Posts Tagged ‘hollywood’

Seven Reasons You Must Attend A Jimmy Kimmel Live Taping

Hurray for Hollywood the chance to see the stars, be on set or even dare I mention compare your feet to others of the stars in front of the Mann’s Chinese Theater. yet, most tourists overlook the best free thing in Hollywood right on the corner of Hollywood and Highland – the taping of the Jimmy Kimmel Live Show.

Kimmel’s show competes with the late night talk show hosts and can be seen on ABC channels on weeknights across the country. Catering to those security guards on night shift, college students and everyone else who likes a good laugh at society’s expense, they really put on a class act both on the air and in the theater.

Free tickets are available online at their website where you can pick the show of your choice with the guests – mostly a list stars and bands that put out some great music. if you find yourself in the area, there are usually tickets available at the front of the theater around 5.30pm on show nights. look for staff directly in front of the theater.

The amazing thing about this show is the audience is catered to by the staff, which is basically unheard of in tinsel town. after going a number of times, I have found it to be one of the most exciting experiences. after attending other shows, I realized it isn’t just another Hollywood taping. You can expect to have a great time and plenty of laughs.

Here are seven reasons you must attend:

1. Free parking Jimmy’s show is the only show who offers free parking for audience members. Park at the Hollywood and Highlands Mall and bring the stub to get it stamped at the show.

2. little to no waiting. if you cross town to the Tonight Show expect to wait HOURS before you are let into the theater. At the Kimmel Show you wait about 90 minutes TOTAL. they check Identification and tickets, you go through security and you enjoy the show. believe me when I say this great service is rare.

3. Free Drinks Once past security, the audience is given a free energy drink to sip while waiting to be loaded into the theater. Who could ask for better?

4. Free swag want a shirt? Interested in a hat? the warm up man has plenty to give away and he is generous. Plus he is hysterical. a show in its own right.

5. Lots of laughs. Jimmy comes out before the show and interacts with the audience. this is the only host who does this . . . .Jay and Craig, the two other hosts who have night time shows in the area only perform and leave without even noticing the live audience.

6. the music is concert style. if you like big concerts then you will like this. Whether in the mini-theater or the outdoor theater, the shows are top notch productions. I have seen Wycliffe and 50 Cent with both being above and beyond performances than what is seen on television.

7. Autographs are possible. Now with any show, they don’t like people begging for autographs, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t opportunities.. All of the show staff and sometimes even the stars will take a second to sign for you. that doesn’t mean you can be rude during the show, but if you wait in the alley behind the theater you won’t be disappointed.

Experiencing a Jimmy Kimmel Live taping is similar to having a great time at the comedy club, except there is no drink minimum and all the stars are top notch.

Robert Downey Jr. denies he is anonymous commenter spreading Hollywood dirt in blind items

Robert Downey Jr.’s camp is denying widespread speculation that he is the anonymous commenter who has been spreading dark Hollywood rumors on the blind item website Crazy Days and Nights.

Over the past month an anonymous commenter who goes by the name “Himmmm” has been dropping bombshells about bad behavior in Hollywood, detailing alleged starlet call-girl rings, pedophilia and rape.

Several clues provided by the anonymous poster as to his identity, particularly that they had almost let addiction ruin their Hollywood career, led other commenters and websites to speculate that Himmmm was Downey Jr., who had publicly battled addictions for years.

But this week, Alan Nierob, a rep for Downey Jr., is trying to put those rumors to rest.

“Of course he isn’t,” Nierob told Fox411.com when we asked whether his client was Himmmm.

Nierob added that it will be up to the actor’s legal team to decide whether to press charges against the sites who are hosting the commenters who allege Downey Jr. is the anonymous commenter.

Crazy Days and Nights is a website that deals in blind items about celebrities, mostly sent in from anonymous tipsters. likewise, commenters can also be anonymous. Last month the site ran this blind item detailing the abusive relationship of a young starlet in Hollywood:

“This former B list television actress who was on a really big hit network show just a couple of years ago now just seems to float mindlessly and flit between boyfriends. she comes from a broken home and abusive home. her dad used to beat her and get into bed with her.

Her mom just let it happen because she was being beaten herself and did not want to provoke. well, now the actress who is still very young only seems to date boyfriends who are abusive and willing to hit her. her last boyfriend (former A list athlete with B list name recognition) was so scared that he would kill her if he  [if] he broke up with her. her new celebrity boyfriend does not punch nearly as hard but seems to love it. Probably getting out his anger because he is closeted.”

After several visitors guessed that the actress in question was “Heroes” star Hayden Panettiere a commenter named “Himmmm” said the actress was indeed Panettiere and weighed in with detailed information.

A rep for Panettiere did not return calls for comment.

More recently Himmmm went after actors Ryan O’Neal and Kirk Douglas.

In response to a blind item about an older actor who slept with a teenaged actress Himmmm wrote:

“Ryan F**khead Oneal. and if there’s a hell – they have a special suite awaiting him. not just for this, but for the HELL he’s caused me and so many others. I’ll not name his victims, but his filmography and dating history should show that clearly. I learned to let the hate out of my heart many years ago, but some people deserve to reap what they sow. Ryan Oneal is the f**king antichrist. I know, believe me.”

O’Neal’s rep Arnold Robinson told Fox411.com: “That is a ridiculous and completely untrue assertion.”

Further speculation that Himmm was Downey Jr. came when Himmm claimed that he knew that the actor Kirk Douglas had raped Natalie Wood. He provided as proof the fact that he worked with Wood’s daughter, Natasha Gregson Wagner, on a film in the late ’90s, and he provided her correct phone number.

“Like her mother, Natasha is an amazing woman and amazing actress who is a great person in every way,” Himmmm wrote. “I know a lot of you have speculated that I’m some nobody nut-case pretending to be someone else. Pretending to be a movie star when in fact I’m not. I think that’s kind of hilarious. but if you want to call Natasha and ask her the name of the male actor she co-starred with in a movie with Heather Graham, then go for it. call her at home if you want to but be polite. her number is: XXX-XXX-XXXX and remember, she’s NOT in on this so don’t blame or interrogate her.”

Downey Jr. appeared in the James Toback film “Two Guys and A Girl” with Heather Graham and Wagner in 1997.

A rep for Douglas did not return calls and emails for comment.

Fordham media studies professor Paul Levinson, who writes extensively on the way social media has changed the way people interact, told Fox411.com that contrary to popular belief, anonymity online does not mean that people are necessarily telling the truth.

“I wouldn’t trust anyone who hides behind a pseudonym,” Levinson, the author of “New New Media” said. “It allows them to lie and to say whatever they please without any repercussions.”

Hacking Scarlett Johansson—and 50 other celebs—using Google and gumption

On November 13, 2010, 34-year old Jacksonville, Florida resident Christopher Chaney went hunting for unreleased nude photos of celebrities. According to court documents, he had the e-mail address for celebrity stylist and handbag designer Simone Harouche, but he didn’t have Harouche’s password. no matter; after connecting to Apple’s e-mail servers, Chaney used the password reset feature. he answered the required security questions by supplying publicly available information gleaned from the Internet—and he was in. what to do next?

Account settings were a top priority. From there, Chaney could have a copy of all Harouche’s incoming e-mail mirrored to —an account created specially for this purpose. Even after Harouche regained control of her account, she was unlikely to start poking around immediately in her account settings, and Chaney might maintain his virtual view of her life for weeks or even months.

With the mirroring in place, a quick stroll through the actual contents of the account might be in order. for Hollywood celebrities, a search of all e-mails containing attachments could bring up everything from film scripts to scans of a driver’s license to intimate photos. When he found these last items, Chaney saved them to separate folders on his computer. he then used three e-mail accounts with names like —an I’m-better-than-you reference to a 2008 hacker named “trainreq” who had broken into Miley Cyrus’s Gmail account—to distribute nude pictures to various Internet sites.

But such pictures weren’t always sitting around, waiting to be downloaded; sometimes Chaney had to work for them.

Which led him to Harouche’s contacts list. Thanks to electronic address books, the successful hack of a single well-connected individual like Harouche might turn up all sorts of private celebrity e-mail addresses, the raw material for future attacks on new accounts. in this case, Harouche knew singer Christina Aguilera. Chaney went off and tried to break into Aguilera’s e-mail account, but with no success—so it was back to Harouche’s account for one last dodge.

On December 2, three weeks after the first break-in, Chaney hacked his way back into Harouche’s account. this time, he impersonated her, sending an e-mail to Aguilera in which he requested pictures of Aguilera wearing, as he would later admit to a federal judge, “very little clothing.”

Amazingly, she appears to have complied; Chaney soon released photos of Aguilera obtained from Harouche’s account onto the Internet.

Chaney went on a spree, cracking more than 50 celebrity e-mail accounts, including those belonging to Mila Kunis and Scarlett Johansson. On January 1, 2011, Chaney celebrated the new year by logging into Johansson’s Yahoo e-mail account once more and sending a message to a friend asking the friend to please send back copies of some private photographs.

Chaney obtained several photos of Johansson in various stages of undress and released them online. Johansson commented on the photos to Vanity Fair last December:

She confessed she had taken them herself with her smartphone. “Those are old, from three years ago. They were sent to my husband,” she explained, referring to her now ex, Ryan Reynolds. “There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s not like I was shooting a porno—although there’s nothing wrong with that either.” Still, a dangerous habit, I thought, for a movie star. Worse than getting her phone hacked, she might make herself look bad: “You’re hardly a professional photographer.”

“I know my best angles,” she replied breezily. cool, too, and smart was Johansson’s response after she found out she had been hacked: she copyrighted the pictures so that she could go after sites that displayed them.

As Chaney’s victim count mounted, he finally realized he should be hiding his identity if he didn’t want the FBI at his door. he began using a proxy service called “Hide my IP”—”By faking your IP you can often access many sites you were banned from,” promises the site—but it was far too late for such a maneuver.

On February 10, 2011, the FBI executed a search warrant at his residence in Jacksonville. Agents hauled away a desktop computer with a black “Exblade” case, a Seagate hard drive, a 8GB USB memory stick, a cell phone, and 155 blank DVDs. When agents asked about the hacking, Chaney confessed it all.

Christopher ChaneyWAWS-TV

But not even a visit from the feds could stop Chaney’s habit, though he must have known the hammer was about to fall hard. he lasted until April 30 before hitting another (unnamed) target using a new computer. he cracked the security questions, logged in, and looked through the victim’s e-mail account. On October 10, he broke in again and sent a message to one of the victim’s friends, asking for photos.

Chaney didn’t know it, but the 11-month investigation (dubbed “Operation Hackerazzi” by the FBI) of his activities had just wrapped up 3,000 miles away. On October 11, a California grand jury returned a lengthy indictment against him; on October 12, he was arrested in Jacksonville without incident.

He spoke to CNN affiliate WAWS-TV in Jacksonville shortly afterwards. “I deeply apologize,” he said. “I know what I did was probably one of the worst invasions of privacy someone could experience. and these people don’t have privacy to begin with. and I was in that little sliver of privacy they do have.”

Chaney’s motivations remain opaque; he didn’t sell any of the information he obtained for money and claims that he was just driven by “curiosity,” which morphed into addiction. he told the TV station that he felt “almost relieved months ago” after the February raid, because finally someone had put a (temporary) stop to his activities.

The “dark underworld”

Despite the on-air confession, he pled not guilty. Court documents show that Chaney’s bail required him to put up $10,000, with his mother coming up with $100,000 more. the government gave him an electronic tracker and ordered him not to leave the Jacksonville region while awaiting trial in Los Angeles. he was to reside at “mom’s address,” his bail document shows, and consume alcohol only in moderation. “Stay away from celebrities,” someone wrote in pen next to the clause ordering him to avoid his victims.

Chaney’s Los Angeles trial was scheduled for December 27, 2011, then pushed back to April 2012 when it looked like a plea deal might be forthcoming. that deal materialized this week; Chaney pled guilty to nine counts of “aggravated identity theft,” “wiretapping,” and other crimes.

The government notes that the maximum total sentence he could still face is 60 years in prison and a fine of $2.25 million, though the actual numbers will likely be far lower. Chaney has also committed to pay restitution to his victims—now believed to top $100,000.

On March 19, Chaney faxed in his signature page from a downtown Jacksonville print shop—the header line reads “Kinkos Downtown Jax”—with the government signing the deal on March 21.

On Monday, March 26, federal judge James Otero signed off on the plea. At the hearing, Otero commented, “I don’t understand why any person who is rational would continue in that kind of behavior.”

US Attorney André Birotte Jr, whose office in Los Angeles brought the case, laid the “dark underworld” rhetoric on pretty thick after the hearing.

“Today’s guilty pleas shine a bright light on the dark underworld of computer hacking,” he said in a statement. “This case demonstrates that everyone, even public figures, should take precautions to shield their personal information from the hackers that inhabit that dark underworld.”

But Chaney lived in sunny Jacksonville, and the case actually serves of a reminder of just how some modern hackers have little need of a “dark underworld” at all. Reaching from a Florida computer into the most private documents of Hollywood celebrities took no organized blackmail ring, no special tools, and no special software. it required merely a search engine, an Internet connection, and the willingness to be deeply creepy.

Plenty of these people exist; thanks to the Internet, any of them can be your “neighbor.” just ask the many victims of Luis Mijangos, a 32-year old California man who from his wheelchair managed to go much further than Chaney. Mijangos actually seeded malware on P2P networks, used it break into computers of young women, then spied on their instant messages and e-mail, even turning on their webcams and microphones to watch them undress or to eavesdrop on their conversations.

Like Chaney, he would interact with his victims, e-mailing them, impersonating friends, and demanding provocative photos or video. the women weren’t celebrities, and Mijangos’s invasions of privacy were so extreme that, when the FBI went to interview a college student, agents reported that she was “visibly upset and shaking during parts of the interview and had to stop at points to control her emotions and stop herself from crying.” so terrified was the woman that she didn’t leave her dorm room for a week.

Mijangos did need more tools, and had more technical savvy, than Chaney. his “sextortion” relied on commonly available remote access software and various bits of operating system exploit code, and in that sense he used a “dark underworld” to help him. but Mijangos was a freelancer when it came to online stalking, and he managed to cause serious mayhem for many women without so much as a partner in crime.

The tools are so widely available, and now require such little effort to run—whole forums exist in which people share pictures of the women whose computers they have infiltrated with automated remote access tools—that basic “hacking” is no longer even self-limited by the requirement that the hackers have real technical skills.

There’s one upside of “hacks” being easier for non-hackers to implement, however—people like Chaney don’t cover their tracks well. that may provide little comfort to those whose privacy was invaded, but at least it helped end one more sorry chapter in the Internet’s long history of privacy problems.

Chaney will be sentenced on July 23.

Photograph by Scarlett Johansson

Baby No.2 For Levi Johnston

And Alaska is back in the world map… thanks to Levi Johnston.

Hollywood can now talk about Sarah Palin’s universe again since news broke out that her former soon-to-be son-in-law is going to be a second time dad but not with his former beau.

According to yahoo.com, the 21 year old aspiring model impregnated his 20 year old teacher girlfriend, Sunny Oglesby who is now 3 months along. the couple, both hailing from Wasilla, Alaska, has reportedly been dating for over a year.

Johnston made headlines four years ago when he got his former girlfriend, Bristol Palin pregnant. the news broke out right around the time when the whole nation was busy with the presidential election. Bristol Palin, who was 18 at the that, is the daughter of the Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

The former duo, who was engaged and set to be married, never reached the altar though. Their relationship turned to a sour note after their son Tripp was born. A highly publicized war of words between the Palins and the Johnstons ensued. Johnston’s antics, however, did not end there. the once camera shy young lad made an appearance in Playgirl magazine, did talk shows, hit the red carpet, and, of course, wrote a book based on his experiences with the Palins titled, “Deer in the Headlights”.

But alas, all good things must come to an end and so did his 15 minutes of fame. But looks like he is now back with a vengeance.

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Total Recall Teaser Trailer For A Full Trailer

Ok Hollywood, it’s starting to get out of control. Teaser trailers announcing when full trailers are going to be available. Don’t get me wrong, Total Recall is a perfect movie for doing something so ridiculous. The original sci-fi classic is all about messing with peoples’ heads, so why not mess with potential movie-goers by teasing a trailer release?

You can watch the teaser below, and if you care enough, can read my thoughts on the trailer even further down…

Overall, there’s not much to love or hate about the trailer. I thought they created an accurate rendition of the chair everyone must sit in to experience Total Recall. The set pieces look fairly standard for a futuristic sci-fi flick. The trailer could have used more Bryan Cranston, who plays the movie’s villain, but I guess we’ll just have to wait for the full thing on April 1st.

Here’s the synopsis of the movie as well -

Total Recall is an action thriller about reality and memory, inspired anew by the famous short story “We can Remember It For You Wholesale” by Philip K. Dick. welcome to Rekall, the company that can turn your dreams into real memories. For a factory worker named Douglas Quaid (Colin Farrell), even though he’s got a beautiful wife (Kate Beckinsale) who he loves, the mind-trip sounds like the perfect vacation from his frustrating life – real memories of life as a super-spy might be just what he needs. but when the procedure goes horribly wrong, Quaid becomes a hunted man. Finding himself on the run from the police – controlled by Chancellor Cohaagen (Bryan Cranston), the leader of the free world – Quaid teams up with a rebel fighter (Jessica Biel) to find the head of the underground resistance (Bill Nighy) and stop Cohaagen. The line between fantasy and reality gets blurred and the fate of his world hangs in the balance as Quaid discovers his true identity, his true love, and his true fate.

Santa Anita: Freshness supplants experience for Santa Anita Derby prospect I’ll Have Another

EmailBenoit & AssociatesIf I’ll have another has been given two months of rest to come into next weekend’s Santa Anita Derby as a fresh horse.

ARCADIA, Calif. – I’ll have another will be one of the most lightly raced horses of 2012 when he starts in the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita next Saturday.

“Knock on wood, we’ll have a fresh, happy sonofagun,” O’Neill said on Friday. “We’re hoping to have a nice run in May, June, and July.”

I’ll have another has $151,000 in graded stakes earnings, and will need a big performance in the Santa Anita Derby to secure a place in the Kentucky Derby field – and justify a trip. the top 20 3-year-olds, ranked by graded stakes earnings, are assured places in the field. as of Friday, I’ll have another was 20th.

Friday at Hollywood Park, I’ll have another had his last major workout before the Santa Anita Derby, which is run over 1 1/8 miles. Working alone, he had an official time of 1:26 for seven furlongs. O’Neill described the workout as six furlongs in 1:12.40, with a final three furlongs in 35.40 seconds.

I’ll have another will be ridden by Mario Gutierrez, who was aboard for the win in the Robert Lewis. Gutierrez, a top rider in the Pacific Northwest in past years, is seeking the first Grade 1 win of his career.

I’ll have another is one of 10 probable starters for the Santa Anita Derby, a race expected to include Baby Blake, Blueskiesnrainbows, Brother Francis, Creative cause, Longview Drive, Midnight Transfer, Liaison, Paynter, and Senor Rain.

Holy Candy, a maiden race winner on March 23, will work this weekend, and could join the field or start in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 14, trainer John Sadler said on Friday.

Midnight Transfer, the winner of the San Pedro Stakes for sprinters in January, worked six furlongs in 1:11.80 on Friday. Trained by Carla Gaines, Midnight Transfer was third behind Santa Anita Derby favorite Creative cause in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes over 1 1/16 miles on March 10.

Karina Smirnoff Ignoring the Pressure for Repeat 'Dancing With the Stars' Win (Video)

The reigning pro told The Hollywood Reporter that her recent win with JR Martinez isn't really on her mind right now.

"There's no place to go but down when you're on top," she admitted. "I don't want to worry about the competition or the pressure I just want us to have fun… I want to see Gavin do the moves because I think he has them. We're definitely going to enjoy it."

PHOTOS: 'Dancing with the Stars' Season 14 Official Cast Portraits

And this being Smirnoff's 11th season on the series, she knows how few and far between the wins are.

DeGraw isn't feeling much heat either. the 35-year-old singer-songwriter told THR that he's known his partner for a few years, making the daunting task of eight-hour rehearsals a bit easier.  

"One of the deciding factors for me was because she had reached out to me about the show," he said.

Another contributor? Dancing is surprisingly close to DeGraw's heart. "My great grandfather he was a dance instructor in the Catskills," he said, "like Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing.

Watch THR's complete interview with Smirnoff and DeGraw above, and watch them perform on the Dancing with the Stars season premiere, March 19.

‘Glee’ Star Gushes To SOCIALITE LIFE About Dianna Agron – Socialite Life

SOCIALITE LIFE stopped by GBK‘s annual Celebrity Gift Lounge at the W Hotel in Hollywood today (February 23rd) to catch up with some of our favorite stars.  We had to stop Glee‘s Iqbal Theba (Principal Figgans) and ask him about Tuesday’s moving episode, which found Quinn (Dianna Agron) in a terrible accident and Karofsky (Max Adler) almost ending his life.

Theba said that when he first read the script for this week’s episode, he couldn’t believe the turn of events that were to take place.  But Theba applauds the writing team said that about 99% of the people he’s spoke to enjoyed the episode, but ag

One person Theba couldn’t say enough about was co-star Agron.  ”She hasn’t changed a bit since day one, she’s a delight,” mr. Figgans told us.  it seems that Quinn has retained that charm off-camera that the rest of the cast initially fell in love with.  

Theba also said that it’s very difficult to work with Jane Lynch.  why? “I can’t keep a straight face!” Theba said with a laugh.  Playing Principal Figgans to Lynch’s Sue Sylvester has allowed Theba to understand the many facets of the Emmy winner’s character, and how Sue Sylvester might seem like a villain, but she also has a side she doesn’t want the students or mr. Shuester to see.

Theba stopped by the pre-Oscar gift lounge to celebrate Hollywood Week with some of favorite celeb products including RevitaLash, TeiSpa, Julep nail polish, Karen McClintock and FlairWalk.

Oscars: Bource’s onstage speech for ‘The Artist’

New Delhi: Silent romance ‘The Artist’ won five Oscars on Monday including best film, and Martin Scorsese’s ‘Hugo’ also took five of the world’s top movie honours on a night where stories about movies felt the love of Hollywood.

Ludovic Bource received the Academy Award for the best original score in ‘The Artist’. He said on the occasion,” Wow, I want to pay, first of all, a tribute for the power of the music and I want to thank you and pay tribute to my co-nominees Mr. Williams, Mr. Shore, and Mr. Iglesias. and Hans Zimmer is downstairs, he refused to submit to this year’s, so I thank you for your chair Hans Zimmer. I don’t know if you can see him. Thank you [unintelligible] and all the musicians tonight for the wonderful show. Can I have ten seconds more, Hans? Sorry, I have a little speech. I’d like to thank the Academy; with this Oscar you have given a man a special honor. and to all of you, please accept me because I’ve got so much love to give. I’ve got so much love to give to you, my wife Sara is there, [French]. Thank you for all. Thank you, Michel.”

The Press Association: Chucky's EastEnders badge of honour

Chucky's EastEnders badge of honour

(UKPA)–Jan 7, 2012 

Chucky Venn has revealed his kids think being in EastEnders is the coolest thing he has ever done.

The Dream Team star has appeared in Hollywood blockbusters the Bourne Ultimatum and the Dark Knight, but he is about to arrive in Albert Square as Bianca’s ex and Morgan’s dad Ray Dixon.

Chucky told inside Soap magazine: “It’s funny, I’ve worked on big productions with the likes of Morgan Freeman and Joan Collins, but the minute my kids found out I’d won a role in EastEnders they were like ‘That’s so cool!’ It’s quality.”

The 38-year-old actor revealed he called his agent to get an audition the minute he heard the soap was casting for the part of Ray as he has always loved the show.

He revealed: “I remember watching the very first episode when I was about 12 years old, so it’s a real privilege to now be a part of television history.”

Copyright © 2012 the Press Association. All rights reserved.