September 6th, 2008

A list of four celebs you all know, and how they got into the business.

Sarah Michelle Gellar, who some may know better as ‘Buffy’,  was discovered eating in a restaurant when she was four years old. Of course, the Buffy role came a little later.

Josh Duhamel, boyfriend of Fergie and Transformers star, was working in construction when he was scouted by a modeling agency from San Francisco.

Wizards of Waverly Place actress Selena Gomez was discovered by Disney in a nationwide casting call.

Morgan Freeman was an Air Force Mechanic from 1955-1959 before he had his first role ever, on Broadway in an African-America adaptation of ‘Hello Dolly’.

Natalie Portman kept her summer sizzle at the Venice Film Festival, People Magazine reports. She looked perfectly chic in a sashed, navy Miu Miu dress with soft curls framing her face.

Drama, drama, drama. Keira Knightley looked anything but calm in her blue, tulle-topped, strapless Alexis Mabeel dress, pulled back hair and square-toe Maschino pumps. A huge fall trend, ladies.

Moving on to sexy Charlize Theron, also in Venice. The girl commanded attention in her sleek, fuchsia Versace dress. It was expertly shaped and paired with little accessories, to keep the attention where it belonged. Beautiful and simple Roger Vivier heels finished the look.

Anne Hathaway left me breathless premiering her new flick, “Rachel Getting Married.” She totally dazzled in an elegant and glamorous, Atelier Versace gown.  The detailed skirt and green compliment her shape and skin tone. 

Sweetheart Reese Witherspoon looked flawless at the Avon event in Brazil. Nothing says well put together like her Navy, Sari Gueron dress with matching shoes and accessories that added a gold sparkle.

Although MTV has banished music videos to its more obscure network, MTV2, the MTV Video Music Awards continues to be must-see television for the stellar performances, entertaining fashion choices, and inevitable drama.  Here’s what to expect this year:

THE HOST: MTV ventured to the other side of the pond to find this year’s host, Russell Brand, a stand-up comedian who is better known as “the British guy” from Forgetting Sarah Marshall.   Brand, who teeters between comedic genius and completely insane, is an interesting choice to host the awards show, and he’s the first to admit it. In a recent interview, Brand manically declared, “no one knows who I am, no one!”  Brand, whose hair is just as unruly as his personality, will undoubtedly contribute to the show’s madness with his unusual sense of humor and charming British accent.

THE PERFORMANCES:  The Jonas Brothers, called “God’s favorite Virgins” by host Russell Brand, will have their set introduced by brother Joe’s rumored girlfriend, Taylor Swift. Hot mamma, Christina Aguilera, will croon her brand-new single, “Keeps Getting Better”, promising a first look at her new image and sound.  In collaboration news – Kid Rock is set to share the stage with Lil’ Wayne, and T.I. and Rihanna will debut “Live Your Life”.  Kanye West will deliver a blow-out performance to close the show, lifting his juvenile ban on MTV events.

BRITNEY SPEARS: The VMAs would not be complete without an appearance by Britney Spears.  It was confirmed (finally!) that she will open the show, and while the exact nature of her much buzzed about appearance remains unclear, MTV president, Van Toffler, assures that it will be “fun and unexpected”.  Britney’s past antics – gyrating on stage with a snake, locking lips with Madonna, and a disastrous “comeback” performance – could easily be characterized as fun or unexpected, so let’s hope those two words will assume a very different, positive meaning for the pop princess this year.

Tune in this Sunday, September 7 at 9 pm ET for all the promised music and mayhem (and a rare chance to catch music videos actually being played on MTV)!

Following closely on the heels of their free show in Denver during the Democrats’ Convention, Los Angeles rock activists Rage Against The Machine made sure they were in the Twin Cities during the Republicans’ time in the national spotlight.

On Monday, guitarist Tom Morello performed solo (as The Nightwatchman) at the “Take Back Labor Day” benefit in St. Paul, alongside Mos Def, Billy Bragg, Steve Earle and Atmosphere, among others.

On Tuesday evening, Rage Against The Machine made an unscheduled appearance at the Ripple Effect festival on the front lawn of the Minnesota State Capitol building.  The police, however, citing a lack of permit, refused to let the thousands of fans assembled hear the band play.  Instead, Morello and frontman Zack de la Rocha grabbed megaphones and led the crowd in a cappella renditions of two songs. 

Wednesday night saw the band across the river in Minneapolis, playing at a Target Center surrounded by riot police.  Rage took the stage, to the delight of the progressive-leaning crowd, wearing Guantanamo Bay prisoner uniforms, playing their first song with heads covered.  They played a roaring set, the crowd exploding during every song. 

After their encore, the band stayed onstage and explained to the crowd that it was possible to face the police outside “peacefully” without being “passive.”  The crowd must have listened, because although there were some arrests on the streets of Minneapolis, there was no violence.

Singer Jessica Simpson talks about her desires for the future with Fox News.   “I have the dreams of every normal person,” she said in a recent interview.

Her younger sister Ashlee Simpson’s pregnancy has no doubt provoked Jess to have babies on her mind.  Seemingly excited for the new addition to the family, Jessica said “I want to be a great aunt.”

She went on to discuss her own dreams of family.  “I would love to be making records and making babies,” Jessica said.  “And hopefully I’m married in 10 years.”

Jessica is currently dating Tony Romo of the Dallas Cowboys football team.  “Tony understands me,” she said in the September issue of Elle.  “He appreciates my talent.  He’s the first person I’ve spiritually connected with.”

In the meantime, she is working on her country music album, “Do You Know”, which comes out next week September 9.