Month: August 2002

Music

I should have fought to see the concerts!

Post author By Dan
Post date August 30, 2002

David Lee Roth, Hager tour feud
One wonders how Eddie Van Halen lasted so many years. The guitarist’s two former frontmen — David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar — dislike each other so much they needed walls constructed backstage to separate them during the recent concert tour together.
“Every night looked like a rap festival with all the police presence,” the balding Roth said after presenting with Hagar at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards Thursday.
Roth and Hagar didn’t appear backstage together, however.
Hagar said the concerts were great, the offstage moments weren’t.
“All the stuff backstage got pretty ugly at times,” Hagar said. “I had to sleep with my light on twice.”
Roth played down the feud. “What’s the worst a couple of rock stars can do — a little slap-fighting?”

Defies a category!

Nerd Alert!

Post author By Dan
Post date August 30, 2002

‘Star Wars’ fans religiously devoted
May the Force be with you. Amen.
More than 70,000 fans of the “Star Wars” movies have upset Australia’s statistics agency by identifying their religion as “Jedi” during last year’s national census.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics said Tuesday that 0.37 percent of the nation’s population of 19 million, or 70,509 people, had written Jedi or a related response to an optional question about their faith when the head count was taken last August.
Jedi is a mystical faith followed by some of the central characters in the “Star Wars” films.
The prank began early last year when “Star Wars” fans circulated an e-mail across Australia saying the government would be forced to recognize Jedi as an official religion if at least 10,000 people named it on the census.
When made aware of the campaign, the statistics agency announced that respondents faced a fine of 1,000 Australian dollars ($540) if they were found to have given false information.
In a statement Tuesday on its Internet site, the agency did not say whether it would try to fine the Jedi faithful. But it warned that the Australian public ultimately paid the price for census-related pranks.
“If, for example, people of a particular religious affiliation do not provide the correct information, certain facilities might not be built that otherwise would be,” the agency said.
The government uses data recorded in the national head count every five years to determine population levels and help in policymaking.
The bureau said the Jedi response has been categorized as “not defined” for census purposes. The criteria for recognizing a religion go “beyond the number of responses a particular answer receives in the census,” it said.

DVD

It’s A Disney December!

Post author By Dan
Post date August 30, 2002

This Was One Of The Most Fun Films Of 2002!

Some word today on the DVD release of Disney’s Lilo and Stitch. The disc will street on 12/5, unfortunately only as a single-disc edition. There’s no word yet on features, but a lot of special edition material was produced for the title. So the question is, will there be a more ultimate, 2-disc edition to follow? I surmise, yes!
Also in December, Disney is set to “disappear” several of their animated DVD releases, placing them on moratorium on 12/31. These include Peter Pan, Peter Pan: Return to Never Land, The Little Mermaid II, Beauty and the Beast: Platinum Edition (less than 90 days after its initial release) and Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas. So get them while they are hot!

Movies

She’s way too sexy to be a mom!

Post author By Dan
Post date August 30, 2002

Kelly Preston Puts on ‘The Cat in the Hat’
Kelly Preston has landed the role of the mom in producer Brian Grazerís live-action version of the classic childrenís book ìDr. Seussí The Cat in the Hat.î
Production designer Bo Welch (ìMen in Blackî) will be making his directorial debut on the film, according to The Hollywood Reporter. ìDr. Seussí The Cat in the Hatî tells the story of Dr. Seuss, a mischievous feline in a striped stovepipe hat (played by Mike Myers) who enters the lives of young Conrad (Spencer Breslin) and his little sister, Sally (Dakota Fanning) while their parents are away and causes complete chaos in the house.
Myers, who’s no stranger to being hidden under layers of makeup in such roles as Dr. Evil and Fat Bastard from the “Austin Powers” movies, will act beneath extensive prosthetics courtesy of makeup effects maestro Rick Baker, similar to what Jim Carrey did in “The Grinch.”
Preston, whoíll next be appearing in Bruno Barretoís ìA View from the Top,î is currently finishing work on Jordan Bradyís ìAn American Girl.î

Television

Maybe its time to get rid of my black and white TV

Post author By Dan
Post date August 30, 2002

GOING DIGITAL
ABC and CBS on Wednesday announcing increased commitments to high-definition broadcasting in the upcoming fall season. ABC will air more than 13 hours of HD programming per week, while CBS will lead all networks with 27 hours.

Television

I am a huge fan of hers, and theirs!

Post author By Dan
Post date August 30, 2002

STAKE OUT
Actress Eliza Dushku reprising her role as evil vampire slayer Faith in this season’s last five episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and three episodes of the WB’s Angel.

Music

It’s gonna be a rockin’ Christmas!

Post author By Dan
Post date August 30, 2002

HOLIDAY TUNES
Coldplay, Jimmy Eat World and Sarah McLachlan with the Barenaked Ladies among the artists contributing tracks to Maybe This Christmas, an upcoming holiday collection of classic Christmas covers and originals due to hit record stores November 5.

Television

Now I have a second chance!

Post author By Dan
Post date August 30, 2002

IT’S BACK!
With Fox enjoying mega-success with American Idol, CBS executives ordering up nine episodes of an updated Star Search, the syndicated variety series that started it all. A new host is expected to replace original emcee Ed McMahon when it bows sometime in 2003.

Awards

Another really bad show with a few good moments

Post author By Dan
Post date August 30, 2002

Why Do These Shows Always Suck?!?
Eminem won four awards at the MTV Video Music Awards on Thursday, but it didn’t put the rapper in a good mood ó he found time to feud with his nemesis Moby, then ended up getting booed by the crowd.

Television

In case you care (GO KELLY!)

Post author By Dan
Post date August 29, 2002

It’s down to two on “American Idol.”
Nikki McKibbin, 23, from Grand Prairie, Texas, was the latest to get booted from the hit Fox talent show, in which the grand prize is a recording contract.
“What an incredible journey this has been,” McKibbin wept moments after she was told the bad news.
“Just to know that so many people support me and enjoy what I do means so much. It’s been worth it every step of the way. I couldn’t ask for better fans or better exposure.”
McKibbin drew the fewest viewer votes out of the millions cast this week.
With McKibbin gone, the stage is now set for next week’s highly anticipated final showdown between Justin Guarini of Doylestown, Pa., and Kelly Clarkson of Burleson, Texas.
Guarini, 23, and Clarkson, 20, will square off next Tuesday night during a live performance. One of them will be revealed as the show’s ultimate winner on Wednesday night.
“American Idol” is based on last year’s British hit, “Pop Idol.”
That show launched the singing career of winner William Young and helped land recording deals for a few of the show’s other contestants.
“American Idol” – described as a cross of “Survivor” and “Star Search” – has drawn a combined total audience averaging about 11 million viewers since its debut in June.
Tuesday night’s broadcast drew about 15 million viewers, the show’s best ratings to date.