The Hollywood 5 & 1 11.15.08

Posted by Steve Gustafson on 11.15.2008

Shatner vs. Takei! Brad Pitt gets pushed around! Hollywood goes board game crazy! Plus, Stephen Baldwin becomes the creepiest man...alive! Just click here already!

Welcome back to the Hollywood 5 & 1! I'm your host, Steve Gustafson, and I read every gossip tabloid, scroll every celebrity related web site, and cell my vast network in Hollywood to find the slightly offbeat news you might have missed during the week. Or just ignored. Do you have something to contribute? A celebrity sighting? A funny story? Shoot me an email at [e-mail]. Hey, make this site some money and click on that ad right there-------------->

FIVE THINGS THAT GOT ME THROUGH THE WEEK
Men's Journal: I usually flip through this mag when I see someone interesting on the cover but NEVER buy it. That might change because lately I've been hooked on their well written articles. They are Rick Tym good! (<---BLATANT PLUG for fellow 411mania columnist. Check his digs out! I'm serious!)
UFC 91 Hype: Yes, I'm a huge UFC fan. I peruse the 411mania MMA section daily. No matter what it should be entertaining and I always cheer for Randy. Even if on paper he has no chance.
Houdini: The Handcuff King: Great graphic novel! I'm curious why anyone hasn't really explored a movie franchise about Houdini. Wait, did I already list this? So what? It's a good read.
I Can Has Cheeseburger? : Go to a bookstore and look at this book cover! I'm allergic to cats and not their biggest fan but this book cover made me laugh out loud.
The Dudesons: I picked up the DVD on the cheap and enjoyed the antics of this Finnish Jackass squad. Especially their harassment of Mr. Hitler.

DO ME A FAVOR
Hmm...nope, nobody that I really want to wish a happy birthday to today. Sorry, it happens sometimes.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"George has been mean to me for a long time... in public and I've never said anything... I wish he'd stop being mean to me. For me, there's no fight... I would like to (talk to him)... I'm not mad at him, I'm annoyed that he keeps saying bad things about me...I'll issue an invitation to George to come and talk to me."
William Shatner has invited bitter former Star Trek castmate George Takei to join him on his upcoming chat show, so they can sort out their differences on TV. The Shatner/Takei feud erupted earlier this year when Takei failed to invite his former Star Trek captain to his September wedding, prompting Shatner to go public with his disappointment. In a YouTube.com video, Shatner suggested Takei was suffering from a form of "psychosis" and admitted he had no idea what he had done to upset his one-time castmate. Takei fired back, claiming Shatner had been invited to his nuptials, but didn't Rsvp or attend the same sex ceremony. I'm getting a Biggie/Tupac vibe from all this.

FIVE THINGS THAT JUST MISSED THE LIST STARTS...NOW...
Let's start with a cool little story from a cool actor RELATED to an even cooler actor. Keith Carradine is rewarding the man who returned belongings the actor left in a New York subway station with show tickets. Carradine felt sure he'd never see his backpack, full of personal information, cash and valuables, again after he foolishly got on a train without it. He recalled, "I was sitting waiting for the right train to come. It was taking so long and I was worried about being late for work and, in classic New York fashion, I got distracted. I was in the middle of learning this play Mindgame, and it's a huge part. I was very much in it. I had my nose in my script every waking moment. That's what I was doing and, when the train came, I just jumped on it. I turned around and there was my bag sitting on the bench and the doors closed. Through the closed doors I saw my bag sitting there and thought that was the last time I'd see that. Miles, the guy who found my bag recognized my name and said, 'You're Kung Fu's (David Carradine) brother!' He and his mom will be coming to the show." That should warm your heart.

This made me laugh. Tara Reid has reportedly dropped her high-profile booking agent in an effort to shake off her party-girl image and salvage her acting career. How to you salvage nothing again? The **CLEARS THROAT** "actress" raised eyebrows by booking guest appearances at nightclubs for cash and hosting events including a Hustler bar party in Australia earlier this year. But friends insist she has now dropped Richard Squire, the booking agent who was reportedly responsible for lending her name to the events. Squire, who is said to have also worked with actresses Nicollette Sheridan and Kim Kardashian, is "in a different place", according to a source at the New York Post. Another source confirms, "She is no longer working with him." You can drop the "with him" from that sentence and be correct as well.

**SPOILER ALERT** It seems as much as I've read about this movie...I've already seen all the good parts. Sacha Baron Cohen is set to shock movie audiences once again after lining-up a pair of porn stars to appear alongside his fictional alter-ego Bruno in a new film. The British funnyman is currently filming scenes for his new movie Brüno: Delicious Journeys Through America for the Purpose of Making Heterosexual Males Visibly Uncomfortable in the Presence of a Gay Foreigner in a Mesh T-Shirt, in which he plays a flamboyant Austrian fashion journalist. And casting reached a climax when Cohen turned to former escort service director David Forest to find x-rated film actors for the new comedy, after being rejected by more conservative stars, unwilling to shoot full-frontal nude scenes. Adult film stars Paul Barba and John Martel were eventually hired for the roles. Forest told the New York Daily News, "We auditioned about 10 actors. There's a scene where Bruno comes to the hotel with some guys. They're all trying to get Bruno to come upstairs for an orgy. Five guys are there. Two of them are my guys. Bruno apparently doesn't want to join the party, but he watches through the window. I'm told it's hilarious." **END SPOILER**

A crazy story. Even crazier, this is something I can see happening more and more. The death of an former American Idol contestant whose body was found near Paula Abdul's home on Tuesday night has left the star "shocked and saddened", according to her publicist. Police found the body of a woman in a parked car in Abdul's Sherman Oaks, California neighborhood, and pronounced her dead at the scene. The car is registered to 30-year-old Paula Goodspeed, who was featured as a contestant on the reality TV series in 2006. Reports claim the woman's parents phoned police earlier in the day to report their daughter missing, stating that she "had an unnatural obsession" with the American Idol host. According to TMZ.com, police sources claimed the woman was an alleged Abdul stalker and that officers had been to the singer's house "numerous times before" to deal with her. A spokesperson for Abdul told Entertainment Tonight the star knew about the woman, who she said had "issues" for "several years". Abdul was reportedly returned home late in the evening after investigators had cleared the scene. A statement from the Abdul reads: "I am deeply shocked and saddened at what transpired yesterday. My heart and prayers go out to her family." With reality television blurring the line between real life and make-believe and giving troubled people a venue to project their problems; I feel this is only the beginning.

ROUGHED UP! Brad Pitt was the victim of a bizarre incident on Monday when a security guard grabbed him and spun him round at the Los Angeles premiere of his latest movie The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button. I wonder what happened to the guard? Pitt arrived 30 minutes early for the glitzy event at the city's Bruin Theatre, and he was pounced upon hordes of celebrity snappers. But instead of shielding him from the paparazzi's lenses, a plainclothes guard turned on Pitt, spinning him around and pulling him backwards, according to People.com. A confused Pitt then broke free, spoke to the man and waited in an upstairs bathroom for the commotion to subside. I bet he peed his pants! That man has been handled with kid gloves from the start so I'm sure this shook him up. Pitt doesn't blame the overzealous bodyguard, insisting the paparazzi were more intrusive than ever. He tells People.com, "Though they were exceptionally more aggressive than usual breaking through a security barrier and into a private holding area, ultimately (it was) just another day in the life..." Yes, just a normal life.

RANDOM LIST OF THE WEEK
It's that time of the year again. You know, EVERYONE comes out with their own version of THE events of the year. Entertainment Weekly has their annual Top 25 Entertainers of the Year. So I'm poaching the Bottom 10 for your viewing pleasure.
The bottom 10 are:
25. Neil Patrick Harris
24. Leona Lewis
23. Michael Phelps
22. Richard Jenkins
21. Katy Perry
20. Facebook
19. Jon Hamm
18. Kid Rock
17. Yunjin Kim & Daniel Dae Kim
16. Elizabeth Banks

To get the rest you have to pick up a copy of Entertainment Weekly. Maybe that plug will get me a free copy. Or maybe not.


STEVE SALUTE!
Points for CREATIVE THINKING! Singer/actress Adrienne Bailon has reportedly been offered the chance to pose in a photo spread for Playboy magazine, days after her alleged nude photo leak was exposed as a publicity stunt. The Cheetah Girls star threatened to take legal action against a thief who allegedly leaked naked pictures of her onto the internet after claiming her laptop was stolen at a New York airport this week. But wait...there's a HOOK! Her publicist Jonathan Jaxson has since claimed the pair concocted the story to help boost 25-year-old Bailon's profile among adult audiences. Talking to Foxnews.com, Jaxson said: "After the laptop was stolen, we used it as an opportunity to drum up some publicity and start speculating about nude photos, but we never expected anything to get out." And the incident has reportedly attracted the attention of bosses at Playboy magazine, with columnists at the PageSix alleging they have obtained a copy of a contract sent to the star. According to the newspaper, Bailon has been offered $100,000 to pose for "stylish photos with full nudity in a sufficient quantity and quality". Who said lying about a stolen laptop with nude photos of yourself won't get you ahead? Or atleast an offer from Playboy AND a mention on the 5 & 1!



Alright, let's get down to business. What's the Hollywood 5 & 1? It's real simple; I go through 5 things out of Hollywood this past week that made me scratch my head and 1 item that's not so bad. Got it? Good. Let's go!

The 5

Bond, Bitter Bond.
2 views and I'll start with the positive one first. Daniel Craig credits former Bond star Sir Roger Moore with his success as 007, insisting the star inspired his own take on the superspy role. Moore has defended Craig, initially an unpopular choice as the world's most famous secret agent, praising his performance in recent interviews. And the blue-eyed actor insists he's honored to follow in Moore's footsteps with his role in Casino Royale. Craig says, "He said very nice things. It's reciprocated because I grew up watching Roger as James Bond and I watched the old movies specifically because I think they hold really good keepings that we need to have in our movies." Hmm, so how does Moore really feel? Any bitterness? Let's find out! Seems Moore isn't a huge fan of the latest installments in the superspy franchise, insisting they are "too violent". The veteran British actor, who played 007 in seven films during the 1970s and 80s, is disappointed at the level of brutality featured in modern day Bond films. He says, "I am happy to have done it, but I'm sad that it has turned so violent... That's keeping up with the times, it's what cinema-goers seem to want and it's proved by the box-office figures." I wonder how sour grapes taste if you've been knighted?

Hollywood Raids the Parker Brothers for Ideas Next
I'm still waiting for this to come out as one big joke. I mean...really. Director Ridley Scott will helm the bizarre big screen adaptation of popular boardgame Monopoly. Yes, a movie based on the board game. The moviemaker has been signed by Universal to bring the long-running game to life. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Ridley will give the Monopoly movie a futuristic edge akin to his 1982 epic Blade Runner. What the?!?! Screenwriter Pamela Pettler has also been drafted in to create a storyline for the film. The unlikely subject matter is just one in a line of Hasbro games to get big screen makeovers as part of an exclusive pairing with Universal Studios. Michael Bay is producing an Ouija Board feature, while a film version of the classic Battleship is also in development. When the day comes that I'm in line seeing a Connect Four movie...I'm done.
In more casting news, Joe Johnston will take the helm of the eagerly anticipated Captain America movie. The director has signed a deal with Marvel Studios to bring the comic book superhero to the big screen in 2011. It is the third Marvel film in the pipeline, including Thor and the Avengers, after Robert Downey Jr.'s turn as Iron Man earlier in the year proved a huge success with superhero fans. Although Johnstone has signed the deal, it is unknown who will take on the patriotic U.S. role. Comic book creator Stan Lee has given his backing to Will Smith to wear the red, white and blue suit, although other insiders have suggested Matthew McConaughey may land the part. Send me hate mail but I would not mind a Will Smith Captain.

The Lohan's are Back!
Because YOU demanded it! Lindsay Lohan has taken courage from the election and come out to say she is "bisexual". What courage! The "star" has been romantically linked to British DJ Samantha Ronson since they were spotted kissing and cuddling at a party in Cannes, France earlier this year. The 22-year-old has continually refused to confirm their relationship, and has also dodged questions about her sexuality. But in an interview with Harper's Bazaar magazine, Lohan is asked whether she is bisexual and answers, "Maybe. Yeah." CONVICTION! However, Lohan is adamant that she is not a lesbian, giving journalists an emphatic "No" when asked, according to PageSix.com.
And in case you were wondering what her family thought, Lohan is adamant her relatives approve of her relationship with Samantha, despite her father recently criticizing the union. Lohan admits that despite her father Michael's objections, her mother, Dina, and sister, Ali, are pleased for her. She said, "It's never really come up as an issue. We're close; we've been through a lot. They're supportive of me whether I'm with a guy or a girl. They're just supportive of me as a person. Ali's known Samantha for a really long time. And she's like, 'Whatever it is, I support you. I probably won't ever do what it is you're doing, but I'm happy for you.' Ali's very mature. I've told her that it's okay to like a boy or a girl if you're comfortable with it and it's something you believe you want to do. And I told her not to be afraid of who she wants to be."

Stephen Baldwin = CREEPIEST GUY ON EARTH!
Do this for me. Read this story. Then read it outloud. Then to a friend. It gets more and more uncomfortable each time. Miley Cyrus has been forced to hand actor Stephen Baldwin a guest appearance on her Disney TV show, after she dared him to have her initials tattooed on his arm...and he called her bluff. The teen star and the born-again Christian met last year at a function in Washington D.C. where Cyrus dared Baldwin to have the letters H and M, the initials of her character Hannah Montana, inked. In return she offered him a cameo on her show, reports TMZ.com. When Baldwin turned up in Cyrus' Nashville, Tennessee hometown on Monday to promote his new book, the Cyrus family drove to the studio to confront the 42-year-old, and he showed off his tattoo. Yikes! When's Billy Ray going to achy breaky Baldwin's ass?

Cat Fight!
The ball is in Jolie's court. And can I say that I'm so, so glad that we are finally getting some closure from something that happened in 2005? Jennifer Aniston has branded her split from ex-husband Brad Pitt "amicable", and insists she feels "warm and respectful" of the actor. Wow. Real direct feelings. The couple split in 2005, but Pitt's current partner Angelina Jolie recently revealed they fell in love on the set of 2005 movie Mr And Mrs Smith. THAT revelation is right up there with the breaking news of Clay Aiken being gay. Here's a little tidbit that's getting attention. Aniston blasted Jolie as "uncool" for the revelation, but the actress has put the pain of the divorce behind her. She tells Vogue magazine, "I've got to tell you, it's so vague at this point, it's so faraway in my mind, I can't even remember the darkness. I mean, in the end, we really had an amicable split." And it was a heart-to-heart telephone conversation soon after the couple parted that helped heal the scars of the break-up. The actress adds, "Pretty soon after we separated, we got on the phone and we had a long, long conversation with each other and said a lot of things, and ever since we've been unbelievably warm and respectful of each other." How sweet. It's a lie...but sweet.
Now I here rumors from time to time. I have friends in LA who toss me a bone when we are chatting. One of them told me a while ago that Aniston is "controlling" in relationships. I filed that away and it this next piece makes me wonder. Aniston insists boyfriend John Mayer has learned not to get personal with the paparazzi after opening up about his late summer split from the actress. The singer/songwriter confirmed the split while chatting to snappers, and, now he's back with his ex, Aniston insists he has learned his lesson. Of the split, Mayer said, "People are different, people have different chemistry. I ended a relationship to be alone, because I don't want to waste somebody's time if something's not right," and immediately regretted speaking out, according to Aniston. She said, "Trust me, you'll never see that happen again from that man." Somebody get out the whip!

& 1

You Never Know...
This is proof that YOU could be discovered at any time! I'm ready for my closeup. Jason Statham's new love interest in Transporter 3, Natalya Rudakova, was literally plucked from obscurity on the streets of New York. The film's writer Luc Besson spotted the freckle-faced beauty as she hurried to work at a hair salon, and offered to train her for the third film. He recalls, "She just passed by me and I noticed her freckles and blue eyes. I was with my assistant and I said, 'Are you seeing this?' Of course, if I said to her, 'Hey, I'm Luc Besson,' she'd probably run, so my assistant asked me if she should ask her if she's a model or something, so she'd feel more comfortable. So I proposed to her if she wanted to try to act and my assistant and I went back to Paris and we gave her some 25 lessons. We prepped her for about six months and then we brought her to Paris to verify if she was ready or not. We had a couple of other girls auditioning to frighten her, but, honestly, she was very good on the screen-test, so we hired her." Hey, another story to warm the heart! That's how we do it here at the 5 & 1!

Thanks again and be safe out there.

Courage!