If you’re both a movie fan and a consummate statistician, it’s easy to love and appreciate the Oscars for shoehorning the majority of film history into a manageable grading rubric. I’m an Oscar apologist myself, and I still have one bone to pick with the Academy — and all award-spewing organizations: the unnecessary reliance on gender-based categories. Is it not more thrilling to pit all actors against each other? Is there such an objective difference between Jeff Bridges and Sandra Bullock? Meryl Streep and Robert Downey Jr.? “Actor” is a gender-neutral term, and I think we’d all better off — and better entertained — without the meaningless siphoning. Thus, I’m stacking up the best performances of 2011 without categorical regard for gender or role size. It’s a winner-take-all affair, and this winner definitely wants it all. Here’s my top 10:
Damn, another life gone too soon. Slim Duncan Murdered In Atlanta Recording Studio Brick Squad MC Slim Duncan was murdered Friday night inside an Atlanta studio. According to investigators, the 24- year-old rapper, whose real name was Mario Hamilton, was shooting a video at the studio when trouble arose. SMH, condolences to Slim’s family and friends Read more details about this story at HipHopWired More On Bossip! More Basketball Wives Beef!!! Evelyn, Shaunie And Tami Light Up Twitter Over “False Email Claims” Making It Rain On Them Hoes: Forbes List Top Ten Earning Women In Music 2011 #HumbleBrag: Celebrities That Talk About Their Weird Body Insecurities 2nd Time’s The Charm? Famous 2nd Marriages…Did They Work Or Fail?
Viola Davis seems like such a great Mommy already! And she’s only had the gig for two months… Since adopting daughter Genesis in October, first-time mom Viola Davis is reveling in every moment of her most important and life-changing role yet. “Becoming a mother has opened up my whole life and given me a whole new purpose,” Davis, 46, told PEOPLE at Thursday’s premiere of her new film Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close in New York. “I feel like a star at home only because she loves me so much. I mean, it’s a red carpet everyday. It’s wonderful!” A shining star moment for The Help actress and her husband, actor Julian Tennon, is reading books to their 16-month-old little girl during bedtime. “She loves Goodnight Moon,” Davis says. “Every time we get to the part where the old lady who is sitting and whispering hush, she goes ‘Shhh!’ I just love it. It’s something simple, but it’s the most amazing thing to see.” The Golden Globe and SAG nominated actress is so well prepared in raising her daughter that she already found a future boyfriend for Genesis with Extremely Loud costar Sandra Bullock‘s son Louis, 23 months. “Oh yeah, I’d absolutely love to set her up with Louis,” she says with a laugh. “That kid is so cute. He’s going to be a bruiser. But let’s try to get a play date in first. If they are ever in the same place, we’ll get them together.” Louis is definitely a lil cutie, but Genesis is pretty precious herself! Source More On Bossip! More Basketball Wives Beef!!! Evelyn, Shaunie And Tami Light Up Twitter Over “False Email Claims” Making It Rain On Them Hoes: Forbes List Top Ten Earning Women In Music 2011 #HumbleBrag: Celebrities That Talk About Their Weird Body Insecurities 2nd Time’s The Charm? Famous 2nd Marriages…Did They Work Or Fail?
The exhaustion levels are high and the confusion levels are even higher at Movieline’s Institute For the Advanced Study of Kudos Forensics, where the white-coated minions responsible for the Oscar Index have struggled to assay the state of the awards race through this week’s persistent turbulence. Read on for their results.
Scotty McCreery is having a good week. The most recent American Idol winner was named Best New Artist at last night’s American Country Awards , accepting the trophy via a live performance, as seen here: Scotty McCreery Wins, Performs! The young crooner also watched his debut album, “Clear as Day,” surpass 500,000 sold copies, a feat that took only two months to accomplish. It currently sits atop the Billboard Country Albums chart. “It’s huge,” Scotty said in a statement. “Every artist dreams of a gold album and works hard for it, so it’s a major accomplishment to have your debut album go gold. This is just incredible.” Way to go, Scotty M! We’re very happy to see you overcome this Thanksgiving incident .
In this sneak peek of American Chopper , former Monster Garage Jesse James goes head to head with Paul Teutul and Paul Teutul, Jr., to build a new bike. True to form, he’s also got a lot to say about his personal life. “I became a big shot and married some Hollywood actress and didn’t talk to anybody anymore, so I feel bad,” James says at the beginning of the episode. Jesse James American Chopper Preview His reference to America’s Sweetheart Sandra Bullock, who he cheated on rampantly, as “some Hollywood actress” is not likely to endear him to viewers. As for why he came back to reality TV? “I feel obligated to reconnect with all these people and show ’em that I’m still the same fabricator motorcycle guy. I’m not what I became,” says James. It’s not clear if James is blaming Bullock for “what he became,” but given the reasons for their marriage imploding, it’s hard not to read into it somewhat. After divorcing Bullock, he got engaged to Kat Von D, only to have that fall apart as well after he reportedly cheated on Kat 19 times (according to her). James goes on to say that his bikes are “built to be punished.” It seems that could also apply to any woman crazy enough to enter a relationship with him.
Now you, too, can get as close as David Denby will ever get to ” the Daldry ” prior to release: The new trailer for Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close has officially dropped via Apple. It looks just as Oscar-starved as it was a few months ago , though this time around, Warner Bros., producer Scott Rudin and director Stephen Daldry are putting all their eggs in young actor Thomas Horn’s Aspergers-y basket. Does it work?
He may not have gotten publicly married and then quickly divorced; and the tabloids may not conjure up new stories every week about how he might steal back his famous ex ; but Justin Bieber still reigned supreme in 2011. At least for those who wished to Bing and Decide. The 17-year old superstar was the most searched-for person in 2011 on that website, rising five spots from his 2010 ranking of number-six. The Biebs bumped Kim Kardashian down to number-two in the process, while Jennifer Aniston rounded out the top three. Sandra Bullock, Tiger Woods, Michael Jackson, Jesse James, Kate Gosselin and Barack Obama were all ranked in the top 10 a year ago, but folks apparently stopped caring about cheating husbands; spoiled reality stars; and the leader of the free world in 2011. Here’s a look at this year’s 10 most searched-for individuals: Justin Bieber Kim Kardashian Jennifer Aniston Lindsay Lohan Jennifer Lopez Britney Spears Katy Perry Megan Fox Lady Gaga Miley Cyrus
In case you haven’t heard, the Oscars have entered a state of crisis — or a state of freedom, if you prefer. Now that Eddie Murphy is out as host of this year’s Academy Awards, let’s vent as quickly as we can and think of the single best option for a replacement emcee.
