Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Shaving for the part


Shaving for the part

As Aamir Khan -- ever one for look-altering roles -- prepares to go bald for his upcoming Ghajini remake, we check out other Bollywood heroes who have gone bald.

Salman Khan might have sported a floppy new trendsetting hairdo, but Tere Naam also saw him go smooth.


Akshay Kapoor went all ganja-like in mutant movie Alag.
Of course, seeing as we didn't really know him, this change wasn't as drastic -- co-star Dia Mirza seemed quite enamoured though.


Kamal Haasan went pretty mad with Abhay.
By which we mean his bald head was the sanest thing in the film.


Saif Ali Khan did everything needed for Omkara.
From close-cropped hair to muddy skin and an extended red fingernail, he was believably Langda Tyagi.


And finally, for all those who haven't yet managed to make it into the packed theatres showing Rajnikanth's latest magnum opus Sivaji has a pretty bald moment too. Check it out.

Monday, July 30, 2007

Hollywood bow wow brigade


Hollywood's bow-wow brigade

The world's luckiest pooches live in Hollywood.

Yup, Hollywood is also the kingdom of dreams for a legion of dogs, as well as cats, birds, horses and an occasional monkey or pig.

These little fellows have their own nannies, handlers and walkers. They move about in the flashy Lamborghinis and Ferraris their masters own.

Some of them have been to the Oscars. Others have attended star photo shoots and film shootings. Or been photographed in glossies like Hello! They often dine out at the best Beverly Hills eateries. And most of these hounds have seen more of the world than you and I.

In fact, quite a sizeable percentage of showbiz is mutt mad. Madonna, Eddie Murphy, Jake Gyllenhal, Geri Halliwell (Ginger Spice), Hillary Duff, Ashlee Simpson, Joss Stone, Paul McCartney, just to name a few, adore dogs. Melanie Griffith loves cats.

And did you know that George Clooney once had a pig? Yes he adopted the pig who starred in Babe and he and the pig were inseparable after that.

Or that singer Mariah Carey's Jack Russell terrier flies with her first class? And that she confessed that she sometimes takes a bath with him.

Come and meet a few celebrity pet owners:

Paris Hilton

The Hilton babe has often been accused of using her dog as a fashion accessory. Indeed the long-legged hotel heiress and socialite, recently released from Los Angeles County Jail, seldom appears in public without a wee woof hanging on her right arm like a Vuitton handbag.

Little Tinkerbell, her favourite Chihuahua is about as famous as Paris. She appeared on every episode of the rich-girl reality show The Simple Life in which Paris stars with Nicole Richie. The five-year-old Chihuahua, of Greek extraction, was kidnapped in 2005 but was found six days later.

Six-inch Tinkerbell has penned her own memoirs, The Tinkerbell Hilton Diaries, released in 2004.

Paris is seen here with her Yorkshire terrier. She also owns another Chihuahua as well as a cockatoo, kinkajou (a rainforest mammal resembling a raccoon and a ferret), ferret, a monkey and a few other dogs. Paris apparently sleeps every night with the monkey which led one showbiz blog to cattily remark: 'while the poor monkey is chosen to keep Paris company at night, you know the rest of animals are slowly digging a secret tunnel to freedom with a Louis Vuitton keychain and some popsicle sticks.'

Incidentally, according to a showbiz website, an empty can of dog food, procured from the Hilton family trash bin, sold for $305 on an eBay auction.


Britney Spears

The pop singer was voted the worst celebrity dog owner of 2006 in an online poll conducted by a dog magazine. Spears apparently sheds pets the way she casts off husbands and oscillates between a dogless and excessively dog-dependent existence.

Spears just hit the headlines with the photo-shoot she did with her newest $ 3,000 canine toy for OK! The shoot was a disaster when Spears decided to allow the Yorkie pup to poop on a $6,700 designer gown lent to her by the magazine.

In fact the erratic singer has spent many days popping in and out of pet shops looking for a new pup to colour her existence, which angered the Humane Society, who feel that she set a poor example frequenting these shops that manufacture pups by the dozen.


Reese Witherspoon

A confirmed dog lover, Witherspoon even acted in Legally Blonde with a mongrel. Except he was not really a mongrel -- he was Moonie (seen here), an expensive Chihuahua who has made appearances in other Hollywood films.

Witherspoon owns an English bulldog name Frank Sinatra, a Chihuahua named Chi Chi Rodriguez, and a French bulldog who she calls Coco Chanel. She occasionally dresses Coco up in pearls when they go out together.




Sheryl Crow

A Labrador freak, vegetarian country singer Sheryl Crow always tours with her favourite dog in tow.

She and Scout (part golden Lab; seen in this pic) bussed it all across the continent -- he sat backstage at each concert and probably knew the words of All I wanna do by heart. Crow picked up Scout from a dog shelter when he was a baby and has two other dogs as well.

Scout recently died and the singer was considering taking Rex, her latest Lab, who was just operated for a heart murmur, on tour. But Rex has a penchant for chewing shoes and Crow was worried she might end up on stage without shoes.



Charlize Theron

'If you don't wear your dog, please don't wear any fur.'

That was the message on a PETA poster South African actress Charlize Theron appeared in along with her dog Tucker.

Theron, who won an Oscar for Monster, loves all animals, most of all dogs, and is often seen in public with a pack of dogs around her. Or she brings them with her to photo shoot.

In addition to Tucker, she once adopted a stray in Italy, who she named Orson and she has two spaniels named Delilah and Denver. Folks who live around Malibu Beach often see her out with her dogs. And Orson, Theron once recounted, was a fixture at Malibu mansions often leaving home to have dinner with a new neighbour each night.


Ben Affleck

According to wikifido: ever since he was a little boy, actor Ben Affleck always wished he had a dog.

His mom was nervous that if she got him a dog he would not take proper care of it. She suggested that he walk an imaginary dog every night which Affleck did dutifully for just five days. So he never got a dog.

Now the Good Will Hunting star has five dogs who are nearly 24/7 companions.


Gwen Stefani

Gavin Rossdale, lead singer and guitarist for British band Bush and pop artist and No Doubt singer Gwen Stefani are often seen strolling through London with their loveable and large black sheepdog Winston (they apparently have two dogs).

Winston was the best man at their wedding in St Paul's Church, Covent Garden in 2002.

London's Sunday Mirror put it best: 'even a simple walk with the dogs can be a fashion parade for some people -- and if there's one pop chick who knows how to make a statement, it's Gwen Stefani. But we're not talking about her bright red trackie ensemble. While most celebs are obsessed with their rat-size dogs, singer/fashion designer Gwen has gone to the other extreme. The star took her large Hungarian sheepdog Winston and her new mop dog for a walk in London's Primrose Hill -- none of this squeezing your dog into a handbag nonsense.'


Eva Longoria

Move over Tony Parker. Snow-white Maltese terrier Jinxy, quite obviously, is the love of Desperate Housewives star, Eva Longoria's life.

When American basketball celeb Tony and Eva married in a castle outside Paris a few weeks ago, Jinxy apparently had the pew of honour at Eglise Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois church. She also wore a special designer collar for the nuptials.

However, Eva is seen here with a Pomerian for a promotional event she was doing for London department store Harrods.



Renee Zellweger

Here's actress Renee Zellweger with golden retriever-collie Dylan, also called Woofer, who she found in a Texas pound.

For 15 long years, Dylan was the centre of the Bridget Jones's Diary star's life. When he departed for the happy hunting grounds a few years ago, she was heart-broken and told British magazine Empire, 'When she died, home didn't exist anymore.'



Ozzy Osbourne

The Osbourne household is mad about canines. Their Buckinghamshire residence, north of London, has brimmed with anywhere between five and 11 dogs.

The Black Sabbath singer is seen here with his favourite bulldog.

He has been quoted as saying, 'I love dogs. I can relate to them better than some people. They've all got their own personalities. The kids get new dogs and then they f**k off to Europe for work and I'm left with them. But dogs are alright -- they don't sit around all day going, 'Hmmm, how can I rip him off?', unlike a lot of the people I've met in my life.'


Salman Khan

Closer to home our own Salman 'Sallu' Khan loves his dogs -- MySon and MyJaan. They live at the actor's Panvel farmhouse, outside Mumbai.

And don't forget he appeared in Mujhse Shaadi Karogi with a pug on his motorbike.

Sunday, July 29, 2007

Heart Ailment Sidelines Kiss Singer


Heart Ailment Sidelines Kiss Singer

Kiss lead singer and guitarist Paul Stanley had to bow out of a Southern California concert because of heart problems before the show, according to his Web site.

Band-mates Gene Simmons, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer played the Friday night gig at Soboba Casino, about 90 miles east of Los Angeles, as Stanley was taken to the hospital.

"During sound check yesterday, my heart spontaneously jumped to 190 plus beats per minute where it stayed for over an hour necessitating paramedics to start an IV and give me a shot to momentarily stop my heart and get it into a normal pattern," Stanley said in the Saturday Web site posting.

"Not knowing if this episode was life threatening made it even more exhausting," the statement continued.

Phone and e-mail messages for Kiss manager Doc McGhee seeking comment about Stanley's condition were not immediately returned Saturday night.

It was Kiss' first ever appearance as a trio, according to the band's Web site.

As famous for their makeup, stage mayhem and wagging tongues as their music, Kiss recorded the 1970s hits "Rock and Roll All Nite" and "Detroit Rock City."

The 55-year-old Stanley, born Stanley Eisen, released a solo album, "Live to Win," in 2006.

Lohan's Legal Woes Get Even Worse


Lohan's Legal Woes Get Even Worse

HOLLYWOOD - The man whose foot Lindsay Lohan drove over as she left a party in pursuit of a former assistant is threatening to sue the actress.

Ronnie Blake was one of three partygoers who were inside a white GMC SUV when the intoxicated Mean Girls star allegedly commandeered the vehicle to chase Tarin Grahame through the streets of Malibu, California, on Monday night.

But Blake managed to get out of the vehicle just before Lohan sped off, with his two pals, Dante Nigro and Jakon Sutter fearing for their lives inside.

The three men have now hired attorney Randall Billington to represent them as they consider legal action against Lohan.

If the action goes ahead, Blake will be seeking damages for his injuries, while Nigro and Sutter are considering pressing false imprisonment and stolen-vehicle charges.

Billington insists the trio should not be seen as opportunists looking to get rich quick from a celebrity.

He says, "It was a surprise to them that the vehicle was taken without their permission. They were unable to remove themselves from the vehicle while it was traveling... They never expected to be in a car with her (Lohan)."

After speeding the GMC around the streets of Malibu, Lohan allegedly went to Grahame's home in Santa Monica, where she began a second chase with her former assistant's mother, facialist to the stars Michelle Peck.

Peck called police to report the facts she was being chased and the authorities arrested Lohan in a car park a block away from a police station in Santa Monica.

Lindsay Lohan

When it came time to find a young actress to assume the role of the twins (originated by Hayley Mills) for the 1998 remake of the film "The Parent Trap," an exhaustive casting search occurred throughout the USA, Canada and even in London. Perhaps because the behind-the-scenes figures opted to avoid the obvious and cast the Olsen twins, thousands of girls were considered. After three callbacks and a screen test with stars Dennis Quaid and Natasha Richardson, freckle-faced Long Islander, Lindsay Lohan, won the role....

Full Biography

When it came time to find a young actress to assume the role of the twins (originated by Hayley Mills) for the 1998 remake of the film "The Parent Trap," an exhaustive casting search occurred throughout the USA, Canada and even in London. Perhaps because the behind-the-scenes figures opted to avoid the obvious and cast the Olsen twins, thousands of girls were considered. After three callbacks and a screen test with stars Dennis Quaid and Natasha Richardson, freckle-faced Long Islander, Lindsay Lohan, won the role. Although she was just 11 years old when she was cast, she had an impressive resume. As the lovely redhead grew into adulthood, she continued to impress critics and gain fans of all ages – but most particularly, the ‘tween set who grew up along with her. After making her star-making turn in the hit comedy, “Mean Girls,” and her first adult romance with actor Wilmer Valderrama, Lohan became a favorite of the press. But once the still underage actress began hitting the town, losing drastic weight and getting into numerous fender benders – to say nothing of her numerous trips to the hospital for various reasons – it was then that the tabloids and blog sites began referencing her wild child ways more than her still consistently good work on screen.
Born July 2, 1986 in New York City, NY, Lindsay Morgan Lohan was the oldest child of four born to mother Dina Lohan, a former Radio City Rockette, and Michael Lohan, a long-time Wall Street trader. Their daughter began modeling at age three and was purported to be the first red-haired child signed by the Ford Modeling Agency. TV commercials for various products followed, including a Jell-O spot with pitchman Bill Cosby. Lohan also had recurring roles on two daytime dramas – CBS' "Guiding Light" and as Ali Fowler on NBC's "Another World" – before she landed the first movie role for which she ever auditioned. Playing twins separated at birth – one American and one British – for "The Parent Trap" remake, she turned in a delightful and skilled performance which led to numerous offers for the youngster. Lohan next filmed the telepic "Life-Size" (2000) – originally a "Wonderful World of Disney" production later released on home video – opposite Tyra Banks as a Barbie-style doll come-to-life – part of Lohan's three-picture deal with Disney. In 2000, Lohan was cast as Bette Midler's teen daughter on the short-lived CBS sitcom, "Bette" (2000). After shooting the pilot episode, the show's producers decided it would be easier on the L.A.-based crew if filming moved to California, so Lindsay gave up the role to stay in New York.

Finding consistent work, Lohan next played Lexy Gold in the Disney Channel telepic, "Get a Clue" (2002). The young actress also pursued a musical career when Emilio Estefan, Jr. took her under his professional wing in 2002, offering up a five-album production deal and the promise of an aggressive effort to sell her popular style "with a rock edge" to a major record label. The busy youngster also worked as a model for Abercrombie & Fitch Kids (A&F Kids) and Calvin Klein Kids.

Lohan continued her relationship with the Mouse Factory, signing on to play Anna Coleman in the theatrical remake of the body-swapping comedy "Freaky Friday" (2003) opposite Jamie Lee Curtis as the mother-and-daughter team who wake up one day in each other's bodies. The film was a surprise summer hit, generating over $100 million at the box office and raising Lohan's profile even further. Also helpful was a well reported public feud with fellow teen queen Hilary Duff, after the two briefly shared a boyfriend, singer Aaron Carter. Like Duff, she also incorporated her singing career into her acting gig, with the "Freaky Friday" soundtrack including her debut single, "Ultimate." Lohan returned to the big screen by carrying the chick-flick comedy, "Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen" (2004) on her solo shoulders. In the film, Lohan played Lola, an egocentric teen uprooted from her home town who feels the world revolves around her and finds herself competing for attention in Manhattan, using grander and grander schemes. The actress provided vocals on four songs from the film's soundtrack, including "Drama Queen (That Girl)," "What Are You Waiting For," "A Day in the Life" and a medley that incorporated the original song "Don't Move On" with her take on Stevie Wonder's "Living for the City" and David Bowie's "Changes."

Next up was a slightly edgier role – one that would make her an international star and change the course of her life, elevating her to A-list status. Taking on the lead in "Mean Girls" (2004), a funny if familiar comedy penned by Tina Fey, which explored the in-fighting amongst a clique of catty high school girls, Lohan helped lead the film to box office success and watched it firmly cement her star power – this time, even beyond her teen and 'tween core audience. Under the wing of new mentor Tommy Mottola, the famed head of Sony Music, Lohan also released her first full album, Speak, which swiftly achieved platinum status and featured the single "Rumors," in which she decried the gossipy buzz that had begun to surround her every move.

Indeed, the young actress' rapidly maturing body and youthful sex appeal – combined with a burgeoning reputation for enjoying the Hollywood night life, despite being underage – suddenly made her regular fodder for celebrity gossip. These same publications dutifully covered her denials about having received breast implants, her brief 2004 relationship with TV actor Wilmer Valderrama, her alleged hard-partying ways, an aggressive paparazzi pursuit that resulted in a fender bender, and – after her figure had turned voluptuous and her titian hair became her trademark – her eyebrow-raising rapid weight loss (which the actress attributed to a healthier lifestyle) and new look as a bottled blonde. The actress also had to deal with press reports regarding her estranged father Michael Lohan, whose alleged substance abuse and short temper (he reportedly threatened the lives of his ex-wife and children) resulted in several brushes with the law, including a legal restraining order preventing him from contact with his family and jail time for a litany of legal offenses, including assaulting his brother-in-law at his son's first communion party, violating terms of his restraining order and a 2005 drunk driving crash in which his vehicle struck a utility pole in Long Island and caught fire. Further estranging his famous daughter, he also sought to claim a percentage of his offspring's earnings.

Despite all the lurid press, Lohan's popularity continued unabated and Disney cast her in further family fare, this time in the remake of the studio's famous "Love Bug" franchise, "Herbie: Fully Loaded" (2005) as a young girl who inherits the legendary Volkswagen Beetle and takes it to the NASCAR race circuit. The Mouse House did have some concerns about the voluptuous Lohan's image in regards to how their young audience might react, spending considerable sums to digitally decrease her growing bust size after it was deemed distracting.

In 2005, a mounting pile of scandalous headlines began plaguing the actress. She was rushed to the hospital during filming of “Herbie,” reportedly due to “exhaustion.” This would not be the last time Lohan would be hospitalized for a variety of ailments. She was in her second auto accident of the year, again blaming pursuing paparazzi. Her private life made headlines for the umpteenth time that year when she confessed to Vanity Fair that she had indeed experienced an eating disorder earlier that year – specifically, bulimia – that accounted for her significant weight loss and that she was shocked back to healthier ways after being confronted by "Saturday Night Live" (NBC, 1975- ) producer Lorne Michaels and head writer Tina Fey while hosting the show that year. She also admitted to experimenting with drugs. The cover story was released just as Lohan was hospitalized for a reported asthma attack in Miami after ringing in 2006. Within a week, Lohan denied having made the statements to the magazine, saying her words were "misconstrued." The magazine stood by the story.

After moving on from Disney – and consequently her childhood image – Lohan began taking on more womanly parts in impressive ensembles and holding her own opposite some of Hollywood's most admired talents. She joined the impressive cast of Emilio Estevez's independent film "Bobby" (2006) – which included Anthony Hopkins and Sharon Stone – about the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, and costarred opposite Oscar-winner Meryl Streep in Robert Altman's last film, "A Prairie Home Companion" – both released in 2006. She costarred with her reported off-screen love interest, Jared Leto, in "Chapter 27" (2007), an indie film about a woman who befriends Mark David Chapman during the weekend that he kills John Lennon in New York City. Although she continued to land roles in impressive films opposite heavyweight actors like Jane Fonda in "Georgia Rule" (2007) – the film she was making when its producers made public a scolding letter to curb her on set tardiness from all the partying – Lohan's increasingly erratic behavior and seemingly non-stop personal drama began shifting the focus from her undeniable onscreen talent to being the punchline of jokes.

For La Lohan, as she was being called on the internet, 2006 was more one long banner tabloid headline than a focus on career. If she was not caught getting out of boats and cars sans panties, she was getting into fights with fellow party girls like Paris Hilton. In fact, Hilton and her fellow trust fund baby, Brandon Davis, coined the term, “firecr*tch” in reference to Lohan, after both were caught on tape by TMZ.com mocking the actress in graphic terms. Celebrity bloggers and tabloids lived for Lohan's every move throughout the year, reporting gleefully on her relationships gone awry – including a summer romance with restaurant heir, Harry Morton – or her numerous trips to the hospital for "exhaustion." It was little wonder, that by year's end, GQ magazine named Lohan their “Obsession of the Year." At the time the magazine threw their annual party to celebrate their year-end issue, Lohan allegedly made a scene after seeing her ex-personal assistant in attendance and forced Al Gore to publicly denounce having spoken at length with her that night. Following only days later, the press reported – and Lohan later confirmed but downplayed – that a doctor was called to the Chateau Marmont for a rumored Lohan overdose. This shocking announcement was followed in quick succession by her mother Dina Lohan admitting on Ryan Seacrest’s radio show that her daughter had begun attending Alcoholics Anonymous.

Fans hoped that the actress would ease up on her fast track lifestyle and get back to the basics – her undeniable ability to light up the big screen with her luminous beauty and charm. Only weeks into the new year, however, Lohan was back in the news for entering rehab, reportedly at Wonderland Treatment Center in L.A., and released the statement that ""I have made a proactive decision to take care of my personal health. I appreciate your well wishes and ask that you please respect my privacy at this time." For a spell, it seemed as though she had her priorities in order. But on May 26, 2007, Lohan was driving down Sunset Boulevard at 5:30 am and lost control of her Mercedes-Benz, crashing into a hedge and fleeing the scene of the accident. Police found a small amount of what they believed was a “usable amount” of cocaine. Three days after the accident, Lohan checked herself into Promises Treatment Center in Malibu, CA. She left rehab in late-June and voluntarily agreed to wear an alcohol-monitoring device, something she enjoyed showing off to friends and paparazzi while being seen partying about town.

Then on July 2, 2007, Lohan turned 21 and was finally able to drink legally. A couple of weeks later, she quietly surrendered to Beverly Hills Police for her Memorial Day weekend incident and faced charges for a misdemeanor hit and run, and driving under the influence. Mere days after turning herself in, however, Lohan was again the victim of her own circumstances. On July 24, 2007, the of-age starlet was arrested in Santa Monica shortly after midnight. Police said they received a frantic call of a car chase on Pico Boulevard – it turned out that the vehicle in pursuit was driven by Lohan, and the vehicle being chased was driven by the mother of Lohan’s personal assistant, who had quit her employment earlier in the evening. Lohan was taken into custody in the parking lot of the Santa Monica Civic Center, registering a blood alcohol level of about 0.12, well above the California legal limit of 0.08. She was later charged with suspicion of drunken driving, possession of cocaine, bringing a controlled substance into custody and driving on a suspended license. Lohan was released on $25,000 bail and was set to be arraigned on August 24, 2007 – the same day she was scheduled to appear in Beverly Hills for her Memorial Day weekend DUI.

Saturday, July 28, 2007

Usher Cancels Wedding With Tameka Foster


Usher Cancels Wedding With Tameka Foster

The wedding between Usher and his pregnant fiance has been canceled, his publicist told The Associated Press on Saturday.

It was expected the multiplatinum singer would marry his longtime girlfriend, Tameka Foster, this weekend. The pair are expecting their first child together sometime this fall.

However, a statement released by publicist Patti Webster read: "It was announced today that the wedding ceremony for Usher Raymond, IV and Tameka Foster was canceled. No additional information will be given regarding the circumstances of the cancellation, but we hope the privacy of this matter will be respected."

Foster and Usher announced their engagement earlier this year, and later, that she was expecting his first child. She has three other children from a previous marriage.

It was not immediately clear whether the pair was still engaged or even a couple.


Friday, July 27, 2007

Divorce Court Judge Chides Lohan's Dad

Divorce Court Judge Chides Lohan's Dad


A judge chided Michael Lohan on Friday for his failure to make child support payments to Lindsay Lohan's younger brother and sister since his release from prison earlier this year.

"The obligation to pay child support is absolute. ... It is not to be taken willy-nilly," state Supreme Court Justice Robert A. Ross scolded Lohan in a brief proceeding inside a small, standing-room-only Long Island courtroom. "Enough is enough."

The court appearance by Lohan and his estranged wife, Dina, who have been separated since 2005, attracted a brigade of photographers, reporters and camera crews eager for any snippet of Lohan news following the arrest earlier this week of their daughter Lindsay.

"She's in a safe place and she's doing well," Dina Lohan said of Lindsay outside the courthouse; she did not speak in the courtroom.

The 21-year-old actress was arrested Tuesday in Santa Monica, Calif., and released on bail for investigation of misdemeanor driving under the influence and with a suspended license and felony cocaine possession. She has insisted in an e-mail to an entertainment reporter that she is innocent of the latest allegations, which come just two weeks after she was released from her second stint in rehab this year.

Her plight wasn't mentioned in the courtroom Friday.

Ross' primary concern was for the welfare of Aliana, 13, and brother, Dakota, 10. Another brother, Michael, is 19 and doesn't require child support.

Since his release from state prison in March after serving more than 20 months for attempted assault and other charges, Lohan said he has lived and worked at a rehabilitation center called Teen Challenge, but receives no salary that could be used to pay child support to his two youngest children.

He also said he is putting together a rehab center that he intends to run with others beginning in September, and said he should begin receiving income from that enterprise at that time. He wasn't specific.

"For five months, you did not need one cent?" Ross asked about the time spent since Lohan's release from prison. "This is not just about his needs, but the children's needs are not being met."

When Ross asked Lohan what income he had earned as an investment banker before going to prison, he was unable to give a specific answer.

An exasperated judge then imposed a $500-a-week child support order and instructed Lohan to provide proof that he is seeking employment by the next court date on Aug. 10.

Outside the courthouse, Lohan said he has other priorities besides making money.

"I am not on Lindsay's payroll and everyone that cared about Lindsay was extricated, fired, or quit. I was extricated myself, because I care," he said. "I want nothing. This is not a money issue with me, this is a child issue with me. It's about putting my family back together and helping Lindsay and anyone else that I can through the message that I'm trying to share with anyone else."

When asked whether he would seek employment, as the judge ordered, he countered: "I work for Teen Challenge. I work for God."

Besides the proceeding in divorce court, the Lohans are expected in Family Court on Monday to discuss custody and visitation issues involving their younger children.


Emergency Call in Lohan Arrest Released


Authorities have released an audio copy of the 911 call made by the mother of Lindsay Lohan's former personal assistant in the minutes before Lohan's arrest.

The woman pleaded frantically for help early Tuesday because a mysterious car was following her, according to the audio copy, released Thursday. The 911 call lasted nearly three minutes.

Lohan, 21, was arrested for investigation of misdemeanor driving under the influence and with a suspended license, and felony cocaine possession.

Her personal assistant had quit hours before the event, police said.

The woman contacted a Santa Monica police dispatcher shortly after 1:30 a.m. Tuesday while driving on Wilshire Boulevard. She apparently didn't realize the actress was in the white GMC following her.

"We were just about to park our car. We are turning home and out of nowhere a huge white GMC came up," the woman said to the dispatcher.

"We're being followed by a GMC ... the gentleman jumped out of the car," she said a few seconds later. "Oh my God, sir, they're following us. We need help."

The dispatcher repeatedly asked the woman for her location. The woman eventually said she was heading for the police station.

Police said the woman, accompanied by a passenger, drove her black Cadillac Escalade into the parking lot of Santa Monica's Civic Auditorium, about a block away from the police department, followed by Lohan driving a Yukon sport utility vehicle.

During the call, the woman could be heard saying, "Oh my God, what is he doing?" Near the end, hysterical but muffled yelling and screaming is heard.

A few moments later, the woman could be heard in the background, apparently pointing out people to the officers.

"That's him, that's him right there," she said. "And him, stop them."

Authorities saw Lohan and the woman in what police have called a "heated debate." They also said two men were with the actress in the car.

Three men have alleged they were with Lohan when she began chasing the woman, celebrity Web site TMZ.com reported Thursday.

According to the Web site, the men alleged that Lohan commandered the car outside a party in Malibu, about 20 miles away. One of the men claimed to have jumped out of the car just as Lohan accelerated, TMZ said.

The allegations could not be independently verified by The Associated Press.

Lohan's lawyer, Blair Berk, declined comment when reached late Thursday by the AP.

Santa Monica police Sgt. Marty Fine declined comment and referred questions to a media representative who wasn't available.

Los Angeles police and sheriff's officials had no comment. They said they had not been contacted by the Santa Monica Police Department, which is leading the investigation.

Lohan's latest film, "I Know Who Killed Me," opened in theaters Friday.

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Paris Hilton’s Green Ambitions


Paris Hilton’s Green Ambitions

While attending an eco-friendly party for music magazine BPM at the Avalon, a trendy downtown LA nightclub, Paris Hilton told reporters that she has decided to swap her gas guzzling SUV for a Ford Hybrid.

“I’m getting a car from Ford, a hybrid one. They gave me one. So, I think driving hybrid cars is the new way to go, and recycling,” an insightful Paris stated. Ford gave the “Simple Life” star the Hybrid as a way of convincing her that going green had more than one meaning.

Apparently, Ford was successful in sparking the “green bug” in Paris, as she has decided to use her MySpace page to promote the message of green living.

Paris said, “I’m going to start writing (on MySpace) about ways kids can help save the world, because anyone can do it, no matter how old you are or where you’re from. I just want this world to be a better place for my grandchildren. I’m scared with what’s going on in the environment, so I hope people will help and make a difference. Everyone can.”

Stay tuned as we keep you posted on Paris’s green initiatives which are sure to be both media rich and profitable, as the hotel heiress and celebrity superstar recently boasted “I’ve made, like, $200m in the last year, while J-Lo’s made $150m.”

Nicky Hilton Gets A Place Of Her Own


Operating in the shadows, as always, Nicky Hilton recently bought a house in the Hollywood Hills. This move comes just weeks after Nicky’s sister, Paris Hilton, began renting out a Malibu Beach house.

Nicky reportedly spent an estimated $3 million for her new 4,000 square foot pad. The architecture of the home is a post-Depression Era vintage, traditional-style that would be considered relatively modest by most critics.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the house includes three-bedrooms, four and a half bathrooms, a combination office/gym, swimming pool, and a grand entertainment room. Nicky’s selection of neighborhoods comes at no surprise, as her new place is located very close to the areas top restaurants and boutiques.

Recent reports have stated that Nicky might be fed up with the irresponsible behavior of her sister that wound up resulting in the media frenzy of the century, and this new purchase might just be the cure. Now that Nicky owns her own home, she can always retreat away from Paris when the inevitable absurdities occur.

Harry Potter queues up for Tendulkar's autograph

Harry Potter queues up for Tendulkar's autograph

New Delhi: It was a case of a wizard meeting a wizard. Actor Daniel Radcliffe queued up for an autograph of master blaster Sachin Tendulkar at the end of the Lord's Test.
Since the final volume of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows hit the stands, the whole world seems under the grip of a Pottermania but Potter himself seemed to be a great fan of the Indian batting maestro.
Michael Vaughan's men, however, could not gift Daniel, who turned 18 on Monday, a birthday gift an England victory.
Interestingly, Daniel also had nightmares where he found himself stalked by the English opener Andrew Strauss.
“I was telling people in a recent interview that I had a dream that Andrew Strauss was chasing me with a cricket bat. It was during the West Indies series when Andrew wasn’t doing too well and an Australian who was listening in piped up and said ‘I wouldn’t worry about Strauss, if he had a swing at you at the moment he’d probably miss’,” Radcliffe said.

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Bollywood's Heist Films


Thieves take over Bollywood

This Friday sees the release of Anubhav Sinha's Cash, a film the director describes as a caper film. Bollywood's seen quite a few of these in recent years, and here -- in alphabetical order -- is a set of 10 caper films of different kinds.

Of course, you could just call the list Why DVD Players Should be Banned In Mumbai.Read on.



Aankhein

Vipul Shah's film had disgruntled bank manager (Amitabh Bachchan) leading a gang of blind crooks (Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal and Arjun Rampal) towards his former place of employment. Sushmita Sen, meanwhile, plays Catherine Entrapment Zeta Jones.




Apna Sapna Money Money

Sangeeth Sivan's contrived 'comedy' is a Mumbai-based melee of skimpily clad women and con-men. Watch out for Riteish Deshmukh, though, as a comely master (mistress?) of disguise.





Bluffmaster

Rohan Sippy went retro with this ode to father Ramesh's films, the late-70s era of Big B coolth -- and Ridley Scott's Matchstick Men. Abhishek Bachchan commendably played it with a straight face. Nana Patekar, Riteish and the soundtrack made the film even better.




Bunty Aur Babli

Shaad Ali's film had a bunch of fine songs and a massive amount of overkill, but while Abhishek managed to carry a couple of scenes, this was Rani Mukerji's show all the way. Daddy Bachchan should only have been around for the item song.




Chocolate

Vivek Agnihotri took The Usual Suspects to London, painted it in monotones, and added bad songs. Suniel Shetty plays Keyser Soze. 'nuff said?




Dhoom: 2

This Sanjay Gadhvi music video didn't make any sense, but Hrithik Roshan oiled up his abs, juggled a few different wigs, and smiled at his job as the world's best thief. What else does a film need?



Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena

Suparn Verma took on Confidence, but aided by a cast featuring Koena Mitra and Fardeen Khan, this was always going to be a stretch. One hopes the animated version works better.




Fool N Final

Choreographer Ahmed Khan got together a bizarre cast for this multistarrer, but hiring a scriptwriter must have been too monumental an effort. So here we go with a pained rehashing of Guy Ritchie's Snatch, with Sunny Deol in the Brad Pitt role. Nope, even Ayesha Takia as Wonder Woman isn't enough of a reason to watch this one.




Phir Hera Pheri

Priyadarshan's original Hera Pheri remains one of the best comedies of the 1990s, but he gave up on the trio and writer Neeraj Vora directed it instead. Ironically, he chose not to write either, save to copy Guy Ritchie's breakthrough debut, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Ack.




Kaante

The big daddy of DVD-filmmakers, Sanjay Gupta went all out with this one, a killer soundtrack hardly masking blatant lifts -- plots and scenes -- from Reservoir Dogs and Swordfish. And when Sanjay Dutt literally translates Dogs lines to Amitabh, you realise just how ghastly this mess can be.


Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Call me the female Schumacher


'Call me the female Michael Schumacher'

After duds like Just Married, Ankahee, and Pyare Mohan, Esha Deol is hoping to 'cash' in on her latest action moviw with Ajay Devgan, Riteish Deshmukh, Zayed Khan, Shamita Shetty and Dia Mirza.

Directed by Anubhav Sinha, Cash opens this Friday, and will see Esha in a full-length action role for the first time.

The actress chats with Narendra Singh about her latest film.

Judging by the promos, it seems you have done lots of action in Cash.

You can call me the female Michael Schumacher. It's an adventurous role and I am sure a lot of girls must be dreaming about this role. We had to shoot in Cape Town, as you can't drive at full speed in the streets of Mumbai.

I went for motor training classes and got a chance to drive cars at full speed, proving that boys aren't the only ones who can drive fast! After watching the film, a lot of girls may try to do the stunts. But I'd advice them to be safe.


You also did an uncut song for the film.

Yes, we did a song for the film, which was more of a promotional thing, in one take. It's the dream of every actor and dancer to perform a song in one take and I would like to thank director Anubhav and choreographer Rajeev, who gave me this opportunity.

Doing this song was difficult, as there were many corridors in the song, which were very confusing. If you were to take few rounds of it, I am sure you would have fallen off (laughs). We have given our best shot for the song. I sure it will rock in days to come.

The title of the film is Cash. How obsessed are you with it?

Money is definitely important for me. But again, it should not lead to an obsession. I am okay with whatever amount God gives or whatever amount destiny has earmarked for me. There is no need to be greedy.

How do you manage your finances?

I am very bad with my finances. I only know how to dance and act. My mom takes care of my finances.


Tell us about the story.

Cash is about a chase and has this element of speed in it. I can't divulge much about the film, as Anubhav might feel bad. The film is a surprise package in itself. I can say this with full confidence that adults as well as kids will enjoy the film equally.

Who are you paired with?

My character, for a major part of the film, is linked with both Riteish and Zayed. In the end, I have to settle for one of them.




A major part of the film was shot in Cape Town. How was the experience?

We shot there for almost 60 days. The weather was cold and windy. We had to wear woollen clothes.

Cape Town has been pretty lucky for you.

Yes, I was here before for the shoot of No Entry, which became a super-duper hit. When I went there for Cash, I knew the city pretty well.

And yes, it a very 'safe' town. The city offers you many opportunities to indulge yourself in. Someday, I would like to buy a house in Cape Town, on a beach.


The look of the film has been inspired form Japanese manga comics.

If you have ever played a play station, you will realise that all the characters have been inspired from video games. Even the looks of the characters are the same.

My look in the film is similar to that of a Mohawk. God has given me an excellent forehead and through this role, I have got ample opportunity to display it.

Did you have a harrowing time in Cape Town because of Ajyay Devgan's pranks?

This is my fourth film with Ajay and whenever he indulges in a prank, he is not alone. I assist him. We have played pranks together on so many people.

I guess your association with Anubhav Sinha has hit off really well.

I did not get enough opportunity to showcase my skills in Dus, but Cash has worked out really well. Our tuning is good and I feel I fit the role to a T.

Monday, July 23, 2007

Celebrities Showing their Body Tattoos


Celebrities Showing their Body Tattoos

In India, tattoos are frowned upon in the professional and matrimonial world. But when you’re a celebrity none of that matters. With every passing year celebrity tattoos are becoming more and more visible in Bollywood. Akshay Kumar got one because he missed his son and so did Arjun Rampal for his two daughters. We see celebs from the world of films and sport displaying their tattoos and body art on television or magazines. Gone are the days when tattoos were looked down on with contempt. Today they’re very much a part of the mainstream culture in Bollywood and Hollywood. Let’s meet the people who are an important part of making tattoos much more than a fad.


Sanjay Dutt

The bad ass of Bollywood Sanjay Dutt is a part of the tattoo brigade. Sanjay has a large tattoo of a lion etched onto his arm.

Valorous as it may be, the tattoo becomes a headache for his makeup man who sometimes spends more than two hours in concealing his body art.


50 Cent

The gangsta rapper displays his tattoos in their full glory in music videos as he performs without a shirt. 50 Cent has a tattoo of the number 50 inscribed on his back, this is along with his neighborhood Southside and Cold World.

The rapper reasons that the tattoos represent where he’s from. Another tattoo that can be seen on his bicep is of a Marquise with an axe. He explains that though the axe signifies his warrior spirit, he wouldn’t want his son to get something like that.


Akshay Kumar

Akshay Kumar is another action star to have got himself a tattoo. Unlike Sanjay’s tattoo which symbolizes bravery, Akshay’s tattoo is sentimental in nature.

The tattoo is in the name of his son Aarav. The dad got this done when he began missing his son’s presence.


Britney Spears

The princess of teen pop who began with a squeaky clean image, but as her career progressed she started sprouting tattoos all over her body. This was all part of Britney’s transformation, she has a tattoo of a fairy on her waistline and a tattoo of a cross below her belly to name a few.

Her other tattoos are located on her foot, wrist and the back of her neck. Britney’s most notorious tattoo is the one she got after she shaved her head. The spectacle drove the paparazzi into frenzy.


Raveena Tandon

The ‘Mast Mast’ girl was one of the first actresses bold enough to get a tattoo. In fact this would make her the unlikely trendsetter in a way.

The tattoo is located close to her shoulder, it bears the mark of her zodiac sign; the scorpion.


Johnny Depp

The classy actor has had a romance with body art that has lasted more than two decades. Johnny sports his tattoos for sentimental reasons, he has tattoos of people and places that he values.

Of the 11 ‘visible’ tattoos on his body, there is an engraved heart with the words ‘Betty Sue’ that honors his mother. Another tattoo over his heart has the words Lily Rose inscribed in ornate lettering; this one is in the name of his daughter. A tattoo of a bird in flight on his right forearm is in the name of his son and popular onscreen character Jack.


Esha Deol

Esha chose the occasion of buddy Zayed Khan’s film function to display the tattoo she’s been wanting for a long time. The actress got the Gayatri Mantra inscribed on the back of her right shoulder.

The actress stated that her devotion was the cause for choosing the tattoo. Thankfully for Esha the moral police wasn’t watching television when she unveiled her tattoo.


Angelina Jolie

Among the female celebrities, Angelina has to be the one on top of the list. Of course her list of tattoos continues to grow this includes a large thai tattoo of a tiger on her lower back. Her tattoos are a reflection of her personality, exotic and with more than just a hint of dangerous sensuality.

Angelina has made the tribal dragon one of the most popular tattoos for women. She manages to combine her wild streak with elegance, perhaps that’s what attracted Brad...


Arjun Rampal

Arjun is yet another person in the list of doting parents to have the names of their tots inscribed on their bodies.

The actor has the names of his tots Mahika and Myra on the insides of his forearms.


Lindsay Lohan

The ‘Mean Girls’ star seems to have just began her tattooing career. She got herself a tattoo on her lower-back that says ‘La Bella Vita’ which means Life is Beautiful… we wonder she was referring to the film?

She also has a tattoo ‘Breathe’ which is inked in white, it’s said that is a John Lennon tribute. And strangely she’s also got herself a reddish tattoo on the back of her neck with a “?” mark. Well, thinking about the motivation behind that tattoo just leaves us full of question marks./left]


Aftab Shivdasani

Aftab bears two tattoos. The first one is of four Gods located on his right arm. The second one is the Japanese inscription ‘the rising sun’ found on his left arm.

The actor reasons, the second one refers to the literal translation of his name.



Vin Diesel

Hollywood’s tough guy Vin Diesel has tattoos covering his shoulders and back. One of Vin’s muscular arms is covered by edgy barbed wire.

The other sees a blazing sun with an eye in the centre, the rest of that arm has some tribal markings over it. Some pretty cool stuff we say!


Pamela Anderson

Amusingly true, Pamela had tattooed the name of her husband Tommy Lee on her finger. But after their split she changed Tommy to Mommy.

Further more, Pamela believes tattoos have a story to tell it makes you wonder what story hers’ conveys. If there’s a lesson in this, it’s that you’re better off tattooing the names of your children - at least they’ll stick around!


Janis Joplin

Along with being the greatest female rock singer of her decades, Janis also helped ignite the tattoo revolution in the 1960’s. Her iconic status allowed tattoos to be more acceptable among the youth.

Her body decoration includes a wristlet and a small heart on her left breast.


Eminem

To know all about Eminem’s life, you don’t need to read his biography, all you have to do is look at the tattoos he sports. Eminem has the letter ‘D’ tattooed on his right forearm coupled with the number ‘12’on the accompanying arm.

When you join both arms together you have D12 which is a part of hip hop group he’s in. On his right upper arm, he has his stage name. On the same arm is the picture of his daughter Halie smiling. Eminem’s disturbing tattoos include the letters ‘Slit me’ on his wrist, which refers to his suicidal tendencies. Another one reads ‘rot in pieces’ (RIP), this is solely dedicated to his ex-wife Kim. As troubling as they may be Eminem isn’t afraid to bear this side of his.



Elijah Woods

Elijah’s tattoo was supposed to be a top secret, but the actor accidentally spilled his guts on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno where he showed it off. The tattoo was the letter ‘nine’ written in Elvish positioned on his hip. He got it along with his eight co-stars during the filming of Lord of The Rings.

The tattoo was symbolic of the masterpiece they were all a part of. After Elijah spilled the beans his co-stars Billy Boyd and Orlando Bloom expressed their disappointment.


David Beckham

Another sentimental tattooist is footballer David Beckham. David Beckham has the names of his three sons Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz tattooed on his back.

To watch over all of them there’s also a guardian angel. David reasons that it makes him feel that his son’s are with him even when away from home.


Anna Kournikova

Anna got herself a tattoo of the sun on the lower back. The tennis player then attempted to have it covered during her matches by concealing it with a tape.

But a slip up during one of her matches sent photographers into a clicking frenzy. Luckily for her, the sports authorities didn’t mind the young Russian’s body art stating that it was a personal choice.


Robbie Williams

The bad boy of pop has a strange sense of humor which rubs off on his tattoos. Robbie sports a large tattoo of a lion on his shoulder along with Born to Be Mild written underneath.

Along with the many tattoos he sports another worthy of mention is his carnal homage to John Lennon which can be found on his lower back.


Drew Barrymore

The array of tattoos Drew Barrymore possesses displays the actress’ wild streak.

With tattoos of a cross on her ankle, a butterfly under her belly button, angels on her back, a blue moon with smile and star on her right foot and flowers on the inside of her left hip bone - all these works of body art together tell the tale of this little rebel.