Controversy has arisen in Warsaw, Poland as a result of a piece by Maurizio Cattelan. The Italian artist has created a statue of Adolf Hitler praying and placed it in the former Warsaw Ghetto, a location that saw numerous Jews killed by the dictator during his regime. It is titled “HIM,” is only visible from a long distance and is meant to force a contemplation on the nature of evil, according to organizers. However, Jewish advocacy group the Simon Wiesenthal Center doesn’t see it that way. The organization says the placement of the artwork represents “a senseless provocation, which insults the memory of the Nazis’ Jewish victims.” Adds the group’s director, Efraim Zuroff: “As far as the Jews were concerned, Hitler’s only ‘prayer’ was that they be wiped off the face of the earth.” The Nazis sealed off the Ghetto soon after conquering Poland. They forced Jews to live there in awful conditions, many passing away, while they awaited transportation to death camps. Fabio Cavallucci, director of the Center for Contemporary Art, which oversees the exhibit, says: “There is no intention from the side of the artist or the center to insult Jewish memory. It’s an artwork that tries to speak about the situation of hidden evil everywhere.” Where do you stand, readers? What do you think of Praying Hitler? It’s disgusting! It’s thought-provoking! Hey, art is art! View Poll »
Here’s Italian showgirl-turned-politician Nicole Minetti showing off her obvious political qualifications at the beach, just further proof that Italians truly do it better. Anyway, I don’t know much about Italian politics, but I do know that if American politicians looked half this good in a bikini, I’m pretty sure the fiscal cliff nonsense would’ve been solved months ago, just so Congress could take an early beach vacation. Oh well, maybe next election. » view all 18 photos Photos: WENN.com , PacificCoastNews
We’ve seen a lot of Italian model Claudia Romani this month, and for good reason. She’s smoking hot, and she’s seemingly constantly in a bikini. And those are pretty much the only qualifications you need to get posted on this site. So all you hot girls out there who’ve always dreamed of having me write dumb jokes about your bodies, all you need to do is walk around in nothing but a bikini for a few weeks, and your dreams can come true too! Email me. » view all 16 photos Related Articles: Claudia Romani Bikini Pictures Claudia Romani Does A Bikini Good Jennifer Lawrence Pumps It For Me Jennifer Lawrence Bikini Pictures For Thanksgiving Photos: PacificCoastNews , FameFlynet
Robert Bork, whose long political career was most noteworthy for his controversial rejection from the Supreme Court in the 1980s, has died at the age of 85. Son Robert H. Bork Jr. confirmed his father died at Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington, Va. The son said Bork died from complications of heart ailments . The brilliant, blunt Bork’s confirmation hearings helped draw the modern boundaries of cultural fights over abortion, civil rights and other issues. The Senate denied him confirmation and a spot on the court, 58-42. Earlier in life, Bork was accused of being a partisan hatchet man for Richard Nixon. As the third-ranking official at the Justice Department, he fired Watergate special prosecutor Archibald Cox in the “Saturday Night Massacre” of 1973. Attorney General Elliot Richardson resigned rather than fire Cox. The next in line, William Ruckelshaus, refused to fire Cox and was himself fired. But it was Bork’s drubbing during the 1987 Senate nomination hearings made him a hero to the right and a rallying cry for younger conservatives. The experience embittered Bork and hardened many of his positions, even as it gave him prominence as an author and popularity on the speaking circuit. Kenneth Weinstein, head of the Washington think-tank Hudson Institute where Bork was a distinguished fellow, said in response to his passing: “Robert Bork was a giant, a brilliant and fearless legal scholar, and a gentleman whose incredible wit and erudition made him a wonderful Hudson colleague.” Known before his nomination by Ronald Reagan as an expert on antitrust law, Bork became widely known as a conservative cultural critic in the ensuing years.
In the latest sign that the Mayans have been correct all along, another member of The Real Housewives franchise will soon come out with her very own book. First, Taylor Armstrong used her estranged husband’s death to pen ” Hiding from Reality: My Story of Love, Loss, and Finding the Courage Within .” Next, Brandi Glanville will release some nonsense called ” Drinking & Tweeting and Other Brandi Blunders .” And now we can confirm that Melissa Gorga has signed a deal for “Love, Italian Style: The Secrets of My Hot and Happy Marriage.” “I can’t tell you how many times Joe and I are approached by fans asking how they can have a marriage like ours,” Gorga lies to tells Us Weekly . Melissa adds that the memoir will give readers “practical strategies on how to strengthen their marriage, amp up the passion, and the secrets that make my marriage as sexy and hot as it is warm and loving.” Well… okay then. Sounds like a must-not read! Will you purchase this book? Yes, can’t wait! Of course not! View Poll »
Here’s Italian model Claudia Romani out walking around Miami Beach in a bikini, I’m guessing as some sort of public service, or city beautification project to boost tourism. Well, it worked on me at least. I’m seriously considering heading down there later this week. I hear the views are breathtaking. Related Articles: Claudia Romani Bikini Pictures Jennifer Lawrence’s Tasty Front Meat Jennifer Lawrence Pumps It For Me Jennifer Lawrence Bikini Pictures For Thanksgiving Photos: PacificCoastNews
Proving that even your grandparents now know what video games are, Wreck-It Ralph was a happy surprise hit for Disney earlier this fall. Nabbing a healthy $202,184,813 box office take, the film not only got asses in seats, it also gave the studio its best-reviewed non-Pixar film in years and confirms the company’s power as a producer of genre-based popular culture. Obviously, that makes a sequel as inevitable as death, taxes, and launch-day DLC. So what’s in store for Wreck it Ralph 2 ? A welcome injection of Italian plumbing skills. Wreck-It Ralph Director Rich Moore has confirmed that he wants to include Nintendo’s Mario , longtime rescuer of the Mushroom Kingdom (and rumored paramour of its benevolent despot, Princess Peach ) in the sequel. In fact, Moore told Moviehole , Nintendo signed off on an appearance by the iconic magical handyman in the first film, but the filmmakers weren’t able to figure out how to make proper use of him. Next time around, Moore says, Mario is a given, come hell or Hiyoihoi . “We’ll really come up with something good for Mario to do [in the next film]“, he said. “To be able to present him in the sequel, would be great.” I approve. Nothing encapsulates the ’80s-era of arcade games like Super Mario Bros. , and Mario’s absence from Wreck-It Ralph felt like a missing arm, or at least a glitchy power-up box. Adding him to the sequel is better than getting a flying raccoon suit for Christmas. A trip by Ralph to the Mushroom Kingdom practically writes itself: obviously, you get from there to, say, Grand Theft Auto -land *, by finding one of Super Mario Bros. ‘ hidden warp zones. But why stop there? There are a ton of untapped arcade-game characters left to exploit. Here are my top picks: * Gauntlet: I’d love to see one of the characters (see above) from this classic hack-and-slash game show up, if only because Red Warrior will constantly complain that he “needs food badly.” * Dirk the Daring from Dragon’s Lair: This would probably be difficult since Dragon’s Lair was created by Don Bluth, and we all know he and Disney aren’t really on speaking terms. But I’d like to imagine that these fences could be mended, even if Dirk would die via dungeon trap within three seconds of showing up. * Billy and Jimmy Lee from Double Dragon : . Sure, we’d be forced to remember Scott Wolf’s hilarious turn as Billy in the odious 1994 movie, but nothing would get a lovable, John C. Reilly -voiced misanthrope out of a jam like the combined power of twin bruisers, beating people into walls. What would you like to see? Space Ace ? The Dinosaurs from Primal Rage ? The pixel from Pong ? Let us know in comments. * Enjoy an R-rating, Disney. Ross Lincoln is a LA-based freelance writer from Oklahoma with an unhealthy obsession with comics, movies, video games, ancient history, Gore Vidal, and wine. More on Wreck-It Ralph: ‘Wreck-It Ralph’: The 6 Best Video Game References — Leeroy Jenkins Lives! ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ — John C. Reilly Ponders His Video Game Character’s Existential Questions WATCH: The New Wreck-It Ralph Trailer Is The Best Thing Ever [ Moviehole ] Follow Ross Lincoln on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.
Technically, Heaven’s Gate / The Deer Hunter director Michael Cimino ( @Cimino1939 ) isn’t yet verified on Twitter , but we’ll allow the man the benefit of the doubt: He’s barely been Tweeting for 24 hours and already his account is a must-read. 1980’s Heaven’s Gate was such a notorious overbudget box office bomb that you can consider “pulling a heaven’s gate” Hollywood shorthand for bombastic failure, and yet: “A number of inexcusable, misleading things have been said about me,” Cimino Tweeted after his account sprang up yesterday. With Heaven’s Gate enjoying renewed interest and critical appreciation (not to mention the estimable Criterion treatment), engaging with cinephiles three decades later could be Cimino’s ticket back into the game. “Being infamous is not fun,” Cimino said last summer at the Venice Film Festival. Welcome to Twitter, Mr. Cimino! Give the guy a follow here and cross your fingers for some real talk along the lines of these Tweets about his Heaven’s Gate infamy, how he wanted to make The Empire Strikes Back as “a Western with lasers,” and his vision for turning the Kevin Bacon punch-dancing classic Footloose into a Grapes of Wrath -esque musical comedy. Film recommendation… or modified haiku? Young people of the world / Watch the films of John Ford / All of them / They are the best.— Michael Cimino (@Cimino1939) December 07, 2012 On Heaven’s Gate breaking even — and only 32 years after release! If Criterion's new edition of HEAVEN'S GATE sells enough copies this holiday season / It will finally break even / and we rewrite history.— Michael Cimino (@Cimino1939) December 07, 2012 On that one time someone called him a chubby Garry Shandling, which I think we can all agree would suck: A hack writer once described me as “Chubby. Like an Italian Garry Shandling carrying all the baggage of a short man” That hurt / But no more— Michael Cimino (@Cimino1939) December 07, 2012 How he almost kicked off his Sunday shoes until Paramount got nervous and fired him, which is the greatest cinematic tragedy of all because who wouldn’t want a five-hour Footloose ?? I wasn't being facetious about FOOTLOOSE / I worked on it for 6 months. / My John Steinbeck inspired musical-comedy didn't reach the screen.— Michael Cimino (@Cimino1939) December 07, 2012 On making his pitch to make The Empire Strikes Back : @ maxevry @ germainlussier Unfair & unfunny. I made a unique pitch for the 2nd film in 1978/9.— Michael Cimino (@Cimino1939) December 07, 2012 …and the follow-up explanation that makes me wonder if @cimino1939 is fake/just messing with us: Everyone was pitching ideas for STAR WARS / Mine was simple: / A straight Western / but with lasers. / All the sets already built of course.— Michael Cimino (@Cimino1939) December 07, 2012 Lastly, and most importantly! On his next would-be project, and his hireability: Take note, Hollywood! I would next like to make a film of my script MAN'S FATE / I also have recently finished a sci-fi script / I am fit & well & insurable— Michael Cimino (@Cimino1939) December 07, 2012 [ @cimino1939 ]
Stop ya bloodclot cryin’!! Demi Moore’s Daughters Beg Her To Get Over Ashton Kutcher Via RadarOnline As Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis stroll hand-in-hand on their romantic Italian getaway, his estranged wife Demi Moore is once again fighting with her daughters, this time over her inability to let their soon-to-be ex-stepfather go from her life, a source tells RadarOnline.com exclusively. Rumer, Scout and Tallulah Willis want their 50-year-old mother to divorce Ashton now, a year after he was caught cheating on her, so she can finally end that chapter of her life. “Demi just can’t let go of Ashton despite him obviously moving on from her, and her daughters don’t think it’s healthy or helpful for her,” a source close to the girls exclusively told RadarOnline.com. “They are begging her to get over Ashton and move on with her life!” Demi needs a glass of water and a “lollipop” to get that bitter, salty, taste out of her mouth. As RadarOnline.com previously reported, after Demi’s trip to rehab her daughters were unhappy with how she continued to deal with her problems, and their relationship rapidly began to fall apart. They tried to mend fences recently, but according to the source things are turning sour once again. “All three girls want her to divorce Ashton and stop talking about him, they think that she needs to focus on the future and quit worrying about what he is doing,” the source says. The photos of Ashton and Mila together have been a source of pain for Demi, who complains about their relationship to her daughters. “Demi refuses to let it go, and her daughters are trying everything they can to get through to her that things are over with Ashton,” the source says. “They love their mom but they want her to stop talking about Ashton!” We get that this divorce is clearly painful for Demi, but at what point do you have pride about yourself and say “f**k Ashton”??? Image via WENN
Just 24 hours after Selena Gomez’s disastrous dinner date with Justin Bieber, the singer-actress met up with pal Taylor Swift for dinner last night. Oh to be a fly on the wall at Osteria La Buca in Los Angeles. “The girls shared an Italian meal and seemed to have the best time,” an onlooker says. “There were a lot of giggles and laughter. They looked like great friends .” “You could tell they were also in deep conversation throughout the meal. Taylor was very protective of Selena and escorted her to and from the car.” The probably-single ladies certainly have plenty to discuss … Friday’s Justin Bieber-Selena Gomez date night fight came after they split two weeks ago, and Justin made numerous overtures toward reconciliation. Ones that apparently blew up in his “Baby” face. She stormed out of dinner for reasons unknown, then drove to her house where she refused to let the Bieb in … with the paparazzi watching every move. Taylor, for her part, has been linked to Joe Jonas, Taylor Lautner, John Mayer, Cory Monteith, Toby Hemingway, Jake Gyllenhaal, Zac Efron and Garrett Hedlund. Girl knows a thing or two about drama with hot young guys. Swift’s two possible paramours as of this moment, of course, are Harry Styles of One Direction fame and Conor Kennedy of Kennedy family fame. Taylor Swift and Harry Styles were seen walking hand-in-hand at a rehearsal for The X Factor late last week; she broke up with Conor a few weeks ago. Some believe that was a fake breakup , however, to get his family to back off, or that they’re just on a break for now and will soon get back together. She bought a house next to the Kennedy Compound on Cape Cod, after all. You don’t do that unless you’re really serious about dating a guy for at least a month. Or you’re just looking for material for the next big genre-less pop-country smash. Selena and Justin’s drama would make for a good song, come to think of it. We want a cut of the royalties, T-Swizzle. [Photo: WENN.com]
