Thrillionaires - Utah’s Improv Theater

May 13th, 2008 by david lay

For two years running, The Thrillioniaires have been making up Broadway-style musicals and improvising other film and theater styles for Utah audiences. Using only suggestions from the crowd, The Thrillionaires are the perfect union of theater and improv and are happy to have found a home at the Covey Center for the Arts in Provo.

Previously, they have been privileged to perform with musician/actor Kirby Heyborne and British theater veteran Orlando Seale. They have shared the stage with noted and award-winning performers such as Jenny Frogley, William Joseph, Jericho Road, Alex Boye, Mindy Gledhill and George Dyer. Even LaVell Edwards, Stephen R. Covey, and Mayor Lewis Billings have been in attendance to enjoy The Thrillionaires‘ special brand of entertainment.

If you haven’t seen The Thrillionaires perform, you are missing one of the most unique experiences live theater has to offer. It might make you laugh, it might be heart-wrenching, or it might be both. But, whatever happens, it will definitely be an unforgettable experience! Don’t hesitate to reserve your tickets today.

Additionally, most Tuesday nights at 8:00 at Covey Arts Center offer Cheap Thrills: The Thrillionaires‘ experimental (but experienced) improv group. This is your chance to see our up-and-coming cast showcase their talent. Missing are the costumes, sets and other trappings of our full-scale Thrillionaires shows but there is an abundance of heart, talent and laughs. It’s a night of live, improvised contemporary theater at a special price.

For more information, visit CoveyCenter.org.

Posted in Utah Concerts, Yada Yada, Events | 2 Comments

Danny Gans - Entertainer of the Year

May 4th, 2008 by david lay

If you have been to Las Vegas in the past five or six years, and are observant at all, you are probably familiar with Danny Gans. Danny Gans took over for Sigfried and Roy at The Mirage after Roy Horn was attacked by the white tiger in October of 2003.

Gans is billed at The Mirage as “The Man of Many Voices” due to his Vegas show in which he mixes his knack for comedy and music to create a hilarious act as a musical impressionist. However, Gans did not begin his career as a singer or an aspiring entertainer.

Gans was a high school and college baseball star, being drafted by the Royals after high school and by the White Sox after college at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he became an All-American. He played for a while for the Durham Bulls and was even on screen as a third baseman during a brief scene in Kevin Costner’s 1988 film, Bull Durham.

A knee injury had ended Gans’ career as a baseball player, but like any true superstar, he picked himself up, dusted himself off, and started all over again. Gans began a 15 year tour throughout the U.S. working as an impressionist and motivational speaker . Soon he was one of the hottest and most sought-after performers in the corporate world, playing for thousands of people for McDonald’s and IBM and various other Fortune 500 company events. He began to catch the eye of fellow entertainers such as Bill Cosby and Natalie Cole, and soon he was a force to be reckoned with in the industry.

Danny Gans has been in Las Vegas now for 12 years and has headlined at The Mirage for nearly six of those. He has won numerous awards during his career and has certainly earned the status of “Entertainer of the Year”. Next time you are in Vegas, look for his billboards, and try to check out his show at The Mirage.

Additional Links:

Danny Gans at The Mirage.
Danny Gans Official Site.
Book Danny Gans as a Motivational Speaker.

Posted in Baseball, Tribute, Utah Concerts, Yada Yada, Sports, Movies, Events, Music | 1 Comment

Lohan Snags Record Eight Golden Raspberries

February 26th, 2008 by david lay

Dual Worst “Actress” Winner Unable to Leave Drug Rehab Center to Accept Award

In the midst of this weekend’s Oscar hoopla, another film awards ceremony took place - one that is equally important, equally significant, and equally prestigious (lie, lie, and another lie). The 28th annual Golden Raspberry Awards were handed out on Sunday afternoon in Los Angeles and the big winner was “Actress”, “Rock Sensation”, and perennial drug rehab center attendee, Lindsey Lohan and her pseudo-horror gore-porn stinker I Know Who Killed Me.

Lohan’s “movie” was nominated and won in a record eight categories, edging out previous box-office poison Showgirls, and John Travolta’s scientology-based flop, Battlefield Earth.

I Know Who Killed Me garnered awards for Worst Picture, Worst Remake or  Rip-Off (Rip off of Hostel, Saw, and The Patty Duke Show), Worst Director (Chris Siverston), Worst Screenplay (Jeffrey Hammond), Worst Excuse for a Horror Movie (New Category, created in honor of the “film”).

Lindsey Lohan also picked up three of the spray-painted statuettes for her “acting” performance(s) in I Know Who Killed Me. Worst On-Screen Couple was given to Lohan and Lohan for her portrayal of two sisters who are separated at birth and then tortured while wearing skimpy clothes.

Additionally, and for the first time in Razzies history, there was a tie for Worst Actress. Lindsey Lohan tied with Lindsey Lohan for her portrayal of two sisters who are separated at birth and then tortured while wearing skimpy clothes.

Unlike Halle Berry did a few years ago, Lindsey Lohan did not show up to accept her awards in person. Her whereabouts were unknown at the time of the ceremony, but in all likelihood, she was unable to check out of her drug rehab center in order to accept the award in person.

Other awards handed out at the 28th Annual Razzies were:

• Worst Actor - Eddie Murphy as Norbit in Norbit
• Worst Supporting Actress - Eddie Murphy as Rasputia in Norbit
• Worst Supporting Actor - Eddie Murphy as Mr. Wong in Norbit
• Worst Prequel or Sequel - Daddy Day Camp (Sequel to Daddy Day Care)

Eight Razzies will be hard to beat, but as long as Lindsey Lohan and Paris Hilton are still allowed to make “movies,” nothing is impossible.

Is it too early for me to suggest that The Hottie and the Nottie might already be the front-runner for the 2009 awards?

Posted in Yada Yada, Events, Movies | No Comments

80th Annual Oscar Winners

February 24th, 2008 by david lay

Last night’s Oscars were all about No Country for Old Men, which picked up wins for Javier Bardem as Best Supporting Actor, and The Coen Brothers for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Directing, and Best Picture!

Best Actress went to Marion Cottillard in La Vie en Rose, while Daniel Day-Lewis picked up the Best Actor award for his incredible performance in There Will Be Blood. Additionally, Tilda Swinton took home the Best Supporting Actress award for her role in Michael Clayton.

Other less prestigious awards that I was also very happy with were Diablo Cody for Best Original Screenplay for Juno, and Falling Slowly as Best Original Song from Once - a great song from a great and lovely film.

Here is the complete list of Oscar Winners from the 80th Annual Academy Awards.

Best Picture
No Country for Old Men

Lead Actor
Daniel Day-Lewis in There Will Be Blood

Supporting Actor
Javier Bardem in No Country for Old Men

Lead Actress
Marion Cotillard in La Vie en Rose

Supporting Actress
Tilda Swinton in Michael Clayton

Animated Feature
Ratatouille

Art Direction
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Cinematography
There Will Be Blood

Costume Design
Elizabeth: The Golden Age

Directing
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen for No Country for Old Men

Documentary Feature
Taxi to the Darkside

Documentary Short Subject
Freeheld

Film Editing
The Bourne Ultimatum

Foreign Language
The Counterfeiters

Makeup
La Vie en Rose

Original score
Atonement

Original song
Falling Slowly from Once

Animated Short
Peter & the Wolf

Live Action Short
Le Mozart des Pickpockets (The Mozart of Pickpockets)

Sound Editing
The Bourne Ultimatum

Sound Mixing
The Bourne Ultimatum

Visual Effects
The Golden Compass

Adapted Screenplay
No Country for Old Men

Original Screenplay
Juno

Honorary Award
Robert Boyle - Production Designer

PS - I found this on YouTube - The Oscars in 60 Seconds… If you missed it, give it a look.

Posted in Yada Yada, Events, Movies | No Comments

Oscar Predictions, etc.

February 22nd, 2008 by david lay

The Oscars will be awarded Sunday night in what many people are saying is the most maligned Oscar lineup that we’ve seen in several years. I completely disagree. I think there a several movies that we can get behind this year, and the fact that there are not really any clear front-runners in most categories is proof positive.

Juno is the highest grossing indie film of all time, giving hope to the little guys, while the Coen Brothers have come through in 2007 with their best film so far in No Country For Old Men. Atonement has already won at the Golden Globes, while Michael Clayton is on the top of every critic’s list. There Will Be Blood has left audiences in a stupor due to an incredible acting job by Daniel Day-Lewis and a rather shocking ending.

For the first time in recent years, I was able to see all of the Oscar nominated films before the ceremonies, thanks in part to earlier release dates and few “limited releases”. This being the case, I have been able to form opinions more easily about who should and will win when The Academy’s decisions are announced.

So, here are my predictions and hopefuls for this weekend’s 80th Annual Academy Awards:

Actress in a Supporting Role

• Cate Blanchet - I’m Not There
• Ruby Dee - American Gangster
• Saoirse Ronan - Atonement
• Amy Ryan - Gone Baby Gone
• Tilda Swinton - Michael Clayton

Here’s the thing… The Academy loves really old people and really young people, and I think that could work in favor of Ruby Dee (83) and Saoirse Ronan (13), but I think that Cate Blanchet will win, because she played Bob Dylan… If I had a vote, it would be for Saoirse Ronan, who I loved in Atonement.

Actor in a Supporting Role

• Casey Affleck - The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
• Javier Bardim - No Country for Old Men
• Philip Seymour Hoffman - Charlie Wilson’s War
• Hal Holbrook - Into the Wild
• Tom Wilkinson - Michael Clayton

Javier Bardim is the talk of the town lately and I think he is about a 90% shoe-in. The only obstacle he faces is that he won at the Golden Globes and the SAG Awards, and for some reason, Oscar voters like to vote differently for no good reason. If I had a vote, it would go to Javier Bardim…

Actress in a Leading Role

• Cate Blanchet - Elizabeth: The Golden Age
• Julie Christie - Away from Her
• Marion Cotillard - La Vie En Rose
• Laura Linney - The Savages
• Ellen Page - Juno

Can Cate Blanchet win two awards in the same night? No. This is the hardest category for me to predict, but I think that Laura Linney has a good chance for her work in The Savages but none of these actresses would surprise me with a win… My Vote? Ellen Page x 1,000. I love, love, loved her in Juno!

Actor in a Leading Role

• 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

If ever the Oscars had a no-doubter, it would be Daniel Day-Lewis in what I honestly believe is the most supreme acting job I have ever seen. He should win, and will win for There Will Be Blood and anything else would be an absolute crock. The Academy loves George Clooney, and Johnny Depp sang, so anything could happen, but I don’t think so. Also, Tommy Lee Jones stands a chance because he was in an anti-war, anti-military movie and that could certainly help him.

Directing

• 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

The Coen Brothers will win for No Country for Old Men, and they should. It wouldn’t hurt my feelings at all if Jason Reitman won for Juno (If you haven’t guessed, I LOVED that film), but I will be rather upset if Tony Gilroy wins for Michael Clayton.

Best Picture

• Atonement
• Juno
• Michael Clayton
• No Country For Old Men
• There Will Be Blood

Once again my favorite is… JUNO, JUNO, JUNO!! Does it have a chance? Yes, actually, but I think that No Country For Old Men will win, and that’s OK. Atonement was really good, but I don’t think its appeal will be as great in the Oscars as it was in the Golden Globes. There Will Be Blood was good as well, but honestly it wasn’t the film itself as much as it was the incredible acting and the score. As you can see, Michael Clayton could pretty much sweep through the Oscars with nominees in every major category except Supporting Actress. It wouldn’t surprise me if it did, but I firmly believe that it is not that deserving. It was good, but certainly not great, and it puzzles me that it has received so many nominations.

Well only a couple of more days and we’ll find out. Happy Oscar Weekend to you all.

Posted in Yada Yada, Events, Movies | No Comments

Knight Rider Clips

February 13th, 2008 by david lay

As I posted a couple of months ago, Knight Rider is coming back to the small screen this Sunday, February 17th. NBC has released a few clips from the upcoming two-hour Movie event. NBC has said that, depending on the ratings and responses to this movie, they would consider picking up Knight Rider for their weekly lineup.

Check these clips out and see what you think.

Trivia: Do you recognize who is supplying the voice of K.I.T.T.?

NBC has also released this synopsis of the new movie:

24 year-old Stanford University Ph.D. candidate Sarah Graiman is set to follow in her genius father Charles’ footsteps. Her life takes a dramatic turn when men try to abduct her. She receives a mysterious phone call from K.I.T.T., a car her father created, letting her know that her father is in danger. Sarah and K.I.T.T. set off to recruit her childhood friend Mike Tracer into helping them figure out who has her father and is trying to steal K.I.T.T. Mike, having just returned from serving in Iraq is jaded and reluctant to help, but eventually agrees.

I’m going to watch it, or at least TiVo it… I have fond memories of the original Knight Rider, so I can’t help but be a little excited about this new incarnation.

Posted in Television, Yada Yada, Events, Movies | 2 Comments

Support Brian Regan

January 31st, 2008 by david lay

Brian Regan, everyone’s favorite comedian, is one of the hardest working men in the comedy industry. He is touring pretty much nonstop and his comedy albums are well known by many. Additionally, he has become popular as a motivational speaker through Nationwide Speakers, who offer a wide array of motivational speakers for corporate and private events across the country.

In reading more about Brian’s motivational speaking, I ran across a recent press release that stated that his debut album, Brian Regan Live just hit the 150,000 mark in sales. While this is a great and enviable achievement, I think it’s a sad realization that he could have sold many, many more to this point.

The reason I think this is, and I’ve said this before - It seems like 9-out-of-10 people know Brian Regan’s work and can quote his routines verbatim. In fact I have sat in an auditorium with hundreds of other people mimicking him word-for-word during his stage performances. Despite his ubiquity, it seems like very few people actually own legal copies of his album. They have digital copies on their iPods, or burned discs in their stereos, but not very many have actually paid for the disc, or so it seems.

I noticed this a couple of years ago, when you could hardly go anywhere with hearing a Regonian quote. I began to ask people if they own the disc and they would usually say “no, but I have it on my iPod…” Eventually I bought a legitimate copy of his CD, as well as few more that I gave away as gifts. I feel strongly that we should support those whose talents we enjoy, and especially the ones that make us happy.

I don’t buy into the RIAA’s “Poor Me” mentality - that the free flow of information in the digital age is causing every recording artist to go bankrupt, lose their wives and kids, and become suicidal - but I do think we should support the artists that we love by purchasing their products.

So if you are a fan of Brian Regan, go buy his stuff - he’s got some hilarious DVDs available, in addition to his CDs - and show your support for a very funny guy. Additionally, take an opportunity to see him in person when he tours a city near you, or hire him as a motivational speaker through Nationwide Speakers to perform for a company event or outing.

Until next time, Take Luck.

Posted in Yada Yada, Events | 2 Comments

80th Annual Academy Award Nominees

January 22nd, 2008 by david lay

Well, if you are a MovieGeek like me, you know that, at last, our Ramadan is here! Our holy month - Oscar season is finally, at long last, upon us!

The Oscar Nominees were announced this morning (I intended to post my predictions yesterday, but I got caught up in the Cloverfield hype, and let it slip up on me).

So here are the major category nominees:

Best Supporting Actress

• Cate Blanchett - I’m Not There
• Ruby Dee - American Gangster
• Saoirse Ronan - Atonement
• Amy Ryan - Gone Baby Gone
• Tilda Swinton - Michael Clayton

Best Supporting Actor

• Casey Affleck - The Assasination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
• Javier Bardem - No Country for Old Men
• Philip Seymour Hoffman - Charlie Wilson’s War
• Hal Holbrook - Into the Wild
• Tom Wilkinson - Michael Clayton

Best 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
• Vigo Mortenson - Eastern Promises

Best 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

Screenplay

• Juno
• Lars and the Real Girl
  
• Michael Clayton
  
• Ratatouille
• The Savages
  

Direction

• Julian Schnabel - The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
• Jason Reitman - Juno
• Tony Gilroy - Michael Clayton
• Joel and Ethan Coen - No Country for Old Men
• Paul Thomas Anderson - There Will Be Blood

Best Picture

• Atonement
• Juno
• Michael Clayton
• No Country for Old Men
• There Will Be Blood

I really hope that Ellen Page wins for Juno! I love her. I am excited to see so many nominations for Juno, but not so much about the equally large number of Michael Clayton nods… I thought that movie was…eh.

Saoirse Ronan was awesome in Atonement as well I would be happy if she won for Supporting Actress (but I would bet that Cate Blanchett wins). I think Daniel Day-Lewis will win for Best Actor and Javier Bardem for Best Supporting Actor.

It would make me VERY happy if Juno won for Best Picture, but I bet that Atonement (good) or Michael Clayton (not so good) will take that honor.

Well…. Only time will tell.

Happy Oscar Season, everyone!

Posted in Yada Yada, Events, Movies | No Comments

Survivor Micronesia Promo Video

January 10th, 2008 by david lay

Check out this promotional video for Survivor Micronesia: Fans vs. Favorites. I’m not sure where it’s from, but it’s chock full of interviews from the cast and a few insights into their respective strategies.

Posted in Television, Yada Yada, Events | No Comments

Van Damme Vs. Seagal

January 8th, 2008 by david lay

Don’t look now, but in the midst of Oscar season comes the announcement of what will undoubtedly be the best movie of all time!

It was announced today that Mark Dippé - director of some of the greatest movies of our generation: Spawn, Frankenfish, and Garfield Gets Real, has signed on to direct Van Damme vs. Seagal - an action comedy that could be gracing our theaters by 2009.

While discussing the plot, a spokesperson revealed: “…They live on opposing sides of Hollywood, set on despising one another. Their jealous rages reach an apex when the two must join forces to thwart a nuclear threat that may very well destroy the entire planet…”

 This Guy          VS           This Guy

I…am…speechless…

Posted in Yada Yada, Events, Movies | 2 Comments

Survivor Micronesia Cast List Confirmed

January 3rd, 2008 by david lay

For you doubters out there (you know who you are), the Survivor Micronesia: Fans vs. Favorites cast list has been confirmed! As I reported a few weeks ago, immediately following the Survivor China finale, the cast will consist of former Survivor favorites, Yau-Man Chan, James Clement, Ami Cusack, Jon Dalton (AKA Jonny Fairplay), Cirie Fields, Amanda Kimmel, Ozzy Lusth, Eliza Orlins, Jonathan Penner, and Parvati Shallow.

The list I broke 3 weeks ago, is 100 percent accurate (thank ya very much), as it has now been confirmed by CBS and Jeff Probst via an article in on Entertainment Weekly’s website. The article and its companion article go in depth explaining each of the favorites and fans and giving short quips from each about their strategies going into Survivor Micronesia. There are also statements from host Jeff Probst on all 20 survivors outlining their chances of winning and what they bring to the table:

The Favorites Confirmed

YAU-MAN CHAN AGE: 55 Survivor: Fiji

YAU-MAN SAYS: ”Last time, I was able to play the weak old man under the radar before the merge. I definitely cannot do that [this time].”

JEFF PROBST SAYS: ”You can’t do a favorites season without Yau-Man. He’s sort of the Rudy of this season. He’ll be the oldest guy and the most frail and probably be one of the most popular. Yau-Man’s problem is going to be those things. He’s so popular, everyone there knows that he’s popular and well liked, and everybody knows what happened to him in Fiji. But I think Yau-Man’s going to have to come out and play aggressive. I don’t think he can play that same game of just chopping coconuts and being everyone’s friend.”

JAMES CLEMENT AGE: 30 Survivor: China

JAMES SAYS: How has he altered his strategy from last time? ”I’m going to have to hustle a little bit more, and smile a whole lot earlier.”

JEFF PROBST SAYS: ”I feel like the reason James is likable is there is a sense of authenticity there that you don’t see that often — he’s just going to tell you what he thinks. I don’t think James is that great of a Survivor player, as we saw in China. He made, without question, the single biggest blunder in the history of the show. I don’t think he gets how to play, but he’s so strong and he works so hard and he is so likable that it’s really hard to vote him out. I think James could do really well this season.”

AMI CUSACK AGE: 34 Survivor: Vanuatu

AMI SAYS: ”I’m going to slowly peel away each alliance that I see building. I’m going to start chipping away to keep the numbers in my favor.”

JEFF PROBST SAYS: ”Ami will betray you; she’ll do whatever it takes to get deeper in the game. But she’s sexy, and she’s got this ‘Everything’s beautiful in the world until I stab you in the back’ thing. And that’s what we want on this show. And if Ami has her way, I guarantee you there will be a women’s alliance, because that is what Ami wanted in Vanuatu and that’s what’s she’s going to try to make happen here.”

JON DALTON (A.K.A. JONNY FAIRPLAY) AGE: 33 Survivor: Pearl Islands

JONNY SAYS: ”I’m either the first one out or the last one here.”

JEFF PROBST SAYS: ”You can’t do the season and not invite your most notorious person. And Fairplay delivered, I will say that. He delivered, and I think we got what we expected we would get, which is that character he created called Jonny Fairplay. What gets me is just how effective it can still be. He can call you stupid and somebody will get mad. And I’m looking at this going, ‘Why are you getting mad at this guy? He’s created a character, he’s trying to get under your skin — and it’s working!’ This guy is no threat to win this game — zero.”

CIRIE FIELDS AGE: 37 Survivor: Panama

CIRIE SAYS: ”If I go before Jonny Fairplay, something is really wrong. Nothing against Jonny, but damn!”

JEFF PROBST SAYS: ”Cirie represents the kind of people I love to see on the show. You look at Cirie and you think, ‘How are you going to survive? You don’t have the tools, you don’t come from this background, you’re not physically fit enough.’ But there’s more to this game than that. My hunch is Cirie played a very good game the first time, and I expect her to play an even better game the second time.”

AMANDA KIMMEL AGE: 23 Survivor: China

AMANDA SAYS: ”I know things about [fellow Favorite and China castmate] James he doesn’t want people to know. And he knows stuff about me. We could be worst enemies, or we can become allies.”

JEFF PROBST SAYS: ”Amanda knows how to play Survivor. She knows how to build an alliance, how long to keep it, when to get rid of it. She’s very good at looking at odds, she’s very good at assessing if [she’s] better off against this person, or with this person. And you need that. Survivor only thrives when you have people who will continue to turn and switch and make moves. Amanda’s in great shape, she does well in the challenges, she’s beautiful, and she knows how to play.”

OZZY LUSTH AGE: 26 Survivor: Cook Islands

OZZY SAYS: ”My mistakes last time were basically being too much of a loner. I’m never going to go anywhere by myself except to use the bathroom.”

JEFF PROBST SAYS: ”Ozzy’s big problem’s going to be the fact that he’s Ozzy. Ozzy played a brilliant physical game — the only thing Ozzy lacked was the social skill of how to play Survivor. And that’s probably going to be the deciding difference. If he can figure out a way to survive socially due to the kind of targets he’s going to have on his back due to his physical strength, then he can do really well. Otherwise it wouldn’t surprise me if Ozzy went out really early because you just don’t want him around.”

ELIZA ORLINS AGE: 25 Survivor: Vanuatu

ELIZA SAYS: ”I need to watch myself a little bit in terms of talking so much. I think I should do a little bit more listening.”

JEFF PROBST SAYS: ”Eliza is one of the most enjoyable people to have on the show because she gets it. Everybody knows Eliza will betray you at the drop of a hat, and Eliza knows you know that. Eliza is a Favorite because she can be so charmingly annoying. It’s fun to watch Eliza get mad, and it’s fun to watch people get mad at her, and she doesn’t take it personally. That’s the most beautiful part about her; she knows it’s only a game: ‘I have a life, I have a boyfriend, I’m going to be an attorney, I have a dog, that’s my life — this is only a game. Of course, I’m going to try to cut your throat. I’ve got knives coming out of every part of my body.”’

JONATHAN PENNER AGE: 45 Survivor: Cook Islands

JONATHAN SAYS: ”These are serious players now,” says Penner of the increased competition. ”There are no players with names like Chicken who are just there to get blown up.”

JEFF PROBST SAYS: ”Penner only plays to win. He’s not interested in third. He’s not interested in second. And you saw that at Cook Islands. And Penner is gold. At Tribal Council I can just look at him and know that he’s ready to light somebody up. And Penner is the biggest complainer that we’ve had on the show. He complains about every challenge, and I get a kick out of it. I’m so happy he’s on the show. And Penner could win — absolutely. He’s a smart dude, and I think he probably learned a couple things in watching his season’s playback.”

PARVATI SHALLOW AGE: 25 Survivor: Cook Islands

PARVATI SAYS: ”I have tricks up my sleeve like you would never know. Not just the flirting game this time, at all.”

JEFF PROBST SAYS: ”To me Parvati is this season’s Amber. Last time, Parvati used her flirting, and it got her a long way. But we didn’t really see her do a whole lot more than that, and the question was, what if underneath that she’s got a strategy? What if she’s figured out how to play this game — could she last long enough to become a threat? Parvati’s a question mark. She could be the same thing, come out and giggle a couple times, eat some chocolate cake, and go home. On the flip side, if Parvati’s figured out how to play this game, and maybe she teams up with somebody…”

The Fans

JOEL ANDERSON AGE: 32 OCCUPATION: Firefighter HOMETOWN: Avondale, Ariz.

JOEL SAYS: ”Bottom line, I’m here for my family. If I just wanted to go on vacation and hang out on the beach, I’d take my family with me.”

JEFF PROBST SAYS: ”Joel is the one guy who might be able to give James [Clement, the returning Favorite from Survivor: China] a run for his money, because he is every bit as big as James. He’s a fireman, he’s a father and a husband, and when I met with him the thing that really struck me is how he does everything for his wife and his family. And I like that about him. He’s a big, big guy, and these challenges start off physical right from the get-go. Sometimes being a physical threat works against you early; I think in Joel’s case it’s going to be advantageous.”

NATALIE BOLTON AGE: 32 OCCUPATION: Personal trainer/bartender HOMETOWN: West Hollywood, Calif. (originally from Houston)

NATALIE SAYS: ”I need to be fearless again. I want to unearth all those things when I was 8 and didn’t give a s— about what people thought, and I did it anyway.”

JEFF PROBST SAYS: ”I’m on the fence with Natalie because I can’t figure out if she has any business being in this game or not. On paper she sounds great — she’s a personal trainer and she’s young and she’s attractive — but when I watched the first few moments on the show, I’m not sure her attitude is going to be able to survive. You have to have a sense of humor or you’re going to be a miserable person if you can’t laugh about being hungry at some point. I’m not sure Natalie’s had to go through anything as difficult as what she’s about to go through.”

TRACY HUGHES-WOLF AGE: 43 OCCUPATION: Commercial builder HOMETOWN: Fredericksburg, Va.

TRACY SAYS: ”I’m a thrill seeker. I want to push myself to that point where I know I can do it.”

JEFF PROBST SAYS: ”Tracy should be very valuable because of her background, because she’s a woman who works in construction. I don’t know how much she wants to share about what she does, because there’s a part of her that thinks if she comes on too strong [she] could be seen as a threat. But on paper, this is something you rarely get: somebody who knows how to build. Boston Rob knew how to build things and that made him hugely valuable. I think Tracy could be the same way.”

ALEXIS JONES AGE: 24 OCCUPATION: Motivational speaker HOMETOWN: Beverly Hills (originally from Austin, Tex.)

ALEXIS SAYS: ”People will see the Southern belle in me. But I’m fiercely competitive — despite my dimples.”

JEFF PROBST SAYS: ”When she came in she was so excited. And I launched into this speech about how you need to drop the excitement and get your head in the game because these other people out here, they’re already playing, they’re already playing you, and they’re already seeing you’re this little simple girl from Texas that they’re going to run right over. And she looks at me and says, ‘I’ve read every person here.’ And she had a pretty good read on everybody. I thought, This is all I need to know. This girl knows how to play. As a fan, I picked this girl to win.”

ERIK REICHENBACH AGE: 22 OCCUPATION: Ice cream scooper HOMETOWN: Ypsilanti, Mich. (works in Hell, Mich.)

ERIK SAYS: ”I want to do this for myself, to grow up more. I haven’t experienced a lot of life. I haven’t experienced a lot of stress.” (Trust us, Erik — you will.)

JEFF PROBST SAYS: ”Erik loves the show more than anyone I have ever met. He remembers things that I did that I don’t remember. He’s a young kid, and that young exciting energy is what’s going to keep him in this game and could easily be what gets him knocked out, because he doesn’t have the maturity of life to know when he’s being played. That’s what he’s going to have to watch out for. Because you could see people looking at him on Day One and going, ‘Who is the kid in the green shoes, for crying out loud?”’

MARY SARTAIN AGE: 29 OCCUPATION: Real estate entrepreneur HOMETOWN: Emeryville, Calif.

MARY SAYS: ”This is closer to $1 million than I’ve ever been. I’m definitely in it for the money. I’m largely money-driven.”

JEFF PROBST SAYS: ”I think Mary coming into the game is going to be on the bubble. She’s either going to learn where to fit in this group quickly or she’s going to be on the outs for the whole time. Mary’s best play is to hide in the middle, not become a nuisance, just hang out and see if you can hang out long enough that your vote becomes valuable.”

JASON SISKA AGE: 22 OCCUPATION: Student teacher HOMETOWN: Fox River Grove, Ill.

JASON SAYS: ”I’m not evil or devious. But I can be. If it comes down to lying, I have no problem.”

JEFF PROBST SAYS: ”Jason loves to compare himself to Ozzy [the returning Favorite from Cook Islands]. He thinks Ozzy is the greatest player to ever participate in Survivor — I think he’s kind of got a man-crush on him. He’s coming on strong in the beginning saying, ‘I’m going to go toe-to-toe with Ozzy. I can climb coconut trees just like he can, I can swim just like he can, and I’m just as athletic as he is.’ My response to that is, it’s one thing to say it and another thing to do it. So he can talk the talk, but the big question is, can he walk the walk?”

KATHLEEN SLECKMAN AGE: 45 OCCUPATION: Golf course vendor HOMETOWN: Glen Ellyn, Ill.

KATHLEEN SAYS: Sleckman’s ideal alliance? ”I’m tending to look for misfits, people who are psychologically or emotionally damaged, like myself.”

JEFF PROBST SAYS: ”We almost put Kathy on Vanuatu and we didn’t. It’s one thing to have a positive attitude, it’s another to survive 39 days eating some rice, clams, and an occasional fish. I think Kathy’s going to be tested enormously, and the longer she lasts, the tougher it’s going to be unless she can embrace it. It’s not an easy season out there. It rained almost every night we were there, and if you get sent to Exile, it can be brutal.”

CHET WELCH AGE: 48 OCCUPATION: Beauty pageant coach HOMETOWN: Ford City, Pa.

CHET SAYS: ”I play outside the box. I know how to stand out, and I know what I need to do.”

JEFF PROBST SAYS: ”Chet works in the pageant world. He produces winners and he will do whatever it takes to get his pageant girl to win. If he plays this game the way he plays in the pageant world, then he is definitely a force to be reckoned with. If he doesn’t, he could be going home soon. He has sort of been playing a version of Survivor for the past 20 years in the pageant world, and he gets this game.”

MICHAEL BORTONE AGE: 34 OCCUPATION: Writer/actor HOMETOWN: Los Angeles (originally from Boston)

MICHAEL SAYS: ”I’m good at reading people. You got to be everybody’s best friend.”

JEFF PROBST SAYS: ”I like Mikey B. a lot. He’s Boston, and Boston is so damn good to Survivor. He’s got a colorful way of saying the most mundane thing, and that makes him somebody I will love to go to at Tribal Council.”

.

So there you have it. The list is official. Signed, sealed, delivered. Expect CBS to update their website in the next few days.

In addition to the cast list, we also now know that Survivor Micronesia will mark the return of Exile Island, a feature that began in Pulau at a reward challenge, but was absent in the last season, Survivor: China.

Predictions?

Posted in Television, Yada Yada, Events | 3 Comments

Leaked Video Footage from Heroes Season 3

December 28th, 2007 by david lay

Heroes creator Tim Kring debuted a new Heroes trailer over the weekend at the Jules Verne Adventure Film Festival of Los Angeles (whew!), which features never-before-seen footage from Volume III, “Villains.” Where’d the footage come from, you ask? Well, it turns out that the show managed to shoot a bunch of scenes for Episodes 12 and 13 before production ground to a halt. But those episodes are incomplete and, therefore, can’t air until the conflict is resolved.

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Borat and Ali G Characters Retired

December 24th, 2007 by david lay

In an interview yesterday with the The London Daily Telegraph, Sacha Baron Cohen revealed that he is permanently retiring his Borat and Ali G characters. He claims that too many people know them and that he can no longer retreat behind their personae.

Cohen told the newspaper: “When I was being Ali G and Borat I was in character sometimes 14 hours a day and I came to love them, so admitting I am never going to play them again is quite a sad thing,” he said. “It is like saying goodbye to a loved one. It is hard, and the problem with success, although it’s fantastic, is that every new person who sees the Borat movie is one less person I ‘get’ with Borat again, so it’s a kind of self-defeating form, really. “It’s upsetting, but the success has been great and better than anything I could have dreamed of.”

Da Ali G Show, which originated in England and aired on HBO became a cult favorite in the U.S. thanks to hilariously idiotic and offensive questions to former presidential candidate Pat Buchanan, Newt Gingrich, former Attorney General Dick Thornburgh, Donald Trump and the former Surgeon-General C. Everett Koop, among others.

Ali G’s popularity led to Cohen’s first film, Ali G Indahouse after which he provided one of the voices in the animated film Madagascar and then played an obnoxious French racing river in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.

Then Borat, the film featuring the character who had first appeared on the Da Ali G Show. Helped by objections from the official government of Kazakhstan and Baron Cohen’s wildly funny promotional appearances on any talk show that would have him, Borat became a phenomenon, although not everybody was happy.

“Since last year I’ve been sued by about 3,000 people,” said Baron Cohen. “Some of the letters I get are quite unusual, like the one where the lawyer informed me I’m about to be sued for $100,000 and at the end says, “P.S. Loved the movie. Can you sign a poster for my son Jeremy?’”

Cohen can currently be seen in the movie Sweeney Todd and he is finishing work on his next project, which features Bruno, the gay, Austrian fashion reporter who also made his first appearance with Ali G, although Baron Cohen is unwilling to discuss it at this time.

Posted in Yada Yada, Events, Movies, Politics | No Comments

Survivor Micronesia Cast - My Sources

December 20th, 2007 by david lay

Earlier this week, I posted that I had successfully uncovered the Survivor Micronesia castaways for the upcoming season (at least the returning cast members). I have had a lot of questions about whether or not these returning castaways have been verified or not, and how I came about this information. Well, I will share with you a couple of my secrets to help lend some additional credibility to the list as well as to ease any misgivings a few of you might have.

• Source One: Coby Archa from Survivor Pulau - Coby has been active in Survivor-related discussion boards, gossip columns and fan sites since his days in Pulau. He writes commentaries on current seasons as well as discussing theories and strategies on fan sites. Coby says that he was in the running for Survivor Mocronesia, but was left out in the end - I assume this means he was chosen as an “alternate.”

  Because of his closeness to the show, it is safe to say that he is extremely credible - unless he’s lying, but there is NO reason to think that. We know he isn’t on the show, because filming was from early November to mid December and he was posting away all along. Coby has confirmed (via various online sources) that several of the survivors I listed are on board - including Eliza Orlins (who made the final four in Survivor Vanuatu, so she’s no slouch), Ami Cusack, Jonathan Penner, Ozzy Lusth, James Clement (who was also COMPLETELY off limits after the Survivor China reunion show), and Amanda Kimmel. Coby did, however, state that he did not believe that Cirie Fields was involved.

• Source Two: MySpace and Social Networking Sites - John “Johnny Fairplay” Dalton strangely left the spotlight shortly after his altercation with Danny Bonaduce. His online profile is has been set to “On Vacation”. Additionally, there are sources very close to the production of Survivor Micronesia that say he is on the show. For you who hate Johnny Fairplay and think he shouldn’t be on the show, that is exactly why he is on it - The network needs a villain! Ratings, people!!!

• Source Three: Undisclosed - Sorry, I can’t give this one away, but believe me I feel VERY confident that “he” is completely credible - Even more so than Coby. “He” confirmed Yau-Man Chan and John “Johnny Fairplay” Dalton.

I feel very confident in this list and I have done plenty of research to ensure it is accurate. If it is not entirely so, I guarantee it will be 90% (9 of 10 Castaways).

As for the remainder of the Survivor Micronesia Cast, I have their names and in some cases, a small bit of information about them.

THE FANS

1. Alexis - A Image Consultant and Motivational Speaker from Austin, Texas
2. Kathy B. - Aged 45 - From Glenview, Illinois
3. Mary Sartain - Aged 29 - A Loan Officer from Emeryville, California
4. Natalie - From Los Angeles California
5. Tracy Wolf - Aged 42 - From Fredericksberg, Virginia
6. Chet - Worked on the Miss America Pageant - From Ford City, Pennsylvania
7. Joel “Truck” Anderson - A firefighter From Phoenix, Arizona
8. Jason Siska - Aged 22 - A Student from Fox River Grove, Illinois
9. Michael “Mikey” Bortone - Aged 33 - An Actor from Los Angeles, California
10. Eric - The young, blonde kid from the trailers

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Peter Jackson Signs on for Two Hobbit Films

December 18th, 2007 by david lay

MGM, New Line Cinema and Director Peter Jackson have jointly annouced today that they have reached the following series of agreements:

• MGM and New Line will co-finance and co-distribute two films, The Hobbit and a sequel to The Hobbit. New Line will distribute in North America and MGM will distribute internationally.
• Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh will serve as Executive Producers of two films based on The Hobbit. New Line will manage the production of the films, which will be shot simultaneously.
• Peter Jackson and New Line have settled all litigation relating to the Lord of the Rings (LOTR) Trilogy.

The two new Hobbit Films - The Hobbit, and its currently unnamed sequal, are scheduled to be shot simultaneously with pre-production set to begin immediately. The Hobbit is tentatively scheduled to be released in 2010, with its sequal to be released in 2011.

The Oscar-winning, critically-acclaimed LOTR Trilogy grossed nearly $3 billion worldwide at the box-office. In 2003, The Lord Of The Rings: The Return of The King swept the Academy Awards, winning all of the eleven categories in which it was nominated, including Best Picture — the first ever Best Picture win for a fantasy film. The Trilogy’s production was also unprecedented at the time.

Visit The Hobbit Blog for more information

Posted in Yada Yada, Events, Movies | No Comments

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