Natasha Richardson Dies After Skiing Accident

Actress Natasha Richardson has died after a skiing accident in Mont Tremblant ski resort in Quebec. The accident happened on Monday while Richardson was taking a private skiing lesson.
According to reports, Richardson fell during a lesson on a beginners' slope, but initially felt unaffected by the incident. About an hour after she was returned to her hotel room, however, she complained of headaches. She was taken to Centre Hospitalier Laurentien in Ste-Agathe and later moved to Montreal's larger Sacré-Coeur hospital. On Tuesday she was transferred again to Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhatten. She passed away in the hospital on Wednesday, apparently from head injuries sustained in the accident.
After Richardson’s death was made public, Neeson’s publicist, Alan Nierob released the following statement.
"Liam Neeson, his sons, and the entire family are shocked and devastated by the tragic death of their beloved Natasha. They are profoundly grateful for the support, love and prayers of everyone, and ask for privacy during this very difficult time."
Richardson, aged 45, was the daughter of actress Vanessa Redgrave and late film director Tony Richardson. She is said to have been named after the heroine in Leo Tolstoy's 'War and Peace'. She was married to actor Liam Neeson and had two sons, Michael, 13, and Daniel Jack, 12. Her sister, Joely Richardson, has appeared in the TV series Nip/Tuck.
Natasha Richardson was a prolific theatre, television and film actress. She trained at London's Central School of Speech and Drama and did her first professional stage work at the Leeds Playhouse in 1983. In 1986 she earned the London Theatre Critics Award for Most Promising Newcomer in a production of Chekhov’s 'The Seagull'. Her work in theatre later earned her Tony, Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk Awards. Her film roles included A Month in the Country, The Handmaid's Tale, The Comfort of Strangers,Nell, Maid in Manhattan, The Parent Trap and Wild Child. Among her television credits were Granada’sThe Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (with Jeremy Brett) and the PBS drama Suddenly Last Summer.
The staff at CinemaSpy would like to offer their condolences to Liam Neeson and his family after this tragedy.

Carrie Fisher Dares To Bear!

The actress who played the feisty Princess Leia in Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jediis now helping with a different fight. Carrie Fisher, who recently starred in an autobiographical one-woman show called "Wishful Drinking", has loaned her likeness to a teddy bear for the annual Broadway Bears auction, the proceeds of which benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
The auction, which is an annual event, is scheduled to take place on February 14, 2010. Fans of both Carrie Fisher and 'Star Wars' may find the bear to be an ideal piece of memorabilia: Its wig is a reproduction of Fisher’s classic Princess Leia hairdo, which has appeared on numerous products over the years, including a PEZ dispenser and shampoo bottles. Other details include midnight blue silk pajamas cut from remnants of Fisher’s original Broadway garments, as well as the actress’ autograph under one of the bear’s sandals.
Fisher, who will forever be linked to the "Cinnamon Bun" hairstyle of Star Wars and the metal bikini worn by Princess Leia in Return of the Jedi, also appeared in such films as 1980’s The Blues Brothers. She also adapted her own 1987 semi-autobiographical novel Postcards from the Edge for the 1990 movie directed by Mike Nichols. More recently, Fisher rescued the Masturbating Bear from Late Night with Conan O’Brien, after the host attempted to encase the recurring sketch character in carbonite, a la Han Solo inThe Empire Strikes Back/Return of the Jedi.
If you can’t make it to New York City in February, you can still bid online up until the auction date by visitingBidding For Good. Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is among the nation’s leading industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organizations. Since 1988, BC/EFA has drawn on the American theatre community to raise over $175M for essential services for people with AIDS and other critical illnesses across the country.

Zack Snyder is Getting Gamey

According to Variety, Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen) has signed a deal to develop three original games for Electronic Arts.
Snyder will work with EA's Los Angeles studio in Playa Vista to produce his games. EA will own the intellectual properties, but under the deal the publisher may turn some or all of them into films that will be produced by Snyder's Cruel & Unusual Films banner, which is run by the director with co-president Deborah Snyder and producer Wesley Coller.
"Zack Snyder has a fresh and bold creative style that resonates with our core audience," EA Games label president Frank Gibeau said in a statement.
Snyder is joining a small group of Hollywood helmers who produce video games that aren't adaptations of their own films, including Steven Spielberg, John Woo and Peter Jackson.

Shatner Slighted Over Exclusion from Takei Wedding

Last month, Star Trek actor George Takei — who played Enterprise helmsman Sulu — and his long-time partner Brad Altman were married in California. William Shatner claims he was not invited to the ceremony. And Shatner is apparently miffed about the whole thing.
In a video posted on Shatner's Web site last week, he lashed out at Takei for being excluded from the Takei-Altman nuptials. According to Shatner, his former helmsman harbors a grudge against the former Enterprise captain."The whole thing makes me feel badly," Shatner said in the video. "Poor man. There is such a sickness there. It's so patently obvious that there is a psychosis there. I don't know what his original thing about me was. I have no idea."
Shatner said he felt he never knew Takei when they worked together on the original TV series and later in the Star Trek films.The Boston Legal star also attacked Takei's decision to come out of the closet later in life, saying "Who cares? Be gay. Don't be gay. That's up to you, George."Meanwhile, according to the AP, Star Trek alums Nichelle Nichols and Walter Koenig — who played Uhura and Chekhov, respectively — were among the attendees at the multicultural ceremony at the Japanese American National Museum.
Takei and Altman had previously stated that Shatner was invited to their wedding, but he never RSVPed."It is unfortunate that Bill was unable to join us for our wedding as he indeed was invited to attend," Takei responded. "It is our hope that at this point he joins us in voting no on Proposition 8, which seeks to eliminate the fundamental right for same-sex couples to marry in California."

‘Wizard of Oz’ Munchkin Makes Final Bow

Mickey Carroll, one of the last surviving actors who played a Munchkin in the Judy Garland classic The Wizard of Oz, has passed away. He was 89 and died after a period of declining health, a BBC report said.
In keeping with Carroll's own background, his was a multi-talented resident of Munchkinland. He was a Munchkinland town crier, a Munchkin soldier and a Munchkin Fiddler. It was as the last of these that Carroll earned recognition for saying the famous line, "Follow the yellow brick road".
The Wizard of Oz (1939) was the second and last film that Carroll is credited with appearing in. The othermovie was the 1938 Warner Brother's musical Gold Diggers in Paris that starred Rudy Vallee, Rosemary Lane and was directed by Busby Berkeley.
Mickey Carroll was born on July 8, 1919 to Italian immigrant parents. As a child he took dance lessons at the St. Louis Fox Theater. He later worked in vaudeville as a singer and dancer and he acted in radio advertisements and plays. In some of the latter his co-stars included George Burns, Gracie Allen, Jack Benny and Al Jolson. He also worked as a nightclub emcee, in which capacity he performed at some of Al Capone's clubs in Chicago. Carroll's other appearances included being the opening act for Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman in cross-country appearances during their Presidential campaigns.
In 2007 Carroll received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame with six other actors who played Munchkins in The Wizard of Oz. Although the classic status the film achieved contributed greatly to Carroll's fame, he was modest about his contribution to it.
"It's not me, it's the movie," he is quoted as saying. "When they see me, they think of their childhood, and it makes them smile."
The following announcement of Mickey Carroll's death was published on his website.
We are very sad to inform everyone that on the morning of May 7, 2009, St. Louisan Mickey Carroll, child star and entertainer, beloved Munchkin soldier, violinist, and proclaimer of the famous line: "Follow the yellow brick road!" passed away peacefully after a period of declining health. Mickey would have been 90 on July 8th, 2009.
Mickey, a lifelong resident of St. Louis, Missouri, spent his retirement years contributing to fund-raisers for the benefit of policemen, their families, and any and all causes related to children, such as the St. Louis Children's Hospital, where he often visited to entertain and cheer the children.

Megan Fox Hates Hillbillies

Much as I shake my head every time Megan Fox opens her mouth, recently I've come to believe that every time she does open her mouth, out pops a pearl. Not a pearl of wisdom, mind you — that would be an imbecilic notion — but a pearl of a headline. Honestly, this stuff just writes itself, and who's going to turn down a gift like that?
Speaking recently with the UK's TotalFilm, the young actress was asked about how she would stop the villainous Megatron from destroying Earth. At first Fox said that she'd "make a deal" with the megalomaniacal Decepticon, but then added the below:
"…and instead of the entire planet, can you just take out all of the white trash (sic), hillbilly (sic), anti-gay(sic), super bible-beating (sic) people in Middle America?"
That's right, folks, Megan Fox just dissed pretty much all of Middle America with one fell swoop. Even Megatron would be impressed with the destructive sweep of her aspersions.
Thanks, Megan.
Fox has previously stated — and I'm paraphrasing here — that she is so damn fine looking that studios will keep casting her in films no matter whether she is a good actress or not; prepared or not; and apparently politically correct or not.
It's not that there isn't perhaps a kernel of truth in her outlook on Hollywood, it's that she perhaps ought to keep it to herself. Betty Davis could get away with it back in the day, but then Bette Davis was a damn fine actress who didn't suffer fools gladly. Eventually, Fox's looks will fade, though we suspect her career will flame out long before that.
Which raises an interesting point: Perhaps all of this is nothing more than a cheap (and tactless) publicity stunt to keep her name in front of the media while she can.

Joss Whedon Tosses Hat in the Ring for ‘Terminator’ Rights

As we reported earlier today, Halcyon Holding Group will be auctioning off the rights to the 'Terminator' franchise later this month. The expectation is that it should net at least $60M…and several major studios and players have shown interest.
Plus one.
Buffy, Firefly and Dollhouse creator Joss Whedon says he's ready to take over this franchise as well, and he's got $10,000 to prove it. In an open — and very tongue in cheek — letter to Halcyon Holding Group, reproduced over at Deadline.com, Whedon promises he will write a check today to take the 'Terminator' rights off Halcyon's hands.
"No, you didn't miscount," Whedon says. "That's four — FOUR! — zeroes after that one. That's to show you I mean business."
Whedon goes on to describe exactly what he'd do if he were in charge of the franchise…
1) Terminator… of the Rings! Yeah, what if he time-travelled TOO far… back to when there was dragons and wizards? (I think it was the Dark Ages.) Hasta La Vista, Boramir! Cool, huh? "Now you gonna be Gandalf the Red!" RRRRIP! But then he totally helps, because he's a cyborg and he doesn't give a s#&% about the ring — it has no power over him! And he can carry it AND Frodo AND Sam AND f@%& up some orcs while he's doing it. This stuff just comes to me. I mean it. (I will also offer $10,000 for the Lord of the Rings franchise).
2) More Glau. Hey. There's a reason they're called "Summer" movies.
3) Can you say… musical? Well don't. Even I know that's an awful idea.
4) Christian Bale's John Connor will get a throat lozenge. This will also help his Batwork (ten grand for that franchise too, btw.)
5) More porn. John Connor never told Kyle Reese this, but his main objective in going to the past was to get some. What if there's a lot of future-babies that have to be made? Cue wah-wah pedal guitar — and dollar signs!
6) The movies will stop getting less cool.
To read how Whedon sums up this obvious exercise in levity, click here.

Dan O

Dan O’Bannon, science fiction screenwriter and director, passed away on December 17, 2009 in Los Angeles. He was best known for his work in the science-fiction and horror genres, with hits that included Alien, Total Recall, and The Return of the Living Dead.
O’Bannon made his first splash in 1974 with Dark Star, which expanded a low-budget, 45-minute short co-written with fellow USC student John Carpenter. Although the film had sci-fi trappings, such as a space ship and cryogenic freezing technology, Dark Star was essentially a quirky, black-hearted comedy about the ship’s misfit crew members. The movie became a cult hit; and not only did O’Bannon work on the screenplay, but he had an acting role as a character named Sgt. Pinback.
A few years later, after working on special computer animation and graphic displays for a little feature called Star Wars, O’Bannon wrote the script for Alien, based on a story penned by himself and Ronald Shusett. It was a career saver at the time, as an Alejandro Jodorowsky-helmed version of "Dune" he had been supervising special effects for had fallen apart.
Released in 1979, the Ridley Scott-helmed Alien put O’Bannon at the forefront of sci-fi/horror screenwriters, and is still considered particularly innovative. "With Alien, I figured out quite simply that, as an audience member, what you DON'T see scares you more than what you see," O’Bannon once observed. "In horror films, the scares that really grab the audience and build the tension for them don't come from the monster jumping out of the shadows! The terror comes from the slow times in between those pay-off scenes in which the characters are talking and planning—waiting for something to jump out at them!"
During the 80’s, O’Bannon penned the scripts for Blue Thunder, as well as the alien encounter-turned-vampirism film Lifeforce, as well as the remake of Invaders from Mars, the latter two both for director Tobe Hooper. However, with 1985’s Return of the Living Dead, O’Bannon jumped into the director’s chair himself for the first time. The result was a successful zombie flick that spawned several sequels.
O’Bannon re-teamed with Shusett on Total Recall, the 1990 Arnold Schwarzenegger blockbuster based on "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale", a short story by Philip K. Dick. The Paul Verhoeven-directed film grossed over $100 million US in 1990. In 1992, O’Bannon helmed his second feature, a low-budget horror film called The Resurrected, inspired by the writings of H.P. Lovecraft. In 1995, he received a co-screenplay credit for Screamers, based on another Dick story, "Second Variety".
At the time of his death, O’Bannon was working on the Alien prequel due out in 2011. He was also known for writing "The Long Tomorrow", a mid-1970’s short story comic book with artwork by Moebius, which blended elements of noir and cyberpunk. Both Ridley Scott and William Gibson have said their respective works — Blade Runner and Neuromancer — were influenced by "The Long Tomorrow".

Online Movie Viewing Improves in Canada

On Wednesday, Sept. 22, Netflix officially opened its virtual doors in Canada.
And despite the public relations disaster at the Toronto launch of the service, Netflix does change the game in Canada.
At Cdn$7.99 for unlimited viewing, the offering to Canadians is cheaper than what is available to Americans — US$8.99 — but that's also because the content offering isn't as deep north of the 49th parallel.
Netflix is not extending its mail-order service to Canada, for one thing, but only online streaming to computers, Apple handheld devices and to televisions connected to PS3 and Wii gaming consoles. Support for the Xbox 360 will be added later this fall.
And while Netflix co-founder and CEO Reed Hastings quipped that the catalogue available in Canada was "more than any person could watch in a lifetime", the movies and television shows in that catalogue are older titles.
A Canadian company, Zip.ca, provides a mail-order service for DVDs and Blu-ray, but has not yet rolled out an online service.
Canadians looking for more streaming video options for the living room might be better off with can look to Microsoft and Sony, both of which offer rental and purchase options of both movies and television through their respective Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 entertainment consoles.
Microsoft's video content is delivered through its Zune brand and has been available in Canada for a couple of years.
Sony's Video Delivery Service was launched in Canada this summer, and delivers movies and television to users through PS3 and PSP handhelds. It offers movies and television for rental or purchase,
Content — in standard and high-definition — can be rented — movies start at Cdn$3.99 — or purchased — Cdn $9.99 and up for movies, Cdn$1.99 and up for TV shows — and is all delivered digitally.
And the PlayStation Network keeps track of your purchases, so you're able to re-download purchases if you need to.
When it rolled out, movies like Avatar and Kick Ass, which had just hit video stores, were available. As of today, Date Night and Russell Crowe/Ridley Scott version of Robin Hood are on offer.
The viewing options in Canada available from PlayStation Canada and Xbox Canada are much more timely than what is available through Netflix currently.
But Netflix's one price for all you can eat strategy will make them a serious contender as they sign more licensing deals, and build out the catalogue of content available to Canadians.

Southwest Airlines vs. Kevin Smith, Part Deux

For the second time in as many days, Southwest Airlines has apologized to writer/director Kevin Smith. Why? It all started when the air carrier pulled Smith off a flight to Burbank Saturday because of his "size." Not unsurprisingly, this prompted Smith to post several messages on his Twitter page about the incident and promise on his website to "scorch the earth" with his complaints against Southwest, according to CNN.
Not unsurprisingly, Southwest has been backpedaling fast…mostly.
"We want to assure everyone that has expressed concern over the situation that we will use this experience in our customer service program when training our employees on the correct way to apply the policy," the airline said.
The "customer of size policy" implemented 25 years ago requires "passengers that cannot fit safely and comfortably in one seat to purchase an additional seat while traveling," said Southwest.
"If a customer cannot comfortably lower the armrest and infringes on a portion of another seat, a customer seated adjacent would be very uncomfortable and a timely exit from the aircraft in the event of an emergency might be compromised if we allow a cramped, restricted seating arrangement," the airline added.
"We're very sorry for how his night unfortunately played out," Southwest conceded in a written statement.
Apparently, Smith did purchase two seats for the flight to Burbank, but he was allowed to board an earlier flight as a standby passenger, and only one seat was available on that particular flight.
The extra seat is not a necessity, he said, but a luxury because "Southwest flights are cheap."
The airline said it "could have potentially handled our communication better," but defended "the determination that Mr. Smith needed more than one seat to complete his flight comfortably."
Smith says he never plans to fly Southwest Airlines again—it's an unfortunate public relations snafu for a carrier that reportedly had the lowest rate of passenger complaints among U.S. airlines last year.
In fairness to Smith and our "supersize me" North American culture, maybe the airlines should just install wider seats. Anyone who has traveled on a regional jet over the past 10 years can attest to the fact that if you're an ounce heavier than an anorexic runway model you can barely squeeze yourself into them.

Dark Knight Envy? Buy Your Very Own 1966 Batmobile

Back on January 7 we reported a story about CarInsurance.org's marketing campaign that compiled a list of [nearly] every single version of the Batmobile ever created. We didn't editorialize about our personal favorites, but for the purposes of this story it would have to be either the Tumbler — as featured inBatman Begins, The Dark Knight…and we presume the forthcoming third film in the trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises — or the original 1966 Batmobile featured in the Batman television series, based on a 1955 Lincoln Futura show car.
Coincidentally, if you missed it, around the same time Gizmodo published a story about a company called Fiberglass Freaks who are making build-to-order Batmobiles that are identical replicas to that same 1966 Batmobile.
We're not talking about 1/18" replicas. We're talking about actual, life-sized, functioning, driving cars. The car comes with some pretty significant extras including rocket exhaust flamethrower, a detect-a-scope…and for that contemporary touch, a DVD player and high-end stereo. This particular Batmobile is built from a 1970's Lincoln Town Car that they provide (so that gives you some idea of what sort of size and ride to expect).
It’s more than just a “kit car.” The wheel wells are enclosed with steel tubs. The doors are finished inside and out, and the doors even sound solid when they latch. The rocker panels are attached to the floor pan with steel and fiberglass. When you sit in the car, your head doesn’t hover over the front windshield, and you have plenty of leg room, too. We wet sand the car by hand to remove any surface imperfections in the paint, then we buff and polish the car to an incredible shine.
For some fascinating behind-the-scenes photos of custom car builder George Barris constructing the original 1966 Batmobile, go here…and scroll down the page almost half way.
While this strikes us as the ultimate fanboy indulgence, it's also pretty damn cool (we'll admit, we want one). And if you have a spare $150,000 burning a hole in your Batsuit, they'll build one for you, too.

New Yorkers Angered by Will Smith’s Gigantic Men in Black 3 Trailer

Picture this: A star trailer larger than most two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartments in New York City, with 1150 sq ft of room! Sort of boggles the mind, doesn’t it?
It also describes the conveyance that actor Will Smith tows around with him when shooting a movie. The actor is in NYC right now filming Men in Black 3, and his rolling residence seems to be generating some ire on the part of locals, according to the NY Post. Nicknamed “The Heat,” the $2M vehicle includes a lounge, a movie room with a 100-inch screen, marble floors throughout, offices for his assistants and writing staff (holds at least 30 people), a large bedroom and all-granite bathroom. It is about 53 feet long, has 22 wheels and weight around 30 tons.
Not only did the actor park his trailer right on a SoHo street, but he also brought along a second 55-foot trailer containing a full-sized gym.
“This thing is like a duplex,” said one person. “How would Will Smith feel if I parked that thing out in front of his house? People forget this is a residential neighborhood, not a film lot.”
“The smell that comes along with it is disgusting,” said another person. “It’s like living in a gas station. I really like Will Smith, but I would be embarrassed if that was my trailer. A little modesty goes a long way.”
Meanwhile, a local store-owner has been complaining that the giant trailer has been hurting sales. “This is killing our business,” said the co-owner of the nearby Green Street Antiques.
Perhaps it wouldn’t all be so bad it weren’t for the fact that the actor has a luxury apartment (5-bedroom, 6.5-bathroom, costing $25,000 per month) less than a mile away.
Smith is not in violation of any city ordinances, but public outcries like this often reach the mayor’s office, and this one did. The Office of Film Theatre and Broadcasting decided that the trailer needed to move to a private lot. Smith may be a big movie star, but the locals have voting power, after all.
We love Will Smith, but in these tough economic times, a bit of sensitivity is probably advisable, particularly given the excess on display. That said, we’d fancy a peak at the inside of his 1150 sq ft palace on wheels any day.

When Comic Book Heroes Turn Their Backs on Comic-Con

It seems oddly incongruous to report that Warner Bros, DreamWorks, Disney & The Weinstein Company Pass On San Diego may choose not to hock their wares that this summer’s San Diego Comic-Con, but that’s precisely the situation in which we find ourselves, according to a new report over atThe Wrap.
It’s all worth keeping in mind, particularly if you were planning on making the pilgrimage this year with an eye towards interacting with like-minded individuals and sharing in the revelry of announcements about favorite projects.
You thus may need to adjust expectations if you’re planning to be there this year, with several notable franchises alleged to be notably absent.
The Wrap reports that a series of disappointments and flops have the studios reconsidering promoting certain films at Comic-Con; in recent years considered the Mecca for the comic/geek crowd seeking every morsel possible on upcoming genre projects of all description.
According to the site:
Last year, Edgar Wright‘s “Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World” was met with widespread geek acclaim only for the Universal film to sputter at the box office (though to be fair, the marketing for that film did little to embrace anybody outside the core of fans). “Sucker Punch” got major buzz and died on the vine this past spring, while “Tron: Legacy” played modestly despite nerds flipping for footage that Disney teased as early as 2008 (though yes, it has done enough to convince the studio get a sequel moving). And both “Skyline” and “Let Me In” faltered when they hit screens later in the year, after doing the San Diego Comic-Con rounds.
So several major players are staying home. The New York Times reports that Warner Bros, Marvel, DreamWorks, Disney and The Weinstein Company will stay home this year, and rely solely on traditional marketing campaigns for their big 2012 films, without the early buzz afforded by Comic-Con.
So ostensibly there will be some glaring omissions in SDCC’s July lineup, chiefly both Warner Bros’ The Dark Knight Rises and Man of Steel, neither of which has seen the studio book tickets. Not that Nolan has ever played to the Comic-Con crowd, of course, but his studio minders typically have in years gone by.
Perhaps even more stupefyingly, The Times also reports that Marvel is not making any promises about unveiling Avengers info at Comic-Con this year, surprising, given that last year they unveiled the entire cast of the superhero ensemble at SDCC. Nor are they promising info about any new projects. Says The Times, they’re currently “on the fence.”
It might be short-sighted. Much has been made in recent years about the swelling size of Comic-Con, and that it’s increasing popularity year-after-year was overtaxing the San Diego Convention Center, necessitating either the use of additional facilities, or a move to the larger Los Angeles Convention Center. Moreover, San Diego Comic-Con — while an established brand — is no longer a comics convention anymore (if you’ve seen the actual comics section in the pavilion, it’s dwarfed by the film and television and merchandizing contingents), it’s really a pop culture convention. Perhaps it should be renamed Pop Culture Con.
Our view is that studios stay away at their own peril…and will likely be back in force over the next few years. Blockbuster successes ebb and flow, after all, and have much more to do with the quality of the movie than how it’s marketed.
So who will be at SDCC this year. If you’re going, you can still look forward to Cowboys & Aliens, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Amazing Spider-Man, The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 1 and more.
Many other projects are in the works, too, and The Wrap speculates that early peeks or info could be forthcoming for the Alien prequel, Prometheus, along with Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, The Wolverine, Men In Black III, Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance, Total Recall and ‘Bond 23′.
Plus, expect the major and cable networks to be there promoting all manner of genre series, from AMC’sThe Walking Dead to The CW’s enduring Supernatural. More information, as it becomes available, can be found at SDCC’s official website.

NIGERIAN IDOL WINNER TO EMERGE THIS WEEKEND

For the first time in the history of reality TV in Nigeria, two ladies- Yeka Onka and Naomi Mac are the final two contestants slugging it out for the final prize And this Sunday March 27, 2011, a winner in the first season of Nigeria’s biggest music talent show ever!.
The TV reality show which has been the talk of the town since kicking off in November 2011 is finally coming to an end this Sunday and the
producers are seeing to it that the grand finale is a remarkable one for TV viewers in Nigeria, UK and America.
Already, the evicted 11 finalists- Ola, Nina, Chito, AJ, Tonii, George, Zoe, Alex, Glory, Bibi and Emmanuel are on camp at the Dream studios rehearsing for the final show and recording a team song with Naomi Mac and Yeka Onka
The winner will be announced at a star-studded event holding at the Dream studios in the presence of select key guests which will include
the crème de la crème of the entertainment industry, sponsors of Nigerian Idol and of course friends and relatives of the final contestants.
Aside the fact that fast rising stars like Praiz and Retta will perform; there promises to be performances from two special A list artistes- an international act and a Nigerian superstar.
The show which debuted on Sunday November 21, 2011 has gone through raw auditions to theatre auditions to workshop phase, to top50 phase, to the top 10 phase; wild card twist to top 13 phase to evictions!
“Numerous talents came for raw auditions; and with the help of the judges and the viewers, we have been able to cut it down to 100, then
50, 13 and now we present to you two divas- Yeka Onka and Naomi Mac who will be slugging it out for the grand prize” Rotimi Pedro MD of Optima Media Group says
And even though both ladies have their eyes on the grand prize of a recording contract, 7.5Million naira courtesy Etisalat and Royal Exchange, a brand new car courtesy Tom Tom and a Sony entertainment TV center, there is no denying the fact that the ultimate prize is an opportunity to become an international music star, and a proud global ambassador of contemporary Nigerian music.
Who wins this Sunday? Yeka Onka or Naomi Mac?
PROFILE OF FINALISTS
YEKA ONKA
Onyeka Gilbert a.k.a Yeka Onka looks like a model straight from a fashion magazine. Her looks don’t lie because Yeka is indeed a former beauty Queen. She was crowned Queen of Abia at a beauty pageant in 2006. Winning the beauty pageant opened up a lot of doors for her but according to the tall, dark beauty being the Queen of Abia didn’t really pan out well as she expected.
The beauty pageant was an aside for her really. Her real passion in life had always been music. From a tender age, she had been singing with her family band. “My father was the leader of the band and he played the saxophone, guitar and the piano very well. My mum was the
lead vocalist while me, my sisters and my brothers were backups.”
The family band however ‘part-disbanded’ in 2001 at the death of her mother and then fully so at the death of her father 5 years later in 2006. After her parents died, Gospel reggae artiste, Buchi took her under his wings and became her mentor.
Yeka’s confidence was not dented by her orphan state. The word ‘no’ simply does not exist in her dictionary. Rather than accept ‘no’ from the Idol judges at the audition stage, the 26 year old beauty embarked on an ‘Idol mini tour’ that took her from Enugu to Calabar and finally Lagos where she eventually got her ‘Yes’! She says she probably couldn’t have done it alone but for the chance meeting with an Idol crew member after her first rejection in Enugu. The crew member had encouraged her then by saying “it’s not how hard you fall but it’s what you do after you fall”. With that mentality she is giving Nigerian Idol all that she’s got.
NAOMI MAC
Naomi might be the youngest contestant in Nigerian Idol now but her confidence and carriage doesn’t betray her 19 years of age. Born and
raised in Ajegunle (a fact that she is very proud of), the smallish singer bashfully confesses that she has never been to her home state
of Bayelsa. She started singing at age 7 when she and her sisters formed a group.
The group of sisters started singing in their church and later in other churches in other states.“I actually found out that I had a talent, a gift…so I decided to develop and do more with it”, says Naomi, who is the third child of her parents, of why she chose to be a singer. It seems she chose the right path because as the girls’ band success began to increase; their father who was a photojournalist had to quit his job to become his daughters’ road manager. Her mum is a traditional masseuse. On being on Nigerian Idol, she says she “feels great and honoured” to be part of the epic music reality show. “It’s like a dream come true for me.” She tags her most memorable performance as the one where she had to dress like a guy so she could perform an R.Kelly number.
She is currently in a relationship and proudly states that her boyfriend, who she met in church, is the reason behind her success and has watched her perform a number of times during the competition. As of now she worships at The Father’s House and her favourite judge is
Jeffery Daniels because he is “young at heart”.

Is this woman causing trouble in Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore's marriage?

September 29, 2011 | 12:26 PM ET
Is this woman causing trouble in Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore's marriage?
(Pacific Coast News via RumorFix.com)
The entertainment website RumorFix has posted photos of a woman they say is Sara Leal.
TheDirty.com reported earlier this week that Ashton Kutcher and Leal were having an affair, and that Kutcher was with her the night of his sixth wedding anniversary with wife Demi Moore.
The images were taken in June 2011 outside The Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles after Kutcher attended David Arquette’s “Beacher’s Madhouse” variety show there with a group of friends.
PHOTOS: Ashton’s Ladies.
Several reports say Kutcher and Moore have parted ways after Kutcher spent their anniversary partying in San Diego.
Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher arrive at the premiere of "The Joneses" in Los Angeles on April 8, 2010. (Reuters)
An independent source confirmed to FOX411’s Pop Tarts column that Kutcher checked into the Hard Rock Hotel in San Diego on September 26 with former “That’s 70’s Show” co-star Danny Masterson.
A source also said something went down at the Moore/Kutcher residence on Wednesday as the scandal broke, with extra security being called in as “the issue” was being dealt with behind closed doors, raising speculation that Kutcher could be packing his bags.
Radar Online reported that Leal has met with an attorney to “explore her options.”
Kutcher and Moore’s reps did not return calls to FOX411’s Pop Tarts column. But Kutcher has since added a couple of messages to his popular Twitter feed.
First he put a link up on Twitter to the Public Enemy classic “Don’t Believe The Hype.” He also tweeted “When you ASSUME to know that which you know nothing of you make an ASS out of U and ME.”
Read more: http://entertainment.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/09/29/is-this-woman-causing-trouble-in-ashton-kutcher-and-demi-moores-marriage/#ixzz1ZPARZXH8

Army Wives star Kim Delaney bungles speech at miltary event

Army Wives” star Kim Delaney was given the privilege of speaking at an event honoring U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia Thursday night, but mangled the prepared speech so badly, she had to be escorted off the stage.
Appearing disheveled, slurring her words and smiling at inappropriate times, at times the Philadelphia native and former “NYPD Blue” star appeared to have trouble reading the teleprompter.
Delaney spoke of her “struggle(s),” claiming to have “served in active military duty family for five years.”
VIDEO: Watch part of her speech on MYFOXPhilly.com.
“I’ve seen soldiers come home with painful life altering injuries borne of their time and service,” Delaney said.
The audience sat shocked, as she rambled on about her “broken heart” before eventually adding the caveat, “It’s all make believe. I do that as a job. It’s make believe. I have the luxury to do all of this on a television show.”
Finally, another guest began speaking and Delaney was unceremoniously escorted off the stage by a woman wearing a headset.
Several U.S. officials were at the award show and three former U.S. presidents made video tributes.
Delaney has long struggled with issues of substance abuse. She was arrested in March 2002 for drunk driving. In 2003, she spent time in an Arizona clinic to treat alcohol addiction. In 2005, she lost custody of her teenage son Jack Cortese after he testified in court that she had put his life in danger by drunk driving. More recently, Delaney checked herself into Promises, a rehab center in Malibu, CA in 2006.
But Friday morning, Delaney seemed in fine spirits on “The View” as she sat with fellow former “All My Children” stars reminiscing about the show’s final episode.

Nancy Grace 'Slips' on 'Dancing': Most Embarrassing Wardrobe Malfunction?

We're not quite sure what all the fuss is about here.
A clip of HLN host Nancy Grace jiggling out of her costume on Monday's "Dancing With the Stars" is going around, but it wasn't obvious on the air and you can't see much in the video (boo!).
SODAHEAD SLIDESHOW: See the most embarrassing wardrobe malfunctions.
That said, something happened, which you can tell by the way they cut to the audience AND host Tom Bergeron's quip: "On the European version that would be perfectly fine."
But Grace denies that a "wardrobe malfunction" ever took place.
"There was a little tiny movement, but it did not equate to a wardrobe malfunction," Grace, 51, told People magazine. "I would be mortified."
On Twitter, Grace sent a note to former DWTS contestant Lisa Rinna saying, "It was during that hopscotch when seismic shift occurred in my bra."
She also tweeted a photo of herself holding "Breast Petals" and once again "vehemently" denied a malfunction.
Indeed, it certainly seems tame compared to Janet Jackson's infamous 2004 Super Bowl debacle.
PHOTOS: See the latest celebrity pictures to hit the Internet.
From Grace to Jackson to Nicki Minaj, let us know: Who had the most embarrassing wardrobe malfunction?

Non-stop highlife music at Orlando Julius Ekemode's 50th anniversary on stage

It was non-stop highlife music on Sunday, September 4 at Oranmiyan Hall, Airport Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos when saxophonist and singer Orlando Julius Ekemode celebrated his 50th anniversary on stage with a concert.
Indications that it was going to be a unique gig emerged early when the compere, actor and TV host Yemi Sodimu led Julius’s band in singing ‘Time for Highlife’. The show kicked off somewhat haphazardly before order was restored by the diminutive entertainer. Wura Samba Band performed before the National Anthem and opening prayer were taken. The smooth talking Sodimu, however, described what happened as the “peculiarity of artists.” But it was not to be the only peculiarity of the evening.
“We play the National Anthem as if we are on the war front; we are going to show you how to play it,” Julius said as guests rose. The artist and his band then sang a ‘highlified’ version of the anthem with Julius singing the two stanzas with feeling. Segun Oyegbami who was asked to offer the opening prayer came on stage alright but didn’t pray. He wondered why the organisers, who know his views on religion and that he had stopped attending church a long time ago, would call on him to pray in public. Oyegbami then went into banter on how since his father died eight days prior, reciting ‘Our father, who art in heaven’ now holds special significance for him. He was still explaining why he wouldn’t oblige with a prayer when Sodimu stylishly retrieved the microphone from him.
No music, no life
Though an evening of music, the gig where a pack of five CDs containing 60 golden tunes of the artist popularly called OJ was launched, also featured speeches. Welcoming guests, Femi Esho of Evergreen Musical Company Limited, highlighted the contributions of the ‘Columbia’ crooner to Nigerian music. He noted that Julius remains relevant and continues to mentor younger artists in spite of having been around since over five decades ago. “He [Julius] can sustain blowing the saxophone for 10 minutes without pause and this is just the beginning. We don’t have to wait till he and others pass away and highlife music relegated to the background before we celebrate them,” noted the music promoter.
Chair, Rasheed Gbadamosi, spoke in the same vein. He noted that there’s no life without music and that he’s happy musicians are being honoured. The art patron also singled out the ‘Evil Genius’ of highlife, Victor Olaiya for special recognition. “Olaiya represents the best in music amongst us,” Gbadamosi said, adding that “we thank God people like Olaiya are still around to remind us of our great heritage.”
Femi Ifaturoti, who represented Rauf Aregbesola, Governor of Osun State where Julius hails from, disclosed that he met the artist and his dancer wife, Latoya, over two decades ago. “Whenever the history of highlife is written in Nigeria, Orlando Julius will occupy a big chunk. He has been a consistent ambassador of highlife.”
Ade Ekemode, a medical doctor and spokesperson of the large Ekemode contingent at the concert, said he believed Julius created Afrobeat. He also thanked Latoya on behalf of the family “for taking care of my dear brother.” Veteran actor Larry Williams recalled how met Julius in Los Angeles and the poem he, the artist and musician Jimi Solanke performed. He recited the poem at the show.
Old artists display
Julius, who had earlier offered guests a taste of what to expect with ‘Awade’ and ‘Love Thy Neighbour’, and who joined some young men to sing ‘Ololufe’ later returned to the stage with reinforcements. He requested Olaiya to join him and the crowd, anticipating what would follow, applauded when Olaiya opened with his signature ‘Trumpet Highlife Instrumental’. In fact, not a few scrambled with cameras to the foot of the stage to capture the artists together. The excitement, which was already high, went up a few notches still when Olaiya asked Fatai Rolling Dollar to join the party.
Accompanied by horns-men Roy Olokungboye, Biodun Batik and Olaiya’s son, Bayode, with Julius still holding tightly to his saxophone, Olaiya sang ‘Baby Jowo’ and other songs while Rolling Dollar danced. “Awon old school lo njo yi o, e patewo fun won” (‘behold, the Old School artists dancing; clap for them!’) Olaiya told the crowd in appreciation of Rolling Dollar’s moves. But the 84-year-old was not done yet. Feeding off the applause, he continued, prompting Olaiya to note “Eyi wa le ni ko si nkan.” (‘But I thought you said he’s spent, without nothing more to offer!’). It became non-stop dancing from that point on, with Gbadamosi, Oyegbami, Williams and others stepping out to display their dancing skills.
The young not caught napping
The New School artists, however, would not be outdone. Next up with Julius was talking drummer Ara, singer Yinka Davies and Jojo Bodybeats. “Hello everybody, in case you didn’t know, this is my daddy. I was close to joining him [Julius] in 1983 because of a song Daddy did, ‘Ise’,” Davies offered by way of introduction. With Aras and Davies as accompanying vocalist, and Jojo Bodybeats joining dancers Latoya and Esther Balogun, Julius sang ‘Ise’. The trio subsequently took turns to show the audience their skills. The man who makes music with his cheeks was first, beating popular Yoruba folksongs including ‘Bata so mi were were’ before Ara entertained with the talking drum. “You know this is the only time I get to romance myself on stage,” Davies said while cautioning the instrumentalists to reduce the tempo before she sang ‘Ise’. She also sang ‘Erora Miliki’ with trumpeter Biodun Batik accompanying her.
‘My happiest day’
“I am very honoured and grateful to my music fans all the way from Old School; the 1950s to the present,” Julius began during a break to thank guests including former Governor of Ogun State, Segun Osoba, who stepped in briefly. Julius also appreciated his family, thanking them for their support over the years. “Today is my best day because it is the first time my brother will see me perform,” Julius said in reference to Gabriel Ekemode, a professor at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, who had never seen him on stage. “Today is my greatest and happiest day, it has not been easy to do music for 50 years,” he reiterated.
Rolling Dollars, who clocks 85 years next week, took over the stage after Julius to serenade the audience with some old numbers laced generously with slangs. “Orlando ma pa mi ni kekere” (‘Orlando, I’m still young, please let me live some more!’), the ageless minstrel warned Julius who was backing him on the saxophone at a point. He later yielded the floor to the Ijesha-born artist.
The crowd needed no invitation to the dance floor immediately Julius struck the opening notes of ‘Jagua Nana’ with the Ekemode clan joining him right on stage. Even ushers couldn’t resist when Julius started ‘Columbia’ after Davies had sang ‘Ijo Soul’ with him.
Musicians Segun Adewale, Dede Mabiaku and PMAN president, Preddy Wise Okowa, who led a delegation from the musicians’ body, were among those who turned up to honour Julius. Members of the Hi-life All Stars Club to which Julius belongs, Eji Oyewole, Anjola Aboderin and Shina Ayinde-Bakare were also present. Actor Dejumo Lewis, filmmaker Tunde Alabi-Hundeyin and TV producer Ganee Adewuyi also turned up for the concert which continued well into the night.

Abuja Lover delivers baby girl for 9ice

It’s a baby girl for singer 9ice and his Abuja-based partner Bukky!
Although the pair would prefer to keep it hush hush, we can reliably tell you that they are taking their relationship a step further with the arrival, early last week, of their first baby together.
Sources close to 9ice tell us the singer -who’s separated from his wife Toni Payne – has been a regular visitor to Abuja, since Bukky – a fair-complexioned older woman – took in last year.
The relationship has never been public, even though those close to the singer are well aware they’re seriously dating.
We cannot tell for now, if the pair is planning to get married; especially as 9ice and Payne are still legally married.
Multiple sources tell us this lady is the reason the singer has been a regular visitor to Abuja; and that his ex Toni Payne is – unhappily- aware of the relationship. ‘In fact almost all the ladies close to him know of her. She herself even went out of her way to contact them‘, our source offers.
Sources say Bukky’s baby, a girl, was delivered on Monday March 21. The baby is 9ice’s second. His first son named Zion was delivered on Thursday December 4, 2008, at Presbytarian Hospital, Southern California, United States of America.
I can tell you for sure that 9ice has gotten the girl pregnant, and she has put to bed. Toni knows. But even her is keeping quiet but it’ll be a source of embarrassment for her‘, one of 9ice’s close friends tells us. He does not want to be named.
I can’t tell if he’ll marry her or not. But she’s very close to him and I believe they’re serious‘. He disclosed.
9ice’s manager Dehinde Fajana through a telephone conversation, Fajana claimed that he is ignorant of the situation and questioned the existence of his boss’ Abuja partner.
‘Is there any partner there? Does 9ice have any partner in Abuja? I’m sorry, I don’t know’ Fajana responded.
9ice did not immediately respond to our enquiries.

Luxury Goods Specialists Market Size and Forecast to 2015

Synopsis
This report provides uniquely detailed data on the size and development of retail sales of 25 individual products through Clothing, Footwear, Accessories and Luxury Goods Specialists in 50 countries around the world. It provides a detailed and comprehensive analysis of the trends affecting the development of this modern retail channel through both historic and forecast data, covering 2005 to 2015. For those in a hurry, an overview chapter provides the essential top line view, while in depth chapters give all the details both by products.
Summary
“Global Clothing, Footwear, Accessories and Luxury Goods Specialists Market Size and Forecast to 2015″ is based upon an extensive, global, industry research program which brings together ICD Intelligence’s research, modeling and analysis expertise in order to develop uniquely detailed market data. It provides detailed analysis of past and future trends – crucially providing retail sales data by product to allow improved understanding and targeting of this channel.
Data sets are provided for 2005 through to 2015, with actuals being provided for 2010. Countries are organized by region – facilitating easy comparisons between countries and between regions around the world.
Scope
This report covers 50 countries and 25 product markets via Clothing, Footwear, Accessories and Luxury Goods Specialists
Product Coverage:
Clothing and Footwear
Jewelry and Watches
Luggage and Leather goods
Printed Media
Stationery and Cards
Communications Equipment
Computer Hardware and Software
Consumer Electronics
Household Appliances
Photographic Equipment
Drinks
Household Products
Packaged Food
Personal Care
Tobacco
Unpackaged Food
Floor Coverings
Furniture
Gardening and Outdoor Living
Home Improvement
Home Wares
Games Software
Music and Video
Sports Equipment
Toys and Games
Country Coverage:
Asia Pacific
1. Australia
2. China
3. Hong Kong
4. India
5. Indonesia
6. Japan
7. Malaysia
8. New Zealand
9. Philippines
10. Singapore
11. South Korea
12. Thailand
Latin America
1. Argentina
2. Brazil
3. Chile
4. Colombia
5. Mexico
6. Peru
7. Venezuela
Middle East and Africa
1. Egypt
2. Israel
3. Saudi Arabia
4. South Africa
5. UAE
Europe
1. Austria
2. Belgium
3. Bulgaria
4. Czech Republic
5. Denmark
6. Finland
7. France
8. Germany
9. Greece
10. Hungary
11. Ireland
12. Italy
13. Netherlands
14. Norway
15. Poland
16. Portugal
17. Romania
18. Russia
19. Slovakia
20. Spain
21. Sweden
22. Turkey
23. Ukraine
24. United Kingdom
North America
1. Canada
2. United States
Reasons To Buy
This report provides readers with unparalled levels of detail and insight into the development of retail sales via Clothing, Footwear, Accessories and Luxury Goods Specialists, globally:
- Highly granular future forecasts and historic market data allowing improved market and strategic planning
- A detailed view of product dynamics within the channel, making it easy to spot which products will be the major winners and losers in the coming years
- Clear insight into the impact of economic recession and recovery on market growth
Key Highlights
This report is the result of ICD’s extensive market research covering the retail industry in 50 countries around the word. It provides detailed segmentation of historic and forecast retail sales, segmented down to category level. By providing both strategic overview data and product category specifics it clarifies the nature of growth in this channel and acts as an essential tool for marketers seeking to improve their understanding of this channel and subsequently improve their strategies to account for the latest developments.
, Accessories & Luxury Goods Specialists Sales (% Total Market), By Region, 2010-2015
Table 172: Middle-East & Africa Clothing, Footwear, Accessories & Luxury Goods Specialists Share Of Retail Sales (% Of Total Retail Sales Within A Country), By Country, 2005-2010
Table 173: Middle-East & Africa Clothing, Footwear, Accessories & Luxury Goods Specialists Forecast Share Of Retail Sales (% Of Total Retail Sales Within A Country), By Country, 2010-2015
Table 174: Middle-East & Africa Clothing, Footwear, Accessories & Luxury Goods Specialists Sales (USD million), By Product Groups, 2005-2015
Table 175: Middle-East & Africa Clothing, Footwear, Accessories & Luxury Goods Specialists Sales (USD million) By Product Group, 2005-2010
Table 176: Middle-East & Africa Clothing, Footwear, Accessories & Luxury Goods Specialists Sales (USD million) By Product Group, 2010-2015
Table 177: Middle-East & Africa Clothing, Footwear, Accessories & Luxury Goods Specialists Sales (USD million), By Apparel, Accessories & Luxury Goods Categories, 2005-2010
Table 178: Middle-East & Africa Clothing, Footwear, Accessories & Luxury Goods Specialists Sales (USD million), By Apparel, Accessories & Luxury Goods Categories, 2010-2015
Table 179: Middle-East & Africa Clothing, Footwear, Accessories & Luxury Goods Specialists Sales (USD million), By Food & Grocery Categories, 2005-2010
Table 180: Middle-East & Africa Clothing, Footwear, Accessories & Luxury Goods Specialists Sales (USD million), By Food & Grocery Categories, 2010-2015
Table 181: Middle-East & Africa Clothing, Footwear, Accessories & Luxury Goods Specialists Sales (USD million), By Home & Garden Products Category, 2005-2010
Table 182: Middle-East & Africa Clothing, Footwear, Accessories & Luxury Goods Specialists Sales (USD million), By Home & Garden Products Category, 2010-2015
Table 183: Middle-East & Africa Clothing, Footwear, Accessories & Luxury Goods Specialists Sales (USD million), By Sports & Leisure Equipment Category, 2005-2010
Table 184: Middle-East & Africa Clothing, Footwear, Accessories & Luxury Goods Specialists Sales (USD million), By Sports & Leisure Equipment Category, 2010-2015
Table 185: Middle-East & Africa Clothing, Footwear, Accessories & Luxury Goods Specialists Sales (USD million) By Country, 200