The Beat

Stanely Kamel passes away

Sad news indeed. Actor Stanley Kamel passed away at the age of 65. He's the guy who plays the role of psychiatrist in “Monk”. Right now, all reports suggest that cause of death was a heart attack.

The network which airs the quirky show about that lovable obsessive-compulsive detective released this statement:

"USA is deeply saddened by the news of Stanley Kamel's passing. Stanley was an amazingly talented and extremely kind man, and an important member of the USA family. He will be sorely missed.”

Our condolences to family and loved ones. (Exposay)

Vanilla Ice arrested

Times like this you would wish you'd picked a slightly more macho stage name. Well, The artist known as Vanilla Ice, wasn't all sugar and spice and everything nice; he was arrested for domestic battery.

Check it out, his real name leaves much to be desired. Mr Robert Van Winkle is supposed to be in court today.

He's come a long way since his spunky teen-boy years, hasn't he? It's a bit creepy how his mug shot fits in with the whole criminal image. (People)

Deleted Scenes from The Dark Knight

/Film had a rumor about The Dark Knight; for the sake of political correctness and sensitivity, a scene of Heath Ledger might be chopped off for the theatrical version (and DVD, probably). This particular scene had the Joker playing dead in a creepy body bag. You can see why some people might find it a bit disconcerting.

But methinks there could be a way around it. What about the tragic death of Brandon Lee whilst finishing up the rather Gothic flick by the name of The Crow? They completed the movie and paid tribute to him. Anyone know if scenes were left out? Perhaps I should be asking, how many of you have watched this fantastic movie? (/Film)

J.J. Abrams Sci-fi project: Fringe

There's a gonna be a new addition to J.J.Abrams' new sci-fi flick called Fringe. It's none other than Jeff Pinker of Lost fame(producer and writer). Now that we know the brains behind it, time to sign up for more alerts.

Although I must admit I laughed when I first about Fringe. AICN says about Fringe:

The project is about a hot FBI girl (Anna Torv) who teams with an unbalanced scientist (John Noble) and the scientist’s caretaker son (Joshua Jackson) to investigate a growing wave of paranormal phenomena.

For some reason this translated as the original Dr. Frankenstein and Igor teaming up with Sherlock Holmes. It'll probably be an awesome story, ignore my take on it.

Dino Lohan's new show, Living Lohan, set for Summer Date

This is surely the warped aspect of showbiz. Dina Lohan wants to meddle in the career of her barely legal daughter, Ali Lohan, whilst the older one, Lindsay, suffers the aftermath of being a wild-child in Hollywood.

Anyone else see a pattern here? Push your kiddo into the spotlight, throw them into tinsel town's wilder side and then wring your hands once they run amok. Ask what went wrong when I had been such a good parent. And blame it on those awful video games with its subliminal messages.

What's worse is that Dina Lohan is making a reality show, Living Lohan, out of the double debacle – her being a mommy and manager. Not her most flattering roles in life either.

This time she is all geared up to ruin her 14 year old's life; launch her singing career, live vicariously through her child and piggy-back on any fame that happens to come their way.

You honestly worry about Ali Lohan. She was taken out of school, where reports hinted at harassment. All of which was brought on by fame.

In Ali's own words,

"They would say stuff (about) my sister ... they start singing this song or something, just stupid stuff like that. It's just a few girls, they got suspended at school because they did a video on YouTube about me,"

Needless to say, the kid never got a chance for a normal life. And at this rate, she never will. Perhaps that's what triggered the self-destruct mode on Lindsay Lohan. It is worrying to note the once-bright star struggles to get decent acting gigs, being reduced to roles that are skin-flash side events. Think about the recent rumor about the full frontal nudity; it may have been a rumor but the sad truth was that most people were not surprised by that sad bit of gossip.

You fear for Ali Lohan and her state of mind in a few years. As it is, she can't wait for her moment in the limelight.

Her words depict her as someone tad obsessed with fame,

"I want it so bad. So bad you don't even know. And now, it's actually happening ... I've already been asked for my autograph, and it's just a really good feeling to have."

Well, “Living Lohan” is set to air in summer. You have been warned.

Sex and the City: Eiffel Tower Bag!!

Here's a little treat for Sex and the City fans. Yes, we know the ultimate gift is the release of the actual movie installment of Carrie Bradshaw and Co.'s adventures, but then May 30^th seems so far away.

So console yourself with this beautiful fashion accessory from SATC. The Telegraph featured a quaint “Eiffel Tower” bag that is a tribute to Carrie whirlwind romance with Aleksandr Petrovsky.

Made by Timmy Woods, it's just the kind of eclectic style befitting SATC; urban-style chic for an on-the-go lady.

Oprah Winfrey having a bad year; more trouble in school for girls

It's just one of those years for Oprah Winfrey.

First an unhappy audience member complains about a stampede prior to the Oprah Winfrey show and wants to sue for damages.

Then Oprah's beloved dog passes away 13 happy doggy-years with the talk show host. That's gotta be hard; it always takes so much out of you when your pets die.

And now, there is new controversy about the Oprah Winfrey's Leadership Academy in South Africa.

Apparently a 13 year old girl was expelled after she had a mental breakdown.

Story goes that the child started showing erratic behavior after joining the academy; cutting herself and being disruptive. It could very well be that the stress got to her. It can't be easy for scholarship or bursary students to start a new life with such high expectations, a kinda of you better pass with flying colors or your life is over sort of feeling. Of course no one would actually say this, it's somewhat of a self-inflicted pressure, I suppose.

When she was sent to Tara hospital, they found out she might be epileptic and seems like she started to receive therapy there.

Well, according to IOL, it turns out that there's more studying at the posh school for her.

Staff from the academy visited her in hospital last week and told her that she could not go back to the school.

The reasons for her expulsion are unclear.

The girl is understood to be from a disadvantaged background and it is unclear whether she will be able to continue with therapy once she returns home.

This is quite sad. She got a golden opportunity and now it's taken away. That would add to her inner conflicts, wouldn't it?

You also feel bad for Oprah; as much as she keeps an eye on the school and it's maintenance, perhaps she is not fully aware of the greater social issues that seep into the school grounds and unfold inside the school itself? Just a thought.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are NOT get married!

Jennifer Aniston NOT invited to non-existent wedding!



At the end of the day all I can say is this – there is a large segment of the world population who fervently wishes that Angelina and Brad Pitt would get married. A ceremony that seems to rival or even exceed the expectation of arranging your own wedding.

Obviously such fans have been waiting for this event with baited breath; google the keywords “Agnelina Jolie” “Brad Pitt” and “Married” check the number of times this rumor has popped up. I found a bit of celeb gossip that dated back to 2006. Whoever started the rumor conquered up trivial details, talking about the lavish event in the middle of an Italian lake.

Once again, there is a fresh rumor doing the rounds. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are either married on 29th March, getting married or wanting to marry and fighting about Jenifer Aniston.

According to NewsOxy, Star Magazine had reported an intimate little wedding for the couple in New Orleans. And yes, it didn't help matters when Brad Pitt's PR guy looked bewildered and couldn't confirm or deny the news. The man was probably reeling from the news thinking, Wait, isn't Mr. Pitt supposed to be out of the country? Or something realistic along those lines.

NewsOxy also notes that People magazine had taken matters into their own hands and asked the maybe-wedded, maybe-not-wedded couple whether they had indeed said “I do”. Apparently they had not. Bet both of them let out a sigh and said, not this rumor again.

What's interesting is the little details that pop up with every rumor. Someone stayed up well into the night thinking up these titbits. Or it's a really bad case of broken telephone.

In the event of 2008: Brad Pitt Marries Angelina Jolie Rumor, a family buddy blabs to news source. Apparently Jane Pitt really wants them to marry. Mommy Pitt “... has a really hard time with them not being married. She feels that they need to be married for the kids." Hey, maybe it is true. Maybe she did say that. Perhaps the matriarch is a bit conventional, who knows. Still doesn't mean they gonna get hitched. Not like we do everything our moms push us to do.

Rumor gets bigger – seems like Jane Pitt wanted to invite Jenifer Aniston to Brad and Angie's wedding. And Angelina Jolie was mighty miffed about it. Excuse me for looking skeptical at this point. Either Tomb Raider gal is a movie-style obsessive woman or people just didn't get over Brad's break-up with Aniston. Give it up people, it's dead and over with. Much as you probably wanted them to be forever with millions of little cherubs.

Don't get me wrong; if those two had indeed tied the knot, it's all cheers and congrats for them. Well wishes and throwing rice and perhaps even a fruit basket. Nothing wrong with two human beings wanting to legalize their relationship.

Iron Man Pictures, Widget and Audi A8 Advert

Good news everyone. /Film featured some fantastic hi-res Iron Man pictures and I must admit, it looks good.

Not only does it look like an action-packed, kick-in-your-teeth flick but the art work continues to be impressive. Notice the intricate details on the Red and Gold armor; Cylon-ish eyes, classic slit-mouth and the sleek fitting of the various parts.

The movie is set to release on May 2^nd which explains the vast output of fancy promo. Not that the fans are complaining.

For instance, CanMag had an Iron Man Widget, supposedly a marketing bonanza of Paramount, whereby eager fans can view 'exclusive content'. Check it out, knock yourselves out.

I must commend whoever came up with the brainwave to combine Iron Man ad with the new Audi A8 advert. Think about it. You're worried that classic Marvel heroes might be a bit dated, not with the times. They fought in a different social context, their technology was a bit frayed at the edges, like an retired muppet. What better way to erase all doubts than to associate it with a next generation vehicle. Smooth!

Someone should point that out to the James Bond bunch; this is enough grounds for Q to get meatier Bond parts.

View the ad clip at ScreenRant.

Talking about everything Iron Man, a story at Hollywood Reporter announces a brand new IronMan:The Animated Series, set to air sometime in 2009 on Nicktoons

The Beat

Naomi Campbell arrested: Did she loses her temper again?
Apparently, Naomi Campbell was arrested at London's Heathrow Airport. Turns out she got worked up and spit at a police officer. We know Terminal 5 has everyone all jittery and moody but you'd think she had learnt from past temper flares. Didn't Naomi Campbell have to do community service last year for throwing a hissy fit at someone? And then she punched an assistant? Someone needs to see Dr. Phil. (SMH)


New Kids on the Block is Back
You heard me. They might not be spring chickens but they still got the er... spring in their step. I'm sure there will be a fan base who will eagerly await their new album. And elbow each other with canes for the concert tickets. But perhaps it is time for a name change? Something less emphatic of you age maybe? (OMG)

New Hellboy 2 Pictures!
Take note, Hellboy fans. New pictures of Hellboy 2: The Golden Army has been released. There's even a link to the trailer. Now this is one super hero without the cheesy factor.






Pictures of Young Angelina Jolie
InTouchWeekly released these pictures of Angelina Jolie, a noticeably younger and more impressionable looking young lady. Well, it just seems like it; you wouldn't look at the photos then and think this could be the next Lara Croft. Goes to know she's matured quite a bit since she started out.

Wedding Bells for Nicole Richie and Joel Madden!

First it was Beyonce and Jay-Z and now it's former wild child Nicole Richie and her singer beau Joel Madden. You heard me, Simple Life star Nicole Richie is all set to marry her Madden fellow.

Well, at least according to Ok! Magazine. A source has told the mag that invites for the blessed event are set to go out next week and the source confirms that a celeb party planner is already getting everything together for the nuptials.

Can you believe how far this young fashion icon has come? Caught drinking and drive which was followed by a widely circulated ugly mug-shot of Nicole Richie. And you know how well that works for your career.

And in just the space of a few months, Nicole seems to have sorted herself out – news of her pregnancy, a publicized baby shower, a glowing new mommy as the baby came along and now wild Nicole getting married?

Perhaps this is a lesson to the likes of Britney Spears – you can pick up the pieces of your life and build it up again.