November, 2008

Hugh Jackman was named People magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive 2008.” The magazine has been dubbing Hollywood’s hottest hunks since 1985 when Mel Gibson paved the way. 

Jackman now joins the ranks of George Clooney, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt and Denzel Washington, to name a few.

On the talk show circuit as of late, Jackman’s been promoting his newest film, Australia, a romantic epic starring another hot Aussie, Nicole Kidman.

Jackman, best known as Wolverine in the X-Men films, had tough competition this year: “Bond. James Bond” Daniel Craig (no argument there), Mad Men’s Jon Hamm (didn’t see this one coming, but okay), and (gulp!) High School Musical’s Zac Efron (obviously a joke…is he even shaving yet?).

“Saturday Night Live” had the presidential election to thank for garnering its highest ratings in years – even hitting 14 million viewers, the highest amount since 1994, when Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin appeared. Plus, it’s hard to say if the 33-year-old comedy show made a bigger star out of Palin or if the election made a bigger star out of her uncanny impersonator, Tina Fey.

But now that the election is over and the great Amy Poehler has left the show, will “Saturday Night Live” fizzle out or will it manage to stay in the spotlight as Palin has?

“Role Models” star Paul Rudd hosted Saturday’s first post-election episode and delivered a mediocre performance. Although he said what we all were thinking in his monologue when he joked about how much of a bummer it is to host “SNL” after the election is over similar to how the technical awards at the Oscars are a letdown compared to the big acting awards.

He turned out to be kind of right about the show being a letdown. The show was alright but not as funny as recent episodes. Americans voted for Barack Obama, but the show would have been better off if McCain won because Fey’s Palin impression is much funnier than Jason Sudeikis’ Joe Biden. The absence of Poehler was also well-noticed, and Abby Elliot and Michaela Watkins looked more like extras than the two newly hired comediennes.

Just as Palin overshadowed Republican presidential candidate John McCain, Justin Timberlake outshined Rudd when he popped up in a few scene-stealing moments. He did a two-minute, one-man version of how he would host the show complete with his Barry Gibb impersonation and his um… male anatomy music video with Andy Samberg, and he also danced in a leotard and high heels in a skit as musical guest Beyoncé’s back-up dancer.

The latter skit was just one of “SNL’s” many gay skits (think the French kissing family, Rudd and Samberg painting each other in the nude, Snagglepuss and two New Jersey guys proclaiming their love for each other) in perhaps a commentary on California’s Proposition 8 banning gay marriage thereby proving that even though the election is over, “SNL” is still the go-to-place for political satire and commentary.

Q-tip’s second solo effort to be released on a major label (his 2002 effort was shelved because of label difficulties), is aptly titled “The Renaissance.” It is, indeed, a rebirth of sorts for this legendary rap artist who hails from Queens, NY and doesn’t go by the initials LL.

Q-tip is one of the more important emcees of modern times, lead rapper for the legendary A Tribe Called Quest, who disbanded in 1998. Q-tip released a solo album the year following Tribe’s breakup called “Amplified;” it was largely dismissed by critics who bemoaned the album’s sheer pop sensibilities. Q-tip’s massive club hit, “Vivrant Thing” was the album’s first single. Hard to believe its been a decade since “Vivrant Thing,” but it has.

So flash forward ten full years and we get “The Renaissance.” It’s the kind of album LL Cool J wishes he could make and, probably, wishes it would have come in the prime of his career.

“The Renaissance” fits nicely next to Tribe’s 3 90’s masterworks, “People’s Instinctive Travels…”, “Low End Theory,” and “Midnight Marauders.” Q-tip is in top form rapping over a fusion of jazz and up tempo funk (sometimes all in one track); the highlight of the album is Good Thang, which features the barebones approach that made early hip hop great.

Here it is just Q-tip, some keyboards and an electric guitar riff, combining to make hip hop heaven. The duet with Norah Jones, “Life is Better,” is equally great and makes one wonder ‘what if?’ these two got together for an entire album…oh, the possibilities. “The Renaissance” leaves one yearning for more.

Maybe it’s the newness of it all, or maybe he really is that interesting. In any event, President-elect Barack Obama gave his first post-election in-depth interview to 60 Minutes’ Steve Kroft. And the verdict is in: the man can definitely pull in a crowd!

The episode, which aired just yesterday, with the President-elect and future first lady boasted an estimated 24.5 million viewers – more than any episode of any prime-time show this entire season – and the largest viewing audience for 60 Minutes in nearly ten years…Now if he can only keep up this trend during the State of the Union Address (a real yawner!) we’ll know he’s the real deal.

The rich and famous couldn’t keep back the flames that threatened the homes of Oprah, Rob Lowe, Snoop Dogg, Christopher Lloyd and other powerful persons in the entertainment industry when fires raged throughout LA’s most elite communities during the past week.

Lowe reportedly got out just in the knick of time with his two children in tow, while flames raged not too far behind them. Oprah, far from home while taping her show in Chicago, was reportedly concerned over the safety of her dogs and home staff and made arrangements for her loved ones to be put up in a hotel. Snoop Dogg and his family and neighbors were evacuated as the flames approached their neighborhood.

And actor Christopher Lloyd, best known as “Doc” in the Back to the Future films with Michael J Fox, lost his home to the stubborn fires that eventually destroyed 10,000 acres, including 150 other homes. The towering inferno ate through Orange, Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties.

On the heels of losing his Neverland ranch, Michael Jackson is being sued by the son of the king of Bahrain, Sheik Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa. Reps for Khalifa say the self-proclaimed King of Pop owes him more than $7 million in a breach-of-contract case which claims Jackson promised to record an album for Khalifa’s record label in 2006, but the job was never done.

Just last week Jackson signed over the title of his much-loved Neverland ranch, after years of speculation that the King of Pop was actually…uh, let’s just say…not financially stable.

Since Jackson’s 2003 allegations of sexual misconduct with a 13-year-old at the ranch, and his subsequent acquittal, things have gone south for the singer. Way south. So stay tuned. There’s always more on the “Say what?!” lifestyle that has become Michael Jackson.

His tagline was: “Love, peace and soul,” but Soul Train’s most prolific emcee, Don Cornelius – and the hippest dude on any music show anywhere – apparently wasn’t filled with love or peace when police showed at his residence in October for what is labeled a domestic violence situation.

Cornelius was charged with three counts of spousal battery, one count of dissuading a witness from reporting to police, and a count of assault with a deadly weapon. Each count carries a maximum of one year in jail. The 72-year-old Cornelius, who entered his plea just two days ago, is free on bail.

Hilary Duff, better known in younger circles as Lizzie McGuire, is headed back to the small screen – this round with NBC. Seems the peacock network signed McGuire to a yet-to-be-named series, in addition to signing her on with several network shows.

McGuire, who grew up before our eyes as the Disney Channel’s Lizzie McGuire, took a break from acting in TV and film to pursue (surprise!) a singing career.

Though McGuire didn’t strike the big-time with her first CD, there’s still hope for her in that department. (She’s one of the few actresses who actually can carry a tune.)

Still, apparently her past came calling – or maybe she just missed a regular gig. Whatever the reason, we’re anxious to see what NBC comes up with for the young starlet. Welcome home, Lizzie.

Every James Bond movie’s got a Bond girl. They’ll forever remain in the notorious Bond Girl club, but most are simply just known for their femme fatale roles. Where are they now? How did the Bond movies change their lives? Well, one’s a dame and another’s married to a Beatle. Here’s the scoop on some of the most famous Bond girls:

Honey Ryder (played by Ursula Andress) The original Bond girl and Swiss-born actress starred in Italian movies and dated Marlon Brando before coming to America where she married John Derek and starred in 1962’s Dr. No.  Her popularity subsequently rose, and she became a fixture of 1960s movies co-starring with Elvis Presley, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Frank Sinatra and Woody Allen. The now 72-year-old had a son with now ex-boyfriend Harry Hamlin, a brief stint on Falcon’s Crest and last starred in an art-house movie in 2005.

Pussy Galore (played by Honor Blackman) The British-born actress’ most famous role of her career was 1964’s Goldfinger. Before that she starred in The Avengers and secondary roles, and afterwards she acted in mediocre films but earned rave reviews on stage. She had a one-woman stage show and up until about 10 years ago the now 81-year-old starred in the British TV show, The Upper Hand.

Traci di Vicenzo (played by Diana Rigg) The Bond girl of 1969’s Majesty’s Secret Service made quite an impression on England’s real majesty. In 1994, the now 70-year-old was made a dame by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to theater and film. Yet, the British actress most made her mark in the theater winning a Tony Award and collecting many other acting wins and nominations.

Anya Amasova (played by Barbara Bach) Besides being best known for her role in 1977’s The Spy Who Loved Me, Bach is also known for being married to the Beatles’ Ringo Starr since 1981. Before the movie, she starred in an Italian movie with two other Bond girls and after the movie the now 61-year-old starred in Force 10 from Navarone. She hasn’t worked in films since the mid 80s.

Vesper Lynd (played by Eva Green) The French-born actress was best known for European art house films before going on to play opposite Orlando Bloom in Kingdom of Heaven. Since 2006’s Casino Royale, the 28-year-old has appeared in The Golden Compass. Her voice is heard in Quantum of Solace, but she can next be seen in a movie about students at an elite British boarding school called Cracks opening next year.

NBC announced on Friday that the former Disney Channel tween-queen will be joining the network and starring in her own series.

“Hilary is an incredibly versatile talent with a huge following whose career we know will continue to soar on NBC,” Teri Weinberg, Executive Vice President of NBC Entertainment said in a statement on Friday.  ”We are confident we will develop great ideas that would feature her vast talents and are thrilled to have this opportunity.”

According to the press release, the one-year contract will allow Duff, 21, to also guest appear in other NBC series.

Duff is no rookie to the small screen after starring and gaining fame in Disney Channel’s Lizzie McGuire, which aired from 2001 to 2004.

She continued to find success with a music career. Her latest album, Best of Hilary Duff, released November 4.  No premiere date has been set for the series so far.