The Justin Files Online

A Tribute

2009-06-23T10:00:00.001-07:00

I know I haven't kept up with this blog much since The Justin Files feature stopped on the air, and I'll try to update it more often. The reson I'm posting today is to pay tribute to a man who I can personally thank for getting me to 94.3 The Point.

Thank you, Mr. Ed McMahon.

Obviously it wasn't a direct line from the most famous sidekick in late night TV history, but I truly feel that Mr. McMahon's generosity is what helped me get a demo tape onto Lou Russo's desk. You see, Ed's daughter went to Quinnipiac University many years ago. Back in the early 90's, he made a generous donation for the school to build a mass communications center. I took a tour of Quinnipiac when I was in high school, and it was seeing the Ed McMahon Mass Communications Center that helped me to make the decision to enroll at Quinnipiac.

Thanks to his donation, I was able to learn my trade on state of the art equipment and I was taught by living legends in the broadcasting business (Lou Adler, formerly of WOR radio, Bill McLaughlin, formerly of CNN, etc).

Quinnipiac might not be as big or as well known as Syracuse's Newhouse School of Communications (which I also applied to), but I think that anyone considering a future in communications, broadcast or print, should give Quinnipiac a serious look.

Because one of the biggest television stars of all time was kind enough to "pay it forward" to future generations of entertainers, I can sit here in my office at a job I love.

Thank you, Mr. McMahon, your influence on modern entertainment will be remembered by all, and your generosity will be admired and appreciated by many college students; past, present, and future.

The Justin Files, 1/9 Weekly Wrap Up

2009-01-09T13:34:00.000-08:00

Hey everybody, The J-Files are back after taking some time off for the holidays, so let's jump right in!

Brad takes his turn
It seems like a week doesn't go by where either Brad, Angelina, or Jen aren't in the news, this week it's Brad's turn. Responding to the recent comments by Jennifer Aniston that Angelina Jolie's behavior on the set of Mr. & Mrs. Smith was "uncool", Brad said that, "we started filming after Jen and I split up. . .it doesn't mean that there was some kind of dastardly affair." He goes on to call his ex, "a sweetheart" and says that the feud between the three of them is, "so created" by the media.

More fun with celeb baby names
I'll admit, this one was more fun on the air, but there's also a certain amount of novelty getting to see it written out. Former Cosby Show star Lisa Bonet gave birth to a boy this week. The new addition to the family, Nakoa-Wolf Manakauapo Namakaeha Momoa joins two girls, Lola and Zoe...and will forever be jealous of their simple names.

Quick Hits
* The new season of The Celebrity Apprentice is getting ready to hit the air and the cast has been announced. Among the contestants are Tom Green, Dennis Rodman, Clint Black, and a truly terrifying threesome; Joan & Melissa Rivers and Andrew "Dice" Clay. A network censor's nightmare.

* Apparently Katie Holmes is single-handedly supporting the New York City economy. She's been on Broadway for around six months now, in that time she has reportedly spent around $14 million on dining and shopping.

* Get ready for a new celebrity memoir (and I use the term "celebrity" loosely) from Sanjaya Malakar, of American Idol infamy. Dancing to the Music in my Head is due out on January 20th. It might be a good read though, Blake Lewis recently commented that Sanjaya's life story is, "super shocking"...let's be honest, so was his singing.

The Justin Files, 12/5 Weekly Wrap Up

2008-12-05T13:52:00.000-08:00

Awards season is on
This week we had one awards show and one awards nomination show. Here's how things shaped up for the Point artists at the American Music Awards:

*Chris Brown was the big winner with three trophies, including Artist of the Year. Rihanna took home a pair. Alicia Keys adds two statues to her collection. Other Point artists winning some honors; Daughtry, Carrie Underwood, and Jordin Sparks. By the way, sign #22 that the Apocalypse may be upon us, Alvin and the Chipmunks even took home an AMA.

We also had the Grammy nominations this week. Here's what the field looks like for the big music prizes:

*Coldplay were the ones getting all the glory with a total of 7 nominations including Album of the Year and Song of the Year. In the latter category, "Viva La Vida" will battle Leona Lewis' "Bleeding Love", among others. Other Point artists with nominations include; Jason Mraz, John Mayer, Pink, Maroon 5, Rihanna, Sarah Bareilles, Alicia Keys, Justin Timberlake, Madonna, and the Jonas Brothers will try to grab Best New Artist accolades.

The Grammys happen February 8th.

Be careful who you say things in front of
Jennifer Aniston is firing back at Vogue for publishing her not-so-nice comments about Angelina Jolie recently. She said, "I was surprised that Vogue would go so tabloid". She also told Entertainment Weekly that the rumors of her being pregnant with John Mayer's baby are, "hysterical", but says that motherhood is something that she, "longs for".

Speaking of John Mayer. If you have some baking skill, check out his blog to find out how your cake baking prowess could win you an autographed guitar.

Lists, lists, and more lists
It's that time of year, time for the best of this and the worst of that from all different sources. Entertainment Weekly put out a list of "The Smartest People in TV". Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane was #1 in that poll for resurrecting the show from the dead and turning it into a $1 Billion dollar empire. Tina Fey was #2 on that list. Oprah made the cut at #6. However, "O" scored a bit higher on The Hollywood Reporter's list of the most powerful women in entertainment. Most of the entries were executives, but there were a couple recognizable names, like Angelina Jolie (#24), Tyra Banks (#36), Tina Fey (#51), and the woman who only needs one name...Oprah was #1.

Talk about Karma
It looks like Boy George didn't learn his lesson about Karma, the former Culture Club singer could be spending some time in jail. A London court found him guilty of false imprisonment following an incident last year where he allegedly handcuffed an escort to the wall of his London home. The charge carries a possible sentence of life in prison. While he probably won't get that harsh of a punishment, the judge did warn him that he will likely spend some time behind bars.

Quick Hits
* Point artist Gwen Stefani is returning to her rock roots with No Doubt. Next year the band will reunite to tour and record a new album. They'll stop by the Meadowlands in the Spring.

* It looks like Rosie Live! was a failed experiment. Last Wednesday's live variety show, which could have lead to a regular series if successful, tied for the lowest ratings of the night. On her blog, Rosie simply said, "there will b no more".

* Some gossip columns are disputing the report that no money will change hands in the Madonna/Guy Ritchie divorce. Gossip maven Liz Smith alleges that Guy will get $70 Million out of the split.

The Justin Files, 11/14 Weekly Wrap Up

2008-11-14T12:40:00.000-08:00

Jen tells all
The biggest story of the week is probably Jennifer Aniston's upcoming interview in next month's issue of Vogue. In it, she tells all about her past relationship with Vince Vaughn, calling him her "defibrillator" after her painful split from Brad Pitt. She talks about John Mayer, saying that, "I deeply deeply care about him. . .we adore one another". She also opens up about Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, saying that Angie's recent confession that she fell in love with Brad on the set of Mr. and Mrs. Smith was, "uncool". Brad's apparently not too happy about the confessions, reportedly calling Jen to say that he and Angie were "totally thrown" by the piece.

The issue hits newsstands on Wednesday.

Rejection turns into tragedy
Earlier this week a story came out about an alleged stalker of Paula Abdul's being found dead of an apparent drug overdose suicide near the American Idol judge's L.A. home. As more details came out, it was revealed that the victim was Paula Goodspeed, a former contestant on season 5 of the show in 2006. Goodspeed did make it on the air, during the auditions, where Simon ridiculed her look and talent.

In the two years since her Idol appearance, Goodpseed has sent more than 100 letters to Abdul. She allegedly recently sent flowers that appeared to be from Abdul's boyfriend, but had Goodspeed's cell phone number on the note. Also, her birth name is Sandra, it would appear that she changed it to Paula as an homage to Abdul.

The Idol judge said that she is, "shocked and saddened" by the incident.

Quick Hits
* Disney divas Miley Cyrus and Vanessa Hudgens have already been through their own racy photo scandals, you can add Cheetah Girl Adrienne Bailon to the list. Her laptop , containing "private photos" was stolen recently. Well, the pictures of her in only a bra have made it to the internet. Her reps are currently looking into their legal options since it would appear that blackmail is involved.

* Donald Trump's recent spate of bizarre behavior continues. Remember a little while back when he offered to bail Ed McMahon out of his foreclosure nightmare...even though he's never even met the guy? Well now, in the wake of Jennifer Hudson's family tragedy, Trump cryptically said that he is "protecting" Hudson and her family in one of his high-rises...whatever that means.

* Britney Spears had a scare last weekend. While visiting family in Louisiana with her kids. 2 year old Jayden had to be rushed to the emergency room with what was described as a, "terrible allergic reaction". They're not sure what caused the breakout of hives, but it could have been from watching Momma's "Baby One More Time" video from back in the day.

The Justin Files, 11/7 Weekly Wrap Up

2008-11-07T12:47:00.000-08:00

Paging Dr. Greene, Dr. Benton, Dr. Ross...
The current news on ER is the fact that Anthony Edwards, Dr. Mark Greene, is returning. Obviously it's a flashback since his character was killed off six years ago. This week though, former cast member Noah Wyle said that two other former County General docs would be putting their scrubs back on. Eriq La Salle, Dr. Peter Benton, will be directing an episode and showing up on screen next spring, and the Dr. Doug Ross rumors are coming back up. George Clooney's rep is neither confirming nor denying the reports.

Ready for the Idol hype?
American Idol has announced the date of their season premiere...Randy, Paula, Simon, AND Kara will invade our homes on January 13th. The new season will feature a fourth judge, Kara DioGuardi, and the Meadowlands auditions from earlier in the summer. Who knows, you might see someone you know!

In other Idol news, Randy and Paula apparently aren't happy with the pay disparity between them and Simon. Paula is apparently due to make between $5 and $8 million. Randy's in line for around $1 to $3 million...and Simon is allegedly making somewhere in the neighborhood of $45 million. In his defense however, he is credited as a producer on the show.

Quick Hits
* Kim Cattrall is confirming that there will be a sequel to the Sex and the City movie.

* Sad news, this week Jurassic Park author and ER creator Michael Crichton died. He'd been quietly battling cancer. He was 66.

* A face we haven't seen on TV in a while will be back on the tube. Michael J. Fox will guest star on a couple episodes of Rescue Me. Of course he's been busy as an advocate for Parkinson's research.

* Happy birthday to Jonas Brother, Kevin. He celebrated his 21st this week by buying himself a $225,000 Lamborghini. Clearly the tough economy isn't hitting everyone.

The Justin Files, 10/24 Weekly Wrap Up

2008-10-24T14:33:00.000-07:00

Reunited and it feels so good
So now that it looks like Jennifer Aniston and John Mayer are actually back together, what's changed? According to sources, Jen asked the music man to be less messy, try to cut back on the chain smoking and drinking, and to stop blogging about their personal life. He's also apparently written her a love song. They did not get back together, according to her publicist, due to a pregnancy.

Got'cha last!
Apparently country artist Brad Paisley is quite the prankster and Jewel was his victim on more than one occasion on his recent tour. Well, the Alaskan songstress got her revenge last week when Brad was arrested immediately upon disembarking from his plane in Nashville, put into handcuffs and hustled into a police car to his protests of, "I've never done anything wrong in my life!!". Upon learning that the whole thing was set up by Jewel, he was a good sport about it and responded, "this is the best I've ever been had".

What's the point if you can't brag?
Remember a couple months ago when those racy pictures of underage popstar Miley Cyrus hit the internet after allegedly being stolen from her personal email and MySpace accounts? This week the FBI raided the home of the 19 year old computer hacker who was responsible. So how did they catch him? He bragged about it, of course. He posted about the deed on internet discussion boards, commenting that he'd never get caught.

Oops.

Quick Hits
* Britney's next comeback attempt will be televised. After a bidding war with The Today Show, the pop princess will appear on Good Morning America on her birthday, December 2nd.

* Lindsay Lohan's guest stint on Ugly Betty has been cut from six episodes to four. Sources allege bad on-set behavior ranging from constant chain smoking, to a huge entourage, and her refusal to step on the set until star America Ferrara was present. The same source also claims that her dressing room was left a disaster area. Her rep has, of course, denied the stories of bizarre behavior.

* In the wake of the announcement of David Duchovny's pending divorce, London's Daily Mail claimed that Tea Leoni wasn't the only one being unfaithful. They said that the former X-Files star was having an affair with his 28 year old tennis coach. Not only is he denying the story, but he's denying it to the tune of $1 million...he's suing the paper for defamation and invasion of privacy.

The Justin Files, 10/17 Weekly Wrap Up

2008-10-17T12:41:00.000-07:00

Don't say we didn't call it
Remember months ago when all the gossip shows, blogs, articles, etc were speculating about the breakup of Madonna and Guy Ritchie's marriage? Well, what we knew back in the summer is now official, her spokesperson confirmed the split. Of course the story has snowballed since then with some interesting details coming out:

*Apparently Guy claims to have no interest in getting any of Madonna's alleged half a billion dollar fortune.

*At her Boston concert earlier this week she introduced a song that is allegedly about her soon to be ex by saying that the tune is, "for the emotionally retarded".

*At her Madison Square Garden show last weekend who was front and center? If you guessed New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez, you get a cookie.

Obviously this is a developing story.

Sick celebs
A number of celebrities had bad weeks as far as health goes. First of all, we finally know what Janet Jackson's "mystery illness" is. According to a spokesperson she is suffering from "vestibular migraines" which give her a sensation of vertigo. Not exactly conducive to singing and dancing around a stage.

Actor Gale Harold, who's playing Teri Hatcher's new boyfriend on the current season of Desperate Housewives was in a serious motorcycle accident earlier this week and was suffering from a broken shoulder and swelling of the brain. According to reports he is improving but is still in the intensive care unit.

Former first lady Nancy Reagan took a spill last week at her home and went to the hospital after a few days only to find out that she sustained a broken pelvis. She was checked out at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center...I wonder if she gets free lifetime treatment there.

Is Ringo's phone ringing too much?
Former Beatle Ringo Starr posted a video message on his website earlier this week begging fans to stop sending him mail and asking for autographs. In fact he said that anything he gets that is postmarked after October 20th will be thrown out. He claims to just be too darn busy living off the residual talent of the other three.

Quick Hits
* Rumors of another pregnancy for Britney's little sister, Jamie Lynn Spears, are heating up. The family has officially denied the stories but a "source close to the family" (naturally) claims that the rumors are true and that they're just buying time to decide how to deal with the press.

* The economic crisis apparently isn't hurting Disney. According to reports they're working on another installment of Pirates of the Caribbean. Johnny Depp's rumored paycheck? A cool $55.8 million.

* Another celebrity split was confirmed this week; only days after leaving rehab for sex addiction, David Duchovny announced his separation from his wife of 11 years, actress Tea Leoni. The interesting part of the story, the split apparently wasn't due to his issues, reports say that he found racy text messages from Billy Bob Thornton on his soon to be ex-wife's cell phone.

The Justin Files, 10/3 Weekly Wrap Up

2008-10-03T12:41:00.000-07:00

A Hollywood legend passes
The big story this week was the death of Hollywood icon Paul Newman of cancer at 83 years old. An elder statesman of Hollywood, Newman's iconic roles included Coolhand Luke, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and more recently his Oscar winning turn in Road to Perdition. He used his fame and fortune to become a selfless philanthropist by supporting a number of charities through his Newman's Own Foundation. Over the years, the foundation has given over $250 million to charity. Even in the absence of it's founder, the foundation will continue to operate and give to worthy causes.

Heath's daughter inherits his estate
As expected, Heath Ledger's father announced that the late star's 2 year old daughter, Matilda, will inherit his entire estate. However, an insurance company is fighting the 8 digit payout on his life insurance policy, arguing that his death may have been a suicide.

"Movie star car for auction, may need some body work"
Movie memorabilia has become a big business. Just ask the guy who shelled out over a third of a million dollars for an Aston Martin from the upcoming James Bond movie. The only catch? You won't see the buyer tooling around in the super-spy's ride anytime soon. The vehicle was wrecked during production.

By the way, the $350,000 price tag for the totaled sedan is about $120,000 more than a shiny new Aston Martin would cost.

Quick Hits
* Britney Spears apparently didn't learn any lessons from Paris Hilton and Pamela Anderson, specifically not to have video cameras around during intimate moments. Her former boyfriend, paparazzo Adnan Galib, is apparently peddling a sex tape featuring him and Britney to the highest bidder.

* It looks like we'll be getting at least two more Spider-Man movies. Star Tobey Maguire and director Sam Raimi have signed on for two more installments, and Kirsten Dunst has confirmed her involvement in at least one more. Production on parts 4 and 5 starts next Fall.

* Music news roundup - A rumor from a couple weeks ago has been confirmed, Bruce Springsteen will be playing the Superbowl halftime show on Feb 1st. Also, David Archuleta will be trying his hand at acting. This week he filmed a guest spot on Nickelodeon kiddie series iCarly, set to air in the Spring.

* Heather Locklear had a bad weekend, on Saturday she was arrested for driving under the influence of a prescription drug when a 911 caller allegedly spotted the star driving erratically.

The Justin Files, 9/26 Weekly Wrap Up

2008-09-26T11:33:00.000-07:00

Some interesting Emmy night notes
There weren't any huge surprises or giant upsets this year at the Emmys, but there were some things of note:

* AMC's Mad Men became the first basic cable show to win one of the major awards, Best Drama Series.

* 30 Rock cleaned up with four wins, including trophies for Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin.

* Jeremy Piven got the hat trick with his 3rd consecutive award for Entourage.

* Other repeats went to The Daily Show and The Amazing Race, both winning their 6th awards in a row.

* The inaugural best reality show host Emmy went to Survivor's Jeff Probst.

Come out come out wherever you are
We had two persistent celebrity rumors confirmed this week. Rumors that could more be looked at as "open secrets", but they're not secrets any longer. Lindsay Lohan confirmed her romantic relationship with LA based club DJ Samantha Ronson. The same day, the cover of the new issue of People was leaked, which featured Clay Aiken with his newborn son and the headline, "yes, I'm gay". In the article, Clay explained his reasoning for choosing now to come out publicly, "I cannot raise a child to lie or hide things".

Speaking of the Clay exclusive, remember how Brad and Angie got around $10 million for the exclusive pictures of their twins just over the summer? Apparently economic woes have hit the tabloid industry too. Clay reportedly only got $500,000 for his pix.

Fertility problems? Go swimming!
Apparently the reason that Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise never had any biological children was due to her fertility difficulties. So how to explain her giving birth to a healthy baby girl with Keith Urban? She claims that while filming a movie in her native Australia, she would go swimming at an Outback waterfall every day. She was joined by half a dozen other women on a regular basis. After the filming was over, apparently all the swimmers ended up pregnant. So Nicole is giving credit to the Australian Outback's "fertility waters".

I wonder what that will do for tourism.

Quick Hits
* The new season of Dancing with the Stars premiered this week. The first two castoffs were comedian Jeffrey Ross and actor Ted McGinley.

* Happy 10 year anniversary to Harry Potter. It's hard to believe that there was actually a time when nobody had ever heard of a British boy who would go on to attend wizard school and fight the forces of evil.

* In a bit of a break from tradition, for the first time in 22 movies, the new James Bond flick won't include the lines, "Bond, James Bond" or "shaken, not stirred". Quantum of Solace hits theaters in November.

The Justin Files, 9/19 Weekly Wrap Up

2008-09-19T11:48:00.000-07:00

The start of the lists
As we're getting closer to the end of the year, the annual "best of" lists are starting to come out. People came out with their 10 Best Dressed Women of 2008. On the list were a pair of Point artists, Rihanna and Fergie made the cut. Also among the fashion gifted, Kate Hudson, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Michelle Obama, among others.

A day later, Forbes came out with their list of the richest Americans. A number of entertainment industry insiders made the list, including Steven Speilberg, George Lucas and, of course, Oprah. NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg is sitting comfortably at #8 on the list. And the richest American? Act surprised...Bill Gates, who's worth $57 Billion. Believe it or not, that's actually down from last year!

Famous New Jerseyans honored
Some famous Garden State natives are being honored by being nominated for the New Jersey Hall of Fame this year. Listed for possible inclusion are Jon Bon Jovi, Jack Nicholson, and Shaquille O'Neal among others. While there's no physical NJ HoF, you can visit their virtual location at www.njhalloffame.org

Britney rides the wave
After the Democratic and Republican conventions, the candidates usually get a "bump" in the polls. Britney Spears is hoping the same is true following her successful MTV Video Music Awards haul. A few days later her record company announced the release date of her upcoming album, Circus is due out on her 27th birthday, December 2nd.

An appropriate name considering what her life's been like the past year or so.

Quick Hits
* It looks like the duel of the Davids could enter round two this fall. David Cook has already announced November 18th as the release date for his debut CD. Now, David Archuleta has announced that his CD will hit store shelves in November, insiders are suggesting that he could also pick the 18th.

* Miley Cyrus apparently has a new beau. Last weekend the 15 year old entertainment mogul was spotted at an LA mall shopping and holding hands with a 20 year old underwear model. Don't get me wrong, 5 years isn't a big difference in the big picture, but can you at least wait till she's old enough to vote?

The Justin Files, 8/29 Weekly Wrap Up

2008-08-29T11:52:00.000-07:00

Randy and Simon who?
Remember when we were wondering who this "Randy Jackson" and that "Simon Cowell" guys were, and now they're household names? Just keep that in mind when the new season of American Idol starts and Kara DioGuardi is introduced as the fourth judge. It'll now be two guys and two girls on the panel. For a little background, Kara DioGuardi is a grammy-nominated songwriter, she's written songs for Kelly Clarkson, Pink, Santana, Miley Cyrus, and many others.

When Kid Rock speaks, people pay attention
Well, not normally, but the rocker actually had something pretty intelligent to say this week. When asked about his choice for president, he responded, "I truly believe people like myself. . .should keep their mouths shut on politics. . .at the end of the day let me tell you what I'm good at: I'm good at writing songs and singing - what I'm not educated in is the field of political science". John Voight, Jane Fonda, are you listening?

Just kidding, guys!
Remember the other week when I told you about Tori Spelling dropping out of the new 90210 series because she found out that Shannen Doherty and Jennie Garth would be making more than her? Apparently she's swallowed her pride and has quietly entered into talks with the producers on a new deal. I'm guessing reality set in when she got home and didn't find any voicemails offering great career opportunities.

Quick Hits
* Mackenzie Phillips had a bad day at LAX this week. She was pulled aside after setting off a metal detector and apparently became uncooperative. It was at that point that baggies and balloons allegedly filled with heroin and cocaine fell out of her waistband. Officials also apparently found nearly three dozen syringes on her.

* I already reported the rumor that Johnny Depp could be playing The Riddler in the next Batman installment. This week another Batman casting rumor came out, and it's an interesting one. How would you feel about Cher as Catwoman?

* X-Files and Californication star David Duchovny has entered rehab. But it's not for drugs or alcohol, his reps confirm that he has entered treatment for sex addiction. The star released a statement asking for, "respect and privacy for my wife and children as we deal with this situation as a family".

The Justin Files, 8/22 Weekly Wrap Up

2008-08-22T11:10:00.000-07:00

At least we don't have to suffer through corny nicknames anymore
Ever since Ben Afflek and Jennifer Lopez became a couple and were dubbed "Bennifer" oh those many years ago, we've had to deal with "Brangelina" and, most recently with John Mayer and Jennifer Aniston, "Janiston" (a bit of a stretch?). But no more, last week we had the rumors of their breakup, this week those rumors were confirmed. By who, you may ask. An anonymous "source", or worse, Perez Hilton? Surprisingly it was John himself who said, "I ended the relationship. . .because I don't want to waste somebody's time if something's not right" he went on to say that she is, "one of the most lovely people I've ever met".

Hollywood people aren't all bad
Here's a touching story, you may recall that when Heath Ledger died he was in the middle of shooting a new movie. A trio of A-list stars stepped in to complete his role; Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell have all decided to donate their paychecks from the job to Heath's young daughter, Matilda. When the actor died he had apparently left behind an old will that did not include Matilda. The trio of actors felt that the money should rightfully go towards taking care of her. The director of the movie, Terry Gilliam, called the move, "extraordinary".

Who's gonna be hoofing it next?
A source is claiming to have compiled a full list of the "stars" (and I use the term loosely with some of these people) who will be prancing on the next season of Dancing with the Stars. The list, allegedly, looks like this: Kim Kardashian, Lance Bass, Toni Braxton, Brooke Burke, Susan Lucci, Hannah Montana actor Cody Linley, actor Ted McGinley, Sugar Ray frontman Mark McGrath, 82 year old Cloris Leachman, Comedian Jeff Ross, of course you have to have a football player so they have apparently enlisted Warren Sapp, and they've gotten into the Olympic spirit with sprinter Maurice Green and newly minted gold medalist Misty May-Treanor.

Take the list with a grain of salt, but I'll be happy to say I told ya so if it's true when the actual contestants are announced on Monday.

"Oh hey, about that movie..."
One of the bigger stories last week was the fact that Warner Brothers has decided to push the next installment of the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince from it's planned November release to next July (conspicuously to the same weekend that The Dark Knight, another WB property, opened this Summer and made enough money to support a medium sized country). There's only one problem, the studio didn't bother to give the heads-up to Entertainment Weekly, which just happens to be a sister-division of parent company Time Warner, Inc. So EW went ahead and released their annual fall movie preview with the boy-wizard gracing the cover. Maybe the ole' company email was down that day.

Quick Hits
* Phil Collins has set a new record in his homeland. It's not going to be one he'll brag about though, a British court has ordered he pay an unprecedented $46.76 million to his most recent ex-wife. That's $2 million more than Paul McCartney recently had to cough up to Heather Mills.

* Congrats to Point artists Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale, they welcomed a new baby boy to the family this morning. Giving Apple Martin and Coco Arquette a run for their money, the new bully target has reportedly been dubbed Zuma Nesta Rock Rossdale.

* For the Sopranos fan in your family, check this out - The Sopranos: The Complete Series will feature all 86 episodes on 28 discs, two discs of bonus material, two soundtrack CDs, and a 56 page album. The whole thing weighs in at 10 pounds and will set you back $400. It'll be out, naturally, just in time for the holidays, on November 11th.

The Justin Files, 8/15 Weekly Wrap Up

2008-08-15T13:47:00.000-07:00

A sad weekend
It was a shocking weekend for many when news of the untimely deaths of comedian Bernie Mac and music legend Isaac Hayes came out. Mac had been in the hospital fighting pneumonia for a little while. His people had said that he was getting better and was looking forward to going home. Hayes was found unresponsive next to his still-running treadmill. His doctor said that he had apparently suffered a fatal stroke. He had also suffered a stroke back in 2006.

About to get kicked out? Turn to Trump!
How's this for a weird twist to Ed McMahon's home foreclosure woes...apparently Donald Trump has offered to buy the home and lease it to the former Carson sidekick, effectively making him Ed's landlord. The strange part, the two men don't even know each other. Trump said that when he had heard the story he thought "it would be an honor" to help. My guess is that the honor to Trump is the publicity he's drumming up.

(full disclosure - I was a student at the Ed McMahon School of Mass Communications at Quinnipiac University, Ed and I go way back)

No 90210 for Tori
It looks like there won't be a homecoming party for Donna Martin in the upcoming Beverly Hills 90210 update on The CW Network after all. Tori Spelling was reportedly upset about the fact that her pay, $10,000 - $20,000 per episode, was dwarfed by the alleged compensation for fellow returnees Shannen Doherty and Jennie Garth, reported to be between $35,000 and $50,000 per episode. Tori apparently demanded equal pay, the network said no, Tori walked.

Quick Hits
* It looks like wedding bells will be ringing for Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi this weekend. According to US Weekly, the two will marry in a "small, intimate ceremony" in California.

* Blogs are buzzing about the rumored breakup of John Mayer and Jennifer Aniston. The two haven't been photographed together in weeks, John is on vacay in Mexico while Jen is back in LA working, and a "source" says that she is already seeing someone new. Well, with that evidence it must be true.

* Dark Knight star Christian Bale is off the hook. He will not face charges in the alleged assault involving his mother and sister. Officials say there was simply not enough evidence.

The Justin Files, 8/8 Weekly Wrap Up

2008-08-08T10:53:00.000-07:00

Thankfully Miss Daisy wasn't in the car
Ok, ok, so the joke may be tasteless but Morgan Freeman is fine after his late night weekend car accident, so I can get away with it.

Apparently the Dark Knight actor was driving close to midnight last Sunday when he fell asleep at the wheel, drifted off the road, and flipped into a ditch. Rescuers had to use the jaws of life to remove the Hollywood icon from the wreck. He was in the hospital for a couple days, underwent surgery for injuries suffered in the crash, and was released.

The Mary-Kate mystery
At the start of the week word started going around that Mary-Kate Olsen was demanding immunity before cooperating with federal investigators who were looking into Heath Ledger's death. You may remember that the former Full House star was the first person called when the actor's body was found. So the big question was, why would she need immunity? Well, we may never know, by Thursday the feds had abruptly closed the case.

How rich is really, really, really rich?
Well we can ask these TV stars. TV Guide has come out with it's list of the highest paid television stars. Here are just a few - David Letterman brings in $32 million a year. Simon Cowell's bad behavior is rewarded to the tune of $50 million a year. And the richest? No surprise, Oprah apparently rakes in $385 million a year. I did a little quick math, that's roughly $732.50 every minute of every day. Eating, sleeping, etc.

Quick Hits
* It seems like everyone's having twins these days! Brad and Angie, J. Lo, Rebecca Romijn is expecting, and now word that Lisa Marie Presley is pregnant with twins. Her mother, Priscilla, says that twins run in the family. She has younger twin brothers, and Elvis had a twin brother who died at birth.

* Speaking of Elvis, his favorite performance costume has become the most expensive piece of Elvis memorabilia ever sold at auction. Pre-sale estimates had the peacock print jumpsuit going for between $275,000 and $325,000. It fell right in the middle and sold for $300,000....this despite the bacon grease stains and faint peanut butter odor.

* Finally, it seems that Britney Spears will not star as a killer stripper in a Quentin Tarantino remake of Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!. Her rep said that she is, "concentrating on recording her next album".

The Justin Files, 8/1 Weekly Wrap Up

2008-08-01T10:07:00.000-07:00

A little movie you may have heard of
The Dark Knight continues to dominate the box office three weeks after it's initial release. It destroyed the competition after the first weekend, taking in $155 million, compared to Mamma Mia! (the #2 movie) and it's haul of $27.5 million. Batman was still going strong by the second weekend, bringing in an additional $75.6 million. As of today, it's the highest grossing movie of the year so far, with a take of $342.6 million. To put it in perspective, Titanic, the highest grossing movie of all time, was only at $112.5 million at this point in it's release. In other words, The Dark Knight is out pacing Titanic by more than 3 to 1.

Shia in trouble again
Indiana Jones co-star Shia LaBeouf is in trouble again, and this time it's a little more serious than lighting up in a no smoking area. He was arrested over the weekend on suspicion of DUI, and taken to the hospital where he underwent, "extensive hand surgery". It turns out that the accident wasn't his fault, the other driver had run a red light while Shia was waiting to make a legal left turn, but obviously the DUI charge will stand.

Miley is in the news this week too
Miley Cyrus made some waves this week when she speculated that this may be the last season for Hannah Montana, her super-successful Disney Channel kiddie-comedy. Disney execs didn't comment beyond stating that the show is still currently on their schedule.

Miley also made waves on the auction circuit when a Connecticut dad shelled out nearly $17,000 so his 11 year old daughter could meet the teen star at a movie premiere. The same auction also saw a t-shirt she wore in a video go for $3,500 and autographed pictures - personalized of course - went for around $1,000 each.

Quick Hits
* Jon Bon Jovi is a happy camper, his Philadelphia Soul won the Arena Football League Championship over the weekend. A victory rally was held in Philly on Thursday, and Jon promises a victory concert in the not too distant future.

* It looks like People Magazine has won the bidding war for the exclusive first pictures of Brad and Angelina's twins. Reports put the price tag between $10-$15 million. The couple will reportedly donate the proceeds to charity.

* Finally, we'll take this one with a grain of salt for now. Some gossip rags are reporting that another Batman movie is already in the works, and that it'll feature Johnny Depp as The Riddler. Considering the success of The Dark Knight there's little doubt that there'll be another sequel, but there aren't any reliable sources on this story. I'm just reporting it so I can say that you heard it hear first if it's true.

The Justin Files, 6/27 Weekly Wrap Up

2008-06-27T13:27:00.000-07:00

The Winehouse Watch continues
The Amy Winehouse drama continued into this week as more information trickled out about her condition after being taken to the hospital at the beginning of last week. On Monday, her father publicly announced that she has been diagnosed with emphysema, caused by years of smoking crack and cigarettes. The next day was spent backpedaling, as Daddy dearest revised his statement, saying that she has been diagnosed with traces of emphysema.

The photo above was taken as she was leaving the hospital.

Madonna Marriage Madness
Rumors of marital unrest have plagued Madonna for a couple years now, but they've gotten more insistent this week. It all started when word hit the street that she has apparently hired the same divorce lawyer that Paul McCartney used in his recent legal proceedings (does she know how much Paul ended up having to pay Heather??). Then, just today, an "anonymous source" (naturally) revealed that Madonna had told Guy Ritchie in person that she thought a divorce was in order...apparently he agreed with her.

Her spokesperson continues to issue "no comment" statements. Which, let's be honest, is basically confirmation.

A comedy legend passes
We started the week with the sad news of the passing of trail blazing comedian George Carlin. He had a history of heart problems, including a couple open heart surgeries. He died after checking into a hospital on Sunday night with chest pains. He was due to be awarded The Mark Twain Prize for lifetime achievement in comedy in the Fall at Lincoln Center. The ceremony will go on as scheduled but will become a tribute instead. Saturday Night Live will honor him this weekend when they air the very first episode of the show, which he hosted.

On a personal note, I'll never forget one of the funniest yet most awkward moments in my young life, when I saw Carlin perform at The State Theater in New Brunswick with my father, step-mother, and aunt. For a 13 year old, it was both hilarious and mortifying at the same time.

Quick Hits
* For the first time, Miley Cyrus is speaking publicly about her controversial Vanity Fair photos. She told Billboard, "I was embarrassed. . . sometimes my decisions are wrong. . . it still hurts when I think about it".

* What would you do if you had to move halfway across the country, far away from our beloved boardwalk pizza? If you're Drew Carey, you order it anyway. That's what he did for the season finale of The Price is Right. He ordered 45 pies from his favorite pizza joint in Cleveland, for delivery to LA. The dinner cost a cool $450. No word on delivery charges, but I have a feeling they waived the 30 minute guarantee. Hopefully he gave the kid a good tip.

* Another former Idol has bitten the dust. Joining the ranks of Reuben Studdard, Taylor Hicks, and Katherine McPhee, last year's runner up, Blake Lewis, has been dropped by his record label.

* Speaking of Idol, even though it feels like last season just ended, auditions for next season are ramping up. Simon, Randy, and Paula will hit the road starting July 17th in San Francisco. We'll get our shot on August 19th when the trio invade The Meadowlands.

The Justin Files, 6/20 Weekly Wrap Up

2008-06-20T11:51:00.001-07:00

More Amy Winehouse drama
Amy Winehouse is back in the news for her off stage drama. She reportedly collapsed at her home in London on Monday and was taken to the hospital. She was held there for observation and tests. It appeared that it would only be an overnight situation but as of today, Friday, she is still in the hospital and is apparently undergoing a battery of additional tests and scans. Stay tuned for updates.

Idol Gives Back keeps giving
The Idol Gives Back telethon may be long over, but the campaign continues. With contestant Brooke White as the spokesperson, kids between 5 and 14 are being urged to use their Summer vacation to do good on a large scale. The child who raises the most for Malaria No More will get a pair of tickets to next year's Idol finale. You can get more information at www.savetheworldsummer.org

Some stars remember the fans
I love hearing stories of big stars doing nice things for their fans. I have a pair of cool stories for you:

Johnny Depp was recently shooting a gangster movie in Oshkosh, WI when a 12 year old fan asked the star if he could have Johnny's period fedora. Johnny told the kid, "when I'm done with it, it's yours". Flash forward to a couple weeks later when a package showed up on the kid's doorstep with a bunch of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory promo goodies and the hat that Johnny had promised.

We know that Jennifer Lopez likes to think of herself as Jenny from the Block, and she proved it this week when she showed up at a graduation in Staten Island. A group of 10 and 11 year olds at the school for autistic children had been studying one of Jennifer's videos, practicing and memorizing the lyrics and dance moves. They wrote to the superstar hoping for an autograph in return. Instead, she showed up and gave a surprise performance at their ceremony.

Quick Hits
* There's a new mother in the Spears family. Britney's 17 year old sister, Jamie Lynn, gave birth to a girl, Maddie Briann this week.

* How much would you pay for a kiss from James Bond? Barbara Broccoli could probably get one for free since she's one of the producers of the franchise, but she paid nearly $40,000 at a charity auction for some lip service from star Daniel Craig as well as actors Hugh Grant and Robbie Coltrane.

* A Grey's Anatomy insider is shooting back at Katherine Heigl's comments from last week. The anonymous worker said, "the show bent over backwards to accommodate her film schedule and then she criticizes the show for lack of material? It's an ungrateful slap in the face to the very writers responsible for her Emmy win in the first place".

* On the eve of the release of their new CD, Point stars Coldplay have announced a delay of two weeks for their US tour. The release chalked up the tardiness to "production delays". They were scheduled to kick off in LA on June 29th, they'll now embark on July 14th.

The Justin Files, 6/13 Weekly Wrap Up

2008-06-13T14:05:00.000-07:00

Tell-all books are in Vogue
Ok, I know the headline is a little bit of a stretch, I needed a Madonna tie-in...so sue me.

Speaking of suing (how's that for a transition?) Madonna is reportedly meeting with lawyers to try to figure out a way to stop her brother, Christopher Ciccone, from publishing a tell-all memoir. He actually used to work with her, helping to design some of her tours, but they had a falling out a couple years ago. So chances are, the tome will be a warts and all page turner. At the moment, Life With My Sister is due in July.

Britney Spears is also the subject of an upcoming volume. An investigative journalist is putting together a project that allegedly details everything from suicide attempts to claims from a drug dealer about her substance abuse. Stalking Britney: Under Siege with Britney Spears could hit shelves as early as next week.

Why is Oprah able to give so big?
Because she makes around $275 million a year, that's why! She was #1 once again on the "Forbes Celebrity 100" list of the richest and most influential celebrities. A bunch of Point artists made the list, including Beyoncé (#4), The Police (#8), Justin Timberlake (#12), Madonna (#21), Miley Cyrus (#35), Bon Jovi (#53), Gwen Stefani (#63), Alicia Keys (#65), and Carrie Underwood (#79).

Somehow, the Spice Girls managed to make the list right in the middle at #50.

Whatever you do, don't nominate me!
Giving the writers of Grey's Anatomy a bit of a shot across the bow, star Katherine Heigl spoke out about her feelings on this past season. She commented, "I did not feel that I was given the material this season to warrant an Emmy nomination. . .I withdrew my name from contention".

Ok, clearly she was calling out the writers and producers for what she felt was a lackluster season. But here's my question...what makes you so sure you were going to get an Emmy nomination anyway?

Quick Hits
* Miley Cyrus' mother apparently isn't too happy about her daughter's new boyfriend. The 15 year old is reportedly dating a 21 year old backup dancer. Ok first, 6 years is a big difference when we're talking about high schoolers. Second, just ask Britney if getting involved with a backup dancer is a good idea.

* The Friends curse continues. Joining Joey, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and The Comeback in the TV graveyard is Courtney Cox Arquette's FX series Dirt.

* Brokeback Mountain is coming to the New York stage. The New York City Opera is planning to stage an adaptation in 2013. It will be based on the original short story, not the movie which was itself adapted from the short story by Annie Proulx.

The Justin Files, 6/6 Weekly Wrap Up

2008-06-06T12:20:00.000-07:00

ET Gets Duped
So we wrapped up last week with the "exclusive" scoop from Entertainment Tonight that Angelina Jolie had given birth to her twins. Other media outlets quickly questioned the validity of the story, but ET stuck with it. They had apparently exchanged emails with Angie's "personal assistant", and that's how they got the news. Well, it turns out that it wasn't her assistant at all, it was a fake. ET never formally retracted the story, but it was quietly taken off their webpage. So how did this happen? Apparently producers were cautioned that the story could be a fake, but they decided to run with it anyway...live and learn!

Speaking of Angie and Brad's still forthcoming kids...the bidding war for the exclusive first photos has allegedly reached $15 million.

Hey, at least they didn't just turn it inside out and reuse it
There was a little behind the scenes scandal at the premiere of the Sex and the City movie in New York recently. Apparently the flowing silver dress that Sarah Jessica Parker wore had been...horrors...warn before! Word has it that a socialite had worn the same frock to a ball at The Met a month ago, and it was passed off to SJP as a new fashion. The actress called the revelation, "disappointing".

Quick Hits
* If you missed your chance to get tickets to Madonna's now sold out shows at MSG in October (6, 7, 11), she's added a fourth show on the 12th. Tickets go on sale next Friday.

* The Daily News is suggesting that Ashlee Simpson is expecting a boy. They're basing this on the fact that she was seen buying a onesie that said, "I'm just like my dad!". If you ask me, this doesn't mean a thing, have you ever noticed how much eye liner Pete Wentz wears?

* Grey's Anatomy star TR Knight, 35, has been fielding a lot of questions about his new, 19 year old boyfriend recently. Although he's answered the marriage question with, "we've only known each other for six months. So I think it's a little soon to consider marriage". Besides, TR would prefer not to have to use sparkling apple cider at the ceremony.

* David Archuleta has signed his first deal and joins David Cook on 19 Recordings/Jive Records. He also had to cancel a thank-you concert that his father had promised his home town of Salt Lake City . The American Idol producers cited his obligation to the Idols Live tour as the reason for forcing him to renege.

The Justin Files, 5/26 Weekly Wrap Up

2008-05-30T12:51:00.000-07:00

The competitions come to a close
We have a new Dancing with the Stars champ as well as a new American Idol.

Kristi Yamaguchi took home the mirror ball trophy on Dancing.

David Cook won the Duel of the Davids on Idol. In fact "Cookie" has already signed a record deal, with his debut CD due out in the Fall, and he's scored the biggest single debut for an Idol since season 2.

Lots of Angelina news
Angelina Jolie has been in the gossip pages a lot in the past week or so. First, a British tabloid reported that she planned to name her forthcoming twins after the mythical twins of the Gemini astrological sign, "Castor" and "Pollox". Because they won't get beat up on the playground.

And then just today, Entertainment Tonight reported that Angie has given birth to the twin girls and named them "Isla Marcheline" and "Amelie Jane" which, thankfully, don't sound like infections.

But People denied that report, saying that the lippy star is still just as pregnant as she was yesterday.

So basically, nobody knows what's going on for sure.

Movie News
No big surprise, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull had an enormous Memorial Day weekend, raking in $126 million. Good for 2nd on the all time Memorial Day weekend list, behind only last year's Pirates of the Caribbean flick.

Obviously an almost 20 year layoff didn't hurt Indy, so Eddie Murphy is hoping to cash in on reboot mania. He'll dust off another classic character as Detective Axel Foley looks to hit movie screens in another Beverly Hills Cop installment. A release is tentatively scheduled for 2010, so it would make it to multiplexes 16 years after the last sequel.

The strangest story of the week...and possibly ever
If the gossip rags are right, it looks like Clay Aiken might be a daddy in the not too distant future. Of course there's nothing all that strange about that fact. Here's where it starts to get a little unusual - the mother would apparently be his 50 year old record producer who was artificially inseminated with Clay's...umm..."DNA".

Quick Hits
* Rumors of the demise of Jessica Simpson and Tony Romo's romance may have been greatly exaggerated, they apparently spent the whole Memorial Day weekend together.

* Speaking of Simpsons, Ashlee has officially confirmed the speculation, she is pregnant.

* Bill Murray's divorce is getting ugly with his estranged wife accusing him of drug addiction, abuse, adultery, and abandonment.

* Donald Trump is selling his Trump Marina Hotel Casino in AC for a reported $315 million to none other than Jimmy Buffett, who will naturally rename the property "Margaritaville".

The Justin Files, 5/16/08

2008-05-16T13:32:00.000-07:00

Getting paid to exist
If you're a celebrity in this day and age you can get paid just for going about your life. Getting married, having kids, what's next, going to the DMV? So word on the street is that People will pony up $1 million for the exclusive pictures from the (alleged) upcoming wedding of Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz (from Point rockers Fall Out Boy). On the heels of that news is the speculation on how much the exclusives of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's twins are going to go for, with some experts speculating that the pix could fetch up to $10 million.

All that just for existing.

Sex and the City early reviews
The first reviews of the upcoming Sex and the City movie are starting to come out, and it seems that it might not be so sexy after all. Variety was first at the trough, calling the movie "a trifle half-hearted" and saying that it's basically "A regular episode bloated to five times it's customary length".

Ouch.

You can judge for yourself when the flick hits multiplexes on May 30th.

Quick Hits
* The American Idol final is set. It'll be the Duel of the Davids when Archuleta and Cook battle for the title on Tuesday.

* When you're a former Idol who hasn't fared well in the music biz what do you do? If you're Taylor Hicks you follow in the footsteps of Fantasia, Clay Aiken, and others and hit the stage. He'll take on the role of "Teen Angel" in Grease on Broadway next month.

Update Policy

2008-05-15T12:18:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to post a quick note about the new update policy. When I started the blog I was all ambitious and planned to update it daily, but I've discovered that it's honestly just too much work. Especially on the days where there isn't really any big news. So the plan now is to update a weekly wrap up on Fridays. Obviously if a huge story breaks, I'll make a special update. Please do feel free to keep in touch though with comments and emails!

The Justin Files, 5/12/08

2008-05-12T12:26:00.000-07:00

An Idol mini-scandal
Stories have been floating around for weeks about the alleged actions of David Archuleta's father. Some publications have called him a stereotypical "stage dad" who intimidates show staff, other contestants, and his own kid. It turns out that there may be some truth to the rumors, Idol officials have revoked Jeff Archuleta's back stage access, banning him from rehearsals. It should be interesting to see how the decrees affect David's performances. We'll get our first chance to find out tomorrow night.

Life imitates art
Not only is Britney Spears making her second appearance on How I Met Your Mother tonight, but the episode's storyline of a charity auction will be reflected in real life. You can check out and bid on goodies from the show at www.charityfolks.com. The money raised will go to the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles.

Quick Hits
* More photos are surfacing of Jennifer Aniston and Point troubadour John Mayer getting cozy in Miami last weekend.

* The rumors that I reported on a while ago have been confirmed. NBC has announced that former Saturday Night Live cast member Jimmy Fallon will take over for Conan O'Brien on Late Nite when Conan moves into Jay Leno's chair next year.

* Iron Man kept an iron grip on the box office this past weekend, more than doubling the take of the nearest competitor. The Robert Downey, Jr. flick took in $50 million while Speed Racer only brought in $20 million at number 2.

The Justin Files, 5/6/08

2008-05-06T11:47:00.000-07:00

Dancing up to first place
After finding his way to the hospital last week, Cristián de la Fuente went from worst to first. He scored the highest last night, with a gimpy arm and all. Broadway babe Marissa Jaret Winokur got the lowest marks of the evening.

Britney's back...on TV
It looks like if this whole music comeback thing doesn't work out for Britney Spears, she might have a future in the sitcom world. After a well received guest spot on How I Met Your Mother a couple weeks ago, producers rushed through a script to bring Brit's character back. She'll show up once again next Monday (5/11). Of her last experience on the show, Britney said, "I couldn't wait to come back".

Quick Hits
* Idol's theme tonight - Rock & Roll Hall of Fame songs.

* There's another celebrity engagement to announce. Actress Scarlett Johansson & actor Ryan Reynolds are planning to marry. It's not Ryan's first engagement, he was once betrothed to Point star Alanis Morissette.

* A judge has officially signed off on the legal name change for Point teen sensation Miley Cyrus. Born Destiny Hope Cyrus, her legal name is now Miley Ray Cyrus (which is probably a lot easier to sign for autographs).

The Justin Files, 5/5/08

2008-05-05T12:23:00.000-07:00

More Mariah speculation
I told you about Mariah's alleged engagement to "actor" Nick Cannon. I also told you about the speculation about them eloping last week. Well we've had some "confirmation" (if you want to call it that) from one of Nick's relatives (although how they're related hasn't been specified). This relative claims that Nick called to tell them the good news, that he and Mariah had been wed at her vacation home in The Bahamas. This family member/gossip also claimed that it happened so quickly that there was no time to write up a pre-nup. I'll keep you updated.

Amy Winehouse will not be the next Bond theme-singer
A while ago I told you about how Amy Winehouse would be joining the exclusive club of stars who've recorded James Bond theme songs. It turns out that she won't be penning the tune after all. Her producer says that, due to her ongoing personal issues, "she's not ready to record any music". Personally, I think she was just having trouble finding things to rhyme with the title of the next Bond flick, The Quantum of Solace.

There's been no word yet on who her replacement will be.

Quick Hits
* It was a good weekend for Iron Man, the superhero flick brought in over $100 million, that's almost $85 million more than the 2nd place movie. When a movie makes that kind of coin you know what that means...yup, a sequel is scheduled for 2010.

* Rumors are floating around that Angelina Jolie gave birth over the weekend in France. What we do know - Brad and Angie were in France with the whole family, but there's been no confirmation of a birth.

* Britney Spears got good reviews for her guest spot on How I Met Your Mother, so it looks like Lindsay Lohan will try the same "how to generate good buzz" cure. She'll guest star on the season finale of Ugly Betty.

The Justin Files, 5/1/08

2008-05-01T13:41:00.000-07:00

Mariah to marry?
If the gossip pages are to be believed it looks like Mariah Carey is engaged. Rumor has it that her boyfriend, Nick Cannon, bought her a $2.5 Million 17 carat pink and purple diamond ring. Nick, by the way, is 11 years her junior. He's probably best known for being on All That on Nickelodeon.

Idol is down to a foursome
She forgot the words to songs on two different occasions, seemed awkward when talking to the judges, but seemed to survive like a Twinkie after an atomic blast, but Brooke's luck finally ran out this week. There are only four left; David A, David C, Jason, and the lone female Syesha. Word out is that next week's theme will be Rock N' Roll.

Quick Hits
* After a very public divorce you'd think that Alec Baldwin would want to put it all behind him and move on...but wait...there's money to be made! He'll release a book on the topic in September.

* People's 100 Most Beautiful People issue hits newsstands tomorrow. Kate Hudson graces the cover, and a number of Point artists are included, like Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, and Miley Cyrus.

The Justin Files, 4/30/08

2008-04-30T12:46:00.000-07:00

Idol navigates a double Diamond
Not only were we lucky enough to dive into Neil Diamond's catalogue on American Idol last night, but each contestant got to sing two of the 70s crooner's hits (with David Archuleta somewhat selfishly laying claim to his two best known tunes, Sweet Caroline and America). It was a bit of a bizarre night with Paula apparently forgetting how many songs she'd heard (or maybe she was listening to the music in her head). Someone's going home tonight, although after my last failed prediction, I'm staying out of this one.

By the way, is anyone else completely dumbfounded by the celebrity mentors this season? I mean Mariah Carey made sense. She has the whole "new CD" angle to work, and she's right in the wheelhouse of Idol's target audience. But Dolly Parton and Neil Diamond?

Not to diminish their standing in the music industry, they're both legends. But when was the last time either of them had a mainstream hit, and how are the contestants and the show's target audience supposed to relate to either of them?

Ok, I'm done ranting now, on to the Quick Hits.

Quick Hits
* CSI actor Gary Dourdan (Warrick Brown) is in some hot water. Yesterday he was spotted sleeping in his car by Palm Beach, CA cops who reportedly found cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, and prescription drugs on him. He's free on $5,000 bail.

* You have a chance to own a piece of music history. John Lennon's handwritten lyrics to All You Need is Love are going up for auction. Experts clearly have no idea whatsoever what the libretto could be worth, they put sale estimates at $400 - $600,000.

* On Dancing With the Stars last night actress Shannon Elizabeth waltzed out the door as the latest "star" to be eliminated.

The Justin Files, 4/29/08

2008-04-29T12:13:00.000-07:00

Jordin speaks...kind of
When the doctors put Jordin Sparks on "complete vocal rest", they weren't kidding. She recently released an email statement saying how hard it's been not to speak, laugh, or even giggle. She thanked her fans for their support and get well wishes, and says, "I'll be better in no time".

Cristián de la Fuente dances right into the hospital
Two interesting stories came out of last night's Dancing With the Stars. First, Kristi Yamaguchi was not the highest scoring contestant, that honor went to football player Jason Taylor. Also, soap star Cristián de la Fuente ended up in the hospital. It's nothing serious, apparently just a severe muscle cramp in his arm, but it didn't do him any favors, he got the lowest marks for the day.

Quick Hits
* Bon Jovi will break tradition. They normally wrap up their tours at Giants Stadium. This time, however, they'll rock Central Park to round out their schedule.

* Britney's appearance on How I Met Your Mother a couple weeks ago was so well received that she'll be back on the show on May 12th.

The Justin Files, 4/28/08

2008-04-28T12:49:00.000-07:00

Miley's photo scandal continues
You might remember a week or two ago, there was some controversy around candid photos of Miley Cyrus. In one, she was showing off a peek of her bra, in another she was cuddling up with a male friend. Now the gossip is surrounding professional photos. In one of the pictures, taken by celeb photographer Annie Leibovitz, the 15 year old is seen covered in nothing but a sheet. In another, she is cuddling up with her dad, Billy Ray Cyrus. Both the photographer and the subject have released statements. Miley said,

"I took part in a photo shoot that was supposed to be 'artistic' and now, seeing the photographs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed"

As for Annie Leibovitz, her statement read,

"Miley and I looked at fashion photographs together and we discussed the picture in that context before we shot it. The photograph is a simple, classic portrait, shot with very little makeup, and I think it is very beautiful."

What do you think? Is she too young to be showing skin and too old to be curling up with Dad? Feel free weigh in with a comment.

A power couple in the making?
An interesting celebrity couple sighting took place in Miami over the weekend. Both have been linked to any number of superstars so it was probably only a matter of time before Jennifer Aniston and Point balladeer John Mayer hooked up. They were apparently seen at lunch and at dinner together, and they supposedly ended the night hand in hand going back to the same hotel.

Quick Hits
* Amy Winehouse, who was arrested late Friday in London, was released on Saturday. She wasn't charged with anything. Apparently she just slapped a guy.

* The finale of Scrubs on NBC is only two weeks away, and then the show goes off the peacock network forever. But, if you're a fan of the show, no need to worry. It'll supposedly be showing up with new episodes next season over on ABC. The unusual move is more or less an open secret in Hollywood, with ABC expected to confirm next month.

The Justin Files, 4/24/08

2008-04-24T12:07:00.000-07:00

I make one lousy prediction

I don't think I'm going on much of a limb by predicting that Brooke's time has come to an end.

Yes, those were my exact words taken right out of yesterday's entry. And I still contend that it wasn't going out on much of a limb by saying it...I was just wrong. In a shocker, Brooke didn't even land in the bottom two this week (clearly even she was shocked, see below)

The bottom two ended up being Syesha and Carly. Carly went home. For those who were Carly fans, I wouldn't be too worried. Just ask Chris Daughtry, you don't have to win Idol to do just fine in the music business.

The late night shuffle seems to be shaping up
It's no secret that next year Conan O'Brien will take over Jay Leno's chair on The Tonight Show. The question has been, however, what happens to Conan's old Late Nite slot? If rumors are to be believed, apparently Saturday Night Live alum Jimmy Fallon will slide into the slot. They're just that right now, rumors, but apparently NBC will make an announcement next month.

If that's what ends up happening, just remember, you heard it here first!

Quick Hits
* Paul McCartney will play a free concert this summer. If you want to go though, you'll have to do some traveling. He'll be playing Kiev's Independence Square in the Ukraine on June 14th.

* Clay Aiken has conquered Broadway, so what's next for him? Well QVC of course! He'll show up on Monday evening to hawk his new CD and sing a couple tunes.

* New episodes return to ABC tonight with fresh Ugly Betty, Grey's Anatomy, and Lost.

The Justin Files, 4/23/08

2008-04-23T12:15:00.000-07:00

Who took their final bow on Idol?
Last night was Andrew Lloyd Webber night on American Idol. So it was showtunes all around. The performance that stood out the most had to be Brooke White's. And that's not a good thing. For the second time this season she started, stumbled, and re-started. You might remember a couple weeks ago when she did Every Breath You Take, the same thing happened. This time, the judges weren't nearly as forgiving. You could practically see smoke coming out of Paula's ears as she was struggling to find something positive to say. I don't think I'm going on much of a limb by predicting that Brooke's time has come to an end. We'll find out tonight.

Richie strikes a deal
Richie Sambora won't be spending any time in jail due to his recent DUI arrest. He's come to a plea agreement that will cost him nearly $2,000 in fines and fees, he'll be on informal probation for three years, and he'll be required to attend an alcohol education class. Child endangerment charges are not being pursued.

Quick Hits
* Oprah's most wanted - The Jonas Brothers will be on Oprah's show tomorrow. She said that the Bros are her most requested guest, with nearly 5,000 emails reaching her staff asking O to book the boys.

* Remember a couple years ago when Star Jones made such a big deal about her wedding on The View? Going so far as to plug her sponsors on the show. Well, she's filed for divorce, commenting, "several years ago I made an error in judgment by inviting the media into the most intimate area of my life".

* Marlee Matlin danced her last jig, leaving Dancing with the Stars last night.

The Justin Files, 4/22/08

2008-04-22T12:13:00.000-07:00

Jordin Update
I have an official update on the extent of the vocal cord injury that Jordin Sparks is suffering from. A spokesperson for 19/Jive Records, the American Idol's record label, said that she, "is on vocal rest and is expected to make a full and complete recovery. . . she's going through the normal course of learning how to manage and care for her voice".

Obviously it's good news that they're talking about her making a full recovery but, at the same time, it seems to me that they're trying to diminish the seriousness of the issue by suggesting than an injury such as this is all in "the normal course" of things.

First films of families of the famous
A pair of teens with famous families are getting ready to make their film debuts.

Connor Cruise, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman's 13 year old son will be appearing as a young Will Smith in The Fresh Prince's next movie.

Lindsay Lohan's 14 year old little sister, Ali, will be in her first movie when she appears in the upcoming teen flick Mostly Ghostly.

She does it all

Miley Cyrus sings, acts, and dances...now she's apparently getting ready to become an author as well. Disney announced that she's working on a book to share her "inspiring" story. It'll start with her roots in Tennessee and follow her all the way up to her current status as a teen superstar. We can expect the volume next Spring.

Quick Hits
* Dancing with the Stars last night, Kristi finally scored that elusive perfect 30. Marlee might be in trouble, she had the lowest grade of the night, scoring only 21 points.

* Simon likes to say that contestants sound like they're singing showtunes on American Idol, but that won't be an insult tonight. The remaining six hopefuls will be singing the songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber.

The Justin Files, 4/21/08

2008-04-21T12:33:00.000-07:00

Scary news for Sparks
Reigning American Idol champ Jordin Sparks is currently dealing with a career threatening condition. She was forced to cancel a number of recent and upcoming shows, including the kickoff show of the Alicia Keys tour which she was scheduled to open, due to "an acute vocal cord hemorrhage". From reports, it sounds like the condition can be treated. But if she were to perform or strain her voice before she is completely healed, it could cause a career ending permanent injury.

What a shame considering the fact that her star has been rising very quickly since winning Idol last year.

Danny Federici followup
Last week I reported on the sad death of original E Street band member Danny Federici after battling melanoma for a number of years. A fund has been set up in his memory to benefit The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, the hospital where he was treated. If you'd like more info, click on http://www.thedannyfedericimelanomafund.com

His longtime friend and bandmate Bruce Springsteen postponed a number of Florida concerts last week after the news of his death.

Quick Hits
* Point living legend Madonna isn't releasing her new album until next week, but it's apparently already being leaked online. It's getting good advance press, though. Rolling Stone gave Hard Candy four stars out of five.

* NBC is getting presidential. The commander-in-chief makes a video appearance on tonight's episode of Deal or no Deal. Tomorrow morning, First Lady Laura Bush will co-host The Today Show. Maybe they're practicing for possible post-White House careers.

The Justin Files, 4/18/08

2008-04-18T14:57:00.000-07:00

Remember this guy?
Brian Dunkleman...does that name mean anything to you? If you've been watching American Idol from the very beginning, you'll remember him as Ryan Seacrest's co-host. He ended up lasting only one season, and recently said in an interview, "It was such a big mistake it's an embarrassment". Meanwhile, Ryan Seacrest has become one of the biggest stars on TV (not to mention one of the richest).

And Dunkleman?

He just finished a stint on Celebrity Fit Club.

Sex and the City secrets slip
Sex and the City's Cynthia Nixon was in NYC at a comedy show the other day and she let some details about the upcoming SATC film slip out. She apparently said that someone will die in the movie, but didn't offer any more details. Now, of course the big question is, is it true or was she just trying to work up the hype? We'll have to wait till the end of next month to find out.

Quick Hits
* Sad news to report - Founding member of the E Street Band and Flemington native Danny Federici has succumbed to his fight against melanoma.

* Point legend Madonna is not only getting ready to release her new CD in less than two weeks, she's also putting the finishing touches on her directorial film debut. Filth and Wisdom is due in the fall...and will hopefully be better than her husband's movies.

* Can you believe it's been two years since the media circus surrounding Tom and Katie hit a fever pitch? Happy 2nd birthday to Suri Cruise.

The Justin Files, 4/17/08

2008-04-17T12:33:00.000-07:00

Pretty prose could have you moshing with Madonna

Wannabe poets could be on their way to the Starland Ballroom in NYC on April 30th to check out Madonna. All you have to do is write four lines of poetry about The Material Girl. VH1 is running the contest, you can enter here. Feel free to share your creative couplets in the comments.

It's no conspiracy, they're back

Mulder and Scully are coming to a big screen near you this Summer. The upcoming X-Files movie's title has been revealed after being kept under wraps for months. The new flick will be called, The X-Files: I Want to Believe. The movie will be a stand-alone story, meant to be accessible to both old school fans of the series and those not familiar with things like Cigarette Smoking Man, Mulder's sister, or alien implants. The movie hits theaters July 25th.

Quick Hits
* It came down to Brooke and Kristy last night on Idol. Kristy was the one riding off into the sunset.

* Sixth Sense director M. Night Shyamalan is working on his next project. Unlike his past movies though, this one won't be a suspense-thriller with a twist. It'll be a live action adaptation of the sci-fi cartoon Avatar: The Last Airbender. It's expected in 2010

The Justin Files, 4/16/08

2008-04-16T12:10:00.000-07:00

The Boss gets political
Bruce Springsteen weighed in on his political preference. In a note on his website, he enthusiastically endorsed Barack Obama, saying that he, "speaks to the America I've envisioned in my music for the past 35 years".

Speaking of Jersey rockers...
More news is coming out about Richie Sambora's DUI arrest last month. Police have confirmed that they will be seeking misdemeanor child endangerment charges. You may remember that there were two minors in the car at the time of Richie's arrest.

Quick Hits
* Bravo has announced their new lineup. In addition to the returns of The Real Housewives of Orange County and The Real Housewives of New York, there will be yet another spinoff, The Real Housewives of New Jersey. Now that should be interesting...or overkill, you decide.

* Speaking of new TV, MTV will roll out the 20th season of The Real World tonight. The show that, some would argue, we can thank (or curse) for starting the whole "reality" craze in the first place.

* And speaking of reality TV...Priscilla Presley went home last night on Dancing With the Stars. Someone will take the same walk of shame on American Idol tonight, and Mariah will perform.

* Finally, here's a touching story about Idol contestant David Cook's brother, Adam, who is fighting brain cancer but was in the audience last night.

The Justin Files, 4/15/08

2008-04-15T13:25:00.000-07:00

What did networks do before reality TV?
CBS announced their Summer lineup, and it's relying very heavily on "unscripted" shows. The Reege will be back on game show duty when Mr. Philbin hosts Million Dollar Password. Big Brother will do a quick turnaround and return this summer. Survivor's Mark Burnett will try to find the next catchy commercial ditty with Jingles. And we'll see the competition for the perfect pooch with Greatest American Dog.

Speaking of reality shows...
Last night on Dancing with the Stars, Kristi scored the top marks once again, and Priscilla was left with the lowest grade. Tonight, someone goes home, and Point artist James Blunt performs.

Also tonight, it's Mariah Carey night on American Idol. David Cook's brother, who is battling brain cancer, will be a part of the audience.

Quick Hits
* A number of Point artists took home CMT awards last night. Including Taylor Swift, Bon Jovi, and Rascal Flatts. Also, Idol alum Kellie Pickler scored a pair of trophies.

* Fans of Grey's Anatomy and Lost will be happy about this news, both series will get an extra hour to wrap up their strike-shortened seasons. The Grey's 2-hour finale will air on May 22nd, Lost will get their double shot on May 29th.

The Justin Files, 4/11/08

2008-04-11T11:17:00.000-07:00

A day of Quick Hits
There are a lot of little stories today, so let's jump right in:

* A shocker on American Idol last night. For the first time, Michael Johns was in the bottom three (along with two others who had been there before, Syesha and Carly). It was his first and only appearance there, the Aussie went home last night.

* Speaking of Idol, Idol Gives Back made over $60 Million on Wednesday night. They're still accepting donations online.

* James Bond movies have traditionally been known for their superstar theme song singers. Past performers have included Sheena Easton, Paul McCartney, Duran Duran, and of course Madonna. For the next Bond flick, word is that we can expect Amy Winehouse to do the honors.

* Desperate Housewives returns with new episodes on Sunday. If teasers are to be believed, it'll be an interesting mini-season.

* CBS has canceled Secret Talents of the Stars after only one episode. It would appear that the secret was that none of the stars could pull in any viewers.

* Finally, Paula Abdul has apparently approached the producers of Dancing With the Stars saying that she would like to be a contestant. What do you think? As a former professional dancer and choreographer, would that be fair? Feel free to weigh in through the comments.

The Justin Files, 4/10/08 - Idol Gives Back Edition

2008-04-10T11:12:00.000-07:00

Since Idol Gives Back was the big story from last night, we'll focus on the high (and low) lights for today's Justin Files.

Early in the show Desperate Housewife Terri Hatcher covered Carrie Underwood's "Before He Cheats". While it wasn't terrible, I don't think Susan Mayer will be entering the competition any time soon.
It seemed like it became 80's night when Gloria Estefan and Shelia E performed together. I'm surprised Paula didn't jump in on that one.
Point star Fergie rocked out with Heart on their rock classic "Barracuda"
A number of online commentators have pointed out the interesting fact that Miley Cyrus performed twice, while reigning American Idol champ, Jordin Sparks simply watched from the audience (although she is slated to perform her new Point single "No Air" with Chris Brown tonight).
Finally, a nice rumor is floating around about Britney Spears. Apparently she was so moved by the clips of children, that she personally donated $25,000

I'll let you know the final tally when they announce it on tonight's results show.

Quick Hits

* Of course Hollywood didn't stop just for Idol. It looks like two Point artists are gonna shack up. Ashlee Simpson announced on her blog that she's engaged to Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz.

* The writer's strike has been over for quite a while now, but new shows are just starting to make their way to us now. NBC's shows are all new tonight; My Name Is Earl, 30 Rock, The Office, Scrubs, and ER are all fresh episodes.

The Justin Files, 4/9/08

2008-04-09T12:15:00.000-07:00

Multiplying like Friday the Thirteenth
I just told you last week about how filming is set to begin any day now for High School Musical 3. Well it's not just the cast and crew who are busy. The writers are hard at work, too. Yup, you guessed it, they're already working on a 4th installment. Although a Disney exec did say that, with the cast's rising profile, it would be difficult to get all the core actors back for another go-round. Nothing has been finalized yet but, if HSM3 makes a killing at the box office, expect #4 in the not too distant future.

Harry Potter is bringing it to America. All of it
Harry Potter himself, Daniel Radcliffe, made waves over in his native London when he took it all off in a stage production of Equus. Well, the production was such a hit across the Atlantic that it's coming to Broadway this fall. Previews will start Sept 5th, and it officially opens on Sept 25th for a limited 22 week run.

Quick Hits
* On Dancing With the Stars, comedian Adam Carolla exited stage left last night.

* The American Idol wannabes get one more day to sweat it out. The results show will be Thursday night, since Idol Gives Back is tonight.

* Big summer concert news, Point stars John Mayer and Colbie Caillat will hook up for a tour. They'll visit PNC on July 15th. They'll also stop by for a Camden show a couple days before, on July 10th.

The Justin Files, 4/8/08

2008-04-08T11:30:00.000-07:00

A clear frontrunner emerges
In case there were any doubts, Kristi Yamaguchi has clearly emerged as the one to beat this year on Dancing With the Stars. Last night she scored a near perfect 29 (which football player Jason Taylor tied). Comedian Adam Carolla scored the lowest for the week (19) with a bizarre Zorro on a unicycle number.

Desperate for more?
Desperate Housewives creator Marc Cherry gave quite the tease of what we can expect from the second half of this season. He said, "Edie is going to cross a huge moral boundary. . . it will have devastating consequences . . . and lead to a shocking conclusion to her time on Wisteria Lane".

Ooh, tantalizing.

Housewives returns to ABC's lineup this Sunday.

Rob Lowe fights back
Rob Lowe fired a preemptive strike against a former housekeeper he claims has threatened to blackmail him and his family. He said that the ex-employee has demanded $1.5 million or she'll publicly accuse his family of, "a viscous laundry list of false terribles". In a blog posting, the former West Wing actor declared that, "no one intimidates my family".

Quick Hits
* E! has announced an addition to it's Summer lineup, "an observational documentary series that goes inside the life of Pamela Anderson". Which is basically just a classy way of saying we can expect another celeb reality series this summer that stars Pam.

* In other Summer TV news, NBC has announced that Al Roker will host Celebrity Family Feud.

The Justin Files, 4/7/08

2008-04-07T12:05:00.000-07:00

"Hoda and Kathie Lee" just doesn't have the same ring to it
Kathie Lee Gifford made her official debut on the 10am hour of The Today Show this morning. All of the show's co-hosts lined up to greet her. Interestingly, she seemed to brush past Meridith Viera rather quickly. She and Hoda Kotb then sat down for an informal (aka scripted) chat. It took Kathie Lee all of 6 minutes to mention her kids.

Yes, I was keeping track.

It only took a decade...
...but we finally have some official rulings in the death of Princess Diana. A London jury ruled that the crash was caused by both the paparazzi and Diana's driver. The inquest found no evidence to support a conspiracy theory. Although they did find that neither Diana nor Dodi Fayed were wearing seatbelts. Which, of course, will fuel endless speculation over whether they could have survived the crash if they had been buckled in.

Quick Hits
* Are they or aren't they? There's endless gossip over if Jay-Z and Point star Beyoncé were married over the weekend. However, Mary J. Blige did make the following comment at a concert the other day, "Congratulations to my man Jay-Z and my girl B". Unless they got a puppy, it's sounding likely.

* Idol Gives Back, the big charity show was taped in LA over the weekend. It takes over our TVs on Wednesday.

The Justin Files, 4/4/08

2008-04-04T11:20:00.000-07:00

The "surprise" announcement we were waiting for
The Today Show had their "surprise" ruined days ago when word leaked out that the New Kids on the Block would be appearing this morning. As expected, Jordan, Jonathan, Joey, Donnie, and Danny showed up in Rockefeller Plaza. Not necessarily as expected, they announced that they're working on a new CD as well as planning a small tour. If the mini-tour goes well, it could turn into a bigger deal. We'll keep you updated.

Thankfully Canada doesn't have No Child Left Behind
Or else Point popstar Avril Lavigne might have messed up her school's geography stats. At a concert in Montreal on Wednesday she told the crowd, "I love you, Montreal! I'm so happy to be back home in Ontario, Canada!"

Sacre bleu!

Montreal is in Quebec.

Quick Hits
* The New Kids aren't the only band reuniting. Blondie has announced that they'll be embarking on a reunion tour. No dates have been announced yet. As soon as they are, we'll fill you in.

* Two notable celebrity birthdays today; Britney's little sister Jamie Lynn is 17. Heath Ledger would have turned 29 today.

The Justin Files, 4/3/08

2008-04-03T10:57:00.000-07:00

Is Britney ready to make history?
Britney is back with the manager who helped her become a superstar early on in her career. Larry Rudolph says that Ms. Spears is, "much happier" and he feels like, "she's going to make the biggest comeback in history".

And ya know what? Honestly, I think there are as many people who are waiting for her to embarrass herself again as there are those who want to see her make that comeback. It'll be interesting to see which way it goes.

Is a big celebrity wedding coming up?
There have been rampant rumors the last few days of Beyonce and Jay-Z's possible nuptials. Yesterday, People reported that the couple had taken out a marriage license, which would be good for 60 days. But, if internet rumors are to be believed, they may not need that much time. The word going 'round cyberspace is that they may be married as early as tomorrow.

We'll keep you updated.

Quick Hits
* Once again Kristy Lee Cook was on the chopping block on American Idol last night and, once again, she was saved. Ramiele Malubay ended up going home.

* What do you do with an ultra-successful franchise that's made you millions? Well you keep it going, of course. That being said, production will begin on High School Musical 3 at the end of this month in Utah.

* Speaking of franchises, NBC has announced a spinoff of The Office. They didn't give any more details though, so I can't tell you much about what the show will be like at this point.

The Justin Files, 4/2/08

2008-04-02T11:34:00.000-07:00

A special treat for the Idol audience
Yesterday was April Fool's Day, so it's understandable if the studio audience was suspicious when they were told to stick around after the live show went off the air. But it was no prank, reigning Idol champ Jordin Sparks took the stage along with Point Popstar Chris Brown to perform their current single "No Air". The performance was taped and will be aired on next week's results show.

Health scare for David Cook
We can only imagine how stressful it is to be a contestant on American Idol. It caught up with David Cook last night. He was rushed to the hospital after the show due to heart palpitations and "very high blood pressure". Not only has he been dealing with the stress of the show, but his brother is also battling cancer. Thankfully, David was given medication, released, and given the OK to continue on the show if he so chooses.

Just when you thought it couldn't get stranger than The Osbournes
Ozzy and Co were the trendsetters when it comes to celeb family reality shows. Apparently there's a new family getting in on it...get ready for The Jacksons (I don't know if that'll be the actual title or not). The show will focus on Tito (?!) as he rents a holiday cottage in rural England. Family members will drop by, including Jermaine, Janet, their parents and, according to a source, Michael. The source says that he would be, "very surprised if he doesn't stop by". The show is reportedly in production with a British television company, so there's no word on if we'll see it here or not, but we'll keep you updated.

Quick Hits
* Here's a collection of words I never thought I'd be saying: New Kids on the Block are back! That's right, they'll reunite on The Today Show this Friday morning.

* Steve Guttenberg was the latest castoff from Dancing With the Stars.

* Tomorrow, get ready for some big High School Musical news on The Justin Files!

The Justin Files, 4/1/08

2008-04-01T11:52:00.000-07:00

Paula breaks her traditional mid-season silence
Normally, at this point in reality competitions, judges are reluctant to make predictions (well, unless it's Simon). Paula Abdul has traditionally shied away from picking favorites. But she did just that this morning...well, at least she narrowed it down some. She's predicting the top four to be Carly Smithson, David Archuleta, David Cook, and Michael Johns.

Tonight on Idol, it's Dolly Parton night, with this season's first celebrity mentor.

Get ready for a new tween obsession
The High School Musical franchise has been such a huge hit for Disney that they're planning an unprecedented launch for their next kiddie musical. Camp Rock will debut on The Disney Channel, ABC, ABC Family, and Disney.com all in mid-June. The soundtrack will be out a few days beforehand, and the DVD is already scheduled for mid-August.

Don't say I didn't warn you, parents!

A new frontier in advertising
Apparently nothing is sacred anymore. Rolling Rock beer announced their upcoming foray into "moonvertising". At the next full moon, they'll attempt to project their logo onto the moon with high powered lasers, kind of like the bat signal.

The whole thing is, of course, an April Fools joke.

Quick Hits
* Kristi Yamaguchi continued her streak of highest scores yesterday with a 27 on Dancing With the Stars. The lowest score of the night went to Broadway star Marissa Jaret Winokur (19). Kylie Minogue performs on the results show tonight.

* ABC looks like it'll be all reality all the time this summer. After a couple years off, both The Bachelorette and The Mole will be back. New reality shows will include a High School Musical themed competition, yet another dance competition (Dance Machine) and I Survived A Japanese Game Show.......seriously.

The Justin Files, 3/31/08

2008-03-31T12:03:00.001-07:00

She's baaaaaaaack
Get ready to hear all about Cody and Cassidy again! Kathie Lee Gifford is back on daytime TV...just with a different network. She'll be the newest addition to the 4th hour of NBC's Today Show. The rumors have been circulating for some time regarding this move. Well, they were confirmed this morning when she was officially introduced by Anne Curry and Hoda Kotb. Kathie Lee's official first day is next Monday.

Trump follows in Spitzer's footsteps
Well, kind of. Word on the street has it that Trump wants Spitzer's special friend (and Wall Township native) Ashley Alexandra Dupre for a spot on his upcoming show. It'll be a kind of "My Fair Lady", taking wild girls and putting them in charm school.

We might want to take this with a grain of salt. Don't forget the fact that Donnie T allegedly wanted Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan for The Celebrity Apprentice, and ended up with neither.

Quick Hits
* The April 11th Miss USA judge's panel looks more like a who's who of C-list has-beens. The jurors will include ex-Beatle-ex Heather Mills, "actor" Rob Schneider (yes, Deuce Bigalow), and some football player I never heard of. The host? Former N*Sync-er Joey Fatone.

* You could be in the upcoming Hannah Montana movie. You just have to get yourself to Nashville by this Sunday. There will be an open casting call for extras in the film this weekend.

The Justin Files, 3/28/08

2008-03-28T11:05:00.001-07:00

More stars sign on for Idol Gives Back
A lot of huge stars are scheduled to appear on the April 9th charity show (which will actually be taped on the 6th). Just announced, the addition of Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, and Celine Dion among others. There will be plenty of Point artists performing, including Fergie, Miley Cyrus, and Maroon 5. And, of course there will be a lot of Idol alums there too, including Carrie Underwood, Chris Daughtry, Elliot Yamin, and Fantasia. Tickets are actually available to the public and aren't all that expensive considering the average price of a concert ticket these days. They start at $50 and are available through Ticketmaster. (Of course for us there's the added cost of actually getting to LA by next Sunday).

Oprah's Big Give is taking more heat
Ms. Winfrey's "charity" "reality" "show" hasn't had an easy time of things. It dealt with bad early buzz and a lawsuit. Now there's more bad buzz. The New Yorker says that the show, "stands out as a weird, misbegotten, creature that perhaps shouldn't have been taken out in public".

Yikes!

What do you think? Have you seen the show? Do you like it, or does it seem awkward?

Quick Hits
* The Celebrity Apprentice came down to country star Trace Adkins and America's Got Talent's resident angry Brit Piers Morgan. The Trumpster picked Piers as the winner. Since so many of us were watching anyway...anyone?

* Get ready for another Hollywood remake. Apparently the Pirates of the Caribbean team is working on a reboot of The Lone Ranger. It'll be interesting to see how they get that all sparkly and politically correct.

* Updating last week's item about Sheryl Crow working with Fleetwood Mac, Lindsey Buckingham told Billboard Magazine, "I think we were all a little surprised (Crow) was announcing that to the world with such certainty". Open mouth...insert foot.

The Justin Files, 3/27/08

2008-03-27T11:13:00.000-07:00

New poll has our talk show favorites
According to a new AOL poll, Kelly Ripa is the sexiest talk show host (unfortunately there was no "most irritating" category. Although I think Kelly would have been second in that one, no doubt Rachel Ray would take that crown). Folks chose Diane Sawyer as the most likely to make a good president, and Ellen was the most popular overall. By the way, according to this poll the least sexy talk show host...Larry King.

More details on Richie's DUI
There are more details today on Richie Sambora's DUI arrest. Apparently his 10 year old daughter was in the vehicle at the time of his arrest, along with another minor and an adult female. He hasn't been charged with any other offenses, but reports suggest that he could be charged with child endangerment.

Quick Hits
* You've got a couple more months to pay the Rent. (Sorry, had to make the pun). Producers have extended the final run of the Broadway hit, which was supposed to close on June 1st, until September 7th.

* Chikezie was the latest castoff from American Idol last night. By the way, did you like Kimberly Locke's outfit? It was designed by Project Runway winner Christian Siriano.

* Yesterday I (along with the rest of the world) reported on how Barack Obama is a distant relative of Brad Pitt and Hillary Clinton is a distant cousin of Angelina Jolie. So where's the resemblance? Here's a look, courtesy of PrettyOnTheOutside.com:

The Justin Files, 3/26/08

2008-03-26T11:16:00.000-07:00

Reality Recap
Here's how it all went down last night on the TV talent contests:

On Dancing With the Stars, magician Penn Jillette went home, as did tennis champ Monica Seles.

On Idol last night, the contestants did songs from the year they were born. I didn't even recognize half of the songs and, to be honest, nothing stuck out to me as being either remarkably good or bad. Either way, someone's going home tonight...and it's not gonna be Kimberly Locke, although she'll be performing.

How's this for an awkward family reunion
A lot's being made in the press today about how Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton could be sitting at the same family reunion table. Obama is apparently a distant cousin of Brad Pitt, while Hilary is distantly related to Angelina Jolie. Obama can also count President Bush, Winston Churchill, and Civil War General Robert E. Lee as relatives. While Obama's relatives are mostly political, Hillary's are mostly entertainers. She is distantly related to Madonna, Celine Dion, and Alanis Morissette.

Quick Hits
* Jersey boy Richie Sambora was picked up in California last night on suspicion of DUI. You may remember that the Bon Jovi guitarist spent time in rehab last summer.

* The paparazzi are apparently smelling fresh blood. There are reportedly only half a dozen photogs still tailing Britney Spears, while Miley Cyrus has 30 or so shadowing her.

The Justin Files, 3/25/08

2008-03-25T11:59:00.000-07:00

Finally, the press is saying nice things about Britney
Did you catch Brit on How I Met Your Mother last night? Not only is the press being generally positive, but The New York Post went so far as to call her performance, "adorably believable".

Which always beats "disconcertingly unstable" don't ya think?

Dancing With The Stars Week 2
Kristi Yamaguchi was in control of the competition again scoring a trio of 9's for the second week in a row on Dancing With The Stars. Miami Dolphins' linebacker Jason Taylor was the highest scoring guy, tying Kristi with 27. Monica Seles was the lowest scoring woman, with only 15. Last week's judge's darling Steve Guttenberg was the lowest scoring guy, with a tally of 16.

Tonight, two go home, and Point siblings The Jonas Brothers perform (no word on if they'll be dancing or not).

Quick Hits
* Angelina Jolie recently told OK! magazine that she struggles with low self-esteem, "all the time". See that, even the Beautiful People get the blues sometimes.

* Point popstars Maroon 5 just announced their summer tour, and it'll be a good one. They'll be at PNC on August 7th, and in Camden on August 9th along with Counting Crows and Point artist Sara Bareilles.

* Some TV news - Fox has cancelled The Return of Jezebel James after only two episodes, but they mysteriously renewed Prison Break for another season. Even though they've already broken out of prison...twice.

The Justin Files, 3/24/08

2008-03-24T12:13:00.000-07:00

Britney's back in the spotlight
But this time by choice. That guest spot on How I Met Your Mother airs tonight on CBS. After the show, the wardrobe that she wore in the episode will be auctioned off for charity.

The Bros are busy
Point prettyboys The Jonas Brothers are busy this week. They started with a pair of performances at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll in Washington, DC. Then tomorrow they'll be performing on Dancing with the Stars on ABC.

Quick Hits
* According to tax records, in 2006 Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie donated more than $8 Million to charity. Mostly to Doctors without Borders and Global AIDS Alliance. They may be in the spotlight all the time, but you gotta give 'em credit, most of the time it's for good causes.

* Point artist Gavin DeGraw is apparently an animal lover. Last week he was snapped by paparazzi taking a hurt stray dog to the vet, paying the bills, and helping the pup find a new home.

* Here's an update on American Idol castoff David Hernandez. He was in The City over the weekend, allegedly auditioning for a role in Rent. It would only be temp work though, the show closes June 1st.

The Justin Files, 3/21/08

2008-03-21T11:17:00.000-07:00

Wanna sue Oprah? Get in line
Another day, another person suing Oprah. Remember the Saturday Night Live skit where Oprah's audience members go mental and start stampeding and ripping each other's limbs off?

A woman is claiming that is more or less what happened to her when she attended an Oprah taping in 2006. She says that when the studio doors opened, she was stampeded and pushed down the stairs by crazed fans. She's suing Oprah's Harpo Productions for more than $50,000.

Finally, a fresh idea on TV
Just in case the sarcasm didn't come across, yes, that's a sarcastic headline.

So here's the pitch for the Beverly Hills 90210 update I told you about the other day, "a high school principal moves his family from Kansas to Beverly Hills to take a job at West Beverly High".

So basically we played Mad Libs with the original show, "a family from (Blue Collar State) moves to Beverly Hills to (Social Position) at West Beverly High".

Glad to see we're coming up with new ideas here.

Quick Hits
* Point teen sensations The Jonas Brothers are working on two projects for The Disney Channel. One will be a reality show following their current tour. The other will be a scripted comedy called J.O.N.A.S where the brothers will play teenage spies.

* Next Tuesday, Point rockers Fall Out Boy will become the first band to play all seven continents in less than 9 months when they rock the roof off a research station in Antarctica. Hopefully the roof will stay on, I hear it's a bit chilly there this time of year.

The Justin Files, 3/20/08

2008-03-20T11:03:00.000-07:00

Who would want to sue Oprah?
I'll tell ya who, Darlene Tracy from Boston would. She claims that Oprah's Big Give was snatched from an idea she came up with. Ms. Tracy says that she pitched a show to Oprah's producers in 2005 called The Philanthropist, they passed on the idea. Flash forward to 3 years later, and O's new charity show hits the air.

Needless to say, Darlene has hired a lawyer.

The Justin Files answers your entertainment questions
Vicky, getting The Point in Brick, gave a call yesterday and asked about a story she had only heard part of on TV. She said that she had heard that an Idol was pregnant and wanted to know more about the story. Well Vicky, I sent out my crack staff of researchers (i.e. Me) to uncover the story. It's nothing all that juicy, though. It turns out that Bo Bice just announced that his wife is expecting. They don't know if it's a boy or a girl yet, but it'll be their second child.

Thanks for reaching out, Vicky! If you have an entertainment question you'd like looked into, feel free to get in touch. You can either email justin(at)943thepoint(dot)com (just replace the "at" with @ and the "dot" with .), or call 732-988-POINT between 2-7p weekdays.

Quick Hits
* Amanda "The Rock & Roll Nurse" Overmyer is the latest cast off from American Idol. We're now down to the top 10. Poor Kristy Lee Cook was in the bottom two for the third week in a row. That's gotta do wonders for her confidence.

* The A-Team is on it's way to the big screen. The John Singleton directed update will his theaters in June of next year. I mean hey, it worked for the Miami Vice movie, right? Oh, wait...

* Step back from the ledge, Losties! It's only a 5 week lay off after tonight's episode, a lot better than the nearly 9 months we waited between seasons.

The Justin Files, 3/19/08

2008-03-19T11:17:00.000-07:00

Return of the Beatles
Well, on Idol at least. Last night was another Beatles night. Some were good (David Archuleta redeeming himself after forgetting the words last week. Paula and Simon were practically offering the kid a recording contract right there), and some were terrible (Kristy Lee Cook's truly bizarre arrangement of one of my favorite Beatles songs, You've Got to Hide Your Love Away).

Tonight, someone goes home, and Kellie Pickler visits to shill for her new single.

From singing to dancing
The second night of the Dancing with the Stars premiere proved that when it comes to dancing, in general, the ladies got what most of the guys don't. Priscilla Presley was very impressive and really got into it. But Marlee Matlin was the story of the night. As you know, she is deaf and can't even hear the music to keep up with the rhythm. All of the judges praised her dedication and very good performance, although Carrie Ann warned her that they would be judging her the same as they judge the others.

Kristi Yamaguchi got the best scores, but that's not a surprise considering her background in figure skating.

Miley Cyrus may seem a bit waxy

But that's only because she's the newest celeb to be included in Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum in Times Square. The figure will be unveiled tomorrow. The first 100 fans will score themselves some Hannah Montana goodies.

Quick Hits
* We know the name of Halle Berry's daughter; Nahla Ariela. Not only is it not a wacky celeb pseudo-name, but it's kind of pretty. According to US Weekly, Nahla is an Arabic word meaning, "drink of water", and Ariela is related to Ariel which means, "lion of god".

* Simon Cowell may seem like a mean fella on Idol, but he knows the meaning of generosity. The 200 Million Dollar Man told Oprah that he is donating $162,000 to the family of a 3-year-old who is battling cancer to help pay off their mortgage.

The Justin Files, 3/18/08

2008-03-18T11:55:00.000-07:00

More McCartney/Mills details
Heather Mills wanted the court records sealed, but they were made public today. Here are some of the things we learned:

According to the judge, Heather was a, "less than impressive witness".
As she had suggested, it was ruled that she did not, "rekindle" Sir Paul's fame
Apparently, Paul wore the ring from his marriage to Linda up until the day he married Heather.
According to experts, Heather is, "a good mother" to the daughter she shares with Paul.

By the way, a little dirty math shows us that the $48.6 Million dollar settlement works out to roughly $34,000 for every day she was married to Paul. Not bad.

The stars strutted their stuff last night
Last night's season premiere of Dancing with the Stars was an interesting hour and a half of television (well, hour and 32 minutes if you go by ABC's schedule). Some of the guys weren't half bad (Mario, Cristián de la Fuente). And some of them were half bad, (Adam Carolla). While not the smoothest dancer on the floor, 80's movie star Steve Guttenberg scored the best compliments from the judges, with Len Goodman remarking that Officer Mahoney was the first one to look like he was having fun and that, "as a performance it was really, really good".

The ladies take the floor tonight.

Quick Hits
* Katherine McPhee performed on the American Idol results show last week, this week it'll be Kellie Pickler's turn.

* Yet another B-list celeb reality show is coming our way. Watch out April 8th when Secret Talents of the Stars premieres on CBS. Included will be Danny Bonaduce, Mr. Sulu himself, George Takei, and country crooner Clint Black. Hopefully Ashley Olsen will show up, I hear she can put her elbow in her ear.

* The new Batman movie, The Dark Knight, won't be out till this summer, but there's already talk of a possible third movie. Star Christian Bale is signed for a trio of flicks. If there is another though, we probably wouldn't see it until at least 2011.

The Justin Files, 3/17/08

2008-03-17T11:47:00.000-07:00

The celebs are stretching as we speak
A new season of Dancing with the Stars hits the airwaves tonight. They have an interesting mix of stars this season. Among those strutting their stuff will be actress Marlee Matlin, Priscilla Presley, Monica Seles, Kristi Yamaguchi, magician Penn Jillette (Penn & Teller), and Mahoney himself, Police Academy's Steve Guttenburg.

Speaking of Dancing with the Stars...
...one of the hoofers from last season is dancing with joy today. The judge in the Paul McCartney/Heather Mills divorce case made his judgment this morning. According to the guy in the powdered wig, Sir Paul owes his ex nearly $49 million dollars (£24.3 million in British Pounds). She said that she is, "very happy" with the settlement.

Quick Hits
* Congrats to new mom Halle Berry. Over the weekend she gave birth to a daughter. As of the time I'm typing this, no name has been announced yet.

* If you've always dreamed of being Paris Hilton's best friend without having to go through the process of actually getting to know her (and let's be honest, who hasn't?), she's working on a new reality show that could be your ticket in. To get more info and to apply, check out ParisBFF.com.

* Point star Sheryl Crow made a comment over the weekend that she may be planning a collaboration with Fleetwood Mac. But, she said, "I don't want to make any official announcements". Fair enough, I'll only unofficially report it.

The Justin Files, 3/13/08

2008-03-13T11:58:00.000-07:00

Good news and bad news for Harry Potter fans
It's mixed news for Potterphiles. Warner Brothers announced that the final movie in the Harry Potter series will be split into two films. This is good news because it means that the writers will cut less and be able to fit in a lot more plot points and small details. But it's bad news for those of us who demand instant gratification. There will be a gap of six months between the flicks. The first part is tentatively scheduled for November of 2010, with part two following in May of 2011 (if you remember, the same tactic was used with the last two Matrix films...hopefully The Deathly Hallows will be slightly more successful).

And, of course, it also means they'll be able to charge twice as much for the DVDs.

More proof that Hollywood's run out of TV ideas

Reports are surfacing that a spinoff of Beverly Hills 90210 could be coming to The CW network. It would be, "a teen drama about rich kids in Beverly Hills".

So, basically, just a rehash of the original.

Hey, it worked for Saved By The Bell: The New Class.

Quick Hits
* This week's Idol contestant sent to exile, former stripper David Hernandez.

A pair of Justin Files updates:

* Michael Jackson has managed to save the Neverland Ranch. He refinanced in time to avoid the March 19th public auction. He owed $24.5 million on the property.

* Billy Crystal made his debut as a Yankee earlier today in Tampa. He struck out on a 3-2 pitch.

The Justin Files, 3/12/08

2008-03-12T11:15:00.000-07:00

Oh how the mighty fall
By that, I mean both Lennon/McCartney and David Archuleta. Some of the Idol contestants did fine on Beatles cover night, others mauled some classics. And then there's David Archuleta, the clear favorite from very early on. The poor guy committed the worst sin one can commit on Idol, he forgot some of the lyrics. He'll be fine, he's got enough of a fan base that he won't get voted off, but it could come back to haunt him when it gets down to the nitty gritty.

I will say, though, the guy became my favorite tonight and it was before he even started singing. Did you notice, during his opening video, he was wearing the vintage '94 Milwaukee Brewers hat? Well I sure did (not to mention his little brother in the classic ball 'n glove hat). See, that's all you have to do to get on my good side, throw on some Brewers gear.

"The Professor and Mary Jane..."

Erm, I mean "Mary Ann". Actress Dawn Wells, best known as the down home farm girl from Gilligan's Island was caught with marijuana in her car back in October. So why is it making news now? Well, her booking photo was just dug up, and I have to say, it's the Best...Mugshot...Ever.

Check it out --------------->

Quick Hits
* Word is out that Kevin Federline is turning his attention to Broadway and will appear in Legally Blonde. Well, at least he has a lot of courtroom experience.

* In honor of the 25th anniversary of Thriller, you can put yourself into the groundbreaking video. All you need is a few digital photos. Check it out at http://www.michaeljackson.com/mythrillervideo

* The Naturist Society has named their "10 Top Celebrities Who've Promoted Healthy Nudity". And it's quite the eclectic list, including Brad Pitt, Alanis Morrisette, Matthew Fox, and Dame Helen Mirren.

The Justin Files, 3/11/08

2008-03-11T12:05:00.000-07:00

More Britney video emerges
Although this time it won't be courtesy of the photogs. Britney has signed to appear in an episode of the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother. Since she's still under the conservatorship of her father, she needed (and got) permission from Daddy to take the gig.

Update 4:23pm: Brit's episode will air March 24th.

The biz is already buzzing for Heath
The Dark Knight isn't out for another 4 months yet, but Hollywood types are already buzzing about Heath Ledger's performance as The Joker. Director Christopher Nolan calls Heath's work, "stunning". Some people are even suggesting that he may be in line for a posthumous Oscar nod.

Quick Hits
* Last night at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions, Justin Timberlake (who was inducting Madonna) took a not so veiled shot at his ex, Britney Spears, "The world has always been full of Madonna wannabes. I might have even dated a couple". Classy.

* A new Yankee will take the field with the team when they play a spring training game against the Pirates on Thursday. The team signed comedian Billy Crystal to a one day contract. Knowing the Yankees, it's probably worth around $12 million.

* To update Friday's story about Jerry Seinfeld's alleged return to the sitcom world, his publicist has called the story, "completely false".

The Justin Files, 3/10/08

2008-03-10T11:47:00.000-07:00

The one time a year we care about Cleveland
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is getting a new class of inductees tonight. Among those being honored are Point legends Madonna and John Mellencamp (no word on if "Cougar" will make it onto his plaque or not).

You can catch the live ceremony/concert on VH1 Classic tonight at 8:30. (if you happen to miss it tonight, this is VH1 we're talking about, it'll be rerun every other hour for the next month or so).

Frenchie - double standard?
Idol producers are talking about David Hernandez and his previous employment (I think it's safe to take out "apparent" and "alleged", nobody's denying it). Executive Producer Nigel Lythgoe confirmed that he and other producers knew about David's past. He said that there is no reason to disqualify the singer, "what's the law he's broken?"

The same could be said about Frenchie's topless photos from 5 years ago, when she was disqualified.

Producers have not commented publicly on the comparison.

What do you think?

Quick Hits
* Grey's Anatomy creator Shonda Rimes said that the break during the writers strike gave her a chance to get perspective on the show and it's ongoing story lines. She said that her goal, "is to get Meredith and Derek together for good".

* Get ready to cook..well, kind of. The Food Network's Iron Chef will be coming to the Nintendo Wii. With the game console's motion sensitive technology, players will get a lot of exercise as they slice, dice, and whip up a virtual gourmet meal.

The Justin Files, 3/7/08

2008-03-07T12:17:00.000-08:00

Down to the twelve troubadours
Two guys and two girls went home last night on Idol. The last time this season we'll get the quadruple elimination shows (and the last time this season Idol takes up 3/5 of our weeknights). First to go was Kady Malloy, the girl Simon said had no personality (and who sang probably one of the most obscure songs so far featured on Idol). She was followed by Luke Menard, maybe they can have no personality together...or at least share one between the two of 'em. Asia'h Epperson, who made the mistake of trying to tackle Whitney Houston (not literally, of course), was hot on their tails. It came down to an emotional showdown between Danny Noriega and the only one-name wonder this year, Chikezie. The tension was palpable as Seacrest brought the "pregnant pause" way past it's due date. Danny came up short in the vote and brought the baker's dozen down to a proper 12.

Sein of the times

I have no idea what that's supposed to mean, I just wanted to try for a clever "Seinfeld" allusion.

It looks like Jerry might be coming back to the sitcom world. Rumors suggest that he's developing a new series in which he would play himself, "in an exaggerated reality". The show would be set in New York City and air on NBC.

Good to see he's challenging his artistic range.

Quick Hits
* Speaking of returns, Kathy Lee Gifford may be returning to the world of daytime talk. Word's out that she's in talks to join the fourth hour of The Today Show. Thankfully, her kids are older and not as cute now, so they probably won't show up as much.

* How's this for a rough life, apparently Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony's new twins will sleep on 600 thread count Egyptian cotton crib linens, shake diamond encrusted rattles, and crawl through the halls of their own wing of the house.

* Speaking of celeb babies, Matthew McConaughey was so tickled that his older brother named his kid "Miller Lyte" (after his favorite beer), that he wanted to do the same with his son. Thankfully, Matt's girlfriend would have none of it. Good thing too, "Natty Ice McConaughey" wouldn't exactly look great on a movie poster, would it?

The Justin Files, 3/6/08

2008-03-06T11:24:00.000-08:00

If I had a million dollars...
...I still wouldn't be as rich as these folks.

Forbes came out with their list of billionaire celebrities.

Yes, that's Billion, with a B.

Like a thousand million...billion.

That'll get you a lot of boardwalk pizza.

But I digress... on the list was, naturally, Oprah (worth $2.5 billion), JK Rowling, Steven Spielberg, and the youngest billionaire on the list, 23 year old Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, worth a reported $1.5 billion.

Hmm, let's think about what we were doing at 23.....

Sad news
80's movie icon Patrick Swayze is sadly suffering from pancreatic cancer. The prognosis for the disease is, in general, not good, but his doctor says that he is responding well to treatment. His publicist says that he is well enough to continue work on his current projects.

Quick Hits
* The Motion Picture Association of America happily reported that box office receipts hit an all time high in 2007. Come on, I could have told you that... when ticket prices keep going up your revenue will keep going up!

* MTV isn't going to be playing Point duo Gnarls Barkley's new video. The clip apparently extensively uses strobe effects. The "music" network is concerned for seizure risks. I don't know about you, but I had no idea MTV still played music videos.

The Justin Files, 3/5/08

2008-03-05T12:25:00.000-08:00

Hey I know, let's start with Idol for a change!
It was an interesting night on Idol last night. Some were really good, and some were kind of confusing. While the judges praised...nay, nearly adopted, some of the guys. Others they simply lightly scolded. Simon was in rare form...not criticizing, but praising a number of guys, like Jason Castro who he practically proposed to. Paula was also in rare form, for this season at least...was it me, or did she not make any sense the whole night? Check out that same link above and listen to Paula at the end. I don't even think it's English.

Randy made a pretty embarrassing mistake. The man who played with Journey and produced Mariah, said how he liked how Australian Michael Johns, "went home" and compared him to Michael Hutchence, both obvious references to INXS. The only thing is, Simple Minds (a Scottish band) did "Don't You (Forget About Me)". (Almost funnier was the confused look on Michael's friends in the audience).

Naturally, nobody said anything about David Hernandez and his new scandal. In fact they didn't even dance around the subject....hah! See what I did there? "Dance", cuz he was a dancer...never mind.

Strengthening international relations
The social faux pas of the day goes to Good Morning America's Chris Cuomo, who said that England's Prince Harry, "is expendable" since he's not next in line for the crown, and that's why he was sent to Afghanistan instead of his older brother.

Understandably, the British press is none too amused.

Quick Hits
* Bill Cosby, who singlehandedly supported the ugly sweater industry as Dr. Cliff Huxtable on The Cosby Show, is auctioning off some of the garish threads for a good cause. The money will support "Hello Friend/Ennis William Cosby Foundation", which was created in memory of his murdered son.

* Mark your calendars for April 15. That's the day that Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds hits the DVD shelves.

* NBC has announced a bunch of reality shows for the summer season; American Gladiators returns, as does Last Comic Standing and America's Got Talent. New shows include Celebrity Circus and The Baby Borrowers, which was supposed to debut this month, but was moved to June (that's gotta be a good sign, right?).

The Justin Files, 3/4/08

2008-03-04T11:16:00.000-08:00

The first real scandal of the season
After spending the whole segment on Idol yesterday, I didn't intend on starting with Idol today. But this is a story that deserves headline status.

We have our first scandal of the season. Sure, Robbie's hair was entertaining and Carly's previous pro experience has been my little pet cause, but this one is the first Frenchie-style scandal of the year.

Apparently David Hernandez was a male stripper. One story even says that he was taking off his clothes as recently as this past fall. Here's another link just to prove I'm not making it up.

It'll be interesting to see how this one shakes out...no pun intended.

There actually is other news besides Idol
But let's stick with reality shows for a moment...cuz goodness knows we don't have enough of them already. If all goes as planned for E!, we'll be seeing the whole Lohan clan in a new reality show this summer. The show will feature Lindsay, sister Ali, Brothers Cody and Michael, and of course mother/manager Dina.

Hey why not, it worked for ~~Nick and Jessica~~
~~Ashlee Simpson~~
~~Backstreet Boy Nick Carter~~

Ok, let's be honest...what are they thinking??

Quick Hits
* I would have loved to be a fly on the wall at Cosmo's "Fun Fearless Male of the Year" luncheon in NYC yesterday where Jessica Simpson's ex, Point star John Mayer was in attendance. As was Jess's rumored ex-flame Dane Cook. As was her current guy Tony Romo. I really hope a planner with a sense of humor put them all at the same table.

* Point princess Miley Cyrus will perform at Nickelodeon's Kid's Choice Awards on March 29th. Why is this particularly interesting? Well, of course she's a huge star for rival kiddie network The Disney Channel.

* Speaking of The Disney Channel...we have yet another reality show we can look forward to this summer. ABC will supposedly be running a High School Musical themed competition. Details are few as of now, but we'll stay on top of the story and keep you updated.

The Justin Files, 3/3/08 - Special Edition

2008-03-03T11:53:00.000-08:00

It's a special Idol edition of The Justin Files today. The celebs have more or less behaved themselves over the weekend, so let's take a look at some recent American Idol developments.

******************
My favorite target, Robbie Carrico (no sense linking, you can look at almost any recent posting to see some dirt on the former boy-bander). First, let me point out that I wasn't the only one to pick-up the "dude's wearing a wig" story. In a conference call with reporters over the weekend, Robbie denied the rumors calling the whole story, "ridiculous". While a "source" stuck by the story of the fraudulent follicles saying, "it could be some kind of weave".

******************
More stars have signed on for Idol Gives Back, the charity show set for next month. So far we can expect to see a bunch of Point performers, including Fergie, Miley Cyrus, and Idol alums Carrie Underwood and Chris Daughtry. Just announced, superstar Bono and Superbowl MVP Eli Manning.

******************
So how does Simon keep his youthful looks? He told the British edition of Glamour that Botox, "is no more unusual than toothpaste". Hey, at least the guy is brushing.

******************
Finally, former Idol contestants Gina Glocksen and Haley Scarnato (both from last season) are trying to stay relevant by weighing in on who they want to see win.

If you don't feel like clicking the link, they like music industry vet Carly Smithson and Aussie Michael Johns (it must be that dreamy accent).

The Justin Files, 2/29/08

2008-02-29T10:52:00.000-08:00

They always ruin my fun
It looks like I'll need to find a new target (watch out, Carly), Robbie has left the building. Simon speculated that "the public saw what we saw. . .it just never, ever felt real, Robbie". Taking the walk of shame along with the "long locked" "rocker" were Alaina Whitaker (who?), Alexandréa Lushington (too bad, the second most fun name to say this year, after Chikezie of course...who I totally think should become a Chick-Fil-A spokesperson, but I digress), and Jason Yeager (again, who?). Two of 'em don't surprise me considering I had to go to the Idol website just to be reminded who they even were. Were you surprised by any of the departures?

Neither "big" nor "giving"? Discuss
"Oprah's Big Give" is getting some not so great advance publicity from USAToday. TV critic Robert Bianco comments that the show will, "strike you as either immensely uplifting or horrifyingly vulgar, or an odd combo of both". In the article, he suggests that charity is something that should be gone about discreetly, not necessarily by calling attention to oneself in a somewhat self-congratulatory way. He says that the show is simply, "publicity masked as charity".

Ouch.

Will you be watching?

Quick Hits
* Precocious Point star Miley Cyrus admitted to Jay Leno last night that she has a drinking problem. Well, kind of. Apparently she likes to drink ketchup. Umm, eew.

* Halle Berry has teamed up with a perfume company to develop her own scent. Hopefully it won't smell like that leather outfit from Catwoman.

* The reality shows aren't going away any time soon. ABC just renewed a whole bunch for next year, including mainstay America's Funniest Videos. Also on the list were no-brainer ratings winner Dancing With the Stars. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Supernanny, and Wife Swap will all be back as well.

The Justin Files, 2/28/08

2008-02-28T11:21:00.000-08:00

Reality TV becomes a little too real
I've always been a fan of Big Brother. It's the best of the reality shows for the voyeurs among us. It's always been the show I figured I could actually go on. You get to live in a house, not slumming it on an island (or worse, in a Trump penthouse...yuck), you don't have to hunt for food. All in all, it doesn't seem so bad.

(Let's ignore for now the fact that this season may be the one they've finally jumped the shark with, with their "Til' Death Do You Part" matchmaking).

But reality got a little too real for Jersey native Adam Jasinski, who talked on the show about working for the United Autism Foundation (the CBS website simply lists him as a "Public Relations Manager"). Last week, Adam was telling fellow housemates about the autistic children he works with and used a despicable word to describe the kids (one I refuse to repeat here). Big Brother's never been known as a ratings juggernaut, but word apparently got back to UNIAF, and it looks like Adam won't have a job to come back to. They announced his firing on their website.

The best part? He doesn't even know. People in the Big Brother house are completely cut off from news from the outside world.

For every death, there's a birth
NBC has announced the first official casualty of the writer's strike. Las Vegas won't be resuming production. The network decided that the show is just too costly.

With that end, there's a new beginning...

How's this for a strange collaboration, word's out that Ashton Kutcher and Tyra Banks will be co-producing an unscripted series featuring, "beautiful people living together". Cuz that's never been done. Yeah, well ABC has already ordered 8 episodes.

Speaking of odd teams and death
Here's another interesting team for you...John Mellencamp and Stephen King. The two are working on a musical together, tentatively titled, "Ghost Brothers of Darkland County". The show will hit the stage in April of 2009 in Atlanta. Mellencamp's been working on it on and off for almost a decade. If it does well in Atlanta, it could end up on Broadway. What do you think of this team? Match made in heaven, or gruesome twosome?

Quick Hits
* I don't know how he managed for so many hours, but marginal star Josh Hartnett had to sit in coach on his post-Oscar flight from LA to NYC. Apparently there were so many celebs on the trip that all the first class seats were taken. Poor fella.

* Arnold wants his tank back. Seriously, the Cali gov had donated an Austrian Army tank to a military museum in Ohio. Now he wants it back so he can give rides to California school kids who get good grades. Taking notes, Corzine?

* So it's not big news that Nicole Richie is dating Point rockers Good Charlotte's Joel Madden, the two just had a daughter together. Well apparently she and Paris can't do anything separately. Word on the street is that Miss Hilton is now seeing Joel's twin brother and bandmate, Benji.

The Justin Files, 2/27/08

2008-02-27T12:04:00.000-08:00

A phony amongst us?
More dirt is surfacing about Idol rocker (and former boy-bander) Robbie Carrico. First was yesterday's news that he had dated Britney Spears. And remember last week, when the judges questioned his authenticity as a rocker? (The same clip, by the way, where Seacrest compares his looks to the guy Brit dated after Robbie, Justin Timberlake...open mouth, insert foot!). Apparently he is faking his rock cred, at least a little. According to TMZ, those dreamy blond locks...a dream, indeed. The tabloid is reporting that it's just a wig.

(I dunno even back then Robbie, the blond guy on the left, does look kinda tough)

Edit (6:40pm): Ok, THAT guy doesn't look so tough.

What kind of pet deposit would a landlord need for a chimp?
It looks like Michael Jackson's gonna be moving, possibly against his will. He owes so much money on his Neverland Ranch that officials have set a date of March 19th to auction the property off. And when they say "auction the property off", they mean everything. The house, all personal property inside, fixtures, appliances, furniture, and all amusement games and rides on the compound are included. There is still hope for him though, if he can come up with $24.5 million dollars in less than a month.

Anybody wanna take up a collection and see if we can score our own mini amusement park? I got 10 bucks I can throw in.

Quick Hits
* There's a title and date for Madonna's upcoming CD. "Hard Candy" hits stores on April 29th. On it, she works with Point superstars Justin Timberlake, Timbaland, and others.

* Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson continues to showcase his soft side. He just signed on to star in a new project, titled The Tooth Fairy.

* New details are out on J. Lo and Marc Anthony's twins. A British news source is reporting that the kiddies are named Max and Emme...refreshingly normal.

The Justin Files, 2/26/08

2008-02-26T11:34:00.000-08:00

The Idol intrigue continues
It's been quite a topic of conversation this year that a number of Idol contestants have previous music industry experience. Some, like Carly Smithson with her former major label release, more than others. Just out today is that fact that no fewer than three Idol wannabes have connections to Britney Spears...well, kind of. Kady Malloy was a Britney impersonator, so I guess that one's a stretch. But Kristy Lee Cook once had a contract with Britney Spears Productions. And the best by far is Robbie Carrico who once...ready for this...dated Brit!

Whatever happened to the corn detassler from Iowa with no training whatsoever, just natural talent, who was trying to crack into the biz?

Did Paula set the standard?
When Paula Abdul was pulled out of obscurity to become a judge on Idol back in 2002, nobody had given the former Laker Girl a second thought in about a decade. Other reality talent shows have since followed suit by rescuing such quasi-celebs from irrelevance as David Hasselhoff on America's Got Talent, Janice Dickinson on America's Next Top Model, and on and on.

Lifetime TV is going to continue the trend with their upcoming family foxtrotter, Your Mama Don't Dance. The judge lineup will be Ben Vereen (fair enough, he's got stage dancing experience and at least a somewhat recognizable name), J. Lo ex Cris Judd (a pro dancer, but not exactly what I would consider to be a household celeb), and Vitamin C...no, not ascorbic acid, the hi-lighter headed one hit wonder (2000's "Graduation [Friends Forever]").

If this trend continues watch for Fred Schneider from the B-52's, Joe Piscopo, and Nancy Kerrigan to show up on Dancing With America's Next Top American Idol Who's Got Talent and Cooks With the Stars.

Actually, as much as I'm afraid to admit it, that looks like a pretty realistic casting possibility for The Surreal Life.

Quick Hits
* It looks like Britney will have Preston and Jayden full time after all...sorta. Those are the names of her new pet parakeets. Is it me, or is there something kinda sweet, yet creepy about that?

* A recent poll showed that the best actors to play the presidential candidates would be Tommy Lee Jones as John McCain, Denzel Washington as Barack Obama, and Martha Stewart as Hillary Clinton. Who do you think should do the politician's biopics?

* Another poll asked those responding what they thought the sexiest jobs were. Firefighter topped the list. Also making the cut; nurse, lawyer, and teacher. Sadly, radio DJ failed to make a dent once again.

The Justin Files, 2/25/08

2008-02-25T12:43:00.000-08:00

Even Oscar himself kinda looks like he's saying, "meh"
It was an odd year for Oscar movies. There were no huge blockbusters on the ballot, nor any big mass market flicks. Most of them were smaller "artsy" projects. In fact, I saw all of two of the nominated movies this year. One was a cartoon (Ratatouille, probably the only true blockbuster of the bunch), and the other I saw the night before the show (La Vie En Rose - see it if you don't mind subtitles). But there were still some interesting things that came out of the ceremony.

The most interesting fact that may have gone unnoticed by many, there were no American acting winners. Yup, they were all European:

Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men) - Spanish
Tilda Swinton (Michael Clayton) - English
Marion Cotillard (La Vie En Rose) - French
Daniel Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood) - English

Also, did you notice the two blatant omissions during the montages that Oscar loves oh so much? During the montage of former hosts, no Whoopi Goldberg. During the montage of industry people who have passed in the previous year, no Brad Renfro.

An Oscar rep's reply to Brad's deletion..."it was an editing decision, we can't fit everyone in".

I'm sure his family will understand.

From the best to the worst
Traditionally, on the day that we celebrate the best in cinema, there's a small ceremony down the street celebrating the worst. The Golden Raspberry Awards, better known as The Razzies, celebrated their 27th year this year. Of note, Lindsay Lohan's stinker I Know Who Killed Me (which I keep wanting to call "I Know Who Killed Me Last Summer") took home 8 statues. And Eddie Murphy set a record as the first person to win 3 acting awards...all for the same movie. Murphy, who traditionally plays multiple characters in his comedies, was honored for his roles in Norbit and took home the guilded fruit for Worst Actor, Worst Supporting Actor, and Worst Supporting Actress.

All that just a year separated from his Oscar nomination for Dreamgirls.

Ouch.

OCNJ getting some Oscar love
Fellow Point DJ Jill Pantozzi pointed out to me that the Oscar for Best Documentary Short Subject went to a project right out of our own backyard in Ocean County. Check out the story in the Asbury Park Press for all the details.

Quick Hits
* The reunion of Point legends The Police was short lived. Sting announced that the June 29th show in Hyde Park, London will be their last. Anybody wanna get me tickets since it's the day before my birthday?

* There's finally good news to report as far as Britney is concerned. She was allowed to visit with her kids for the first time in nearly two months this past weekend.

* In other Britney related news, apparently Kevin Federline is claiming to have "two or three" acting offers on the back burner. Hey Kev, I don't think playing a costumed rat at a local kiddie themed pizza joint counts.

* Finally, the pride of New Jersey gastronomy, The Clinton Station Diner, home of the 50 pound burger is getting a run for it's money. A restaurant in Detroit has put a 134 pound bacon cheeseburger on the menu. It requires 24 hours notice, takes 12 hours to prepare, costs $350, and will most likely cut your life expectancy by about 12 years.

The Justin Files, 2/22/08

2008-02-22T10:17:00.000-08:00

The first idol casualties of the season
Two guys and two girls had their dreams crushed on Idol last night. On the fella's side it was Garrett Haley (the one who's only a loin cloth away from a Jungle 2 Jungle sequel) who was the first guy to hit the door. The next dude was Colton Berry (the one who's only an adam's apple removal away from being Ellen). On the girl's side, Amy Davis said her good-byes ("Where the Boys Are"?? Really? That's the best choice for the first time America's going to see you perform live?? Well, obviously not), and Joanne Borgella followed her out the door (I have nothing snarky to say about her, she's a Jersey girl, gotta show some love). By the way, if you like this three days of Idol thing you're in luck, we're getting it for two more weeks until they hit the top dozen (if you don't like it...well, tough cookies I guess).

Edit (2:57pm): Check out the poll on the right. In light of recent news that, in addition to Carly Smithson, at least two other Idol contestants have had professional recording experience previously, is the show moving away from the original intention of finding America's best undiscovered talent? Feel free to weigh in on the poll and/or the comments section.

The Lopez/Anthony kiddies have arrived
After denying the rumors for months and months before quietly acknowledging her pregnancy, new Point mommy Jennifer Lopez has given birth. The twins (one girl one boy) arrived early this morning. As of press time (I've always wanted to say that), no word on the names yet. Let the pools begin now as to whether they'll be animal, vegetable, or mineral.

Universal rolls the dice, redux
We're getting more details of the Universal Studios/Hasbro, Inc marriage courtesy of Rotten Tomatoes. Apparently there was some truth to my jesting the other day. Rumors are that at least two of the movies to be based on classic board games will be Monopoly and Battleship (anybody else smell a tagline of, "from the director of Pearl Harbor and Transformers, Michael Bay..."). But here's the real news...apparently there are already rumblings of a Clue remake...come on folks, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

P.S. If Wilford Brimley does, in fact, end up in the Monopoly movie I want all of you to remember who first said it way back when!

Quick hits
* So not only has Hollywood run out of ideas, apparently Broadway has as well. Shrek: The Musical arrives December 14th.

* Pax Jolie-Pitt is now officially one of the luckiest kids in the world. His legal adoption was approved yesterday.

* Speaking of the Jolie-Pitts, Brad's apparently a decent tipper. The couple were out for dinner with Clint Eastwood and his wife last night in LA. Brad left a $100 tip on a $468 bill. A cool 21.4% (yes, I did the math...but I'm guessing he just used one of those laminated wallet tip cards).

Have a great weekend everyone!

The Justin Files, 2/21/08

2008-02-21T11:28:00.000-08:00

Idol Follow-up
Ok, I take it back. I mentioned yesterday the curious absence of Carly Smithson in the Idol girl's top 12 peanut gallery on Tuesday's guys show. Rumors started flying of her previous professional music experience and bloggers, myself included, speculated that it might have had something to do with her absence. Well, on last night's show, Seacrest pointed out that a number of contestants were suffering from the flu and, sure enough, Carly was there last night.

But...that doesn't change the facts, Carly did have a record deal with MCA Records and released an album in 2001.

Ok so the disc only sold a handful of units, but still, she was once a paid professional recording artist who was signed to a major label. Should she be allowed to compete on Idol?

Discuss.

(Fun fact, the album was co-produced by Gregg Alexander, the guy behind late 90's one hit wonders The New Radicals ["You Get What You Give"])

Maybe that actually is just Coke in her cup
In other Idol related news, Paula Abdul is apparently happy to be back in the music game. With the release of the single and video for her new song Dance Like There's No Tomorrow, Paula told USAToday that performing is her, "happy place" (for the record, my happy place usually involves ice cream and fuzzy slippers). The story notes that Simon, Randy, and Ryan Seacrest all have cameos in the video. A classy move by Paula to acknowledge those who have helped make her relevant again. The best part of the article though, is where The Nation's Newspaper feels it necessary to point out that Paula was, "sounding very coherent and calm". Nice.

Parents, beware May 1st, 2009!
Let me get you prepared:

"MOMMY!! DADDY!! I WANNA GO SEE THE HANNAH MONTANA MOVIE!!!"

Yup, with the end of the writer's strike not only is TV back, but movie production is back on track as well. Disney has staked its claim on 5/1/09 as the opening weekend of Point preteen idol Miley Cyrus' big screen adaptation.

Here's the funny part, it's apparently part of a counter-programming strategy to go against X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

Now I don't claim to be an entertainment industry expert, but is there really going to be much of a crossover audience??

Wolfie goes green
One of the biggest banquets on Oscar night has always been the Governor's Ball where celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck has been preparing the fancy food for a number of years. So what happens with all the leftover haute cuisine? Well this year, in honor of the current buzz words du jour, the Governor's Ball is "going green". That's right, all the uneaten food will be composted and taken to Sun Valley, CA for "treatment" (whatever that means).

What, the local soup kitchens wouldn't appreciate a little foie gras and escargot?

Quick Hits
* Why all the sudden library traffic in Toms River last night? No, a new Harry Potter book wasn't discovered, it seems we had a celebrity in our midst. Alec Baldwin was at the OC Library to take part in a discussion on Oyster Creek's looming license expiration.

* The annual Barbara Walters Oscar special on Sunday will include interviews with Juno's young star Ellen Page (21 today, in fact), Ugly Betty villain Vanessa Williams, the adventurer who can't stop...erm...adventuring, Indiana Jones himself Harrison Ford, and a musician you may or may not have heard of, Miley Cyrus. Fun for the whole family.

* Finally, TVGuide.com's Michael Ausiello is reporting that NBC has canceled the much-hyped retread of The Bionic Woman. If my brother stumbles across this blog, I'm just sayin...I called it back in September :).

The Justin Files, 2/20/08

2008-02-20T12:42:00.000-08:00

Time to start warming the couches again
The writer's strike has ended, so we can finally stop all this pesky socializing with friends and return to our comfortable couch grooves. The networks aren't wasting any time announcing returns, with ABC chiming in today. According to the alphabet network, you can expect Desperate Housewives to return on April 13th with 5 new episodes. Thursday, April 24th will be a big day with the returns of Ugly Betty (5 eps) at 8 and Grey's Anatomy (also 5) at 9.

"But wait!" you may say, "isn't Lost on at 9?" Well, not anymore. To make room for Grey's, the island adventure will slide over an hour to 10. Guess you're either gonna get an hour's less sleep or set the TiVo and try to avoid the water cooler on Friday.

If you were a fan of Pushing Daisies or Private Practice, by the way, not to worry, they'll be back with full seasons in the fall.

In other end of strike news, Saturday Night Live is back on NBC this weekend in style with the return of prodigal daughter Tina Fey hosting and Point princess Carrie Underwood as the musical guest.

A season without scandal? As if!
A new season, another Idolgate. Did you notice during the guys show last night that the math was a little off when they showed the "Top 12" girls? I may have just ten fingers, but I counted only 11 girls on the sidelines. Well apparently there's the small issue of Carly Smithson, who was once signed to a major record label, a no-no if you're claiming to be America's best "undiscovered talent"...she just happened to be the missing girl. Coincidence? I expect that we'll find out tonight.

Sears Portrait Studio it ain't!
So you know when us normal people have kids and we want to send pictures to our friends we actually have to, like, go out and pay to have someone take the pix? Well, not if you're Point diva Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony. No siree, not only will magazines trip over each other to pay you, but they'll pay you more money than most of us will ever see in our lifetimes. OK! Magazine is apparently paying the couple...wait for it...six million dollars for the privilege of being the first to feature pictures of their twins.

Universal rolls the dice
Need more proof that Hollywood has run out of ideas? This just in...Universal Studios has signed a six year deal with Hasbro, Inc to make at least four movies based on board games. The first of the flicks should be hitting theaters in 2010 or 2011.

Hey it worked for Clue... might not be that bad.

I'd like to officially go on record suggesting Wilford Brimley for Monopoly's Mr. Moneybags.