‘Survivor: Nicaragua’: What the heck just happened?

Image Credit: Monty Brinton/CBS

Tonight’s episode of Survivor: Nicaragua was turned upside down when not one, but two people threatened to quit the game. But who were they and did they actually go through with it? My full recap will be up at midnight (UPDATE: Click over to read Dalton’s full Survivor recap), but if you’ve already seen the episode and can’t wait to sound off, then read on after the jump for more. [SPOILER ALERT: Read on only if you have already watched Wednesday's episode of Survivor: Nicaragua.]

After a reward challenge that also doubled as a promotional spot for a new Jack Black movie, NaOnka and Kelly both announced their intention to quit the game. Aware that this would severely compromise the rest of the episode, in addition to how the rest of the season would play out, host Jeff Probst convinced the two to at least wait it out until an impromptu Tribal Council that evening. However, not even a screening of Gulliver’s Travels or a pep talk from Holly could convince them to stay, and both NaOnka and Kelly quit at that night’s Tribal. But perhaps even more shocking than the quitting was Probst not tossing their torches into the fire. Not only that, but the two quitters were still allowed to join the jury and vote for the winner.

What do you think? Should Probst have even snuffed their torches? And should NaOnka and Purple Kelly be allowed to vote for a winner even though they quit? I say no way! What do you say? Hit the message boards and weigh in. And for a good laugh, check out my pre-game interviews with NaOnka and Kelly below, where they seem downright giddy about the experience that was about to do them in. Plus, for more Survivor shenanigans, follow me on Twitter @EWDaltonRoss.

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Taylor Swift: Entertainer of Year!

Taylor Swift kicked off 2010 with a No. 2 single debut (“Today Was a Fairytale”), a hit movie (Valentine’s Day), and four Grammy wins, including Album of the Year. She then spent months headlining arena concerts and big-ticket awards shows. But there was one achievement — the Oct. 25 release of her third record, Speak Now — that topped everything. Buoyed by strong reviews and the radio-friendly hit “Mine,” Speak amassed a jaw-dropping 1,047,000 units in first-week sales, the highest tally for any release in five years. For all that, the confidently sweet 20-year-old who was only 2 months old when Entertainment Weekly launched in 1990 is now our youngest-ever Entertainer of the Year.

In our interview, Swift talks about all the speculation surrounding the subjects of the songs on Speak Now, understood to include ex-boyfriends Taylor Lautner, Joe Jonas, and John Mayer. “Sometimes I would laugh because I would see it in print and it would say, ‘This song, which is written about her ex, so-and-so…’ And they would write about it as if it was fact. The fact is, I haven’t ever confirmed that any song is about any particular person. There’s something kind of freeing about that. As far as I’m concerned, it’s all still up in the air.” She also explains how she decided to perform her song “Innocent,” which sure seems to be about Kanye West, at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards. “I had decided that I didn’t want to perform on the show. Or even go. Then I woke up in the middle of the night and I realized that I had to, and that I wanted to perform that song.”

For more with Taylor Swift and our 14 other entertainers of the year — including James Franco, Jon Hamm, and Katy Perry — pick up the new issue of Entertainment Weekly, on stands Friday, December 3.

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Jeff Probst's 'Survivor' blog

Image Credit: Monty Brinton/CBSOkay, I’m not a lawyer, but it seems to me that there is a bit of an implied contract when you agree to be on Survivor.

On our side, we promise you the adventure of your lifetime. Something you have never experienced before and will probably never experience again. It’s a multi-million dollar, life-changing thrill ride that will test you on every level. We promise, and we always deliver. Always.

In exchange we expect only two things from you: Show up… and play. That’s it. When you fail to do one or both of those requirements you are not living up to your end of the bargain. One might say you are in breach of our implied contract.

That’s my new philosophy regarding quitters on Survivor. You’re breaking your contract. There are certainly exceptions to the rule, such as medical evacuations and family emergencies, but I’m talking about the contestants who just decide they don’t want to play anymore. In this case, Naonka and Purple Kelly.

You’d think that by the time you have gone through the long arduous process of casting, meeting the executives at CBS, suffering through your immunization shots, getting your passport, arranging to leave your life for 39 days, getting on a plane, meeting with the press, and then lasting 28 days to give yourself a 1-in-9 shot at winning a million dollars, that this would be a no-brainer. Of course you’re going to finish; quitting would be foolish, right?

I’m not going to rehash the events of the quit, that’s just a waste of time and space.

I will however mention that when Naonka had the chance to walk away from the reward in exchange for tarp and rice, I truly believed she would do it. I was initially shocked when she didn’t move. Shocked. Naonka had just told everybody she wanted to quit. She knew she would be eating real food and sleeping in a real bed within hours, and all she had to do was stand up and say “It’s the least I can do before I quit.” She would have redeemed herself just a little bit.

But upon reflection I can clearly see that my expectation was flawed. Naonka has been consistently selfish for 28 days, and for her to stand up and suddenly do the “right thing” would not be consistent. Naonka went out the same way she came in, “Looking out for numero uno.”

In addition to not being a lawyer, I’m also not a psychologist, but it never seems to stop me from offering up an opinion. So here’s my take on whether they will regret this later in life:

I don’t think Naonka is going to regret her actions for one moment. I think Naonka has a lot of maturing to do and it doesn’t appear to be coming anytime soon. Quitting Survivor doesn’t make Naonka a bad person in my eyes, it was just disappointing. I’ll be curious to find out the reaction from Naonka’s family at the reunion show.

In the case of Purple Kelly, I think she will learn a lot from this experience and will at some point regret not sticking it out for 11 more days.

When you quit, when you give up and walk away from a task, even though you know you have some gas left in the tank, you are in a sense giving up on yourself. Purple Kelly had a lot of gas left in her tank. She’s a very strong and resilient young woman. Naonka gave her permission to quit and she took it and ran. I have a feeling the next time Purple Kelly is in the same situation she will think a long time before quitting.

JURY
I know a lot of you are angry right now because Naonka and Purple Kelly are allowed to be on the jury, so let me explain.

The reason they will both be members of the jury is because a precedent had already been set back when Janu quit in Survivor: Palau. Janu quit the game but was allowed to be on the jury, so we used the same reasoning with Naonka and Purple Kelly. It wasn’t an emotional decision, just an issue of fairness.

And yes…Marty, Alina and Brenda were very upset when they found out these quitters would still get to have a vote to decide who wins the million dollars.

IMPACT
Naonka and Purple Kelly quitting just blew this game wide open. It’s like we’re starting over. Their quit benefits some and penalizes others. The person who lost the most was Sash. He not only lost Purple Kelly, who would have voted any way he wanted her to, he also lost Naonka and her idol. He could have taken those two to the end with him and probably been a shoo-in for the million dollars. Instead he now must scramble to make something happen, and other than Dan, everybody else is a threat to win the game.

From a show point of view it’s an awesome turn of events. It changed everything and makes for an exciting and unpredictable finish.

Everybody left in the game has a legitimate shot to win.

Everybody except Dan. Dan’s best hope was to go to the final with Naonka and Purple Kelly. Now that they’re gone, I cannot think of a scenario in which Dan could beat anybody to win. This makes Dan a great person to take to the end. The dilemma is going to be who else do you take to the final?

I am not picking on Dan, I actually enjoy Dan quite a bit, and I could be wrong and Dan could win. If he does win, stay glued to your television because there is a very good chance that at the live show, as I read the last “Dan” vote, I will become light-headed and pass out on the CBS stage. Fortunately, Dancing With The Stars tapes nearby, so Tom Bergeron could run over and handle the rest of the reunion show.

Okay, so we are down to seven: Jane, Benry, Fabio, Holly, Sash, Chase, and Dan. There is going to be a lot of scrambling happening from here until the end. Here is my assessment of what each player needs to do:

Chase needs to form an alliance and stick with it.

Fabio, Benry and Jane need to start winning immunity or they are in danger.

Holly needs to keep mothering and nurturing and keep the attention on others.

Sash has the most work to do since his rug has been pulled out from under him.

Dan doesn’t need to do anything; it’s been working for 28 days. Why change?

It looks like we might have an exciting finish….

See ya next week.

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'Terriers' finale: More, please!

Terriers wrapped up its first season on Wednesday night with a highly satisfying episode and an open-ended conclusion that did not feel like a cheat or a tease. While I’ve made clear my reservations about the series in a previous post, I thought the last three episodes of Terriers were excellent, and am solidly in the please-FX-renew-it camp.

What I appreciated most about the finale was that it really did wrap up the key plot. The secret plan to pave over Ocean Beach to build an airport was exposed, thanks in large part to Donal Logue’s Hank. This was Terriers plotting at its best, taking bits from movies ranging from Chinatown to Night Moves, as well as the California detective novels of Ross Macdonald,  and making these influences work as the show’s own. Which is to say, Terriers achieved a nicely sardonic tone that knew the distinction between honest skepticism about the challenges life throws at you, and cheap cynicism. In this sense, you could say Terriers is one of the grungiest feel-good shows on TV, a very solid accomplishment.

The Britt half of the story was handled maturely as well. Michael Raymond-James’ character did what he should have done in the first place — forgiven his gal Katie for her one-night-stand and professed his love — and he accepted his two-year conviction for beating Gavin to a pulp with manned-up equanimity.

And how about that ending? It was terrific. Hank and Britt in their battered truck, rumbling along to drop Britt off for his stint in jail. Stopping for a red light, Hank poses not a theoretical, existential dilemma, but a real one: Go straight, and Britt goes to jail. Turn left, and they both head off to Mexico, where sober Hank promises to fall off the wagon and Britt will officially be on the lam. (The red-light/green-light, go-straight/go-left dilemma is also, of course, the producers’ nod to the fate of the series itself. The episode was, after all, titled “Hail Mary.”)

Supposing Terriers returns, what do you think Britt’s traffic-stop decision will be? And what did you think of the finale as a whole?

Twitter: @kentucker

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Jennifer Grey To Undergo Surgery Soon - Access Hollywood

NEW YORK, N.Y. --

Having had almost a week to savor her victory on Season 11 of “Dancing with the Stars,” Jennifer Grey is ready for her next move – a visit to the operating room.

At the launch of Disney’s “Epic Mickey” video game in New York City on Tuesday, Jennifer told Access Hollywood that she would shortly take care of an injury sustained during her triumphant march to mirrorball glory.

“I ruptured a disc, and I’m gonna go home today and I’m probably gonna have surgery this week or sometime next week,” Jennifer said.

“It’s just gonna be like a little surgery where they take out the ruptured disc thing, and you know, it won’t be a big deal. Compared to the other surgeries I had on my neck, my doctor says it won’t be a big deal,” Jennifer continued. “I’ll be home that night.”

Jennifer scooped up the Season 11 title with her professional dancing partner, Derek Hough, last Wednesday, and she told Access the pain was worth it.

“I gotta tell you, the win and the experience of doing — more the experience of doing ‘Dancing with the Stars’ — already, like I don’t even remember the pain I was in a week ago,” she said of the injury that nearly kept her from competing in her final two dances. “I just have some discomfort in back that needs to be taken care of. OK, it’s a little more than discomfort.”

The actress clarified though, that her current injury is not related to her neck problems.

“My neck is fine,” she said. “My neck did really well because it has a steel plate in it. So, it was really, actually, [it’s] probably the strongest part of my body.”

Copyright 2010 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Keep your Access to everything in Hollywood! Breaking news and personal commentary from Billy, Tony, Shaun, Maria & all of our producers! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter now!

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Did Jon Gosselin Decide to Get a Real Job? - OK! Magazine

December 1st, 2010 6:32 pm / Author: Nicole Eggenberger

We sure hope this report is true! Jon Gosselin has gotten a real job!

OK! GALLERY: KATE GOSSELIN SQUEEZES IN TIME FOR A QUICK TAN

Before Jon and his former wife Kate Gosselin were on Jon & Kate Plus 8, Jon worked as an “IT Analyst” as their show formerly stated in the opening.

And now it looks like he’s reportedly headed back to the technology field!

“Jon is back at work at a normal job not in media or entertainment,” an E! News source says. “He’s working in technology, which he did before the show.”

OK! VIDEO: KATE GOSSELIN ADMITS COLLIN & ALEXIS HAVE “ANGER ISSUES”

But it looks like Kate is sticking with her new career in TV, at least for now.

This morning she appeared on the Today show to “set the record straight” on whether two of her children had been expelled from their school.

What do you think of Jon’s career move? Should Kate go back to being a nurse?

Kate Gosselin: Kids not expelled, Jon is 'forgiven'
Kate Gosselin wants us to know that everything is "wonderful" in her family. "We are doing wonderfully," she said on the "Today" show Wednesday morning, where she showed up to "set the record straight," said Meredith Vieira. She wanted to clear up reports ...
Why is Kate Gosselin sad?
Kate Gosselin is “sad and lonely” and has no real friends, a source told RadarOnline.com.  "Kate's life revolves around her kids and the reality show,” the source said. “When have you ever seen Kate photographed having fun on a girls' night out ...

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TV you hate that 'everyone' loves?

Image Credit: Ray Mickshaw/Fox; Robert Voets/CBS; Barry Wetcher/HBOPopWatchers, ain’t love grand? Last week, I wrote a post asking about the TV shows you love that everyone else hates. You bravely responded with a list of supposed travesties (Shasta McNasty), forgotten curiosities (Strange Luck), and much-insulted reality shows. (I’m so glad to discover that I’m not the only person who unabashedly enjoys the trash-tastic Real World/Road Rules Challenge series.) However, one thread on the comment boards turned the question upside down with a slightly more insidious question: What shows do you hate that everyone else loves?

Quite a few commenters turned their attention to one show in particular: Glee. Sam said, “I hate hate hate hate Glee. I don’t see how anybody about the age of 12 could stand watching it.” Strong words — but arguably harsher were ex-Gleeks like Janet, who said, “Glee is hands-down the worst show on television, and this is coming from someone who enjoyed the first season.” (All the anti-Glee feeling reminds me a little bit of the counter-buzz that developed during the sophomore seasons of The OC and Heroes. Although we can all agree that Glee hasn’t reached the depths of Bisexual Marissa Cooper and the Terrible Tears of Death…right?)

Perhaps unsurprisingly, since comedy is a highly subjective art, most of the other shows mentioned were sitcoms. The perhaps-ironically-named commenter Liz didn’t like 30 Rock (“It’s awful but everyone seems to love it.”) Glory expressed a bit of sorrow over her pick: “The Big Bang Theory. I WANT to like it. But it’s never made me laugh. Not once.”

Boy, do I know where she’s coming from. Everyone around me loves the HBO comedy Bored to Death. And I should love the show. I dig all three of the lead actors, I adore all the guest stars, and I’m an avid fan of the show’s creator, Jonathan Ames. Plus, it’s a show about writers living in New York and hanging out in awesome dive bars. Hey, I’m a writer living in New York, and I aspire to hang out in awesome dive bars!  The show literally seems to have been grown in a factory purely for my amusement. But I just can’t get into Bored to Death — even though literally every three days someone whose taste I trust will tell me that it’s their absolute favorite show.

PopWatchers, drink some haterade and join the discussion! Are there any much-loved shows currently on the air you just can’t stand?

Darren on Twitter: @EWDarrenFranich

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‘Glee’ is tops with teens; Rudolph still leads the pack

Image Credit: Justin Lubin/FoxGlee had another great Tuesday among adults 18-49 (4.5 rating/12 share) and viewers (11.5 million) but the real growth was in the teenage demographic: The drama posted its best-ever rating among teens (a 4.6/16 in first half hour and a 5.1/16 in the second). Last night marked the ninth week in the row that Glee has won in the young demo, not to mention adults 18-34. The drama also won its hour in adults 18-49.

Each 18-49 ratings point represents 1.3 million viewers, while each teens 12-17 ratings point is worth 245,500 persons — or 1 percent of the teen population of 24.5 million.

CBS still finished in first place for the night among 18-49 (3.4/9), with a lot of help from a very old Christmas movie. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer earned a 3.8/11 in the demo and averaged 11.9 million viewers. A repeat of NCIS earned a 3.0/8 and 15 million, followed by the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show (3.4/9, 8.9 million). By the way, this special featuring lovely ladies in lingerie won its timeslot in all the key male demos. (Shocking!)

Fox was second for the night in 18-49 with a 3.3/9, followed by NBC (2.6/7), which aired Christmas in Rockefeller Center (1.9/5, 11.2 million), and The Biggest Loser (2.9/8, 8.2 million). ABC was fourth for the night in the demo (1.9/5), with How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2.1/6, 6.8 million), down 25 percent from last year’s telecast. It was followed by Shrek The Halls (2.4/6, 7.3 million), the time period premiere of No Ordinary Family (1.9/5, 6.1 million), and Detroit 1-8-7 (1.6/4, 7.2 million).

In the total viewer race, CBS was first for the night with 12 million, followed by NBC (9.2 million), Fox (8.3 million), ABC(6.8 million), Univision (3.9 million), and The CW (1.6 million).

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‘Sons of Anarchy’ season finale: The Rat Prince

Image Credit: Prashant Gupta/FXWhen I think back to the season 3 finale of Sons of Anarchy, I’ll remember three things:

1. The moment that Jax’s face turned to a smile in the paddy wagon as he got word that the plan none of us saw coming had worked: Turns out the club knew, probably all along, about him turning rat with Agent Stahl to clear Gemma and get their sentence reduced to three years (14 months with good behavior). With Unser having no hope of saving the Charming PD after Salazar’s death last episode (is that why Jax really did it?), he was again loyal to SAMCRO and stopped Stahl and her men as they were driving off with Jimmy O (who thought he had the luck of the Irish when the Feds took him into custody from the Sons after they’d bought him from the Russians with counterfeit money). Unser sent Stahl’s men ahead to investigate a threat and said he’d wait with her. Cue members of the Sons rolling up in a school bus — Chibs stabbed Jimmy, and Opie shot Stahl. Poetic. Kozik gave Unser a punch (other cheek, he’s had bridgework done), so it’d look like he got overpowered by, I presume, IRA hitmen who left their sign on the car window in Jimmy’s blood. Kozik also tore up the deal Jax had signed naming members of the Irish kings.

2. A tiny piece of me was actually sad to see Stahl die in the end. Clearly, she had to. But while other people thought her shooting her partner/lover in the neck last episode was cartoon evil — ditto the smiling as she touched her side of the bed during the calm-before-the-storm opening montage this week — I thought it was kind of awesome. How often do you get to see a female ATF agent that sociopathic and that willing to stare down a badass like Jax? (I felt some new energy on her end when she was in Jax’s face at the cemetery. Was that just her enjoying him being her bitch, or was it… sexual tension?) Zobelle got to walk last season because in creator Kurt Sutter’s mind, he was the kind of guy who would’ve outsmarted the Sons. Being the law (however dirty) in a show about outlaws, Stahl never would get that credit. I get it. P.S. I attribute my sudden appreciation for well-played evil on SoA to the presence of Keith Szarabajka, who guested as the top Russian and also starred on the brilliant-but-canceled 1996 Fox series Profit (Adrian Pasdar played a delicious sociopath). He got me in the mood, as, I suppose, Jeff Kober (Jacob Hale) has been doing all season. (Remember Kober as the psychotic vampire Buffy had to face without her superstrength on her 18th birthday? )

3. That John Teller’s voice reminds me of Christopher Guest’s, which sort of makes it hard to take him seriously — and subsequently lessens the weight of the epic battle for Jax’s soul, which will begin again in season 4 if Tara decides to show Jax the letters John wrote to Maureen. I thought that association was crazy until I just looked up who voices John Teller: it’s Christopher Guest’s brother Nicholas Guest.

What did you think of the finale? Sound off below!

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Bonaduce berates celebs over Twitter 'deaths' - Philadelphia Inquirer

Bonaduce rips stars' no-Tweeting schemeWas 'Digital Death' day a good idea? Celebrities were boycotting Twitter and Facebook on Dec. 1, 2010, to raise money to fight AIDS around the world. WYSP host Danny Bonaduce criticized it as "emotional blackmail."Posted on Wed, Dec. 1, 2010 By Peter Mucha

Inquirer Staff Writer

Kim Kardashian went "digitally dead" today, along with Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, Serena Williams, Usher and other celebrities in a drive to raise money to fight the global AIDS crisis.

The end is noble, but the means sure riled Philadelphia's Danny Bonaduce, the Partridge Family kid turned morning yakker on WYSP (94 FM).

He railed at length in his daily segment on CBS3's morning news show.

In observance of World AIDS Day, a raft of famous names declared that they'd refuse to Tweet or post on Facebook on World AIDS Day until fans donated $1 million to Keep a Child Alive, a charity started with help from Alicia Keyes.

As of early afternoon, less than $25,000 had been raised, according to numbers superimposed on a black coffin shape at www.buylife.org. The site lists all the stars involved and tells how to donate, including by using smart phones to scan barcodes.

After emphatically agreeing that the disease has had catastrophic consequences, "wiping out nations, millions of entire families," Bonaduce spelled out his irritation to anchors Ukee Washington and Erica Von Thiel.

What kind of fight begins with quitting something? Bonaduce began.

"Isn't it sort of emotional blackmail? Ryan Seacrest isn't going to tell me he just pet his cat until I offer some money?" he continued.

"I think this is a mistake the way they are doing this," he said.

The rant was merely revving up.

"Doesn't that seem like an abuse of power in a way, that you don't get to see what Kim Kardashian is up to?" Bonaduce continued. ". . . And didn't Ryan Seacrest just sign a contract for $60 million? Do I really need Lady Gaga to tell me about her meat dress, and until she does, I have to give money? How about if these three get together and just put up $333,000 each and take care of the million bucks on their own since the American public pays their salary in the first place? Why don't they make the first step and put up the first million, rather than blackmail me on the minor musings about their days?"

"I am not alone in my opinion," he said.

He said he called Seacrest at home and suggested the American Idol host use Twitter to remind his followers to donate instead.

"Ladies and gentleman, charity begins at home, and that goes for you, Kardashian, that goes for you, Gaga, and that goes for you, Seacrest," Bonaduce concluded.

By 3 p.m., the fund was up to $60,000 but rising at a pace that might take a week or more to reach $1 million.

For more on the cause, go to www.keepachildalive.org.

Contact staff writer Peter Mucha at 215-854-4342 or pmucha@phillynews.com.

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Britney Spears Abuse Story Is 'Utterly False,' Says Rep - People Magazine

Britney Spears and Jason Trawick

Pacific Coast News

A tabloid report claiming Britney Spears was physically abused by boyfriend Jason Trawick is not true, according to a rep for the singer.

The allegation came from Spears's one-time husband, Jason Alexander, whose 55-hour Las Vegas marriage to her was annulled in 2004. In the report, Alexander says Spears told him Trawick "beat on me."

Spears's rep blasted the story Wednesday, saying Trawick "has never laid a hand on Britney."

"Every aspect of the story published by Star magazine is completely and utterly false," according to the rep.

An audio clip of the alleged conversation between Alexander and Spears was posted on RadarOnline, but Spears's reps denied the woman's voice was hers.

"The statements attributed to Jason Alexander are a complete fabrication as Britney has not had any form of communication with Mr. Alexander in years," the rep continues. "The audio recording … purporting to be between Britney Spears and Jason Alexander is so obviously fake as to be laughable."

A source close to Spears, who turns 29 on Thursday, told PEOPLE Wednesday that "the couple's relationship is better [than ever]. Britney and Jason lately have been very happy together."

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Johnny Depp says ‘All my characters are gay.’ Yes, but HOW gay?

Image Credit: Firooz Zahedi; Peter MountainIn an interview with Patti Smith in Vanity Fair, Johnny Depp talks once more about how his swishy, sloshy performance as Capt. Jack Sparrow in the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie sent the suits at Disney into a minor panic during filming, going so far as to ask if the character was meant to be gay. “And so,” says Depp, “I actually told this [Disney exec], ‘But didn’t you know that all my characters are gay?’”

Needless to say, Depp is/was kidding — somehow I doubt that the married-with-kids FBI agent Joe Pistone (a.k.a. Donnie Brasco in Donnie Brasco) is meant to be read as a closet case. And yet, Depp’s career is indeed a trove of outré outsiders. They may not be explicitly homosexual per se, but they certainly live on the fringe of society and/or stereotypically manly, heterosexual male behavior — especially when he teams up with longtime companion director Tim Burton. To wit:

Edward Scissorhands in Edward Scissorhands A pale-faced loner who dresses in all black, has a thing for buckles, sports dark emo hair, has a gift for creating fine art with scissors (for hands), and pines for Winona Ryder.

Ed Wood in Ed Wood An over-the-top filmmaker whose films have been lionized as high (if unintentional) camp, with a penchant for dressing in women’s angora sweaters.

Ichabod Crane in Sleepy Hollow A fastidious forensics expert with collection of oddball eyewear, whose progressive ideals put him at odds with larger society, when he’s not sort of pining for Christina Ricci.

Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory A confectionary genius/loner with a coterie of pocket-sized men doing his bidding, with a perfectly coifed bob, exquisitely milky skin, elegant purple gloves, a tailored burgundy suede jacket, and a custom-designed walking stick.

Sweeney Todd in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street A hair stylist and male grooming expert whose inky black tresses sport a wildly eccentric shock of white hair, and who quite often for seemingly no reason breaks into Broadway showtunes — and Sondheim at that.

The Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland A proud designer of one-of-a-kind berets, bonnets, and chapeaux, he also clearly has eyebrow extensions.

You’ve got to hand it to Depp: He’s built himself into a 21st century global superstar and deservedly beloved national treasure playing men who, for want of a better phrase, might as well be gay. But am I crazy for wanting to see what he could do with a character who is, you know, actually gay? (Somehow, his brief dual cameos as a transvestite and closeted Cuban officer in Before Night Falls, and his role as a vaguely bisexual 17th century English lecher in The Libertine don’t quite seem to cut it.) Or would that perhaps be too on the nose for an actor who relishes in puckishly frolicking along the margins?

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Debilitating Dancing: Jennifer Grey to Have Surgery - BuddyTV

As anyone who watched season 11 of Dancing with the Stars noticed, Jennifer Grey was in some pain throughout the weeks. In addition to the bruises and aches suffered by any DWTS competitor, Jennifer struggled with an old neck injury and eventually a ruptured disk.

And now it looks like she's going to have surgery.

As was announced at the beginning of the season 11 finale, Jennifer Grey had ruptured a disk in her lower back during the previous night's performances. Her participation in the final show was even in question, although doctors did clear her to participate. Not that you would know it from the performances, but Jennifer ended up with painkillers and a subtle icepack to keep the dancing steps coming.

Her dancing finished for now and the Mirror Ball trophy in her grasp, Jennifer can now get back to the process of not falling to pieces. The surgery, scheduled for some time in the next two weeks, should be a minor, outpatient procedure with the goal of reducing back pain. Compared to some surgeries that Grey has had in the past, it doesn't sound too serious.

Jennifer Grey's medical issues began all the way back in 1987, when she was in a serious car crash with then-boyfriend Matthew Broderick. Over the next two decades, she endured pain in her neck and surgeries trying to fix the problem. Doctors found evidence of cancer during one of the surgeries, which resulted in the removal of her thyroid.

There was also that plastic surgery, but that's a whole different story.

Injuries are nothing new to Dancing with the Stars, of course, but Jennifer Grey's troubles seemed to be in a class by themselves. Possibly the injuries and pain were so prominent because, unlike many other injured DWTS competitors, Jennifer stayed on the show. She even managed to win, despite the pain.

(Image courtesy of ABC)

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Beat this caption: ‘When 28-year-old George Lucas first set out to make ‘American Graffiti’ in 1972…’

When 28-year-old George Lucas first set out to make American Graffiti in 1972, the only time he smiled during the five-week shoot was when Wolfman Jack made armpit noises.

Kenny Loggins admitted that “Playing With the Boys” was not the song that “Danger Zone” was, but he couldn’t help but grin every time that Top Gun check arrived.

Once Greg Evigan tried to shove Paul Reiser into oncoming traffic, there was no repairing that relationship and My Two Dads quickly sank.

When evidence surfaced that Stephen Colbert was really Yusef Islam who was really Cat Stevens who was really Steven Georgiou, Bill O’Reilly quickly labeled the disgraced comic a Pinhead.

These alt-captions for this old picture of Stephen Colbert(!) write themselves, but I know you’ve got better ones up your sleeve. Try and top each others’ witty comic stylings below.

Read more:
The McRib is back! And Stephen Colbert says it’s political
Stephen Colbert storms off ‘The View’

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‘Funniest Commercials of the Year’ exclusive: First Look at clothed(!) Old Spice Guy host, Isaiah Mustafa

What?! Here I was thinking that Old Spice Guy Isaiah Mustafa’s life contract required him to be shirtless at all times. But, alas, here he is tragically clothed in this exclusive photo from Funniest Commercials of the Year, the TBS special that he’s hosting this year. (Mustafa certainly makes more sense than the annual show’s previous host, Kevin Nealon.) Wondering why David Hasselhoff is joining him? No, they’re not in Germany — the Baywatch star will appear as a guest on the show, as will Jonathan Goldsmith, otherwise known as Dos Equis’ “Most Interesting Man in the World.” The most interesting thing about the show? Mustafa’s first Old Spice ad is also up for the first-place prize in the countdown: The commercial holds a spot in the top 10, along with Betty White’s Super Bowl Snickers ad, according to TBS. Now, hopefully you’ll forgive Mustafa for that v-neck long enough for him to finish his gig. Then he can get back to baking you a gourmet cake in the dream kitchen he built for you with his own hands. Swan dive!

Read more:
The Old Spice Guy answers EW’s question — and will be answer yours… but not on a horse.
New Old Spice commercial: Your man definitely can’t swan dive like this.
Old Spice man books NBC talent deal
The Old Spice man is on a horse and on NBC: Some possible suggestions for a series
That great Old Spice TV ad: ‘I’m on a horse’ and how he got there

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‘Beyonce: I Am… World Tour’ DVD giveaway

Beyoncé, the female version of a hustler and one of the most powerful women in the world, can do it all. She starred in Academy Award-nominated film, inspired her own comic book, and has led millions to aspire to be able to rock a black leotard. Of her millions of adoring fans around the world, even high-powered adults turn into shrieking messes whenever B’s around. Demand has always been high, and now she’s bringing her public and private life into the comfort of your own home.

We’re giving away 10 copies of her concert video Beyoncé: I Am… World Tour, on sale now. The DVD includes footage from the international leg of her I Am… World Tour, capped by an emotional “Halo” encore, as well as a candid look at the diva herself (hey, a Jay-Z cameo!). In addition to the DVD, one lucky winner will receive a six-foot tall version of the poster to the left, to the left, signed by Queen B. The DVDs are courtesy of Music World/Columbia Records and are available while supplies last.

You love Beyoncé, I love Beyoncé, we all love Beyoncé, PopWatchers. Check out the rules below and enter to win your own Beyoncé experience:

1. Go to our Facebook page.

2. Click “Like” at the top of the page.

3. Find the post on our Wall announcing the giveaway, click Comment, and explain which Beyoncé song is your favorite, and why. (Note: Commenting on this post won’t enter you in the giveaway; see the official rules after the jump.)

4. If you’re a winner, we’ll contact you via Facebook message to request your mailing address.

Get creative! The giveaway starts NOW!

EW’S “BEYONCÉ: I AM…WORLD TOUR” CONTEST OFFICIAL RULES (NO PURCHASE NECESSARY)

Open only to those to whom this or notice has been addressed, provided that entrant is a legal U.S. resident age 21 or older at the time of entry. Void where prohibited by law. Limited to one entry per Facebook account. The first 10 persons to post a qualifying comment on the related post on our Facebook wall (www.facebook.com/entertainmentweekly) will receive a copy of Beyoncé: I am…World Tour on DVD which has an approximate retail value (ARV) of $30. Each contestant must answer the question posed in our Facebook post as directed, or their entry may be disqualified. Where Entertainment Weekly is not the sponsor, it cannot guarantee the availability of any of the items described. Sponsor not responsible for any damage to computer equipment related to participating in this promotion. Items being distributed are not transferable or redeemable for cash. Consumers who obtain items are responsible for any and all taxes. Promotion begins at 6:00 p.m. ET or EST on 12/1/2010 and ends at 11:00 p.m. ET or EST on 12/1/2010. Entertainment Weekly will contact the winners by Facebook message requesting their mailing address on or before 12/6/2010. Winners will have 24 hours to respond, after which time they forfeit their prize. Employees of Entertainment Weekly, Time Inc., Music World/Columbia Records, or any related companies are not eligible to enter or win. Anyone who has won a prize from Sponsor during the previous 90 days is disqualified. The winner(s) may be required to complete an affidavit or eligibility and waiver of liability before prize(s) can be awarded. For a list of winners, visit ew.com/winners seven days after the end of this contest.

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'General Hospital': Benzali clip!

We showed you a first look of Daniel Benzali on ABC’s General Hospital: Now here’s an exclusive sneak peek of his appearance, which begins Dec. 6. Benzali will play Theo, a hypochondriac patient who befriends Dr. Robin Scorpio (Kimberly McCullough) in her time of need. This scene also includes Scott Reeves as Dr. Steven Webber and Jason Thompson as Dr. Patrick Drake.

Benzali’s story arc will stretch well into 2011.

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Glimmers of Hope for Small Films During Glittery Oscar Promotions - New York Times

Natalie Portman, the star of the ballet thriller “Black Swan,” at the Gotham Independent Film Awards on Monday. She is a likely Oscar contender.

“Brooklyn, Brooklyn in the house!” Darren Aronofsky shouted from the front of the Ziegfeld Theater on Tuesday night. Mr. Aronofsky, the director and Coney Island native, was living out a childhood fantasy when his film “Black Swan” had its New York premiere at that Midtown Manhattan movie palace, which he frequented while growing up. “Mom, I have a confession: I cut out of high school to see ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ in this theater,” he said, later admitting it wasn’t a one-time thing.

Melena Ryzik and colleagues report on all the news and the nonsense of awards season.

Annette Bening, an Oscar contender for “The Kids Are All Right,” at the Gothams, starting the awards season in New York.

Vincent Cassel, an actor in “Black Swan,” at the Gothams.

It was a local-boy-made-good moment for “Black Swan,” which opens in select cities on Friday. For the premiere the red carpet extended down the block, the paparazzi screamed for the stars — Natalie Portman, in a décolleté black gown, Mila Kunis, in a cream one, Barbara Hershey, Winona Ryder, Vincent Cassel — and afterward, everyone gathered at a party in the chandeliered St. Regis hotel, which was decked out in tarnished mirrors and strategically placed black and white feathers. The mood was jubilant, and the look was slightly creepy, appropriate for a fantasy- and horror-tinged story of a perfectionist ballerina (Ms. Portman) madly preparing for “Swan Lake.”

Downtown on the same night, in the back room of an Italian bistro in Chelsea, “The Kids Are All Right” was having a little soiree, one so low key that even the presence of two of its stars, Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo, caused barely a ripple among the restaurant patrons out front. The film, about lesbian parents (Ms. Moore and Annette Bening) who must deal with meeting their children’s sperm donor (Mr. Ruffalo), was a Sundance Film Festival hit and an indie success story when it opened this summer. Both films represent the vision of dedicated directors, who labored for years to get their work on screen despite having impressive credits. And both could wind up in a catbird seat come Oscar night. Already this week they have earned accolades, scoring multiple nominations from the Film Independent Spirit Awards, which will be handed out the day before the Oscars at the end of February. As a director Mr. Aronofsky was also honored Monday night at the Gotham Independent Film Awards, the traditional opening day of statuette campaigning in New York. (“Black Swan” and “The Kids Are All Right” were nominated there too but lost the top prizes to “Winter’s Bone,” a lower-budget drama set in the Ozarks.)

As surely as the holiday season brings sugarplum fairies and eggnog, it also means the start of a few months of fiercely competitive self-promotion for Hollywood. The weeks leading up to the Oscars are a fanciful slog of cocktail parties, luncheons, lesser award shows and industry screenings, all of which I chronicle daily in my role as the Carpetbagger columnist. Already there is a short list of films that are likely to be anointed with one of the 10 best-picture spots, including, in addition to “Black Swan” and “The Kids Are All Right,” “The Social Network,” “Inception,” “The King’s Speech” “Toy Story 3,” “127 Hours” and “Winter’s Bone.” “The Fighter,” a boxing film from David O. Russell, and “True Grit,” the Coen brothers remake of that John Wayne classic, are latecomers to the still wide-open race, adding drama to the ever-shifting predictions from Oscarologists.

One thing my compatriots agree on: The contest for best actress will be noteworthy. Besides Ms. Bening, Ms. Moore and Ms. Portman, Jennifer Lawrence, the 20-year-old star of “Winter’s Bone,” and Nicole Kidman, playing a grieving mother in “Rabbit Hole,” are being lauded for standout performances. (In what may be a glimpse of the competition to come, the Spirit Awards nominated six actresses instead of the usual five this year; Ms. Bening got a nod, but Ms. Moore didn’t.)

Directors rarely admit to Oscar considerations when making a film, but Lisa Cholodenko, the director and co-writer of “The Kids Are All Right” with Stuart Blumberg, is an exception. “We did so many revisions,” she said, having a cigarette outside her party on Tuesday, “and we were so painstaking about making sure these characters were spot on, and that they worked and they worked together and they were funny and complicated and dramatic and all the things we knew they could be. And at the end of the day we thought: If we get the right people to play these parts, and it all comes together in the right way, these are like Oscar parts.”

But even with Ms. Bening and Ms. Moore attached “The Kids Are All Right” was difficult to make. “I was with the project for five years,” Ms. Moore said at the party. She hung on through all the revisions and delays because, she said, she liked Ms. Cholodenko’s work, her colloquial style and the story. Ms. Cholodenko, whose previous films “High Art” and “Laurel Canyon,” made her an indie darling, built the film around her two stars. “I was desperate to work with them,” she said. Still, her budget was scraped together.

The same was true for Mr. Aronofsky. He got a taste of the awards hullabaloo with his previous film, “The Wrestler,” about a washed-up fighter played by Mickey Rourke, and has been plotting a ballet film for years. “ ‘Black Swan’ was probably harder to make than any film I ever did,” he said. “I thought because I was doing something sexy with Natalie Portman and Vincent Cassel,” who plays the ballet company’s director, “I thought it was going to be really easy. And then we had to split our budget by two-thirds to get it made.” (The film, from Fox Searchlight, cost $13 million; “The Kids Are All Right,” which cost less than $4 million, was bought by Focus Features after Sundance.)

In Hollywood terms those are pittances. (The forthcoming Disney movie “Tron: Legacy,” for example, has a production and marketing budget of at least $150 million.) But it’s worth noting that both “Black Swan” and “The Kids Are All Right” wound up at the boutique divisions of major studios, which still have the distribution and marketing might the smaller indies can only dream of. The distance between economic reality and Oscar glitter may be the greatest for “Winter’s Bone,” a modest film, in budget and style, which was a surprise Gotham winner.

“It’s a huge deal to have work that can’t be on billboards, necessarily, be spoken about, and have clips shown, and have a discussion ensue,” said Debra Granik, the film’s director. She admitted to having serious nerves about awards season. “The contraction of the lungs, the viscera, the capillaries — it’s just not a way to live,” she said.

But for the anointed few there is more agita, and promotion, ahead.

“I’ve done 20 days of press,” Mr. Ruffalo said at the party for “The Kids Are All Right,” “for a movie I worked 6 days on.”

Mekado Murphy contributed reporting.

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Valerie Harper heading to ‘Desperate Housewives’

Valerie Harper will guest star on a 2011 episode of Desperate Housewives as Susan’s boozy Aunt Claire, according to TV Guide. Harper last appeared on television in a 2009 episode of ‘Til Death.

Read more:
‘Desperate Housewives’ Central
‘Desperate Housewives’ recap: Thanks(giving) but no thanks

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Sean Young looks for forgiveness in Biography special! (But not for ‘Skating with the Stars’)

Sean Young is certainly letting it all hang out in prime time these days. First, she became one of six participants on ABC’s Skating with the Stars, and now she’s serving as an inaugural guinea pig in Celebrity Life Coach, a backdoor pilot that will air on the Biography Channel this evening at 10 p.m. ET/PT. In this one-hour special from Endemol USA, life coach Lauren Zander works with Young, who’s career hit a serious wall after her good work in ’80s films like Blade Runner and No Way Out.

“The tabloids had a field day,” the A&E press release reads. “With Lauren’s help, can Sean stop her self-defeating behaviors and make it back to Hollywood?”

Now there’s a question for the ages. In this clip, Young attempts to mend fences by placing calls to certain Hollywood directors. (Yikes). If the special scores well enough in the ratings, Bio may pick up the show to series.

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20 movies that peak in first scene?

Austin Powers 3 had a really great funny, opening and then turned to crap when Mike Myers came on. —Travers 27

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‘Psych’ star James Roday talks ‘Twin Peaks’ episode, and the one cameo you won’t see

Image Credit: Alan Zenuk/USA Network[Minor SPOILER ALERT] The body of a young girl wrapped in plastic makes a woman scream a few minutes into tonight’s supersized episode of Psych, an homage to Twin Peaks. The moment is rather dark in tone, but Peaks fans won’t be able to subdue their smirk of recognition during the scene. And there’s more where that came from: The episode is so packed with nods to the cult series that it runs almost eight minutes longer than the typical episode. (And an additional six minutes will be added to the director’s cut on the show’s season 5 DVD.) Last week, star James Roday took a break from his Las Vegas vacation to give EW the scoop about “Dual Spires,” including a confession about the one Peaks person he couldn’t bring himself to ask for a cameo.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How’s Vegas treating you?
JAMES RODAY: Vegas is good. Vegas is good.

So it’s being kind?
So far it has been kind. I have to get through 48 more hours so that may change. But right now my head’s above water.

That’s always good news.
Yeah.

So I wanted to talk to you about the episode that some insiders are calling your baby, “Dual Spires.”
Full head of hair. It came out with a full head of hair.

So, tell me, how did you get the idea for a Twin Peaks homage and why did now seem like a good time?
Well, Twin Peaks is my favorite show of all time. This is the 20th anniversary of when it came on the air, and they put out their big gold box of DVDs with tons of extra stuff on it this year. So it did seem like if we were ever going to do it, this was the time to do it. I’ve actually been pushing [for it] since season 1. So it was sort of fortuitous that it took four years for it to actually come to fruition because now we can sort of piggyback on the fact that people are talking about Twin Peaks because of the 20th anniversary.

Now, you also wrote last season’s Hitchcock homage. Which was more fun for you?
Well, I didn’t direct “Dual Spires,” so I would probably say “Dual Spires” was more fun just in terms of the richness of the experience. I had more time to digest it. I wasn’t running around like a chicken in search of my head like I was during the Hitchcock episode. Matt Shakman directed ["Dual Spires"], and he was the perfect choice. He’s every bit as much the fanboy of Twin Peaks as I am, and it allowed me to sort of take a step back and soak it all in. It was truly a remarkable experience. Obviously, because I love the show so much, it was a big part of it [being my favorite]. But I feel like it was an experience within an experience because a lot of these Twin Peaks cast members we had there hadn’t seen each other in 20 years. So it was almost like there was a Twin Peaks reunion happening on the Psych set in addition to these two shows sort of melding together to coexist as one, which could have been a disaster. But because we actually pulled it off — I’m proud to say — it turned out to be a doubly wonderful experience.

When you were writing the episode, did you know you were going to be able to get all these cast members to sign on?
We wrote these parts for them, hoping that we [would be able to]. I’m very good friends with Dana Ashbrook, so I knew he was in.

Or at least he better be.
Yeah. He better be. He had no choice. And we had Ray Wise returning as a character he played last season — and that was good. So we thought, “Well, we got these two in. Hopefully the rest will recognize that not only was this going to be fun, but it was an opportunity to see these people for the first time in a long time.” And that’s exactly what ended up happening.

So was it just these seven roles you wrote or were there more for other characters/cast members you weren’t able to get? (Peaks cast members Robin Lively, Lenny Von Dohlen, Sheryl Lee, Sherilyn Fenn, Dana Ashbrook, and Catherine Coulson make appearances in the episode.)
We wrote these seven roles. The only other role that we were talking about and tossing around the possibility of was a cameo for [Twin Peaks creator] David Lynch, and we, quite frankly, got cold feet. At one point, there was going to be a mayor character. He’s actually in the episode. He doesn’t speak, though; he’s a really old guy. But we were going to make it slightly bigger character who presents the Cinnamon Festival and has some dialogue — Mayor Douglas Fir — and we wanted to go after Lynch, but we thought, “What if he hates it? We’re going to be devastated, and no one else will want to do it if they found out David didn’t like it. So maybe we shouldn’t roll the dice.” So we played it safe.

Exactly how many Twin Peaks references are in the episode? I noticed a ton, but I’m sure I didn’t catch them all.
It’s loaded. I had a co-writer on the episode, Bill Callahan, one of our executive producers, whose job it was to [create] some kind of mystery, and my job was to load it up like a baked potato with as many Twin Peaks references as we could squeeze in.

The funny thing about this episode is that I feel like Pretty in Pink got as many references as Twin Peaks. Is that the next homage episode?
We did John Hughes back in season 4 when we went to our high school reunion. But it’s one of those deals where those teen movies from the ’80s — we just can’t let go of them. We gave them a whole episode to themselves, and yet we still find ourselves referencing Pretty in Pink and Some Kind of Wonderful and The Breakfast Club. They just keep coming back over and over and over again. It’s bigger than us. We can’t stop it.

I think people will like this one.
This Twin Peaks episode is very near and dear to me. In what is already a charmed existence for all of us to get to do this for a living, to have an experience that kind of resonates the way this one did — [it] brought back memories of me as a kid in San Antonio watching television and being completely romanced by it and having my mind blown by this series. Then, 20 years later, you’re on set with these folks — it was really special. I’m really proud we did it. I’m proud of the show, and I’m proud of everyone for being a really good sport about it.

Related:
‘Psych’ season 6 scoop: Vampire, musical episodes in the works!
‘Dexter,’ ‘Fringe,’ ‘Psych,’ ‘Grey’s,’ more: Find out what’s next in the Spoiler Room

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Heather Locklear hospitalized - CNN

Heather Locklear, 49, has been hospitalized in California and is being treated for a bacterial infection.The actress, 49, has been hospitalized in California
She is being treated for a bacterial infection
The "Melrose Place" star is on antibiotics and is "doing fine," her rep says

(PEOPLE.com) -- Heather Locklear's holiday season is off to a bumpy start.

The actress, 49, has been hospitalized in California and is being treated for a bacterial infection, PEOPLE confirms.

The "Melrose Place" star, who is on antibiotics, is "doing fine," her rep says. She's expected to be released Wednesday.

TMZ.com was first to report Locklear's hospitalization.

See full article at PEOPLE.com.

© 2010 People and Time Inc. All rights reserved.

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Conspicuously Sparse in Sundance Competition Lineup: Movie Stars - New York Times

As both a pre-eminent showcase for American independent cinema and a freewheeling bazaar for movie executives Sundance is carefully scrutinized for signals about where creative, low-budget movies are headed. If these filmmakers represent the future, what’s on their minds?

Sundance programmers on Wednesday announced a schedule of 58 features and documentaries in competition, culled from 3,812 submissions, that answers that question with more clarity than usual.

“We certainly do not intend to create themes,” said John Cooper, the festival’s director. “But there does seem to be some similar things that are permeating the minds of artists today.”

Most noticeable among the competing films is a lack of movie stars, who have flocked to independent film over the last decade in search of meatier roles, a patina of hipness and Oscar statuettes. Last year’s competition slate included the usual parade of fame in multiple pictures: Natalie Portman, James Franco, Michelle Williams, Orlando Bloom, James Gandolfini, Kristen Stewart. This year, only one entry, “The Loved Ones,” has the slightest whiff of mainstream star power. Featuring Demi Moore and a clutch of indie favorites — Ellen Burstyn, Ellen Barkin, Thomas Haden Church — “The Loved Ones” centers on a chaotic wedding in a highly dysfunctional family.

Where have all the stars gone? It could be a passing illusion. Sundance’s slate of films out of competition, which will be announced on Thursday, will undoubtedly be stuffed with them. Maybe programmers just didn’t think some star-driven pictures were up to snuff. Or, some industry veterans speculated, the shortage could mean that a segment of indie film, its financing hurt by the credit crisis and the recession, has grown too small to attract top-tier names.

“For whatever reason, there aren’t as many big stars doing an independent turn as in past years, and that’s perfectly fine with us,” said Mr. Cooper, nodding to criticism in years past that Sundance was too hung up on marquee names.

The competition slate is also notable for an unusual diversity of stories, albeit many centered on teenagers. “Another Earth” is a science-fiction-tinged tale of a tragedy that alters the lives of two strangers on the eve of the discovery of a duplicate Earth. “Benavides Born” looks at a teenage girl who is a power lifter. “Here” stars the critical favorite Ben Foster (“Alpha Dog”) as a cartographer on assignment to create a satellite survey of Armenia.

“There has been a swing toward greater authenticity,” Mr. Cooper said. “Young filmmakers for a time were more consumed with trying to make something that would sell. Now there seems to be more of a feeling that they should just make the movie they want to make.”

One of the more intriguing entries is “Higher Ground,” directed by Vera Farmiga, who is known for her roles in “Down to the Bone,” “The Departed” and “Up in the Air,” from last year, for which she received an Academy Award nomination. Ms. Farmiga, a first-time director, also stars in “Higher Ground,” as a frustrated mother who turns to a fundamentalist group for answers (several Sundance selections look at religion and faith).

Like Ms. Farmiga and in keeping with Sundance custom, most of the feature directors in competition are behind the camera for the first time or have limited experience in shorts. One exception is Azazel Jacobs, whose “Momma’s Man” had a celebrated turn at the festival in 2008. Mr. Jacobs returns with “Terri,” the story of an orphan whose unlikely friendship with a vice principal helps him overcome ruthless teasing.

The festival’s documentary slate conspicuously lacks the searing military stories of previous years. There are no war-related entries in the United States documentary competition and only one in the World Cinema documentary race: the British production “Hell and Back Again,” an examination of the war in Afghanistan through the eyes of one Marine, who has a distressing return to the United States.

The selected documentaries tackle serious subjects — environmental radicalism, assisted suicide — but also show a lighthearted side. There are three entries with music themes, including a look at the 1990s hip-hop act A Tribe Called Quest called “Beats, Rhymes and Life,” directed by the actor Michael Rapaport (“Zebrahead,” the television series “The War at Home.”) “Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey” falls squarely in the heartwarming category.

Jennifer Seibel Newsom, the wife of Gavin Newsom, who soon leaves his job as mayor of San Francisco to become California’s lieutenant governor, examines the mainstream media’s portrayals of women in “Miss Representation.” (Another documentary with a Big Media focus is “Page One: A Year Inside The New York Times,” directed by Andrew Rossi.)

The festival is scheduled Jan. 20 to 30 in Park City, Utah. (A full list of films in competition can be found at nytimes.com/carpetbagger.) On Thursday Sundance will unveil its features out of competition.

Feature-length submissions from the United States totaled 1,943 — a slight increase from last year — while foreign feature-length submissions inched up to 1,869. There was a sharp increase in the number of submitted shorts, particularly from overseas, perhaps the result of the growing affordability and ubiquity of digital filmmaking equipment.

Over all, total submissions crossed the 10,000 mark for the first time; to compare, the festival received about 7,000 submissions in 2006, a year when independent film was considered to be in full bloom.

The physical strain of screening all of those submissions, festival staffers say, pales in comparison to the aggressive push by agents, investors and some directors to sway the selection process. “To remain independent these days,” Mr. Cooper said, “takes relentless vigilance.”

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Hanukkah 2010: Jewish festival of lights begins worldwide - Washington Post

However you spell it, chanukah, hanukkah, chanukkah, tonight is the first night of the Jewish festival of lights. As Elizabeth Tenety explains:

"Put on your yarmulke, it's time for Hannukah." The ancient Jewish Festival of Lights commemorating the re-dedication of the temple in Jerusalem begins Wednesday at sundown. If you're looking for a little background music for your holiday celebration, look no further than On Faith's selections below.

Adam Sandler's Chanukah song is a favorite of Jews and gentiles alike. With lyrics like, "We got Anne Landers and her sister Dear Abby/ Harrison Ford is a quarter Jewish: not too shabby," you'll be in the satirical spirit in no time.

The traditional potato pancake, the Latke, is a Hanukkah tradition which Jim Shahin has revived with a modern twist:

As Hanukkah approached, I had an idea: How 'bout barbecuing latkes?

Latkes are potato pancakes, fried in oil and often served with sour cream and applesauce. They usually grace the dinner table at some point during the eight-day Jewish festival of lights, which, this year, begins at sundown Wednesday. As I considered methods and means, my thoughts turned to my cousin Kathy Brackett, who is Arab American.

Rabbi Brad Hirschfield stopped in to On Faith to tell us about 8 questions we should ask this Hanukkah:

Hanukkah 2010 begins Wednesday night, December 1st. As Americans celebrate Hanukkah 5771 on the Jewish calendar, we also begin to wind up the first decade of the 21st century, and what a decade it has been. We went to war and remains so to this day. Israel and the Palestinians are still unable (unwilling? lack the desire) to make peace. The economy, both at home and in most of the developed world, is still shaky, with most of us wondering exactly how close we came to another Great Depression, and some still waiting for the other shoe to drop.

It feels that with every passing day of the last decade, our personal lives, like the Hanukkah top known as a dreidel, spun faster and faster. That's the world of Hanukkah 5771, one which needs Hanukkah and the opportunity it provides ? to remember, reconnect, and renew.

More from the Washington Post

We ask Rabbi Hirschfield the ten most frequently asked questions about Hanukkah

BlogPost: Happy Hanukkah songs fight back

AP: German Jews celebrate beginning of Hanukkah

World: Israeli firefighters say Hanukkah means house fires

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Kevin Costner talks hosting CMT’s ‘Artists of the Year’ concert and why he won’t come to TV — except for maybe a cartoon

Image Credit: J. Michael Arnoldi/PR PhotosTonight in Nashville, Kevin Costner will host the inaugural CMT Artists of the Year concert celebrating Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Jason Aldean, Lady Antebellum, and Zac Brown Band — some of whom have chosen to perform their own songs, some of whom will leave that up to the likes of Adele and Maroon 5. (The 90-minute special airs Dec. 3 at 8 p.m. ET.) Chatting with EW earlier this month, Costner admitted he turned down the gig a couple of times. “I didn’t feel like this was the natural place for me to be, but they disagreed,” he said. Costner and his band, Modern West, have been playing live in and around Nashville for the last two or three years. The band is the reason he’s there, but they won’t be performing. ”I wouldn’t use the evening for that,” he promised. “It’s about [the honorees].”

Since Costner couldn’t yet tell us if our dream of the show opening with a skit in which Taylor Swift pens a song about meeting him will come true, we asked him a few questions he could answer:

Why is he in a band again? “The reason I did music was I wanted to play live wherever I was making movies. I just really felt the need to quit being somebody who was spotted in the supermarket. I thought if I’m gonna be in a community for two or three months, then I would like to have an authentic relationship with that community, and the best way I know, other than the autograph, is to actually perform.” You’d expect most movie actors to be wary of that kind of contact with fans. Not Costner. “There’s a little bit to worry about, like people turning their back on you and walking away. When you play live, you are putting yourself in an authentic moment of drama — like what’s gonna really happen? The curiosity if you’re known for one thing is going to travel with you, and travel into that evening. You’ve got to quickly overcome it. I enjoy playing live. I like the drama of it.”

Would he ever consider starring in Hound Dogs, the minor league baseball comedy pilot his Bull Durham writer (and Tin Cup writer/director) Ron Shelton is developing for TBS? “Being able to go off to make a movie with him would be one thing. I would work with Ron again in a second. Being attached to a series is not something I would want to do at this point. The work load of being involved with something like [that] would probably overshadow some of the things that I’m doing myself.” (Follow-up question: Yes, he would read a Bull Durham sequel script; no, he hasn’t seen one.)

What is he working on now? “I’ve developed a cartoon with a group of guys that I hope will see the light of day. It’s very literate. I think that’s why it’s having so much trouble,” he said with a laugh. “I’m trying to find the right financing to put it forward. It probably represents about 50 hours of content. It’s swashbuckling, it’s violent, it’s acidic. It’s really cool. It’d be as if you were on an island, and you found three books: One was Jules Verne, one was Charles Dickens, and one was maybe Arabian Nights. It’s high adventure and it’s not based on any source material. It would start off as a series, but it would quickly mold into a feature because of the way it could be cast.” 

In the upcoming film The Company Men, is it true he’s the comic relief as Ben Affleck’s brother-in-law? “I don’t know. I haven’t seen a trailer to it,” he admitted. “I’m in the film a very short amount of time, a very, very small part. Maybe they’re using all my scenes. I think I’m only in it 10 to 15 minutes.”

Is there an update on the film A Little War of Our Own, which he plans to direct and star in as a sheriff who must keep a town from exploding into violence during World War II? “Again, I’m just trying to find the money so that I can perform it in the best way,” he said. “Movies have a chance to live forever. I think the only way a movie does live forever is if it’s as close to what it’s supposed to be. I want to make sure that when someone does finance it, they like the movie that I like.”

Speaking of living forever, did he record any new special features for the Jan. 11 release of Dances With Wolves on Blu-ray? “I didn’t, actually. It’s always funny to me to see, like, ‘The Director’s Cut.’ I give my director’s cut the first time. That’s why my movies are long.”

What’s the latest on his oil spill cleanup device? “I continue to put it forth both on Capitol Hill and to the oil industries, because it’s something that’s not been addressed — the mechanical removal of oil from the water. I know how to do it. I’ve known how to do it the past 12 years. It’s now being picked up around the world. I’m developing partners in Nigeria and Angola, pretty soon Saudi Arabia. I’ll be doing some business in Brazil. The rest of the world is interested in taking the oil out of the water, not dispersing it, not burning it. We’re very slow here [in the States]. We’ve got all this information right in front of us, and still, we’re progressing way too slow. I’m devoted a lot of my energy the last seven months to all of that. I hope we have a cultural change here both in our country and in the industry itself. The only way I know how to do that is just to keep the pressure up.”

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‘General Hospital’ sneak peek: See Daniel Benzali having a meltdown!

We showed you a first look of Daniel Benzali on ABC’s General Hospital: Now here’s an exclusive sneak peek of his appearance, which begins Dec. 6. Benzali will play Theo, a hypochondriac patient who befriends Dr. Robin Scorpio (Kimberly McCullough) in her time of need. This scene also includes Scott Reeves as Dr. Steven Webber and Jason Thompson as Dr. Patrick Drake.

Benzali’s story arc will stretch well into 2011.

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‘Burn Notice’ prequel heating up for a Spring 2011 air date

Image Credit: Glenn Watson/USA NetworkUSA has confirmed to EW that the Burn Notice prequel — focusing on Sam Axe (played by Bruce Campbell) — will air sometime in Spring 2011. Deadline reports the two-hour movie will center on Sam’s final 2005 mission with the Navy SEALs, which involved a group of Colombian rebels. USA decided to greenlight a prequel after noticing Campbell’s popularity at Burn Notice‘s first trip to Comic-Con a year and a half ago; fittingly, the network announced the movie would indeed happen earlier this year at 2010's Comic-Con.

Read more:
Comic-Con: ‘Burn Notice’ prequel announced
‘Burn Notice’ Bingo

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Under-appreciated faves: Finals!

Image Credit: Vivian Zink/CBS
It’s been a long, momentous November, but the day has come: The EW.com Under-appreciated Entertainer of the Year bracket game finals are upon us. It’s down to red-headed siren Allison Iraheta, who JUST eked out a 52 percent to 48 percent final-four victory over the chameleon-like Karl Urban (Red), and Thomas Gibson, whose legions of Criminal Minds fans hit our polls hard and pushed him to a commanding 71 percent to 29 percent semifinals victory over So You Think You Can Dance host Cat Deeley. (Click here to see the whole bracket.) Who will join the ranks of Entertainment Weekly‘s other Entertainers of the Year when our annual EotY issue hits stands on Friday, and who will join the Still Under-appreciated masses in the elimination pool? Your vote decides it. The poll closes at 4 p.m. ET Thursday, Dec. 2, so make your pick now and then come back on Friday for EW’s annual Entertainers of the Year celebration and find out who your winner is.

Also: The entire Under-appreciated Entertainer of the Year bracket game

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J.J. Abrams brings Jonathan Coyne and Jason Butler Harner to ‘Alcatraz’

Image Credit: Jesse Grant/WireImage.com; Neilson Barnard/Getty ImagesTwo more actors have joined the cast of J.J. Abrams’ time-warped Alcatraz pilot, according to a a spokesperson for Fox. Jonathan Coyne (Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life) will play the infamous prison’s warden and Jason Butler Harner, who appeared in the Fringe pilot, will portray his cruel lieutenant. They join a cast that already includes Lost alum Jorge Garcia and Sarah Jones (Sons of Anarchy).

Read more:
J.J. Abrams island hops to ‘Alcatraz’ pilot
J.J. Abrams to pitch new drama about Alcatraz Island

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Kanye West Tops Billboard Chart With My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy - MTV.com

It's an understatement to say that Kanye West is on a roll. As predicted, 'Ye's fifth album, the hotly anticipated My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, will easily top the Billboard 200 albums chart next week, after selling a robust 496,000 copies, giving the Chicago MC his fourth #1 debut in a row.

Just behind him at #2 is the debut from Young Money First Lady Nicki Minaj, who moved 375,000 copies of her Pink Friday. The pair of rap superstars lead a parade of new faces in the top 10 during the biggest week of new album releases of the year, which helped propel the top 11 discs past the six-figure mark.

After nearly two years of mixtapes and guest spots on other artists' songs for Minaj and months of leaking tracks by West, the two friendly rivals prove that the traditional way of setting up albums may officially be a thing of the past. In fact, Minaj's total is one of the highest ever for a female MC's debut, falling just short of the 423,000 copies former Fugees singer Lauryn Hill scored in 1998 with her smash The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.

Justin Bieber's Walmart-exclusive acoustic disc, My Worlds Acoustic, comes in at #7 on sales of 115,000, with My Chemical Romance just behind at #8 (112,000) with Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys. Also breaking into the top 10 is Ne-Yo, whose Libra Scale hit #9, as the in-demand singer/songwriter sold just a shade under MCR.

The rest of the top 10 features Susan Boyle at #3 with The Gift (263,000), Taylor Swift's Speak Now, which moves up five spots to #4 as sales picked up by 64 percent after five weeks in stores to 241,000, putting her within spitting distance of 2 million albums sold. Jackie Evancho's O Holy Night EP falls a few spots to #5 (142,000), while Rihanna slips three to #6 with her latest, Loud (141,000), and the cast of "Glee" round out the top 10 with their first Christmas collection (108,000).

Kid Rock's time in the top 10 was brief, as his classic-rock-influenced Born Free falls six spots to #11 in week two on sales of 104,000, mirroring the tumble by popera singer Josh Groban, who slips eight slots to #12 in the second week for his latest, Illuminations (99,000).

Despite a digital hit with "We R Who We R," Ke$ha's second album of 2010, Cannibal, has a modest debut, landing at #15 (74,000), even as fellow pop provocateur Katy Perry's Teenage Dream shoots up 18 slots to #16 (72,000) as sales increased by nearly 180 percent from the previous week.

The soundtrack to the Christina Aguilera/Cher movie "Burlesque" matches the so-so box-office returns of that hoofing drama, with a soft debut at #18 (63,000), and G-Unit rapper Lloyd Banks has to settle for a #26 bow (44,000) for his H.F.M.2 (Hunger for More 2).

It was also not stellar news for a pair of greatest-hits collections, as Pink's Greatest Hits So Far! drops 14 spots to #29 in its second week (41,000), and Jay-Z's Hits Collection sneaks into the top 50 at #43 (28,000) in its chart debut.

Things are also looking grim for season-nine "American Idol" winner Lee DeWyze after his major-label debut, Live It Up, craters in its second week, nose-diving 74 slots to #93 as sales trailed off by 63 percent. DeWyze scored the worst-selling debut figures ever by an "Idol" winner last week.

Over on the iTunes albums chart, it was mostly the same story, as Kanye took the #1 spot, followed by Nicki, the "Burlesque" soundtrack, the "Glee" Christmas album, Ke$ha, Rihanna, MCR, Swift, Mumford & Sons' Sigh No More and Kings of Leon's Come Around Sundown.

Perry still ruled on the iTunes single tally with her latest single, "Firework," with Pink's "Raise Your Glass" just behind, Ke$ha holding at #3 with "We R" and the Black Eyed Peas hitting #4 with "The Time (Dirty Bit)." iTunes doesn't provide detailed sales results, but Rihanna was probably happy with locking down #5 with "What's My Name?" and #7 with "Only Girl (in the World)," with Bruno Mars slipping in at #6 with "Grenade." Rounding out the top 10 was Mars again at #8 with "Just the Way You Are," Far East Movement with "Like a G6" and Trey Songz with "Bottoms Up."

The battle for the top will start all over again next week with the arrival of the Black Eyed Peas' The Beginning, as well as new albums from Chrisette Michele, Jazmine Sullivan, Tim McGraw and Flo Rida, as well as yet another "Glee" cast disc.

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