59 years ago today, skintrepreneur Hugh Hefner published the first issue of men’s magazine Playboy . Now his life and career are the stuff of legend, but it all started when he borrowed $1000 from his mother, then worked from his kitchen in Chicago (also home to the glorious Skin Central ) to produce the inaugural issue. At the time the cover price was 50
Introducing a sneak peek at the first nine minutes of Star Trek Into Darkness in a special IMAX 3-D presentation for press Sunday night, director J.J. Abrams warned of the “doom and gloom” throughout his May 2013 sequel. “There’s a lot of intensity in this, and a little bit of gloom,” he admitted, “but it’s also fun.” In true Abrams fashion, that’s about all he said before he exited the theater, taking the truth about who the heck Benedict Cumberbatch is playing in Star Trek 2 with him. (The first nine minutes will debut in theaters on December 14, attached to select IMAX screenings of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey . Read on for details, speculation, guesstimates, and wild theorizing about what’s in store in Star Trek 2 based on the tease.) What’s revealed in the first nine minutes of Star Trek Into Darkness isn’t so much telling as it is intriguing, moreso for the Trek fans out there who’ll get every little familiar line of dialogue and nod to the O.G. Trek series, of which there are many. But fair warning, Trekkies: Judging from this tease and the footage Paramount has already released, Abrams knows that you’re reading into every little clue — and he’s playing you like a violin. Here’s why: Star Trek Into Darkness opens in a prologue, in a beautifully shot, blue-tinged London, Stardate 2259.55. A couple (Noel Clarke and Nazneen Contractor) wake up and drive their hover car to visit their child in the hospital. We don’t know their names, or hear them speak, but we wonder; could their last name possibly, just possibly, be Singh? Maybe, maybe not. Their sick child is a daughter (strike that, it’s not a young Khan — or is it ??*), bedridden by an unspecified illness. The father is approached by a stranger whose voice we hear first: “I can save her.” It’s Benedict Cumberbatch, and he’s the villain, which we know because the camera closes in until his face fills the IMAX screen as Michael Giacchino’s score swells with tense, ominous notes. Cut to the crew of the Enterprise, who we find in the middle of their latest mission on the Class-M planet Nibiru, where Bones and Kirk are racing through vivid red-tinged forests being chased by members of a chalk-faced, spear-chucking indigenous race. From a cruiser flying in the skies above, Spock drops into an erupting volcano to save the planet as Uhura looks on. Regrouping with the rest of the crew on the Enterprise — which is parked discreetly underwater in the middle of an ocean — Kirk wrestles with a familiar-sounding quandary: Save Spock by taking the Enterprise out of hiding, therefore violating the Prime Directive by exposing the inhabitants of Nibiru to technology they’re not ready for, or sacrifice Spock because, as one character indeed utters, “The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.” Kirk asks what Spock would do if their situations were reversed. “He’d let you die,” Bones replies, and the opening sequence closes with a cliffhanger. More previously seen trailer-y shots close out the nine-minute sneak, with Cumberbatch growling lines like “You think you’re safe? You are not ” and “Is there anything you would not do for your family?” Alas, it doesn’t offer any further details of the hands-on-glass shot that had Trek -watchers a’flutter watching the recently-released Japanese trailer. At this point I’ve heard about a thousand differing theories as to whom exactly Cumberbatch’s villain will turn out to be. My first thought during the nine-minute prologue was Khan, because YOU GUYS THEY QUOTE WRATH OF KHAN , but there’s something about that idea that seems just too easy. I’m leaning toward an amalgam of Gary Mitchell and Khan, an idea so crazy it might just work in this new Abrams era of playing in the Trek sandbox without having to stay within previously established canon. Why not make the ‘Batch some sort of Mitchell-Khan hybrid? Try this on for size: Benemitchell Khanderbatch . Has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? It’s worth noting that, while Star Trek Into Darkness was post-converted to 3-D, the 3-D footage went over well. There are a good many close-ups and scenes featuring brilliantly vivid, swirling pieces of debris and lava and even, at one point, a barrage of spears raining down around Kirk and McCoy as they run through the jungle in a sequence that so calls to mind Raiders of the Lost Ark that it’s probably safe to call it homage. *This is completely wild, “What if?” speculation, but how cool would it be if Abrams’ Trek films did introduce Khan — only as a woman? Discuss . Star Trek Into Darkness is in theaters May 17, 2013; look for the nine-minute preview attached to The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in select IMAX screenings, full list here . Follow Jen Yamato on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
The bill given to three friends at Chilly D’s Restaurant really stung, but not because of the price, which is actually pretty affordable for dinner for three in this era. It was the description of their table at the top. “I got the bill, I looked [and] I was like, ‘Why does this receipt say ‘fat girls?'” customer Christine Duran said, recalling her Stockton, Calif., experience. The friends had dined out at Chilly D’s, part of the Cameo Casino Restaurant, on Thursday. The bill lists charges for three tri-tips with fries and three sodas, for $25.50. A bartender named Jeff had apparently typed in “Fat Girls” to keep track of their bill. When a stunned Duran asked a manager for an explanation of the receipt, he “had like a smirk on his face, like it was funny but trying not to laugh,” she said. The dining experience went from bad to worse when the restaurant demanded they still pay the bill, offering them a 25 percent discount and then a 50 percent discount. They declined both offers. In a Facebook message, Maggie Lewis, the Cameo Club Casino owner, apologized and said the treatment Duran had received is “intolerable in our establishment.” Jimmy Siemers, co-owner of Chilly D’s, didn’t work the night Duran and her friends received the offensive receipt, but has said that he is trying to clean up the mess. “I just want to tell them we’re sincerely sorry and we’ll do everything in our power to make sure this never happens to anyone again,” he said in a statement.
A flashy billboard purchased by a La Jolla, Calif., millionaire looking for a certain kind of love was taken down over the weekend amid criticism and vandalism. Marc Paskin, 62, bought a billboard on I-5 and 28th Street that featured a photo of himself and stated, bluntly, “All I want for Christmas is a Latina Girlfriend.” Presumably, Marc wanted San Diego-area Latinas to contact him directly. The blunt billboard stirred up some controversy in the area; while some residents found it lighthearted and comical, others thought it was slightly offensive. With 24 hours, Paskin’s billboard was damaged . His email address was peeled off, but the rest of the message – including his holiday wish – remained intact. The following day, the billboard was half missing, and the entire, massive message did not last the weekend; the billboard is now stripped down to nothing. There is no explanation as to why the billboard has disappeared. Incidentally, Paskin is an area real estate investor who was featured on an episode of Secret Millionaire last year, when he spent a week living on less than $50 a day. Maybe he should boast about that on his next billboard.
Cuz who needs that loser when the paps are showin’ so much love? Breezy’s long suffering ex-boo thang Karreuche Tran was spotted leaving an event at Kitson in L.A. last night looking like she is having the time of her life! For an attention slore like Karaoke, what can be better than still being chased by the paparazzi without having to deal with a constantly creeping boytoy? Must be nice! GSIMedia/PacificCoastNews
Flaming felons anyone? North Carolina Prisoners Allegedly Abused With Hot Sauce An investigation is under way in North Carolina surrounding prisoner abuse allegations after several inmates claimed to have suffered sexual abuse involving wild snakes, bunnies……..and hot sauce….all at the hands of their prison guards. via Corrections One Prison officials in North Carolina are calling for a criminal investigation after inmates alleged correctional officers forced them to rub habanero hot sauce on their genitals, resulting in painful blisters. In July, six inmates from Sampson sent a hand-written letter to the U.S. District Court in Greensboro complaining that staff had forced them to perform numerous humiliating acts for the entertainment of guards, including stripping nude and pretending to have sex. The medium-security facility houses about 500 male inmates in Clinton, which is about 60 miles southeast of Raleigh. The inmates also reported being forced to gulp a super-hot “Exotic Hot Sauce” purchased off the Internet and slather it on their testicles, as well as being forced to grab and kiss wild snakes while working on a road crew and throwing captured bunnies in to oncoming traffic. Those who performed for the guards were rewarded with preferential work assignments, food, cigarettes and beer, the inmates alleged. Both tobacco and alcohol are banned in North Carolina’s prisons. What kind of fawkery do they have going on down in North Carolina?? SMH Image via Shutterstock
Seth MacFarlane may direct and star in the “contemporary” Western. Also in the news Tuesday, Disney is blasting Stan Lee Media’s multi-billion lawsuit over rights to Marvel characters; Guillermo del Toro eyes his next project; the Film Society of Lincoln Center will host Tom Cruise retrospective; and Lincoln may leave some in Alaska out in the cold. Seth MacFarlane Eyes Western Comedy as Ted Follow-Up MacFarlane and his Ted co-writers Alec Sulkin and Wellesley Wild are writing A Million Ways to Die in the West , which MacFarlane is said to star in and direct for Summer 2013. The story is described as a Blazing Saddles -stye pic, which translates into a Western with contemporary humor. The script is said to contain MacFarlane’s racy humor, but also has a romantic female lead, THR reports . Disney Blasts Stan Lee Copyright Lawsuit Regarding Marvel Superheroes Disney called Stan Lee Media’s multi-billion lawsuit “flawed beyond cure” and filed a motion for its dismissal last week. Stan Lee Media claims rights to all Marvel characters created by Stan Lee, Deadline reports . Film Society of Lincoln Center to Host Tom Cruise Cruise will take part in an onstage conversation with NY Film Festival programmer Kent Jones. The event will include a sneak preview of Cruise’s latest, Jack Reacher in which he portrays a “tough ex-military investigator out for justice.” The event will kick-off the career retrospective, “All The Right Moves: The Films of Tom Cruise” December 18 – 20. Tickets will go for $50 and $35. Guillermo del Toro Eyes Crimson Peak Del Toro will direct the haunted house thriller as his next project. Legendary and del Toro are looking to a February 2014 start for the pic, which aims to “channel the gothic haunted pictures of yore.” He is expected to shoot the pilot for The Strain , based on the books he wrote with Chuck Hogan, ahead of Crimson , THR reports . Some Alaska Venues Out in the Cold with Lincoln Disney says the Steven Spielberg-directed Oscar hopeful has had such high demand the studio is now rushing to make new prints. But the reinforcements may come too late for smaller venues in Alaska’s capital, Juneau and other towns. Copies weren’t available for some venues when they hoped to get them and may have to pass, though Oscar buzz may reignite interest, Huffington Post reports .
Ewan McGregor is a veteran of three Star Wars manifestations and has indicated he’d go for a fourth round should he be asked by the franchise’s new owners. McGregor played a young Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace , Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith and he said he’d be up for a return to the galaxy far, far away once more. “I guess, yeah, of course,” said McGregor to Digital Spy about a potential return. “If they need me, yeah, I’d be happy [to go back].” Speaking with Moviefone earlier this year, McGregor said that his experience was a good one and that Star Wars had gained him some young fans. “It was great to be involved in – to be in that franchise and that legend of Star Wars is really satisfying. It’s nice. Children speak to me about it – before then there hadn’t been many films that I made that children would have watched. I’ve always been very happy about it.” Disney bought Lucasfilm in October for $4.05 billion in a surprising high-profile purchase and is planning to make Episodes VII, VIII and IX as a result. [ Sources: Huffington Post , Digital Spy ]
Norman Rockwell’s World War Two painting “Willie Gillis Food Package from Home” fetched $2.8 million from a private buyer at an auction in Chicago on Saturday, the auction house said. The winning bid for the iconic artwork was less than the up to $5 million estimated ahead of the auction, said Emily Betts Susanin, director of marketing and communications for Susanin’s Auctions in Chicago. But it was “great news” nonetheless, she said, adding that no other painting had ever fetched more at a Ch
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