Adam Goldstein, aka DJ AM, was found dead in his Lower Manhattan apartment this past Friday, August 28th. The 36-year-old died of an apparent accidental drug overdose.
If you don’t know DJ AM by his work, you may know him for having been engaged to Nicole Ritchie, or having dated Mandy Moore. Or, because he and Travis Barker were the only two survivors of a small plane crash in South Carolina last year. But, if you don’t already know, he was also a talented DJ, favored by celebrities for his techniques and musical tastes.
Adam had struggled with drugs throughout his life, and recently admitted to having attempted suicide at the age of 24 while high on crack cocaine. While it’s a wonder how someone who just barely escaped death could risk his second chance like that, think of the unbearable memories from that day. Adam frequently wrote of the grief and guilt he felt for surviving when the other four people on the plane died. That grief and guilt never seemed to have left him.
Adam was working with MTV on a show that would follow young addicts in recovery. It’s hard to wrap your head around what he must have battled day in and day out. Which is why in the wake of this tragedy, we can at least hope he rests in peace.
September 1st, 2009 by Courtney Iseman | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)
If you watch The Soup - and if you don’t what’s wrong with you - you’re as excited about NBC’s new show, Community. I never thought I’d see the day Joel McHale stepped onto a fictional, scripted television show, let alone a sitcom, but it’s welcome. While still playing a character, even from the previews it’s easy to see McHale keeps his dry, sardonic, and sharp sense of humor in tact. Which is a saving grace, as that’s what us McHale fans will be turning in to see. I wonder if I’ll keep expecting to see a little TV screen appear beside his head playing a reality show clip for him to comment on…
The show centers around McHale’s character, Jeff, a lawyer whose bar certification has been suspended due to the realization that his undergrad degree is from Colombia - not Columbia, the ivy league university people assume Jeff means. Now he has to hurry up and get a more legit degree, and he turns to community college.
The show looks offbeat, quirky, tongue-in-cheek, and unafraid to insult - which is refreshing. The humor looks like a blend of Scrubs, Freaks and Geeks, and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. It lays bare the eccentricities, hope, and disappointment of community college - like the married-seven-times elder student Jeff meets, played by Chevy Chase. All in all, I hope this one lasts. It premiers Thursday, September 17th at 8PM EST on NBC.
August 27th, 2009 by Courtney Iseman | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)
Lindsay Lohan’s home being burglarized yet again was the straw that broke the camel’s back: her neighbors want her outta there. They have voiced the opinion that they think she’d be better off in a gated community.
Paula Abdul had been offered a role on ABC’s Ugly Betty in the wake of her leavin American Idol, but the producers renegged on the deal when faced with her list of excessive demands. The role has now been given to the funnier, more…human actress, Kristen Johnston.
MTV just scored the rights to develop an American version of British TV show Skins, described as Gossip Girl but with more sex and drugs. Just an example of MTV staying classy.
Even though the marriage has already been over for, like, ever, Travis Barker is still being a total douchebag by publicly dissing Shanna Moakler. He took to Twitter Monday saying “my babies mama is a piece of shit.” Grow up, Travis. I can’t make myself like you anymore. Sigh.
Autopsy results have confirmed Michael Jackson’s death as a homicide, declaring that the drugs caused his untimely death. Looks like Dr. Conrad will be pressed with criminal charges.
The screenwriter of Pulp Fiction, Roger Avary, has been charged with vehicular manslaughter for his 2008 DUI accident in which his car crashed into a telephone pole, injuring his own wife and killing 34-year-old Andreas Zini.
August 25th, 2009 by Courtney Iseman | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)
TV Guide polled and the people have spoken: 94% people think Jon Gosselin is a major bag of douche. So, I’m just still curious as to why he is being given his own show Divorced Douches Dads Club.
Sources are saying Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler are secretly hooking up on the set of their movie The Bounty Hunter. This had better be a lie. I never liked Jennifer anyway, but if this is true I’ll have to hurt her, and I do hate to resort to violence.
Speaking of desperate Jen, there’s evidence her romance with Gerard is a rebound: friends are saying she feels “screwed over” by Bradley Cooper, after they went out for dinner and she confessed her crush on him and he returned the feelings by almost immediately taking off with Renee Zellwegger. Who, let’s be honest, is about one tenth as pretty as Jen.
Break up rumors circling around Britney Spears and her agent Jason Trawick are false. Insiders say the couple is going strong, but are choosing to keep things low key and paparazzi-free.
From the looks of a photo taken at LAX Sunday night, it’s being speculated that Colin Farrell’s girlfriend, Alicia Bahleda, is pregnant. Well, a speculated congratulations, then.
Apparently cheating louse on/off boyfriend Scott Disick helped Kourtney Kardashian decide to keep her baby. She admists she considered abortion, but thanks to the support of family, friends, and the same guy who she dumped for having another girlriend in NY, she made the choice to have the baby, and now is back together with Dick Disick. Yay?
August 21st, 2009 by Courtney Iseman | Posted in News | Comments (0)
While it admittably slowed to a borderline painful crawl at its end, who didn’t, at least in the beginning, love Dharma ang Greg? It was a trite concept, the wild Bohemian girl with the conservative WASP husband. But the cast made it work, they made the trite characters real peole, people we loved to watch. So it’s with a bit of excitement that I tell you Jenna Elfman is finally coming back to television, on CBS’ new Accidentally on Purpose.
It’s another trite concept, though easily a more modern and perhaps less tired trite concept. Elfman plays Billie, a film critic who gets pregnant from a one night stand - with a younger guy, by the way. She’s still trudging through a break-up with her boss, who doesn’t want the break to happen, when the pregnancy strikes. She decides to move in with the father, “boy toy” (CBS’ words, not mine), Zack, played by Jon Foster - but just platonically, so they can take a wack at this parenting thing together as friends. Ahem::RossAndRachel::Ahem. Whatever. The younger guy thing will shake it up, plus the fact that Elfman is undeniably adorable. She brings warmth, energy, humanity, and likability to every role she plays. Ever seeing Keeping the Faith with Ed Norton and Ben Stiller? Check it out. Elfman plays the eternal “cool girl,” a teenage boy’s dream. Anyway, the show will follow along as Billie’s sister and friend support her and look forward to this milestone, while Zack’s friends turn the living arrangement into a frat house. Obviously sexual tension and relationship questions ensue between Billie and Zack. Ya know, if they had to make Knocked Up into a TV show, I’m glad they put Elfman up to the task. So, will you watch?
Accidentally on Purpose premiers Monday, September 21st at 8:30PM on CBS.
August 19th, 2009 by Courtney Iseman | Posted in News | Comments (0)
Celine Dion is pregnant with her second child - cutting it close on her deadline, as she is 41. Enjoy it, Celine. This is the only way you’re even remotely news worthy.
There seems to be a lot of buzz over whether Brad Pitt is still smoking pot. Apparently, he used to be a stoner when he was younger, but claimed he has now given all of that up. But, Quentin Tarantino revealed (I guess not having gotten the memo that Pitt’s promoting that he quit) that the actor shared his hash with him the night he was pitching Inglorious Basterds to our stoned friend. Now, it’s is he, isn’t he…but, really, what a slow day in celebrity news.
I know every celebrity has a sex tape, or at least allegedly, so it shouldn’t be shocking when we hear of a new one. But I am pretty flabbergasted at this one: Eric Dane, you know, McSteamy? Ok, that’s not the shocking part, here it is: it’s with his wife, Rebecca Gayheart, and a Hollywood madam! Rebecca Gayheart, I thought you were a squeaky clean mommy! A threesome with a madam? Oy.
Because everyone in Hollywood is a transparent sell-out, they’re cashing in on the already irritating vampire trend with more and more films everyday. Now, they’re re-making Anne Rice’s The Vampire Chronicles with Robert Downey, Jr. as Lestat. Whatever.
This is rich: Ashton Kutcher’s new movie, Spread, in which the one-note goofball tries to play a different role by putting on a ridiculous voice, opened up to make only $100,000! That’s like $2.00 in movie openings! There must have been like two lonely girls who haven’t gotten the memo no one likes Kutcher anymore in each movie theater.
Did you hear about Michael Phelps’ accident? He got into a bad car wreck in Baltimore, and reportedly was doing over 50 MPH on city streets and ran a red light. Well, now, it’s also being reported that he was driving with an invalid license and had had a few beers before driving. Stay classy.
August 18th, 2009 by Courtney Iseman | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)
Meet Mark Melicia, David Rosen, Paul Ritchie, Nick Villapiano, and Sam Bey, from Red Bank, New Jersey - or, you can call them the Parlor Mob. They’ve been making waves in the music scene since 2004, bigger waves since their latest album release, And You Were a Crow, in May 2008, but there’s a good chance you haven’t heard of them yet. And, well, you’ve been missing out on a good time.
Named for a nineteenth century gang, the group’s sound is self described as “rock and roll with a contemporary style.” In other words, take good old fashioned rock and roll, with the bad boy twist and the in-your-face guitar, now add Melicia’s rangeful voice that melds together Zeppelin-esque vocals with the more underground indie vocals of today, and top it off with artful techniques that differ from song to song, like the the Southern twang and hang-out feeling percussion clap of “Can’t Keep a Good Boy Down,” which brings to mind a jam session on the Mississippi.
The five years between the band’s birth and success today was quite the climb. After signing with Capitol Records, their merger with Virgin Records sort of left The Parlor Mob hanging somewhere in the middle, and eventually they were dropped. They signed with Roadrunner Records in 2007, and began work on their album in Asheville, North Carolina (the Southern influence is apparent) with producer Jacquire King (Tom Waits, Kings of Leon, Modest Mouse). Once their effort was released, they got the attention they deserve, with recognition like being one of iTunes’ Best New Rock Artists.
The band gets a lot of attention for bringing that good time feeling back to rock and roll. A lot of bands have digressed into deep, emotional music - which is great. But it’s nice to relive rock’s heyday with a band like The Parlor Mob, not afraid to gleefully headbang and bust up some guitars. It might be more stimulating to listen to Morrissey, but wouldn’t it be more fun to listen to a band like this?
Pick up their album, And You Were a Crow, in stores or on iTunes, and listen to foot-tapping (yes, I just used that cheesy term) gems like “Can’t Keep a Good Boy Down,” “When I Was an Orphan,” “Hard Times,” and “My Favorite Heart to Break.”
August 17th, 2009 by Courtney Iseman | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)
Who out there doesn’t have a love-hate relationship with Hollywood, and the entertianment industry as a whole? Whether it’s a bone to pick, or a pat on the back, some things going on in celebrity-ville just have to be addressed.
What’s with Flo Rida being basically the most mainstream rapper ever? Like, more so than Lil Bow Wow when he was still Lil? It’s like Flo (ha, now he sounds like someone’s old aunt) is Disney’s version of a gangster rapper. I’m not knocking Flo for it. He’s laughing all the way to the bank. And it doesn’t seem like he’s doing it on purpose. Everyone just likes him. He performed this morning on the Today Show’s concert series, and during the audience pan, I saw 65-year-old white women, 5-year-old little boys, middle aged men - all rocking out to the infectious hit “Right Round.” Which, if you listen to the lyrics, wasn’t meant to be a family sing along. Whatever works, Flo.
What’s with anyone liking, nay, obsessing over the following: True Blood, Twilight, Mylie Cyrus, a certain couple from The Hills that I refuse to name, The Bachelor(ette), Dancing With the Stars, the Kardashians, Vanessa Hudgens (maybe because she can’t keep her clothes on), Lady Gaga, and Robert Pattinson (DOESN’T SHOWER). This is why other countries don’t like us. Robert couldn’t have become such a heartthrob in native UK. Only here do girls let something like hygiene slide.
What’s with giving anyone a reality show? Brooke Hogan! The family of Tobey Maguire, not even the actor himself, who already is the most boring person alive! A bunch of women who somehow didn’t know they were pregnant!
What’s with the MGM Grand in Las Vegas?! They invite celebs - or lack thereof to host their annual pool party, in the past the list has included Lindsay Lohan, Kim Kardashian, and Lauren Conrad. Well, not that that’s a high standard to begin with, but this year they’re having Jon Gosselin host. And they’re billing him as America’s Favorite Father! WTF? Here’s a hint to why he doesn’t come close to deserving that title, MGM Grand: he’s hosting your party, no kids in tow!
What’s with Alex Rodriguez and Kate Hudson? In general, as people? And as a couple?
That is all. For now.
August 14th, 2009 by Courtney Iseman | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)
Latest Gossip…
Faker! Allegedly, Paula Abdul is actually working on coming back to American Idol. Seems this whole quitting business was just a scare tactic to call un-negotiating producers’ bluffs. It will be interesting to see if this works.
Speaking of pulling 180’s and fakers, it’s rumored that there may be a reconciliation and reunion between Kim Kardashian and recent ex Reggie Bush. Is it really all just for publicity, people?
La Toya Jackson is in talks to appear on Dancing With the Stars. Saw that coming. Also trying to arrange to compete on the show? Audrina Patridge. It’s harder to fit her into the line up of contestants, since there needs to be space for the person who winds her up.
Thom Yorke of Radiohead has declared that there may not be another album from the legendary band, at least not any time soon. This is because the creative process of making another album would “just kill” the members of the band. Oh, Thom, of course it would, we understand. It’s not a band’s job to write songs and feel emotions and then, my goodness, record them. How could anyone expect that of - oh, wait. Well, it’s not the first time Thom has made a statement implying he views himself as some under-appreciated messiah of music.
No matter how much they deny it, it’s pretty clear Bradley Cooper and Renee Zellwegger are a couple. They were seen getting on a flight to Barcelona together, presumably for a romantic holiday. I don’t get everyone’s deal, I don’t see what’s so likable about her…chipmunk cheeks and a sedated personality? Whatever floats your boat.
So, last week, Michael Douglas’ son, Cameron, was busted - not for the first time - for drugs. Shocking for the offspring of such a class act, Cameron was dealing crystal meth through the mail. Well, now, his girlfriend, Kelly Sott, has been busted for trying to smuggle her stand up guy heroin, hidden in an electric toothbrush. Cute.
August 12th, 2009 by Courtney Iseman | Posted in News | Comments (0)
Just as summer is the season for big movie releases, fall is the season for new TV. Everyone who’s been out all summer doing things like seeing those big blockbuster movies are now staying in and turning to the television for entertainment. And so the networks put the reruns and the copious amonts of reality TV aside for a moment while they debut the shows we’ve been buzzing about all summer.
This year, we’re seeing that blockbuster mentality hit our small screens. We’re seeing a lot of action and drama. The trailer for ABC’s Flash Forward looks like the trailer for Michael Bay’s next flick. But no, it’s a television show that, instead of being packed into an hour and a half, will be spread out for an hour, week after week, storyline after storyline. So, is that a good thing or a bad thing?
The pilot sets the stage: we meet our cast of characters (including Harold from Harold and Kumar! Ok, fine, he’d probably prefer we call him by his real name, John Cho) as a catastrophic global event occurs, and everyone blacks out for two minutes. It turns out that during that two minutes, everyone has some sort of glimpse into their futures. The rest of the show will focus on our cast trying to solve the mysteries of what they saw, come to terms with their futures, and/or change them. Obviously the show will delve into more detail and depth, getting to know each character and those around him or her, making the future he or she saw that much more powerful to us, the viewers.
The show premieres Thursday, September 24th at 8PM EST on ABC. Check it out! If anything, the first episode will definitely be entertaining and seemingly edge-of-the-seat dramatic.
August 11th, 2009 by Courtney Iseman | Posted in News | Comments (0)
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