In the dangerous lives of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, when you head to a party, you need backup. That said, we break down last night in our +/- recap! First, back to Pandora’s wedding extravaganza. Wedding planner Kevin was slightly less annoying this week but that may be because we saw so little of him. I will give the man a Plus 10 . He puts together one heck of a lovely table, but does he really need a million dollar budget to pull that off? I don’t think so. From there we head over to Kyle’s where she’s throwing a party to celebrate both Cinco de Mayo and mother-in-law Estelle’s new face. Only in Beverly Hills can the two be combined and no one thinks twice about it.
The 13th season of Dancing With the Stars has come down to one night. Ricki Lake. Rob Kardashian. J.R. Martinez. All worthy parquet performers, as we know, but there can be only one Mirror Ball holder at the end of this. Who will it be? Apparently no one told Rob that J.R. and Ricki were the consensus picks all season long, or that he was a 4-1 underdog headed into the final Monday of the season. Because he’s in sole possession of the lead right now! His lead is only three points over both competitors, so this is going down to the wire. But who thought Rob Kardashian would be here now, let alone in first place? Seriously, if you’ve watched this season at all, you knew he was good, maybe even a dark horse contender. But few saw him ever sitting on top of the world. Rob and Cheryl Burke earned a perfect 30, their first of the fall, with a retro, Charleston-utilizing freestyle. When he said it was his time to peak, he meant it! “This competition is often won or lost in the freestyle round and to get a 10 you have to blow us away. Consider me blown!” raved DWTS judge Carrie Ann Inaba. J.R. Martinez and Karina Smirnoff earned a 30 of their own with an ’80s hip-hop / samba mash-up that made you wanna get down. But their first dance hurt them. A cha-cha that was deemed “not very good” by Len netted only 24 points. Meanwhile, Ricki Lake and Derek Hough received two sets of all nines on Monday. All of that left Rob in first place on the leaderboard for the first time, albeit not by much, on the even of the final vote tallying. What a great season it’s been! Watching proudly along with her whole family was Kim Kardashian , in the house for the first time since announcing the end of her fake marriage to that guy. “Did u guys see that!!!!!!” Kim tweeted afterward. “All 10’s in the freestyle!!!! OMG I swear the whole fam is in tears!!!!! Let’s go baby! Team CherBert!” It’s all up to the fans right now. Can they help the lagging teams make up the gap? Here’s a look at how Monday’s Dancing With the Stars scores shook out: Rob Kardashian & Cheryl Burke: (27, 30) 57 J.R. Martinez & Karina Smirnoff: (24, 30) 54 Ricki Lake & Derek Hough: (27, 27) 54 Who do you think has danced the best? Do you agree with scores, top to bottom? Most importantly, who do you think should hoist the Mirror Ball tonight?! Comment below, and vote for who you think will win!
What do you do when you’ve had a falling out with your friends and your marriage is crumbling around you? Throw an over the top birthday party for your five year old, of course. At least that’s how The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills cope.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills are back for a decadent day at the spa and THG is here, as always, to break down all the drama for you, +/- style! But before we get massaged, tanned, and exfoliated, let’s hit the kitchen with Adrienne and Lisa. Why? Heck if I know. For some unknown reason Lisa is teaching Adrienne how to make a chicken dinner. But I ask again, why does Adrienne need to learn how to do this? She has a personal chef on site and she obviously hates to cook. Minus 5 because seriously, what is the point? She can’t even find the salt and pepper in her own kitchen. Then things get amusing. When Lisa tells her to wash the chicken she uses dish soap to scrub it down. Plus 11 because I can’t stop laughing. It’s just so stupid. Add an additional Plus 7 for the looks poor Bernie is shooting them as these two defile his kitchen. From there we move on to Lisa meeting up with Malcom at his 60,000 square foot palatial estate. Apparently we’ll be seeing one heck of an engagement party here for Pandora next week. Any idea who will be using the commune bed? Minus 6 because I’m pretty sure I don’t want to know how many people have been in that bed, either separately or all at one time. On to the spa day. Is it just me or does Dana Wilkey seem like more of a ditz every time we see her? She simply parrots whatever anyone around her says. Her need to be accepted borders on scary. Adrienne invites everyone to a spa day. Who knew that the spa is in Adrienne’s home? Now I’m truly jealous. Plus 20 . You’d have to drag me out of my own personal spa. I’ll give Adrienne credit, she certainly knows how to spend her money. And did you see all of the goodies her personal chef made for the ladies. I can’t say I need to have edible gold but how do I get an invite to this party? Minus 5 because Kyle is the only person I’ve ever seen go in for a facial in full makeup and come out the same way. Kim’s late to the party. There’s a shock. Minus 7 because I’m not sure she’s capable of arriving anywhere on time. And what was up with Kim and Kyle’s trampoline adventure in their robes. That was just odd. Finally Brandi Glanville arrives and the tension rises. Adrienne tries to play peace maker without much success. She convinces Brandi to apologize but really doesn’t back her friend much when things border on heated. Minus 10 .
“The wedding ceremony was absolutely stunning — and very religious,” a guest tells Us of the bash, which had a pink, white and silver color scheme, with roses, hydrangeas and candles flanking the couple during the evening vows. “It was so breathtaking,” adds the guest. (The nuptials were filmed for the Bravo show — whose season two is now up in the air following Russell#39;s tragic death.) Pandora Vanderpump-Todd, 24, wore a classic, princess-style gown with a long white lace veil. “She loo
Lady Gaga, Kanye West, Nicki Minaj and their die-hard fans are up for awards at April 28 event. By MTV News staff Photo: MTV The typical awards show is packed with performances, celebrity appearances, red-carpet arrivals and, at some point, the presentations of the night’s biggest prize, usually just before the credits roll. The O Music Awards ? Not so much. The first-ever edition of MTV Networks’ latest awards extravaganza will take everything you know about awards galas, throw it in a blender, mash it up with an obscure black-and-white cartoon from the 1940s, add a Kanye West beat under it and maybe some adorable LOLcats and a snippet of “Friday” on top, post it on Twitter and watch it go mega-viral. Instead of just honoring the singers, songwriters, directors and producers who make our favorite digital-music products, the O Music Awards will dig deeper in such categories as Innovative Music Video, Fan Army FTW, Funniest Music Short, Innovative Artist, Must Follow Artist on Twitter, NSFW Music Video, Most Viral Dance, Best Independent Music Blog, Best Animal Performance, Best Performance Series and more to dig up the people behind your favorite online music and videos, professional, amateur or just plain awesome. Voting begins today (April 5) on the O Music Awards website , and like the best viral memes, it will be simple, social and transparent, with fans encouraged to vote via social media through a mobile voting wap site. You can follow the top vote-getters in the categories on a real-time leader board in the run-up to the April 28 event. Performers and presenters will be announced in the coming weeks. And unlike those other awards shows, the night’s biggest trophy might be handed out before the broadcast, during it or even after, to keep the conversation going. “There will be an event, but it won’t be a traditional awards show with a host, audience and a bunch of celebrities,” promised Shannon Connolly, vice president of music strategy for the MTV Music Group. “It will embody what the O Awards celebrates, which is being very interactive. We’ll have live performances, mash-ups, collaborations and it will be a Web event that will take place not just on MTV Music Group sites.” Lady Gaga and Odd Future’s Tyler the Creator lead with three nominations each, followed by Kanye West, the Flaming Lips and Nicki Minaj with two nominations apiece. Additional nominated artists include Arcade Fire, Radiohead, Justin Bieber, Lil B, Wiz Khalifa, Robyn, OK Go, Katy Perry and iamwhoiam. Notable nominees include Antoine Dodson/ Gregory Brothers (Funniest Music Short), the Lonely Island (Funniest Music Short), Funny or Die (Funniest Music Short), 50 Cent, Rebecca Black and Bert (Favorite Animated GIF), the Hype Machine (Best Music Discovery Service), Pandora (Best Music Discovery Service), Tiny Desk Concerts (Best Performance Series), Gorilla vs. Bear (Best Independent Music Blog) and Marshall Jones (Best Music Hack). Fans will definitely be front and center, with an entire category devoted to the Best Fan Cover, the most rabid online fan following (which will pit 30 Seconds to Mars’ Echelon against the Beliebers, Katy Perry’s Bandaids, Gaga’s Little Monsters and the followers of My Chemical Romance, Nicki Minaj, Tokio Hotel, Wiz Khalifa, Rain and Rihanna). There are also nods to the Best Fan Forum, Best Music Hack and Best Animal Performance. The Innovative Artist race is a tight one as well, including such nominees as the Flaming Lips, iamwhoiam, Kanye, Gaga, Lil B, Radiohead and Tyler the Creator. You’ll have to choose between the Dougie, the Pony, Lil B’s Cooking Dance and the “Whip My Hair” boogie in the Most Viral Dance category. In keeping with recent digital-music innovations from MTV Networks like MTV Hive and the Music Meter , Connolly said it was apparent that the time was right to create an awards show that moved at the speed of the Net. “Music consumption has never been greater, and it’s hugely important to our audience,” she said. “We felt like the time was right to look at the convergence of technology and music fans and the YouTube celebrities who’ve created this new ecosystem where music is exploding.” Voting starts today for the O Music Awards . Make your voice heard!
With wireless and computer-based digital music revolutions in full tilt, the need for streaming to alternative devices has exploded over the last two years. In response to this enormous demand, home audio manufacturers have scrambled to build hardware to fit a variety of consumer listening needs and preferences. Whether it’s free internet radio, computer-based MP3 collections , iPod / iPhones or paid services such as Napster, Rhapsody and Slacker Radio, finding the perfect piece of equipment for your home situation requires a bit of investigation. Important factors to consider when making comparisons include: audio quality, file/service compatibility, built-in speaker options versus the need for external speakers, cost, and portability. Below you’ll find our list of the major players in the audio streaming field, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Read on to make your own assessments of each, and broaden your understanding of which hold the potential to finally free your music from its PC shackles. Music Streaming Devices: Guy Gear Bose SoundLink Based on the huge success of their iPod compatible Sound Dock series, it was only a matter of time before Bose created a device to compete in the digital music streaming spectrum. However, unlike much of the competition, Bose’s strategy with the recently released SoundLink is clearly focused on two things: ease of use and portability. Instead of mimicking the strategy of competing players, which seek to provide stand-alone access to digital music content without a computer, the SoundLink relies solely on its plug-and-play USB dongle or auxiliary connected device to output tunes through its wireless speaker. With a battery life of three hours at maximum volume, and a transmission range of 60 feet, it’s designed to appeal to users looking for a hassle-free method of streaming a variety of PC-loaded music to other locations in their home. A hefty price tag of $550 does make it one of the most expensive solutions on the market though; so potential buyers must place a high premium on ease of use and sound quality to justify buying it over other options that include more functionality. Pandora: Yes SIRIUS: Yes Internet radio: Yes Retail price: $550 V-Tech IS9181 Wi-Fi Internet Radio Positioned as the next evolution in desktop radios, the V-Tech IS9181 combines access to thousands of online radio stations, an FM tuner, PC music streaming, and five-day weather forecast information via AccuWeather, into an attractive case with great bass output. Surprisingly, despite its well-rounded connectivity, the IS9181 does lack basic support for Pandora and podcast streaming, meaning music discovery fiends and news junkies will have to look elsewhere get to their fix. Accessing music off of a networked PC is also a complex affair compared to the plug-and-play USB dongle solution found on the Bose SoundLink. Instead of running a uPNP server, the V-Tech uses shared music folders to access remote PC-based content and has a reputation for improperly displaying artist and track information on the units stylish color LCD display. Its navigation, however, is intuitive and uses a top-mounted rotating “disc” to navigate through menus and stations. The ability to save favorite internet radio stations, power the device with 6AA batteries, and listen to an auxiliary connected music device such as an iPod, are also nice touches that round out the unit’s features. Overall, the V-Tech IS9181 is a great option for those seeking a stand-alone wi-fi radio who don’t view alarm functionality or Pandora compatibility as must-have features. Pandora: No SIRIUS: No Internet radio: Yes Retail price: $146 Sonos BU250 Considering its role as a high-end, dual-room wireless digital audio system with expansion capabilities for to up to 32 rooms in total, the Sonos BU250 stands apart from other alternatives on this list both in functionality and price point. This basic setup includes three components: Two are ZonePlayer base stations, which are designed to provide music playback from all manner of digital sources. However, both require external speakers for audio output and only the ZP120 contains a built-in 55-Watt per-channel Class-D amplifier capable of powering external speakers on its own. The ZP90, on the other hand, is intended for streaming use in rooms where there’s already an audio system in place such as a home theater or tabletop radio. The real show stopper, though, is the CR2000 color LED touchscreen remote, which mimics the iPhone to place complete control of the system in the palm of your hands. Despite being a fully wireless system, ironically one base station must still be hardwired to an internet router to provide internet access to the system as a whole. Connecting one base station to the other only involves pressing a few buttons to pair units together, as opposed to dealing with wireless networking hassles. Each operates on a secure peer-to-peer 802.11 mesh network known as SonoNet, meaning it won’t slow down other devices in your home network. Streaming the majority of internet-based content through the system does not require a computer either, and accessing networked storage devices on a computer media library only requires a quick installation of Sono’s proprietary Desktop Controller software. Costing nearly $1,000, this easy-to-use, incredibly flexible system does have a price that matches its robust functionality. Pandora: Yes SIRIUS: Yes Internet radio: Yes Retail: Approx. $1,000 Philips Streamium NP25000 Philips’ take on digital music streaming appears to seek middle ground between functionality, style and price. Sleek and monolithic, the Streamium NP25000’s flat 9.9-inch black face is punctuated by a bright 3.5″ color LCD with album art display capabilities and a full graphical user interface. Like the previous models discussed, this device can stream all manner of internet radio stations, as well as Rhapsody’s premium subscription-based service. Accessing PC-based media is also a relatively straightforward affair thanks to the TwonkyServer software included in the bundle. It even provides support for high-end lossless audiophile song formats such as FLAC and OGG. Pandora, Last.fm and Slacker radio, however, are not compatible with the device. Unlike the Squeezebox Radio or V-Tech IS9181, the Streamium NP25000 does not have onboard speakers, making it totally dependent on external setups to play music. Combined with a fully sized wireless remote, this device is a good choice for audiophiles in search of an attractive home theater component to add lossless streaming from their computer. Anyone not in that bucket, however, will likely be better suited by alternative products. Pandora: No SIRIUS: No Internet radio: Yes Retail price: $200 Popcorn Hour A-110 While all of the other devices on this list can rightly be characterized as out-of-the-box streaming solutions for the non tech-saavy to moderately gadget proficient, the Popcorn Hour A-110 can make no such claims. Built as the ultimate tinkering machine for die-hard geeks, its streaming potential is nearly limitless, for those advanced enough to use it. Whether you’re looking for video or audio streaming at all quality levels from both online and networked sources, BitTorrent downloading or a massive media library storage device accessible through your home theater, the A-110 can make it happen. Unfortunately, one should be prepared to hack and read enthusiast forums until late in the night to get it all up and running. It’s also not portable, and really meant to serve as a component-based networked media tank. Thus most interested in seamless integration with online music services and casual side table portability will not be served by owning this device. However, for ambitious souls bothered by pre-imposed limitations on their media consumption, this device represents the key to unlimited media streaming possibilities. Pandora: Not out of the box SIRIUS: Not out of the box Internet radio: Yes Retail price: $215 Logitech Squeezebox Going directly head-to-head with other wi-fi radios such as the V-Tech IS9181, Logitech has drawn upon its impressive streaming history to create possibly the best wi-fi radio on the market today. Capable of playing computer-based MP3 collections, along with a variety of free and premium music services — Rhapsody, Napster, Pandora, SIRIUS, and Last.fm — the Squeezebox aims to handle just about every piece of digital music content under the sun. This all comes with a price though. Listed at $200 for the base unit, Logitech will nickel and dime you for an extra $50 to buy a supplement pack that includes a wireless remote and battery pack for cordless operation. Its external aesthetic combined with details like the ability to display album art and Flickr slideshows on its color LCD screen, in the end, may make it worth the added premium for true gadget hounds. Pandora: Yes SIRIUS: Yes Internet radio: Yes Retail price: $200 + $50 for battery pack and remote.
‘Bourne’ director is reportedly close to being signed for the movie. By Eric Ditzian Angelina Jolie in “Alexander” Photo: Warner Bros. For a hot minute, it appeared as though James Cameron would be switching up his directorial itinerary, sweeping into the world of ancient Egypt and helming the Angelina Jolie-starring “Cleopatra” before jetting back to Pandora for his “Avatar” sequels. Now it seems that Paul Greengrass — who, for a similarly hot, similarly short minute, was circling the director’s chair for the Cameron-produced “Fantastic Voyage” — will be taking on directing duties for “Cleopatra,” the 3-D adaptation of the current New York Times best-seller, “Cleopatra: A Life.” Deadline is reporting that producer Scott Rudin has said “we’re pretty close” to signing a director for the project and that sources tell the website filmmakers “like the idea” of Greengrass for the gig. Jolie, though, hasn’t yet discussed the possibility of Greengrass, who left the “Bourne” franchise late in 2009. “I hope to one day [play her], but we don’t have it all together,” Jolie told MTV last month about the film. “All the pieces are not together.” Sony is said to be eyeing a production start in 2011 and readily acknowledges that the budget will be massive. Rudin described the script, which has been penned by Brian Helgeland (who also wrote the “Green Zone,” which Greengrass directed) and is based on Stacy Schiff’s biography, as presenting “a completely revisionist Cleopatra, a much more grown-up, sophisticated version.” “She’s not a sex kitten, she’s a politician, strategist, warrior,” he went on to explain. “In the Joseph Mankiewicz movie, Elizabeth Taylor is a seductress, but the histories of Cleopatra have been written by men. This is the first to be written by a woman. It felt like such a blow-the-doors-off-the-hinges idea of how to tell it, impossible to resist.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com .
Photo: Wikipedia , Creative Commons But How Will Blue on Blue Look on Screen? James Cameron is nothing if not ambitious. Avatar was a triumph of cutting edge technologies (advanced motion capture, 3D cameras, computer generated characters and sets, digital projection, etc), but it might turn out to have been a walk in the part compared to the Avatar sequel. Cameron has apparently decided to have at least part of the action take place in Pandora’s oceans, and he has commissioned an ultra-deep-sea submarine that can rea… Read the full story on TreeHugger
Self-proclaimed king of the world and guardian of Eywa James Cameron recently had a chat with Vanity Fair and talked about the future of movie technology, how he looks back on his past films, and the necessity of working the press to sell your product. And Cameron also talked about his palpable, livid disgust with cheapie 3D flicks like Piranha 3D .
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