FameCrawler : Entertainment Weekly

Stewart and Colbert are Terrorists (Just Like the Obamas!)

Whit Honea — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 19:02:00 GMT

Remember when The New Yorker thought it was funny and ran this cover that depicted Barack and Michelle Obama as terrorists (which, for the record, they are not)? They published it as satire, but it didn't go over as such.

Entertainment Weekly (seriously?) can show them how it's done. The latest cover of EW features Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert of "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report," respectively, recreating the controversial New Yorker cartoon.

Nation, this is satire.

I think their kids just found their Halloween costumes. Actually, I may have, too. That's funny stuff.

Source

Sarah "Barracuda" Palin and the Heart of the Matter

Whit Honea — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 19:24:00 GMT

According to Sarah Palin's sister (CNN interview) the VP nominee's nickname of Barracuda was a result of tenacious d. on the hardwood (we're talking basketball, not Jack Black).

Ann and Nancy Wilson, the sisters/mothers/working women behind the rock band Heart have a different opinion of the name, and as such wrote a little song about it (Like to hear it? Here it go!).

The song "Barracuda," as anyone that has ever been in the same room as me and a radio can attest, is quite possibly my least favorite song ever- or at least second, sandwiched between Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit," and the entire catalog of Jethro Tull.

Last night at the conclusion of the Republican National Convention the McCain-Palin ticket blared Heart's song "Barracuda" into the arena. Obviously they were playing on Palin's nickname and yada, yada, yada, we get it.

Heart also got it, and they didn't like it. The sent a cease and desist letter to the GOP and contacted Entertainment Weekly to voice their grievances.

A quick aside- when are politicians doing to start asking for permission? This has been happening more and more, usually to the Republicans as they are using music created by the stereotypical leftness that is the recording artist. It can't be good to have celebrities bust your chops every time you turn on the stereo. I'm sure John Rich would love to provide the entire soundtrack. Maybe some Jethro Tull?

Perhaps you may think, as the GOP must have, that the Wilson sisters, both working mothers (Nancy had twin boys in 2000 with husband Cameron Crowe) would be delighted to have their hit played behind Sarah Palin and, according to Wolf Blitzer, "an excellent balloon and confetti drop," but no, they weren't.

Here is their statement:

"The Republican campaign did not ask for permission to use the song, nor would they have been granted that permission. We have asked the Republican campaign publicly not to use our music. We hope our wishes will be honored."

They then told EW, "Sarah Palin's views and values in NO WAY represent us as American women. We ask that our song 'Barracuda' no longer be used to promote her image. The song 'Barracuda' was written in the late 70s as a scathing rant against the soulless, corporate nature of the music business, particularly for women. (The 'barracuda' represented the business.) While Heart did not and would not authorize the use of their song at the RNC, there's irony in Republican strategists' choice to make use of it there."

What do you think? Is the artist entitled to say who can listen to their music and where, or is a large, organized and televised event subject to the same rules that govern other TV shows?

To be fair, Obama also used a song without permission, but the artists in that case, Brooks and Dunn, chose to be flattered despite not endorsing the politics of it.

Here's my humble opinion, I think that Brooks and Dunn rolled with it because the use of their song at the DNC probably opened them up to a new audience. I think Heart is upset because a) it's Sarah Palin, and b) the best way to stretch their thrust back into the spotlight is to grab said spotlight. There is no such thing as bad publicity and even though their anger may be geniune and justified, the cynic in me knows a good marketing ploy when I see it.

I just hope "Barracuda" doesn't go back into heavy rotation.

Source/Photo

I Heart Tina Fey

sweatpantsmom — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 13:05:00 GMT

It's true. I love Tina Fey. But don't worry Tina - it's in a totally non-sexual, respectful, fawning, creepy sort of way. And yes, that was me in your hallway dressed like the FedEx guy!

But who wouldn't love Tina? She funny. She reduces her acting method to four moves, ”Eye-rolling; the ability to eat food on camera in real time; I think I’m a decent straight man. Do I have a fourth move? Um, unpleasant dancing.”

And she wise! Tina's take on fame: ”They should draw up an equation: What level of fame do you need to achieve to keep doing what you want? Because you don’t want any more than that. You don’t want someone to take a picture of your butt on the beach."

Now, everybody love on Tina!

Source

J.K. Rowling Named Entertainer of the Year, Tina Fey Voted Class Clown

Karen — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 15:02:00 GMT

Entertainment Weekly named J.K. Rowling Entertainer of the Year. The magazine said Rowling deserved kudos "people to tote around her big, old-fashioned printed-on-paper books as if they were the hottest new entertainment devices on the planet."

I'm sorry, does anyone else find that SAD? I mean, yes it's great that she got kids and adults reading but shouldn't parents have been doing that all along?

Another mom made the list too: Tina Fey of 30 Rock fame, was 'voted' Class Clown. "I love going to those uncomfortable places," she tells the magazine. "I'll go down any weird avenue."

God I love that chick.

Breaking News: Angelina Jolie is a Hottie

sweatpantsmom — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 22:20:00 GMT

Seeing as we barely mention her here on FameCrawler, I don't know if you've noticed that Angelina Jolie is kind of good looking. At least according to participants of an Entertainment Weekly online poll, who voted Jolie the Ultimate Female Hottie. Mrs. Brad Pitt beat out other homely wallflowers such as Jessica Alba and Eva Mendes in this highly scientific poll, meaning that hormonal teenage boys everywhere cast their anonymous votes by clicking the screen between sips of Red Bull and PSP marathons.

EW's readers also chose their winner in the men's category - and that honor goes to...Wentworth Miller. Who? Apparently the Prison Break star is quite the sexy beast, although his charms seem to escape me in this picture. Maybe he'll perk up when he gets his Ultimate Male Hottie t-shirt, trophy and refrigerator magnet prize package!