Because it’s never too late to think about “trialing” new vocations and you’ve got nothing but time on your hands when your producers are picking up your $3340/night villa tab (not to mention the $410/day on handlers), Amy Winehouse has taken to a bit of volunteerism - setting her mind on healing the inhabitants of St. Lucia.
WInehouse has been in the news lately for making even more random, off-colored comments (no pun intended) than usual, but then again, envisioning Amy as a candy striper prepping meals, visiting expectant mothers, and handing out medicines seems the most far-fetched role to date.
Whatever the case may be, here’s hoping that Amy keeps her head up amidst the trashy news of her husband’s bastard baby. Focusing on people who have learned to live with a little less might be just what the doctor ordered.
Will Ferrell made a stop on the Today Show today to promote his latest flick, Land of the Lost. Ferrell has been fulfilling his various promotional duties - the press-related racket that comes with being owned by Universal and even made a stop earlier this week to baptize Conan’s new Late Show, and proclaiming himself honorary 1st guest. Ferrell’s memorable entrance on the show featured him sitting atop a sedan chair while 4 men in loincloths carried him and the chair.
But back to Matt Lauer and his visions of stardom.
Lauer was not on hand to interview Will Ferrell (that would be too gauche), but Meredith Vierra was and true to her ever-inappropriate, stick 2-feet-and-elbow-and-a-car-in-her-mouth ways, she simply talked about Matt Lauer’s cameo with little regard for Will or the film. Whether this was calculated or not, the whole interview was about Matt Lauer.
For those of you egging for a real Will Ferrell interview and what components it should entail, check out this Daily Showclip from 2000.
I happened to catch the newly released soccer flick, “Rudo Y Cursi,” this weekend and while I’m no fan of soccer (much to the chagrin of my husband), I’m usually up for some Gael Bernal Garcia with a twist of Diego Luna. The former more than the latter, but no need to get choosy here.
The movie tells the story of two brothers - Rudo, played by Luna is the brighter and more motivated of the two and is determined to be a soccer star at all costs to himself and his family and then there’s Tato (nicknamed “Cursi”), the more likable of the two, and possibly the more talented, but also the more foolish one. Each of them has their own vice (for Rudo it’s gambling and cocaine; for Cursi it’s women and his short-sighted desire for fame in the form of becoming a singing sensation).
So while the movie is a cliche in its own right: And yet another variation on the theme of what happens when you take 2 neglected hicks and feed them into a world of overnight success and lavish attention on them, there is something deeper that the flick hints at which I think a lot about in my own career - the distinction between passion and talent.
The most successful people are the ones that can objectively (if that’s possible) look inward and package their talents in a way that makes them desirable candidates for the work they pursue. It may not reflect their passion, but it speaks to their ability to know their strengths. While Cursi is drawn to music, soccer is the device that allows him to pursue his passion and what makes him such a tragic figure is that he unabashedly takes for granted the very thing that enables him to follow his passion.
Beating all records for opening weekend known to mankind, The Dark Knight stormed into the box office with a fierce vengeance. Closing its 3-day weekend run with a cool $155 million (over $30 million more than its production cost), the film’s producer, Chuck Roven, went on to gush aboutHeath Ledger’s fatal performance as the villainous Joker.
With Oscar buzz all around mounting over Ledger’s portrayal and some going as far as to say, his “method acting” antics put him over the edge (who buys that, really?), no one’s arguing that Ledger’s the real draw in all this movie-going mania frenzy, even with Maggie Gyllenhaal replacing Katie Holmes and Katie giving some bogus excuse as to why her love for Tom Cruise Scientology prevented her from resuming her role in the follow-up sequel.
Last time I checked the Summer movie line-up however, this year has been a doozy as far as decent films in the theatres so maybe we could all use a little reality check here.
Ilana Donna goes to visit the folks in Florida and bites off a little more than even she can chew with the characters she encounters (and no, I’m talking about her family).
Amy Winehouse and her producer Mark Ronson won’t be teaming up for any theme songs to any motion pictures anytime soon. The two were slated to make some more beautiful music together - this time for the upcoming James Bond film, “Quantum of Solace.” Unfortunately for the Bond franchise and Amy fans, Ronson doesn’t feel Winehouse is ready to resume recording sessions for the song.
“We tried to work for a little bit,” he told Sky News. “I’m not sure she’s ready to work on music yet.”
Ronson, who produced much of the troubled singer’s Back to Black album, also said it was unlikely work on the Quantum of Solace track would continue “unless by some miracle of science it gets recorded and someone sings a vocal on it”.
He added: “We did work on it but we never finished it so that’s about it.”
The Oscars air tonight and since I’ve seen at least some of the films nominated, I have more of a vested interest in who wins and who doesn’t. The SAG and Golden Globes are usually somewhat of an indicator as to who will sweep, but as past years have shown, it’s not always a fool-proof litmus test.
But what about the other awards show of late?
Besides the fact that the Spirit (Independent Spirit) awards are the “coolest”- people get to actually show up in birkenstocks/tevas and it takes place along the beach after all in Santa Monica, there are the Razzies aka the “crappiest” (as my nephew would say) films of the year which were handed out just yesterday. At the top of the list was Eddie Murphy for worst actor, supporting actress, and supporting actor for his multiple roles in the flop, Norbit. Perhaps the most telling award was Lindsay Lohan picking up “Word Actress” for her role in I know Who Killed Me which may as well be called, I Know Who/What Killed My Career!
But back to the Oscars because while they might not be the hippest or funniest awards show, they are still the most prestigious for now and the ones that get the most play on national TV. Below is my list of this year’s winners. I’m not clairvoyant or anything, but I’d love to be a betting woman on these since I think I could accumulate some serious dough here…In bold is my pick for winner and with accompanying asterisk is my pick for “who knew” (either about the movie or why this person was nominated).
How dare I even ask… Of-course it’s on tonight, in fact, not one, but two episodes will air, one after the other. Now don’t get me wrong here, I like TV, and I like TV series. But there is something about Lost that I just can’t stand. Maybe it’s this collection of amazing people, who just happen to be together on the same plane when it crashes on that island, or maybe it’s just that the acting is not so good, or the story is boring, or all of the above, and then some more. I am aware of the fact that other Amaldo’s Blog writers absolutely adores the show, but every Thursday for two hours, I actually appreciate the fact that we have another TV set at home.
At least after Lost there is a new Eli Stone episode.
If you’re a Lost fan, it’s hard imagine what next after a season finale which featured never-before-seen previews of the life after the island (yes, they do manage to get off somehow); a climactic showdown between the show’s two bitter rivals/archenemies; the death of a beloved, yet flawed character who left us with a fateful message or one that’s construed as such anyways; and a possible pregnancy forcing the Jack/Sawyer/Kate love triangle storyline to its near breaking point.
With build-up in tension like that, it’s easy to see the rationale behind ABC waiting 8 mos to launch a new season of their most popular show and even more so why there was no way the premiere could hold a candle to the fireworks that ignited back in May.
Still, my biggest pet peeve about the Lost season premiere on Thursday was the lack of imagination and forethought into the characters’ development. And most of all, this overplay of the same 2-dimensional theme that the island holds some magical force which perpetuates good and that once you’re off the island you become dysfunctional and your entire sense of equilibrium gets shifted off-kilter to the brink of insanity.
Case-in-point: the anti-burly Hurley aka Hugo. Read More…
More proof that he writers’ strike is putting a serious dent on the availability of celebrities for late night appearances on talk shows: A guest on her longtime boyfriend, Jimmy Kimmel’s talk show last night, Sarah Silverman had a seriously scandalous confession to make to her honey.
I’ll give you a hint: While Jimmy Kimmel’s home drinking diet snapple, Sarah is [insert blog subject header] on the bed and on the floor.
Ilana Donna’s new video is sure to give some amount of thought to the validity of psychic networks, but really how much of your future do you want dictated to you? In short, is there any consolation to be found in knowing your fate or is there something to be said about a the element of the unknown when it comes to romantic entanglements?
I’m a lover scorned. A meerkat whose mother has been viciously killed by a snake leaving me to make my way thru the wild without any well-trained defenses or line of attack. I’m Rambo without any ammo and Schwarzenegger without the Kennedy connections and steroids that made him.
I’m also fed up with the writers’ strike and feeling pangs of loss that can best be expressed thru the myriad of metaphors above.
And how it could potentially affect my January, no wait my FEBRUARY? That’s right, Lost fans will have to wait till February now to see just where things left off post-Looking Glass. Given that the show’s executive producer is claiming that only 8 shows have been written out of the regular 16, and that the final 8 will tie up all the loose ends presented in the first 8 (and that I happen to LIVE for resolutions), you can understand why the writers’ strike is getting me down.
I can do without Leno and his glib comments to Halle Berry, grimace at Tina Fey as she takes to the picketing stands (she is an executive producer after all) and bands with her fellow starving artists (?), but seeing writer/creator/executive producer Damon Lindelof lament the plight of writers (and himself) not getting their/his share of the moola generated by all the new media around makes me wanna lose the one I’m with and start a new relationship.
We understand fame and new-found fortune is enough to even make a decent man turn to debauchery. But really, how long do the producers at Lost think that they can play with their fanbase before their numbers of viewers start to diminish?
Ilana Donna is back (after a very long hiatus) going undercover to find out exactly how two men from the South can be gainfully employed as “dating coaches” (er, um pick-up artists) in the cynical metropolis of New York. Watch and be amazed as our lovely vlogger, Ilana transforms from skeptic to smitten kitten in this video clip, guaranteed to get all gals (and guys) guessing. What really happened next?
Amy, Amy, what are we going to do with you? After the Norwegian Police arrested one of our blog’s main subjects, she was released just in time to go on stage and do her thing. I also hear that some of her friends seemed pleased of the fact she only got arrested for the possession of weed and not something stronger. If they are so concerned about her they should send her to this place in Utah, to dry her talented but disturbed soul of all the shit that runs there. After watching Regina Spektor performers last week, without all the meshigayes*, but with a lot of magic, I understand that you don’t have to be a nut job to succeed, well maybe just a little…
I’ve been looking forward to the end of September ever since the beginning of May when I was left wondering just why Charlie may or may not have been killed off the island, how many new Fall shows the Heroes phenomena would spawn, and who would be the next cast of D-list celebs breaking onto the Dancing With The Stars scene.
As it turns out, September is here and the season doesn’t hold better TV than what’s airing today and tomorrow. Tonight marks the return of two of my favorite shows on TV-Simpsonsand Family Guy. For those of us who got some sort of interim Simpsons fix this Summer having watched the Simpsons movie, we were left with ravenous appetites which only called more attention to the lingering gap left behind last season after Homer saved Mr. Burns from a fatal mall accident involving a fountain. So now we’re on to this season, Mr. Burns debt of gratitude to Homer and Mr. S taking stock of his life with the help of life coach, Stephen Colbert. (yeah, we’re not kidding) And all this in the first episode of the season…
Tonight’s Family Guy has patriarch Peter Griffin enlisting the help of the Star Wars saga to entertain his family when their power goes out. Brian the dog as Chewbacca and Quagmire as C-3PO have my head spinning already. Not to mention the juxtaposition of life sabers and Darth Vader (Stewie). Well, who better to destroy the Griffin household than Stewie, after all…And while the Curb Your Enthusiasmpremiere aired a few weeks ago already, tonight is a new episode in the unfolding dramedy involving Larry, Cheryl, the Dansons, and the Blacks (the family they adopted from the Hurricane).
Conflicts/Footnotes to Sunday night premiere week: Cold Case is back as well tonight and personally, for me, this show is compelling enough (if I can drown out the slow-mo soundtrack of your life anecdotes coupled with the morally righteous preachy ending long enough). One thing this show is a testament to is the power of the band Coldplay. As long as this show is around, that band isn’t going anywhere.Tomorrow night is perhaps one of the most exciting TV premiere days of the week. With the return of Dancing with the Starsand the premiere of the much-anticipated show Chuck, be sure to check back here tomorrow for more of a preview of the two hottest shows of the season.
Till then, get your comedy on for Sunday night! It will help you get thru the work week, or at least put your attitude in the right place.
Amaldo.com video blogger Ilana Donna thought she was ready for a live-in. So she found her rescue pup Dolly. They were ready to euthanize her. Instead, she got to stay with Ilana. What a treat! I think?
We’re just happy Ilana’s vlogging again…And that she meets a nice “companion” very soon.
Ok, so Amy Winehouse and Scottish bloke singer Paolo Nutini are already slated to tour together (we’re always the last to know…), but who knew the duo might have such complimentary voices? The video seen below is an homage to Scottish singer Paolo Nutini and the psycho who compiled this image gallery of a video on Youtube. Right. So why do we care? Cause it also relates to Amy Winehouse and it just so happens that the Nutini video montage also features audio of the singer doing a cover of Amy Winehouse’s Rehab. And after listening to this cover, you’ll be hard-pressed to find two other white people (and one Jewish at that) who do Soul as well, at least in today’s emerging music scene. Sufficed to say, I’d love to see these two on tour together.
While there are certain attributes all pop celeb starlets share: Narcissism; wanton, often reckless, self-destructive behaviour; and director Brett Ratner’s bed, there is also a common adhesive for all of these characteristics: Coke.
Don’t get me wrong. Everyone will be talking about Lindsay Lohan’s latest DUI until this weekend or next week when Paris Hilton gets one or Britney Spears flashes another of her privates (maybe in conjunction with another!), or it’s finally revealed that a washed-up heroin/coked-up anorexic who most likely hasn’t had a regular period since she hit the age of puberty at 10, can’t possibly be fertile. But the point is, who cares? Or more importantly, why do we care?
Well, most likely we’re all part of the self-perpetuating, destructive cycle here. Our interest feeds the machine, and our reinforcement, whether positive or negative, further nourishes it. Anyone who witnesses a newly slim and whacked out Britney Spears on one of her outings can tell this girl is on some serious dope. Same with Lindsay, Kate Bosworth, Keira Knightly, and every other star. Coke is the rage. So why not let these people self-combust once and for all and end our preoccupation?
Dame Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas got it right. Big Girls Don’t Cry
But do they get piss poor drunk (for the umpteenth time), forget their lines onstage, proceed to say “F*ck! F*ck! F*ck!” while repeatedly hitting their head with a microphone, and then proceed to spit at the crowd after being a no-show at several other scheduled live gigs in the past few months?
So Amy Winehouse is back in the media whirlwind for her behaviour while onstage at the Eden Project this week. While Amy’s actions have been linked to the two bottles of Champagne, two bottles of Jack Daniels, and two bottles of red wine found in her trailer, one has to wonder if she’s trying to conceal something a bit bigger. Like maybe this girl with the amazing voice is simply a manufactured product of a British recording studio. Conspiracy theories aside, the self-destructive rockstar diva bit is getting old.
Because it’s never too late to think about “trialing” new vocations and you’ve got nothing but time on your hands when your producers are picking up your $3340/night villa tab (not to mention the $410/day on handlers), Amy Winehouse has taken to a bit of volunteerism - setting her mind on healing the inhabitants of St. Lucia. 
The Oscars air tonight and since I’ve seen at least some of the films nominated, I have more of a vested interest in who wins and who doesn’t. The SAG and Golden Globes are usually somewhat of an indicator as to who will sweep, but as past years have shown, it’s not always a fool-proof litmus test.
How dare I even ask… Of-course it’s on tonight, in fact, not one, but two episodes will air, one after the other. Now don’t get me wrong here, I like TV, and I like TV series. But there is something about Lost that I just can’t stand. Maybe it’s this collection of amazing people, who just happen to be together on the same plane when it crashes on that island, or maybe it’s just that the acting is not so good, or the story is boring, or all of the above, and then some more. I am aware of the fact that other Amaldo’s Blog writers absolutely adores the show, but every Thursday for two hours, I actually appreciate the fact that we have another TV set at home.
Amy, Amy, what are we going to do with you? After the Norwegian Police arrested one of our blog’s main subjects, she was released just in time to go on stage and do her thing. I also hear that some of her friends seemed pleased of the fact she only got arrested for the possession of weed and not something stronger. If they are so concerned about her they should send her to this place in Utah, to dry her talented but disturbed soul of all the shit that runs there. After watching Regina Spektor performers last week, without all the meshigayes*, but with a lot of magic, I understand that you don’t have to be a nut job to succeed, well maybe just a little…
I’ve been looking forward to the end of September ever since the beginning of May when I was left wondering just why 
Ok, so 
While there are certain attributes all pop celeb starlets share: Narcissism; wanton, often reckless, self-destructive behaviour; and director Brett Ratner’s bed, there is also a common adhesive for all of these characteristics: Coke.
Dame Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas got it right. Big Girls Don’t Cry
