Oscars...tongue-tied actors coached on speech-making!

 

Didn't 'ya want to slap sense into Paltrow?

If you're ever found the Oscars to be a big yawn - and you've been inclined to channel surf away from the segments Hitchcock might refer to as the "boring bits" - you may want to stay glued to the glam broadcast this year to ensure you don't miss any memorable moments.

After all, the glitzy show-biz extravaganza is expected to zip along this year - in part, due - to the cheeky efforts of the producers.

At a tony luncheon yesterday in Beverly Hills to honor the nominees, actors were coached on the fine art of speech-making to help 'em along at the exciting proceedings this year at the Kodak Theatre (except for actor Colin Firth, of course, who is ably prepared in the event he has to scramble up to the podium to accept a coveted Golden Statuette).

Tips were offered up on how to deliver a touching heart-warming thank-you speech - within the forty-five second time limit - without fumbling and coming off like a amateurish jerk-off before the teaming masses around the globe come February 27th.

For example, producers cautioned performers about facilitating a scrap of paper to recall a laundry list rife with names of folks to thank (or using the palm of their hand for cheat notes).

Strictly taboo!

Just ask Sarah Palin.

To prompt the prime Grade A cattle along, a state-of-the-art indicator has also been installed on the front of the camera - to initiate a countdown - so unsuspecting thespians don't end up being yanked off stage with a hook (or cut off in the event irate sponsors cut to a commercial break).

For those who aren't a quick study, an instruction DVD was provided, for future reference.

So, if a handful of the speeches sound alike - or lack spontaneity or spark - you'll be able to fathom why.

You can't teach an old ham new tricks, after all!

http://www.thetattler.biz/



Cameron was "King of the World"

(in his own mind anyway!)



Oscars...Gwyneth Paltrow, Mandy Moore & Randy Newman slated to perform!

 

Ads for upcoming Oscars a bit flat!

Ever since the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences nabbed sizzling hot James Franco & sexy Anne Hathaway to host the upcoming Oscar celebrations in Tinsel Town, the power-brokers behind-the-scenes (Producers Bruce Cohen and Don Mischer) have been scrambling to round up a roster of heavy-weights to bolster their dazzling heady show-biz assignment on stage February 27th.

Gwyneth Paltrow has been lined up to warble "Coming Home" - for instance - a headlining tune she performed in the recently-released Country & Western gut-wrencher - "Country Strong" - which made a big splash in recent days at theatres around the country.

Randy Newman, Mandy Moore, and Zachery Levi and Florence Welch (The Machine) will also perform Oscar-nominated tunes when the curtain rings up in front of the glam-packed house at the Kodak Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard just before springs roars in at the end of the month.

Newman will also warble a tune from "Toy Story 3" - while Mandy Moore & Levi and Menchen - were hand-picked to harmonize "I see the Light" from the animated hit "Tangled".

Stay posted for the latest news Oscar buzz, eh?

Still waiting for my invite.

Oh well, 'ya know how it is with snail mail these days!

http://www.thetattler.biz/



Cosmopolitan Hotel...Beyonce, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kanye West attend Grand Opening!

In December I reported on the dazzling two-storey Cosmopolitan Hotel which threw open its doors amidst a lot of hoopla and on the edge of tough economic times still holding strong around the country.

In spite of a lot of tourist belt-tightening this past year - and the inclination of many to book into accommodations where bargain prices currently prevail - the Cosmopolitan managed to lure in a posse of show-biz luminaries for the Grand Opening which proved to be quite a shot in the arm for the non-Vegas-style establishment (backed by German financiers) out to carve a special niche in the ever-popular desert oasis

Regular Hotel guests rubbed shoulders with high-profile celebs like bodacious babe Beyonce, bad girl Rihanna, TV Idol Judge Jennifer Lopez (with low-key hubby Marc Anthony in tow), Markie Mark (oooops! Mark Wahlberg rather), charismatic actress Cameron Diaz, and Ashley Owen (to name a trendy few).

Oh, it almost slipped my mind!

Gwyneth Paltrow floated in (Country Strong) with kiddies Apple and Moses (!) in tow.

Jet-setters - with an ear for eclectic music - also flew in to catch Kanye West in concert at the hot spot revving up on the main strip these days.

Coldplay (Gwyneth's main squeeze is the lead singer) was also booked in to the visually-stunning environs to the delight of fans!

I predict the Cosmopolitan is going to take off in a big way in 2011.

By the way, the Marriot Rewards card may be used at the Cosmopolitan.

So, go rack up a few points, eh?

http://www.thetattler.biz

Eclectic Boy Bands are a lure!

Country Strong...Director Shana Feste & actor Garrett Hedlund @ screening! CW entertainment touches!

In one scene of a flick I took in last night at the Grove, a reporter asked one of the characters how he felt about the fact his career was going to change overnight.

Ironic that, because when "Country Strong" (produced by Toby MaGuire) is released next year on January 7th, Garrett Hedlund may find that fate has blessed his career with that very same surge upward into the glare of the heady stratosphere, too.

After all, Hedlund - who appeared with director Shana Feste in person at the sneak preview last evening - has a charismatic screen presence that jumps right out at the filmgoer.

In the role of a hopeful Country & Western Singer - the handsome actor excels - in a performance that is seamless, sexy, and downright magnetic.

Indeed!

The audience has a difficult time taking their eyes off the young stud, who steals every scene he appears in, I dare say.

Gwyneth Paltrow - the lead - fairs pretty well, too, in this refreshing down-to-earth tale about struggling (and established) Western-style pop stars trying to gain (and in the case of Paltrow's character "regain") a foothold in the topsy-turvy carnival-like atmosphere of the achy-breaky realms of Country & Western music.

Paltrow - who has left me hot (playing opposite Michael Douglas in a suspense-thriller) and cold (in the Tannenbaums) on occasion - manages to pull off a star-turn on the inviting Texas terrain here.

In fact, in the shell of a troubled C& W star (on the skids) - fighting to win back her reputation and fans - she holds her own.

Unfortunately, Ms. Paltrow is more Hollywood than Country & Western to the film's overall detriment.

All the supporting players, on the other hand, stand-out in well-crafted fleshed-out characterizations that wink like little gems throughout (not a fake-looking rhinestone in the lot).

Kudos to Leighton Meester and Tim McGraw, for sure, for turning in performances that will undoubtedly result in turning points in their respective careers.

The director - Shana Feste - crafted a tight believable script and capably brought it to life in a celluloid offering that is thoroughly entertaining bill-of-fare.

Her palette is warm, inviting, and yummy to the senses.

The plot twists - with a big focus on the intrigues of the heart - keep the audience fully engaged and on the edge of their seats pining for a satisfying Hollywood-style end.

And, they're not disappointed, in the final analysis.

When the film is released early next year, I expect that Country & Western music fans (and a posse of others) will flock to movie theatres to catch this heart-warming flick.

The sneak preview was sponsored by KIIS FM.

4 stars!

http://www.thetattler.biz

Walk of Fame...Reese Witherspoon & Tina Fey get Star nod! Big "O" diminishes honor!

The red carpet was rolled out, limos purred at the curb, and the fans went wild!

Uh-huh.

The Chamber of Commerce tossed a chi chi  press conference  in true Hollywood-style to induct a posse of celebrities into the "Walk of Fame".

A smattering of stars - from myriad facets of the industry - will have their stage names etched onto pink-and-black terrazzo slabs - and thus - thrust  into the anals of the Hollywood elite.

Unfortunately - like Obama and his controversial Nobel Peace Prize - not all the receipients were deserving or up to snuff.

Big "O", for instance.

Although Ms. Oprey showed promise in "The Color Purple' many moons ago (Native Sun, too) the Hollywood heavyweight was soon relegated to the back burner in Tinseltown because the role of cheezy talk show host doesn't quite cut it.

In fact, her presence on the pretigious walk has diminished the stature of the honor.

I suppose a stretch of Hollywood - on the seamy end of town - will soon be reserved for reality-show "personalities" who may end up in that dicey part of Hollywood down 'n out one day once their ten minutes of fame runs out.

Worthy subjects celebrating the nod this past week included Donald Sutherland (Canadian Actor), Reese Witherspoon, Danny Devito ('bout time, sir!), Rascal Flatts (now there's a legend), chanteuse Melissa Etheridge, Gwyneth Paltrow (ho hum), the Muppets (it's no longer tough being green), and last - but not least in my showbiz diary - Penlope Cruz (thirty inductees in 2010).

Congrats, all!

http//www.julianayrs.com

AFI FEST...Che! Joaquin Phoenix appears on star-studded red carpet. A show of force for Latino Community...

AFI FEST staff rolled out the red carpets, cordoned off the perimeters of the front entrance to Mann's Chinese Theatre, as black-suited security guards scouted the area for potential gate-crashers.

Shortly thereafter - sleek limos purred to the curb with their precious charges inside - a handful of celebrated actors ready to run the gauntlet past a frenzied gaggle of high-profile journalists and paparazzi on Safari and out for a kill.

Just about an hour earlier, the heavens opened up unexpectedly and a torrent of rain descended upon the city, heightened by streaks of lightning amid wild cracks of thunder.

I wondered, an auspicious sign from the Gods?

About an hour later, though, the skies cleared and I headed on up to the much-anticipated premiere of Che at Mann's Chinese Theatre.

When I heard the first shouts of the paparazzi at curbside one thing was evident.

It was showtime!

Up at my end of the carpet near the entrance to the Theatre, a reporter from People magazine scrutinized a sheet of "mug shots" I provided her so she could keep track of the Che stars as they paraded by.

Meanwhile, reporters from In Touch, US Weekly, and MTV jockeyed for their positions alongside me; after all, although all the press folks were given designated perches, face-space onto the carpet to facilitate interviews was still quite tight.

There was a strong turn-out by the Latino community , too.

Che - for those who were not aware of it - was filmed entirely in Spanish with English subtitles.

Understandably, the Latino press was there to show support and bask in the glory.

The creative end didn't disappoint either.

All the lead actors who starred in the two-part four hour (plus!) bio - not only showed up to tout the much-ballyhooed feature - but strike up idle chit-chat with the media.

For the most part, it was quite the fashion show, too.

The ladies tended to saunter by in smart simple cocktail dresses with tasteful elegant jewellery - while their counterparts, the peacocks of the species - showed off a definite flair for designer suits and well-coordinated ensembles that sparked a touch of romanticism.

At one juncture - Steven Soderbergh, Benicio del Toro, Lou Diamond Phillips, and Joaquin De Almeida - posed for a "cast" photograph mid-runway.

Joaquim De Almedia - who often plays the bad guy in commercial popcorn movies out-of-Hollywood - was cast in Che as a politician in the ambitious offering from Steven Soderbergh.

When I asked him how he liked playing those roles, he shrugged and smiled.

"That's the way they see me."

When I asked if there was a dream role he'd like to sink his teeth into, he noted that in Europe he has acted in over forty films playing a wide variety of characters.

"In one recent film, I'm quite a nice guy."

He's a charming fellow, unaffected by the trappings of Hollywood.

Fortunately, I screened Che last week - so I was able to ask a few intelligent questions of one of the original writers for Che biopic.

When I pointed out that I found the film a bit long, the articulate fellow was inclined to admit that the script originally started off quite modestly.

"It grew over time."

Gosh, I wonder why?

The tall elegant screenwriter's next project will be about a character by the name of David Livingstone who the Hollywood player appears to be fascinated with.

Although I was in an interview with a guest when Lou Diamond Phillips alighted next to me to chat with a reporter, I managed to overhear a funny story about celebrity he recalled for her.

Apparently, a woman once mistook the charismatic actor for the boxer, Oscar De La Hoya.

When the befuddled woman asked Phillips about his "moves" in the ring, he did not want to disappoint, so he played along.

Impromptu, he spun a yarn on the spot, which focused on his alleged strategies, and the "art" of boxing.




Jacqueline Bisset was so low-key on the carpet - that she nearly escaped my radar - as she strolled by with an unidentified man on her arm

Gorgeous, as ever!




But, a star that caught everyone's eye - and caused a buzz to ripple through the crowd - was Joaquin Phoenix.

Suddenly, and without warning, he waltzed out of the dark recesses of the theatre - sort-of going upstream against the flow of celebrities heading the other way - and proceeded to take a drag on a cigarette.


At first, the Gladiator star wasn't recognizable!

If anything, he was "wild and woolly" in appearance.

The image he gave off - in the ubiquitous over-sized gold-tinted shades - was that of a reclusive rock star.

Then, oh my gosh, I spied the actor take a surreptitious swig from a flask, he casually spirited up from the inside of his jacket pocket.

HO2 or something with a little more kick to it?

Maybe those revelations about quitting the business are true.

Is the life of a superstar actor a strain for the psyche, do 'ya think?

News at 11!


Joaquin Phoenix & Gwyneth Paltrow star in "Two Lovers" at AFI Fest

Gwyneth Paltrow...Goopy, dude! Web site doesn't nourish...

To be quite honest with 'ya, actress Gwyneth Paltrow lost me when she scrambled up on stage a couple of years ago, and sobbed uncontrollably for about twenty minutes, after snagging a coveted Oscar.

Goop - Paltrow's second grab for the brass ring - rubs me the same way.

Frankly, it doesn't deliver up its promises from the get-go.

On the main page on the web site - Paltrow unceremoniously dumped on unsuspecting chartered members of the Internet this past week - the high-strung actress waxes eloquently about her much-anticipated vanity offering.


"Nourish the inner aspect," the spoiled little rich girl urges her guests.

And, how she intends to dish it up!


But, not before confusing the heck out of 'ya!








For example - when a web surfer clicks on a handful of odd-ball icons arranged neatly (she likes things to be nice) across the main page - the mystical little webmaster returns the viewer ad nauseam back to the start-up page without having accomplished a single thing.

Ah, I get it.

Rearrange the letters of Goop and you come up with Pogo!

Just hop around Goop on your Pogo stick, dude!

Soon, it will be obvious to 'ya.

Goop is an exercise in futility.

If not - maybe the newsletter I signed up for this afternoon - will zip off a message over the weekend and laughingly titter the obvious.

"Julian, 'ya just got punked."

Gwyneth, your site kind of reminds me of an old joke.

An old philosopher once said,

"To be is to do"

A fellow scholar was inclined to add further,

"To do is to be"

But, Frank Sinatra said it best, when he crooned,

"Do be do be do"

Gotcha!