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  • Heidi Montag sending bad messages?
    By Asiri on January 19th, 2010 | 3 Comments3 Comments Comments

    "The Hills" star Lo Bosworth spoke out about the message Heida Montag is sending through surgeries.


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  • By Asiri on January 19th, 2010 | No Comments Comments

    As her costars express surprise and concern about “The Hills’s” Heidi Montag — who made the shocking decision to overhaul her body with 10 surgeries in one day — castmate Lo Bosworth points out that the real danger lies in the message she’s sending.

    “I hope that girls don’t read the article, look at the decisions that Heidi made, and think that’s normal,” Bosworth told PEOPLE. “She was quoted as saying that [practically] every celebrity in Hollywood has these procedures done, every day . . . And that’s just not true. I would never want young girls to read that and think it’s the standard that they need to be measured by.”

    Still, the fellow 23-year-old is not anti-cosmetic surgery. “I am not against it,” Bosworth said while perusing the Kari Feinstein Style Lounge with her pal Lauren Conrad (who had no comment on Montag’s surgeries). But for Bosworth, moderation is key.

    “If some wrinkles come across my face, sure, I’ll get a little Botox, it’s not a big deal,” she said. “I think you should do what you want to do to take care of yourself. I just hope that the girls who look up to us and watch us don’t look at what Heidi did as the only way to be successful and beautiful.”


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  • ‘Bubbly’ personality not working for Mariah
    By Asiri on January 19th, 2010 | No Comments Comments

    Plus, January Jones and Jeremy Piven may be an item. Really.

    Image: Mariah Carey, Nick Cannon

    Matt Sayles / AP
    Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon arrive at the 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Sunday.

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  • By Asiri on January 19th, 2010 | No Comments Comments

    one television producer. “Nick, on the other hand, I actually have approached him for something I’m working on. And it has nothing to do with him being married to Mariah, it has everything to do with him proving to be better than anyone thought he’d be.”Mariah Carey’s penchant for funning it up at awards shows this season was a popular topic of conversation during Sunday’s Golden Globes after-parties. (For the unaware: Carey, who’s been making the rounds with her fellow “Precious” cast mates, has been taking advantage of the free champagne at these things, then making rambling, semi-incoherent public statements).

    Carey made no major scene at the Globes or during her brief appearance at the NBC after-party on the Beverly Hilton rooftop, but, because her husband Nick Cannon was so together, her (admittedly amusing) episodes are made even more obvious.

    “Mariah isn’t the person you would meet at one of these things and you say, ‘Yeah, I’d really be interested in her for my upcoming project,’” said

    one television producer. “Nick, on the other hand, I actually have approached him for something I’m working on. And it has nothing to do with him being married to Mariah, it has everything to do with him proving to be better than anyone thought he’d be.”

    Another television producer agreed: “You’d think that her work in ‘Precious,’ which was impressive for Mariah, would stand on its own and maybe land her some more jobs, but working with someone who you know will be easy to work with is something I certainly consider. Not sure she’d top my list,” said the producer.

    January Jones and Jeremy Piven. Really?

    Let’s get this out of the way first: “Mad Men” nominee January Jones left a Globes after-party at Chateau Marmont with Jeremy Piven. What happened after that? It’s anyone’s guess. Sources close to both are either staying mum or aren’t awake at the time of this writing, which is totally possible. On Saturday, Piven was at the Paramount party, where he was seen doing laps around a perimeter that surrounded a VIP section where Leo DiCaprio, George Clooney and Martin Scorsese — no Jones in sight there.


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  • British tourism hopes to cash in on Sherlock Holmes
    By Asiri on January 19th, 2010 | No Comments Comments



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  • By Asiri on January 19th, 2010 | No Comments Comments

    Sherlock Holmes the movie has already made more than $300 million at the box office worldwide and British tourism officials are hoping it means money for them too.

    Britain’s tourism board has been promoting films for the past 15 years, so they know just how lucrative a movie like “Sherlock Homes” can be.

    “To give you an example of a typical blockbuster film, it is normally seen by about 120 million people in the first three weeks of opening,” Visit Britain official Laurence Bresh told CNN.

    “Even if a small percentage of those come to visit Britain as a result of this particular film, that’s going to have a huge boost in some of those tourism attractions featured in our promotion.”

    As much of “Sherlock Holmes” is set in London this means big business for museum officials and gift shop operators.

    The Sherlock Holmes Museum at 221b Baker Street is the address where the fictional detective lived, according to the stories by Conan Doyle.

    Nearby, a nine-foot statue of Holmes greets visitors at the Baker Street Underground station.

    Inside the museum, visitors can check out Holmes’ study, sit in his armchair by the fireside, examine his calabash pipe and observe his chemistry equipment.

    “I think Hollywood has put its magic touch on the legend, and they’ve put, as it were, a magnifying glass over the character and of course things you could say are slightly exaggerated, but that’s the wont of Hollywood and that’s what makes these blockbusters successful,” John Riley, Assistant Curator of the Sherlock Holmes Museum said.

    “So any new perspective, any new angle always just helps to perpetuate the legend of Sherlock Holmes. And that indirectly will obviously benefit the museum.”

    About 70,000 visitors a year stop by the Victorian lodging house, though officials are expecting a spike of interest fueled by the new movie.

    While thousands of tourists flock to visit the museum, many of its visitors are unaware that Sherlock Holmes was actually not real person.

    “A few people do think he is a real character, particularly with the tour of his house on ‘Baker Street’ adding fuel to the fire so to speak,” Mark Di-Toro from Visit Britain said.

    “That is just testament to Doyle’s brilliant writing with his true to nature locations in the books meaning tourist can really relate and visit all the fantastic locations.”


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  • Can Ellen make ‘Idol’ viewers forget Paula?
    By Asiri on January 19th, 2010 | No Comments Comments

    Comedian doesn’t have musical experience, but she’s witty and smart

    The Comedy Festival Day 1


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  • By Asiri on January 19th, 2010 | No Comments Comments

    Starting this season, Paula Abdul’s out of her judging role at “American Idol” and Ellen DeGeneres is in. Will viewers miss kooky Paula and her diva ways, or embrace Ellen’s gentle comedy, forgetting all about her predecessor?

    There’s no denying that Simon Cowell, who will exit the series after this coming season, is the only judge on the panel whose departure would make a major impact on the show. The acidic Brit quickly became the most influential judge on the panel with his outrageous honesty in critiquing the contestants. When the Idol hopefuls pop into that audition room, they focus all their attention on Simon.

    In the beginning, that left both sweet Paula and bland Randy Jackson to find their own way of grabbing a small slice of the spotlight. Randy has yet to become a significant cog in the “American Idol” hit machine, but Paula discovered early that she could challenge the scowling Simon by acting out.

    She wears the most obnoxious jewelry in town (her own line), and togs that scream louder than a heavy-metal wannabe. Her wild-armed clapping, arms waving like hurricane swells, has become fodder for late night comedy shows.

    Paula’s mercurial nature has led to everything from simple tardiness to storming off the set. Before one exit last January, she complained that the other judges didn’t care about her opinion on an Idol hopeful. The contestant, Julissa Veloz, had to coax Paula back to the room. Obviously, Paula thought her employers would do the same before they opted to put her on a permanent time-out.

    Paula bringing crayons and coloring books to a performance show, leading Simon to smear marks on her face, represented one of the lowest points of last year’s tepid season.

    How will Ellen handle Simon?
    In contrast, some of Ellen’s funniest bits on her TV talk show have included her interaction with children. Relating to Simon can’t be that much different.

    Ellen’s always been known as the incredibly witty, bright but certainly quirky comic. She knows how to ad-lib from years as a stand-up comic and a talk show host. After years of being heckled in some bawdy stand-up joints, she can decimate Simon or snotty contestants with a look or a line.

    Much has been made about losing Paula’s musical expertise. It’s true she’s a talented choreographer, but when it comes to singing, she cashed in with a handful of catchy tunes for years before slipping into obscurity.

    Ellen may not be a singer, but she loves music and is known for semi-geeky dancing on her show. In the music realm she represents the people who are making the final decisions — the American public.

    Paula certainly has an ear for pop singers. But when she bothers to attempt an actual musical critique, she falls back on three repeated clichés, including telling good contestants they are “authentic” and bad singers that they lack the ability to be authentic. Even the singers seem puzzled by this pronouncement.

    Train wreck element may be missed
    No doubt Paula’s erratic behavior both on- and off-screen has added loads of drama to the show. Ellen’s always in control, Her comments may be just as rambling as Paula’s, but Ellen’s odd stories end with the pay-off punch that Paula never quite delivers.

    Paula often made viewers wonder what exactly she was sipping from her ever-present Coke up. Once she critiqued Jason Castro’s second song as not being memorable — when he had only belted out one tune that night.

    And then there was the time when Paula told eventual runner-up David Archuleta “David, you are ridiculous. I wanna just squish you, squeeze your head off and dangle you from my rear-view mirror.”


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  • Don’t sanitize King’s legacy, worshippers told
    By Asiri on January 19th, 2010 | No Comments Comments

    Cornel West delivers keynote speech at Ebenezer Baptist Church

    Image: Martin Luther King service

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  • By Asiri on January 19th, 2010 | No Comments Comments

    ATLANTA - Worshippers were urged Monday not to “sanitize” the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. at the Atlanta church where he preached, while thousands marched in cities around the country and President Barack Obama honored King by serving meals to the needy.

    Princeton University scholar Cornel West delivered a passionate keynote address at Ebenezer Baptist Church to commemorate King’s 81st birthday and mark the 25th federal observance of the holiday. He told the crowd to remember King’s call to help others and not simply enshrine his legacy in “some distant museum.”

    King should be remembered as a vital person whose powerful message was once even considered dangerous by the FBI, West said at the church where King preached from 1960 until his assassination in 1968.

    “I don’t want to sanitize Martin Luther King Jr.,” said West, who teaches in Princeton’s Center for African American Studies and is the author of “Race Matters” and 19 other books.

    He later added, “I don’t know about you, but I don’t even mention his name without shivering and shuddering.”

    Advice about Obama
    Speaking days before the anniversary of Obama’s inauguration, West also told the mostly black audience to hold Obama’s administration accountable even as they celebrate his historic presidency.

    “Even with your foot on the brake, there are too many precious brothers and sisters under the bus,” West said of Obama. “Where is the talk about poverty? We’ve got to protect him and respect him, but we’ve also got to correct him if the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. is going to stay alive.”

    King’s youngest daughter, Bernice King, presided over the ceremony with her aunt, Christine King Farris, the slain civil rights leader’s only living sibling. His other children, Martin Luther King III and Dexter King, didn’t attend the service.

    In Washington, D.C., Obama honored King’s legacy of helping others serving lunch at a social services organization. Later Monday, Obama was scheduled to discuss the civil rights movement with a group of black elders and their grandchildren and speak at a King Day concert at the Kennedy Center.

    Marches and parades were taking place around the country, including one in Montgomery, Ala., where King gained renown leading a bus boycott in protest of segregation during the 1950s.

    Tens of thousands marched in San Antonio, with some singing “We shall overcome,” an anthem of 1960s civil rights workers, and others chanting “Yes, we can,” the slogan used by Obama’s campaign.

    Mark Melchor, a 22-year-old university student, wore a jacket from his Latino fraternity, a group that participates in the event every year.

    King represents “civil rights for everybody,” he said. “There’s always going to be more work to be done. Minorities still have a disadvantage in the world. It’s getting better but still.”

    Confederate flag a rallying point
    In South Carolina, the president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People vowed to step up efforts to remove the Confederate flag from Statehouse grounds. The flag flies on a 30-foot pole on the front lawn of the Capitol, after it was moved in 2000 from a perch atop the Capitol Dome.

    Thousands turned out for the rally and a march through downtown Columbia. Theron Foster showed his 8-year-old daughter the African-American History monument less than 100 yards from the flag.

    “I want her to know both sides of the story of South Carolina,” Foster said. “I want her to see what an insult this state puts right next to the story of her people.”


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