Chris Paul And How The NBA Rumor Season Feels Dirtier Than Ever

Hey, did you guys hear about Chris Paul?  According to Adrian Wojnarowski’s reports from last night (probably via Paul himself or his agent if I had to take a wild guess) the Clippers and Golden State Warriors could “significantly raise their chances of keeping” Paul past this season if they also sign center Tyson Chandler.  For Wojnarowski and the rumor loving NBA twitterati it is business as usual.  They’re eating it up because this is just the type of “action” that they’ve been missing since the league was locked out.

Vince McMahon would be so proud.  Everyone thinks he is in the wrestling business, but so little of his hours and hours of programming is actual action taking place in the squared circle.  Yes, sometimes the fans are blown away by a “Hell in the Cell,” “Loser Leaves Town,” or “Ladder” match that sets the world on fire because it is such a spectacle, but without behind the scenes drama and serious mic time, there’s no way The Rock would have an acting career in Hollywood today.  Really, that was the only way for wrestling to go once the illusion of competition was dashed by the name “Sports Entertainment.”

The NBA relies on this non-action type of action as well.  Over the last decade the NBA has placed more and more emphasis on the off-season, trade deadlines and draft.  I’ll admit I’ve played with ESPN’s NBA Trade Machine too.  It culminated in this lockout which was supposed to be at least partially about competitive balance. To me, that meant doing away with some of the wilder and more brash kinds of player movement.  Say, the kind where a superstar player holds the league hostage by demanding a trade and then placing additional demands for the promise that he might just sign a long-term deal for the team that is willing to pay the price to bring him in.

It’s a spit in the face to fans.  Those same fans were used like pawns by players and owners throughout the lockout in order to garner sympathy.  Look no further than Hornets fans today to see just how little fans matter to NBA players.

It isn’t a spit in the face to this new breed of “NBA fan” though.  There is a type of fan that just loves player movement and superteams.  Not to pick on one person, but on Twitter last night someone proclaimed to me that CP3 holding the league hostage is preferable to watching him “waste” his career with Hornets teammates like Aaron Gray and Trevor Ariza.  I can’t even comprehend that kind of thinking.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Paris Hilton finishes probation in Vegas drug case

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Paris Hilton is wrapping up a year of probation stemming from a 2010 drug arrest on the Las Vegas Strip.
Officials say Hilton's attorneys appeared in court Tuesday on the 30-year-old celebrity socialite's behalf to show Hilton had completed her obligations to the court. She had to pay a $2,000 fine and serve 200 hours of community service in addition to probation.
Hilton pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of drug possession and obstructing an officer after police pulled over her and her then-boyfriend on Aug. 26, 2010.
Police say they detected a "vapor trail" of marijuana smoke wafting from the couple's vehicle.
Hilton was arrested when a bag containing 0.8 of a gram of cocaine fell from her purse as she reached for lip balm in front of an officer

Sheen, Warner nearing deal on lawsuit

OS ANGELES (AP) — Former "Two and a Half Men" star Charlie Sheen and the studio that fired him are drawing closer to a deal to end their legal dispute.
According to a person familiar with the talks, Sheen and Warner Bros. were near an agreement but still at work on it Monday. The person was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Calls to Sheen's attorney were not returned. In a statement, the studio said no deal had been reached and declined further comment.
Sheen filed a $100 million lawsuit for wrongful termination against Warner after his firing, which followed bitter public tirades directed at the studio and the show's executive producer.
A judge ordered arbitration in the case, with a status report set for December.
The Los Angeles Times reported that final touches are being put on a deal that would give Sheen about $25 million to settle out of his contract.
Sheen was the highest-paid actor in television, with a per-episode salary reported to be between $1.2 million to $2 million.
His clash with producers cut short last season for the CBS series that is the highest-rated comedy on U.S. television.
"Two and a Half Men" returned to the air Monday with Ashton Kutcher joining the cast as a new character. He plays an Internet billionaire who decides to buy the house that had been owned by Sheen's now-deceased character.
In a recent turnaround, Sheen has been making conciliatory gestures toward his former show.
Appearing at Sunday's Emmy Awards as a presenter, he addressed the "Two and a Half Men" cast and crew, saying, "I wish you nothing but the best for this upcoming season."
In an interview with Matt Lauer on "Today" last week, the actor known for his hard-partying life said he didn't know how to "put out the fire" when he was fired and began a manic round of media appearances talking about "tiger blood" and "winning."

Gym Clothes Pull Double Duty While Bold Looks Reign Supreme Read more

While we're all gearing up for frigid temperatures and cozy layers, the fashion world is looking ahead to a sunnier time filled with fresh new styles. New York Fashion Week Spring 2012 has just come to an end, leaving us with a fabulous crop of new trends to consider while we endure the colder months.
Starting on September 8th, the weeklong semiannual event featured 300 collections from a wide range of designers that spanned from universally renowned to unknown up and comers.
In case you weren’t able to keep up with all the craziness, we’ve designed a quick crash course spotlighting the key trends that everyone will be rocking from spring (some of these looks can even translate well for fall, talk about being ahead of the curve!)
Sporty-chic
Sportswear had a major moment during Fashion Week, cropping up on a diverse array of runways. Hoodies, mesh, drawstrings, sweats, anoraks, styles you usually reserve for the gym, will serve double duty as daywear come Spring 2012.
The sporty trend was most heavily referenced at Alexander Wang, where we saw a slew of styles inspired by NASCAR and Motorcross, updated and made chic with a dose of Wang’s signature downtown-cool. The boys of Rag & Bone also went in a decidedly sporty direction with track pants, mesh tee-shirts and oversized zip-ups all piled together on the runway for effortlessly cool styles that set a standard for tomboy-chic.
On other runways, the sporty was blended beautifully with the romantic, lady-like styles. At BCBG Max Azria, floaty chiffon dresses in airy shades were topped with contrasting zip-up hoodies. At Marc Jacobs, sweatshirts were teamed with intricately draped skirts for unexpected styles that set a new standard for casual-cool.
And while she was once known as Posh Spice, Victoria Beckham seemed to have drawn from inspiration from Sporty Spice for her collection, which featured boxy, hooded jackets and dresses with insets of sheer mesh, which was also a popular fabric on the runways this season.
Sweetly Slouchy
Spring 2012 runways were full of comfortable shapes that float in the breeze and move beautifully with every motion.
At DKNY, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Jill Stuart, BCBG Max Azria and countless others, we saw airy dresses that are made to hang loose for romantic styles with an ethereal quality. It wasn’t only the dresses, though: tops, skirts, jackets, pant—comfort proved to be key styles.
While skinny pants will stick around for spring, slouchy pant styles, from relaxed trousers to super wide legs have proved to be a much more fashionable (and forgiving!) alternative on the runways and is emerging as one of the standout trends. To keep things slouchy without looking sloppy, take a cue from Elie Tahari or DKNY and combine fitted, more structured pieces with your free-flowing ones.
Explosive Prints
Pretty prints are always key players when it comes to spring fashion. This season, the stakes have been raised and prints have gone from pretty to power-packed.
Florals are always a la mode for spring. This time around, dainty florals have been toughened up, appearing on the runways of Cynthia Rowley and Diane von Furstenberg in rich, electric shades that make a statement.
DKNY showcased a model wearing a single wild print from head-to-toe, literally, with a hat, top, pant, bag and shoe all in the same crazy pattern. If wearing a single print from top to bottom is way too matchy-matchy for you, take a cue from Karen Walker, Suno and DVF and mix several prints together—stripes, florals, dots, even, dare we say it, stripes and plaids. The rules of matching are officially obsolete so go wild!
Pops of Neon
The neon trend is nothing new and has been cropping up for several seasons. While in-your-face neons are still going strong, more subdued flashes of neon are emerging as the new way to bring bold colors into your look.
At Rachel Roy, a beautiful cream-colored suit was accented with hot pink ties, adding just enough pop without looking out of place. At BCBG Max Azria, sweet dresses in nude shades were outlined with stripes of neon, ranging from chunky to barely visible. Pops or neon orange were sprinkled throughout the Rag & Bone collection in doses big and small: a neon swimsuit under a sheer top, a neon bag to accent a quietly colored look, a neon drawstring peeping out beneath a dark knit.
The lesson here was go bright, only do so in moderation!
White Hot
This spring is going to be white-hot thanks to a takeover of LWDs (little white dresses). White dresses found their way onto nearly every runway this season and with so many interpretations by so many talented designers, there is sure to be a LWD with your name on it come spring. (It’s a good thing we have a while, you can star practicing how to avoid spills in the meantime!).
White wasn’t only for dresses. We saw beautiful layered looks made up of white separates from head-to-toe at Ralph Lauren, Altuzarra and Rachel Roy. Even at shows where looks weren’t styled to be full on white-outs, there were plenty of fun and fresh white pieces for choose from.

Porn company builds porn bunker to ride out forecasted

Debbie Does End of Days”?
San Fernando Valley porn purveyors Pink Visual may be the only adult film company equipped to release such a title, as they are planning on “riding out the 2012 apocalypse in style” by building an “enormous underground bunker” in anticipation of the December 21, 2012 apocalypse.
“Our goal is nothing less than to survive the apocalypse to come in comfort and luxury,” Pink Visual spokesman Quentin Boyer told CBS’ Los Angeles affiliate. “Whether that catastrophe takes the form of fireballs flung earthward by an all-seeing deity, extended torrential rainfall, Biblical rapture, an earthquake-driven mega-tsunami, radioactive flesh-eating zombies, or some combination of the above.”
Boyer told the LA Weekly that the X-rated bunker will be filled with “multiple fully-stocked bars, an enormous performing stage, and a sophisticated content production studio.”
With nothing to lose on that fateful night, Boyer suggests that those invited to the bunker may participate in an end of the world orgy. “Inevitably, I suppose, that will happen,” he muses. “It’s hard to say how people would respond to an actual apocalypse.”
Pink Visual’s guest list will be limited 1,500 VIPs said Boyer, adding that “Pink Visual performers, active site members and Twitter followers (will get) priority over the general public.”
Good thing they have over a year to plan for the event, as Boyer admits that they’re “still working on oxygen, that kind of thing.”
The exact location of the bunker has not been released due to “security concerns.”

And hey–there are worse places than Van Nuys to spend your last hours on earth. “If nothing else, it’ll be a fantastic one-night party, after which we’ll emerge from underground, red-faced, to go home, and the company will be left behind with the coolest bunker known to man,” Boyer said.