Archives for April, 2011.

Aretha Franklin to Pen Cookbook

Filed under: Music, Sympatico — D.I.S.H. @ 2:07 pm on April 29, 2011

April 29, 2011

Aretha Franklin says she’s ready to share all the secrets of her kitchen in a brand new cookbook.

The Queen of Soul says that now that she’s lost 85 pounds following a recent health scare, she’s eating better than ever – and she wants to share her what she’s learned about healthy eating with her fans.

Franklin told the ladies of The View earlier this week that her recent illness has forced her to be smarter about what she does – and doesn’t – consume.

“I used to have hamburgers coming and going, especially when I was on the road,” Franklin, 69, told the show’s hosts. “Now, occasionally I will still have that quarter pounder – because I love fast food – but you have to keep it to a minimum. I am now opting for salads and just healthier lunches.”

Franklin suggested one healthy option that could be featured in the cookbook is a creation she calls the Aretha Salad. Franklin says that particular healthy choice features radish, olives, carrots, a little shredded cheese, ranch dressing and a little bit of lemon.

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Iglesias, Shakira Win Big at Latin Music Awards

Filed under: Music, Sympatico — D.I.S.H. @ 2:03 pm on

April 29, 2011

Heartthrob Enrique Iglesias and Columbian hip-shaker Shakira were the two big winners at the 2011 Billboard Latin Music Awards.

Iglesias was the night’s biggest winner, going home with nine trophies, including Latin Artist of the Year and Latin Album of the Year for his smash Euphoria and Hot Latin Song of the Year for his Spanish-language hit Cuando Me Enamoro.

Shakira picked up trophies for Latin Pop Airplay Artist of the Year and Top Latin Albums Artist of the Year, Female, for her record Sale el Sol. Her hit track Waka Waka also picked up a prize for Latin Digital Download of the year.

Billboard reports that it was also a big night for newcomer Prince Royce, who scooped up four awards, including Latin Artist of the Year, Tropical Airplay Artist of the Year Solo and Tropical Album of the Year for his self-titled debut album.

The 2011 Billboard Latin Music Awards were broadcast on cable TV’s Telemundo to more than 35 countries, live from the BankUnited Center in Miami.

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Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton Team-Up for Tornado Victims

Filed under: Country, Music, Sympatico — D.I.S.H. @ 2:01 pm on

April 29, 2011

Country stars Reba McEntire and Blake Shelton will team up to raise money for victims of the recent devastation caused by storms in Oklahoma.

The Boot reports that the country music superstars will headline the Tornado Relief Concert in Durant, OK on May 26.

Both singers are very familiar with the area hit hardest by the storm, with McEntire born in the area and Shelton a current resident.

“A lot of people lost a great deal in this disaster and it’s particularly close to us because we both consider Oklahoma home,” McEntire says. “We wanted to do something and let the people in Oklahoma know that we love them and we’re praying for them during this difficult tragedy.”

Shelton adds that little means more to him than him than his home state and he’s proud to do whatever he can to help.

“Oklahoma defines who I am, and seeing the effects this disaster has had on my neighbors, I knew I had to do something,” Shelton tells the site. “Reba and I have a lot of love for this state, and we wanted to do what we can to help. This place is my home, and these people are family to us.”

The show will take place at the Choctaw Casino Resort with all proceeds going towards disaster relief efforts in the area.

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Cast Grows For Top Secret Hunger Games

Filed under: Entertainment, Sympatico — D.I.S.H. @ 1:58 pm on

April 29, 2011

One of the hottest projects in Hollywood is about to add three big names to its ensemble cast.

Natural Born Killer Woody Harrelson, Burlesque’s Stanley Tucci and rocker Lenny Kravitz have all been offered major roles in the upcoming big screen adaptation of the best-selling young adult novel The Hunger Games.

Based on the first book of The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, the story takes place in a futuristic dystopia in which the government forces children to fight to the death for sport.

The New York Observer’s Vulture blog reports that security is so tight on the project that not only are actors being forced to sign nondisclosure agreements to even be considered for parts, but so must their agents and their agent’s assistants.

Nonetheless, a fair bit is already known about who else is in the cast. Winter’s Bone star Jennifer Lawrence is playing the lead role of Katniss Everdeen and Elizabeth Banks has reportedly been offered the role of Effie Trinket, Kat’s perky handler who is assigned to train her for the games. The Kids Are All Right star Josh Hutcherson and Miley Cyrus’ ex Liam Hemsworth have also been locked in as the male leads.

In addition, Walk Hard star John C. Reilly has been tapped to play drunken mentor Haymitch while unknown young actors Willow Shields, Leven Rambin and Jack Quaid (son of Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid) are set to play Prim, Glimmer and Marvel respectively.

Directed by Seabiscuit helmer Gary Ross, The Hunger Games is set to start shooting this spring, with a planned release date of March 23, 2012.

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Superman Gets A Villainess

Filed under: Entertainment, Sympatico — D.I.S.H. @ 1:49 pm on

April 29, 2011

It appears Superman will be facing down not one, but two evil-doers when the red-caped hero makes his return to the Silver Screen.

Revolution Road and Boardwalk Empire star Michael Shannon is already slated to play the nefarious General Zod in the upcoming blockbuster The Man of Steel, and it appears German actress Antje Traue will be joining him to cause trouble in Metropolis.

Industry trade magazine Variety reports that Traue – who starred opposite Dennis Quaid and Ben Foster in the sci-fi flick Pandorum – has joined the cast of Zach Snyder’s upcoming reboot, as the villainess Faora.

Though not well known among mainstream fans, Faora has been a thorn in Superman’s side in the comics for decades, and she inspired the character Ursa in Christopher Reeve’s Superman and Superman II.

Traue joins an ensemble that already includes Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Kevin Costner and Diane Lane as Pa and Ma Kent and of course Tudors star Henry Cavill as Supes himself.

Produced by Dark Knight mastermind Christopher Nolan, The Man of Steel is set to swoop into theatres December 2012.

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Black Swan Awarded for Depiction of Mental Health Issues

Filed under: Entertainment, Sympatico — D.I.S.H. @ 11:58 am on

April 29, 2011

Black Swan and The Fighter were honoured for their accurate depictions of mental health and substance abuse issues at the 15th annual Prism Awards, which took place Thursday, April 28, at the Beverley Hills Hotel.

The Prism Awards, presented by the Entertainment Industries Council, in collaboration with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, recognize the accurate depiction of substance abuse and mental illness in film, television, interactive, music, DVD, and comic book entertainment.

The official website had yet to be updated at time of writing but the Los Angeles Times reports that Darren Aronofsky’s Oscar-winning ballet drama Black Swan received the top award in the feature film mental health category. Natalie Portman won an Academy Award for her portrayal dancer Nina Sayers, a dancer suffering a psychotic break.

David O. Russell’s The Fighter, in which Christian Bale plays Dick Eklund, a man struggling with crack addiction, was recognized in the feature film substance use category. Bale also won an Oscar for that role, in the Best Supporting Actor category.

The Times says that in television, AMC’s Mad Men received a Prism in the drama series episode-substance use category, while ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy was named for the attention it has paid to mental health issues. NBC’s Parenthood was recognized for its look at Asperger’s syndrome, while Lifetime’s Drop Dead Diva was recognized in the comedy category.

Other winners included Halle Berry for the feature film Frankie & Alice and Claire Danes for HBO’s Temple Grandin.

Presenters included Nicolette Sheridan, Robert Forster, Dr. Drew Pinsky and Steven Tyler. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Tyler presented his friend Richie Supa with a prize for writing the song Last House on the Block.

He greeted the room with, “Is this a room full of recovering alcoholics and drug addicts? Then I’m right at home.”

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Ben Kingsley to co-star with Sacha Cohen in The Dictator

Filed under: Entertainment, Sympatico, Uncategorized — D.I.S.H. @ 10:00 am on

April 29, 2011

Ben Kingsley has joined Sacha Baron Cohen’s The Dictator.

Baron Cohen is set to reteam with Borat and Bruno director Larry Charles for the pic, which will feature the star as a dictator from the Middle East who flees to America.

The feature is based on the best-selling Iraqi romance novel Zabibah and the King. Published in 2000, the book was rumoured to have been written by (or ghostwritten under the influence of) the dictator himself, Saddam Hussein.

Cohen’s character, Variety says, is “a heroic type who risks his life to ensure that democracy never comes to the country he so lovingly oppressed.”

Variety also reports that Oscar-winner Ben Kingsley has just signed on to appear in the satire. Kingsley, who recently shot with Cohen on Martin Scorsese’s upcoming Hugo Cabret, will play another Middle Eastern character who crosses paths with The Dictator.

Now the hunt is on for the movie’s female lead. Saturday Night Live’s Kristen Wiig, The House Bunny’s Anna Faris and Gillian Jacobs from TV’s Community are all said to be in contention for the role of a supermarket employee.

Shooting is set to begin next month in New York and Morocco.

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Bon Jovi to Tour Without Richie Sambora

Filed under: Music, Sympatico — D.I.S.H. @ 9:52 am on

April 29, 2011

Bon Jovi will continue to tour without guitarist Richie Sambora.

It was announced this week that Sambora, 51, will seek treatment for substance issues. It’s not his first visit to rehab. He sought help for alcoholism at ULCA Medical Center in 2007 and a year later was arrested for DUI, for which he was given three year’s probation after pleading no contest.

His probation ended last week.

Bon Jovi fans will be shocked to learn that the band has decided the show must go on and the upcoming tour, which kicks off in New Orleans April 30 and continues through the U.S. before heading to Europe in June, will go on.

A statement on BonJovi.com reads, “Our support for Richie is absolute. He is, and will remain, a member of Bon Jovi. Although he will be absent from upcoming shows for the time being, we very much look forward to his healthy return. In the meantime, we will keep our commitment to our fans and continue our tour.”

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Jeremy Renner as Steve McQueen?

Filed under: Entertainment, Sympatico — D.I.S.H. @ 8:49 am on

April 29, 2011

Is there a hotter actor in Hollywood than Jeremy Renner? The Hurt Locker star has clearly replaced James Franco as That Guy Who is Attached to Every Movie Being Made, for the moment anyway.

He was already announced as Hawkeye in The Avengers and Tom Cruise’s replacement in the Mission: Impossible series. Then this week Renner was named as Matt Damon’s replacement in the Bourne franchise and was picked to play a brand new major character in the latest installment of the Ice Age movies.

Now comes word the Hurt Locker star is developing a biopic of Hollywood legend Steve McQueen, slating himself to play the iconic King of Cool and star of The Great Escape. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Renner is developing the project with his own production company The Combine.

James Gray, writer and director of We Own the Night, has already been contracted to write the screenplay, based on Marshall Terrill’s biographies Portrait of an American Rebel and The Life and Legend of a Hollywood Icon.

Directing duties will be handled by music video maker Ivan Zacharias, who will be cutting his teeth on his first feature film.

Renner just wrapped Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and has already shipped off to Germany to shoot Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, before picking up the bow for The Avengers with director Joss Whedon.

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Katy Perry Sues Magazine Over Affair Allegations

Filed under: Music, Sympatico — D.I.S.H. @ 8:47 am on

April 29, 2011

Katy Perry is suing an Australian magazine over allegations she cheated on husband Russell Brand.

According to Digital Spy and the Daily Mail, the singer filed the claim in Melbourne, Australia, on Thursday, hours after landing Down Under for the next leg of her world tour.

Last month, the magazine New Weekly claimed Katy, who married Brand in India in October, had an ‘intimate relationship’ with her record producer.

The story quoted a “friend” of Katy’s called Angela Summers as well as a source called Marlon David. One or both sources claimed Katy had been seen kissing Blanco when they were recording California Gurls in the studio and accused them of spending time alone in Perry’s hotel room during the Grammy Awards.

Katy says she does not know either person and is reportedly pursuing damages and aggravated damages that may run into the six figures.

The suit, filed at the Victoria Supreme Court against the mag’s publisher, ACP Magazines, reportedly says: ‘By reason of the publication of the article, the plaintiff [Perry] has been gravely injured in her reputation and feelings [and] has suffered distress, embarrassment and humiliation.’

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