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Laughing with, and not at, Muslims
By KIRK HONEYCUTT
Hollywood Reporter Reuters Los Angeles
So a Jew, a Christian and a Muslim walk into a bar. The bartender turns around and says, “What is this ... a joke?”
Yes, it is a joke but some people would wonder what a Muslim is doing in a bar and how he could possibly be involved in a joke. Because as far as many Americans are concerned, the words “Muslim” and “humor” don’t belong in the same sentence.
Which is where Ahmed Ahmed's “Just Like Us,” which opened Friday in limited release, comes in. Ahmed is a stand-up comic in the United States and, yes, he is an Egyptian-born Muslim. On a recent swing through the Middle East with a clutch of fellow comics, some of whom are also Arabs, he took along a camera crew to document to fact that Muslims can tell damn good jokes about themselves and that other Muslims will laugh uproariously.
The movie is fast, funny and light on its feet, dipping less into politics or religion than into cultural quirks and characteristics. For instance: An Arab invented the original mechanical clock, which is odd since Arabs are never on time. Bu-dah-bum. You get the idea.
One might complain that Ahmed and his Comedy Arabic Tour hit the most liberal ports-of-call in the Middle East -- Dubai, that international center of business and trade in the United Arabs Emirates; Beirut, Lebanon, the “Paris of the East”; and Egypt, the “Hollywood of the Arab world.”
Ah, but the comics also gave an underground concert in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where no public entertainment is allowed, religious police are everywhere and they can't even enter the country as entertainers but as “consultants.” How in the world did they get away with it? That may have been another documentary in itself!
Ahmed, one of the stars of Vince Vaughn’s Wild West Comedy Show and The Axis of Evil Comedy Tour, isn't interested in the larger picture. He settles for brief forays into each city and a hit-and-run encounter with his relatives in Egypt. Expect no broader context but simply an assertion that once you get everyone laughing, an Arab is “just like us.” As an examination of complex cultural ties and conflicts, that’s pretty glib but in this instance glib is also funny.
Ahmed takes along a group of comedians that include Omid Dajalili (star of The Infidel), “In Living Color” alum Tommy Davidson, “The Wedding Ref” host Tom Papa and Ahmed's Wild West Comedy Show co-star Sebastian Maniscalco. And while he did direct, Ahmed is generous in showing his fellow comics during their times on stage.
Some of the laughs here come in watching -- and hearing -- the North American comics test jokes on an entirely different audience without being fully aware of the censorship laws. Ahmed admits he was banned for a year in Dubai for saying something that rubbed the authorities the wrong way. A woman comic uses the word “balls,” then abruptly wonders if now she'll be banned. The audience seemed to laugh at this but that may be how Ahmed edited the film. Who knows what they’re laughing at?
For that matter, editing is so fast and the pace of the tour so swift that you wonder what did get left out. How did that underground concert in Riyadh happen? Why is there a brief altercation backstage at one event? How did authorities react to the gags? And doesn’t the fact that most of the routines are in English exclude most of the Arab populations in these countries?
Mostly, Ahmed wants to show men, women and children of the Middle East smiling and cracking up in laughter to counter the image of the serious, sullen or even furious Arab who inhabits the American consciousness. He and his comics tell jokes well enough that he gets ample opportunities for this.
Rebecca Black's 'Friday' controversy: Video production company says it was 'blindsided' by YouTube removal
by Tanner Stransky
EW
Rebecca Black’s infamous music video for “Friday” remains pulled from YouTube due to a copyright claim by Black, as the saga surrounding the viral video continues to play out. ARK Music Factory, the company that helped Black create it, has fired back in a statement, claiming that they’re working to resolve a complaint from Black’s representatives.
The statement from ARK’s spokesperson is as follows: “We’re disappointed, having been in good faith negotiations with Rebecca Black and her representatives for months regarding any open issues. There’s been an ongoing, open dialogue with our company. So we were blindsided to get a Take Down Notice — with no notice — alleging copyright infringement instead of a call or email from Rebecca’s representatives.”
The company also claims they have rights to the video. “Our use of the video has fully been authorized (as evidenced by four uninterrupted months and 160 million-plus viewings without objection) by both Ms. Black and the copyright holder,” the statement continued. “Regardless, we are going to continue to take the high road and work out the complaint as soon as possible so that the million-plus people who watch Friday for free each day can continue to enjoy the video.”
Finally, ARK ended their statement saying the company was “pleased to have been associated with Rebecca Black, and wish her continued success as she pursues her career,” and noting that company founder Patrice Wilson “discovered, defined, and delivered” the 13-year-old “sensation.”
Reps for Black have not responded to EW for comment, and Black herself has not yet written anything about the current controversy on her Twitter feed or her just-launched Facebook page.
Musicians in Madrid fundraising concert for Libyan refugees
By MUNA KHAN
Al Arabiya with Agencies
Ten thousand fans gathered at Palacio Vistalegre stadium in Madrid to listen to musicians like James Blunt, Enrique Iglesias and Kate Ryan and support UN efforts to aid Libyan refugees.
The event, the seventh Primavera Pop Festival, was organized by 40 radio stations in a bid to raise awareness of refugees amongst the youth.
“We are very grateful to 40 Principales for this solidarity initiative to support UNHCR in its 60th year,” Maricela Daniel, UNHCR's representative in Spain, said at the concert.
“It is a great opportunity for us to bring the refugee cause closer to a motivated young public,” she said.
The concert was expected to raise 50,000 Euros which the United Nations High Commission for Refugees hopes to use for the protection of those displaced by the ongoing conflict in Libya.
The UN estimates that one million people have fled the conflict since it began in February in Libya and have moved to Tunisia, Egypt, Chad, Niger and Algeria.
Apart from the main attractions, other performers included Alexandra Stan, Carlos Jean y Nana, Dani Martín, Despistaos, El Pescao, La Musicalité, Macaco, Maldita Nerea, Melendi, Malú, Mohombi, Robert Ramírez, Soraya, Taio Cruz, and The Monomes.
According to UNHCR, Goodwill Ambassador Jesús Vázquez, “who is a popular TV presenter in Spain, sent a video message to the fans and several of the performers spoke about refugees.”
Many of the performers also joined the UNHCR campaign, “Put yourself in a Refugee’s Shoes,” by recording video messages to show their support, wearing campaign T-shirts.
The campaign will be launched in Spain on World Refugee Day on June 20.
(Muna Khan, Editor of Al Arabiya English, can be reached at: muna.khan@mbc.net)
Good for you, America: You don't care about Paris Hilton anymore
by Darren Franich
Image Credit: Ken Babolocsay/Globe Photos/ZUMAPRESS.com
There was a time when it seemed like Paris Hilton was one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. She may not have invented the notion of “famous for being famous,” but she perfected it, running roughshod over the first decade of this brave new millennium. She was inescapable. She had a reality show, or two. She had a music career, and I use both terms loosely. She was on the cover of classy magazines and tabloid magazines, thus shattering the difference between the two, until the very definition of “quality” began to seem fuzzy. She was at the center of the Lohan-Spears-Hilton party girl continuum which threatened the very fabric of our nation, apparently. But time rolls ever on. Seasons pass. Things change. And, despite ourselves, we learn from our past mistakes. Thus, The World According to Paris — Hilton’s new reality show about the perils of being Paris Hilton — debuted to blessedly low ratings on Wednesday. Congratulations, America! It only took eight years, untold millions of dollars, a relentless onslaught of media gasbaggery (that’s us!), and the entire career of Nicole Richie, but you have successfully weaned yourself off of your Paris addiction. (Don’t worry about Ms. Hilton: Something tells me she’ll be just fine.)
Minogue and Smith deny split rumours
By ninemsn staffPop princess Dannii Minogue and model partner Kris Smith have denied their three-year relationship is on the rocks, in a joint statement issued today.
Just ten months after the birth of their son, Ethan, the couple has been forced to defend their relationship amid reports they had taken a break from each other.
"Thanks for your concern," Minogue and Smith said today in a statement. "We're happy to be back at home in Melbourne together as a family. We are committed to our relationship and Ethan as always."
Their relationship has come under media scrutiny recently, with sources close to the couple telling the Daily Telegraph their union was crumbling under the strain of work pressures and parenthood.
Minogue added fuel to the rumours by posting a series of introspective messages on Twitter at the weekend.
“Never chase love. If it isn’t given freely by another person, it’s not worth having,” she tweeted, according to a News of the World report yesterday.
“Forgiving someone doesn’t mean forgetting what they did. It simply means letting go of the hurt.”
The posts were reportedly removed soon afterwards.
Minogue flew back into Australia last Sunday to continue judging on Australia’s Got Talent.
The 39-year-old regularly travels between Australia and the UK, while 32-year-old Smith is busy with his commitments as a menswear ambassador for Myer
Turkish melodramas swaying Arab TV audiences
By EMAN EL SHENAWI
Al Arabiya
Turkish television melodramas have swept the Arab world with their racy episodes of drama, romance and controversy. In some cases, they have become an obsession for Arab audiences causing them sometimes to shun Arabic soap operas.
The Turkish TV shows, which are crammed with taboos subjects such as alcohol, premarital sex and abortion. These subjects aren’t typically featured in Arabic-language television shows.
“Arabic soaps no longer interest me, they are becoming too repetitive” said Marwa Al Kubanji, a Londoner from Iraq who is an avid fan of the Turkish shows. “They focus on violence and morals; almost teaching us what is right and wrong in life—they are too patronizing and dull.”
Instead, she said that Turkish programs run deep, centering on emotional dilemmas and conflicts of the heart. These are amplified with storylines that show Western norms clashing with the traditional backgrounds of the Muslim characters, she added.
“I was shocked that these things were being broadcast on Arabic television when I first started watching ‘Noor’ three years ago,” she said.
Noor, (originally titled Gumus in Turkish) was the first Turkish soap opera dubbed in Arabic. It told a rags-to-riches story of a woman who married into a wealthy family but was rejected by her husband, who had another love interest.
Noor attracted more than 85 million Arab viewers above the age of 15—nearly 50 million of them were women, according to a report on Turkish soap operas by the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet. Those 50 million are the equivalent to more than half of the adult Arab female viewers of any Arab TV drama in recent years.
The popularity of the Turkish shows among Arab viewers isn’t surprising, said Sengul Ozerkan, a professor of television and a cultural commentator in Istanbul. “Turkey always acts like an intermediary between the West and the Middle East,” she said in a Euromonitor report this week.
The Saudi cleric Sheikh Saleh al-Luhaidan, however, denounced
Noor. He said the program represented a “war” on Muslim virtues since it portrayed Muslim characters living in a largely secular Turkey.
Enas Mohammed, a scriptwriter based in London and a frequent viewer of Turkish dramas, said that although current Arabic soaps are relatively bland and repetitive in comparison to Turkey’s productions, the Arabs would catch up.
“We are beginning to see more daring story lines in Egyptian films, including those made for television. Some of them are focusing on fiery subjects with emotive angles,” Ms. Mohammed said.
She mentioned the film Al-Shawq, an Egyptian film that follows the trials of a woman who turned to begging on the streets of Egypt to be able to provide for her two daughters and an ill husband. It won the Golden Pyramid at the 34th Cairo International Film Festival in December 2010.
But it’s Turkey that still churns out the most melodramatic of the dramas, with programs such as Ask-i Memnu, Izel, Yaprak Dokumu, Kurtlar Vadisi, Asmali Konak and Ihlamurlar Altinda. These are currently showing on Arab television channels.
Last year, a total of 22 countries imported Turkish television series. The Hurriyet study found that since Turkey started to export its shows in 2006, sales have exceeded $3 million annually with the Arab world, Greece and Brazil being the top markets.
(Eman El Shenawi of Al Arabiya can be reached at: eman.elshenawi@mbc.net)
'American Idol' recap: Duel at the Nokia Theater
Earlier in the season, Randy Jackson told Lauren Alaina that the young contestant reminded him of a Carrie Underwood-Kelly Clarkson hybrid. And weeks later, during Tuesday night's finale, Idol did its darndest to remind us of this very comparison. Lauren sings a Carrie song! Carrie chooses a song for Lauren! Random precious footage of Carrie (and David Cook, but strangely, no other Idol winners) as a youngster just prior to precious footage of Lauren as a child! Vocal troubles, just like Kelly during season 1's finale! The comparison to the season 4 winner was so subliminal, I found myself several times accidentally typing "Carrie" in my notes instead of "Lauren." How to explain the sudden urge to watch Minute To Win It and buy a Filet-O-Fish -- that I can't quite explain.
But it makes sense for Idol producers to push a Lauren win for season 10. After all, we're looking at a perfect reality show storyline here: Sweet Southern Belle who dreamed of winning Idol as a child grows up to nab the title of our American Idol -- but only after overcoming a health struggle that almost pushed her out of the competition. That's right: Just prior to the show, rumors hit the Web claiming that Haley would replace an ailing Lauren. (Oh, what a tease!) But according to Idol's resident doctor, after Lauren sprained a vocal cord while pushing her voice in rehearsals, she was deemed healthy enough to compete.
Dubai fashion students to showcase at the Whos Next
Edited by Sarah Khan
Fashion students from the Dubai campus of the French Fashion University Esmod, the only dedicated fashion school in the region, will have the opportunity to showcase their creations at the WHO'S NEXT & PREMIERE CLASSE fashion trade show in Dubai after a partnership agreement was sealed between the university and the trade fair's organisers.
WHO'S NEXT & PREMIERE CLASSE is the first multisector fashion fair in the Middle East, celebrating creations of all forms. The event will gather more than 200 brands, including urban labels, women brands and accessory designers who will be displaying their top creations at the Dubai World Trade Center from October 11 to 13, 2009. French Fashion University Esmod will exhibit the work of its fashion students at Stand A40.
"The trade show will parade an international selection, including several creations from French designers who will make up around 40 per cent of exhibitors. This will be a very good venue for the students to learn directly from the most prominent names in the business. Moreover, the trade fair will help us create awareness among high-profile international exhibitors that there is a highly-focused fashion school and a growing talent pool in the Gulf," said Tamara Hostal, Director and Founder, French Fashion University Esmod.
"Our students will also benefit from this event through internships and other career-development opportunities that will be offered by leading French designers. There are some extremely talented young people in the Middle East who really deserve such an opportunity. In addition, we are also looking forward to invite some of the prominent designers to conduct lectures for our students," added Mrs. Hostal.
Esmod Dubai's participation at the WHO'S NEXT & PREMIERE CLASSE is part of several activities organised by the university to open new horizons for the region's fashion minds and nurture a greater number of fashionistas to represent the Arab region in the fashion world. The fashion university earlier concluded a high-profile fashion show at Wafi mall involving the school's first graduating batch.
"FFU will continue to find innovative ways to nurture the raw talent of our students and encourage them to follow their dreams by opening opportunities to enhance their learning experience and help them succeed in the fashion world. We want students to gain a lot of practical experience about how the industry functions to adequately prepare them to face the challenges in the real world," concluded Mrs. Hostal.
Since its inception in 2006, Esmod Dubai has been accommodating a steadily growing number of students in its mission to capitalize on the region's booming fashion industry and the steady drift of the Middle Eastern consumer towards haute couture. The Dubai campus now embraces students from 47 different countries, of which over 40 per cent are GCC nationals and UAE locals. The number of students is expected to further grow this year as the university has planned several initiatives to help its graduates find attractive job opportunities with globally known fashion names.
Global Arab Network
Fashion students from the Dubai campus of the French Fashion University Esmod, the only dedicated fashion school in the region, will have the opportunity to showcase their creations at the WHO'S NEXT & PREMIERE CLASSE fashion trade show in Dubai after a partnership agreement was sealed between the university and the trade fair's organisers.
WHO'S NEXT & PREMIERE CLASSE is the first multisector fashion fair in the Middle East, celebrating creations of all forms. The event will gather more than 200 brands, including urban labels, women brands and accessory designers who will be displaying their top creations at the Dubai World Trade Center from October 11 to 13, 2009. French Fashion University Esmod will exhibit the work of its fashion students at Stand A40.
"The trade show will parade an international selection, including several creations from French designers who will make up around 40 per cent of exhibitors. This will be a very good venue for the students to learn directly from the most prominent names in the business. Moreover, the trade fair will help us create awareness among high-profile international exhibitors that there is a highly-focused fashion school and a growing talent pool in the Gulf," said Tamara Hostal, Director and Founder, French Fashion University Esmod.
"Our students will also benefit from this event through internships and other career-development opportunities that will be offered by leading French designers. There are some extremely talented young people in the Middle East who really deserve such an opportunity. In addition, we are also looking forward to invite some of the prominent designers to conduct lectures for our students," added Mrs. Hostal.
Esmod Dubai's participation at the WHO'S NEXT & PREMIERE CLASSE is part of several activities organised by the university to open new horizons for the region's fashion minds and nurture a greater number of fashionistas to represent the Arab region in the fashion world. The fashion university earlier concluded a high-profile fashion show at Wafi mall involving the school's first graduating batch.
"FFU will continue to find innovative ways to nurture the raw talent of our students and encourage them to follow their dreams by opening opportunities to enhance their learning experience and help them succeed in the fashion world. We want students to gain a lot of practical experience about how the industry functions to adequately prepare them to face the challenges in the real world," concluded Mrs. Hostal.
Since its inception in 2006, Esmod Dubai has been accommodating a steadily growing number of students in its mission to capitalize on the region's booming fashion industry and the steady drift of the Middle Eastern consumer towards haute couture. The Dubai campus now embraces students from 47 different countries, of which over 40 per cent are GCC nationals and UAE locals. The number of students is expected to further grow this year as the university has planned several initiatives to help its graduates find attractive job opportunities with globally known fashion names.
Global Arab Network
New Voting System Announced for Oscar's Best Picture Category
ET
Jewel Samad / Getty Images
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences confirmed Monday that it will be using a new voting system. Read on for details...
The Academy will use a preferential voting system to determine which of its 10 nominees will win the award for the Best Picture category. In June, the Academy's Board of Governors announced that it was extending the Best Picture list of nominees from five to 10.
The new voting system is one that "best allows the collective judgment of all voting members to be most accurately represented," according to a statement released by the Academy.
"Instead of just marking an 'X' to indicate which one picture they believe to be the best, members will indicate their second, third and further preferences as well," Academy President Tom Sherak said of the new system. "PricewaterhouseCoopers will then be able to establish the Best Picture recipient with the strongest support of a majority of our electorate."
Nominees for The 82nd Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, February 2, 2010, at 5:30 a.m. PT -- and the awards will be presented on Sunday, March 7, 2010, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood on ABC.
Jewel Samad / Getty Images
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences confirmed Monday that it will be using a new voting system. Read on for details...
The Academy will use a preferential voting system to determine which of its 10 nominees will win the award for the Best Picture category. In June, the Academy's Board of Governors announced that it was extending the Best Picture list of nominees from five to 10.
The new voting system is one that "best allows the collective judgment of all voting members to be most accurately represented," according to a statement released by the Academy.
"Instead of just marking an 'X' to indicate which one picture they believe to be the best, members will indicate their second, third and further preferences as well," Academy President Tom Sherak said of the new system. "PricewaterhouseCoopers will then be able to establish the Best Picture recipient with the strongest support of a majority of our electorate."
Nominees for The 82nd Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, February 2, 2010, at 5:30 a.m. PT -- and the awards will be presented on Sunday, March 7, 2010, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood on ABC.
ABC Entertainment President: We'd Love to Have Paula Abdul on 'DWTS'
ET
Kevin Winter / Getty Images
Could Paula Abdul end up on "Dancing with the Stars"? Stephen McPherson, the president of ABC Entertainment Group, dished on Saturday about the possibility of it happening.
"I was a little stunned by the decision. We would love to have her on 'Dancing.' As a contestant, as a participant, as a judge," McPherson told reporters. "I think she's a huge talent. There's a sensitivity and emotion in her that balances out 'American Idol' and we'd love to get a piece of that."
He continues, "I have definitely reached out to her. We are friends from way back. I gave her a call to say I was sorry about the situation and we want to see her on ABC. She said, 'Great.' She was traveling and she is going to be back in town and we will sit down."
McPherson and Abdul met years ago when he was with Buena Vista and Abdul pitched him projects. As to what the former "American Idol" judge would do on "Dancing with the Stars," McPherson says, "We have no formal plans. Len Goodman travels back and forth and it is tough on him. We had to have some guest judges. I think all possibilities are open. We will look at it. It will probably depend on where her head is at."
Kevin Winter / Getty Images
Could Paula Abdul end up on "Dancing with the Stars"? Stephen McPherson, the president of ABC Entertainment Group, dished on Saturday about the possibility of it happening.
"I was a little stunned by the decision. We would love to have her on 'Dancing.' As a contestant, as a participant, as a judge," McPherson told reporters. "I think she's a huge talent. There's a sensitivity and emotion in her that balances out 'American Idol' and we'd love to get a piece of that."
He continues, "I have definitely reached out to her. We are friends from way back. I gave her a call to say I was sorry about the situation and we want to see her on ABC. She said, 'Great.' She was traveling and she is going to be back in town and we will sit down."
McPherson and Abdul met years ago when he was with Buena Vista and Abdul pitched him projects. As to what the former "American Idol" judge would do on "Dancing with the Stars," McPherson says, "We have no formal plans. Len Goodman travels back and forth and it is tough on him. We had to have some guest judges. I think all possibilities are open. We will look at it. It will probably depend on where her head is at."
Jess Veronicas' nipple slip: Twitpic'd
ninemsn
An eagle-eyed fan caught this shot of Jess Origliasso struggling to stay inside her bra at a Veronicas concert in the US.
The pic appeared on Twitter yesterday after the Aussie sisters performed at Spiedie Fest in New York.
Of course, a little bit of a nipple slip is no big deal when you've already starred in your very own nude photo scandal!
An eagle-eyed fan caught this shot of Jess Origliasso struggling to stay inside her bra at a Veronicas concert in the US.
The pic appeared on Twitter yesterday after the Aussie sisters performed at Spiedie Fest in New York.
Of course, a little bit of a nipple slip is no big deal when you've already starred in your very own nude photo scandal!
Report: Dr. Conrad Murray Gave Jackson Powerful Drug Before His Death
ET
Getty Images/ Pool / Houston Chronicle
Dr. Conrad Murray gave the late Michael Jackson the powerful drug that authorities believe killed him, claims a new report.
The Associated Press, citing an unnamed official, reports that Dr. Conrad Murray allegedly gave Jackson the anesthetic propofol on the night before his death.
A lawyer for Dr. Murray tells the AP that he did not prescribe or administer anything that should have killed the King of Pop. In response to the AP report, attorney Ed Chernoff tells ET, "It's a waste of time responding to all these timed 'leaks' from 'anonymous' sources.
Getty Images/ Pool / Houston Chronicle
Dr. Conrad Murray gave the late Michael Jackson the powerful drug that authorities believe killed him, claims a new report.
The Associated Press, citing an unnamed official, reports that Dr. Conrad Murray allegedly gave Jackson the anesthetic propofol on the night before his death.
A lawyer for Dr. Murray tells the AP that he did not prescribe or administer anything that should have killed the King of Pop. In response to the AP report, attorney Ed Chernoff tells ET, "It's a waste of time responding to all these timed 'leaks' from 'anonymous' sources.
I feel like a horse swatting flies. Everyone needs to take a breath and wait for these long delayed toxicology results.
I have no doubt they want to make a case -- for goodness sakes, its Michael Jackson! But things tend to shake out when all the facts are made known, and I'm sure that will happen here as well."
Dr. Murray, who was with Jackson on the day he died last month, is also the subject of a manslaughter investigation, according to court documents cited by the AP.
Dr. Murray, who was with Jackson on the day he died last month, is also the subject of a manslaughter investigation, according to court documents cited by the AP.
Rebecca Romijn Talks New Show & Babies
ET
ET's Thea Andrews caught up with actress Rebecca Romijn at Comic-Con to talk about her new TV series and her new twin babies.
"I feel like I have friends here," the 'X-Men' actress said of Comic-Con.
Romijn sat on the panel for her new ABC drama "Eastwick," which focuses on three very different women in a small New England town who find themselves drawn together by a mysterious man who unleashes unique powers in each of them. "I feel like it's a character that's most like me in real life," she told Thea of her bohemian character.
The actress and her husband Jerry O'Connell welcomed twin girls Dolly Rebecca Rose and Charlie Tamara Tulip on January 5th. "They're crawling around. I have such a lovely, energetic husband. ... I'm going through separation anxiety but I think they're having a blast," she said of the twins. "It's nice to be back at work but I'm missing them so much."
Keep checking ETonline for more Comic-Con coverage.
ET's Thea Andrews caught up with actress Rebecca Romijn at Comic-Con to talk about her new TV series and her new twin babies.
"I feel like I have friends here," the 'X-Men' actress said of Comic-Con.
Romijn sat on the panel for her new ABC drama "Eastwick," which focuses on three very different women in a small New England town who find themselves drawn together by a mysterious man who unleashes unique powers in each of them. "I feel like it's a character that's most like me in real life," she told Thea of her bohemian character.
The actress and her husband Jerry O'Connell welcomed twin girls Dolly Rebecca Rose and Charlie Tamara Tulip on January 5th. "They're crawling around. I have such a lovely, energetic husband. ... I'm going through separation anxiety but I think they're having a blast," she said of the twins. "It's nice to be back at work but I'm missing them so much."
Keep checking ETonline for more Comic-Con coverage.
Who's the gap-toothed cutie?
Images: Snapper Media
ninemsn
No prizes for guessing who this wealthy little blondie grew up to be!
It's Paris Hilton, in a still from her new documentary Paris, Not France. At the recent Los Angeles premiere of the documentary, Paris let slip that the late Michael Jackson's daughter Paris was named after her.
"My mom and Michael went to high school together and they were best friends since they were 13," she told Extra.
"So I grew up knowing Michael very well and when he had his daughter, he always loved the name Paris and grew up being an uncle to me.
"So he asked my mom if it was okay and of course she said yes and I think she's such a beautiful little girl and I'm proud we have the same name."
It's Paris Hilton, in a still from her new documentary Paris, Not France. At the recent Los Angeles premiere of the documentary, Paris let slip that the late Michael Jackson's daughter Paris was named after her.
"My mom and Michael went to high school together and they were best friends since they were 13," she told Extra.
"So I grew up knowing Michael very well and when he had his daughter, he always loved the name Paris and grew up being an uncle to me.
"So he asked my mom if it was okay and of course she said yes and I think she's such a beautiful little girl and I'm proud we have the same name."
Father blames Jackson doctor over death
AAP
EPA ©
yahoo7
EPA ©
yahoo7
Joe Jackson says he has taken his son Michael's death "very hard" and believes the doctor who took care of him could be behind the singer's demise.
The patriarch of the Jackson family appeared on CNN's Larry King Live and implied his son's personal doctor, Dr Conrad Murray, may be to blame for the death.
"The doctor gave him something to make him rest, and then he don't wake up no more. Something is wrong there," Jackson said. He did not refer to Murray by name.
A phone listing for Murray could not be found, and two messages left with his lawyer, Edward Chernoff, on Monday night were not immediately returned.
The family is awaiting the coroner's toxicology report to determine how Michael Jackson died at the age of 50. The results are expected next week.
Investigators obtained a search warrant and removed several bottles of the powerful anaesthetic propofol from Jackson's home, according to a person with knowledge of the investigation.
Jackson suggested Murray couldn't be found following his son's death on June 25.
"This doctor, he ran away. They had to look for him three days to find him. To me that is foul play," Jackson said.
Police interviewed Murray two days after Jackson's death.
Authorities say he is a not a suspect, though the cardiologist is a key figure in the investigation because he was with Jackson in the mansion and tried to revive him. His car has been seized after police said they believe the vehicle may contain drugs or other evidence.
Wearing a black fedora and a gold medallion of Africa hanging around his neck, Jackson appeared on the show with promoter Leonard Rowe.
When asked by King how he's dealt with his son's death, Joe Jackson replied, "I took it very hard".
Jackson added he didn't know where his son's body is being kept and hasn't seen the results from a second autopsy performed on Michael Jackson at the family's request.
The patriarch of the Jackson family appeared on CNN's Larry King Live and implied his son's personal doctor, Dr Conrad Murray, may be to blame for the death.
"The doctor gave him something to make him rest, and then he don't wake up no more. Something is wrong there," Jackson said. He did not refer to Murray by name.
A phone listing for Murray could not be found, and two messages left with his lawyer, Edward Chernoff, on Monday night were not immediately returned.
The family is awaiting the coroner's toxicology report to determine how Michael Jackson died at the age of 50. The results are expected next week.
Investigators obtained a search warrant and removed several bottles of the powerful anaesthetic propofol from Jackson's home, according to a person with knowledge of the investigation.
Jackson suggested Murray couldn't be found following his son's death on June 25.
"This doctor, he ran away. They had to look for him three days to find him. To me that is foul play," Jackson said.
Police interviewed Murray two days after Jackson's death.
Authorities say he is a not a suspect, though the cardiologist is a key figure in the investigation because he was with Jackson in the mansion and tried to revive him. His car has been seized after police said they believe the vehicle may contain drugs or other evidence.
Wearing a black fedora and a gold medallion of Africa hanging around his neck, Jackson appeared on the show with promoter Leonard Rowe.
When asked by King how he's dealt with his son's death, Joe Jackson replied, "I took it very hard".
Jackson added he didn't know where his son's body is being kept and hasn't seen the results from a second autopsy performed on Michael Jackson at the family's request.
France jails Algeria's "Prince of Rai" for five years
Cheb Mami made the world famous "Desert Rose" with Britsh star Sting (File)
PARIS (AFP, Al Arabiya)
Algerian music star Cheb Mami was sentenced Friday to five years in jail for drugging and trying to make his ex-girlfriend undergo a forced abortion, despite pleading for forgiveness at his trial near Paris.
Known as the "Prince of Rai," the 42-year-old singer this week ended two years on the run and returned to France to face trial for the 2005 assault against his former lover.
Wearing a white shirt, the star, whose real name is Mohamed Khelifati, showed no emotion as the verdict was read out, before being escorted from the courtroom in Bobigny, outside Paris, and remanded in custody.
"Serious mistake"
" I was ashamed to have an illegitimate child. A child should be born from a union. I didn't want this child "
Cheb MamiProsecutors had asked for seven years against Mami, who produced several chart-topping records in France in the 1990s but reached international stardom in 2001 with the hit "Desert Rose" a collaboration with British pop star Sting.
During his testimony, Mami expressed remorse and pleaded for the woman's forgiveness.
He broke down in tears and admitted making a "serious mistake" but said he did not love the woman and felt "trapped" when she told him she was pregnant.
"I was ashamed to have an illegitimate child. A child should be born from a union. I didn't want this child," he told the court.
Mami's former manager Michel Lecorre -- also known as Michel Levy -- was sentenced to four years for plotting and organizing the assault.
Mami blamed Levy, saying he was behind the plot to force the woman to have an abortion.
Drugged and abused
Court sketch shows Cheb Mami at a Paris courthouseThe victim, a 43-year-old photographer whose name was withheld, was sequestered and drugged in an Algiers house belonging the singer after revealing she was pregnant in the summer of 2005.
Two women and a man then tried to carry out an abortion on her.
Returning to France, the woman learned that her pregnancy had not been terminated and went on to have the child -- a girl -- now three years old.
"They insulted me.. They threw me on the mattress and tore off my pants....I was given three shots with needles, one woman pressed against my stomach and the other put her hand in my vagina and started scraping," she testified in court.
Arrest warrants were also issued for two of Mami's aides, Hicham Lazaar and Abdelkader Lallali, who were convicted in absentia of having a direct hand in the violence. They were sentenced to three and six years in jail respectively.
PARIS (AFP, Al Arabiya)
Algerian music star Cheb Mami was sentenced Friday to five years in jail for drugging and trying to make his ex-girlfriend undergo a forced abortion, despite pleading for forgiveness at his trial near Paris.
Known as the "Prince of Rai," the 42-year-old singer this week ended two years on the run and returned to France to face trial for the 2005 assault against his former lover.
Wearing a white shirt, the star, whose real name is Mohamed Khelifati, showed no emotion as the verdict was read out, before being escorted from the courtroom in Bobigny, outside Paris, and remanded in custody.
"Serious mistake"
" I was ashamed to have an illegitimate child. A child should be born from a union. I didn't want this child "
Cheb MamiProsecutors had asked for seven years against Mami, who produced several chart-topping records in France in the 1990s but reached international stardom in 2001 with the hit "Desert Rose" a collaboration with British pop star Sting.
During his testimony, Mami expressed remorse and pleaded for the woman's forgiveness.
He broke down in tears and admitted making a "serious mistake" but said he did not love the woman and felt "trapped" when she told him she was pregnant.
"I was ashamed to have an illegitimate child. A child should be born from a union. I didn't want this child," he told the court.
Mami's former manager Michel Lecorre -- also known as Michel Levy -- was sentenced to four years for plotting and organizing the assault.
Mami blamed Levy, saying he was behind the plot to force the woman to have an abortion.
Drugged and abused
Court sketch shows Cheb Mami at a Paris courthouseThe victim, a 43-year-old photographer whose name was withheld, was sequestered and drugged in an Algiers house belonging the singer after revealing she was pregnant in the summer of 2005.
Two women and a man then tried to carry out an abortion on her.
Returning to France, the woman learned that her pregnancy had not been terminated and went on to have the child -- a girl -- now three years old.
"They insulted me.. They threw me on the mattress and tore off my pants....I was given three shots with needles, one woman pressed against my stomach and the other put her hand in my vagina and started scraping," she testified in court.
Arrest warrants were also issued for two of Mami's aides, Hicham Lazaar and Abdelkader Lallali, who were convicted in absentia of having a direct hand in the violence. They were sentenced to three and six years in jail respectively.
Behind the Scenes of Michael Jackson's 'This is It' Concert
ET
Michael Jackson was busy putting on the final touches for his 50-date London concerts at the O2 Arena when he unexpectedly died. Now, ET's Thea Andrews is with the men behind the massive production to reveal what could have been Michael's most incredible concert tour yet!
A show filled with music, dance, stunts and pyrotechnics, Michael's "This is It" concert was being directed by Kenny Ortega, the man who designed Michael's "Dangerous" tour, choreographed 'Dirty Dancing' and also brought "High School Musical" to the world. Kenny says that Michael promised "the concert of a lifetime" and was prepared to deliver.
"We [had] some fun things planned," he says, referring to gigantic spiders, 20-foot puppets, a flaming bed, a pole dancing aerialist, a 3D movie and plenty more magic. "It's complex in scale and it's as big as anything I've ever done or attempted to do for an arena production."
Michael was reportedly planning to open the show with "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" and a glass sphere would float around the King of Pop, light up, drift over the crowd and then return to his palm.
Rehearsals for the concert series began at CenterStaging in Burbank, CA, owned by Johnny Caswell, but the huge space still wasn't big enough for the production, so Michael moved to L.A.'s Staples Center downtown.
"He was intently involved in making this, along with Kenny, the greatest thing he'd ever done," says Caswell, who adds that the performance stage, just under 10,000 square feet, "was not big enough to house the set, or high enough. It was really gonna be big stuff."
The "This is It" concerts will never be, but there are reports that AEG Live, the promoters, have approximately 100 hours of rehearsal video and may turn the footage into anything from a CD to a DVD, motion picture, pay-per-view or television event.
Watch ET for all the latest Michael Jackson news…
A show filled with music, dance, stunts and pyrotechnics, Michael's "This is It" concert was being directed by Kenny Ortega, the man who designed Michael's "Dangerous" tour, choreographed 'Dirty Dancing' and also brought "High School Musical" to the world. Kenny says that Michael promised "the concert of a lifetime" and was prepared to deliver.
"We [had] some fun things planned," he says, referring to gigantic spiders, 20-foot puppets, a flaming bed, a pole dancing aerialist, a 3D movie and plenty more magic. "It's complex in scale and it's as big as anything I've ever done or attempted to do for an arena production."
Michael was reportedly planning to open the show with "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" and a glass sphere would float around the King of Pop, light up, drift over the crowd and then return to his palm.
Rehearsals for the concert series began at CenterStaging in Burbank, CA, owned by Johnny Caswell, but the huge space still wasn't big enough for the production, so Michael moved to L.A.'s Staples Center downtown.
"He was intently involved in making this, along with Kenny, the greatest thing he'd ever done," says Caswell, who adds that the performance stage, just under 10,000 square feet, "was not big enough to house the set, or high enough. It was really gonna be big stuff."
The "This is It" concerts will never be, but there are reports that AEG Live, the promoters, have approximately 100 hours of rehearsal video and may turn the footage into anything from a CD to a DVD, motion picture, pay-per-view or television event.
Watch ET for all the latest Michael Jackson news…
Ashley Olsen speaks out: I’m not a public figure!
ninemsn
She’s been in the limelight since she was nine months old and is one half of the world’s most famous twins, but Ashley Olsen claims she’s tired of being a celebrity.
"I’ve definitely had a past life of being a personality, and a very public one," she said.
"But that’s not what makes me comfortable. I’m not an actress. I’m not a public figure or acting as one.”
Ash has ducked out of acting in order to pursue a career in fashion, moving to New York to escape the long lens of paparazzi.
"I can actually live here. I don’t get followed. In LA, paparazzi wait outside my house. I don’t leave my house. I can’t."
Ironically it doesn’t look like that has scared off Mary-Kate from acting. The other Olsen twin, who previously copped a roasting from the press over her anorexia-scare days, is currently filming Beastly alongside Vanessa Hudgens.
"I’ve definitely had a past life of being a personality, and a very public one," she said.
"But that’s not what makes me comfortable. I’m not an actress. I’m not a public figure or acting as one.”
Ash has ducked out of acting in order to pursue a career in fashion, moving to New York to escape the long lens of paparazzi.
"I can actually live here. I don’t get followed. In LA, paparazzi wait outside my house. I don’t leave my house. I can’t."
Ironically it doesn’t look like that has scared off Mary-Kate from acting. The other Olsen twin, who previously copped a roasting from the press over her anorexia-scare days, is currently filming Beastly alongside Vanessa Hudgens.
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