Weekend To Do/Rumors/News 02-08-08

Goodaye Everyone:

Well it’s been quite a week for Britney. Then again, she’s been in the news so much over the last year or so, you’d think she’d be ‘old’ news by now! It’s upsetting to think the court let her go and she’s right back into the thick of it. She needs a COUPLE of those Israeli Security Guards to fend off the paps!!! Maybe if she just stayed home with mom and dad and stopped running around they’d get tired and leave her alone. One could only dream!!!

Out In Theaters This Weekend

Vince Vaughn: Wild West Comedy Show (I hear it’s very funny)

In Bruges with Colin Farrell

Fool’s Gold with Kate Hudson and daddy-to-be, Matthew McCounaghy(?)

On DVD This Tuesday

The Brave One with Jodie Foster

Across The Universe (a love story set to Beatles’ songs)

Elizabeth: The Golden Age

The Jane Austen Book Club

The Assassination of Jesse James by….(on ON DEMAND too)

(3:10 to Yuma is also on ON DEMAND this weekend)

Movie News

No Country For Old Men took the Producers Guild of America award.

Zac Efron (Hairspray) is due to star in a coming of age movie called, “Me And Orson Welles”. Claire Danes will costar. Newcomer Christian McKay will star as Orson. It will be filming at Pinewood Studios in London before moving to New York City. No Release Date as yet.

There is a movie in the works about Jim Henson’s life. He was the creator of The Muppets and died of a bacterial disease years ago. Production will commence in late summer. The script is said to be superb and will please both mainstream audiences as well as critics. Empire Group is hoping for an “A” list director, like Penny Marshall.

Joe Johnston (Hidalgo) has been signed to direct WOLFMAN starring Benito Del Torro in the lead. Anthony Hopkins will play his dad and Emily Blunt will be the female lead. WOLFMAN will cost $85M to make, $15M less than if it was filmed in the US. It will be filmed in the UK. Production will begin in March.

HBO

This Saturday, Feb. 9th, there is a premiere movie starting at 8PM.

The name is: BERNARD AND DORIS and stars Ralph Fiennes and Susan Sarandon. It is the story of heiress Doris Duke. Looks good.

TV NEWS

Val Kilmer(!) will replace Will Arnett (Arrested Development) as the voice of KITT in Knight Rider series debuting on Sunday, Feb. 17 on NBC at 9PM. Arnett did the voice in the pilot. He worked for years for GM doing commercials and when Ford (the sponsor for the series) found out they asked him to step down and then Val took over. Seems to me someone didn’t do their homework!

Eric Danes (McSteamy/Grey’s Anatomy) has skin cancer. He had a malignant mole removed recently and is going thru treatment now.

Delta Burke has signed herself into a clinic to help her with her OCD. I guess Delta likes to horde stuff and feels that if she keeps it up, someone will find her buried under a bunch of old newspapers and like 20 cats walking around!

NEWS

Well the NYC Chief Medical Examiner has said that Heath Ledger died of an overdose of a mixture of drugs; some prescription, some not. I guess they are going to check with his doctors about these prescriptions. Heath will be laid to rest in Perth this weekend. Rest In Peace, Heath.

The WGA and the AMPTP may come to an agreement by tomorrow so that everyone will be happy and the Oscars can go forward as planned.

RUMORS

J LO is ready to deliver any day now!

Angie is pregnant with twins (?)

McConnaughy’s BFF is pregnant with twins (?)

What is it with all these twin births? IVF maybe, with some of them?

Remember: The BAFTA Awards are on Sunday night as well as the Grammys. I’m hoping that the Beyonce and Tina Turner duet will open the show!

MARCH: Dirt is coming back to FX and The Tudors will return to Showtime.

One last item: For those of you who have watched General Hospital over the years (me being one), Shell Kepler died recently. She used to play Nurse Amy Vining, Laura’s adopted sister. Remember, she used to get everyone in trouble with all the gossip and rumors she’d start! Shell was only 49 and died of kidney failure.

Take care folks. Can’t believe there’s no PATRIOTS on this weekend!

Before you know it, the Red Sox will be at training camp and Spring won’t be far behind (one can only dream!).

I’m sure our prayers go out to all the victims of those horrendous tornadoes this week. Maybe all of us could give a portion of our ‘rebate checks’ from the Gov. to help them rebuild??? Just a thought.

Talk to you next week. Joanie

AI, Week 4, 2/5-6 The Best(?) of the Rest

Goodaye Everyone:

Well this week ended the initial pain of watching some of these kids audition and be ‘crushed’ when they are told they cannot sing.  What is wrong with parents, friends, BFFs, who tell them that they are good?  They stand there like they’ve been struck by lightning when the Judges tell them they have no voice!

Tuesday Night:  Atlanta where people like Reuben, Clay and Fantasia auditioned!  Hopefully this is a good sign.

10K auditioned and, of that number, there were only 20 YES’s!!!

First up is Josh, 26 – they liked him and put him through.  At first I didn’t think he had much of a voice but the Judges saw something I didn’t I guess.

Then came JP, 20, NO!  This guy was just plain awful  Simon said, “That’ll get the crowd on its feet!” After JP sang.  Then he said, “My pen has more charisma than you do.”  A little cruel…

They then did a bit on Paula and her ‘wishy-washy’ YES or NOs from Simon.  It was really funny seeing her ’squirm’ over and over again, not knowing whether to say YES or NO!

We then had a girl by the name of Asia’o who is 18.  A short while before she was due to perform, she called home to see if her dad was on his way to give her support.  Her brother had to tell her that her dad was in a car accident and died.  How sad is that?  The poor thing decided to audition anyway (before going back home).  I forget the song she sang but she dedicated to her dad.  The Judges thought she was very brave in performing.  They all said YES and then Paula had to go backstage because she was crying so hard.

Then came Brooke, 18 who is a So. FLA beauty queen.  She had the tiara and all.  Simon was ready to say a quick NO but Brooke said, “Give me a chance and I’ll prove to you that pageant queens can sing.”  Funny thing is…she could.  They all put her thru and Simon said, “I was so ready to say NO to her and she then showed me she has a voice.  Too bad cause she’s probably the most annoying person I’ve ever met!”

They then did an abundant NOs!

All tried to sing the song, “Glamorous” and were terrible.

Up comes Eva, who fell on her tush and told Simon that she loved him.  He says, “I know!”  She was a NO

Alexandra, 16 was next….good voice  a big YES from all 3.

Nathan, 16 had a chip on his shoulder from the minute he walked thru the door and was just awful.  Simon told him it sounded like he was singing in the mirror in the bedroom.  Nathan said, “What do you have a sheet that has all these excuses for not putting people thru?  Kareoke…No.  Cruise ship singer…No   Simon had enough at that point and it’s a good thing the kid left cause the ‘burly boys’ were ready to escort him away.

Last up for this night was Josiah, 18.  Josiah left home a year ago and has been living in his car ever since.  His parents thought he was crashing with friends (they know better now!).  He does gigs here and there to get by.  He performed his own song which, most times, means the kiss of death, but he was good and the song wasn’t too bad.  Funny thing, the kid is from TN and he sang with a British accent which blew the Judges away.  Simon loved this and asked him to sing something from Snow Patrol and started him off.  He was very good.  I like this kid and I hope he does well in Hollywood.  When he was leaving, he even started talking in a British accent!  Probably from all those UK CDs he plays in his car!!!

Night 2 is the “Best(?) of the Rest”

Luke, 26 was first….a “mad” performance!

Victor, 18 – Randy said he sounded like a sheep with the “Baaaaa” in his voice….NO

Amy, 25 from “Lowell” IN.  She had a really tough upbringing and this was probably the best shot for her to make some money for her family.  She had a good voice, was cute, and the Judges liked her….YES

Tiffany, 21  She said that her voice was a “Gift from God”.  Simon asked if there was a ‘return’ policy???  She was not voted thru!!

We then had a story of twins who had both dated the same girl.  Their names are Corey and Chris, 22 and Ashley, 18.  They are from NC and I was hoping Ashley would go thru cause she reminded me of Kellie Pickler!  The boys were up first and did a ‘rap’ song.  They were good but not good enough for AI…NO!  Then came Ashley.  The boys said, “What Ashley wants, Ashley gets.  Unfortunately we’ve both told her she cannot sing but she’s trying out anyway!”  She’s a pretty blonde with a personality but can not sing a note!  Simon loathed her.  Said it was pure torture listening to her……NO!  As they strolled off, the theme from Three’s Company was playing..funny!

Then we had a bunch of “I Love You Simons” and his response, “I know!”

Next came Cardin, 20 who is a waitress from TN.  She was very nervous and Simon was not thrilled with her but Paula and Randy were so  YES!

Joanne, 25 a Plus Size Model who has always been told, “You have a terrific voice.  All you have to do is take off 30-40 lbs. and you could make it!”  Paula and Randy agreed….Simon did not…she’s goin’ to Hollywood.

Alesha, 18 – a blonde beauty.  Simon said, “It was painful.  Dreadful.”  Randy and Paula saw something in this girl though.  They thought she sounded like Dolly Parton and asked her to go learn a Dolly song and come back.  Simon thought it was a waste of time but condescended and said, “Off with you.  Learn the song and come back.”  Well she learned “Islands in the Stream” and came back and did a good job.  (by the way, her mom looks like a Dolly ‘cousin’!).  They all voted her thru to Hollywood and after she left Simon said, “I never thought I’d hear myself say this but you were right.  She does have a good voice.  Don’t know how far she’ll get with it but it’s worth a try.”

Brandi, 27 — did a striptease.  No thank you.

Jaysmoov, 25 – thought he was great.  Came out, sang an original song, had glitter in his pocket which he was throwing around and then the Judges said, “NO”

Simon was funny.  He asked Ryan to come in and help sweep up the confetti.  Then grabbed the broom himself asking if the cameras were ON.  When told they were OFF, he handed the broom to the attendant and said, “There ya go.”

Then they did a bit on Simon screwing up everyone’s NAME!!!

Next, we have Danny, 17 from Season 6.  He was so wicked nervous last year he didn’t go thru but said this would be different.    He did much better tonight.  A “YES” from the 3 Judges.

And last but not least, we have Shaheezee Izzy, 22 from Season 6 also.  This guy has a terrific voice.  Did a Luther song and blew it away.  Simon was marginally impressed.  Randy and Paula loved him so it was a YES, Welcome to Hollywood!!!!!

So there you have it.  Auditions are done and we’re off to see these kids sweat, moan and groan, throw tantrums, walk out and whatever else makes for ‘good’ Reality TV!!!!  Can’t wait…..

By the way, over 100K auditioned and only 164 made it through!

I noticed that this year, if you play an instrument, they are going to allow you to accompany yourself….this should be different.

Talk to you next week.  Joanie