'Conquering Hollywood'

Today I stumbled upon 'The Daily Telegraph' article entitled 'How Summer Bay Conquered Hollywood'.
Here's the link...http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/sunday-telegraph/how-summer-bay-conquered-hollywood/story-e6frewt9-1225936433975

The article was of particular interest to me, because as the title suggests it revolves around 'Home and Away' actors 'making it' in Hollywood. I wondered how many of these actors had actually done so.

For those of you who don't know, or have never watched a 'Home and Away' episode, it is Australia's answer to 'The Young and the Restless', on a beach front location.




Source: http://au.tv.yahoo.com/home-and-away/

 Basically there are hookups, breakups, crime, bronzed bodies and the occasional death.

The above article resembles a profile on new 'Home and Away' starlet, Samara Weaving. However, the author Richard Clune also refers to past cast members in his attempt to instill in us that being on 'Home and Away' is the way to be successful in Hollywood.

I found it particularly irritating that the author mentioned Ms Weaving is well-known actor Hugo Weaving's niece on two separate occasions. Yes, I do feel readers may like to know that small detail but...we got you the first time mate!

To my surprise though this article wasn't as sensationalistic as many articles I am used to seeing in 'The Daily Telegraph'. Clune actually met with Samara Weaving in person and has obviously done his research. He has included useful quotations and details to help paint a picture for the audience. I can't help wonder why he didn't give us more of a profile though. The piece could have been stronger if he had done so.

My biggest issue with the article, however, was when Clune discusses past H & A stars and how they have 'conquered' Hollywood. Particularly Sharni Vinson the recent star of dance movie 'Step Up 3D'. Yes, the film did well in the box office but let's face it 'Step Up 3D' is no 'Schindlers's List'. No offense to Ms Vinson but I'm not 100% convinced people will remember who she is or what she was in in a few years time. I am completely aware that i sound a little harsh because i know this was her first 'big' role but i don't think we can classify a role in 'Step Up 3D' as 'conquering' Hollywood. There are some notable exceptions to this list, however. Some of the past H & A actors that have made a successful Hollywood career for themselves include Guy Pearce, Naomi Watts an Melissa George. I also want to point out though that you don't have to be on 'Home and Away' to make it in Hollywood  but the article fails to mention any of these other ways. The article did show me that Aussie's are continuing to infiltrate the US acting market and I wish them all the best in their endeavours.

Until next time...

The end of an era?

I found the SMH article by Ben Pobjie surprisingly refreshing and I would encourage television enthusiasts to have a look. Here's the link...http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/television-shows-to-grieve-for-20101001-160ps.html

The article 'Television shows to Grieve for' mentions some of the great shows in the last decade that have come to an end and left us, the audience, feeling a sense of loss.

As a self-confessed television addict, I agree with everything he's saying. I would even go so far as to say when your favourite series ends after years of watching TV at that same particular time, it feels like loosing a child ( I have never lost a child or do I have kids but I can only imagine..its a traumatic and life changing experience).

I think Pobjie says it best..."there are those shows that become so ingrained in the fabric of our existence that their demise leaves us lost and confused about our place in the world". The author mentions the end of the show 'Arrested Development' and the upcoming finale of 'The Bill' as having a significant impact on his emotional state. He even admits that he doesn't even watch 'The Bill' but it acts as a sort of security blanket for him, he always thought it was going to be there. I never watch 'Home and Away' but if they decided to cancel the show, I would most definitely shed a tear. Pobjie also draws our attention to those shows that we have in fact been fortunate to loose, for example, 'Undercover Angels' and 'Popstars'.

The article is not only well-written and witty but I also found it thought provoking. I remembered back to my childhood and those television shows that I believe made a difference to my life.

I have decided to compose a list of those television shows that I have grieved over...in no particular order
(I grew up in the 80s)
1. Family Ties (need I say more)
2. Full House (I truly believe John Stamos was my first love)

(Source: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092359/)

3. Step by Step (I dreamt Suzanne Somers was my mum-not that my own mother isn't fantastic)
4. Saved by The Bell (I wanted to be Jessie)
5. 90210 (the original...yes high waisted jeans and midriffs)

Anyway, I could probably continue with that list all day but they were a few that I am sure I will always miss and remember throughout my life.

Until next time...

Another On Air Gaff

Only last week Sarah Murdoch announced the wrong winner on the Australia's Next top Model finale! This story received a great amount of media interest internationally as well as put Sarah Murdoch in the spotlight. Many media commentators were confused by Mrs Murdoch's use of an ear piece to receive the information of who had won rather than simply having an envelope with the winners name inside. Lets just say I don't think there is any great fear of Murdoch being fired from the Fox8 television show....how awkward for Rupert!

Anyway, this story raised many comments about live television and the common gaffs we have all become accustomed to. Now, singer Guy Sebastian has joined Murdoch in the ranks of making a very public stuff up.

Guy Sebastian who won Australian Idol is now a judge on Australia's Got Talent. Last night I don't think Sebastian was very focused on what he was saying.

(Source: http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/television/how-guy-sebastian-blew-it-live-on-air/story-e6frfmyi-1225934678320)

Here is a link to the article entitled 'How Guy Sebastian Blew it live on Air'...http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/television/how-guy-sebastian-blew-it-live-on-air/story-e6frfmyi-1225934678320

If your thinking this title sounds strangely sexual, your not wrong....it's meant to be!

During a live video link cross to Sebastian (who had been overseas for the week), host Luke Jacobs asked him to introduce the next act.

"I met these girls on a tour ... and they blew me away and then they walked into the audition room and blew me again", he said.

Guy Sebastians' embarrassment was visible as he put his hands up and hid his face while the expression of the other hosts was surprise and shock.

The show quickly went to ad break to let the judges compose themselves. I really don't think a big deal should be made of this as it was a clear slip of the mind and I doubt viewers would be seriously offended by it. Actually, what am I talking about? People complain about everything these days! I actually found the gaff funny and don't feel sorry for Sebastian as I did for Murdoch, as he was not making a life changing announcement. He was purely introducing a musical act and didn't quite say what he meant to say.

I have a feeling though that all those angry television viewers out there will now be complaining about the faults in live TV. It's natural, people make mistakes (hopefully they aren't ones that offend a large amount of people) but we all do it.

Until next time...

Faking it?

Joaquin Phoenix is one of the most peculiar celebrities out there. Let's not forget his memorable semi-recent stint on the David Letterman show. His new film 'I'm Still Here' has audiences in a tither over whether the 'documentary' is all just one big stunt. The film documents Phoenix's life after he announces his retirement as an A-list Hollywood actor, in order to pursue his career as a rapper! (yes that's right....Joaquin as a rapper....perhaps he could be the next Eminem....I won't be holding my breath)

Joaquin Phoenix before his retirement
Source: http://www.q1075.com/joomla/images/stories/joaquin-phoenix-flu.jpg

Check out the link here...http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/blogs/cinetopia/the-verdict-on-joaquin-phoenix-film-im-still-here/20100914-15apa.html
Make sure you watch the trailer for the film too....lets just say I am not convinced!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the above article. Although it is a film review, it seems to go beyond the typical review format. The author presents us with several key points as to why the film is being considered as a hoax, which in turn allows us to make up our our minds. The strange thing though is that Joaquin was a well-known Hollywood actor who had memorable roles in major blockbusters, including 'Gladiator' and 'Walk the Line'. It seems fairly far-fetched that someone so successful would want to give it all away. In my opinion, if it was a C-list celebrity who had done this, I would be more likely to believe their film.

Joaquin Phoenix post-retirement
(Source: http://filmpopper.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Joaquin-Phoenix.jpg)

Even if the film is not a true documentary, I'm sure it will gain large audience numbers due to the vast publicity surrounding it. I'm intrigued, especially after reading this article and will most definitely go and see 'I'm Still Here'.

"WE ARE GOING TO AUSTRAAALIA" (cue loud screams)

If you have been hiding in a cave for the last day or two....then you may have missed the most important news our country is facing.  OPRAH WINFREY IS COMING TO AUSTRALIA! This has been the headline news on all major television networks and newspapers.

Perhaps now is the time to mention that I find it really irritating that we seem to place so much emphasis on 'news' that is really not 'major news'. Take for example, all the fluff stories and beautiful animal stories we normally see when watching the news on TV. But it seems strange to me when stories such as this are the leading news, not an environmental disaster or death on the battle front.

Don't get me wrong though...I LOVE Oprah and most embarrassingly I even tried to enter the ticket ballot yesterday. To my dismay, you can not enter the ballot for at least a month or so. I ensure you though I will be at one of her two shows. If not with a ticket in hand, I will be standing out the front of the Sydney Oprah House (yes-that's what it will be called while she's here) hoping to get a glimpse of the woman herself!




(Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Oprah_Winfrey_(2004).jpg)


Here's a link to an an SMH article...http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/taxpayers-to-spend-3m-bringing-oprah-over-20100914-15abm.html

Of course, there has to be a negative aspect of her coming here. That which is presented to us in the above article, is that taxpayers will be spending $3million to have her here.

I believe though that there will be an over-riding positive effect of her visit. Namely, The Oprah Winfrey Show has, "40 million American viewers...screened in 145 countries". This is an enormous world-wide advertisement for Australia. Oprah is said to be one of the most influential and powerful women in the world and she is coming here! I'm sure Oprah Winfrey will influence more people to come to here than many other Tourism Australia campaigns (cough cough Lara Bingle).

This article is written well and is informative, with inclusion of quotes from all parties involved. Particularly, when Kristina Keneally, Premier of NSW, reveals the project has been kept confidential in the Government by calling it Project O. That to me is hilarious but oh well, each to their own. Sounds like the government would prefer to be the CIA.

Anyway, Oprah we welcome you to our country and please give me a ticket to one of your shows!!!

AHH Paris

What good is an entertainment blog without a single post about it-girl Paris Hilton?
She has made headlines once again by being caught with cocaine in her handbag in Las Vegas.

Check out the TMZ article here... http://www.tmz.com/2010/08/30/paris-hilton-cocaine-arrested-las-vegas-cy-waits-purse/

I have a real liking for news published by TMZ. I find their often feisty, opinion-filled articles more interesting than just merely stating the 'facts' about what has happened in a particular situation. I often find myself laughing out loud when reading TMZ articles as well because more often than not, they are completely ridiculous. So i always take them with a grain of salt...

Whats interesting though is that within the article, the reporter does not seem to get any information from Paris herself but from "Paris' close friends". This rings alarm bells for me immediately because these friends are not named and quite possibly may not even exist. Sure the story about her being caught with cocaine is true because there were police reports and there will be a court case etc. but do we have any way of knowing if the claims made in this article are true? NO.  Well anyway, the arguments that Paris' besties are making are that Paris said the drugs weren't hers, she merely lent the bag to a friend a few days earlier and she had "no idea" the cocaine was in there..ahh...its all alot clearer now. I'd say Paris has "no idea" about alot of other things as well.

poor Paris in trouble with the law AGAIN

(Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Paris_hilton_universal_photo_retouched.jpg)

Surely, Paris will get away with yet another incident that any other member of the public would be strictly reprimanded for! It has seemed increasingly common recently that the law doesn't really apply to celebrities as it does to ordinary citizens.

I thinks its said best in the comment section under the article where 'StoopidHead' writes:
"Stupid Rich people. Always losing track of their cocaine".
Posted at 7:39 AM on Aug 30, 2010 by StoopidHead

Until next time....

Naughty Rice

Many of you would have heard of the recent Stephanie Rice scandal. The good-girl gone bad Aussie swimmer tweeted ""Suck on that f--gots" after the Wallabies defeated the Springbok's on the weekend. The derogatory language she used in her quickly deleted tweet has sparked outrage against the Australian public and the gay community.

Heres the link to a news.com.au article...http://www.news.com.au/business/stephanie-rice-loses-sponsor-jaguar-after-anti-gay-tweet/story-e6frfm1i-1225915098261

Aussie golden girl (Source: http://www.topnews.in/sports/excouple-stephanie-rice-and-eamon-sullivan-strip-undie-ad-27199)

My biggest concern after this story broke is that most celebrities, especially sporting superstars, develop a following of young poeple who want to act and succeed as their idols have done. The worst case scenario is that young people who had not previously heard or used the word 'f--gots' will now begin to use it as they think its 'cool' or funny.

The author of the article, Josh Robertson, claims that it was ex-afl player and outspoken gay rights activist Ian Roberts, who caused Rice to loose her sponsorship deal with car company, Jaguar. Ian Roberts made a commented that anyone who would continue sponsorship with Rice is a "complete idiot". However, it seems the claim the author has made that this was the sole reason for dropping rice is complete unsubstanitated dribble. I would like to draw your attention to the fact that this story is front page news. I'm pretty sure Jaguar would have dropped Stephanie Rice even if Ian Roberts didn't have anything to say about it, maybe backlash from the whole country perhaps????

Even the comments in the article made by a Jaguar spokesperson make no reference to any of Ian Roberts' suggestions. Although I seem to be slamming the author of this article I actually thought the piece was well-written, made use of relevant sources and informed the reader much more so than other articles on this issue have done.  

Stephanie Rice in a Jaguar campaign (Source: http://www.news.com.au/business/stephanie-rice-loses-sponsor-jaguar-after-anti-gay-tweet/story-e6frfm1i-1225915098261)

Although Rice has had other indiscretions in the past it is clear that some people cannot just not learn a lesson. I would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that once information is online it is very difficult to remove completely and often stays there forever. So when using social networking sites, such as Twitter, you should be especially careful if you are a celebrity and have a following of thousands of people....duh!

Till next time...

Does anyone care about this?

What is it with all the press surrounding the split of Radio host Kyle Sandilands and his wife Tamara Jaber? Firstly I would like to point out that no-one seems to like Kyle, besides the teenie boppers who listen to 104.1 in the morning. Well no-one I know seems to have a very high opinion of him due to his recent scandals (eg.the lie detector incident), his flamboyant lifestyle and cocky attitude. Is this why the press seems to be jumping on Tamara's bandwagon? The media does not seem to know why the couple split but they are assuming that it was Kyle who dumped Tamara and left her in Sydney while he jetted off to LA to start a relationship with a stripper.

Here is the news.com.au article I came across today, http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/music/music-eases-pain-for-tamara-jaber-after-kyle-sandilands-break-up/story-e6frfn09-1225905377407

news.com.au has an interesting format, which I really like. At the beginning of a piece, readers are presented with the main points of an article. This allows for easier navigation because we are able to see if the article will be of any interest to us after reading only a few words.

This article really annoyed me and I'm trying to work out why. Firstly, I don't believe that a break-up of a couple should be any one's business but there own, even if they are celebrities! Leave them in piece for a little bit at least. Why do we have an article about how Tamara uses music to get over it? It just seems ridiculous. I don't believe that anyone read this article thinking how well-informed they are now and how enlightening it was to read. I was bored to tell you the truth but I still cant figure out if this is all from my dislike of Kyle. I'm not a big fan of Tamara either because I don't think she has really done anything to warrant her celebrity status beside her marriage to Kyle Sandilands....this has also seemed to help her land a role on 'Dancing with the Stars'.

OK enough ranting and back to the article....
The author also uses information from other sources eg. The Daily Telegraph to write his article, which may have been necessary because the singer may have only given one interview.

The article refers to Tamara's pain at having to "watch Sandilands' new liaisons played out in women's magazines". Speaking of which, Kyle has been on air and publicly denied any involvement with the LA stripper, claiming they are merely friends and all this negative press has really hurt her too...blah blah blah. Thus it seems strange that the media are still reporting on the issue. Who am I kidding? I'm sure this story will continue to be run until the stripper comes forward and makes a statement and then hopefully we can put all of this to bed. They are celebrities and we all love to hate!

Homosexuals, Zombies and Porn....OH MY!

As you may or may not have guessed the title of this post is referring to the new gay zombie film, 'LA Zombie', which has sparked controversy in Australia. Australia of all places..... I always thought we were a nation that wholeheartedly supported gay dead people having sex and I'm outraged. I mean c'mon hasn't anyone seen 'Vampire Lesbian Killers', I'm sure that one was a hit with men everywhere.

All jokes aside, The Sydney Morning Herald published the article 'Gay zombie porn to screen in Melbourne', this week.

Zombies...Source: Wikimedia Commons

Here is the link....http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/movies/gay-zombie-porn-to-screen-in-melbourne-20100811-11zu9.html

QUICK SUMMARY OF ARTICLE: Director, Bruce LaBruce's (no I didn't make that name up) film, 'LA Zombie',  "was refused classification', which means that it is illegal to screen it here, in Australia. This is significant because it was supposed to air at Melbourne International Film Festival, but the censors stepped in saying that it was inappropriate. According to the title of the article, this is due to the fact the film is 'Gay zombie porn'. So the Director of the Melbourne Underground Film Festival has stepped in saying he will screen the film regardless of the fact that it is illegal. He says he will not release the venue until the last minute so the police will have less chance of shutting down the event. That's pretty much the story...

I have to admit I was instantly drawn to the article because of the title. In class, we have been learning about news values. For instance, currency (eg. how hot is the topic in the media), consonance, conflict, proximity and novelty. I believe that this story contains all of the above. I think that the story has currency because censorship and classification are always big stories in the media. Also, there is normally controversy surrounding these stories. There is another aspect that I also think needs mentioning. The 'Twilight' series of movies has brought about a huge fan base for films with supernatural themes. Thus families could be  concerned that this sort of film will influence children to see the film etc.  The story contains conflict for obvious reasons. Film director vs. classification board....Underground Film Festival Director vs. police.
Proximity is relevant because the situation is unfolding in Melbourne, Australia. Thus the Australian public will have an invested interested in the outcome. Novelty is possible the most obvious news value in the article. I always find myself drawn to the articles with quirky, attention-grabbing title and I think this journalist has done that well.

The article is also interesting in relation to the fact that the film was refused classification. We are currently learning about media regulation in a media and ethics class and I am fascinated over what constitutes an 'unclassifable' film!

Overall, I think the article was written very well and I enjoyed reading it. Probably due to its quirky nature!

Source: Wikimedia Commons...Zombies as portrayed in the movie 'Night of the Living Dead'

I don't know about you but these sort of articles sure seem to drum up alot of publicity for films and television a great deal of the time...but after reading the article I do have to say I'm intrigued and  a part of me wants to see this film. Lets just say i probably won't be attending the ''public disobedience freedom of speech event'' though. For those of you who are, expect lots of fake blood-soaked clothing and people looking as if they are severely intoxicated.

This can't be true?

         I have chosen to write my blog about entertainment news. I love celebrity news, not only because it is interesting but it can be very funny.However, entertainment pieces can also be very poorly written. Each week I will pick a different article, disect the writing style and offer my point of view. enjoy!

 In this day and age I am well aware that celebrities seem to think that because of their 'status' they can act above the law (cough cough Lindsay Lohan). Most celebrities believe they will not suffer the same punishments/consequences that everyday people do. Yesterday whilst reading news.com.au, I stumbled upon 'Wyclef Jean 'to run for Haiti President'", August 04, 2010.

Source: Wiki Commons (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/WyclefJean.jpg)

Here's the link: http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/wyclef-jean-to-run-for-haiti-president/story-e6frfku0-1225900909111

         I am not saying that if well-known singer Wyclef Jean became the Haitian president he would be breaking the law but I would hate for a celebrity to become president due to their celebrity status. Now for one, I am completely supportive of people believing in themselves to the extent that they have dreams and goals for the future, however, this is just ridiculous.

          Not only was I amazed at the subject matter of the article but I also feel that it was not well-written and was poorly researched. Basically the whole article is speculation. There are no interviews with credible sources and yet it is published on the website to be re-tweeted and shared amongst the web community. This is how rumours start. Even the author of the article admits,

"Rumours have swirled for months that Jean would run. The singer has always been careful not to rule out a run for the president and recorded a song titled 'If I was president'".

Wow! Is the author really saying that because Wyclef Jean recorded a song about being president, that means he will run? Is Wyclef Jean really the right person to get this crisis filled nation back on track?

The author mentions that the singer was born in Haiti, insinuating that because Jean was born there then maybe the run for presidency will be successful. This is very frustrating. The length of the article also shows that there isn't very much useful information on the subject.

This article could be vastly improved by gaining interviews with relevant sources to substantiate the claims made and give readers a little more reason to believe that Wyclef Jean is seriously considering running for president of Haiti!

Until next time...