Tuesday, June 30, 2009

New entries for The Darwin Awards!


We knew it!

Whacko Jacko has taken them over the edge!

The president of one of Michael Jackson's fan clubs has revealed that at least 12 people have committed suicide because of the King of Pop's passing. Or so he claims.

Gary Taylor, the owner of MJJcommunity.com, believes 12 fans of Jackson have made the decision to take their own lives after hearing the devastating news.

"I know there has been an increase, I now believe the figure is 12," said Taylor on Monday.
"It is a serious situation that these people are going through but Michael Jackson would never want this. He would want them to live."

Rev. Jesse Jackson has also reached out to fans via YouTube, "urging them not to 'self destruct.'"

Said Rev. Jackson:
"We fall down sometimes, we get back up. That's the right thing to do. In Michael's name let's live together as brothers and sisters and not die apart as fools."


You have to be pretty stupid to kill yourself over the public preception of a man you never met personally!

Well...less idiots to cloud the ol'Gene pool!

Good Riddance!

Paquito Cordero, Puertorrican TV Pioneer, 1932-2009


We have been informed of death of another of our pioneers of the golden age of Puertorrican TV.

Francisco Cordero Baez, also known as Paquito Cordero, a tv comedian turned successful producer died today in San Juan, he was 73.
Cordero was born to Don Paco and Doña Berta Cordero in Santurce, Puerto Rico). Cordero attended Santurce Central High School upon finishing his primary and secondary education. He was a member of his high school's drama club and participated in its plays, where he discovered the art of comedy. Cordero was geatly influenced by his aunt on his father's side, Mapy Cortés. Mapy Cortés had moved to Mexico from Puerto Rico, where she became an actress. There she met and married Mexican actor, "Fernando Cortés". After Cordero graduated from high school, he enrolled and attended the University of Puerto Rico and married his childhood sweetheart, a hairdresser whom everyone knew as "Cuqui". With Cuqui he had three children, two girls and one boy.

Cordero auditioned for a role in a comedy skit which was transmitted through Radio El Mundo and was subsequently hired. He did this in his spare time. His aunt Mapy and her husband Fernando returned to the island and presented an idea for a comedy show to Mr. Angel Ramos, owner of El Mundo Enterprises. On March 28, 1954, Puerto Rico received its first television transmission from Angel Ramos' WKAQ-TV Telemundo Channel 2. Among the first comedy shows to go on the air was "Mapy Y Papi" with Mapy and Fernando Cortés, María Judith Franco and Paquito Cordero.

In order for Paquito to get "into" character, he had to smear black makeup on his face and hands. During this period in his life, he fell in love with one of the show's dancers, a young girl by the name of Nora. He soon divorced his first wife and asked Nora to marry him. She accepted and together they had a son, Santiago. Paquito and Nora remained happily married.

In the 1960s, Cordero formed his own production company which he named Paquito Cordero Productions, Inc. His younger sister, Bertita, became his assistant and eventually his younger brother, Jorge, would also join the company as a future co-producer. On January 11, 1965, Telemundo transmitted the first program produced by Paquito called "El Show de las 12" (The 12 O'Clock Show). The first show included appearances by El Gran Combo, Tito Lara, Los Hispanos, and Olga y Tony. It also included a section within the show, dedicated to the teenage crowd, called "Canta la Juventud" (Youth Sings). Among those taking part in this section were Alfred D. Herger and Puerto Rican teen idols Lucecita Benítez and Chucho Avellanet. "El Show de Las 12" was presented by Miguel Ángel Álvarez and Eddie Miró was the scriptwriter. The show was a success and was watched by over 80% of the population, becoming one of Puerto Rico's most beloved programs for over 40 years.

Cordero also produced the following shows which were popular in Puerto Rico:
"El Show de las 12" with "Los Alegres Tres", Silvia, Chapuseaux y Damiron with Clarissa, Militza and Mary Stull.
"El Show Sultana", with "Los Hispanos", and Tito Lara
"2 a Go Go", with "Julio Angel" & "Tammy"
"Walter, las Estrellas Y Usted" (Walter, the Stars and You), with Walter Mercado
"Mi Hippie Me Encanta" (I love my hippie) with Luis Antonio Rivera: Yoyo Boing, Rosita Velazquez, Johanna Ferrán and Myrna de Casenave
"En Broma y en Serio" (Joking and Seriously), with Lou Briel, and Dagmar
"Su Estrella Favorita" (Your Favorite Star)
"El Show de Chucho", (Chucho's Show), with Chucho Avellanet"
"En Casa de Juanma y Wiwi", (In Juanma & Wiwis' Home), with Awilda Carbia, and Juan Manuel Lebron
"Estudio Alegre & Musicomedia", (Cheerful Studio & Musicomedy), with Otilio Warrington, Awilda Carbia, and Juan Manuel Lebron
"La Gente Joven de Menudo/Menudomania"
"Los Kakucómicos", with Adalberto Rodriguez, Machuchal, and Shorty Castro, among many others
"La Pensión de Doña Tere", (Lady Tere's Guesthouse), with Norma Candal, and
"Noche de Gala", (Gala Night Ball), with Eddie Miró, and in different periods of time co-hosted by, Marisol Malaret, Deborah Carthy-Deu, "Marilyn Pupo" and "Gilda Haddock".
On April 14, 1983, Telemundo was sold to John Blair and Co. and finally, in 2004 became part of the NBC Universal network. This led to many changes and one of the changes was the substitution of locally produced programs with programs produced in other countries such as Mexico.
On May 6, 2004, television producers Paquito Cordero and Tommy Muñiz received a special recognition on behalf of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico as part of the celebration of the 50 years of uninterrupted transmisión on the Telemundo and Televicentro channels.

On February 25, 2005, Telemundo canceled Paquito Cordero's "El Show de las 12", the longest running television show in Puerto Rico. Telemundo no longer transmits locally produced television programs and thus, is no longer a source of income to the local artistic class.
On the last airing of the show, Eddie Miró took the microphone and said these words:
"Señoras y Señores..., "El Show de las 12" ha muerto"
("Ladies and Gentlemen..., "The 12 O'Clock Show" has died.")
"Señoras y Señores..., reflexionemos ante su deceso"
("Ladies and Gentlemen..., a moment of silence for the deceased")

In 2007, Paquito Cordero, began producing a remake of "Noche de Gala", (Gala Night Ball), broadcasted by WIPR-TV, Tu Universo Television, channel 6, with Deborah Carthy-Deu, as the host.

And so this bitter-sweet chapter in Puertorrican TV is closed forever.

Rest in Peace, Paquito.

Say hello to Vigoreaux, Tommy Muñiz and Don Cholito while you're at it!

Monday, June 29, 2009

Billy Mays cause of death- heart disease not head injury!


Doctors have ruled out the previous claims that legendary pitchman Billy Mays passed away on Sunday due to a head injury.

Dr. Vernard Adams, the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner responsible for the preliminary examination, believes that Mays death was caused by heart disease.

There was "no evidence" of any sort of head trauma from Mays' rough plane landing, rather there was "evidence of hypertensive heart disease and muscular thickening of the heart wall."

Dr. Adams has reason to believe the OxiClean pitchman died suddenly in his sleep and that "sudden death is not uncommon" when it comes to heart disease.

The toxicology reports from Mays' autopsy should be ready in 8 to 10 weeks, but Dr. Adams doesn't think prescription drug played a role in Billy's death.

Fred Travalena - TV comedian and impersonator 1942-2009


The Grim Reaper here, continuing our celebrities death watch!

Last night, comedian and impersonator Fred Travalena died in his home in Encino, Ca. He was 66 years old.

He was born in The Bronx, New York, and raised on Long Island, eventually moving to Los Angeles and developing a multi-faceted career with his characterizations of visible public figures.

His television credits began in the 1970s, as a regular performer on The ABC Comedy Hour and the Dean Martin Roasts. He had several voice credits on cartoons, as well as appearances on nationally-broadcast children's programs. Mr. Travelena made many guest appearances on game shows and dramatic programs in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. In the mid-1980s he hosted the game show Anything For Money, a game where contestants attempted to guess how much money it would take an ordinary, unsuspecting person to participate in a silly stunt. He appeared in the series premiere of the short-lived 1991 sitcom Good Sports with Ryan O'Neal and Farrah Fawcett.

He appeared at casino theaters in Las Vegas, Reno, and Atlantic City, as well as performing arts theaters and private "in-concert" performances. He took part in a USO tour to entertain troops overseas, and was honored in 2004 by Club Italia with a Merit Achievement Award for his contributions to society.

In 2005 he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Travalena was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2002 and prostate cancer in 2003. Following five years' remission, the lymphoma returned in 2008.

It looks that Farrah Fawcett is taking everybody with her!

The Last Airbender

Here is a sneak peek into M. Night Shyamalan's new movie, a live action adaptation of Nickelodeon's animated "Avatar: The Last Airbender", probably TV's best animated fantasy series ever.

Now I'm very cautious beacuse of M. Night's track record as of late. I hope this is his comeback.

Here's the trailer...



The Last Airbender opens July 2nd, 2010

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Billy Mays, Infomercial Celebrity- "Pitchmen" 1958-2009


I'm seriously considering changing my blog's name to "The Dead Review" on the account of all the dead celebrities we have covered recently.

Here's a fresh one!

TAMPA, Fla. – Billy Mays, the burly, bearded television pitchman whose boisterous hawking of products such as Orange Glo and OxiClean made him a pop-culture icon, has died. He was 50.
Tampa police said Mays' wife found him unresponsive Sunday morning. A fire rescue crew pronounced him dead at 7:45 a.m. It was not immediately clear how he died. He said he was hit on the head when an airplane he was on made a rough landing Saturday, and his wife, Deborah Mays, told investigators he didn't feel well before he went to bed about 10 p.m. that night.
There were no signs of a break-in at the home, and investigators do not suspect foul play, said Lt. Brian Dugan of the Tampa Police Department, who wouldn't answer questions about how Mays' body was found because of the ongoing investigation. The coroner's office expects to have an autopsy done by Monday afternoon.
"Although Billy lived a public life, we don't anticipate making any public statements over the next couple of days," Deborah Mays said in a statement Sunday. "Our family asks that you respect our privacy during these difficult times."
U.S. Airways confirmed that Mays was among the passengers on a flight that made a rough landing on Saturday afternoon at Tampa International Airport, leaving debris on the runway after apparently blowing its front tires.
Tampa Bay's Fox television affiliate interviewed Mays afterward.
"All of a sudden as we hit you know it was just the hardest hit, all the things from the ceiling started dropping," MyFox Tampa Bay quoted him as saying. "It hit me on the head, but I got a hard head."
Tampa police spokeswoman Laura McElroy said linking Mays' death to the landing would "purely be speculation." She said Mays' family members didn't report any health issues with the pitchman, but said he was due to have hip replacement surgery in the coming weeks.
Laura Brown, spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration, said she did not know if Mays was wearing his seat belt on the flight because the FAA is not investigating his death.
U.S. Airways spokesman Jim Olson said there were no reports of serious injury due to the landing.
"If local authorities have any questions for us about yesterday's flight, we'll cooperate fully with them," he said.
Born William Mays in McKees Rocks, Pa., on July 20, 1958, Mays developed his style demonstrating knives, mops and other "As Seen on TV" gadgets on Atlantic City's boardwalk. For years he worked as a hired gun on the state fair and home show circuits, attracting crowds with his booming voice and genial manner.
AJ Khubani, founder and CEO of "As Seen on TV," said he first met Mays in the early 1990s when Mays was still pitching one of his early products, the Shammy absorbent cloth, at a trade fair. He said he most recently worked with Mays on the reality TV show "Pitchmen" on the Discovery Channel, which follows Mays and Anthony Sullivan in their marketing jobs.
"His innovative role and impact on the growth and wide acceptance of direct response television cannot be overestimated or easily replaced; he was truly one of a kind," Khubani said of Mays in a statement.
After meeting Orange Glo International founder Max Appel at a home show in Pittsburgh in the mid-1990s, Mays was recruited to demonstrate the environmentally friendly line of cleaning products on the St. Petersburg-based Home Shopping Network.
Commercials and informercials followed, anchored by the high-energy Mays showing how it's done while tossing out kitschy phrases like, "Long live your laundry!"
Sarah Ellerstein worked closely with Mays when she was a buyer for the Home Shopping Network in the 1990s and he was pitching Orange Glo products.
"Billy was such a sweet guy, very lovable, very nice, always smiling, just a great, great guy," she said, adding that Mays met his future wife at the network. "Everybody thinks because he's loud and boisterous on the air that that's the way he is, but I always found him to be a quiet, down-to-earth person."
His ubiquitousness and thumbs-up, in-your-face pitches won Mays plenty of fans for his commercials on a wide variety of products. People lined up at his personal appearances for autographed color glossies, and strangers stopped him in airports to chat about the products.
"I enjoy what I do," Mays told The Associated Press in a 2002 interview. "I think it shows."
Mays liked to tell the story of giving bottles of OxiClean to the 300 guests at his wedding, and doing his ad spiel ("powered by the air we breathe!") on the dance floor at the reception. Visitors to his house typically got bottles of cleaner and housekeeping tips.
As part of "Pitchmen," Mays and Sullivan showed viewers new gadgets such as the Impact Gel shoe insert; the Tool Band-it, a magnetized armband that holds tools; and the Soft Buns portable seat cushion.
"One of the things that we hope to do with 'Pitchmen' is to give people an appreciation of what we do," Mays told The Tampa Tribune in an April interview. "I don't take on a product unless I believe in it. I use everything that I sell."
His former wife, Dolores "Dee Dee" Mays, of McKees Rocks, Pa., recalled that the first product he sold was the Wash-matik, a device for pumping water from a bucket to wash cars.
"I knew him since he was 15, and I always knew he had it in him," she said of Mays' success. "He'll live on forever because he always had the biggest heart in the world. He loved his friends and family and would do anything for them. He was a generous soul and a great father."
Besides his wife, Mays is survived by a 3-year-old daughter and a stepson in his 20s, police said.


Seriously, Celebrities are dropping like flies!

And the Box Office Champion this week is...


LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The new "Transformers" sequel trampled all over the worldwide box office at the weekend, quickly racking up sales of $387 million with Britain and China leading the international charge.
"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" already ranks as the third-biggest movie of the year in North America, after earning $201.2 million since it blasted into theaters on Wednesday, distributor Paramount Pictures said on Sunday.
The haul handily beat industry expectations, and falls just short of the five-day opening record of $203.8 million set last year by "The Dark Knight," the second-biggest film of all time in North America before adjusting for inflation.
The overseas contribution stands at $186.1 million. The film opened in 58 markets on Wednesday after getting an early start last weekend in Britain and Japan. The British total stands at $27 million. Paramount did not have the Japan total.
The biggest of the new markets was China, which chipped in $21.9 million, a record for an English-language film, the Viacom Inc-owned studio said. Other notable openings included South Korea ($14.9 million), Australia ($13 million) and Russia ($11.8 million). In those markets, the film surpassed its 2007 predecessor in local currency terms, Paramount said.
The first "Transformers" earned $708 million worldwide in 2007, the fifth-biggest film of the year. It ranked at No. 3 in North America with sales of $319 million. The new film should pass that tally next week, with business boosted by the July 4 Independence Day holiday in the United States.
Both films were directed by Michael Bay, and feature young stars Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox. The storylines were similar: robots rampage across the landscape, and things explode. The sequel reportedly cost about $200 million to make.
'THREE STRONG WEEKS'
Earlier in the week, Paramount had conservatively forecast a five-day North American haul in the $130 million to $150 million range. But industry pundits said a tally of at least $175 million was more likely. The biggest movies of the year so far are "Up" with $250 million and "Star Trek" with $246 million.
"We should have three really strong weeks before 'Harry Potter (and the Half-Blood Prince)' comes in" on July 15, said Don Harris, executive vice-president of distribution at Paramount.
Harris said women accounted for 46 percent of moviegoers, up from 40 percent for the first movie, an indication of the franchise's expanding appeal.
Exit surveys indicated that 91 percent of moviegoers considered the film as good as or better than the first one, Harris said. Critics, on the other hand, were mildly favorable toward the first film, but mostly appalled by the sequel, according to Rotten Tomatoes (http://www.rottentomatoes.com), a website that analyzes reviews.
The movie's $112 million tally for the traditional three-day period beginning Friday easily eclipsed the combined tallies of the rest of the movies in the top 10. Last weekend's champion, "The Proposal," slipped to No. 2 with $18.5 million. Walt Disney Co's Sandra Bullock romance has earned $69 million after 10 days.
The bachelor party comedy "The Hangover" was No. 3 with $17.2 million in its fourth weekend. It has earned $183 million to date. The film was released by Warner Bros. Pictures, a unit of Time Warner Inc.
Disney's Pixar-produced cartoon "Up" was No. 4 with $13 million. With $250 million banked so far, it needs only to surpass "The Incredibles" ($261 million) to become the second-biggest Pixar production behind "Finding Nemo" ($340 million).
New in theaters at No. 5 was Warner Bros.' weepie "My Sister's Keeper," which earned just $12 million. Cameron Diaz stars as a mother who gives birth to a genetically engineered second daughter to help save the life of her leukemia-stricken elder daughter.
(Editing by Vicki Allen)

Doctor not a suspect in MJ's death, second autopsy performed.


As when he was alive, Michael Jackson's death has become a media circus!

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Los Angeles police on Saturday again questioned Michael Jackson's doctor, while the family of the pop music icon ordered its own private autopsy two days after his death shocked fans around the world.
Jackson's father issued a statement urging fans not to despair because the singer "will continue to live on in each and every one of you."
The family sought a second autopsy -- the official one was conducted on Friday -- amid reports about the 50-year-old singer's reliance on prescription medications.
Jackson's personal physician, Texas cardiologist Dr. Conrad Murray, who was with the singer when he collapsed at his rented mansion on Thursday, hired an attorney to accompany him to what was expected to be a lengthy meeting with the Los Angeles Police Department late on Saturday.
"Dr. Murray is considered to be a witness to the events surrounding Michael Jackson's death and he is not a suspect," Houston law firm Stradley, Chernoff & Alford said in a statement.
"Dr. Murray hired legal counsel to help guide him through the police investigation process. The law firm was hired to make sure the police investigation is conducted properly."
An LAPD spokeswoman said she had no updates on the meeting, three hours after it was scheduled to begin.
According to media reports, Jackson was injected with the narcotic painkiller Demerol shortly before he went into cardiac arrest. Murray was desperately trying to revive Jackson when paramedics arrived, and he rode with the singer in an ambulance to the hospital where the pop star was pronounced dead.
The official autopsy, conducted on Friday, failed to determine what killed Jackson, pending toxicology tests that were expected to take up to six weeks. Such tests could reveal the presence of drugs in his system.
The celebrity website TMZ.com, which first broke the news of Jackson's death, reported that the second autopsy took place at an undisclosed location in Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon, on the orders of the Jackson family.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, who has been serving as a spokesman for the singer's family, told ABC News the family also had questions for Murray. Jackson is not related to the singer's family.
"When did the doctor come? What did he do? Did he inject him? If so, with what?" he said in an interview with ABC.
Michael Jackson's father, Joseph, issued a statement through People magazine, calling his son's death "one of the darkest moments of our lives."
He added: "We miss Michael endlessly, our pain cannot be described in words. ... But please do not despair, because Michael will continue to live on in each and every one of you."
He reportedly sent moving vans to empty his son's mansion in the upscale Holmby Hills neighborhood, concerned that items would be stolen. The singer's younger sister, Janet, spent several hours at the estate, which city records show is worth $20 million and owned by a trust linked to apparel mogul Herbert Guez.
Jackson's parents, siblings and three young children were in seclusion at the family compound in the Los Angeles suburb of Encino, as distraught fans from around the world gathered outside its brick walls.
Jackson's body is being held at an undisclosed mortuary after the coroner returned it to the family on Friday evening. Funeral plans have not been announced.
"We need something where we can mourn and celebrate his life, say our goodbyes," said Donna Green, a 44-year-old resident of Las Vegas who once ran a Jackson fan club.


Well, gather around and get the popcorn, it's getting more interesting by the minute!

Friday, June 26, 2009

Drugs suspected in Michael Jackson's death.


The constant use of prescription painkillers plus the financial pressures may have been contributing factors in the death of the auto-proclaimed "King of Pop" Michael Jackson.

By Mary Milliken and Laura Isensee Mary Milliken And Laura Isensee – 2 hrs 27 mins ago

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – One day after Michael Jackson's sudden death, speculation turned to what killed the 50-year-old "King of Pop" on the cusp of a long-awaited comeback concert series.

A family attorney said on Friday he had been concerned that Jackson's use of prescription drugs for dancing-related injuries would eventually prove fatal and that the entertainer's inner circle had ignored his warnings.

A Jackson family member told celebrity website TMZ.com the singer had been given an injection of the painkiller Demerol before he went into full cardiac arrest at his rental home around midday on Thursday. TMZ soon after broke the news that Jackson had died at a Los Angeles hospital.

The Los Angeles County Coroner's office said the autopsy would begin Friday morning, but it could take six to eight weeks to determine a cause of death, which will likely have to wait for the return of toxicology tests. Those tests will determine if Jackson had any drugs, alcohol or prescription medications in his system.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Michael Jackson 1958-2009





Here's the proper obit for Michael Jackson.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Michael Jackson, the child star turned King of Pop who set the world dancing but whose musical genius was overshadowed by a bizarre lifestyle and sex scandals, died on Thursday. He was 50.
Jackson was pronounced dead at 2:26 p.m. PDT (5:26 p.m. EDT) after arriving at a Los Angeles hospital in full cardiac arrest, said Fred Corral of the Los Angeles County Coroner's office. The cause of death was not known and an autopsy would likely take place on Friday, he said.
Jackson was taken ill at home and his personal physician tried to resuscitate him but could not, his brother Jermaine told reporters. Jackson was taken by paramedics to the hospital, where doctors worked for more than an hour to try to revive him before pronouncing him dead, the brother said.
Known as the "King of Pop," for hits that included "Thriller" and "Billie Jean," Jackson's dramatic, one-gloved stage presence and innovative dance moves were imitated by legions of fans around the world.
His lifetime record sales tally was believed to be around 750 million, and with his 13 Grammy Awards and boundary-breaking music videos he was one of the most successful entertainers of all time.
But Jackson's belief that "I am Peter Pan in my heart," his preference for the company of children, his friendship with a chimp, his high-pitched voice and numerous plastic surgeries also earned him critics and the nickname "Wacko Jacko."
Jackson led a reclusive life after his acquittal in 2005 on charges of child molestation, the second time he had faced ultimately unproved allegations of abuse of young boys.
"For Michael to be taken away from us so suddenly at such a young age, I just don't have the words. I've lost my little brother today, and part of my soul has gone with him," Quincy Jones, who helped arrange the music on the album "Thriller" and produced the "Off the Wall" album, told MSNBC.
SOLD-OUT SHOWS
Jackson had been due to start a comeback series of concerts in London on July 13 running until March 2010, and had been rehearsing in the Los Angeles area for the past two months. The shows for the 50 London concerts sold out within minutes of going on sale in March.
Detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department's Robbery Homicide division searched Jackson's home in the Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, saying they had been directed to do so by Chief William Bratton because of the media frenzy.
"The Los Angeles Police Department handles death investigations every day," said officer Gregg Strenk. "Robbery Homicide was assigned to this case due to the high profile nature of it. Don't read anything into it."
Tributes poured in.
He was a "true musical icon whose identifiable voice, innovative dance moves, stunning musical versatility, and sheer star power carried him from childhood to worldwide acclaim," said Neil Portnow, president and CEO of The Recording Academy in a statement.
Jackson was one of the first black entertainers of the MTV generation to gain a big crossover following. As he grew older he appeared to lighten his skin to a pale white -- which he said was caused by the skin pigmentation condition vitiligo.
There were concerns about Jackson's health in recent years -- last year he was photographed in Las Vegas in a wheelchair for reasons that were never explained.
But the promoters of the London shows, AEG Live, said in March that Jackson had passed a 4-1/2 hour physical examination with independent doctors.
About 200 fans and reporters gathered outside the Los Angeles hospital. Some fans cried and hugged each other.
"I hope he's gone to God, and I hope that he's free of all the troubles he's been plagued with," Tonya Blazer, 50, who said she had been a fan going back more than four decades.
"I just feel like I'm paying tribute to him," said Dawn Burgess, 42, a fan who said she had posters of Michael pinned to her bedroom wall when she was a child.
CHILD STAR TO MEGASTAR
Jackson was born on August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, the seventh of nine children. Five Jackson boys -- Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael -- first performed together at a talent show when Michael was 6. They walked off with first prize and went on to become a best-selling band, The Jackson Five, and then The Jackson 5.
Jackson made his first solo album in 1972, and released "Thriller" in 1982, which became a smash hit that yielded seven top-10 singles. The album sold 21 million copies in the United States and at least 27 million worldwide.
The next year, he unveiled his signature "moonwalk" dance move, gliding across the stage and setting off an instant trend, while performing "Billie Jean" during an NBC special.
His personal life was troubled.
In 1994, Jackson married Elvis Presley's only child, Lisa Marie, but the marriage ended in divorce in 1996. Jackson married Debbie Rowe the same year and had two children, before splitting in 1999. The couple never lived together.
Jackson was survived by three children named Prince Michael I, Paris Michael and Prince Michael II, known for his brief public appearance when his father held him over the railing of a hotel balcony, causing widespread criticism.
In 1993, Jackson announced he had become addicted to painkillers, and abruptly canceled a world tour to promote his album "Dangerous."
Dozens of fans gathered near Jackson's modest boyhood home in Gary, to pay their respects to the entertainer who left the city long ago. Some deposited flowers or toys and others blared his hit songs from their car stereos.
Gary Mayor Rudy Clay called Jackson the "world's greatest entertainer" and said he had made the city proud.
In New York, fans gathered at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, singing Jackson hits and dancing in celebratory tribute.
(Additional Reporting by Jill Serjeant and Dan Whitcomb in Los Angeles, Andrew Stern in Chicago and Michelle Nichols in New York; Writing by Frances Kerry, Editing by Jackie Frank and Howard Goller)

The funny thing is it took Michael Jackson's death for MTV to play music videos again!

Michael Jackson is Dead!

We just recieved word that Michael Jackson suffered a fatal heart attack in Los Angeles 20 minutes ago. He was pronunced dead on arrival at Cedar Sinai in LA.

More as it comes in!

Farrah Fawcett 1947-2009



It looks that this blog lately has become the bearer of bad news

Farrah Fawcett, known for her role in "Charlie's Angels", countless movies and other TV appearances and the icon of beauty for us who grew in the 1970's, passed away this morning from Cancer. She was 62.

From her website, this was the blurb that was posted:

I am sorry to say our Farrah has passed to a better place and left the pain and confines of her bed behind. She is free to be the woman we all knew and loved. So Few have touched so many. You all keep Fighting the Fight.


Born Mary Farrah Leni Fawcett in Corpus Christi, Texas, she excelled in sports at a young age. She beagn doing tv and print advertising in the 1970's

In 1976 she was cast as Jill Monroe in Charlie's Angels, which became a worldwide phenomenon. Left the series after just one season, being replaced by Cheryl Ladd.

Her movie career tanked, but her television appearances were constant and very rewarding, earning three Emmy nominations.

She was married from 1973 to 1982 To Lee Majors (The Six Million Dollar Man) and was actor Ryan O'Neal's partner from 1979 until her death, having one child, Redmond in 1985.

As a child of the 70's with a Texas sized infatuation with Farrah, this loss is sad.

May she rest in peace.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Ed McMahon - The Tonight Show, Starsearch 1923-2009


I just recived news that a legend and staple of late night TV in the States has passed away...


LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Ed McMahon, a fixture on U.S. late-night television for 30 years as the full-throated announcer and sidekick for Johnny Carson on NBC's "The Tonight Show," died on Tuesday at 86 after battling a series of illnesses in recent months.
The veteran TV personality best known for his nightly introduction of Carson in a deep, booming voice with the drawn-out line, "Heeeeeeeeere's Johnny!" died at a Los Angeles-area hospital, and was immediately hailed by friends and former colleagues as an icon of American popular culture.
"He died early this morning with his wife and loved ones by his side," his spokesman Howard Bragman said. McMahon had been battling pneumonia, among many other illnesses.
Outgoing, affable and possessing a robust, baritone voice, McMahon began his career with stints as a bingo caller, carnival barker and boardwalk pitchman before becoming a broadcast announcer and TV host.
Trained as a U.S. Marine fighter pilot during World War II, he flew missions in Korea in the 1950s.
He went on to become one of the most celebrated sidekicks in TV history as Carson's right-hand man on "The Tonight Show" from 1962 to 1992, when Carson retired as host.
The gregarious McMahon, a frequent comic foil for the Carson during ad-libbed banter at the top of the show, was familiar even off camera for his "Hi-oooooh!" and frequent guffaws at Carson's monologue jokes, especially when a punch line fell flat. Carson died in 2005 at age 79.
"Ed's introduction of Johnny was a classic broadcasting ritual -- reassuring and exciting. Ed was a true broadcaster, and an integral part of Johnny Carson's 'Tonight Show.' We will miss him," talk show host David Letterman said on Tuesday.
ENDURING CATCHPHRASE
McMahon's signature introduction of Carson endured as a catch-phrase. Jack Nicholson's maniacal character in the 1980 movie thriller "The Shining" announced "Heeeeeeere's Johnny!" as he burst through a door to menace his wife with an ax.
McMahon was a leading figure on several other TV shows, too, including the talent show "Star Search" in the 1980s.
He was a long-time co-host of Jerry Lewis' annual telethon benefiting the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and he became well-known as the presenter of the American Family Publishing sweepstakes, as well as a pitchman on numerous TV commercials.
Lewis said McMahon was "a dear, dear friend. We were always making jokes, cracking each other up ... It's hard to imagine doing the (telethon) without him."
California governor and former movie star Arnold Schwarzenegger said America had lost "one of its greatest and most memorable television personalities."
"From 'Star Search' to the 30 years he spent in our living rooms as an integral part of the 'Tonight Show,' Ed brought joy and laughter to millions of Americans," Schwarzenegger said in a statement.
McMahon made headlines a year ago when he defaulted on a $4.8 million mortgage on his six-bedroom Beverly Hills mansion, although he later found a buyer and avoided foreclosure.
The star blamed his financial woes on having broken his neck about 18 months earlier, leaving him unable to work. He also sued Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, accusing it of failing to diagnose the neck fracture and botching two operations.



Rest in Peace!

Sorry for the delay guys! I've been having Internet problems.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

And the Box Office Champion this week is...


LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Sandra Bullock took the crown at the weekend box office in North America for the first time in 10 years with her latest romantic comedy, according to preliminary sales data issued Saturday.
"The Proposal" sold $12.4 million worth of tickets across the United States and Canada Friday, said Walt Disney Co.'s Touchstone Pictures.
The film ended the two-week reign of the bachelor-party comedy "The Hangover," which earned $8.5 million Friday, according to Time Warner Inc's Warner Bros. Pictures.
Also reporting $8.5 million was the new Jack Black prehistoric comedy "Year One," which was released by Sony Corp's Columbia Pictures.
A clearer picture will emerge Sunday when the studios issue three-day estimates.
Bullock, 44, stars in "The Proposal" as a book executive who fakes an engagement to her lowly assistant (Ryan Reynolds) to avoid deportation to her native Canada. Inevitable hilarity ensues when she meets his parents. Reviews were mixed at best.
She last went to No. 1 in 1999 with "Forces of Nature," which co-starred Ben Affleck. Her most recent wide releases, 2007's "Premonition" and 2006's "The Lake House," ended their runs with about $50 million each. She generally does better with romantic comedies such as "Miss Congeniality" ($107 million) and "Two Weeks Notice" ($93 million).
(Reporting by Dean Goodman; Editing by Jackie Frank)

Thursday, June 18, 2009

The Panty Thief caught!


Even in this convoluted world, life in the Bermejales area of Orocovis is quiet.

That is until the Panty thief struck!

According to Lt. Candido Pagán, spokesperson for the Police, a 29 year old mother and wife had 83 of her panties stolen from her clotheslines in the last weeks. A sting operation was assembled and luckily the culprit was caught.

Luis Serrano Nogueras, 38, a neighbor of the victim was responsible for the theft. A single man living with his family, Serrano had a crush with his neighbor, and that's why he acted in such a bizarre fashion. He being held on a $20,000. bond on Bayamon's penitentary, pending more charges.

Weird!

But funny!

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

"The Ventures" guitarist Bob Bogle, creators of the "Hawaii Five-O Theme" 1934-2009



Another beloved musician bites the dust!


LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Pioneering guitarist Bob Bogle, whose rock-instrumental band the Ventures scored a pair of hits in the 1960s with "Walk, Don't Run" and "Hawaii Five-O," has died, the group said on Tuesday. He was 75.
Bogle died on Sunday of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma at a hospital after falling ill at his home in Vancouver, Washington, according to bandmate Don Wilson.
The Ventures were "the most popular instrumental rock 'n' roll band of all time" and are worshiped as "gods" in Japan, rocker John Fogerty said at the band's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction last year.
Influenced by the likes of Les Paul and Chet Atkins, the Ventures helped pave the way for surf music, and sent 38 albums into the pop charts between 1960 and 1972. They continue to perform to this day with a slightly different lineup.
The Ventures' origins date back to 1958, when Bogle and Wilson started performing as a guitar duo around Tacoma, Washington.
After the lineup crystallized, the Ventures hit No. 2 in 1960 with "Walk, Don't Run," a tune previously popularized by Atkins. The song showcased lead Bogle's innovative use of the tremolo arm on his guitar, although he eventually handed over lead duties to bandmate Nokie Edwards.
The Ventures toured and recorded prolifically, and were especially revered in Japan, where they reportedly outsold the Beatles.
They enjoyed a new wave of popularity in 1969 when their version of composer Mort Stevens' theme for the cop series "Hawaii Five-O" went to No. 4 on the Billboard charts.
Bogle stopped playing with the band four years ago, and was unable to attend the Hall of Fame ceremony in New York. A private funeral is set for Friday. Bogle is survived by his wife, Yumi, and six children.
(Reporting by Dean Goodman; Editing by Eric Beech)


Here's a Ventures video.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Does Harry Potter equals plagiarism?


Well, the estate of one author says so...

LONDON (Reuters) – Bloomsbury Publishing Plc on Monday denied allegations that author J.K. Rowling copied "substantial parts" of a book by another children's author when she wrote "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire."
The book, published in 2000, was the fourth installment of the hugely successful boy wizard Harry Potter series that has sold more than 400 million copies worldwide and been turned into a multi-billion-dollar film franchise.
"The allegations of plagiarism made today, Monday 15 June 2009, by the Estate of Adrian Jacobs are unfounded, unsubstantiated and untrue," said a statement from Bloomsbury, which publishes Harry Potter in Britain.
"This claim is without merit and will be defended vigorously."
In an earlier statement, Jacobs' estate said that it had issued proceedings at London's High Court against Bloomsbury Publishing Plc for copyright infringement.
"The Estate is also seeking a court order against J.K. Rowling herself for pre-action disclosure in order to determine whether to join her as a defendant to the ... action," the statement read.
It named the estate's trustee as Paul Allen, and said that Rowling had copied "substantial parts" of "The Adventures of Willy the Wizard -- No 1 Livid Land" written by Jacobs in 1987.
It added that the plot of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire copied elements of the plot of Willy the Wizard, including a wizard contest, and that the Potter series borrowed the idea of wizards traveling on trains.
"Both Willy and Harry are required to work out the exact nature of the main task of the contest which they both achieve in a bathroom assisted by clues from helpers, in order to discover how to rescue human hostages imprisoned by a community of half-human, half-animal fantasy creatures," the estate statement said.
"It is alleged that all of these are concepts first created by Adrian Jacobs in Willy the Wizard, some 10 years before J.K. Rowling first published any of the Harry Potter novels and 13 years before Goblet of Fire was published."
According to the statement, Jacobs had sought the services of literary agent Christopher Little who later became Rowling's agent. Jacobs died "penniless" in a London hospice in 1997, it said.
In its response, Bloomsbury said Rowling "had never heard of Adrian Jacobs nor seen, read or heard of his book Willy the Wizard until this claim was first made in 2004, almost seven years after the publication of the first book in the highly publicized Harry Potter series.


It's refreshing to see somebody as litigious as J.K. Rowling, being accused of the same thing she had sued people for! And we haven't heard from author Alan Moore, the creator of "Watchmen" and "V for Vendetta" yet. He wrote a comic book series named "The Books of Magic" in which a bespectacled 12 year old kid in England learns that he is a wizard and it's trained in it's use. Sounds familiar? Well it was written in 1985, a full 12 years before JK Rowlings opus.
I know, because I read it!
Better than that Harry Potter crap!!!!

Monday, June 15, 2009

And the Box Office Champion this week is...


LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The party kept rocking for "The Hangover," the first big surprise hit at the North American box office this summer, while Eddie Murphy suffered a headache with his second consecutive flop.
According to studio estimates issued on Sunday, "The Hangover" led the field for a second weekend with ticket sales of $33.4 million across the United States and Canada. The raunchy comedy with a little-known cast becomes the first movie to retain its crown since "Madea Goes to Jail" in February.
The film also took just 10 days to hit the century mark -- $105.4 million, to be exact -- setting a new record for an R-rated comedy. The old mark of 11 days was set last year by "Sex and the City."
Industry pundits expect "The Hangover" to hit $200 million -- not bad for a movie that cost a reported $31 million to make. The action revolves around three guys struggling to remember what happened at a wild bachelor party in Las Vegas the night before. It stars Justin Bartha, Bradley Cooper and Ed Helms, and was directed by Todd Phillips of "Old School" fame.
The film, from Time Warner Inc's Warner Bros. Pictures, easily fended off a pair of new entries boasting some major star power.
Columbia Pictures' remake of the 1974 subway-hijacking thriller "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3," starring Denzel Washington and John Travolta, opened at No. 3 with $25 million, in line with expectations.
"It's a solid opening for us," said Rory Bruer, president of worldwide distribution at the Sony Corp unit.
Washington's last major release was "American Gangster," which opened to $44 million in late 2007. The last time Travolta headlined a drama was in 2004 when "Ladder 49" opened to $26 million. Comparative data are not adjusted for ticket-price inflation.
Murphy, on the other hand, came in at No. 6 this weekend with the Paramount Pictures family comedy "Imagine That," which tallied just $5.7 million.
"We're really disappointed," said Don Harris, executive vice-president of distribution at the Viacom Inc unit.
Murphy previously starred in "Meet Dave," which opened to $5 million last July and finished with $12 million.
Walt Disney Pictures' Pixar cartoon "Up" held at No. 2 with $30.5 million, taking its total to $187.2 million after three weekends. The previous Pixar release, "Wall-E," had earned $163 million in the same span last summer.
Rounding out the top five were the Ben Stiller comedy hit sequel "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian" (Fox) which held steady at No. 4 with $9.6 million in its fourth weekend; and the latest Will Ferrell bomb "Land of the Lost" (Universal), which fell two places to No. 5 with $5.6 million in its second weekend. Their respective totals stand at $143.4 million and $35 million.
Walt Disney Pictures is a unit of Walt Disney Co. 20th Century Fox is a unit of News Corp. Universal Pictures is a unit of General Electric Co's NBC Universal.
In limited release, the feature debut of David Bowie's 38-year-son Duncan Jones, opened strongly. "Moon," starring Sam Rockwell as an astronaut who confronts a clone of himself while mining lunar helium, earned $145,000 from just eight theaters in New York and Los Angeles. The Sony Pictures Classics release expands across the United States throughout June and July.
At the foreign box office, "Terminator Salvation" was the top pick for a second weekend, earning $46.1 million; the overseas total for the Columbia-distributed apocalypse sequel rose to $165.5 million.
(Reporting by Dean Goodman; Editing by Eric Walsh)

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Achtung! A shoe stealing fox is around!


Our weird world tour continues...

BERLIN (Reuters) - A fox has been unmasked as the mystery thief of more than 100 shoes in the small western German town of Foehren, authorities said Friday.

A forest worker stumbled upon shoes strewn near the fox's den and found a trove of footwear down the hole which had recently been stolen overnight from outside locals' front doors.

"There was everything from ladies' shoes to trainers," said a local police spokesman. "We've found between 110 and 120 so far. It seems a vixen stole them for her cubs to play with."

Although many were missing laces, the shoes were in good condition and their owners were delighted to reclaim them, he said, adding that no reprisals were planned against the culprit.

(Reporting by Dave Graham; editing by Philippa Fletcher)



If your shoes are missing, then you know who to blame!

Second autopsy confirms it; David Carradine's death not a suicide!


This confirms what we said last week...

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A forensic pathologist who oversaw a second autopsy on "Kung Fu" star David Carradine's body at the direction of his family suggested on Friday that the death was not a suicide but declined to say why.
Dr. Michael Baden told Reuters that the actor's family wants to withhold details until a full investigation is completed.
"There are certain findings of the autopsy that would indicate that it's not a suicide, but I don't want to go beyond what's been said until we can review all the information coming in from Thailand and come to a final opinion as to the cause and manner of death," said Baden, host of cable channel HBO's "Autopsy" series.
Carradine, 72, was found hanging in the closet of his hotel suite in Bangkok on June 4. His body was flown to Los Angeles last weekend.
The media pointed to suicide or accidental autoerotic asphyxiation as possible causes of death. But Thai authorities have said it will be weeks before they reach a final conclusion based on toxicology and lab reports.
Dr. Jonathan Arden, a forensic pathologist who testifies in court, said Baden's comments raise "the question of how he can state it's not a suicide if he needs the tests and the results of the investigation to reach a conclusion."
Authorities in the United States classify death by autoerotic asphyxiation as accidental and not the result of suicide.
Carradine was most famous for his role in the 1970s television series "Kung Fu." He enjoyed a comeback earlier this decade as the titular star of Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill" movies.


AEA=Stupidity
Don't try this at home!

Friday, June 12, 2009

Motorcycle hits car, driver is 10 year old boy!


Puerto Rico is a wonderful place, it really is. But it gets stupid and weird from time to time.

A 10 year old boy is in critical condition at the Rio Piedras Medical Center, after crashing a motorcycle he was driving into a moving car.

The minor, who was not identified, was driving the motorcycle between Progreso and Hipodromo street in Santurce, when he tried to pass a Nissan Pathfinder on the street. He miscalculated and hit the Pathfinder. He was ejected from the motorcycle and received injuries in his head and body.

Carmen Peña Moran, the minors mother took the kid to Dr. Hospital, where he was transferred to the Medical Center.

The driver of the Pathfinder, who was not identified, was unhurt.

A couple of questions on this...

Why was a 10 year old driving a motorcycle in a busy street?

Where are the parents of this kid?

This is a part of the Hip Hop / Gangster culture that permeates in Puerto Rican society these days. A mind set that worship money, drug dealing, stealing, violence and the degradation of women. A culture that rewards brutality and mediocrity over civility and intelligence.

These are their sad consequences.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

As jobs get very scarce, the unemployed get creative!


As the job market try to rebound from the recession, unemployed persons are getting downright weird in their attempt to snatch that elusive job!

By Ellen Wulfhorst

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Job-seekers are using unusual gimmicks to grab the attention of potential employers, such as in one case sending a shoe along with a resume to get a "foot in the door," said a survey released on Wednesday.

Almost a fifth of hiring managers report seeing more unconventional tactics this year, compared with 12 percent who said so last year, according to the study by CareerBuilder.com, an online jobs site.

Faced with the highest unemployment in 25 years, candidates are trying a variety of tricks, including:

* handing out resumes at stoplights

* washing cars in a company parking lot

* staging a sit-in in a company lobby to demand a meeting with a director

* sending a cake designed as a business card with the candidate's picture

* handing out personalized coffee cups

* going to the same barber as the company chairman to have the barber speak on his behalf

One job-seeker attached a shoe to a resume as "a way to get my foot in the door," a respondent told the survey.

"The search for employment is taking longer and is more competitive than it has been in past years," said Jason Ferrara, senior career adviser at CareerBuilder, in a statement. "To compensate, some candidates have turned to extreme tactics."

But he cautioned: "While unusual job search antics may attract the attention of hiring managers, they need to be done with care and professionalism so that candidates are remembered for the right reasons."

The online survey was conducted for CareerBuilder by Harris Interactive among 2,543 full-time hiring managers and human resource professionals between February 20 and March 11, 2009. The overall results have a margin of error of plus or minus 1.94 percentage points.

CareerBuilder is owned by Gannett Co Inc, Tribune Co, McClatchy Co and Microsoft.

(Editing by Alan Elsner and Michelle Nichols)

Monday, June 8, 2009

Surprise!!! There is a new Box Office Champion this week!


Usually when we publish the Box Office Champion entry we usually base it on estimates made by the studios on Sunday morning. When the money is counted on Monday, usually the tally falls within the estimate. Not this time. This time the estimates were wrong...

The Box Office Champion in North America this week is...


LOS ANGELES – It turns out Hollywood's weekend hangover was bigger than expected.

The Warner Bros. comedy "The Hangover" drew larger audiences than earlier projected to raise its weekend ticket sales to $45 million, about $1.8 million more than the studio estimated Sunday.

That made it the No. 1 draw for the weekend instead of Disney and Pixar Animation's "Up," which came in second with $44.3 million. Sunday studio estimates had "Up" edging "The Hangover" by about $1 million.

It's rare that the first- and second-place movies on Sunday flip-flop when final numbers come out Monday. But strong attendance Sunday allowed "The Hangover" to pull ahead.

With heavy matinee traffic, family films such as "Up" usually hold on better through Sunday than adult movies like "The Hangover."

Warner Bros. had expected Sunday's NBA championship game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Orlando Magic to cut into business for the R-rated "The Hangover," the tale of four friends at an out-of-control bachelor party weekend in Las Vegas.

Yet more people turned up for the movie than anticipated, said Dan Fellman, Warner head of distribution.

"The Lakers weren't the only winners," Fellman said. "We had an unbelievable day."

Disney spokeswoman Heidi Trotta said the studio was happy to come in at No. 2 with "Up," whose final weekend total came in about $100,000 higher than the studio estimated Sunday.

"Up" has topped $137 million in just 10 days and is on track to become the latest $200 million blockbuster from Disney and Pixar, whose hits include "WALL-E," "The Incredibles," "Finding Nemo" and the "Toy Story" movies.

US Navy technology to help on recovery of Air France 447


New efforts to find AF447 black boxes.


By MARCO SIBAJA and ALAN CLENDENNING, Associated Press Writers Marco Sibaja And Alan Clendenning, Associated Press Writers – 40 mins ago

RECIFE, Brazil – A U.S. Navy team was flying to Brazil on Monday with high-tech underwater listening devices to help the search for the black boxes from an Air France plane that crashed into the Atlantic Ocean.

Brazilian and French military ships, which have so far recovered 17 bodies and large amounts of plane wreckage from the sea, resumed their search amid the floating debris.

What caused the Airbus A330 to crash May 31 with 228 people on board will remain a mystery unless searchers can locate the plane's black box flight data and voice recorders, likely buried deep in the middle of the ocean.

Two U.S. Navy devices that can detect emergency beacons to a depth of 20,000 feet (6,100 meters) are being flown to Brazil with a Navy team, according to the Pentagon. They will be delivered to ships that will then listen for transmissions from the black boxes, which are programmed to emit signals for at least 30 days.

Seventeen bodies were recovered Saturday and Sunday about 45 miles (70 kilometers) from where the jet sent out messages signaling electrical failures and loss of cabin pressure.

Authorities also announced that searchers spotted two airplane seats and debris with Air France's logo, and recovered dozens of structural components from the plane. They had already recovered jet wing fragments, and said hundreds of personal items believed to from passengers were plucked from the water.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said his nation's military would do all it can to retrieve bodies and return them to relatives.

"We know how significant it is for a family to recover their loved one," Silva said Monday on his weekly radio show. He added: "During this painful time it's not going to resolve the problem, but it is an immense comfort to know they can bury their loved ones."

France is leading the investigation into the cause of the crash, while Brazilian officials are focusing on the recovery of victims and wreckage from Flight 447, which likely broke up in midair in turbulent weather the night of May 31 en route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris.


The grim task continues...

Sunday, June 7, 2009

And the Box Office Champion this week is...


LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – "Up," the story of a floating house, its grumpy 78-year-old owner and an inquisitive 8-year-old accidental stowaway, remained atop the weekend box office in North America, selling $44.2 million of tickets its second weekend in theaters.
The family-friendly Disney/Pixar animated release about a house lifted by colorful balloons and the odd couple's adventures showed surprising staying power. Its weekend gross was down 35 percent from its opening weekend but still made a strong showing for a film in its second week.
Movie industry analysts had predicted that "Up" would bring in less than $40 million.
"The Hangover," released by Warner Bros. Pictures, was a close second at $43.3 million. The film about a group of men trying to reconstruct what happened at a wild, Las Vegas bachelor party benefited from a good buzz and positive reviews. It also was the first big comedy released after a month dominated by action flicks.
Universal's "Land of the Lost," a new release starring Will Ferrell, finished a disappointing third at $19.5 million. It is a remake of a mid-1970s U.S. children's television series.
Four of the top five films attracted families with small children as recession-weary parents continued to seek entertainment at the movies.
"Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian," collected $14.7 million and landed in the No. 4 spot. It made about $54 million when it opened two weekends ago, and has taken in $127 million overall.
"Star Trek," a Paramount issue, also showed staying power, finishing fifth for the weekend in its fifth week of release. It brought in $8.4 million. Its cumulative total stands at $223 million.
ANGELIC WORLD GROSS
"Angels & Demons," from Sony/Columbia, earned $6.5 million in North America during the weekend and its worldwide gross surpassed the $400 million mark, making it the No. 1 film in the world in 2009.
The film, based on Dan Brown's popular novel about conspiracy in the Catholic church, is the follow-up to the Brown novel and 2006 movie, "The Da Vinci Code."
Rory Bruer, president of worldwide distribution for Sony Pictures, said the weekend pushed the "Angels & Demons" international gross to about $405 million. "The Da Vinci Code" brought in about $540.7 million globally.
The website rottentomatoes.com, which aggregates movie criticism, showed that positive reviews for "The Hangover" helped it prevail over "Land of the Lost" in their debut weekends. "The Hangover" gathered 75 percent positive reviews, compared to only 28 percent for "Land of the Lost."
A reason for the resilience of "Up" may be the fact that it had a 98 percent rating on the website.
Third among new released and seventh for the week overall was Fox Seachlight's "My Life In Ruins," which took in $3.2 million. It suffered from negative reviews -- only 12 percent positive criticism according to rottentomatoes.com. Its distributor is a unit of News Corp.
"Up" was released by Walt Disney Pictures, a unit of Walt Disney Co.
"The Hangover" was released by Warner Bros., a unit of Time Warner Inc.
"Land of the Lost" was issued by Universal Pictures, a unit of NBC Universal, the media division of General Electric Co.
"Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian" was released by 20th Century Fox, is, like Fox Searchlight, a unit of News Corp.
"Star Trek" was issued by Paramount Pictures, a unit of Viacom Inc.
"Angels & Demons" is distributed by Columbia Pictures in North America a unit of Sony Corp.
(Editing by Stacey Joyce and Bill Trott)

We have breaking farts...I mean news!

Check this one out!




The farting and the fainting are funny...but the falling set...OUCH!!!!

Hope she's ok!

David Carradine's death mystery continues!


The plot thickens in the investigation into the bizarre circumstances behind the death of actor David Carradine.

By Ploy Chitsomboon and Bob Tourtellotte – Sat Jun 6, 9:13 pm ET
BANGKOK/LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The family of actor David Carradine has asked U.S. authorities to help unravel the mystery of his death, amid conflicting reports about how his body was found hanging naked in a Bangkok hotel.
Mark Geragos, a Los Angeles attorney who represented Carradine's brother, Keith Carradine, said on Saturday the family has contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigation and filed a formal request to have the FBI contact authorities in Thailand for further information.
"They've done it because of the conflicting reports and the nature of those reports that have given the family great pause," Geragos told Reuters.
Speculation about the death of Carradine, 72, who starred in the 1970s-era U.S. television show "Kung Fu" and the more recent "Kill Bill" movies, has deepened since his body was discovered on Thursday by a maid in the Bangkok hotel suite where he was staying while filming the movie "Stretch."
With coroners awaiting results of toxicology tests, Thai media pointed to suicide or accidental autoerotic asphyxiation as possible causes of death. Some reports have said a cord was wrapped around Carradine's genitals and others that his hands were bound behind his back. None could be confirmed.
Geragos said Carradine's family had no more information than what had been written and said in the media, which was why they were seeking the FBI's help.
"I wish for them, and their sake, that they did (have more information), but it's the opposite," Geragos said. "They are getting reports that both seem conflicting and evolving."

Geragos said Thai authorities must invite the FBI into the investigation and he did not know how long that might take.
The family has hired forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden, a former chief medical examiner for New York City who appears on HBO cable TV show "Autopsy," to look into the death when Carradine's body returns to the U.S.
Thai television said the body was flown home to Los Angeles early on Saturday, which Geragos confirmed.
Representatives for the family in Los Angeles were not immediately available for further comment Saturday evening.
In Bangkok, police said it could take several weeks for coroners to confirm exactly how Carradine died.
"What we're doing right now is interviewing more witnesses," Police Colonel Somprasong Yentuam told Reuters.
"It should take roughly three weeks for the blood test result, then we can wrap this case up." Somprasong said he believed the likely cause of death was asphyxiation.
A maid found Carradine hanging in the closet of his hotel suite at Bangkok's Swissotel Nai Lert Park hotel. Initial reports indicated a possible suicide, but family representatives have repeatedly denied that possibility.
Carradine, the son of the late character actor John Carradine, enjoyed a long career on Broadway, TV and in films. But he was most famous for his role in "Kung Fu," playing Caine, a martial arts specialist who wandered through the American Old West seeking wisdom and beating up bad guys.
(Additional reporting by Bob Tourtellotte in Los Angeles; Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by Patricia Zengerle)

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Carradine's death now ruled "Accidental"! WTF!


It looks that early reports of David Carradine's death as a suicide could have been wrong!

The star of the 1970s TV series Kung Fu was found hanged and naked in a wardrobe in his hotel room by a maid.

Chuck Binder, his personal spokesperson, described his death as 'accidental'.

'He was found hanging by a rope in the room's closet,' Lieutenant Colonel Pirom Jantrapirom of the Lumpini police station in Bangkok said.

He said Carradine's body was naked when it was found and there were no signs of any other people in the room. The rope was around his neck and parts of his body, police were quoted as saying.

The body has been transferred to a hospital for an autopsy.

Thai police told the BBC that Carradine had been found by a hotel maid.

It looks that David was a practicioner of a very bizarre sex act called Erotic Auto Axphysia, in which the person reaches orgasam by strangling him or herself. It is said that the lack of oxygen makes for a more profound experience.

Profound indeed!

Please don't try this at home kids!

New details emerge on David Carradine's death!


Police in Thailand is ruling out foul play in the death of actor David Carradine.

The following is from the Thai newspaper "The Nation"

His personal manager, Chuck Binder, was quoted by People Magazine as saying that the death was "shocking and sad. He was full of life, always wanting to work ... a great person."

American actor Carradine, 72, was in Bangkok to shoot his latest movie, "Stretch", and stayed at a Suite Room 352 of the Park Nai Lert Hotel on Wireless Road since June 2.

The film crew were aware of his absence when they went to dine out at a restaurant on Sathorn Road on June 3.

Carradine did not show up at the dinner and the team could not reach him. They assumed that he took a rest because of his age.

It was a hotel's maid who opened his suite on Thursday at 10 am after her repeated calls at the door were unanswered. She found Carradine in a closet. He was described as being half naked.

Police said evidence at the scene showed that he hung himself.

"It looks like a suicide," said Pol Col Somprasong Yentuam, chief of Lumpini police. "He was a big man and it would have been difficult for someone to move him in there and kill him in there."

Police said he was dead for not less than 12 hours and found no sign of fighting, or intrusion or assaults.

Somprasong said security at the hotel was very good. American Embassy officials had also been to the scene, police sources said.


Is really a sad loss for all of us fans of martial arts, tv and films. He will be missed!

Here's the opening for the original "Kung Fu"

David Carradine - Kung Fu, Kill Bill - 1936 / 2009


We just recived word of this sad story...


BANGKOK – Actor David Carradine, star of the 1970s TV series "Kung Fu" who also had a wide-ranging career in the movies, has been found dead in the Thai capital, Bangkok. A news report said he was found hanged in his hotel room and was believed to have committed suicide.

A spokesman for the U.S. Embassy, Michael Turner, confirmed the death of the 72-year-old actor. He said the embassy was informed by Thai authorities that Carradine died either late Wednesday or early Thursday, but he could not provide further details out of consideration for his family.

The Web site of the Thai newspaper The Nation cited unidentified police sources as saying Carradine was found Thursday hanged in his luxury hotel room.

It said Carradine was in Bangkok to shoot a movie and had been staying at the hotel since Tuesday.

The newspaper said Carradine could not be contacted after he failed to appear for a meal with the rest of the film crew on Wednesday, and that his body was found by a hotel maid at 10 a.m. Thursday morning. The name of the movie was not immediately available.

It said a preliminary police investigation found that he had hanged himself with a cord used with the room's curtains. It cited police as saying he had been dead at least 12 hours and there was no sign that he had been assaulted.

A police officer at Bangkok's Lumpini precinct station would not confirm the identity of the dead man to The Associated Press, but said the luxury Swissotel Nai Lert Park hotel had reported that a male guest killed himself there.

Carradine was a leading member of a venerable Hollywood acting family that included his father, character actor John Carradine, and brother Keith.

In all, he appeared in more than 100 feature films with such directors as Martin Scorsese, Ingmar Bergman and Hal Ashby.

But he was best known for his role as Kwai Chang Caine, a Shaolin priest traveling the 1800s American frontier West in the TV series "Kung Fu," which aired in 1972-75.

He reprised the role in a mid-1980s TV movie and played Caine's grandson in the 1990s syndicated series "Kung Fu: The Legend Continues."

He returned to the top in recent years as the title character in Quentin Tarantino's two-part saga "Kill Bill."


May he rest in Peace!

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Just because we need a break...

There's nothing better than cute kittens...hiding in furniture.




Or somebody doing an epic fail!



Enjoy!

Brazilian Navy races to crash site to begin retrieval operations.


The grim task of recuperating the bodies and piecing together what happened to AF 447 begins today.

By Alonso Soto – 2 hrs 53 mins ago
RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – Brazilian navy divers rushed on Wednesday to reach the wreckage of an Air France jet and start pulling debris from the Atlantic Ocean, where the plane with 228 people went down in the airline's worst disaster in its 75-year history.
Four navy ships with recovery equipment and a tanker were headed to a 3-mile strip of water strewn with plane seats, an orange buoy, wiring, hunks of metal and jet fuel stains about 745 miles northeast of the coastal city of Recife.
Rear Admiral Domingos Nogueira said the navy was battling tough weather as officials predicted the hardest task would be finding the flight data and voice recorders that hold clues to why the plane fell out of the sky during a severe storm in the middle of the night.
Distraught relatives who had prayed for a miracle gave up hope as experts were certain that all aboard died on the flight, which left Rio de Janeiro on Sunday night bound for Paris.
"I just want to find my son's body so that he can have a dignified burial," said Aldair Gomes, the father of Marcelo Parente, who was the head of the Rio mayor's cabinet.
So far no bodies have been sighted on flyovers by the air force, which spotted evidence of the catastrophe on Tuesday, allowing the navy to mount a retrieval operation.
"The ships are equipped to arrive and pick up pieces of the Airbus," Nogueira said. "Each ship has two divers on board and smaller ships to throw into the ocean to try and get pieces."
Helicopters would then be used to take wreckage of the Airbus A330 from the ships to a base on the Brazilian archipelago of Fernando de Noronha, 430 miles from the crash site.
On Wednesday, armed forces spokesman Christophe Prazuck told Reuters that the French army had no doubt that the debris belonged to the stricken plane.