Hanzi Vigilante Blogger

For the last two weeks of October, I was in Montreal, Canada. While I was there, a friend of mine has sent me link to a story published in the Vancouver Sun titled "More Skin, Less Ink" by Paula Brook.

The story is about people's regrets of their own tattoos. Of course with that, yours truly was mentioned.

I laughed so hard when I read the part where Ms. Brook referred me as:

Hanzi Vigilante Blogger

I am thinking about making some business cards with that title.

On the other hand, the term "vigilante blogger" makes me feel like the character with dual personalities of Edward Norton and Brad Pitt in Fight Club. Or, Jan and Peter in The Edukators (Die fetten Jahre sind vorbei).

The original Vancouver Sun's story is here, here is a pdf copy of it, and for those who are too lazy to read, mp3 version of the article are also available here and here.

BOO! Happy Halloween!
























Kevin Federline's debut album "Playing With Fire" in stores today!

AH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bill Maher finally goes to far.. or did he?


Talk show host Bill Maher has sparked outrage after appearing at numerous Halloween parties over the weekend dressed as Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, complete with a bloody stingray barb attached to a khaki shirt.

The outfit is among the top Halloween costumes in the U.S. this year, and while some have found it amusing, others insist it is an insult to the late conservationist who died after a stingray attack in September.

Photos of the celebrity comedian making the rounds at Halloween parties in Los Angeles over the weekend have been widely circulated on the Internet.

Maher hosts the weekly talk show "Real Time with Bill Maher" on HBO and has angered some of his fans.

One fan wrote on the star's official Web site, "I suppose he thought it was funny, but it was seriously lacking taste, decorum and respect for Steve's family."

Another fan wrote, "I am kind of torn on it -- I have a good sense of humor but this one is just kind of tacky."

sfgate

Anna Nicole Smith gives first interview to ET


Anna Nicole Smith sits down for her first TV interview since the death of her son Daniel in September.

"Entertainment Tonight" reporter Mark Steines calls his exclusive interview, which begins airing Thursday, a "veritable rollercoaster of emotions."

On Tuesday, the model was hospitalized with pneumonia at the same medical center in the Bahamas where her 20-year-old son, Daniel, died in September, an attorney for Smith told The Associated Press.

"She has a slight case of pneumonia," attorney Wayne Munroe told the AP. "We've had a sudden change of weather here due to a cold snap."

In his blog on "Entertainment Tonight's" Web site, Steines says he traveled to the Bahamas where he met Smith's new baby daughter, Dannielynn, and was introduced to Howard K. Stern, her lawyer, whom she now calls her husband. In a video excerpt of the interview on the Web site, Smith talks about her son's death and is heard sobbing, "I don't understand why God took him and didn't take me."

Steines says his interview with the model was one of the most interesting experiences of his 15 years with the entertainment show, and that he learned "fear of constant paparazzi keeps Anna and her support team locked up, blinds drawn, and constantly aware that prying eyes are trying to snap photos."

"She seemed calmer, sadder, a bit broken, yet she looked quite beautiful," he says. "She introduced me to her daughter, Dannielynn, and the man she calls her husband, Howard K. Stern. She was a very gracious host in the midst of some pretty dramatic times."

"If I didn't have Howard or my baby, I wouldn't be here," Smith says in a video excerpt of the interview, available on the Web site.

When the talk turns to her son Daniel, who died days after his sister's birth and was buried Oct. 19, Smith sobs.

"But it is when she utters the name of her son, Daniel, that Anna Nicole is no longer able to compose herself," Steines says. "She crumbles like a house of cards, tears pouring out of her eyes, her body shaking from the sobbing. This is not just a controversial, misunderstood woman, this is a mother who has lost a child."

topix

Costume idea... Tara Reid

Gallery of the Absurd
























galleryoftheabsurd

Shocker! Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe Split


Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe have separated. The couple's rep released a statement to TMZ Monday morning that says "We are saddened to announce that Reese & Ryan have decided to formally separate. They remain committed to their family and we ask that you please respect their privacy and the safety of their children at this time."

Sources tell TMZ Witherspoon has contacted celebrity divorce lawyer Robert Kaufman, who has represented Jennifer Aniston, Roseanne and Lisa Marie Presley.

Sources say Witherspoon spoke with Kaufman about divorcing Ryan Phillippe, her husband of seven years. The couple has two children. They met at Witherspoon's 21st birthday party.

As for why Witherspoon contacted Kaufman, we're told it was not triggered by one event. Rather, one connected source says it was "cumulative."

Divorce papers have not yet been filed.

tmz

Barbra Streisand pelted with ice during concert


Barbra Streisand was shocked when a concertgoer disagreed with her political views and pelted her with ice while she was performing in south Florida on Monday night.

The music legend was on stage at the BankAtlantic Center in Fort Lauderdale and brought out a President George W. Bush impersonator during one part of her show.

The impersonator jokingly asked her if they could sing a song together, to which Streisand replied, "How about 'Enough Is Enough'?", referring to her 1970s disco duet with Donna Summer.

At that point a disgruntled fan threw ice at the 64-year-old star, according to TMZ.com.

Streisand managed to stay calm and reassured the audience, "It's OK, it's OK."

When fans asked the staunch Democrat to sing a song for the Republicans, she suggested "Send in the Clowns," which reportedly upset another fan, who started to loudly boo the singer.

Both the heckler and the ice thrower were escorted out of the venue, which caused Streisand to quip, "If you want to hear my songs, buy my albums and stay at home," which caused the remaining fans to applaud enthusiastically.

sfgate

Doug Wilson

Doug Wilson: Giving Ronald McDonald Houses a Makeover



First, thanks so much for the letters and emails about this site; I love your support! Last week, after launching, I spoke with someone who said, “Why give celebrities more photo opportunities; that’s the only reason they help charities.” Maybe some do, but I have met some celebrities who are very passionate about helping their cause and are working very hard; isn’t that what we want, more people helping other people? I also spoke with friends at various charities who said, “We need the celebrity faces to help bring attention to our cause.” So, while helping out a charity might get the celeb some PR, it gets the charity some too, so it’s a win-win situation.

Doug Wilson is the designer on Trading Spaces who viewers either love or hate (his designs that is). But you have to love the work that he's doing with the Ronald McDonald Houses.

When Doug Wilson’s nephew Tyler Wilson was a mere two years old, he was diagnosed with rhabdoid cancer, an aggressive and very rare form of cancer. Statistics show that even after surgery and chemotherapy treatment, the survival rate for children younger than 3 at diagnosis is less than 10 percent. According to Tyler's website, when Tyler was 2 years and 4 months, a large abdominal mass was found on his right kidney after having flu like symptoms...he had surgery 2 days later to remove it. Five weeks into treatment, his diagnosis came back as a Rhabdoid Tumor of the Kidney. At the time of diagnosis, Tyler lived on a farm in Illinois and loved tractors, construction equipment, airplanes and trains. He liked Mickey Mouse and his favorite TV show was Rolie Polie Olie.

For the next few years, while other toddlers were playing at the park, this child’s life would be consumed with hospital visits and intense chemotherapy treatments to try and stop this horrific cancer. Tyler’s parents stayed at the nearby Ronald McDonald house as their new home away from home while Tyler was getting treated. Unfortunately, this sweet boy lost his life to this terrible disease on January 28, 2004, at only five years old.

Doug and I talked about losing his nephew and using his decorating talents to help the Ronald McDonald House.

Why did you start helping the Ronald McDonald House?
I always knew about the Ronald McDonald House, but until you have a personal involvement you don’t understand what these charities really do. If the parents have to stay in local hotels, it can be expensive – and that adds up over time because they are away from home several weeks at a time. At the House, they can have a place to gather and talk to others and make their own meals, but many of them are run down.

You decided that to give back, you would use your decorating skills to improve these Ronald McDonald houses. How did you know what they needed?

I had spoken with a lot of families and I listened to them and got the feel of what they needed. I found out that siblings were often pulled out of school and away from home because the parents couldn’t afford babysitters. So my first makeover was in Grand Rapids, Michigan to makeover a basement. It really needed updating. I turned this big open space into two separate areas with a bookcase wall, pool table, computers and Internet access. The kids could communicate with friends and school, parents could come back from the hospital and get online and do their own research. I wanted to help the whole family and give the siblings a place where they could go to rather than just have one television and one computer stuck in the management office.

When I went to the Ronald McDonald House in Columbia, the fathers and their kids hang out more there, so I did more of a high-tech and home theater. It was a different feel for those who use the common spaces.

Why doesn’t McDonald’s help them and improve these rooms?

It’s a fallacy that they get millions of dollars from McDonald’s – these houses are independently run and funded. (Check this out.) You just can’t understand how important the community is to stand behind these houses to be successful. (I helped this one because), in a smaller area, it was easy to get the community excited, have a celebrity come in and help them, so it can draw attention to their House. You’re not going to get that much attention in the smaller pockets of the country and nothing is better than word-of-mouth.

Did TLC help you?

I did have TLC to help me out. We shot a PSA on the Ronald McDonald House and that lead up to their World Children’s Day that year. I did have a nice media machine behind me to help bring awareness.

How did your brother feel about everything?
We are a strong family and they were very thrilled. I was on the road doing Trading Spaces when Tyler was sick and I felt bad and felt that I had to do something, so how could I help? We have to make good of a bad situation and for me it just made sense that these houses need help.

How can we help?
Go to the House in your local community and hand them a check. They need volunteers whether you’re coming in to clean for two hours a week or mow the lawn – but there’s so many other things. It’s important to give back to your own community.

Thank you Doug!

For more information on the Ronald McDonald Houses, visit here: http://www.rmhc.com. Remember these kids and their families the next time you grab a Big Mac.

Dennis Haskins

Dennis Haskins played "Mr. Belding" on the TV shows "Good Morning Miss Bliss," "Saved By The Bell," and "Saved By The Bell: The New Class" between 1987 and 2000. Here's a picture of Dennis Haskins from his early days on Saved By The Bell:When Saved By The Bell went off the air in 2000 Haskins struggled to find acting work and he undoubtedly felt pigeon-holed in his role as Mr. Belding. In an

Michael Oliver

Michael Oliver is the first washed up celebrity I will review. You may remember Oliver as the child actor who played "Junior" in the early 90s movies "Problem Child" and "Problem Child 2." This is a picture of Oliver from his Problem Child days:I would have thought that Oliver would have parlayed his early starring roles into other movie roles or perhaps even a recurring role on a sitcom. However

Dexter...new great show from Showtime

















He'll charm fellow officers with a doughnut, wile away a Sunday with his girlfriend Rita, or chop up a victim and package their body parts in plastic bags. Hiding beneath the mundane exterior and contrived façade of Dexter, a charming blood spatter expert for the Miami Police Department, is an obsession with meeting his own twisted brand of justice: stalking and murdering the guilty.

sho

Classic Chris Rock



"Stolen" from reelstories.

Gallery of the Absurd

























galleryoftheabsurd

Celebs and their funky shoes



Jennifer Garner and daughter Violet visit Ben Affleck



Kirstie Alley continues her love of the paparazzi





















tmz

South Park creators mock Steve Irwin


The creators of South Park have never been afraid to upset celebrities - and many of the show's viewers.

From jokes about religion and homosexuality to four-letter tirades, Trey Parker and Matt Stone have always mixed shock tactics with satire in the hit cartoon series.

But they were accused of hitting a new low last night after lampooning the demise of Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin just weeks after his death.

The latest episode shows an animated Irwin in Hell with a stingray poking out of his bleeding chest.

Irwin, 44, died in September after he was impaled by a stingray's barb, while snorkelling near the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.

The South Park episode called Hell On Earth 2006, which was broadcast in the US this week, shows Satan preparing to host a Hallowe'en fancy dress party.

Hundreds of dead celebrities are invited, including rapper Notorious B.I.G., Princess Diana and Hitler.

But at the party Satan receives complaints from his guests that someone is inappropriately dressed up as Irwin.

Satan confronts Irwin but the Aussie environmentalist protests it is really him, not a guest in a costume.

While characters have been killed off in the series before – spawning the show's catchphrase "Oh my god, they killed Kenny!" – campaigners are particularly incensed about the stingray still being attached to Irwin's bloodstained trademark khaki shirt.

British broadcasting watchdog Mediawatch condemned the episode as "grossly insensitive."

Its director, John Beyer, said: "I think this is in bad taste. Steve Irwin's family are still grieving."

"To lampoon somebody's death like that is unacceptable and so soon after the event is grossly insensitive. It is not what the family would want to see."

South Park maker Comedy Central defended the episode. A spokesman said: "It has offended people in the past and probably will again. Regular watchers would not be shocked."

dailymail

Caressing Flaw

Two weeks ago, I got an email from another U. S. Navy recruiter (I really think U. S. Navy should present me some kind of honorary award for my service) requesting tattoo translation. This young recruit got what he thought was "MC" tattooed on his chest.




The two characters and are pronounced as "mo" and "ci" in Chinese. Perhaps that is where he or the tattooist got the correlation to "M" and "C".

However, the second character is missing a small vertical stroke. Ironically, the literal translation of the two characters is "caressing flaw".

Yes, I changed my template AGAIN


.... it was time for an update!

Hello

Welcome to Washed Up Celebrities! I intend to post information on celebrities who used to be popular but are now completely washed-up! Enjoy and be sure to leave comments if there's someone you want to be profiled.

Oh please...NBC refuses ads for Dixie Chicks movie


NBC and The CW Television Network Refuse to Air Ads for Documentary Focusing on Freedom of Speech ---

NBC Claims that the Network “Cannot Accept These Spots as They are Disparaging to President Bush”

The CW Television Network that the Network Does “Not have Appropriate Programming in which to Schedule this Spot”

NBC and The CW Television Network have taken a stand against the Dixie’s Chicks new documentary “Shut Up & Sing” a behind-the-scenes look at the incredible political and media fallout that occurred in 2003 after the Dixie Chicks lead singer Natalie Maines said that she was "ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas." “Shut Up & Sing” opens in theaters in NY and Los Angeles on Friday and in theaters nationwide on November 10th.

NBC responded to a clearance report submitted by the Weinstein Company’s media agency saying that the network “cannot accept these spots as they are disparaging to President Bush.”

The CW Television Network responded that it does “not have appropriate programming in which to schedule this spot.”

Famed litigator David Boies stated, “It is disappointing and troubling that NBC and The CW would refuse to accept an otherwise appropriate ad merely because it is critical of President Bush."

Harvey Weinstein, co-chairman of The Weinstein Company stated, “It’s a sad commentary about the level of fear in our society that a movie about a group of courageous entertainers who were blacklisted for exercising their right of free speech is now itself being blacklisted by corporate America. The idea that anyone should be penalized for criticizing the president is sad and profoundly un-American.”

The Weinstein Company is exploring taking legal action.

drudgereport

Family portrait


Nicole Richie seeks help to put on weight


Nicole Richie is seeking treatment for what her rep describes as an inability to put on weight.

"Nicole Richie has decided to undergo diagnostic treatment to determine why she's not been putting on any weight," her rep tells PEOPLE in a statement. "She is working with a team of doctors and specialists whose focus is nutrition. It is important to Nicole that she achieves this goal in a healthy way as this is not a treatment for an eating disorder."

Richie's thinness has been the subject of much debate – which she addressed in May when she told Vanity Fair magazine, "I know I'm too thin right now. I'm not happy with the way I look right now." She also said at the time that she was consulting with a nutritionist and a doctor, but blamed her weight loss in part on the breakup with her then-fiance, Adam "DJ AM" Goldstein.

"She's tired of everyone saying you don't eat, because she does," a source close to Richie tells PEOPLE. "She wants to gain weight. It wasn't anyone saying you have to go do this – it wasn't an intervention. It was her saying I'm tired of people saying this about me, I'm going to go get some tests. It was a personal decision."

people

I think they look better this way....

























distortrait

Isaiah Washington Apologizes for fight with Patrick Dempsey


"Grey's Anatomy" star Isaiah Washington has apologized to his co-stars following his heated argument with Patrick Dempsey on the set of the medical drama earlier this month.

Washington, who plays Dr. Preston Burke, and Dempsey, who plays Dr. Derek Shepherd, came to blows over shooting issues, but soon resolved their problems.

Following the incident, rumors surfaced Washington had used a homophobic slur during the argument. Ten days later their co-star T.R. Knight, who plays Dr. George O'Malley, said he was gay.

In a statement to People magazine, Washington says, "I sincerely regret my actions and the unfortunate use of words during the recent incident on-set.

"Both are beneath my own personal standards. I have nothing but respect for my co-workers and have apologized personally to everyone involved."

sfgate

VH1 announces "Big in 'O6 Award" nominees










The annual year-end celebration will premiere on Sunday, December 3 at 8PM

This year’s categories/nominees include:

BIG ENTERTAINER

The celebrity that entertained us more than anyone else in the last 365 days

Johnny Depp
Steve Carell
Jessica Simpson
Dane Cook
YouTube

BIG TV STAR

The actor or personality that defined television in ’06

Kiefer Sutherland
Patrick Dempsey
Ellen DeGeneres
Jon Stewart

BIG MUSIC ARTIST

The musician that made the biggest noise in ’06

Shakira
Pussycat Dolls
The Red Hot Chili Peppers
Justin Timberlake

BIG DOWNLOAD

The artist that had the most talked about download of the year

London Bridge (Fergie)
White & Nerdy (Weird Al Yankovic)
Here It Goes Again (OK Go)
What’s A Date (Lonely Girl Fifteen)
Jump In My Car (David Hasselhoff)

BIG MAMA

The celebrity mother whose maternal instincts rose above the rest

Brooke Shields
Katie Holmes
Britney Spears
Madonna

BIG BREAKTHROUGH

The entertainer that really made a name for themselves in ’06

Sascha Baron Cohen
Stephen Colbert
Jaime Pressley
The Cast of High School Musical

BIG COMEBACK

That person or group of people that roared back into the pop culture consciousness in ‘06

New Orleans Saints
Howie Mandel
David Hasselhoff
Al Gore
Rosie O’Donnell

BIG “IT” GIRL

That fresh young face that was simply unavoidable this year

Vanessa Mannillo
America Ferrara
Katherine McPhee
Katherine Heigl

BIG OUTLAW

Love ‘em or shun ‘em, the celebrity that was the biggest law breaker this year

Dick Cheney
Mel Gibson
Willie Nelson
Paris Hilton

BIG POWER COUPLE

The celebrity couple whose clout trumped all the rest in ‘06

Beyonce & Jay-Z
Britney Spears & Kevin Federline
Matthew McConaughey & Lance Armstrong
Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie

BIG SHOCKER

The moment or event that we didn’t see coming in the past twelve months

Bill Clinton loses his cool
John Mark Carr confesses
Mark Foley gets caught
North Korea tests a nuke

Let it go...Sara Evans' nanny starts website


Although Sara Evans and her estranged husband Craig Schleske have called a truce to the mud slinging in their high-profile divorce, the couple's former nanny, Alison Clinton, is still waiting for her apology.

Evans has claimed in legal papers that the nanny had an affair with Schleske. Now, the nanny's friends are fighting back. They've started a website, pleaseapologizesaraevans.com, to help clear Clinton's name.

Last week, Clinton passed a lie detector test that seems to back up her claim that she never had an affair with Schleske.

There's a demand on the site for an apology from Evans, because "No one should smear innocent people like Alison Clinton with false allegations."

According to the website, Clinton was especially shocked since "Sara had even asked Alison to be a back-up singer and dancer on her upcoming tour just weeks before."

Besides being the estranged couple's former nanny, Clinton was also Evans' personal assistant and co-president of the singer's fan club. Evans also served as Clinton's matron of honor at her July 2006 wedding to Chris Lee.

Despite Evans' accusations of infidelity, Clinton's marriage remains strong. The site adds, "While Sara's injustice likely means she will not be a part of their lives anymore, Alison and Chris know they will always have each other."

tmz

"Hollywood Bag Ladies" Lupus Luncheon






Pete Townshend Blows Off Howard Stern


The legendary Who guitarist-songwriter ducked out of his scheduled interview on Howard Stern's Sirius Satellite Radio show on Wednesday upon hearing Stern talk about a touchy subject for him -- his 2003 arrest in London on suspicion of possessing child pornography. Townshend was cleared of the charges.

Townshend, along with girlfriend Rachel Fuller and Who bandmate Roger Daltrey, was listening to Stern's New York-based broadcast as he waited in a London studio for his interview to begin. Co-host Robin Quivers brought up the "child pornography stuff" and Townshend's claims that he was abused as a child. "Oh yeah, we could ask him about that," Stern said. Townshend stormed out, leaving Daltrey and Fuller to talk to Stern.

During that conversation, Quivers said that Townshend would have walked out of the interview even "if we didn't bring that up. He's a real testy guy."

Daltrey weighed in on Townshend's behalf, accusing Stern of "sniffing dirty underpants."

"Can you imagine you're accused of this stuff and then you're found not guilty? If you had to defend yourself through this stuff? The wounds are so deep on the man, and it's just tragic because he's got so much to offer," he said.

Stern, who jokingly referred to Fuller as "Yoko" after it was mentioned that Fuller had co-written a song on the new Who album, wound up apologizing to Townshend.

"Tell Pete I am very sorry," he said. "We would have had a great interview with him. I really wish he'd reconsider this. We adore him."

newsday

Kurt Cobain tops list of richest dead celebs


Twelve years after his death, Kurt Cobain is making millions upon millions. He's even richer than the King. Cobain, who raked in an estimated $50 million between October 2005 and October of this year, has edged Elvis Presley from the No. 1 spot on Forbes.com's list of "Top-Earning Dead Celebrities."

Presley, who sat atop the list each year since its debut in 2001, ranks second with earnings of $42 million. Presley died in 1977.

He's followed by:
Charles M. Schulz
John Lennon
Albert Einstein
Andy Warhol
Dr. Seuss (Theodor Geisel)
Ray Charles
Marilyn Monroe
Johnny Cash
J.R.R. Tolkie
George Harrison
Bob Marley


newsday

Naomi Campbell Reportedly Arrested in London


A British news broadcaster reported that Naomi Campbell was arrested in London on Wednesday after a woman alleged she had been assaulted by the supermodel.

Sky News reported that Campbell was being questioned by detectives at a central London police station after the assault allegation, but gave no further details.

A police spokesman refused to confirm the story, saying only that a 36-year-old woman had been detained Wednesday afternoon after an allegation of assault. The force has a policy of not naming people detained unless they have been charged with a crime, the spokesman said on condition of anonymity, in line with department policy.

topix

Lindsay Lohan's Grandma Says Actress Needs Love


Marilyn Lohan, grandmother of Lindsay Lohan, says she is worried of her granddaughters wild partying and insists the young actress needs to find love.

The star of "The Mean Girls" recently broke up with her boyfriend, restaurant heir Harry Morton. Lindsay often lands the front pages of tabloids because of her socializing and wild partying.

Her grandmother has voiced concern over her lifestyle.

Marilyn said, "If Lindsay would get herself a stable boyfriend, I think everything would be better. It's such a shame she's no longer with Harry. He was good for her and she seemed more settled."

"She needs a relationship to keep her on the right track."

allheadlinenews

E! Journalists Fired for Trespassing on Brad Pitt's Property


Two journalists from TV network E! have been fired after they were found trespassing on Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's Hollywood Hills home.

The TV reporters allegedly unchained a gate at the back of the couple's estate before entering the grounds, where they were spotted by construction workers maintaining the building.

A spokesman for Pitt and Jolie says he plans to file criminal charges against the TV crew.

A statement from E! says the camera operator and producer have been fired.

It reads, "E! Networks did not instruct or authorize anyone working on its program to improperly intrude onto private property, and the individuals involved have been terminated."

sfgate

Index of Washed Up Celebrities

Alley, Kirstie
Angeles, Jack

Beckham, Brice
Berry, Chuck
Bialik, Mayim
Bonaduce, Danny
Bonsall, Brian
Brancato, Lillo
Bridges, Todd
Brissette, Tiffany
Bryan, Zachary Ty
Burke, Chris

Call, Brandon
Canseco, Jose
Carrot Top (Scott Thompson)
Clay, Andrew Dice
Coleman, Gary
Cooksey, Danny
Creel, Leanna
Culkin, Macaulay

Diamond, Dustin
- The Early Years
- 2000 - Present
- 2007 Celebrity Fit Club

Tom Cruise's Next project

Tom Cruise
Among the three films actor Tom Cruise is considering for his next project is a Spike Lee-directed drama called “Selling Time,” which would star the famous Scientologist as a man who sells back chunks of time in his life for a chance to relive and change the worst day of his life.

According to Daily Variety, Cruise and Lee have met several times to discuss the project, and the two are currently working on a rewrite of a script by Dan McDermott.

The 20th Century Fox film would be Cruise’s first since he and his C/W partner Paula Wagner left Paramount in August to make an overhead and potential funding deal with Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder, NVR chair Dwight Schar and Six Flags president-CEO Mark Shapiro.

Cruise is also considering Warner Bros’ "The Ha-Ha," a Chuck Leavitt-scripted adaptation of a Dave King novel where he would play a Gulf War vet rendered mute by his injuries and charged with the care of a 9-year-old whose mother goes AWOL.

The actor is also being courted for the indie "Lions for Lambs," a political drama revolving around a platoon of U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan. Robert Redford is likely to direct as well as play a role. Cruise would play a congressman opposite Meryl Streep as a journalist.

In related news, Cruise’s rep Arnold Robinson has confirmed that he and Katie Holmes will marry in Italy on Nov. 18.

Rush Limbaugh is an asshole



You may have seen the powerful new political ad, starring actor Michael J. Fox, urging voters to elect U.S. Senate candidate Claire McCaskill for her support of stem-cell research.

What you don't know is Rush Limbaugh, the conservative talk show host who's more known for his many drug addictions than his political views, has accused actor Michael, who has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, of "exaggerating the effects of the disease" to drum up support for his cause. Limbaugh added that "this is really shameless of Michael J. Fox. Either he didn't take his medication or he's acting, one of the two."



In his broadcast today, Limbaugh stated that "I will bigly, hugely admit that I was wrong, and I will apologize to Michael J. Fox if I am wrong in characterizing his behavior on this commercial as an act, especially since people are telling me they have seen him this way on other interviews and in other television appearances." However, Limbaugh then returned to criticizing the 45-year-old actor, stating that "Michael J. Fox is using his illness as a way to mislead voters into thinking that their vote for a single United States senator has a direct impact on stem cell research in Missouri. It doesn't, and it won't."

To email Limbaugh and tell him what a dick he is, CLICK HERE. OR you can call 'The Rush Limbaugh Show' program line between 12 Noon and 3PM Eastern Time at: 1-800-282-2882 to share your thoughts.

Janet Jackson's CD bombs; boyfriend leaves Virgin Records


Hip-hop producer Jermaine Dupri has reportedly been forced out of his job at Virgin Records after disappointing sales of his girlfriend Janet Jackson's comeback album.

Dupri, who was head of urban music at the record company, was partially credited with relaunching Mariah Carey's career with monster hit The Emacipation of Mimi, but his work on Jackson's 20 YO has only shifted 500,000 copies three weeks into its release.

According to Fox News' Roger Friedman, the CD also dropped an astonishing 77 percent in sales in its second week, prompting Dupri to quit the company under pressure from management late last week.

sfgate

Ryan Phillippe on the cover of Interview magazine

Nick Carter: "Paris is a flop in bed"


Paris Hilton is no good between the sheets unless she is high on booze or drugs, according to her ex boyfriend Backstreet Boys singer Nick Carter.

"She was a drunken prude who as far as I can see did not really like sex. She relied on drugs and drink to give her confidence in the bedroom and was more often than not too wasted to even perform. I lost count of the nights I had to pick her off the floor and drag her to bed passed out," he was quoted by the Newsoftheworld, as saying.

He claimed she was so hooked on the drug she'd even smuggle it on to aeroplanes in Teddy Bears.

"If she was going overseas she'd cut a hole in her teddy and stuff it with cannabis," he said. She had to have her own private stash with her at all times regardless of the consequences," he added.

But Nick admits the first time he clapped eyes on the 25-year-old hotel heiress- best known for appearing in an explicit sex tape with another ex Rick Saloman - he thought she was anything but shy.

"She made it clear she wanted to have sex and couldn't keep her hands off me," he said.

"At the start she loved to tease me by saying she wasn't wearing any pants. But because I know Paris is used to getting what she wants when she wants, I was determined to make her wait, which drove her wild with desire.

In fact I held out for three weeks before I had sex with her. We'd flown to the Bahamas and I wanted everything to be perfect.

But Paris got completely wasted and the sex was distinctly average as we were both too drunk to really enjoy it. It was just a blur of Jack Daniel's," he said

But Paris's vast wealth started to come between them. Nick revealed, "In reality I think she loved me because she thought, with all her money, she could control me.

But I've never met anybody who can spend so needlessly. One day she even came home with a pair of Ferrets, which are illegal in California.

I think she had simply run out of things to buy."

dailyindia

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