Neil Patrick Harris closes in on Emmys gig

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – CBS is close to signing "How I Met Your Mother" co-star Neil Patrick Harris to host this year's Emmys.

The two-time Emmy nominee is fresh off a well-received stint as host of the Tonys, telecast by CBS in June.

The 61st annual Emmys will be broadcast September 20.

The event is under pressure to stage a turnaround this year. Ratings for the Academy Awards, MTV Awards, Tonys, Grammys and Country Music Awards have increased during their most recent airings, while the perpetually sinking Emmys last year hit an all-time viewership low.

Academy may silence original-song Oscar

Trophy will only be awarded if at least one song rates above new threshhold

Another shakeup in the Oscar rules makes it possible there will be no original song category in any given Academy Awards year.

The new rules, announced by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences in a news release Friday, stipulate that at least one of the songs nominated for an Oscar in the original song category achieve a minimum score of 8.25 on a scale of six to 10 in nominations voting.

If no song ranks at least an 8.25, no Oscar will be presented in the category that year. If only one song scores that high, it and the next-highest-rated tune will be the finalists in the category. If two or more songs score above the threshhold, they will all receive nominations, up to a maximum of five tunes.

Bruce Broughton, head of the academy's music branch, said it is trying to improve the quality of songs that receive the award.

"There's been a lot of talk about the songs in films, the lack of memorability compared to songs in the past," he said. "This is an attempt to really make the songs as good as possible."

Last year, the academy limited Oscar song nominations to two per film.

The academy will also move its honorary Oscars, such as the Thalberg and Humanitarian awards, out the Academy Award ceremony and present them at a separate event.

Earlier in the week, the academy announced it will double the number of nominees for the best picture category to 10.

Nominees for the 82nd Academy Awards will be announced Feb. 2, with the ceremony to follow on March 7.

Michael Jackson's legacy honored at BET Awards

LOS ANGELES – The BET Awards became the official Michael Jackson TV celebration on Sunday, with joyous tributes to the King of Pop from a New Edition medley of Jackson 5 songs to host Jamie Foxx's tender monologue delivered in that classic red leather zipper jacket and white glove.

Joe Jackson, the singer's father, was on hand to represent the grief-stricken family. "I just wish he could be here to celebrate himself," he said. "Sadly, he's not here, so I'm here to celebrate for him."

Already an affair of major star wattage, the night's show at the Shrine Auditorium was thrown under a white-hot spotlight in the wake of Michael Jackson's death Thursday, adding attendees and guests, doubling the number of media requests, adding an extra half-hour to the telecast and even lengthening the red carpet to accommodate all who wanted to take part.

While Jackson's incredible influenced stretched across genres, races, and cultures, he had a very unique place in the world of black entertainment. His influence is arguably most visible in urban music, seen in stars like Usher who mimic his dance moves, to Ne-Yo, whose music is marked by its Jackson-isms. But that influence went beyond music: Jackson was black America's biggest star, who broke racial barriers that allowed for so many other superstars to follow.

Foxx kicked off the show with a re-enactment of the choreography from Jackson's iconic "Beat It" video in front of the star-studded crowd, on its feet from the start of the show. Throughout the night, Foxx wore some of Jackson's signature looks, like the wide-collar black leather outfit from "Billie Jean."

"No need to be sad. We want to celebrate this black man," said Foxx.

Producers of the annual awards show — which recognizes the best in music, acting and sports — revamped the show to meet the moment. While Beyonce and T.I. were the leading award nominees with five apiece, giving out trophies was an afterthought: Honoring Jackson was became the show's main focus.

While some performed their own hits, most made sure to incorporate some of the man who influenced them in their performances. A chant of "Michael Jackson, Michael Jackson" was heard while Keri Hilson performed, and Foxx's "Blame It" incorporated some of the Jacksons' dance hit "Blame It On the Boogie."

New Edition, the 1980s teen sensations who were considered that generation's Jackson 5 with their own version of bubble-gum soul, ran through several of the Jackson 5's greatest hits, from "I Want You Back" to "ABC," mirroring their idols right down to the group's original choreography. Ne-Yo sang one of Jackson's most sensual songs, "Lady in my Life."

"He's the man who made it possible for me to be on the stage; I love you and I miss you," he said later.

And winners acknowledged Jackson when they received their awards.

"We all know none of us in this in this room wouldn't be here for Michael Jackson," said Lil Wayne, as he picked up his award for best male hip-hop star.

"My heart and prayers go out to the whole Jackson family," said basketball star LeBron James, who won best male athlete. "What they did for us, ... for the whole world was amazing."

The Shrine stage was where Jackson's hair and scalp were burned during the filming of a Pepsi commercial in 1984 and the location for several of his Grammy and American Music Award performances.

Star Trek for Oscar? Academy Expands Best Picture to 10

Los Angeles (E! Online) – It's a year too late for The Dark Knight, but maybe those Hangover guys will have something extra special to celebrate.

This year's Best Picture field will be expanded to 10 contenders, the Academy Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today.

The move could mean typically overlooked genres like sci-fi, comedy and animation could get a crack at the big prize—and could spell good news for this year's biggest hits, Star Trek, The Hangover and Up.

While the Best Picture category, like the rest of the Oscar fields, has traditionally been limited to five nominees in recent decades, it hasn't always been so.

During the early years of the Oscars, there were 10 (and sometimes more) nominees, up until Casablanca beat back nine rivals at the 16th Academy Awards at the 1943 ceremony.

Today's announcement comes as the Academy continues to mark the 70th anniversary of "Hollywood's Greatest Year"—1939 saw the release of such classic films as Best Picture winner Gone With the Wind, along with fellow Oscar nominees The Wizard of Oz, Stagecoach, Ninotchka, Dark Victory, Love Affair, Of Mice and Men, Wuthering Heights, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and Goodbye, Mr. Chips.

Nominations for the 82nd Academy Awards will be announced Feb. 2, 2010, with the ceremony set March 7.

Nickelback golden at MMVAs

Alberta rockers Nickelback may have picked up a leading three trophies at the MuchMusic Video Awards last night, giving music critics across the country another reason to groan, but in the end it was all about Lady Gaga's "flaming boobies."

The critically unpopular group, who picked up three Juno Awards back in March, went into the televised street-oriented awards show -- which saw thousands of fans take over the blocks surrounding MuchMusic's Toronto Queen and John Sts. headquarters -- with a leading five MMVA nods, tied with R&B Toronto newcomer Danny Fernandes.

Nickelback's trio of trophies were for best video and best rock video for Gotta Be Somebody while the clip also got the nod for best post production.

"Wow," said frontman Chad Kroeger, arriving on the red carpet with his bandmates in a bullet-proof van to find out they'd already won two awards before the official show even began.

"I give it all to the fans. The fans have stuck with us, they've been amazing. We're just trying to sustain it."

Added guitarist Ryan Peake: "Couldn't be a better band for this (bullet-proof) vehicle."

Fernandes, whose debut disc, Intro, was produced by Palestinian-born, Ottawa-based rapper Belly, picked up a single trophy for best pop video for Private Dancer and busted out a dance move as a presenter alongside MuchMusic veejay Sarah Taylor.

Piano-rockers The Midway State, whose members hail from Collingwood and Thornhill, Ont., were surprise double winners, picking up two MMVA trophies for best independent video for Never Again and Ur Fave new artist for the same song.

Montreal pop-punk band Simple Plan won Ur Fave video for Save You.

Teen-pop sibling act the Jonas Brothers, who were also co-hosts for the evening, opened the show with their hit song, Burnin' Up, which later won the award for Ur Fave international video, and were immediately followed by St. Catharines, Ont., post-hardcore-screamo act Alexisonfire performing Young Cardinals in a wild contrast of music styles.

And while the trio of brothers can certainly sing -- they returned to sing their current hit, Paranoid, to screaming female fans -- a skit later in the show with celebrity gossip blogger Perez Hilton fell totally flat.

"You guys truly are the greatest fans in the world -- we love you so much," said Nick Jonas, upon accepting their award.

When it came to international winners, many were on hand to pick up their hardware as they were also MMVA performers.

Lady Gaga picked up best international video (artist) for her breakout single, Poker Face.

"You guys make it so hard to live anywhere else," said Lady Gaga in a gold braided outfit and matching headband.

"To God and the gays!"

But she really had people talking when she later transformed the MMVA stage into a New York subway station and wore a revealing black leather and silver studded ensemble that barely covered her nether regions for her performance of LoveGame/Poker Face that also included dancing NYPD officers and sparks flying out of a metal frame bra she was wearing by the end of the song.

Black Eyed Peas, who currently have the No. 1 album in Canada with The E.N.D., won for best international video (group) for that album's first single, Boom Boom Pow, which they also performed with female singer Fergie decked out in hot pants, thigh-high boots and long fake finger nails on one hand.

Kelly Clarkson also blew the roof off the joint -- okay so there was no roof outside -- with her big-voice and hit song, My Life Would Suck Without You, as she performed barefoot in jeans.

One Canadian group who did well last night was Billy Talent. The Toronto pop-punk outfit picked up the international video award (Canadian) for Rusted From the Rain, the first single from their new album, Billy Talent III, due later this summer, and performed the song during the MMVAs broadcast on an elevated platform.

"I don't have any flaming boobies," said Billy Talent frontman Ben Kowalewicz as he picked up the award, in reference to Lady Gaga's eye-popping performance which had just occurred.

'Billy Elliot' wins 10 Tonys; `Carnage' best play

NEW YORK – "Billy Elliot," the big British musical about a coal miner's son who dreams to dance, bowled over Broadway on Sunday, winning 10 Tonys, including best musical and a unique best actor prize for the three young performers who share the title character.

The trio — David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik and Kiril Kulish — traded off thank-yous during their acceptance speech, shyly thanking people associated with the show only by their first name. They also acknowledged siblings and parents. Finally, Kulish told the cheering crowd at Radio City Music Hall: "We want to say to all the kids out there who might want to dance, 'Never give up.'"

"Billy Elliot" collected eight other awards, including director of a musical, book of a musical and choreography, but its composer Elton John was upset for best score. That award was taken by "Next to Normal" — which seemed to stun "Normal" composer Tom Kitt and lyricist Brian Yorkey. Alice Ripley, who portrays battling mental illness in "Next to Normal," received the actress musical prize.

"God of Carnage," Yasmina Reza's savage comedy of manners about two liberal, middle-class couples whose children get into a fight, was named best play and picked up two other major awards, one for its director, Matthew Warchus, and the other for actress Marcia Gay Harden.

Reza, who previously won a best-play Tony for "Art," said: "Maybe you missed my accent; you wanted to hear it again. I'm very grateful for all the people who gave their best for the production."

"The Norman Conquests," Alan Ayckbourn's trilogy, received the revival-play prize, while "Hair," the iconic 1960s rock extravaganza roared to a win in the musical-revival category.

The director/musical award went to Stephen Daldry of "Billy Elliot."

"I have been blessed in my life to spend the majority of last 10 years of my life working on the story of 'Billy Elliot,'" said Daldry, who called it "a long, extraordinary journey."

He said the award belonged to everyone connected to the show and especially to "three great gifts of Broadway, our three little Billys."

"Billy" also received prizes for featured actor (Gregory Jbara), sets, lighting, sound and a tie with "Next to Normal" for best orchestrations, which Kitt shared with Michael Starobin.

Geoffrey Rush's extravagant portrait of a dying monarch in "Exit the King" took the top actor prize.

"I want to thank Manhattan audiences for proving that French existential absurdist tragicomedy rocks," Rush said.

Angela Lansbury received her fifth Tony, this time for her performance as the dotty medium Madame Arcati in a revival of Noel Coward's "Blithe Spirit." Her win in the featured-actress category tied the record for acting prizes held by Julie Harris, who has five plus a special lifetime achievement award given in 2002.

"Who would have thought," the 83-year-old Lansbury began, drowned out by a standing ovation. "Who knew that (at) this time in my life that I should be presented with this lovely, lovely award. I feel deeply grateful."

An emotional Liza Minnelli accepted the prize for special theatrical event for her show "Liza's at The Palace."

"This is exquisite," Minnelli said, asking for a list of people to thank because she didn't think she was going to win. "Lastly, I want to thank my parents and the greatest gift they ever gave me, Kay Thompson," her godmother. Minnelli recreated part of Thompson's club act as part of her Palace entertainment.
Roger Robinson's portrayal of a mystical shamanlike character in "Joe Turner's Come and Gone" was honored with the featured-acting prize.

"It has taken me 46 years to come from that seat, up these steps, to this microphone," said Robinson, who thanked his mother in Bellevue, Wash., "who's 98 years old ... who encouraged me and raised seven children single-handedly."
Featured actress-musical went to Karen Olivo as the spitfire Anita in the revival of "West Side Story."

"I'm completely unprepared for this. ... I just want to dedicate this to everyone who has a dream," Olivo said, thanking the production's 91-year-old director, Arthur Laurents, and then dissolving in tears.

The Tonys twittered this year, with Mark Indelicato of "Ugly Betty" as the night's uber-tweeter from backstage. He offered such timely nuggets as "NPH's (host Neil Patrick Harris) favorite beverage while warming up for the start of Tonys? RED BULL, natch!" Jane Fonda, nominated for lead actress in a play, offered: "The trick is to be Zen about it. Winning is sometimes not the prize."

Bret Michaels injured himself in the show's opening production number when he rocked it out with a number from "Rock of Ages." The extent of his injury was not immediately known.

Broadway had a surprisingly robust 2008-2009 season.

Attendance during the 2008-2009 season slipped a bit (to 12.15 million from 12.27 million the previous year) but not as much as was feared because of the recession. And grosses for plays and musicals actually were a bit higher than a year earlier, setting a record of $943.3 million.

Forty-three shows opened during the season, the highest number of new productions since 50 opened during the 1982-83 season.

The awards were voted on in 27 competitive categories by more than 800 members of the theatrical community, including producers, actors and journalists. The Tonys are presented by the League and the American Theatre Wing, a nonprofit service organization. The Wing founded the Tonys in 1947.

Sad day for Ostanek as Grammys drop polka

Bad news for Canada's polka kings.

The Recording Academy, which puts on the Grammy Awards, has decided to eliminate the category for best polka album.

"I don't like to see it happen," legendary bandleader and three-time Grammy winner Walter Ostanek said Thursday from his home in St. Catharines, Ont.

"There's room for our music."

John Gora, who's been nominated four times in the polka category but has never won, was more blunt.

"That sucks," he said from Burlington. "Of course I'm disappointed."

In a statement, the academy said polka was scrapped to "ensure the awards process remains representative of the current musical landscape." Grammy organizers also split a folk category in two and combined two Latin categories into one.

There will be 109 awards handed out at next year's Grammys instead of 110. The ceremony takes place Jan. 31, 2010 in Los Angeles.

Polka was by no means the only obscure category at the annual music bash.

Trophies will still be handed out for best packaging, liner notes, surround sound album, classical crossover album, Hawaiian music album and zydeco or Cajun music album.

Gora blamed the polka decision on politics, pointing out that American bandleader Jimmy Sturr has won the category 18 times.

"You can't have a polka guy holding world records," he said. ``You can't have Jimmy Sturr winning more Grammys than Quincy Jones, for example."

But Sturr has long had competition from Ostanek, the undisputed Canadian polka king.

Ostanek's treks to Los Angeles have practically become an annual Grammy tradition – after all, he's racked up more than 20 nominations (his three wins came in consecutive years, from 1992-94).

In fact, the gregarious musician was nominated at this year's show but lost out to – who else? – Sturr.

Still, even though his category is gone, Ostanek, 74, didn't have a bad word to say about his experiences with the glitzy show.

"I personally don't have any regrets," he said. "I've met a lot of nice people. The Grammys have treated me good."

A member of Canada's Walk of Fame and the Order of Canada, Ostanek has appeared on The Tonight Show and some have speculated that he was the inspiration for SCTV's famed Shmenge Brothers.

Ostanek, who owns a music shop in St. Catharines, says the Grammys have given him tremendous exposure and lamented that young polka musicians would not receive the same boost.

"I personally have had a good ride and I feel sorry for the future artists coming up," he said. "There are fans out there and there will be more fans down the line. But that's the way it is."

Meanwhile, Gora worried about the effect the academy's decision could have on polka music in general.

"It's a bad thing (for polka)," he said. "A Grammy nomination just recognizes you, puts you on another level. It just recognizes the talent of the local guys that really don't have the big budget to operate but are still excellent musicians."

Gora, who plans to begin recording a new CD this weekend, said he intends to submit his recordings in the world music category now.

He certainly isn't giving up on trying to win his first Grammy.

"Why should I?" he said. "The guys work hard and we put out good material.

"I even have a new song about the crazy bailout that's going on with the financial and automotive companies. We have a new song about it. It's just a 2/4 beat and why shouldn't it be heard by others?"

Ostanek, who diligently collected autographs from his favourite artists during his trips to the Grammys, said the show made him feel special.

"Everybody wants to be a somebody," he said. "You're mingling with Tony Bennett and other people like him on a one-to-one basis .... I've had a wonderful ride."

MTV's Eminem-Bruno Stunt Was Completely Staged, Says Host Andy Samberg's Head Writer

Sacha Baron Cohen's Bruno gave Eminem a "new moon" preview of his own.
The "face-off" between Sacha Baron Cohen's bare backside and Eminem's mug came as a surprise to the viewers of Sunday's MTV Movie Awards, but just how shocked was the rapper also known as Marshall Mathers?

To hear host Andy Samberg's head writer, Scott Aukerman, tell it, not at all.

Ending nearly 24 hours of silence from all involved parties, Aukerman took to his blog to set the record straight: "Yes, the Eminem-Bruno incident was staged. They rehearsed it at dress [rehearsal] and yes, it went as far as it did on the live show."

As previously reported, Cohen's "Bruno" alter ego landing in Eminem's lap was of course a prearranged stunt. "There's no way it was an accident," an industry insider who was seated a few rows in front of Eminem told TVGuide.com. "You don't let two stars collide without a detailed plan."

As such, Bruno's airborne entrance was purposely detoured by speakers that were lowered into his path during the previous commercial break. That bit of equipment manipulation — coupled with the director's cut to Eminem several seconds before Bruno's "fall" — made for the first "smoking gun."

What about the appearance that tensions escalated when Cohen thrust his bare derriere in Eminem's face? While a spokesperson for the recording artist has not yet responded to multiple requests for comment, head writer Aukerman's blog now confirms that it was all for show. (When considering Eminem's compelling performance, remember that he did collect the occasional accolade for his acting debut in the semibiographical 2002 film 8 Mile.)

"Everyone was laughing about it during the next break," says our eyewitness, "especially the MTV staffers."

While it is true that Eminem, after "storming out" in disgust, never returned to his seat, that was the M.O. of many a star who shone at the awards show.

"Most of the big celebs came, did their thing and left," reports our onlooker.

MTV reps declined to comment on the incident.

'Twilight' takes a bite out of MTV Movie Awards

LOS ANGELES – The MTV Movie Awards were a blood bath Sunday night with "Twilight" taking five trophies, including best movie. But it was Sacha Baron Cohen who gave the show it's trademark bizarro moment when he landed on Eminem — who may or may not have been deeply offended.

The popular vampire drama starring Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart sucked up the golden popcorn trophies for best movie, fight, kiss, breakthrough male performance and female performance during Sunday's over-the-top ceremony at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, Calif., which honors the best in film from the past year as voted on by viewers.

"The fans are the ultimate driving force," Stewart said while accepting her best female performance trophy (which she promptly dropped on the floor, breaking off a chunk of the golden popcorn).

Other winners included "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" star Zac Efron for male performance and his co-star Ashley Tisdale for female breakthrough performance. Miley Cyrus accepted the best song from a movie prize for "The Climb" from "Hannah Montana: The Movie," preventing "Twilight" from winning all six categories in which it was nominated.

Amy Poehler's urinating in a sink in "Baby Mama" won an award that was new to this year: The "WTF moment."

But even that was upstaged by Baron Cohen, who flew in above the audience as his flamboyant character "Bruno." Dressed in a pair of feathery white wings with his rear end mostly exposed, the comedian crashed into an overhead obstacle and was lowered directly into in Eminem's lap in the audience, his bare hindquarters in the rapper's face.

"Is the real Slim Shady about to stand up?" chirped Baron Cohen.

Eminem seemed visibly upset by the encounter, and members of his entourage roughly removed Baron Cohen as the rapper struggled to get out. But had Baron Cohen and MTV punked the self-styled homophobic rapper, or was he in on the elaborate joke?

Eminem acted visibly upset at the mishap, saying "Get this (expletive) off me" and turning his face away in disgust. He then stormed out with his entourage in tow — and cameras rolling — and beat a path for the exits.

Baron Cohen's descent to the audience was included in earlier rehearsals, but Eminem — who performed Sunday night — didn't take part in that piece of the run-through. As the rapper stormed off it sounded as though he was wearing a microphone, and cameras were in position to record his fast exit, but he was not seen or heard from again.

It wasn't the first tantrum for Slim Shady at an MTV ceremony: Sparks flew when the rapper was interviewed by Triumph the Insult Comic Dog at the 2002 show.

Before this year's broadcast, Heath Ledger was awarded the best villain trophy for his twisted turn as the Joker in "The Dark Knight." Jim Carey later won for best comedic performance for "Yes Man." Ben Stiller received the MTV Generation Award, the show's highest honor, from a trio of presenters: Efron, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog and a weeping Kiefer Sutherland.

"Ben, I have never had the privilege of working with you, but when I see the remarkable consistency you display in your films, whether you're portraying a man with his balls caught in his zipper or a man struggling to control his diarrhea on a date, I see a consummate professional who commands the respect of his co-actors," said Sutherland.

In addition to handing out awards for movies from the past year, MTV debuted new footage from the upcoming films "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen," "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" and "New Moon." Andy Samberg initially teased "Twilight" devotees by introducing the vampire sequel preview with footage of Samberg as an amateur Dracula.

The zany host kicked off the show with a movie mash-up featuring cameos from Taylor Swift and Justin Timberlake before launching into an on-stage rap performance in which he attempted to woo a surly-looking Megan Fox in the audience. Samberg later crooned with Will Ferrell during an explosive movie montage that "cool guys don't have to look at explosions."

Underwood, Swift, Hough: Women rule the ACMs

LAS VEGAS – The women of country have taken the wheel.

Carrie Underwood captured entertainer of the year Sunday night at the Academy of Country Music Awards, winning the top honor that has eluded women for nearly a decade, while Taylor Swift won album of the year and Julianne Hough snagged top new artist.

Country music's boys' club was adjourned for the year when Underwood broke Kenny Chesney's four-year win streak and became the first woman to hold the title since the Dixie Chicks in 2000. The significance wasn't lost on the 26-year-old superstar.

"I accepted that award on behalf of myself and my fans, but also on behalf of other women who came before me that kicked butt but never got the recognition they deserved," Underwood said. "I can't wait (for) the day, which I hope is in the very near future, where having females in the category is no big deal whatsoever."

In 39 years of recognizing a top entertainer, the academy has granted the honor to a woman seven times, including Underwood. The others were Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Barbara Mandrell, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain and the Dixie Chicks. Each won once.

Chesney, who missed the chance to tie Alabama for most entertainer of the year awards, kissed Underwood as she walked up to accept the honor.

"He told me he was proud of me," said Underwood, who's enjoyed astounding success since winning "American Idol" in 2005 with eight No. 1 country hits including the signature single, "Jesus Take the Wheel."

Swift, another woman dominating not only country music but the entire industry, won album of the year for her sophomore disc "Fearless." Both of Swift's albums have topped the 3 million mark — a rare feat today. She's connected with fans both young and old for her intensely personal songs, which she writes usually on her own or with a co-writer.

Backstage, Swift told reporter that she "obsessed" over making "Fearless."

"I labored over this album for two years," she said. "The fact that you can write songs in your bedroom about your feelings and boys and can win album of the year at the ACMs. I just didn't think that was possible."

Swift, who had four nominations going into Sunday's show, also got a special honor as McEntire presented her with an ACM Crystal Milestone Award for bringing so many young people to country music.

A tearful Hough, who added country singer to her "Dancing with the Stars" credentials, thanked "everybody that has followed me from the beginning and believed in me." She bested Jake Owen and the Zac Brown Band for the honor.

Other winners included Jamey Johnson, Sugarland, Trace Adkins and Brad Paisley, but the evening's most memorable moments came during the performances.

Adkins performed "'Til the Last Shot's Fired," a somber salute to U.S. troops, with the West Point Glee Club in honor of servicemen and women. The performance was introduced by Lt. Andrew Kinard, who had been wounded. He told the crowd, "As you listen to this song, please consider that it's not about the war, it's about the warrior."

John Rich's angry anthem "Shuttin' Detroit Down" also stirred the crowd.
"I'd like to dedicate this song tonight to all the hard-working, taxpaying Americans from coast to coast who love this country as much as I do," Rich said while holding a guitar tagged with a "Made in the U.S.A." sticker.

"We wrote this song specifically for you," he said before launching into his searing song that feeds into taxpayer resentment about the bailouts on Wall Street.

Other performances included teen sensation Miley Cyrus, dancing atop a high staircase on stage; Heidi Newfield singing "Johnny and June," inspired by the late Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash, around an appropriate ring of fire; and Underwood in a burgundy dress so overwhelming that it took up most of the stage.

"Can I borrow that?" host Reba McEntire quipped afterward.

Newcomer Johnson beat out veterans like George Strait and Paisley in nabbing the night's first honor, song of the year for his poignant hit about an old man looking back on his life, "In Color."

"Thanks to my band for going in on an off day and producing an off record," Johnson quipped in a brief acceptance speech.

Adkins won single of the year for his heartfelt hit "You're Gonna Miss This." The deep-voiced singer said the song, about how people want to grow up and move on with life when they should slow down and enjoy the moment more, was very personal to him, but he didn't think others would relate to it. When his label said they were going to release it as a single, he said, "Go ahead. Nobody's going play it."

"I'm glad I'm an idiot," Adkins cracked. "Thank you very much."

Sugarland broke Brooks & Dunn's lock on the vocal duo award, and lead singer Jennifer Nettles received an ACM Crystal Milestone Award for her songwriting.

Strait and Paisley led all nominees with six. Paisley was linked up by video from Nashville, where his wife Kimberly Williams-Paisley is expecting their second child, and accepted the trophy for male vocalist of the year from there.

"I wish I could be there but I didn't want to take the chance of missing the birth of our next child. I hope you understand," said Paisley, who also won video of the year for "Waitin' on a Woman" and vocal event of the year for "Start a Band," his guitar-slinging duet with Keith Urban.

Jamie Foxx introduced Strait's performance of "Troubadour," and joked that the country scene was getting more diverse.

"Things are changing," Foxx said, mentioning his repeat appearance at the ACMs and Darius Rucker's success on the country charts. "(An) African-American singing country. Things are changing. Got a black man running the country. Things are changing. ... I mean what's next, white people going to Tyler Perry movies?"

Genies struggle to focus Canadian eyes on homegrown films

The Genie Awards, hosted by comedian Dave Foley of Kids in the Hall fame, are to be handed out in Ottawa Saturday night.

A festival devoted to screening Genie-nominated movies around the national capital region and the four-year-old Reel Canada program that brings Canadian films to high school students have run this week, in advance of the awards.

Both focus attention on what seems to be an uphill battle, trying to get English Canada to watch homegrown movies.

"In some ways we were inspired by the struggle in the '70s to get CanLit into high schools and how hard people fought to make that happen," Jack Blum, executive director of Reel Canada told CBC News. Now in its fourth year, Reel Canada has screened nearly 200 Canadian films to almost 20,000 students across Ontario and in Vancouver, beginning with films like The Red Violin and Away from Her.

"We have a wonderful body of work and it was time kids were introduced to these movies," Blum said.

Actor and former Genie winner for scriptwriting Don McKellar says it is essential that young people be exposed to Canadian film.

"People have to be aware at [an] early age. It's like learning language — there's Canadian language for film. It's exciting, it reflects their culture, experience, it will make huge difference," he said.

Benoît Pilon's Ce Qu'il Faut pour Vivre (The Necessities of Life) goes into the Genie Awards this Saturday with eight nominations and a best picture win at Quebec's Jutra Awards.

The film about an Inuit hunter confined to a Quebec sanatorium in the 1950s has earned star Natar Ungalaaq a best actor nomination and a best director nomination for Pilon.

Bernard Émond is competing for a best screenwriter Genie for his script, which details the cultural dislocation of the sick man and his tender relationship with an Inuit boy, who also has been wrenched from his family to recover from TB.

The film has been a critical darling, but has had nowhere near the box office legs of another best picture nominee, Passchendaele, Paul Gross's story of a Canadian soldier in one of the First World War's most tragic battles.

Passchendaele has already won the Golden Reel award, running for more than 15 weeks in some parts of Canada and earning $4.4 million.

It was a rare box office success for an English Canadian film. Domestic films suffer from inadequate distribution and lack the big-budget promotional hype that accompanies films out of Hollywood.

As always, the Genies attempt to focus attention on some rare gems of Canadian cinemas. This year's best picture nominees include Amal, the story of an auto-rickshaw driver in Delhi who inherits a rich man's estate.

The Hindi-language film directed by Richi Mehta won a dozen awards on the film festival circuit, but is little known by Canadian moviegoers.

Tout est Parfait, the French-language film about teen suicide, just opened in English Canada and Normal, Carl Bessai's film about the fallout from a car accident, has come and gone almost without notice, despite being a best-picture nominee.

Lesser known films among nominees

The best actor and actress categories also highlight some little known films, though this year's crop has drawn criticism for centring on well known names.

Well-knowns include Paul Gross, nominated for Passchendaele, and Christopher Plummer (for Emotional Arithmetic), but a surprise nominee was Aaron Poole in low budget film This Beautiful City.

Poole lost 37 pounds and had a dentist remove a crown in his mouth to play a recovering drug addict in the film, about five characters in Toronto's west end whose lives become interconnected after a woman falls from her balcony.

"Johnny's struggling to rid himself of his addiction and at the same time sustain the love he has for [his girlfriend] Pretty," said Poole, who also acted as producer for the film.

"It's hard to do that, he's sucked back into the world of drugs, he self-medicates his schizophrenia and the combination of those three things is difficult to manage."

Also nominated is Ungalaaq's moving performance in The Necessities of Life, which struck especially close to home for the actor because his grandfather had suffered in the same TB epidemic.

Well-known actresses Ellen Burstyn in The Stone Angel, Susan Sarandon in Emotional Arithmetic have nominations but the awards also focus attention on Quebec's outstanding Isabelle Blais and Bollywood actress Preity Zinta.

Part of the Genie Awards ceremony will be broadcast Saturday at 9 p.m. on Global.

Bill Cosby to receive Mark Twain prize

WASHINGTON–Bill Cosby will be awarded the 12th annual Mark Twain Prize for humour for his groundbreaking career.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts announced Wednesday that Cosby, 71, will be honoured with what's considered the top U.S. humour prize. Some of the biggest names in comedy will salute Cosby on stage in Washington on Oct. 26.

Cosby said in a statement accepting the award that his mother read Twain's famous stories to him as a child, including The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

"I would like to apologize to Mr. Twain for falling asleep hundreds of times, but he should understand that I was only four,'' Cosby said.

Still, he said several of Twain's stories inspired his work, including How to Tell a Story and The Mysterious Stranger.

The award honours people who have had an impact on society in ways similar to Twain, a satirist, commentator and storyteller.

"Over the course of his extensive career as a standup comedian, writer, actor, and social activist, Bill Cosby has earned countless accolades for his groundbreaking brand of humour," said Kennedy Center Chairman Stephen Schwarzman.

Perhaps best known as the star and producer of the popular sitcom The Cosby Show during the 1980s, the Philadelphia native started his career as a standup comedian in nightclubs. He caught the eye of TV producers and landed a role in the "I Spy" series in the 1960s, which broke new ground by casting a black man and a white man as equals.

The Cosby Show, portraying an upper middle-class black family and everyday life, ran from 1984 to 1992 as a Thursday night hit for its NBC network. Cosby also produced a second hit sitcom, A Different World, from 1987 to 1993. He brought Cosby back as a sitcom for CBS from 1996 to 2000.

Cosby dropped out of high school to join the U.S. Navy. He earned his diploma while in the service and later enrolled at Temple University with the goal of becoming a physical education teacher. Cosby went on to earn master's and doctorate degrees in education and has been a leading voice on race.

He's proven to be one of the nation's most popular and enduring entertainers. Nine of Cosby's comedy albums have been certified gold, and six went platinum on recording industry charts. He has authored several books, including Fatherhood and Time Flies, that became best sellers.

"Of course we really like that he's a real author of words on paper," which rounds out his profile in the Twain tradition, said Peter Kaminsky, co-executive producer of the Twain prize.

"You don't need to have been a boy who grew up in a small town in Mississippi to understand Mark Twain. That's the particular genius of Bill and the African-American experience," Kaminsky said. "He universalized the African-American experience. Anybody could understand the themes of family, loyalty and obligation – and the human comedy.''

Cosby has homes in Massachusetts, New York and Los Angeles. He married his wife, Camille, in 1964, and they raised four daughters and a son, Ennis, who was shot to death on a Los Angeles freeway in 1997. The Cosbys have three grandchildren.

When Cosby entered the polling booth in his Los Angeles neighbourhood last year to vote for the first black president, he carried with him photographs of his late parents and Jimmy, his brother who died in childhood. Some have argued that Cosby helped pave the way for President Barack Obama by breaking down stereotypes – a credit that Cosby rebuffs.

The Kennedy Center board chooses the prize winner with recommendations from a committee that includes former Twain honourees, the show's producers and others.

Tickets for the award show go on sale to the public Aug. 12. Proceeds benefit the center's education programs.

Last year the Kennedy Center honoured the late George Carlin with the Mark Twain prize. Past honourees have also included Billy Crystal, Steve Martin and Whoopi Goldberg. The first honouree was Richard Pryor in 1998.

THE GEORGE FOSTER PEABODY AWARDS

Athens, Ga. – Thirty-six recipients of the 68th Annual Peabody Awards were announced today by the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. The winners, chosen by the Peabody board as the best in electronic media for 2008, were named in a ceremony in the Peabody Gallery on the University of Georgia campus.

“The works recognized by the Peabody Board this year not only reflect great diversity of content and genre, but also true technical innovation and the varied roles of new distribution systems,” said Peabody Director Horace Newcomb. “The list of winners this year clearly indicates a changing media environment that will continue to require judgment and evaluation through the Peabody Awards process.”

The recipients included Lost, ABC’s innovative, mind-bending adventure serial; “The Giant Pool of Money,”a remarkably comprehensible explanation of the current financial crisis from public radio’s This American Life; and YouTube, the video-sharing Web site that puts a boundless array of video artifacts, from historic political speeches to cell phone videos, at every Internet user’s fingertips. Black Magic, ESPN’s fascinating examination of the integration of basketball and its impact on the programs of historical black colleges and universities, received a Peabody, as did Saturday Night Live’s campaign-season political satire.

A Peabody went to Sichuan Television for its immediate coverage of the deadly earthquake that struck its Chinese province. For several days, SCTV was the only source of video for television news organizations around the world. National Public Radio was also recognized for its exhaustive and sensitive daily reporting on the quake. Peabodys went to CNN’s coverage of the Presidential primaries and debates, and to the election-year broadcasts of Washington Week with Gwen Ifill. The Hearst-Argyle television-station group was awarded for its extensive Commitment 2008 coverage of local and regional political contests.

In the realm of the arts, Peabodys went to The Metropolitan Opera’s Live in HD series; The Gates, an HBO documentary tracking the 24-year making of a now-celebrated installation in New York’s Central Park; and to NBC’s dazzling telecast of the Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony and the ceremony director, Zhang Yimou. An institutional Peabody was awarded to Turner Classic Movies, the cable channel devoted to showing, preserving and fostering a critical appreciation of vintage films.

The entertainment series selected included Breaking Bad, AMC’s thorny drama about a terminally ill science teacher who turns to making and selling methamphetamine to build an estate for his wife and disabled son. John Adams, HBO’s richly detailed miniseries about the lawyerly founding father, his wife, Abigail, and the times in which they lived, received the award. Also cited was HBO’s comedy Entourage, a wicked take on Hollywood and the joys and sorrows of minor stardom. Avatar: The Last Air Bender, an animated, Asian-influenced mythological epic shown on Nickelodeon, received a Peabody, as did Jungle Fish, a handsomely stylized slice of South Korean teen life from the Korean Broadcasting System.

In addition to YouTube, a Peabody was awarded to The New York Times’ Web site (www.nytimes.com). Another went to Onion News Network (www.theonion.com/content/video), where video parodies of newscasts and newsmakers are so shrewdly conceived and produced that they’re often hard to distinguish from the real thing.

“We recognize the great transformations affecting dissemination of news and information,” Newcomb said. “The variety of choices available to citizens does in fact range from the best traditional journalism expanded for the Web, to sharp critiques in the form of parody and satire. Both can achieve a level of excellence that reaches the Peabody standard and both require citizens to respond with careful analysis of their own.”

A Peabody went to NOAH Housing Program Investigation, a series of more than 50 reports by New Orleans’ WWL-TV exposing problems and possible fraud in a multi-million dollar program designed to help homeowners rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina. Awards also went to Failing the Children: Deadly Mistakes, Denver TV station KMGH’s multi-part expose of tragic incompetence in the city’s Department of Human Services. National Public Radio’s 36 Years of Solitary: Murder, Death and Justice on Angola received a Peabody for a gripping investigative report questioning the guilt of two inmates at Louisiana’s notorious prison farm. The two have been kept in solitary confinement for more than three decades.

Newcomb commented on a “stunning array of notable documentaries,” saying “This year the Peabody Board was faced with what can only be described as a renaissance in the form. Our decisions came after difficult, but thorough reviews of one of the best pools of docs ever submitted.”

Among the documentary winners, Shanghai Television Group’s The Red Race provided a shockingly intimate portrait of the rigorous—some would say sadistic—training that Chinese child gymnasts undergo. Campaign, a quirky P.O.V. film, illuminated Japan’s political system by following one guileless candidate’s run for a city-council seat. Hear and Now, shown on HBO, poignantly chronicled the process and consequences of a middle-aged deaf couple who undergo cochlear implant operations. One splendid Independent Lens documentary, Mapping Stem Cell Research, followed a neurologist obsessed with discovering a way to reverse the effects of his beloved daughter’s spinal injury, while another, King Corn, is a deceptively whimsical exploration of what our corn-syrup saturated diet means to our health and the environment.

Peabodys also went to Ape Genius, a NOVA documentary examining the latest research on how the intellectual capacity of gorillas, chimps, bonobos and orangutans compares to ours. Cinemax’s Nankingoffered a wrenching remembrance of a small group of Westerners who tried to save Chinese civilians from the horrors of the 1937 Japanese invasion. Crossfire: Water, Power and Politics, a documentary from Las Vegas’ KLAS-TV that achieved network quality, dared to look hard at a plan to pump massive amounts of water from rural Nevada to its booming, major city and at what this will mean to ranches, farms, Native Americans and the environment.

Depression: Out of the Shadows, a multi-dimensional, ultimately hopeful examination of the devastating disorder that affects millions of Americans, received a Peabody, as did Hopkins, ABC News’ compelling verite series filmed in the halls and operating rooms of the Johns Hopkins Hospital.

A Peabody also was awarded to Richard Engel Reports: Tip of the Spear, a series of reports under-fire by the NBC News correspondent from the deadliest zone in Afghanistan. Lifeline, a CBS News 60 Minutes report, received a Peabody. It memorably encapsulated the plight of America’s 47 million uninsured by showing some of the 18,000 people who showed up when a free-clinic mission, designed for Third World charity, set up shop for a weekend in Tennessee.

The Peabody Awards, the oldest honor in electronic media, do not recognize categories nor are there a set number of awards given each year. Today the Peabody recognizes distinguished achievement and meritorious public service by TV and radio stations, networks, cablecasters, Webcasters, producing organizations and individuals.

The Peabody Board is a 16-member group, comprised of television critics, broadcast and cable industry executives, academics and experts in culture and the arts. They make their annual selections with input from special screening committees of UGA faculty, students and staff.

All entries become a permanent part of the Peabody Archive in the University of Georgia Libraries. The collection is one of the nation’s oldest, largest and most respected moving-image archives. For more information about the Peabody Archive or the Peabody Awards, see www.peabody.uga.edu.

Established in 1915, the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication offers seven undergraduate majors including advertising, broadcast news, magazines, newspapers, public relations, publication management and telecommunication arts. The college offers two graduate degrees, and is home to WNEG-TV, the Knight Chair in Health and Medical Journalism and the Peabody Awards, internationally recognized as one of the most prestigious prizes for excellence in electronic media. For more information, see www.grady.uga.edu.

Comedian Dave Foley tapped as Genie Awards host

With less than a week to go, organizers of Canada's annual celebration of homegrown cinema have announced comedian Dave Foley as host of this year's Genie Awards.

The former Kids in the Hall and NewsRadio star will preside over a host of celebrity presenters on Saturday at the 29th Genie Awards gala, being held in Ottawa for the first time. The ceremony will take place at the Canada Aviation Museum.

Benôit Pilon's celebrated Ce qu'il faut pour vivre (The Necessities of Life), which was Canada's 2009 submission for a best foreign film Oscar, leads the race to the Genies with eight nominations.

Tout est Parfait (Everything is Fine), Passchendaele, Fugitive Pieces, Amal and Maman est Chez le Coiffeur (Mama is at the Hairdresser's) are also among the top condenders.

Special awards announced

Earlier this month, the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television, which organizes the annual celebration of film, revealed a trio of special honours.

Passchendaele, Paul Gross' First World War epic and romance, was named the 2009 Golden Reel Award-winner for being the highest grossing domestic film ($4.4 million) at the Canadian box office over the past year.

Filmmaker Yves-Christian Fournier is this year's winner of the Claude Jutra Award for Tout Est Parfait (Everything is Fine), his feature directorial debut. The critically lauded film centres on a suburban teen who is left adrift after several of his friends follow through on a suicide pact.

Saturday's gala will also include the presentation of an outstanding achievement honour for makeup design to Adrien Morot, Bruno Gatien and Marie-France Guy for their work on Cruising Bar 2. Set nearly two decades after the original, the quirky Quebec comedy hit returns to the four male leads — all portrayed by Michel Côté — as they encounter various mid-life relationship crises.

Batman Wins Big At Empire Awards

Batman was the big winner at the 2009 Jameson Empire Awards in London as Heath Ledger, Christian Bale and director Christopher Nolan were honoured for their parts in making The Dark Knight.

The annual ceremony at the city's Grosvenor Hotel on Sunday celebrated the film industry's success stories of the year, with Empire magazine readers voting for the winners in all the major categories.

And Batman movie The Dark Knight continued its award season haul, taking home the Best Movie trophy, as well as gaining a Best Actor prize for its star Christian Bale and the Best Director statuette for filmmaker Christopher Nolan.

The event also paid homage to late actor Heath Ledger, who won a posthumous Oscar for his role as evil villain The Joker in the blockbuster, by honouring him with a special commemoration award for his life works.

Moviemaker Danny Boyle, whose Slumdog Millionaire garnered a massive eight Academy Awards at this year's ceremony, turned out to receive an Outstanding Contribution to Film honour in recognition of his 14 year directorial career.

Brit star Helena Bonham Carter walked away with the Best Actress award for her role in Tim Burton's sinister musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

Guy Ritchie's latest gangster thriller RocknRolla won the Best British Movie prize, while Abba musical Mamma Mia took home the trophy for Best Soundtrack.

Bond film Quantum of Solace won two awards; one for Best Thriller and another for Best Newcomer for Brit actress Gemma Arterton.

And Hollywood tough guys were the toast of the night - Russell Crowe and Viggo Mortensen received special tributes in honour of their longrunning dedication to acting.

The full list of winners is as follows:

Best Film: The Dark Knight

Best Actor: Christian Bale

Best Actress: Helena Bonham Carter

Best British Film: RocknRolla

Best Director: Christopher Nolan

Icon Award: Viggo Mortensen

Best Thriller: Quantum of Solace

Best Comedy: Son of Rambow

Best Horror: Eden Lake

Best Newcomer: Gemma Arterton

Best Soundtrack: Mamma Mia

Outstanding Contribution to British Film: Danny Boyle

Actor of our Lifetime: Russell Crowe

Nickelback scores Juno hat trick

VANCOUVER — The Dark Horse turned out to be a sure thing.

Can-Rock icons and Juno frontrunners Nickelback won a triple crown at the Juno Awards last night, easily galloping to victory on the strength of their best-selling 2008 album Dark Horse.

The Hanna, Alta., quartet fronted by singer-guitarist Chad Kroeger took home trophies for Group of the Year and Album of the Year, in addition to winning the Juno Fan Choice Award.

Indeed, the band dominated the two-hour show virtually from beginning to end, opening the broadcast with a pyro-filled performance of Something in Your Mouth from Dark Horse — the best-selling Canadian album of 2008 — and taking home the final trophy of the night for Album of the Year.

"The press is going to hate this tomorrow," laughed Kroeger, referring to the band's reputation among critics. "The press is going to have a field day with this."

Later, he elaborated backstage on the band's relationship with the media.

"We're a very mainstream band. That's not very popular among the press," he said. "But that's OK; that's the kind of music our fans like.

"Actually, I'm terrified now because it seems you're almost letting up on us a bit. So if you wanna go back to beating us up, I'm fine with that. I want this roller coaster to go along just as it is."

He added he was surprised the band won the Fan Choice Award.

"I was hoping for Hedley," he admitted. "I really love those guys. I wanted them to win badly."

Kroeger, whose brother Mike is Nickelback's bassist, also thanked his mom onstage "for giving birth to half the band" and Dark Horse producer Mutt Lange for moving into his house for months to work on the disc.

Dark Horse surpassed two pop-punk discs (Hedley's Famous Last Words and Simple Plan's self-titled third album) and two popular Quebec releases (Sylvain Cossette's ’70s Volume 2 and gypsy-jazz trio The Lost Fingers' Lost in the ’80s) to take the album honours. Nickelback also defeated Great Big Sea, Simple Plan, The Trews and Tokyo Police Club in the Group of the Year category. The public voted to give Nickelback the Fan Choice prize over Celine Dion, Feist, Hedley and The Lost Fingers.

While Nickelback finished at the front of the pack, they weren't the only winners during Sunday night's ceremony held at General Motors Place. Sam Roberts won Artist of the Year, taking home his second trophy of the weekend — the Montreal pop-rocker's Love at the End of the World CD won Rock Album of the Year at Saturday night's non-televised event. Likewise, rapper Kardinal Offishall snared Rap Recording of the Year for his album Not 4 Sale, adding to the Single of the Year award he was given on Saturday for the hit Dangerous. Other award winners announced Sunday were Toronto synth-popster Lights (who won New Artist of the Year) and Dallas Green of City and Colour (who took Songwriter of the Year for tunes from his Bring Me Your Love CD).

The tattooed Green played one of those numbers — Sleeping Sickness — during the broadcast, accompanied by special guest vocalist Gord Downie of Tragically Hip. It was one of several collaborative performances peppered throughout the show. Hometown hero Bryan Adams was joined by roots-rocker Kathleen Edwards on fiddle for an acoustic version of his song Walk On By. Rising country star Crystal Shawanda, R&B diva Divine Brown and pop-rocker Serena Ryder — the latter two Juno winners on Saturday night — performed their hits back-to-back. Idiosyncratic pop-rocker Hawksley Workman and members of Eccodek took to the stage with Great Big Sea for a show-stopping (and show-closing) rendition of Led Zep's Gallows Pole. Other performers included Sam Roberts Band (who sprinted through a crackling version of Them Kids), Humanitarian Award winner Sarah McLachlan (backed by a full band on a lush rendition of U Want Me 2), double-winners The Stills (who justified their Best New Group and Alternative Album wins with a stylish performance of Being Here) and Simple Plan (who wooed the girls with the power ballady Your Love is a Lie).

Extra star power was supplied by a list of presenters that included Buffy Sainte-Marie and k.d. lang, Hedley, Blue Rodeo's Jim Cuddy, R&B singers Deborah Cox and Kreesha Turner, chanteuse Sarah Slean, last year's big winner Feist, superstar couple Elvis Costello and Diana Krall, and producer Bob Rock, who inducted Loverboy into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.

Standup comic Russell Peters tried to be funny for the second year in a row as host, taking the stage with a Bollywood-meets-B-Boy dance routine, venturing into the crowd to heckle celebrities ("Looks like somebody's been eating for the weekend," he said to rotund Loverboy singer Mike Reno) and poking fun at the bizarre set, which mixed high-tech video screens and moving lights with psychedelic vegetation.

"I know this is Vancouver, but what's with the grow-op onstage?" he cracked. "Do you know what the street value of this stage is?"

Last Night's Winners:

Group of the Year
Nickelback

Album of the year
Dark Horse, Nickelback

Juno Fan Choice
Nickelback

Artist of the Year
Sam Roberts

New Artist of the Year
Lights

Songwriter of the Year
Dallas Green (Waiting ..., Sleeping Sickness, The Girl from Bring Me Your Love by City & Colour)

Rap Recording of the Year
Not 4 Sale, Kardinal Offishall

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Juno Quips and Quotes

"Who knew I had boobs?" — Roots-rocker Kathleen Edwards on her revealing gown.

"I'm on Lipitor!" — Mike Reno

"Knock, knock. Who's there? Brown people. Now give me a million dollars." — Michael Bublé, summing up Russell Peters' act.

"It should be called Best Group We've Just Heard Of." — Dave Hamelin of the decade-old band The Stills on their Best New Group award.

"Get enough sleep, take a bath now and then, don't miss the airplane ... If you're a singer, learn how to dance. It keeps you skinny!" — Buffy Sainte-Marie's career advice to young artists.

"She made me fall in love with the thing I thought I would never fall in love with in my life — and that was the fanny pack." — Serena Ryder on Buffy Sainte-Marie.

"We always get excited at the Junos, and then we have to practise the happy-for-the-other-person face." — Chris Thorsteinson of country-pop trio Doc Walker, who won their first Juno on their fourth nomination.

*****************************

JUNOS IN BRIEF

SARAH'S SERENADE:

TV viewers weren't the only ones who got to see one of Sarah McLachlan's rare recent live performances. The singer-songwriter and recipient of this year's Allan Waters Humanitarian Award treated reporters backstage to a brief a cappella version of the chorus from her song Aida at the request of one scribe. McLachlan also explained why it's been six years since she released her last album. "I am writing; it's slow," she said, explaining that she spent the last six months promoting her Greatest Hits album, celebrating Christmas with her family and dealing with a three-month bout of laryngitis. "I just didn't feel like writing and working when I couldn't sing." Fair enough; but judging by her impromptu backstage performance, she's now officially out of excuses.

BEAUTY AND THE GEEK:

There's hope for you yet, nerds. Synth-pop starlet Lights — winner of this year's Best New Artist Juno — may look out of your league, but she's actually a comic-book geek at heart. "I'm definitely a fan of comic books," she confessed backstage after her win. "I actually have my own biographical comic … I read Wonder Woman." She also wears her: Lights' back is decorated with a tattoo of Wonder Woman battling a giant monster. And if that isn't cool enough for you, she also has a pet tarantula. You know what? On second thought, she really is out of your league after all.

Junos' early winners list

Here is the full list from Saturday night's gala ceremony at Vancouver's Westin Bayshore Hotel:

POP ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Flavors of Entanglement, Alanis Morissette

ROCK ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Love at the End of the World, Sam Roberts

ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Oceans Will Rise, The Stills

ADULT ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR

is it o.k, Serena Ryder

NEW GROUP OF THE YEAR

The Stills

SINGLE OF THE YEAR

Dangerous, Kardinal Offishall

ABORIGINAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Running For The Drum, Buffy Sainte-Marie

BLUES ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Ramblin' Son, Julian Fauth

COUNTRY RECORDING OF THE YEAR

Beautiful Life, Doc Walker

DANCE RECORDING OF THE YEAR

Random Album Title, Deadmau5

R&B/SOUL RECORDING OF THE YEAR

The Love Chronicles, Divine Brown

REGGAE RECORDING OF THE YEAR

Everything, Humble

CHILDREN'S ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Snacktime!, Barenaked Ladies

CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN/GOSPEL ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Ending Is Beginning, Downhere

FRANCOPHONE ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Tous les sens, Ariane Moffatt

INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Nostomania, DJ Brace presents The Electric Nosehair Orchestra

INTERNATIONAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Viva La Vida, Coldplay

ROOTS AND TRADITIONAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SOLO)

Proof of Love, Old Man Luedecke

ROOTS AND TRADITIONAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (GROUP)

Chic Gamine, Chic Gamine

WORLD MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Africa to Appalachia, Jayme Stone and Mansa Sissoko

CONTEMPORARY JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Embracing Voices, Jane Bunnett

TRADITIONAL JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Second Time Around, Oliver Jones

VOCAL JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Lucky, Molly Johnson

CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (LARGE ENSEMBLE)

Beethoven: Ideals of the French Revolution, Orchestre symphonique de Montreal and Kent Nagano

CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SOLO OR CHAMBER ENSEMBLE)

Homage, James Ehnes

CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (VOCAL OR CHORAL PERFRMANCE)

Gloria! Vivaldi's Angels, Ensemble Caprice

CLASSICAL COMPOSITION OF THE YEAR

Flanders Fields Reflections, John Burge

JACK RICHARDSON PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

Daniel Lanois, Here Is What Is and Not Fighting Anymore (Here is What Is, Daniel Lanois)

RECORDING ENGINEER OF THE YEAR

Kevin Churko, Disappearing and The Big Bang (U-Catastrophe, Simon Collins)

CD/DVD ARTWORK DESIGN OF THE YEAR

Anouk Pennel and Stephane Poirer, En concert dans la foret des mal-aimes avec l'Orchestre Metropolitain du Grand Montreal, Pierre Lapointe

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Anthony Seck, Honey Honey (Feist)

MUSIC DVD OF THE YEAR

Blue Road (Blue Rodeo), Christopher Mills, Geoff McLean

WALT GREALIS SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Fred Sherrett

ALLAN WATERS HUMANITARIAN AWARD: Sarah McLachlan

Oscars: 82nd annual awards show to air March 7

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – The Oscars will be presented a little later next year.
The 82nd Annual Academy Awards will air live on ABC from the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles on March 7 to avoid coinciding with the Winter Olympics, said Leslie Unger, a spokeswoman for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

The 2010 Winter Games are scheduled Feb. 12-28.

This year's Oscars telecast, hosted by Hugh Jackman, aired Feb. 22.

For many years, until 2004, the awards ceremony was held at the end of March.

"It has been in February since then, except for one year, in 2006, where the circumstances were the same as next year, to not coincide with the closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympics," Unger said Wednesday.

Nominations ballots will be mailed to members Dec. 28 and nominations polls will close Jan. 23.

Nominations will be announced Feb. 2.

"In terms of the nominating process, that puts another week in the schedule for members to see movies," Unger said.

Rock Hall presenters to include Eminem, Jimmy Page

CLEVELAND (AP) — Rapper Eminem, guitar legend Jimmy Page and Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones are among the presenters for this year's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Cleveland.

The ceremony will be held April 4 at Public Auditorium.

Inductees were chosen by the 600 voters of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. Artists are eligible 25 years after their first recording is released.

Run-DMC will be inducted by Eminem. Jeff Beck will be inducted by Page, best known for his work with The Yardbirds and Led Zeppelin. Wood will induct Bobby Womack.

Metallica will be inducted by Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Passchendaele honoured with Golden Reel Award

Passchendaele, the First World War drama directed by Paul Gross, is the winner of the Golden Reel Award, one of three special prizes to be handed out by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television (ACCT).

The ACCT also announced two other special trophies Monday evening that will be given out at the 29th annual Genie Awards on April 4 in Ottawa.

The Golden Reel is handed to the Canadian film with the highest domestic box office receipts. Passchendaele brought in more than $4.4 million.

Passchendaele recounts an epic battle by Canadian soldiers, who drove back the German army in a brutal 12-day offensive across marshland to take the Belgian village of Passchendaele.

Some 16,000 Canadians were killed or wounded.

Gross, known for his acting role in the TV series Due South as well as the movie Men With Brooms, produced the feature along with Niv Fichman, Frank Siracusa and Francis Damberger.

The other major award announced was the Claude Jutra prize for a directorial debut. The winner of the 16th annual award is Yves-Christian Fournier for Tout Est Parfait (Everything is Fine ).

The prize is named in honour of the renowned late Quebec director Claude Jutra.

Fournier's dark movie delves into the world of a teen living in a suburb whose friends have killed themselves.

The last prize is for outstanding achievement in makeup design.

Bruno Gatien, Marie-France Guy and Adrien Morot will share the accolade for their work in Cruising Bar2, directed by Robert Ménard and Michel Côté.

The trio created prosthetics and tattoo work for Côté, who played four characters in the movie.

Andy Samberg to host 2009 MTV Movie Awards

NEW YORK (AP) — Saturday Night Live star Andy Samberg will host the 2009 MTV Movie Awards.

It will be Samberg's first time as host of the event, to air live from the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, Calif., on May 31.

Samberg says he grew up watching the awards and was a writer for the show before landing his gig on SNL, so "it will be a sweet and satisfying homecoming. I can't wait to act really important."

Samberg, 30, has appeared on the NBC sketch comedy show for four seasons, building a fan base with quirky video shorts featuring himself, fellow SNL players and celebrity guests such as Justin Timberlake and Natalie Portman.

The MTV Movie Awards are presented in unconventional categories including "best villain" and "best kiss."

Elvis Costello, Michael Buble, Feist among presenters for Juno Awards

TORONTO - Legendary rocker Elvis Costello will be among the presenters at the Juno Awards.

Michael Buble, Feist and Costello's wife, Diana Krall, will also present awards at the March 29 show at Vancouver's GM Place. Others appearing on the show include Canadian Olympians Jeremy Wotherspoon and Mellisa Hollingsworth, says CTV, which will air the ceremony.

The Juno Awards will be hosted for the second consecutive year by comedian Russell Peters.

Nickelback, who lead with five nominations going into the show, are scheduled to perform, along with Bryan Adams, Sarah McLachlan and Sam Roberts.

War epic Passchendaele among GG winners

Acadian singer Edith Butler, dancer Peggy Baker and filmmaker/playwright Robert Lepage are among the winners of this year's Governor General's Performing Arts Awards for Lifetime Artistic Achievement.

Also named as winners are playwright George F. Walker, composer R. Murray Schafer and writer/singer Clemence Desrochers.

Each recipient receives $25,000.

The awards will be presented at Rideau Hall May 8.

As well, actor/director Paul Gross was honoured for his film Passchendaele, winning this year's National Arts Centre Award for achievement over the past performance year.

And philanthropist James D. Fleck was named the recipient of the Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award for Voluntarism in the Performing Arts.

"The presentation of the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards is a time for us to recognize the invaluable contribution of our artists who have chosen the stage as a space in which to create and to express themselves and who dedicate their lives to enriching our own," said Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean.

Atlantic Canadian musicians feted at ECMA gala

Four days of celebrating Atlantic Canadian music culminated in Corner Brook, N.L., on Sunday night with the annual East Coast Music Association Awards.

Newfoundland and Labrador's Hey Rosetta! picked up three awards, with the rising indie rock group's album Into Your Lungs (and around in your heart and on through your blood) snagging the FACTOR recording of the year prize, as well as group and alternative recording of the year.

Taking the awards podium for the third time, Hey Rosetta! frontman Tim Baker quipped that he had "already given the speech that I prepared, twice."

However, he added thanks to "basically any funding body and anyone who lobbies for the arts and in favour of the arts. Sometimes it's not a lot of money [we receive], but it means a lot and it means you can make something beautiful and meaningful.... [It] keeps the process really pure. Thank you for that."

Cape Breton singer-songwriter and producer Gordie Sampson, now based in Nashville, was among the evening's early winners, taking the single of the year trophy for We Are Young and So Is the Night. Later on, he was also named winner of the SOCAN songwriter of the year trophy.

Halifax singer Jill Barber was also an early ECMA Award recipient. She won for jazz recording of the year for Chances.

After a skit featuring Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams revving up the people of Corner Brook kicked off the televised broadcast of the ECMAs, singer Damhnait Doyle and CBC Radio personality Jian Ghomeshi continued the evening as co-hosts.

Prizes presented prior to the television broadcast included:

Aboriginal recording: This Is the Life for Me, The Flummies.

Instrumental album: Raindrops, Duane Andrews.

Blues recording: Something in Between, Matt Andersen.

Classical recording: A Child's Cry from Izieu Oskar Morawetz, complete works for violin and piano, Jasper Wood.

Aside from the slate of traditional awards, organizers will also present the inaugural ECMA Fan's Choice Award, a new publicly voted honour. The evening will also include a star-studded tribute to singer-songwriter, guitarist and Newfoundland musical pioneer Dick Nolan.

Hugh Jackman plans for `intimate' Oscars

LOS ANGELES – Hugh Jackman says he knows the Oscars ceremony isn't about him, but he'd better enjoy it all the same.

"Celebration is the key. I'm certainly going to have a good time. If I'm not going to have a good time, how the hell is anybody else?" said Jackman, who sounded up for the job in a phone interview Friday, less than two weeks before the Feb. 22 ceremony airing on ABC.

Academy Awards producers Laurence Mark and Bill Condon have said they plan to take the ceremony in a new direction. Asking the multitalented star of "Australia" and the "X-Men" films to host was their first apparent step.

The rest of the details have been under wraps, but Jackman, who thrice soared as host of the Tony Awards, dropped a few hints — including a more "intimate" look for the ceremony's home, the Kodak Theatre.

Jackman declined to give his favorites among the contenders, with one emotional exception: the late Heath Ledger, a best supporting actor nominee for "The Dark Knight." Ledger died of an accidental overdose of prescription drugs last year at the age of 28.

"I can't hide the fact that I would really love for that honor to be bestowed upon him," Jackman said of his fellow Australian. "It would be fitting and I think he deserves it."

AP: How would you compare your Tony experience to that of the Oscars?

Jackman: The Oscars is obviously a very different beast. There's a lot of hype. There's so much anticipation. ... I chatted with Steve Martin on the phone who gave me some great tips. The first five or six minutes you're going to have possibly the best audience you've ever had in your life, because all of them know they're going be on camera at any moment, none of them have lost yet and they're all sort of generally ready for a good time. He said from that point on, just move it on quickly. Just be quick.

In terms of style, there's a quantum shift happening this year, and fingers crossed we get a lot of it right. ... There's an obvious amount of business that has to happen in the night. There's 24 awards; you can't change that. But I think Oscars could do a little more of the show in show biz. I think there's been a little too much business.

AP: The producers intend to try different things. Does that add to your excitement or trepidation?

Jackman: I think it's great. ... Obviously I'm not a standup comedian and generally there's been comedians who are actors as well (who) have been doing it for the last however many years. So there's not the same pressure. I don't think people expect me to come out and do seven minutes of bang-bang-bang jokes. ... They really just encourage me to do what I feel I do best. It's a night to have a feeling of celebration, of community.

The look of the theater is very different. It's more like the nightclub of your dreams. It's very intimate. ... It's got to be a lot closer. It's been a little austere in the past. You know, there's that stage, the host being up above the stalls, looking down at everybody. ... But this is a lot more intimate. It's still spectacular, being in the Kodak Theatre. But it's a real difference in the way things are laid out.

Peter Gabriel won't perform at Oscars

Though he won't perform his nominated song, Peter Gabriel says he'll still attend the Oscar ceremony and hopes that the producers will still ask the Soweto Gospel Choir to back up his replacement.

The singer of Big Time and In Your Eyes is nominated for best song for his tune Down to Earth from Wall-E, but says in a video on his website, PeterGabriel.com, that the producers' decision to do a medley of the three nominated songs left him only 65 seconds of performance time.

"I've now decided very recently to withdraw from the ceremony," Gabriel says, adding that he'll still attend the ceremony "because it's a fun adventure."

He says in the video that it's unfortunate to give songwriters such minimal time to showcase their work, even though it's a small part of the filmmaking process. "I'm an old fart, and it's not going to do me any harm to make a little protest," he says. "But I think for some of the other artists it's not so easy."

Gabriel adds that he hopes The Soweto Gospel Choir, which accompanied him on the song, would still be allowed to perform with whoever ends up singing the song.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences declined to comment.

Despite economy, the show must go on in Hollywood

LOS ANGELES – It's a city where perception is reality and image is everything. But Hollywood is having trouble keeping up appearances in the midst of the nation's economic downturn, even during its splashiest, most self-celebratory time: awards season.

Of course, the show must go on. The Academy Awards bring $130 million into Los Angeles, and city economists expect that to be true this year, too. But it's in the ancillary activity — parties, studios' campaigns for Oscar votes, glossy ads in trade publications — where less money is being thrown around.

Even director Danny Boyle, whose "Slumdog Millionaire" is the front-runner to win the best-picture Oscar, acknowledged the awkward paradox of backslapping as the economy slides backward.

"When you read a headline like last week, I read 60,000 jobs lost in a day in America, you just think you've got to be very careful because we live in a very glamorous world, you take lots of photographs, there's lots of smiling asked for and stuff like that," Boyle said backstage after winning the top prize from the Directors Guild of America.

"We're very lucky," he added. "And we're aware of that."

So how does the lavish machinery keep running during such tough financial times?

Longtime events planner Chris Benarroch says smaller parties are the new normal, "not having things for 1,500 people, maybe 100 or 250." Entertaining at home is also becoming a popular option, with studio or agency executives hosting a dinner, for example. With elegant linens, candles and flowers, that costs maybe $50,000, versus the half a million dollars and more that can go into enormous soirees staged from the ground up.

"There's more emphasis on buying out a restaurant like Spago, not going over the top where you were building a tent with decking, floor-to-ceiling creating a whole environment in a parking lot or a raw space. You're using an already existing venue," she said. "You're going to see a lot of people attending the (post-Oscar) Governor's Ball more than ever before, taking advantage of that opportunity. Everyone is just really scaling back."

The annual Vanity Fair party on Oscar night will be more intimate with a smaller guest list — the Sunset Tower Hotel expects about 750 people — and chicken pot pie will be on the menu: "The whole idea of, in tough times, it'll be cozier and we'll be serving comfort food, the kind of food that makes people feel better," said the magazine's spokeswoman, Beth Kseniak.

The added benefit: It'll be even more exclusive than ever before. "It's always hard to turn people down," Kseniak said, "and this will make us have to."

Normally corporate sponsors help pay for the cost of a party and get the prestige of their association — Cartier co-hosted a Golden Globes viewing and post-party with NBC/Universal, for example. But that money is drying up, too.

"One by one they were like, `We just can't do it. We just don't have the funds,'" said Benarroch. "Normally it's a huge coup to have a company come on board and host an Oscar party. Normally we have the pick of what works best with the film. This year, it's slim pickings. ...

"What company's not laying off people?" she added. "How do you justify that?"

The economy is also affecting the way awards campaigns play out in the trade publications, where high-profile ads are a crucial component of the annual bragging rights.

"It would be ridiculous to say it isn't," said Variety president and publisher Neil Stiles. "You can see it in the volume of advertising we're carrying and The Hollywood Reporter is carrying or not carrying, coupled with the L.A. Times on the fringes and The New York Times."

Stiles wouldn't say exactly how much Variety's print ad sales are down, but said it's less than 40 percent. (The Hollywood Reporter declined comment because it didn't want to reveal financial figures.) Variety's online ads, meanwhile, are up about 6 percent from 2007 to 2008, though the expectation was that they would have increased by 15 percent.

Several elements are at work simultaneously, Stiles said. Almost half the number of films were offered for awards consideration compared with previous years. Then the art-house branches of several major studios, often the origin of such awards contenders, got folded into the studios themselves — Warner Independent into Warner Bros., for example — shutting down internal promotional infrastructure.

Now, the corporations that own these studios are reporting huge quarterly losses. News Corp., parent company of 20th Century Fox, announced that it lost $6.4 billion in its most recent quarter. Walt Disney Co. reported a 32 percent decline. Time Warner Inc., which owns Warner Bros., posted a $16 billion loss in that period.

The result: They just don't have the money to promote their films the way they once did.

Studios are traditionally reluctant to go on record discussing the financial specifics of their campaigns. But longtime awards observer Tom O'Neil, columnist for the Web site TheEnvelope.com, estimates Oscar budgets are down 30 percent to 40 percent this year.

"The average Oscar campaign now is in the range of $5-10 million, where it used to be in the range of $7-20 million. `Gladiator's' was $20 million" when it won best picture and four other Academy Awards in 2001, he said.

Meanwhile, new emphasis has been placed on online ads and Q&A screenings, where a studio brings in the director or stars to answer questions after a showing of the film.

"There used to be a lot of luncheons and dinners they would do for about $15,000 apiece to bring in 80 Hollywood insiders, hoping to net 30 Oscar votes, and they realized that's not efficient — that for $6,000 to $10,000, they can do a Q&A screening and bring in 200 guild members, which is likely to have a much higher percentage of Oscar people."

Another way the studios are cutting back, O'Neil said, is in the number of what he called "illegal Oscar parties."

"There's always some bogus, alleged reason for, you know, a star's birthday, or congratulations 'cause they just won a guild award or got nominated. You're not, obviously, allowed to campaign blatantly to Academy members — it's against their rules, they can pull your number of tickets to the ceremony per studio, that's the punishment — but there are scores of illegal Oscar parties that go on every season. There used to be, certainly, more than 100 of them during Oscar season."

Now, he estimated those have been cut by about 75 percent.

Still, glamour must prevail. Jack Kyser, founding economist of the Kyser Center for Economic Research at the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp., still expects the Feb. 22 Academy Awards to bring $130 million to the city. That's everything from hotel suites, where designers share their fashions with top stylists for weeks before the big event, to the annual nominees luncheon to plastic surgery sessions.

"You're on stage globally so you've got to look your best," Kyser said. "So you'll go get your lips plumped, you'll have Botox injections, maybe a little tan sprayed on you."

Maybe the escapism Hollywood provides is more necessary now than ever, said veteran jeweler-to-the-stars Neil Lane. Celebrities are still making a statement, but perhaps it's through valuable yet understated pieces and less bling; then again, that might be a matter of individual taste, he said, not an effort to avoid seeming ostentatious.

"If the look commands a huge, expensive diamond then that's what you wear. I don't think the economy is going to prevent that. If that's what the look is about then that's what you need to do," said Lane, whose designs most recently appeared on Katy Perry, Sheryl Crow, LeAnn Rimes and others at the Grammys. "Hollywood is definitely aware of the world. Hollywood is definitely sympathetic. I am very sympathetic to the crisis in the world. But again — it is Hollywood. ...

"The world doesn't want to see paupers going to the red carpet in rags and tatters," Lane added. "They want a moment of respite and happiness and joy. They want to go `Wow!' and have their eyes open. They want to dream."

'Necessities of Life' tops Genie noms

OTTAWA - There's a common theme in this week's roster of Genie Award nominees for best motion picture: average people struggling to cope after their worlds are turned upside-down.

An Inuit hunter is stranded in the alien confines of a Quebec hospital in "The Necessities of Life" ("Ce qu'il faut pour vivre.") A teenager's life is thrown into chaos when four of his friends commit suicide in "Everything is Fine" ("Tout est parfait.")

A battered First World War soldier returns home to Alberta in "Passchendaele."

Families pick up the pieces after a car accident in "Normal."

And a young rickshaw driver inherits a fortune - and a heap of trouble - in "Amal."

Canadian film gets its share of ribbing for being intense with sometimes difficult subjects, and this year's group is no exception.

The nominees for Canada's top film awards were announced Tuesday by veteran actor Gordon Pinsent and Quebec entertainer Caroline Neron.

"The Necessities of Life" grabbed the most nominations with eight, including best picture, best director and best screenplay.

It was a semi-finalist for a nomination in the run-up to the Oscar nominations, and has been a favourite on the film festival circuit. The movie follows the story of Tivii, pulled out of despondency by a young orphan who helps him bridge two cultures.

"Everything is Fine," another Quebec film, received seven nominations. In the film, Josh is left behind when his circle of friends carries out a suicide pact.

The other top Canadian films up for multiple awards include the war epic "Passchendaele," "Fugitive Pieces," "Amal," and Quebec filmmaker Lea Pool's "Mommy is at the Hairdresser's" ("Maman est chez le coiffeur"), each film with six nominations.

Sara Morton, CEO of the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television, said there's something quintessentially Canadian about the collection of films this year.

"I think the thing I would comment on is the sheer diversity of the films.

"'Ce qu'il faut pour vivre' is about somebody who comes down from the North into Quebec, and that's partly in Inukitut. You've got strong films in French and in English, we've got films from across the country, so really it's a very diverse crowd this year and I'm very pleased with that.

"I think that represents Canadian cinema very well at the Genies."

Some international names got nods, including Max Von Sydow and Susan Sarandon for the movie "Emotional Arithmetic," and Ellen Burstyn in "Stone Angel."

The nominations were announced against the backdrop of antique planes at the Canada Aviation Museum, also the location of the 29th Genie Awards ceremony on April 4. It will be the first time the ceremony is being held outside of Toronto or Montreal.

Organizers plan to promote a "Genies Week" around the awards to engage locals - and perhaps a politician or two.

Last year, the Conservative government axed two programs that directly helped up-and-coming filmmakers. Budgets at Telefilm Canada and the National Film Board have been tight.

"Obviously we view being in the nation's capital as a very positive step we can take to make sure Canadian decision-makers and all Canadians become aware of the great talent we have and that it is necessary to nurture it," said Morton.

-

Some top Genie Awards nominees:

Best motion picture: "Amal," "The Necessities of Life" ("Ce qu'il faut pour vivre"), "Norma," "Passchendaele," "Everything Is Fine" ("Tout est parfait").

Original screenplay: Bernard Emond, "The Necessities of Life" ("Ce qu'il faut pour vivre"); Deepa Mehta, "Heaven on Earth"; Travis McDonald, "Normal"; Randall Cole, "Real Time"; Guillaume Vigneault, "Everything Is Fine" ("Tout est parfait").

Achievement in direction: Richie Mehta, "Amal"; Lyne Charlebois, "Borderline"; Benoit Pilon, "The Necessities of Life" ("Ce qu'il faut pour vivre"); Carl Bessai, "Normal"; Yves-Christian Fournier, "Everything Is Fine" ("Tout est parfait").

Performance by an actor in a leading role: Paul Gross, "Passchendaele"; Rupinder Nagra, "Amal"; Christopher Plummer, "Emotional Arithmetic"; Aaron Poole, "This Beautiful City"; Natar Ungalaaq, "The Necessities of Life" ("Ce qu'il faut pour vivre").

Performance by an actor in a supporting role: Normand D'Amour, "Everything Is Fine" ("Tout est parfait"); Benoit McGinnis, "Le Banquet"; Callum Keith Rennie, "Normal"; Rade Sherbedgia, "Fugitive Pieces"; Max Von Sydow, "Emotional Arithmetic."

Performance by an actress in a leading role: Isabelle Blais, "Borderline"; Ellen Burstyn, "Stone Angel"; Marianne Fortier, "Mommy Is at the Hairdresser's" ("Maman est chez le coiffeur"); Susan Sarandon, "Emotional Arithmetic"; Preity Zinta, "Heaven on Earth."

Performance by an actress in a supporting role: Celine Bonnier, "Mommy Is at the Hairdresser's" ("Maman est chez le coiffeur"); Kristin Booth, "Young People F**king"; Eveline Gelinas, "The Necessities of Life" ("Ce qu'il faut pour vivre"); Anie Pascale, "Everything Is fine" ("Tout est parfait"); Rosamund Pike, "Fugitive Pieces."

The 2009 Grammys: What You Didn't See On TV

With Alison Krauss' five Grammys on the night, she now has an astonishing 26 total Grammy wins. It makes her the most-winning woman of all time (a title she even held before tonight's haul) -- and is one behind Quincy Jones' living record of 27.

"I'm still amazed I get to do this for a living," she says. (The most ever wins is 31, from the late conductor Georg Solti.) When asked where Krauss keeps all her Grammys, Plant interjected, "That's silly. She keeps them in the back of my car."

Backstage, Krauss, Robert Plant and T Bone Burnett were jubilant: "Yes, we're doing another record!" Burnett yelled. Plant's only hint was that some of the songs were in the key of E.

On a serious note, Plant says the diversity of their musical inspirations served them well. "We ostensibly come from such different places on the musical map," Plant said. "Alison showed me so much I never been exposed to." "There are a limited number of people who like music and the record industry got in the business of trying to sell music to everybody," Burnett said. "We care about music, so we tried to make music we care about."

And will Led Zeppelin tour? "How old are you, man?" Plant asked. "Because you look older than me. You try to do 'Communication Breakdown' in these pants."

What does Paul McCartney think about the Beatles' body of work? "I think it's fine," McCartney said backstage. Just ... fine? "I'm kind of amazed we did it, because we were kids." His most successful song, in his view? "Yesterday," which has been covered endlessly. "I woke up one morning, and I had dreamed it," said McCartney of writing the song. "I don't know where it came from ... I believe in magic."

McCartney's outfit for the Grammys was a T-shirt designed by his daughter, Stella, which will go on sale next month as a benefit for Comic Relief. It's a photograph taken by Linda McCartney of the Beatles -- except on this shirt, red clown noses have been superimposed on all of them. And McCartney stayed mum on his plans for his upcoming Coachella set, saying "I'll play what seems right on the day. I never plan it."

The late George Carlin's daughter Kelly Carlin-McCall accepted a Grammy for best comedy album on behalf of her father, for "It's Bad For Ya." She promised to take care of the trophy better than her father did in 1972, when he won a Grammy and, "in a chemically-induced altered state, took it apart, to point that the Academy had to send him a new one."

Gospel artist Yolanda Adams explained Aretha Franklin's much-discussed choice of headwear for her Inauguration performance: "It is really a statement piece for us," Adams said of the significance of a big hat. Historically, for African-American women, "Their hats were a statement of royalty," said Adams. At church on Sundays, "They were regal ... they weren't the janitors' assistant or the lady who scrubbed floors."

Asked how the five-time Grammy winners Blind Boys of Alabama felt about the election of the first black president without being able to see him, Ricky McKinnie said, "The Blind Boys may have lost their sight, but we haven't lost direction ... I don't think about it as just having an African-American president. Mr. Obama is qualified to do the job. A lot of times we weren't the choice, but we had the ability. We're glad that he has an opportunity to serve the country." The winners of best traditional gospel album for "Down in New Orleans" were one of the big favorites on the red carpet, as they serenaded the press at each stop.

Whitney Houston's performance at a Recording Academy party honoring Clive Davis was on everyone's lips backstage. "Whitney Houston rocked the house," said Herbie Hancock. "Whitney is back," echoed Mary Mary's Tina Campbell. Said Yolanda Adams, "We are constantly praying for her. My joy is that the world saw that you don't have to stay in the shape you're in. You can move up."

In retrospect, They Might Be Giants' Grammy win for best musical album for children, "Here Come the 123s," doesn't say much for the album's educational value, said the band's John Linnell. "I think kids already know numbers and letters so we weren't teaching them anything, really," says Linnell of the group's first two children's albums on Disney. TMBG's next kids' album will have a science theme, says Linnell, prompting the group to hire someone to fact-check the information. "We've got somebody else who will share responsibility for the false information that may wind up [there]."

Tia Carrere, on winning the Grammy for best Hawaiian music album: "I can't believe I'm holding this priceless artifact [in] a $30 Bebe dress."

Herbie Hancock's favorite work of his so far? "The next one." Hard to say if this means it'll always be the next one in a theoretical sense, or if he means his current project, a global collaboration "to trace the journey of humanity from its ancestral home in Africa," around the world, with music in different languages. We "can turn each other on to each other's greatness," says Hancock.

Darius "Deezle" Harrison, who co-produced Lil Wayne's best rap song-winning "Lollipop," countered Nas' famous suggestion that hip-hop is dead. "People are trying to emulate what they know works," said Harrison, but emphasized that's nothing new. "You have people trying to copy Picasso, you have people trying to copy Van Gogh. Is painting dead? No ... it is alive. It's just taking different forms, brother."

Chrisette Michele sang her thanks to God backstage for her Grammy win for best urban/alternative performance, for "Be OK" featuring will.i.am. "You are the source of my strength and I lift my hands in praise to you," Michele, a deacon's daughter, belted out. "I definitely have to do a gospel album someday," added the singer, whose next album, "Epiphany," is due Mar. 31.

Carrie Underwood visibly shook onstage in accepting her Grammy for best female country vocal performance for "Last Name." Underwood says being nervous, even after having won so many awards, is a good thing. "I hope that stays around, too. If you're nervous, it means you care."

Gospel duo Mary Mary are coming out with a bath and body care line at Wal-Mart, an inspirational book for teenage girls, and a line of jeans "for girls with a little extra curve," says Erica Campbell, who joined sister Tina backstage after winning a Grammy for best gospel performance. "There are so many people in jobs that suck that they hate. To be in that space and to be here winning this, it's a great time for me."

Duke Fakir, the surviving member of the Four Tops, confirmed that a biopic on the group is "in motion." "The concept is there, we have the financing and all that," says Fakir, who is also working on a new album. "By the way, it'll be a love story of four guys, who didn't get married, but it's about all the trials and tribulations they [had] to stay together. That's whey I call it a love story."

Just because you're famous doesn't mean you don't want to be infamous. 83-year-old B.B. King's -- the winner of the night for best traditional blues album for "One Kind Favor" -- next goal? "I want a movie of my life of what I've done -- and what people have said I've done."

Sugarland's Kristian Bush said he hung around Grammy rehearsals just to watch Paul McCartney practice. "He was mesmerizing -- c'mon, he's a Beatle!" he said. And bandmate Jennifer Nettles laughingly worried that they'll never get the chance to work with him after her "psychotic" on-stage thank you.

Estelle's hero of the night? Full-term mom-to-be M.I.A., who performed "Swagga With Us" with Jay-Z, T.I., Kanye West and Lil' Wayne. "I was like, 'She's going to break any minute now,'" she said. "I have so much respect for her. I'd be like that too, to get a chance to perform with them. Broken leg? I'd be like, 'Hang on, I'm here.'"

Katy Perry admits the banana set for her Grammy performance was her idea. She pitched it to the Grammys a year ago and was shocked when they said yes. "Really?! I can ascend from the ceiling in a banana into a clear fruit bowl of androgynous dancers?!" she laughed.

And sometimes, it is just an honor to be nominated: Jazmine Sullivan didn't win any of her five nominations. (It's not as bad as India.Arie, who was shut out in 2001 with seven noms.)

Recording Academy President Neil Portnow said he found out that Rihanna and Chris Brown were not performing around two on Sunday afternoon. He said he’s never been faced with two cancellations on one Grammy night during his tenure. "I’m sorry they weren’t there for their moments on the stage. That’s the thing that is most unfortunate to me at the moment."

Plant & Krauss nab 5 Grammys

LOS ANGELES -- Raising Sand raised a whole lotta Grammy gold at the Staples Center.

Sixty-year-old Led Zeppelin belter Robert Plant and 37-year-old bluegrass star Alison Krauss led the way with five Grammy Award wins, including album and record of the year, thanks to their collaborative CD.

Rapper Lil Wayne won four Grammys. Coldplay won three.

Plant and Krauss won two Grammys for Raising Sand -- album of the year and contemporary folk/Americana album -- and three more for songs from that album: Killing The Blues won for country collaboration with vocals, Rich Woman for pop collaboration with vocals, and Please Read The Letter for record of the year.

"When we started this project together the whole game was a mystery," said Plant in accepting the latter award.

"We gave ourselves three days. We said, 'If it doesn't work, we'll just take lunch and I'll go back to Wolverhampton.' But we brought this song out. It's an old song that Jimmy Page and I wrote together, post-Led Zeppelin, and it's been given that Nasvhille touch and it feels pretty good."

Earlier, Plant said, "Wow, 40 years after landing in this town, it's all different, it's fantastic."

Krauss has won more Grammys than any other female artist; she entered the night with 21. Plant had won only two previously -- and none with Led Zeppelin, which never won a Grammy.

Coldplay won song of the year (the songwriting award) for Viva La Vida, which also won as best pop performance by a duo or group with vocals. The band also won for best rock album for Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends.

"Thank you and sorry to Sir Paul McCartney for blatantly copying the Sgt. Pepper's outfits," said Coldplay drummer Will Champion of he and his bandmates being decked out in brightly coloured jackets.

Accepting the best rock album award, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin said: "We're more limestone, a little softer but just as charming. We feel so grateful to be here. I'm going to tear up, it's going to be crazy."

One of the telecast's early emotional high points was Jennifer Hudson's Grammy win for best R&B album for her self-titled disc.

"I would like to thank my family in heaven and those that are here today," said Hudson, who was appearing in public for only the second time since an alleged domestic dispute led to the murder of her mother, brother and nephew.

There was also controversy at the outset, as scheduled performers and longtime couple Rihanna and Chris Brown were last-minute no-shows. Brown turned himself in to authorities investigating an alleged domestic battery felony that took place early yesterday. Jail records showed Chris Brown being held on $50,000 US bail.

The police department said in a release that Brown, the 19-year-old R&B singer, and a "woman" were in a vehicle in L.A.'s Hancock Park neighbourhood when they began arguing. Police say they got out of the car and the fight escalated, and the woman identified Brown as her attacker. The report did not say whether the "woman" was the 20-year-old Rihanna, a pop/R&B singer.

In Rihanna's place, Justin Timberlake and Al Green performed a duet of Green's classic Let's Stay Together.

The only other breath-holding moment was when nine-months-pregnant British rapper M.I.A. performed Swagga Like Us with T.I., Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, and Kanye West and didn't actually give birth on stage.

Raspy-voiced, tattooed and prolific southern rapper Lil Wayne had led all other artists with eight nominations, followed closely by Coldplay with seven and rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West and R&B artist Ne-Yo with six apiece.

Lil Wayne picked up his Grammys during the pre-telecast portion of the ceremony, during which 100 of the 110 trophies were handed out -- for best rap performance for A Milli, best rap song for Lollipop, and best rap performance for a duo or group for Swagga Like Us, which also featured Jay-Z, T.I. and Kanye West.

West got a second Grammy for American Boy with Estelle, which won best rap/sung collaboration.

British art-rockers Radiohead, nominated in five categories, won for best alternative music album for In Rainbows, another album-of-the-year nominee, while their art directors won for best boxed or special limited edition package.

Other early double winners were Ne-Yo, Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman, French electronica duo Daft Punk and Al Green.

Carrie Underwood won best female country vocal performance for Last Name, while Brad Paisley won the male equivalent for Letter To Me.

With the exception of the Juno soundtrack, Canadian nominees were shut out this year.

Juno director Jason Reitman of Montreal was on hand to pick up the best compilation soundtrack album Grammy and said the win was an "enormous surprise" during the pre-telecast ceremony.

"I forgot to thank the people of Canada," Reitman, son of filmmaker Ivan, said backstage. "I say to you now, this award is dedicated to the people of Canada, the great people of British Columbia who provided my crew."

Reitman also praised his Canadian actors Ellen Page and Michael Cera, who sang the show-ending Moldy Peaches song, Anyone Else But You, at the end of the movie.

"It's a scary thing when you ask your actors to suddenly close a movie in song. Fortunately I had Ellen and Michael, who were terrific musicians and singers. They learned the song immediately," said Reitman backstage.

During the pre-telcast, the late George Carlin's daughter, Kelly Carlin, was on hand to pick up his Grammy for best comedy album, for It's Bad For Ya. She said her dad, who passed away last summer, had destroyed a previous Grammy he had won in 1972 for his album FM & AM.

"In a chemically-induced altered state, he took it apart, to the point that the academy had to send him a new one," Carlin-McCall said up on the stage at the Staples Centre to huge laughs.

Backstage, she explained further: "I guess it was a little bit of a project or something and it was in pieces, and then I think maybe the pieces got lost."

She said her father's fifth Grammy win was "bittersweet."

"It's been an incredible week, with the Mark Twain honours happening earlier this week, and I just told someone it's like the cherry on top of really big beautiful cake. So it's a lovely honour and I'm just so happy that people are honouring my dad. And yet, he's not here," she said. "You know, I'd rather have him."

'Slumdog' wins seven BAFTAs

LONDON - Rags-to-riches story "Slumdog Millionaire" continued its fairy-tale journey Sunday, winning seven prizes including best picture at the British Academy Film Awards and sealing its place as favourite for the Oscars later this month.

Kate Winslet and Mickey Rourke also gained Oscar momentum with acting wins - Winslet for her role as a former Nazi concentration camp guard in "The Reader," Rourke for his career-reviving performance as a washed-up athlete in "The Wrestler." Heath Ledger won a posthumous supporting actor award for The Dark Knight."

"It's such a pleasure to be back here, out of the darkness," said Rourke.

After her onstage emotional meltdown at the Golden Globes last month, Winslet was a model of composure, thanking her parents in the audience "who I will not look at right now, otherwise I will burst into tears."

"Slumdog," Danny Boyle's film about a Mumbai street boy's rise from poverty to game-show triumph, went into the ceremony with 11 nominations and won prizes for best film, best director, adapted screenplay, music, cinematography, editing and sound.

The low-budget film, shot partly in Hindi, has gone from rank outsider to Academy Awards favourite since it won four trophies at the Golden Globe awards last month and became a box-office hit.

Its makers are still getting used to the change.

"I thought at one stage we were going straight to DVD," said screenwriter Simon Beaufoy.

The film has caused controversy in India, where some have complained it shows the country in an unflattering light, and others have said its title insults the poor.

Boyle dedicated his award partly to the people of Mumbai, where it was shot - and also to people closer to home.

"The wiring in my dad's house blew overnight, and it's just a a big shout-out to everyone who helped him get the extension cable in so he could watch this on television," Boyle said.

The London awards, popularly known as the BAFTAs, have a reputation for predicting who will win at the Academy Awards in Los Angeles. All four of last year's acting prize winners went on to take home Oscars.

Winslet, Rourke, Meryl Streep, Daniel Craig and Penelope Cruz were among the celebrities who braved a wintry London drizzle - and hundreds of screaming fans - to walk the red carpet in front of the grand, neoclassical Royal Opera House.

The crowd's biggest cheers were for Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie - he wearing a moustache, she an elegant, old-Hollywood strapless black-and-yellow Armani dress.

Cruz was named best supporting actress for Woody Allen comedy "Vicky Christina Barcelona."

Ledger's widely anticipated victory was the only win for the "The Dark Knight" from nine nominations. Clint Eastwood's L.A. noir "Changeling" was nominated in eight categories but won none.

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," also lost out, taking just three awards - production design, hair and makeup, and visual effects - from 11 nominations.

The 6,000 voting academy members rewarded the quirky and eclectic. Tightrope-walking documentary "Man on Wire" was named best British film, and the prize for best original screenplay went to Ireland's Martin McDonagh for hit man comedy "In Bruges."

Director and Monty Python member Terry Gilliam was given an Academy Fellowship, a lifetime achievement award.

Pinewood and Shepperton studios, mainstays of British filmmaking for decades, were awarded for outstanding British contribution to cinema.

"WALL-E" took the prize for animated feature, French drama "I've Loved You So Long" was named best film not in the English language, and Steve McQueen won the award for best first film for his directorial debut, "Hunger," about Irish hunger striker Bobby Sands.

In the acting categories, Winslet defeated Jolie for the missing-child drama "Changeling," Streep for the moral thriller "Doubt" and Scott Thomas for "I've Loved You So Long."

Rourke beat "Slumdog Millionaire's" Dev Patel, Sean Penn for "Milk," Frank Langella for "Frost/Nixon" and Pitt for "Benjamin Button.

Here are the winners of the 2009 Orange British Academy Film Awards, presented Sunday:

Film - "Slumdog Millionaire"

British Film - "Man on Wire"

Actor - Mickey Rourke, "The Wrestler"

Actress - Kate Winslet, "The Reader"

Supporting Actor - Heath Ledger, "The Dark Knight"

Supporting Actress - Penelope Cruz, "Vicky Christina Barcelona"

Director - Danny Boyle, "Slumdog Millionaire"

First-time Director - Steve McQueen, "Hunger"

Rising Star - Noel Clarke

Original Screenplay - Martin McDonagh, "In Bruges"

Adapted Screenplay - Simon Beaufoy, "Slumdog Millionaire"

Film Not in the English Language - "I've Loved You So Long"

Music - A.R. Rahman, "Slumdog Millionaire"

Cinematography - Anthony Dod Mantle, "Slumdog Millionaire"

Editing - Chris Dickens, "Slumdog Millionaire"

Production Design - "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

Costume Design - "The Duchess"

Sound - "Slumdog Millionaire"

Visual Effects - "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

Makeup and Hair - "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

Animated Feature - "WALL-E"

Short Animation - "Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death"

Short Film - "September"

Academy Fellowship - Terry Gilliam

'Milk,' 'Slumdog Millionaire' win top WGA awards

LOS ANGELES – The Oscar contenders "Milk" and "Slumdog Millionaire" won top honors Saturday at the Writers Guild of America Awards.

Dustin Lance Black won the original screenplay prize for "Milk," a biography of murdered slain gay-rights leader Harvey Milk.

The adapted screenplay award for "Slumdog Millionaire" went to Simon Beaufoy, who based it on a novel by Vikas Swarup about an Indian street orphan's journey of survival and love.

"Slumdog Millionaire" has been an unlikely hit. The low-budget feature has 10 Oscar nominations, including best picture, and also has taken awards at the Golden Globes and from the Producers Guild of America, Directors Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild.

"Milk" has eight Academy Award nominations, including best picture and best actor for Sean Penn.

Ari Folman won the documentary screenplay award for "Waltz with Bashir." The film, which is nominated in the foreign-language category at the Academy Awards, is an animated study of an Israeli soldier struggling to recall suppressed memories of his involvement in the war with Lebanon.

In television categories, writers for NBC's "30 Rock" and AMC's "Mad Men" won in the comedy and drama categories, respectively. Both also won WGA awards last year: "30 Rock" for TV comedy and "Mad Men" for new series.

Some of the other awards were:
• New Series: "In Treatment."
• Episodic Drama: "Breaking Bad" (Pilot).
• Episodic Comedy: "30 Rock" (Succession).
• Animation: "The Simpsons" (Apocalypse Cow).
• Daytime Serials: "As the World Turns."

James Franco wins Harvard Hasty Pudding award

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – James Franco, who won recent acclaim for playing both a goofy pot dealer and Harvey Milk's lover, has been named Harvard's Hasty Pudding Man of the Year.

Franco will receive the award at a roast Feb. 13 by the Hasty Pudding — the nation's oldest undergraduate drama troupe.

The 31-year-old actor was nominated for a Golden Globe for his supporting role in "Pineapple Express" and starred opposite Sean Penn in "Milk." He has appeared in TV's "Freaks and Geeks" and the "Spider Man" trilogy and portrayed James Dean in the TNT biopic.

Renee Zellweger will be honored as the Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year on Thursday. Last year's honorees were Christopher Walken and Charlize Theron.

Terry Gilliam to receive BAFTA honor

LONDON (Hollywood Reporter) – Former "Monty Python" star Terry Gilliam will receive a BAFTA Fellowship in recognition of his contribution to film during Sunday's British Academy of Film and Television Arts awards show.

Orange British Academy Film Awards organizers said the fellowship is the "highest accolade" bestowed upon someone in recognition of an outstanding and exceptional contribution to film.

Previous honorees include Charlie Chaplin, Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick, Steven Spielberg, Judi Dench and Anthony Hopkins.

Writer-director Gilliam's latest movie, "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus," was Heath Ledger's final film. After Ledger's death in January 2008, Colin Farrell, Johnny Depp and Jude Law stepped in to help complete the film.

The BAFTA ceremony takes place at London's Royal Opera House on Sunday.

Nickelback leads Juno noms

They’re not dark horses this year, not when it comes to the Junos anyway.

Alberta hard rock band Nickelback lead the pack with five nominations heading into the 2009 Juno Awards, slated for March 27-29 at Vancouver’s General Motors Place.

Sam Roberts, Celine Dion and Hedley are the other leading nominees.

Nickelback are confirmed as performers for the televised ceremony on CTV on March 29, to be hosted by Russell Peters. They’re up for album of the year (for Dark Horse), single of the year (Gotta Be Somebody), group of the year and the Jack Richardson producer of the year award with Joey Moi (Gotta Be Somebody and Something In Your Mouth).

Roberts, a Montreal rocker, has four nominations: artist of the year, rock album of the year (Love at the End of the World) and two nominations for video of the year (Detroit ’67 and Them Kids).

Dion and Hedley, along with The Lost Fingers and Feist, are up for the JUNO Fan Choice award — the lone prize voted on by the public.

Dion, who spent most of last year on a world tour after her lengthy Las Vegas stint, is also up for top single (Taking Chances) and DVD (Live In Las Vegas — A New Day).

Hedley, led by energetic front man Jacob Hoggard, is nominated for top album (Famous Last Words) and songwriter of the year.

Other nominees for top single include Divine Brown (Lay It On The Line), Kardinal Offishall (Dangerous) and crooner Michael Buble (Lost). The Lost Fingers (Lost In The 80’s), Simple Plan (Simple Plan) and French singer Sylvain Cossette (70’s Volume 2) are the other top-album nominees.

The artist of the year features some veterans in Bryan Adams and k.d. lang alongside Roberts, singer-songwriter Serena Ryder and City and Colour. the side project of Alexisonfire’s Dallas Green, who are confirmed to perform during the televised ceremony.

Great Big Sea, Simple Plan, The Trews and Tokyo Police Club are the other contenders for group of the year. The top rock album field has a distinct Maritime component, with Nova Scotia acts Matt Mays & El Torpedo (Terminal Romance), Sloan (Parallel Play) and The Trews (No Time For Later) up against Protest The Hero (Fortress) and Roberts.

Young jazz sensation Nikki Yanofsky, Crystal Shawanda, Kreesha Turner, Jessie Farrell and Toronto-based Lights are competing for new artist of the year. Top new group nominees include Montreal “trip rock” band Beast, Cancer Bats, Crystal Castles, Plants And Animals and The Stills.

As for huge, non-homegrown acts, Coldplay (Viva La Vida), AC/DC (Black Ice), Guns N’ Roses (Chinese Democracy), Jack Johnson (Sleep Through The Static) and Metallica (Death Magnetic) are up for international album of the year.

Sarah McLachlan, who is also slated to perform, will receive the 2009 Allan Waters Humanitarian Award, while longtime rock band Loverboy will be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.

More performers will be confirmed in the coming weeks.

Here are some selected 2009 Juno Award nominees:

JUNO FAN CHOICE AWARD: Celine Dion, Feist, Hedley, Nickelback, the Lost Fingers.

SINGLE OF THE YEAR: “Taking Chances,” Celine Dion; “Lay It on the Line,” Divine Brown; “Dangerous,” Kardinal Offishall; “Lost,” Michael Buble; “Gotta Be Somebody,” Nickelback.

ALBUM OF THE YEAR: “Famous Last Words,” Hedley; “Dark Horse,” Nickelback; “Simple Plan,” Simple Plan; “70’s Volume 2,” Sylvain Cossette; “Lost in the 80’s,” The Lost Fingers.

ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Bryan Adams, City and Colour, k.d. lang, Sam Roberts, Serena Ryder.

GROUP OF THE YEAR: Great Big Sea, Nickelback, Simple Plan, the Trews, Tokyo Police Club.

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Crystal Shawanda, Jessie Farrell, Kreesha Turner, Lights, Nikki Yanofsky.

NEW GROUP OF THE YEAR: Beast, Cancer Bats, Crystal Castles, Plants and Animals, the Stills.

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR: Alanis Morissette, Dallas Green, Gordie Sampson, Hedley, Nathan Ferraro.

COUNTRY RECORDING OF THE YEAR: “Thankful,” Aaron Pritchett; “Dawn of a New Day,” Crystal Shawanda; “Beautiful Life,” Doc Walker; “What I Do,” George Canyon; “Chasing the Sun,” Tara Oram.

POP ALBUM OF THE YEAR: “Flavors of Entanglement,” Alanis Morissette; “No Sleep at All,” Creature; “Wake Up and Say Goodbye,” David Usher; “Passion,” Kreesha Turner; “Holes,” the Midway State.

ROCK ALBUM OF THE YEAR: “Terminal Romance,” Matt Mays & El Torpedo; “Fortress,” Protest the Hero; “Love at the End of the World,” Sam Roberts; “Parallel Play,” Sloan; “No Time for Later,” the Trews.

RAP RECORDING OF THE YEAR: “A Captured Moment in Time,” DL Incognito; “The Book,” D-Sisive; “I Rap Now,” Famous; “Not 4 Sale,” Kardinal Offishall; “Point Blank,” Point Blank.

WORLD MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR: “Shivaboom,” Eccodek; “The Art of the Early Egyptian Qanun,” George Dimitri Sawa; “Africa to Appalachia,” Jayme Stone & Mansa Sissoko; “Contrabanda,” Lubo & Kaba Horo; “Cairo to Toronto,” Maryem & Ernie Tollar.

Oscar nominees be warned: Surprises lay ahead

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – Fans of this month's Academy Awards — and nominees themselves — are in for something new at Hollywood's biggest party, the show's overseers said Monday.

Sid Ganis, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, told the 112 contenders gathered at the annual nominees luncheon to expect a lot of new things at the Feb. 22 ceremony.

"Your categories are being presented in a completely different way. Heads up," Ganis told actors. "Cinematographers, editors, composers. All of you guys. You're in for a big surprise."

Ganis did not elaborate, in keeping with Oscar organizers' efforts to maintain secrecy about the show, including the names of awards presenters.

While academy officials kept mum, nominees had plenty to say as a mix of first-time contenders and old hands turned up at a news conference before the luncheon.

Going zero-for-five on her previous Oscar nominations, best-actress contender Kate Winslet said the experience has given her a "good losing face." Yet considering her competition this time — including Meryl Streep with a record 15 nominations — Winslet said she felt the honor and intensity even more this time.

"I get very emotional about these things, I discover. I think I'm not cut out for this. I'm too emotional to lose, and I'm too emotional to win," said Winslet, nominated for her role as a former concentration-camp guard in "The Reader."

"I sort of wish there was some lessons in how to cope with awards seasons, even though I've gone through it so many times before. It always feels like the first time."

While Winslet has become a perpetual nominee, Robert Downey Jr. has not been up for an Oscar in 16 years, since he earned a best-actor slot for the title role in "Chaplin."

Downey found irony in his supporting-actor nomination for "Tropic Thunder," in which he's cast as an obsessed actor who undergoes a medical procedure to darken his skin to play a black soldier.

"The funny thing is, I was playing an Oscar-crazed weirdo whose every motivation was somehow geared toward accolades," Downey said.

Downey is back on top in Hollywood after years of substance-abuse problems. Another Hollywood reclamation project, Mickey Rourke, has a best-actor nomination for "The Wrestler," playing a former ring star with a fresh shot at glory.

The story mirrors the real life of Rourke, who squandered his early promise with bad behavior off-screen.

"I was out of work for about 14 years," Rourke said, adding that his biggest surprise this awards season was "the fact that so many years went by and I got a second chance."

Penelope Cruz — earning her second Oscar nomination, this one for supporting actress as a volatile artist in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" — said winning would be great, but she simply wants to cherish the whole Oscar ride.

"I am so happy to be part of a group of people that can work, that can make a living out of this profession that I've loved so much since I was a little girl, that I really don't want to obsess about winning," Cruz said.

Oscar newcomer Melissa Leo, a best-actress nominee for her role as a destitute mom who turns to crime in the border-smuggling drama "Frozen River," said she never gave a thought about competing for an Academy Award.

"I'm an actor. I think about what the next job is. I think about what my character is. I think about what my director's needs are. I don't dream about this. So it's a dream I have not yet dared to dream," Leo said. "Win, lose or draw come the 22nd, I've gotten more than I ever dreamt of."

Frank Langella, a first-time nominee with an acclaimed stage background, said his Oscar nomination as Richard Nixon in "Frost/Nixon" was a career high-point but that it would not alter his career.

"I don't really think that I'm suddenly going to turn into one of those actors who makes millions and millions of dollars and stars in films holding a gun," said Langella, who reprised the role he originated on stage alongside co-star Michael Sheen. "I'm very lucky that I can continue to work on the stage almost any time I want. I think I'll just continue along apace."

Supporting-actress contender Viola Davis summed up what it feels like to be a first-time nominee having lunch with such Oscar veterans as Winslet, Downey, Cruz and Sean Penn.

"This is probably a morbid metaphor. People say if you're in a major accident and your whole life flashes before you, and of course, it's always all the important moments," said Davis, nominated for playing a mother whose son may have been abused by a priest in "Doubt." "This would be one of the moments that would flash."

Kung Fu Panda kicks competition's butt at animation awards

Kung Fu Panda wiped out its competition at the 36th annual Annie Awards, which honours the best in animation.

The DreamWorks Animation film earned kudos as best movie among its 10 trophies, beating out acclaimed front-runners WALL*E and Waltz With Bashir.

It also captured a directing award for John Stevenson and Mark Osborne; writing honours for Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger; animated effects, Le-Ming Lawrence Lee; character animation, James Baxter; and storyboarding, Jen Yuh Nelson.

Dustin Hoffman, who plays the Kung Fu master Shifu, nabbed a voice acting accolade. That didn't end the film's awards run — to top it off, Activision's Kung Fu Panda game won the prize for best video game.

The film's 10-award collection bested the nine won last year by Pixar's gourmet rat Ratatouille.

Other winners included:

Wallace & Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death by Britain's Aardman Animations for best animated short subject.

ShadowMachine's Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II for best animated TV production.

Nickelodeon's Avatar: The Last Airbender for best TV production produced for children.

There were a few double winners at Friday night's ceremony at Royce Hall on the grounds of UCLA.

Nico Marlet took home two awards for character design, for both Kung Fu Panda and its 24-minute related short Secrets of the Furious Five. Tang Heng also was a double winner for production design on both projects.

Hans Zimmer and John Powell were up on stage twice to collect music prizes for the two projects.

The Annies are handed out annually by the International Animated Film Society in Los Angeles.

Slumdog Top Dog at DGA Awards

Los Angeles (E! Online) – There's a reason oddsmakers don't think Slumdog Millionaire is an Oscar underdog. It's not.

The India-set indie cemented its front-runner status with a win tonight for Danny Boyle at the 61st Annual Directors Guild of America Awards.

The Office, The Wire, Recount and America's Next Top Model were among the honorees in the TV categories.

Boyle beat out David Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), Ron Howard (Frost/Nixon) and Gus Van Sant (Milk), all of whom he'll face at the Oscars, plus Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight), whom he won't.

Since 1948, the DGA winner's only missed out the Oscar six times. Half of those instances, however, have occurred since 1995. Ang Lee is the last DGA winner to win Best Director, and not see his film (2005's Brokeback Mountain) win Best Picture, too.

Slumdog's DGA win comes one week after it claimed top prizes from the producers and actors guilds.

Carl Reiner, who was to host tonight's ceremony, was a last-minute scratch (food poisoning, Variety reported). Jon Cryer was a last-minute substitute.

Wood Blasts Press And Rourke Over Romance Reports

Evan Rachel Wood has lashed out at her The Wrestler co-star Mickey Rourke for fuelling reports the pair is dating. The young actress, who plays Rourke's daughter in the film, admits she feels "disrespected" by press reports she and the actor are an item - and she's partly blaming him for the rumours.

The couple reportedly locked lips at the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday, fuelling romance rumours - and the actress is sick of all the speculation.

In a statement, she writes, "I’m upset because I feel disrespected by the press and by Mr. Rourke. Just because I’m single doesn’t mean that you can take advantage of me. It’s unfair that the performances (in the film) might suffer because of all of these distractions."

And Wood, who recently split from shock rocker Marilyn Manson, insists she isn't even attracted to her The Wrestler co-star: "He's too old for me. Nothing ever happened and nothing ever will."

Mickey Rourke won't rumble with WWE superstar

HOUSTON – A spokeswoman for actor Mickey Rourke says he won't be taking his role as a professional wrestler into a real-life ring after all.

Paula Woods told The Associated Press on Wednesday night that Rourke will not wrestle WWE superstar Chris Jericho at Wrestlemania 25 in April at Houston's Reliant Stadium.

Woods wrote in an e-mail that the Oscar-nominated actor "will not be participating in Wrestlemania. He is focusing entirely on his acting career."

Rourke portrays professional wrestler Randy the Ram in the acclaimed movie "The Wrestler." He made a surprise announcement about the wrestling event Sunday night on the red carpet before the Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles.

Rourke had said he was going to toss Jericho "around the ring like tossed salad."

And the ballots go to ... 5,810 Oscar voters

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – The ballots are in the mail for the 5,810 members of Hollywood's elite who get to vote on the Academy Awards.

Wednesday's final ballots include nominees in 19 categories, among them best picture, director and the four acting prizes.

Ballots in five other categories — feature-length and short documentaries, foreign-language film, animated shorts and live-action shorts — are available only after academy members verify that they attended screenings of the nominees.

The deadline is Feb. 17 for Oscar voters to return ballots to the accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers. The big show itself comes five days later.

Rourke ready to rumble in Houston

HOUSTON – Listen up wrestlin' fans: actor Mickey Rourke says he's ready to rumble with WWE superstar Chris Jericho at Wrestlemania 25 in Reliant Stadium on April 5.

Rourke portrays professional wrestler Randy the Ram in the acclaimed movie "The Wrestler."

He's signed to wrestle Jericho, for real.

He made a surprise announcement Sunday night on the red carpet before the Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles.

He said he was pleased by the acceptance of the movie by all the WWE wrestlers — except Jericho.

Then Rourke said he was going to toss Jericho "around the ring like tossed salad."

Meanwhile, Jericho, appearing on WWE television, said, Rourke was out of line and that he was offended by Rourke's comments. He said Rourke made "a mistake."

Billy Bob calls Oscars 'horses---'

PARK CITY, Utah -- Wild prediction: Billy Bob Thornton's new movie won't be up for any Oscars this time next year.

Not that the 53-year-old actor and filmmaker -- as well as Academy Award winner, for 1996's Sling Blade -- sounds like he'd care. "I keep up with the Oscars about as much as I do the Miss America pageant," he says. "I think it's just a dog and pony show. It's horses---."

The film in question, The Informers, premiered at Sundance Thursday night. It's a hedonistic chronicle of sex, drugs and excess circa 1983, adapted from Bret Easton Ellis's short story collection. Although it will offend some sensibilities, Thornton offers no apologies.

"A movie or a record or a book, they don't jump in your shopping cart. They don't have a brain. You have to buy it. So if somebody has anything bad to say about something, they shouldn't have gone."

He's similarly cynical about the struggle to make character-driven films. One such movie, Peace Like a River, has languished for years despite having Thornton attached as the star and Brad Pitt producing.

"The hardest movie to get financed right now is a character drama," he says. "It's come (to the point) where audiences only want to see videogames ... They don't want to see our movies anymore. They want to see us get arrested for DUI on TMZ. It's kind of sad."

McCartney, Radiohead To Rock Grammy Telecast

Paul McCartney, Radiohead, Justin Timberlake and the quadruple threat of Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, T.I. and Kanye West have been added to the performance lineup for the 51st annual Grammy Awards, to be held Feb. 8 at Los Angeles' Staples Center.

McCartney will be backed by Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl on drums, while Radiohead will be making its first live U.S. television performance in nearly nine years.

Meanwhile, Jay-Z, Wayne, T.I. and West will team to perform the hit single "Swagga Like Us," while T.I. and Timberlake will also perform together.

Previously announced Grammy performers include Kenny Chesney, Coldplay, Jennifer Hudson, Jonas Brothers, Katy Perry and Carrie Underwood.

Streep, Penn win lead-acting honors at SAG

LOS ANGELES – Meryl Streep of the Roman Catholic drama "Doubt" and Sean Penn of the Harvey Milk film biography "Milk" won lead-acting honors Sunday at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

The prize for overall cast went to the rags-to-riches saga "Slumdog Millionaire," while Heath Ledger of the Batman blockbuster "The Dark Knight" and Kate Winslet of the Holocaust-themed drama "The Reader" took supporting honors.

"Can I just say there is no such thing as the best actress, you know? There is no such thing as the greatest living actress," said Streep, the Academy Awards record-holder with 15 acting nominations, including one for "Doubt," in which she plays an old-school nun in a war of wills with a priest.

"I am in a position where I have secret information, that I know this to be true," she said. "I am so in awe of the work of the women this year — nominated, not nominated — so proud of us girls. And everybody wins when we get parts like this."

The honors raise winners' prospects to take home Hollywood's big prizes at the Academy Awards on Feb. 22.

Two-time Oscar winner Streep's best-actress competitors this time will include Winslet, who was nominated by Oscar voters in that category rather than the supporting one for "The Reader."

Oscar winner Penn played gay-rights political pioneer Milk but said the film had a universal theme.

"As actors, we don't play gay, straight. We don't play any of these kinds of people. We play human beings, and this movie is something that all of us involved are so proud of," Penn said. "This is a story about equal rights for all human beings."

A low-budgeted film with a cast of unknowns, "Slumdog Millionaire" continued to live up to its story line about a poor boy who rises from squalor on the streets of Mumbai to find love, fame and fortune as a champion on India's version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire."

"Slumdog Millionaire" dominated the Golden Globes and has 10 Oscar nominations, including best picture.

Co-star Anil Kapoor, accepting on behalf of the "Slumdog" cast, dedicated the award to the children in the cast.

"They deserve this award. They set our performances," he said. "It's the children who've done it, not us."

Ledger's supporting-actor prize for his sociopathic reinvention of Batman bad guy the Joker put the late actor a step closer to becoming just the second performer to win a posthumous Academy Award. The first was Peter Finch, the best-actor recipient for 1976's "Network."

The award was accepted by "The Dark Knight" co-star Gary Oldman.

"I'm quite emotional," Oldman said. "It is a great honor to be asked to accept this on behalf of Heath. He was an extraordinary young man with an extraordinary talent, and it is wonderful that you have acknowledged that and honored that talent tonight."

Oscar buzz has been flying over Ledger's performance since before his death just over a year ago from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs. With the SAG win and the Golden Globe, Ledger seems unbeatable at the Oscars.

Winslet offered a tribute to the late Anthony Minghella and Sydney Pollack, both producers on "The Reader," and said 2008 was a fabulous year for films.

"It's really an honor to be included in what I think is such a remarkable year," Winslet said. "I really feel like everybody should be given a medal."

The role already earned Winslet the same prize at the Golden Globes, where she also won lead dramatic actress for "Revolutionary Road." But at the Oscars, Winslet was nominated only for "The Reader," in which she plays a former concentration camp guard.

As it did at the Golden Globes, "30 Rock" swept the TV comedy honors, Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin taking the individual acting prizes and the show winning the ensemble cast award.

Fey, creator and star of the series set behind the scenes at a sketch-comedy show, lobbed a wisecrack at Hollywood producers, who have battled Hollywood trade guilds over actors, writers and others' share of potential profits from Web programming.

Joking that one day, her young daughter would be old enough to watch reruns of "30 Rock" on the Internet, Fey said: "She'll look up at me and say, `What do you mean, you don't get residuals for this?'"

Hugh Laurie, who won his second straight SAG prize for best actor in a TV drama for the medical show "House," joked that he was disappointed one of his fellow nominees did not win.

"I actually had a hundred dollars on James Spader (of "Boston Legal")," Laurie said. "This is just not my night."

Sally Field earned the TV drama actress award for the family series "Brothers & Sisters," while the advertising saga "Mad Men" was named best drama show.

Accepting alongside his cast mates, "Mad Men" star Jon Hamm had kind words for the show's "dozen of viewers."

Before the show, "The Dark Knight" won SAG's honor for best movie stunt ensemble, while "Heroes" took the same prize for television.

James Earl Jones was honored with the guild's lifetime-achievement award for a career that included roles in "Dr. Strangelove," "Field of Dreams," "Cry, the Beloved Country" and "The Man," in which he played the first black U.S. president.

The ceremony featured clips highlighting Jones' rumbling bass voice as the mouthpiece of "Star Wars" villain Darth Vader, the noble patriarch in "The Lion King," even cable news with his "This is CNN" announcements.

"I want to thank you for all the work that you do," Jones told the audience, quoting the Book of Genesis on how God breathed life into man. "I don't mean to embarrass anybody by comparing the actor to God, but once we've taken the role, we have a similar responsibility to breathe life into that role, and only the actor can do that."

Here is the complete list of winners of the 15th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards:

Movies:
_Cast: "Slumdog Millionaire."
_Actor in a leading role: Sean Penn, "Milk."
_Actress in a leading role: Meryl Streep, "Doubt."
_Supporting actor: Heath Ledger, "The Dark Knight."
_Supporting actress: Kate Winslet, "The Reader."
_Stunt ensemble: "The Dark Knight."

Television:
_Drama series cast: "Mad Men."
_Actor in a drama series: Hugh Laurie, "House."
_Actress in a drama series: Sally Field, "Brothers & Sisters."
_Comedy series cast: "30 Rock."
_Actor in a comedy series: Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock."
_Actress in a comedy series: Tina Fey, "30 Rock."
_Actor in a movie or miniseries: Paul Giamatti, "John Adams."
_Actress in a movie or miniseries: Laura Linney, "John Adams."
_Stunt ensemble: "Heroes."

_Life Achievement: James Earl Jones.

'Slumdog Millionaire' snags top producer award

LOS ANGELES – "Slumdog Millionaire" scored the top award from the Producers Guild of America on Saturday, building more momentum for the rags-to-riches drama in the Oscar race for best picture.

The film, a gritty yet heartwarming drama about a game-show contestant from the slums of Mumbai, beat out "Milk," "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "The Dark Knight" and "Frost/Nixon."

Producer Christian Colson was honored with the Darryl F. Zanuck producer of the year award at the ceremony, held at the Hollywood Palladium, the latest Hollywood kudofest in the run-up to the Academy Awards next month.

"Slumdog Millionaire" swept up four Golden Globe awards earlier this month.

Directed by Briton Danny Boyle and starring a cast of unknowns, the film is a leading contender for the Academy Award's best picture. It also snared Oscar nominations for best director and adapted screenplay.

In television, HBO series "John Adams" snagged the David L. Wolper producer of the year award for long-form TV while AMC's "Mad Men" took the prize for drama.

Two shows were repeat winners from last year. In the comedy TV category, "30 Rock" was honored, while "The Colbert Report" was lauded in live entertainment/competition TV.

In other categories, "Wall-E" won in animated motion pictures, "Man on Wire" in documentaries and CBS' "60 Minutes" in nonfiction television.

Career achievement awards were bestowed on producer Brian Grazer, actor/director/producer Ron Howard, actor/producer Michael Douglas and "The Sopranos" producer David Chase.

The Screen Actors Guild is set to bestow its awards in a televised show Sunday night.

Oscars odds, ends, facts and figures

Here is a collection of facts, figures and trivia about this year's Academy Award nominees:

CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" has become the second-most-nominated film in Academy Award history. First place is still held by "Titanic" (1997) and "All About Eve" (1950), with 14 nominations each.

THE STREEP STREAK: Meryl Streep continues to be Oscar's most nominated performer, with this year's nod for "Doubt" bringing her total to 15. That's three ahead of Katharine Hepburn and Jack Nicholson, who have 12 each. But Hepburn has won four Oscars and Nicholson has won three, while Streep has two.

A NEW RECORD HOLDER: Kate Winslet is now the youngest person to garner six Oscar nominations. Winslet received her sixth nomination, for "The Reader," at 33, one year younger than Bette Davis was when she got her sixth in 1942 for "Now, Voyager."

REPEAT PERFORMER; Philip Seymour Hoffman is the only repeat Oscar nominee from last year. Hoffman, nominated Thursday for supporting actor for "Doubt," was nominated for supporting actor last year for "Charlie Wilson's War." He won the lead actor Oscar for 2005's "Capote."

POSTHUMOUS NOMINEES: With his supporting actor nomination for "The Dark Knight," Heath Ledger joins a handful of Hollywood notables to be so honored after their deaths. Others include James Dean ("East of Eden," 1955, and "Giant," 1956), Spencer Tracy ("Guess Who's Coming to Dinner," 1967), Peter Finch ("Network," 1976), Ralph Richardson ("Greystroke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes," 1984) and Massimo Troisi ("The Postman," 1995). Only Finch has gone on to win.

UNOFFICIAL NOMINEE: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences also lists Jeanne Eagles as an "unofficial" nominee for best actress for 1929's "The Letter," the year she died. Although only winners were announced that year, the Academy says records indicate Eagles was "under consideration" for an award.

CHANNELING A PRESIDENT: Frank Langella, nominated for "Frost/Nixon," becomes the second actor nominated for a best actor Oscar for portraying former President Richard Nixon. Anthony Hopkins was the first, for 1995's "Nixon."

BEEN THERE BEFORE: Five acting nominees in this year's Oscar competition are previous winners: Sean Penn, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Meryl Streep and Marisa Tomei.

Oscar Snubs: A Dark Day for Dark Knight

Los Angeles (E! Online) – Maybe fans should have seen it coming, The Dark Knight, after all, does not have a happy ending.

The genre-busting Batman movie, a critical and popular favorite that earned more money in Hollywood history than all but one film and, up until today's Oscar nominations, spent award season being lauded as one of the Industry's top films, was denied a shot at the prize of prizes: Best Picture.

Also turned away: Dark Knight filmmaker Christopher Nolan, shut out of the directing and writing categories.

The Dark Knight did earn eight overall nominations, including one for the late Heath Ledger, but it didn't earn the respect that its studio and at least one grassroots fan campaign sought.

Others coming up short: WALL-E, which desired a Best Picture slot, but made do with an Animated Feature nomination; Kate Winslet, who was nominated for The Reader, but was unable to become a double nominee for Revolutionary Road; Bruce Springsteen, a Golden Globes winner for The Wrestler's title song, a non-factor in the Original Song race (and, no, Miley Cyrus' Bolt song wasn't nominated, either).

'Benjamin Button' leads Oscars with 13 nominations

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – The romantic fantasy "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" led Academy Awards contenders Thursday with 13 nominations, among them best picture and acting honors for Brad Pitt and Taraji P. Henson, and a directing slot for David Fincher.

Other best-picture nominees are "Frost/Nixon," "Milk," "The Reader" and "Slumdog Millionaire."

As expected, Heath Ledger had a supporting-actor nomination for "The Dark Knight" on the one-year anniversary of his death from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs. But the Batman blockbuster was shut out from other top categories such as best picture and director.

"Slumdog Millionaire" lived up to its rags-to-riches theme, coming in second with 10 nominations, including a directing spot for Danny Boyle and two of the three song slots.

Real-life couple Pitt and Angelina Jolie both will be going to the Oscars as nominees. Jolie had a best-actress nomination for the missing-child drama "Changeling."

The acting categories were loaded with surprises. Kate Winslet won two Golden Globes, best dramatic actress for "Revolutionary Road" and supporting actress for "The Reader." But she was nominated for lead actress at the Oscars for "The Reader" and shut out for "Revolutionary Road."

Actors considered longshots also sneaked in, among them lead-actor nominee Richard Jenkins for "The Visitor," best-actress contender Melissa Leo for "Frozen River" and supporting-actor pick Michael Shannon for "Revolutionary Road."

Winslet reunited with "Titanic" co-star Leonardo DiCaprio for "Revolutionary Road," but he also was shut out for a nomination on that film.

Other best-actress nominees were Anne Hathaway for "Rachel Getting Married" and Meryl Streep for "Doubt." It was a record 15th nomination for Streep, who already had more Oscar nominations than any other actor.

Joining Pitt and Jenkins in the best-actor category were Frank Langella, "Frost/Nixon"; Sean Penn, "Milk"; and Mickey Rourke, "The Wrestler."

Other acting snubs included Clint Eastwood for "Gran Torino," Sally Hawkins for "Happy-Go-Lucky" and Kristin Scott Thomas for "I've Loved You So Long."

But perhaps the biggest surprise overall was the so-so results for "The Dark Knight," which had been picking up momentum as one Hollywood trade guild after another picked it as one of the year's best films.

The largest blockbuster in years, "The Dark Knight" had eight nominations, but other than Ledger's honor, it scored only in technical categories such as cinematography, visual effects and editing.

Before his death, Ledger's reinvention of the Joker as a mad-dog anarchist already was bringing him Oscar buzz. After Ledger died on Oscar nominations day a year ago, an almost mythical aura grew around the actor, helping to fuel a record $158.4 million opening weekend for "The Dark Knight" last summer.

Long viewed as the favorite, Ledger won the supporting-actor prize at the Golden Globes. If the same happens on Oscar night, Ledger would be only the second performer to receive an Oscar posthumously, following Peter Finch, the best-actor winner for 1976's "Network."

Ledger is the seventh actor to earn a posthumous nomination. Along with Finch, others include James Dean, nominated for best actor twice after his death, with 1955's "East of Eden" and 1956's "Giant."

The other actors nominated after their deaths were Spencer Tracy (1967's "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner"); Ralph Richardson (1984's "Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes"); Massimo Troisi (1995's "The Postman"); and Jeanne Eagels (1929's "The Letter").

Directors of all five best-picture nominees all were nominated. Along with Boyle and Fincher, the directing category includes Ron Howard for "Frost/Nixon," Gus Van Sant for "Milk" and Stephen Daldry for "The Reader."

Featuring a cast of unknowns, "Slumdog Millionaire" mixes the humorous and the horrific in a love story about an orphan from the streets of Mumbai who becomes a champion on India's version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire."

The film's newcomer cast was shut out in acting categories, but its 10 nominations included slots for screenplay, cinematography and musical score.

"Slumdog Millionaire" nearly became a casualty of 2008's collapse of studio arthouse divisions. Warner Independent had been set to release the film, which went into limbo after Warner Bros. shut down the specialty banner. The film faced the prospect of going straight to DVD until 20th Century Fox division Fox Searchlight stepped in to release it theatrically.

So far playing in relatively narrow release, "Slumdog Millionaire" has climbed to nearly $45 million at the domestic box office, with plenty of shelf life left to make good on its modest $14 million production budget.

The film dominated the Golden Globes, sweeping all four of its categories, including best drama and director.

Like "Slumdog Millionaire," "The Wrestler" presents an on-screen drama whose theme parallels the comeback story of Rourke. Playing a former wrestling star with one last shot at glory, Rourke returns to the promise of his early career, before his bad-boy behavior made him virtually unemployable in Hollywood.

"The Wrestler" earned Rourke the Golden Globe for dramatic actor. The film also won a Globe for the title song by Oscar winner Bruce Springsteen. But Springsteen missed out on a song nomination for "The Wrestler."

Along with the two tunes from "Slumdog Millionaire," the third song nominated was one co-written by Peter Gabriel for the animated blockbuster "WALL-E."

The robot romance "WALL-E" is the latest Pixar Animation blockbuster coming in as the favorite for the animated-feature Oscar. "WALL-E" is up against the martial-arts comedy "Kung Fu Panda" and the dog tale "Bolt."

A win for the critically adored "WALL-E" would be the fourth feature-length animation Oscar for Pixar, giving the outfit behind "Ratatouille," "Finding Nemo" and "The Incredibles" half of the eight trophies since the category was added in 2001.

Oscar nominees are chosen in most categories by specific branches of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, such as actors, directors and writers. The academy's full membership of about 6,000 was eligible to vote for best-picture nominations and can cast ballots for the winners in all categories at the Oscar ceremony itself.

The 81st Oscars will be presented Feb. 22 in a ceremony airing on ABC from Hollywood's Kodak Theatre.

This year's Oscars already present a departure from previous shows. Rather than a comedian, such as past hosts Billy Crystal, Chris Rock or Jon Stewart, the emcee this time is Hugh Jackman, star of the "X-Men" flicks and a Tony Award winner for best actor in a musical.

Rock, the Oscar host four years ago, has some advice for Jackman about handling the crowd of nominees, most of whom go home empty-handed.

"I'll tell him what Billy told me. An hour and a half into the show, most of the audience has lost, so you have to take that into account as you go on with the show," Rock said this week at the Sundance Film Festival. "But I'm sure he'll be great, singing and dancing and doing his thing."

ST. JOHN’S, NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR TO HOST THE 2010 JUNO AWARDS

St. John’s, NL (January 22, 2009) - The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) along with broadcast partner, CTV, today announced St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador as the Host City for The 2010 JUNO Awards to be held April 15-18, 2010. This marks the second time St. John’s will host Canada’s Music Awards that encompasses four days of local festivities and popular JUNO Awards Weekend Events. The 39th Annual JUNO Awards will be broadcast on CTV, Sunday, April 18, 2010.

“The JUNO Awards have come full circle to arrive back in St. John’s following the great success of our visit here in 2002, and we at CARAS are thrilled to be returning to a city of such enthusiasm and rich musical tradition,” said Melanie Berry, CARAS President. “2010 will mark the beginning of an exciting new city to city cycle for the JUNO Awards.”

“With the 2010 JUNO Awards, CTV will have broadcast this tremendous celebration of Canadian music from one coast to the other and back again,” said Susanne Boyce, President, Creative, Content and Channels, CTV Inc. “It was in St. John’s that CTV began our partnership with CARAS and started taking the show on the road, so next year’s broadcast has special meaning.”

“The return of The JUNO Awards to St. John’s is wonderful news for the music industry in this province whose members are firmly established on national and international stages,” said Premier Danny Williams. “We invite the country to celebrate with us in 2010 the extraordinary musical talent of both our province and the country as a whole. Our artists define who we are culturally and contribute substantially to the rich and diverse heritage of Canada, and we look forward to hosting this amazing award show.”

A strong bid was presented to CARAS and was awarded to St. John’s based on a combination of solid commitments from the municipal, provincial and federal governments, its first-class venues as well as its reputation as a city that embraces and promotes Canadian music and culture.

“The Government of Canada is proud to support The JUNO Awards, which have played a pivotal role in recognizing the careers of our nation’s most talented and emerging musicians,” said the Honourable Keith Ashfield, Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency). “Our cultural industries are powerful drivers of economic growth that enrich education and help make vibrant, creative communities.”

St. John’s, known as The City of Legends, is surrounded by spectacular coastlines. Downtown St. John’s is a vital urban centre of arts and culture built on significant historic sites, charming streetscapes and exceptional entertainment venues.

“We are extremely delighted to host The JUNO Awards once again in St. John’s,” remarked Mayor Dennis O’Keefe. “We are proud of our reputation as a cultural capital, and this prestigious event affords us a tremendous opportunity to show the country why St. John’s is the place to be.”

Many venues in the surrounding area of St. John’s will host various JUNO Awards Weekend Events. Location and programming details will be announced at a later date.

The successful bid for The 2010 JUNO Awards in St. John’s received commitments from all levels of government totaling $1.5 million including $750,000 from the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, $500,000 from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and $250,000 from The City of St. John’s.

Broadcast in high definition and 5.1 surround sound, The 2010 JUNO Awards, Canada’s Music Awards, will air on CTV on Sunday, April 18, 2010. It will be the ninth year in a row that The JUNO Awards will air on CTV, the official broadcast partner of the JUNO Awards. Since CTV joined forces with CARAS in 2002, The JUNO Awards have travelled across Canada, bringing a live, electrified stadium show to millions of Canadians. Since going live from St. John’s in 2002, CTV has broadcast The JUNO Awards from Ottawa (2003), Edmonton (2004), Winnipeg (2005), Halifax (2006), Saskatoon (2007) and Calgary (2008).

The 2009 JUNO Awards will take place in Vancouver, BC, March 26-29, and will air on CTV on Sunday, March 29, 2009.

'Benjamin Button' leads Oscars with 13 nominations

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – The romantic fantasy "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" led Academy Awards contenders Thursday with 13 nominations, among them best picture and acting honors for Brad Pitt and Taraji P. Henson and a directing slot for David Fincher.

Other best-picture nominees are "Frost/Nixon," "Milk," "The Reader" and "Slumdog Millionaire."

Heath Ledger had a supporting-actor nomination for "The Dark Knight," but the Batman blockbuster was shut out for other top categories such as best picture and director.

"Slumdog Millionaire" lived up to its rags-to-riches theme, coming in second with 10 nominations, including a directing spot for Danny Boyle and two of the three song slots.

Real-life couple Pitt and Angelina Jolie both will be going to the Oscars as nominees. Jolie had a best-actress nomination for the missing-child drama "Changeling."

Kate Winslet won two Golden Globes, best dramatic actress for "Revolutionary Road" and supporting actress for "The Reader." But she was nominated for lead actress at the Oscars for "The Reader" and shut out for "Revolutionary Road."

Other best-actress nominees were Anne Hathaway, "Rachel Getting Married"; Melissa Leo, "Frozen River"; and Meryl Streep, "Doubt."

Joining Pitt in the best-actor category were Richard Jenkins, "The Visitor"; Frank Langella, "Frost/Nixon"; Sean Penn, "Milk"; and Mickey Rourke, "The Wrestler."

More to follow...

List of 81st annual Oscar nominations is announced

Here is the complete list of 81st annual Academy Award nominations announced Thursday:

1. Best Picture: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "Frost/Nixon," "Milk," "The Reader," "Slumdog Millionaire."

2. Actor: Richard Jenkins, "The Visitor"; Frank Langella, "Frost/Nixon"; Sean Penn, "Milk"; Brad Pitt, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"; Mickey Rourke, "The Wrestler."

3. Actress: Anne Hathaway, "Rachel Getting Married"; Angelina Jolie, "Changeling"; Melissa Leo, "Frozen River"; Meryl Streep, "Doubt"; Kate Winslet, "The Reader."

4. Supporting Actor: Josh Brolin, "Milk"; Robert Downey Jr., "Tropic Thunder"; Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Doubt"; Heath Ledger, "The Dark Knight"; Michael Shannon, "Revolutionary Road."

5. Supporting Actress: Amy Adams, "Doubt"; Penelope Cruz, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"; Viola Davis, "Doubt"; Taraji P. Henson, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"; Marisa Tomei, "The Wrestler."

6. Director: David Fincher, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"; Ron Howard, "Frost/Nixon"; Gus Van Sant, "Milk"; Stephen Daldry, "The Reader"; Danny Boyle, "Slumdog Millionaire."

7. Foreign Film: "The Baader Meinhof Complex," Germany; "The Class," France; "Departures," Japan; "Revanche," Austria; "Waltz With Bashir," Israel.

8. Adapted Screenplay: Eric Roth and Robin Swicord, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"; John Patrick Shanley, "Doubt"; Peter Morgan, "Frost/Nixon"; David Hare, "The Reader"; Simon Beaufoy, "Slumdog Millionaire."

9. Original Screenplay: Courtney Hunt, "Frozen River"; Mike Leigh, "Happy-Go-Lucky"; Martin McDonagh, "In Bruges"; Dustin Lance Black, "Milk"; Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon and Pete Docter, "WALL-E."

10. Animated Feature Film: "Bolt"; "Kung Fu Panda"; "WALL-E."

11. Art Direction: "Changeling," "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "The Dark Knight," "The Duchess," "Revolutionary Road."

12. Cinematography: "Changeling," "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "The Dark Knight," "The Reader," "Slumdog Millionaire."

13. Sound Mixing: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "The Dark Knight," "Slumdog Millionaire," "WALL-E," "Wanted."

14. Sound Editing: "The Dark Knight," "Iron Man," "Slumdog Millionaire," "WALL-E," "Wanted."

15. Original Score: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," Alexandre Desplat; "Defiance," James Newton Howard; "Milk," Danny Elfman; "Slumdog Millionaire," A.R. Rahman; "WALL-E," Thomas Newman.

16. Original Song: "Down to Earth" from "WALL-E," Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman; "Jai Ho" from "Slumdog Millionaire," A.R. Rahman and Gulzar; "O Saya" from "Slumdog Millionaire," A.R. Rahman and Maya Arulpragasam.

17. Costume: "Australia," "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "The Duchess," "Milk," "Revolutionary Road."

18. Documentary Feature: "The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)," "Encounters at the End of the World," "The Garden," "Man on Wire," "Trouble the Water."

19. Documentary (short subject): "The Conscience of Nhem En," "The Final Inch," "Smile Pinki," "The Witness — From the Balcony of Room 306."

20. Film Editing: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "The Dark Knight," "Frost/Nixon," "Milk," "Slumdog Millionaire."

21. Makeup: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "The Dark Knight," "Hellboy II: The Golden Army."

22. Animated Short Film: "La Maison en Petits Cubes," "Lavatory — Lovestory," "Oktapodi," "Presto," "This Way Up."

23. Live Action Short Film: "Auf der Strecke (On the Line)," "Manon on the Asphalt," "New Boy," "The Pig," "Spielzeugland (Toyland)."

24. Visual Effects: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "The Dark Knight," "Iron Man."

___

Academy Award winner previously announced this year:

Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award (Oscar statuette): Jerry Lewis

'Benjamin Button' leads Oscar nominations with 13

LOS ANGELES – "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" leads the Academy Awards with 13 nominations, including best picture, and acting honors for Brad Pitt and Taraji Phenson, and a directing slot for David Fincher.

Other best picture nominees are "Frost/Nixon," "Milk,' "The Reader" and Slumdog Millionaire.

Heath Ledger has a supporting actor nomination for "The Dark Knight," but the Batman blockbuster has been shut out for other top categories, such as best picture and director.

More to follow...

Oscar Nominations Coming Tomorrow

Kate Winslet took home two Golden Globes earlier this month for "Revolutionary Road" and "The Reader." Could she repeat with two Oscars?

Nominations for the 81st Annual Academy Awards will be announced at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time tomorrow. Check back here tomorrow for a full list of nominations.

While traditionally announced on a Tuesday, this year's nominations were delayed out of respect for President Barack Obama's inauguration ceremony.

The 81st Academy Awards will air Feb. 22 on ABC from Los Angeles' Kodak Theater. "Australia" star Hugh Jackman will host.

Myers' 'Love Guru' proves endearing at Razzies

LOS ANGELES – Voters for 2008's worst movies love Mike Myers. They really love him.

Myers' comedy flop "The Love Guru" led the field Wednesday for the Razzies with seven nominations, among them worst picture and worst-acting slots for Myers, Jessica Alba, Verne Troyer and Academy Award winner Ben Kingsley.

The number of nominations for "Love Guru" was appropriate given what a personal project it was for Myers, who not only starred but also co-wrote and produced the movie, said John Wilson, founder of the Razzies, an Oscar spoof that dishes out "dis-honors" for the lousiest stuff Hollywood dredged up the previous year.

"This is one of those auteur-of-the-awful situations," Wilson said. "I think people are tired of him in general. He hasn't really made a good movie in quite some time."

The other worst-picture contenders were "Disaster Movie" and "Meet the Spartans," Hollywood spoofs that shared a nomination for a "badly beaten dead horse of a concept"; the fright flick "The Happening"; Paris Hilton's romantic comedy bomb "The Hottie & the Nottie"; and the sword-and-sorcery fantasy "In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale."

Razzie "winners" will be announced Feb. 21, the day before the Oscars.

Hilton had three nominations, worst actress and worst screen couple alongside her co-stars in "The Hottie & the Nottie," plus worst supporting actress for "Repo! The Genetic Opera."

Eddie Murphy, named worst actor, supporting actor and supporting actress last year for multiple roles in "Norbit," has two nominations this time, as worst actor and screen couple alongside himself for dual roles in his sci-fi comedy dud "Meet Dave."

Cameron Diaz also picked up two Razzie nominations for the romance "What Happens in Vegas," as worst actress and worst screen couple alongside co-star Ashton Kutcher.

Along with Kingsley, Oscar winner Al Pacino had a worst-actor nomination for his crime thrillers "88 Minutes" and "Righteous Kill."

The stars of the remake "The Women" — Annette Bening, Eva Mendes, Debra Messing, Jada Pinkett Smith and Meg Ryan — shared a worst-actress nomination. Joining them, Alba, Diaz and Hilton in the worst-actress category was Kate Hudson for "Fool's Gold" and "My Best Friend's Girl."

Besides Murphy, Myers and Pacino, worst-actor nominees were Larry the Cable Guy for "Witless Protection" and Mark Wahlberg for "The Happening" and "Max Payne."

"In the Name of the King" filmmaker Uwe Boll had three nominations for 2008 movies, worst director for that flick and "1968: Tunnel Rats" and "Postal," supporting actor for playing himself in "Postal" and screen couple alongside "any actor, camera or screenplay."

Boll — whose movies include such horror or action tales as "Bloodrayne," "Alone in the Dark" and "House of the Dead" — also was selected by Razzies voters to receive a special prize for worst career achievement as "Germany's answer to Ed Wood," the legendary bad filmmaker responsible for "Plan 9 From Outer Space."

"It's pretty insulting to Ed Wood. Although Wood didn't understand how to splice two frames together, there was a joy of incompetence in his work," Wilson said. "Uwe Boll's like our Meryl Streep. As long as he continues to work, he will get nominated, just like Meryl Streep does with those other awards."

Coldplay top nominee at BRIT music awards

LONDON (Reuters) – Acclaimed British rock band Coldplay and Welsh singer Duffy head the field at the 2009 BRITs, the country's top pop music awards, with four nominations apiece, organizers announced on Tuesday.

They are followed by London-born singer/songwriter Adele, indie pop band Scouting For Girls and alternative rockers Elbow, who all appear in three categories.

Coldplay are up for best British group and best British album, considered the most prestigious prize at the BRITs, for their multi-million selling record "Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends". The group is also up for best British single and British live act.

The BRITs' recognition of Duffy, a relative unknown a year ago, caps a year during which her debut album "Rockferry" was Britain's top-selling record in 2008 and boasts worldwide sales of nearly 4.5 million copies.

She has been nominated for best album, best single for "Mercy", British female solo artist and British breakthrough act. The best British single award is chosen by live public vote on the night of the awards ceremony.

In the international categories, the same five artists are competing both for best international group and international album -- AC/DC, Fleet Foxes, the Killers, Kings of Leon and MGMT.

BRITS GO GLOBAL

British pop music enjoyed considerable international success in 2008, underlined by its dominance at the industry's top awards, the Grammys, which will be handed out in Los Angeles on February 8.

Of the 20 nominations in the four "main" Grammy categories, 13 are British artists, BRITs organizers said.

"The list highlights the continued investment in British talent across the UK record industry," said Ged Doherty, chairman of the BRITs Committee.

Adele, another female pop artist to make it big in 2008, has been shortlisted for the best British female, British breakthrough and British single categories.
Elbow are in the running for best British group and album plus top live act, where they are up against Scouting for Girls who are also nominated for British breakthrough act and single for "Heartbeat".

Four other British acts -- Ting Tings, Radiohead, Girls Aloud, and Estelle -- land two nominations apiece in this year's BRITs list.

BRITs organizers also announced on Tuesday that Take That and Coldplay will appear at the awards ceremony on February 18th, joining Pet Shop Boys, U2, Kings of Leon, Duffy and Girls Aloud.

Hosting the event, held before an audience of over 10,000 people at London's Earls Court, will be Australian star Kylie Minogue.

Late Jeff Healey star of Maple Blues Awards

The late Jeff Healey was the big winner at the Maple Blues Awards in Toronto on Monday night.

The Canadian blues guitarist and his band won seven out of 17 awards handed out at the Phoenix Concert Theatre on Monday, including best entertainer, electric artist, guitarist and recording of the year for his posthumous album Mess of Blues.

His accompanists — drummer Al Webster, keyboardist Dave Murphy and bassist Alec Fraser — also won their respective instrument categories.

Healey died in March after a battle with the same cancer that robbed him of his sight when he was a baby.

Other winners:

Female vocalist of the year: Saskatchewan born and Toronto-based singer-songwriter Suzie Vinnick.

Songwriter of the year: Toronto's Paul Reddick.

Male vocalist of the year: John Mays, who heads the group Fathead.

Acoustic artist of the year: Harry Manx of Salt Spring Island, B.C.

New artist of the year: Daddy Long Legs of Waterloo, Ont.

International artist of the year: Harlem-born veteran Taj Mahal.

Harmonica player of the year: Ottawa's Steve Marriner.

Last year's top winners, Toronto-based Downchild, received an award for horn player Pat Carey.

'Slumdog' leads field for British Academy awards

LONDON – Underdog-turned-favorite "Slumdog Millionaire" picked up 11 nominations Thursday for the British Academy film awards, Britain's version of the Oscars.

The British-Indian film about a Mumbai street boy's rise to game-show glory was nominated in six major categories including best picture, best actor for Dev Patel and best director for Danny Boyle. It also received several design nominations.

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," which stars Brad Pitt as a man who ages backward, also was nominated in 11 categories, including best film, best actor and best director for David Fincher.

Double Golden Globe winner Kate Winslet is competing against herself in the best-actress category, with nominations for both "The Reader" and "Revolutionary Road." She is up against Angelina Jolie for "The Changeling," Meryl Streep for "Doubt" and Kristin Scott Thomas for the French film "I've Loved You So Long."

The best-actor nominees are Pitt, Patel of "Slumdog", Sean Penn for "Milk," Frank Langella for "Frost/Nixon" and Mickey Rourke for "The Wrestler."

The winners will be announced at London's Royal Opera House on Feb. 8. The British awards, known as BAFTAs, are considered an important indicator of success at the Academy Awards in Los Angeles two weeks later.

Batman thriller "The Dark Knight" received nine nods, including a best supporting actor nomination for the late Heath Ledger.

Clint Eastwood's L.A. noir "Changeling" is nominated in eight categories, including best director, while political drama "Frost/Nixon" has six nominations including best actor for Frank Langella and best director for Ron Howard.

In addition to "Slumdog" and "Benjamin Button," the best-picture contenders are "Frost/Nixon," inspirational biopic "Milk" and Nazi-themed drama "The Reader."

In the separate category of best British film, the nominees are "Slumdog," ABBA musical "Mamma Mia!" hit-man comedy "In Bruges," Irish hunger-striker drama "Hunger" and tightrope-walking documentary "Man on Wire."

The nominations cement the transformation of "Slumdog" from low-budget outsider to Oscars favorite. Filmed on the streets of Mumbai with a largely Indian cast and partly in Hindi, the film features a tough-but-sweet script from BAFTA-nominated Simon Beaufoy ("The Full Monty") and kinetic direction by Boyle ("Trainspotting," "28 Days Later").

The BAFTAS are also a chance for several highly touted films shut out of the Golden Globe awards — including "Benjamin Button," "Frost/Nixon" and "Doubt" — to regain awards-season momentum.

Among the more offbeat nominations is Robert Downey Jr.'s supporting actor nod for his performance as an overly intense method actor in the lowbrow action comedy "Tropic Thunder."

Run-DMC, Metallica lead list of 2009 Rock Hall

NEW YORK – Run-DMC once hailed themselves as the Kings of Rock, so it's fitting that the pioneering rappers have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Run-DMC joins the heavy metal band Metallica, guitarist and former Yardbirds member Jeff Beck; soul singer and guitarist Bobby Womack and doo-wop group Little Anthony and the Imperials as this year's inductee class.

Though Run-DMC wasn't among the first rap acts, they were the first to achieve widespread mainstream success, and the first to notch a platinum album with 1986's "Raising Hell." The rapping duo of Joseph "Run" Simmons and Darryl "DMC" McDaniels — plus their DJ, the late Jam Master Jay — were rap's first rock stars. They had hits with songs like "My Adiddas" and "It's Tricky," but had their greatest success when they remade Aerosmith's "Walk This Way" with the rock act for a groundbreaking collaboration.

In an interview Wednesday, McDaniels called Run-DMC's induction "inconceivable."

"I'm a rap dude, I'm an MC from Hollis (a neighborhood in New York's borough of Queens), just rockin' the mic, and to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, with the Beatles, and (Bob) Dylan, and the rock 'n' roll gods? It's ridiculous! Ridiculous in a good way," he said.

He also gave a nod to the predecessors who paved the way for the group's success: "I share this nomination and the induction and the whole award with those cats, everyone from the Bronx and Harlem who started this."

Jam Master Jay — whose real name was Jason Mizell — was shot to death in his recording studio in 2002. McDaniels doesn't consider the induction bittersweet — "because Jay isn't here to celebrate doesn't mean he's not partaking in this event" — but said he couldn't see the duo performing during the April 4 induction ceremony in Cleveland without him.

"We can't do it without Jay," he said. "I want people to remember the last time they saw us together, the three of us."

Like Run-DMC, Metallica made its debut 25 years ago with the seminal album "Kill 'Em All," and became pioneers in their genre, with their thrashing metal sound, led by the frenetic guitar play of James Hetfield and the drumming of Lars Ulrich. One of rock's more enduring bands, the group has sold upwards of 60 million records in the United States alone, and are still one of music's most successful acts: They are on a top-selling tour, their latest album, "Death Magnetic," has sold more than a million copies and has also been nominated for Grammy awards.

"Life is good in Metallica right now. A lot of good things are happening. Quite opposite of what they were during the `St. Anger' time," said Hetfield, referring to the 2003 CD that was reviled by many Metallica fans.

The group — which also consists of guitarist Kirk Hammett and bass player Robert Trujillo — also went through periods of infighting (famously chronicled in the 2004 documentary "Metallica: Some Kind of Monster").

"So all the work and effort that we put into our relationship back then has brought a lot of fruits of labor with that, on this album, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Grammys. So we're feeling good," Hetfield added.

He also said the honor was for everyone who had played with the group: Late bassist Cliff Burton and bassist Jason Newsted, who will also be inducted.

Cleveland native Womack, who was part of the group the Womack Brothers until breaking out on his own with hits including "If You Think You're Lonely Now," said the induction ceremony would bring him back home for the first time in almost three decades.

"This is just the greatest, I'm extremely happy," he said. "It proves that, if you're blessed to be able to wait on what's important to you, a lot of things will change in life."

Besides the main inductees, rockabilly singer Wanda Jackson got a nod for the early influence category, and the sidemen inductees are session musician Spooner Oldham and two of Elvis Presley's musicians — drummer D.J. Fontana and bassist Bill Black.

The induction ceremony is returning to Cleveland after several years in New York City. It will aired live by the Fuse network.

The hall of fame also announced on Wednesday that Bruce Springsteen will be the focus of a new exhibit called "From Asbury Park to the Promised Land: The Life and Music of Bruce Springsteen." It opens April 1.

'Slumdog Millionaire' wins 4 at Golden Globes

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – "Slumdog Millionaire" lived up to its underdog theme at Sunday's Golden Globes, sweeping all four of its categories, including best drama and director for Danny Boyle.

Kate Winslet won two Globes all on her own, best dramatic actress for "Revolutionary Road" and supporting actress for "The Reader." "The Wrestler" also had two, dramatic actor for Mickey Rourke and best song for Bruce Springsteen.

"Golden Globes, or the GGs as we very affectionately refer to them — your mad, pulsating affection for our film is much appreciated. Really, deeply appreciated," Boyle said.

"Slumdog Millionaire" also won best screenplay and musical score, firming up its prospects for the Academy Awards. The film features a generally unknown cast in the story of an orphan boy in Mumbai who rises from terrible hardship to become a champ on India's version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," all the while trying to reunite with a lost love from his childhood.

"We really weren't expecting to be here in America at all at one time, so it's just amazing to be here," said Simon Beaufoy, whose winning script was adapted from Vikas Swarup's novel "Q & A."

Winslet, who has previously been nominated five times without winning at both the Globes and Oscars, won for her role as a woman in a crumbling marriage in "Revolutionary Road" and as a former Nazi concentration camp guard in "The Reader."

"Revolutionary Road" was directed by Winslet's husband, Sam Mendes, and reunited her with her "Titanic" co-star Leonardo DiCaprio.

To DiCaprio, Winslet gushed: "I've loved you for 13 years and your performance in this film is nothing short of spectacular." To Mendes, she added: "Thank you for directing this film, babe, and thank you for killing us every single day and really enjoying us actually being in such horrific pain."

Woody Allen's Spanish romance "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" won for best musical or comedy film.

The three films that led the Globe field with five nominations each — "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "Doubt" and "Frost/Nixon" — all were shut out.

As expected, the late Heath Ledger earned the supporting-actor Globe for his diabolical turn as the Joker in the Batman blockbuster "The Dark Knight." The Globe win boosts Ledger's prospects for the supporting-actor honor at the Oscars, whose nominations come out Jan. 22, the one-year anniversary of the actor's death from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs.

The award was accepted by "The Dark Knight" director Christopher Nolan, who said he and his collaborators were buoyed by the enormous acclaim and acceptance the film and Ledger's performance have gained worldwide.

"All of us who worked with Heath on `The Dark Knight' accept with an awful mixture of sadness but incredible pride," Nolan said. "After Heath passed, you saw a hole ripped in the future of cinema."

Only one actor has ever won a posthumous Oscar, best-actor recipient Peter Finch for 1976's "Network."

Rourke won for a role as a former wrestling star who gets a last chance at glory in the ring, a theme that mirrors the actor's life after he derailed his career with bad-boy behavior.

"It's been a very long road back for me," said Rourke, who poured out his thanks to "The Wrestler" director Darren Aronofsky.

"I've said this before, in sports especially which I can relate to, really, truly great players come around every 30 years, and I really, truly believe Darren is one of those cats," Rourke said.

Other acting winners were Sally Hawkins as musical or comedy actress for her role as an eternal optimist in "Happy-Go-Lucky"; and Colin Farrell for musical or comedy actor for "In Bruges," in which he plays a hit man laying low in a Belgian tourist town.

Hawkins, a relatively unknown British actress and newcomer to Hollywood's awards scenes, was visibly nervous accepting her prize.

"I'll try and get through as much as my voice and nerves and knees will let me," said Hawkins, thanking family, cast mates and collaborators on the film, including director Mike Leigh.

The robot romance "WALL-E" won for best animated feature. Director Andrew Stanton thanked producer Pixar Animation and distributor Walt Disney, saying the unusual love story between two robots who communicate in beeps and squeaks "couldn't have been made anywhere else."

The foreign-language film prize went to Israel's "Waltz With Bashir," director Ari Forman's animated documentary about a soldier struggling to recall suppressed memories of his involvement in the war with Lebanon.

Among TV categories, "30 Rock" won best comedy series, with stars Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin earning the acting Globes in a musical or comedy. "Mad Men" won best TV drama.

The 66th annual Globes, the town's second-biggest movie celebration after the Academy Awards, returned to their somewhat boozy glory.

Last year's Globe show was scrapped after stars said they would stay away in honor of picket lines by the Writers Guild of America, which was engaged in a bitter strike against producers. In its place was a briskly paced news conference where winners were announced from a podium.

The Globes serve as a barometer for potential Oscar contenders, often singling out deserving newcomers who might have been overlooked among bigger-name stars. Relative unknown Hilary Swank won for dramatic actress at the Globes for 1999's "Boys Don't Cry," then went on to an upset win at the Oscars over Annette Bening, who had been considered the front-runner for "American Beauty." This year's Oscar ceremony comes on Feb. 22.

The Globes are presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, a group of about 90 reporters covering show business for overseas outlets.

Critics' final answer: `Slumdog' wins 5 awards

SANTA MONICA, Calif. – The critics have spoken, and "Slumdog Millionaire" is their final answer.

The rags-to-riches tale won a leading five prizes, including best picture, at Thursday night's Critics' Choice Awards. "Slumdog" also won honors for director Danny Boyle, writer Simon Beaufoy, star Dev Patel and composer A.R. Rahman.

"It's amazing to see how generous you've been to our film," said Boyle, who called the movie "a love song" to Mumbai.

"You're mad really," he continued backstage. "You're a bit like the Indians are mad about movies. When you find a movie you love, you go for it really."

"The Dark Knight" also won a pair of trophies: best action movie and best supporting actor for Heath Ledger. The crowd rose to its feet as the film's director, Christopher Nolan, accepted the award for Ledger.

"I can't presume to speak for him. His voice was as unique as it was original," said Nolan, adding that working with the actor "was one of the greatest experiences any of us ever had or will have."

"His contributions to cinema should be greatly appreciated," Nolan said, "so thanks for this appreciation."

Ledger died of an accidental drug overdose in January 2007.

Sean Penn was another double winner, earning best actor honors and sharing the acting-ensemble prize for "Milk."

A humble Penn said the real Harvey Milk would have been his first choice for the starring role.

"He had the charisma that an actor can only aspire to," Penn said.

Co-star Josh Brolin called Penn's turn as the groundbreaking gay politician "the most incredible performance ever."

Milk came into the contest with eight nominations. "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" also had eight nods, but didn't win a single award.

Kate Winslet was named best supporting actress for "The Reader," while Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep tied for best actress for "Rachel Getting Married" and "Doubt" respectively.

"Meryl is my idol," Hathaway said backstage. "To win with my idol who I was nominated against is amazing. I'm so thrilled for her and I'm very thrilled for myself, too."

Winslet and Streep weren't on hand to accept their awards, nor was Bruce Springsteen, who won best song for "The Wrestler," from the movie of the same name.

Director Darren Aronofsky accepted on the Boss' behalf.

"I don't know how you put words into the coolest man's mouth," he said, "so I'll just say thank you."

"WALL-E" was the best animated feature and "Tropic Thunder" was best comedy.

"There's a lot of awards out there, and this one, I think, has the most meaning," said writer, director and star Ben Stiller. "I'm not just saying that because this is the only award our movie was nominated for."

Richard Gere received a standing ovation as he accepted the Joel Siegel award, which recognizes an entertainer's humanitarian efforts. The 59-year-old actor is a longtime supporter of Tibet.

"Clearly I'm undeserving of this," Gere said, urging the audience to "channel all that energy to Tibet."

The 14th annual Critics' Choice Awards, presented by the Broadcast Film Critics Association at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, honored cinematic excellence in 17 categories. The group, which represents more than 200 TV, radio and online critics from the United States and Canada, founded the Critics' Choice Awards in 1995.

'Dark Knight' sweeps People's Choice Awards

LOS ANGELES – Holy, People's Choice Awards, Batman! "The Dark Knight" soared away with every trophy it was nominated for Wednesday at the 35th annual fan-favorite CBS ceremony. The caped crusader flick won five awards, including favorite cast, superhero, action movie and on-screen matchup for Christian Bale's Batman and the late Heath Ledger's Joker.

"On behalf of all of the cast from the movie, thank you very much to the fans," said Bale. "Here's to Heath."

The CBS ceremony was hosted by Queen Latifah and returned to the Shrine Auditorium for its typical star-studded live show format, following last year's writer's strike-friendly, pre-taped program. Stars such as Adam Sandler, Kate Hudson, Robin Williams, Hugh Laurie and Reese Witherspoon showed up to accept thier awards at the slightly subdued ceremony.

"It's such a great way to start the new year," Witherspoon, the "Four Christmases" star who won an Oscar in 2005 for portaying June Carter Cash in "Walk the Line," said as she accepted her award for favorite female movie star. "A couple years ago, I won a great award for singing in a movie. This year, I won an award for having a baby throw up on me."

Other recipients selected by Internet voters in categories spanning movies, television and music included "Dancing With the Stars" as favorite reality show, Carrie Underwood as favorite female singer, "House" as favorite TV drama, Brad Pitt as favorite leading man, Angelina Jolie as favorite female action star and Ellen DeGeneres as favorite talk show host.

"I wish I could share this with you," DeGeneres told the audience while clutching her trophy on stage. "I could throw it on the ground and smash it into a million pieces, and give each one of you a little piece of it, but that's violent, and that's probably why you voted for me, because I'm not violent."

Here's a complete list of winners:

FILM
• Movie: The Dark Knight
• Family Movie: WALL-E
• Action Movie: The Dark Knight
• Movie, Comedy: 27 Dresses
• Movie, Drama: The Secret Life of Bees
• Independent Movie: The Secret Life of Bees
• Cast: The Dark Knight (Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Maggie Gyllenhaal)
• Male Movie Star: Will Smith
• Leading Man: Brad Pitt
• Male Action Star: Will Smith
• Female Movie Star: Reese Witherspoon
• Leading Lady: Kate Hudson
• Female Action Star: Angelina Jolie
• Onscreen Matchup: Christian Bale & Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
• Superhero: Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne/Batman

TELEVISION
• Drama: House
• Comedy: Two and a Half Men
• Animated Comedy: The Simpsons
• Sci-Fi/Fantasy Show: Heroes
• Competition/Reality Show: Dancing With the Stars
• Game Show: Deal or No Deal
• Male TV Star: Hugh Laurie
• Female TV Star: Christina Applegate
• Female Drama Diva: Kyra Sedgwick as Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson on The Closer
• Talk Show Host: Ellen DeGeneres
• Scene-Stealing Guest Star: Robin Williams on Law & Order: SVU
• Female Drama Diva: Kyra Sedgwick as Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson on The Closer
• New TV Drama: The Mentalist
• New TV Comedy: Gary Unmarried

MUSIC
• Male Singer: Chris Brown
• Female Singer: Carrie Underwood
• Group: Rascal Flatts
• R&B Song: "No One" by Alicia Keys
• Pop Song: "I Kissed a Girl" by Katy Perry
• Rock Song: "All Summer Long" by Kid Rock
• Country Song: "Last Name" by Carrie Underwood
• Hip-Hop Song: "Low" by Flo Rida, featuring T-Pain
• Combined Forces: "No Air" by Jordin Sparks, featuring Chris Brown
• Song From a Soundtrack: "Mamma Mia" by Meryl Streep, from Mamma Mia!

MISCELLANEOUS
• Funny Male Star: Adam Sandler
• Funny Female Star: Tina Fey
• Star 35 & Under: Carrie Underwood

Hollywood writers nominate best film scripts

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Hollywood screenwriters on Wednesday named nominees for 2008's best film scripts with a few surprises among the movies vying for honors ahead of the industry's highest awards -- the Oscars in February.

The Writers Guild of America nominated for best original screenplay "Milk," written by Dustin Lance Black and telling of the life of slain gay rights activist Harvey Milk, along with Robert Siegel's "The Wrestler," which looks at the life of a faded sports star.

Those writers will be joined by veteran Woody Allen with romantic comedy "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," brothers Joel and Ethan Coen for another comedy, "Burn After Reading," and Tom McCarthy with immigration tale "The Visitor."
In the best adapted screenplay category, the Writers Guild nominated Eric Roth for "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," about a man who ages backward, John Patrick Shanley with sex abuse drama "Doubt" and Simon Beaufoy for "Slumdog Millionaire," which tells of a young Indian man who competes to win a fortune on a television game show.

Joining those film writers in the adapted screenplay group are brothers Jonathan and Christopher Nolan for their Batman movie, "The Dark Knight," and Peter Morgan with "Frost/Nixon," which recounts the interviews by British TV host David Frost of disgraced U.S. President Richard Nixon.

Nominees for awards from the Writers Guild often provide industry watchers with clues as to which films will compete for Oscars, the world's top movie honors, because many guild members also belong to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which gives out the Oscars.

Next on the list guild nominations will be the Directors Guild of America with its honors for film direction.

While several Writers Guild-nominated movies such as "Milk," "Slumdog" and "Benjamin Button" have enjoyed high profiles in early critical and other honors, "Burn After Reading," and "The Visitor" have stayed mostly out of the race.

Writers Guild nods could cause Academy voters to give those two a second look. Oscar nominations will be announced on January 22.

In addition to best original and adapted screenplay, the Writers Guild also named nominees for best documentary writing. Competing in that arena will be Stefan Forbes and Noland Walker for "Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story," Alex Gibney with "Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson," Brett Morgen for "Chicago 10," Johnny O'Hara for "Fuel" and Ari Folman with "Waltz with Bashir."

The Writers Guild Awards will be given out on February 7 in Los Angeles. The Oscars are given out on February 22.

Guy Maddin film wins $10,000 prize

Guy Maddin's bizarre tribute to his hometown, My Winnipeg, has won a new $10,000 film prize.

The avant-garde director was given the Rogers Best Canadian Film Award, presented by the Toronto Film Critics Association. A gala dinner was scheduled Tuesday to recognize the association's favourite releases of 2008.

Sarah Polley, whose film, Away From Her was named best Canadian feature last year, was due to present the award to Maddin in front of an audience expected to include heavyweight filmmakers including Atom Egoyan, Robert Lantos, Bruce McDonald and Don McKellar.

Other films in the running were Stephane Lafleur's film, Continental: A Film Without Guns, and Yung Chang's acclaimed documentary Up the Yangtze, about the issues surrounding the Three Gorges Dam in China.

"Our three finalists for the year's Best Canadian Film are all strongly evocative tales of characters adrift in manufactured landscapes," association president Brian Johnson, film critic for Maclean's magazine, said in a release.

"My Winnipeg gleefully obliterates the line between fact and fiction, documentary and drama between lucid memoir and fevered dream. It's an exquisitely Canadian film that has won praise from around the world, and we are pleased to add our voice to the acclaim with this inaugural prize."

Established in 1997, the Toronto Film Critics Association is comprised of Toronto-based journalists and broadcasters who specialize in film criticism and commentary.

'Dark Knight,' 'Iron Man' battle for visual effects Oscar

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Superheroes Batman, Iron Man and Hellboy are mixing it up with Brad Pitt, Nicole Kidman and an ancient mummy for the visual-effects Academy Award.

The Batman blockbuster The Dark Knight is one of seven films competing for the Oscar, along with fellow comic-book adaptations Iron Man and Hellboy II: The Golden Army.

The other four nominees Tuesday: Kidman's Australia, Pitt's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and two Brendan Fraser actioners, Journey to the Center of the Earth and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.

Members of the academy's visual-effects branch will view 15-minute excerpts from each film and choose three nominees for the Feb. 22 Oscars.

The Oscar nominations come out Jan. 22.

Why So Sunny? Dark Knight's a PGA Nominee

Los Angeles (E! Online) – The Dark Knight's Oscar campaign has picked up another key endorsement.

The Batman epic is one of five nominees for the Producers of America Guild's version of Best Picture: the Darryl F. Zanuck Producer of the Year Award.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon, Milk and Slumdog Millionaire round out the list.

The PGAs are typically a blueprint for the Oscars, which makes today's news bad news for Revolutionary Road and the likewise shunned. Last year, four of five PGA contenders went on to score Best Picture nominations at the Academy Awards. This year, three of the five—Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon, Slumdog Millionaire, but, no, not Dark Knight—are up for Best Motion Picture, Drama at Sunday's Golden Globes.

PGA winners are to be announced January 24th.

Oscar Ballots on the Move

Los Angeles (E! Online) – It all comes down to this for The Dark Knight, Milk, Frost/Nixon, Slumdog Millionaire and all the other films labeled "Oscar hopeful" for whatever reason in 2008.

Ballots for the 81st Annual Academy Awards are due to be mailed Friday to the 5,810 voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

So, with holiday shopping (and returns) out of the way, it will be time to finally pencil in their choices for the top films, performances and technical work of 2008, be they Heath Ledger for his terrifying turn as the Joker, director Danny Boyle for Slumdog, Kate Winslet for The Reader (or Revolutionary Road) or WALL-E for either best animated film or best motion picture altogether.

Completed ballots must be back in the hands of the ballot counters and protectors, PricewaterhouseCoopers, by Jan 12.

Oscar nods will be announced in the wee hours of the morning Jan. 22, with the little gold men getting passed out Feb. 22 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood.

Springsteen, M.I.A., Jenny Lewis Short Listed For “Best Song” Oscar

Bruce Springsteen’s “The Wrestler,” M.I.A.’s Slumdog Millionaire contribution “O… Saya,” Jack White & Alicia Keys‘ “Another Way To Die,” Beyoncé’s “Once In a Lifetime” from Cadillac Records and Jenny Lewis’ Bolt track “Barking At The Moon” are among the 49 songs on the eligibility list for Best Song at the next Academy Awards. Also up for contention are Miley Cyrus’ “I Thought I Lost You,” Clint Eastwood’s “Gran Torino” and Peter Gabriel’s Wall-E theme “Down To Earth,” with all three joining Springsteen and Beyoncé’s songs as this year’s Golden Globe nominees.

Unlike years’ past, when a film like Enchanted and Dreamgirls dominated the category, each film can only be represented by a maximum of two songs at the ceremony. High School Musical 3 leads the short list with 11 selections, but it’s likely the songs will split the votes and wind up with no nominee. Also noteworthy: Danny Elfman’s “The Little Things” from Wanted, Robyn Hitchcock’s “Up To Our Nex” from Rachel Getting Married and the hilarious “Dracula’s Lament” from Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

Tina Fey voted AP Entertainer of the Year

NEW YORK – Tina Fey is the entertainer of the year? You betcha. Fey was voted The Associated Press' Entertainer of the Year, an annual honor chosen by newspaper editors and broadcast producers across the country.

Fey was selected by AP members as the performer who had the greatest impact on culture and entertainment in 2008.

The 38-year-old comedian bested runner-up Robert Downey Jr., whose comeback was capped with the blockbuster smash "Iron Man," and the third-place vote-getter, Heath Ledger, who posthumously wowed audiences as the Joker in "The Dark Knight."

But it was Fey who most impressed voters largely with her indelible impression of Gov. Sarah Palin on "Saturday Night Live." Her cameos on her old show (where she had been a head writer until 2006) helped drive the show to record ratings and eventually drew an appearance from Palin herself.

"Tina Fey is such an obvious choice," said Sharon Eberson, entertainment editor of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "She gave us funny when we really needed it and, in a year when women in politics were making huge strides, Fey stood out in the world of entertainment."

Fey's 2008 was a full year, though.

She also starred for the first time on the big screen in "Baby Mama" (which grossed $60 million at the box office) and won three Emmys for her critically lauded NBC sitcom "30 Rock," which she created, stars in and writes. In the comedy series category, she won for best lead actress and best writing, and shared in the award for best comedy series.

"She simultaneously entertained us with her wit and put a mirror up to the nation during the election and made us think about what was going on," said Scott Shive, assistant features editor at the Lexington Herald-Leader. "She is the epitome of the smart kid coming out on top for once."

As soon as Palin was chosen as Sen. John McCain's running mate, conjecture mounted that the similar-looking Fey would have to return to "SNL" to play her.
In an interview earlier this fall, Fey recalled watching early TV coverage of Palin: "That was the first time I thought, `Well, I kinda do look like her. I'd better really listen to how this lady talks.'"

Fey debuted the impression on the "SNL" season premiere and a sensation quickly followed. She made four more pre-election appearances as Palin on the late-night satire.

"From the winks to the nods to the accent, she nailed it," said Marc Bona, assistant entertainment editor of the Plain Dealer in Cleveland. "And she did so at a time when it seemed the whole country was tuned in — both to the presidential race as well as 'Saturday Night Live.'"

Her Palin impression has benefited "30 Rock," too. The show premiered its fourth season to 8.5 million viewers, a million more than last year's opener.

Recently, she was also nominated for a Golden Globe (for best performance by an actress in a TV series, comedy or musical), as well as a Screen Actors Guild award.

"The `SNL' stuff has certainly changed things for me," Fey said in October. "A lot more people seem to know who I am."

Last year's AP Entertainer of the Year also went to a comedian whose satire blended in with politics: Stephen Colbert.

April Wine on tap for Music Industry Hall of Fame

April Wine is now a vintage to be treasured — the Canadian rock band is to be inducted into the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame in March.

The rockers who had hits like You Could Have Been a Lady, Roller and Anything You Want You Got It are still performing, though there have been several changes of personnel over the years.

Myles Goodwyn, Jim Henman and brothers David and Ritchie Henman originally formed the band in Nova Scotia in 1969.

Lead singer Goodwyn remains and the other members are Jerry Mercer, a drummer who joined the band in 1973, Brian Greenway of Hawkesbury, Ont., on guitar and vocals, who joined in 1977 and bassist Breen LeBoeuf, formerly with Offenbach, who joined April Wine in 2007.

Goodwyn was in the news after collapsing after a Halifax show on Nov. 28. He was treated in hospital for internal bleeding and released.

The band will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award and be inducted into the Hall of Fame March 13 during Canadian Music Week in Toronto.

April Wine moved to Montreal in 1970 and had their first hit with You Could Have Been a Lady, a song originally recorded by Hot Chocolate in the U.K.

Producer Ralph Murphy saw the group through a number of albums, including Stand Back and The Whole World's Goin' Crazy, with hits such as I Wouldn't Want to Lose Your Love and You Won't Dance with Me. They toured extensively, becoming known for their power ballads and rock 'n' roll sound.

The band is also famous for opening for a mystery group called the Cockroaches at the El Mocambo club in Toronto in 1977.

The Cockroaches turned out to be the Rolling Stones and the album recorded from that session, Live At The El Mocambo, features April Wine's She's No Angel.

The band's seventh studio album First Glance was a turning point, with the single Roller becoming a hit in the U.S.

The band, then with five members, continued touring throughout the 1980s with hits such as Crash and Burn and Just Between You and Me.

Goodwyn went solo for a while in the late 1980s, but the band reunited in July 1992.

Their most recent studio album is Roughly Speaking, released in 2006.

Iron Man Meets The Office at AFI Awards

Los Angeles (E! Online) – The Hulk is gonna get green with envy. Well, greener.
Iron Man and The Dark Knight were both named Sunday to the American Film Institute's Movies of the Year Top 10 list.

On the television side, the AFI Awards' honorees included The Office, Lost and Mad Men, but not the Emmy-winning 30 Rock.

For Iron Man, the kudos is its first major honor of awards season. For The Dark Knight, it's its umpteenth honor. For superhero movies—the passed-over Incredible Hulk excepted—it's another step in their march toward world domination.

Brad Pitt, Michelle Williams and Clint Eastwood, meanwhile, helped represent for people who can't fly.

Pitt's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Williams' Wendy and Lucy and Eastwood's Gran Torino all made AFI's movie Top 10.

Rounding out the list: Frost/Nixon, the low-budget indie Frozen River, Milk, WALL-E, and The Wrestler.

Revolutionary Road, The Reader and Slumdog Millionaire, all of which are up for Best Drama at the Golden Globes, along with Frost/Nixon and Benjamin Button, were not AFI selections. The group's awards honor American-made films; those three movies are European productions or coproductions.

As with film, the AFI's Programs of the Year list heavily favored drama over comedy. In addition to Lost and Mad Men, Breaking Bad, In Treatment, cult-favorite Life, the miniseries John Adams, the TV movie Recount, and the late The Wire and The Shield all made the cut.

The Steve Carell-managed The Office was the only half-hour comedy honored.

Hugh Jackman to host new-look Oscars

LOS ANGELES – Hugh Jackman will host the 81st annual Oscars, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences confirmed Friday.

The 40-year-old Australian actor, recently named People magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive," won an Emmy in 2005 for hosting the 59th annual Tony Awards in 2004. He was also nominated as host of the 2005 Tonys.

Jackman, who first claimed fame as Wolverine in the "X-Men" movie franchise, recently starred in Baz Luhrmann's romantic adventure film "Australia" with Nicole Kidman. He was out of the country Friday for a world promotional tour for the film and was not immediately available for comment, his representative Alan Nierob said.

He's never been an Oscar nominee, but was nominated for a Golden Globe for his role in 2001's romantic film "Kate & Leopold." His other movie credits include 2006's "The Prestige" and 2004's "Van Helsing."

With new producers, a new set director and even a new music director, the Academy has been hinting at an all new look and feel for this year's Oscars telecast on Feb. 22.

Jackman's selection is a departure from the Academy's standard of big-name comedians. Jon Stewart, host of "The Daily Show," hosted the ceremony in 2008 and 2006; Ellen DeGeneres was the 2007 host. Chris Rock, Steve Martin, Billy Crystal and Whoopi Goldberg have also hosted the show in recent years.

Surprises and snubs at Thursday's Golden Globe nominations

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - It's not as if any huge shockers emerged from the Golden Globe nominations Thursday. "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "Doubt" and "Frost/Nixon" led the field with five apiece, which makes absolute sense - they're all polished, starry, classic awards-season fare.

But still, there were a few surprises and snubs:

-A DARK DAY FOR "THE DARK KNIGHT": Heath Ledger was the only nominee from the blockbuster Batman saga, deservedly receiving a posthumous supporting-actor nomination for his riveting turn as the Joker. It's something we all expected, but director Christopher Nolan's epic actioner has been earning awards buzz across the board, with talk that it could even find itself among the best-picture contenders at the Academy Awards.

-ALONG THOSE LINES: Sean Penn was the only nominee from "Milk," being duly recognized for his richly charismatic depiction of gay politician and civil rights leader Harvey Milk, who was shot to death in 1978. Again, this is one of those movies that has been considered a front-runner all along for top awards; the New York Film Critics Circle chose it as the year's best this past week.

-I COULDN'T HELP BUT WONDER: How did the "Sex and the City" get shut out entirely? The hugely anticipated screen version of the trendsetting HBO series made $153 million in the United States, and its splashy crowd-pleasing nature would seem to make it a natural at the Globes. But it didn't get nominated for best comedy, for star Sarah Jessica Parker or for any of the supporting performances from Cynthia Nixon, Kim Cattrall or Kristin Davis. The red carpet just got a little less glamorous.

-DOWN AND OUT DOWN UNDER: Despite its ambition, wide scope and striking imagery, "Australia" continues to be a letdown. Baz Luhrmann's homage to romantic adventure film, starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, also failed to get a single nomination from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. It's gotten mixed reviews and has only made about $32 million since its Nov. 26 opening.

-GET OFFA HIS LAWN: Clint Eastwood received nominations for his score and the original song he co-wrote (and sang a bit in) for "Gran Torino," which isn't a big surprise. A longtime jazz lover, he's been writing the music for his films for many years, and previously was nominated for a Golden Globe for "Million Dollar Baby." But best-actor buzz has been building for his funny, roaring performance as a cantankerous bigot who battles the violence in his Detroit neighbourhood, and he was left out of that race Thursday.

-ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID: Michael Sheen unfortunately was overlooked again, despite consistently providing solid work opposite showier performers in splashier roles. Two years ago, it was as Tony Blair in "The Queen," in which Helen Mirren reigned supreme. Now, it's as David Frost in "Frost/Nixon," for which his co-star, Frank Langella, received a best-actor nomination as Richard Nixon.

-A LITTLE HUMOUR: Smaller movies dominated the best comedy or musical category, between "In Bruges," "Happy-Go-Lucky" and "Vicky Cristina Barcelona." Even "Burn After Reading," with its superstar cast including Brad Pitt and George Clooney, has a quirky Coen brothers esthetic. The ABBA-centric "Mamma Mia!", the other nominee, was the only traditional choice.

Gordie Sampson, Matt Mays, El Torpedo vie for ECMA honours

Cape Breton singer-songwriter and producer Gordie Sampson, and Halifax rockers Matt Mays and El Torpedo top a list of Atlantic Canadians vying for trophies at the 2009 East Coast Music Awards.

Nashville-based Sampson — who has made a name for himself writing hits for the likes of Carrie Underwood, Faith Hill and Bon Jovi — scored five nominations, including best songwriter and recording of the year for his latest solo album For the Few and Far Between.

Matt Mays and El Torpedo also netted five nominations, with the band's album Terminal Romance to battle Sampson in categories such as songwriter and recording of the year.

Rounding out the best recording category are Halifax's Jill Barber for Chances and two Newfoundland acts: Damhnait Doyle for her album of covers Lights Down Low and Into Your Lungs (and around in your heart and on through your blood) by indie rock outfit Hey Rosetta!

Besides Sampson and Mays, other best songwriter contenders include Asif Illyas for U Dream (performed by Halifax pop group MIR), Tim Baker for New Goodbye (performed by St. John's-based Hey Rosetta!) and Halifax's Christina Martin for her song Two Hearts.

Other artists who picked up multiple nominations include David Myles, Joel Plaskett Emergency, Troy MacGillivray & Shane Cook, Hot Toddy and Vishten.

The mix of nominees reflects "the vibrant musical diversity among East Coast artists, from well-established and popular bands and musicians to fresh new faces and sounds," ECMA chair Wade Pinhorn said in a statement.

A complete list of nominees is available on the East Coast Music Association website.

The roving East Coast Music Association industry conference and awards will descend on Corner Brook, N.L., for its next edition, which gets underway Feb. 26 and ends March 1.

'In Bruges' emerges as unlikely Globes contender

Though "In Bruges" was released in February — an eternity away from the fall premieres of most awards-seeking films — the Colin Farrell film emerged as an unlikely contender at the Golden Globes.

"In Bruges" scored three nominations from the Globes on Thursday, including best picture for a musical or comedy and dueling best actor in a musical or comedy nominations for Farrell and his co-star Brendan Gleeson — a first for each.

Written and directed by playwright Martin McDonagh, the film received good but mixed reviews, and grossed less than $8 million at the U.S. box office. In it, Farrell and Gleeson play hit men laid up in the picturesque and quaint town of Bruges, Belgium.

"It had been brought to my attention by people that it was a possibility, a dark-horse possibility, for getting some recognition, but I really, really didn't expect it," Farrell said Thursday. "It had been released in the early part of the year, it didn't do huge money, it wasn't seen by that many people. But it's a testament to (McDonough's) writing in his film debut that it obviously struck a chord with them."

Speaking by phone Thursday from London, Gleeson — recognized by many as Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody from the "Harry Potter" films — said he was surprised at his nomination and the attention to "In Bruges."

"It's a matter of total mystery to me how all of this happens," said Gleeson. "But it's absolutely fantastic that the film has a life."

The movie's Golden Globe success may have been partially indebted to its Anglo-Irish production and Belgian setting. The Globes nominees are selected through the slightly European perspective of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.

"In Bruges" also fared well with the British Independent Awards, where it was nominated for six awards and won for best screenplay.

Though Globes success can often spell good things for a film's Oscar prospects, that's unlikely in this case: Unlike the Academy Awards, the Globes split films between dramas and comedies, giving comedies more attention.

It's debatable how much of a comedy "In Bruges" is — it's at least as dramatic as it is comedic. But Gleeson, chuckling, makes one thing clear: "It's not a musical!"

'Button,' 'Frost/Nixon,' 'Doubt' grab 5 Globe noms

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" and "Frost/Nixon" led the Golden Globes on Thursday with five nominations each, among them best drama, while "Doubt" also has five, including four acting slots.

Other best-drama nominees: "The Reader," "Revolutionary Road" and "Slumdog Millionare."

Meryl Streep had two nominations, best dramatic actress for "Doubt" and musical or comedy actress for "Mamma Mia!"; and Kate Winslet also had two, best actress for "Revolutionary Road" and supporting-actress for "The Reader."

Also chosen for dramatic actress were: Anne Hathaway, "Rachel Getting Married"; Angelina Jolie, "Changeling"; and Kristin Scott Thomas, "I've Loved You So Long."

Nominees for dramatic actor were Leonardo DiCaprio, "Revolutionary Road"; Frank Langella, "Frost/Nixon"; Brad Pitt, "Benjamin Button"; Sean Penn, "Milk"; and Mickey Rourke, "The Wrestler."

"Doubt" also scored supporting nominations for Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams and Viola Davis, plus a screenplay slot for director John Patrick Shanley, who adapted his Pulitzer Prize-winning play.

The year's biggest hit, the Batman blockbuster, "The Dark Knight," came in with strong awards buzz across the board but had only one nomination, supporting actor for Heath Ledger as the Joker.

The Harvey Milk film biography "Milk" also had been at the top of awards watchers' lists but only grabbed an acting nomination for Penn.

Clint Eastwood had two music nominations for his "Changeling" score and for co-writing the title song for "Gran Torino." But he missed out on directing nominations for both films and for an acting slot in "Gran Torino," in which he starred.

Along with "Mamma Mia!", nominated for best musical or comedy were "Burn After Reading," "Happy-Go-Lucky," "In Bruges" and "Vicky Cristina Barcelona."

HOLLYWOOD FOREIGN PRESS ASSOCIATION 2008 GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS NOMINATIONS FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2008

1. BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

a. THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
Warner Bros. Pictures and Paramount Pictures; Warner Bros. Pictures and Paramount Pictures

b. FROST/NIXON
Imagine Entertainment, Working Title, Studio Canal; Universal Pictures

c. THE READER
Mirage Enterprises; The Weinstein Company

d. REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
An Evamere Entertainment BBC Films Neal Street Production; DreamWorks Pictures in Association with BBC Films and Paramount Vantage

e. SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
Fox Searchlight Pictures and Warner Bros.; Fox Searchlight Pictures and Warner Bros.

2. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

a. ANNE HATHAWAY RACHEL GETTING MARRIED

b. ANGELINA JOLIE CHANGELING

c. MERYL STREEP DOUBT

d. KRISTIN SCOTT THOMAS I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG
(IL Y A LONGTEMPS QUE JE T’AIME)

e. KATE WINSLET REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

3. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

a. LEONARDO DICAPRIO REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

b. FRANK LANGELLA FROST/NIXON

c. SEAN PENN MILK

d. BRAD PITT THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN
BUTTON

e. MICKEY ROURKE THE WRESTLER

4. BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

a. BURN AFTER READING
Working Title/Releasing Company; Focus Features in association with Studio Canal

b. HAPPY-GO-LUCKY
Summit Entertainment, Film4, Ingenious Film Partners, Miramax Films; Miramax Films

c. IN BRUGES
Blueprint Pictures; Focus Features

d. MAMMA MIA!
Relativity Media, Playtone, Littlestar; Universal Pictures

e. VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
Mediapro; The Weinstein Company

5. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

a. REBECCA HALL VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA

b. SALLY HAWKINS HAPPY-GO-LUCKY

c. FRANCES MCDORMAND BURN AFTER READING

d. MERYL STREEP MAMMA MIA!

e. EMMA THOMPSON LAST CHANCE HARVEY

6. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

a. JAVIER BARDEM VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA

b. COLIN FARRELL IN BRUGES

c. JAMES FRANCO PINEAPPLE EXPRESS

d. BRENDAN GLEESON IN BRUGES

e. DUSTIN HOFFMAN LAST CHANCE HARVEY

7. BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

a. BOLT
Walt Disney Pictures; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

b. KUNG FU PANDA
DreamWorks Animation SKG; Paramount Pictures

c. WALL-E
Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

8. BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

a. THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX (GERMANY)
(DER BADDER MEINHOF KOMPLEX)
Constantin Film Produktion GmbH; Summit Entertainment, LLC

b. EVERLASTING MOMENTS (SWEDEN/DENMARK)
(MARIA LARSSONS EVIGA ÖGONBLICK)
Final Cut Productions Aps; IFC Films

c. GOMORRAH (ITALY)
(GOMORRA)
Fandango; IFC Films

d. I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG (FRANCE)
(IL Y A LONGTEMPS QUE JE T’AIME)
UGC YM/UGC Images/France 3 Cinema/Integral Film; Sony Pictures Classics

e. WALTZ WITH BASHIR (ISRAEL)
Bridgit Folman Film Gang/Les Films D'Ici/Razor Films/Arte France/ITVS International; Sony Pictures Classics

9. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE

a. AMY ADAMS DOUBT

b. PENELOPE CRUZ VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA

c. VIOLA DAVIS DOUBT

d. MARISA TOMEI THE WRESTLER

e. KATE WINSLET THE READER

10. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE

a. TOM CRUISE TROPIC THUNDER

b. ROBERT DOWNEY JR. TROPIC THUNDER

c. RALPH FIENNES THE DUCHESS

d. PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN DOUBT

e. HEATH LEDGER THE DARK KNIGHT

11. BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE

a. DANNY BOYLE SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

b. STEPHEN DALDRY THE READER

c. DAVID FINCHER THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN
BUTTON

d. RON HOWARD FROST/NIXON

e. SAM MENDES REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

12. BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE

a. SIMON BEAUFOY SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

b. DAVID HARE THE READER

c. PETER MORGAN FROST/NIXON

d. ERIC ROTH THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN
BUTTON

e. JOHN PATRICK SHANLEY DOUBT

13. BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE

a. ALEXANDRE DESPLAT THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN
BUTTON

b. CLINT EASTWOOD CHANGELING

c. JAMES NEWTON HOWARD DEFIANCE

d. A. R. RAHMAN SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

e. HANS ZIMMER FROST/NIXON

14. BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE

a. “DOWN TO EARTH” — WALL-E
Music by: Peter Gabriel, Thomas Newman
Lyrics by: Peter Gabriel

b. “GRAN TORINO” — GRAN TORINO
Music by: Clint Eastwood, Jamie Cullum, Kyle Eastwood, Michael Stevens
Lyrics by: Kyle Eastwood, Michael Stevens

c. “I THOUGHT I LOST YOU” — BOLT
Music & Lyrics by: Miley Cyrus, Jeffrey Steele

d. “ONCE IN A LIFETIME” — CADILLAC RECORDS
Music & Lyrics by: Beyoncé Knowles, Amanda Ghost, Scott McFarnon, Ian Dench, James Dring, Jody Street

e. “THE WRESTLER” — THE WRESTLER
Music & Lyrics by: Bruce Springsteen

15. BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

a. DEXTER (SHOWTIME)
Showtime/John Goldwyn Productions/The Colleton Company/Clyde Phillips Productions

b. HOUSE (FOX)
Universal Media Studios in association with Heel and Toe Films, Shore Z Productions and Bad Hat Harry Productions

c. IN TREATMENT (HBO)
Sheleg, Closest to the Hole Productions in association with HBO Entertainment

d. MAD MEN (AMC)
Lionsgate Television

e. TRUE BLOOD (HBO)
Your Face Goes Here Productions in association with HBO Entertainment

16. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

a. SALLY FIELD BROTHERS AND SISTERS

b. MARISKA HARGITAY LAW AND ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS
UNIT

c. JANUARY JONES MAD MEN

d. ANNA PAQUIN TRUE BLOOD

e. KYRA SEDGWICK THE CLOSER

17. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

a. GABRIEL BYRNE IN TREATMENT

b. MICHAEL C. HALL DEXTER

c. JON HAMM MAD MEN

d. HUGH LAURIE HOUSE

e. JONATHAN RHYS MEYERS THE TUDORS

18. BEST TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

a. 30 ROCK (NBC)
Universal Media Studios in association with Broadway Video and Little
Stranger Inc.

b. CALIFORNICATION (SHOWTIME)
Showtime Presents in association with Aggressive Mediocrity, And Then...

c. ENTOURAGE (HBO)
Leverage and Closest to the Hole Productions in association with HBO Entertainment

d. THE OFFICE (NBC)
Deedle Dee Productions, Reveille LLC, Universal Media Studios

e. WEEDS (SHOWTIME)
Lionsgate Television

19. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES –COMEDY OR MUSICAL

a. CHRISTINA APPLEGATE SAMANTHA WHO?

b. AMERICA FERRERA UGLY BETTY

c. TINA FEY 30 ROCK

d. DEBRA MESSING THE STARTER WIFE

e. MARY-LOUISE PARKER WEEDS

20. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

a. ALEC BALDWIN 30 ROCK

b. STEVE CARELL THE OFFICE

c. KEVIN CONNOLLY ENTOURAGE

d. DAVID DUCHOVNY CALIFORNICATION

e. TONY SHALHOUB MONK

21. BEST MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

a. A RAISIN IN THE SUN (ABC)
Sony Pictures Television

b. BERNARD AND DORIS (HBO)
Trigger Street Independent Productions in association with Little Bird and Chicago Films and HBO Films

c. CRANFORD (PBS)
A Co-Production of BBC and WGBH Boston.

d. JOHN ADAMS (HBO)
Playtone in association with HBO Films

e. RECOUNT (HBO)
Spring Creek/Mirage Productions in association with Trigger Street Productions, Everyman Pictures and HBO Films

22. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

a. JUDI DENCH CRANFORD

b. CATHERINE KEENER AN AMERICAN CRIME

c. LAURA LINNEY JOHN ADAMS

d. SHIRLEY MACLAINE COCO CHANEL

e. SUSAN SARANDON BERNARD AND DORIS

23. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

a. RALPH FIENNES BERNARD AND DORIS

b. PAUL GIAMATTI JOHN ADAMS

c. KEVIN SPACEY RECOUNT

d. KIEFER SUTHERLAND 24: REDEMPTION

e. TOM WILKINSON RECOUNT

24. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

a. EILEEN ATKINS CRANFORD

b. LAURA DERN RECOUNT

c. MELISSA GEORGE IN TREATMENT

d. RACHEL GRIFFITHS BROTHERS AND SISTERS

e. DIANNE WIEST IN TREATMENT

25. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

a. NEIL PATRICK HARRIS HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER

b. DENIS LEARY RECOUNT

c. JEREMY PIVEN ENTOURAGE

d. BLAIR UNDERWOOD IN TREATMENT

e. TOM WILKINSON JOHN ADAMS

Screen Actors Guild sets January strike vote

LOS ANGELES – The Screen Actors Guild plans to send strike authorization ballots to more than 100,000 union members on Jan. 2, a date that leaves the Golden Globes safe but puts Oscar night within reach of a potential boycott.

Votes will be counted on Jan. 23, nearly two weeks after the Golden Globe Awards ceremony, but ahead of the Feb. 22 Academy Awards, the most important date on the Hollywood calendar.

Approval by 75 percent of voting members is required to pass the measure. If it is approved, the SAG national board can call a strike.

Guild President Alan Rosenberg has said a strike is the last resort to force a resolution in stalled contract talks with major movie studios, but that if it is necessary, it would be timed to have the most impact.

"SAG members understand that their futures as professional actors are at stake," Rosenberg said in a statement Wednesday.

The guild is at odds with the studios over the treatment of Internet productions and the benefits that actors can get when earthquakes or other unforeseen events, such as a strike by another union, shut down productions.

For instance, actors have an outstanding claim for payments they say they are due for work lost during the 100-day strike by writers last season. That strike reduced the Golden Globes this past January to a glorified press conference.

In the Internet debate, the guild wants union coverage of all shows made for the Web, regardless of budget, and residual payments for actors on made-for-Internet shows that are reused online. Currently, almost all provisions for made-for-Internet productions are negotiable or at the producer's discretion.

Major studios called the strike vote poorly timed.

"It's now official: SAG members are going to be asked to bail out a failed negotiating strategy by going on strike during one of the worst economic crises in history," said a statement by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

That group represents studios such as Viacom Inc.'s Paramount Pictures and Time Warner Inc.'s Warner Bros. The alliance has stuck to what it called its final offer made when the previous contract expired June 30.

Similar deals have already been accepted by other unions, including those representing directors, writers, stagehands and a smaller actors union. On its Web site, the movie and TV producers' group says the Screen Actors Guild has so far foregone more than $37 million in pay increases by continuing to work under the terms of the old deal.

On Monday, the guild held a closed-door town hall-style meeting at the Harmony Gold Theater in Hollywood, and Rosenberg said he was ``encouraged by the response" by the 500 members in attendance.

But the guild, which had expected to send out ballots this month, pushed back the strike vote date after the producers' alliance accused it of using the holidays to ensure a low turnout and leave more working actors out of the process.

"We want SAG members to have time to focus on this critical referendum," Rosenberg said.

The guild plans another town hall meeting in New York on Monday and one in Hollywood on Dec. 17. As well, the guild is sending out e-mails and fact sheets to members, and will put up testimonials from prominent actors such as Hal Holbrook and Ed Asner on its website to urge actors to vote yes.

But actors are divided. In guild elections in September, an upstart group called Unite For Strength broke up the majority control of the national board that had been held by a faction that supports Rosenberg.

However, the Unite group has not clarified its position on the strike vote.

Last week, at a benefit performance at the University of California, Los Angeles, "Mad Men" actor Jon Hamm told The Associated Press that he hoped the labour strife would not affect next year's TV season.

"I wish it was not happening. I wish there were sound heads on both sides who were able to discuss this like adults," he said. ``If history is any judge, it's not looking good, but we'll see, especially given the financial climate.''

'Milk' named best film by New York Film Critics

NEW YORK – Sean Penn and "Milk," Gus Van Sant's biopic about gay rights leader Harvey Milk, continued to gain awards momentum Wednesday, winning best film from the New York Film Critics Circle.

Penn was chosen as best actor for his performance in the lauded film about Milk, the openly gay San Francisco politician who was assassinated in 1978. Josh Brolin won best supporting actor for his performance in the film.

On Tuesday, Penn was chosen as best actor by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. "Milk" also leads the Broadcast Film Critics Association with eight nominations, tied for the most with "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."

Like their West Coast brethren, the New York critics picked Sally Hawkins for best actress for her performance in Mike Leigh's "Happy-Go-Lucky." Best director went to Leigh.

The New York circle, which last year chose "No Country for Old Men" as best film, is a group of 33 New York-based critics. Their picks are one of the early film honors in Hollywood's long awards season, which continues Thursday with nominations for the Golden Globes.

Best supporting actress went to Penelope Cruz for her role in Woody Allen's "Vicky Cristina Barcelona." Jenny Lumet, daughter of Sidney Lumet, won for her screenplay of "Rachel Getting Married."

"Man on Wire" won best documentary, "WALL-E" won best animated film and "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days" won best foreign film. Anthony Dod Mantle won for his cinematography in "Slumdog Millionaire." Courtney Hunt ("Frozen River") won for best first film.

The awards ceremony will be held Jan. 5 in New York.

Jerry Lewis to receive Oscar's humanitarian award

LOS ANGELES – Jerry Lewis has never been nominated for an Oscar, but he's going to get one anyway. The 82-year-old will receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the Oscar ceremony in February.

The governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced their selection Wednesday. The Hersholt Award — an actual Oscar statuette — recognizes humanitarian efforts that have brought credit to the film industry.

An actor, director, writer and producer, Lewis made his big-screen debut in 1949's "My Friend Irma." He has been national chairman of the Muscular Dystrophy Association since 1952 and has raised more than $2 billion for the cause through his annual Labor Day telethon.

The Oscars will be presented Feb. 22.

Ledger Honoured With Another Posthumous Award

Heath Ledger has been honoured with a posthumous acting award from the Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association.

Ledger has been named Best Supporting Actor for his role as The Joker in The Dark Knight by the critics.

Slumdog Millionaire claimed its second major U.S. Best Film prize, while Oscar favourites Mickey Rourke and Meryl Streep won the Best Actor and Best Actress honours for The Wrestler and Doubt, respectively.

The cast of Doubt also walked away with Best Acting Ensemble, while Rosemarie DeWitt won Best Supporting Actress for Rachel Getting Married.

The full list of Washington DC Area Film Critics Association honourees are:

Best Film: Slumdog Millionaire

Best Director: Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire)

Best Actor: Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)

Best Actress: Meryl Streep (Doubt)

Best Ensemble: Doubt

Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight)

Best Supporting Actress: Rosemarie DeWitt (Rachel Getting Married)

Best Breakthrough Performance: Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire)

Best Adapted Screenplay: Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire)

Best Original Screenplay: Jenny Lumet (Rachel Getting Married)

Best Animated Feature: Wall-e

Best Foreign Language Film: Let The Right One In

Best Documentary: Man On Wire

Best Art Direction: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

'Milk' earns Stanley Kramer prize from Producers

LOS ANGELES – Sean Penn's film biography "Milk" is receiving the Producers Guild of America's Stanley Kramer Award, which honors pictures taking on provocative social issues.

The prize, announced Monday, will be presented at the guild's awards show Jan. 24.

"Milk" stars Penn as San Francisco politician Harvey Milk, who in 1977 won a seat on the board of supervisors to become the first openly gay man elected to major public office in the United States. The film is directed by Gus Van Sant.

The following year, Milk was slain along with Mayor George Moscone by a board colleague.

The Kramer Award is named after the legendary filmmaker whose works include "The Defiant Ones," "Judgment at Nuremberg" and "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner."

Ledger honoured with Australian acting prize

The late actor Heath Ledger has been handed one of his country's highest film honours: the Australian Film Institute's international award for best actor for his portrayal of the Joker in The Dark Knight.

The 28-year-old actor died of an accidental overdose of painkillers and other medicines in a New York apartment in January.

"Heath was never one to accept mediocrity. He put his heart and soul into achieving what he believed was required and followed his passions with great enthusiasm and an insatiable curiosity," Sally Ledger said of her son.

Sister Kate stood alongside her parents as they accepted the award Saturday night at a film institute gala in Melbourne.

"It has been without a doubt the most difficult year, losing such a loved family member," Kate Ledger said, fighting back tears. "We are so proud of him and humbly accept this award on behalf of his beautiful daughter [Matilda], who we will cherish forever."

Audience members rose to their feet as the award was announced. The AFI also paid tribute to Ledger as a "ground-breaking actor trapped in the body of a leading man."

Ledger was nominated for an Oscar playing a gay cowboy in 2005's Brokeback Mountain. The Dark Night will be re-released to cinemas in January the day after this year's Oscar nominations are disclosed.

Cate Blanchett won the Australian Film Institute's female acting award for her role in Elizabeth: The Golden Age.

Meanwhile, The Black Balloon — about a teenage boy learning to live with an autistic brother — captured best film.

Heading into the awards with 11 nominations, The Black Balloon also took home trophies for best supporting actor and actress for Luke Ford and Toni Collette, while director and co-writer Elissa Down won for best direction and original screenplay.

In the TV category, the acclaimed crime drama Underbelly, about Melbourne's gang world, garnered six of eight awards for which it was nominated, including best TV drama series and best acting for its male and female leads.

Lil Wayne Tops 51st GRAMMY Nominations

Nominations for the 51st Annual GRAMMY Awards were announced tonight by The Recording Academy and reflected one of the most diverse years ever with the Album Of The Year category alone representing the rap, R&B, folk and rock genres.

Lil Wayne topped the nominations with eight, Coldplay garnered seven, and Jay-Z, Ne-Yo and Kanye West each earned six nods. Alison Krauss, John Mayer, Robert Plant, Radiohead and Jazmine Sullivan received five each, and Adele, Danger Mouse, Eagles, Lupe Fiasco, George Strait, and T.I. each received four nominations.

For the first time, nominations for the annual GRAMMY Awards were announced on prime-time television as part of "The GRAMMY Nominations Concert Live!! — Countdown To Music's Biggest Night." The one-hour special — broadcast live on CBS from Nokia Theatre L.A Live — featured past GRAMMY winners and nominees reading nominations in several categories, as well as performing songs from the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame in celebration of the grand opening of the GRAMMY Museum.

Two-time GRAMMY winner LL Cool J and 50th GRAMMY Best New Artist nominee Taylor Swift co-hosted the telecast, and presenters/performers included four-time GRAMMY winner Christina Aguilera, five-time GRAMMY winners Mariah Carey and Celine Dion, the six-time GRAMMY-winning Foo Fighters, 14-time GRAMMY winner B.B. King, five-time GRAMMY winner John Mayer, and Swift.

"The GRAMMY Awards process once again has yielded a comprehensive, diverse and eclectic group of excellent nominees across multiple genres," said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy. "This year's nominations are truly reflective of the talented community of artists and creators who represent some of the highest levels of musical excellence. Coupled with our first-ever prime-time nominations special, featuring stellar performances by past GRAMMY winners and nominees, we're off to an incredible start on the road to Music's Biggest Night and the 51st Annual GRAMMY Awards in February."

Following are the nominations in the four General Field categories:

Album Of The Year:
Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends (Coldplay)
Tha Carter III (Lil Wayne)
Year Of The Gentleman (Ne-Yo)
Raising Sand (Robert Plant & Alison Krauss)
In Rainbows (Radiohead)

Record Of The Year:
"Chasing Pavements" (Adele)
"Viva La Vida" (Coldplay)
"Bleeding Love" (Leona Lewis)
"Paper Planes" (M.I.A.)
"Please Read The Letter" (Robert Plant & Alison Krauss)

Song Of The Year:
"American Boy," William Adams, Keith Harris, Josh Lopez, Caleb Speir, John Stephens, Estelle Swaray & Kanye West, songwriters (Estelle Featuring Kanye West, artist)
"Chasing Pavements," Adele Adkins & Eg White, songwriters (Adele, artist)
"I'm Yours," Jason Mraz, songwriter (Jason Mraz, artist)
"Love Song," Sara Bareilles, songwriter (Sara Bareilles, artist)
"Viva La Vida," Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion & Chris Martin, songwriters (Coldplay, artist)

Best New Artist:
Adele
Duffy
Jonas Brothers
Lady Antebellum
Jazmine Sullivan

Nominations in the Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals category are "Viva La Vida" by Coldplay; "Waiting In The Weeds" by Eagles; "Going On" by Gnarls Barkley; "Won't Go Home Without You" by Maroon 5; and "Apologize" by OneRepublic.

For Best Rock Album, the nominees are Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends by Coldplay; Rock N Roll Jesus by Kid Rock; Only By The Night by Kings Of Leon; Death Magnetic by Metallica; and Consolers Of The Lonely by the Raconteurs.

Nominations in the Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals are "Ribbon In The Sky" by Boyz II Men; "Words" by Anthony David Featuring Indie.Arie; "Stay With Me (By The Sea)" by Al Green Featuring John Legend; "I'm His Only Woman" by Jennifer Hudson Featuring Fantasia; and "Never Give You Up" by Raphael Saadiq Featuring Stevie Wonder & CJ Hilton.

For Best Rap Album, the nominees are American Gangster by Jay-Z; Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne; The Cool by Lupe Fiasco; Nas by Nas; and Paper Trail by T.I.

The Best Country Collaboration With Vocals nominees are "Shiftwork" by Kenny Chesney & George Strait; "Killing The Blues" by Robert Plant & Alison Krauss; "House Of Cash" by George Strait & Patty Loveless; "Life In A Northern Town" by Sugarland, Jake Owen & Little Big Town; and "Let The Wind Chase You" by Trisha Yearwood & Keith Urban.

This year's Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical nominees are Danger Mouse, Nigel Godrich, Johnny Karkazis, Rick Rubin, and will.i.am.

GRAMMY ballots for the final round of voting will be mailed on Dec. 17 to the voting members of The Recording Academy. They are due back to the accounting firm Deloitte by Jan. 14, 2009, when they will be tabulated and the results kept secret until the telecast.

The 51st Annual GRAMMY Awards will be held on "GRAMMY Sunday," Feb. 8, 2009, at Staples Center in Los Angeles and once again will be broadcast live in high-definition TV and 5.1 surround sound on CBS from 8–11:30 p.m. (ET/PT).

'Rachel,' `River,' lead Spirit Award nominees

LOS ANGELES – Anne Hathaway's family drama "Rachel Getting Married," the border-smuggling tale "Frozen River" and the Deep South saga "Ballast" led nominees Tuesday for the Spirit Awards with six nominations each, including best picture.

Other best-picture nominees for the awards, which honor independent film, were Michelle Williams' down-on-her-luck drama "Wendy and Lucy" and Mickey Rourke's broken-down athlete tale "The Wrestler."

Hathaway and Williams have lead-actress nominations, along with Melissa Leo for "Frozen River," Summer Bishil for "Towelhead" and Tarra Riggs for "Ballast."
Rourke has a lead-actor nomination, along with Javier Bardem for "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," Richard Jenkins for "The Visitor," Sean Penn for "Milk" and Jeremy Renner for "The Hurt Locker."

"Rachel Getting Married," with Hathaway as an addict whose homecoming for her sister's wedding causes upheaval, also earned nominations for director Jonathan Demme, supporting actresses Debra Winger and Rosemarie DeWitt and screenwriter Jenny Lumet.

"Frozen River," which follows a white woman and a Mohawk Indian woman drawn into smuggling on a reservation along the New York-Quebec border, had writing and directing nominations for filmmaker Courtney Hunt. Supporting-actress Misty Upham and supporting-actor Charlie McDermott also were nominated.

"Ballast," the story of a single mother struggling to get by amid trauma and turmoil, grabbed directing and writing nominations for filmmaker Lance Hammer, along with slots for supporting actor JimMyron Ross and for cinematographer Lol Crawley.

Other key nominations included two more for "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," for Woody Allen's screenplay and supporting actress Penelope Cruz.

Eligible films must have cost less than $20 million to produce, with significant financing from independent sources outside the Hollywood studio system.

The Spirit Awards will be presented Feb. 21, a day before the Academy Awards.
The ceremony will include the annual Robert Altman Award for an ensemble film, which is being presented to "Synecdoche, New York," the directing debut from "Being John Malkovich" screenwriter Charlie Kaufman.

Axed CBC drama wins top Gemini

TORONTO - The choice showed Intelligence, but the timing was kind of awkward.

The critically acclaimed but ratings-challenged series Intelligence, which officially was cancelled by the CBC last winter, took home the award for best drama series at the 2008 Gemini Awards, which were held last night in Toronto.

The last new episode of Intelligence aired almost a year ago, so it made for a bit of a weird atmosphere last night when Intelligence beat out fellow best-drama nominees The Border, The Tudors, Durham County and Murdoch Mysteries.

But we don't mean "weird" in a way that suggests Intelligence, which starred the excellent Ian Tracey and Klea Scott, wasn't worthy. In fact, yours truly was a devoted follower, and we always wondered why more Canadians weren't tuning in.

Regardless, last night must have been pretty sweet for Intelligence creator Chris Haddock. Sadly, he was not in attendance last night to share his, uh, "opinion."

However, mentalist The Amazing Kreskin cracked wise by "predicting" Intelligence would be "renewed for two more seasons." Priceless.

In an interview that appeared in Sun Media outlets in November 2007, Haddock blasted the CBC, claiming the public broadcaster had become "hostile" to his kind of story-telling and had not adequately promoted his show.

CBC executive director of network programming Kirstine Layfield strongly rejected Haddock's accusations, pointing out no creator of a series ever thinks their show is being promoted enough. Layfield claimed the CBC brought Intelligence back for a second season "in good faith" because of the quality of the series, but the ratings simply did not improve.

Haddock subsequently attempted to take an American-ized version of Intelligence to Fox in the United States, but Fox's initial interest was not followed by firm commitments.

The Gemini Awards were hosted by veteran Canadian actor/director Jason Priestley, who first made a name for himself playing Brandon Walsh on Beverly Hills 90210 in the 1990s. Priestley had a hilarious taped opening bit about proving he was Canadian to the likes of Brent Butt, Megan Follows and the Trailer Park Boys.

Among the presenters last night was Shenae Grimes, the young Canadian who plays Annie Wilson in the new 90210, following her portrayal of Darcy Edwards on CTV's Degrassi: The Next Generation. Priestley referred to Grimes as being from "the new, old, 9021-oh, let it go already."

"It's so exciting to be home - it's about time," said Grimes, who is from the Toronto area. "I haven't been here since June. The cold is crazy."

Another presenter last night was Canadian actress Natasha Henstridge, who currently is starring in the apparently doomed ABC series Eli Stone. Fortunately for Henstridge, she was on hand to accept a Gemini Award in person for best actress in a dramatic program or mini-series, for her role in CTV's Would Be Kings.

"To feel that in my home country people recognize my work on that level is so, so flattering," Henstridge said.

Project Runway Canada took home a Gemini for best reality program or series.

Best comedy program or series was won by CBC's This Hour Has 22 Minutes.

Cock'd Gunns, which originally aired on IFC, took home trophies for best ensemble performance in a comedy and best writing in a comedy or variety program.

Best dramatic mini-series was won by The Englishman's Boy, and Nicholas Campbell's work in that program earned him an award for best actor in a mini-series.

Justin Louis and Helene Joy won best-actor and best-actress in a drama for their performances in Durham County, which aired originally on The Movie Network and Movie Central.

"Acting in Canada you often don't feel you get the attention you deserve, so this is great," Joy said.

Best direction in a drama series went to Holly Dale for Durham County.

Leah Miller and Brendan Fehr won the viewers' choice polls for hottest female and male, respectively.

GEMINI WINNERS

Best dramatic series: "Intelligence."

Best comedy program or series: "This Hour Has 22 Minutes."

Best dramatic miniseries: "The Englishman's Boy."

Best reality program or series: "Project Runway Canada."

Best performance by an actor in a continuing leading dramatic role: Justin Louis, "Durham County" (episode "What Lies Beneath").

Best performance by an actor in a leading role in a dramatic program or miniseries: Nicholas Campbell, "The Englishman's Boy."

Best performance by an actress in a continuing leading dramatic role: Helene Joy, "Durham County" (episode "Guys and Dolls").

Best performance by an actress in a leading role in a dramatic program or miniseries: Natasha Henstridge, "Would Be Kings."

Best ensemble performance in a comedy program or series: Inessa Annie Frantowski, Brooks Gray, Andy King, Rebecca McMahon, Leo Scherman, Morgan Waters: "Cock'd Gunns" (episode "A Taste of Success").

Best host or interviewer in a general/human interest or talk program or series: George Stroumboulopoulos, "The Hour With George Stroumboulopoulos."

Best host or interviewer in a sports program or sportscast: Ron MacLean, "Hockey Day in Canada."

Best news anchor: Ian Hanomansing, "CBC News at Six."

Best writing in a comedy or variety program or series: Brooks Gray, Andy King, Leo Scherman, Morgan Waters: "Cock'd Gunns" (episode "Ready, Aim, Fire").

Best direction in a dramatic series: Holly Dale, "Durham County" (episode "What Lies Beneath").

Sarah McLachlan, Loverboy to be honoured at Junos

Lilith Fair founder and charitable campaigner Sarah McLachlan has been named winner of the Allan Waters Humanitarian Award to be presented at the Juno Awards gala in March.

It is the fourth time the award, for an artist whose "humanitarian contributions have positively enhanced the social fabric of Canada" has been given.

The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, which hosts the Junos, also announced Thursday that '80s rock band Loverboy would be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.

The band that created Turn Me Loose and This Could Be the Night was formed in Calgary in 1980 and is now based in Vancouver.

Members include Mike Reno on lead vocals, guitarist Paul Dean, bassist Scott Smith, keyboard player Doug Johnson on keyboards and Matt Frenette on drums. Smith died in 2000 after being knocked off a sailboat.

McLachlan, best known for her hit Angel, has had a 20-year career as a singer-songwriter and is an eight-time Juno Award winner. She also earned Grammy Awards for Building a Mystery, Last Dance and I Will Remember You.

She is widely recognized for founding Lilith Fair, a tour headlined by all female artists that raised money for charities and women's shelters across North America.

Lilith Fair ran for three years and was considered ground-breaking for its role in promoting women in music.

Her Sarah McLachlan Foundation supports music education among young Canadians and has established a Vancouver program to provide music lessons to disadvantaged children.

In 2004, McLachlan and director Sophie Muller created fund-raising video World on Fire, designed to raise awareness about the need for global aid.

She also has been involved with music education charity MusiCounts, global charity Free the Children, and the B.C. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Previous winners of the Allan Waters Award, named for the CHUM Ltd. founder, include Paul Brandt, Bruce Cockburn and Tom Jackson.

The Juno gala is March 28.

Superheroes will battle for People's Choice honors

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Superheroes Batman and Iron Man and adventurer Indiana Jones, will battle for top film honors at the upcoming People's Choice Awards which annually bestows honors on favorite celebrities in film, TV and music.

Among nominees named on Monday for People's Choice Awards was pop star Britney Spears who earned a nod as a "scene stealing" guest star on television but was shut out of music categories.

The People's Choice Awards, which will be given out on January 7, are one of Hollywood's earliest shows in its season of honors leading to the Oscars, the film industry's top prizes.

But unlike the more prestigious Oscars or any of the many other honors given out by entertainment groups, People's Choice winners are voted on by movie, TV and music fans.

Australian actor Heath Ledger was nominated with his "The Dark Knight" co-star Christian Bale for best on-screen matchup, as well as in the favorite cast category for the Batman movie released after Ledger's accidental death in January. Ledger played the villainous Joker to Bale's heroic Batman.

"Iron Man" star Robert Downey Jr. and Bale were also nominated for favorite male action star, while "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" will fight it out with "The Dark Knight" and "Iron Man" for the favorite movie and favorite action movie award.

New categories for this year's 35th Annual People's Choice Awards include favorite superhero, favorite TV drama diva, favorite film cast, favorite scene-stealing guest star and favorite star under 35.

Spears, 26, is nominated for her two guest appearances earlier this year in the TV sitcom "How I Met Your Mother" in which she played a sassy office assistant.
But Spears does not appear in the music categories, which are dominated by Rihanna, Alicia Keys and Carrie Underwood on the female side. R&B star Chris Brown had most mentions in the male music sections.

The four singers were also among the favorite under 35 year-old nominees, along with teen favorites Daniel Radcliffe, Miley Cyrus, Zac Efron, Chace Crawford, Shia LaBeouf and Justin Timberlake.

The winner will be chosen by a public online vote at the www.pcaVOTE.com Web site from November10 thru December 7. The awards will be handed out in Los Angeles in a live TV broadcast on the CBS broadcast network.

CBC big winner of Geminis for news, sports and documentaries

CBC Television's The National was named best newscast and also took home a trophy for best reportage at the Gemini News, Sports and Documentary Gala on Monday evening.

Two other CBC TV shows earned three awards each at the ceremony — current affairs show The Fifth Estate and Hockey Night in Canada.

The National's Adrienne Arsenault, Erin Boudreau and Richard Devey won the Gemini for best news magazine segment for "Moshe and Munir," about the friendship between a Palestinian and an Israeli.

The Fifth Estate was named best information series, and host Hana Gartner won the Gemini for best host or interviewer in a current affairs series.

Avi Lev won the award for best picture editing for his work on The Fifth Estate episode "Brian Mulroney: The Unauthorized Chapter."

Hockey Night in Canada's coverage of its annual outdoor game was named best live sporting event, with Geminis going to Sherali Najak, Brian Spear and Doug Walton. Inside Hockey: The Aud won the award for best sports feature segment.

Don Wittman, the veteran CBC sportscaster who died in January in Winnipeg, won the Gemini for best play-by-play announcing for his work on Hockey Night in Canada.

Wittman joined CBC Sports in 1961 and went on to call some of the most vicious, arresting and triumphant moments in Canadian sports history. He worked with Hockey Night in Canada from 1979 until the 2007-08 season.

Another veteran CBC News reporter, Don Newman, senior parliamentary editor and host of CBC Newsworld's Politics, was honoured with the Gordon Sinclair Award from the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television.

Newman, who joined CBC in 1976 as its Washington correspondent, began reporting on Ottawa in 1981.

The award is given annually for outstanding contribution to Canadian television journalism.

Other winners included:

- Pierre McGuire, best game analyst, IIHF World Junior Hockey Gold Final: Canada vs. Sweden, TSN

- Bob McKenzie best studio analyst, IIHF World Junior Hockey Gold Final: Canada vs. Sweden, TSN.

- Diamond Road, best documentary series, TVO.

- Confessions of an Innocent Man, best biography documentary program, CTV.

Confessions of an Innocent Man was a documentary about William Sampson, a dual Canadian-British citizen who was imprisoned and tortured in Saudi Arabia after being accused of orchestrating a car bombing.

In June 2006, CTV News announced it would no longer nominate its news programs for the Gemini Awards, saying too much work was involved in the nomination process.

CBC's The National had nine nominations and The Fifth Estate had 11 heading into the Geminis. Winners in some categories will be declared later in the week.

The Gemini gala for lifestyle, children's and youth winners will be held Tuesday and the gala for drama, variety and comedy will follow on Wednesday.

The main Gemini show is to be held in Toronto on Nov. 28.

Weakerthans win three WCMAs

EDMONTON - Maybe they should be called the Strongerthans.

Songs about curling, a Winnipeg bus driver and Big Foot helped The Weakerthans dominate the Western Canadian Music Awards Sunday. The indy pop recording darlings, who have been winning rave reviews as they play around the world in support of their latest album Reunion Tour, were honoured for outstanding independent album and songwriters of the year at the awards show in Edmonton.

The band, which crafted Reunion Tour in a factory on the outskirts of Winnipeg during a few frigid weeks in March 2007, also won video of the year for Civil Twilight, a song about a city bus driver whose route takes him past a house that is haunted only for him.

The Weakerthans appear to have a love-hate relationship with buses. This summer the band missed playing the Lalapalooza festival in Chicago when their tour bus broke down after a show, stranding them in Ohio.

The Western Canadian Music Awards recognizes the best recording artists from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia and the Yukon in 19 categories.

"It was definitely a great weekend," said Kennedy Jensen, executive director of the Western Canadian Music Alliance.

"We were thrilled to be hosting the event in Edmonton this year - to share our hospitality and amazing spirit."

Alberta native son Corb Lund won the outstanding roots recording - solo - award for the title song of his Horse Soldier! Horse Soldier! album, a ballad that chronicles the changing fortunes of cavalrymen throughout history.

The show opened with a tribute to the life and career of jazz icon Tommy Banks, who was inducted into the Western Canadian Music Hall of Fame, as were Spirit of the West. The Vancouver-based artists performed rousing renditions of their hit singles during the program.

Feist, k.d. lang and Nickelback were all honoured with awards for international achievement.

Country crooner Paul Brandt, who has sold more than one-million albums during his career, won the top country recording award for his album Risk.

Winnipeg rockers The Liptonians were honoured for outstanding pop recording for their self-titled debut album.

Altered Laws' Metaphora, an album that explores Latin, pop, Brazilian, mainstream and avant-garde jazz, won top jazz recording.

Other award winners included; Little Miss Higgins for outstanding blues recording for the album Junction City, State of Shock's Life, Love and Lies was top rock record, Twilight Hotel' Highway Prayer was honoured for outstanding roots recording.

List of winners from the 2008 Western Canadian Music Awards

EDMONTON - Here's the list of winners from the Western Canadian Music Awards presented Sunday night in Edmonton:

The 2008 Western Canadian Music Award winners are:

Outstanding Aboriginal Recording: Tracy Bone, No Lies.

Outstanding Blues Recording: Little Miss Higgins, Junction City.

Outstanding Children's Recording (Tie): Googol Power, Crazy 4 Math. The Kerplunks, The Kerplunks.

Outstanding Contemporary Christian/Gospel Recording: Steve Bell, The Symphony Sessions.

Outstanding Classical Composition: Elizabeth Raum, Dark Thoughts (How Bodies Make Ecstatic Marks).

Outstanding Classical Recording: Jasper Wood, A Child's Cry from Izieu.

Outstanding Country Recording: Paul Brandt, Risk.

Outstanding Francophone Recording: Ariane Mahryke Lemire, Double Entendre.

Outstanding Instrumental Recording: Bob Evans, 4 on 6.

Outstanding Jazz Recording: Altered Laws, Metaphora.

Outstanding Pop Recording: The Liptonians, Self-Titled.

Outstanding Rock Recording: State of Shock, Life, Love & Lies.

Outstanding Roots Recording - Duo/Group: Twilight Hotel, Highway Prayer.

Outstanding Roots Recording - Solo: Corb Lund, Horse Soldier! Horse Soldier!.

Outstanding Urban Recording: Souljah Fyah, Truth Will Reveal.

Outstanding World Recording: Alex Cuba, Agua Del Pozo.

Outstanding Independent Album: The Weakerthans, Reunion Tour.

Songwriter(s) of the Year: The Weakerthans, Reunion Tour.

Video of the Year: The Weakerthans, Civil Twilight.

Hall of Fame: Senator Tommy Banks, Spirit of the West.

International Achievement Award: Feist, k.d. lang, Nickelback

Alicia Keys, Coldplay, Eagles lead AMA nominees

Alicia Keys, Coldplay and The Eagles led the pack when nominees for the 2008 American Music Awards were announced Tuesday (10/14).

Keys garnered five nominations to top the field, while Coldplay and The Eagles followed closely behind with four apiece. Each of the top-three nominees are in the running for the overall Artist of the Year prize, along with Chris Brown and Lil Wayne.

Nominations for the awards, which are divided into several categories--including Pop/Rock, Country, Rap/Hip-Hop, Soul/R&B, Alternative, Adult Contemporary, Latin and Contemporary Inspirational--were announced by comedian Jimmy Kimmel at a press conference in Beverly Hills. The awards will be presented during a November 23rd live broadcast from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles.

The complete list of nominees is included below.

AMA nominations are based on sales data compiled by music-industry trade magazine Radio & Records and Nielsen SoundScan. For the second consecutive year, winners will be determined through an online vote open to the general public. In previous years, winners were selected via a national sampling of about 20,000 people.

Votes will be collected through Nov. 7.

Nominees for the 2008 American Music Awards:
POP/ROCK MUSIC
Favorite Male Artist
Chris Brown
Kid Rock
Usher

Favorite Female Artist
Mariah Carey
Alicia Keys
Rihanna

Favorite Band, Duo Or Group
Coldplay
Eagles
Daughtry

Favorite Album
Coldplay, "Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends"
Eagles, "Long Road Out of Eden"
Alicia Keys, "As I Am"

COUNTRY MUSIC
Favorite Male Artist
Garth Brooks
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley

Favorite Female Artist
Reba Mcentire
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood

Favorite Band, Duo Or Group
Brooks & Dunn
Rascal Flatts
Sugarland

Favorite Album
Garth Brooks, "The Ultimate Hits"
Rascal Flatts, "Still Feels Good"
Carrie Underwood, "Carnival Ride"

RAP/HIP-HOP MUSIC
Favorite Male Artist
Flo Rida
Lil Wayne
Kanye West

Favorite Band, Duo Or Group
G Unit
Three 6 Mafia
Wu-Tang Clan

Favorite Album
Jay-Z, "American Gangster"
Lil Wayne, "Tha Carter III"
Kayne West, "Graduation"

SOUL/RHYTHM & BLUES MUSIC
Favorite Male Artist
Chris Brown
J. Holiday
Usher

Favorite Female Artist
Mary J. Blige
Alicia Keys
Rihanna

Favorite Album
Mary J. Blige, "Growing Pains"
Mariah Carey, "E=Mc2"
Alicia Keys, "As I Am"

SOUNDTRACKS
Favorite Album
"Alvin And The Chipmunks"
"Juno"
"Mamma Mia!"

ALTERNATIVE ROCK MUSIC
Favorite Artist
Coldplay
Foo Fighters
Linkin Park

ADULT CONTEMPORARY MUSIC
Favorite Artist
Daughtry
Eagles
Jordin Sparks

LATIN MUSIC
Favorite Artist
Enrique Iglesias
Juanes
Wisin Y Yandel

CONTEMPORARY INSPIRATIONAL
Favorite Artist
Casting Crowns
Mercyme
Third Day

T-MOBILE BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST
Colbie Caillat
Flo Rida
Jonas Brothers
Paramore
The-Dream

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Lil Wayne
Chris Brown
Alicia Keys
Eagles
Coldplay

Late fiddler Oliver Schroer leads Canadian Folk Music nominations

Toronto fiddler Oliver Schroer, who died of leukemia July 3 at the age of 52, leads the lineup for this year's Canadian Folk Music Awards with four nominations.

Schroer, who combined folk music traditions with classical arrangements, received nominations for contemporary album of the year, solo instrumentalist, producer and a category called pushing the boundaries. He'll be honoured in a tribute at the CFMA ceremony next month.

Close behind him are Vancouver signer-songwriter Wyckham Porteous and Nova Scotia fiddler Troy MacGillivray with three nominations each.

With more than 400 submissions from across Canada this year, it has become more difficult to decide on nominations for the awards, notes Jean Hewson, a St. John's singer who is on the organization committee.

Nominees for traditional album are:
Troy MacGillivray & Shane Cook, When Here Meets There (Lanark, N.S.).
Le Vent du Nord, Dans les Airs (Montreal).
Mariam Matossian, In the Light ( Vancouver).
Yves Lambert and Le Brébert Orchestra, Le Monde à Lambert (Montreal).
Genticorum, La Bibournoise (Montreal).

Nominees for contemporary album:
Oliver Schroer, Hymns and Hers (Toronto).
Justin Rutledge, Man Descending (Toronto).
NQ Arbuckle, X O K (Toronto).
Annebelle Chvostek, Resilience (Montreal).
Luke Doucet & The White Falcon, Blood's Too Rich (Toronto).

Nominees for Children's Album of the Year are:
Rik Barron, Shine (St. John's).
Celtic Rathskallions, All Around the Circle (Ottawa).
Funky Mamas, Rollin' Along (Guelph, Ont.).
The Kerplunks, The Kerplunks (Gabriola Island, B.C.).
Art Napoleon, Mocikan: Songs for Learning Cree (Victoria).

Nominees for traditional singer are:
Norah Rendell, Wait There Pretty One (Richmond, B.C.).
Enoch Kent, One More Round (Toronto).
Mary Beth Carty, Voici … Bette et Wallet (Quebec City).
Allison Lupton, Fly Like Swallows (Cambridge, Ont.).
Daniel Payne, Chain (Cow Head, N.L.).

Nomines for contemporary singer are:
Amos Garrett, Get Way Back (Turner Valley, Alta.).
Wyckham Porteous, 3 AM (Vancouver).
Tannis Slimmon, Lucky Blue (Guelph, Ont.).
Dave Carroll, Perfect Blue (Halifax).
Rita Chiarelli, Uptown Goes Downtown (Toronto).

Nominees for instrumental solo artist are:
Oliver Schroer, Hymns and Hers (Toronto).
Pierre Schryer, Melange (Kakabeka Falls, Ont.).
Sarah Burnell for the Sarah Burnell Band, Return Ticket (Ottawa/Montreal).
Craig Korth, Suspicious Minds (Edmonton).
Troy MacGillivray, Live at the Music Room (Lanark, N.S.).

Nominees for instrumental group are:
Marc Atkinson Trio, Vol. IV (Victoria).
Odessa/Havana, Odessa/Havana (Toronto).
Troy MacGillivray & Shane Cook, When Here Meets There (Lanark, N.S.).
Sagapool, Sagapool, Episode Trois (Montreal).
UCalgary String Quartet, Far Behind /Left My Country (Calgary).

Nominees for English songwriter are:
Garnet Rogers, Get a Witness (Brantford, Ont.).
Tim Hus, Bush Pilot Buckaroo (Calgary).
Wyckham Porteous, 3 AM (Vancouver).
Corb Lund, Horse Soldier! Horse Soldier! (Edmonton).
Lindsay Jane, Lovers Find Reasons (Winnipeg).

Nominees for French songwriter are:
David Jalbert, Des Histoires (Mascouche, Que.).
Anique Granger, Pepins (Montreal).
Yves Desrosiers, Chansons indociles (Montreal).
Tomas Jensen, Quelqu'un d'autre (Montreal).
Swing, Tradarnac (Ottawa).

Nominees for vocal group are:
Sisters of Sheynville, Sheynville Express (Toronto).
The Sojourners, Hold On (Vancouver).
Chic Gamine, Chic gamine (Winnipeg).
Dala, Who Do You Think You Are? (Toronto).
Frida's Brow, Frida's Brow (Wakefield, Que.).

Nominees for ensemble of the year are:
Foggy Hogtown Boys, The Golden West (Toronto).
Yves Lambert and Le Brébert Orchestra, Le Monde à Lambert (Montreal).
Rita Chiarelli, Uptown Goes Downtown (Toronto).
Le Vent du Nord, Dans les Airs (Montreal).
Hungry Hill, Ride (Smithers, B.C.).

Nominees for solo artist are:
Wyckham Porteous, 3 AM (Vancouver).
Ken Whiteley, One World Dance (Toronto).
Michael Jerome Browne, Double (Montreal).
Lindsay Jane, Lovers Find Reasons (Winnipeg).
Corb Lund, Horse Soldier! Horse Soldier! (Edmonton).

Nominees for world solo artist are:
Musa Dieng Kala, Exile (Brossard, Que.).
Ines Canepa, Capricho (Montreal).
Celso Machado, Jogo da Vida (Gibsons, B.C.).
Harry Manx, Harry Manx and Friends Live at the Glenn Gould Studio (Saltspring Island, B.C.).
Eliana Cuevas, Vidas (Toronto).

Nominations for world group are:
Compadres, Buddy Where You Been? (Calgary/Winnipeg).
Odessa/Havana, Odessa/Havana (Toronto).
Sagapool, Episode Trois (Montreal).
Constantinople et Françoise Atlan, Ay! Amor (Montreal).
Sisters of Sheynville, Sheynville Express (Toronto).

Nominees for new/emerging artist are:
The Polyjesters, Kitchen Radio (Calgary).
Mariam Matossian, In the Light (Vancouver).
Chic Gamine, Chic Gamine (Winnipeg).
Chloe Albert, Dedicated State (Edmonton).
David Jalbert, Des Histoires (Mascouche, Que.).

Nominees for producer of the year are:
Steve Dawson for Steve Dawson, Waiting for the Lights to Come Up (Vancouver).
Mathieu Dandurand for David Jalbert, Des Histoires (Montreal).
Erik West-Millette for Bia, Nocturno (Montreal).
Oliver Schroer for Oliver Schroer, Hymns and Hers (Toronto).
Othentic for Swing, Tradarnac (Montreal).

Nominees for pushing the boundaries are:
Oliver Schroer, Hymns and Hers (Toronto).
Steve Dawson, Waiting for the Lights to Come Up (Vancouver).
The Marc Atkinson Trio, IV (Victoria).
Harry Manx, Harry Manx and Friends Live at the Glenn Gould Studio (Saltspring Island, B.C.).
Bia, Nocturno (Montreal).

Nominees for young performer are:
Emma Beaton, Pretty Fair Maid (Qualicum Beach, B.C.).
Chrissy Crowley, Demo (Margaree, N.S.).
Kierah, Irish Madness (White Rock, B.C.).
Drumlin, Mackerel Skies (Bridgewater, N.S.).
Paul Cresey, Piece the Picture (Edmonton).

Rik Barron, nominated for children's album of the year, said he is glad to be a part of this year's awards. "Up until three or four years ago, we didn't have an award that was just for children," he said.

The awards ceremony will be held Nov. 23 in St. John's.

And the Oscar-Hosting Job Goes to...Ricky Gervais?

Los Angeles (E! Online) - Ricky Gervais as the next host of the Oscars?

Not so fast.

No doubt the Extras funnyman knows how to crack us up, but reports of him already being a leading contender for hosting duties have been greatly—well, hugely—exaggerated.

"We haven't made one single phone call," Larry Mark, who was announced yesterday as a coproducer of the 81st Annual Academy Awards show with writer-director Bill Condon, said earlier today. "There has been no reaching out."

"We haven't gotten that far yet," said Sid Ganis, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. "We're just not there yet."

Ganis knows they'll never please everyone no matter who they pick for the top job. "If you toss up all the opinions on last year's shows and they all came down, 50 percent of them will say, 'It was a sensational show' and fifty percent of them say, 'Uck, it's the worst thing I have ever seen on television,' " he said. "It's hard. Everyone has an opinion."

Unfortunately, last year's Oscar telecast with Jon Stewart as host hit an all-time ratings low with just 32 million U.S. viewers, down about 8 million from 2007.

This will be Mark and Condon's first time producing the Oscars. The show telecasts live from Hollywood's Kodak Theatre on ABC Feb. 22.

"We were taken aback for a moment," Mark said about being offered the gig. "And then we took a moment to figure our schedules and whatever else, and then we were like, This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance." (Condon wasn't available for an interview today because he is finishing a script for a movie he's going to direct about comedian Richard Pryor.)

Mark comes to the job with a lengthy producing résumé that includes Jerry Maguire, Romy and Michele's High School Reunion and Dreamgirls. Condon wrote and directed Dreamgirls, Gods and Monsters and Kinsey.

As for pumping up the ratings, Ganis said a lot depends on what movies are nominated. "Hopefully, there will be films in contention this year that are of a more populist nature," he said.

Not that he wasn't a fan of last year's big winners like No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood, but "I also know that all of them were kind of on the low side in terms of eyeballs."

Crystal Shawanda, Eagle & Hawk top nominees for Aboriginal Music Awards

Country singer Crystal Shawanda and Winnipeg rockers Eagle & Hawk each have a leading five nominations for this year's Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards.

Eagle & Hawk, an alternative rock group, are nominated for best group, best album for Sirensong and best single and best songwriter for the title song Sirensong.

The group, which won a Juno in 2002, is scheduled to perform with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra next year.

Shawanda, of Wikwemikong, Ont., has made a splash in Nashville and on the Canadian country scene with her chart-topping debut album Dawn of a New Day.

She's nominated for best album, best country album, best female singer, best video and best single. The Ojibwa singer's surname, Shawanda, translates to "dawn of a new day."

She is competing against Vancouver's Christa Couture and Savona, B.C.'s Farah Palmer for best female artist.

Shawanda and Eagle & Hawk will vie for the best album honours along with Tanya Tagaq, the Inuit throat singer nominated for her album Auk-Blood.

Tagaq, a native of Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, who has been filling concert halls for her unusual performance with strings group Kronos Quartet, has nominations for best traditional female singer and best album cover.

Red Power Squad of Morinville, Alta., and Lester of White Rock, B.C., have been nominated for best group.

The nominees for best male artist are:

Mitch Daigneault of Battleford, Sask.
Main Event of Barrie, Ont.
Jace Martin of Ohsweken, Ont.

Nominees for best rap artist:

7th Generation, from Penticton, B.C.
Feenix, from Edmonton.
Wabs Whitebird of Toronto.

This year's ceremony adds several new awards, including categories for best original score and best hip-hop music video.

The Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards, in their 10th year, will be given out Nov. 28 at the Rogers Centre in Toronto.

WHAT YOU DIDN'T SEE AT THE EMMYS

The stars of TV stumbled back to work yesterday - after a three-hour Emmy telecast and a night of partying.

Sure, it was the biggest night of Tina Fey's life - three Emmys for her sitcom, "30 Rock."

But here's a glimpse of what went on away from the cameras:

A LEGEND WIPING OUT

Mary Tyler Moore, on hand to pay tribute to former co-star Betty White, took a nasty spill while climbing a red carpet platform to be interviewed by "The Insider."

The actress, 72, was helped back to her feet and was able to walk away, telling reporters: "I feel fine, thanks."

ARI GOLD TEARING UP

Jeremy Piven got all choked up when a reporter asked what his late father would think of the "Entourage" star's third Emmy.

"I was talking to my mother before I came here and she was sayin' 'Just raise it up to him,'" he said, holding back tears.

ONE MAD WRITER

Kirk Ellis (Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, "John Adams") was mad as hell at his acceptance speech being cut short.

"When I got up there, as soon as I got up there, they were already flashing the 'Wrap It Up' light," he complained backstage.

"I find it very interesting that we can have 30 minutes of the ceremony devoted to reality show hosts, but the people who actually create the work, don't get time to talk!"

CASE OF THE MISSING PURSE

"If anyone has seen a small purple purse with an iPhone in it with a picture of a naked toddler, please let me know," Tina Fey pleaded backstage.

"I left it under my chair when we went up to accept the award (for Outstanding Comedy Series for '30 Rock')".

NEXT YEAR, CABLE

Add up the ratings for the Emmys - the lowest in 18 years - and the number of awards going to cable TV shows like "Mad Men" and "Damages" and what do you get?

The four broadcast TV networks - which rotate the Emmys each year - may be ready to let the Emmy show go to cable.

The current Emmy contract ends in 2010, Variety reports, and the old-line networks may want to see the the back of the awards show.

BALD & THE BEAUTIFUL

"I was late getting here because I really won't leave the house until my hair is perfect," "Breaking Bad" star Bryan Cranston joked after picking up his first-ever Emmy (Lead Actor in a Drama). "It feels like Velcro to me. And it works like Velcro. There are all kind of things sticking to my head, fuzz and Jujubes."

WARDROBE MALFUNCTION

It took some extra time for portly "Lost" star Jorge Garcia to get his Woody Wilson tux red-carpet ready. "I had to call housekeeping for some safety pins," he admits. "I discovered one of my suspenders broke."

ISN'T IT TIME

...that Heidi Klum got some speech lessons?

All she says on "Project Runway" is "You're either in or you're out" and "Auf Wiedersehn."

Using her as a comedienne at the Emmys was a mistake. Her lines, delivered in a thick accent, were incomprehensible.

TALK ABOUT MISSING A CUE

How jaded do you have to be to not give cancer-comeback kid Christina Applegate a standing ovation?

The only standing O all night was when Kathy Griffin ordered the crowd to its feet for Don Rickles.

Emmy telecast bombs in ratings and reviews

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The 60th annual Primetime Emmys show, roundly panned by critics as perhaps the worst ever, laid a big, fat ratings egg as well, with early figures pointing to the smallest audience in the awards' history.

According to preliminary data from Nielsen Media Research, ABC's three-hour Sunday telecast, featuring major wins for "Mad Men" and "30 Rock," averaged 12.2 million viewers, falling just below the historic low of 12.3 million posted by the 1990 ceremony aired on Fox.

Final national ratings for Sunday's broadcasts are due Tuesday.

By comparison, 13 million viewers tuned in for last year's ceremony and its farewell send-off of "The Sopranos," which ranked as the second-lowest Emmys audience on the books.

Sunday's telecast no doubt suffered from the fact that the shows and stars getting most of the attention, including best drama "Mad Men," comedy champion "30 Rock" and winning actors from shows like "Damages" and "Breaking Bad," represent programs that draw relatively few viewers themselves.

The Emmy telecast on ABC also collided in the eastern half of the country with NBC's highly rated Sunday Night Football broadcast of the Dallas Cowboys' 27-16 defeat of the Green Bay Packers.

And many New York viewers were likely siphoned off by an ESPN telecast of the last baseball game by the New York Yankees at historic Yankee Stadium.

Still, ABC's cause was not helped by an Emmy presentation that critics largely derided as a flop, especially an oddly ad-libbed opening monologue shared by five reality-show hosts who served as the evening's collective emcees.

In an apparent homage to their unscripted TV genre, Howie Mandell ("Deal or No Deal"), Ryan Seacrest ("American Idol") Jeff Probst ("Survivor"), Tom Bergeron ("Dancing with the Stars") and Heidi Klum ("Project Runway") took to the stage for about five minutes to joke about how they literally had nothing prepared to say.

Probst, Seacrest and Mandell then left the stage to Bergeron and Klum, who were joined by William Shatner for a gag that involved ripping off Klum's clothes.

The whole bit was panned by reviewers and other performers. Emmy winner Jeremy Piven, co-star of HBO's "Entourage," called the opening confusing and a "celebration of nothingness."

The ceremony then lurched into overdrive by mid-show with many presenters and winners forced to rush through their appearances to make up for lost time.

"It was hideously awful from start to harried finish, dragged down by five amateurish reality anchors who would have been unwelcome as guests, let alone hosts," USA Today wrote.

ABC, a unit of the Walt Disney Co. and fellow networks doubt hoped for a more auspicious official kickoff to prime-time TV's premiere week, seen by industry executives as a kind of reboot for television after last season was cut short by the Hollywood writers strike.

Run-D.M.C., Metallica nominated for Rock Hall

CLEVELAND - Run-D.M.C. could "Walk This Way" into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The 1980s rap act, along with Metallica and the Stooges are among the nine nominees for next year's hall of fame class, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation announced Monday.

The other nominees are guitarist Jeff Beck, singer Wanda Jackson, Little Anthony and the Imperials, War, Bobby Womack, and disco and R&B group Chic, the only nominee back from last year's ballot.

The five leading vote-getters will be announced in January and inducted April 4, 2009, in Cleveland.

The ceremony typically has been held in New York but is returning to Cleveland after more than a decade-long absence. Tickets will be made available to the public for the first time.

Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five opened the door for rap at the Rock Hall as the first hip-hop act to be inducted in 2007. Now, Run-D.M.C., nominated in the first year of its eligibility, has the chance to follow on the strength of rock and rap blends such as the 1986 cover of Aerosmith's "Walk This Way" and classics like "It's Tricky" and "My Adidas."

Metallica jumped on the heavy metal wave of the '80s and 25 years later is still selling out arenas. This month the group released "Death Magnetic," which marks a return to its early speed metal days.

The Stooges, recently given props in the film "Juno," get another shot after last appearing on the ballot two years ago.

Left off the ballot were Stevie Ray Vaughan and Bon Jovi. Both had been eligible for the first time. To be nominated an act must have released its first single or album 25 years prior.

More than 500 musicians, industry professionals and journalists vote on the inductions

TV Review: Emmycast tries to get real, and flops

NEW YORK - Are the TV writers still on strike?

There have been boring, listless and otherwise ham-handed Emmy broadcasts among the past 59. Sunday's Emmycast was all of those things. But "The 60th Primetime Emmys" also seemed an inadvertent homage to the 100 days of the Hollywood writers strike last season, when the shows that were able to continue demonstrated what TV without writers is like.

ABC's Emmycast seemed to recapture that dreary world, despite the strike having been settled seven months ago, and the credits for the Emmycast listing writers and script supervisors.

The writing was on the wall (sorry) at the top of the show, when its five co-emcees — Heidi Klum ("Project Runway"), Tom Bergeron ("Dancing With the Stars"), Howie Mandel ("Deal or No Deal"), Jeff Probst ("Survivor") and Ryan Seacrest ("American Idol") — arrived on stage, all dressed in tuxedoes.

They, of course, were also the five nominees in the brand-new reality host category. Each is skilled, charming and/or gorgeous doing whatever series got each of them nominated. But on the Emmy broadcast they shared no chemistry, and seemed at a loss for anything clever to say from the outset.

After their initial strained banter, Probst confessed to the audience, "We have absolutely nothing for you. This is not a joke."

"This is not a bit," Mandel chimed in. "This is reality, and who better to offer that to you?"

Seacrest broke it to viewers that "there is absolutely nothing" on the TelePrompTers.

"We are like on Sarah Palin's bridge to nowhere," Mandel said.

A few more tedious moments and William Shatner burst from his seat in the Nokia Theatre, strode on stage, and gave a tug to Klum's tux, which ripped away to reveal a scanty black sequined number.

Well, at least someone presumably wrote that gag, however lame.

The remainder of the three-hour broadcast was occasionally jolted back to life by the appearance of people who knew to BYOM (bring your own material).

An early presenter, Ricky Gervais, displayed how he's one of the drollest performers on the planet as he recalled his absence last year, when he won a comedy Emmy for his series "Extras."

"I couldn't come last year. Which is a shame. But I STILL won. Do you remember?"

Another presenter, Steve Martin, introduced himself by saying "I'm Steve Martin and I'll be out here in just a minute" — a 40-year-old quip from his standup days that was still fresher than most of the broadcast's material.

Politics, and the presidential race, was in evidence in the exchange between Jon Stewart and his co-presenter, Stephen Colbert. While Stewart tried to list the best miniseries nominees, Colbert began munching from a bagful of prunes.

It was necessary, said Colbert, slipping into character as right-wing buffoon, then added, "Right now, America needs a prune ... This dried-up old fruit has the experience we need."

Stewart looked doubtful. "You know, after eight years of prunes, you would think _"

"Never enough!" Colbert snapped, then ate another. "What could possibly go wrong?"

While the Emmycast seemed to want to validate reality shows, it also crammed in a few pleasant, but extraneous, tributes to favorite scripted entertainment. These clips, accompanied by reproductions of familiar settings from those bygone shows (the WJM newsroom from "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," Monk's Diner from "Seinfeld"), seemed little more than filler.

Not nearly soon enough, the program was nearing its conclusion. Jimmy Kimmel handled the chore of presenting the best reality host Emmy.

With his customary wryness, Kimmel offered all five nominees a bit of backhanded praise for their shared Emmycast performance.

"Haven't they been sufficient, everybody?" he said.

He was being too kind.

'Mad Men,' '30 Rock' take top Emmy awards

LOS ANGELES - The sleek '60s drama "Mad Men" made Emmy history Sunday as the first basic-cable show to win a top series award, while the sitcom "30 Rock" and its stars Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin also emerged as big winners.

"We're all so very grateful to have jobs in this turkey-burger economy," Fey said after accepting the best comedy series trophy for her satire about a late-night TV show.

"This is the greatest job I've ever had in my life," Baldwin said of his role an a network executive.

He paid tribute to Fey, the NBC show's star and creator, as "the Elaine May of her generation."

"I thank my parents for somehow raising me to have confidence that is disproportionate with my looks and abilities. Well done. That is what all parents should do," said Fey, who also won for best actress and writing in a comedy series.

Emmy voters rewarded quality, not ratings: Many of the winners draw relatively small audiences. AMC's "Mad Men," which looks at America through the prism of Madison Avenue, is lucky to get 2 million viewers.

Glenn Close of FX's "Damages" and Bryan Cranston of AMC's "Breaking Bad" captured drama acting trophies.

Close, honored for her portrayal of a ruthless attorney, complimented her fellow nominees, including Holly Hunter and Sally Field.

"We're proving that complicated, powerful, mature women are sexy in high entertainment and can carry a show," she said. "I call us the sisterhood of the TV drama divas."

Cranston won the trophy for his role of a desperate man who turns to making drugs.

Dianne Wiest of "In Treatment" and Zeljko Ivanek of "Damages" won supporting acting honors for the drama series. Jean Smart of ABC's "Samantha Who?" was honored as best supporting actress in a comedy series, with Jeremy Piven her actor counterpart for "Entourage."

Piven took aim at the five reality hosts who helped open the ceremony in what could charitably called a rambling way, saying, "What if I just kept talking for 12 minutes — what would happen? That was the opening."

The crowd at the 60th annual Primetime Emmy Awards laughed heartily, not a good sign for the hosts, who included Ryan Seacreast of "American Idol."

Don Rickles was honored for best individual performance in a variety or music program for "Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project."

"It's a mistake," Rickles said. "I've been in the business 55 years and the biggest award I got was an ashtray from the Friar's in New York."

Best reality-competition program went to "The Amazing Race," the show's sixth award. It and "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" are now tied for most consecutive awards in a best-series category.

Jeff Probst of "Survivor," one of the ceremony's masters of ceremonies, claimed the first award for best reality series host. "We feel honored to be part of this family. Thank you for letting reality in," he said.

As the evening progressed, politics went from having a cameo to a co-starring role.

"I really look forward to the next administration, whoever it is," Jon Stewart said as he accepted the best variety, music or comedy series award for "The Daily Show." "I have nothing to follow that. I just really look forward to the next administration."

Later, Stewart and Stephen Colbert, whose "The Colbert Report" won a writing trophy, teamed to present an award — and exchange banter in which they used a package of prunes as a metaphor for the upcoming presidential election.

"America needs prunes. It may not be a young, sexy plum. Granted, it's shriveled and at times hard to swallow. But this dried-up old prune has the experience we need," Colbert said.

Tommy Smothers received a commemorative writing achievement for his work on the cutting-edge and controversial "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" from the late '60s — and turned serious.

"It's hard for me to stay silent when I keep hearing that peace is only attainable through war. And there's nothing more scary than watching ignorance in action," he said, dedicating his award to "all people who feel compelled to speak out, and are not afraid to speak to power, and won't shut up and refuse to be silenced."

Martin Sheen, who played a president on "The West Wing," lauded television for giving America a front-row seat to real presidential campaigns. Then he urged viewers to vote for "the candidate of your choice, at least once."

The award for best TV movie went to "Recount," about the contested 2000 Bush-Gore contest.

HBO's "John Adams," about the founding father, was named best miniseries and won other awards including acting trophies for Paul Giamatti, Laura Linney and Tom Wilkinson.

The historical drama set a record for most awards, 13, including five trophies Sunday and eight previously announced. The record of 11 was held by HBO's "Angels in America," the TV academy said.

HBO was the most-honored network, with 26 awards earned Sunday and at the creative arts ceremony held earlier this month. ABC was second with 12 awards, followed by CBS, NBC and PBS with 10 each; AMC with eight, Showtime with five and Fox with four.

Throughout the evening, the ceremony kept its landmark 60th birthday in the spotlight with salutes to television's past.

Pop star Josh Groban offered a marathon medley of TV theme songs, ranging from "The Simpsons" to "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" to "South Park" to "Gilligan's Island." At one point, Ed McMahon kicked in a "Heeeere's Johnny!" to salute Johnny Carson's "Tonight" show.

A tribute to memorable TV dialogue of the past was delivered by the stars of today in an opening clip package.

"One of these days, Alice, pow, right in the kisser!" Helen Mirren said, quoting Jackie Gleason's line from "The Honeymooners."

As the show opened at the Nokia Theatre, Howie Mandel and his fellow hosts riffed about a lack of material for the ceremony.

They then turned to slapstick: "Boston Legal" star William Shatner came on stage to help Tom Bergeron rip off co-host Heidi Klum's modest suit to reveal hot pants and more skin.

Four faces — and outfits — to watch at the Emmys

NEW YORK - The red carpet at the 60th Emmy Awards on Sunday will surely be a parade of beautiful people wearing beautiful things — the faux pas of years past are out.

These days, designers use the carpet as a second runway and stylists keep their clients picture perfect. Still, armchair fashion critics want to have their say, even if it's only to say how great everyone looks.

Here are some buzz-worthy candidates to keep an eye on:

_Tina Fey

She was already the toast of the town with 17 nominations for "30 Rock," including her own nomination as best actress in a comedy — a prize she won last year.

Her return to "Saturday Night Live" was the watercooler talk of the week. What brought her back to "SNL" is her uncanny resemblance to GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

Will she play that up or down?

"I think she'll try to look as far away from Sarah Palin as she can — that is, if she doesn't want to be asked to do the same imitation for every camera," says "Access Hollywood" supervising producer Ryan Patterson.

Fey often wears black to events and leaves her glasses at home, but the updo she wore last year might invite Palin comparisons.

"I think she might be forced to go in another direction," Ryan says. "I'm hoping to see her in something sleek and sexy with her hair sleek, too."

However, anything too trendy or fashion-forward wouldn't match her personality, notes Gretta Monahan, the new co-host on "Tim Gunn's Guide to Style." "My advice would be to see her play up her classic, pretty beauty. ... I'd say don't be the geek, be the beauty."

_Heidi Klum

Klum, one of the ceremony's co-hosts, won't have one stunning look on Sunday, she'll have eight, starting with an all-over sparkler by Armani Prive.

Each of the supermodel's outfits were carefully thought out, says Klum's stylist Maryam Malakpour. "The whole concept is more than just a celebrity changing clothes, we wanted every time you see her to say, `Wow!'"

Klum is working with Michael Kors, John Galliano for Dior, Valentino, Roland Mouret and "Project Runway" alum Christian Siriano have all provided looks, as well as one vintage choice. "An off-the-runway look might overwhelm someone else but she can pull that off because she's a model," Malakpour says.

It doesn't hurt that there's very few things that don't look good on her and that Klum treats the red carpet like just another catwalk, which she struts with confidence.

The one thing Klum doesn't wear is anything too trendy, Monahan says. "Whatever is trendy right now, you can assume Heidi is a step ahead."

_Christina Applegate

This is Applegate's first splashy fashion event since undergoing a double mastectomy, and while it's unlikely that anyone would criticize whatever she wears, "Access Hollywood's" Patterson has high expectations.

"She's young, flirty, fresh — I'm really excited to see what she does," Patterson says. "She always looks good."

Applegate has grown up in front of the cameras and so has her style. She doesn't dress too maturely for a 36-year-old but she also knows not to dress like a teenager.

"This is the Emmys, it's not the VMAs (MTV's Video Music Awards). She's not going to show up in thigh-high boots, a miniskirt or show a lot of cleavage. She will be classic and glamorous."

Applegate has taken to wearing her hair up to black-tie events and choosing retro gowns, including a beaded Art Deco-inspired look to the Screen Actors Guild Awards and a slinky siren number to last year's Tonys.

_The women of "Mad Men"

The old-school style that January Jones, Christina Hendricks and Elisabeth Moss, among others, bring to the 1960s-era drama hasn't been lost on the fashion world. Several designers and tastemakers have said they've been influenced by the show's costumes that marry a buttoned-up style with straight-up sex appeal.

You'd never catch these women in yoga pants or even jeans.

Monahan says she hopes the stars stick to that overall aesthetic.

"They shouldn't be in costumes but I'd like to see them in a modern take on their characters," she says. "I want to see that glamour — it's refreshing. ... Maybe next year they could wear something crazy, but this year I want to see them do what they do best."

Patterson, though, thinks this could be the time for the actresses to give the audience a glimpse of who they really are.

"They might go the opposite way and get out of the clothes they seem to wear 24/7. It's a chance for them not to be typecast and to offer some personal expression."

Movie buffs can win bleacher seats for 2009 Oscars

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - Stargazers seeking an up-close glimpse of Hollywood's royalty can win seats on Oscar night along the red carpet.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Tuesday that 300 bleacher seats will be up for grabs in an online lottery.

Beginning at 9 a.m. PDT Monday, movie buffs can enter for a chance to win a seat in front of the Kodak Theater for the Oscars scheduled for Feb. 22. The lottery runs through 9 p.m. Sept. 28.

Applicants can register for up to four seats at http://www.oscars.org/bleachers.

In previous years, as many as 20,000 fans have applied online for the bleacher seats.

Lincoln Center to honor Tom Hanks in annual gala

NEW YORK - The Film Society of Lincoln Center will honor Tom Hanks in its annual gala tribute, citing the actor's talent of making "a good man compelling."

The two-time Academy Award winner will be feted April 27 at Alice Tully Hall, which is being renovated but scheduled to reopen Feb. 22. It will be the society's 36th annual gala, following last year's celebration of Meryl Streep.

"There are so few actors who have been able to make the struggle and drama of being a good man compelling," Kent Jones, the society's associate director of programming, said Monday. "With his talent, his presence, his versatility, his sense of humor, he has set a very high standard for his fellow actors."

The 52-year-old Hanks won best-actor Oscars for 1993's "Philadelphia" and 1994's "Forrest Gump."

Michael J. Fox always a Canadian at heart as he returns home for Walk of Fame

TORONTO - Michael J. Fox may have become a U.S. citizen a few years back, but when it came to the recent Beijing Olympics, the Edmonton-born actor was cheering for the Canucks all the way.

"In my heart, I'm a Canadian, I'll always be a Canadian," he said in a recent telephone interview from Long Island, New York.

"That was really evident the last couple of weeks watching the Olympics. Someone diving off a platform, if they had a Maple Leaf on them, I was all for them."

Fox's Canadian ties will be on full display this weekend when he is officially inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame. The honour was initially announced in 2000 but Fox was not on hand for the ceremony.

"I'm most blown away by the company I'm in. It's really cool. Steve Nash, kd lang, Bryan Adams," he said, referring to fellow honorees.

"It's just really exciting to kind of know that even though I don't live in Canada anymore that it's still my home and people still think of me as one of them."

People also still think of him, of course, as young Republican Alex P. Keaton from the '80s TV smash "Family Ties" and as Marty McFly, the time-travelling teen from the "Back to the Future" movies.

Although Fox also appeared on the popular TV comedy "Spin City" and in films including "Doc Hollywood," "The Secret of My Success" and "Casualties of War," he says people most remember him for his iconic teen roles.

"I am amazed when people with teenaged kids come up and tell you that they grew up watching you, you kind of check your watch and go, 'oh yeah, I'm old,"' said Fox, 47.

"(Family Ties) was so 'of its time,' that when people think of it, they don't just think of the show or the actors, they think of the time, they think of where they were, they think of what that period of their lives was. There's a lot of emotion and memory mixed together with it."

"Family Ties" also became the place where Fox met his wife of 20 years, Tracy Pollan, who played Alex's girlfriend Ellen. The characters' theme song was "At This Moment," which became a hit for Billy Vera and the Beaters, a band Fox knew from the L.A. club scene.

The actor was glad the tune found an audience, but says it followed he and Pollan around for years.

"People would always play it, whenever we came into a room or something," he said. "When you'd go to a wedding or something, people would throw it on and we'd kind of go 'Oh, god, here's the song again."

In recent years, Fox has taken on a very different role. He's become a high-profile advocate for stem cell research and a spokesman for Parkinson's disease.

He was diagnosed with the condition in 1991, but did not make his illness public until seven years later. In 2000, he set up the Michael J. Fox Foundation, which has funded $126 million in research.

Despite the tremors that accompany Parkinson's, the actor says he's feeling "great" and has been playing tennis and golf this summer.

In October, he's set to guest star on "Rescue Me," the dark firehouse drama that stars his hockey buddy Denis Leary.

"Denis is a good friend of mine," said Fox. "I love the show, I love Denis and I love his edge and he had a great idea or a character and ran it by me and I thought: 'Cool, that would be a fun thing to do'."

Fox will play the boyfriend of the ex-wife of Leary's character, Tommy Gavin.

For now, however, the actor is focused on the Walk of Fame - and on back-to-school activities.

He and Pollan have four children - Fox proudly mentions that his son is entering college, while his daughter is going into first grade and his twin girls are headed to junior high.

He says they get up to Canada at least once a year and cherish the visits to their father's homeland.

"My kids love Canada," said Fox. "They always talk about the Canadian relatives as the funny relatives, the laughing relatives."

Other stars to be honoured at the Walk of Fame ceremonies this Saturday include comedy troupe The Kids in the Hall, model Daria Werbowy, filmmaker James Cameron and actress Frances Bay.

'Murdoch Mysteries' leads Gemini noms

TORONTO - A pair of detective shows - one set in the 19th century and another that takes place in present-day suburbia - are this year's leading Gemini Award nominees.

"Murdoch Mysteries," which airs on Citytv and stars Yannick Bisson as a sleuth who solves crimes in Toronto in the late 1800s, is up for 14 of the prizes, which recognize excellence in Canadian television.

The show received nods for best dramatic series, writing, visual effects, photography, score and make-up. A host of guest stars who appeared on the program are also vying for awards.

"We're really, really excited...we're ordering quite a few bottles of champagne," said Christina Jennings, executive producer of 'Murdoch Mysteries.'

"Who would have thought a mystery series set in 1895 would capture both Canadian audiences and international audiences?"

"Durham County," in which Hugh Dillon plays a homicide detective who moves his family from Toronto to the suburbs only to discover that his neighbour may be a serial killer, nabbed 13 Gemini nominations.

Dillon is up for an acting prize, as are co-stars Helene Joy and Justin Louis. The program, which airs on The Movie Network and Movie Central, is also up for best dramatic series as well as for writing, directing, editing, sound and photography.

Jennings said that while TV audiences are well-versed in the crime genre these days, "Murdoch Mysteries" gives them some historical perspective.

"I think we all know about 'CSI,' and we've all seen these cop procedurals before," she said.

"This (show) is the beginnings of where forensics started, things that we take for granted like lie detectors...or infrared. I think the audience is interested in where all of that comes from."

In the best drama category, "Murdoch Mysteries" and "Durham County" will square off against the sexy Henry VIII drama "The Tudors," cop thriller "The Border and organized crime drama "Intelligence."

"The Tudors" received 12 nominations overall, as did "The Englishman's Boy," a miniseries based on a Guy Vanderhaeghe novel.

"The Fifth Estate" picked up 11 nods, while "The Border" and "CBC News: The National" tied with nine apiece.

The TV miniseries "Would Be Kings" picked up eight nominations and "Across the River to Motor City" and "Mayerthorpe" each collected seven.

"Marketplace," "ReGenesis," "Rent-A-Goalie" and "Cowboy Junkies - Trinity Revisited" amassed six.

Competing for best comedy will be: "Cock'd Gunns"; "Corner Gas"; "Kenny vs. Spenny"; "Odd Job Jack"; "Rent-A-Goalie"; and "This Hour Has 22 Minutes."

And, the reality show contenders are: "Canada's Next Top Model"; "Dragons' Den"; "Project Runway Canada"; "Triple Sensation"; and "The Week the Women Went."

Three nights of Gemini galas will be held on Oct. 20, 21 and 22 to hand out hardware for various categories including news, sports, documentaries and children's shows.

The main Gemini Awards show will take place in Toronto on Nov. 28.

The awards are administered by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television.

A brief list of nominees in major categories for the 23rd Gemini Awards

Best Comedy Program or Series:

"Cock'd Gunns," (Tricon Films & Television) Andrea Gorfolova, Brooks Gray, Andy King, Shaam Makan, Leo Scherman, Morgan Waters.

"Corner Gas," (Prairie Pants Productions Inc., Verite Films, 335 Productions) David Storey, Brent Butt, Mark Farrell, Virginia Thompson, Kevin White.

"Kenny vs. Spenny," (Breakthrough Films & Television, Blueprint Entertainment) Ira Levy, Abby Finer, Noreen Halpern, Kenny Hotz, Amy Marcella, John Morayniss, Trey Parker, Spencer Rice, Kirsten Scollie, Matt Stone, Peter Williamson.

"Odd Job Jack," (Smiley Guy Studios) Jonas Diamond, Adrian Carter, Jeremy Diamond, Denny Silverthorne.

"Rent-A-Goalie," (RAG-TV-2 Inc.) Chris Szarka, Christopher Bolton

"This Hour Has 22 Minutes," (Hour Productions XV Inc.) Michael Donovan, Geoff D'Eon, Mark Farrell, Jack Kellum, Susan MacDonald, Jenipher Ritchie.

Best Dramatic Series:

"The Border," (White Pine Pictures) Peter Raymont, David Barlow, Brian Dennis, Janet MacLean.

"Durham County," (Back Alley Film Productions Ltd. /Muse Entertainment Ent. Inc.) Janis Lundman, Adrienne Mitchell, Michael Prupas.

"Intelligence," (Watcher Films) Chris Haddock, Laura Lightbown, Arvi Liimatainen.

"Murdoch Mysteries," (Shaftesbury Films Inc.) Christina Jennings, Cal Coons, Scott Garvie, Noel Hedges, Jan Peter Meyboom.

"The Tudors ," (Peace Arch Television Ltd., PA Tudors Inc., TM Productions) Sheila Hockin, Morgan O'Sullivan.

Best Reality Program or Series:

"Canada's Next Top Model," (Temple Street Productions) Sheila Hockin, David Fortier, Ivan Schneeberg.

"Dragon's Den," (CBC) Stuart Coxe, Catherine Annau, Lisa Gabriele, Tracie Tighe.

"Project Runway Canada," (Insight Production Co. Ltd.) John Brunton, Barbara Bowlby, Andrea Webb.

"Triple Sensation," (Triple Sensation II Productions) Garth Drabinsky, Sandra Cunningham, Sari Friedland, Alex Ganetakos.

"The Week the Women Went," (Paperny Films Inc.) Cal Shumiatcher, Sally Aitken, Trevor Hodgson, David Paperny.

Best TV Movie:

"A Life Interrupted," (Incendo Smith Production Inc.) Jean Bureau, Serge Denis, Stephen Greenberg, Josee Mauffette.

"Luna: Spirit of the Whale," (Screen Siren Pictures) Trish Dolman.

"Mayerthorpe," (SEVEN24 Films, Slanted Wheel Entertainment) Jordy Randall, Tom Cox, Jon Slan.

"Sticks and Stones," (Productions Hockeyville Inc., Dream Street SS Pictures Inc.) Josee Vallee, Andre Beraud, Timothy M. Hogan, Rick LeGuerrier.

"Victor: The Victor Davis Story," (Victor Movie Productions Inc.) Bernard Zukerman.

Best Host or Interviewer in a General/Human Interest or Talk Program or Series:

Jeff Douglas, "Ancestors in the Attic - Ghost Ranch."

Jeff Douglas, "Working Over Time - Building Up."

Peter Mansbridge, "Mansbridge One on One."

Les Stroud -Survivorman - Kalahari

George Stroumboulopoulos, "The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos."

Best Individual Performance in a Comedy Program or Series:

Natalie Brown, "Sophie - Door Number Two."

Louis CK, "Just For Laughs Gala Series - Show 3."

Jon Dore, "The Jon Dore Television Show - Jon Gets Scared."

Jo Koy, "Just For Laughs Gala Series - Show 4."

Ian Sirota, "Comedy Inc. - Season 4 - Episode 4-03."

Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role:

Hugh Dillon, "Durham County - Life In The Dollhouse."

Justin Louis, "Durham County - What Lies Beneath."

James McGowan, "The Border - Blowback."

Peter Outerbridge, "ReGenesis - TB or not TB."

Ian Tracey, "Intelligence - A Dark Alliance."

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series:

Ben Bass, "Would Be Kings."

Nicholas Campbell, "The Englishman's Boy."

Henry Czerny, "Mayerthorpe."

Michael Eisner, "The Englishman's Boy."

David Fox, "Across the River to Motor City."

Brian Markinson, "Mayerthorpe."

Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role:

Kristin Booth, "MVP Secret Lives of Hockey Wives - Sudden Death."

Natalie Dormer, "The Tudors - Episode 110."

Helene Joy, "Durham County - Guys and Dolls."

Jewel Staite, "Stargate: Atlantis - Missing."

Camille Sullivan, "Intelligence - A Man is Framed."

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series:

Jordy Benattar, "Charlie & Me."

Erica Durance, "I Me Wed."

Megan Follows, "Booky and the Secret Santa."

Natasha Henstridge, "Would Be Kings."

Rachel Marcus, "Booky and the Secret Santa."

Best Newscast:

"CBC News: The National," (CBC) Jonathan Whitten, Terry Auciello, Mark Harrison, Fred Parker, Greg Reaume.

"Global National," (Global Television) Kenton Boston, Bryan Grahn, Jason Keel, Kevin Newman, Doriana Temolo.

"Global News Toronto," (Global Television Network) Ron Waksman

Best News Anchor:

Ian Hanomansing, "CBC News at Six - Vancouver."

Peter Mansbridge, "CBC News: The National."

Kevin Newman, "Global National."

Weakerthans, Corb Lund vie for Western Canadian Music Awards

Veteran Winnipeg rockers The Weakerthans and Albertan country music star Corb Lund are among the top nominees for the sixth annual Western Canadian Music Awards.

Organizers announced nominees in 19 categories on Thursday in Edmonton. The city will host the conference and awards gala this fall. As in the past, the awards are a publicly voted honour.

The Weakerthans (Reunion Tour) and Lund (Horse Soldier! Horse Soldier!) scored four nods each and will go head-to-head in categories like outstanding independent album. Their rivals in that category include Jeremy Fisher (Goodbye Blue Monday), Immaculate Machine (Immaculate Machine's Fables) and The Perpetrators (Tow Truck).

Other nominees include:

Classical Recording
David Harding, Phillip Bush & Jonathan Crow (Brahms)
Jasper Wood (A Child's Cry from Izieu)
Michael Horwood (Suite and Serious)
Shauna Rolston (Dreamscape)
Tiresias (Delicate Fires)

Country Recording
Aaron Lines (Moments that Matter)
Gord Bamford (Honkytonks and Heartaches)
Hey Romeo (Hey Romeo)
Jo Hikk (Ride)
Paul Brandt (Risk)

Jazz Recording
Altered Laws (Metaphora)
Greg Lowe (Guitar and Bass Sessions)
Hutchinson Andrew Trio (Music Box)
Ian McDougall Big Band (No Passport Required)
Saul Berson Quartet (Intricacy)

Rock Recording
Maybe Smith (Animals & Architects)
Social Code (Social Code)
State of Shock (Life, Love & Lies)
The Evaporators (Gassy Jack and Other Tales)
The Weakerthans (Reunion Tour)

Urban Recording
GreenTaRA (Global Baby)
Moka Only (Vermillion)
Moka Only & Def 3 (Dog River)
Souljah Fyah (Truth Will Reveal)
Touch & Nato (Intelligent Design)

Songwriter(s) of the Year
Aaron Lines (Moments that Matter)
Corb Lund (Horse Soldier! Horse Soldier!)
Jeremy Fisher (Goodbye Blue Monday)
Social Code (Social Code)
The Weakerthans (Reunion Tour)

Video of the Year
I Wanna Be In The Cavalry, Corb Lund
Transportation, James Murdoch Band
Cigarette, Jeremy Fisher
Civil Twilight, The Weakerthans
Viva la Vinyl, Twilight Hotel

A full list of nominees can be found at the awards website.

Part of the celebrations will include tributes to Vancouver's Spirit of the West and Albertan bandleader and Senator Tommy Banks.

The gala is set for Oct. 19, as a grand finale to a music festival, conference and industry awards that kicks off in Edmonton Oct. 16.

Farrell leads CCMA noms

TORONTO - Newcomer Jessie Farrell leads the nominees for the Canadian Country Music Awards this year, snagging a total of seven nominations Wednesday, including single, album, songwriter and female artist of the year.

The Vancouver singer, a 30-year-old redhead with a strong pop bent, dominated a field heavy with more traditional fare from more established acts.

They include Winnipeg's Doc Walker who raked in six nominations, Calgary's Paul Brandt with five, and Gord Bamford of Lacombe, Alta., with four.

Farrell said she was still drifting in and out of sleep in Vancouver when the nominations were being announced at a Toronto press conference.

"I was kind of half-asleep thinking: 'I wonder if I should get up. What am I doing now?' and the phone rang. So I jumped out of bed and there's nothing like waking up to good news," said Farrell, who got word from her record label at about 8:30 a.m. Pacific time.

"I've been working so hard for the last eight years and it's only been in the last year and a half that I've been on the radar. It is kind of surprising.... It's such an amazing thing to think people are listening to the music. I am lucky."

The album of the year is a race between Doc Walker, Deric Ruttan, Johnny Reid, Farrell and Brandt while nominees for songwriter of the year include Doc Walker, Farrell, Bamford, Ruttan and Brandt.

The awards will be handed out at a gala in Winnipeg on Sept. 8. Country singer Terri Clark will host the bash, which will feature performances by nominees George Canyon, Emerson Drive, Farrell and Reid.

Bamford, who showed up at the announcement clad in a black coat and black hat, said he and his band have been pleased with the success of his nominated single, "Blame It On That Red Dress."

"When you work hard at something you hope that there's rewards and they're starting to happen for me so it's very cool," Bamford said.

"We just keep putting out stuff that we think we do well at and whether there's trends or not, you see how music kind of goes through the pop to country, I'm real traditional. We've just tried to stick with the grassroots of that. I think that the consistency of doing that and the persistence of doing that is what's paying off."

Nominees Doc Walker have been designated honorary chairs for Country Music Week, a series of music-related events leading up to the awards bash. They said they were thrilled to serve as ambassadors for their hometown of Winnipeg, which will host the awards for the first time in more than 20 years.

Frontman Chris Thorsteinson said they were blown away to hear they were up for six trophies.

"It's pretty amazing, that's a lot of nominations," said Thorsteinson.

"It's pretty humbling when you look at the people we're in the categories with. I grew up listening to these artists and respecting these artists and to be in the same category is pretty amazing. We're really excited."

Prairie Oyster singer Russell deCarle said the group was honoured to be named this year's inductees into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame.

"I don't feel that old but it's a real honour for us," said deCarle, who formed the band in the mid-70s and went on to craft a sound that blended rockabilly, folk and country traditions.

"We're certainly in incredible company there - I think of the years I watched people like Hank Snow, and Gordon Lightfoot and Ian Tyson, a whole host of others."

The awards show is set to air on CBC-TV on Sept. 8.

Canadian Country Music Award nominees

TORONTO - Here are some of the major nominations for this year's Canadian Country Music Awards:

FANS' CHOICE AWARD: Paul Brandt, George Canyon, Doc Walker, Emerson Drive, Jessie Farrell.

SINGLE OF THE YEAR: "Beautiful Life," Doc Walker; "Best of Me," Jessie Farrell; "Blame It on That Red Dress," Gord Bamford; "Risk," Paul Brandt; "You Can Let Go," Crystal Shawanda.

ALBUM OF THE YEAR: "Beautiful Life," Doc Walker; "First Time in a Long Time," Deric Ruttan; "Kicking Stones," Johnny Reid; "Nothing Fancy," Jessie Farrell; "Risk," Paul Brandt.

FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Lisa Brokop, Terri Clark, Jessie Farrell, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Crystal Shawanda.

MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Paul Brandt, George Canyon, Johnny Reid, Deric Ruttan, Shane Yellowbird.

SONGWRITER(S) OF THE YEAR: "Beautiful Life" (written by Murray Pulver, Chris Thorsteinson, Dave Wasyliw; recorded by Doc Walker); "Best of Me" (written by Jessie Farrell, Jared Kuemper, Jesse Tucker; recorded by Jessie Farrell); "Blame It on That Red Dress" (written by Gord Bamford, Byron Hill, Zack Turner; recorded by Gord Bamford); "First Time in a Long Time" (written by Jimmy Rankin, Deric Ruttan; recorded by Deric Ruttan); "Risk" (written by Paul Brandt; recorded by Paul Brandt).

GROUP OR DUO OF THE YEAR: Ambush, Doc Walker, Emerson Drive, the Higgins, the Wilkinsons.

ROOTS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR: Ridley Bent, the Cruzeros, Sean Hogan, Corb Lund, Prairie Oyster.

TOP NEW TALENT OF THE YEAR - FEMALE: Jessie Farrell, Amber Nicholson, Alex J. Robinson.

TOP NEW TALENT OF THE YEAR - MALE: Gord Bamford, Ridley Bent, Jason Blaine.

TOP NEW TALENT OF THE YEAR GROUP OR DUO: Desert Heat, Hey Romeo, Jo Hikk.

CMT VIDEO OF THE YEAR: "Beautiful Life," Doc Walker; "Best of Me," Jessie Farrell; "Blame It on That Red Dress," Gord Bamford; "In This Room," Ambush; "Ring of Fire," George Canyon.

TOP SELLING ALBUM: "Carnival Ride," Carrie Underwood; "Raising Sand," Robert Plant/Alison Krauss; "Reba Duets," Reba McEntire; "Taylor Swift," Taylor Swift; "Ultimate Hits," Garth Brooks.

TOP SELLING CANADIAN ALBUM: "Classics," George Canyon; "Horse Soldier! Horse Soldier!" Corb Lund; "Kicking Stones," Johnny Reid; "Nothing Fancy," Jessie Farrell; "Risk," Paul Brandt.

5 nominated reality hosts to preside over Emmys

LOS ANGELES - The reality is, there won't be an Emmy host this year — there will be five.

The reality-TV hosts nominated in the new category that honors their work will preside over the show, ABC and The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences told The Associated Press on Friday.

They are: Tom Bergeron, of "Dancing With the Stars"; Ryan Seacrest, of "American Idol"; Howie Mandel of "Deal or No Deal"; Heidi Klum of "Project Runway"; and Jeff Probst of "Survivor."

The Emmy Awards will be held Sept. 21 and broadcast on ABC.

'Mad Men,' 'Damages' make Emmy noms history

LOS ANGELES - Basic cable TV looked more like a pop-culture bargain Thursday as AMC's "Mad Men" and FX's "Damages" snared historic best-series Emmy nominations, while stars from cable's less glamorous channels also made a splash in major acting categories.

Meanwhile, premium channel HBO and broadcast networks saw their share of awards glory erode.

In the lead drama actor category, four of the six nominees were stars of cable shows, including Jon Hamm of "Mad Men." The sleek drama about 1960s America set in New York's advertising world was also the leading drama series contender with 16 nominations.

Three best-actress nods also went to cable series stars, including Glenn Close of "Damages." The hard-nosed legal drama joins "Mad Men" as the first basic cable shows put up for best series.

"I think it's changed the landscape of television," Close said of basic cable's growing creative strength.

HBO failed to field a best-drama series contender for the first time since 1998, after its now-departed "The Sopranos" claimed the honor last year. The premium cable channel still scored a leading 85 bids overall, followed by ABC with 76.

Boosting HBO's total was the historical drama "John Adams," the overall front-runner with a record 23 bids. That included a lead-actor nomination for Paul Giamatti's turn as one of America's founding fathers.

"30 Rock," last's year's best comedy series winner, was the top nominee among sitcoms with 17 bids. Other best comedy series nominees were "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "Entourage," "The Office" and "Two And a Half Men."

"The Wire," the just-ended, critically acclaimed HBO drama about police and drug dealers in Baltimore, lost its last shot at a best-drama nod after years of Emmy snubs. It received one nomination Thursday, for writing.

But other cable series made a serious dent in several top categories, gaining further ground on the networks. Broadcast favorites that failed to make a serious showing included "Grey's Anatomy" and "Desperate Housewives," both left out of the best-series categories. "Grey's" stars Sandra Oh and Chandra Wilson received nominations — but the "Desperate" cast was shut out.

"Lost," rebounding with a well-received season, joined "Mad Men" and "Damages" in the best-drama series category with six nominees, including "Boston Legal, "Dexter" and "House." Only one acting nomination went to "Lost," a best-supporting actor nod for Michael Emerson's role as the manipulative Ben.

Oh and Wilson are competing in the best supporting drama actress category that last year was won by castmate Katherine Heigl — who took herself out of the running this time, blaming her decision on lackluster scripts.

Joining Hamm with lead drama acting nods were last year's winner James Spader, "Boston Legal," Bryan Cranston of "Breaking Bad," Michael C. Hall, "Dexter," Hugh Laurie, "House" and Gabriel Byrne, "In Treatment."

"I'm surprised," Hamm said. "For someone like me to be included is amazing. Look at this list: These are people I've been watching, and been a fan of, for years and years. It's a genuinely wonderful feeling."

Close's competition for lead drama actress honors includes 2007 winner Sally Field for "Brothers & Sisters," Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer," Mariska Hargitay, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" and Holly Hunter, "Saving Grace."

"I'm very honored," Field said in an email. "It never gets old. I do, but it doesn't."

"Damages," in which Close plays a tough-as-nails litigator, won critical acclaim last year but not great ratings. Close is hoping the Emmy attention will boost the show's audience for season two.

"We need all the help we can get," said Close, who was being driven to a shooting location on Long Island when her sister, Nancy, called her cell phone with the nomination news.

As for her nomination, she was more sanguine.

"I don't believe in comparison among artists," she said, "but, given the amazing number of talented people in this profession, to be included with a distinguished group of people is a huge honor."

Actresses nominated for best comedy series were Tina Fey of "30 Rock," the series she created; last year's honoree America Ferrera of "Ugly Betty," Christina Applegate, "Samantha Who?" and Mary-Louise Parker, "Weeds."

Nods for comedy series lead actors went to Tony Shalhoub for "Monk," Steve Carrell, "The Office," Lee Pace, "Pushing Daisies," Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock" and Charlie Sheen, "Two And A Half Men."

Ryan Seacrest, host of top-rated series "American Idol" made the cut in the new category of best host for a reality or reality-competition show. Other nominees were Howie Mandel of "Deal or No Deal," Heidi Klum of "Project Runway," Jeff Probst of "Survivor" and Tom Bergeron of "Dancing with the Stars."

"I'm thrilled that they've added this category, and thrilled to be part of this virgin group, if you will," Bergeron said.

The "Dancing" host said he debated whether to watch the announcement: "You know, there's that sort of weird sort of superstitious-think, like, 'Well, if I don't watch, maybe I'll get nominated, but if I do watch, I won't.' Like that's gonna change anything."

Nominees in the top categories for the 60th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards were announced at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences by Kristin Chenoweth, Neil Patrick Harris and TV academy Chairman John Shaffner.

Shaffner surprised Harris and Chenoweth at the end of the telecast by announcing supporting-actor nominations for each. Chenoweth, of "Pushing Daisies," stood open-jawed, while Harris, the regular scene-stealer of "How I Met Your Mother," pumped his fist and exclaimed, "Nice!"

The trio then blew out candles on a birthday cake to celebrate the Emmys' 60th anniversary.

Harris kidded about his easy rapport onstage with Chenoweth, whose seemingly off-the-cuff quips injected some life into the normally mundane reading of a list.

"We dated for years and years," joked the actor, who came out as gay to People magazine in 2006.

Besides ABC's 76 nods, the broadcast networks tallies were CBS, 51 nominations; NBC, 50 and Fox, 28. PBS had 33 bids, while AMC garnered 20 bids.

The Emmy Awards ceremony will be held Sept. 21 and broadcast on ABC. Other Emmy honors, including those for technical achievement and guest actors and actresses in series, will be given at the creative arts ceremony on Sept. 13.

New Oscar rule limits song noms to 2 per film

LOS ANGELES - Last time around, the Oscar songs category was three times "Enchanted" — a trick that may never be repeated.

The number of original songs that can be nominated from a single movie will now be limited to two, according to a rule change by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The academy's governors approved the change late Tuesday.

Last year, Disney's "Enchanted" had three titles in contention: "Happy Working Song," "So Close" and "That's How You Know." The winner of best original song: "Falling Slowly," from "Once."

The new rule would also have applied in 2007, when three songs from "Dreamgirls" were nominated. That year, the Oscar went to "I Need to Wake Up" from "An Inconvenient Truth."

Hedley cleans up at MMVAs

Torrential downpours couldn't dampen the spirits at last night's MuchMusic Video Awards in downtown Toronto where love 'em or hate 'em pop-punk act Hedley cleaned up with four awards.

The B.C.-based group -- whose outspoken, heavily tattooed and ear-pierced frontman Jacob Hoggard has been known to flash his backside at previous MMVAs -- won for best video and best director for the song For The Nights I Can't Remember and best rock video and best cinematography for She's So Sorry.

Heading into the freewheeling, performance-heavy awards ceremony held at MuchMusic's Toronto headquarters which draws thousands of people into the streets every year, Hedley had a leading six MMVA nods. (Hoggard gained national prominence placing third during Season 2 of Canadian Idol.)

Close behind Hedley's six nods were Palestinian-born, Ottawa-based rapper Belly and Mississauga, Ont., ska-punk outfit illScarlett with five nominations each.

At press time, the three People's Choice Awards had yet to be handed out with Hedley and illScarlett also in the running for favourite Canadian group and Belly up for favourite Canadian artist.

Another multiple winner last night was R&B-pop singer Rihanna whose clip for Don't Stop The Music won for best international video (artist) while Umbrella featuring Jay-Z picked up MuchMusic.com's most watched video.

Linkin Park's Bleed It Out took home best international video (group), while the clip for shaggy-haired Montreal rocker Sam Roberts' latest single Them Kids, won best post-production.

Ridin' by Belly featuring Mario Winans picked up best rap video, and Wintersleep's Weighty Ghost was named best independent video.

"This one really goes to the (director) Dave Pawsey and (effects supervisor) Jonathan Legris, again we're just happy that they managed to make a statement with our song through video, they did all the hard work," said Roberts, accepting the award during the MMVA red-carpet special.

In addition to Hedley, Rihanna and illScarlett, among last night's scheduled MMVA performers were New Kids On The Block, whose recent reunion has led to three shows at the Air Canada Centre including the tour launch on Sept. 19, Girlicious, Simple Plan, rappers Kardinal Offishall featuring Akon and Flo Rida, Sean Kingston, and America's Best Dance Crew (Season 2) JabbaWockeeZ.

Presenters included Mel C, aka Sporty Spice of the Spice Girls, Gossip Girl's Chace Crawford, Brody Jenner of The Hills, Kristen Cavallari of Laguna Beach fame, and gossip monger Perez Hilton.

"We're really excited, 15 years has been way too long," joked Jocz of the NKOTB reunion.

Also in attendance was comic actor Rainn Wilson of The Office -- who could be seen on the red carpet taking pictures with fans before the rain fell.

"It's a little Rain-ny this year," kidded Wilson of the dark storm clouds above that eventually opened up and soaked the red carpet and everyone on it. "Hey, do you want to get under my umbrella, brella, brella, brella?"

Tony Awards make a nod to the past and future

NEW YORK - Broadway looked to the future — and to its past — at the 2008 Tony Awards with "In the Heights," the best musical winner, and "August: Osage County," the best play, sharing the spotlight with a nearly 60-year-old "South Pacific."

Both "Heights," a salsa and rap-flavored look at the Latino immigrant experience in Upper Manhattan, and "August," a brutal dissection of a backbiting Oklahoma family, were written by artists making their Broadway debuts.

Yet it was Lincoln Center Theater's lush, lavish revival of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic that took more awards — seven — than any other show Sunday at Radio City Music Hall. Besides winning the musical-revival prize, it collected awards for debonair leading man Paulo Szot, who plays the French plantation owner Emile de Becque; director Bartlett Sher; and for the designers of its sets, costumes, lighting and sound.

Sher, in his acceptance speech, thanked not only the men who wrote the show's music and lyrics, but its original director, Joshua Logan, and James Michener, who wrote the World War II short story on which the musical (which won nine Tonys back in 1950) is based.

"They were kind of incredible men, because they seem to teach me particularly that in a way I wasn't only an artist but I was also a citizen," Sher said. "And the work that we do in these musicals or in any of these plays is not only important in terms of entertaining people, but that our country was really a pretty great place, and that perhaps it could be a little better, and perhaps, in fact, we could change."

Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote the Tony-winning score for "In the Heights," rapped his acceptance speech and later proclaimed, "It is like the best prom ever, dude. I have several more musicals inside my head, and I want to write them." The show, which was first seen off-Broadway last season before moving to Broadway this year, also won awards for choreography and orchestrations.

"August" playwright Tracy Letts, whose previous work in New York was only seen off-Broadway, said, "Writing is better than acting. You get to use your words and you don't need to be there eight days a week."

And in thanking his producers, Letts took a swipe at Broadway shows that cast movie stars and winners from TV reality shows and said, "They did an amazing thing: They decided to produce an American play on Broadway with theater actors."

Two of his "August" actors, Deanna Dunagan and Rondi Reed, and the play's director, Anna D. Shapiro, also won Tonys for their work in the show, which began life last summer at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre Company.

Said Dunagan, who portrays the bilious matriarch in the play: "This is so overwhelming. This whole year has been entirely unexpected and astonishing. ... After 34 years in regional theater, I never thought about it (the Tonys). I watched it on television like everybody else."

Despite losing the musical revival prize to "South Pacific," "Gypsy" monopolized the musical performance prizes, taking three of the four awards.

The most dramatic was Patti LuPone's win for her portrayal of Rose, the ultimate stage mother. Her rendition of "Everything's Coming Up Roses" during the show got the cheering audience to its feet.

"It's such a wonderful gift to be an actor who makes her living on the Broadway stage and then every 30 years or so picks up one of these," said an exuberant LuPone, who last won a Tony in 1980 for "Evita." "I was afraid to write a speech, because I had written a couple before and they never made it out of my purse. So I'm going to use one of the old ones and add a few names."

Her co-star, Boyd Gaines, did even better. He collected his fourth Tony, winning for his portrayal of Rose's gentlemanly candy-salesman suitor, Herbie. And Laura Benanti, who plays the ugly duckling daughter who blossoms into Gypsy Rose Lee in the show, received the featured-actress award.

"Boeing-Boeing," a 1960s sex farce awash in slammed doors and split-second timing, took the play revival prize. Its lead, Mark Rylance, who portrays a nerdy visitor to Paris, won the top acting prize. He gave the night's most bewildering acceptance speech, riffing about wearing clothing appropriate to your vocation or avocation.

"Otherwise, it might appear that you don't know what you're doing, that you're just wandering the earth, no particular reason for being here, no particular place to go," he said. "Thanks very much for this."

"Passing Strange," which had been expected to give "In the Heights" the stiffest competition, managed to take only one award — book of a musical — for its star and creator, Stew, another Broadway newcomer.

He said the intention of "Passing Strange," a young black man's journey through sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll, was to stay "true to the music that people actually listen to... on subways or when they're at home getting stoned or when they're at parties."

Heigl says no thanks, Emmy, it's undeserved

LOS ANGELES - Katherine Heigl won't be chewing her manicure at this year's Emmy ceremony: She says she didn't seek a nomination because "Grey's Anatomy" failed to deliver the goods for an award-worthy performance.

Heigl, who was honored as best supporting actress in a drama last year for the ABC series, declined to put her name in consideration for a bid, a spokeswoman for the actress said Wednesday.

"I did not feel that I was given the material this season to warrant an Emmy nomination and in an effort to maintain the integrity of the academy organization" decided against competing, Heigl said in a written statement provided by her publicist, Melissa Kates, who was contacted by the AP.

"In addition, I did not want to potentially take away an opportunity from an actress who was given such materials," added Heigl. She plays Dr. Izzie Stevens on "Grey's Anatomy," which slipped in the ratings this past season but remained a top 10 show.

An after-hours message left with a publicist for "Grey's Anatomy" creator and executive producer Shonda Rhimes was not immediately returned Wednesday night.

Heigl, who shot to box-office success last summer with the comedy "Knocked Up," has established herself as one of Hollywood's rare voices of candor.

In a Vanity Fair magazine interview published in January, she called the hit film "a little sexist" and said that it painted women as "shrews, as humorless and uptight," while the male characters were lovable and goofy.

Heigl also was outspoken when "Grey's" castmates Isaiah Washington and T.R. Knight clashed last year over Washington's alleged use of a homophobic slur.

"I'm going to be really honest right now, he needs to just not speak in public. Period," Heigl said at one point of Washington, who ended up being booted from the medical drama.

Nominations for the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards will be announced July 17. The ceremony is Sept. 21.

RIAA honours Jewel for 18 million in US album sales

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Jewel has been honored by the Recording Industry Association of America with a career milestone plaque commemorating sales of more than 18 million albums in the U.S.

Jenny Alves, RIAA's coordinator of artist industry relations, surprised the 34-year-old singer Thursday as she prepared to sign autographs at the Country Music Association festival.

"This is awesome. Thank you so much," said the singer, who also was scheduled to perform at the festival.

Jewel, whose full name is Jewel Kilcher, released a country album, "Perfectly Clear," on Tuesday. The lead single, "Stronger Woman," is No. 15 on the Billboard chart.

Perhaps best known for her pop and rock hits that include "Foolish Games" and "You Were Meant for Me," Jewel has sold 27 million albums worldwide since her 1995 debut.

She is touring with Brad Paisley this summer.

James Cameron, Kids to join Walk of Fame

NBA star Steve Nash, comedy troupe The Kids in the Hall, singer kd lang, model Daria Werbowy and filmmaker James Cameron are among the latest inductees to Canada's Walk of Fame.

But of all the stars set to be recognized for their impressive contributions to the worlds of sports, entertainment and the arts, the Walk of Fame's founding director said one star had far and away the most nominations for this year's honour – Frances Bay.

The 90-year-old actress is affectionately known as Hollywood's Grandma for her string of old lady characters.

"We received a signed petition of over 10,000 names for Frances Bay, including personal letters from Adam Sandler and Jerry Seinfeld and David Lynch and Henry Winkler, Monty Hall among many others, all making a very compelling case for Frances and they were right," Peter Soumalias said.

The Winnipeg performer didn't start acting until age 60, but has racked up an impressive resume that includes film and TV roles in Happy Gilmore, Seinfeld, ER, Road to Avonlea and Hannah Montana.

Corner Gas star Brent Butt helped announced the lineup Tuesday and said he was particularly excited to see comedy troupe The Kids in the Hall among the inductees.

The funnyman said he used to be the warm-up act when the Kids taped their eponymous sketch comedy show for CBC in the mid-'90s.

"It was a sweet gig, it was easy money," Butt said.

"Because everybody was so jazzed about seeing the Kids in the Hall. There were rabid Kids in the Hall fans and one of the Kids would come out and introduce you as being a friend of theirs, so everybody liked you – they wanted you to like them.

"Normally, you know, when you're a young comic, 99 per cent of the shows you're just dodging ashtrays, people hate your guts. And this was the one gig where, `Oh, people are excited that I'm here!'"

Also set to attend this year's ceremonies are rocker Bryan Adams and actor Michael J. Fox, who were both previously named to the Walk, but couldn't attend the induction festivities.

Adams was an inaugural inductee in 1998, a year Soumalias notes hardly attracted anyone to the then-little-known gala. Fox was inducted in 2000, but didn't learn of the honour until after the gala because Walk of Fame organizers had such a hard time notifying him.

"In the early years we got a lot of `Who? What? Why?'" Soumalias said of the Walk, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.

In 2003, organizers announced 13 inductees thinking "five or six would show up."

"But all 13 of them came," Soumalias said. "Which was wonderful in some respects but we didn't budget for 13. So it became a challenge for us."

He said the event's stature has grown considerably since then, with more than 40 per cent of this year's nominations coming from countries other than Canada.

To qualify, candidates must have been born in Canada or spent their formative or creative years here and must have a body of work recognized for its impact on Canada's cultural heritage.

Fans can lobby on behalf of their favourite athlete or artist, but the final decision is made by Walk of Fame organizers.

Previous inductees include Alanis Morissette, Paul Anka, Jim Carrey, Shania Twain, William Hutt and Wayne Gretzky.

To date, 107 Canadians have been honoured.

The new inductees will be celebrated during a gala on Sept. 6 in Toronto.

Over-the-top MTV Movie Awards have smoke, no fire

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - The "Transformers" have another chunk of metal to add to their collection.

The blockbuster about robots in disguise took home the golden popcorn trophy for best film at the MTV Movie Awards on Sunday night, and Johnny Depp won two buckets for best comedic performance and best villain.

Accepting the best film award with director Michael Bay, "Transformers" co-star Megan Fox trotted out some R-rated language to describe how good the film's sequel is going to be. Bay said the film would begin shooting the following day and take place two years after the first film.

And Rainn Wilson — who presented best kiss wearing nothing but a teddy bear — told The Associated Press on the gold carpet that he would play a college professor in "Transformers 2."

"I just love the idea of me being in a giant Michael Bay movie," Wilson said.

A couple of hundred yards downhill, the final remnants of a disastrous fire that ripped through Universal Studios was extinguished as the ceremony got under way.

While there was no mention of the fire, there was definitely smoke during the over-the-top ceremony: Presenters Seth Rogen and James Franco, stars of the upcoming stoner comedy "Pineapple Express," pretended to smoke marijuana before handing out the popcorn trophy for new category of best summer movie so far.

"Kids, don't really smoke fake weed like this," Rogen sarcastically told the crowd at the Gibson Amphitheatre.

As they pulled out the "contraband," the cameras pulled away to a wide angle, staying that way until Rogen and Franco left the stage. The awkward moment made some in the audience laugh, but left Robert Downey Jr. — who accepted the award on behalf of "Iron Man" — with a puzzled look.

"Thanks fellas," he said, "for that intoxicating introduction."

Franco later told the AP backstage that MTV put them up to the joke, but that someone from the network decided at the last minute that they couldn't go through with it. By then, it was too late to pull back.

"MTV wrote it! ... Then backstage there was this big commotion: 'You guys can't say that,'" Franco said. "It says right in the script: 'Lights fake joint.'"

The nearby studio fire broke out 4:30 a.m. on a soundstage featuring a New York brownstone facades at the 400-acre property. It was contained to the lot but burned for more than 12 hours before the final flames were extinguished.

"I actually came here early because I wanted to see it," Chris Brown said before the show. What did he see? "A whole lot of chaos."

Winners were threatened to keep their speeches short by a man resembling Javier Bardem's character from "No Country for Old Men" — complete with the bob hairdo and pneumatic cattle gun. Best female performance winner Ellen Page from "Juno" escaped unscathed, but best fight winners Sean Faris and Cam Gigandet were ushered off stage by the menacing lookalike.

Host Mike Myers and Dana Carvey resurrected their "Saturday Night Live" characters Wayne Campbell and Garth Algar, the cable access hosts of "Wayne's World." They acknowledged it's been awhile since they've been together ("1994. That's a while," said Wayne) and presented a risque top ten list of adult film titles (No. 8: "I Am Legend ... In Bed"; and No. 1 "Iron Man").

The mood backstage was calm as stars schmoozed during the show. Tom Cruise posed for photos with his arm around Ben Stiller while wife Katie Holmes stood a few steps away. She wasn't by herself for long: Sarah Jessica Parker chatted Holmes up, and Sandler and Will Smith both had their children with them behind the scenes.

Depp showed up to accept his trophies for best comedic performance for "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" and best villain for "Sweeney Todd." While the crowd was visibly excited — including a nearly swooning Diablo Cody — "Superbad" actors Jonah Hill and Rogen shook their fists at Depp and gave him the thumbs down.

Depp kept his first acceptance speech short.

"You can ask anybody," he said quietly. "I'm not a very funny person. I'm not even remotely funny."

Cruise presented Adam Sandler with the Generation Award, the MTV Movie Awards' highest honor, for his various comedic and "stupid" performances over the years. Sandler sang a live version of "Nobody Does It Better" alongside a bevy of backup dancers clad in skintight gold outfits. Among them: Rob Schneider.

Sandler, who took a guitar solo on his gold Les Paul, changed the lyrics to "baby, I'm the best."

"That was probably the most arrogant thing I've ever done," Sandler said, moments after Cruise got on his knees to hand over the golden popcorn.

Coldplay performed "Viva la Vida" amid a flurry of confetti, which at one point found its way in lead singer Chris Martin's mouth. Later, the Pussycat Dolls danced in front of a giant lit-up sign broadcasting the group's name alongside "America's Best Dance Crew" winners JabbaWockeeZ to "When I Grow Up."

Other winners during the ceremony included Smith for best male performance for "I Am Legend"; Zac Efron for best breakthrough performance for "Hairspray"; and Briana Evigan and Robert Hoffman for best kiss in "Step Up 2: The Streets."

The Show Will go On!

Los Angeles (E! Online) - UPDATE: Today's MTV Movie Awards are still on.

"The show will go on as planned," an MTV rep says!

And if Mike Myers appears tonight in Love Guru garb, what will the audience's reaction be?

Myers will host the 2008 MTV Movie Awards, which, logically enough, can be seen across Canada on MTV.

But as well as appearing as the master of ceremonies, Myers will be attempting to "get his face out there" in advance of the release of his new movie The Love Guru, which will be in theatres June 20.

Certainly, The Love Guru already has attracted a certain degree of controversy, given that some Hindu groups are worried that the flick will poke fun at their faith. Hey, maybe it will, but generally we believe that everybody and everything in the world is fair game for good comedy, and placing an "off limits" sign on anything is a step backward.

Sometimes a little controversy can be good for box-office receipts, so we'll see what happens. And speaking of seeing what happens, keep in mind that hardly anyone has seen The Love Guru yet, so any kind of pre-release "bad buzz" should be evaluated accordingly, if you catch our drift.

Myers, who grew up in the Toronto suburb of Scarborough, stars as a Hindu self-help coach who tries to aid a Toronto Maple Leafs hockey player. The cast of The Love Guru also includes Jessica Alba, Ben Kingsley and Justin Timberlake.

It'll be intriguing to see if Myers references The Love Guru at all tonight, be it through words or attire. Either way, we're sure Myers is savvy enough to realize that when you're hosting an event like the MTV Movie Awards, it's impossible -- and undesirable -- to make it all about yourself when there's eye candy such as Lindsay Lohan and Megan Fox strutting around.

The star power at the MTV Movie Awards always is first-rate, and this year is no exception.

Scheduled presenters at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, Calif., include Johnny Depp, Sarah Jessica Parker (gee, we haven't heard a lot about her lately), Will Ferrell, Ben Stiller, Liv Tyler, Edward Norton, Dwayne Johnson, Katharine McPhee, Emma Stone, Steve Carell, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., Mark Wahlberg, Seth Rogen, Jennifer Hudson, Anne Hathaway, James Franco, Rumer Willis, Brendan Fraser, Danny McBride and the aforementioned Lohan and Fox.

Also, Coldplay and the Pussycat Dolls will take the stage for live performances -- not together, mind you.

Throw in the usual bizarre awards categories -- such as "best kiss," in which Juno's Ellen Page and Michael Cera are nominated this year, "best villain" and "best fight" -- and it should be another fun night at the MTV Movie Awards.

Hey, you know what would be cool? If the "best fight" nominees were required to perform their fight scenes live. What a show: Kicking and punching and sweating, with the affluent, bloodthirsty youth of today cheering them on ... oh wait, we have that already. It's called the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Can't we all just get along? Good thing the Love Guru himself will be in the house.

French classroom drama wins Cannes' top prize

CANNES, France (AP) — The French film "The Class," a frank tale about classroom life using real students and teachers at a junior high school, won top honors Sunday at the Cannes Film Festival.

Directed by Laurent Cantet, "The Class" ("Entre les Murs") was the first French film to win the main prize, the Palme d'Or, at Cannes since "Under Satan's Sun" in 1987. The docudrama was shot in a raw, improvisational style to chronicle the drama that unfolds over one school year.

The win was a unanimous decision among the nine-member Cannes jury, said Sean Penn, who headed the panel.

"The movie that we wanted to make had to resemble French society, had to be multifaceted, a bit teeming, complex, and had to sometimes portray frictions that the film didn't try to erase," Cantet said.

Italian films won the second-place grand prize and third-place jury prize. Matteo Garrone's "Gomorrah," a study of the criminal underworld in Naples, took the grand prize, while Paolo Sorrentino's "Il Divo," a lively portrait of former Premier Giulio Andreotti, won the jury award.

Benicio Del Toro won the best-actor prize for "Che," Steven Soderbergh's four-hour-plus epic about Latin American revolutionary Che Guevara. Presented as two films, "Che" follows Guevara and Fidel Castro's triumphant guerrilla campaign to overthrow Cuba's government in the late 1950s and Guevara's downfall and execution after trying to foment a similar rebellion in Bolivia in the 1960s.

Del Toro, who co-starred in Penn's "21 Grams," also won in a unanimous jury vote, Penn said.

"I'd like to dedicate this to the man himself, Che Guevara," said Del Toro. He also thanked Soderbergh, "who got up every day, forced me to this. ... He was there pushing it, and he pushed all of us."

Soderbergh directed Del Toro to the supporting-actor Oscar for 2000's "Traffic."

Sandra Corveloni was chosen as best actress for "Linha de Passe," in which she plays the mother of four brothers struggling to make better lives for themselves in a Brazilian slum. It was her first role in a feature film.

Turkish filmmaker Nuri Bilge Ceylan was named best director for "Three Monkeys," which centers on a father who takes the rap for his employer's crime in exchange for financial support for his wife and son, only to have the scheme backfire amid bitter repercussions.

Belgian siblings Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, two-time winners of the Palme d'Or, received the screenplay prize for "Lorna's Silence," about an immigrant woman who enters a sham marriage to gain Belgian citizenship.

The prize for a film by a first-time director went to British filmmaker Steve McQueen's "Hunger," set at a Northern Ireland prison where IRA volunteer Bobby Sands and other inmates seeking Irish independence staged a hunger strike in 1981.

The Cannes jury awarded special prizes to Clint Eastwood, who directed the competition film "Changeling," and Catherine Deneuve, who appeared in two films at Cannes this year.

Eastwood was shut out for key prizes with "Changeling," his warmly received missing-child drama starring Angelina Jolie.

Eastwood, who delivered two best-picture and director Academy Award recipients with "Unforgiven" and "Million Dollar Baby," has never won top honors at Cannes after five times in competition there since 1985.

Jury president Penn won the best-actor Oscar for Eastwood's "Mystic River," which was shut out for prizes at Cannes five years ago.

"There was a field of such powerful, emotional, moving movies, performances. There was so many times that we thought, it just can't get better," Penn said.

Critics judged the Cannes lineup more harshly, however. While Cannes presented few outright bombs this time, critics found the films a bit tepid.

Last year's competition included such films as Joel and Ethan Coen's "No Country for Old Men," which went on to win the best-picture Academy Award, and Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud's animated coming-of-age tale "Persepolis," which was nominated for the animation Oscar.

A film from Kazakhstan, Sergey Dvortsevoy's "Tulpan," won a secondary competition called "Un Certain Regard." "Tulpan" is the story of an aspiring shepherd on the isolated Kazakh steppes who must wed before he can enter his chosen trade but is refused by the only prospective bride because she thinks his ears are too big.

Bosnian director Aida Begic's "Snow," a drama about villagers struggling with the decision to leave their war-ravaged town, won top honors in another Cannes competition overseen by critics.

After the awards ceremony, the festival closed with the premiere of Barry Levinson's "What Just Happened?", starring Robert De Niro, Bruce Willis and Penn in the tale of a fading Hollywood producer trying to rejuvenate his career amid personal and professional crises.

"What Just Happened?" came full circle: A year ago, Levinson and his collaborators were at Cannes filming scenes for the movie.

Hedley leads MMVA nominations

TORONTO - Pop-rock pranksters Hedley lead the nominees for this year's MuchMusic Video Awards, ensuring a wild carnival ride for the annual celebrity street party.

Jacob Hoggard and the boys snagged six nods while rapper Belly and pop band IllScarlett each got five nominations. The annual music show, traditionally an off-the-wall spectacle that overtakes Toronto's trendy Queen Street with a red carpet and live performances, airs live June 15.

Last year, members of Hedley showed up with a nude male blow-up doll and the previous year they dropped their pants on the red carpet.

Other multiple nominees this year include three for Simple Plan and two each for City and Colour, Feist and Sam Roberts.

International nominees include Fall Out Boy, Flo Rida, Kanye West, Rihanna, and Timbaland Presents OneRepublic.

Performers are expected to be announced next week.

Grammy Awards set 2009 date

The Recording Academy has set Feb. 8, 2009, as the date the 51st Annual Grammy Awards, to be held once again from the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The Grammys have been telecast live from the Staples Center since 2000, with one exception coming in 2003, when the awards were held in New York.

The 2009 awards will once again fall on a Sunday, where, overall, the show has enjoyed solid TV ratings. In 2006, the Grammys aired on a Wednesday and lost its night to "American Idol," but bounced back in 2007. This year's telecast, which featured performances from Alicia Keys, Kanye West and Amy Winehouse, scored 17.5 million total viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research, about a 12% dip from the 2007 broadcast.

With today's announcement from the Recording Academy, the eligibility period for the 2009 Grammy Awards has also been confirmed. Once again, the Grammys will recognize albums released between Oct. 1, 2007, and Sept. 30, 2008. While allowing more time for votes to be tabulated, the eligibility period forces the Grammys to recognize some of the year's blockbuster releases a year late, as October and November tend to be two of the music industry's busiest months.

Set to open prior to next year's Grammy telecast will be the 30,000-square-foot Grammy Museum, located next to the Staples Center at the L.A. Live entertainment complex (home to the Nokia Theatre). The four-floor museum, with a small theater and a rooftop terrace for private events, is slated to open in late 2008, according to a Grammy spokeswoman.

Nominations for the 51st Annual Grammy Awards will be announced on Dec. 4 from Los Angeles. The Feb. 9, 2009, awards will once again be broadcast live on CBS, airing on a tape delay for West Coast viewers.

Chesney after ACM win: Fan votes shouldn't decide

LAS VEGAS - Kenny Chesney won entertainer of the year for a fourth straight time Sunday, then promptly took issue with the way the Academy of Country music awarded the honor: through fan votes.

For the first time in the show's 43 years, the top prize — traditionally decided by ACM members — was determined through online voting. With the win, Chesney ties Garth Brooks and trails only Alabama, which won five in a row.

Chesney said immediately backstage that he thought fans should be included, just not by voting for the show's most important award.

"The entertainer of the year trophy is supposed to represent heart and passion and an amazing amount of sacrifice, commitment and focus," he said. "That's the way Garth won it four times, that's the way I won it, that's the way (George) Strait won it, Reba (McEntire), Alabama all those years. That's what it's supposed to represent."

He said his complaint is directed at the industry, not the fans — and that the method amounted to "complete disrespect" of the artists, saying the academy turned the award "into a sweepstakes to see who can push people's buttons the hardest on the Internet."

Messages left for officials with the Academy of Country Music Awards were not immediately returned Sunday night.

Chesney was the night's leading nominee with 11, and ended up winning twice. His other win was for vocal event of the year for his work on the Tracy Lawrence hit "Find Out Who Your Friends Are."

Brad Paisley won top male vocalist, his second in a row.

"I really want to say the reason I'm in country music is because my grandfather would make me listen to Buck Owens when I was like 4 years old, and I think Buck was the first male vocalist for this organization. I'm so honored to carry the torch for another year," Paisley said.

Carrie Underwood also took home her second consecutive female vocalist trophy.

"I know I don't deserve it, but I'll take it," Underwood said. "Fans got me everything I have, and I owe everything to you."

It was a night of repeats. Rascal Flatts' top vocal group win was its sixth in a row, while Brooks & Dunn won their 13th straight award for top vocal duo.

"We'd like to give God all the thanks and all the glory for giving us a stage to stand on every night," said Rascal Flatts singer LeVox. Bandmate Joe Don Rooney had other things on his mind. He glanced at his watch and said he had to get home. "I've got a baby coming any minute."

LeVox disagreed with Chesney about the night's top honor, saying he hoped it the fans continued to choose.

"It's about time," he said, calling fans "the reason that all three of us have jobs."

Dr. Phil presented Brooks & Dunn their award. "I'm glad Dr. Phil was here because we need therapy for this one," Kix Brooks cracked.

Miranda Lambert won album of the year and Sugarland took single record and song of the year honors for their mellow hit "Stay."

"I'm sitting right behind Kenny Chesney and I just don't feel right taking this," said Lambert, who won for her sophomore outing, "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend." "I'm a songwriter, and I poured my heart and soul into this album. Thank you for appreciating it."

The win was big for Lambert, who beat out superstars Chesney and Paisley, as well as hot new acts Taylor Swift and Rodney Atkins.

Jack Ingram won top new male vocalist. The 37-year-old Texan released his first album in 1992 and bounced around a number of record labels before his career took off.

"Sometimes it takes a long time and that's my story," Ingram said backstage. "I put in a lot of hard miles, and I'm thankful."

Lady Antebellum took home top new duo or vocal group. "Does this mean we get to hang out with Kenny Chesney now?," the trio's Charles Kelley joked.

Swift won top new female vocalist. The 18-year-old thanked her mother for going on the road with her beginning when she was 16, leaving behind a comfortable life to sleep in rental cars and on airplanes so her teenage daughter could pursue her dream.

"Mom, thank you so much," she said as she fought back tears. "I love you. This is for you."

Earlier, Brad Paisley's "Online" won video of the year. It was produced by former "Seinfeld" star Jason Alexander, who also co-starred and made an onstage appearance Sunday night, joking that he didn't believe the stereotype of country stars and fans being religious — seeing as he hadn't spotted any of them at synagogue.

Tracy Lawrence won vocal event of the year for "Find Out Who Your Friends Are" with Tim McGraw and Chesney.

"This is absolutely awesome," Lawrence said. "We moved a big mountain pulling this off."

Underwood the show, aired live from the MGM grand, with her rocker, "I Don't Even Know His Last Name." Strait, who was celebrating his 56th birthday, performed his 56th No. 1 hit: "I Saw God Today." Swift did "It Should Have Been Me" and ended it by getting drenched in a cascade of water.

Brooks received the ACM's Crystal Milestone Award and did a medley of his hits that included "The Thunder Rolls," "Friends in Low Places" and "More than a Memory."

Paisley and Underwood performed a stripped-down version of Eddy Arnold's classic "Make the World Go Away." Arnold died May 8, days short of his 90th birthday.

McEntire hosted the show for the 10th time, going back to 1986. In those days, she joked to open the show, "Underwood was a typewriter, Sugarland was doughnut shop and a Pickler was someone who made pickles.

"Back then, Roger Clemens wasn't even interested in country music," she cracked. Clemens recent acknowledged a long-standing relationship with country singer Mindy McCready that began when she was 15. The former baseball player maintains the relationship was not sexual.

Jackson's 'Thriller' among cultural treasures

WASHINGTON - The best-selling pop album on planet Earth and a disc sent hurtling into deep space are among recordings the Library of Congress will preserve for their cultural significance.

Twenty-five selections were added to the National Recording Registry on Wednesday, part of the library's attempt to save America's aural history by archiving recordings deemed "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant."

The inductees range from Michael Jackson's 1982 all-time-bestseller "Thriller" and jazz artist Herbie Hancock's 1973 fusion smash "Headhunters" to the 1977 record of Earth sounds that flew aboard the spacecraft Voyager in the event alien life forms encountered the craft. Other recordings added to the registry include works by Roy Orbison, Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, Kitty Wells and Smokey Robinson and the Miracles.

A collection of Navajo songs, Harry Truman's 1948 Democratic National Convention speech, radio broadcasts from Ronald Reagan before he became president, and the original cast recording of "My Fair Lady" also made the cut, as did broadcasts of New York Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia reading comics to children during a 1945 newspaper delivery strike.

A recording of the first trans-Atlantic broadcast — an orchestral performance transmitted from London and relayed to the U.S. East Coast in 1925 — also was included because it represented a technological breakthrough in broadcasting.

The Library of Congress chooses 25 recordings each year to add to its registry and preserve. Nominations come from a Library of Congress preservation board and online suggestions from the public. The selections for 2007 bring the registry's total to 250.

Inauguration alters 2009 Oscar calendar

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - What's more significant: the inauguration of a new U.S. president or the announcement of the year's Oscar nominees? The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences decided politics takes precedence, announcing Monday that it has delayed the nominations announcement by two days.

Oscar nominees are usually revealed on a Tuesday about four weeks before the big show, which is typically held the last Sunday in February. For 2009, though, the targeted Tuesday — Jan. 20 — is Inauguration Day.

So the 81st annual Oscar nominees will be revealed Thursday, Jan. 22, and the Academy Awards will be presented Sunday, Feb. 22 — the earliest Oscars ever.

"It didn't make any sense for us to try to compete with (the inauguration) from a news point of view," academy Executive Administrator Ric Robertson told The Associated Press.

But the change will put the squeeze on the rest of the calendar, Robertson said.

"Ballots are due Jan. 12, and nominations are announced 10 days later, so that's getting pretty close to the minimum," he said. "The most critical path is the balloting-voting process. Since we remain committed, for security reasons, to paper balloting, and all PricewaterhouseCoopers tabulating is done by hand, it's not done by computers. ... They can turn things around quickly but they still need time."

Delaying the nominations also tightens production time for the Oscar telecast, since the show's makeup depends largely on the nominees. Producers of the ceremony usually have four and a half weeks to prepare. In 2009, it will be one month to the day.

"I know that whoever produces the show would like to have more time," Robertson said, "and this will be two days less than they've had in past years."

The 2009 presidential inauguration isn't the first event that prompted the academy to alter its calendar. The Oscar show was moved from the last Sunday in February in 2006 so it wouldn't conflict with the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics, Robertson said.

"We have to look at other major global events," he said.

The academy's board of governors decided in 2004 to move the Oscar show from late March to late February to combat "awards fatigue" and "to maintain a higher level of interest and excitement," Robertson said.

Key dates for the 2009 Academy Awards are:

• Dec. 26, 2008: Nominations ballots mailed.

• Jan. 12: Nominations ballots due.

• Jan. 22: Nominees announced.

• Jan. 28: Final ballots mailed.

• Feb. 17: Final ballots due.

• Feb. 22: 81st annual Academy Awards.

Swift, Pickler, win big at CMT awards

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Taylor Swift won video of the year and female video for her smash "Our Song" while newcomer Kellie Pickler took home three awards during Monday's Country Music Television awards. "I wrote that song in the 9th grade for a talent show," said the 18-year-old Swift, who won the night's top honor over Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley and Sugarland.

"I never thought it would be on an album, never thought I'd record it, never thought it would be a single, never thought it would be No. 1 and certainly never thought it would win video and female video of the year."

Pickler, 21, won breakthrough video, tearjerker video and performance of the year for "I Wonder," a song about a daughter's feelings for her mother that she says connects deeply with fans. Like Carrie Underwood, Pickler is a former "American Idol" contestant.

"Thank you 'American Idol,' you are the rocket that launched my career," Pickler said from Scottsdale, Ariz.

Paula Abdul, who introduced Tim McGraw and Faith Hill's performance of "I Need You," remarked, "There are so many 'American Idol' alum here that I feel this is a reunion and I'm a proud mom."

Trace Adkins won best male video for "I Got My Game On." Adkins was something of a surprise winner, topping videos by Chesney, Paisley, Toby Keith and Keith Urban.

"I'm having a good year. So far it's been great. I never felt the support from the fans like I do this year," said Adkins, who recently finished second on NBC's "The Celebrity Apprentice."

LeAnn Rimes and Bon Jovi won best collaborative video for the steamy video "Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore." Rimes, who accepted the award without Bon Jovi, cracked, "I had a lot of fun rolling around with Jon in bed." Then she looked over at her husband in the crowd and added, "Sorry, honey. I love you. You're hotter."

The show was hosted by "Hannah Montana" star Miley Cyrus and her father, country singer Billy Ray Cyrus. The pair performed their duet "Ready, Set, Don't Go." During their opening segment, Billy Ray Cyrus joked about his daughter's popularity.

"I know what's going on here, OK. I didn't fall off the turnip truck yesterday ... it's pretty obvious what you're all doing. You're just using Miley to get to me."

Alison Krauss and former Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant won wide open video for their duet "Gone, Gone, Gone (Done Moved On)."

"I'd like to say how peculiar it is to be here. It's a great honor to have made a record in Nashville that sounds so good. I'd like to thank Don and Phil Everly for getting me through my teenage years, and I'd like to thank Alison for helping me get through my late 50s."

Paisley's "Online" won comedy video, while Sugarland's "Stay" won duo video. The two were the most nominated artists of the night.

The show opened with a skit about Adkins trying to get tickets to the show and featured presidential candidates Barack Obama, John McCain and Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Urban opened the musical portion with "Raise the Barn" and was joined by Brooks & Dunn.

Sugarland, Little Big Town and Jake Owen performed the '80s hit "Life in a Northern Town" by the British folk rock group The Dream Academy.

Snoop Dog joined Jason Aldean to introduce Alan Jackson's performance of "Good Time." The rapper wore a black outfit and cowboy hat in honor of the late Johnny Cash, who he said was the inspiration for his single, "My Medicine."

The fan-voted awards show aired live on CMT from Belmont University in Nashville.

Mike Myers tapped to host upcoming MTV Movie Awards

The upcoming edition of MTV's irreverent movie awards show will have Canadian film star Mike Myers take the stage as host, organizers announced Wednesday.

The awards gala, which presents trophies in unconventional categories such as best kiss and best villain, will be broadcast live on June 1.

The Toronto-born Myers, who previously hosted the show in 1997, "blew us away last time he hosted the MTV Movie Awards with his Lord of the Dance [routine] and over-the-top musical productions," Van Toffler, president of MTV Networks Music, Logo and Films Group, said in a statement Wednesday.

Toffler also praised the former Second City and Saturday Night Live star for "creating iconic film characters that have been etched in the minds of MTV's audiences forever."

Organizers of the MTV Movie Awards have typically enlisted popular, "of-the-moment" celebrity hosts, including comedian Sarah Silverman and actors Jessica Alba, Jimmy Fallon and Lindsay Lohan in recent years.

Myers, 44, is set to release his latest film, a comedy titled The Love Guru, across North America on June 20.

From early trailers and other promotional material, the film appears to continue Myers' tradition of playing randy-but-loveably-goofy characters in the vein of his Wayne's World and Austin Powers films.

Nominees for the 17th MTV Movie Awards will be announced in May.

Junos a big hit for CTV

The CTV audience for the 2008 Juno Awards was up a whopping 56% from last year's broadcast.

This year's Junos, which were held in Calgary on Sunday and were hosted by comedian Russell Peters, attracted an average audience of 1.45 million viewers to CTV. Last year's awards, which were held in Saskatoon and were hosted by singer Nelly Furtado, pulled in an average of 925,000 viewers.

The '08 ceremonies were the most-watched Junos presentation since 2003, when 2.18 million watched Shania Twain host the event in Ottawa.

A total of 4.3 million Canadians watched at least part of the two-hour Junos broadcast on Sunday. The audience peaked at 1.7 million when Anne Murray took the stage with Jann Arden and Sarah Brightman.

Dylan, Tracy Letts win Pulitzer nods

NEW YORK - Thanks to Bob Dylan, rock 'n' roll has finally broken through the Pulitzer wall.

Dylan, the most acclaimed and influential songwriter of the past half century, who more than anyone brought rock from the streets to the lecture hall, received an honorary Pulitzer Prize on Monday, cited for his "profound impact on popular music and American culture, marked by lyrical compositions of extraordinary poetic power."

It was the first time Pulitzer judges, who have long favored classical music, and, more recently, jazz, awarded an art form once dismissed as barbaric, even subversive.

"I am in disbelief," Dylan fan and fellow Pulitzer winner Junot Diaz said of Dylan's award.

Diaz's "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao," a tragic but humorous story of desire, politics and violence among Dominicans at home and in the United States, won the fiction prize. Diaz, 39, worked for more than a decade on his first novel — "I spent most of the time on dead-ends and doubts," he told The Associated Press on Monday — and at one point included a section about Dylan.

"Bob Dylan was a problem for me," Diaz, who has also published a story collection, "Drown," said with a laugh. "I had one part that was 40 pages long, the entire chapter was organized around Bob Dylan's lyrics over a two year-period (1967-69). By the end of it, I wanted to throttle my like of Bob Dylan."

The Pulitzer for drama was given to Tracy Letts' "August: Osage County," which, like Diaz's novel, combines comedy and brutality. Letts calls the play "loosely autobiographical," a bruising family battle spanning several generations of unhappiness and unfulfilled dreams.

"It's a play I have been working on in my head and on paper for many years now," said Letts, reached by the AP in Chicago at the Steppenwolf Theater Company, where "August: Osage County" had its world premiere last summer.

"There were just some details from my grandmother, my grandfather's suicide (for example) that I had played over and over in my head for many, many years. I always thought, `Well, that's the stuff of drama right there.'"

Former U.S. poet laureate Robert Hass, already a National Book Award winner for "Time and Materials," won the poetry Pulitzer, as did Philip Schultz's "Failure."

"This is the book ... I have always wanted to write," Schultz told the AP. "Everyone is expert on one subject and failure seems to be mine. ... I was born into it. My father went bankrupt when I was 18 and he died soon afterward out of (a) terrible sense of shame. And we lost everything, my mother and I."

Other winners Monday: Daniel Walker Howe, for history, for "What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815-1848"; Saul Friedlander, general nonfiction, for "The Years of Extermination: Nazi Germany and the Jews, 1939-1945"; for biography, John Matteson's "Eden's Outcasts: The Story of Louisa May Alcott and Her Father."

"I wrote my book in a way that is generally accessible to the curious literate reader," Howe said. "And I think that's very important, and I wish more books were written that way."

"It's a special honor because it ties me even more to the country of which I'm now a citizen," said Friedlander, who became a U.S. citizen seven years ago and won the German Booksellers Association's 2007 Peace Prize for his work on documenting the Holocaust.

"I am surprised, grateful, overjoyed — and a little embarrassed to do this with my first book," said Matteson, a professor of English at John Jay College in New York City who added that his 14-year-old daughter was an inspiration.

"Not only did I understand parenting better after writing the book, but being a parent helped me to write the book."

Dylan's victory doesn't mean that the Pulitzers have forgotten classical composers. The competitive prize for music was given to David Lang's "The Little Match Girl Passion," which opened last fall at Carnegie Hall, where Dylan has also performed.

"Bob Dylan is the most frequently played artist in my household so the idea that I am honored at the same time as Bob Dylan, that is humbling," Lang told the AP.

Long after most of his contemporaries either died, left the business or held on by the ties of nostalgia, Dylan continues to tour almost continuously and release highly regarded CDs, most recently "Modern Times." Fans, critics and academics have obsessed over his lyrics — even digging through his garbage for clues — since the mid-1960s, when such protest anthems as "Blowin' in the Wind" made Dylan a poet and prophet for a rebellious generation.

His songs include countless biblical references and he has claimed Chekhov, Walt Whitman and Jack Kerouac as influences. His memoir, "Chronicles, Volume One," received a National Book Critics Circle nomination in 2005 and is widely acknowledged as the rare celebrity book that can be treated as literature.

According to publisher Simon & Schuster, Dylan is working on a second volume of memoirs. No release date has been set.

Feist makes it 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Juno wins

CALGARY - Canadian indie sensation Leslie Feist is counting a little higher than her hit single "1 2 3 4" after raking in five trophies at the Juno Awards following an exceptional year of international accolades and commercial success.

Sunday's splashy televised bash served as a triumphant homecoming for the Calgary-bred singer, who took the night's biggest awards, including best single, album and pop album.

"I wrote a whole bunch of stuff down on my arm," Feist said as she took the stage to accept the first trophy of the night, for best single. "Should I try to chip through it?" she asked, going on to thank a slew of friends and bandmates.

She was called back to the podium roughly 20 minutes later for the pop album trophy, and appeared genuinely stunned by the announcement.

"I'm so, so grateful," Feist said. "I'm very, very grateful and I meant to say thank you. I forgot to say that before."

Feist's triple victory Sunday followed two wins on Saturday for best artist and best songwriter, handed out along with the bulk of awards at a private ceremony. The petite singer jumped in the air and clicked her heels as she took the podium at the industry-only event.

In the end, Feist swept all five categories she was nominated in, while industry veterans Celine Dion, who had six nominations, and Avril Lavigne, who had five, were shut out entirely.

Jazz crooner Michael Buble, nominated for five awards, walked away with the fan choice award.

"This is huge. Of course I'd like to thank you fans. Thank you, Canada," Buble said. "This is for all those people that said that I couldn't vote for myself enough times to win."

The only other multiple winner was country-pop band Blue Rodeo, named group of the year Sunday after the disc "Small Miracles" took top adult alternative album and the single "C'mon" took best video on Saturday.

"This is stunning; we were sitting there with Finger Eleven and Hedley," said Blue Rodeo frontman Jim Cuddy, referring to the other contenders in the best band category, which also included Arcade Fire and Kain. "I don't think we really expected to win."

Halifax quintet Wintersleep was named best new group and Calgary's Paul Brandt took country recording of the year for his disc "Risk."

But the night belonged to 32-year-old Feist, a delicate-voiced crooner born in Amherst, N.S., who started out shouting with a Calgary punk band as a teen. She later became known as an indie-rock poster girl with Toronto bands By Divine Right and Broken Social Scene, then as a Parisian ex-pat with sultry jazz leanings that earned her a best new artist Juno in 2005.

But it was an iPod TV commercial - featuring her song "1 2 3 4" and an accompanying video - that catapulted her to mainstream success last year. Record sales soon followed and her eclectic disc "The Reminder" garnered four Grammy nominations in February and a Brit Award nomination for best international female.

Feist, who has managed to achieve a rare combination of mainstream appeal and street cred, boasted Saturday that the pinnacle of her newfound fame has been an appearance on the children's show "Sesame Street."

Backstage on Sunday, she noted that for the children's show, "1 2 3 4" was retooled to be followed by the lyric: "Monsters crawling across the floor."

"They rewrote the lyrics and it was so cathartic," explained Feist, who was accompanied to the ceremony by her mother and her father, brother and sister from Toronto.

"I've sung that song so many times on TV but never with furry creatures peering up at me and chickens in bikinis. It was everything you've ever dreamed of about the Muppets."

It's the second year in a row that an artist has swept the Junos with five wins - last year's "it" girl, Nelly Furtado, achieved the same feat with a series of club-thumping hits and the chart-topping disc "Loose."

Dion had led the nominees with six nods for her two discs, the francophone "D'elles" and the English-language "Taking Chances," regarded by many as a comeback of sorts after a successful five-year residency in Las Vegas. Lavigne, meanwhile, had five nods going in for her disc "The Best Damn Thing" and the summer single "Girlfriend."

Show host Russell Peters opened the bash with a swipe at Alberta superband Nickelback, whose lead singer Chad Kroeger was convicted earlier this week for driving under the influence and lost his licence for a year.

Other targets included Lavigne and an absent Dion.

"Rene, I think, just lost her in a high-stakes poker game," quipped Russell, referring to Dion's husband, Rene Angelil.

Performers included Lavigne, Anne Murray, Buble, Hedley and Feist.

Other wins over the weekend included Serena Ryder for best new artist, Finger Eleven for best rock album and Montreal's Arcade Fire, who took best alternative album for their disc "Neon Bible." That disc also took the prize for CD/DVD artwork of the year Saturday.

Rihanna's "Good Girl Gone Bad" was named best international album.

Feist named artist of year

CALGARY -- Winning Junos is one thing, but appearing on Sesame Street is something else entirely.

Just ask Calgary-raised, Toronto-based singer-songwriter Feist, who picked up best artist and best songwriter honors at last night's non-televised Junos during a gala dinner held at the Calgary Telus Convention Centre.

While Feist alternately kicked up her heels and danced on her way up to the podium, she was still hugely stoked about her recent appearance on Sesame Street, which she taped a few days ago in New York City doing a reworked version of her breakthrough hit, 1234.

"I mean, c'mon please, it's the Muppets we're talking about," said Feist, who was so flustered winning her second award that she didn't initially recognize hockey great Lanny McDonald when he handed her the songwriting award.

"(1234) brought me two days ago to Sesame Street and it was the Muppets and it was the best day of my life. I'm sorry Junos, but the Muppets trump everything!"

A five-time nominee heading into the awards, Feist, whose first name is Leslie although she just uses her last name professionally, will also compete for best album and pop album for The Reminder, and best single for 1234 at tonight's televised Juno Awards being broadcast live on CTV from the Pengrowth Saddledome.

After an incredible year, including four Grammy nominations and a Grammy performance, and a high-profile nano iPod commerical that used the 1234 video, Feist is a favourite to win in those categories as well -- although veteran Anne Murray could upset her in the best pop album race.

In this year's biggest controversy, Murray's all-star Duets collection was mistakenly left out of the best album race due to a sales calculation screw up and then added later, bringing her total nominations to two.

"I want to thank the Junos for a chance to get a bit dressed up and to mark a moment in the blur of all the cities we go to," said Feist, who had written her acceptance speech down on her palm, last night.

"And the fact that it's in Calgary, my mom threw a party for us last night, that's bringing it hometown, full circle!" she said.

Thirty-two Junos were handed out during the gala celebration, plus previously announced honours were given to Toronto TV pioneer Moses Znaimer (The Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award) and Albertan country star Paul Brandt (The Allan Walters Humanitarian Award).

The remaining seven trophies, plus the induction or Toronto rock trio Triumph into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, will be awarded during the live show tonight.

The telecast will be hosted by comic Russell Peters and feature performances by many artists including other five-time nominees Avril Lavigne, originally from Napanee, Ont., and Vancouver crooner Michael Buble.

Six-time nominated French Canadian pop diva Celine Dion is currently on tour in Australia.

Feist's win in the artist of the year category meant a loss for Lavigne, Dion, Buble and the other nominee, Pascale Picard.

Her songwriting victory also meant Lavigne, Joel Plaskett, Rufus Wainwright and Daniel Belanger went home empty handed in that category.

The only other mutiple winners last night were Toronto country-rock-pop veterans Blue Rodeo, who picked up two trophies for best adult alternative album for Small Miracles and best video for C'mon.

Montreal champer-pop act Arcade Fire's Neon Bible won alternative album of the year while the CD/DVD artwork design on the record won a trophy for director/designer Tracy Maurice and photographer Francois Miron.

Early Juno winners

CALGARY -- The bulk of the Juno Awards were handed out at a private gala Saturday. A look at the winners:

- International album of the year: Girl Gone Bad, Rihanna

- Artist of the year: Feist

- New artist of the year: Serena Ryder

- Songwriter of the year: Feist

- Adult alternative album of the year: Small Miracles, Blue Rodeo

- Alternative album of the year: Neon Bible, Arcade Fire

- Rock album of the year: - Them vs. You vs. Me, Finger Eleven

- Vocal jazz album of the year: Make Someone Happy, Sophie Milman

- Contemporary jazz album of the year: Almost Certainly Dreaming, The Chris Tarry Group

- Traditional jazz album of the year: Debut, Brandi Disterheft

- Instrumental album of the year: The Utmost, Jayme Stone

- Francophone album of the year: L'echec du material, Daniel Belanger

- Children's album of the year: Music Soup, Jen Gould

- Classical album of the year: Solo or chamber ensemble: Alkan Concerto for Solo Piano, Marc-Andre Hamelin

- Classical album of the year: Large ensemble or soloist(s) with large ensemble: Korngold, Barber & Walton Violin Concertos, James Ehnes, Bramwell Tovey, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra

- Classical album of the year: vocal or choral performance: Surprise, Maesha Brueggergosman

- Classical composition of the year: Constantinople, Christos Hatzis

- Rap recording of the year: The Revolution, Belly

- Dance recording of the year: All U Ever Want, Billy Newton-Davis vs. Deadmau5

- R&B/Soul recording of the year: Revival, Jully Black

- Reggae recording of the year: Don't Go Pretending, Mikey Dangerous

- Aboriginal recording of the year: The Dirty Looks, Derek Miller

- Roots & traditional album of the year: Solo: Right of Passage, David Francey

- Roots & traditional album of the year: Group: Key Principles, Nathan

- Blues album of the year: Building Full of Blues, FATHEAD

- Contemporary Christian/Gospel album of the year: Holy God, Brian Doerksen

- World music album of the year: Agua Del Pozo, Alex Cuba

- Jack Richardson producer of the year: Joni Mitchell, Shine by Joni Mitchell

- Recording engineer of the year: Kevin Churko, Black Rain by Ozzy Osborne

- CD/DVD artwork design of the year: Neon Bible, Arcade Fire

- Video of the year: C'mon, Blue Rodeo

- Music DVD of the year: 666 Live, Billy Talent

Russell Peters warning Juno censors to be ready

CALGARY - Juno Award hosts seem to have a way of making an entrance.

Last year, Nelly Furtado flew over the crowd "like a bird." The year before, Pamela Anderson played up her most "obvious" assets. And four years ago, Alanis Morissette kicked off her stint as MC wearing a nude foam body costume.

So what does comedian Russell Peters have planned when he helms the 2008 Junos on Sunday night?

"My tricks are talent," Peters said Friday as CTV unveiled the set for the show. "I don't need foam or planes or big (breasts). I do need the latter of the three - not on me but in my life."

"That's corny. I can't do any of that stuff. I'm me. I'm the real guy and so I'm going to use these legs and walk right to that spot," he said, pointing to the podium, "and start talking."

The comic, whose parody of ethnic stereotypes has won him a global following, has admitted he has never watched the Juno Awards - which celebrate the best of Canadian music - in his life.

But that didn't stop him from jumping into his shtick Friday.

"I really am looking forward to hosting the show on Sunday and making it somewhat watchable," Peters deadpanned.

"Let's face it. It's kind of sucked in the past. But I mean that in a nice way," he chuckled. "Like sucked in a good way and we're going to have a good time, that's what I'm saying."

The show's executive producer thinks that Peters is the perfect host for this year.

"This is a guy who sold out the (Air Canada Centre) for two nights - 30,000 tickets. It's unheard of and almost back to Steve Martin," said John Brunton.

"He's huge in Dubai, he's huge in Australia, he's huge in New Delhi and hopefully he'll be huge here in Calgary. I love the fact Russell lives in the moment."

Peters will be subject to a five second tape delay during the peformance - just in case.

"I don't think it's for me - it's for the network," Peters laughed. "They're the ones who will be thinking we really need to censor this guy. Welcome to free speech."

Peters wasn't the only comic on the stage Friday. Group of the Year nominee Hedley, featuring former "Canadian Idol" runner-up Jacob Hoggard had a few gems of their own.

"If we don't win we're going to kill ourselves," said Hoggard, whose group has been nominated before.

"For me, it's something I could have to make my parents refer to me only as 'Juno Award-winning Jacob Hoggard' - as opposed to 'son."'

This nomination is different, he said.

"Maybe it's because we're jaded jerks but I thought: 'Oh man,' then I saw who else was nominated and I thought: 'Great, that's a fantastic way to just set us up again,"' he joked.

As for the show itself, Quebec diva Celine Dion drew six nods, while indie darling Feist, punky princess Avril Lavigne and crooner Michael Buble each racked up five nominations.

Performers will include Lavigne, Feist, Anne Murray and opera star Measha Brueggergosman.

Montreal's Arcade Fire, Finger Eleven of Burlington, Ont., and Toronto's Blue Rodeo each earned three.

The best artist category includes Lavigne, Dion, Feist, Buble and Pascale Picard.

Cyrus is Kids Choice winner - twice

LOS ANGELES - It was the best of both worlds at Saturday's Kids Choice Awards for Miley Cyrus, who took home trophies for favorite female singer and TV actress and rocked the show with a spirited performance of her hit song, "GNO — Girls Night Out."

It was also a slime spectacle for the Nickelodeon children's television network, which broadcast the 21st annual show live from UCLA's Pauley Pavilion in front of 10,000 screaming fans, almost all of them teens and preteens.

Akon crashed a dune buggy into giant containers of Nickelodeon's trademark green slime, Usher blasted a sumo wrestler several yards with slime fired from a cannon and supermodel Heidi Klum, attached to a bungee cord and wearing a specially equipped "butt spike belt," flung herself into a wall covered with slime-filled balloons.

"Don't try this at home," boxer Laila Ali said as Usher turned the cannon on the sumo wrestler.

The slime stunts and other assorted foolishness — which included a soundtrack of celebrities burping as an instrumental version of the Village People song "YMCA" played in the background — took up so much time that presenters never got around to announcing three awards.

In the categories that were announced, teen heartthrob Drake Bell was another double winner, collecting his third consecutive orange blimp-shaped trophy for favorite TV actor and another for favorite TV show for "Drake and Josh."

"Drake and Josh" upset Cyrus' hit program "Hannah Montana" in the TV show category.

Other winners were Eddie Murphy for favorite voice from an animated movie for "Shrek the Third," "American Idol" for favorite reality show and, one of the biggest crowd favorites of the night, the Jonas Brothers for favorite music group. The ever-polite Jonas Brothers each offered brief thank-yous. Chris Brown won for favorite male singer.

Ryan Seacrest accepted the reality show award saying he looked forward to presenting it to "two of the three" of the show's judges.

Cyrus, in a black dress with silver spangles, thanked several people, including her mother, father, agent, manager "and my lord and savior Jesus Christ."

She returned a few minutes later to perform her song, and had a camera crew scampering to get out of the way when she charged into the audience, microphone in hand.

The Naked Brothers Band also performed a song from their forthcoming album "I Don't Want To Go To School."

Cameron Diaz injected one serious moment into the 90 minute show when she accepted a silver blimp as this year's Wannabe Award winner, for the person kids most want to be like. After a montage of clips from both her movies and her efforts on behalf of environmentalism was shown, she encouraged the crowd to do their part to protect the planet.

"You're going to change the world. Every one of you kids is the future," she told the audience. "Everybody go out and make the world a better place."

Diaz, who was the first ever Kids Choice Awards burping contest winner, has long said that was the favorite of all her awards. She said this one trumped it.

Jason Lee accepted the favorite movie award for "Alvin and the Chipmunks" and said it was one of his biggest thrills.

"I'm going to hang this from the ceiling because it's the greatest award anyone could receive because it was voted on by the kids," he said as he held his blimp.

Awards are voted on by people who cast their ballots at Nickelodeon's Web site, with voting continuing until the day of the show.

The show's host, Jack Black, announced that 88 million votes were cast this year, more than twice last year's record number of 40 million.

The show concluded with Black and Orlando Bloom sitting in chairs high above the audience being drenched with what Black claimed was 27 million gallons of green slime.

Chesney leads Academy of Country Music award bids

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Reuters) - Kenny Chesney easily snagged 12 nominations on Tuesday to lead contenders for the annual Academy of Country Music awards, and Rodney Atkins, who has had four straight number one singles, was second with six.

Atkins, 39, whose "If You're Going Through Hell" was the most played country single of 2006, was Top Male Vocalist in last year's academy competition.

Chesney led in total nominations, including one for Entertainer of the Year, which he had already won three times. If he wins that again he would tie Garth Brooks for academy honors in that category.

The nominations were announced in Nashville along with the announcement that, for the first time, fans will choose the winner of the "Entertainer of the Year" award. Voting will start on May 5 and the awards will be presented on May 18 in Las Vegas in a program aired on CBS Television.

Coming in third on the nominations list was Brad Paisley with four individual nominations, while the duos Big & Rich and Sugarland each won four nominations.

Miranda Lambert and 18-year-old Taylor Swift both received three nominations.

In addition to the top entertainer award, Chesney's nominations included Top Male Vocalist, Album of the Year for "Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates," Single Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Video of the Year for "Don't Blink."

Atkins was nominated for Top Male Vocalist, Song of the Year and Video of the Year for "Watching You" and Album of the Year for "If You're Going Through Hell."

Brad Paisley was nominated for Entertainer of the Year, Top Male Vocalist, Album of the Year for "5th Gear" and Video of the Year for "Online."

Big & Rich snared nominations for Top Vocal Duo and, for the song "Lost in this Moment," Single Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Video of the Year. John Rich was nominated for a producer and writer award, and Big Kenny for two producing awards.

Sugarland's four nominations were for Top Vocal Duo, and for the song "Stay," Single Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Video of the Year. Jennifer Nettles also received two nominations for writing and producing, and Kristian Bush received one for producing.

Besides Chesney and Paisley, other nominees for Entertainer of the Year were the duo Rascal Flatts, George Strait and Keith Urban. The nominees for female Vocalist were Lambert, Swift, Martina McBride, LeAnn Rimes, and Carrie Underwood. Top Male Vocalist nominations went to Atkins, Chesney, Paisley, Strait and Urban.

Genies golden for Polley

Shut out at the Oscars, Sarah Polley's Away From Here wins seven awards

This was one awards show that Sarah Polley wasn't going to let get away from her.

First-time director Polley -- whose heart-wrenching feature directing debut Away From Her came up empty at the Oscars last week (even in the best actress category it was favoured to win) -- was the big winner at last night's Genie Awards for Canadian movies.

The Alzheimer's-themed love story, taken from Alice Munro's short story The Bear Came Over The Mountain, received seven trophies from the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. The awards were held last night at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

Among them: Best Motion Picture, Direction (Polley), Actor (Gordon Pinsent), Actress (the also Oscar-nominated Julie Christie), Supporting Actress (Kristen Thomson) and Best Adapted Screenplay (a category for which Polley had earlier received an Oscar nom).

As well, Polley was the pre-announced recipient of the Claude Jutra Award for best feature film by a first-time director.

The seven wins was matched by Away From Her's main competition, David Cronenberg's Russian-mob crime thriller Eastern Promises. However, those wins were mainly in technical categories, including cinematography (Peter Suschitzky), editing (Ronald Sanders), original score (Howard Shore), overall sound (shared by five people) sound editing (shared by five people). It also garnered a supporting actor nod for Armin Mueller-Stahl and best original screenplay for Steve Knight.

Up and down at the podium all night, Polley acknowledged Atom Egoyan (who directed her in The Sweet Hereafter, and has produced her work) as her mentor. "The ridiculousness of me winning in this category is not lost on me," she said as she accepted best director. "I would like to thank my fellow nominees for teaching me so much. And I would like to thank the first filmmaker who ever inspired me. Thank you Atom for everything. Without you, I wouldn't be here." She also joined in the Bill C-10 bashing, enthusing over living in a country that had allowed her "to find my own vision without pandering to committees."

Producer Daniel Iron, who accepted the best picture award with Simone Urdl and Jennifer Weiss, joined in the love in. "We want to express our gratitude and awe to Sarah. The whole experience was a joy," he said.

For his part, Cronenberg was gracious in surrendering the moment. "It's fantastic for Sarah," he said. "I cast her in one of my movies (eXistenZ) and she's a fantastic actress and I'm not surprised that she turns out to be a wonderful director and writer also. We all knew that she was a star from the age of four. It's not so horrible if whoever wins is someone you respect and admire."

Another Oscar make-good was the animated short Madame Tutli-Putli, which won the Genie in its category for Maciek Szczerbowski, Chris Lavis and Marcy Page. Apres Tout won Best Live Action Short for Alexis Fortier Gauthier and Elaine Hebert, while Gary Burns and Jim Brown's "urban sprawl documentary Radiant City won in its category.

Only three feature films managed to break into the Away From Her/Eastern Promises tug-of-war. Andrew Currie's zombie comedy Fido won for art direction, Shake Hands With The Devil's Valanga Khoza and David Hirschfelder won for Original Song with Kaya and Silk won a costume design award for Carlo Poggioli and Kazuko Kurosawa.

The Winners

TORONTO -- The winners at the 28th annual Genie Awards handed out Monday in Toronto:

Best picture: "Away From Her."

Actor: Gordon Pinsent, "Away From Her."

Actress: Julie Christie, "Away From Her."

Supporting actor: Armin Mueller-Stahl, "Eastern Promises."

Supporting actress: Kristen Thomson, "Away From Her."

Director: Sarah Polley, "Away From Her."

Original screenplay: Steven Knight, "Eastern Promises."

Adapted screenplay: Sarah Polley, "Away From Her."

Editing: Ronald Sanders, "Eastern Promises."

Cinematography: Peter Suschitzky, "Eastern Promises."

Art direction/production design: Rob Gray, James Willcock, "Fido."

Costume design: Carlo Poggioli, Kazuko Kurosawa, "Silk."

Original score: Howard Shore, "Eastern Promises."

Original song: Valanga Khoza, David Hirschfelder, "Kaya" from "Shake Hands With the Devil."

Overall sound: Stuart Wilson, Christian Cooke, Orest Sushko, Mark Zsifkovits, "Eastern Promises."

Sound editing: Wayne Griffin, Robert Bertola, Tony Currie, Andy Malcolm, Michael O'Farrell, "Eastern Promises."

Best documentary: "Radiant City."

Live action short drama: "Apres Tout."

Animated short: "Madame Tutli-Putli."

Claude Jutra Award for outstanding achievement by a first-time film director: Sarah Polley, "Away From Her"

Oscar winner: U.S. faked 9/11

Oscar-winning French actress Marion Cotillard has sparked outrage in the U.S. after she hinted that the country intentionally plotted the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The 32-year-old has questioned the government's role in the attacks during a interview on a website.

She indicated that people had been led to believe lies and suggested the World Trade Centre was in desperate need of an upgrade, which would cost more than demolishing the towers.

"It was a money-sucker. To re-cable all that, to bring it up-to-date with all the technology and everything, it was a lot more expensive than destroying them," she said.

The accusations come just one week after Cotillard won the Best Actress Oscar for her role as Edith Piaf in "La Vie En Rose."

She also reheated an old conspiracy theory about the 1969 moon landing never having happened.

Genie awards show ignores "Juno"

TORONTO (Hollywood Reporter) - Any film awards show overlooks good movies. But among the glaring omissions at next Monday's Genies, Canada's version of the Oscars, is "Juno." The box office smash was shot in Vancouver by a Canadian director, Jason Reitman.

The comedy about a 16-year-old girl's pregnant path to enlightenment stars Ellen Page and Michael Cera, both also Canadian.

Don't blame Genie voters for the snub. The rule book requires that some of a film's production budget must come from Canada for it to be deemed a Canadian film.

Because L.A.-based Mandate Pictures developed and financed "Juno" and Fox Searchlight released the comedy, the Genies considers the film American and thus ineligible for competition.

Canada's film awards really falls down the rabbit hole into Wonderland when you consider that "Eastern Promises," a British film about a Russian mob family in London, and directed by hired-gun Canadian David Cronenberg, will contend for best Canadian film at the Genies.

Reitman, attending a pre-Oscars luncheon at the Canadian Consulate in Los Angeles last week, told reporters he was puzzled by the selection process.

"It's a Canadian director, Canadian stars, Canadian cast, Canadian crew, shot in Canada -- how are we not eligible for a Genie when David Cronenberg's film about Russians living in London shot in England with a British crew and British cast is eligible? I'm sorry, but somebody is going to have to explain that to me; I don't get it," he said, with proud father Ivan Reitman at his side.

Well, "Eastern Promises" is a British film. But because the film's co-producer, Toronto-based Serendipity Point Films, steered enough Canadian subsidies to make up about 20% of Cronenberg's production budget, the Genies dipped "Eastern Promises" in maple syrup and gave it 12 nominations.

The message: Leave it to other awards shows to honor filmmaking excellence, whatever its origins. The Genies celebrate government support.

Sandra Oh to host Genie Awards gala

Actress Sandra Oh is coming back to Canada next weekend to host the Genie Awards, the annual celebration of the year's top Canadian films, organizers announced Monday evening.

Though perhaps most well-known for her Golden Globe-winning turn as an ambitious young surgeon on hit TV medical drama Grey's Anatomy, Oh has also maintained strong links to the independent and Canadian film communities.

Earlier this year, the Nepean, Ont.-born, Ottawa-raised Oh served as a juror for the dramatic competition grand jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival.

Oh is also a former best actress Genie-winner for her roles in Don McKellar's Last Night and Mina Shum's Double Happiness. Her credits range from the Oscar contender Sideways to the HBO comedy Arliss to early work in Canadian productions like CBC's The Diary of Evelyn Lau.

In December, the Toronto branch of the group Women in Film and Television presented Oh with the international achivement honour at its 2007 Crystal Awards. She recently returned to filming Grey's Anatomy after the end of the recent U.S. screenwriters strike — during which she was a prominent face on the picket lines supporting her writer colleagues.

With 12 nominations each, David Cronenberg's Russian mafia thriller Eastern Promises and the Rwandan genocide drama Shake Hands with the Devil are the lead nominees going into the 28th annual Genie Awards.

The ceremony will be held in Toronto on March 3.

Oscars are a TV ratings dud

NEW YORK - The Oscars are a ratings dud. Nielsen Media Research says preliminary ratings for the 80th annual Academy Awards telecast are 14 percent lower than the least-watched ceremony ever.

Nielsen said Monday that overnight ratings are also 21 percent lower than last year, when "The Departed" was named best picture.

The least-watched Oscars ceremony ever was in 2003, when there were 33 million viewers.

Nielsen has no estimate yet on how many people watched Sunday night, but based on ratings from the nation's biggest markets, the Oscars will be hard-pressed to avoid an ignominious record.

The show had a 21.9 rating and 33 share.

Dan's Oscar Picks!

Well, I expected to go 5 for 6 with the BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS giving me the headache once again this year, in what was another fairly easily predictable year.

But I went 4 for 6 again this year...but remember, I made my predictions the day of the nominations.

Now, I do give myself some credit in the BEST ACTRESS category.

So lets recap....The 80th Annual Academy Awards...here is what I got right:

Best Motion Picture of the Year
Winner: No Country For Old Men
Dan's Prediction - No Country For Old Men

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Winner: Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood
Dan's Prediction - Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Winner: Javier Bardem, No Country For Old Men
Dan's Prediction - Javier Bardem, No Country For Old Men

And this is what I missed:

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Winner: Marion Cotillard, "La Vie en Rose."
Dan's Prediction - Julie Christie, Away From Her

I had been saying all along that this was a two horse race between Julie Christie, "Away From Her" and Marion Cotillard, "La Vie en Rose". I thought that Julie Christie would win as Hollywood loved their own...I was wrong, but I do give myself some credit here.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Winner: Tilda Swinton, "Michael Clayton"
Dan's Prediction - Ruby Dee, American Gangster

Well, I was wrong...but backstage, Swinton said she was completely shocked.

"I thought Ruby Dee would win and then, frankly, anybody but me," Swinton told reporters.

Oh well, an Academy Award winner agreed with me, so I don't feel so bad.

As for the night's other notable category for me:

Original Song: "Falling Slowly" from "Once," Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova; "Happy Working Song" from "Enchanted," Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz; "Raise It Up" from "August Rush," Nominees to be determined; "So Close" from "Enchanted," Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz; "That's How You Know" from "Enchanted," Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz.

I was so happy that "Falling Slowly" from "Once," Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova won!!!

This was the highlight of the night for me!!

'No Country' wins top Oscars

HOLLYWOOD -- No Country for Old Men had a great, if not a killer, night at the 80th annual Academy Awards.

The dark tale of a serial killer on the trail of a looted fortune won three of the "big six" Oscars and four overall, including best picture. But No Country lost in four technical categories, a sign that there is no longer any evidence of the across-the-board voting that helped set most-Oscar records for films such as Titanic.

The brother team of Joel and Ethan Coen won three of No Country's Oscars -- for best picture, director and adapted screenplay.

Javier Bardem picked up the movie's fourth Oscar, in the supporting-actor category, for portraying a particularly brutal serial killer.

During his acceptance speech, the Spaniard -- directing his comments toward his mother in the audience -- told her in Spanish that this Oscar will help "to recover the dignity of actors... and it's for our pride."

The Coens went into the evening hoping to make Academy Awards history by winning all four categories in which they were nominated. But when The Bourne Ultimatum won for film editing, that dream died. Only legendary animator Walt

Disney has ever won four Oscars in the same year, albeit not for the same movie.

No Country lost in three other technical categories, one to There Will Be Blood in cinematography, and two more to The Bourne Ultimatum, in sound editing and sound mixing. The latter meant that Kevin O'Connell's incredible Oscar losing streak was extended to 0-for-20. The 50-year-old sound mixer extended his record for the most Academy Award nominations without a win; he was up for Transformers.

In winning for adapted screenplay, the Coens defeated Canadian Sarah Polley, 29, who was nominated for her celebrated feature-film directorial debut, Away From Her. Polley adapted her screenplay from Alice Munro's short story.

No Country for Old Men won the best-picture Oscar over the oil epic There Will Be Blood, the Second World War drama Atonement, the corporate drama Michael Clayton and the popular made-in-Canada comedy Juno, starring Canadian Ellen Page.

The Bourne Ultimatum won three Oscars, albeit in technical categories. There Will Be Blood and La Vie en Rose were the only other multiple winners, with two apiece.

As expected, Daniel Day-Lewis won as best actor for There Will Be Blood. There were huge upsets in the actress categories, though.

French actress Marion Cotillard beat huge favourite Away From Her's Julie Christie for the best-actress Oscar. In her broken Engish, a clearly rattled Cotillard on stage thanked "life" and "love" for her victory. Page of Halifax, who just turned 21, was up for best actress for her turn as the pregnant teen in Juno.

Cotillard was beguilling backstage, entertaining the press with an a capella excerpt from one of Edith Piaf's songs, and she charmed everyone with her unbridled joy.

"I'm totally overwhelmed with joy and sparkles and fireworks, and everything that goes boom, boom, boom," she said. "It's all going off in here."

In another big surprise, Tilda Swinton won the supporting-actress Oscar for Michael Clayton. Cate Blanchett's turn as folk-era Bob Dylan in I'm Not There and 83-year-old Ruby Dee, for American Gangster, were seen to be the favourites in that category. Blanchett also lost in the best-actress category for her work in Elizabeth: The Golden Age.

Backstage, Swinton said she was completely shocked.

"I thought Ruby Dee would win and then, frankly, anybody but me," Swinton told reporters.

She did not react to her name being announced as winner, she admitted.

"I had a reverse Zoolander moment when I thought I heard someone else's name. Then I slowwwwly heard my own."

Other Canadians were up for Oscars at the Kodak Theater.

Two Canadian filmmakers lost in the animated-shorts category. Josh Rankin's I Met the Walrus and Chris Lavis and Maciek Szcerbowski's Madame Tutli-Putli failed to gain more academy votes than Peter & the Wolf.

Also for Juno, Montreal-born Jason Reitman, himself only 30, was up for best director but lost to the Coens.

Outside the Kodak Theater, it had been raining sporadically all day -- with breaks of sunshine only to be dashed by the next shower. The rain did not wash out the red carpet festivities, however.

The telecast was only three hours, 18 minutes -- the second shortest this decade.

Complete list of Oscar winners

Complete list of winners at the 80th annual Academy Awards, presented Sunday night at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles:

Best Motion Picture: "No Country for Old Men."

Lead Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis, "There Will Be Blood."

Lead Actress: Marion Cotillard, "La Vie en Rose."

Supporting Actor: Javier Bardem, "No Country for Old Men."

Supporting Actress: Tilda Swinton, "Michael Clayton."

Director: Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, "No Country for Old Men."

Foreign Language Film: "The Counterfeiters," Austria.

Adapted Screenplay: Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, "No Country for Old Men."

Original Screenplay: Diablo Cody, "Juno."

Animated Feature Film: "Ratatouille."

Art Direction: "Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street."

Cinematography: "There Will Be Blood."

Sound Mixing: "The Bourne Ultimatum."

Sound Editing: "The Bourne Ultimatum."

Original Score: "Atonement," Dario Marianelli.

Original Song: "Falling Slowly" from "Once," Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova.

Costume: "Elizabeth: The Golden Age."

Documentary Feature: "Taxi to the Dark Side."

Documentary Short Subject: "Freeheld."

Film Editing: "The Bourne Ultimatum."

Makeup: "La Vie en Rose."

Animated Short Film: "Peter & the Wolf."

Live Action Short Film: "Le Mozart des Pickpockets (`The Mozart of Pickpockets')."

Visual Effects: "The Golden Compass."
_

Academy Award winners previously announced this year:

Honorary and technical Oscars: Robert Boyle; Eastman Kodak Co.; David A. Grafton.

The Oscar moments you didn't see on TV

LOS ANGELES - Most of the action on the Oscar stage is choreographed and rehearsed. Backstage is another story.

In the wings of the Kodak Theatre, stars grapple with nerves, have impromptu meetings with colleagues and make last-minute adjustments to their hair and makeup. Presenters and performers mingle with brand-new Oscar winners while dodging props and cameramen.

What you see on TV is Hollywood magic. Backstage is like a home movie, where everybody knows each other and they're all excited about putting on a show.
___

OSCAR SHOCK: As Marion Cotillard stepped offstage with the best-actress Oscar for "La Vie En Rose," Forest Whitaker enveloped her in a hug that lasted at least a minute.

Then they looked at each other and laughed.

"I'm shaking, like wow," Cotillard trembled.

Stopping by the backstage "thank you" cam, she expressed her gratitude in French and studied her Oscar.

"I'm shaking so much I think I can't talk," she said.

Whitaker led her arm-in-arm behind the stage on the winner's walk.

"This is huge, this is huge," she gushed as backstage workers applauded.

At a stop for a makeup touch up she tried to breathe deeply.

"This is crazy, this is totally crazy. Ooh la la la la! It's totally surreal," she said.

Tilda Swinton was so stunned by her win for supporting actress in "Michael Clayton" that she could only keep repeating "wow, wow" as she walked offstage.

Presenter Alan Arkin chased her with the winner's envelope.

"Oh yes, this is the proof," Swinton said, leaving arm-in-arm with Arkin.

___

JITTERS: Katherine Heigl wasn't kidding when she told the Oscar audience she was nervous.

Behind the scenes, a stagehand asked if she was OK.

"I just need a cigarette," she said, bumming one from a security guard and heading out to a loading dock.

___

NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOE BUSINESS: Adjusting her dress as she stepped into the theater wings and prepared to take the stage, Jennifer Garner confessed to the stage manager: "I'd like to take my shoes off."

"We could do it," he replied.

Instead, she looked skyward and said, "I didn't mean it, karmic dressing gods," and walked in a small circle.

"I'm just going to make sure I'm not going to fall," she explained.

Rene Zellweger had slung her silver Christian Louboutins over her shoulder when Johnny Depp ran into her.

"I like your shoes," Depp said.

"Thanks man," Zellweger replied. "I used to like the shoes."

___

STAR CLUSTER: At times it seemed there were as many stars in the green room as in the audience.

Penelope Cruz sat by her sister, Monica, and fanned herself. They were joined by Miley Cyrus, Johnny Depp and companion Vanessa Paradis, and Forest Whitaker.

Marion Cotillard was about to join them when she learned she would have to smoke outside.

___

CELEBRITY PLUMBING: The restroom just offstage was another Kodak Theatre hotspot.

Jessica Alba and Forrest Whitaker waited in line, and Javier Bardem brought his Oscar inside with him.

First-time presenters Seth Rogen and Jonah Hill passed the crowd on the way to the stage, but Hill paused and thought better of it. They joined lineup.

___

LADIES MAN: This backstage reporter was just trying to get out of Jack Nicholson's way, but ended up in his crosshairs.

As he passed in a narrow corridor he brushed against her synthetic white fur coat.

"Nice jacket," he said half under his breath.

As the reporter thanked him, photographers in the hallway aimed their cameras.

"Let's have a picture," said Nicholson.

Dan's Oscar Picks!

2008 - I expect to go 5 for 6 with the BEST ACTRESS giving me the headache in what is another easily predictable year.

1. Best Picture: "Atonement," "Juno," "Michael Clayton," "No Country for Old Men," "There Will Be Blood."

This is the Coen Brothers' year, so No Country for Old Men wins this.

2. Actor: George Clooney, "Michael Clayton"; Daniel Day-Lewis, "There Will Be Blood"; Johnny Depp, "Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street"; Tommy Lee Jones, "In the Valley of Elah"; Viggo Mortensen, "Eastern Promises."

Daniel Day-Lewis wins here. Although Tommy Lee was great, and Clooney seems to have all the buzz right now.

3. Actress: Cate Blanchett, "Elizabeth: The Golden Age"; Julie Christie, "Away From Her"; Marion Cotillard, "La Vie en Rose"; Laura Linney, "The Savages"; Ellen Page, "Juno."

This is a two horse race between Julie Christie, "Away From Her" and Marion Cotillard, "La Vie en Rose", with Julie Christie winning as Hollywood loves their own!

4. Supporting Actor: Casey Affleck, "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"; Javier Bardem, "No Country for Old Men"; Hal Holbrook, "Into the Wild"; Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Charlie Wilson's War"; Tom Wilkinson, "Michael Clayton."

INTO THE WILD was one of the two worst pictures of last year, but Hal Holbrook was spectacular in it! However this seems to be Javier Bardem's as part of the Coen's year.

5. Supporting Actress: Cate Blanchett, "I'm Not There"; Ruby Dee, "American Gangster"; Saoirse Ronan, "Atonement"; Amy Ryan, "Gone Baby Gone"; Tilda Swinton, "Michael Clayton."

I have heard good things about Amy Ryan, and everyone else in this category, but it seems that Ruby Dee - who has never been nominated before - takes home the Award.

6. Director: Julian Schnabel, "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"; Jason Reitman, "Juno"; Tony Gilroy, "Michael Clayton"; Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, "No Country for Old Men"; Paul Thomas Anderson, "There Will Be Blood."

Coen Brothers! Period, end of story!

SOME EXTRAS AS WELL...BUT THESE ARE JUST HOPES, NOT PREDICTIONS

8. Adapted Screenplay: Christopher Hampton, "Atonement"; Sarah Polley, "Away from Her"; Ronald Harwood, "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"; Joel Coen & Ethan Coen, "No Country for Old Men"; Paul Thomas Anderson, "There Will Be Blood."

Would love to see Sarah Polley win here!

9. Original Screenplay: Diablo Cody, "Juno"; Nancy Oliver, "Lars and the Real Girl"; Tony Gilroy, "Michael Clayton"; Brad Bird, Jan Pinkava and Jim Capobianco, "Ratatouille"; Tamara Jenkins, "The Savages."

Diablo Cody wins here...but all the rest are more interesting films.

16. Original Song: "Falling Slowly" from "Once," Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova; "Happy Working Song" from "Enchanted," Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz; "Raise It Up" from "August Rush," Nominees to be determined; "So Close" from "Enchanted," Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz; "That's How You Know" from "Enchanted," Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz.

This is the category that means the most to me as ONCE was my favourite film of 2007, so I truly hope it wins!!

So, to recap:

The 80th Annual Academy Awards

Best Motion Picture of the Year
Winner:
Dan's Prediction - No Country For Old Men

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Winner:
Dan's Prediction - Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Winner:
Dan's Prediction - Julie Christie, Away From Her

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Winner:
Dan's Prediction - Javier Bardem, No Country For Old Men

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Winner:
Dan's Prediction - Ruby Dee, American Gangster

Best Achievement in Directing
Winner:
Dan's Prediction - Joel and Ethan Coen, No Country For Old Men

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2007 - DAN CORRECTLY PREDICTED FOUR OF THE SIX MAJOR CATEGORIES AGAIN THIS YEAR - AND HE ALSO SAID THAT IF EDDIE MURPHY DIDN'T WIN, ALAN ARKIN WOULD.

The 79th Annual Academy Awards

Best Motion Picture of the Year
Winner: The Departed (2006) - Graham King
Dan's Prediction - Little Miss Sunshine

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Winner: Forest Whitaker for The Last King of Scotland (2006)
Dan's Prediction - Forest Whitaker

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Winner: Helen Mirren for The Queen (2006)
Dan's Prediction - Helen Mirren

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Winner: Alan Arkin for Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
Dan's Prediction - Eddie Murphy

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Winner: Jennifer Hudson for Dreamgirls (2006)
Dan's Prediction - Jennifer Hudson

Best Achievement in Directing
Winner: Martin Scorsese for The Departed (2006)
Dan's Prediction - Martin Scorsese

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2006 - The 78th Annual Academy Awards were - Dan went 4 out of 6

Best Picture
WINNER - Crash
Dan's Prediction - Brokeback Mountain - All the buzz remains behind this film. CRASH has some headlines, but the buzz is all about BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN.

Best Actor
WINNER - Philip Seymour Hoffman, Capote
Dan's Prediction - Philip Seymour Hoffman, Capote - WALK THE LINE is selling lots of DVDs and Terrence Howard has a nice groundswell of support, but Hoffman's performance is just head and shoulders above everyone else's that - barring a BROKEBACK sweep he is a lock to win.

Best Actress
WINNER - Reese Witherspoon, Walk the Line
Dan's Prediction - Reese Witherspoon, Walk the Line - Remember the year Julia Roberts won, well now it is Reese's turn.

Best Supporting Actor
WINNER - Best Supporting Actor - George Clooney.
Dan's Prediction - Paul Giamatti, Cinderella Man - Had he only been nominated for SIDEWAYS last year...but he wasn't, so this Oscar is his.

Best Supporting Actress
WINNER - Rachel Weisz, The Constant Gardener
Dan's Prediction - Rachel Weisz, The Constant Gardener - She was the only thing worth watching in an unwatchable movie, and with all of the previous acting awards to her credit, she wins and thanks Ralph Finnes for being "Every actor's dream to work with."

Best Director
WINNER - Ang Lee, Brokeback Mountain
Dan's Prediction - Ang Lee, Brokeback Mountain - I believe in all of my predictions, but this is the evening's one sure bet!

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2005 - The 77th Annual Academy Awards were - Dan went 5 out of 6

This is what I predicted in the six major categories:

BEST ACTOR - Jamie Foxx - RAY
BEST ACTRESS - Hilary Swank, MILLION DOLLAR BABY
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR - Morgan Freeman, MILLION DOLLAR BABY
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - Virginia Madsen, SIDEWAYS
BEST PICTURE - MILLION DOLLAR BABY
And
BEST DIRECTOR - Clint Eastwood, MILLION DOLLAR BABY

The category I got wrong was BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Winner: Cate Blanchett for The Aviator

80 YEARS OF OSCAR MEMORIES

1929: First Academy Awards held at Hollywood's Hotel Roosevelt. WWI drama "Wings" wins Best Picture.

1930: Best Actor George Arliss ("Disraeli") and Best Actress Norma Shearer ("The Divorcée") pose with their statuettes two days before the banquet.

1931: Ten-year-old Jackie Cooper, nominated for Best Actor in "Skippy," falls asleep during the ceremony.

1932: Academy members pay $10 to attend the banquet. It sells out, anyway.

1933: The Academy skips a year in order to honor films made during the previous calendar year.

1934: Walt Disney calls his statuette "Oscar" while accepting Best Short Subject for "The Three Little Pigs." Insiders used the nickname after Academy librarian Margaret Herrick, on first seeing the trophy, said, "It's looks like Uncle Oscar." The Academy adopts the name in 1939.

1935: Bette Davis snubbed for "Of Human Bondage." Ensuing outrage inspires the Academy to allow write-in candidates.

1936: In an Oscar first, Best Writer winner Dudley Nichols ("The Informer") refuses his award in solidarity with striking unions.

1937: Best Supporting Actor and Actress are recognized for the first time. But winners get plaques instead of statuettes.

1938: Spencer Tracy's Best Actor Oscar for "Captains Courageous" is incorrectly engraved "Dick Tracy."

1939: Shirley Temple stands on a chair to present Walt Disney with an honorary award for "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs."

1940: Hattie McDaniel breaks the color barrier. She's the first African American to attend the Oscars and the first to win, as Best Supporting Actress in "Gone With the Wind."

1941: Orson Welles becomes the first simultaneous nominee for Best Picture, Actor, Director and Screenplay for "Citizen Kane." He wins as a writer.

1942: As a symbolic gesture to the war effort, Oscar statuettes are made of plaster.

1943: The show is held at Grauman's Chinese Theatre, the Awards' first public venue.

1944: Best Supporting Actor and Actress receive full-sized Oscars instead of a miniature on a plaque.

1945: The Best Picture category is limited to just five nominees instead of as many as 10. Other categories soon follow.

1946: For the first time, nominated songs, including winner "It Might As Well Be Spring" from "State Fair," are performed at the ceremony.

1947: For the first time, only Academy members can cast ballots.

1948: Foreign films finally get their due, as Italy's "Shoe-Shine" picks up an honorary award.

1949: Laurence Olivier's "Hamlet" becomes the first foreign film to win Best Picture. Olivier wins Best Actor.

1950: The Academy begins numbering statuettes, beginning with 501. "Mighty Joe Young" wins that one, for Best Special Effects.

1951: Marlene Dietrich steals the show when, ascending stairs to present an award, she flashes her fabulous gams.

1952: Marlon Brando's breakout role in "A Streetcar Named Desire" is usurped for Best Actor by Humphrey Bogart in "The African Queen."

1953: An estimated 43 million viewers tune in for the two-hour broadcast.

1954: Brando finally wins Best Actor for "On the Waterfront," beating out, among others, Bogart in "The Caine Mutiny."

1955: Best Actress nominee for "A Star Is Born," Judy Garland is unable to attend because she's in the hospital - as the mother of day-old Joey Luft.

1956: "Marty" becomes the first TV-to-motion-picture transfer to win Best Picture.

1957: For the first time, every Best Picture nominee is in color. "Around the World in 80 Days" wins.

1958: Miyoshi Umeki becomes the first Asian actress to win an Oscar, as Supporting Actress in "Sayonara."

1959: "Gigi" breaks the record for most Oscars for a single film: nine.

1960: "Ben-Hur" shatters the record from the previous year, claiming 11 Oscars.

1961: The Oscar broadcast moves from NBC to ABC.

1962: Sophia Loren delivers the first foreign-language performance to win Best Actress in "Two Women."

1963: At 16, Best Supporting Actress Patty Duke is the youngest Oscar winner for "The Miracle Worker."

1964: Sidney Poitier is the first black man to win an Oscar, as Best Actor in "Lilies of the Field."

1965: All four acting awards are won by non-Americans: Rex Harrison ("My Fair Lady"), Julie Andrews ("Mary Poppins"), Peter Ustinov ("Topkapi") and Lila Kedrova ("Zorba the Greek").

1966: "The Sound of Music" wins Best Picture, but star Julie Andrews loses her bid for a second Best Actress award to Julie Christie in "Darling."

1967: Sisters Vanessa and Lynn Redgrave are both up for Best Actress (for "Morgan!" and "Georgy Girl," respectively). But Elizabeth Taylor beats them both for "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"

1968: Bob Hope emcees the awards for the 14th straight year.

1969: First worldwide telecast goes out to 37 nations.

1970: Cary Grant receives an honorary Oscar. He'd been nominated twice, but never won.

1971: Best Picture winner "Midnight Cowboy" is the first and only X-rated film to be honored.

1972: The awards' golden sheen wears thin. The LA Times claims host Bob Hope is "excruciatingly unfunny" and Variety says, "At 43, Oscar looked tired."

1973: Marlon Brando sends Sacheen Littlefeather to refuse his Best Actor award for "The Godfather" to protest film portrayals of Native Americans.

1974: As David Niven introduces Elizabeth Taylor, a streaker runs across the stage, flashing a peace sign.

1975: "The Godfather: Part II" is the first sequel to win Best Picture.

1976: Best Actress for "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," Louise Fletcher is the first Oscar recipient to use sign language at the podium.

1977: "Network" star Peter Finch receives the first posthumous Best Actor award. He died of a heart attack two months before the awards.

1978: "Annie Hall" is the first comedy to win Best Picture since "Tom Jones" in 1964.

1979: Johnny Carson makes his first appearance as host of the Oscars.

1980: Sally Field wins Best Actress for "Norma Rae," but later jokes that "the Academy is slacking off in the class quotient - after all, I won."

1981: The awards are postponed for 24 hours after the attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan.

1982: Katharine Hepburn's fourth win, as Best Actress for "On Golden Pond" makes her the all-time Academy Award champ.

1983: German sub flick "Das Boot" gets six nominations, the most ever for a foreign film. It wins nothing.

1984: Oscar's longest show, at three hours and 42 minutes. Says Shirley MacLaine: "This show has been as long as my career."

1985: Steven Spielberg rages when the Awards producers consider barring his unwed and pregnant lover, Amy Irving, from appearing on the show.

1986: With 11 nominations and no wins, "The Color Purple" joins
1977's "The Turning Point" as the two most nominated nonwinning films in the Academy's history.

1987: Nominated for Best Actress in "Aliens," Sigourney Weaver is the first female action star to be recognized by the Academy.

1988: The ceremony moves to LA's Shrine Auditorium. Drivers get lost on the way and many stars, including pregnant Glenn Close, dash through traffic to get inside on time.

1989: The phrase "and the winner is" is replaced with "and the Oscar goes to."

1990: "Driving Miss Daisy" is the first film to win Best Picture without a Best Director nod since "Grand Hotel" in 1932.

1991: "Dances With Wolves" is the first Western to win Best Picture since "Cimmaron" in 1931.

1992: Upon winning Best Supporting Actor for "City Slickers," Jack Palance does one-arm push-ups.

1993: Al Pacino is the first actor to be nominated for leading ("Scent of a Woman") and supporting ("Glengarry Glen Ross") roles. He wins Best Actor.

1994: "Schindler's List" is the first (mostly) black-and-white film to win Best Picture since "The Apartment" in 1961.

1995: Elton John and Tim Rice's three "Lion King" songs are the most ever nominated in a single year. "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" wins.

1996: In "Dead Man Walking," Susan Sarandon is the first Best Actress winner to portray a nun.

1997: With nine Oscars, "The English Patient" dominates, but stars Ralph Fiennes and Kristen Scott Thomas go home empty-handed.

1998: "Titanic" ties "Ben-Hur" as the most-honored film in history with 11 awards. None of its actors wins.

1999: For the first time, the ceremony is held on Sunday.

2000: Angelina Jolie wins Best Supporting Actress for "Girl, Interrupted," making her and Jon Voight the only father-daughter Oscar winners other than Henry and Jane Fonda.

2001: For the first time in 51 years, the Best Picture winner ("Gladiator") doesn't pick up an additional award for either Best Director or Best Screenplay.

2002: Halle Berry becomes the first African-American woman to win Best Actress for "Monster's Ball."

2003: All five of the Best Picture nominees were released in the last two weeks of 2002 (December 18 or after). "Chicago" wins.

2004: Billy Crystal hosts the awards for the eighth time.

2005: Clint Eastwood and Albert Ruddy share the Best Picture Oscar for "Million Dollar Baby." Eastwood had been the presenter for Best Picture when Ruddy won his first Oscar as producer of "The Godfather" in 1973.

2006: With "Good Night, and Good Luck," and "Syriana," George Clooney is the first nominee for Best Director and Supportng Actor for different films. He wins Best Supporting Actor.

2007: With 71 letters and 12 words, "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" has the longest title of any film ever nominated.

Sources: "65 Years of Oscar," by Robert Osborne, "Inside Oscar" by Damien Bona and Mason Wiley, "The Academy Awards: The Complete Unofficial History," by Gail Kinn and Jim Piazza.

Lohan's I Know Who Killed Me reaps most Razzies ever

Eddie Murphy and Lindsay Lohan shared some nasty honours by each capturing three 2007 Razzies, awards given to the worst performances and films.

The 28th annual Golden Raspberry Awards, always handed out the day before the Oscars, bestowed Lohan with two worst-actress awards for playing twins in I Know Who Killed Me, which was named worst movie of the year.

Adding to the dishonour, she also won worst onscreen couple for a scene in which she appears opposite herself in a story about siblings stalked by a serial killer.

I Know Who Killed Me was a box office flop with a take of $9 million US worldwide, and won eight of nine Raspberries for which it was nominated.

"Part of why the Razzies exist is to make fun of the academy, which takes itself too seriously," Razzies founder John Wilson said at the ceremony on Saturday at a magic shop in Santa Monica, Calif.

"If you had tried to make something certain to offend the average 90-year-old academy voter, I don't think you could have done a better job than the foul-mouthed, physically ugly, emotionally ugly movie [Lohan] unleashed on the world."

The film also garnered Raspberries for Chris Siverston in the director category as well as Jeffrey Hammond for worst screenplay, and in the new category of Worst Excuse for a Horror Movie.

I Know Who Killed Me broke a record of seven wins previously held by Showgirls and Battlefield Earth.

Murphy's roles in Norbit rack up Razzies

Norbit, a hit worldwide with $158 million US in box office receipts, captured three of the four worst-acting categories.

Murphy had several parts in Norbit so, besides worst actor, he also nabbed worst supporting actor and supporting actress Raspberries for roles as a Chinese man and Norbit's screaming overweight wife.

It's been quite a journey for the comedian, who is now the first person ever to win three acting Razzies in one year. That's only a year after he was nominated for an Academy Award for best supporting actor in Dreamgirls.

The only award left over was given to Daddy Day Camp for Worst Prequel or Sequel.

The winners almost never are in attendance to get their gaudy gold trophies. An exception was Halle Berry, who showed up to accept her 2005 prize for Catwoman.

In the history of the award, Sylvester Stallone is the overall Razzies champ with 30 nominations and 10 wins.

The winners are decided by Razzie members, who must buy a membership to take part in the vote.

Juno soars at Independent Spirit Awards

Teen-pregnancy comedy Juno dominated the Independent Spirit Awards by taking three trophies, including best picture and the lead actress prize for Canadian Ellen Page.

The film, directed by Montreal-born Jason Reitman, also garnered a first-time screenplay honour for Diablo Cody at the awards, which honour the best in independent filmmaking.

Halifax actress Page landed on top of a heap of Hollywood heavyweights — including Angelina Jolie and Parker Posey — for her portrayal as a spirited 16-year-old who becomes pregnant through her best friend and decides to give her baby away.

Page, who has said she feels "numb" by all the attention she's getting for the role, honoured Cody in her acceptance speech.

"This is all Diablo Cody's fault. She wrote one of the best screenplays I have ever read," said the 21-year-old at the low-key ceremony Saturday afternoon on the beach in Santa Monica, Calif.

"I got to work with some amazing actors who all poured their hearts into this film because we all believed in it so much."

Reitman, who lost in the best director category to Julian Schnabel for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, was visibly moved as Page went on to praise him.

All three — Page, Reitman and Cody — are up for Oscars in their respective fields on Sunday night. Cody said she's just grateful.

"Having your film get made is your reward," said the 29-year-old writer, whose script for Juno was her first screenplay. "That alone is the miracle, so to get an award is beyond imaginable. It's so cool."

Other winners included a pregnant Cate Blanchett, who won the best supporting actress award for her role in the Bob Dylan biopic I'm Not There.

She dedicated her award to co-star Heath Ledger, who died following an accidental drug overdose last month. To "one of the most beautiful independent spirits of all, Heath Ledger," Blanchett said. "This is for him."

First Altman award

Blanchett beat out the likes of Canadian Tamara Podemski, who was nominated for best supporting actress for her work on the film Four Sheets to the Wind. She won a special jury prize for acting at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival for the role.

I'm Not There also took the first ever Robert Altman Award — named after director Robert Altman, who died in 2006 — for a filmmaker, casting director and acting ensemble.

"I have no doubt [Heath Ledger] would have made an astounding director," director Todd Haynes said in his acceptance speech.

Philip Seymour Hoffman walked away with the best actor trophy for The Savages, which also garnered a best screenplay prize for Tamara Jenkins. Hoffman is nominated in the same category at the Oscars, but for another role, in Charlie Wilson's War.

Chiwetel Ejiofor won for best supporting male for Talk to Me while The Lookout, directed by Scott Frank, captured best first feature film.

The best foreign film award went to low-budget Irish film Once, starring Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglov.

Toronto' s Jennifer Baichwal lost out in the documentary category to Crazy Love. Her film, Manufactured Landscapes, had won a Genie.

Clooney: "I'm the Hillary Clinton of the Oscars"

George Clooney has compared his battle for the Best Actor Oscar at the forthcoming Academy Awards to the U.S. presidential race between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Clooney is convinced he would be a sure winner if fellow actor Daniel Day-Lewis wasn't in the running for the prize.

And he likened their situation to that of Democrat candidates Clinton and Obama - insisting the former first lady would be on a definite course to win the 2008 election if her opponent wasn't Obama.

He tells U.S. magazine Time, "For me, it's like being Hillary Clinton. If it weren't for Barack Obama, it would have been a very good year. I thought Daniel Day-Lewis had the best performance of the year."

Clooney is nominated for the coveted prize at Sunday's awards for his role in Michael Clayton, while Day-Lewis has been tipped to take the prize after his acclaimed performance in Paul Thomas Anderson's There Will Be Blood.

Arctic Monkeys win top Brit Awards

LONDON - Amy Winehouse and Paul McCartney set their recent troubles aside to steal the show Wednesday at the Brit Awards, the British music industry's most prestigious prizes.

Rockers Foo Fighters and British bands Take That and Arctic Monkeys were all double winners at Britain's equivalent of the Grammys.

Although she wasn't up for any awards, troubled jazz-pop diva Winehouse received a rapturous reception when she appeared to perform "Valerie" with Brit-nominated collaborator Mark Ronson. She followed that up with the sultry ballad "Love is a Losing Game" from her breakthrough album "Back to Black."

Winehouse, who appeared composed and confident, urged the crowd at London's Earl's Court arena to "make some noise for my Blake." Winehouse's husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, is in prison awaiting trial for assault and lying to police.

Winehouse, 24, has had a tumultuous 12 months since she was named best female British act at last year's Brits. She won five Grammys earlier this month - a rare high point in a year of erratic behaviour, cancelled concerts, tabloid headlines and a spell in drug rehab.

McCartney, who has spent the last week in court trying to settle his acrimonious divorce from Heather Mills, closed the show with a crowd-pleasing medley of hits, including "Hey Jude" and "Live and Let Die" - a song he co-wrote with his late first wife Linda.

Accepting a lifetime achievement award, the former Beatle said: "I just think British music is the best."

Grown-up boy band Take That took the British single of the year prize for its song "Shine" and also was named best live act. The band - which split in 1996 but reformed a decade later minus original member Robbie Williams - joked about its advancing years.

"I'm 37 years old, I've got an arthritic knee," band member Jason Orange said. "We stand before you bruised and battered, but dead chuffed (pleased)."

The spiky pop quartet Arctic Monkeys was named British group of the year and also took the British album of the year prize for "Favourite Worst Nightmare."

Performer-producer Ronson, who has worked with Winehouse, Christina Aguilera and Jay-Z, was named British male solo act.

"I've never felt so British or male in my entire life," said Ronson, who divides his time between New York and London.

The British female solo artist trophy went to singer-songwriter Kate Nash - like Winehouse, a former student at the London arts academy the Brit School.

Beirut-born, London-raised Mika, whose flamboyant vocal style has been likened to Queen's Freddie Mercury, was named British breakthrough act.

Kanye West and Kylie Minogue were named international solo acts of the year, a category which featured two Canadian nominees, Calgary-raised Leslie Feist and Vancouver's Michael Buble.

Foo Fighters took prizes for international group and international album of the year for "Echoes Silence Patience & Grace," beating out Montreal's Arcade Fire and their CD, "Neon Bible."

The show, hosted by rock elder statesman Ozzy Osbourne and his family, was largely full of surprises or expletive-laden slips of the tongue.

The Osbournes took the stage accompanied by jets of flame and sat on thrones between two stages intended to reflect the two faces of British music - punk and glam.

Performers at the show included Kaiser Chiefs, Minogue and R & B star Rihanna, who sang her song "Umbrella" with British band Klaxons.

The awards are run by the British Phonographic Industry Ltd., an industry association. Most winners are selected by a vote of more than 1,000 industry members, including representatives from record companies, the media, retailers, record producers, disk jockeys and promoters.

The British single, British breakthrough act and British live act prizes are decided by public phone or online voting.

Saturn Award Nominees Announced, 300 Scores Big

The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films has announced it’s 34th annual nominations for the Saturn Award.

Leading the nominations this year is 300, with a stunning 10 nominations in various categories. Close behind is Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix with 9, and Sweeney Todd with 8.

They’re more than just movies though. They also hand out awards to television and even DVD. Lost and Dexter lead the television nominations with 7 and 5 nominations each. Check out all of this year’s nominees in the massive, complete Saturn Award nomination list below:

FILM NOMINATIONS

Best Science Fiction Film
Cloverfield (Paramount)
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (20th Century Fox)
I Am Legend (Warner Bros.)
The Last Mimzy (New Line Cinema)
Sunshine (Fox Searchlight)
Transformers (DreamWorks SKG / Paramount)

Best Fantasy Film
Enchanted (Buena Vista)
The Golden Compass (New Line Cinema)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Warner Bros.)
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (Buena Vista)
Spider-Man 3 (Sony)
Stardust (Paramount)

Best Horror Film
30 Days of Night (Sony)
1408 (The Weinstein Co.)
Ghost Rider (Sony)
Grindhouse (The Weinstein Co.)
The Mist (The Weinstein Co.)
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (DreamWorks SKG / Paramount)

Best Action / Adventure / Thriller Film
3:10 to Yuma (Lionsgate)
300 (Warner Bros.)
The Bourne Ultimatum (Universal)
Live Free or Die Hard (20th Century Fox)
No Country for Old Men (Miramax)
There Will Be Blood (Paramount Vantage)
Zodiac (Paramount)

Best Actor
Gerard Butler (“300”) (Warner Bros.)
John Cusack (“1408”) (The Weinstein Co.)
Daniel Day-Lewis (“There Will Be Blood”) (Paramount Vantage)
Johnny Depp (“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”) (DreamWorks SKG / Paramount)
Viggo Mortensen (“Eastern Promises”) (Focus Features)
Will Smith (“I Am Legend”) (Warner Bros.)

Best Actress
Amy Adams (“Enchanted”) (Buena Vista)
Ashley Judd (“Bug”) (Lionsgate)
Helena Bonham Carter (“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”) (DreamWorks SKG / Paramount)
Naomi Watts (“Eastern Promises”) (Focus Features)
Belen Rueda (“The Orphanage”) (Picturehouse)
Carice van Houten (“Black Book”) (Sony Pictures Classics)

Best Supporting Actor
Javier Bardem (“No Country for Old Men”) (Miramax)
Ben Foster (“3:10 to Yuma”) (Lionsgate)
James Franco (“Spider-Man 3”) (Sony)
Justin Long (“Live Free or Die Hard”) (20th Century Fox)
Alan Rickman (“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”) (DreamWorks SKG / Paramount)
David Wenham (“300”) (Warner Bros.)

Best Supporting Actress
Lizzy Caplan (“Cloverfield”) (Paramount)
Marcia Gay Harden (“The Mist”) (The Weinstein Co.)
Lena Headey (“300”) (Warner Bros.)
Rose McGowan (“Grindhouse” – “Planet Terror”) (The Weinstein Co.)
Michelle Pfeiffer (“Stardust”) (Paramount)
Imelda Staunton (“Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”) (Warner Bros.)

Best Performance by a Younger Actor
Alex Etel (“The Water Horse”) (Sony)
Freddie Highmore (“August Rush”) (Warner Bros.)
Josh Hutcherson (“Bridge to Terabithia”) (Buena Vista)
Daniel Radcliffe (“Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”) (Warner Bros.)
Dakota Blue Richards (“The Golden Compass”) (New Line Cinema)
Rhiannon Leigh Wryn (“The Last Mimzy”) (New Line Cinema)

Best Direction
Tim Burton (“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”) (DreamWorks SKG / Paramount)
Frank Darabont (“The Mist”) (The Weinstein Co.)
Paul Greengrass (“The Bourne Ultimatum”) (Universal)
Sam Raimi (“Spider-Man 3”) (Sony)
Zack Snyder (“300”) (Warner Bros.)
David Yates (“Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”) (Warner Bros.)

Best Writing
Roger Avary, Neil Gaiman (“Beowulf”) (Paramount)
Brad Bird (“Ratatouille”) (Buena Vista)
Joel Coen, Ethan Coen (“No Country for Old Men”) (Miramax)
Michael Goldenberg (“Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”) (Warner Bros.)
Michael Gordon, Zack Snyder, Kurt Johnstad (“300”) (Warner Bros.)
John Logan (“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”) (DreamWorks SKG / Paramount)

Best Music
Tyler Bates (“300”) (Warner Bros.)
Jonny Greenwood (“There Will Be Blood”) (Paramount Vantage)
Nicholas Hooper (“Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”) (Warner Bros.)
Mark Mancina (“August Rush”) (Warner Bros.)
Alan Menken (“Enchanted”) (Buena Vista)
John Powell (“The Bourne Ultimatum”) (Universal)

Best Costume
Colleen Atwood (“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”) (DreamWorks SKG / Paramount)
Ruth Myers (“The Golden Compass”) (New Line Cinema)
Penny Rose (“Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End”) (Buena Vista)
Sammy Sheldon (“Stardust”) (Paramount)
Jany Temime (“Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”) (Warner Bros.)
Michael Wilkinson (“300”) (Warner Bros.)

Best Make-Up
Howard Berger, Greg Nicotero, Jake Garber - (“Grindhouse” – “Planet Terror”) (The Weinstein Co.)
Nick Dudman, Amanda Knight - (“Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”) (Warner Bros.)
Davina Lamont - (“30 Days of Night”) (Sony)
Ve Neill, Martin Samuel - (“Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End”) (Buena Vista)
Peter Owen, Ivana Primorac - (“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”) (DreamWorks SKG / Paramount)
Shaun Smith, Mark Rappaport - (“300”) (Warner Bros.)

Best Special Effects
Tim Burke, John Richardson, Paul Franklin, Greg Butler - (“Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”) (Warner Bros.)
Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, Russell Earl, John Frazier - (“Transformers”) (DreamWorks SKG / Paramount)
Michael Fink, Bill Westenhofer, Ben Morris, Trevor Wood - (“The Golden Compass”) (New Line Cinema)
John Knoll, Hal Hickel, Charles Gibson, John Frazier - (“Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End”) (Buena Vista)
Scott Stokdyk, Peter Nofz, Spencer Cook, John R. Frazier - (“Spider-Man 3”) (Sony)
Chris Watts, Grant Freckelton, Derek Wentworth, Daniel Leduc - (“300”) (Warner Bros.)

Best International Film
Black Book (Sony Pictures Classics)
Day Watch (Fox Searchlight)
Eastern Promises (Focus Features)
Goya’s Ghosts (Samuel Goldwyn Films)
The Orphanage (Picturehouse)
Sleuth (Sony Pictures Classics)

Best Animated Film
Beowulf (Paramount)
Meet the Robinsons (Buena Vista)
Ratatouille (Buena Vista)
Shrek the Third (DreamWorks SKG / Paramount)
The Simpsons Movie (20th Century Fox)
Surf’s Up (Sony)

TELEVISION NOMINATIONS

Best Network Television Series
Heroes (NBC)
Lost (ABC)
Pushing Daisies (ABC)
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (Fox)
Journeyman (NBC)
Supernatural (CW)

Best Syndicated / Cable Television Series
Dexter (Showtime)
Battlestar Galactica (Sci Fi Channel)
Stargate SG-1 (Sci Fi Channel / MGM)
The Closer (TNT)
Kyle XY (ABC Family)
Saving Grace (TNT)

Best Presentation on Television
Battlestar Galactica: Razor (Sci Fi Channel)
The Company (TNT)
Fallen (ABC Family)
The Family Guy: “Blue Harvest” (Fox)
Masters of Science Fiction (ABC)
Shrek the Halls (ABC)
Tin Man (Sci Fi Channel)

Best International Series
Doctor Who (Sci Fi Channel)
Torchwood (BBC America)
Meadowlands (aka Cape Wrath) (Showtime)
Jekyll (BBC America)
Life On Mars (BBC America)
Robin Hood (BBC America)

Best Actor on Television
Matt Dallas (Kyle XY) (ABC Family)
Matthew Fox (Lost) (ABC)
Michael C. Hall (Dexter) (Showtime)
Kevin McKidd (Journeyman) (NBC)
Edward James Olmos (Battlestar Galactica) (Sci Fi Channel)
Lee Pace (Pushing Daisies) (ABC)

Best Actress on Television
Anna Friel (Pushing Daisies) (ABC)
Lena Headey (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) (Fox)
Jennifer Love Hewitt (Ghost Whisperer) (CBS)
Holly Hunter (Saving Grace) (TNT)
Evangeline Lily (Lost) (ABC)
Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer) (TNT)

Best Supporting Actor on Television
Michael Emerson (Lost) (ABC)
Greg Grunberg (Heroes) (NBC)
Josh Holloway (Lost) (ABC)
Erik King (Dexter) (Showtime)
Terry O’Quinn (Lost) (ABC)
Masi Oka (Heroes) (NBC)

Best Supporting Actress on Television
Jaime Alexander (Kyle XY) (ABC Family)
Jennifer Carpenter (Dexter) (Showtime)
Summer Glau (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) (Fox)
Elizabeth Mitchell (Lost) (ABC)
Jaime Murray (Dexter) (Showtime)
Hayden Panettiere (Heroes) (NBC)

DVD NOMINATIONS

Best DVD Release
Behind The Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (Starz / Anchor Bay)
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (remix) (Image)
Driftwood (Image)
The Man From Earth (Anchor Bay)
The Nines (Sony)
White Noise 2 (Universal)

Best Special Edition DVD Release
Big (Extended Edition) (Fox)
Blade Runner (5 Disc Ultimate Collector’s Edition) (Warner)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (30th Anniversary – Blu Ray) (Sony)
Death Proof (Grindhouse Presentation: Extended & Unrated) (Genius)
Pan’s Labyrinth (Platinum Series) (New Line)
Troy: Director’s Cut (Ultimate Collector’s Edition) (Warner)

Best Classic Film DVD Release
Alligator (Lionsgate)
The Dark Crystal (Sony)
Face/Off (Paramount)
Flash Gordon (Universal)
The Monster Squad (Lionsgate)
Witchfinder General (MGM)

Best Collection on DVD
The Godzilla Collection (Classic Media)
The Mario Bava Collection (Vol. 1 & 2) (Anchor Bay)
The Sergio Leone Anthology (MGM)
The Sonny Chiba Collection (BCI / Eclipse)
Stanley Kubrick (Warner Home Video Directors Series) (Warner)
Vincent Price (MGM Scream Legends Collection) (MGM)

Best Television Series on DVD
Eureka (Season 1) (Universal)
Heroes (Season 1) (Universal)
Hustle (Complete Seasons 2 and 3) (BBC Warner)
Lost (The Complete Third Season) (Buena Vista)
MI:5 (Volumes 4 & 5) (BBC Warner)
Planet Earth: The Complete BBC Series (BBC Warner)

Best Retro Television Series on DVD
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones (Volume 1: The Early Years) (Paramount)
Count Dracula (BBC Mini-series 1977) (BBC Warner)
Land of the Giants (The Full Series) (Fox)
Mission Impossible (The Second and Third Seasons) (Paramount)
Twin Peaks (The Definitive Gold Box Edition) (Paramount)
The Wild Wild West (The Second and Third Seasons) (Paramount)

Amy Winehouse to perform at Brit Awards

LONDON - Mika, Leona Lewis and Take That were the front-runners for Wednesday's Brit Awards, the British music industry's most prestigious prizes.

But much of the anticipation focused on an artist who isn't nominated for any awards — Amy Winehouse. The troubled soul diva, who scooped up five Grammys last week, was due to perform alongside superproducer Mark Ronson on his reworking of The Zutons' "Valerie." The song, from Ronson's album "Version," is nominated for best British single.

Organizers would not confirm reports Winehouse also planned to sing one of the hits from her breakthrough album "Back to Black."

Winehouse, 24, has had a tumultuous 12 months since she was named best female British act at last year's Brits. Her five Grammys — which include record of the year for her autobiographical single "Rehab" — was a rare high point in a year of erratic behavior, canceled concerts, tabloid headlines and drug allegations.

Winehouse spent two weeks in a rehab facility before her Feb. 10 appearance at the Grammys. She performed by video link from London because of a holdup in obtaining a U.S. work visa.

The Brits usually attract a sprinkling of international stars as well as top British acts. Scheduled performers at Wednesday's ceremony, hosted by Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne, include Kaiser Chiefs, Kylie Minogue and Rihanna.

The nominated acts are a mix of the new and the nostalgic. Take That — who split in 1996 but reformed a decade later minus original member Robbie Williams — were nominated in four categories: British group, British live act, British album for "Beautiful World" and British single for "Shine."

Mika also had four nominations, including British male solo artist, British breakthrough act, British album for "Life in Cartoon Motion" and British single for "Grace Kelly."

Lewis, winner of the TV talent contest "X Factor," was in the running for British female solo artist, British breakthrough act, British album for her debut "Spirit" and British single for "Bleeding Love."

Ronson, the Arctic Monkeys, Kaiser Chiefs and Kate Nash each have three nominations.

Paul McCartney, who has spent the past week in court trying to settle his acrimonious divorce from Heather Mills, was due to perform and receive a lifetime achievement award.

The awards are run by the British Phonographic Industry Ltd., an industry association. Most winners are selected by a vote of more than 1,000 industry members, including representatives from record companies, the media, retailers, record producers, disk jockeys and promoters.

The British single, British breakthrough act and British live act prizes are decided by public voting by phone or online.

Canadians look to Oscar haul

Canada is making one of its strongest showings ever at the Academy Awards on Sunday night, with stars like Sarah Polley and Ellen Page up for major Oscar hardware along with a handful of Canadian animators and sound engineers who will square off against each other on Hollywood's biggest and glitziest night.

Halifax's Page is up for best actress for her role as a pregnant teenager in Juno, itself a best picture nominee. Montreal-born director Jason Reitman is nominated for best director for his sophomore film, an independent picture shot in Vancouver that's pulled in an impressive US$143 million at the box office.

The Toronto-based Polley is up for best adapted sc