The BET Awards were held in LA yesterday. There were plenty of high-energy performances along with awards in both music and acting categories. Kanye West took home two awards for Best Male Hip Hop Artist and Best Collaboration for “Good Life” with T-Pain. Alicia Keys was named Best Female R&B Artist while Chris Brown was the Best Ma;e R&B Artist. Missy Elliot was named best female hip hop artist and Halle Berry and Denzel Washington were best actress and actor.
Some celebrities took time in their acceptance speeches to urge people to vote and to express support for Democratic candidate Barack Obama. Diddy said “If we all register and vote, we will have the first black president in the history of America.” Alicia Keys said “Together we can do anything. Obama y’all.”
Thanks to the BBC News and People for the details for this story.
Here are some performance videos.
Rihanna
Chris Brown & Ciara
Alicia Keys
Kanye West and Young Jeezy
Usher
Lil Wayne featuring T-Pain
Keyshia Cole
Neyo
And here are photos from the event. Photos from the press room include Alicia Keys, Ashanti, Nia Long, Chris Brown, Al Green, John Legend, Usher, Quincy Jones, T-Wayne, Lauren London. On the red carpet are Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys, Chris Brown, Jordin Sparks, Gabrielle Union, Jermaine Dupri, Keyshia Cole, Lil’ Mama, Lil’ Kim, Solange Knowles, LL cool J, and Rihanna. Thanks to WENN for most of these photos and Splash for the last 6.
The powerful women of the movie industry gathered last night at the Women in Film Crystal and Lucy awards, hosted by Aisha Taylor. Salma Hayek was honored for the success of the show she produces, Ugly Betty. In her acceptance speech she said that 41 was the best time of her life:
“I’m 41 now,” she said while being honored at Tuesday’s Women in Film Crystal+Lucy Awards. “And I have to say, it is the best time in my life.”
That prompted Jada Pinkett Smith – who was also being recognized, along with her costars from the upcoming chick flick, The Women – to shout out, “You look good!”
Hayek – who gave birth to daughter Valentina Paloma last September with billionaire fiancé Francois-Henri Pinault – said she is finally coming into her own.
“I have learned to enjoy time to be a woman. I have learned to enjoy how to do the most that I can with what I have,” the Ugly Betty producer explained. “It is a good thing to be a 41-year-old Latina woman in America.”
She also gave a shout out to fellow Latina Eva Mendes (another star of The Women), who responded with a loud, “I love you, Salma!”
Salma also said she wanted Ugly Betty to be accessible for everyone, with a focus on Latin people. “I wanted it to be different than anything I was seeing on television. I also wanted Latin people to feel excited and proud that there was something on television that sort of belonged to them, but I wanted the American audience not to feel alienated from it.” [via]
Shown last night are Cameron Diaz, Nicole Richie, Eva Mendes, Maria Bello, Annette Benning, Jada Pinkett Smith looking like she sucked a lemon, Meg Ryan, Debra Messing, Holly Robinson Peete, Debi Mazar and Rumer Willis. Thanks to WENN for these photos.
Warren Beatty was presented with a lifetime achievement award by the American Film Institute last night. Beatty’s former co-stars Halle Berry, Jane Fonda, and Diane Keaton were among the speakers at the event. Each told stories of their experiences working with the 71 year-old Hollywood legend:
Several generations of actors – from Robert Downey Jr. to Angela Lansbury – turned out at the Kodak Theatre for the 71-year-old, who’s been a movie star since his 1961 vehicle opposite Natalie Wood, Splendor in the Grass and a Tinsel Town force since his groundbreaking Bonnie and Clyde – which he starred in and produced in 1967.
But other distinctions were singled out, too. Halle Berry, Beatty’s 1998 Bulworth costar, referred to him as “the greatest white rapper of the past 15 years.”
She further revealed that, when it came to their working together, “there was the usual discussion with the studio if there should be a scene to spice up the movie – if somebody should go topless. But I have to say, to Warren’s credit, he put his foot down and he insisted on keeping his shirt on for the entire movie.”
The evening also touched upon Beatty’s two other great passions: politics and the ladies – though, as one guest speaker, Jane Fonda, told the crowd, when she long ago met (and screen-tested) with Beatty in the 1950s, “I thought he was gay. He was so cute, and all his men friends were gay, and brilliant. He had a way of collecting really brilliant gay men friends. And he liked to play piano in a piano bar – I mean, what were the odds he was straight? Shows you how dumb I was.”
Recollecting the memorable scene in 1981’s Reds when her character is reunited with Beatty’s after a long and potentially tragic period of time, Beatty’s former real-life romance Diane Keaton recalled how Beatty the director pushed her in take after take to find the real emotion of the moment, despite her resistance.
“Finally,” said a now very emotional Keaton at the Kodak, “there was this sweet anguish of love when I saw your face, in a moment shared in time together. Thank you, Warren, and congratulations.”
[From People.com]
Beatty credited acting with introducing him to his wife of over 15 years, Annette Benning, 50. He said “I love my profession, because it’s introduced me to the person who’s given me the most important thing of all, which is her love and the love of our four children … Annette.”
Here are pictures from the red carpet including Molly Ringwald, Chevy Chase, MC Hammer, Robert Evans, Warren Beatty and Annette Benning, Diane Ladd, Jane Fonda, Art Garfunkel, Faye Dunaway, Eva Mendes, Holly Madison, Bridget Marquardt, and Kendra Wilkinson, Robert Downey Jr., Lainie Kazan and Kelly Lynch.
The Council of Fashion Designers of America held their annual awards ceremony last night at the NY Public Library. Celebrities wore Yves Saint Laurent to pay their respects to the legendary designer, who died of brain cancer at the age of 71 on Sunday. Marc Jacobs was presented the award for Womenswear Designer of the Year by Victoria Beckham, Eva Mendes, and Maggie Gyllenhaal.
Victoria Beckham stole the show in a ruffled Marc Jacobs number while Naomi Campbell wore vintage Yves Saint Laurent sequin pants and sheer blouse. Also shown are Maggie Gyllenhaal, Mandy Moore, Ashley Olsen, Eva Mendes, Kim Cattrall, Tina Fey in an unfortunate dress, Amy Poehler, Hilary Duff, Lauren Bush, Lauren Hutton, Anna Wintour, Candace Bushnell, Donna Karan, ‘Lil Kim and Marc Jacobs, and Eva Longoria and Tony Parker. Eva Longoria is definitely looking pregnant to me, but I don’t care much for her and am not going to make a whole story about it.
I didn’t learn this until recently, but it is legally possible for one adult to adopt another adult. There are all sorts of reasons people do this: to will rent-controlled apartments, to circumvent laws, etc. But it happens. As such, I will be petitioning Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie to adopt me. We already know they’re into adoption. We know they like to adopt in unconventional ways – no common American babies for them. What would cause more of a stir than adopting an adult? Nothing. And I am now damn sure they’ve got the money. And compared to what they’re spending on their other kids, I am a relative bargain.
Brad and Angie have set aside $20 million for the birthing expenses of their twins, according to Life & Style.
Angelina Jolie had been keeping a low profile in recent weeks. But on May 15, after the premiere of her new animated movie, Kung Fu Panda, at the Cannes Film Festival in France, she looked thrilled to be out in public — and showing off her pregnancy. “She seemed so happy,” says an onlooker. “She let Jack Black and Dustin Hoffman [her co-stars] hug her belly.” And as Angie schmoozed with other celebrities, Brad Pitt was by her side. “She looked so comforted by his affection,” says the onlooker. “She was always smiling.”
As her due date nears, Angelina, 32, finally seems eager to talk about her babies. And she and Brad, 44, are clearly willing to do — and spend — anything to bring them into the world secure and healthy. In fact, insiders estimate Brad and Angie will spend at least $20 million in France on security, medical costs and shelter for their growing brood.
“Brad and Angelina love all their children and will do everything to protect them and keep them healthy,” says an insider. “Money is no object when it comes to the kids.” That’s true when it comes to the twins as well. “They can drop thousands of dollars on them in a day,” says the insider. “They’d do anything for them.”
The sample breakdown is pretty damn impressive too. I know they’re worth an insane amount of money, but it still boggles my mind that anyone can go through this kind of cash.
* $332,000 is going toward a helicopter, which remains on call for when Jolie goes into labor
* $3.3 million is the cost for the Florentine-style villa in the French Riviera that the couple reportedly rents
* Nearly $100,000 goes to the nine cars the couple is renting.
I’m sure a large amount of their money goes to security – and one would think the nine cars are a part of that. Can you imagine having a helicopter on call for your birth? At this point, why not just have a hospital built next to your house? I mean they’re spending so much as it is. That’s the only thing more dramatic than a helicopter.
Life & Style points out how happy Angelina has seemed in the last few weeks, and that’s very true. It’s easy to forget she used to be such a dark character. She’s been beaming from ear to ear, despite carrying around 2 fetuses that look bigger than she does. At $10 million a kid, those are two lucky babies.
Here’s Brad and Angelina at the ‘Kung Fu Panda’ premiere in Cannes on May 15th. Images thanks to WENN.
The country stars were out in their finest for last night’s Academy of Country Music Awards at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Kenny Chesney was declared Entertainer of the Year for the fourth year in a row, but he criticized organizers’ decision to base that award entirely on user votes online for the first time in the history of the awards. His speech focused on thanking his fans and record company, and he even made a joke thanking his parents for having sex to conceive him. Backstage he complained about the new way the award was given, perhaps suggesting that his hurt foot on stage helped him snag the award for the fourth year in a row:
“The entertainer of the year trophy is supposed to represent heart and passion and an amazing amount of sacrifice, commitment and focus.” He said his complaint is directed at the industry, not the fans - and that the method amounted to “complete disrespect” of the artists, saying the academy turned the award “into a sweepstakes to see who can push people’s buttons the hardest on the Internet.”
Carrie Underwood won Best Female Vocalist for the second year in a row, saying in her acceptance speech “I know I don’t deserve it, but I’ll take it. Fans got me everything I have, and I owe everything to you.”
Rascal Flatts’ won Top Vocal Group for a sixth year in a row and Brooks & Dunn won Top Vocal Duo to make the award the 13th they’ve taken home in 13 years.
Here’s the full list of winners:
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
* Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
Rascal Flatts
George Strait
Keith Urban
TOP MALE VOCALIST
* Brad Paisley
Rodney Atkins
Kenny Chesney
George Strait
Keith Urban
TOP FEMALE VOCALIST
* Carrie Underwood
Miranda Lambert
Martina McBride
LeAnn Rimes
Taylor Swift
TOP VOCAL GROUP
* Rascal Flatts
Diamond Rio
Eagles
Emerson Drive
Little Big Town
TOP VOCAL DUO
* Brooks & Dunn
Big & Rich
Halfway To Hazard
Montgomery Gentry
Sugarland
TOP NEW MALE VOCALIST
* Jack Ingram
Luke Bryan
Jake Owen
TOP NEW FEMALE VOCALIST
* Taylor Swift
Sarah Buxton
Kellie Pickler
TOP NEW DUO OR VOCAL GROUP
* Lady Antebellum
Carolina Rain
The Wreckers
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
* Crazy Ex-Girlfriend - Miranda Lambert
5th Gear - Brad Paisley
Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates - Kenny Chesney
If You’re Going Through Hell - Rodney Atkins
Taylor Swift - Taylor Swift
SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR
* Stay, Sugarland
Don’t Blink, Kenny Chesney
Famous In A Small Town, Miranda Lambert
Lost In This Moment, Big & Rich
Watching Airplanes, Gary Allan
SONG OF THE YEAR
* Stay, Sugarland
Don’t Blink, Kenny Chesney
Lost In This Moment, Big & Rich
Moments, Emerson Drive
Watching You, Rodney Atkins
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
* Online, Brad Paisley
Don’t Blink, Kenny Chesney
Lost In This Moment, Big & Rich
Stay, Sugarland
Watching You, Rodney Atkins
Performances
Carrie Underwood “Last Name”
George Strait and Kenny Chesney “Shift Work”
Taylor Swift “Should’ve Said No”
Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood medley
Keith Urban “Tu Compania”
Rascal Flatts “Everyday”
Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley perform “Make the World Go Away,” a tribute to Eddy Arnold
Kellie Pickler “Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful”
LeAnn Rimes “Family”
Awards
Kenny Chesney is Entertainer of The Year by public vote, Nicole Kidman looks mildly annoyed
Taylor Swift wins top new female vocalist:
And here are the photos, thanks to PRPhotos. Shown in order are: Carrie Underwood, LeAnn Rimes and Dean Sheremet, Jewel, Kelli Pickler, Karolina Kurkova, Julianne Hough, Kenny Chesney, Taylor Swift, Brooks And Dunn, Brad Paisley, Jack Ingraham, Garth Brooks, Lady Antebellum, Tracey Lawrence, Rascal Flatts, Sugarland, and Miranda Lambert.
The GLAAD Media Awards were held on Saturday night, and had quite the A-list celebs. The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation gives out awards to celebrities, television shows, and films that that portray accurate and inclusive representations the gay community. Ugly Betty won for Outstanding Comedy Series, while Brothers & Sisters took home the award from Outstanding Drama Series. Not surprisingly, Kathy Griffin’s My Life on the D-List won for Outstanding Reality program.
Kathy Griffin sure knows how to yuk it up with her gays.
The redheaded funnylady picked up the Outstanding Reality Program award for her My Life on the D-List last night during the GLAAD Media Awards at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood.
“I got the Michael Kors dress, the H. Stern jewelry and [stylist] Robert Verdi put me together,” she said. “I didn’t let a straight person near me tonight.”
T.R. Knight used his time onstage to address some important political issues.
T.R. Knight spoke of the recent murders of teens Lawrence King and Simmie Williams Jr., who were killed earlier this year allegedly because they were gay. The openly gay Grey’s Anatomy star also blasted republican Oklahoma state representative Sally Kern, who has come under fire since it was revealed that in a recent speech she compared gays to terrorists and said she believed the “homosexual agenda is destroying this nation.”
“I am realizing more and more how privileged I am to be able to use my voice to support an organization like GLAAD,” Knight said. “I will continue to do so until the Sally Kerns are taught the real teachings of Jesus Christ.”
I’m pretty sure that there is now an awards show for absolutely every possible thing in the entire world. Just a quick googling of some of the more trivial award shows reminds us of some great wastes of time, both past and present. Who doesn’t enjoy the TV Guide Awards, the Teen Choice Awards, the Blockbuster Entertainment Awards, the ESPN Awards, or the Daytime Emmy Awards? Luckily a few of those have been canceled – but you can always count on Hollywood to come up with a few more awards shows.
On Thursday the Prism Awards were held in Los Angeles, and while a lot of fairly dumb awards shows get a lot of attention, the Prism Awards generally don’t – and they actually have a pretty cool purpose. The awards are for “outstanding accomplishments in the accurate depiction of drug, alcohol and tobacco use and addiction in film, television, interactive, comic books, music, and video entertainment.” And really, how often do we reward people for being responsible and doing something right? This year’s awards highlighted some of the better stuff Hollywood puts out.
“Michael Clayton,” “Georgia Rule” and “You Kill Me” were honored Thursday in the feature film categories of this year’s Prism Awards, which recognize movies and TV shows for accurate depictions of mental health and substance abuse issues.
Warner Bros.’ “Michael Clayton” received a bipolar disorder depiction award; “Georgia,” from Universal and Morgan Creek Prods., won as a wide-release feature; and “You Kill Me” — distributed by IFC Films for Code Entertainment, Baum Echo Lake Rosenman and Bipolar Prods. — prevailed in a new category for limited-release films.
Shows honored in TV categories included ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy,” Fox’s “The Simpsons” and NBC’s “ER.” The Larry Stewart Award for leadership and inspiration to industry peers colleagues was presented to Dr. Drew Pinsky, who teamed with VH1 to create “Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew” and “Celebrity Rehab Reunion.”
“The record-breaking number of submissions indicates how seriously the entertainment industry views their responsibility to include accurate depictions of addiction and other health issues in films and TV shows,” EIC chief Brian Dyak said.
I’m not sure how accurate that last quote is, but it certainly seems that some people in the entertainment industry take it pretty seriously. And a Lindsay Lohan film winning for something besides “Biggest Sucking Movie Ever” is a pretty big deal in and of itself.
Here are pictures from the night. Left to right: Andrea Bowen, James Denton, Brigette Nielsen, Dr. Drew Pinsky, Jennie Garth, Melora Hardin, Dolph Lundgren, and Hugh Laurie. Images thanks to PR Photos.
If you have children, you were probably subjected to Nickelodeon’s 25th Annual Kid’s Choice Awards ceremony on Saturday night. You have my sincerest condolences. I, too, had to watch, and it was often eyeroll-inducing: lame banter between celebrity presenters; boring and unfunny “behind the scenes” skits; stupid slime stunts that dragged out the show even longer and wayyyy too much Disney product, in the form of Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers. Miley Cyrus won favorite female television star and favorite female musical artist, much to my daughter’s delight.
There were a few bright spots in the broadcast, including host Jack Black’s over-the-top opening musical number, in which he wore a bright green superhero costume and rocked out with a giant octopus playing guitar to the Kiss song “I Was Made for Loving You,” with the lyrics changed to “I Was Made for Sliming You.” (In my opinion, Black was the only funny, high-energy part of the show and should have been allowed to riff and get crazy even more.) The theme of each Kids’ Choice Awards, you see, is that celebs and kids in the audience get buckets of green slime poured on their heads at random moments. Slimed celebs included Harrison Ford, who recreated a famous scene from “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” which concluded with him being covered in green slime. Other mildly amusing segments included a celebrity belching contest that featured Jodie Foster attempting to burp along to the song “YMCA.”
All in all, the show had the same problems as most other awards shows: it went on too long, there was too much unfunny dialog, and the host didn’t get enough chances to do what he does best. But if you are at all interested in the winners, here they are.
Favorite TV Show: Drake and Josh
Favorite Reality Show: American Idol
Favorite TV Actor: Drake Bell (from Drake and Josh)
Favorite TV Actress: Miley Cyrus
Favorite Cartoon: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Favorite Movie: Alvin and the Chipmunks
Favorite Movie Actor: Johnny Depp
Favorite Movie Actress: Jessica Alba
Favorite Animated Movie: Ratatouille
Favorite Animated Voice: Eddie Murphy (Shrek The Third)
Favorite Music Group: The Jonas Brothers
Favorite Song: “Girlfriend” by Avril Lavigne
Favorite Female Singer: Miley Cyrus
Favorite Male Singer: Chris Brown
Favorite Male Athlete: Tony Hawk
Favorite Female Athlete: Danica Patrick
Favorite Book: Harry Potter Series
Favorite Video Game: Madden NFL 2008
Wannabe Award: Cameron Diaz
If anything, the Kids’ Choice Awards gives parents a glimpse into the music, movies, and other pop culture their kids like– which should scare the crap out of you. I know I had a hard time sleeping knowing that the youth of America wants to be just like Cameron Diaz.
Iggy Pop, Madonna, and Justin Timberlake. Iggy Pop’s bandmate is quoted below
Madonna was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with a ceremony at Manhattan’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel last night. Justin Timberlake introduced her, and Iggy and the Stooges covered two of her hits, “Burning Up,” And “Ray of Light.”
Madonna personally asked Iggy Pop to perform her songs at the ceremony as a protest against the fact that his seminal group has never been asked to join the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame despite being nominated several times. Stooge’s guitarist Ron Asheton gave an interview ahead of the performance and said that his group was the anti-Madonna and that he didn’t even know any of her songs . He also said she’s “using us for business purposes”
“The Stooges represent everything that’s against what she is,” Asheton told the Free Press from his New York hotel this afternoon. “I don’t wish her ill. I don’t hate her or anything. But I’d never even heard of these songs until I had to listen to a tape and figure out what’s going on with them.”
In reality, Asheton says, Madonna asked the Stooges to perform as an act of protest: The group, widely considered a linchpin of early punk, has yet to be inducted by the rock hall, despite six appearances on the nomination ballot. By inviting the group on stage, she sends a message, says Asheton.
Last year’s rock hall ceremony featured a similar demonstration, when the night’s inductees performed the Stooges’ “I Wanna Be Your Dog” during a jam session finale.
“Basically she was upset that we’ve been nominated so many times and never made it, so she asked us to play in protest. And it was under those auspices that I thought we were doing it,” Asheton said. “At first I went, ‘Whaaat?’ Then Iggy said, ‘Why don’t you think about it?’”
It came together quickly: Madonna reached out to Iggy Pop just two weeks ago, Asheton says. The band, which had not performed together since closing out its latest tour in December, worked on the songs long-distance, with the Ashetons in Ann Arbor and Iggy home in Florida.
“Iggy said, ‘We’re gonna rock them up — just play ‘em like Stooges songs,’” Asheton recounted. “They actually sound pretty cool. We just rock ‘em out. You wouldn’t even recognize them as Madonna songs. I never thought I’d say this, but I’ve actually enjoyed playing them…”
“I thought that right off the top — that, gee, I just heard she’s got a record coming out, and she’s trying to get a little Stooge shine. She’s a savvy businesswoman,” he said. “I think she actually does like the band. She wouldn’t have asked for us if she didn’t. But she’s also using us for business purposes.”
Madonna was said to look uncomfortable at first when Iggy and the Stooges were performing “Ray of Light,” Iggy jumping around without a shirt as usual, but was said to be laughing afterwards.
In Timberlake’s introduction, he talked about how Madonna gave him a B12 shot in the butt while he was working with her, and made a couple of Britney references:
“Madonna has changed the way our world sounded, she’s changed the way our world looked, and somehow she’s still found time to publicly kiss at least someone I may or may not have kissed myself,” Timberlake said. (It was not the only time Timberlake invoked Britney Spears; later, he said, “the world has long been full of Madonna wannabes, and I might have even dated a couple.”)
In Madonna’s acceptance speech she said the “F” word a couple times, and made two drug references, but the Detroit News called it “honest and sincere.” Madonna thanked her ballet teacher in Detroit who “told me at the age of 14 that I was special, that I needed to believe in myself, that I needed to go out into the world and pursue my dreams.” She also said of the people who told her she couldn’t make it, “who said that I was talentless, that I was chubby, that I couldn’t sing… they pushed me to be better, and I am grateful for their resistance.”
Also inducted in to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last night were John Mellencamp, Leonard Cohen, Gamble & Huff, late blues singer Little Walter, The Ventures and The Dave Clark Five. The lead singer of The Dave Clark Five, Mike Smith, passed away late last month, but his bandmate Dave Clark said “At least Mike knew he was a Hall of Famer.”
I am looking hard to find a clip of The Stooges performance of “Ray of Light” last night. Let me know if you’ve it and I’ll add it to the post.
