I’m doing this one because I know Sandra Bullock is beloved in many quarters around here. Sandra is doing a few interviews to promote the DVD release of The Proposal, her hit summer film with Ryan Reynolds and Bette White. While Sandy was talking to Fox News’ Pop Tarts, she was asked about the message of her other summer film All About Steve (costarring Bradley Cooper), which bombed at the box office.

Sandra has talked about the “message” of All About Steve before, using very similar language. So similar, I think Fox News has combined some old quotes from Sandy’s interview with Parade a few months ago with a new interview. In Parade, Sandra told the interviewer: “Why is it that men are called ‘unique’ and ‘eccentric’ and ‘mavericks’ when they’re different, but women are labeled as ‘odd’ or just plain ‘weird?’ It’s about being unconventional and being true to who you are. Not fitting in often means you’re really standing out. If I can do anything in this time of my career, it’s to make it easier for girls who are growing up not to feel they have to wind up with someone to complete them. You know, I complete me. I’m just lucky that after I completed myself, I met someone who could tolerate me.” Sandra had some new stuff to say to Fox, you just have to get through the older quotes:

Sandra Bullock played the sexually pent-up, over-informed nerd Mary in the comedy “All About Steve,” and the experience of being ridiculed onscreen made her remember her own childhood difficulties.

“Why is that young boys and men are unique and eccentric and mavericks when they’re different but women are ‘odd’ when we are eccentric or different? Would I have wished someone would have said to me when I was 12 or eight when I had my speech impediment? Uniqueness is something my mother pounded it into me,” Bullock recently told Tarts. “She said be unique and I didn’t understand it then, now I look at it and I go I wouldn’t want to be like anyone else and I know I’m off. I had a lisp as a child, it’s all these things that made me different and I tried to squelch and then once I realized I had squelched them I didn’t feel like myself anymore.”

Bullock is so upset with the unwritten rules and regulations in today’s world she wants to spread a strong message to young girls.

“Don’t change, be who you are. Society is really strong in their opinions so I made peace with the fact that the things I thought were weaknesses or flaws were just me,” she added.

“Why are we forcing people to follow another person’s path in life taking away their real happiness? What is about us that is a culture that tries to get rid of what we consider the runt? Sometimes the runt turns out to be the best of the litter.”

Meanwhile Bullock’s co-star, man-of-the-moment Bradley Cooper, played coy when it came to questions about his personal life and romantic affiliations with the likes of Jennifer Aniston and Renee Zellweger.

“My imaginary personal life,” Cooper said. “There is a lot other worse things that could be happening than (the press) talking about stuff like that.”

Bullock, on the other hand, was quick to reveal what it is that has Hollywood hotties falling at their feet for Mr. Cooper.

“Innocent yet not. There is a real innocence to Bradley and a kindness. He is a girls’ guy and a guy’s guy,” she said. “He will come hang out with all of us girls. Then you forget he is there as a guy. Not in a bad way, in a very good way. He is very attractive to the ladies it’s a nice balance to have. No wonder all the girls are crazy about him.”

[From Fox News Pop Tarts]

Aw, I had a little lisp when I was a kid too. It still comes out when I’m drunk, tired or excited and not paying attention. Just some softening of the “S”. She sells seashells by the seashore. That was my Iwo Jima, that one. I also had problems with “hiss”. Or, as I used to say it, “hith”. Anyway, I totally love what Sandra is saying, and I hope more parents do teach their little girls that it’s totally cool and great to be unique and weird and special and say “hith” damn it.

Here’s Sandra in London on July 2nd. Images thanks to WENN.com .

As more bits and pieces of Tim Burton’s Alice In Wonderland have been released, we’ve all been getting excited. It’s not just the Deep-loonies who were squealing like little girls over the first pictures of the cast in character. It wasn’t just sci-fi dweebs who were crossing and re-crossing their legs in excitement with the first trailer for the film. But all of that paled in comparison to massive geek-out that occurred when Johnny Depp decided to make a brief appearance at Comic-Con Thursday evening. Even the Twihards stopped for a moment to breathe in the same air as the original Pattz-esque heartthrob. But when I say Johnny made a “brief” appearance at Comic-Con, I mean it. He only said five words to the crowd. Although I bet that was enough for at least a dozen spontaneous orgasms:

There had been murmurs that Johnny Depp, one of the stars of Tim Burton’s way weird live-action adaptation of Alice in Wonderland, would drop by this morning’s Disney 3-D panel.

And—would you look at that!—he did.

In fact, Depp stopped by, said five words and then totally just left.

Here’s what went down: After screening a custom-made trailer for his Comic-Con fans, director Burton asked the crowd if they would like to meet the “imaginary friend” that follows him around.

The crowd cheered and Depp, who plays the Mad Hatter, walked onstage in a button-up shirt and fitted black vest. He had long bangs sweeping the side of his face, and wore a thick leather bracelet.

After several moments of cheering, Depp whispered into the mic: “Hey. Happy to be here.” And then, poof, he was gone.

Moderator Patton Oswalt told the crowd that Depp could reappear later in the day, so “be nice to every guy you see dressed like Jack Sparrow.”

Meanwhile, Burton said he’s still filming the CGI-heavy fantasy flick, due next spring, and that he feels there’s a “white rabbit with a stop watch” timing him.

In terms of plot, he also dished that there was an effort to make Alice (Mia Wasikowska) more active in the story rather than a bunch of “weird scenes” happening to her. Oh, and remember that Depp isn’t the only person in this movie: Anne Hathaway and Helena Bonham Carter also star.

[From E! Online]

Right now I have Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit” playing in my mind. “Go ask Alice/When she’s ten feet tall…” Damn, now I’m thinking about the coolness that it Grace Slick. Anyway, here’s a fun fact: one of my favorite Johnny Depp performances is where he was playing the strung-out, drugged-up Raoul Duke, the alter ego of Hunter S. Thompson, in Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas. In a critical scene in the film, Raoul and Benicio del Toro’s character Dr. Gonzo are listening to Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit”. There are several allusions to the band and the song throughout the film. Just a little fun Johnny Depp and “Alice in Wonderland” related fact!

This video is so incredibly sweet, it’s sort of heartbreaking. Shia LaBeouf was being interviewed by Meredith Vieira on the Today Show (all for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen) when she pointed this young woman that Matt Lauer had spoken to outside of the studio. This girl is some sort of Shia-loonie, and she asked Matt if Shia was going to be coming out. Lauer must have invited the girl – named Samantha – inside to meet Shia, because at the end of Meredith’s interview, she asks Shia if he saw the girl. Shia says, “”I like Samantha a lot. She seems like a real special person. I would love to meet her – is she here?” Meredith brings Samantha on camera to meet Shia. Samanth seems very young – I’d put her around sixteen, but Lauer announces that she’s 20. She looks a little like Miley Cyrus, in my opinion.

When Samantha comes out, Shia is so sweet and gentle with her, it’s just incredible. Samantha is overwhelmed when Meredith asks her if she has any questions for Shia. She stutters out “I don’t know what to ask … I’m in shock … what kind of girl are you interested in – honestly, honestly. Just be honest.” Shia answers her, in a flirtatious way, “I don’t, no.” Meredith screams, “He doesn’t have a girlfriend!” While Samantha just says “Oh my God!” Then Shia leans in and asks Samantha, “What are doing for the rest of the day? My day is boring. Samantha says that she’s with her four friends and Shia looks thrilled and says, “Let’s round them up!” People has a little more:

There’s nothing like having Matt Lauer put in a good word for you, which certainly worked for an ardent admirer named Samantha on Thursday as she vied for the attention of Transformers star Shia LaBeouf while she stood in the plaza – talking to Lauer – outside the Today show’s Studio A.

Inside, in front of the cameras, co-host Meredith Vieira informed LaBeouf that there was a young woman outside who “wants you to go out.”

The actor’s response, after having watched Lauer chat with Samantha: “I like Samantha a lot. She seems like a real special person. I would love to meet her – is she here?”

Cue Samantha, coffee in hand, entering the studio. Ever the gentleman, LaBeouf, 23, calls her a sweetheart and laments not having a seat to offer her.

“You look great,” the actor says and asks if she is wearing her “say nice things to Shia outfit” – which the “shocked” young lady admits she is!

“I’ve been planning this all week,” Samantha says, “and I bought this [points to her floral skirt] … I can’t believe this!”

[From People]

Okay, sometimes I think Shia can be a little creepy and weird with all of the talk about how sexy his mom is, but I give him epic bonus points for being such a cool guy to his fans. It was really obvious to me from this video how Shia has learned to treat his fans with a lot of respect and kindness, and that goes a long way in an industry populated by divas, both male and female. Here’s something else to think about – I bet Shia really did make time to hang out with Samantha and her friends off camera, and probably not in a sleazy way, either. I bet he signed autographs and took pictures with them, and just made their year.

My favorite childhood pastime was playing with my dollhouse. I didn’t want anything to do with Barbie and her uncomfortable-looking feet. She was just so vapid and lacking in personality, as was her furniture. That’s what really got on my nerves: the décor. Unfortunately my love of tiny things has persisted into adulthood, though I don’t let myself own any. Unless sample-sized cosmetics count. But when I stumble across them on the internet, I have to pass them on.

Fark linked to a Flickr account of someone who made a bunch of freakishly accurate dioramas of classic television show sets. Most of the furniture has a Lego base and seems to be covered with Femo clay. Here’s what the artist says about their unusual hobby.

As a kid I loved visiting Hollywood and seeing various TV sets in soundstages. I was always forbidden from taking pictures so I would come home and build what I saw. I have not built a set in 12 years and these make great dust collectors. Now I have brought them out for you to see and have some half finished ones as well I am finally getting done. Sets are made of lots of different things but the basis is Lego bricks. A set can take from 2 weeks to a month to complete. Strange hobby I know but I hope you enjoy them!

[From On The Set’s Flickr account]

A lot of the sets are incredibly detailed. The builder did models of Rosanne, The Facts of Life, The Golden Girls, Alice, Designing Women, The Brady Bunch, Three’s Company, Cheers, The Price is Right, Pyramid, Family Ties, The Young and the Restless, and Empty Nest. They even included all the tech stuff like the lights and microphones hanging above. It was definitely more about the filming of the show than reproducing what we saw on television. What an unusual way to compensate for not being able to take a picture. I’m guessing no one else in the world has this hobby.

You can see all the television sets here: On The Set’s Flickr photos. Thanks to Fark for the idea.

Images of the sets from The Brady Bunch, Cheers, and Family Ties thanks to On The Set.

Much of the original set from George Lucas’ 1977 classic Star Wars is preserved in the Northern African desert of Tunisia where it was filmed. You can have a drink in the “Star Wars Bar,” stay in the cave hotel that served as Luke Skywalker’s home, and get your fill of Star Wars memorabilia. There are even friendly locals living in the set who are happy to share some bread and entertainment with tourists.

MATMATA, Tunisia — I have never been a “Star Wars” aficionado, to tell you the truth. The closest I ever came to appreciating the movie was singing along to the “Star Wars” ring tone on my colleague’s cell phone.

That is, until I took a trip to the planet Tatooine itself — a real place in the middle of the north African desert, a well-kept secret of Tunisia.

While ruthless Hollywood knocks over the set of each movie as soon as the director shouts his final “Cut!,” Tunisia, where George Lucas shot most of the “Star Wars” scenes, still keeps the original set from the ’70s, protecting it from the burning sun and the evil winds of the Sahara…

What seemed to be just another pile of desert rocks, gradually, as we approached, took the shape of the rockets, satellites and spheres of the 1976 “Star Wars’” production, the real-life science fiction amid the ancient desert.

Breathless and with my heart pounding, I wandered around the abandoned set, looking at the inscriptions “Mike and Lucy were here, 1987″ or “Luke, I love you! Jessie, 2001.”

As I peered inside one of the impeccably built constructions, I noticed a mattress and a small teapot on the sand floor. In a mere moment, the “owner” of the house was there: an elder Arab man dressed in a typical desert fashion.

Surprisingly, his French was perfect and he explained to me that since he had neither family nor money, he came to live in the movie set. He looks after the place, the real roof of the fake house protects him from the sandstorms, and if a tourist throws him a small coin every once in a while, he can buy some more tea and some food. And he is hardly the only one living in the Lucas-built wonderland in the middle of the Sahara…

A three-hour drive from the futuristic desert sits the town of Matmata where we stayed the night at the troglodyte hotel. Troglodytes, are Tunisian cave people who live in houses dug vertically into the ground, a couple of stories deep, complete with doors and staircases, but no windows.

Normally, you would visit them in the daytime: the troglodytes (most of whom nowadays have motorcycles and cars parked in front of their cave entrances) will gladly show you their property, feed you home-made bread with olive oil and honey, play the tambourine for your entertainment and just ask for a few coins for all this fun and pleasure.

We were much luckier. Not only did we sleep and eat at the troglodyte place, we stayed at the troglodyte hotel, Sidi Driss, which was used as the actual house of Uncle Owen and Aunt B, the underground home of Luke Skywalker in the “Star Wars” movies.

It is said that Matmata is the only town on our planet where the hotel is the main attraction, and I totally believe it.

Sidi Driss used to be a real troglodyte house, and in the beginning of the ’70s it was transformed into the hotel. When Lucas came to Tunisia to shoot the original “Star Wars,” he came across the hotel and liked it so much, that not only did he sleep there; he also built additional “space” decorations inside the structure to shoot the necessary scenes. I received my first insight on the Sidi Driss’ role in movie location history from an extremely excited American “Star Wars” fan, who was having dinner at the next table in the hotel’s tiny canteen…

Having consumed both the food and the info, we left the “restaurant” and took numerous pictures near the real Skywalker memorabilia — the interior of the hotel. Then we went into the “Star Wars Bar” — a small pit in the hotel used to film the famous bar scene, and continued our investigation over the fancy-spacey-named cocktails.

The bar was basically a secret “Star Wars” fan-club, containing dozens of hand-written journals, countless newspaper clips, pictures and other pieces of documentation proving over and over again that yes, Luke and his entourage were here!

It sounds like the ultimate vacation for a Star Wars fan. All of the Star Wars films have scenes from the Tunisian sets and there are sure to be plenty of gems to find.

Other movies filmed in Tunisia include The English Patient, The Life of Brian, and Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Pictures from Travel-Blog, Movie-Locations, DudMC, Memories.Over-Blog, and TravelPod.com.