Weekend To Do – News/Rumors 11/30/07

Goodaye Everyone:

Hope you all had a good week. Can’t believe it’s December this weekend! They are talking SNOW for Sunday night into Monday for the Boston area. Can I tell you how much I HATE winter!!!!????

OK, now that I’ve got that off my chest, let me say that I wish I could update you more frequently on ‘newsflashes’ that I hear/read, it seems that Fridays is the most convenient way to go.

Anyway, let’s see what’s happening this week:

In Theaters

Awake (wicked scary movie of a guy who goes in the hospital to be operated on and SUPPOSEDLY feels every cut!!!!)

The Diving Bell and The Butterfly (the director/actor of this movie has been signed to play the villian in the new Bond 22)

DVDs

Waitress (Keri Russell)
Mr. Bean’s Holiday (Rowan Atkinson)
First Snow (thriller starring Guy Pearce)

Alright, where do we go from here…how about:

TV News

Mini-Series
CBS has a new mini-series called Comanche Moon set to air on Jan. 13, 15 and 16. Many stars are connected to this prequel from Larry McMurty who wrote the Lonesome Dove mini-series years ago which garnered many Emmys. Sounds like a lot of $ went into making this but it also could be very good…especially for those of you who followed the other mini-series.

Chuck and Life have both been signed for full seasons.

Elizabeth Berkeley (Showgirls) has been signed for an occurring role in CSI: Miami. She will play David Caruso’s (Horatio) exwife who is the mother of his son, Kyle who he just found out about earlier this season.
Kyle, by the way, becomes part of an investigation when his mom’s billionaire hubby is murdered.

CD

August Rush soundtrack (I heard it is terrific – can’t wait to see the movie)

Movie News

The Weinsteins have signed Gong Li and are negotiating with John Cusack to star in SHANGAI. Mikael Hafstrom who directed John in 1408 will helm the film. This is a romantic period piece which takes place 4 months before Pearl Harbor. John’s character discovers his friend is killed and while trying to find out why, he falls in love and discovers a much larger secret that his government is hiding. Shooting will take place in Shanghai. No date on when filming will start.

Universal has signed Jake Gyllenhaal to play Joe Namath (Broadway Joe). The story will tell us how Joe started out from Beaver Falls, PA and rose to Rock Star status in the 60s as the QB for the New York Jets. In fact, in one of the Superbowls, when his team was the underdog, he predicted that the Jets would win…which they did. (Who can forget Joe a while back when the beautiful reporter was interviewing him at halftime and he was hitting on her….obviously he had had a few! It was funny).

Nic Cage (hey…a Nic Cage story!): Steve Buscemi, Tracey Morgan have all joined up to ‘voice characters’ in G-Force, an animated Disney film. They will join Will Arnett (SNL-Blades of Glory) and Bill Nighy (so good in Love Actually and also in the Pirates 2 and 3 as Davy Jones). I had to dig for that one!

OK, I think we can go for News/Rumors now.

Mr. Big – Chris Noth and his lovely girlfriend are expecting a “Mr. Little” in January.

Mary Delgado who was just on the After The Rose (The Bachelor) last week was arrested fo assaulting/punching her fisherman boyfriend. They’ve been together for 3 years, living as a family. Rumor has it she was under the influence…she had said they were going to get married in “November”…don’t think so!

Brandon Routh (Superman Returns) and his BFF got married last weekend. He and Courtney Ford had been going together quite a long time.

For those of you ‘old’ people: Ronnie Burns (the adopted son of George Burns and Gracie Allen) died last week at the age of 72!!! (shoot me now!)

Joey McIntyre (New Kids..) and his wife Barrett, named their son Griffin Thomas. Congrats Joey…loved you on Dancing!

Speaking of Dancing, here’s a few for you that I’m sure you’ve heard already:

Helio and his fiancee have broken up. I guess the news came out after he won the crystal ball on Dancing. She came to the first week’s show and then he hadn’t heard from her since. He kept saying how ‘understanding’ she was and that they ‘postponed’ their wedding until after the competition was over. Well….I guess the ‘competition’ ended for her before it did for him. Helio was quoted as saying, “It is what it is”!

Mark Balas dislocated his shoulder while dancing with Sabrina the other night. He didn’t want to disappoint her though so he kept dancing. (what a trouper!) After the show, he was taken by ambulance to the hospital where, they popped(?) it back and he was seen with Sabrina going to the Afterparty for Dancing….

Julianne wants to be a country western star and has signed with a label. They played a little of her song last night and she has a really good voice. Is there no end to her talent!!!!

Donny may very well come on Dancing next year. He’s being coy.

Florence Henderson has supposedly been signed to Dance next season. Ohhhh, please say it isn’t so Carol Brady!!! Wayne, at 65, should give you an example of when to call it quits!!!

Maksim is saying that he may NOT be back next season. He has a show in Las Vegas that he is trying to get off the ground.

TV Reminder – Times

SCI FI – Tin Man, Dec. 2, 3 and 4
HBO – Sunday, Dec. 2 – a Don Rickles’ tribute
TBS, Tuesdays, Frank TV
BBC – Life on Mars returns for Season 2 (the final one) Dec. 10
TNT – Monday, Dec. 3rd, Saving Grace (special)
USA – Friday, Dec. 7th, Monk and Psych (both specials)

And…last but not least, the PATRIOTS are playing next Monday night at 9PM on Channel 5 – Dec. 3rd!!! (11-0)

One last thought, I heard this morning that Broadway has gone back to work. Let’s hope the Writers’ Strike will be over soon.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Joanie (you too, Robin Thicke…and Russell)