After last night’s 2013 BET Hip-Hop Awards cypher, Kendrick Lamar, ScHoolboy Q, Jay Rock, and Ab-Soul are undoubtedly the topics of conversation. And today, XXL magazine announced that the Black Hippy collective will cover the October/November issue. Hot on the heels of their now infamous Drake-dissing cypher , the TDE crew will hit newsstands later this month… Continue reading →
It’s every woman’s dream to be walked down the wedding aisle by her father. But if that’s not possible, an iconic rock singer will do just fine! An Australian woman named Branda Delic got married in Las Vegas on Saturday, the same day Jon Bon Jovi and his veteran band were playing a concert in that city. In the months leading up to the event, Delic had placed a newspaper ad and started a Facebook campaign in order to get Bon Jovi’s attention… and it worked! He surprised the bride in a limo and strolled arm-in-arm with Branda into the Graceland Wedding Chapel for an unofficial ceremony (the real one began a short while later) that was partially captured on camera: Bon Jovi Walks Bride Down the Aisle “Congratulations @branksd! May you & Gonzalo have a lifetime of happiness, love & memories together – ALWAYS!” Bon Jovi Tweeted later that day, while Delic added that her life had been “changed forever” thanks to the artist. And thanks to her new husband, we hope.
Here we go again. It’s time to hop back on board the Fifty Shades of Grey casting carousel. With Charlie Hunnam out as Christian Grey – reportedly because he had second thoughts about the type of fame such a role would incur – sources now tell The Wrap and The Hollywood Reporter that Jamie Dornan is a leading candidate to take over for the departed star. Dornan is an Irish actor best known to American audiences for portraying Sheriff Graham on season one of ABC’s Once Upon a Time . Why would he fit the Christian Grey bill? He posed in Calvin Klein underwear ads (below) opposite Eva Mendes a few years ago, so the guy has no problem getting nearly naked. And he’s a relative no name, which may be what producers are now seeking. Fifty Shades of Grey is considered a risky role, one that no established A-lister will take. But the right up-and-comer may be willing to sign on for said risk in order to propel his career. Other names now being bantered about include Alexander Skarsgard, Theo James and Christian Cooke. The movie is scheduled to begin production next month, meaning a new casting announcement will be made any day. What do you think of Dornan, readers? Would he make a solid Christian Grey? Yes, look at him! No way! Who?!? View Poll »
On the same weekend that Lauren Conrad got engaged to William Tell, her ex-boyfriend Jason Wahler has one-upped her by marrying Ashley Stack! The former Laguna Beach star married the model Saturday. The couple wed in front of family and friends at the Calamigos Ranch in Malibu, Calif. After proposing to Slack last November, Jason Wahler , 26, made it official on Instagram, sharing a picture of his then fiancee’s big diamond sparkler. J-Dubs’ caption? A simple, declarative “Love you babe!” Wahler, who had been previously engaged to USC tennis star Katja Decker-Sadowski, is likely best known as Lauren Conrad’s first serious boyfriend. He also drank a lot and got arrested a ton in his heyday. Glad that’s behind him. Congrats to the happy couple on the big wedding news , and to LC and William in what is a banner weekend for Hills alumni!
Following the shocking news that Christian Grey will be recast in the forthcoming Fifty Shades of Grey movie, will producers soon be looking for a new Ana as well? Charlie Hunnam is out the project before it even began, citing scheduling conflicts. It’s unclear what new conflicts could have arisen in the last month, however. Unofficially, The Hollywood Reporter claims Charlie was actually intimidated by the amount of negative attention his casting received, and he got cold feet. Whatever the reason, Hunnam’s exit leaves his would-be co-star, Dakota Johnson, on shaky ground, with some fans calling for her to be replaced too. Dakota was a fresh face that Focus and Universal loved, but one of the biggest reasons she was cast was because of her chemistry with Charlie. Fifty Shades of Grey is a love story (or mommy porn, depending who you ask), but either way, Christian Grey is the key figure to the studio and fans. The fan base for the 50 Shades books/ film is primarily female, and may well have played a role – directly or indirectly – in Hunnam’s abrupt exit. Will his replacement be tested for chemistry with Dakota? Or is she potentially at risk of being replaced based on their new leading man’s identity? Vote in our polls below and tell us what you think of Charlie Hunnam’s exit and whether you think Dakota Johnson should stay on board the project: Should Dakota Johnson also be replaced in Fifty Shades of Grey? Yes! Time to start over! No! She got the part for a reason! View Poll » If so, who should star in her place as Anastasia Steele? Mila Kunis Lily Collins Nina Dobrev Alexis Bledel Shailene Woodley Lucy Hale Minka Kelly Allison Williams Emma Watson Ashley Benson Emilia Clarke Riley Keough Other (Cite in Comments) View Poll » With Charlie Hunnam out, who should play Christian? Ian Somerhalder Alex Pettyfer Stephen Amell Matt Bomer Ryan Gosling Ryan Phillippe Alexander Skarsgard Henry Cavill Chris Evans Tom Hardy Chris Pine Garrett Hedlund Other (Cite in Comments) View Poll »
Ian Somerhalder fans everywhere, rejoice! There’s hope once again to see him play Christian Grey on the big screen. In shocking news announced this afternoon, Charlie Hunnam has pulled out of the role . Hunnam, best know for his role as Jax on Sons of Anarchy, has decommitted from playing Dakota Johnson’s love interest in the upcoming film based on best selling bondage novel Fifty Shades of Grey. Universal Studios and Focus Features released a joint statement on Saturday which said that Hunnam’s “immersive TV schedule” does not allow him time “to adequately prepare for the role of Christian Grey.” The studio will recast the role and there is no word yet as to how Hunnam’s premature exit will affect the film’s schedule. It’s time to sound off! Now that the role is once again available, which sexy star do you hope lands the role of Anastasia Steele’s lover? Michael Fassbender Alex Pettyfer Ian Somerhalder Robert Pattinson Ryan Gosling Kellan Lutz Chris Hemsworth Ryan Phillippe Matt Bomer Alexander Skarsgard View Poll »
42 Dead In Islamic Terrorist Attack On Nigerian College Another day, another deadly terrorist attack . Via Fox News: Islamic terrorists dressed in Nigerian military uniforms assaulted a college inside the country Sunday, gunning down dozens of students as they slept in their dorms and shot others trying to flee, witnesses say. “They started gathering students into groups outside, then they opened fire and killed one group and then moved onto the next group and killed them. It was so terrible,” one surviving student, who would only give his first name of Idris, told Reuters. The siege began at about 1 a.m. in rural Gujba. “They attacked our students while they were sleeping in their hostels, they opened fire at them,” Provost Molima Idi Mato of Yobe State College of Agriculture, told The Associated Press. The extremists also torched classrooms. Nigeria State Police Commissioner Sanusi Rufai told Reutersthat he suspected that the terrorist group Boko Haram was behind the attack, but declined to elaborate. Idi Mato said he could not give an exact death toll as security forces still are recovering bodies of students mostly aged between 18 and 22, but he said as many as 50 may have been killed. The Nigerian military has already collected 42 bodies and transported 18 wounded students to Damaturu Specialist Hospital, 25 miles north, said a military intelligence official, who insisted on anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the press. Two of the wounded later died, said Adamu Usman, a survivor from Gujba who was helping at the hospital. Boko Haram is aiming to establish an Islamic state in northern Nigeria and has intensified attacks on civilians in revenge for a Nigerian military offensive against the group, Reuters reports. Most schools in the area closed after militants on July 6 killed 29 pupils and a teacher, burning some alive in their hostels, at Mamudo outside Damaturu. Northeastern Nigeria is under a military state of emergency to battle an Islamic uprising prosecuted by Boko Haram militants who have killed more than 1,700 people since 2010 in their quest to install an Islamic state, though half the country’s 160 million citizens are Christian. Boko Haram means Western education is forbidden in the local Hausa language. More than 30,000 people have fled the terrorist attacks to neighboring Cameroon and Chad and the uprising combined with the military emergency has forced farmers from their fields and vendors from their markets. The attacks come as Nigeria prepares to celebrate 52 years of independence from Britain on Tuesday and amid political jockeying in the run up to presidential elections next year with many northern Muslim politicians saying they do not want another term for Jonathan, who is from the predominantly Christian south. Damn, the dead body count keeps rising and it’s just so sad that innocent lives are taken each week with these attacks. SMH.
Fifty Shades of Grey wine. It’s actually a thing. E.L. James, author of the popular novels, has introduced it, starting with two “personally blended” bottles. Just as Christian and Anastasia blend their bodies into one. Or something. The Fifty Shades of Grey wine varietals, titled Red Satin and White Silk, do not come with handcuffs, but may make you more likely to end up in them. We mean sexually, not in a DUI arrest sense. But don’t drink and drive kids. So what do they actually taste like? We’ll try to refrain from obvious jokes and sexual innuendo for just a moment and work from the official release: The red is described as a blend of “Petite Sirah and Syrah with flavors of black cherry, cocoa powder, creamy caramel and vanilla, leather and clove spice.” The white features “floral aromatics of lychee and honey, tempered by flavors of crisp grapefruit, mineral and lush pear with a faint hint of butterscotch.” E.L. said in a statement that “Wine plays an important role in Fifty Shades of Grey , adding to the sensuality that pervades a number of scenes.” Translation: It tastes good. It gets you drunk. Christian and Ana bone like it’s their jobs. There are at least 17 times in which wine is consumed in the book, including one memorable scene in which Ana is given it via Christian’s mouth. No word on whether you can expect Dakota Johnson and Charlie Hunnam to reenact that in the still sort of hotly anticipated Fifty Shades of Grey movie . The wine goes on sale September 30 .
Will Waka be putting them paws on somebody on LHHATL ?? Waka Flocka Denies Joining LHHATL Via CoCoaFab reports: While reports claimed Waka Flocka would joining the controversial cast next season, he says it’s his fiancee who has inked a deal. In an interview with Power 105′s The Breakfast Club, the rapper revealed the details and explained why he will NEVER be friends with Gucci Mane again. “I’m not doing Love & Hip, my fiancé Tammy Rivera is doing it. I don’t do reality shows,” he said. “Go ahead and put a million dollars in her pocket cause it’s me. Put two million. I aint gotta buy no more purses, shoes. Those Christian Louboutin [prices] are crazy.” Looks like Waka is staying out the spotlight this time to let his girl shine. Will you be tuning into the next season of Love & Hip Hop ATL to peep Waka’s banger boo? IG Continue reading →
Fifty Shades of Grey star Charlie Hunnam says he’s ready to embrace the role of Christian Grey, and that there’s tangible chemistry with his co-star. At the FX premiere of Sons of Anarchy Season 6 , Hunnam, 33, discussed for the first time how he landed the role of Christian, and why he wanted it. “As soon as we got in the room and started reading with Dakota, I knew that I definitely wanted to do it, because there was a tangible chemistry between us.” “It felt kind of exciting and fun and weird and compelling, and so that was it.” That would be his co-star Dakota Johnson, 23, who will portray Anastasia Steele, Christian’s lover in the much-anticipated Fifty Shades of Grey movie . Before Dakota, Hunnam spoke with director Sam Taylor-Johnson about her thoughts on the role, after which he “felt really intrigued and excited about it.” “I went and read the first book to get a clearer idea of who this character was, and felt even more excited about the prospect of bringing him to life.” At first he was cautious about the commitment – there will likely be three Fifty Shades films – given that he’s been locked into a TV show since 2008. After filmmakers pushed back the shooting schedule to give Hunnam more time to prepare, and the reading with his future co-star, the actor committed . Fifty Shades of Grey Movie: Stars Announced, Reactions Mixed The casting of Dakota Johnson and Charlie Hunnam hasn’t exactly thrilled many readers, but 50 Shades producers say their chemistry will surprise people. As for whether the racy material gives him pause? “My first job was on a Channel 4 miniseries called Queer as Folk,” the English actor said, noting that “It was incredibly explicit sexual scenes with a man.” “If could do it when I was 18 with a guy, I can certainly do it at 33 with a lady.” He also said his longtime girlfriend, jewelry designer Morgana McNelis, helped him make the decision to take on the role despite the sexual nature. “It’s very hard to be with an actor … she’s required to share parts of me she wouldn’t really want to share. With the nature of this role, that’s going to be times 10.” “[McNelis] loved the books … she read them all and loved them and she was really excited about the potential of the opportunity for me.” “If anything, I think it will bring us closer together.” Charlie Hunnam as Christian Grey : Perfect! Terrible! Who?!? View Poll »
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