Stop the Madness!

Seriously, Hollywood needs to find some new creative people because this whole remaking old movies thing is getting really old. Word came down the wire today that the powers that be are contemplating making a sequel to Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II. Say it ain't so!

Variety reports that Columbia Pictures is gearing up to bring another Ghostbusters film to the big screen, ideally featuring all four main characters from the 1984 blockbuster and its 1989 sequel—Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson. Both '80s-era films were cowritten by Aykroyd and Ramis and directed by Ivan Reitman. Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky, both executive producers on The Office, have been tapped to pen the new installment—after which, Columbia will approach its would-be leading men. (source)

So its not a done deal and Dan Aykroyd was quoted as telling a radio station last year that if they ever made a sequel, it would have to be CGI or something because Bill Murray wouldn't appear in a live action sequel. So there's hope that the Ghostbusters franchise won't be further tarnished. I mean Ghostbusters II wasn't that great but the original was awesome. Please, someone make them stop!

Bad news for Watchmen Fans, or is it?

So things have been pretty hectic around here lately. Between the holiday weekend, the Vine VIP party and Ron going on vacation, there hasn't been much time for writing. Well really any time for writing. So I took a mini blog vacation. But I'm back, as much as I can be. We're gearing up for the new local sports season, which starts on Friday, and you would be surprised at how much that includes me. But on to some entertainment news.

A few weeks ago, I posted a story about 20th Century Fox's lawsuit against Warner Bros. over the rights to The Watchmen, which is supposed to be released in March of 2009. At the time, it looked like Fox was actually trying to block the film from being released. News comes today of a further development in the case:
A federal judge in Los Angeles has set Jan. 6 as the start of the showdown between 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros. over the movie adaptation of the vaunted graphic novel by Alan Moore and David Gibbons. Watchmen has devolved from a comic book flick into a courtroom drama in recent months, as Fox came forward with a complicated case claiming it still owns the rights to Watchmen and is seeking to block the release of Warners' anticipated film. Fox scored a legal victory last month when U.S. District Judge Gary Allen Feess ruled there was enough evidence to go to trial. But on Tuesday, he shot down Fox's request to halt the March 6 release of the Warners movie, helmed by 300's Zach Snyder and starring Patrick Wilson, Carla Gugino, Billy Crudup and Jackie Earle Haley as a group of ostracized former superheroes trying to save the world and themselves. Instead, according to the Hollywood Reporter, Feess fast-tracked the trial, presumably giving the two studios a chance to reach a settlement in the matter before deciding on potentially harsher measures. (source)
So good news and bad news right? The movie is still coming out on schedule, but there's still going to be a trial. Which could still affect the movie's release, especially if Fox wins. But, most of the media is pretty convinced that Warner Bros. will eventually offer a decent enough settlement to Fox that will probably include a percentage of the film's earnings. Money does make the world go round after all. Especially in the movie business.

That's it for now. Hopefully something interesting will happen in Hollywood later today. Lately its been all about lawsuits and criminal charges, which does nothing for my optimism.
Later!

Zuma? Really?

So the rumors were true. Gwen Stefani did indeed give birth today to a baby boy. Who was then given the name of Zuma Nesta Rock Rossdale. Yup, that's right. I said Zuma. Here's the story:

Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale welcomed their second little prince today, E! News has confirmed. Son Zuma Nesta Rock Rossdale was born Thursday at Los Angeles' Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, joining 2-year-old brother Kingston in the musically inclined couple's burgeoning brood. The family's newest addition arrived at 12:46 p.m., weighing 8.5 pounds. "Mother, baby and family are all happy and healthy," a rep for the couple said in a statement. (source)

Now, I was totally ok with Kingston as a name. Kingston sounds rather English and Gavin is rather English, so it works for me. But Zuma? Was she hooked on the game Zuma while pregnant? And the poor kid can't even go by his middle name either. He's got to choose between a brand of iced tea or a mineral composite. Do they hate this child? Or are they just messing with us by giving the press a fake name? I'm hoping for the later. Until I get a good explanation for this name, I'm not giving my approval on it. Because my opinion totally counts in the Stefani-Rossdale family. Really, it does.

The Rumors Continue

In Touch Weekly (who were the first to correctly report the birth of the Brangelina wonder twins last month) is reporting that Gwen Stafani has checked into Cedars-Sinai Medical Center to give birth to her latest child. Here's what they have to say:
It’s D-day — as in delivery day — for Gwen Stefani! The singer checked into Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and is scheduled to give birth via C-section at 10 a.m. PT. This will be the second child for Gwen, 38, and her husband Gavin Rossdale — and it’s in the same hospital where she gave birth to son Kingston, 2. "Gwen's so excited to have this baby because she gained a lot of weight during this pregnancy," her pal reveals to In Touch. "She is ready to meet her new baby and get her body back." (source)
If its a C-section, then we should know in a matter of hours in Gwen is truly giving birth. And I say that its about time! It seems like she's been pregnant forever! I was assuming that she would pop around the same time that Angelina did, but I guess I was wrong. Just another baby to add to the ever expanding Hollywood Baby Boom (or Hbb as I like to call it). I hope Kingston's ready to be a big brother!

And Now For Something Completly... Odd

Jessica Simpson has signed on to be the face of Stampede Light beer, a vitamin enriched beer made is Dallas. You read that right, the beer has vitamins in it. Check out the first ad:

Not only is she the face of this "healthy beer" but she's also got a 15% stake in the company. Am I the only one who is avidly curious about this beer? Not because of Jessica Simpson. Because I want to see what a vitamin enriched beer can taste like. It can't be worse than Heinekin. Can it?

More Baby Booming.

I guess that young Hollywood has grown up a little this summer. Half of the former "It Girls" are either in relationships or are having babies or are at least getting over their latest stint in rehab. First Nicole hooks up with Joel Madden and has baby Harlow, then Paris hooks up with Joel's twin brother Benji and has a reality show both here and in England, then Ashlee marries Pete Wentz and gets knocked up and finally, Lindsay is either getting it on with her friend Samantha Ronson or she's leading the poor girl on because they are always together and she hasn't been photographed passed out in a car in months! What happened to the scandals? Oh sure, there's still the lawsuits and the fights with the paparazzi, but nothing really scandalous. Which means that, until the next generation of "It Girls" starts getting arrested for throwing their drink at their exes new girlfriend, we'll just have to settle for the ongoing Hollywood baby boom that's been ever present for the past year or so.
The most surprising development in this said boom, well since that whole Clay Aiken thing that still makes me a little nauseous, broke today. Apparently, Ricky Martin, he of the bon bon shaking and living la vida loca, has managed to procure twin boys via a surrogate mother. Here's the scoop on that one:

Ricky Martin has shaken his bon-bon all the way to the paternity ward: The Latino superstar is now the proud father of twin boys. The "Livin' la Vida Loca" singer's spawn were delivered via a surrogate mother several weeks ago, his rep confirmed today. "The children, delivered via surrogacy, are healthy and already under Ricky's full-time care," per the official statement. No further details were made available, including either the tots' names or vital statistics. There's also no word on the identity of the boys' mother. These are the first offspring for the 36-year-old Grammy winner, who has long been an advocate for kids, devoting time to charities that work to prevent the sexual exploitation of children. (source)

Sneaky little minx! This is the first I've heard of Ricky even wanting kids, let alone going through the process of securing a surrogate and taking care of her during the pregnancy and birth and even has the twin boys in his care already! That's a lot of planning to keep out of the eye of the press. Though he does tend to stay out of the spotlight when he's not on stage or at a charity gig and he stays away from Hollywood, so its not surprising that he was able to hide the whole process from prying eyes. Good for him on that front! There have always been rumors that Ricky is gay and, while it wouldn't surprise me if he was, I have always been impressed by the way he manages to steer the media's focus back to his music and charities. That is the way it should be. So congrats on the new babies Ricky!

Another sly lady who's always tried, though rarely succeeded, to stay out of the public eye, is Jennifer Garner, who has also become a member of the Hollywood baby boom (to be called the Hbb for the rest of this post, I'm getting tired of typing it over and over again!). Speculation on Jennifer's first pregnancy (with two year old Violet) and her marriage to Ben Affleck were rampant, but never really confirmed by the couple. This time around, they seem to find no reason to change their game plan. In fact, before the baby bump watch began this time on Jennifer, rumors were rampant that she and Ben were divorcing. The minute the bump watch began though, those rumors died. Now its all about the baby bump and the house search. People Magazine is claiming that Jennifer actually did confirm her second pregnancy today. Here's what they have to say:

Jennifer Garner finally confirmed Wednesday what her baby bump has made clear for weeks – that she and husband Ben Affleck are expecting their second child. "We're so excited, obviously," Garner told Access Hollywood at Walt Disney's 10th Anniversary party for the Baby Einstein line of merchandise. Garner joked about the endless speculation – even crediting her obvious pregnancy to "carbs for breakfast." "It always makes me laugh when people say 'Is she?' 'Isn't she?' It's like eventually you will know, so just chill out for a minute," she told Access Hollywood. (source)

Congrats to the Afflecks on their newest project. Every picture I've seen of Violet is absolutely adorable and they obviously enjoy being parents so way to go. Now we all can stop staring at pictures of Jennifer Garner's stomach and obsess about someone else's.

One final addition to the Hbb todaym which was actually just announced as I started writing this post. Matt Damon and his wife, Luciana, have welcomed a baby girl.

It's another girl for Matt Damon and his wife, Luciana, his rep tells PEOPLE. "Matt and Lucy Damon had a baby girl named Gia Zavala on Wednesday, Aug. 20th. Everyone's doing great," Damon's rep, Jennifer Allen, tells PEOPLE. "She is a healthy baby girl." The newest addition is the third little girl in the Damon household, joining big sisters Isabella, 2, and Alexia, 10. (source)

More congrats on the latest addition to the baby boom. I'm sure the new Garner-Affleck baby and Gia will have lots of play dates in the future.

So, I'm about babied out today. If I keep writing about babies, my husband is going to start getting nervous. I keep telling him that its not my fault, there's something in the famous people water! They just keep getting pregnant! Luckily, I'm not famous, so I don't get that water.

Things around here are basically the same. We're winding down the qualifying on the Vine VIP Party, so if you haven't won yet, you've better head on over to KVYN.com to find out how!

Later!

Some Rumors Do Come True

Well, the last time I wrote, there were lots of rumors going around about events that were supposed to happen over the weekend. Of all those rumors, only one came true. Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi did indeed get married. And, of course, People Magazine has the photos.
Saturday evening was full of love, laughter, and a few tears for Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, who exchanged personal wedding vows in front of their closest family and friends at their home in L.A. In an exclusive interview and photos, DeGeneres, 50, and de Rossi, 35, share the most romantic moments of the night with PEOPLE. "What can I say? I'm the luckiest girl in the world," says DeGeneres. "She's officially off the market. No one else gets her. And now she'll cook and clean for me." Amid candles and flowers by Mark's Garden, both brides, wearing designs by Zac Posen, sat on floor pillows along with author Wayne Dyer, who officiated the ceremony. After exchanging Neil Lane rings, the couple and their guests sat down for an all-vegan menu prepared by their personal chef David Silberkleit while Sweet Lady Jane created a vegan red velvet cake for the celebration. (source)
Of all the rumors I heard or read on Friday, this one seemed the most likely. Especially once all the party planning vans started showing up at their house. Congrats once again to the newlyweds!
So Gwen Stefani's still pregnant and Lindsay Lohan hasn't converted, but two out of three isn't too bad.
In other not really related news, the city of Milwaukee finally got something they've been longing for forever: a bronze statue of The Fonz.

A statue of Arthur Fonzarelli was unveiled to a Happy Days-loving crowd on Wisconsin's Milwaukee River today, commemorating the 10-year run of the classic sitcom and its most iconic character in the city where the series was set (but, alas, never shot). Fonzie alter ego Henry Winkler was on hand for the invite-only occasion, as were show creator-director-producer Garry Marshall, stars Anson Williams (Potsie), Don Most (Ralph), Marion Ross (Mrs. Cunningham), Tom Bosley (Mr. Cunningham) and Erin Moran (Joanie), as well as Laverne & Shirley leads Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams. Ron Howard was on location and unable to make the unveiling. (source)

So, yes I'm being a bit facetious, but I'm also being a bit nostalgic. I used to love watching reruns of Happy Days after school (I believe it came on after my daily fix of Hey Dude and Saved By The Bell) and I love the fact that Milwaukee has embraced its place in pop culture by putting up this statue. Now all they're missing is a Laverne and Shirley historical landmarks tour and they are good to go.

And finally, those of you who are comic book fans, Frank Miller fans, or just went to see The Dark Knight in the theaters may have been excited for the movie version of The Watchmen to debut in theaters next March, but 20th Century Fox really wants to rain on your parade. They're trying to block the release of the comic book adaptation by claiming they still own the rights. Here are the details:

Who will watch The Watchmen? Nobody, if 20th Century Fox gets its way. After a major court victory, the studio has announced a bid to block the release of Warner Bros.' anticipated adaptation of the seminal graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. Fox originally tried to develop the project more than a decade ago, but didn't manage to get the film off the drawing board. The studio claims Warners never properly acquired the rights to The Watchmen, and, in a major twist, instead of seeking a share of the would-be blockbuster's box-office gross, Fox is seeking to kill the flick entirely before it unspools in theaters March 6. A federal judge in Los Angeles agreed with Fox lawyers that there's enough evidence to keep the lawsuit going forward—and keep the film's release in limbo. Directed by 300 helmer Zack Snyder, The Watchmen stars Patrick Wilson, Carla Gugino, Billy Crudup and Jackie Earle Haley as a band of former superheroes who find themselves reclassified as criminal vigilantes in an alternate universe circa 1985. As an unknown assassin begins to hunt them down, the heroes try to unravel a conspiracy and thwart a nuclear war. Per its complaint, Fox traces its distribution rights through a series of complex legal agreements that began in 1991, when the studio teamed up with veteran producer Larry Gordon to develop the DC Comics graphic novel. The project stalled and Gordon went packing, leaving Fox, not Gordon, in control of the property, per the suit. But Gordon resurfaced in 2006 and inked a deal with Warners to try to relaunch Watchmen. It's not clear exactly why Fox is asking for an injunction to block The Watchmen from coming out, especially since the film's already in the can, although it could simply be a ploy to gain a large portion of ticket sales. There's also no indication why Fox waited so long to bring its case. (source)

I am actually a little upset by this turn of events. I've never read the graphic novel, nor had I ever heard of The Watchmen before a few months ago. I didn't even really like 300, which is blasphemy to many of the people I know. What can I say, I'm a girl and men in leather underwear don't really do it for me! However, since this movie began filming and more and more attention has been given to it, I've become more intrigued with the story. I may even check out the graphic novel before the movie comes out (assuming it does). I guess we'll just have to wait and see how it all turns out in the legal system. Its funny, I'm a big fan of Entertainment Weekly magazine and my husband just pointed out that this problem with The Watchmen makes the second cover story that they've published, only to have the movie studios change the information. Just last week, they released their Fall Movie Preview with an in depth look at Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince on the cover, only to have Warner Bros push back the movie's release date to next summer. Probably a coincidence, but interesting none the less.

So that's about it for me today. I ran out of time yesterday and didn't get a chance to write, but I did want to tell everyone that they should definitely check out Tropic Thunder in the theaters if they can or are so inclined. I wasn't expecting to like this movie as much as I did and I think seeing it in the theater really added to it. I also saw Mama Mia this weekend as well, which was a good movie, but there are only so many ABBA fans out there, so I won't push for that one as much.

Anyway, make sure to sign up for the new Vine Loyal Listener club before the week is up. We're qualifying five people a day to go to the Vine VIP party next Thursday and the only way you'll get the Vine Songs of the Summer is by singing up at KVYN.com. Its going to be a great party and you'll have a chance to win some amazing prizes!

Later!