Mischa’s on probation and on the big screen

Ex-”O.C.” star, Mischa Barton, faces three years probation, a measly fine, and alcohol education classes after pleading no contest to the DUI charge that she acquired a little less than four months ago. According to Yahoo!, a plea deal allowed her marijuana possession charge to be dropped, and she was only sited with an infraction for driving without a license.

Although Mischa’s pricey and experienced lawyer assisted her in getting off easy this time, the whole episode still undoubtedly affected her career. In recent months, Mischa’s prescence in the media has focused primarily on her legal troubles rather than on her talent. In fact, when I searched Miss Barton on IMDB, I was shocked to see that she currently has five projects in post-production.

Mischa’s tremendous success on “The O.C.” opens the door to unlimited opportunities for continued coverage. Her pictures constantly appear in magazines, and I have no doubt that she would be welcomed as a guest on almost any radio or TV talk show. Her publicist should have her on air talking to Ryan Seacrest or appearing on “Ellen.” Press releases could also be distributed which would highlight her upcoming endeavors in order to divert the negative media attention. As long as Mischa prevails through her period of probation and doesn’t follow in the footsteps of fellow young celebrities like Paris, Lindsay and Britney, I’m confident that this will blow over and Mischa will continue on to a lengthy and successful acting career.

Goodbye:              Hello:

The Great Return

I know that I’m not the only person out there that’s pumped about the return of so many of TV’s most popular shows. The writer’s strike ended in February, which means it’s about time for new new episodes of “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Desperate Housewives,” and many other household favorites. According to MSNB, here’s the schedule of returns:

“The Office” April 10 

“Desperate Housewives” April 13

“House” April 21

“Ugly Betty,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” and “Lost” April 24

Before long, it will be summer, which equates to the reemergence of reruns, so enjoy the novelty while it lasts.  This past break was un-welcomed and unappreciated by most of America, so hopefully The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television can keep the writers content. While this strike lasted just about 14 weeks, a similar strike in 1988 lasted 26 weeks, which means that these writers are determined to get what they want at any cost.

 In order to keep fans satisfied and the economy stirring, writers do need to be given more credit for their shows. As far as a plan to keep everyone happy, these new episodes need to be heavily and diversely advertised. Many people like me gave up the anticipation and hope of a new episode and reverted to other channels that weren’t affected by the strike. This means there is a good chance that they aren’t watching the major networks as much and have no idea when their shows are returning. Anyway, you know where I’ll be at 8 p.m. one week from this Sunday!

The hills are alive

Late Monday night I received a text message from my friend Todd. I was surprised when I opened it and it read, “Hey, did you watch “The Hills” tonight?” Time out. Since when did straight guys start initiating conversations with inquiries about reality TV shows based on fashion, relationships, entertainment and drama?

After hearing on the radio the following morning that the show’s season premiere scored record high ratings, I had to investigate. According to The Popcrunch Show, Lauren and Whitney’s trip to Paris brought in over 4.7 million viewers, making it the highest-rated episode in the life of the show, which is now in its fourth season.

These ratings prove that the show is on the rise, but what else can be done to help secure long-term success? Bringing back old characters from the past always stirs up a little drama. I’ve heard rumors that the show asked Kristin Cavallari (“Laguna Beach”) back, against the desire of the star Lauren Conrad, but I guess we’ll have to wait and see. I think people live vicariously through “The Hills,” which means that “LC” better not retire from the Hollywood clubs and VIP restaurants any time soon. Lauren and some of the other favorites could also look at going on tour. “Real World” and other MTV stars have a history of visiting “happening” bars across the country to boost the appeal and interest of their show. I have no doubt that these gorgeous socialites could draw quite a good crowd at pretty much any location.  

So, will Brody and Lauren end up together or is Stephen going to come back into the picture and sweep her off her feet again? Will Heidi take back Spencer? Is Whitney going to quit her internship with Teen Vogue? The suspense is killing me! Well, not really, but I guess for some people it is. New episodes run every Monday night, so if you’re looking for a new reality show to potentially become addicted to, check it out on MTV at 9 p.m.

Stick to the reruns

Although Lt. Mitch Buchanan hung up his life preserver and red swim trunks many years ago, David Hasselhoff has proved that he doesn’t need “Baywatch” to maintain his celebrity reputation. The Hoff has judged two successful seasons of “America’s Got Talent,” but his most recent claim to fame came last May after a video was released capturing him shirtless and inebriated as he lie on the ground sloppily eating a hamburger. According to Fox and many other sources, Hasselhoff asked his teen-age daughter to film the video so that he would have a concrete reminder of his behavior in his drunken state.

The majority of mainstream media covered the incident by including Hasselhoff’s own quote in which he admitted he was a recovering alcoholic who unfortunately suffered from a brief relapse. His quote was probably made in an attempt to elicit some sympathy and understanding from the public, but the results varied from source to source. For example, People, BBC, and MSNBC stuck to direct quotes and primarily left out opinionated commentary; however, “sad” and “troubled” are among a few of the negative adjectives used by The New York Times and CNN. The true key to the desired effect of the media may be found in the pictures chosen to accompany the stories. Fox, The National Ledger, MTV, and The LA Times all chose to post actual video clips or to use unflattering still shots. Very few celebrities are fortunate enough to be granted privacy, but I think this particular occurrence received so much attention because of the mass audience appeal. Hasselhoff has been around for decades, and people, without a doubt, got a kick out of this out-of-control 55-year-old.

I think the majority of online bloggers showed less mercy. ”Disturbing”, “pathetic” and “a tool” were found on some sties. Very few mentioned Hasselhoff’s quotes and instead let the video speak for itself. This isn’t Hoff’s first publicized drunk incident, but I think people found this live footage particularly amusing. Then again, watching someone who has had a few too many drinks acting ridiculous is always more interesting than hearing about it. A quick Google search results in tons and tons of links to watch clips of Hasselhoff’s notorious debauchery. Multiple spoofs have also been made since last May. Check out one of my favorites, the puppet version!

So what’s been going on with Hasselhoff since then? Somehow, he was awarded full custody of his two daugthers last July. Although his stretch as a cross-dressing Nazi in the Vegas version of “The Producers” ended shortly after the release of his home video, he does have a role in ”Anacoda 3: The Offspring” which is currently in post-production. He also had an appearance in the 2008 television series, “Knight Rider.” I have little faith that either of these are going to enhance Hasselhoff’s reputation as a talented actor, but at least we all have the upcoming season of “America’s Got Talent” to look forward to. If he wants to improve his reputation, he needs to stay sober and raise his standards for what roles he accepts. There’s no erasing the video from the Internet, but if I was Hasselhoff, I would have diversified my comments to the press and also made known my preventative actions. The public should know that Hasselhoff is going to counseling or that he is meeting with his sponsor regularly. If he has stayed sober, he could even speak out about overcoming alcoholism. Public appearances with his daughters could also help. The Hoff has lots of options, but unfortunately, I don’t think he has made any real attempts to correct the situation or pave the way for a brighter future. At least we still have ”Baywatch” and “Knight Rider” in syndication to fill our need for the Hoff!

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Blog Sources: Blogger News, Walkdiggler, AOL Video, American Idol 2006, Weirdo Site

Lots of Love for Leming

It’s Idol time. The seventh season of “American Idol” is in full swing and yet another contestant has proven that success isn’t synonymous with winning the coveted title. Elliott Yamin and Chris Daughtry are two prime examples of vocalists who are thriving in the world of music despite not making it to the end. Tennessee native Josiah Leming didn’t even make it to the top 24, but has also welcomed a rapidly growing popularity since his removal from the hit Fox show.  While the frequent emotional breakdowns personally irked me, many others apparently fell in love with this high school dropout. One of his numerous fan groups on Facebook has 1,800 members, which doesn’t even compare to his almost 32,000 friends on MySpace. Friend him yourself or just check out his music at http://www.myspace.com/josiahleming.

He’s got the interest, now he just has to keep it. I don’t know if he has a publicist, but this guy seems to be attracting attention left and right. He has interviews with MTV, YouTube videos, and downloads on MySpace.  I think as long as he continues to write new songs and stay true to himself, he has no limits. People seem fascinated by the kid who lived out of his car and takes on a British accent only when singing. Good for him. I hope he finds fulfillment in what he does and can handle the pressure associated with the rise to fame.

Fashion = Naked?

I know I’m not the only person in the blog world talking about Lindsay Lohan’s recent photo shoot for New York magazine, but I just have to put my two cents in. First off, the main headline on the front cover says, “Spring Fashion,” yet the photo is of Lindsay wrapped in a very tiny sheet….or maybe it’s a towel. Either way, is New York magazine hinting that tiny pieces of linen dangling from our teeth is the new “in”? If that trend really does ever catch on, remind me not to join in.

 Is Lindsay posing naked for the same reason Elizabeth Berkley went from Jessie in “Saved by the Bell” to the star of “Showgirls”? Many in the entertainment world realize the need to ditch the goody-good image before being typecast forever, but after issues with partying, drinking, drugs and the police all before her 21st birthday, it’s no secret that this “Parent Trap” sweetheart’s days of innocence are long gone. 

So what are her parents saying? According to Mad Hollywood, Dina claims the photos are “tasteful,” but I’ll let you be the judge of that. As for Michael, he claims he approves but that he still won’t look at them. Thank goodness for that. That still leaves extended family and friends…. I feel awkward just thinking about being in her position.

Lohan’s career has been at a standstill for awhile now, so while this isn’t a move I would ever make, it might not actually be bad for her. The cover of a magazine tells Hollywood that this redheaded beauty isn’t giving up yet. Recently out of rehab, she’s ready to get back into the business with a boob, oops, I mean a bang.

That’s not hot.

I’d like to meet the people who actually thought a movie entitled, ”The Hottie and the Nottie”, could ever do well at the box office. According to Yahoo! Entertainment, the film brought in just $234 per screen. If the average movie ticket across the US is $10, each theater had an average of less than 25 people attending.

Hilton’s movie has to go down in the books as one of the worst ever. I haven’t seen it myself and have absolutely no desire to when its score on IMDB averages an incredible 1.2 out of 10 points. Also on Yahoo! Entertainment, is a wall full of comments bashing the hotel heiress. One of my favorites include, “She smells like chicken of the sea.” Another person claims that if she had included some porn content, the movie might have done better.

If a sex tape and a trip to jail weren’t enough, Hilton now has another terrible movie to add to her resume. My opinion is that Hilton needs to stick to what she’s good at. If you can’t sing and you can’t act, then just be yourself. After several successful seasons of “The Simple Life”, the beauty has proved that her personality and own life are interesting enough as it is, and there’s no need to play the role of anyone else. A return to reality television could be just what Paris needs to regain America’s fascination and admiration.

Rehab

If Amy Winehouse’s admittance to a rehab facility in the end of January isn’t ironic enough, how about that her dad (the unsuccessful motivator in her hit, “Rehab”) provided the quotes to BBC Radio Station claiming Amy would most likely be leaving London to perform at the 2008 Grammys. While Britney may be able to get away with shaking it half naked after a series of public scandals, I think that singing while your attached to a drip machine is taking it to a whole other level. Is it really a good idea to take a 24-year-old addict out of rehab, fly her cross country, and throw her into the mix of temptation associated with being in the spotlight?

Winehouse was reportedly seen visiting the US Embassy to get her visa, but must be supervised at all times. Now, for us normal people, being followed around by an appointed guardian would be a major party foul, not to mention just plain awkward. Lucky for Amy, back in LA and in the midst of celebrities, she has any number of options. She can totally try and play her escort off as her bodyguard or personal assistant.

I like a good performance as much as the next person, but whose idea was it to sacrifice this chic’s health in attempts to meet the world’s desire for entertainment?