Happy birthday Chuck Norris, Jon Hamm & Sharon Stone. Great feedback on yesterday’s poll. Turns out you were pretty sold on Hugh Jackman as fave Oscar host. So the entertainment world’s evidently moved past the Oscars, and is now busying itself with legal issues – of the dicey and expensive variety. So here goes. First up: that guy who allegedly tried to extort $2 million from David Letterman by threatening to expose some of Dave’s dalliances with members of the fairer sex who also happen to be on his em, payroll, pleaded guilty. He’ll get “six months of jailtime, five years probation and 1,000 hours of community service”. Also in trouble, rapper Lil Wayne has headed to Rikers Island for a lil jailtime — on account of his gun possession. How much of the yearlong sentence he’ll actually do remains to be seen. In other legal news, Lindsay Lohan is suing E-trade for $100 million dollars because of an ad they ran about a “milkaholic” kid who’s name also happens to be Lindsay. Not sure this one’s going anywhere. But let’s us go to movie news. In what seems to me to be a good idea all around, Robert DeNiro has signed on to play Vince Lombardi in the biopic of the beloved Green Bay Packers coach. Who’s not going to see that? Even if you don’t care about football…or DeNiro…seems like too much of a delicious comb to skip. Maybe they’ll get Sandy B. to play his wife. And here’s more casting news, which brings us to today’s poll. Woody Harrelson was nominated for an Oscar for “The Messenger” (an awesome film by the way). Now, the guy who wrote and directed that movie – Oren Moverman – is directing the new movie about the late Nirvana singer Kurt Cobain. Courtney Love is attached to the project, so anyone who thinks she may have had something to do with her hub’s untimely death is going to have to watch someone else’s movie. We have reports that she wants Ryan Gosling for the part. That said, who do you want to see step into Kurt’s shoes? If you have other suggestions, by all means let us know. Voice your choice in today’s featured poll and tell us which of these actors you’d most like to see play Kurt Cobain in the movie about his life:
1) Ryan Gosling
2) Emile Hirsch
3) Jared Leto
4) Zac Efron

9:35 am on March 10, 2010
It’s Friday, and we start our blog today with an obituary. Sad news for fans of TV’s “Growing Pains”. One of its stars, Andrew Koenig, the 41-year-old son of actor Walter Koenig (the original Chekov on “Star Trek”) apparently took his own life in Vancouver this week. Koenig played Kirk Cameron’s best friend Richard Stabone, and was suffering from depression prior to his death; our condolences go out to Andrew’s family at this time. Now, moving on to cheerier (or at least absurd-er) fare: here’s some Hollywood casting news that apparently has lots of people in a tizzy. If you’re familiar with Patricia Cornwell’s bestselling Kay Scarpetta crime thrillers, you may also know that the extremely lucrative franchise is headed for the big screen. The only problem among Scarpetta fans now is the movie’s casting choice. Angelina Jolie has been tapped to play the middle-aged Medical Examiner. The problem? The lovely actress is apparently too that, and Cornwell fans are crying foul. They say she’s too young (Jolie’s 34), and way too exotically stunning. They’re also saying AJ’s too thin. Filmmakers say she’s the perfect choice, especially since Jodie Foster passed on the role. This outcry, while diverting, will likely blow over for several reasons. A) Does anyone remember how all the insane Twi-Hards took to the streets complaining bitterly at the initial casting of “ugly” Robert Pattinson — saying the movie would bomb and no one would see it? Exactly. And B) fans of a book, even a huge book, tend not to dictate casting where A-list megastars are concerned. So we’ll check back and see who pickets the film’s opening. Speaking of openings, your new weekend movie options are as follows. In wide release you have two choices: first, The Crazies. This, a remake of the George Romero horror movie about a sheriff dealing with something toxic in the water stars “Deadwood”’s Timothy Olyphant and looks scary as hell. It will probably also make tons of money. The other big opening this weekend? Cop Out, the buddy comedy with Bruce Willis, Tracy Morgan & Seann William Scott (and some really foulmouthed children). Also looks to be popular. While we’re at it, let’s talk about Bruce Willis. He brings a certain charm to an awful lot of roles he plays. With this in mind voice your choice in today’s featured poll and let us know which of Bruce’s films is your favorite?
1) Die Hard
2) Pulp Fiction
3) The Sixth Sense
4) The Whole Nine Yards
10:31 am on February 26, 2010
It’s Thursday, at last. Remember last week when we told you that Sade’s album “Soldier of Love” had triumphed on the Billboard charts even though nobody buys records anymore and everyone who actually purchased her first record when it came out is now concerned with fine lines, wrinkles, and IRA’s (myself included)? Well color us tickled pink because it turns out the Lady SaSa has secured herself Billboard’s #1 spot again, for the second week. Bravo. (She beat out the rising-fast Lady Antebellum). With Oscars approaching March 7th, many, many eyes are on the megahit Avatar and apparently its star – Sam Worthington – already has his eyes on another potential blockbuster. Nor is this one blue, it’s got fangs. So move over RPattz, there may just be a new vamp in town. Apparently Aussie Worthington has agreed to play the latest incarnation of the very bloodsuckers audiences can’t seem to get enough of, in Dracula Year Zero. According to reports, the movie will mix legend with the real story of a guy called Vlad The Impaler. In TV news, they’re planning to announce the contestants for the new – 10th! – season of “Dancing With The Stars” next week during “The Bachelor”, but even before we get to that dramarama there’s another DWTS showdown going on – for hosts. As in, who’s going to replace Samantha Harris (who has opted to head elsewhere to pursue something, er, unclear). BUT: word is there’s more than one lovely lady in the mix prepared to do battle on behalf of that top job. With this in mind, voice your choice in today’s featured poll and tell us which of these gals you’d be most excited to see take over as co-host on “Dancing With The Stars”:
1) Brooke Burke
2) Paula Abdul
3) Melissa Rycroft
4) Vanessa Minnillo
10:16 am on February 25, 2010