Pop Culture Buzz

There is news today that Brad Pitt is upset over pictures that are being used on the cover of Vanity Fair magazine. Pitt did the photo shoot in 2005 for artist Robert Wilson and claims he wasn’t told that they were going to be used for Vanity Fair.

The same day of the photo shoot, the artist created a video art project with Pitt which was much more revealing. I watched the video yesterday and it was super hot. I would have posted it here, but it is no longer available. Sigh.

CLICK ON THE PICTURE BELOW TO SEE BRAD HALF NAKED!

I have not been able to get into ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy”, but can see why it is such a hit. I don’t care for medical drama’s normally, they just don’t seem realistic enough to me. I also don’t like prime time “soap opera’s” because of the high drama factor, multiple story lines and ever changing casts. I don’t feel this way about HBO dramas of course, but we all know they are more accurate and true to real life because they are on cable. This is why I did not post anything here when this story broke last week. That and the fact that when I first heard this story a key part of what happened was left out.

This week more details have surfaced about what was said by Isaiah Washington to fellow cast member TR Knight. In light of these new facts, I am actually shocked this is being tolerated. It’s been reported many times that Washington confronted Knight after he showed up late on the set after a late night out. This wouldn’t be such a big deal but Washington was overheard calling Knight a “faggot”. This is what apparently prompted Dempsey to speak up in defense of Knight. That is the moment when Washington assaulted Dempsey, pinning him against the wall by the neck.

In this weeks Entertainment Weekly ABC denied the reports that said Washington would lose his job over his actions. ABC chose to make that statement, but didn’t address the incident. Why did we not get the full details of what was said when the story first came out? I think it is bizarre that the attack on Dempsey is what made the headlines and that Washington’s words haven’t stirred up any controversy at all.

Since I have not seen, read or heard any discussion on the word “faggot” being used, I thought I would address it here. Would this have been handled differently if Knight had called Washington the “N” word? In the end this whole controversy will just blow over and be forgotten. If anything Patrick Dempsey’s gay following just sky rocketed, big time!

I love most of the movies Scarlett Johansson has been in. “Lost In Translation”, “Ghost World”, the fun b-movie “Eight Legged Freaks” and “The Island” are some of my faves (yes, I did like “The Island”, even if it was a “Logans Run” rip-off). She is truly a great actress and deserving of all the hype.

The smokey voiced actress will cover singer Tom Waits for her first album, which will be creatively called “Scarlett Sings Tom Waits”. The 21-year-old actress, who was voted the sexiest woman by Vanity Fair this year, will be recording her debut c.d. this winter for a spring 2007 release.

I am not sure what to expect, I heard Scarlett sing on “Saturday Night Live” and she has the singing chops to possibly pull off a singing career. But the concept of the c.d. already bores the crap out me. The girl is pretty young and it’s cool that she actually knows who Tom Waits is. But it may be hard for her young fans to relate to Wait’s music. I’m thinking it won’t be a hit because not even Tom Waits can brag about his album sales. I guess if Lyndsay Lohan can have a singing career, than Scarlett may as well have one too. At least we know Scarlett has Oscar worthy talent to back it up.

“South Park” has been on the air for 10 years, it is hard to believe it has been that long. Still to this day “South Park” continues to be on top of the current issues, mocking and humiliating the most current front page news stories, celebrities and politics. This season is not as great as it was last season, or as awesome as season 7, but it is fun.

The first episode “Make Love, Not Warcraft” was genius, just pure brilliance. The mix of computer gaming animation with the shows minimalist look was innovative and fun. Of course the writing, site gags and pop culture references were all over the place. This episode was sweet and creative.

I did not care for half of the episode where Ike hooked up with his teacher called “Miss Teacher Bangs A Boy”. The show was a bit over the top, but seemed to be naughty for naughties sake. I got the joke, but didn’t laugh. But I loved the “Dog: The Hall Monitor” bit. It was a great send up of the A&E reality show. I love when Cartman gets into a character. I also didn’t care for “The Mystery Of The Urinal Deuce”, it was pretty slow. The 9/11 bit felt dated and it gets tiring watching Cartman try to destroy Kyle. Sometimes the shows that center on just Cartman can be over excessive with the mean spirited humor.

Last weeks episode “Hell On Earth 2006″ was classic “South Park”. It remained childish, subversive and had all the gross out moments you have come to expect from the “South Park” boys. I laughed my ass off when Satan ordered a Ferrari cake for his sweet 16 party. I completely got “The Crow” joke, and once again the writers tapped a ripe target to poke fun at.
I cannot wait to stand in front of the mirror tonight and summon Biggie Smalls. If you have seen the episode, you get what I mean. And of course we get the first public “Crocodile Hunter” joke from “South Park”. Though the joke was short it was crude, shocking and disturbing (it rocked)!

After 10 years, the show remains on top of the present day issues, scandals and continues to push some jokes too far (which I love). It seems that the violence and bloody humor is becoming more frequent, which I can do without. So far, the clever and topical Season 10 is turning out to be another gem. It may never reach the levels of the “Tom Cruise Is In The Closet” episode or “Fat Butt and Pancake Face” which poked fun at Jennifer Lopez, but it remains to be a relevant and much needed adult TV show.

I believe this show has another few years left in it. As long as public figures continue to say and do dumb ass shit, there will be a wealth of subject to make fun of. “South Park” is the master of mocking the current headlines, no other show skewers the industry and the concept of celebrity more than “South Park”.

A CLIP FROM LAST WEEKS HALLOWEEN EPISODE IS BELOW:

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE TRAILER FOR HORROR FEST 2006

I am very excited for this movie festival! I love most horror movies and these look hardcore and just plain twisted, I love it! The films screened here are labeled “too sick and demented for release”, which is always a great way to sell tickets. This is a great idea as we are experiencing a horror movie renaissance at the moment.

The Horror Fest 2006: 8 Films To Die For movie screening will be running for a week and then it is gone. The cool thing about the festival is you can taylor make a screening itinerary, or buy a pass for all 8! I am thinking of watching just a couple of these movies. With the Thanksgiving holiday movie season quickly coming up, I need to squeeze as much movie time in as I can.

HERE IS A LIST OF HORROR MOVIES BEING RELEASED IN 2007:

“Hostel 2″ - The follow up to the goriest movie in the past 10 years
“The Hills Have Eyes 2″ - The sequel to the 2006 gory sleeper hit
“The Day Of The Dead” - The remake of a zombie classic
“Saw 4″ - Another Halloween, another “Saw” movie
“Zodiac” - By David Fincher
“The Hitcher” - The remake of the creepy 80’s classic
“The Reaping” - With Hillary Swank
“Grindhouse” - By Quentin Tarantino & Robert Rodriguez
“28 Weeks Later” - The sequel to the british zombie movie
“Halloween” - A new “Halloween” movie vision by Rob Zombie
“Resident Evil: Extinction” - The third in the zombie series
“Wind Chill” - A spooky ghost story
“Young Hannibal” - Another “Silence Of The Lambs” movie
“30 Days Of Night” - A survival of the fittest movie w/ Josh Hartnett
“American McGees Alice” - “Alice In Wonderland” but creepy and darker
“The Bad Seed” - Remake of the dark and chilling killer kid cult movie
“The Birds” - Yep, the Alfred Hitchcock classic is getting updated

It looks like 2007 is full of remakes and big concept horror films and I love it! This list should keep me busy next year, because I know I will see every one of these movies.

My Space.com will use “audio fingerprinting” technology to block users from uploading copyright music to the site, the company said Monday. My Space, which is owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp., said it will review all music files uploaded by community members to their on line profiles.

“My Space is staunchly committed to protecting artists’ rights, whether those artists are on major labels or are independent acts,” said Chris De Wolfe, My Space chief executive and co-founder. The company said users who repeatedly attempt to upload copyright music files will be permanently barred from the site.

This is pretty lame news. One of the coolest things about My Space was being able to create a home page that expresses your sense of style. One of the best functions was posting video’s on your profile and having music play on your page when guests view it. Now you run the risk of being banned if you have anything on your site that is deemed “illegal”.

Of course this is all a result of the corporate angle that My Space is a part of now. Long gone are the days of glitzy, expressive fan pages. My Space has officially gone the way of the once popular “Friendster”. The buzz around My Space is gone now that it is just another money making machine. All of the promoting and marketing have taken the place of the once thriving, creative and expressive community it once was.

I am getting a little sick of all the grandstanding and political drama that celebrities feel they are entitled to pile on you when attending a concert or on awards shows. I don’t mind people expressing their opinions but Barbara Streisand takes the cake! I would be pissed if I was at a concert of my favorite artist and they stopped the show to do some lame ass “Mad TV” like parody with a George Bush impersonator.

This situation is much different from that which happened to the Dixie Chicks. Making a statement that shows your political opinion is one thing, but incorporating comedy segments in your concert with a divisive political agenda is lame. Especially if the people have no idea that it is part of the show. And this incident with Barbara is one of many bad interactions with fans that pay upwards of $500 to see her sing.

She has always had her diva moments, and is known to be a perfectionist who rarely hears the word “no”. I am not a fan of hers, it must be a gay generational thingy. I don’t get it, but I understand why people love her and I do realize just how huge she is in the pop culture universe. That said, she really needs to take it down a notch. I appreciate what she is trying to do, but this is the third incident like this on her new tour and she is really starting to split her fan base it seems.

This weekend she had another problem with people heckling her on stage at her concert. As Babs traded political barbs with a George W. Bush imitator, a fan of the songstress who apparently disagreed with her politics pelted her with a beverage. And as her anti-GOP riff ended, another man in the crowd found himself being escorted out of the center as he shouted at Streisand.

Streisand shrugged both incidents off, saying some people would do better to buy her records than come to her shows. Or maybe she should just sing or even warn her fans this show is politically charged. I dunno, this whole mess is just getting a bit silly. She isn’t known for her comedy, so do us a favor and just sing Babs!

Here is a picture of Madonna and her clan. They are such a pretty little family! That little David hit the lottery big time! This whole issue is getting tired and the media attention is getting down right silly! I feel like Madonna came off believable in her “Oprah” interview and that she has the best intentions for this child. Madonna used to do much worse and get half the attention she is now.

Production Weekly reports that the sequel to 2004’s “Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle” is planned for a late January start date. John Cho and Kal Penn are set to reprise their roles as Harold and Kumar, respectively.

In Harold & Kumar 2, the cross-country adventure follows the pot-smoking duo as they try to outrun the authorities after being suspected as terrorists when they try to sneak a bong on board a flight to Amsterdam.

The first movie was a a huge surprise when it was released 2 years ago. I have since watched this movie everytime it is on cable. There are so many subtle jokes and one liners, it is hard to catch them all on the first viewing. The Neil Patrick Harris bit is hilarious, I love the scene where Harold & Kumar pick him up while he is tripping on ecstacy. They ask if he would like to get a burger, he replies:

“Yeah……..a fur burger!”

I am sure this sequel will be packed with more silly, stoner humor that never gets old! This will be a great treat when it is finally released next year. The original movie has quite a cult following, look for this movie to be a mild hit just like the first “Harold & Kumar” was. I hope we get the same kind of inside/obscure/twisted/wacked out jokes as we did in “Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle”.

BELOW IS THE STATEMENT RELEASED BY THE COUPLES REPS:

“We are saddened to announce that Reese and Ryan have decided to formally separate,” the couple’s rep said in a statement released to on Monday. “They remain committed to their family and we ask that you please respect their privacy and the safety of their children at this time.

CHECK OUT THE US WEEKLY WEBSITE HERE FOR THE WHOLE STORY

This is sad news, I actually thought they had a fighting chance. They were the prettiest couple in Hollywood! They will find a way to get over it I am sure. Until then we get to witness the end of their “fairytale” marriage. Who will be next?

HERE ARE MY TOP 3 PREDICTIONS OF WHICH CELEB COUPLES WILL MOST LIKELY SPLIT NEXT:

1.) PAMELA & KID ROCK (WITHIN 6 MONTHS)

2.) VINCE & JENNIFER (WITHIN 1 YEAR)

3.) BRAD & ANGELINA (WITHIN 2 YEARS)

Have you ever seen the movie “Hostel”? If you get sick from easily from watching gory death scenes or hate the whole slasher movie premise, than stay far away from this classic gore-fest (written and directed by the uber hot Eli Roth, picture below).

Jay Hernandez is the hero from the first “Hostel” movie, and he is back again for a second helping of serial killer torture. The movie was a sick, twisted, gross out messy guts picture with some unbearable moments of gore. I think this is one of the best violent horror films in recent memory, and it is intense to watch.

I am looking forward to this movie and will be there at the movie theatre opening night. I would put “Hostel” up there with other recent A+ instant horror classics like:

“The Hills Have Eyes” (the 2005 re-make)

“The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (the 2003 re-make)

These movies will freak you out, make you throw up a little in your mouth, have nightmares and entertain your socks off…that is if you love to squirm in your seat and cover your eyes in horror! They are a true splatter movie geeks dream come true, offering rich plots and nasty images that will stay with you for a while. They are truly modern horror movie classics!

CLICK BELOW FOR THE “HOSTEL 2″ TRAILER!

I am a big fan of old Whitney (”All At Once”, “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” , “I Will Always Love You” etc). I kind of like the whole “gay Whitney” period (”It’s Not Right, But It’s O.K.”, “My Love Is Your Love”). I had pretty much written off Whitney Houston a few years back after the details of her rocky marriage to Bobby Brown were leaked to the tabloids.

In the past 5 years Whitney has been missing in action from the pop music scene. She handed her pop queen crown to a bunch of pop tart princesses (Alicia Keys and Christina Aguilera). Eventually as time went by, Whitney made the decision to straighten up her act. She has been devoted to her soon to be ex-husband in an unhealthy way for so long, it was hard to not write her off as finished!

Well apparently by the look of the picture below, Whitney has cleaned up her act in a big way. Whitney’s divorce from Bobby Brown has already begun, and it should go through within a couple of months. Haleluah!

Let’s hope Whitney stays clean, sober and Bobby free for a long time so she can make a fabulous come back. We all know that Whitney has the best singing voice of all time, so let’s all hope that her new album will be a return to form for Miss Houston. By looking at these recent pictures of her Whitney is on the right path. Com eon back Whitney! We miss your ghetto, crazy, fabulous sense of fashion and pitch perfect video’s.

GRADE: B-

I am a sucker for wild conspiracy theories. I have always been intrigued by the mythology that surrounds Christianity. After reading “The Da Vinci Code” and after watching the movie, you find yourself questioning the origins of Christianity as a whole. I read “Holy Blood, Holy Grail” a long time ago, so I was aware of the subject matter long before “The Code” came out. Some say “Holy Blood” is the sole source of inspiration behind Dan Brown’s “The Da Vinci Code”. The loosely based “facts” in Dan Brown’s book are exciting, if not scary, to ponder. The captivating and scathing plot spins are fun to watch as they are played out on the creen.

The in-depth theories expressed in both the “Code” movie and book are explosive and ground breaking. The plot is intelligent and adult, which is a refreshing change for an R-rated film. The line between what is really true and what is just plain fiction, is blurry. After watching “The Da Vinci Code” you want to believe that there is more to the legend of Jesus Christ. You want to believe that there is more than just suffering, sinning and damnation in life and death.

When I first heard that this hugely popular book was being adapted for the big screen, I was a bit nervous, especially since I do not care for Ron Howard….at all. I was worried that the book would not translate well as a movie. I didn’t want the fantastical nature of the storytelling to overshadow the serious source material. So how entertaining is this movie?? “The Da Vinci Code” is actually a fun ride if you suspend disbelief and give into the adventure. I enjoyed the fast paced action scenes, the snappy writing and the attention to detail in this film. I like the plot twists “The Code” has and the way the story unfolds.

Tom Hanks’ bad hair and France’s Louvre Museum are the true stars of this film. The many shots of Tom’s hair piece and the famously gorgeous museum are awe inducing. As always Jean Reno and Audrey Tatou are great in their roles. Tom Hanks even tones down his normal over the top, sweet mannered, popular guy shtick for that of a more subdued adult performance.

What I liked most about “The Da Vinci Code” was the fast pace storytelling and that the ending was the same as it is in the book. This movie is provocative and it leaves you asking yourself if the Jesus story presented in the book/movie could have any possible shreds of truth to it? I like that there are no cheesy romances made for just cinematic appeal and effect.

This movie is fun, thrilling and it has an old school thriller feeling about it. The complaints I have about “The Da Vinci Code” are few and far between. At times you can get a bit overwhelmed by all of the facts that are constantly being thrown at you. Some of the shots and camera work are done in pure hack-ish Ron Howard style. Howard’s films usually suffer from over stylizing and amateurish camera angles. Howard doesn’t have a clearly defined directing style like that of Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese or Clint Eastwood.

This movie did a hilarious job of depicting the Catholic church like they are villains and evil monsters. I think Paul Bettany makes a HOT sadistic, albino monk. The members of Opus Dei are depicted exactly how I envisioned them to be like in real life; as nasty, ruthless hypocrites. No matter how far fetched the legend or conspiracies come off as, I actually walked away from “Code” questioning the truth behind the Jesus story. Who knows, we may never get the truth!

As a kid I loved “The Transformers” cartoon series and I owned a majority of the diecast metal toys from the 80’s. The toy line has remained very popular, even spawning a more recent hit computer animated TV series. So, when I heard there was a “Transformers” movie in the works I started to get very excited thinking of all of the possible sleek and realistic live action images we are in store for. Michael Bay won me over with his last fun action epic “The Island”. Michael Bay is sure to wow audiences with this sci-fi action pic and even possibly start a wave of cheesy 80’s cartoon movie adaptations.

I think this movie will be huge, and with the help of smart product tie ins, “Transformers” should make Dreamworks and Paramount Pictures very happy. I am anxious to see the actual robots change into vehicles, see which characters made it from the line of toys and the cartoon show.

JOSH DUHAMEL IN THE 2007 FILM “TRANSFORMERS”

I am curious as to how the “Transformers” history and creation will be told. I’ll also say this early in the game that the movies lead actor Josh Duhamel (from CBS’s “Las Vegas”) will become a huge box office star (of course that is if this movie opens well or to record numbers). “Transformers” is bound to deliver with the action and special effects, while also riding a wave of nostalgic popularity. If this movie does good, or even decent, expect to see a “Transformers” sequel.

WATCH THE “TRANSFORMERS” MOVIE TRAILER BELOW!