It looks like Buffy won't be going to the big house.
Kristy Swanson, star of the original "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" movie that spawned the classic TV series, has had assault charges against her dropped by Canadian prosecutors. They stemmed from a confrontation the actress had with the ex-wife of her boyfriend, Olympic skating medalist Lloyd Eisler, who she hooked up with off-screen when they were paired up on "Skating with Celebrities."
Swanson, through rep Michael Sands, told the AP: "I am thrilled and excited that the charge has been dropped ... this never should have happened and our family can move on."
Swanson was arrested by Ontario police last June for allegedly assaulting Marcia O'Brien, ex-wife of Eisler and mother of his two children.
Swanson says she was with Eisler to visit his two young children when O'Brien attacked her in front of the children, bruising her knee and scratching her arm. No charges were filed against O'Brien

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 4:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Nikki Blonsky is a movie star, but it seems like she hasn’t been told yet.
The talented “Hairspray” star, who turns 19 next week, is one of the most unassuming and friendly actresses I’ve ever encountered on a red carpet and her talent should take her far in films.
But to go from unknown high school student to singing and dancing on the big screen opposite the likes of John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer and Christopher Walken is enough to make anybody’s head spin.
“It’s really interesting to me,” Nikki told me when we chatted at last week’s Hollywood Film Festival. “I feel like I’m just kind of watching myself do it from across the street. It’s a very surreal experience but, it’s wonderful.”
She was working at a Cold Stone Creamery store when she learned that she had been cast as Tracy and her acting experience consisted of the many roles she played in productions at Great Neck South Senior High School which included Madame Thenardier in “Les Misérables” and Mrs. Lovett in “Sweeney Todd.”
She dreamed of playing Tracy ever since seeing the Broadway production of “Hairpsray” a few years ago. Her spirited performance in the movie got raves and she already completed a role in the film “Harold.”
“I’m just honored that I’m getting to make movies and that I’m a working actress,” she says. “That’s all that’s important to me. The fame is fun but at the end of the day, the fact that I’m working and supporting myself and, hopefully my family someday, that’s all that matters to me.”
So, I had to know: does she ever just wanna jump onto a garbage truck - the way she did in “Hairspray” - and just belt out a tune as she rides down the street?
“Absolutely! I’m gonna go to the fire department next, I’m gonna sing on the tow truck. Wherever. I’m gonna hit every truck in town!”

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 4:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today, Jane Pauley turns 57 years old.
So where is she?
I kinda miss seeing the classiest news anchor in the business on TV these days and hope she returns in some new venture soon. Back at a time when I still had crushes on girls, Jane Pauley was one of my biggest ones. She replaced Barbara Walters on "Today" when she was just 25. I'd watch her on "The Today Show" in junior high school when she had this long, blonde hair, and just be transfixed by her perfect diction and great wit.

She started out with Tom Brokaw then was paired with Bryant Gumbel and while these men could not be more different, Pauley had great chemistry with both. When NBC decided to try and make Jane share the spotlight with Deborah Norville the show in 1989, she quit after 13 years. This resulted in a viewer revolt that took the show years to recover from. They under-estimated the loyalty of Pauley's audience and just how nice it was for people to have her part of our lives. She went on to co-anchor "Dateline NBC" for more than a decade - the first successful newsmagazine in that network's history - then quit to take on a syndicated talk show that only lasted a year.
Since then,. nothing!
Happy birthday Jane, we miss ya.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 3:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

For awhile there, it did look as if David and Victoria Beckham had taken over Britney Spears' crown as number one L.A. paprazzi target.
But Victoria, who will guest on tomorrow night's episode of "Ugly Betty," guests on Ellen DeGeneres' show tomorrow and, in an intrerview taped today, said: "When we first got here, it was really intense. There was tons of press every single day. And then they kind of figured out that actually we're quite boring and Britney's far more interesting, and so they go to her house. We're not out at nightclubs every night. We're a bit boring for them I think."

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 2:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The secret is out!
Jennifer Lopez is pregnant, accoridng to designer Roberto Cavalli who has been designing outfots for her ever-expanding body.
He was asked by PEOPLE what types of clothing he designs for his celebrity clients and said: "Well Jennifer Lopez, at this moment, she requests something very special because she is waiting for the baby... It is so complicated because every week she is getting bigger," added the designer, speaking from his celebration promoting Roberto Cavalli Vodka at his New York showroom.
JLo still ain't talking...

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 12:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Poor Jane Seymour.
The beautiful star, who has really wowed and inspired us on "Dancing With the Stars" this fall, had to be rushed to the hospital by ambulance Tuesday night and be treated for food poisening, according to ET.com. This explains the Emmy winner's absence from last night's results show which saw Sabrina Bryan shockingly emliminated.
So Jane survived to dance another week and resumed rehearsals this morning.
It takes a true professional to remain as focused as Jane has in recent weeks with her mother dying and the Southern California wildfires threatening her Malibu home.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 12:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Poor Heather Mills!
The former wife of Paul McCartney broke down in tears this morning on a British television show when talking about all of the names she's been called in recent years and the toll it has taken on her: "They've called me a whore, a gold-digger," she said tearfully. "I've had worse press than a pedophile or murderer and I've done nothing but charity for 20 years!"
When discussing the ever-present paparazzi, she blamed them for Princess Diana's death and said she has considered suicide because "If I'm dead, then she's safe and she can be with her father."
Yikes!
Hang in there Heather!

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This is just plain weird. So Britney Spears calls in to KIIS-FM's "On Air with Ryan Seacrest" this morning but In the middle of the interview, she hands the phone to her assistan and jumps in the shower! Before that, she managed to tell Ryan that she has no clue about when she sees her kids next: "My lawyers know about all that."
Here are some other tidbits:
Spears told Seacrest that she didn't do anything special to celebrate the release of her "Blackout" album: "It was laid back really. We watched movies, that's about it. [We] had fried chicken."
On rumors that she's a bad mother: "People say what they want and do what they do. It's sad....how cruel our world can be. You just gotta know in your heart you're doing the best that you can."

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Former "Prison Break" acxtor Lane Garrison was sentenced Wednesday to 40 months in state prison and must pay restitution to his victims' families in a vehicular manslaughter case that killed 17-year-old Beverly Hills High School student Vahagn Setian dead and left a 15-year-old girl injured last December. He had faced a maximum term of six years and eight months in prison. Before sentencing, Garrison told the victims' families he was "genuinely remorseful" and "sickened" by his behavior that night.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 11:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

To look at her, it doesn't seem possible that Cheryl Ladd made her debut on "Charlie's Angels" 30 years ago last month. She still looks remarkably like she did during the days when she was picked to replace Farrah Fawcett on a show fondly remembered by fans like me.
I didn't want to scare Cheryl when I caught up with her this week by telling her that I had bought the single of her hit song "Think it Over" way back in 1978. It peaked at number 38 on the Billboard charts! So, just kept the conversation on safe ground like talking about the legacy of "Charlie's Angels" and her current role on NBC's "Las Vegas."
Things start off on a funny note when I tell Cheryl, now 56, how little she has changed since her days as an angel and she said: "Your eyes must be going, honey (laughs)."
The series ended after five seaosns in 1981 with Cheryl starring in four of those years. She came along at a critical time when Fawcett unexpectedly quit after just one year and the show's future was threatened. But Ladd fit right in with co-stars Kate Jackson and Jaclyn Smith and ratings remained high.

"I'm still recognized and people still love 'Charlie's Angels,'" sahe says. "it's still showing somewhere as you know. It's amazing how many fans we still have from that show and how much they still love us. They feel like we're their buddies and it's just a great feeling."
Does she ever get tired of still being asked about a show that ended more than 25 years ago. It's not like she hasn't been busy with other things such as hewr 1994–1996 series "One West Waikiki." taking over for Bernadette Peters in the Broadway production of "Annie Get Your Gun," witing a few books ("The Adventures of Little Nettie Windship," "Token Chick: A Woman’s Guide To Golfing With The Boys"), and appearing in a slew of feature films including "Purple Hearts," "Poison Ivy" and "Millennium," and television movies such as "Grace Kelly," "Death in California," and "Changes." She also has a new DVD out called "Know Menopause: Inside & Out" and can be heard on the complete series of the 70s cartoon "Josie and the Pussycats!" released in September. Cheryl was the signing voice of Melody Valentine.
"For awhile, when ["Charlie's Angels] was over at first, I wanted to move on from it," she says. "But now, everything's a blessing you know? People just love it so much. I embrace it."
Since 2007, she has been a semi-regular on "Las Vegas" playing Jillian Deline who was married to James Caan's character. Caan left the show las tyear after the fourth season and was replaced bt a new character played by Tom Selleck.
But Cheryl's character is still around and she's happy about that.
"One of the blessings is I don't have to wear the bikinis anymore which is so great!" she jokes before adding, "This is such a great cast and wonderful people to work with. One of the reasons I've hung in here with it foir all these years is because it's just delightful to come here to work. Great cast. Great crew. Great people. And you know, when you've done it as long as I've done it, that's really an important thing - who you're working with and where you go to work and how you're treated. It's very important."
The actress was divorced from David Ladd during the run of "Charlie's Angels" and since 1981, has been married to record producer Brian Russell. Cheryl's daughter, Jordan Ladd, is now quite a successful actress in her own right ("Hostel: Part II," "Grindhouse," "Inland Empire") and stepdaughter., Lyndsay Russell, recently made Cheryl Ladd - gasp! - a grandmother.
"I'm enjoying all that, the little first time moments in our lives."

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 4:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So here's the deal: Commissioner Scott Gordon has given popwreck Britney Spears three visits per week with her two young sons, from 12:00 Noon to 7:00 PM and one overnight visit.
All of the visits will be monitored and the singer must also submit evidence that she childproofed her pool area by Friday.
Gordon wrote in an eight page opinion that when Spears had her children recently under the observation of a parenting coach, "the environment at the house ranged from chaotic to almost somber with little communication at all." The coach reported to Gordon that while nothing is going on that is "abusive in the traditional sense," "during all three of my visits, Ms. Spears rarely engaged with the children in either conversation or play... It seems that [Britney's] choices are dependent more upon what she wants to do at any given time rather than what would be more enjoyable for the children."
The coach also stated: "The problem is that unless Ms. Spears realizes the consequences of her behavior and the impact that it has [on] her children, nothing is going to be successful."

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 3:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I didn't even know she was famous.
Well, maybe in a Kimberly Stewart sort of way I guess. But, I mean, the daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore and stepdaughter of Ashton Kutchjer hasn't even had a reality show like REALLY famous people such as Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, Kim Kardashian and Brody Jenner.
But Rumer Willis, 19, tells People magazine that she is ready to accept the 'round-the-clock responsibility of being famous.
"Before I started working, I would have said, 'You know, it's not really fair, because I didn't choose this.' But when you decide to be a part of this profession and put yourself out there, then you kind of have to accept what it is. It's a 24-hour job. "It doesn't matter if you are going out to a restaurant – you have to be aware of what you are doing and how you look and how you are presenting yourself, because most of the time people never get to know you."

Well, Rumer may reach the point where she actually has earned her fame. She has roles in two upcoming movies, "From Within" and "I Know What Boys Like." She had a substantial role in her dad's 2005 flick "Hostage"
and had an uncredited appearance in "The Whole Nine Yards" and two of her mom's movies: "Striptease" and "Now and Then."

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 2:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Didn't Rosie O'Donnell's television take a hiatus when she left "the View" in a huff last May? Well, Rosie will be back soon when she reprises her role as a lottery winner on an upcoming episode FX's "Nip/Tuck" series. But Monday night, she found herself appearing on "The O'Reilly Factor."
How did THAT happen you ask?
It seems that O'Reilly sent a producer to a Long Island book signing where Rosie was signing copies of her new memoir "Celebrity Detox." Rose signed his book then the ambush interview began with the prodsucer asking why Rosie hadn't returned O'Reilly's phone calls: O'Donnell's reply: "If Bill wants me, he should tell me himself. He is a big boy. He is a grown-up."
The producer persists saying, "Rosie, he wants to know if you regret saying that 9/11 was an inside job?"
Rosie says: "I did not say that. He is quoting the wrong people" then repeatedly asks that a man operating a camera for the producer to stop taping.
With customers in line, Rosie loses her patience: "Sir, you're done. Get out of the store. You made your point, you have your tape, go home. Skip home happily."
O'Reilly played the tape on Monday night saying he "regrets any imposition on Ms. O'Donnell's time," He then repeated his invitation to appear on his FOX show before calling her "bitterly anti-American and grossly irresponsible."
Gee. I wonder why Rosie doesn't wanna go on.
Here is a clip from O'Reilly's show:

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 1:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

How would James Bond have handled this?
Pierce Brosnan, the former Agent 007, is being investigated for allegedly striking a photographer in the ribs who was trying to snap pictures of the actor and one of his children over the weekend in Malibu.
I'm quite sure the photographer is annoying beyond belief but Brosnan has been in the public eye for DECADES so it's a mystery what set him off this particular time.
TMZ.com reported Tuesday that the L.A. County Sheriff's Department is investigating the alleged incident which is said to have occurred outside Casa Escobar Friday evening in a Malibu mall. A witness said Brosnan said "Why don't you f*** mate" then struck photographer Robert Rosen in the ribs. Rosen then kicked the actor in the stomach.
The sheriff's department says it is "actively investigating" the alleged incident.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 12:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We've seen plenty of TV stars who land a part in a hit movie and are ready to ditch the small screen. Not "Las Vegas" star Josh Duhamel, who had a role in the summer blockbuster "Transformers" and had previously starred in the romantic comedy "Win a Date With Tad Hamilton!"
"I'd definitely love to do more [movies]...but I truly love it here," Josh tells me Monday afternoon after a little party marking the show's 100th episode. “This is something that I love and it’s become like a family. So, I want to do this as long as they’ll have us. ... I don’t ever want to get in a situation where I’m just collecting a paycheck. I love what I do and I want it to be something I’m proud of.”
The show's longevity is especially impressive given that it has survived a schedule change from its original Monday night slot to Fridays as well as the departure of James Caan at the end of the fourth season.
Says Josh: "We're like the little engine that could."
Before the cake cutting and speeches on the show's casino set in Culver City, Josh filmed a scene that required this tall and fit actor to wear padding on his belly because his character of Danny McCoy had packed on a few pounds.
"It was fun," says the former model. "I thought it was funny. Why not?"
It was in 2003 that Josh l landed the role of casino security agent, Danny McCoy, a year after he won a Daytime Emmy Award for his portrayal of Leo de Pres on the ABC soap "All My Children," on which he appeared for three years.
When he left the soap, he had no way of knowing that such a terrific, steady prime-time gig was next.
"The first couple of years especially, you don't even know if you're gonna keep your own job let alone them keeping the show on the air," Josh says. "But we did pretty well, we've always had pretty good numbers. It's tough on a Friday night but even there we're still hanging on. We've got a core of loyal audience that keeps watching the show. I think, honestly, that it's getting better and better. When I say we have the best group of writers, we really do. We used to go all over the place. Now they're sort of in tune with each other and one story kind of leads to the next. Each one is sort of self-conttained yet there's a real line that goes through it."
He is pleased with the addition of Tom Selleck to the cast tis season, filling the void left by Caan: "It's gone well. Tom's a pro. He's got a huge following and he's a guy who brings a lot of integrity to the show I think."
And even with 100 shows completed, Josh Duhamel is still striving for the best: "I just really truly want the show to be as good as it can. You can't always be great but you can always be good, we can always make it better."

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Vanessa Marcil could see that I was melting under the hot lights of the Culver City set of "Las Vegas" and after saying hello, she insisted that I take my sportscoat off. Oh, thank God! I thought I was gonna faint.
Vanessa has portrayed Samantha Jane "Sam" Marquez on the show for all of its five seasons and at 38, has had one of the more consistently successful careers in television. She won the Daytime Emmy Award in 2003 for her role as Brenda Barrett on "General Hospital,' a show she was on for six years until 1998 and returned to for awhile in 2002. She also spent a few seasons on "Beverly Hills 90210" during the later years of its run.
"I'm really fortunate, especially because I'm not ambitious," she admits. "Anyone would say that's the truth about me. I'm slightly agoraphobic so I don't like leave the house so I don't go to the things I'm supposed to go to, I kind of stay at home, when I work I stay in my trailer. So, there's lots of reasons why I shouldn't have had the luck that I've had other than I do love to act."
Despite her success, Vanessa has never shaken the feeling that a pink slip is just a bad performance away.
"I'm one of those neurotic crazies. But it's really not that crazy. In this business, you can't ever feel entitled or comfortable or think that you're a for sure thing because it just doesn't work that way," she says.

On the long run of Las Vegas: “I didn’t even think we’d be able to last through the pilot; Josh and I were very insecure about our performances. We had a little talk when we were shooting the pilot about how we both thought we sucked. So, I thought the show was great and it would possibly go on — I didn’t think it would go on with me [laughs].”

On her character: "I love my character so much. She's an amazing character. She's like a dude. I think she's one of the best female characters ever written. I don't know if I always do her justice as an actress but I think she's written amazing."

On working with Josh Duhamel: "We both came from soap operas so I thinik we were both in awe of the fact that we got to have this opportunity and are just really grateful. He's really one of the most self=effacing, loveliest leads I've ever worked with on anything. You would think every day on set it was our first week. He really is always so concerned about the scene being good. I've never seen him act entitled one day in five years which is kind of amazing if you think about it."

On James Caan's departure from the show last season: "Oh, I was very concerned. I think Jimmy Caan is one one of the reasons why we did end up on the air. I don't think anyone would argue with that. He was really kind of our rock and really the person who on a daily basis taught us, taught all of us. He was like daddy and we definitely miss him - a lot."

On Caan's replacement Tom Selleck: Tom is amazing. He's such a simple, lovely actor. My scenes with him right now are my favorite because he does nothing and everything at once which is what most great actors do."

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Shirley Jones is a national treasure.
We all know her from her role as Shirley Partridge in the classic 1970s show "The Partridge Family" that also starred her step-son David Cassidy. But that was only her professional second act. Before that, she was a major movie star who had the female leads in the classic musicals "Oklahoma," "The Music Man" and "Carousel" and she won the 1961 Academy Award for her performance as prostitute Lulu Bains in "Elmer Gantry."
Since the end of "Partridge Family" in 1974, Shirley has been busy with her third act which this year included both an Emmy nomination and a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for her dramatic performance in "Hidden Place." At 73, Shirley still gives concerts around the country, is in demand for guest spots on various TV shows and is still landing roles in movies like last year's outrageous and raunchy comedy "Grandma's Boy."
I caught up with the lovely Miss Jones last weekend at the AIDS Walk Los Angeles and we had a little chat.

Greg: You look so fantastic. I could still see you driving that bus on "The Partridge Family."
Shirley: [hearty laugh] I'm glad I'm not driving it anymore!
Greg: You're an Oscar winning movie movie star, a television icon. Is it kind of nice to go through life that way?
Shirley: It's wonderful. I've been very, very fortunate. I really have because it's not an easy gig to be an actress. I have sons and they're all in the business and it's a tough road.
Greg: I've heard a little something about your sons.
Shirley: {chuckles) Yes, Shaun, Patrick, Ryan and David. It's a tough road and they've had a lot of problems. I, for some strange reason, was able to kind of float through. I feel very fortunate.
[note: Shirley starred opposite son Patrick in a 2004 Broadway revival of the musical "42nd Street}
Greg: We're fortunate in that we get to watch you. Especially on all those old musicals. Are you glad to see some of them coming out on DVD?
Shirley: Oh yes. And I have little children coming backstage now when I do my concerts saying they've seen me in "The Music Man" or "Oklahoma" and it's wonderful. It's just wonderful that the music will go on forever.
Greg: Those same kids haven't seen "Elmer Gantry" have they?
Shirley: No! [laughs] Or "Grandma's Boy."

Here are a trio of images of Shirley, through the years...

Shirley Jones in "Oklahoma"

Shirley Jones opposite Burt Lancaster in her Oscar-winning performance in "Elmer Gantry." She shattered her wholesome image for awhile...

Shirley was divorced from the late actor Jack Cassidy who is the father of her three sons and stepson David. For the past 30 years, she has been married to the eccentic actor Marty Ingels. He remains his wife's biggest fan.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 4:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Looks like Paris Hilton is gonna wait awhile before saving the world. "I want to travel the world," she tells People magazine. "I feel like there's a lot I can do, and a lot I can do to help. I know [Rwanda] went through a lot of traumatic experiences, and I feel like if I go there, I can help save some people's lives."

She is such a humanitarian. Could have a lock on the Nobel Peace Prize.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 2:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

All Barbara Walters wanted was a little dinner while she was out here in L.A. last week taping a series oif interviews for an upcoming special and for "20-20." So where does she go? The Ivy. She told the ladies on "The View" this morning that she was shocked when she walked out and cameras started snapping.
"When I'm in New York there are no paprazzi following me, I can go out without any make-up on...I walk out of the restaurant and suddenly there's a blaze - 20 paparazzis. I was fine, I was nice. End of story."
But it wasn't.
Some of the footage showed up on a show Walters would not name (TMZ) and she was not pleased, saying it was "so mean."
"They did the whole Babawawa thing [Gilda Radner's famous 70s impression], I thought that was over years ago. I thought it must've been a very slow news day. Why do they have to be so mean?... I'm very glad to be home."

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 10:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Good morning...
This has gotta be such an agonizing time for Oprah Winfrey. Repeatedly molested herself as a child, Oprah flew to South Africa over the weekend to visit her academy for underprivileged African girls where there have been allegations of abuse. It's the second time in the last few weeks that Oprah has made an emergency visit to the school and this time, she asked parents for forgiveness. "I've disappointed you. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry," Oprah said to families in an emergency meeting at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy south of Johannesburg, the South African news site News24.com reported. ..... The widow "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin says her husband had a feeling he would die young. "He wanted to be here for the kids, and yet he always had that feeling something was going to happen early on," Terri Irwin says in an interview with an Australian television station. "He was such a frightening force of nature here on Earth. I'm sure he's out on his way to sink some Japanese whaling ships right now." ..... OJ Simpson better get another dream team to defend him. A third defendent in the alleged Vegas hotel room hold-up has struck a plea deal and will testify against the disgraced more football star ..... and finally, some sad news: Country singer Porter Wagoner died on lung cancer on Sunday. He was 80. Wagoner helped launch the career of Dolly Parton and was her singing partner in 1974 when they had a bitter professional bust-up that resulted in legal action. But the two remained friends to the end.....

More updates to come this morning!!!

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 9:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Beyonce Knowles and Jennifer Hudson got the lion’s share of attention for their roles in the movie musical “Dreamgirls,” but fans of the film know that film would not have been the same without the third member of the fictional Dreamettes: Anika Noni Rose.
She had already won the Tony Award as the daughter in the Broadway musical “Caroline, or Change” when she was cast in “Dreamgirls,” the second-highest movie musical of all time. If you have the two-disc DVD of the movie and have watched the extras, you can see a video of Anika's "Dreamgirls" audition and you will see a performance so stunning that you knew she just had to be a part of the film.
She knocked it out. of. the. park.
Since the film's release, Anika has been getting more film work, sang at the Academy Awards, and is looking ahad to more opportunities.

Whatever “Dreamgirls” has done for me is not finished,” Anika told me recently. “People are just starting to realize who I am and it’s brought me to a lot of people’s attention.
She has been mighty busy making films in the past year including the hit TV miniseries “The Starter Wife” and the features “One Part Sugar” and “The No. Ladies Detective Agency” with Anthony Minghella.
“Anthony Minghella wouldn’t have known who I was \[before “Dreamgirls”\]. It’s the snowball effect. Work begets work and that’s where I am. I’m still auditioning, but people know who I am and they know the quality of my work.”
Anika may have played sweet Lorell in “Dreamgirls,” but off-screen, she is a woman who is not afraid to speak her mind about the state of the world.
While I'm quite aware of how talented Anika is, what I did not know about her is how passionate she is about what is going on in the world and how unafraid she is to speak her mind about it. When I saw her at last weekend's AIDS Walk, she had sung a rousing rendition of "You'll Never Walk Alone" but before that, she gave one helluva speech about our country and our leadership and how she believes it has its priorities in all the wrong places.
She expanded on it when we had a talk later that day.
“I feel like, honestly, there’s so much s*** going on, and we’re so busy pretending and throwing up pictures of random celebrities in rehab and having hit a curb. Who cares? There are things going on in life that we need to pay attention to. Pay attention to the fact that it’s fall and it’s 70 damned degrees in New York. So while we’re pretending global warming isn’t happening, our grandchildren are going to burn the hell up. I’m just tired of people covering things up and if I have a moment where I can say something, maybe somebody hears me. I may be preaching to the choir but so be it. I need to say what I feel, that I’m tired of people talking for us.”

You go!

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 1:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Good morning...
Jerry Seinfeld thinks the controversy over alleged plagarism surrounding his wife Jessica's best-selling cookbook, "Deceptively Delicious," is a riot. He tells EW: “Hil-arious! Hilarious. Hilarious. I was saying to her this morning, I’m really regretting that I’m not doing the sitcom right now. 'The Puree Plagiarizer’ is a Seinfeld episode: ‘You stole my mushed-up carrots! I invented mushed-up carrots!' It’s just absolutely a riot to me." ..... If you were thinking Owen Wilson's first interview since his suicide attempt would be one of those tell-all affairs, forget it. Instead, it was a nice little chat with his pal Wes Anderson about their movie "The Darjeeling Limited." I don't mind that Owen didn't feel like sharing his intimate thoughts with us, I am just glad to see him back and wish him well .... Heidi Klum gave a pretty risque interview to Oprah Winfrey and was quite candid about what her first reaction was when she laid eyes on her future husband, Seal, who was wearing tight and revealing bicycle shorts. "I met him in a hotel lobby in New York City and he came in just from the gym and I was sitting there and I was, like, wow. And I pretty much saw everything. The whole package." Klum says she has no regrets about her candor. Good for her! ..... Ryan Gosling may have been replaced as the leading man on the Peter Jackson film "The Lovely Bones," but the classy actor isn't bad-mouthing Jackson or his replacement, Mark Wahlberg. In fact, Gosling says he'll be the first one in line buying tickets for the film... Gorgeous Nicole Kidman and gorgeous Keith Urban were out this weekend at an awards show in Australia. Here is a snippet of a red carpet interview that shows the couple to be relaxed and in good humor:

...and finally, Paris Hilton's car was sideswipped on Saturday by an overeager paparazzo, according to TMZ.com. Good grief, get a life. How crucial is it to get a picture of Paris RIDING IN A CAR? It's not liike she was crying and on her way back to jail.
Happy Sunday to all!

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 10:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sara Ramirez didn't join the cast of "Grey's Anatomy" until its second season but she has been in the thick of things as Dr. Callie Torres who this year, a surgeon who has been promoted to head surgeon. But it is her love-life on the show that has been getting most of the attention lately with her messy split from George O'Malley (T.R. Knight).
"Like all the other characters on the show, I think Callie has her flaws, her issues, her hang-ups," Sara told me recently. "We don’t know all the ins-and-outs of why she truly was with George. I think there wasa pure love there but I’m sure Callie has other issues behind clinging onto something that just isn’t right.”
The "Grey's Anatomy" set, which had more than its share of real-life drama last season, seems to beck on track. Sara says things are "Great!"
"It’s work, it’s play, it’s fun. It can be long hours but it’s a great time, I feel, in my life. I just feel so lucky and so blessed and grateful. I try and just go to work and do the best job that I can and learn and grow as an actor.”
So, how 'bout some scoop on future storylines?
\[laughs\] I can’t tell you! But I’m curious to see.“They out everybody through a little something here and there so I don’t think Callie will be left out of that. She’ll have to go through some downs. But, I look forward to seeing her go through some ups. It would be nice to have her find her true love.
But I’m not sure what they have planned for her.”
While the role on "Grey's" has made Sara (pronounced Sa-Da) known to television audiences, the New York theater scene has been aware of her for some time now. She won the 2005 Tony Award for her performance as The Lady of the Lake in "Monty Python's Spamalot."
Sara is certain she will return to the stage at some point: “I consider New York and theater my home, my home base where I sort of grew up. I miss it and I hope they’ll have me back whether it’s a musical - it doesn’t have to be on Broadway - or a play. I’m up for that. I miss the theater, I miss the whole symbiotic relationship between actor and audience and being on stage. The live factor."
I had to tell Sara that I’ll never forget when she sang her big number from ‘Spamalot’ on the Tonys the year she won. I thought, ‘WHO is that girl?’
Sara: “Oh! Thank you.”

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 9:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A final post for the day.
Britney Spears and Kevin Federline were back in court today for a hearing on their custody battle. Is it normal to have this many hearings? Well, there's nothing normal about all of this. Since I've got too much to do and can't camp out at the courthouse (as if!), I'll have to rely on the various Internet updates posted throughout the day. According to TMZ.com, The hearing ended before 5 p.m. and Britney's visitation has been extended over the weekend. The judge took the bigger custody issue under submission and K-Fed's attorney said the court will issue a written ruling sometime Monday or Tuesday. I. Can't. Wait. But here's the juicy part: apparently Britney took three bathroom breaks during the hearing and seemed to get more agited as time went by, at one point cursing out a reporter asking how she was, saying, "Eat it, lick it, Snort it, f--- it." Not only is that rude, it's kind of a bizarre thing to say. What exactly is "it"? ..... Oscar winner Renee Zellweger, of all people, has sympathy for Britney in regards to the whole paprazzi situation: "What people don't understand is that [the photographers] didn't just run into Britney that day," she tells Extra. "It's like having someone jump on your back in the morning and stay with you until you go to bed at night. And even then, hovering over your pillow and taking photographs. ... I defy anyone to try to keep it all together all the time under those circumstances." But Renee, unlike you, Britney seems to LIKE the paparazzi. They are her friends .....
Meanwhile, "Lost" star Daniel Dae Kim has released a statement saying that he is "deeply ashamed and embarrassed" of his DUI arrest early Thursday morning. "To those I have disappointed I can only ask that you accept my heartfelt apologies. I am truly, truly sorry." .... Orlando Bloom has gotta be breathing a sigh of relief. The "Pirates of the Caribbean" star was involved in a car accident earlier this month in Hollywood. The L.A. County District Attorney will not file charges against the actor stemming from an Oct. 12 collision that injured his two passengers. ....

OK, on to lighter new. I kinda hate to send ya off for the weekend with all this custody and drunk driving news. So Drew Carey appears to be a successful replacement for Bob Barker on "The Price Is Right." During his first week, the show averaged 5.4 million viewers which while about the same as a year earlier, ratings are up 10 percent in the coveted demo of those between 18-49. .....
I dunno, just makes me kinda happy.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 6:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Good morning and happy Friday!
MARG HELGENBERGER may have had a 5 a.m. call on the set of "CSI" yesterday morning, but she was still able to swing over to Hollywood to support her husband, actor ALAN ROSENBERG, as the Screen Actors Guild received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Alan is president of the union. "I'm very proud of what my husband is doing," Marg told me. "It's a very difficult job, a very thankless job and it's particularly filled with tension these days for obvious reasons [labor contract negotiations]. But I think if anyone can handle it, it's my husband."
How to they handle him working so hard with the union and her as star of one of television's most popular prime-time shows? "It's hard, it's really hard, I guess I'll be honest with you. We don't see much of each other. He does a lot of work for the guild and a lot of traveling."
Caught up with some other stars before and after the ceremony:
..... BLYTHE DANNER was once very close to becoming BRAD PITT'S mother-in-law when her daughter GWYNETH PALTROW was engaged to the movie star. But the two-time Emmy winner had no idea that Pitt was one of the executive producers of a pilot she is acting in called "Pretty Handsome" about a married father of two who tells his wife and teenaged sons that he is a transsexual: "I had no idea!," Blythe said to me, seeming genuinely surprised. "Golly. I didn't know that. I love Brad and I'm glad. I'm glad he is involved." The pilot was created by Ryan Murphy who has had such great success with "Nip/Tuck." "It has [Joseph] Fiennes who was in 'Shakespeare in Love" with my daughter Gwyneth and also [Robert] Wagner. It's a pilot so we're crossing our fingers."

..... JACK COLEMAN and I talked about his hit show "Heroes" which some have suggested is suffering from a sophomore slump creatively. "I think the show's still roilling well. There are some fantastic episodes coming up. People are going to see things tie together in a way that I think they are longing to see and there's some really strong episodes. I think we're going to be fine. We knew no matter what happened, people were going to be aiming for us in the second year. They build you up the first year, they come after you the second year. I'm having the time of my life." ..... JOBETH WILLIAMS shared that she will be in at least four episodes of my favorite Showtime series "Dexter." "I play Julie Benz's mother and I begin to suspect something's up with [serial killer] Dexter." .....
And I'll wrap up for now with a trio of items about fame and youth: Let me just say that I think MARIAH CAREY is mega-talented and beautiful. But should she really be the one giving advice to the likes of BRITNEY SPEARS and LINDSAY LOHAN? After all, she's had some problems herself. But, maybe she's learned from experience: "I would say you need to be very centered, and spiritually know where you're at, all the time," Carey tells Glamour magazine in its November issue . "Don't read the tabloids. Don't be obsessed with what people are writing or saying. Live your life for you." ..... In related news, both Lindsay and Brtiney's moms are working on projects that seem to exploit the fame of their embattled daughters who clearly needed/need better parenting: LYNNE SPEARS is reportedly writing a personal tell-all about raising two famous daughters and has a book deal with publisher Thomas Nelson, according to Publishers Marketplace. ..... Then we have DINA LOHAN.set to start filing a reality show for E! featuring her and her younger daughter , Ali, and, get this, the show is meant to "empower single mothers." Uh, right. Get ready to see a lot more of the Lohans. “There are so many misconceptions about me and my family,” says Dina. “I’m setting the record straight.” Good luck with that Dina. We're sure you're a regular June Cleaver. ......

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 9:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

With so many actors on hand for Thursday's unveiling of a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for the Screen Actors Guild, I thought it would be fun to ask as many as I could which job it was that earned them membership into the famed union.
Here is what some of them had to say:

CHANDRA WILSON: "It was a commercial for Scope mouthwash." ..... BEN FOSTER: "It was called 'Flash Forward,' it was a Disney show." .... FRANCES FISHER: "I did a Drisdan commercail in 1976. I was a child actress.' ..... ESAI MORALES: "I did an anti-drinking and driving thing at 15 so this is my 30th year as a member of SAG." ..... LANIE KAZAN: "I got my SAG card in Francis Ford Coppolla's movie "One From the Heart." ..... DIAHANN CARROLL: "Well, I was about 4 or 5. No! I really don't remember. But I've been around so long it's a hard thing to remember." ...;.. JACK COLEMAN: "'It was 'Dynasty.' That got me my SAG card. [He replaced Al Corley in the role of Steven Carrington] I was doing 'Days of Our Lives" for a year but that was AFTRA. So 'Dynasty' put me in SAG."

BLYTHE DANNER: "How did I get my SAG card? I should know that shouldn't I? I believe it was with Lee J. Cobb and it was a live television thing - it shows how old I am - it's called "To Confuse the Angel" and I had a huge crush on Lee J. Cobb. I followed him around and used to say, "Mr. Cobb, can I have lunch with you?" [laughs] I was very brave. Young and dumb. I really adored him, had a hiuge, huge crush on him."

JOBETH WILLIAMS: "My SAG card came when I was cast in a movie called "Kramer Vs. Kramer" which was my first movie with Robert Benton directing and Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep starred in it. I had a small, but naked role and i was terrified. But that's when I got my Screen Actors Guild card and I'm a proud card carrying member and I'm proud to be on the board of Screen Actors Guild."

KENT MCCORD: "I started working on 'The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" working background, standing in for Ricky [Nelson]. One day they were doing a fraternity show where there was a party going on - early day 'Risky Business' kind of thing - while Ozzie and Harriet were away. They came home early and I was standing at the door with my date and Ozzie asked me, "Where's Rick?" And I said, "Who's Rick?" Those are the first two words I ever saw in pictures and that got me my card."

[SAG President] ALAN ROSENBERG: : "I have to thnk for a second because the first two jobs I got were cancelled. My first actual SAG job was an episode of "Barnaby Jones" with Buddy Ebsen. I was a suspect but I wasn't the killer. It was fun."

DAVE JOLLIFFE, best known for playing a high school student on the 70s series "Room 222," got his SAG card at 7 years old doing a commercial - "a marshmallow commercial. That's 48 years ago now."

AMBER TAMBLYN: "I was an extra in some tiny movie. I think it was "Life With Mikey" or something like that and I think I was likke nine years old. And then I got my first talking part in a small film with Dana Delaney, ikt was like early 90s." Meanwhile her father, "West Side Story" star RUSS TAMBLYN told me he got his after being hired for a job by Cecil B. Demille: "Samson and Delilah. I was young King Saul. But that didn't come out for six months so I did a roile in "The Boy With Green Hair." I was one of the kids in that. So that was the first one that I think i got my card for."

ED ASNER: "Oh God. I got my SAG and AFTRA cards is Chicago, where I also got my [Actor's] Equity card. I can't remember which particular thing it was. Well, in those days, because I was in Equity, I was able to join the other two [unions] as an affiliate."

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 8:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Had the chance to interview Julian McMahon and Dylan Walsh at a crazy event tonight at the Hollywood & Highland complex. There were screaming fans everywhere with cameras flashing as the two handsome leads of the F/X hit "Nip/Tuck" slowly made their way down a press line of mostly television reporters as they promoted the show's fifth season which begins on Tuesday.
But there's a big change to the show about these two plastic surgeons with very complicated personal lives: it relocates from Miami to L.A. (where it has been filmed all along). It was great to talk to Dylan who answered every question thoughtfully. Julian seemed to lose interest once the cameras were no longer on. But this print and online reporter did his best to get what I could from him.
Of the location change, Walsh said: "It's a different vibe for this reason: we always had to hide this city because we always had to make it seem like Miami so all the landmarks like Grauman's Chinese and Pink's Hot Dogs, we had to hide. Now, we get to show them off. So that's kind of liberating and i think it's great for the show."

Greg: Did you two have much influence in the show changing location and the direction for the fifth season?
Julian: "Well, you know, I pretty much told them what to write.
Greg: Are these the end of the press line answers?
Julian: A little bit. No! We're the actors, we get our scripts and we, you know, do the best that we can with it, you know?
Greg: Last season, I was kind of hoping you two would get together [romantically] for an episode or two.
Julian: Me and him?
Greg: Yeah, that was kind of hot, that almost kissing scene you guys had. Was it always decided that it would only go so far?
Julian: The one in bed, right? That was funny, huh? Well, I always thought that the show should end on the two of us getting together, whatever season that is - season six or whatever. It should just end up with these two saying, 'You know, I just can't live without you."
Dylan: From the first season, that's been the joke between us, that that's where the show's going. But, you know, we've always said a thousand times that it's two heterosexual guys that love each other. I think it was explored more [last season] out of some people's sort of half-joking kind of wondering about it. Fans saying that as a joke. So I thought it was kind of cheeky to explore it but I don't think it was that serious ultimately."
Greg: When all this started, did you think, 'This is just another gog or did you know you had something special?
Dylan: I thought it could take off just because it was a great script and it was a great premise. Just reading the script and then when we shot the pilot, I felt like it could be successful. You don't ever know, but I had a feeling it could be."
Greg: What about working with Rosie [O'Donnell]? Last season, [Julian] had a scene where he's rolling around with her on a fur rug. I know she's already shot some new episodes this season.
Julian: Well, i don't think anyone needs to be told that Rosie can be funny sometimes. Obviously the circumstance in which we filmed it was pretty hysterical and ridiculous and the two of us had a good laugh and had some fun doing it. She comes back this year, she won the power ball or something and she comes back with all this money and she wants all these things done. She's hysterical. She hooks up with Oliver Platt's character so you can imagine the two of them together in a consult. It's pretty ridiculous.
Greg: Are there any other guest stars you can tell us about?
Dylan: Lauren Hutton plays a publicist that helps us out. Oliver Platt plays the showrunner of the show within the show that we work on. Bradley Cooper plahys a plastic surgeon in that show - he's kind of like one of us on steroids, totally over-the-top nonsense - really funny. Portia de Rossi comes on the show. I don't want to ruin it and say why or how.
Tune in and you'll see.

Before they did just one last interview and started signing autographs for fans, I asked the guys what else they have been up to, acting-wise, besides the series.
Dylan: I have a movie I'm to premiere in just a few nights with Danny DeVito, it's called "Just Add Water."
Greg: Do we see a different side of you?
Dylan: Uh, yeah.
Julian: The back side.
Dylan: [laughs] No.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

What a fun morning I had in Hollywood.
The star-studded occasion was the Screen Actors Guild becoming the first labor union to receive a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame. SAG is the nation's largest labor union representing working actors and is celebrating its 75th year.
I'll be adding quotes from the stars later today and also,. in a seperate post, will share how each of them earned their SAG card. The stories are great and include stories from Diahann Carroll, Blythe Danner, Lanie Kazan, Jack Coleman and Ed Asner, among others.
I ran into actress Diane Ladd on my way to Hollywood & Highland's Annex where there was a breakfast going on. Diane is not only the mother of Laura Dern, but a three-time Oscar nominee. One of those nominations came for hewr wonderful performance in "Rambling Rose" and there was a speech that she gave to Robert Duvall that was so riveting. Diane told me that she wrote the speech herself!
Inside, I bumped into Marg Helgenberger who had come even though she had already been on a 5 a.m. call for her series "CSI." But when your husband is president of the Screen Actors Guild, ya show up. Marg and Alan Rosenberg have been together forever.
Then I saw one of my favorite actors from my childhood, Kent McCord, best known for his role as officer Jim Reed on "Adam 12." Kent is one of the nicest guys around and one of the smartest when it comes to guild issues and history. He has not really aged in all these years so life must be very good for Mr. McCord.
Also at the breakfast, gabbed with Ben Foster ("3:30 to Yuma") for the second time this week. It was so cool to see this 26-year-old star showing up to lend support. He stayed throughout the entire morning as did "Grey's Anatomy" star Chandra Wilson who's about as down-to-Earth a TV star as I've ever met. She is da bomb!
Schmoosed the room for all it was worth, had a croissant then walked over the Roosevelt Hotel where the SAG folks gave me a great spot up front to watch. I stood with Chandra for much of it until they realized that it would be better to have her in a more visible spot for pics!
I really liked what a tuxedo clad Alan Rosenberg said:
"This star reflects millions of hours of training, tireless auditions, countless rehearsals and remarkable performances—the collective body of work of some legends and many more middle-class actors—75 years strong,” said Rosenberg at the ceremony. “For us, it’s all about acting. It always has been and always will be.”
“We know Screen Actors Guild members and their heirs will be filled with pride whenever they walk this stretch of sidewalk for many decades to come," he added. "Thank you to the Hollywood Historic Trust for this remarkable tribute.”

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 5:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Jake Gyllenhaal and Reese Witherspoon were rumored to be a couple for so long but they were never seen together. So, I had my doubts. Big doubts. But suddenly, with their film "Rendition" in release, these two fine actors are all over the place with PDAs galore.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 4:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SNAPPED!!!
This couple is just completely unnattractive don't you think? It's lovebirds SCARLETT JOHANSSON and RYAN REYNOLDS returning from a flight looking so gorgeous ya just wanna slap 'em! It's just, not fair ....
What is it about the cast of "Lost" and drunk driving? DANIEL DAE KIMKim, who plays Jin-Soo Kwon on the ABC hit show" was stopped by Honolulu police early Thursday morning on suspicion of drunken driving. According to the Honolulu Advertiser, the actor was arrested around 3:00 AM and released about two hours later. ..... Poor persecuted KID ROCK. He told ELLEN DEGENERES today that the waffle house fight was not his fault ..... PARIS HILTON'S plans to become the next ANGELINA JOLIE have hit a snag with her trip to Rwanda postponed. What will the people ofd the region DO without a rich heiress to ...well, what was it exactly she was going to do? .... I love CYBILL SHEPHERD for being one of the great showbiz survivors. And no doubt she will survive this embarassing picture that you can see by clicking HERE .....And finally, the six-year marriage of KATE HUDSON and CHRIS ROBINSON has officially ended with their divorce now final.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 2:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)