Oscar Shocker! Brett Ratner Resigns as Producer of Telecast

Brett Ratner, who has been living on borrowed time this week since he used a gay slur and gave a raunchy interview to Howard Stern, has resigned as producer of the 84th Academy Awards.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences released the following statement:
"This morning, Brett Ratner submitted his resignation as a producer of the 84th annual Academy Awards to Academy President Tom Sherak. Ratner then issued an open letter to the entertainment industry in which he explained his decision."
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"As a first step, I called Tom Sherak this morning and resigned as a producer of the 84th Academy Awards telecast. Being asked to help put on the Oscar show was the proudest moment of my career. But as painful as this may be for me, it would be worse if my association with the show were to be a distraction from the Academy and the high ideals it represents."

"He did the right thing for the Academy and for himself," Sherak said. "Words have meaning, and they have consequences. Brett is a good person, but his comments were unacceptable. We all hope this will be an opportunity to raise awareness about the harm that is caused by reckless and insensitive remarks, regardless of the intent."
Don Mischer, who was hired with Ratner to produce the awards, remains on board. The status of host Eddie Murphy, however, may come into question, since he accepted the assignment from Ratner.
Ratner has pledged to work with the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) to host a series of public discussions about anti-LGBT jokes and slurs in films and on television.





“When we sat down with Brett today, he seemed very sincere in his desire to use this experience as a way to begin speaking out against anti-gay language in popular culture,” said Herndon Graddick, Senior Director of Programs and Communications at GLAAD, in a press release issued after Ratner's resignation. “We believe his resignation is just the first step and will be announcing a series of concrete actions with Brett in coming days and weeks.”
The GLAAD release also said, "GLAAD and Ratner are working to convene public discussions featuring leaders in the entertainment industry about promoting fair and accurate inclusions of LGBT people and stories. The discussions will address anti-LGBT jokes and slurs in films and on television today as well as their trickle-down effect into popular culture. The first event will take place in coming weeks with additional discussions to take place over the next three years. Additional details to follow."
Pressure had been mounting to fire the bad-boy director of "Tower Heist" and "Rush Hour" since Saturday, when Ratner said "rehearsing is for fags" at a Q&A session that followed a screening of "Tower Heist" in Hollywood on Friday night.
On Monday, he gave a long interview to Stern's Sirius XM Radio show, in which he talked in detail about his sex life while admitting that as producer of the Oscars, he needed to change his image.
The Academy had issued a statement condemning Ratner's initial gay slur but offering support for the producer, who immediately apologized and called the remark "a dumb way of expressing myself."
But in the aftermath of the Stern interview, the chorus of disapproval grew too loud for the Academy to ignore. "The Oscars are a brand, and this is tarnishing the brand," one AMPAS member told TheWrap.
Added another, "Once the producer becomes the story, it's not good for the Academy."
The action came quickly, the day after Ratner's comments came to light.
When Ratner was hired to produce the show by Sherak, the AMPAS president released a statement reading, in part, "He’s unbelievably creative and knows how to take risks that are both interesting and inspiring."
The hiring came in the wake of what was supposed to be a half-hour meeting between Ratner, Sherak and AMPAS CEO Dawn Hudson. The meeting stretched to three hours, and Sherak and Hudson came away impressed with what Hudson called Ratner's "really smart and fresh take for the show."
Of course, there was a bad omen from the start: Ratner lives in the historic Beverly Hills mansion Hillhaven Lodge. In 1989, that house was owned by Allan Carr, who held meetings there when he was producing the Academy Awards show widely considered the worst in Oscar history.

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James Bond aims to bounce back with new film launch

 

LONDON (Reuters) - James Bond returns on Thursday with the launch of the 23rd instalment in the famous film franchise, and aims to bounce back after a studio bankruptcy put production on hold for months and the last movie earned mixed reviews.

As ever ahead of a major Bond announcement, unconfirmed rumours have been flying across cyberspace.

What can be said with certainty is that Daniel Craig returns for his third outing as the suave secret agent, and Sam Mendes, Oscar winner with "American Beauty" who worked with Craig on "Road to Perdition", will direct.

Spanish actor Javier Bardem and Britain's Ralph Fiennes are expected to join the cast, and Judi Dench is set to return as Bond's stern boss "M".

Other stars reported to be involved include Albert Finney, who would be making his first Bond appearance aged 75, and Naomie Harris as Miss Moneypenny.

Locations and plotline are largely unknown to the outside world, although some media have said scenes shot on a train in India are likely to feature.

A spokeswoman for Sony Pictures declined to give details about Thursday's event beyond what appeared on a press invitation -- that producers Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli would present Mendes and "key" cast members.

Sony Pictures, a unit of Sony Corp, will distribute the film, which is set to hit British theatres on Oct. 26, 2012 and U.S. cinemas on Nov. 9.

Next year is the 50th anniversary of the series, which began in 1962 with Sean Connery on Her Majesty's secret service in "Dr. No".

Debt-laden Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc, known for its roaring lion logo and behind some of Hollywood's most fabled films including "The Wizard of Oz", filed for bankruptcy in November last year.

Two months later it confirmed Bond 23 would hit theatres in November, 2012, and in April MGM and Sony announced they would co-finance and distribute the next two Bond movies.

The studios previously partnered on "Quantum of Solace" and Craig's 2006 Bond debut "Casino Royale."

The high-octane, action-heavy films are expensive to make and market, with Quantum of Solace estimated to have cost around $200 million.

But they have a good record commercially, and according to movie tracking website boxofficemojo.com, Casino Royale earned $594 million in global ticket sales and Quantum of Solace $586 million.

Craig's first appearance as Bond was hailed as a refreshing change in direction towards a tougher, more serious 007, and reviews were overwhelmingly positive.

Quantum of Solace fared less well with the critics, although positive reviews still outweighed the negative.

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Adele to get throat surgery, cancels all 2011 dates Reuters

 

 British singer-songwriter Adele has been forced by impending surgery to cancel all her remaining tour dates and promotional appearances through the end of the year, her record label said on Friday.
Columbia Records said in a statement that Adele, 23, was canceling the appearances with "deep regret."
"She is to undergo surgery to alleviate the current issues with her throat and a full recovery is expected. As a result, doctors have ordered her to rest her voice and completely recuperate" before resuming work commitments, the statement said.
Earlier this month the Grammy-winning singer pulled out of 10 U.S. dates on the back of her hit album "21" that has produced hits such as "Rolling in the Deep" and "Someone Like You."
"21" is the best-selling album of the year in the United States.
On Friday, she canceled her remaining British dates. Ticket holders will receive refunds.
Adele was forced to postpone several U.S. dates earlier this year due to vocal chord issues and was finishing up a tour in Britain when problems reappeared in early October.
She topped the American Music Awards nominations on Oct. 11, edging out the likes of Katy Perry and Lady Gaga with four nods.

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Coldplay launch fresh chart assault with fifth album

You may not understand the title of Coldplay's new album let alone be able to pronounce it, but "Mylo Xyloto" is a name music fans may have to get used to as the group launches a fresh assault on the world's charts.
The English quartet's fifth studio album hits shelves in Britain on Monday and the United States on Tuesday, and early critical response is mostly positive for a record aided and "enoxified" by Brian Eno.
Judging by comments made during a blitz of interviews to publicise the album, Coldplay could do with a little love, something that might seem strange given their success.
Their last record, "Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends", was released in 2008 and went on to become that calendar year's top-selling album at 6.8 million copies.
The one before that, "X & Y", claimed the same honour in 2005, shifting 8.3 million copies globally.
They are one of the world's biggest bands, have multiple Grammys and album sales of around 50 million to their name.
Yet that has not shielded the unusually unassuming rock stars from criticism that tends to focus on their clean-cut "middle class" image and music that naysayers label as "bland" and "Radiohead-lite".
Guitarist Joe Satriani also sued the band, alleging that their chart-topping and award-winning "Viva La Vida" contained elements of his "If I Could Fly". The two sides reportedly settled out of court in late 2009.
"We got to a very low place on the last record where we felt not very popular," lead singer Chris Martin told the Sun tabloid.
"But it was refreshing as it made us start from scratch. A clean slate. So many people had made up their minds about us already that we had nothing to lose."
YOUNG COMPETITION
That sense of defiance came with a realisation that, in order to rule the charts again, Coldplay are not up against "stadium bands" like, say, U2 but teen sensation Justin Bieber and English singing sensation Adele.
"Now we have Justin Bieber and Adele to compete with and they're a lot younger," 34-year-old Martin, who is married to Hollywood actress Gwyneth Paltrow, said in a recent interview.
"We have to have the energy to put as much effort into our work as they do. If it's over, it's over and I can live with that. The most important thing always is to proceed as if every album is the last and not expect anything more."
Early reviews of Mylo Xyloto have been generally positive, with critics remarking that, while offering some fresh twists, the sound is essentially the Coldplay of old.
"It's a surging, chiming, upbeat epic, almost thunderously enthusiastic," wrote Neil McCormick of the Daily Telegraph in a four-star review.
He went on to call the album "irresistible", but voiced reservations, shared by Alexis Petridis of the Guardian in a three-star review, about the lack of depth in lyrics and music.
"Questioned about the title, Martin has insisted 'it doesn't have any meaning'," said McCormick. "His defiant inarticulacy feeds the notion that Coldplay are a pop group in rock clothing."
Rolling Stone magazine's Josh Eells gave the record three-and-a-half stars, commenting: "On Mylo Xyloto, the choruses are bigger, the textures grander, the optimism more optimistic. It's a bear-hug record for a bear-market world."
Martin, along with bandmates Jonny Buckland (guitar), Guy Berryman (bass) and Will Champion (drums), have produced a concept album loosely based on a love story set in a dystopian world.
In June, Coldplay released its first single "Every Teardrop is a Waterfall" followed by "Paradise" in September.
Among the highlights of the 14-track album are "Princess of China", featuring Rihanna on vocals, and "Charlie Brown", which Billboard magazine called the record's best song.
Coldplay is signed to EMI Group Ltd.

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Justin Bieber’s fans mob hotel even when he isn’t there

 

Justin Bieber’s fans are completely devoted to him, so much so that they will cause a mess at a hotel when he isn’t even there.

Bieber’s Chilean fans mobbed the W Santiago even though the young singer wasn’t there yet as he had reportedly stayed an extra day in Buenos Aires, states TMZ.
However, as Bieber was going to head to the hotel, he was told to helicopter in because the crowd seemed so uncontrollable.
Local authorities were reportedly trying to keep things in control, but the teen girls may have been more than they could handle.
Do you think Bieber’s fans are the most devoted?

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Jackman's no-screens rule at home

 

Actor Hugh Jackman doesn't allow his children to watch television or play computer games during weekdays.

The 42-year-old actor says he got the idea from a friend and implemented it for his children Oscar, 11, and Ava, 6.
'A buddy of mine has a rule that I installed: No screens during the week. No TV, or computer, or anything like that,' People.com quoted Jackman as saying.
'Kids nowadays have very little time. They seem to be at school longer than ever. They have all sorts of after school activities. By the time you have eaten and showered and dressed, it is over. So there is not much time for it anyway,' he added.

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Oprah Winfrey is Hollywood's highest earning woman

 

 Talk show queen Oprah Winfrey has been named Hollywood's highest earning woman by Forbes magazine.
Winfrey topped the list with estimated earnings of $290 million. Singer Lady Gaga came second with $90 million, reports Contactmusic.com.
The third position went to reality TV star Bethenny Frankel with $55 million. The fourth place was tied between supermodel Gisele Bundchen, Taylor Swift, Ellen DeGeneres and Judge Judy Sheindlin with earnings of $45 million each.

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