Happy Day Before Thanksgiving! Note: There will be no "Welcome Matt" updates Thursday or Friday.
Here are the movies opening today:
* Australia -- Aussie actors Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman team up for this World War Two epic. Kidman is a British aristocrat who inherits an Australian ranch she's in danger of losing to cattle barons. To save her land, she gets the help of a cattle driver, played by Jackman. Rated PG-13.
* Four Christmases -- Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon are a couple who's forced to visit each one of their four divorced parents, much to their dismay. Robert Duvall, Jon Favreau, Mary Steenburgen, and country music singers Dwight Yoakam and Tim McGraw also star. Rated PG-13.
* Transporter 3 -- The first Transporter movie in three years has Jason Staham reprising his role as Frank Martin, an ex-Special Forces operative. He has to transport the kidnapped daughter of a Ukrainian official across Europe. Rated PG-13.
Rosie O'Donnell comes to primetime TV tonight in her NBC variety special Rosie Live. If the former View co-host stays true to form, you can expect her to stir up some sort of controversy on the one-hour program, which will begin with a monologue from O'Donnell. She'll be joined during the show by guest stars Alec Baldwin and Jane Krakowski of 30 Rock, Rachel Ray, Liza Minnelli, Kathy Griffin, Harry Connicl Jr., Ne-Yo, Alanis Morrissette, Clay Aiken and Gloria Estefan. Rosie Live airs on NBC tonight at 7 p.m.
Brooke Burke won Dancing With the Stars...hurray! Okay, now bring on NBC's new show, Superstars of Dance.
Well this is...sucky. STAR Artist Daughtry has pushed back the release of their next CD to summer of 2009. It's Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince all over again! The band members are headed home for the Thanksgiving holiday - which is a good thing because two of their wives are preggers!
STAR Artist David Cook hasn't had much time to get back home to Kansas City thanks to the whirlwind of activity with American Idol and putting out his first album. But for Thanksgiving he'll finally be able to make it back home. That leaves Idol runner-up David Archuleta the duty of riding and performing in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
STAR Artist Nickelback has just announced plans to tour in support of their new album, "Dark Horse." No, not concert in Green Bay, but they will be at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee on March 14th.
If Lance Bass wins Dancing With the Stars tonight, it’ll be more than just his sweet feet that get him the Mirror Ball trophy. His partner, Lacey, tells me they have a pre-show routine. "He has this little tub of glitter. A fan gave it to him and it's supposed to be his good luck dust. So what he does is, he takes it, throws it in the air and stands under it. Ever since we started doing that, things have been looking up for us." His pre-show routine involves glitter. Shocker.
Tom Cruise’s daughter does not wear the pants in the family. He told me his two-year-old Suri refuses to wear pants. "Kate finally got her in jeans the other day. We put the pants on and walk away and the pants are off and the dress is on." So Tom Cruise is having cooperation problems with both of the women in his life. Suri refuses to wear pants and Katie Holmes refuses to wear leg irons.
STAR Artists OneRepublic and Sara Bareilles have teamed up to record a beautiful duet version of OneRepublic’s “Coming Home.” The version is specifically dedicated to our troops serving our country overseas. OneRepublic’s lead singer Ryan Tedder told me he wrote the song about a friend who got engaged and then shipped off to Iraq the next day. You can hear grab the whole song off iTunes right now.
She gave up her American Idol crown to STAR Artist David Cook, but now Jordin Sparks is carrying around a much more important title: role model. Ever since Jordin defended the notion of purity rings back in September, she's has been held up as an example of the kind of artist teens should look up to. She says being that role model isn’t something she takes lightly, “But it's difficult. I have to watch what I say, what I do, who I hang out with, where I go. I'm constantly having to watch myself."
Speaking of American Idol... A few notable candidates have made their way into the new season of American Idol that kicks off in January. You’ll see David Osmond, nephew of Donnie and Marie, Michael Castro younger brother of the dreadlocked Jason from last season, Danielle Roundtree, a.k.a. Miss New York USA 2008 and Tom and Jennifer Korbee who will go down as the first husband and wife to both make it to Hollywood on Idol.
Here's a complete Box-Office recap from this past Twilight - I mean weekend:
1. Twilight, $70.6 million 2. Quantum of Solace, $27.4 million 3. Bolt, $27 million 4. Madagascar 2: Escape 2 Africa, $16 million 5. Role Models, $7.2 million 6. Changeling, $2.6 million 7. High School Musical 3: Senior Year, $2 million 8. Zack and Miri Make a Porno, $1.7 million 9. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, $1.67 million 10. The Secret Life of Bees, $1.28 million
We may be forced to watch a sequel to the writers' strike that began last year and lasted for 100 days. This time, it's the Screen Actors Guild that's moving one step closer to calling a strike, after contract talks with Hollywood studios, represented by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, broke down last week. Though a federal mediator was brought in to help negotiate a new labor agreement, SAG announced on Saturday that it will ask members to authorize a strike. The SAG national president said, "We really tried to meet the AMPTP more than halfway and they were immovable, so now were in a position where we have to go to our members for a strike authorization." In turn, the AMPTP blasted the actors union for the timing of their decision, saying, "SAG is bizarrely asking its members to bail out the failed negotiating strategy with a strike vote -- at a time of historic economic crisis." In order to authorize a strike, more than 75 percent of SAG members would need to vote their approval. The vote would take over a month to complete.
Three is the magic number on Dancing with the Stars this week. The three finalists, Brooke Burke, Lance Bass and Warren Sapp, will perform three dances over the next two nights, before the seventh-season champion is crowned. Tonight, the celebrities will take part in what's being billed as a "Samba Smackdown," and will also perform a freestyle routine. On tomorrow night's results show, they'll reprise one of their favorite routines from earlier in the season. So who's the favorite to win? It depends who you ask, but Las Vegas oddsmaker John Avello surprised a lot of people when he moved Brooke from his favorite to the longshot. He's had Brooke as his favorite since the first time he saw her dance, but that changed after last week's show, and she's now his five-to-two longshot because, "it looks like she might be losing steam." Avello believes Sapp is the favorite right now, at odds of eight-to-five, followed by Bass at nine-to-five. But he says Burke could easily regain her favorite status if she performs strongly tonight.
STAR Artist Madonna and Guy Ritchie are now on their way to officially becoming ex-spouses. On Friday, the couple were granted a preliminary "quickie divorce in the High Court of London, and it will become permanent in the next six weeks if there are no disputes. According to court documents, Madonna said in a sworn statement that she's divorcing Guy because of his, quote, "unreasonable behavior." The court proceedings took one minute -- neither the couple nor their attorneys were present. Madonna laments, "I'm sad about my personal life." Fortunately, she has her Sweet & Sticky tour: "It provides a distraction that keeps me going."
STAR Artist Leona Lewis has been with her boyfriend since they were kids, but despite reports of an impending wedding, she won't confirm the current status of their relationship. Leona tells me, "He's a great friend to me. The foundation of our relationship is friendship. He's been very supportive." It was Lou who pushed Leona to audition for Simon's British American Idol-like show X Factor. When she won, it launched her career. So what about her future with Lou? Leona says, "I'm a 'now' person. I think Lou's great. I'd love, in the future, to get married...but I don't know what's going to happen in the future. I don't know where I'm going to be."
Most artists whose album just debuted at #2 on the charts would be popping bottles of Cristal and partying all night. But STAR Artist David Archuleta, well, he's been busy trying to complete his Eagle Scout certification.
The release of Prospekt's March, the new EP from STAR Artist Coldplay, has been pushed forward a day - the eight-song disc arrives today instead of tomorrow.
STAR Artist No Doubt will start touring again in summer 2009, so get ready for that.
‘Bout time it happened! STAR Artist Ashlee Simpson and her husband, Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz, welcomed a baby boy last night named…ready for it?...Bronx Mowgli Wentz. According to the couple’s spokesperson, mom, dad and baby are doing great. By the way, if you’re wondering where the name Mowgli came from, the only Mowgli I know is the main character from The Jungle Book. Bronx weighed in at 7 pounds 11½ ounces and 20½ inches long.
2 new movies hit theaters today and both are gonna pull in big bucks. Okay, one more so than the other.
* Bolt -- John Travolta voices the dog Bolt, a TV action star who's under the impression that he can pull off his on-screen stunts in real life. Bolt gets a dose of reality when he's accidentally shipped off to New York City and meets a cat named Mittens and a hamster trapped in a plastic ball named Rhino. Miley Cyrus lends her voice to Bolt's co-star and owner, Penny. Rated PG.
* Twilight -- The best-selling series of vampire books by author Stephanie Meyer comes to life on the big screen. British heartthrob Robert Pattinson, who's appeared in two Harry Potter films as Cedric Diggory, stars in the lead role of the vampire Edward. He strikes up a romance with Bella, a teenage girl played by Kristen Stewart. Rated PG-13.
Speaking of Twilight... British actor Robert Pattinson who plays Edward in the new movie Twilight said it’s time to hide out a little. He told me at the U.S. premiere of Twilight he went completely deaf for a few minutes thanks to the adoring female fans. He plans to lay low in London for a while. Actress Kristen Stewart, Robert’s co-star in Twilight says she knows what all that screaming is for. “He's British. He's tall. He always looks like he's thinking about something. And he's quite witty. So he's pretty sexy.” So, does him being physically unattractive help him be sexier then? Just kidding girls…
Since the Packers don’t play ‘til Monday, hopefully you can fit the American Music Awards into your TV-watching schedule this Sunday. STAR Artist Alicia Keys leads the nomination tally with 5, STAR Artist Coldplay has 4. As for performances you’ll see STAR Artists Christina Aguilera, Natasha Bedingfield, Leona Lewis, Taylor Swift, Coldplay, Alicia Keys, The Fray, Pink and New Kids on the Block! Check out the AMAs Sunday at 7 p.m. on ABC.
Another one bites the dust. And another. And another. ABC has cancelled 3 shows: Pushing Daisies, Eli Stone and Dirty Sexy Money. Pushing Daisies creator Bryan Fuller hadn’t spoken to ABC yet about the announcement but told me, “If we are indeed dead on ABC, we now have to convince DC Comics to let us tell the rest of the season's story lines out in comic book form and convince Warner Bros. features to let Pushing Daisies live again as a movie.” The CW can relate to ABC’s ratings woes – they had to cancel their entire Sunday-night line-up.
Forbes magazine has named Hollywood’s Most Powerful Couples. Would you believe it? Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie aren’t number one! Here's the list. The dollar amount is the couple combined earnings for the past year.
1. Jay-Z and Beyoncé, $162 million 2. Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, $85 million 3. David Beckham and Victoria Beckham, $58 million 4. Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, $35 million 5. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, $34 million 6. Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann, $30 million 7. Gavin Rossdale and Gwen Stefani, $28 million 8. Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman, $25 million 9. Tony Parker and Eva Longoria, $22.5 million 10. Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart, $22 million
STAR Artist John Mayer and Jennifer Aniston turned another corner in their relationship on Wednesday night – John met Jen’s parents for the first time. So how did he do? He was definitely nervous. He told me he felt like he was on Dancing With the Stars. At one point Jennifer went to the ladies room and John blurted out, “How am I doing? I’m a wreck!” Despite the nervousness John, as you can imagine, was a big hit.
Today was supposed to be the day the new Harry Potter movie The Half Blood Prince opened nationwide. Instead, the movie was moved to July of 2009. WTF?! So to help ease the misery some of us are feeling here's the latest Harry Potter & the Half Blood Prince trailer. It just came out a few days ago. Enjoy!
My favorite show of all-time is being made into a movie!Arrested Development, which had a short run of brillance on Fox, is becomming a major motion picture. A cast member who asked to remain nameless says, "Yes, it's a go. We're all very excited. And it will happen with or without the holdout." Wait, a holdout? Apparently one original cast member has not signed on...yet. But it's really happening. An Arrested Development movie! I'm so excited!!
STAR Artist Jordin Sparks will be on the AMAs on Sunday, the had back on tour with Alicia Keys and after that’s all done start working on her new CD, but she says she’s a little…confused. “I don't know what kind of sound I want for my album, or how many songs...I'm so confused. I don't know." Maybe she can hash some ideas out with Gina Glocksen, one of her fellow Top 10 finalists from season 6 of American Idol when she stands up in her wedding on New Year’s Eve.
Briefly: STAR Artist Sarah McLachlan will receivethe Allan Waters Humanitarian Award at next year's Juno Awards, the Canadian equivalent of the Grammys, in honor of her charity work.
Finally, Britney Spears is admitting what most of us have suspected all along: her marriage to Kevin Federline may have been a mistake. In the upcoming MTV documentary Britney: For The Record, Britney says, "I think I married for the wrong reasons. Instead of following my heart and doing something that made me really happy, I just did it for the idea of everything." K-Fed and Britney tied the knot in 2004; their divorce became final in 2007. In another gem from the documentary, Britney says she doesn't need therapy because for her, making music and dancing is just as good. As Britney says, "For me, art is therapy because it's like you're expressing yourself in such a spiritual way." If her music is therapy then why do I need to drink heavily after listening to it?
According to the British press, Madonna and Guy Ritchie have come to an agreement (yes, already!) in the terms of their divorce. So how much of Madonna's $500 million fortune does Guy get? He actully refused to take a single penny. Are yu kidding me?! Not even a mil or two? A source close to the settlement says the couple will share custody of their 2 kids, Rocco and David. The kids will split their time between mommy in New York City and daddy in London. So that went...quickly. And politely. What the hell is going on here?!
STAR Artist Chris Daughtry made his acting debut in CSI: New York last night but he’s still focused on his day job: that “music” thing. Unfortunately, Chris tells me the band’s new album is taking longer than they expected. “We will NOT be finished for a while, now...we just want to make sure it's right.” But to leave us feeling happy and hopeful, Chris also says, “I'm extremely proud of what we've done. It's, in my opinion, the best stuff I've ever had a part in writing. And hopefully, you'll all feel the same."
What NOT to do when you have a chance to talk to the celebrity you've been obsessed with for 17 years:
Jennifer Aniston is just like a lot of us: she watches re-runs of Friends. She says she still watches the show in re-runs and finds herself at times not remembering ever making a particular episode. Jennifer says she still finds the show funny and there are moments when she laughs her, quote, "rear end off." She watches re-runs? Shouldn’t she have nabbed some free DVDs along the way?
All the cool kids have been putting out deluxe editions of their hit albums, but STAR Artist OneRepublic doesn’t need to follow any stinkin’ trends. Instead of putting one of those together, they’re just gonna put out a brand new album. They’ll wrap up their tour in early January then move into a house together and get to work.
STAR Artist Jason Mraz has been given a huge honor: he’ll perform at this year’s Nobel Peace Prize concert in Oslo, Norway.
