Almost three years ago we posted the story of this woman, who put her ex-boyfriend on blast after he decided to reconcile with his wife following their 8 1/2 year relationship… It looks like she wasn’t nearly finished humiliating him. Woman Who Put Lover On Blast Via Billboard Makes Movie About Affair Via NY Daily News reports: Charles Phillips, the former president of Oracle Corp. and a member of President Obama’s Economic Advisory Board, sent the Harlem International Film Festival a cease-and-desist letter this week trying to block Thursday’s premiere of “The Glamorous Lie,” a documentary by his ex-mistress YaVaughnie Wilkins. Wilkins, who in 2010 vindictively plastered shots of her and Phillips on pricey billboards in Times Square, Atlanta and San Francisco after their 81/2-year relationship ended, didn’t let the letter scare her. Neither did the Harlem Film Festival. Nasri Zacharia, a festival spokesman, says the staff for the tiny, 100-person Maysles Cinema, set to screen the film at 7 p.m., was initially worried because the still-married Phillips’ lawyers also targeted the theater. “We were on hold for a while, and the theater where we are screening the world premiere was concerned, but we managed to alleviate the problems,” says Zacharia. He says Wilkins agreed to take responsibility for all liability and is “standing behind the film.” Wilkins tells Confidenti@l that her ex-beau’s “cease-and-desist letter is saying it’s an unauthorized documentary, but my lawyers are countering that he’s a public figure and I have a right to tell my story.” Wilkins is also in a civil court battle with the film’s director, who she claims is now in cahoots with Phillips. Her ex, she said, tried to buy the documentary to kill it. “If Charles thinks there is something in there that misrepresents our relationship, then he should do his own documentary and tell his own story,” says Wilkins. A spokesman for Phillips, who is now the CEO of software company Infor, did not respond to a request for comment. But back when he was the butt of Wilkins’ rage after he decided to reconcile with wife Karen, he said this: “I had an 81/2-year serious relationship with YaVaughnie Wilkins … The relationship with Ms. Wilkins has since ended and we both wish each other well.” Cry him a damn river… You do the crime, you pay the time, over and over again apparently. But seriously, we have to imagine that with all her resources there has to be something more constructive YaVaughnie could be doing with her time and money. Do you agree? Photo Credit: Sam Costanza
As protesters in Pakistan, Indonesia and Afghanistan raged against the anti-Islam film Innocence of Muslims over the weekend, the media was also awash with photos and video of the Egyptian immigrant first tied to the crude inflammatory video, Nakoula Basseley , as he was escorted from his Southern California home looking like the Elephant Man so that he could be questioned by police. (See the video after the jump.) Basseley, who was first identified as Sam Bacile — a pseudonym that calls to mind the word “imbecile,” — covered his face with a white scarf and wore a newsboy’s cap on his head to protect his identity. His appearance didn’t remain hidden for long, however. Both the New York Daily News and the New York Post have run a picture of Basseley, sans disguise, sitting with one of the actors in Innocence of Muslims , Anna Gurji, who has been talking to a number of media outlets, and wrote a letter to the horror/fantasy writer Neil Gaiman about how she and her fellow cast members were duped by Basseley. (Gurji also notes in her letter to Gaiman, which he posted on his website, that The Happy Hooker Goes Hollywood helmsman Alan Roberts (a.k.a. Robert Brownell) was the director of Innocence of Muslims.) Basseley, who’s reportedly a 55-year-old Coptic Christian who immigrated from Egypt, does not have the face of a man who sparked a wave of violence that led to the deaths of U.S. Ambassador to Libya J. Christopher Stevens and three other American diplomatic staffers. What’s that they say about the banality of evil? Follow Frank DiGiacomo on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.
Nakoula Basseley Nakoula (also known as Sam Bacile) has been revealed as the creator of the anti-Muslim film that has contributed to violent protests in the Middle East. “Innocence of Muslims”, a low-budget movie filmed this year, has been blamed at least in part for the recent political and social unrest in the already volatile region. Here’s the New York Daily News’ photo of Nakoula Basseley Nakoula (a.k.a. Sam Bacile ) on the set of Innocence of Muslims with actress Anna Gurji … Nakoula, who resides in Cerritos, Calif., is believed to have gotten considerable financial backing for the now-infamous movie from strident anti-Islam organizations. The film triggered violence in Egypt, Yemen, Tunisia, Morocco, Sudan, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Palestinian territories and Libya, where Ambassador Chris Stevens was killed. Federal investigators questioned – but later released – Nakoula, who is on probation for a check-kiting scheme. The 55-year-old was not arrested by authorities. The Egyptian-born filmmaker has since gone into hiding, according to The AP. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton denounced the video as “disgusting and reprehensible” last week but defended the right of American citizens to express their opinions.
Out of respect for 9/11, all of the politico propaganda stood still for the day, as both parties agreed to not run ads or address any Election-related GOP isht… everyone EXCEPT for that prick azzhole, Dick Cheney . Dick Cheney went on the offensive against President Obama in a statement to a conservative news site as both political campaigns paused to remember the victims of the Sept. 11 terror attacks. The former vice president released a statement to The Daily Caller late Monday that criticized the president over GOP allegations that he has skipped daily intelligence briefings and took undue credit for Osama bin Laden’s death. “If President Obama were participating in his intelligence briefings on a regular basis then perhaps he would understand why people are so offended at his efforts to take sole credit for the killing of Osama bin Laden,” Cheney told the site in an email through a spokeswoman. “Those who deserve the credit are the men and women in our military and intelligence communities who worked for many years to track him down,” he added. “They are the ones who deserve the thanks of a grateful nation.” The harsh statement was dropped on the eve of the 11th anniversary of Sept. 11, as both campaigns planned to suspend their negative ads in honor of the victims of the terrorist attacks. The former VP to George W. Bush at the time of the attacks was referring to a report by a conservative investigative group called the Government Accountability Institute. That report said that a look at Obama’s schedule found that he attended the presidential daily brief just 536 times during his first 1,225 days in office and less frequently after that. White House spokesman Jay Carney called reports about those findings “hilarious.” “He gets it every day, okay? The President of the United States gets the presidential daily briefing every day,” Carney told reporters Monday afternoon in response to a question about the allegation. He said that Obama reads the briefing every day that he is not in the Oval Office for an in-person meeting. Can this old head finally sit down and shut the eff up already?? Source Images via WENN
In the midst of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Manhattan, the fashion crowd broke from the daily grind of runway presentations on Saturday night to soak up the wisdom of one of their forebears at the New York premiere of Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel . Instead of looking forward to fashion’s future, the glam guests embarked on an evening of reflection at the Museum of Modern Art as the film — directed by the late fashion diva’s granddaughter-in-law Lisa Immordino Vreeland, Bent Jorgen-Perlmutt and Frederic Cheng — examined how Vreeland and her game-changing work at Harper’s Bazaar , Vogue and the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute informed and transformed the rag trade. Comprised of rich archival footage and commentary contributed by friends, family and colleagues of the genuine fashion icon, the 86-minute documentary of Vreeland’s transformation from “ugly duckling” to, arguably, the most influential fashion arbiter of her time, proved to be a crowd pleaser. Thanks to Vreeland’s charisma — and chutzpah — and some excellent editing, The Eye Has to Travel is both inspiring and laugh-out-loud funny. Fashion editor and stylist Mary Alice Stephenson perhaps put it best, exclaiming of Vreeland, “She’s a badass.” Model Karlie Kloss said of the film, “I feel like I just got a serious history lesson.” After the packed screening, guests swanned over to the W magazine and Swarovski-sponsored post-premiere party at Monkey Bar where a waiter carrying a tray of canapes bumped into model with enough inertia to cause her to spill the martini she was sipping. (Her reaction? Gracious.) At the bar, 20-year-old actress Sami Gayle ( Detachment ) ordered a Sprite and asked the bartender: “Can I get a straw?” Charming. Eventually, most of the crowd settled into booths: actor Alan Cumming huddled with a group that included actress Christine Baranski ; fashion designer Erin Fetherston and her boyfriend Gabe Saporta of the band Cobra Starship. Actress Gina Gershon table-hopped before sitting down with W editor Stefano Tonchi, among others. With such a dense collection of fashionistas in one room, Movieline took the opportunity to ask some of the most stylish guests a single question: “If you could costume design any movie or adaptation of a movie, what would it be and why?” Here’s what they said: Karlie Kloss Karlie Kloss, model: “An Audrey Hepburn movie, for sure. I think that would have been amazing.” Tommy Hilfiger, fashion designer: “ The Great Gatsby . I love the era. I love the clothes. And wish I had been there.” Brooke Shields, actress: “At this point, I would to have liked to have done this movie! [Laughs] If I had the talent. If I had their aesthetic and their ability. I would love that.” Anja Rubik, model: “ Fifty Shades of Gray will be quite cool with all the sex items. So, I would pick that one. I think that that’s really fun.” Anja Rubik Christine Baranski, actress: “I’d probably like to do something like Portrait of a Lady . Something Edwardian. Downton Abby just can’t be beat. It can’t be beat.” Alan Cumming, actor: “I’m trying to think of something where I didn’t like the clothes so I could re-do it. I’ve got a movie coming out at the end of the year called Any Day Now . That one I would like to re-costume. [Laughs] No, it’s my wig I hated in that.” Sami Gayle, actress: “ Mean Girls . The people in that film had a great style to start with, but there are a lot of different personalities and you could work that into different aspects [of the film].” Robert Verdi, stylist: “The remake of Valley of the Dolls . It was a highly stylized movie and there was something laughable about it, because it was so extreme at the time. I understand the intersection of fashion and humor, so that’s the one I’d like to do. I’m the funny fashionista.” Erin Fetherston Natasha Bedingfield, singer-songwriter: “It would probably be about Native Americans, because I love the story, firstly, but I also love beading and native jewelry.” Franca Sozzani, editor-in-chief, Vogue Italia : “Maybe the last one that Baz Luhrmann is doing, The Great Gatsby . It was a very elegant moment and the 1920s were the most elegant moment.” Erin Fetherston, fashion designer: “You know, I heard once, there were rumors of them remaking Belle de Jour . And that could be something that would be really amazing. I love that Parisian chic [aesthetic]. Late fifties, early sixties. It could be interesting to re-imagine that in a modern context.” Angela Lindvall, model: “ Alice in Wonderland . Just because I love fantasy.” Maria Cornejo, fashion designer: “My favorite movie of all time is Blade Runner . I would love to do Blade Runner .” Gina Gershon Gina Gershon, actress : “Probably The Wizard of Oz . It’s one of my favorite movies and there are so many fun people and creatures to design [for], you know?” Stefano Tonchi, editor-in-chief, W Magazine: “One of my favorite movies is Blade Runner , so I would like to do a sequel or something like that. Bring it into the next hundred years. It’s my favorite movie of all time. I think it’s really undervalued. Daryl Hannah in her see-through plastic raincoat is absolutely fantastic.” Nell Alk is an arts and entertainment writer and reporter based in New York City. Her work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal , Manhattan Magazine, Z!NK Magazine and on InterviewMagazine.com, PaperMag.com and RollingStone.com, among others. Learn more about her here . Follow Nell Alk on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.
Michael Clarke Duncan, best known for his Academy Award-nominated turn as the prison inmate John Coffey in The Green Mile , died Monday weeks after suffering a heart attack on July 13. Duncan had been hospitalized since the attack, with fiancee Omarosa Manigault confirming his passing in a statement today. Duncan began his career as a celebrity bodyguard before breaking into Hollywood with roles like Bear in Armageddon and Coffey in The Green Mile which capitalized on his imposing stature, booming voice, and often gentle demeanor; after earning numerous accolades for his performance opposite Tom Hanks in the Frank Darabont film, Duncan went on to notable roles in films like The Whole Nine Yards , Planet of the Apes , The Scorpion King , Daredevil , Sin City , and The Island . Here’s a look back at Duncan’s work in The Green Mile . I loved watching Duncan in lighter moments – there was something wonderfully warm about him, a twinkle in his eye that hinted he was having a blast within every scene. Even on the red carpet, as in this completely random May 2012 interview from YouTube revealing that he’d never had a drink in his life, that spirit was infectious. [ NY Daily News ]
Full speed… behind? Following a statement from Summit Entertainment in which the studio said it was moving ” full speed ahead ” with its original outline for the upcoming Breaking Dawn press tour – despite a certain publicized breakup – plans appear to have changed. Ashley Greene may be stepping in for Kristen Stewart. “The studio’s holding out to see if [ Robert Pattinson and Stewart] get back together,” an insider tells The New York Post . “But I don’t think anyone is banking on that happening… At this point, the press strategy would have been mapped out. It’s usually very organized, but at this time it’s undecided.” With various premieres set to take place around the country and the world, executives could simply split Stewart and Pattinson up. Greene would then appear alongside the actor for interviews and junkets. She couldn’t be a bigger fan of Rob, telling The Daily Mail a couple years ago that the star “has been one of my biggest inspirations. As a person, he’s not like anyone I’ve ever met in Hollywood, and as an actor he’s a complete natural. He has no ego.” Sorry, Kristen, but that really does appear to be true. You’ve lost one of the very good eggs here. [Photo: WENN.com]
Brangelina’s parents are not fans of President Barack Obama. Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney can count on Brad Pitt’s mom Jane to vote for him … and now Angelina Jolie’s outspoken father Jon Voight too. The 73-year-old actor and unabashed conservative is slamming President Barack Obama, comparing him to Venezuelan socialist leader Hugo Chavez. Again, the man is not one to mince words. “The media has been taken over by this administration,” Voight told The Daily Caller at the Republican National Convention this week in Tampa. “It’s not less than what has happened in Venezuela with Hugo Chavez, really, because you can’t get the information through,” Voight added. “I’m giving you this because I want to get the press my opinion. You can put it in any way you want to. But, it’s become pure propaganda.” “We should be appalled. America, guys, wake up. You should be appalled that they can get away with it. The Republican Party is a victim of a bias.” “It’s been going on for all this time and it’s getting worse and worse. Now this? Come on, people, stand up,” added Jon Voight , who endorsed Romney. “I think because of Gov. Mitt Romney ‘s great talents, his great compassion, his great gifts of leadership, he’s going to win this election,” he said. “The people are going to become aware of these qualities.” Election 2012 :
Man Bites Snake To Death After Being Attached Bet the snake didn’t see this one coming…. A Nepali man who was bitten by a cobra snake bit it back and killed the reptile in a tit-for-tat attack, a newspaper said on Thursday. Nepali daily Annapurna Post said Mohamed Salmo Miya chased the snake, which bit him in his rice paddy on Tuesday, caught it and bit it until it died. “I could have killed it with a stick but bit it with my teeth instead because I was angry,” the 55-year-old Miya, who lives in a village some 200 km (125 miles) southeast of the Nepali capital of Kathmandu, was quoted by the daily as saying. The snake, called “goman” in Nepal, is also known as the Common Cobra. Police official Niraj Shahi said the man, who was being treated at a village health post and was not in danger of dying, would not be charged with killing the snake because the reptile was not among snake species listed as endangered in Nepal. Desperate times call for desperate measures . Source Image via Shutterstock
