Lindsay Lohan Thinks She's Madonna

(from popeater.com)

Well, this takes the cake in arrogance.

Lindsay Lohan is reportedly suing the financial company E-Trade, insisting that the company's new commercial about a boyfriend-stealing, "milkaholic" baby — who happens to be named Lindsay — was modeled after her. Lohan reportedly wants $100 million, The NY Post reports.

This is the part that really gets me: Lohan's lawyer, Stephanie Ovadia, told the newspaper that the actress has the same single-name recognition as Oprah or Madonna. "Many celebrities are known by one name only, and E-Trade is using that knowledge to profit," Ovadia said.

Lindsay has made one good movie in her life (Mean Girls) and is known primarily for her boozing and pill-popping. To even put her in a league with Oprah and Madonna?!? Oprah and Madonna are the ones who should be suing!

Go E-Trade! I am on your side!!

(Sorry for the brief foray into op-ed territory, but this news really irked me.)

Brooke Burke to Co-Host DWTS

(from people.com)

Brooke Burke is set to co-host Dancing With the Stars alongside Tom Bergeron, it was announced Monday on Good Morning America.

Burke, who partnered with Derek Hough (pictured) to win on Dancing's seventh season, will replace Samantha Harris, who announced in January that she was leaving the show.

"She'll be able to talk to the couples backstage with the perspective of having been there herself," said Bergeron, who made the announcement solo Monday morning, adding that Burke was still on vacation in Africa with her family.

Winners: 82nd Academy Awards

Nominees and Winners (in bold) for the 82nd Academy Awards

Actor in a Leading Role
* Jeff Bridges in “Crazy Heart”
* George Clooney in “Up in the Air”
* Colin Firth in “A Single Man”
* Morgan Freeman in “Invictus”
* Jeremy Renner in “The Hurt Locker”

Actor in a Supporting Role
* Matt Damon in “Invictus”
* Woody Harrelson in “The Messenger”
* Christopher Plummer in “The Last Station”
* Stanley Tucci in “The Lovely Bones”
* Christoph Waltz in “Inglourious Basterds”

Actress in a Leading Role

* Sandra Bullock in “The Blind Side”
* Helen Mirren in “The Last Station”
* Carey Mulligan in “An Education”
* Gabourey Sidibe in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
* Meryl Streep in “Julie & Julia”

Actress in a Supporting Role
* Penélope Cruz in “Nine”
* Vera Farmiga in “Up in the Air”
* Maggie Gyllenhaal in “Crazy Heart”
* Anna Kendrick in “Up in the Air”
* Mo’Nique in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”

Animated Feature Film
* “Coraline” Henry Selick
* “Fantastic Mr. Fox” Wes Anderson
* “The Princess and the Frog” John Musker and Ron Clements
* “The Secret of Kells” Tomm Moore
* “Up” Pete Docter

Art Direction
* “Avatar” Art Direction: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg; Set Decoration: Kim Sinclair
* “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” Art Direction: Dave Warren and Anastasia Masaro; Set Decoration: Caroline Smith
* “Nine” Art Direction: John Myhre; Set Decoration: Gordon Sim
* “Sherlock Holmes” Art Direction: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer
* “The Young Victoria” Art Direction: Patrice Vermette; Set Decoration: Maggie Gray

Cinematography
* “Avatar” Mauro Fiore
* “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” Bruno Delbonnel
* “The Hurt Locker” Barry Ackroyd
* “Inglourious Basterds” Robert Richardson
* “The White Ribbon” Christian Berger

Costume Design
* “Bright Star” Janet Patterson
* “Coco before Chanel” Catherine Leterrier
* “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” Monique Prudhomme
* “Nine” Colleen Atwood
* “The Young Victoria” Sandy Powell

Directing
* “Avatar” James Cameron
* “The Hurt Locker” Kathryn Bigelow (pictured)
* “Inglourious Basterds” Quentin Tarantino
* “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Lee Daniels
* “Up in the Air” Jason Reitman

Best Picture
* “Avatar” James Cameron and Jon Landau, Producers
* “The Blind Side” Gil Netter, Andrew A. Kosove and Broderick Johnson, Producers
* “District 9” Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham, Producers
* “An Education” Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey, Producers
* “The Hurt Locker” Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal, Nicolas Chartier and Greg Shapiro, Producers
* “Inglourious Basterds” Lawrence Bender, Producer
* “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness and Gary Magness, Producers
* “A Serious Man” Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, Producers
* “Up” Jonas Rivera, Producer
* “Up in the Air” Daniel Dubiecki, Ivan Reitman and Jason Reitman, Producers

Documentary (Feature)
* “Burma VJ” Anders Østergaard and Lise Lense-Møller
* “The Cove” Louie Psihoyos and Fisher Stevens
* “Food, Inc.” Robert Kenner and Elise Pearlstein
* “The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers” Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith
* “Which Way Home” Rebecca Cammisa

Documentary (Short Subject)
* “China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province” Jon Alpert and Matthew O’Neill
* “The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner” Daniel Junge and Henry Ansbacher
* “The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant” Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert
* “Music by Prudence” Roger Ross Williams and Elinor Burkett
* “Rabbit à la Berlin” Bartek Konopka and Anna Wydra

Film Editing
* “Avatar” Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua and James Cameron
* “District 9” Julian Clarke
* “The Hurt Locker” Bob Murawski and Chris Innis
* “Inglourious Basterds” Sally Menke
* “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Joe Klotz

Foreign Language Film
* “Ajami” Israel
* “The Milk of Sorrow (La Teta Asustada)” Peru
* “A Prophet (Un Prophète)” France
* “The Secret in Their Eyes (El Secreto de Sus Ojos)” Argentina
* “The White Ribbon (Das Weisse Band)” Germany

Makeup
* “Il Divo” Aldo Signoretti and Vittorio Sodano
* “Star Trek” Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow
* “The Young Victoria” Jon Henry Gordon and Jenny Shircore

Music (Original Score)
* “Avatar” James Horner
* “Fantastic Mr. Fox” Alexandre Desplat
* “The Hurt Locker” Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders
* “Sherlock Holmes” Hans Zimmer
* “Up” Michael Giacchino

Music (Original Song)
* “Almost There” from “The Princess and the Frog” Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
* “Down in New Orleans” from “The Princess and the Frog” Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
* “Loin de Paname” from “Paris 36” Music by Reinhardt Wagner Lyric by Frank Thomas
* “Take It All” from “Nine” Music and Lyric by Maury Yeston
* “The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)” from “Crazy Heart” Music and Lyric by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett

Short Film (Animated)
* “French Roast” Fabrice O. Joubert
* “Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty” Nicky Phelan and Darragh O’Connell
* “The Lady and the Reaper (La Dama y la Muerte)” Javier Recio Gracia
* “Logorama” Nicolas Schmerkin
* “A Matter of Loaf and Death” Nick Park

Short Film (Live Action)
* “The Door” Juanita Wilson and James Flynn
* “Instead of Abracadabra” Patrik Eklund and Mathias Fjellström
* “Kavi” Gregg Helvey
* “Miracle Fish” Luke Doolan and Drew Bailey
* “The New Tenants” Joachim Back and Tivi Magnusson

Sound Editing
* “Avatar” Christopher Boyes and Gwendolyn Yates Whittle
* “The Hurt Locker” Paul N.J. Ottosson
* “Inglourious Basterds” Wylie Stateman
* “Star Trek” Mark Stoeckinger and Alan Rankin
* “Up” Michael Silvers and Tom Myers

Sound Mixing
* “Avatar” Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers, Andy Nelson and Tony Johnson
* “The Hurt Locker” Paul N.J. Ottosson and Ray Beckett
* “Inglourious Basterds” Michael Minkler, Tony Lamberti and Mark Ulano
* “Star Trek” Anna Behlmer, Andy Nelson and Peter J. Devlin
* “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers and Geoffrey Patterson

Visual Effects
* “Avatar” Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham and Andrew R. Jones
* “District 9” Dan Kaufman, Peter Muyzers, Robert Habros and Matt Aitken
* “Star Trek” Roger Guyett, Russell Earl, Paul Kavanagh and Burt Dalton

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
* “District 9” Written by Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell
* “An Education” Screenplay by Nick Hornby
* “In the Loop” Screenplay by Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche
* “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher
* “Up in the Air” Screenplay by Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner

Writing (Original Screenplay)

* “The Hurt Locker” Written by Mark Boal
* “Inglourious Basterds” Written by Quentin Tarantino
* “The Messenger” Written by Alessandro Camon & Oren Moverman
* “A Serious Man” Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
* “Up” Screenplay by Bob Peterson, Pete Docter, Story by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson, Tom McCarthy

Breakout Hit Drop Dead Dive Returns for Season 2

The highly anticipated second season of Lifetime Television’s hit series, Drop Dead Diva, will premiere Sunday, June 6, 2010, at 9pm ET/PT. Praised by critics as one of 2009’s top new series, the one-hour, comedic drama tells the story of a shallow wannabe model who dies in a sudden accident only to find her soul resurfacing in the body of a brilliant, plus-size and recently deceased attorney, Jane.

Drop Dead Diva features breakout star Brooke Elliott (Wicked, Taboo), Margaret Cho (Ghost Whisperer, Notorious C.H.O.), Jackson Hurst (The Tree of Life), Kate Levering (Cashmere Mafia), April Bowlby (Two and a Half Men), Josh Stamberg (Lie to Me) and Ben Feldman (The Perfect Man). The second season of Drop Dead Diva will feature 13 new episodes.

Drop Dead Diva’s season two opener will feature entertainer Paula Abdul (American Idol) reprising her role as “Judge Paula Abdul,” a figment of Jane’s subconscious. Devon Gummersall (My So-Called Life) and David Denman (The Office) return as guest stars this season. The premiere episode will also feature a musical dream sequence, choreographed by So You Think You Can Dance’s Keith “Tyce” Diorio.

Season one of Drop Dead Diva will be encored beginning April 11, behind original episodes of Army Wives with back-to-back episodes at 11pm ET/PT and 12am ET/PT through May 23. Additionally, on Sunday, May 30, Lifetime will air an all-day marathon of the first season of Drop Dead Diva from 10am to 11pm ET/PT.

Michael Welch on Music

Uncorked Virtual Wine and Cheese Party

Interview: Taylor Hicks — A Renaissance Man

Celebrity Extra: What was the impetus for your deciding to audition for American Idol back in 2005?


Taylor Hicks: It was really fate. I went to Las Vegas on a whim and my brother told me Idol tryouts were there. So about four hour later I was there auditioning. It wasn’t something that I said I needed to go do; it was something that just happened. Luckily, by the grace of God, I went in and won.

CE: How awesome was it for you when Simon had to admit he was wrong about his prediction that you’d never make it to the final round?

TH: You have to let your actions speak louder than your words, so to speak, that’s the key. And I just did that. And when you get toward the end of the competition, it’s not really about the judges. It’s about the fan base and about who does well that night.

CE: How did the term “Soul Patrol” start in referring to your fan base?

TH: It was an organic thing, really. They are just a great fan base. I am very happy and blessed to have a fan base that is so supportive of me.

CE: Aside from winning American Idol, you really know you’ve made it when a cast member on Saturday Night Live imitates you. How did you feel about Jason Sudeikis’ impersonation of you a few years back?

TH: I thought it was spot-on. I wish he had done more — it was hilarious. It’s pretty flattering when that happens. With that being said, I am very fortunate to have these opportunities come my way.

CE: Now you are playing Teen Angel in Grease, which is currently touring in the U.S. How has the experience been so far? (Go to taylorhicks.ning.com/events/event/listUpcoming for tour info.)

TH: It’s been great. It’s allowed me to get into acting and understand role-playing. It’s just a great starting point for me in the acting field.

CE: How’s life on the road?

TH: I love the road. It’s nice to be able to be in one spot for an extended amount of time, as opposed to doing music shows where they are just one-night runs.

CE: Looks like you are up in D.C. now (at the time of the interview). How’s that blizzard treating ya?

TH: I don’t mind there being snow, because I never saw a lot of it before. It’s good to experience all kinds of different weather, and all different parts of the country too.

CE: Anything can happen during a live show — do you have any funny stories or audience encounters?

TH: My fly has been down during “Beauty School Dropout,” which is pretty hilarious. That’s a definite wardrobe malfunction.

CE: What can fans who are contemplating coming to see Grease expect? Why should they come out?

TH: For those who’ve seen the movie and not the play, it’s the best of both worlds. There’s “Hopelessly Devoted” and “Greased Lightning,” and they integrate some of the movie into the Broadway show, so it’s really the best of both worlds. It’s a lot like the movie.

CE: Tell me about your concert DVD, Whomp at the Warfield. Is this your first concert DVD?

TH: Yes, it’s my first concert DVD. I am just really pleased about it.

CE: Why did you decide now is the time to make a concert DVD?

TH: It shows me in a live setting, which is what I am good at. It’s where I thrive — that’s a good light for me to be in. I am really excited about it. I am really excited about the fact that people can see a really great live show in that setting.

CE: Who would you like to work with?

TH: Paul Simon would be a great collaboration for me. I really like his music. I would also like to a funk/R&B album with Lady Gaga. That’d be cool.

(Don't forget to enter Celebrity Extra's Whomp at the Warfield DVD contest. Details are here.)

Interview: JoBeth Williams Is "Uncorked"

JoBeth Williams, who got her big break in the biz playing Brandy Shelloe on “Guiding Light” and gained international success for her role in the supernatural thriller “Poltergeist,” is back on the small screen playing a winery owner in the Hallmark Channel original movie “Uncorked.” She co-stars alongside “Dexter’s” Julie Benz, Elliott Gould and Scott Elrod of “Men in Trees” fame. “Uncorked,” which is a romantic comedy about finding a passion that isn’t a paycheck, premieres Saturday, March 6 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, 8 p.m. CT (with encore showings throughout the weekend and the following week; see local listings for days and times).

As an actress with an already-busy schedule, what made JoBeth want to play the role of winery matriarch Sophia Browning? “It was really refreshing to read a script that I thought was really sweet, without being saccharin sweet. I loved the character. I loved the idea of this woman, as a sort of born-again hippie. She and her husband had been hippies in the old days, and they owned this vineyard. And I love Elliott (who plays her husband Paul) — Elliott happens to be a friend of mine — so the idea of us being a couple was fun.”

JoBeth was also reunited with Julie Benz, who plays Johnny. JoBeth tells me: “I’ve worked with Julie a couple of times. The first time was when I did a series with John Larroquette called ‘Payne’ some years ago for CBS, and Julie played our maid. And then I did four episodes of ‘Dexter,’ and I played her mom. So it was fun reuniting again. I adore her; she is a dear, terrific girl.”

While many things drew JoBeth to this film, the scenery was a big factor: “We filmed in the Santa Ynez in the Solvang area, which is a gorgeous area north of L.A., and shot in this wonderful vineyard. Everything seemed right about it, and it made me want to do it.”

Working with Elliott Gould was a big draw as well. “Elliott is just wonderful. He is very funny and has a very dry sense of humor. He just really has a great heart. He has a wonderful outlook on life; he’s very laid-back. He has a lot of wisdom. I love being around him and talking with him and spending time with him.”

JoBeth could see a bit of herself in Sophia, telling me: “I could certainly relate to wanting the best for my child and to see him be happy. I’ve seen my own kids go through their own ups and downs, and as a mother, you want to make it better. For Sophia, I think that was her driving force, to help her son get over the loss of his wife.

“And I think I have a certain amount of the old hippie in me. I went to college in the late ’60s/early ’70s. We were against the war, and were of the ‘make love, not war’ school of thought. I like that this woman made the choice to live not in a big urban situation. She just felt very earthy to me. That’s a part of me that I hope I have. I was raised in cities, but I was raised in Texas, so there’s a certain amount of connection to the earth. I really liked her Earth Mother quality.”

While a big message of the movie is finding a balance between your work life and your personal life, JoBeth hopes audiences take away this message: “I hope people take away a really positive feeling that family can ground you. I think a lot of the time, we don’t give our family connections the kind of credit they deserve, like how important they are to us and how much they mean to us. I think family makes all the difference.”

Yet ANOTHER Reason to Watch Parks & Recreation

(from eonline.com)

While NBC isn't commenting yet, Parks & Recreation boss Mike Schur just confirmed to Matt Mitovitch from Fancast that Rob Lowe is coming on the NBC show, saying, "It's a perfect fit."

No word yet on Rob's role, as it is still being finalized, but he will come on board in the second-to-last episode of the season and is slated for "a number of episodes stretching into season three."

After seeing he comedic chops in movies like Wayne's World, Thank You For Smoking and The Invention of Lying, I would agree with Mike Schur: Rob IS a perfect fit.

Teenaged me is high-pitched screaming right now.

Obama to Appear on America's Most Wanted

President Barack Obama is going to help TV's America's Most Wanted mark the milestone broadcast of its 1,000th episode. Obama will be interviewed by the show's host, John Walsh, on the episode airing 9 p.m. EST Saturday on Fox.

The president will discuss the show's impact in its 22 years as well as his administration's anti-crime initiatives, including those involving white-collar crime, Fox said Wednesday.

VIDEO: Presidential Reunion

Funny or Die's Presidential Reunion from Will Ferrell

New John Hughes Movie to Be Produced?

One of John Hughes' lost movies is reportedly set for a posthumous release.

Bosses at Paramount Pictures have purchased the rights to Hughes' unfilmed script, Grisby's Go Broke (although the editor in me wonders if it shouldn't be Grisbys, not Grisby's), about a dysfunctional Chicago family who loses all their money when the economy slumps.

Hughes quit Hollywood in 1994, but is said to have left behind boxes of notebooks and computer files containing film ideas and screenplays after his death last year.

Now The Breakfast Club filmmaker's lost script is set to go into production posthumously, with movie chiefs looking for a writer/director to update the screenplay and begin filming, according to Slashfilm.com.

(from imdb.com)

Robert Pattinson Is 'Bothered'

Julianne Moore Returns to As the World Turns

(from CBS Soaps In Depth)

Big-screen superstar Julianne Moore is returning to As the World Turns and the role of Frannie Hughes — if only for an episode — this spring. CBS is at last confirming the hottest rumor of the last few weeks — that Moore will make a special return to the soap that helped launch her career! The Oscar-nominated star played the dual roles of half sisters Frannie and Sabrina Hughes from 1985-’88 and won the Outstanding Ingenue Daytime Emmy in 1988, the year she exited the soap. While details regarding her stint are being closely guarded, it's likely Frannie's arrival will coincide with Bob and Kim's anniversary.

TAYLOR HICKS CONTEST

It’s time for another contest, with five copies of Taylor Hicks' Whomp at the Warfield DVD up for grabs. Just correctly answer this Taylor-related trivia question:

“What songs did Taylor sing in the ‘American Idol’ finale, which ultimately crowned him the winner?”

Send your answer to letters(at)cindyelavsky.com. Please include your full name and mailing address. Entries must be received by April 30. Five winners will be chosen and announced in a future column.