one2vue

NEW DR WHO & HIS BASIC INSTINCT : DAVID MORRISEY

2008-11-14T21:13:00.005Z

London

The new Dr Who has been unveiled as David Morrissey. The Liverpool born actor has previously starred in BBC shows such as Blackpool, Holding On, State of Play. In film he starred alongside Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct 2, playing a sexually obsessed cop. His first on screen sighting as Dr Who was in the annual charity telethon Children in Need for the BBC in the UK. The clip was a preview of the Christmas special due to be broadcast in December. In a clip he starred alongside the current Dr, David Tennant. One of the reasons not widely reported for Tennant's departure is concern about the show's obsessive fans.

image of david morrissey via www.sausagenet.org

to donate to bbc childen in need visit www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey

BARACK: WINS THE BLACK HOUSE

2008-11-05T15:53:00.005Z

Washington

In an historic and sometimes hysterical US election, the deserving victor has proven to be Barack Obama. The 44th President to be has won the most bitterly fought and most expensive election ever. The first time ever a person of colour has been made President of one of the most powerful countries in the world. He swept to victory on a campaign of change. His rival graciouslsy conceded defeat but John McCain's supporters booed like the bad losers they are at McCain's election night party. In contrast the mood in Chicago, the home state of Obama, the mood was ecstatic. Thousands attended his victory night at Grant Park. The cheered the change, they made the change happen. As of January 20th 2009, Barack Obama will be President of the USA. Time to change the name of the seat of power from The White House to The Black House in honour of the man of the moment: Barack Obama.

image of barackc obama via http://harmonyandhome.blogspot.com/

(G) ROSS HYPOCRISY OF BRAND AT BBC

2008-10-31T12:43:00.008Z

London

The creative fallout at UK broadcaster BBC over prank phone calls continues to rage as if offers light relief from the gloomy news about the global economy. In a nutshell, edgy comedian Brand,33, hosts a Radio 2 show where BBC 1 talk show host Ross, 47, was a guest. They behaved like drunken teens and made a crude phone call to the Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs, 78, about his granddaughter Georgina Baillie, 23, who is a former sexual partner/ conquest of sex addict Brand. It wasn't funny and there were just 2 complaints at the time of broadcast. This is where the BBC should have publicly apologised and said Brand is an edgy performer, not ever likely to be a cosy sitcom character. Jonathon Ross is clearly in male menopause territory where he realises that as an £18 million contracted BBC star he is more mainstream than edgy these days so no doubt felt like joshing with a younger presenter. However, in the questions about the generous contract Ross has for 3 years he did himself no favours at the BBC by saying "I'm worth 1,000 journalists " at a time when redundancies were being made.

Last Sunday UK mid market tabloid Mail on Sunday, which likes to think it is a bastion of standards for the middle classes, decided to whip up moral outrage about the story, no doubt egged on by Baillie's new publicist, Max Clifford or disgruntled former BBC journalists. Clifford is the dark puppetmaster behind a string of UK tabloid papers silly and faux outrage stories, usually involving sex and celebrities. Baillie is a burlesque dancer with a troupe called the Satanic Sluts and is rumoured to be a porn actress in a spanking film thereby ensuring salacious photos being available for the tabloids, especially the tit obsessed Sun.

To date since the story in the Mail on Sunday and other outlets there have been up to 30,000 complaints. The reason the BBC sometimes dither in these situations is that the UK has a viewing tax known as the TV licence fee, currently £140 per year which every household must have for viewing TV, including TV on the Internet.

In response to the furore raging across all media outlets ( must have been a very slow news week despite the US Election campaign and the global economy problems...) the BBC have sacked Brand from his radio show and suspended Ross for 12 weeks across all the BBC, including his BBC1 talk show, his BBC1 film show and his Radio 2 weekend show. Bearing in mind that at the time of broadcast there were just 2 complaints. Brand, a recent MTV awards host, is an edgy performer who has a loyal fan bas in the UK where he sells out on his stand up tours. The fact that the BBC has capitulated to the indignation of the priggish Mail on Sunday will be sending a very worrying message to the UK and global creative community.

Jonathon Ross next appearance for UK television apart from news programmes is scheduled to be the Comedy Awards on ITV1 sometime in December. UPDATE: ross pulls out of comedy awards, not wanting to be the butt of jokes

Russell Brand is started a new series of his show Ponderland this week (Friday ) on Channel 4. Of course Channel 4 is a part publicly funded broadcaster and no doubt the Mail on Sunday and its daily stablemate, Daily Mail will be training their bile on that broadcaster too.

These are interesting times indeed in the UK....

image of russell brand, andrew sachs and jonathon ross via http://www.thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/ nobody knows new york like the new york times, check their site and discover more

UK's BROWN: REFORM & REGULATION COMING

2008-10-27T10:18:00.006Z

London

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown addressed business people in the financial district of London this morning where he spoke of reform and regulation as answers to the current global financial crisis. He was emphatic about removing "conflicts of interest" where ratings companies gave the toxic debt timebombs of sub prime mortgages triple A ratings that fooled investment institutions into buying into the subprime problem. Currently the ratings co.s get their fees from the company being rated. Brown spoke enthusiastically about the future saying there will be more middle income people across the globe and that countries such as China and India were key markets for resources such as energy and food. Additional he welcomed the new c0-operative mood amongst the world's various countries. "As tax revenues rise, you want to reduce borrowing, but it ( borrowing) is the responsible thing to do at the moment" The next big meeting for heads of government is November 15th where the era of soft touch financial market regulation will be effectively killed in order to solidify " the new global age."

DR WHO FILM : "COULD BE" SAYS WRITER

2008-10-26T16:24:00.006Z

London

Dr Who with David Tennant as the 10th incarnation of the Timelord in the hit BBC series could transfer to the bigscreen says head writer Russel T. Davies. Speaking on Classic FM's The Guest List show to promote his new book Dr Who :The Writer's Tale, Davies said he would like to take the Dr to the big screen. In the meantime, there a 4 specials planned including one for this Christmas and 3 for 2009 as the cast and crew scale down their workload on the demanding schedule. The tv sci-fi show which has the Guiness Word record as the longest running sci fi show on tv has previously had film and movie success to varying degrees with Peter Cushing in the 1960s and less successfully with the Steven Spielberg helmed 1996 movie with Brit actor Paul McGann.

russel t davies and benjamin davies book about dr who is available from both www.amazon.com and www.amazon.co.uk

image of david tennant as dr who via http://monstermovieblog.blogspot.com

SEX AND CITY STAR DEVASTATED BY FAMILY SHOOTING

2008-10-25T07:54:00.004+01:00

Chicago

The mother and brother of actress Jennifer Hudson have been shot dead in Chicago and her 7 yr old nephew is missing feared abducted. Investigations by the Chicago Police Department (CPD) are ongoing and details are scant at this time. John Patterson of the CPD told reporters that a family member reported the crime, but CPD are not saying anymore as yet. The whereabouts of Ms Hudson are unknown. Jennifer Hudson came to prominence via American Idol, nabbed an Oscar for her performance in the film Dreamgirls with Beyonce and was recently a co-star in the Sex and The City movie.

Sex and the City and Dreamgirls are available on dvd via www.amazon.com in the US and www.amazon.co.uk in the UK

image of jennifer hudson via www.dopenotesflylyrics.wordpress.com

KERRY KATONA: MUM'S GONE TO ICELAND AND WHAT HAS SHE TAKEN?

2008-10-22T16:08:00.006+01:00

London

Former pop singer Kerry Katona riased concners for her mentla health after an appearance on ITV1's This Morning in the UK. She was slurring and fidgeting so much that the presenters Philip Schofiled and Fern Britton asked if she was feeling okay. Looking hurt, Katona, former member of girl band Atomic Kitten, repsonded that she was on prescription medication. When questioned about an article which strongly implied that the former Priory rehab clinic patient (for cocaine and depresion issues)_ was battling with alcohol problems, Katona again looked hurt and protested "I'm a 28year old woman on holiday, I'm allowed a drink aren't I?" The fact that she was actually working on a photoshoot for the magazine Zoo appears to have slipped her mind. In the course of the interview she revealed worrying instances of her 7 yr old daughter Molly being more adult like and parental than Katona. If a 7 year old chld is epxressing concern for the parent and doing more housework than the parent, something's not right. What quality of life is the 7yr old child having?

Katona has a reality tv deal with MTV netwrks and is featuring in a one hour show this Sunday on MTVOne at 9pm : Kerry Katona : Whole Again. She currently has a contract with OK! magazine as a columnist,

For more on This Morning and other ITV1 shows see http://www.itv.com/

to see kerry kaotna on this morning go to http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=3mhWhUnaibw

image of kerry kaotna on this morning via http://www.itv.com/

X FACTOR AUSTIN: "FLATTERED, BUT NOT GAY"

2008-10-22T08:57:00.006+01:00

London

UK talent show The X Factor is stepping up the publicity machine as the contest gets closer to the Christmas. Austin Drage, 22, and one of the contenders to win, has refuted claims by website DNA that he is gay. The reality tv veteran who starred on E4's Boys Will be Girls in drag in a bid for pop stardom has said to the UK tabloid Daily Star "I am sorry to disappoint but I am not gay. But I am very flattered to have a gay fanbase. And I appreciate all the support I have been getting while on X Factor." Whether he is or isn't, no singer can afford to alienate the lucrative gay market which is known for it's loyalty. Gay clubs up and down the country pay good money for X Factor finalists to do club dates that can rake in thousands of pounds. Also, being gay has not harmed singer Will Young who came to prominence via an earlier UK tv talent show, Pop Idol, that provided the template for the mega success that is American Idol.

The X Factor continues on ITV1 on Saturdays with catchups and more at www.itv.com/xfactor

SAME OLD (S)TORIES! : MEN, MONEY & MENDACITY

2008-10-21T17:13:00.008+01:00

London

Twas ever thus. The UK Conservative party is mired in allegations of soliciting a £50,000 donation from a Russian Oligarch. George Osborne, Member of Parliament (MP) for Taton and Shadow Chancellor, strenuously denies he asked Oleg Deripaska for a donation on board a Rothschild yacht in Corfu this summer. Under UK election laws and regulations, donations from foreign nationals are illegal. The rumour and spin wheel is working overtime with suggestions that Osborne tried to circumvent the law by getting Deripaska to channel the £ via a British company. Prior to 1997 the Conservatives (aka the Tories ) were sunk in allegations of corruption and sleaze that led to their defeat and Tony Blair leading the Labour party to victory. Party finances in the UK have long been "colourful" and both parties have at one time or another come under fire for who they take donations from. A case in point. Blair accepted a £1million donation form Formula One (F1) racing boss Bernie Ecclestone and soon after crafted regulations that allowed F1 to continue to benefit form tobacco sponsorship at time when such sponsorship was being routinely banned from associations with sport. Labour gave the money back, under duress, but Brit political donations are still murky.

image of george osborne mp via www.virtualknutsford.co.uk

POWELL V PALIN : REPUBLICAN MELTDOWN

2008-10-20T09:06:00.006+01:00

Washington

The US election is entering it's cranky phase. Former Bush stalwart Colin Powell has come out in support of the Democrat nominee Barack Obama to be President. Not only that, he said Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin " is not ready to be President". In a move widely interpreted as coup for Obama and blow for Republican nominee John McCain, the former secretary of state and retired soldier Powell was speaking on NBC's Meet the Press show. However, conspiracy theorists are wondering if it's a clever move on the part of the Republicans. Given the state of the US and world economy, it might be better for the Republicans to lose the race on November 4th and sit out the tough times forecast and come back fighting in 2012. John McCain is showing his age and is looking increasingly tired as Obama gains in confidence and stature and looking like a President is half the battle.

Americans are urged to register and vote as the amazing race continues.

image of colin powell via www.lowculture.com
image of sarah palin via www.flikr.com

NEVER HURRY A MURRAY: HE'S WON!

2008-10-19T23:09:00.005+01:00

Madrid

The surly Scottish tennis player is finally smiling now. He's just won the Madrid Masters against Gilles Simon of France 6-4, 7-6. This victory makes him the first Briton to win 4 successive titles in a season. Doha, Marseilles and Cincinnati were the previous tournaments of success for Murray. His winning is bound to reopen the debate in Scotland about how when a Scot is successful they become a Briton in the London centric eyes of the media of the UK. Currently Murray is ranked number 4 in the world.

image of andy murray via http://noshirts.blogspot.com

MON 13th : LUCKY FOR RBS, UNLUCKY FOR UK TAXPAYERS

2008-10-13T07:06:00.005+01:00

London

The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) is set to ask the UK government for up to £20 Billion lifeline in bailout loans. The deeply troubled bank has seen its share price decimated by speculation and bad management. CEO Sir Fred Goodwin is to leave the company in recognition of having brought the once venerable bank to its knees. Bad investment decisions, including the vastly overpriced take over of ABN Amro and involvement in the toxic sub-prime mortgage market in the US have left RBS exposed to ruthless short sellers who are profiting from the fevered gossip about the financial health of the bank. Shares on the London Stock Exchange quoted company closed at 71p on Friday. a fall from a year high of 463.07

In return for the support from the UK government, the treasury department of the government will take a majority stake(up to 60%) in RBS. If things improve for the bank, taxpayers stand to make a profit, if things do not improve at some point tax will rise and government spending will be cut.

for info on rbs see www.rbs.co.uk

for info on uk stocks see www.londonstockexchang.com

image of rbs logo via www.tehrantimes.com

BRIGHTONA 08 BIKE BLAST!

2008-10-12T17:07:00.010+01:00

Brighton
Seaside City Throbs with Bikers

UK resort Brighton was packed with bikers and their gleaming machines for the annual Brighona display of customised bikes. Cloudless sunshine brought out leather clad bikers, admirers and the curious for the event, this year benefitting the Sussex Heart Charity. The Mayor mingled with Pearly Kings and Queens and bikers of all shapes and ages as Maderia Drive throbbed with massive engines. Stages groaned under the weight of the heavy sounds and the beers flowed. Stalls with leathers, helmets and humorous items did so-so business as punters shrugged off concerns about the the global economy and enjoyed the good weather and spectacle of so many pristine machines. Harleys, Hondas and the odd Triumph jostled for attention amongst the souped up dream machines. One enthusiastic spectator noted "It's just like TT!"

for more info on sussex heart charity see http://www.sussexheartcharity.org/

WATSON ON YR LIP JUDE?

2008-10-08T22:24:00.008+01:00

Hollywood/London

Brit actor Jude Law was seen out and about in London with a moustache recently. He's growing it for his role as Dr Watson in the upcoming Sherlock Holmes movie directed by Guy Ritche, current husband of Madonna. Robert Downey Jr. (currently in Tropic Thunder) is playing Holmes. As with most of Ritchie's projects, inlcluding his lastest relase RocknRolla, there is a subtext of homosexuality to the tales of Holmes and Watson. Holmes was originally created by the novel of Arthur Conan Doyle. The fictional Holmes like the real Downey Jr has dabbled with drugs including cocaine. Downey Jr has served time in rehab and prison due to drugs. Interesting casting! Given Jude Law's personal life, it has to be wondered whether a nanny character will be in the film for the nannyshagger Law...

Sherlock Holmes is slated for release in 2009. Given that Guy Ritchie is directing, the movie will be slated by critics too....

photo of jude law via www.bigpictures.com

PALIN FAILIN' TO BOOST MCAIN BUT DRAWS 73 MILLION

2008-10-08T21:41:00.006+01:00

Washington

US Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin is gripping the world with her false "outisder " shtick, but latest polls suggest that Barack Obama is leading voters intentions for the November election. She has borken records though. Her televised debate with the Democrat VP Biden Joe Biden drew a mammoth 73 million recently.The announcement of Palin as John McCain's running mate was regarded by many as political dynamite that wrongfooted Obama. However, as late night talk shows and comedy skit writers have found, they maybe losing material when George W Bush steps down as the Leader in Chief, but have no fear there is Palin in the wings for material. Her constant observation that she is a Washington outsider is seen as hollow given that she is the governor of Alaska and an seasoned politician. Some critics have wondered if former weather forecaster Palin watched the Nicole Kidman movie To Die For, about an ambitious weather forecaster who will stop at nothing, including murder, to realise her dreams and saw it as a training video! Whilst there is no suggestion of murder by Palin, scandal has hit the folksy self confessed "hockey mom" with supermarket scandal sheet and breaker of politicos reps the National Enquirer already going to town( and Alaska with a big chequebook) on her seamy past. Given that politicians in the main are men there could be more than a hint of sexism at criticism of Palin. Ultimately, all polls mean nada except that one on Tuesday 4th November. Time will tell...

pic of sarah palin via www.wonkette.com

X FACTOR : AUSTIN = WINNER? + TOPLESS PIC!

2008-10-08T21:06:00.008+01:00

London

The final 12 have been announced for the UK reality tv blockbuster X Factor. Leading the pack is reality tv veteran Ausitn Drage, the one that seems to cry on cue and knows what is required from this talent show, soapy rollercoaster emotions. He has previously tried to crack the music game in drag via the Channel 4 show Boys will be Girls that produced The Honeytraps. Fair play to him he looks okay without his shirt and can sing but as we all know damn well this isn't really a singing contest, its a popularity contest for profit. The other contender for winner is Rachel Hylton, great voice but trapped by the demons of her drug past and seems self destructive. The true winner of course as ever is Simon Cowell who is guaranteed massive advertising for the single released on Sony BMG where Cowell has is day job as A+R man. Seen by cynics as the anitchrist of music for his relentlessly commercial approach, Cowell has reinvigorated interest in talent shows and training. Also this year the 12 finalists are doing a track for forces charity Help for Heroes, a first for X Factor.

see clips of austin drage in drag and more at http://www.youtube.com/

see clips of x factor at the official site www.itv.com/xfactor

for info on help for heroes visit http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/

THE DUCHESS : RAVISHING SETS, RUBBISH KEIRA

2008-09-06T08:53:00.006+01:00

Hollywood/London

Period drama The Duchess is a treat for the eyes but a pain for the ears as Keira Knightley takes on a role that in many ways is too big for her. Georgina, Duchess of Devonshire had a colourful life and this film (uk) movie (us) episodically brings that to life. If only Keira were a better actress. The real Georgina was a woman who made her moment at a time when it was very much a man's world and woe betide you if you couldn't provide your aristo husband a male heir. Male lead Ralph Feinnes gives an understated perofrmance as the set in his ways Duke of Devonshire, one of the richest men in England and a considerable powerbroker. Alas the marriage is not a happy one and nor is this production. Broad brush parallels with Princess Diana are cumbersome. Many women in the aristo world were married off by their parents to secure power and the status quo. The settings and costumes are stunning and the coming awards season should see rewards for art direction and costumes. Keira can forget awards as best actress and if she must smile on camera could she at least practice. Charlotte Rampling as the mother is commanding, Dominic Cooper as Charles Grey is one to watch but the best consistent performance is by Hayley Atwell as Bess Foster, friend and more to the Devonshires.

Based on the book by Amanada Foreman who was an executive producer. A BBC Films / Miramax Films presentation. On release in the UK from September 5 and the US from September 19th

photo of keira knightley as the duchess via www.imdb.com

see www.theduchessfilm.co.uk for UK info

see www.theduchessmovie.com for US info

BIG BROTHER WINNER : IT'S RACHEL !!!

2008-09-05T22:26:00.007+01:00

Elstree

Big Brother in the UK is over and Rachel is the surprise winner. A trainee teacher, Rachel beat blind scottish guy Mikey into second place with Australian Sara 3rd and Rex 4th. Rachel cops £100,000 and is likely to make more from interviews and appearances in the coming weeks. 3rd place Sara has already won £25k in the prisoner's dilemma game with Lisa who also won £25k.

Expect to see interviews about romance about Sara and 5th place Darnell pretty soon.

It's over for another year.

photo of rachel via http://www.channel4.com/bigbrother see the official site

LITTLE BRITAIN USA: GROSSOUT OR SELLOUT?

2008-09-05T13:42:00.006+01:00

New York

Little Britain USA hits HBO on Sunday 28th September and trailers have sprung up on youtube. Have a look and decide if they are still as funny or is the joke wearing thin now? Almost inevitably they will face a backlash for UK fans for selling out as he new show has taped laugh tracks for the HBO audience and is clearly not filmed in front of audiences like the series was in the UK. Old characters such as Andy and Lou and Vicky Pollard are transplanted to american soil alongside new characters such as former spaceman Bing Gordyn, jocks Tom and Mark, Madonna's PA of course David Walliams in drag as an obsessive dog trainer Phyliss and it remains to be seen whether they will be a cultural phenomenon. When the show airs on the BBC it is debatable whether the laugh track will remain. On taste grounds critics will be ready for the cracks at wheelchairs and fat people. Female characters played by Walliams and Matt Lucas tread a very dubious line bordering on rampant misogyny. Of course if the show is a hit then reviews won' matter but US tv is notoriously tough and premium cable service HBO needs a big hit.

photo of little britian characters via www.bbcshop.com get dvds of your favourite shows there
see www.hbo.com for show times and details
see www.youtube.com for clips and trailers of the new show

BIG BROTHER : REX OR SARA TO WIN

2008-09-05T09:51:00.007+01:00

Elstree
In one of the dullest season on record, Big Brother comes to a close tonight in the UK and the money is on Rex or Sara to win. Rex, 24 a is a chef and Sara, 27 is a PA. After tonight all that will change for at least a week as they join the Z-list and work their way up to being bona fide celebrities. Rex has seemingly more chance as he is a chef and arrogant enough to care about being liked. Sara is very easy on the eye and has the Australian straight talking going for her. The majority of voters are female so Rex again stands more chance. The only female winner of Big Brother uk to date was Kate Lawler who used winning the show to launch a career as a dj/presenter before staging scandal shots to get publicity and her contract renewed. There have been calls for the series to end but it makes Channel 4 15% of its ad revenue and the contract for the format in the UK has another 2 seasons. Interestingly the show, which delights in exploiting minorities, has made it okay to not sympathise with a blind man for his sight loss. Mikey, the blind contestant, is just as rude and obnoxious as any other contestant with little in the way of charm. Win or lose Rex will no doubt tell all about his stormy relationship with Nicole in the celebmags. . Remember her? She is his bratty blonde girlfriend and still the contestant with the most votes to get her out, 94%.

Ther live final is tonight on Channel 4 in the UK with the winner announced at approx 08.55pm in Elstree where the Big Brother house is based

photo of sara via www.channel4.com/bigbrother see the official site for bios and more

photo of rex via www.unrealitytv.co.uk

KEVIN SPACEY : OUT IN CROATIA

2008-09-05T09:28:00.004+01:00

Cyberspace/hollywood

Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey has been having fun in Croatia. The star of Usual Suspects and LA Confidential, who has kept tight lipped about his sexuality, was cleary enjoying his downtime. Recently expanding his career in London as the artistic director of The Old Vic theatre, observers had noted that his season of plays gave the bum's rush to audiences. There are no movie plans on the horizon for Spacey at the moment. One reason for Spacey saying nothing about his sexual preferecnes is that the perceived wisdom is that the core cinema audience of most Hollyood films, the 18-24 market in USA, is too dumb to get their head around fluid sexuality. Hence Lindsay Lohan saying nothing about the depth of her friendship with DJ Samantha Ronson, sister of Mark.

photo of spacey and friend via www.holymoly.com actual photo taken by www.mrpaparazzi.com

MADONNA AND GUY : AWKWARDLY TOGETHER

2008-09-04T22:50:00.003+01:00

London

She's got a tour with a so-so ticket sales. He's got a film with so-so prospects. Ladies and gentlemen we give you Madonna and Guy. See how they put their very big differences behind them and pose together to get him column inches for RocknRolla and her coverage for Sticky and Sweet. Awkwardly together, especially when she out earns him massively and even with her Hard Candy cd not doing the numbers she's used to, it will still be around long after his fims. The US distributor of RnR is favouring a limited release because it thinks the film is too "english". It will hit 800 screens in October in the US, but word is that Ritchie, hitless since Snatch with Brad Pitt ( and even that was limited ) will have to play nice to the suits. RnR has Thandie Newton embroilled in the usual Guy-scape of gangsters and guns with tricksy camera work to detract same old ground boredom. Madonna is still touring Sticky and Sweet, but the world wide credit crunch means funds are limited and fans are not that enamoured of the urban flavoured candy tracks. They can still put on a show for the cameras thougjh, despite persistent rumours of impending divorce with speculation mounting that she will adopt another child and he will take up with an englishwoman when they part. Also whispered is a remake of Sherlock Holmes starring Rusell Crowe for Ritchie.

photo of madonna and guy via www.celebrity-gossip.net

SARAH PALIN : HAD AFFAIR SAYS ENQUIRER

2008-09-04T22:17:00.008+01:00

Minnesota

Sarah Palin has become embroiled in affair rumours. The Republican Vice President candidate nominee from Alaska is the new cover star on the National Enquirer. According to the Enquirer, Palin had an affair that nearly wrecked her marriage and almost ruined her career. The Palin marriage was used to treacly soap opera effect to woo voters with Pain hugging Todd and saying "he's still my guy." The Enquirer is a publication known for digging the dirt and recently revealed Democrat Senator John Edwards had a mistress and child stashed away from voters and his wife's eyes. According to chief Republican strategist Steve Schmidt,'The allegations contained on the cover of the National Enquirer insinuating that Governor Palin had an extramarital affair are categorically false."

Palin has rapidly become the darling of down home conservatives for her rousing speech that took attention away from the fact that running mate McCain lacks charisma. Revelations are flying thick and fast about Pailin, who this week spoke of going to Washington for people in the country and not the power broker elite. Her 17yr old unmarried daughter Bristol is pregnant, which is sure to wrankle with the evangelical wing of the Republican party. Also ongoing is a question of ethics resulting from her former brother in law, a state trooper and claims of his threatening to kill her father. She is accused of meddling in an investigation as to whether he should be arrested or not. Observers have noted that the nominee of Palin as potential VP has stolen plenty of thunder from Barack Obama and may appeal to disgruntled Hilary Clinton supporters. The US election takes place in November.

photo of sarah palin via http://www.flickr.com/

COLE V CHURCH : BITCHY BATTLE FOR PUBILCITY

2008-09-04T15:07:00.010+01:00

London

In an increasingly bitchy battle for attention, UK singers Cheryl Cole and Charlotte Church are slinging mud at each other. Cole, singer with Girls Aloud and and an X Factor judge on ITV1, had hoped to bury the hatchet for some peace. Of course we wouldn't be hearing about any of this if there was no product so shift. So guess what, a new Girls Aloud product, Girls Aloud: Dreams that Glitter is due next month and instead of music this time it's a book, allegedly written by the girls themselves and just in time for the new school and and college years to start with students looking to flex their ironic tastes. Initially Cole had supposedly written a chapter saying she wished the feud between the group and church would rest.However, Church called the Girls Aloud group "dogs without balls" on her Channel 4 chatshow recently and has reopened the feud. Additionally she has questioned the ability of Cole as a judge on the X Factor, the UK's biggest music talent search/ marketing show. "X Factor needed someone with wit and grit but she couldn’t give an honest answer, let alone charm her way out of the situation.” Cole's response has been reported in that well known truth organ The Sun to try and chop the peacemaking in the book. Cole is still battling with whispers and headlines about her marriage to footballer Ashley Cole who isn't a firm believer in the marriage vow bit about forsaking all others.

So the feud and the headlines continue, but in an increasingly tough book market, will it help sales of the Girls Aloud tome?

photo of cheryl cole via http://www.freshdames.com/

photo of charlote church via http://www.topwomen.org/

90210 : HIT FOR CW, CAN IT STAY HOT?

2008-09-04T14:31:00.006+01:00

Hollywood

The remade soap 90210 has opened to strong numbers. Overnight ratings for the CW show put 4.9 million in front of the Beverly Hills teenagers. This makes the show the highest rated drama for CW, beating Smallville in 2006, so those fans and curious who fell for the massive hype stayed for a whole 2 hours of teen sex, drugs and drinking alongside the "poor" guys from wichita moving out west with the rich kids and sunshine. Plotwise little has changed for the show based on the Fox hot Beverly Hills 90210 from the 1990's, but in this hyper manic/desperate fear world of US teen tv, it may be a case of overload, what the hell are they gonna do to follow up the shocks and stunts for the the next ep? Of course, with all the anticipation around the reboot it was inevitable that 90210 would open big, the test will be the subsequent hours where the shock of the new has gone. Still good for CW.

photo of cast of 90210 via www.cwtv.com/shows/90210 see the official site for recaps, info