pixar Animation Studios.
Jobs acquired The Graphics Group from Lucasfilm in 1986. The company would go on to become Pixar, probably the most respected computer animation studio in the world. Under Jobs’ ownership, the company moved into animated films when that looked like being more profitable that the production of hardware like the high-end Pixar Image Computer.
Like many of Jobs’ decisions, that proved to be a wise one. Thanks to a partnership with Disney, it resulted in such Pixar hits as Toy Story, A Bugs Life, Toy Story 2, Monsters Inc., The Incredibles, WALL-E,Cars and Toy Story 3. The association with Disney started before the Pixar days, though, as Jobs explained in an interview with Animation Magazine.
“Our relationship with Disney started in 1986 or 7, the first year we were a company,” Jobs is quoted as saying. “When Disney ran into some rough times and hired Michael Eisner to turn the company around, there was talk of shutting animation down. Roy Disney decided that the way out of this was to automate some of the animation, so it could be more affordable, and so they could get some new capabilities. So Roy had a team do a worldwide search for technology which could help their 2-D cel animation process, and guess who they picked? Pixar. Roy was the first person from Disney ever to visit Pixar. We did a deal with them to create all the graphics that became a 2-D paint system called CAPS [Computer Animation Production System].”
Disney subsequently bought Pixar in 2006 in a deal reportedly worth $7.4 billion. Jobs thereafter became a major shareholder on Disney’s Board of Directors.
Steve Jobs influence over media extended not only to his work on Apple’s computing products and his involvement with Disney and Pixar. Apple’s iTunes download service, together with the app revolution driven by the introduction of iOS devices such as the iPad, are helping to revolutionize the delivery of digital and conventional broadcast entertainment (see here).
Jobs stepped down as CEO of Apple in August presumably because of his failing health. He had been suffering from pancreatic cancer and had a liver transplant in 2009.
Everyone at CinemaSpy extends their condolences to Steve Jobs’ family. His influence will be greatly missed in the technology and entertainment industries.

What did Omotola do? Tell me!!!

“What did Omotola do? Tell me!!!” … “I know you are just like her and I am not surprised” two friends yelled at each other recently. I was shocked as I tried to referee a disturbing argument over what Omotola wore to Grammy Awards. I am used to argument on celebrities but this one was exceptional. I also asked myself “what has Omotola done that people criticized her so much about what she wore to Grammy Awards.
“Can you believe what people are saying about a woman who has contributed so much to entertainment in Africa?” One of them asked the other one said a presenter on radio told the other one “I bet you don’t know fashion. How can she dress like that to Grammy?”
The argument ranged on until the two friends started abusing themselves. Na wah o! Abeg them dey sell pure water for mall of America?
Gist merchants told me that the mistake Omotola made can still be over looked but she walked into a trap.
“Medicine” (That’s what I call him); my friend who works with a leading PR firm in Lagos reiterated that point. Going to the Grammy would have been a boost for her career especially now that there is rivalry between her and some people in Nollywood.
That mistake was over blown by her competitors who used every form to trash her presence at the Grammy.
“Niyi, Don’t forget that some people are envious of her and they used every means to write rubbish about her just because she is ahead of them. Many of them want to be in her shoes"
"They said she has a big tummy and so what? This is a woman that has four beautiful children and she is looking so lovely. Forget the burgling tummy"
Yes, Medicine would not agree less that the recent outburst of Omotola's appearance at Grammy Awards would affect her style rating and some PR jobs might just swing another way because of the comments.
"What about the laying of hands? I mean on the backside"...Well, lets say it s..t happens sometimes. Another person said most of the people saying what he considered ' rubbish' at Omotola are people who would gladly do it if they had the opportunity. Most guys felt bad that someone would comfortably 'lay his hand' on her booty. Do you how many guys that would do anything just to have Omotola's attention?
See me see trouble o!My friend decided to ask me a mischievous question, "Niyi if you have the opportunity, will you 'lay hands' on that booty or not?" Leave my answer out of it.lol
I checked out my archive and saw that I snapped the photo of a young man who came to Mania magazine launch the other day in Lagos. The young man 'seriously' (look at his face in the first photo) lay his hand on his babes 'bakaasi'...If you your partner have it,then carry go!!!
I have no choice than to agree with 'Medicine' that Omo Sexy's competitors have been waiting for that small mistake to 'humble' her. They really used it but gistmaster bet, Mattew Ekehinde, her pilot husband was not too worried about the whole saga. I just read they celebrated 15 years of the marriage yesterday. If Omotola and her husband throw a party then it would be a way of saying no matter what, we are still rock solid like Olumo Rock.

Conrad Murray Collected Vials Before 911 Call

One of Michael Jackson's bodyguards had barely stepped into the singer's bedroom when he heard a scream. "Daddy!" Jackson's young daughter cried.
A few feet away, the singer lay motionless in his bed, eyes slightly open. His personal doctor, Conrad Murray, was trying to revive him when he saw that Jackson's eldest children were watching.
"Don't let them see their dad like this," Murray said, the first of many orders that bodyguard Alberto Alvarez testified Thursday that he heeded in the moments before paramedics arrived at Jackson's home in June 2009.
What happened next -- after Alvarez said he ushered Jackson's eldest son and daughter from the room -- is one of the key pieces of prosecutors' involuntary manslaughter case against Murray.
According to Alvarez, Murray scooped up vials of medicine from Jackson's nightstand and told the bodyguard to put them away. "He said, `Here, put these in a bag,"' Alvarez said.
Alvarez complied. He placed an IV bag into another bag, and then Murray told him to call 911, Alvarez said
On the third day of the trial, prosecutors tried to show that Murray, who has pleaded not guilty, delayed calling authorities and that he was intent on concealing signs that he had been giving the singer doses of the anesthetic propofol.
Alvarez said he thought Murray might be preparing to take the items to the hospital, but didn't question him.
The bags never made it to the hospital, and prosecutors claim Murray repeatedly lied to emergency personnel and did not tell them he had been giving Jackson doses of the drug as a sleep aid.
If convicted, Murray, 58, could face up to four years in prison and lose his medical license.
Defense attorney Ed Chernoff questioned whether there was enough time for Alvarez to shield Jackson's children, survey the room and stow away the drugs in the brief period that phone records show he was in the home before calling emergency responders.
The bodyguard insisted there was, telling the attorney, "I'm very efficient, sir."
Chernoff was not convinced, questioning whether 30 seconds was enough time for the dramatic sequence to play out. Alvarez assured him it was.
The defense attorney also challenged Alvarez's recollection, asking whether the collection of the vials happened after paramedics had come and whisked Jackson to a nearby hospital. Alvarez denied it happened after he called 911.
Chernoff questioned why Alvarez didn't tell authorities about Murray's commands to bag up the medication immediately after Jackson died, but instead waited until two months after the singer's death. The bodyguard said he didn't realize its significance until seeing a news report in late June in which he recognized one of the bags detectives were carrying out of Jackson's mansion.
The burly Alvarez became emotional as the 911 call was played for jurors. Jackson's mother, Katherine, appeared distraught and her son, Randy, huddled next to her and put his arm around her. She did not attend the afternoon proceedings,
"Was that difficult to hear?" prosecutor David Walgren asked.
"It is," Alvarez replied.
After hanging up with dispatchers, Alvarez said he performed chest compressions on Jackson while Murray gave the singer mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. The doctor remarked it was his first time performing the procedure.
"'I have to,"' Alvarez recalled Murray telling him, "`because he's my friend."'
Alvarez recalled seeing Murray at the hospital where Jackson was taken and sitting next to the emergency room.
"`I wanted him to make it,"' Alvarez quoted Murray as saying. "`I wanted him to make it."'
Alvarez's testimony allowed Walgren to present jurors directly with a bottle of propofol that they've heard much about throughout the previous two days of the trial.
Jurors intently looked at the bottle, which appeared to still contain some liquid.
When he entered the bedroom, Alvarez said, he saw Jackson's eyes were open and was surprised to see the singer was wearing a condom catheter, a medical device that allows one to urinate without having to get up.
Alvarez testified that Murray only told him Jackson had a "bad reaction." Jackson's personal assistant, who testified Wednesday, said Murray told him the same thing.
Alvarez said it was a stunning scene, a far cry from the night before when the bodyguard stood backstage at Staples Center, sneaking peeks of Jackson performing during what would be his final rehearsal.
"He was very happy," Alvarez testified. "I do recall he was in very good spirits."
In another effort to cast doubt on the bodyguard's testimony, Chernoff asked whether Alvarez, another bodyguard, Faheem Muhammad, and Jackson's assistant, Michael Amir Williams, colluded before being interviewed by detectives two months after Jackson's death.
The three men, who were among the first to interact with Murray after Jackson stopped breathing, have denied the accusation.
Jackson's personal chef, Kai Chase, testified Thursday about seeing a panicked Murray come into the kitchen the day of Jackson's death and telling her to summon security and send up Jackson's eldest son Prince. The chef said she sent the boy upstairs, but didn't call security.
Five to 10 minutes after Chase said she saw Murray in the kitchen, the doctor called Williams, who dispatched security to Jackson's bedroom.
On Friday, jurors are expected to hear from a pair of paramedics who were dispatched to Jackson's mansion and tried resuscitation efforts.
The medics believed Jackson was already dead by the time they arrived, but Murray insisted the performer be taken to a hospital for additional resuscitation efforts.
Walgren asked whether anything good had happened to Alvarez as a result of his experience in Jackson's bedroom.
"No sir," Alvarez responded.
Media outlets offered him up to $500,000 for interviews, but Alvarez said he always refused. "It's caused a lot of financial problems," he said, starting to choke up. "I went from a great salary to hardly anything."

Who Is the Most Overpaid?

Want to feel poorer than you already do? The top 10 highest-paid TV actresses earned a total of $94 million between May 2010 and May 2011, Forbes reports. With so much money going around, why couldn't we find anything decent to watch last night?
SODAHEAD SLIDESHOW: See the highest paid TV actresses.
Forbes points out that women on TV make a lot less than movie stars (the top three women in film earned $88 million combined), but that's not really a consolation. And then there's the question of who makes the most. Tina Fey and Eva Longoria tie for first place on Forbes' list, with each actress making $13 million between May 2010 and May 2011. Who said you have to be blonde to make it in Hollywood?
Fey also serves as producer and head writer on "30 Rock" in addition to starring on the show, so you can't say she's not earning her pay. But the critically acclaimed show is still struggling for ratings. As for Longoria, she has some lucrative endorsements, but does anyone still watch "Desperate Housewives"?
PHOTOS: See the latest celebrity pictures to hit the Internet.
From Fey to Longoria to Courteney Cox, let us know: Who is the most overpaid TV actress?

How I felt when my father wanted to remarry —Jimi Odukoya

　　Jimi Odukoya is the second-born of the late popular televangelist, Pastor Bimbo Odukoya, who died in a plane crash in 2005. In this interview with YEMISI AKERELE, he talks about some interesting issues, including what he misses most about his late mother
　　Do you sometimes receive messages or calls from people about how your late mum had impacted on their lives in one way or another?
Yes, I always receive calls and messages from people about how my mum’s messages had helped them or changed their lives. Sometimes, they share their experiences with me on the Internet or on the streets. In fact, many, especially the singles, usually call to tell me how her messages had helped them, spiritually and physically.
Could you recall the particular message by your mum that had shaped your life?
Oh! That is an interesting question. I can’t really mention any particular one. But beyond this, her lifestyle really motivated me. This is because before she would go out to preach to people, she would first preach the same message to her children. So, for me, a lot of her messages had helped me greatly in life. She worked for the Lord, so her lifestyle really motivated me. I also want to do my best, so that I can make her proud.
How did you receive the news of the death of your mum?
It was very pathetic. I was in school then and she told me she was going to pay me a visit. The last time I spoke with her was on a Thursday and the last time I saw her was in June 2005. So, it was shocking when I heard the news that she died in a plane crash on her way for a ministration two days after our telephone conversation.
What kind of person was she?
She was a lovely and warm person. Also, she was very friendly and was good to us all. So, my father had no regrets bringing her into the family.
Okay, how did you feel when you learnt that your father wanted to remarry?
Honestly, I was excited because he is not too old to get married again. Yeah, he was married to mother and they both loved each other. But now that she is no more, he has to remarry. Apart from this, the Bible says that a man can remarry if his wife dies. My mother also made it clear in all her messages.
But the woman is from South Africa?
There shouldn’t be any discrimination about tribes. I believe that what really matters most is the love between the couple. Besides, what a Nigerian can do, she can also do. So, I am okay with that.
Did your parents influence your choice of being a pastor?
It’s definitely from my heart. More so, I was brought up in a Christian home. A lot of people think that we must be pastors because our father is a pastor. No, it is not so. My parents brought me to church and preached the words of God to me. But I was called by God to work for Him.
Your mother always advised people to share their problems with her. So, aren’t there challenges you are facing as a person now?
Well, I have some people that I confide in. I am not a kind of person that talks to everybody. Any time I have a problem, I share it with my
friends and some pastors and we will all pray and talk together because nobody is perfect.
How is life like as a pastor?
Well, I think being a pastor and a youth is all by the grace of God. But before you can come on the stage to preach the words of God, you should try and search yourself first. The Bible says you should work with your might and spirit and I don’t think being in Christ is boring. I have always been meditating on my Bible by letting the words of God be in me.
I understand you are also into music?
Yes, I am into music and business. I am working on some songs, and by God’s grace, it will be out soon.
How was your growing up like?
Oh! It was fun because I grew up in a family where there was (still is) so much love. I have my father, mother and sister who loved me. So,
what else do I want when I got all I wanted?

Genevieve, Omoni Oboli Lose Out At AMAA Awards 2011

Grandma, we hate it so much when your things are sticking out like this, especially when they have reached drooping age. We don’t blame them, after long years of active service they are long overdue for retirement. However, this colour separation you call make-up… na wa o!With all due respect, mumsie, your total look is whacked. You are to pay a fine of N5 million.
Metallic no-no
There is no doubt about it, wearing a metallic dress is trendy; but what’s wrong is when you came all out in all the colours of the rainbow. If we were warned earlier about flashlights and stuffs like that, we would have treaded softly. But it seems you forgot what Section 452 of the 1980 constitution says about metallic colours. It says: “Do not complicate the look by wearing too many accessories, or you’ll end up looking like a mobile streetlight. Simple is the name of the game with metallic colours. Let the dress be the focus.” For making our lives miserable, you are mandated to pay a fine of N6.5 million.
Aunty!
We know you are still in active service, but you don’t have to rub our faces in it. Please, you need to give room to upcoming chics, because no matter how hard you try, the clock is ticking very fast. Next time get those balloons wrapped up. Our final judgment: Trash! With all the authority bestowed on this court of law, you are fined N7.5 million.
We need straws here!
There is no doubt that those bouncing castles need special recognition. No wonder one of the witnesses told us he was tempted to get a straw because he thought it was a cocktail served on a table. But unfortunately, our efficient fashion police picked you up. Goldie, there’s nothing flattering about this and we think that as a role model to our teenage daughters, you should slow down. You are fined N6 million plus 500 hours of community service.
Immoral code
The last time we checked the moral code, it has not been amended and we see no reason why you should be dressed like this. An expose of your milk factory in a public place is an abuse of the law. You are hereby sentenced to 308 months at Ilale in Sokoto State and you would be mandated to milk the cows with the women. This sentence will run concurrently.
Haba!
Mummy, we think you should know better than wearing white underwear with white dress. Haba! This is a terrible fashion abuse and you are hereby found guilty. Since you are a first time offender, you will be placed on style probation and you are to attend two hours of style and trend education everyday.

After career success, Chenoweth is ready for love

NEW YORK (AP) — Broadway? Check. TV? Check. Films? Check. Music? Books? Check those, too.
Professionally speaking, Kristin Chenoweth is at the top of her game. This year alone, in one week, she sang for President Barack Obama, Queen Elizabeth II and Oprah Winfrey, she said in an interview last week with The Associated Press.
Recently added to that list was a performance at the Grand Ole Opry, which Chenoweth said tickled her Southern relatives.
"If I leave my mark on this world, hopefully people will say, 'Wow, she did a lot of different things,'" Chenoweth said.
But the one thing the 43-year-old Chenoweth says is missing from her list of accomplishments is finding Mr. Right and settling down.
"I want to be married. I feel finally ready for that," she said. "Possibly (becoming) a mom someday, even if it's to animals. My goals might be different than doing all these amazing career things. I think the next chapter will be focusing more on my personal life."
On that note, Chenoweth said she can relate to a song by Dolly Parton called "Sacrifice."
"She talks about how much she's given up. She's given up relationships, being home with her family, missing out with her husband, not having a child, all of that I can relate to," Chenoweth said. "So, maybe this second chapter in my life will be different in that way. But, I'll always sing. Whoever that man is, He's got to accept that music is like my arms. I can't live without (them)."
Chenoweth's latest music endeavor is a country music album called "Some Lessons Learned," released last week.
She moved to Nashville for a couple of months to record the album. Chenoweth, who won a Tony in 1999 for "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown," said there are similarities between country music and theater.
"They're both story and character driven," she said. "So of course I like both."
Up next for Chenoweth is the TV show "Good Christian Belles." Think: "Desperate Housewives" but in the Bible Belt.
The ABC show, which doesn't yet have a premiere date, is about five Christian women living in Texas.
Chenoweth, a Christian, said there's a misconception about Christianity: "that we don't have any problems, we really judge people harshly." But she said her character is actually the villain on the show.
"She's a very judgmental woman. She stirs it up and then prays for everybody," Chenoweth said. "So these are the characters I grew up with."
Chenoweth also made waves as April Rhodes, a boozy former glee club star on the hit Fox show "Glee." The role earned her two Emmy nominations. If she's invited back and her schedule allows, she said she'd like to reprise the role.
"(The character) is a very fun train wreck. Couldn't be more dissimilar to myself," she said. "And she likes her box of wine. Who can't relate to that?"

Nothing special about 'Killer Elite

Head butts would seem to hurt, right? That's clearly the point of them, but it would seem to be just as painful to be the butter as the buttee.
In "Killer Elite," this is probably the most primal method of attack on display, but even the noisy intensity and frequency of the skull bashings — and pistol whippings and gut punches — don't register as anything beyond generic action-picture violence. The fact that director and co-writer Gary McKendry has shot all these brawls with the usual shaky cam and cut them in quick, choppy fashion only adds to how forgettable the film is.
And you'd think that any movie starring Robert De Niro, Clive Owen and Jason Statham would be one you'd want to remember. "Killer Elite" allows them to show off some of the presence and personality that made these men major movie stars, but ultimately they're just cogs in a clichéd revenge tale.
Statham stars as Danny, the typical special-ops, killing-machine-for-hire Statham tends to play. At the film's start in 1979, he and his mentor, Hunter (De Niro), are lying in wait for their target in an industrial section of Mexico. The assignment goes horribly wrong and Danny swears — swears! — this is it for him, the last one, he's done. But we all know how these things turn out: There has to be that tried-and-true One Last Job. Otherwise, there would be no movie.
　　A year later, Hunter has been abducted by a dying sheikh and is being held in Oman. Danny must flee the pastoral idyll of the rural Australian valley where he's ensconced himself with his beautiful girlfriend (Yvonne Strahovski) to perform the duty that will ensure Hunter's freedom. Danny is ordered to kill the men responsible for the deaths of the sheikh's three sons, but he has to get videotaped confessions from all three, and he has to make their deaths look like accidents.
No problem: Danny amasses the obligatory rag-tag team of rogues and is on his way. But they have to infiltrate the British Secret Air Service to get the job, which draws the attention of a shadowy protective society known as The Feather Men. ("Killer Elite" is based on a book called "The Feather Men," which supposedly was based on a true story, by Ranulph Fiennes, who appears as a character later on.)
This makes Danny the target of the secret group's main enforcer, a former SAS solider himself named Spike (Owen), and the usual shootouts and car chases ensue. Even with the cheesy mustache and one bad eye that are meant to signify that this man has lived a hard, dangerous life, it's impossible to disguise Owen's intense good looks and charisma. At the same time, "Killer Elite" doesn't take advantage of Owen's capacity for depth; he is driven, maybe a little tormented as evidenced by the glass coffee table he smashes, and that's about it.
When Statham and Owen finally meet in the showdown you've been waiting for, it's rendered in such dizzying, adrenalized style that it's hard to tell who's doing what to whom. Additionally, McKendry favors a steely gray color scheme that, in theory, is meant to reflect the cold-heartedness of these characters and their world, but actually just smothers everything in a bland sameness. One important yet obscured scene takes place in the snow, at night, in the middle of nowhere.
Statham, like the film itself, is muscular and efficient. But he seems awfully comfortable playing this kind of part by now, and he has such a brash, intriguing presence, he makes you wonder what else he'd be capable of doing if he stretched and challenged himself.
De Niro stays locked up for big chunks of the movie but when we do see him, he radiates the ease and comfort of a man who has nothing to prove. And he gets to fire a machine gun, which is probably a lot of fun when you're pushing 70, and might make "Killer Elite" more memorable for him than it will be for the audience.
"Killer Elite," an Open Road release, is rated R for strong violence, language, and some sexuality/nudity. Running time: 116 minutes. Two stars out of four.
___
Motion Picture Association of America rating definitions:
G — General audiences. All ages admitted.
PG — Parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.
PG-13 — Special parental guidance strongly suggested for children under 13. Some material may be inappropriate for young children.
R — Restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
NC-17 — No one under 17 admitted.

At Emmys, 'FNL' finally lands in the end zone

"Friday Night Lights" may be over, but it finally scored a touchdown — or two — at the Emmys.
The long-acclaimed but seldom honored series won both best actor in a drama series for Kyle Chandler and best writing for a drama series for Jason Katims. Both were big, flashy awards in competitive categories and a real surprise for "Friday Night Lights," which concluded earlier this year after five ratings-challenged seasons.
The gleeful shock of the show's cast and supporters inside Los Angeles' Nokia Theatre Sunday night could be heard on the Fox broadcast, and surely similar celebrations where transpiring across "Friday Night Lights" Nation.
The wins amounted to a late but deserving coronation for "Friday Night Lights": off the air, but called back together for one final dance in the end zone.

Over five seasons, "FNL" built a fervent fan base for its humanistic portrayal of high school football and the many inhabitants of Dillon, Texas. It needed an unusual deal with DirecTV to remain on the air on NBC, but "FNL" continued to survive, even as much of its cast went on to other projects.
The show's only previous Emmy Award was for casting, in 2007.
Chandler, 46, had twice previously been nominated, last year for "FNL" and in 2005 for a guest appearance on "Grey's Anatomy." On "FNL," he played coach Eric Taylor who, along with his wife, Tami (Connie Britton, who was nominated), made up the moral backbone of Dillon. He starred in "Super 8" this summer.
Chandler was a definite underdog Sunday night, going up against Steve Buscemi for "Boardwalk Empire" and Jon Hamm for "Mad Men."
"Let me thank the people of Austin, Texas, who welcomed us into their homes ... and brought the show to life," said a clearly shocked Chandler.
The show put a premium on naturalism, shooting in and around Austin, frequently trailing actors with multiple cameras and allowing room for improvisation.
Some had wondered whether "Friday Night Lights" might squeak out a win in best drama. The theory went that votes would be split between heavyweights "Mad Men" and "Boardwalk Empire," allowing "FNL" an upset victory. But that was always more of a Hail Mary pass than a likely possibility: "Mad Men" took the prize.
As showrunner, Katims oversaw the show's unique production. Accepting his award Sunday night at the Emmys, he concluded his remarks, inevitably and fittingly, with the battle cry of the Dillon Panthers.
"Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose."

It’s been years since his split with Jennifer Aniston

It’s been years since his split with Jennifer Aniston, but Brad Pitt is still talking about his ex-wife, this time calling his existence with her “pathetic.”
In an interview with Parade magazine, the “Moneyball” star says he is much happier now with the mother of his six children, Angelina Jolie.
HOT SHOTS: Jen Aniston.
“I spent the 90s trying to hide out, trying to duck the full celebrity cacophony. I started to get sick of myself sitting on a couch, holding a joint, hiding out. It started to feel pathetic,” he said. “It became very clear to me that I was intent on trying to find a movie about an interesting life, but I wasn’t living an interesting life myself. I think that my marriage [to Aniston] had something to do with. Trying to pretend the marriage was something that it wasn’t.”



Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt
Ouch.
Pitt continued the interview by gushing about his life with Jolie, with whom he was rumored to have an affair before the demise of his marriage to Aniston.
“One of the greatest, smartest things I ever did was give my kids Angie as their mom,” he said. “She is such a great mom. Oh, man, I’m so happy to have her.”
HOT SHOTS: Angelina Jolie
Pitt added that he is very satisfied with his new life.
“I put much more emphasis on being a satisfied man,” he says of his life. “I’m satisfied with making true choices and finding the woman I love, Angie, and building a family that I love so much. A family is a risky venture, because the greater the love, the greater the loss. That’s the trade-off. But I’ll take it all.”
Do you think Brad’s comments were a low blow to Aniston, or were his comments justified? Vote below.
Read more: http://entertainment.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/09/15/brad-pitt-i-felt-pathetic-while-married-to-jennifer-aniston/#ixzz1Y6VKeKpE