There’s a little something wrong with the casting breakdown for Lionsgate’s upcoming adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ YA smash The Hunger Games . Or rather, a few little somethings: in a widely circulated casting call for the central part of Katniss, the fiercely independent young heroine of the dystopian survival trilogy, filmmakers are seeking girls who are Caucasian and look “underfed but strong.” Is this fantasy franchise off to the wrong start?
What’s that? You are not sick of Charlie Sheen after countless radio interviews , morning show segments , backyard investigations and weird Twitpics ? Then you’re lucky, because the self-described warlock sitcom star engaged in a stalemate with CBS over the fate of Two and a Half Men , appeared on ABC during the second half of 20/20 ‘s dramatized sit-down with the actor last night. As always, click through for the most intriguing quotes.
Kim Kardashian has given fans a sneak peek at her upcoming music video. (Yes, Kim Kardashian really is coming out with a music video.) On her official blog, Kim has posted the following photo of herself in braids, a Bo Derek-inspired look stylist Hype Williams reportedly came up with. What do you think? There’s no release date yet for the video, but Kim has said the single itself – titled “Turn It Up” – will hit the radio within a few weeks. “I’m excited (and a little nervous) for you all to hear the song and watch the video,” Kardashian wrote. “I really hope you all like it!” Allow us to help you stop wondering, Kim: We won’t.
Lindsay Lohan is almost lost in the shuffle these days. With Charlie Sheen stealing all of her tabloid thunder, the train wreck and alleged jewel thief can’t even get any major PR for an interview on Extra. The troubled starlet admitted to the celebrity news program that she’s got a long way to go before reclaiming a spot atop the Hollywood food chain. Maybe Charlie can invite her to shack up with himself and the goddesses. Rachel Oberlin and Natalie Kenly certainly seem like welcoming people. Lindsay Lohan en route to court recently. [Photo: Pacific Coast News] Currently up on a felony theft charge in connection with a $2,500 necklace she’s accused of lifting, Lindsay says she feels “great” and “happy” these days. “There’s always bumps that we have in the road,” she said. “As long as I’m focusing [on my recovery], I’m doing good and that’s most important for me.” Not at grammar, but oh well. Lindsay, whose excuse in the jewel heist case may be corroborated by surveillance footage, just wants to get back to work. Asked if there’s any stars she’d like to work with, Lohan said she’s in no place to seek privileges like that right now, but these things will reappear in time. “I have to build myself back up and I get that,” she said, surprisingly maturely. The full interview airs tonight … unless Sheen does something crazier.
Katie Holmes is seeking damages of $50 million from American Media, the owner of celebrity gossip tabloid Star, based on a recent cover story. The lawsuit, over a cover extreme even by Star standards, takes issue with reports that Katie is on drugs , and was filed in federal court in L.A. Star’s “vicious lies about plaintiff, designed to hype sales of a sleazy tabloid magazine, were calculated to cause severe harm,” reads the suit . DRUG SHOCKER : The shocker is that they printed this! “The average reader (would invariably) believe that plaintiff has become shockingly addicted to drugs. There is no other way to understand them.” The suit continues: “The cover even created the false impression that, but for plaintiff’s nightmare drug addiction, she would ‘leave’ her husband.” In a statement, AMI said it stood behind the story in Star, which also raised eyebrows for reporting Jason Trawick beat up Britney Spears last year. Inside, the magazine backs off the claim of addiction, citing incidents in which Holmes joins Scientology sessions where an “e-meter” is used. Used in the controversial group’s auditing sessions, e-meters allegedly measure electrical resistance and reflecs past emotional experiences. The article states that the electrical device might release endorphins, or “hormones that cause a pain-killing, mood-elevating effect.” A Scientology member (not Tom Cruise) is quoted as saying about using the e-meter, “Like a heroin addict, you want another dose.” Yup, better get ready to pay up guys.
In the latest edition of As Charlie Sheen’s Hilariously Troubled World Turns… Brooke Mueller has responded to the video that depicts her young twins hanging around Sheen’s “goddesses” and taken action to wrestle physical custody of them from her ex-husband. One problem, according to TMZ? She went to the wrong police station to do so. Sheen’s lawyer, Marty Singer, has fired off a letter to Warner Bros. and CBS that demands Sheen gets paid for the full season of Two and a Half Men , lest these companies face legal action. It reads: “Warner Bros. made it clear they wanted Charlie back for two more years, even with the prospect that he could go to jail. They made a deal with him while the charges were pending. But now that Charlie made some disparaging comments about the show runner who had refused to work… they made a decision not to proceed with the show this year. It’s outrageous.” On its own, that statement actually makes a solid argument. Following the uproar over how Sheen referred to creator Chuck Lorre as “Chaim,” the actor has asked for an apology from the Anti-Defamation League for saying the actor exhibited “borderline anti-Semitism” via that comment. Singer has also sent that organization a letter that demands a retraction because his clien’s only intention was to “address the man rather than his television persona.” In what he claims will be his final new interview, Sheen called in to the Howard Stern radio show today. Among the tidbits shared: He’s never made a sex tape. He isn’t worried about returning to Two and a Half Men : “I don’t believe in panicking – panicking is for amateurs and morons.” He thinks CBS President Les Moonves ought to fire Lorre: “Chuck wants out, because he’s burned out. He’s got three shows, and he has forgotten that ours was the one who launched the other two… And he’s trying to make me the fall guy, and he’s not going to do it because his tactics are silly and juvenile, and the work of an amateur. I think the real solution is that Les should just fire him and put me back on, and everybody wins.” But isn’t Sheen already WINNING? Listen to the Stern interview below. Charlie Sheen Howard Stern Interview
In the latest edition of As Charlie Sheen’s Hilariously Troubled World Turns… Brooke Mueller has responded to the video that depicts her young twins hanging around Sheen’s “goddesses” and taken action to wrestle physical custody of them from her ex-husband. One problem, according to TMZ? She went to the wrong police station to do so. Sheen’s lawyer, Marty Singer, has fired off a letter to Warner Bros. and CBS that demands Sheen gets paid for the full season of Two and a Half Men , lest these companies face legal action. It reads: “Warner Bros. made it clear they wanted Charlie back for two more years, even with the prospect that he could go to jail. They made a deal with him while the charges were pending. But now that Charlie made some disparaging comments about the show runner who had refused to work… they made a decision not to proceed with the show this year. It’s outrageous.” On its own, that statement actually makes a solid argument. Following the uproar over how Sheen referred to creator Chuck Lorre as “Chaim,” the actor has asked for an apology from the Anti-Defamation League for saying the actor exhibited “borderline anti-Semitism” via that comment. Singer has also sent that organization a letter that demands a retraction because his clien’s only intention was to “address the man rather than his television persona.” In what he claims will be his final new interview, Sheen called in to the Howard Stern radio show today. Among the tidbits shared: He’s never made a sex tape. He isn’t worried about returning to Two and a Half Men : “I don’t believe in panicking – panicking is for amateurs and morons.” He thinks CBS President Les Moonves ought to fire Lorre: “Chuck wants out, because he’s burned out. He’s got three shows, and he has forgotten that ours was the one who launched the other two… And he’s trying to make me the fall guy, and he’s not going to do it because his tactics are silly and juvenile, and the work of an amateur. I think the real solution is that Les should just fire him and put me back on, and everybody wins.” But isn’t Sheen already WINNING? Listen to the Stern interview below. Charlie Sheen Howard Stern Interview
Montana Fishburne has settled her criminal battery case. Chippy pleaded no contest to assault with a deadly weapon, battery and trespass in an attack on her boyfriend’s ex , but was given 180 days in rehab. Her lawyer, Shawn Chapman Holley, was fighting for this sentence, over objections of prosecutors, who wanted the now infamous sex tape star to do hard time.
Welcome to THG’s first American Idol live blog of season 10. With the top dozen men taking to the stage tonight and singing for your vote, we’re here to offer commentary and insight along the way. Leave comments, refresh often for updates and let’s do this… 8:07 Contestants can choose any song they wish, Ryan tells us. Kicking the show off? Clint Jun Gamboa, karaoke host extraordinaire. He chooses “Superstition” and concludes with a scream that would make Steven Tyler proud. He gets two “brilliants,” one from Tyler, one from Randy. Not exactly constructive words from the judges. They’re off to a rough start. 8:14 Jovany Barreto abs alert! Over-played song choice alert! Jovany goes with Edward McCain’s “I’ll Be.” I found it bland. Tyler found it… “Holy shipyards!” J. Lo is “happy” because Barreto “did it.” Randy actually says something worthwhile for once, telling Jovany he brought nothing original to the performance. True dat, dawg. 8:18 Jordan Dorsey breaks out some Usher and, OMG, it sounds like… someone trying to sound like Usher. Minus the body and minus the dance moves, that is. Heck, I can shake my shoulders. The judges are actually critical, although J. Lo compares him to Nat King Cole for some reason. All three disliked it. And Lopez won’t stop interrupting Randy. 8:27 You won’t believe this, but Tim Halperin says everyone gets along well. The guys over there? They are like his brothers! We aren’t buying that for a second, but we might be purchasing stock in Halperin. The singer puts his own touch on a Rob Thomas classic (yes, those exist), and then faces criticism from the judges. Tyler and J. Lo thinks he’s “special,” but the latter at least says he has one of the best voices she’s ever heard. Yes, ever. Yes, she said that. 8:31 Brett Loewenstern is embracing who he is. That means an attempt at classic rock, apparently, and a version of “Light My Fire.” It sounds like a teenager trying to sound hardcore in my view, but the judges can’t get enough of the hair flipping, and the personality, and J. Lo tries to make a joke about Beyonce and Loewenstern leaves the stage too early, only to return and tell Ryan “I love you” and I’m already irritated by this guy. He comes across as fake cute, not natural, David Archuleta cute. 8:40 It’s time James Durbin to makes like Adam Lambert. He keeps telling us we’ve got “another thing coming,” which leads to the first Steven Tyler curse words of the evening. Was that really the first Judas Priest song in Idol history? Can someone look that up for us? Certainly a bold statement from Durbin, who raises his fist and eggs on the crowd. This is not someone who fears the spotlight. 8:49 Ryan introduces Robbie Rosen as the “pride of Long Island.” Isn’t JWOWW from there? She must have been a close second. We’re in the arms of an angel for this minute-plus, which just causes me to picture Sarah McLachlan telling us to save the animals. Tyler and J. Lo love the ballad and it definitely helps Rosen stand out. His heart was very much into the performance. Randy, though, continuing in his attempt to be contrarian, says the notes didn’t all connect. 8:57 Man, Scotty McCreery’s voice is deeper than a Maya Angelou poem (no? How about the Phillies starting rotation?). For non-country lovers, this is “Letters From Home” by John Michael Montgomery. Tyler is right that it’s the perfect song choice, while J. Lo gushes over the rendition. That’s been a rarity tonight, I know. Scotty doesn’t even know what to say when Ryan asks for his reaction. 9:01 Stefano Langone makes the mistake of choosing one of the most played songs on the radio, “Just the Way You are.” He mixes it up a bit, holding on to a few notes and showcasing his range, but I never think a contestant should choose a song everyone can instantly compare to the original. Or hear the next morning on their drive to work. Hard to stand out that way. Still, a solid performance of the Bruno Mars single. Ryan proceeds to put Stefano on the spot, who dedicates it to “all the ladies out there.” Smooth. 9:10 Paul McDonald challenges Durbin for most confident audition. He goes with a Rod Stewart classic and sounds very much like the music icon, encouraging the crowd to clap along. Doesn’t much different than the original, but McDonald clearly has talent. I like how he wandered around the stage, in his own universe. 9:14 Ryan refers to Jacob Lusk as “understated.” Oh, Ryan. Another soulful performance, great runs, but, excuse me, Steven? Did you just say “divine intervention” brought Lusk here? And did J. Lo really follow that up by saying “Luther Vandross is gone… but now we have you.” Sorry, Charlie Sheen, but the judges have clearly decided you won’t be the WINNER on American Idol . I like Lusk a lot, but this is an awful lot of praise to heap on someone so early in the competition. 9:23 Casey Abrams is putting a spell on us. A really intense spell. The guy is certainly putting it all out there, growling into the mic until ending on a literal high note, really getting into the spirit. I love it. Standing ovation. Tyler says it was as “good as it gets.” J. Lo says he’s “sexy” and will “redefine” the whole thing. Wait… will it no longer be a singing competition?!? How will Randy refer to it then?!? My top 5 from the evening: James Durbin Jacob Lusk Casey Abrams Scotty McCreery Paul McDonald
