'Virgin' Director to Team With Seth Rogen
NEW YORK - The success of "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" might lead some to wonder if a sequel is in the works. "I don't know if you can be a born-again virgin," says director Judd Apatow.
But Apatow told The Associated Press in a recent interview that he's working on a new comedy for one of the stars from the movie: Seth Rogen.
The burly, bearded Rogen got his break on the short-lived but critically acclaimed 1999 sitcom "Freaks and Geeks" — for which Apatow was a writer.
Rogen, 23, has since appeared in "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" and written for "Da Ali G Show," but Apatow's film is his most widely seen work yet.
"I've worked with him since he was 16 on `Freaks and Geeks' and always thought he could be a big comedy star," Apatow said. "The nice thing about `Virgin' is that it shows the studios that if the premise is a strong one, you can take a chance on a new actor in the lead."
Apatow's gamble on Steve Carell appears to have paid off. The former "Daily Show" correspondent and bit-part character actor has been hailed for his starring performance in "Virgin."
"So I'm going to do the same thing with Seth Rogen," Apatow says.
Apatow wouldn't reveal details of the project, but said it would be an R-rated "offbeat romantic comedy" in the same budget range as "Virgin." He hopes to begin shooting next spring.
"The 40-Year-Old Virgin," Apatow's first crack at feature film directing, has led the box office for two weeks, bringing its total to $48.7 million.
Music-Related Hurricane Relief Efforts Grow
Faith Hill and Aaron Neville have been added to tonight's (Sept. 2) "A Concert for Hurricane Relief," staged in New York by NBC Universal. Meanwhile, music channels BET and Great American Country have announced plans for benefit events on Sept. 9 and Sept. 27, respectively.
As previously reported, NBC's one-hour telethon will also feature Hill's husband, Tim McGraw, along with Harry Connick Jr. and Wynton Marsalis. Additionally, the Matt Lauer-hosted special will feature appearances by celebrities Leonardo DiCaprio, Mike Myers, Hilary Swank, Lindsay Lohan, Claire Danes, John Goodman, Eric LaSalle and Eli Manning.
All involved will encourage viewers to donate to the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund to help those suffering in the wake of Hurricane Katrina's wrath, which has devastated areas of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia.
The event will be broadcast live from NBC's New York studios at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, CNBC and MSNBC, and will air on Sirius Satellite Radio's CNBC channel 101. The broadcast will be tape delayed on the West Coast and will re-air on CNBC at 11 p.m. ET.
BET has secured the commitment of Stevie Wonder, Jay-Z, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Omarion, Common and David Banner, as well as New Orleans-based artists Juvenile and Master P. The music channel is coordinating its event with the National Urban League, the American Red Cross, Russell Simmons, the Warner Music Group and Essence Communications.
"The fury of nature has shown us once again what happens when its strength collides with the true frailty of humankind," BET president/CEO Debra L. Lee said.
Working with the Grand Ole Opry, GAC has enlisted Alan Jackson, Alison Krauss, Craig Morgan and Billy Currington for "Country Reaches Out: An Opry Benefit for the American Red Cross." The show will be broadcast live and commercial-free from Nashville's Grand Ole Opry House on GAC. Additionally, the event will be simulcast on the DIY Network and Fine Living channels on television, the Opry's longtime terrestrial radio home WSM-AM, Sirius Satellite Radio and opry.com.
In addition to encouraging viewers and listeners to donate, all profits from ticket sales to the show will also benefit Red Cross efforts. Additional country artists are expected to join the lineup in the coming weeks.
Beyond the benefit show, the Grand Ole Opry and GAC are planning to host an online auction of country music memorabilia at opry.com and GACtv.com. GAC is also producing a series of public service announcements featuring artists and network personalities pleading for donations to the hurricane relief effort.
In other news, the Recording Academy has established the MusiCares Hurricane Relief Fund, and pledged an initial donation of $1 million "for music people affected by Hurricane Katrina." The money will be used to provide assistance with basic living expenses (shelter, food, utilities, transportation), medical expenses, clothing; instrument and recording equipment replacement and more.
The Academy's 12 regional chapters will also orchestrate local fundraising efforts to help musicians and those associated with music who have been affected by storm's wrath. "We encourage the industry and the world to help in any way they can," the organization says in a statement that directs those interested in helping to the MusiCares Web site.
Additonally, Putumayo World Music has announced plans to donate money stemming from a pair of compilations to relief efforts. The eclectic label has pledged the proceeds of this year's "Putumayo Presents: New Orleans" and 2002's "Putumayo Presents: Mississippi Blues" through the end of the year.
"The necessity for redevelopment of these regions is imperative to preserve the heritage that has influenced virtually every aspect of our culture and arts," the label says in a statement.
A Bigger Bang of new CD releases
It's only September and already thoughts of hibernation are hitting this city's denizens. It feels like fall.
More specifically, it feels like fall before a very, very long winter.
Hockey will undoubtedly help get us through it, as will the new TV season, which -- I hope! -- will bring us more shows about wacky, dysfunctional families with dumb but caring white fathers or programs where things aren't quite as they appear (or are they? No. They're not).
One thing is for sure - there are several big-name CDs on the way between now and Christmas to keep you stuck inside, huddled by your stereo system for warmth.
And it's not just the regular slew of greatest hits, box sets and live albums -- although there are plenty of those -- there are a great many new studio albums, too.
The new music season kicked off last week in earnest, with anticipated discs from Our Lady Peace, Kanye West, Brooks & Dunn and Eric Clapton.
But that's only the beginning.
September
This upcoming week features some more heat, thanks to Tuesday's release of the Stones' A Bigger Bang.
The disc features 16 new cuts.
Keeping old rivalries alive, the week after sees new tunes from former Beatle, Paul McCartney, who releases Chaos and Creation In the Back Yard.
That same day, Sept 13, is a busy one with new offerings from indie rockers The Dandy Warhols, country act Lonestar, oddball beauty Bjork and David Gray.
It's also a big day for the blues, as Colin James, Bonnie Raitt and the legendary B.B. King deliver new albums.
The following week will bring a rush of blue hairs to the music stores, as Barbra Streisand will release Guilty Pleasures, which reunites her with Bee Gee Barry Gibb on the 25th anniversary of their 1980 smash Guilty.
There will probably also be a rush to the stores by the big hairs, as Bon Jovi return with Have A Nice Day.
The last Tuesday of the month brings out the women -- there's a new album from Sheryl Crow, white trash country queen Gretchen Wilson and jailbird Lil' Kim.
It's also a great day for Canadian music, as the king of canuck rock Neil Young releases a new one, as do Bruce Cockburn and the Cowboy Junkies.
Some other bands releasing albums of new and old material in September include: Sarah McLachlan, OK Go, Corb Lund, Tony Touch, Natalie Imbruglia, Madness, North Mississippi Allstars, Bruce Springsteen, Run DMC, Aaron Lines, Fembots, Hedley, Proclaimers, New Lou Reeds, Soulfly, Amanda Wilkinson and Queen Latifah (Sept. 6); Bad Manners, Tracy Chapman, Patty Loveless, Barra MacNeils, Pussycat Dolls, Sigur Ros, Dar Williams, Switchfoot, (Sept. 13); Anthrax, Disturbed, New Order, The Heck, Old 97's, Jamiroquai, Maroon 5, Coheed & Cambria, Cranes, Matthew Good and Shaggy (Sept. 20); Ryan Adams, Toni Braxton, Sean Paul, The Corrs, Natalie Merchant, Pocket Dwellers, Supergrass, Deadly Snakes, Metric, keith urban, Boz Scaggs, Matthew Barber, Black Dice, FSOL, Mack 10, Britney Spears, Roger Waters, Grandaddy and Elbow (Sept. 27).
October
October picks up where September left off, with Cancon well represented by Hanna, AB boys Nickelback, who release All the Right Reasons.
Other big acts with new albums on that busy day include Franz Ferdinand, Fiona Apple, Muse, Buddy Guy, Clint Black, My Morning Jacket and the always sexy Liz Phair.
October 11 brings poptarts t.A.T.u. back to the CD shelves.
East Coast veterans Great Big Sea also celebrate a return with their new album The Hard & The Easy.
Since we're talking returns, a week later, '80s electronic heroes Depeche Mode deliver a new studio album, Rod Stewart releases his fourth disc in the popular American Songbook series, and Ashlee Simpson bequeaths us, presumably, another great work of art.
October closes with new releases from Robbie Williams, Faith Evans, A Perfect Circle, Bryan Adams, Fefe Dobson and a Christmas disc from operatic boy band Il Divo.
In October, also keep an eye for new discs by: Apache Indian, Coal Chamber, Echo and the Bunnymen, Soulfly, Sponge, Sara Evans, Alicia Keys, G. Love & Special Sauce, Beta Band, Chris Cagle, Simple Plan, Cream and the Pixies (Oct. 4); Death From Above 1979, Story of the Year, Default, Dru Hill, Elephant Man, Gang of Four and The Exit (Oct. 11); Martina McBride, Thrice, Melissa Etheridge, The Cardigans, Brian Setzer Orchestra and Destiny's Child (Oct. 18); Delta Goodrem, *NSYNC, Aerosmith, Mariah Carey, Angie Stone, Merle Haggard and Marty Stuart (Oct. 25).
November and December
Once we get into November and December -- usually the dumping grounds for record labels -- the chances any albums from big-name acts will actually be released on their scheduled dates gets slimmer.
One that's quite certain to get out on time, though, is the Live 8 collections, which are set for Nov. 8.
Tentatively scheduled -- as, it should be noted, are all release dates listed -- for those months are new discs from stars such as: Ozzy Osbourne, Slipknot and Santana (Nov. 1); Kate Bush, Pink, Neil Diamond and Limp Bizkit (Nov. 8); Ginuwine, Carrie Underwood and Jessica Simpson (Nov. 15); and System Of A Down, Bo Bice, Jermaine Dupri, John Mayer Trio and Scott Stapp (Nov. 22).
And if we're lucky, we'll also see new discs from Madonna, Big & Rich, Enya and The Darkness before the new year.
WHERE'S WALT?
Walt, the friendly kid with potentially mysterious powers, is missing from this new cast photo of "Lost."
When ABC recently posted the latest press photo to promote the show's second season, Walt (Malcolm David Kelley) was conspicuously absent.
At the end of last season, Walt was kidnapped by a group of strangers, who on the show are called the "Others." The evil bunch took the kid and tried to kill his father by blowing up the raft he and his fellow castaways built to escape the increasingly strange island and its mysterious inhabitants.
All year it appeared as if Walt, who is supposed to be about 10 years old, had some sort of supernatural powers himself.
In the first episode, he was seen reading a comic book featuring a polar bear, and shortly after the castaways killed a polar bear - in a tropical jungle. At the end of the season, Walt seemed to have premonitions about various events, warning his friends and father not to do certain things.
All along, "Lost" fans have wondered how producers would handle the impending growth spurt all child-actors go through. Walt's abduction may be the answer.
"I like the theory that the Others will do something to him to make him grow fast," wrote a fan going by the name nonnyd on the unofficial "Lost" Web site, thefuselage.com. The site is sponsored by show creator J.J. Abrams and frequently features messages from the actors to fans.
"[Maybe] something like human growth hormone but with some modifications. Malcolm David Kelley does too good a job in the role to be ignored for long," nonnyd wrote.
Meanwhile, rumors abound that Walt may not even appear on season 2. Several fans have tried to contract Kelley and producers about the matter, but have not gotten a reply.
A show official declined to comment about Walt's fate yesterday, citing her responsibility to keep the show's mysteries a secret and not spoil it for fans.
"Lost" follows the adventures of a group of people stranded on an enigmatic island after their jet airliner crashes there on the way from Australia to the United States.
The show became one of the biggest hits last season and has spawned a slew of supernatural copy-cat series that will debut on various networks this fall.
Three 'Titanic' DVD editions set sail October 25
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Three different editions of "Titanic" will be released October 25 on DVD, but only one will be available for North American consumers.
A three-disc "special collector's edition" of the world's biggest movie will only be issued in the U.S., Japan and Korea, said Thomas Lesinksi, president of worldwide home entertainment at Paramount Pictures.
"Titanic" fans in Europe, Australia and Latin America will get to choose between a two-disc special edition and a four-disc "deluxe collector's edition."
All three DVD editions feature a nine-minute alternate ending to the film, which has never been seen before; a branching feature that lets viewers access 50 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage as they watch the movie; and three new commentaries, one from director James Cameron, one from cast and crew and a third that takes a historical look at the real-life sinking of the luxury ocean liner.
The three- and four-disc editions also feature more than 45 minutes of deleted scenes, including the passionate kiss between Jack and Rose and the couple's final moments together; various production and special effects featurettes; and a TV special, "Breaking Ground," about the making of the landmark 1997 film.
The four-disc edition also comes with three "Titanic" parodies, a selection of trailers and "The Heart of the Ocean," an HBO First Look TV special about the movie.
"Titanic" remains the top-grossing movie of all time, with domestic box office earnings of more than $600 million and a worldwide tally of $1.8 billion. "Titanic" was first released on DVD in 1998 in a single-disc edition that sold about 1 million copies.
Tommy Boy - Holy Schnike Edition
On their release of 'Tommy Boy – Holy Schnike Edition' Paramount Home Entertainment has also added a few exciting little gems. Here is how to find them all.
Insert the second disc of the DVD set and from the Main Menu go to the 'Featurettes' section. There, highlight the menu entry that reads 'Main Menu' and then press the 'Left' arrow key on your remote control to make a 'Smiley Face' appear next to it. Hit the 'Enter' key to see a clip of Chris Farley talking about how they make his hair look weird.
Now, go to the 'Additional Scenes' menu. From here, select the 'Deleted Scenes' menu entry and then highlight the 'Additional Scenes' entry at the bottom of the screen. Press the 'Right' arrow key to bring up another 'Smiley Face' and then hit 'Enter' to view a behind-the-scenes clip with Chris Farley and David Spade doing a scene in the movie where Tommy Boy finds out that he has his own office.
Next, from the 'Additional Scenes' menu select 'Extended Scenes' and on the following screen highlight the 'More' menu entry. Press the 'Up' arrow key on your remote control to make another 'Smiley' appear and then hit 'Enter' to view some outtakes from the 'I'll sell the brake pads!' scene.
Back on the 'Additional Scenes' menu select 'Alternate Takes'. On the next menu screen highlight the 'Additional Scenes' menu entry at the bottom of the screen and then press 'Left' to make yet another 'Smiley' appear. Hit 'Enter' to view a clip with Farley and Spade telling about a small stunt-gone-wrong.
Now it’s time to go back to the disc’s 'Main Menu.' There, select the menu entry called 'TV Spots.' Once there, highlight the entry 'Foundation' and then press the 'Right' arrow key to reveal another hidden ‘Smiley.' Press the 'Enter' key now to view a clip of Chris Farley getting stuck in a revolving door.
Bruce Springsteen sets new solo-acoustic shows
Bruce Springsteen wrapped up the second leg of his North American solo tour about two weeks ago, but the rocker will be back for more this fall.
The just-confirmed itinerary shows Springsteen visiting 17 U.S. cities throughout the Midwest and East during October and November. Ticket on-sale information wasn't immediately announced.
The new dates mark Springsteen's third leg of solo-acoustic shows this year. He's touring solo for the first time since the 1995-96 "The Ghost of Tom Joad" tour to back his latest release, the acoustic-oriented "Devils & Dust," which debuted atop The Billboard 200 album chart earlier this year.
"We're coming back to some of our favorite cities to make sure the fans get a chance to see how this tour has evolved over the course of the last 50 shows," Springsteen's manager Jon Landau said in a press release. "Bruce just keeps stretching the boundaries of his performance night after night, and the result has been some of the very best concerts of his entire career."
Springsteen has played 115 different songs, spanning his entire career, over the course of his 2005 tour, according to his publicist. Among those songs were several he's rarely performed in concert, including "Open All Night" and "Used Cars," played live for the first time in nine years, and "Sad Eyes" and "Iceman," two songs that he'd never before performed in concert.
As previously reported, Springsteen will drop on Sept. 6 an expanded and re-edited DVD version of his "VH1 Storytellers" concert, which was taped April 4 in Red Bank, NJ.
October 2005
6 - Rochester, NY - Blue Cross Arena
7 - Hartford, CT - Hartford Civic Center
9 - Nassau, NY - Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
12 - Minneapolis, MN - Northrop Auditorium
13 - Chicago, IL - United Center
15 - Madison, WI - Dane County Arena @ Alliant Center
20 - Worcester, MA - DCU Center
21 - Providence, RI - Dunkin' Donuts Center
24 - Richmond, VA - Richmond Coliseum
28 - Boston, MA - T.D. Bank North Garden
November 2005
3 - Fort Lauderdale, FL - Office Depot Center
4 - Tampa, FL - St. Petersburg Times Forum
8 - Philadelphia, PA - Wachovia Center
11 - Norfolk, VA - Constant Convocation Center at Old Dominion University
13 - Atlantic City, NJ - Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall
16 - East Rutherford, NJ - Continental Airlines Arena
21 - Trenton, NJ - Sovereign Bank Arena