1999-2010

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Cristina's Court's historic Emmy three-peat


The Emmy for Outstanding Legal Courtroom program has been handed out three times in the history of the Daytime Emmy Awards. As of last night in Los Angeles, Cristina's Court, starring Latina Cristina Perez with television legend Peter Brennan behind the scenes as executive producer, has won all three-- despite being cancelled by the geniuses at Fox months before it took the prize for the second time.

A year without Farrah


Photographers were there as Ryan O'Neal brought Redmond O'Neal, his son with Farrah Fawcett and heir to her millions, to visit the actress' grave on the first anniversary of her death. The drug-troubled, often-jailed Redmond is said to be sober.

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Cristina's Court snatches third Emmy from beyond the grave


Three Emmys in a row.

Cristina's Court, the syndicated courtroom show starring Latina Cristina Perez and produced by television legend Peter Brennan, has made daytime television history with another award for Outstanding Legal/Courtroom Program-- a year and half after its cancellation!

The show stunned the room at the Bonaventure Hotel in downtown LA once again last night as it completed a clean-sweep hat trick in the category that had been created three years ago to give Judge Judy an award.

It is the third time the team has stunned the syndicated world.

The first was in 2008 when the freshman show scooped up the first-ever Emmy for Outstanding Legal/Courtroom Program in 2008, especially because the category was assumed be a cakewalk for Judge Judy, a show that Brennan had produced in its intitial success.

The win by Cristina's Court last year was bittersweet in light of the show's cancellation several months earlier by the Fox Television Stations Group, to make room for a court show featuring Republican politician Jeanine Pirro (GOP adviser and Fox News president Roger Ailes is also chairman of the Fox Stations Group).

Pirro was among the disappointed losers last night as the Cristina's team literally snatched the Emmy from beyond the grave.

How did a show that had been canceled before its last Emmy won manage to do it?

When Fox announced the cancellation of Cristina's Court, enough shows had already been recorded that at least one was aired for the first time within the recent qualifying period. And that show was better than anything anyone else had to offer.

For the second year, the award for the popular Courtroom category was handed out during the Creative Arts ceremony rather than the main, televised event tomorrow at the Beverly Hilton.

Friday, June 25, 2010

Farrah shares glory on foundation website


A year after the death of Farrah Fawcett, her Farrah Fawcett Foundation for alternative cancer research opens "officially" today, with a website that features photos only of the star, and oddly, one other woman in a determinedly Farrah-esque pose.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Darin tribute is an Art Vargas showcase

Yes, Las Vegas has a superstar in the wings. Art Vargas has been bubbling under for years now, portraying Bobby Darin in the popular Legends show while working his own band The Swank Set in various lounges and bistros around town. A look at his show-- as we've given you more than once-- reveals talent and charisma that recall the legendary Rat Pack aura but stand alongside the best of today's one-man shows from Michael Bublé to Robbie Williams. This clip from Legends shows that what's ostensibly a "Bobby Darin impersonation" is actually a display of an equally talented showman, Art Vargas. Among the magicians, musical impressionists (for whom we have great admiration) and comedians, surely there's a Strip resort with a showroom for this Las Vegas classic.


Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Vintage Vegas Vargas should shine in showroom

Entertainer Art Vargas, who should be featured on the biggest marquee on the Las Vegas Strip with a place in a prime big league showroom, can be seen doing his Bobby Darin with the Legends show at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut.

Rapport: Van der Sloot emotioneel onvolwassen


NOS.NL

Joran van der Sloot heeft een lage 'frustratietolerantie' en weinig respect voor vrouwen. Dat meldt CNN op basis van een psychologisch rapport dat is overhandigd aan de rechter in Peru.

De Nederlander die wordt verdacht van de moord op de 21-jarige Peruaanse Stephany Flores, duldt geen tegenspraak, staat in het rapport. Hij wordt er obstinaat van.


Verder zou Van der Sloot 'emotioneel onvolwassen' zijn. "Veranderingen in zijn gedrag kunnen ertoe leiden dat hij de controle over zichzelf verliest."


Onverschillig

Het rapport stelt ook dat hij trekken heeft van een anti-sociale persoonlijkheid. "Het welzijn van andere mensen laat hem onverschillig." Hij zou zich verheven voelen boven personen van de andere sekse.

Uit het psychologische onderzoek zou echter niet zijn gebleken dat hij ontoerekeningsvatbaar is.


Van der Sloot verklaarde gisteren tegenover de rechter dat zijn rechten tijdens en na zijn arrestatie zijn geschonden. Morgen beslist de rechter of dat inderdaad het geval is geweest en of hij terecht vastzit.


'Voorgelogen'
In een interview met De Telegraaf zei Van der Sloot dat hij er is ingeluisd toen hij een bekentenis aflegde. Er zou hem zijn voorgeschoteld dat hij in ruil voor een bekentenis zou worden uitgeleverd aan Nederland.

"Ook in Chili hebben ze me voorgelogen en is me verteld dat ik naar Peru moest. Achteraf had ik in Chili gewoon op het vliegtuig naar Nederland kunnen stappen."

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Is Art Vargas the great hope of Las Vegas?

We caught Art Vargas on Dennis Bono's radio show (from Sam's Town) last night. Looks like Las Vegas has been keeping a Danny Gans-sized talent under the radar: an old school lounge singer who's worked his way up from the impersonator ranks and appears primed for a shot at a big league showroom of his own.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Another man who would be Danny Gans

British celebrity musical impressionist Greg London opens his show at the Riviera on the Las Vegas Strip on June 16th. After two years at Sammy's Showroom at Harrah's in Reno, he moved to the Palace Station in Vegas last month.


The barefoot impressionist:
ready to step into Danny Gans'
signature red socks and spectator shoes?

Monday, June 14, 2010

Joran van der Sloot se calificaba a sí mismo como "una serpiente"


EL COMERCIO

El asesino confeso de Stephany Flores también se describía como “atractivo, agnóstico, fumador y bebedor regular” en YouTube y otras redes sociales. De él, otros decían que estaba “torcido”

No solo los medios de comunicación han escrito bastante sobre el asesino confeso de Stephany Flores, el holandés Joran Van der Sloot (22). También lo hizo él mismo utilizando las redes sociales en Internet y YouTube.

Según la agencia AP, Van der Sloot decía en su página de YouTube: “Si tuviera que describirme como un animal, sería una serpiente”. No solo eso. “Yo quiero ser un león y algún día seré un león”, decía.

ME GUSTA MOLESTAR
En las páginas de citas por Internet, el holandés se describía como “atractivo, agnóstico, fumador y bebedor regular”, que gusta de “molestar en cualquier lugar cuando estoy totalmente bebido y gastado”.

También la gente que lo conoció de cerca escribió sobre él. Un amigo lo describió como arrogante, que no creía que alguien pudiera hacerle algo y nada tímido.

Pero no solo detractores. Un primo suyo dijo: “Está seriamente torcido pero con una excusa, (...) pienso que necesita ayuda porque algo está mal en su cabeza”.

“TENGO UN NEGOCIO”
Desde el viernes último Van der Sloot se encuentra en el penal Miguel Castro Castro. Ese día les dijo a los funcionarios del INPE que estudió Negocios Internacionales y que tenía un negocio. Se refería tal vez al café que aparentemente administró en Tailandia.

En su página de YouTube decía en cambio: “Yo no tengo un trabajo real pero soy un jugador de póker profesional".

También contó que no había leído muchos libros, pero que si tuviera que elegir uno sería “As sobre el río”, de Barry Greenstein, un libro sobre póker.

Friday, June 11, 2010

Joran Ta Bisa Awor Cu Ta Stephany A Atake Prome


DIARIO ARUBA

ORANJESTAD (AAN): Despues di e interogacion unda el a admiti di a mata Stephany Flores, awor Joran van der Sloot a worde pasa den man di Ministerio Publico. El a worde pasa Diahuebs pa e sede di e instancia aki, y lo keda cera aki, te ora cu Fiscal Ninfa Espinoza Sotomayor determina cu lo denuncia e hoben penalmente pa e crimen cu e ta worde sospecha di dje.

Pero awor diripiente tin indicacion, cu Abogado di Joran kier pidi Huez pa ‘benta afo’ e declaracion aki, como cu Joran lo ta bisando cu e no a haci tal, y cu el a worde forza pa haci esey.

E storia ta cuminza atrobe! Pero awe DIARIO ta publica e “texto completo” di e rapport di Recherche na Divincri, cu ta mustra con Joran ta confirma cu el a mata Stephany, y tambe cu e ta sigura cu e sa unda e curpa di Natalee Holloway ta scondi.

Abogado di Joran a bisa cu Stephany a bay den e camber pa haya placa fia. E abogado ta bin cu e storia cu Stephany a perde placa den casino, y pesey awor ta trata na anula e confesion di e asesinato.

Maximo Altez ta e abogado di Joran, y e ta bisa cu e kier pa e caso cuminza back di cero. Nan kier busca un declaracion nobo unda ta presente e Fiscal, un traductor, y el como abogado.

Awor e abogado ta bisa, cu Stephany a ataca Joran prome, despues cu el a bin haye ta coba den su laptop computer.

Fuera di esaki, tin mas informe nobo cu a sali encuanto e investigacion di FBI rond di e caso di blackmail.


Aki DIARIO ta publica na ingles, e relato oficial di e agentenan di FBI relaciona cu nan investigacion:

Joint Statement by United States Attorney Joyce White Vance and FBI Special Agent in Charge Patrick Maley Regarding the Joran van der Sloot Investigation:

In April of this year, the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s office in Birmingham, Alabama initiated an investigation into allegations of criminal conduct by Joran van der Sloot related to the disappearance of Natalee Holloway in Aruba five years earlier. Prior to law enforcement’s involvement in the situation, Van der Sloot offered to provide information to an individual regarding the location of Natalee Holloway’s remains and the circumstances of her death in exchange for $250,000.00. The FBI-led investigation was conducted in conjunction with Aruban authorities. The U.S. Attorney filed a criminal complaint charging van der Sloot with extortion and wire fraud on June 3, 2010.

Some news accounts have suggested that the FBI provided $25,000.00 in funds that were transmitted to van der Sloot. This is incorrect. The funds involved were private funds.

News accounts have also questioned why charges were not brought earlier, so that the tragic death of Stephany Flores could have been avoided. We offer our heartfelt sympathy to the Flores family. The Birmingham investigation was not related in any way to the murder in Peru. Despite having been in motion for several weeks at the time of Miss Flores’ death, it was not sufficiently developed to bring charges prior to the time van der Sloot left Aruba. This is not due to any fault on the part of the FBI or the U.S. Attorney’s Office, where agents and prosecutors were working as hard as possible to bring the case to fruition when they learned of the murder. A case based on events outside of the United States is a complex matter, and work was proceeding with all deliberate speed to prepare the evidence, the charges, and the necessary procedures to obtain custody of van der Sloot.

Mientras tanto, DIARIO a tuma nota cu varios medio Mericano ta na Aruba atrobe, incluyendo periodistanan di revistanan manera People como tambe National Enquirer. Nan ta hasta buscando forma pa entrevista famia di Van der Sloot, como tambe famia Kalpoe, pero misteriosamente nan ta keda keto y no kier papia.

New York Times gives Karate Kid a whack

A two hour and twelve minute remake of The Karate Kid in which the rigorous martial arts training includes "the taking off and hanging up a jacket (rather than the car waxing in the first movie)" gave a bored headline writer at the New York Times the opportunity to sneak in a smutty double entendre and pay tribute to Lenny Bruce.


Thursday, June 10, 2010

AOL News calls on expert for insight into publication of Gary Coleman deathbed photo


Does the Public Benefit
from Celebrity Death Photos?

AolNews.com
by DAVID MOYE


(June 10) -- Photos like the deathbed image of Gary Coleman that Globe magazine is printing on its front page are awful to look at, but do they also tell us a lot about that celebrity ... and our twisted culture?

Depends on who you ask -- and which celebrity is pictured.

Burt Kearns, the former managing editor of "Hard Copy" and "A Current Affair," is the first to admit that deathbed and after-death photos like the ones showing John Lennon at the morgue, Elvis Presley at his funeral or paramedics trying to revive Michael Jackson are "distasteful" and "invasive."

Still, Kearns thinks that in Coleman's case, the photos may ultimately benefit the actor.

"As ugly as they are, they do serve a purpose," Kearns said. "It's easy to criticize the Globe -- as the hypocritical TMZ is doing -- but the photos do present a fuller picture of the ex-wife who sold them. Not only do the photos show Coleman in a heart-wrenching state, but she's in it! This paints a picture of what he was going through."

Kearns says that in the years after "Diff'rent Strokes" went off the air, Coleman became an "angry, cantankerous young man" who griped that people are bad and that he couldn't trust them.

"This is another example of the exploitation he complained about," Kearns said. "Gary Coleman died for our sins."

Although the Globe is being criticized for purchasing the photos, Kearns says it's telling that the headline reads "It Was Murder!"

"It just raises more attention to the fact that ex-wife Shannon Price pulled the plug on him -- something that she may have not had the right to do."

Still, Kearns is fascinated by the way Globe editors are trying to weasel their way out of controversy.

"There seems to be a dividing line between a 'deathbed photo' or an 'after-death photo,'" Kearns said. "The Globe is claiming it's only publishing the photos before his death."

It sounds terrible that Price would sell out Coleman's dignity for a few bucks, but Kearns says he's not the first celebrity treated in such a humiliating fashion by family members.

"When Elvis Presley died, the Enquirer was able to get the death photos by giving tiny cameras to 20 of his relatives," Kearns said. "The editors expected one or two photos at most -- and they got 20!"

Fact is, a deathbed photo is a true sign of a celebrity's iconic status -- notice the lack of celebrity death photos of Dennis Hopper or Rue McClanahan? Kearns sees another benefit: Proof of death.

"Jim Morrison and Tupac Shakur didn't have death photos and that's why some people feel they're still alive," Kearns said...

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE AOL NEWS ARTICLE,"DOES THE PUBLIC BENEFIT FROM CELEBRITY DEATH PHOTOS?", BY DAVID MOYE

Tuesday, June 08, 2010

Dos mujeres desaparecieron en Colombia durante estadía de Van der Sloot en ese país


EL COMERCIO

Las jóvenes eran asiduas concurrentes de exclusivos casinos. Periodistas del vecino país se encuentran en Lima para seguir el caso del holandés

Antes de llegar a Lima el pasado 14 de mayo, el holandés Joran van der Sloot estuvo en Colombia a donde llegó el 6 de mayo. ¿Qué hizo en esos días en el vecino país? Lo mismo que aquí, visitar salas de juego.

Sin embargo, su estadía coincidió con la desaparición de dos jóvenes colombianas, quienes también eran asiduas concurrentes de casinos exclusivos.

“En esos días (el holandés) visitó salas de juego de la ciudad de Bogotá, como muestran los videos de seguridad de los locales. Sabemos que estuvo hospedado en dos hoteles, por ello la policía colombiana empezó las investigaciones”, contó una fuente periodística colombiana citada por un diario local.

En las próximas horas se efectuaría la reconstrucción del crimen de Stephany Flores en el hotel TAC, donde Van der Sloot la asesinó, según confesó anoche a la policía.

Onderzoekers: Joran van der Sloot is een psychopaat


ELSEVIER

Moordverdachte Joran van der Sloot (22) is volgens de psychologen van het moordonderzoek een psychopaat. De onderzoekers die Joran hebben ondervraagd beschrijven hem als koud, berekenend en onverschillig tegenover het menselijke leven.

De verdachte van de moord op Stephany Flores Ramírez wordt strenger beveiligd in zijn cel in de Peruaanse gevangenis, omdat de autoriteiten bang zijn dat de verdachte zelfmoord gaat plegen. Dat meldt UPI.

De Peruaanse krant La Republica schrijft dat Joran Stephany verplichtte geld op te nemen. Toen ze dat weigerde zou hij haar hebben geslagen. Ook de vader van het vermoorde meisje vermoedt dat roof de aanleiding was. Volgens Ricardo Flores zijn haar juwelen ontvreemd en is er ook geld verdwenen.

Gevang

Van der Sloot zit nu nog in een politiecel in de Peruaanse hoofdstad Lima, maar moet volgende week naar de gevangenis. Waarschijnlijk krijgt hij een cel in de Castro Castro, een gevangenis voor zware criminelen.

Dat gevang staat bekend als gewelddadig, zo zijn een aantal criminelen die zijn veroordeeld voor moord en verkrachting in het verleden vermoord aangetroffen.

Bloed

Vanochtend maakte de Peruaanse politie bekend dat Ramírez waarschijnlijk is vermoord met een tennisracket en overleed door een gebroken nek.

Ze is volgens de lijkschouwer niet verkracht voordat ze werd vermoord. Op het T-shirt van Van der Sloot zijn bloedvlekken gevonden, meldde de politie vanochtend.

Moord

Van der Sloot wordt in Lima aangeklaagd voor de moord op Stephany Flores Ramírez (21). Haar levenloze lichaam werd vorige week in zijn hotelkamer gevonden.

Op beelden van de bewakingscamera is te zien hoe Van der Sloot met Stephany zijn hotelkamer in gaat en na drie uur in andere kleding de kamer weer verlaat.

Door Maartje Willems

ADVOCAAT: MOGELIJK VALSE BEKENTENIS

De Nederlandse advocaat van Joran, Bert de Rooij, zegt dat Joran mogelijk onder dwang een valse bekentenis heeft afgelegd.

Saturday, June 05, 2010

Did Wooden fall to Basketball Man curse?


The death yesterday of inspirational college basketball coach John Wooden at 99 is only the latest tragedy to befall stars of the documentary film Basketball Man, and has increased whispers that the acclaimed documentary film from our pals at Frozen Pictures is cursed.


Wooden's death at 99 follows the untimely demise of Chicago Bulls and broadcasting legend Norm Van Lier, who was found dead in his apartment on February 29, 2009 (fellow Bulls broadcaster and former Bulls head coach Johnny "Red" Kerr died later that same day), at 62.


Legendary Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach died on October 28, 2006, months before the film's DVD release in 2007. He was 89.


In December 2006, Denver Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony was suspended for 15 games for sucker-punching an opponent at Madison Square Garden. He was arrested for drunk driving in April 2008, and is having his upcoming nuptials broadcast on VH1.


A week ago, Steve Nash lost out on his chance to appear in the NBA championships finals when his Phoenix Suns were defeated by the Los Angeles Lakers, two games away from the fulfillment of his dream.

The film about the birth of the game of basketball and the incredible life of its inventor, Dr. James Naismith, was also cursed behind the scenes. A cameraman committed suicide. Star and producer Ian Naismith had a stroke. andReneé DiGiulio, president of the Naismith International Basketball Foundation, Ian Naismith's wife and a prime mover in the development of the film, died of cancer in February 2007, as wrangles among its executive producers led to promotion being ceased before its release and the project left to wither, despite acclaim from the Kansas City Star ("wonderful, great"), CBS Sportsline ("definitive"), Parade ("a slam dunk") and the New York Times ("remarkable").

The film also features Rick Barry, Jerry Colangelo, Bob Cousy, Kirk Hinrich, Michael Jordan, Sam Lacey, Steve Nash, Norm Nixon, Tayshaun Prince, Gator Rivers, Oscar Robertson, Bud Stallworth (who also lost his wife to cancer in 2007), David Stern and Pat Summitt, among others. (If you have information that any of them have been touched by the curse, please contact us here.)


Basketball Man is available in a deluxe, two-DVD set at Amazon.com.

Friday, June 04, 2010