May 29, 2009

Music, Musicals, and Basketball

On Saturday, May 23, I saw American Idol season 6 runner-up Blake Lewis perform a free show at Station Square in Pittsburgh, PA.


It had been a couple of years since I had last seen Blake, and his fan-fare sure has decreased, but other than that he's still one heck of a talented guy. Perhaps too talented for some people to handle.

After the show, I had a much more pleasant meet-and-greet experience than I had before and after the 'Idol' tour in '07. Maybe that's because I've learned how to talk to him (he can be a bit "touchy").

* * *

On Thursday, May 28, my sister and I went to see Spring Awakening at Heinz Hall (also in Pittsburgh, PA).


We had been dying to see this musical for the past 2 years, and because we did not get to see the Original Broadway Cast when they were at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre in NYC (and we'll always regret it!!!), the national tour had to do. And we loved it! The cast (and crew) met our high expectations and put on a great show.

... Spring Awakening is now officially one of my favorite Broadway musicals ever.

* * *

And, tonight, I watched Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers take their place in the 2009 NBA Finals, after defeating the Denver Nuggets.


Congratulations L.A.!!!

May 24, 2009

Coffee Blitz

Here's a picture of Transformers star Shia LaBeouf sippin' his coffee and waiting for a taxi in Santa Monica, just before he got swarmed by a group of girls.


May 22, 2009

Nine

So, I just snatched the new issue of Enteratinment Weekly from my mailbox, and as I was flipping through it I noticed that the trailer for the new movie/musical Nine was out. I was so pumped, I ran immediatly to my computer and watched it...

Based on the Tony Award-winning Broadway production, the movie stars Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard, Penelope Cruz, Nicole Kidman, Judi Dench, Kate Hudson, Fergie, and Sophia Loren. And, as EW describes it, it's a mix of Chicago + Moulin Rouge! + The Olive Garden.

Click HERE to watch the trailer!

May 21, 2009

America Gets It Wrong

First black president? Yes. A flamboyant, guy-liner wearing American Idol? Sadly, no.

Kris Allen is the new American Idol, and while I think he's very talented (and seems like a nice guy underneath all of that shyness), he's not a star. Yes, he'll be successful in the music industry, but that's because he'll blend right in with John Mayer, Jason Mraz, and others. He's no better.

Adam, on the other hand, is a star! He commands the stage, oozes confidence, and has a range that rivals Mariah Carey's. There's no one like him! And those that have been like him have been legendary (take glam rockers Freddie Mercury and David Bowie for example).

If you need proof of Adam's brilliance and Kris's mediocrity, watch each guys duet - Kris with Keith Urban (which I couldn't find online) and Adam with Kiss - and then watch their duet with eachother. You'll see who stands out.

Adam and Kiss:




Adam and Kris and company:




...Oh well, I think we can all agree that Adam will be much better off without the infamous 'Idol' title and just as infomous 'Idol' restraints.

One thing's for sure: Last night, Adam wore the most amazing outfit ever seen on the American Idol stage!!!


Bravo!

May 20, 2009

Adam v. Kris

To be honest, last night's American Idol final 2 performance show was a bit underwhelming. I agreed with Simon when he said Kris won round 1 and Adam won round 2 (by 1,000,000%). But I don't think anyone "won" round 3.

Kara's song, "No Boundaries," may have been the worst 'Idol' finale song to date. As singers (and as performers) Adam was way too big for it, while Kris was way too small for it. Adam's vocals blew over it, Kris struggled to get through it, and both versions were a mess.

All I have to say is, as usual, I agreed with Simon when he said that the show was in search of a worldwide star, and he truly believes that has been found in Adam.

...But something tells me that America's a little too reserved to agree.


Don't miss tonight's 2 hour finale, starting at 8 PM.

May 19, 2009

ADAM FOR IDOL


Adam Lambert is the definition of a superstar: "extremely prominent," "a major attraction," and "dazzlingly skilled." He would make Andy Warhol proud (Andy coined the term "superstar" in the 60's)! So, seeing as American Idol is "the search for a superstar," it only makes sense to vote for Adam tonight after 9 PM. 1-866-43657-01!

And, after 'Idol,' be sure to watch the premiere event of FOX's all new series, Glee!


The musical-comedy stars Spring Awakening's Lea Michelle (pictured above, with the "L" over her head) and Broadway alumni Matthew Morrison.

May 18, 2009

More From Shell Cottage

Here are a few photographs taken on Tuesday, May 12th, of everyone's favorite trio - Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson - filming some more "Shell Cottage" scenes for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.




Click HERE to see more photos, but beware of a major spoiler!

SNL Finale

I've embeded some funny skits from the season finale of Saturday Night Live, hosted by Will Ferrell. But I'm sad, because the best skit (in my opinion) is not available at NBC.com! It was an awesome musical number that featured the entire cast, Tom Hanks, Anne Hathaway, Paul Rudd, Elisabeth Moss, and the show's musical guest, Green Day. Oh well. Enjoy these:



May 17, 2009

America...


Do the right thing on Tuesday, May 19th. Vote for Adam Lambert! Charge up your phones and get ready to dial (and re-dial) 1-866-43657-01.





May 15, 2009

The Shot

Calling all dog lovers! This is a must watch:


I think that shepherd must have been channeling Rin Tin Tin!

Sunshine Superwoman

Cameron Diaz graces the June 2009 cover of Vogue magazine (on stands Tuesday)!


In the issue, America's favorite single girl opens up to Robert Sullivan about being Hollywood's green queen, enduring heartbreaks, and taking on unexpected roles.

Here are the photos from the shoot:






Read the article HERE.

Lookin' Like A Star

American Idol finalist Adam Lambert shopped at Barneys New York in Beverly Hills on Thursday.


Possibly for an 'Idol' finale outfit?

Make sure you vote for Adam on Tuesday night! Get ready to dial 1-866-43657-01 (because Kris Allen won the coin toss and he chose to sing second).

Now Playing

Angels & Demons, the sequel to Ron Howard's 2006 adaption of Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code, arrives in theaters today! And the film is already receiving much better reviews then the 'Code' did. Which makes perfect sense, because 'Demons' is a lot more theatrical (as far as scenery and stunts go), and it would be much easier to translate on screen.


I can't wait to see this! I'm going on Sunday (because I must go opening weekend!). I love the book, it's brilliant! And if the movie is even half as good it will be great.

May 12, 2009

The Boys Club


Don't miss a single note! Watch American Idol on FOX, 8 PM ET.

Update: I miss Danny already. Vote Adam for 'Idol'!

Go Your Own Way

OK, so this video is way old. Like, February-old. But it's still worth posting.

It's Carrie Underwood and David Cook singing "Go Your Own Way" at the opening of the American Idol Experience in Disney World, Orlando.

If you haven't already seen it, enjoy!

May 11, 2009

Michael Johns, Out N' About

Remember season 7 American Idol contestant Michael Johns? Well, I spent some time with the Aussie this past weekend! He performed a couple of songs at a promotional event for AT&T in Niles, OH, then signed autographs and posed for pictures with fans.


He sounded great and was sweet as always. He even dedicated a love song to his wife Stacey (who was in the audience with her family).

Want more scoop on Michael? Visit MichaelJohnsOnline.com, and don't forget to download his new single, "Heart on My Sleeve."

Justin's Other Lover

Are you wondering what Jessica Biel thought of boyfriend Justin Timberlake's "Mother Lover" SNL Digital Short? Well, hear what she had to say to MTV today:


She's a cool girl.

Little JT

My sister told me about a YouTube video that Perez Hilton posted on his blog today. It's of a 10-year-old Justin Timberlake performing Paula Abdul and Jack the Cat's "Opposites Attract" with friend Ashley Arrison at the Germantown Festival in Memphis, TN. And it's hilarious!

Enjoy:


But wait! There's more!!!

This interview, that the two gave to the Germantown High School public television station, is even more hilarious! Justin is soooo sweet (and already dealing with a lot of attention from his fans). Plus, he says that his goal is to be on the Mickey Mouse Club!

Check it out:

May 10, 2009

Mr. Smooth(ie)

Here's a cute picture (I snagged from Just Jared) of Shia LaBeouf hanging out in Studio City, CA after enjoying a Jamba Juice smoothie.


Love the ray ban-style shades!

I watched Eagle Eye for the second time last night, and it was still really enjoyable. If you haven't seen it yet, do so.

May 9, 2009

Tune In Tonight!


Update: Here are the embeded videos, courtesy of NBC.com!







May 8, 2009

Adam's First Cover

Huge voice, over-the-top theatrics... and that whole ''Is he gay?'' thing. He's just what 'Idol' needed. And EW's not afraid to say it!


Buy the issue, or read the article HERE.

May 6, 2009

Dress Up, Dress Down

On Monday, Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel walked the red carpet together (a first!) for the "Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion" Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Justin was one of the Gala's co-host's.


But J doesn't need to wear a tux and bow-tie to look good. He looks just as hot while running errands. Exhibit A:

The Circus Moves On

The North American leg of The Circus Starring Britney Spears has ended... Now, Britney better work on her British accent because she's off to Europe! And, luckily, Sean & Jayden are going with her!

Check out this cute video of Britney performing "Boys" in Montreal on Tuesday:


I'm crossing my fingers that she does a second US leg over the summer! She still needs to visit Cleveland, Chicago, and Philadelphia!

May 3, 2009

AC


If you believe in prayer, please say one for our reigning American Idol, David Cook. His brother Adam died yesterday, after a decade-long battle with brain cancer.

Running For Revlon

Justin Timberlake accompanied girlfriend Jessica Biel to the 12th Annual EIF Revlon Run/Walk For Women at Times Square on Saturday morning in New York City.


Jessica hosted the event alongside fellow Revlon brand ambassadors Jennifer Connelly and Jessica Alba, along with NBC late night host Jimmy Fallon.




The 5K race started in Times Square and finished in Central Park.

Hosting the Los Angeles event the following week on Saturday, May 9 during Mother’s Day weekend, will be Samantha Who star Christina Applegate along with Miley Cyrus, Revlon brand ambassador Beau Garrett and Dancing with the Stars‘ Carrie Ann Inaba.

Source: Just Jared

May 1, 2009

Club Sandwiches, Not Seals


I've been doing my part to stop the barbaric Canadian seal hunt that takes place every spring for years now, and today I got some great news! Check out the (mass) email I received from Director of Canadian Wildlife Issues Rebecca Aldworth:

You'd think I'd feel defeated after what I've seen. But two weeks since returning home from documenting the Canadian seal slaughter with The The Humane Society of the United States' ProtectSeals team, I'm hopeful.

At last, we're closing in on the end of the commercial seal hunt. I'm struck by what a difference a year can make. Thanks to you and the thousands of people who donated and took action, here are just a few of the victories we can celebrate in 2009:

The HSUS Canadian seafood boycott continues to gain ground -- more than 5,000 businesses and more than 600,000 individuals have pledged not to buy Canadian seafood until the seal hunt ends for good. The fishing industry is losing money, and prices for seal skins have crashed to $15 (CAD) -- an 86 percent drop from 2006. Most fishermen aren't bothering to leave home to join the hunt, and tens of thousands of seals have been spared.

For the first time, Canadians have proposed legislation to support an end to the hunt, and we've found a true champion for seals in the government. Senator Mac Harb introduced the historic bill in the Canadian senate last month after returning from his visit to the ice floes.

The HSUS community dug deep to help seals and met The Giant Steps Foundation's matching gift challenge to raise $500,000 in just a few weeks. That means a total of $1 million dollars will immediately go toward stopping the hunt before it starts next spring.

Russia made headlines worldwide when it announced that it would ban the killing of seals less than a year old this year, effectively ending one of the biggest kills of harp seals in the world. Yuriy Trutnev, Russia's Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology, called the seal slaughter "bloody," and remarked that the killing of defenseless animals can't be deemed a "hunt."

I have hope for an even bigger victory still: This Tuesday, May 5, the European Union is scheduled to vote whether to ban its trade in seal products, cutting off a primary market for the Canadian sealing industry. If you sign up for our mobile alerts and follow The HSUS on Twitter, you'll be the first to know when we hear the results of Parliament's vote.

We can win this, if we stay persistent. It won't be long before the Canadian government agrees it's time to end the slaughter, if only to protect profits.

Thank you again for standing with the ProtectSeals team throughout our expedition to the ice -- I know you'll stick with us as we work to put a final end to this cruelty in the coming year.


To learn more about the hunt, and how you can help save hundreds of thousands of innocent seals, click HERE.

Thank You Coldplay!


Coldplay will be giving away a live CD, LeftRightLeftRightLeft, at every remaining live show in 2009 (apart from festival shows). Starting with the band's first North American tour date, at West Palm Beach in Florida on May 15th, every fan attending a show will be given a free copy of the nine-track CD. Also on May 15th, LeftRightLeftRightLeft will be made available as a free download from Coldplay.com, for fans everywhere.

Source: The Coldplay Messenger