Taraji P. Henson blasts 'TV Guide' (BLOG)

Actress Taraji P. Henson recently gave TV Guide a piece of her mind via Facebook and Twitter, for seemingly being uninterested in her new role as the female lead of “Person of Interest.”

Taraji stars in the new CBS crime drama as an NYPD detective alongside Michael Emerson, Jim Caviezel, and Kevin Chapman. Yet apparently she will not be included in an upcoming TV Guide cover that will feature her cast mates.

“WOW!!!! TV Guide is NOT including me on the cover with my cast members [sic]........I am the female lead of a 3 member cast and I'm not included on the cover!!!!!! Do you see the $h_t I have to deal with in this business.....I cram to understand!!!!" she wrote on Facebook.

But TV Guide isn’t the only one who seems to be excluding Taraji. Even in the trailer for “Person of Interest,” she’s seen only in a single shot—in footage that doesn't feature her speaking.

Only in the behind-the-scenes clips is some focus put on the Academy Award nominee. The previews focus more so on the roles of software tycoon Finch and ex-CIA agent John Reese—played by Michael and Jim respectively. While Taraji has her eye on Reese, both play crime-stoppers in a very privacy-compromised New York.

“Even in the first episode, after the pilot, you get to see a little more about Finch and I'm sure they'll start showing a little more about Carter,” she said in an interview at Comic-Con International.

It seems her predictions haven’t come true yet.

Nonetheless, Taraji said that she took the role because it was “like nothing she’d seen on television.” With creators like Jonathan Nolan—co-writer of The Dark Knight—and a producer such as J.J. Abrams, CBS expects “Person of Interest” to be a hit.

Viewers can judge whether Taraji and the folks at CBS are right soon enough. “Person of Interest” premieres Thursday at 8 p.m. EST.


s2s

Ron Artest Is First Eliminated Star on 'Dancing with the Stars' Season 13 (BLOG)

Dancing with the Stars" season 13 has sent home one of its 12 contestants on Tuesday, September 20. Ron Artest aka Metta World Peace was the first one who has to bury his dream to claim the mirror ball trophy after he was placed in the bottom of scoreboard with 14/30 from Monday's performance.

"Peta was great," the 31-year-old athlete said of his partner, professional dancer Peta Murgatroyd, after learning his fate on the first elimination night. He added, "I had a great, great time... [It was] awesome."

Ron's cha cha cha failed to impress judges as Len Goodman said "it was all sizzle, no sausage." Carrie Ann Inaba, however, said the basketball player has an advantage on the dance floor, "Now we know who the wild one is going to be. You're sort of eccentric and sexy."

"DWTS" will return next Monday, September 26 at at 8/7c on ABC with eleven remaining celebs and their partners.



aceshowbiz

'The Avengers' to Present Brand New Footage at New York Comic Con (BLOG)

It has been confirmed that "The Avengers" will take part in upcoming New York Comic Con. Through a panel line-up announcement in the event's official website, it has been revealed that Marvel Studios is set to debut a brand new footage of the much awaited superhero film during the convention.

"Continuing the epic big-screen adventures started in 'Iron Man', 'The Incredible Hulk', 'Iron Man 2', 'Thor' and 'Captain America: The First Avenger', in Marvel's 'The Avengers', the world's greatest Super Heroes must assemble to pull the world back from the brink of disaster when an unexpected enemy threatens global security," so the announcement read. "This special presentation will feature never-before-seen footage and appearances by special surprise guests."

Details of the surprise guests, however, are still kept a secret. It is also unclear whether or not the cast of the movie will be present at the event. Marvel's presentation itself will take place at the IGN Theater of the Jacob Javits Center on Saturday, October 15 from 6:30 P.M. to 7:30 P.M. Meanwhile, the annual convention will run from Thursday, October 13 until Sunday, October 16.

Directed by Joss Whedon, "The Avengers" stars Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth and Robert Downey Jr. who will reprise their roles as Captain America, Thor and Iron Man respectively. Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Samuel L. Jackson and Jeremy Renner are also supporting the cast ensemble. This anticipated summer movie is due to hit U.S. theaters on May 4, 2012.



aceshowbiz

Kim Zolciak To Get A Spin-Off? (BLOG)

This is all your fault, Bethenny Frankel.

Because viewers tuned in to watch that former Real Housewife juggle a new marriage a new baby, Bravo has reportedly greenlighted a similar show for Kim Zolciak, who is the mother to little Kroy Jagger and engaged to Atlanta Falcons defensive end Kroy Biermann.

"Kim’s new show is going to follow the very successful Bethenny formula," says a network insider. "A new mom and her fiancé trying to make everything work. Juggling baby, boyfriend and career. But instead of all those trips to a therapist that Bethenny made, expect Kim to work out her problems at the nail salon with friends."

hollywoodgossip

Trey Songz: “I Rap Better Than Most Rappers” (BLOG, VIDEO)

R&B heartthrob Trey Songz recently spoke with our friends over at SoulCulture, and expressed his thoughts on his rapping skills. He went on record to say, “I don’t think no singer can rap better than me. I think I rap better than most rappers.”

He also talked about his love for rapping, artists blending different genres, and his ability to incorporate both rap & R&B into his music. And if you didn’t know, Trigga is a rapper-turnt-singer-turnt-rapper-again lol. But anyways, he will also be dropping his mixtapes ‘#Lemmeholdatbeat2′ and ‘Anticipation II’ on November 1st.

Real question though… Do you agree with him? Is he a better rapper than most rappers? What about a better rapper than the other singers out there?

singersroom

Record 27.7 million watch "Men" bury Charlie Sheen (BLOG)

(Reuters) - A record audience of 27.7 million watched "Two and A Half Men" bury Charlie Sheen and introduce new star Ashton Kutcher in an all-time series high audience for the lucrative CBS comedy.

After months of headlines following Sheen's bitter exit from the most-watched comedy on U.S. television, Americans tuned in on Monday in bumper numbers to see the funeral of Sheen's womanizing bachelor character Charlie Harper, according to viewership figures from audience tracker Nielsen.

The figure was more than double the audience for the 2010 season opener and more than any episode in the show's first eight seasons with Sheen in the starring role.

Monday's season premiere of "Two and A Half Men" crushed the opening of "Dancing With the Stars" on rival ABC despite a celebrity cast that gave viewers their first glimpse of the ballroom contest's first transgender contestant, Chaz Bono, and TV legal analyst Nancy Grace both doing the cha cha.

Early Nielsen figures showed that 18.4 million people watched the season premiere of "Dancing with the Stars" -- a 24 percent drop from last year's opening show.

Reviews for Kutcher's debut on "Two and a Half Men," playing a heartbroken Internet billionaire with a penchant for walking around nude, were kind and suggested that the series -- a cash cow for both CBS and program makers Warner Bros television -- was far from dead.

"Kutcher's performance was good, nearly as poker-faced fine as Sheen's was ... Kutcher will probably prove just as skilled," wrote Entertainment Weekly's Ken Tucker.

TV Guide's Matt Roush said that judging by first impressions the revamped "Men" will "will survive both Charlies just fine for at least a little while longer."

The Los Angeles Times called the premiere "a promising beginning" adding that "Kutcher brings a softness to a series that could be brittle and sour, misanthropic and misogynistic, and temperamentally middle-aged."

Sheen had been the highest-paid actor on U.S. television before being fired in March after an insulting tirade against the show's creators and producers that followed months of partying and attempts at rehab.

Sheen and Warner Bros are said to be close to a settlement of the actor's $100 million lawsuit over his firing. Sheen has also made a number of contrite appearances in the past week, including delivering an awkward mea culpa at the Primetime Emmy Awards show on Sunday.



reuters

3-D 'Lion King' feels the love with $29.3M opening (BLOG)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — It's 1994 all over again, with a re-release of "The Lion King" opening at the top of the box office.

A 3-D version of the wildly popular Disney animated musical earned a surprising $29.3 million in its first weekend in theaters, according to Sunday estimates. The original film made more than $40 million when it opened nationwide 17 years ago.

This huge number stunned many people, including the folks at Disney, who figured "The Lion King" would make somewhere between $10 million and $12 million, said Dave Hollis, the studio's executive vice president of distribution.

He said the movie remains relevant and as entertaining as it was when it first came out.

"But taking a page from the movie, there is a 'circle of life' thing happening," he said, referring to one of the film's themes. "You have children of the '90s who are now parents of the 2010s and they themselves are taking their kids to share what was, for them, a great experience two decades ago."

It also helps that there aren't many options for families at the multiplex right now, said Paul Dergarabedian, box-office analyst for Hollywood.com.

"The post-summer period brings a preponderance of R-rated films and more challenging, esoteric, Oscar-caliber fare," he said. "For kids this is like a dream come true and for parents to be able to revisit 'The Lion King' — especially in 3-D, even though 3-D has taken a bad rap over the past year — just tells you the power that this movie has, how strong it resonates with people."

Hollis said that while the film was also available in 2-D, 92 percent of the opening weekend's business came from 3-D showings.

The story of a wrongly exiled lion prince (voiced by Jonathan Taylor Thomas as a cub and Matthew Broderick as an adult) who must return home to claim his throne, "The Lion King" was the second-highest-grossing film of 1994, behind "Forrest Gump."

It ranks fourth on the all-time animated list with over $784 million. It earned Academy Awards for Hans Zimmer's original score and for original song for Elton John and Tim Rice's "Can You Feel the Love Tonight."

Last week's No. 1 movie, Steven Soderbergh's "Contagion," dropped a spot in its second weekend. The Warner Bros. viral thriller made about $14.5 million for a total of $44.2 million.

Among the other new releases, the critical darling "Drive" came in at No. 3 with just over $11 million. Ryan Gosling stars as a stoic wheelman in the retro action picture from FilmDistrict.

"Straw Dogs," a remake of the 1971 Sam Peckinpah thriller from Sony Screen Gems, opened in fifth place with only $5 million. It stars James Marsden and Kate Bosworth as a married couple under siege in the rural South.

"I Don't Know How She Does It," based on the best-seller of the same name, came in at No. 6 with just $4.5 million. The Weinstein Co. comedy stars Sarah Jessica Parker as a wife and mother of two struggling to balance her home life with her demanding job.

Dergarabedian said such disappointing showings aren't all that surprising this time of year. Last weekend was the slowest so far this year at the box office.

"It's been tough marketplace for wide releases. The newcomers are being met with some indifference," he said. "The audience was obviously a family audience that took over the multiplex this weekend."

___

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. "The Lion King 3D," $29.3 million. ($700,000 international.)

2. "Contagion," $14.5 million. ($1.3 million international.)

3. "Drive," $11 million.

4. "The Help," $6.4 million. ($1.1 million international.)

5. "Straw Dogs," $5 million.

6. "I Don't Know How She Does It," $4.5 million. ($800,000 international.)

7. "The Debt," $2.9 million. ($1 million international.)

8. "Warrior," $2.8 million. ($400,000 international.)

9. "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," $2.6 million.

10. "Colombiana," $2.3 million.

___

Estimated weekend ticket sales at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada), according to Rentrak:

1. "The Smurfs," $17.3 million.

2. "Johnny English Reborn," $11.7 million.

3. "Friends With Benefits," $9.2 million.

4. "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," $7.8 million.

5. "Final Destination 5," $6.5 million.

6. "Captain America: The First Avenger," $5.1 million.

7. "Crazy Stupid Love," $4.7 million.

8. "Horrible Bosses," $4.2 million.

9. "Cowboys & Aliens," $4 million.

10. "Mannerherzen 2," $3.5 million.

Ashton Kutcher Using Social Media to "Set Record Straight" on New TV Role (BLOG)

Ashton Kutcher officially joins the cast of Two and a Half Men on Monday. The social media savvy actor, investor and activist penned an op-ed for USA Today explaining the reasons he took the role on the hit sitcom.

Notably, it was Kutcher's social media savvy, including his 7.6 million followers on Twitter, that helped convince the actor to take the job.

[More from Mashable: Watch the 2011 Emmys Live with Mashable]

He writes,


"When I really broke down the decision to take the job, there were so many rewards and few risks — except maybe one: I was stepping into a media frenzy. But I figured I could temper that a bit by keeping the lines of communication open with my social media presence. I can always set the record straight."

[More from Mashable: The Charlie Sheen Roast: Comedy Central’s Ambitious Social Media Experiment]

The "media frenzy" that Kutcher is referring to is the fallout from former Two and a Half Men star Charlie Sheen's very public exitfrom the show. In the wake of his suspension and subsequent firing, Sheen took to social media, performed one-man shows in clubs across the country and has coined a number of memes.

The Charlie Sheen media circus is something Kutcher, CBS and the show producers are all going to have to deal with head-on. Fittingly,Comedy Central's Charlie Sheen Roast will air 30 minutes after the season premiere of Two and a Half Men. (We should point out the fortunate timing of this programming decision was not accidental: Viacom and CBS are sister companies.) It will be important for Kutcher to own the messaging behind his own brand, as well as the brand of the show, to keep the attention on the product and not the larger media story.

As Christy Tanner, general manager and executive vice president ofTV Guide Digital told us back in May, "Two and a Half Men won't live or die by social media. The show will continue to be successful if fans continue to find the show funny."

Rumor has it that Charlie Sheen will be attending Sunday's 63rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards.

What impact do you think Kutcher's presence is going to have onTwo and a Half Men? Do you think his social graph will help get the right message out to audiences? Let us know.

This story originally published on Mashable here.

Complete list of winners from Emmy broadcast (BLOG)

List of winners at Sunday's 63rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences:

— Drama Series: "Mad Men," AMC.

— Actress, Drama Series: Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife," CBS.

— Actor, Drama Series: Kyle Chandler, "Friday Night Lights," DirecTV/NBC.

— Supporting Actor, Drama Series: Peter Dinklage, "Game of Thrones," HBO.

— Supporting Actress, Drama Series: Margo Martindale, "Justified," FX.

— Writing, Drama Series: Jason Katims, "Friday Night Lights," NBC.

— Directing, Drama Series: Martin Scorsese, "Boardwalk Empire," HBO.

— Comedy Series: "Modern Family," ABC.

— Actor, Comedy Series: Jim Parsons, "The Big Bang Theory," CBS.

— Actress, Comedy Series: Melissa McCarthy, "Mike & Molly," CBS.

— Supporting Actress, Comedy Series: Julie Bowen, "Modern Family," ABC.

— Supporting Actor, Comedy Series: Ty Burrell, "Modern Family," ABC.


Click image to see more photos




— Writing, Comedy Series: Steven Levitan and Jeffrey Richman, "Modern Family," ABC.

— Directing, Comedy Series: Michael Spiller, "Modern Family," ABC.

— Miniseries or Movie: "Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)," PBS.

— Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Kate Winslet, "Mildred Pierce," HBO.

— Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Barry Pepper, "The Kennedys," ReelzChannel.

— Supporting Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Maggie Smith, "Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)," PBS.

— Supporting Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Guy Pearce, "Mildred Pierce," HBO.

— Directing, Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special: Brian Percival, "Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)," PBS.

— Writing, Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special: Julian Fellowes, "Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)," PBS.

— Reality-Competition Program: "The Amazing Race," CBS.

— Variety, Music or Comedy Series: "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart," Comedy Central.

— Directing, Variety, Music or Comedy Series: Don Roy King, "Saturday Night Live," NBC.

— Writing, Variety, Music or Comedy Series: "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart," Comedy Central.

Netflix Might Be in Big Trouble (BLOG)

COMMENTARY | The ongoing saga that is the Netflix price hike has not turned into a film with a happy ending, at least not yet. In fact, this story seems to have all the makings of a tragedy. Netflix changed their outlook on how many subscribers they will lose to nearly one million, which caused their stock to drop almost 20 percent. Apparently, the folks on Wall Street are subscribers to the popular service as well. Unless Netflix makes some changes, those subscriber totals are not going to get any bigger or better.

Netflix seems to be caught in bit of a difficult situation. The streaming library that the company offers is spotty at best, sure there is some quality but it is not top rate. Starz recently pulled out of talks to renew their agreement to allow Netflix to offer their programs, which could lead to more customer defections.

The other side, similar to the Starz problem, is that Hollywood Studios want more money for their shows as well. The only way Netflix can raise the funds to acquire better shows is to increase prices, and the two tiered pricing plan is not exactly being well received.

Sure, Netflix is holding subscribers for now, but the silence of the company is what is disturbing. If they were to announce some sort of improvement to the streaming catalog, maybe some fears would be extinguished. However, the company has remained silent, which could mean there are no plans to improve anything. How many customers are sticking around until the next big thing comes along?

Redbox kiosks are going to be getting a bit more of a workout, and other streaming options are bound to be explored by customers. If Google does purchase Hulu, that puts a competitor with a lot of money to spend on content into the game. Netflix had their time in the sun, and perhaps it is time for a new company to take streaming video to the next level.

The cat is pretty much out of the bag for Netflix. Unless improvements are made, they can likely anticipate shedding paying customers for the next few months. Even HBO and HBOGO are experiencing success. The point is that consumers want content at a favorable price, and they are willing to go elsewhere to get it. Up until now choices were limited, but all of that can change very quickly. So can the stock price of a company.

Bail bondsman sues over "Dog the Bounty Hunter" (BLOG)

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — Colorado Springs bail bondsman Bobby Brown is suing the creators of the A&E television show "Dog the Bounty Hunter" for more than $75,000 in damages.

The lawsuit filed on Wednesday against A&E, Hybrid Films and D&D Television says Brown appeared in more than 40 shows of "Dog the Bounty Hunter." It says he was paid $6,000 for his contributions but wasn't compensated for each Colorado episode.

KRDO-TV in Colorado Springs reports (http://bit.ly/qooBTN) Brown feels the network and the show's creators used his likeness for their own gain without properly compensating him and made false promises that led him to focus on the show instead of his bail bonds business.

KRDO reported that A&E hadn't returned its phone calls seeking comment Friday.

Mary J. Blige Covers Ebony Magazine, Compares Herself To Amy Winehouse (BLOG, PHOTOS)

Mary J. Blige Covers Ebony, Recalls Amy Winehouse

Mary J. Blige graces the cover of the October issue of Ebony magazine and discusses her life and the death of Amy Winehouse.

Mary says that Amy's passing touched her so much because it could have been her.

"I got up and read the message about her death and just lay back down again. I kept getting up and laying back down for some reason. I'd always wanted to work with Amy, so I just couldn't believe it, really" said the queen of hip-hop soul.

Mary is getting ready to release her tenth studio album My Life II: The Journey Continues.

hiphopwired

Tyler Perry ranks as top earner in Hollywood in latest "Forbes" survey (BLOG)

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Multi-talented Tyler Perry has topped a list of entertainment's highest-paid men who are selected by Forbes magazine, beating out big-names including producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Steven Spielberg in a surprise.

The actor, who is also known as an established director, playwright, screenwriter, producer, author and songwriter, grossed 130 million U.S. dollars from May 2010 to this May as the highest- paid men on a star-studded list, the magazine announced on its website.

As one of the two actors who have made their way into the top ten highest-paid entertainers, Perry made money mainly through five movies he has made over the past two years, including "Madea' s Big Happy Family," "Why Did I Get Married Too?" and "For Colored Girls."

He also made two television series, "Meet the Browns" and " House of Payne."

The other actor who made the directors, producers and TV personalities-dominated list is Leonardo DiCaprio, who ranks eighth with a haul of 77 million dollars. He was supported by two blockbuster films including "Shutter Island" and "Inception" which reaped a combined 1.1 billion dollars in movie tickets worldwide.

Ranking in second is Jerry Bruckheimer who has made 113 million dollars during the period. The producer, although suffering from two box office flops including "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" and " Prince of Persia," has made up the loss this summer with the showing of "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," the fourth installment on the popular adventure-fantasy franchise which raked in 1 billion dollars from the global markets.

Steven Spielberg, who's back directing movies after a three- year hiatus, made 107 million dollars, ending in third place.

The only musician on the list, 64-year-old rock'n'roller Elton John, was fourth with 100 million dollars.

Rounding out the top five is Simon Cowell, a British judge known for his blunt and often controversial criticisms, insults and wisecracks about contestants and their abilities. The former " American Idol" judge has made 90 million dollars.

Kardashians Mocked (BLOG,VIDEO)

(Yahoo! Buzz) — News anchors are supposed to read the news, not make it. But we're more than happy to make an exception for two reporters from Philadelphia's Fox 29 morning show, "Good Day."

After interviewing Kim and Kourtney Kardashian on the air,Mike Jerrick and Sheinelle Jones thought the cameras had stopped rolling. They hadn't.

As soon as they said their goodbyes to the Kardashians, who were promoting a line of clothes, the anchors began making fun of the two sisters. "Can they still hear us?" asks Jerrick. He then proceeds to mock the reality stars for their high-pitched voices and affinity for shoulder pads.

Jones half-heartedly attempts to defend the sisters, saying, "I think they're stunning." But even she can't keep a straight face as her cohort continues speaking in a nasally Kardashian-like voice, a bit like a Smurf who had inhaled helium.

Yes, yes, we know. Making fun of others is wrong. Except when it's the Kardashians. Then it's hilarious. Enjoy!

Singer Heather Headley to Play Lead in 'The Bodyguard' Stage Musical (BLOG)

Soul/R&B singer Heather Headley has been summoned to fill Whitney Houston’s classic film role when she stars in the stage musical adaptation of 'The Bodyguard' in London.

The “In My Mind” hitmaker, who led a workshop for the musical last month, has been greenlit for a second for January 2012, reports The Daily Mail.

The Musical is expected to open at the end of 2012 in the West End (London) and will be produced by Thea Sharrock.

Headley, who was born in Trinidad, previously won acclaim for her role of Nala in The Lion King and as Aida on Broadway. She won a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for Aida.



singersroom

Christina Aguilera Won't Be Axed From The Voice (BLOG)

Earlier today we reported on the news that Christina Aguilera was set to be axed from The Voice. However, the reports have turned out to be false.

Claiming the rumours that Christina is going to be replaced in season three of the popular talent show, as "baseless", NBC executive vice president, Paul Telegdy said:

"There is absolutely no truth to the rumour."

So Christina will be back with coaches Adam Levine, Blake Shelton and Cee-Lo Green when The Voice returns to our screens for the new season.

Christina has remained tight-lipped about the rumours and hasn't been on Twitter since seeing Adele perform in LA last month.

Are you glad that Christina's staying?

'All My Children' star Mary Fickett dies at 83 (BLOG)

Soap star Mary Fickett has died at her home in Virginia. She was 83.

The actress was an original "All My Children" cast member, winning an Emmy for her role as Ruth Brent Martin.

Also a regular on Broadway, Fickett appeared in plays such as "Tea & Sympathy." She was nominated for a Tony Award in 1958 for her portrayal of Eleanor Roosevelt in "Sunrise at Campobello."

Producers of "All My Children" are planning to dedicate the Sept. 21 episode to Fickett. The long-running series will air its final episode two days later.



wenn

Leila Lopes of Angola Is Crowned Miss Universe (BLOG)

Newly crowned Miss Universe Leila Lopes wants to help her native Angola further escape a history of war and impoverishment and said she plans to focus on combating HIV around the globe.

Speaking in a timid voice early Tuesday shortly after taking the crown in South America's largest city, the 25-year-old Lopes said that "as Miss Angola I've already done a lot to help my people."

"I've worked with various social causes. I work with poor kids, I work in the fight against HIV. I work to protect the elderly and I have to do everything that my country needs," she said. "I think now as Miss Universe I will be able to do much more."

Responding to questions, Lopes said that she has never had cosmetic surgery of any kind and that her three tips for beauty were to get a lot of sleep, use sunblock even when it's not sunny and to drink lots of water. She said her smile was her best weapon in the competition.

Asked about racism in light of the fact that she's one of the few blacks ever crowned Miss Universe, Lopes said that "any racist needs to seek help."

"It's not normal in the 21st century to think in that way."

Lopes is Angola's first winner. She beat out 88 other competitors to win the title during the 60th anniversary of the world's biggest beauty pageant. She replaces last year's winner, Ximena Navarrete of Mexico
She deftly handled the interview question that is asked of the remaining top five contestants. She was questioned about what physical trait she would change if she could.

"Thank God I'm very satisfied with the way God created me and I wouldn't change a thing," Lopes said. "I consider myself a woman endowed with inner beauty. I have acquired many wonderful principles from my family and I intend to follow these for the rest of my life."

The first runner-up was 23-year-old Olesia Stefanko of Ukraine and the second runner-up was Priscila Machado of Brazil. The third was Miss Philippines and the fourth Miss China.

Contestants spent the past three weeks in Sao Paulo, trying to learn samba dance steps, visiting impoverished children and kicking a football around for cameras as the Miss Universe pageant came to Brazil for the first time.

Despite battling against a home-country favorite, Lopes won over the audience, speaking in the shared language of Portuguese. Angola, like Brazil, is a former Portuguese colony.

"She captivated the crowd and we were all behind her," said Brazilian Natalie Bursztyn, 20, who was in the crowd inside Credicard Hall where the event took place. "It was great that the judges also saw what the fans saw and gave her the crown. Her dress was beautiful and she knew exactly what to say when they asked her the question about her looks."

Another fan in the audience, Carolina Rocha, said Lopes' win was "well deserved, we were cheering for her all along."

"Her smile and her friendliness was what set her apart from the others," Rocha said. "She also answered her question very well. That likely helped her a lot."

U.S. broadcast journalist Connie Chung was one of the celebrity judges, and said before the competition that she was taking the contest seriously.

"I know my job and I'll be tough, but fair," Chung said. "You have to keep in mind that these women are not objects just to be looked at. They're to be taken seriously. I want to choose somebody I take seriously and the world takes seriously, too."

Paula Shugart, president of the Miss Universe organization, was hyped-up for the night.

"It's our 60th anniversary, it's a very big show," she said. "We're anticipating close to a billion viewers from around the world."

Shugart said it was fitting the globe's biggest beauty pageant be held in Brazil at this time, as the nation prepares to host some major events in the coming years.

"I don't think there is any doubt in the rest of the world's mind that Brazil is the place, between hosting the Olympics and hosting the World Cup," she said. "I love the fact we're going to kick it off. I always say we're the 'World Cup' of beauty."

The contestants must never have been married or had children and must be at least 18 years of age and under 27 years of age by Feb. 1 of the competition year.

The pageant, hosted by NBC "Today" anchor Natalie Morales and the Bravo network's Andy Cohen, was broadcast live on NBC and distributed to about 170 countries. The contest is co-owned by Donald Trump and NBC, and the celebrity judges included Chung and two prominent Brazilians, supermodel Isabeli Fontana and Indy race car driver Helio Castroneves.

Morales, who is half Brazilian, said that "what's most important is for the women to be beautiful inside and out."

For Cohen, the task of hosting was an easy one.

"It's a fun job. All I have to do is stand there, smile and scream the names of countries," he said.

Sharply dressed women and men jostled for chances to have their photos taken with stars on the red carpet. Some traveled from across the globe to support contestants.

There were no headline-grabbing gaffes going into this year's competition, as opposed to past years, which have seen controversies of various stripes. The show itself went off without a hitch.

Miss USA Alyssa Campanella, from California, failed to end a long losing spell for the U.S. in the competition. An American has not been named Miss Universe since Brook Lee won the title in 1997.

The pageant started as a local bathing suit revue in Long Beach, California, organized by a swimwear company.



AP

Playboy goes retro, slashes price to 60 cents (BLOG)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - It was among the most exciting periods of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner's life, so what could be better in a bad economy than to retrace the 1960s' good times and give readers a break on the price of his magazine?

Hefner is slashing the cost of Playboy's October issue, which hits newsstands this Friday, to 60 cents. His editors have styled the men's magazine with retro look matching 1961, when the first Playboy Club was founded, and linked it to the debut of TV show "The Playboy Club" by putting star Laura Benanti on the cover -- and inside the pages.

"It's hard to put into words the fact that, obviously, everything changed for me in that time frame," Hefner told Reuters. And that statement from a man who has made words one of the centerpieces of his life.

The octogenarian known as "Hef" who embodies a stylish life of posh nightclubs, wild parties, men's fashion, free speech and, of course, naked women, said that six years after he founded the magazine in 1953, his life changed quickly.

The magazine that made its biggest splash publishing nude pictures of Marilyn Monroe was, by that time, being read by millions. From late 1959 through 1960, he held his first jazz festival, hosted his first TV show and opened his initial Playboy Mansion in Chicago.

"Those were some of the best and most romantic years of my life," Hef said.

There is no doubt Hef will take a bath at newsstands with the October issue. But Playboy makes more money from subscriptions, and Hef said he expects to significantly make up the losses with increased advertising.

Editorial director Jimmy Jellinek said ad pages are up 70 percent for the October issue compared with last year, well beyond the 16 percent year-to-date boost the magazine had already seen in 2011. Moreover, the book has lured new advertisers in fashion, grooming and entertainment.

"This issue is a love letter to vintage Playboy," Jellinek said, "At the same time, we're also being relentlessly modern."

BROADWAY'S BUNNY

Indeed, among the hottest fashion trends for men are retro looks inspired by TV shows such as "Mad Men," which no doubt was an inspiration for other period programs like NBC's new "The Playboy Club," a fictional primetime drama about what goes on behind the scenes of one of the '60s-era nightclubs.

The October issue is inspired by that lifestyle with a 10-page spread featuring original Playboy "Bunnies," women who worked at the clubs, and an "insider's guide" that offers the chance to win a trip for two to the current Playboy Club at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

Benanti, 32, an actress and singer who won Broadway's Tony for a revival of "Gypsy" and stars in TV's new "Playboy Club," slips into one of the Bunny costumes for the cover, then sheds some of her clothing for pictures inside the issue.

"I was nervous, but everybody made me feel comfortable," she said of her photo shoot with little more than a scarf.

The performer hadn't aspired to be a Playboy model. "Never. Never, never, never. My focus was being on Broadway...on my talent and never on my physical" looks.

But she talked with past models and "learned how much they loved the job and how much fun they were having," she said.

Where the TV show is concerned, Hef and Jellinek are excited about its September 19 premiere. If it's a hit for NBC, the publicity should bolster the magazine and real clubs, and if it's a miss, they don't see it as harming the Playboy brand.

As for criticism from conservative groups and activists, including long-time Hefner detractor, feminist Gloria Steinem, who have called upon viewers to boycott the show because they claim the magazine and the program objectify women, Hef has been hearing that since 1953. He sees their calls as little more than trying to get publicity for their own causes.

"I recognize there is a need to get publicity, so one has a certain motivation," he said. "I understand why Gloria would say the things she is saying because nobody remembers her, and I find that sad because I think she is a well-meaning lady."

Rihanna Tapped For Guest Judge Appearance on X Factor USA (BLOG)

Pop star Rihanna is the latest superstar tapped for a guest judge appearance on the upcoming debut season of X factor USA. The “Only Girl” star will appear courtesy of L.A. Reid and will help decide which contestants to send through to the live shows.

Reid signed Rihanna to Def Jam in 2005 and has been one of her biggest champion in her successful and illustrious music career.

As a newly announced guest judge, Rihanna will join the already confirmed Mariah Carey, who will be by Simon Cowell’s side.

X Factor USA premieres on September 21. Fans received an early extended preview of the show following Sunday night’s NFL Football game between the NY Jets and Dallas Cowboys.



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