tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75641542825105236942024-03-07T22:21:24.305-08:00cwiney5cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.comBlogger145125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564154282510523694.post-72154905672355979752011-09-05T14:31:00.000-07:002011-09-05T14:31:00.076-07:00Critic's Corner Wednesday: 'Dance,' 'Animal Saved My Life' <div><div class="story" readability="19"><br /><br /><!--End series_nav_bar div--> <br /><!--startclickprintinclude--><br /><br /><!-- EdSysObj ID="SandboxLede" FRAGMENTID="48420708" newsgate --><br /><br /><br /><p class="firstParagraph">•We get down to business tonight on summer's best reality show, <b><i>So You Think You Can Dance</i></b> (Fox, 8 ET/PT), as the Top 20 compete on stage for the first time.</p><br /><div class="inset"><br /><div class="photo-block"><br /><div class="ppy ppy1"><br /><ul class="ppy-imglist"><li><a href="http://i.usatoday.net/life/_photos/2011/06/14/think-dance-aniimal-saved-life-hot-cleveland-NC5T793-x-large.jpg"><img src="http://i.usatoday.net/life/_photos/2011/06/14/think-dance-aniimal-saved-life-hot-cleveland-NC5T793-x.jpg" width="245" height="184" border="0" alt="Betty White's Elka is on the lam tonight in TV Land's Hot in Cleveland." /></a><span class="ppy-extcaption" readability="3"><p class="credit">By Matt Sayles, AP</p><br /><p><cutline>Betty White's Elka is on the lam tonight in TV Land's Hot in Cleveland.</cutline></p></span></li><br /></ul><br /><div class="ppy-caption"><span class="ppy-text" readability="3"><p class="credit">By Matt Sayles, AP</p><br /><p>Betty White's Elka is on the lam tonight in TV Land's Hot in Cleveland.</p></span></div><br /></div><br /></div><br /><br /></div><br /><p class="inside-copy">And, if we really must offer Emmys to reality-show hosts, it's way past time <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Cat+Deeley" title="More news, photos about Cat Deeley">Cat Deeley</a> was up for one. Keep that in mind if you're marking a ballot.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">•Nat Geo Wild devotes prime time to all six episodes of its new series <b><i>An Animal Saved My Life</i></b> (8 ET/PT), meaning the show will have its season premiere and finale in one night.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">You get to see a dog that battled a bear, a dolphin that saved a surfer, a gorilla that saved a boy, an elephant that rescued a girl, a pig that called for help, and a dog that gave first aid.</p><br /><ul class="inside-copy"><li><br /><h3 class="inline-h3">MORE: <a href="http://transcripts.usatoday.com/Chats/transcript.aspx?c=2529">Read the transcript from Robert's chat Monday</a></h3><br /></li><br /><li><br /><h3 class="inline-h3">STORY: <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2011-05-26-summer-tv-cover_n.htm">What's on tap for summer?</a></h3><br /></li><br /></ul><p class="inside-copy">I'd like to think my dog would have given me first aid had I been incapacitated, but I fear she would have used the opportunity to raid the treat jar.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">•<a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/TV+Land" title="More news, photos about TV Land">TV Land</a>'s popular if increasingly far-fetched <b><i>Hot in Cleveland</i></b> (10 ET/PT) returns with Betty White's Elka on the run from the law. <i>Hot</i>'s a pleasant enough concoction, and many people enjoy spending time with the actors and characters.</p><div class="inset __NOTFORSYNDICATION"><br /><div class="va"><br /><h2>TV Calendar</h2><br /><div class="vaContent"><br /><style type="text/css"><![CDATA[#zcc-grid-label { /* grid label CSS */font: bold 16px Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;margin: 0 0 2px;text-indent: 10px;}#zcc-wrap table thead th {font-weight:bold;font-size:11px;}#tms_widget_footer_wrap,#zcc-wrap {/* adjust width here *//*width: 300px;*/width:100%;margin: 0;}.zcc-primetime { /* Text within grid */border-collapse: collapse;caption-side: top;font-size: 10px;color: 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both;color: #999;font-size: 9px;line-height: 2;text-align: right;margin: 0;}#tms_widget_footer2 a:link,#tms_widget_footer2 a:visited,#tms_widget_footer2 a:active {color: #999;text-decoration: none;}#tms_widget_footer2 a:hover {color: #666;text-decoration: underline;}#zipCode {border-top:1px #990066 solid;margin-top:10px;}.enterZip {font-weight:bold;margin-top:5px;margin-bottom:5px;}]]></style><!-- Grid Label - Delete all between these comments to remove Grid Label --><!-- End Grid Label --><br /><br /><!--Begin TV Listings Entry Form Code--><br /><br /><br /><div id="zipCode" readability="1"><br /><p class="enterZip">Enter your ZIP code below to see local listings.</p><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><!--End TV Listings Entry Form Code--><br /></div></div></div></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/TP-Bianco/~3/ulOSCrM1BxM/2011-06-14-think-dance-aniimal-saved-life-hot-cleveland_n.htm" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564154282510523694.post-12808690070798845052011-09-05T14:07:00.000-07:002011-09-05T14:07:00.845-07:00TV tonight: Season finales abound <div><div class="story" readability="14"><br /><br /><!--End series_nav_bar div--> <br /><!--startclickprintinclude--><br /><br /><!-- EdSysObj ID="SandboxLede" FRAGMENTID="47557420" newsgate --><br /><br /><br /><p class="firstParagraph">•Sure, you could watch tonight's <b><i><a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Culture/Television/Programming/American+Idol" title="More news, photos about American Idol">American Idol</a></i></b> finale (Fox, 8 ET/PT).</p><br /><div class="inset"><br /><div class="photo-block"><br /><div class="ppy ppy1"><br /><ul class="ppy-imglist"><li><a href="http://i.usatoday.net/life/_photos/2011/05/24/critics-corner-season-finales-TT4S0EB-x-large.jpg"><img src="http://i.usatoday.net/life/_photos/2011/05/24/critics-corner-season-finales-TT4S0EB-x.jpg" width="245" height="184" border="0" alt="Family birthday: For Jay (Ed O'Neill.)" /></a><span class="ppy-extcaption" readability="1"><p class="credit">ABC</p><br /><p><cutline>Family birthday: For Jay (Ed O'Neill.)</cutline></p></span></li><br /></ul><br /><div class="ppy-caption"><span class="ppy-text" readability="1"><p class="credit">ABC</p><br /><p>Family birthday: For Jay (Ed O'Neill.)</p></span></div><br /></div><br /></div><br /><br /></div><br /><p class="inside-copy">Or you could record it and watch something better live — like, say, the season finales of TV's best triple-play: ABC's Wednesday comedies:</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">•On <b><i>The Middle</i></b> (8 ET/PT), Brick is once again scurrying to fulfill a classroom assignment.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">And that scramble may again bring Patricia Heaton's Frankie into conflict with Brick's teacher — played by Heaton's former <i>Raymond</i> co-star <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Doris+Roberts" title="More news, photos about Doris Roberts">Doris Roberts</a>.</p><br /><ul class="inside-copy"><li><br /><h3 class="inline-h3">STORY: <a href="http://transcripts.usatoday.com/Chats/transcript.aspx?c=2519">Robert Bianco answered your TV questions; read transcript</a></h3><br /></li><br /><li><br /><h3 class="inline-h3">MORE: <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/reviews/2010-11-11-dvr-guide_N.htm">Robert's DVR guide</a></h3><br /></li><br /><li><br /><h3 class="inline-h3">INTERACTIVE: <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/january-2011-tv-calendar.htm">May TV calendar</a></h3><br /></li><br /></ul><p class="inside-copy">•If <i>The Middle</i> is frequently undervalued, that's the cost of it airing near what is indisputably the season's best sitcom, <b><i>Modern Family</i></b> (9 ET/PT), which ends its year with Jay's unwanted birthday party.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">That the show deserves another Emmy is obvious; the tough task will be deciding which of the stars to reward as well.</p><div class="inset __NOTFORSYNDICATION"><br /><div class="va"><br /><h2>TV Calendar</h2><br /><div class="vaContent"><br /><style type="text/css"><![CDATA[#zcc-grid-label { /* grid label CSS */font: bold 16px Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;margin: 0 0 2px;text-indent: 10px;}#zcc-wrap table thead th {font-weight:bold;font-size:11px;}#tms_widget_footer_wrap,#zcc-wrap {/* adjust width here *//*width: 300px;*/width:100%;margin: 0;}.zcc-primetime { /* Text within grid */border-collapse: collapse;caption-side: top;font-size: 10px;color: #000;table-layout: fixed;border-top: 1px solid #999;border-left: 1px solid #999;margin: 0;width: 100%;font-family: arial, sans-serif;}.zcc-primetime td,.zcc-primetime th {border-right: 1px solid #999;border-bottom: 1px solid #999;padding: 3px 4px 5px;overflow: hidden;}.zcc-primetime th {padding: 3px 4px;font-weight: bold;text-align: left;}.zcc-primetime a {color: #000;text-decoration: underline;}.zcc-primetime a:hover {text-decoration: none;}.zcc-primetime .zcc-station,.zcc-primetime .zcc-station .zcc-callsign {text-align: center;}.zcc-primetime .zcc-station img {text-align: center;}#tms_widget_footer { clear: both;color: #999;font-size: 9px;line-height: 2;text-align: right;border-width: 0 1px 1px;border-style: solid;border-color: #999;margin: 0;}#tms_widget_footer a:link,#tms_widget_footer a:visited,#tms_widget_footer a:hover,#tms_widget_footer a:active {color: #999;text-decoration: none;}#tms_widget_footer a:hover {color: #666;text-decoration: underline;}#tms_widget_footer2 {clear: both;color: #999;font-size: 9px;line-height: 2;text-align: right;margin: 0;}#tms_widget_footer2 a:link,#tms_widget_footer2 a:visited,#tms_widget_footer2 a:active {color: #999;text-decoration: none;}#tms_widget_footer2 a:hover {color: #666;text-decoration: underline;}#zipCode {border-top:1px #990066 solid;margin-top:10px;}.enterZip {font-weight:bold;margin-top:5px;margin-bottom:5px;}]]></style><!-- Grid Label - Delete all between these comments to remove Grid Label --><!-- End Grid Label --><br /><br /><!--Begin TV Listings Entry Form Code--><br /><br /><br /><div id="zipCode" readability="1"><br /><p class="enterZip">Enter your ZIP code below to see local listings.</p><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><!--End TV Listings Entry Form Code--><br /></div></div></div></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/TP-Bianco/~3/45YVBsAU4GY/2011-05-25-critics-corner-season-finales_n.htm" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564154282510523694.post-40147925205638967452011-09-05T13:44:00.000-07:002011-09-05T13:44:00.071-07:00How does Sarah Jessica Parker do it? <div><div class="item" id="permalink" readability="20"><h3>How does Sarah Jessica Parker do it?</h3><!-- end pagetools --><div class="post-attributes"><div class="divPluck"><span class="njGrayTxtSm" readability="0"><span id="uslCtl|comments|172186.blog" class="uslArticleControl"><span class="uslDisabledCommentsLink">Comment</span></span><p><span id="uslCtl|recommend|172186.blog" class="uslArticleControl"><span class="uslDisabledRecommendLink">Recommend</span></span></p></span></div></div><p><a href="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/lifeline-live/2011/05/27/SJPx-large.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/lifeline-live/2011/05/27/SJPx-inset-community.jpg" alt="" width="230" height="415" cutline="Actress Sarah Jessica Parker walks her son James Wilke Broderick to school on May 25, 2011 in New York " credit="By Marcel Thomas, FilmMagic" keywords="Sarah Jessica Parker" /></a>The trailer for Sarah Jessica Parker's next romcom has arrived. SJP plays a harried, juggling-it-all Boston working mom in <em>I Don't Know How She Does It</em>, based on the novel by Allison Pearson, set for release on Sept. 16. </p><p>Some folks are calling this the third <em>Sex and the City</em> film. But there's no Big in this. Greg Kinnear plays Parker's architect husband, and they've got two young kids.</p><p>At last week's Cannes Film Festival, Parker was asked about a third <em>SATC</em> and she replied, "I think there is perhaps one more small, important story to tell," <a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1663971/sarah-jessica-parker-carrie-diaries.jhtml" target="_blank">she told MTV News</a>. "Whether or not we choose to do that, and when we choose to do that, remains unknown."</p><p>Meanwhile, Parker looked pretty relaxed on Thursday as she walked son James Wilke Broderick to school in Manhattan.</p><p></p><p></p><p>See photos of: <a href="http://mediagallery.usatoday.com/Sarah+Jessica+Parker">Sarah Jessica Parker</a></p></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/UsatodaycomMovies-TopStories/~3/iyzehCqjlVQ/1" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564154282510523694.post-65313017086872224002011-09-05T13:25:00.000-07:002011-09-05T13:25:00.703-07:00Question sites answers not always there <div><div class="item" id="permalink" readability="68"><p><!-- p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 15.0px Arial} --></p><p><a href="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/technology-live/2011/06/14/askx-large.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/technology-live/2011/06/14/askx-inset-community.jpg" alt="" width="230" height="172" cutline="The ask.com home page." credit="Ask" keywords="Ask" /></a>Looking for an answer to a question?</p><p>It used to be that you could type it into Google and expect a pretty good response. Then the index became so littered with spam, endless ads and information that it wasn't as useful as it used to be.</p><p>So, welcome a slew of question and answer sites -- ask a question and get a response -- with the new <a href="http://vark.com">Aardvark</a>, <a href="http://locql.com">LOCQL</a> and <a href="http://quora.com">Quora</a>, and veterans <a href="http://ask.com">Ask</a>, <a href="http://chacha.com">ChaCha</a>, <a href="http://answers.yahoo.com">Yahoo Answers</a> and many more.</p><p>Many are great, others not so great. But here's the problem I discovered in researching today's story for USA TODAY. Ask a question and you will get an answer--but often times it will be inaccurate, incomplete, and very inconsistent.</p><p class="__NOTFORSYNDICATION"><strong>STORY: </strong> <a title="STORY: Q&A sites take search to the next level" href="http://www.usatoday.com/tech/products/2011-06-14-question-sites_n.htm" target="_self">Q&A sites take search to the next level</a></p><p>My sample question was based on a popular musical group whose last original work was released in 1970. So how hard could it be to answer "What Beatles album is their all-time best seller?"</p><p>Ask said it was the recording commonly known as the <em>White Album</em>, citing the crowd-sourced Wikipedia. Yahoo Answers, sending it out to members of the community, replied that it was the <em>White Album</em>. Or <em>Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. </em></p><p>The Aardvark community picked <em>Abbey Road</em> and the <em>White Album</em>. The tech-oriented site Quora didn't readily have an answer. ChaCha opted for <em>Revolver</em>. Rephrased, because we knew the answer was incorrect and that ChaCha offers instant responses, ChaCha went for <em>The White Album</em>.</p><p><em>The White Album</em> it is. Sort of. It's the band's best-seller in the United States, according to the Recording Industry Association of America, which only tracks statistics in these 50 United States, with sales of 19 million copies.</p><p>The true all-time best-seller, with sales of 32 million copies worldwide, is<em> Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band</em>, according to stats compiled by Wikipedia.</p><p>So, the question sites are great -- but take them with a grain of salt. Because if you keep asking variations of the question, you're bound to get a different answer.</p><p>That said, here are some thumbnail impressions from reporting the story.</p><p>-- Aardvark (vark.com). Google quietly bought Vark in 2010 and hasn't done much with it, but the community of folks are very active on the site. Go to the site, pose a question to your friends on Facebook and the Vark community, and await instant message and e-mail responses. I heard back instantly from Vark members in Poland, Arizona, California, New Mexico and New York. (Incidently, my "friends" never choose to chime in and participate!)</p><p>--ChaCha. The site cites its 65,000 "experts" who personally answer your questions in real time. That's what sets it apart from most of the other Q&A sites, which get back to you with an answer. If it's a stumper ("How do you change spark plugs on a 2004 Toyota Camry," "What movie was Meryl Streep's biggest hit?") ChaCha asks you to wait for a response, which will come back via an e-mail or text. Lots of fun, but the answers are all over the map. "How many movies has Eddie Murphy made?" comes back with "unfortunately his salary information is not available but the total gross of the film was $95,323, 496."</p><p>--LOCQL: One of the many new sites specializing in answers to local questions ("Best Chinese restaurant in your town,") is based in Seattle, and thus, has little relevance to the California coastal community I live in. None of my questions were answered. But the site looks great, and given time, it could work.</p><p>--Ask.com: The granddaddy of the question sites has returned to its roots as a pure answer site. Unfortunately, the answers are about as sharp as Google. Sometimes they come back with relevance, other times it reaches to the same usual suspects as Google--lots of Wikipedia. The Eddie Murphy question came back with the same bad answer ChaCha got, and the how to change spark plugs question went to Wikipedia as well, and a link to buy spark plugs from an online site.</p><p>Reaching out to the community for assistance can result in the sort of folks who frequent forums itching for a fight. "If you don't know how, do not risk damaging something and just take the car in to a shop," was one response. Another said, "Take them out and put them back in." Not exactly the authority we were seeking.</p><p>Oh well, there's always my Toyota car manual!</p></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/TP-TechnologyLive/~3/8-8n8LLOMC4/1" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564154282510523694.post-85679571061217891062011-09-05T13:13:00.000-07:002011-09-05T13:13:00.281-07:00'Cars 2' soundtrack steers Paisley out of comfort zone <div><div class="story" readability="63"><br /><br /><!--End series_nav_bar div--> <br /><!--startclickprintinclude--><br /><br /><!-- EdSysObj ID="SandboxLede" FRAGMENTID="48365388" newsgate --><br /><br /><br /><br /><p class="firstParagraph">A car collision is hardly ever a good thing — except when it's a <i><a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Cars+2" title="More news, photos about Cars 2">Cars 2</a></i> collision.</p><br /><div class="inset"><br /><div class="photo-block"><br /><div class="ppy ppy1"><br /><ul class="ppy-imglist"><li><a href="http://i.usatoday.net/life/_photos/2011/06/14/cars-soundtrack-brad-paisley-115RNJP-x-large.jpg"><img src="http://i.usatoday.net/life/_photos/2011/06/14/cars-soundtrack-brad-paisley-115RNJP-x.jpg" width="245" height="184" border="0" alt="Brad Paisley collaborated with British star Robbie Williams on the song for the end credits of 'Cars 2.'" /></a><span class="ppy-extcaption" readability="3"><p class="credit">By Wade Payne, AP</p><br /><p><cutline>Brad Paisley collaborated with British star Robbie Williams on the song for the end credits of 'Cars 2.'</cutline></p></span></li><br /></ul><br /><div class="ppy-caption"><span class="ppy-text" readability="3"><p class="credit">By Wade Payne, AP</p><br /><p>Brad Paisley collaborated with British star Robbie Williams on the song for the end credits of 'Cars 2.'</p></span></div><br /></div><br /></div><br /><br /></div><br /><p class="inside-copy">The animated vehicular gang is back in the second installment of the Disney/Pixar franchise, and cultures crash, clash and come together as the group heads out on an adventure of international espionage.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">To tune up the film's soundtrack, out Tuesday, director <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/People/Celebrities/Directors,+Producers,+Writers/John+Lasseter" title="More news, photos about John Lasseter">John Lasseter</a> enlisted artists from all musical corners of the globe, including American country artist <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/People/Celebrities/Musicians,+Composers,+Singers,+Rappers,+Groups/Brad+Paisley" title="More news, photos about Brad Paisley">Brad Paisley</a> and alt-rockers Weezer, British phenomenon <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/People/Celebrities/Musicians,+Composers,+Singers,+Rappers,+Groups/Robbie+Williams" title="More news, photos about Robbie Williams">Robbie Williams</a>, French star Bénabar and Japanese girl group Perfume.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">"The writing process (for a soundtrack) is really creative — it's the perfect canvas for a songwriter," says Paisley, who also contributed two songs to the first movie's compilation.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">Much like the sequel's world-traveling characters, Paisley found himself reaching outside of Nashville to write and perform the rock-influenced end-credit song, <i>Collision of Worlds</i>, with Williams.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">Lasseter urged Paisley to leave his comfort zone of "nice, safe country music where everybody gets along and is supportive and 'Bless your heart' all the time," says Paisley, 38, the Country Music Association's 2010 entertainer of the year. "(He wanted me) to see the world musically.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">"I knew that (the song) was going to happen after the last line of the movie. It's that <i>Casablanca</i> moment of 'I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship,' boom, song."</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">Williams and Paisley bonded through the writing process, sharing a similar "self-effacing" sense of humor. But their differences proved to be an asset. "When we sat down to write, he started throwing things at me that were British colloquialisms," Paisley says. "We had a lot of fun with that."</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">The two singers take on back-and-forth lyrics on the verses, highlighting word-choice dichotomy like "good old boy" and "decent bloke," and "bangers and mash" and "meat and potatoes." The chorus is where they come to a realization that they're both the same, even if they would likely fail a vocabulary quiz in the other's country.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">The challenge of writing music about a predetermined topic and emotion is something that Paisley finds "refreshing" as his career continues. "The hardest part about writing any song is, what do you write? And how do I rewrite things? You start to run out of ideas that feel fresh."</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">Soundtracks also afford Paisley and other artists a way to control the way their songs are heard — something that's increasingly difficult in the age of distracting smartphones and low-fi laptops.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">"The music is witnessed through great speakers in a dark room where everyone's attention is focused," he says. "My latest record (<i>This Is Country Music</i>), heaven forbid, I have a feeling that 50% of the people hearing it are listening on laptops. Might as well not hire a bass player if you're not going to hear them," he says with a laugh.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">But in the sound sanctuary of a movie theater, there are "guitar parts happening behind you" and "subwoofers rattling the seats."</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">Paisley's other track for <i>Cars 2</i> is <i>Nobody's Fool</i>, written to accompany the "one really heartbreaking moment" in the movie, when Mater the tow truck has a sad realization. "That moment really spoke to me," says Paisley, who adds that feeling like a fool is an easy emotion to harness in a song.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">"I'm a country musician. I know how to play jazz, and I can play rock. But I've had to fight my entire career to get a little respect from people who don't understand where I come from."</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">Married to actress <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Kimberly+Williams-Paisley" title="More news, photos about Kimberly Williams-Paisley">Kimberly Williams-Paisley</a>, the country singer says he hopes that his sons — Huck, 4, and Jasper, 2 — will one day be proud of him for his work on <i>Cars</i>. But for now, it's nothing out of the ordinary for the boys.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">"At that age, they don't really think that way," Paisley says, laughing. "They're not proud, they're just, 'Well, of course. Doesn't everyone work on <i>Cars</i>?'"</p><br /><p><i></i></p><!-- EdSysObj ID="SSI" FRAGMENTID="41603598" appadmin --><!-- /EdSysObj --><br /><br /><div class="bottom-tools" readability="1"><br /><p><span class="bottomPubStatus">Posted </span></p><span class="right"></span></div><br /><!-- EdSysObj ID="SSI" FRAGMENTID="41223454" rberthol --><!-- USAT RATINGS START --><br /><br /><!-- USAT RATINGS END --><br /><!-- /EdSysObj --><br /><br /><br /><!-- /EdSysObj --><br /><!--endclickprintinclude--> <br /></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/UsatodaycomMusic-TopStories/~3/fdmt8ty8VVU/2011-06-14-cars-soundtrack-brad-paisley_n.htm" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564154282510523694.post-83681332426736756462011-09-05T12:54:00.000-07:002011-09-05T12:54:00.578-07:00Four for Friday: Carrie Underwood, Kris Allen, Kelly Clarkson and more <div><div class="item" id="permalink" readability="25"><h3>Four for Friday: Carrie Underwood, Kris Allen, Kelly Clarkson and more</h3><!-- end pagetools --><div class="post-attributes"><div class="divPluck"><span class="njGrayTxtSm" readability="0"><span id="uslCtl|comments|172223.blog" class="uslArticleControl"><span class="uslDisabledCommentsLink">Comment</span></span><p><span id="uslCtl|recommend|172223.blog" class="uslArticleControl"><span class="uslDisabledRecommendLink">Recommend</span></span></p></span></div></div><p><a href="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/idol-chatter/2011/May/27/Carriex-large.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/idol-chatter/2011/May/27/Carriex-inset-community.jpg" alt="" width="230" height="359" cutline="Singer Carrie Underwood arrives at Fox's " credit="By Frazer Harrison, Getty Images" keywords="Carrie Underwood" /></a>Note to Scotty McCreery: If Carrie Underwood gave you her phone number Wednesday, use it, dude. "I've done this every year, by the way, and no one ever calls me," <a href="http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b244237_carrie_underwood_gives_her_number_idol.html?cmpid=rss-000000-rssfeed-365-topstories&utm_source=eonline&utm_medium=rssfeeds&utm_campaign=rss_topstories" target="_blank">Carrie tells E! News</a>. "I think David Cook is the only one I've managed to become friends with and we swap stories and talk about stuff, but nobody ever calls me."</p><p>• <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/idol-worship/pia-toscano-kris-allen-performing-192784" target="_blank">Kris Allen and Pia Toscano will perform</a> at the National Memorial Day Concert in Washington, D.C., Sunday. B.B. King, Yolanda Adams and Hayley Westenra are also on the bill for the concert, which PBS will broadcast live, beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern.</p><p>• Kelly Clarkson calls herself a reality-show junkie. "You name it, I watch it!" <a href="http://www.popeater.com/2011/05/25/kelly-clarkson-american-idol-chain-of-confidence-tupperware/" target="_blank">the original <em>American Idol</em> champ tells Popeater</a>. She still watches Idol -- she particularly liked Lauren Alaina this season -- and is looking forward to Simon Cowell's X Factor. "I love all of those talent shows and think they are great for the whole industry," she says, "because they are all about the music and the voice. Everything it should be about."</p><p>• Anthony Federov has the title role in a production of <a href="http://florida.broadwayworld.com/article/Anthony-Fedorov-Headlines-as-Joseph-At-The-King-Center-618-19-20110524" target="_blank"><em>Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat</em></a> being staged at the King Center in Melbourne, Fla., on June 18 and 19.</p><p>See photos of: <a href="http://mediagallery.usatoday.com/Carrie+Underwood">Carrie Underwood</a>, <a href="http://mediagallery.usatoday.com/Kelly+Clarkson">Kelly Clarkson</a>, <a href="http://mediagallery.usatoday.com/Kris+Allen">Kris Allen</a>, <a href="http://mediagallery.usatoday.com/Scotty+McCreery">Scotty McCreery</a>, <a href="http://mediagallery.usatoday.com/Pia+Toscano">Pia Toscano</a></p></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/UsatodaycomTelevision-TopStories/~3/RCvMF6J5so4/1" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564154282510523694.post-7672082075158633652011-09-05T12:24:00.000-07:002011-09-05T12:24:00.471-07:00Filmmaking legend Bertolucci embraces 3-D <div><div class="item" id="permalink" readability="14"><h3>Filmmaking legend Bertolucci embraces 3-D</h3><!-- end pagetools --><div class="post-attributes"><div class="divPluck"><span class="njGrayTxtSm" readability="0"><span id="uslCtl|comments|169880.blog" class="uslArticleControl"><span class="uslDisabledCommentsLink">Comment</span></span><p><span id="uslCtl|recommend|169880.blog" class="uslArticleControl"><span class="uslDisabledRecommendLink">Recommend</span></span></p></span></div></div><p><a href="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/Live-From/2011/05/11/bertoluccix-large.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/Live-From/2011/05/11/bertoluccix-wide-community.jpg" alt="" width="420" height="252" cutline="Filmmaker Bernardo Bertolucci, left, is saluted by Cannes Film Festivla president Gilles Jacob and jury members Robert De Niro, Uma Thurman, Mahamat-Saleh Haroun and Jude Law during Wednesday's opening ceremony." credit="By Pascal Le Segretain, Getty Images" keywords="Cannes Film Festival, Robert De Niro, Uma Thurman, Jude Law, Bernardo Bertolucci" /></a>Italian filmmaker Bernardo Bertolucci was given the first inaugural lifetime achievement Palme D'Honneur award at the Cannes Film Festival Wednesday for his ground-breaking epics, including <em>1900</em>, <em>The Last Emperor</em> and <em>Last Tango in Paris</em>.</p><p>The 71-year-old director, whose health has been declining, was in a wheelchair when he was presented with the award for his life's work. The directing legend had never won an award at Cannes before.</p><p>He dedicated his award to Woody Allen and "all Italians who still have the strength and energy to struggle, criticize and be indignant." He also acknowledged jury president Robert De Niro, who starred in <em>1900</em>, as a "big friend" but joked that De Niro is "a man of few words and if he makes a speech, it would be a miracle."</p><p>He surprised the audience by announcing plans to make his next film in 3-D. The film is <em>Io e Te</em> (<em>Me and You</em>) and is an intimate story with two young main characters based on an Italian young adult novel. It would be Bertolucci's first film in eight years since <em>The Dreamers</em>.</p><p>"I saw Avatar and I loved Avatar but I wondered why should 3D only be good for fantasy and science-fiction?" Bertolucci said. "Imagine if Fellini's 8 1/2 was in 3D. Or Ingmar Bergman's Persona would have been great in 3D."</p><p>See photos of: <a href="http://mediagallery.usatoday.com/Cannes+International+Film+Festival">Cannes International Film Festival</a></p><!-- USAT RATINGS START --> <br /><style type="text/css"><![CDATA[ .div-wrapper{margin: 20px 0 10px 15px;border:none; padding:0 0 0 0;padding-bottom:10px;direction:ltr;text-align:left;vertical-align:middle;font-size:12px;} .div-wrapper a {text-decoration:none;color:#00529b;}.div-wrapper a:hover {text-decoration:underline;}.rec-src-link{color:#666;margin-left:6px;}Legend.Outbrain_recommendations_legend {color:#000;font-weight:bold;font-size:12px;margin-bottom:6px}.div-wrapper li{list-style-position:outside !important;list-style-type:square;margin-bottom:2px}#usatRatings {margin-top:16px; margin-left:165px;}#usatRatings .outbrain-recommendationsFieldset{position:inherit !important;}]]></style> <br /><!-- USAT RATINGS END --> </div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/TP-LiveFrom/~3/_Gbbldy6OHI/1" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564154282510523694.post-72047463516962335762011-09-05T12:13:00.000-07:002011-09-05T12:13:00.300-07:00Urban Sketchers: A world of artists, drawn together <div><div class="item" id="permalink" readability="12"><h3>Urban Sketchers: A world of artists, drawn together</h3><!-- end pagetools --><div class="post-attributes"><div class="divPluck"><span class="njGrayTxtSm" readability="0"><span id="uslCtl|comments|170001.blog" class="uslArticleControl"><span class="uslDisabledCommentsLink">Comment</span></span><p><span id="uslCtl|recommend|170001.blog" class="uslArticleControl"><span class="uslDisabledRecommendLink">Recommend</span></span></p></span></div></div><p>Many of my favorite graphic novels are actually travel journals: I prefer <strong>Craig Thompson</strong>'s <em>Carnet De Voyage</em> to <em>Blankets</em>. <strong>Lucy Knisley</strong>'s <em>French Milk</em> is a wonderful, delectable tour through France.</p><p>If you also enjoy living vicariously through artistic travelers, you're going to love <a href="http://www.urbansketchers.org/" target="_blank">Urban Sketchers</a>, a website devoted to artists located all over the world.</p><p>Each day several sketches are added to the site. For instance, check out this amazing <a href="http://www.urbansketchers.org/2011/05/collage-of-sketches-on-people-cafe.html" target="_blank">collage of sketches</a> made at a Singapore cafe, or <a href="http://www.urbansketchers.org/2011/05/lotus-lamps-in-and-out-of-temples.html" target="_blank">these lotus lamps</a> drawn in Korea.</p><p>If you're an artist located somewhere you feel should be represented on Urban Sketchers, they have details on how you can <a href="http://www.urbansketchers.org/p/membership.html" target="_blank">join the team</a>.</p><p>In the meantime, bookmark the blog for daily inspiration. Below are a few examples of cool contributions:</p><p><a href="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/pop-candy/2011/05/11/urbn1x-large.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/pop-candy/2011/05/11/urbn1x-wide-community.jpg" alt="" width="420" height="348" cutline=" " credit=" " keywords=" " /></a><a href="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/pop-candy/2011/05/11/urbn2x-large.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/pop-candy/2011/05/11/urbn2x-wide-community.jpg" alt="" width="420" height="310" cutline=" " credit=" " keywords=" " /></a><a href="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/pop-candy/2011/05/11/urbn3x-large.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/pop-candy/2011/05/11/urbn3x-wide-community.jpg" alt="" width="420" height="278" cutline=" " credit=" " keywords=" " /></a></p><!-- USAT RATINGS START --> <br /><style type="text/css"><![CDATA[ .div-wrapper{margin: 20px 0 10px 15px;border:none; padding:0 0 0 0;padding-bottom:10px;direction:ltr;text-align:left;vertical-align:middle;font-size:12px;} .div-wrapper a {text-decoration:none;color:#00529b;}.div-wrapper a:hover {text-decoration:underline;}.rec-src-link{color:#666;margin-left:6px;}Legend.Outbrain_recommendations_legend {color:#000;font-weight:bold;font-size:12px;margin-bottom:6px}.div-wrapper li{list-style-position:outside !important;list-style-type:square;margin-bottom:2px}#usatRatings {margin-top:16px; margin-left:165px;}#usatRatings .outbrain-recommendationsFieldset{position:inherit !important;}]]></style> <br /><!-- USAT RATINGS END --> </div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/TP-PopCandy/~3/xIPywP2sNvw/1" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564154282510523694.post-51224423500570002832011-09-05T12:01:00.000-07:002011-09-05T12:01:00.164-07:00'Idol' results: Did you see that coming? <div><div class="item" id="permalink" readability="25"><h3>'Idol' results: Did you see that coming?</h3><!-- end pagetools --><div class="post-attributes"><div class="divPluck"><span class="njGrayTxtSm" readability="0"><span id="uslCtl|comments|170065.blog" class="uslArticleControl"><span class="uslDisabledCommentsLink">Comment</span></span><p><span id="uslCtl|recommend|170065.blog" class="uslArticleControl"><span class="uslDisabledRecommendLink">Recommend</span></span></p></span></div></div><p><a href="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/idol-chatter/2011/May/11/AITop4x-large.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/idol-chatter/2011/May/11/AITop4x-wide-community.jpg" alt="" width="420" height="313" cutline="AMERICAN IDOL: The Final 4: Haley Reinhart, Scotty McCreery, James Durbin and Lauren Alaina." credit="By Michael Becker/FOX" keywords="Scotty McCreery; Lauren Alaina; Haley Reinhart; James Durbin" /></a>Haley Reinhart found herself a regular resident of the Bottom Three during the early rounds of the <em>American Idol</em> finals. But no more. Despite getting slagged by Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson for Wednesday's performance of Michael Jackson's <em>Earth Song</em>, she'll be one of three singers traveling to their hometowns in the coming days.</p><p>So will Lauren Alaina.</p><p>And Scotty McCreery.</p><p>"Unfortunately, we lose James tonight," Ryan said. James Durbin looked stunned, as he blinked on the stage and signaled to his family that he was okay.</p><p>"I worked so damn hard to get here," he said, fighting back tears, before singing Paul McCartney's <em>Maybe I'm Amazed</em> as his goodbye song. "God, I was really hoping to get there, but, you know, I had a feeling today. God, I did so much stuff that's never been done on this show before ... In my eyes, in my mind, I did what I came here to do -- and that was to give metal a chance."</p><p>So after eliminating five women to start the finals, the <em>Idol</em> voters having cast off five consecutive male singers. And that means we'll have a woman in the finale.</p><p></p><!-- USAT RATINGS START --> <br /><style type="text/css"><![CDATA[ .div-wrapper{margin: 20px 0 10px 15px;border:none; padding:0 0 0 0;padding-bottom:10px;direction:ltr;text-align:left;vertical-align:middle;font-size:12px;} .div-wrapper a {text-decoration:none;color:#00529b;}.div-wrapper a:hover {text-decoration:underline;}.rec-src-link{color:#666;margin-left:6px;}Legend.Outbrain_recommendations_legend {color:#000;font-weight:bold;font-size:12px;margin-bottom:6px}.div-wrapper li{list-style-position:outside !important;list-style-type:square;margin-bottom:2px}#usatRatings {margin-top:16px; margin-left:165px;}#usatRatings .outbrain-recommendationsFieldset{position:inherit !important;}]]></style> <br /><!-- USAT RATINGS END --> </div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/UsatodaycomMusic-TopStories/~3/pvlo3_ryyJM/1" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564154282510523694.post-20003339954470092872011-09-05T11:38:00.000-07:002011-09-05T11:38:00.190-07:00'Idol' results: Did you see that coming? <div><div class="item" id="permalink" readability="25"><h3>'Idol' results: Did you see that coming?</h3><!-- end pagetools --><div class="post-attributes"><div class="divPluck"><span class="njGrayTxtSm" readability="0"><span id="uslCtl|comments|170065.blog" class="uslArticleControl"><span class="uslDisabledCommentsLink">Comment</span></span><p><span id="uslCtl|recommend|170065.blog" class="uslArticleControl"><span class="uslDisabledRecommendLink">Recommend</span></span></p></span></div></div><p><a href="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/idol-chatter/2011/May/11/AITop4x-large.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/idol-chatter/2011/May/11/AITop4x-wide-community.jpg" alt="" width="420" height="313" cutline="AMERICAN IDOL: The Final 4: Haley Reinhart, Scotty McCreery, James Durbin and Lauren Alaina." credit="By Michael Becker/FOX" keywords="Scotty McCreery; Lauren Alaina; Haley Reinhart; James Durbin" /></a>Haley Reinhart found herself a regular resident of the Bottom Three during the early rounds of the <em>American Idol</em> finals. But no more. Despite getting slagged by Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson for Wednesday's performance of Michael Jackson's <em>Earth Song</em>, she'll be one of three singers traveling to their hometowns in the coming days.</p><p>So will Lauren Alaina.</p><p>And Scotty McCreery.</p><p>"Unfortunately, we lose James tonight," Ryan said. James Durbin looked stunned, as he blinked on the stage and signaled to his family that he was okay.</p><p>"I worked so damn hard to get here," he said, fighting back tears, before singing Paul McCartney's <em>Maybe I'm Amazed</em> as his goodbye song. "God, I was really hoping to get there, but, you know, I had a feeling today. God, I did so much stuff that's never been done on this show before ... In my eyes, in my mind, I did what I came here to do -- and that was to give metal a chance."</p><p>So after eliminating five women to start the finals, the <em>Idol</em> voters having cast off five consecutive male singers. And that means we'll have a woman in the finale.</p><p></p><!-- USAT RATINGS START --> <br /><style type="text/css"><![CDATA[ .div-wrapper{margin: 20px 0 10px 15px;border:none; padding:0 0 0 0;padding-bottom:10px;direction:ltr;text-align:left;vertical-align:middle;font-size:12px;} .div-wrapper a {text-decoration:none;color:#00529b;}.div-wrapper a:hover {text-decoration:underline;}.rec-src-link{color:#666;margin-left:6px;}Legend.Outbrain_recommendations_legend {color:#000;font-weight:bold;font-size:12px;margin-bottom:6px}.div-wrapper li{list-style-position:outside !important;list-style-type:square;margin-bottom:2px}#usatRatings {margin-top:16px; margin-left:165px;}#usatRatings .outbrain-recommendationsFieldset{position:inherit !important;}]]></style> <br /><!-- USAT RATINGS END --> </div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/usatoday-LifeTopStories/~3/pvlo3_ryyJM/1" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564154282510523694.post-79442223157043751082011-09-05T11:08:00.000-07:002011-09-05T11:08:00.140-07:00David McCullough's 'Greater Journey' to Paris and back <div><div class="story" readability="136"><br /><br /><!--End series_nav_bar div--> <br /><!--startclickprintinclude--><br /><br /><!-- EdSysObj ID="SandboxLede" FRAGMENTID="47621808" newsgate --><br /><br /><br /><p class="firstParagraph">NEW YORK ? The nation's most celebrated and best-selling historian goes unrecognized amid the pigeons and tourists at Grand Army Plaza, at the south entrance of Manhattan's Central Park.</p><br /><div class="inset"><br /><div class="photo-block"><br /><div class="ppy ppy1"><br /><ul class="ppy-imglist"><li><a href="http://i.usatoday.net/life/_photos/2011/05/25/david-mccullogh-interview-354UFVS-x-large.jpg"><img src="http://i.usatoday.net/life/_photos/2011/05/25/david-mccullogh-interview-354UFVS-x.jpg" width="245" height="184" border="0" alt="Capturing history: David McCullough, at the statue of Sherman in New York, has a new book, The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris." /></a><span class="ppy-extcaption" readability="6"><p class="credit">By Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY</p><br /><p><cutline>Capturing history: David McCullough, at the statue of Sherman in New York, has a new book, The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris.</cutline></p></span></li><br /></ul><br /><div class="ppy-caption"><span class="ppy-text" readability="6"><p class="credit">By Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY</p><br /><p>Capturing history: David McCullough, at the statue of Sherman in New York, has a new book, The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris.</p></span></div><br /></div><br /></div><br /><br /></div><br /><p class="inside-copy"><a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/David+McCullough" title="More news, photos about David McCullough">David McCullough</a>, who says he's merely a "storyteller," not a trained historian, is here to pose before and admire a gilded 13-foot-high statue of Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman on horseback.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">If anyone can bring that statue, its sculptor and subject to life (at least in the literary sense), it's McCullough, author of the best sellers <i>Truman</i>, <i><a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/People/Historical+Figures/John+Adams" title="More news, photos about John Adams">John Adams</a></i> and <i>1776</i>. And that is exactly what he does as part of his latest book, <i>The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris</i> (Simon & Schuster, $37.50, in stores this week).</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">The book weaves together inspiring stories about young Americans — aspiring artists, doctors and writers — who went to study and work in Paris between 1830 and 1900, then returned home to make their marks.</p><br /><ul class="inside-copy"><li><br /><h3 class="inline-h3">MORE:<a href="http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2011-05-24-best-summer-reads_n.htm">The summer's top new books</a></h3><br /></li><br /><li><br /><h3 class="inline-h3">MORE:<a href="http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2011-05-24-hottest-summer-books_n.htm">By genre, the season's hottest new titles</a></h3><br /></li><br /></ul><p class="inside-copy">As he writes, "Not all pioneers went west."</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">Among them was a driven and at times depressed perfectionist who designed and built the statue of Sherman: Augustus Saint-Gaudens, a shoemaker's son from <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Places,+Geography/States,+Territories,+Provinces,+Islands/U.S.+States/New+York" title="More news, photos about New York">New York</a> who went to work at 13, and at 19, with little money, left for Paris. He was "bound," as he said, "to be a sculptor."</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">At the statue, which is mounted on an 11-foot-high pedestal, McCullough, 77, exclaims, "Isn't it great!" (As a writer, he rarely resorts to exclamation points. As an interview subject, he invites them.)</p><div class="inset"><br /><div class="va"><br /><h2>David McCullough by the numbers</h2><br /><div class="vaContent" readability="0"><br />There are more than 9 million copies of David McCullough's nine books in print. Among the most notable:<br /><em>John Adams</em><br /><br />-Spent 86 weeks in the Top 150 of USA TODAY's Best-Selling Books list.<br /><br />-Peaked at No. 2 in hardcover on June 7, 2001.<br /><br />-Returned to the list in 2008, peaking at No. 19 on March 27 as HBO's miniseries adaptation <br /><br />aired.<br /><br />-3,138,000 copies in print.<br /><em>1776</em><br /><br />-Entered the list at No. 1 on June 2, 2005, and spent 36 weeks in the Top 150.<br /><br />-3,079,000 copies in print.<br /><em>Truman</em><br /><br />-Published in 1992, before USA TODAY's best seller list existed.<br /><br />-1,408,000 copies in print.<br /><em>The Greater Journey</em> (May 2011)<br /><br />-First printing: 550,000 copies.<p><br /><br /></p><br /></div><br /></div><br /></div><p class="inside-copy">"Look at that face! It's the face of a madman! Grim and pockmarked … the very image of the horrors of war!"</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">Sherman, celebrated and reviled for his brutal 1864 march from Atlanta to the sea, is famous for saying "War is hell." McCullough likes to recite the lesser known part of Sherman's speech: "I am tired and sick of war. Its glory is all moonshine." McCullough lingers on the word <i>moonshine</i>.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">"And look, there's the (horse's upraised) foot that gave Saint-Gaudens so much trouble."</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">But what McCullough likes best about the statue is the figure in front of Sherman, a barefooted, winged goddess of Victory. She clutches a palm branch in her left hand and reaches out with her right hand, as if leading the way for Sherman.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">"She makes it great," McCullough says, noting the contrast between war-weary Sherman and Victory's youth and beauty. But, as he writes in <i>The Greater Journey,</i> "There is no joy, no gleam of triumph or glory in her expression. Her eyes are wide, her mouth open, as if she was under a spell."</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">Still admiring the statue, which was unveiled in 1903, McCullough adds, "She was African American (a 24-year-old model from <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Places,+Geography/States,+Territories,+Provinces,+Islands/U.S.+States/South+Carolina" title="More news, photos about South Carolina">South Carolina</a> named Hettie Anderson). No one knows that!"</p><br /><p class="inside-copy"><b>Working through history</b></p><br /><p class="inside-copy">After two best sellers set in the 18th century, <i>John Adams</i> (2001) and <i>1776</i> (2005), McCullough moved into the 19th century to write "not about politics and soldiers," but about "art and music and ideas and poetry, science and technology."</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">He found much already written about Americans in Paris during and after the <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/American+Revolution" title="More news, photos about American Revolution">American Revolution</a> and even more about "the whole Fitzgerald-Hemingway-Gertrude Stein era," the Lost Generation of the 1920s.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">But he says there's little about the period in between, before America had schools of architecture and art, or even let medical students work on cadavers.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">"In America then, most women would have preferred to die than let a man — even a doctor — examine their bodies," he says. "The French weren't so squeamish, so American medical students in Paris could learn far more."</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">And as he has done in each of his nine books, starting with <i>The Johnstown Flood</i> (1968), "I learned as I went along. I write books that I wish existed, so I can read them."</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">He has won two Pulitzers — for <i>Truman</i> (1992) and <i>John Adams</i>— along with two <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/National+Book+Awards" title="More news, photos about National Book Awards">National Book Awards</a>, for <i>The Path Between the Seas</i>, about the Panama Canal (1977), and <i>Mornings On Horseback</i>, about the young Theodore Roosevelt (1981). And he's the recipient of the <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Presidential+Medal+of+Freedom" title="More news, photos about Presidential Medal of Freedom">Presidential Medal of Freedom</a>, the nation's highest civilian award.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy"><a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Michael+Korda" title="More news, photos about Michael Korda">Michael Korda</a>, who has edited his previous four books, says McCullough is "driven by stories and by people, not just facts."</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">Korda, an author himself, says a lot of history written by professors and scholars is "dull — worthy but dull. It's what puts people off about history in school. David is scrupulous about his facts, but he's never dull."</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">McCullough says he reminds himself that those he's writing about "never knew what was going to happen. In a sense, there's no such thing as the past. Nobody lived in the past. They lived in their present. It's not our present. But they didn't know how things were going to turn out."</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">His new book assembles a remarkable cast of American talents who came to know each other in Paris.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">Some would become famous: painters <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/John+Singer+Sargent" title="More news, photos about John Singer Sargent">John Singer Sargent</a> and <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Mary+Cassatt" title="More news, photos about Mary Cassatt">Mary Cassatt</a>, architect <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Stanford+White" title="More news, photos about Stanford White">Stanford White</a> and writer <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/James+Fenimore+Cooper" title="More news, photos about James Fenimore Cooper">James Fenimore Cooper</a>.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">Others deserve to be better known, says McCullough: William Wells Brown, a fugitive slave who became the first African-American novelist; Elizabeth Blackwell, America's first female doctor; and George P.A. Healy, who rose out of poverty to become the best portrait painter of his day.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">Although he "walked the same streets in Paris they walked," McCullough did most of his research at American libraries that house "all their wonderful letters and diaries. And what wonderful writers they all were!" (In one footnote, he observes, "It was a day and age when young people were expected to write letters to their families and to use the English language properly.")</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">He likes to quote Saint-Gaudens: "Coming here has been a wonderful experience, surprising in many respects, one of them being to find how much of an American I am."</p><br /><p class="inside-copy"><b>Writing by typewriter</b></p><br /><p class="inside-copy">His title comes from a phrase at the end of his opening chapter that describes all the dangers of crossing the Atlantic in the 18th century: </p><br /><p class="inside-copy">"Great as their journey had been by sea, a greater journey had begun, as they already sensed, and from it they were to learn more, and bring back more, of infinite value to themselves and to their country than they yet knew."</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">McCullough's career began as a researcher, editor and writer for <i>American Heritage</i> magazine and the United States Information Agency under the legendary <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/People/Journalists,+Media,+Academia/Edward+R.+Murrow" title="More news, photos about Edward R. Murrow">Edward R. Murrow</a>. He says he still writes as he has for more than 40 years — on a second-hand Royal typewriter "that was built in 1940, and there's nothing wrong with it."</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">To anyone who asks, "But don't you know you could write faster on a computer?" he replies, "Yes, I do. But I don't want to write faster. I want to go slow. The quality will improve. At least, I hope so."</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">He writes with the ears and eyes of readers in mind. "My wife and I go back and forth reading the drafts to see how the sentences sound." He loves Dickens' admonition to writers: "Make me see."</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">"I try to make readers see what is happening — to smell it and to hear it, what people had for dinner, how long it took them to walk from here to there and what they saw along the way."</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">McCullough has five children, 18 grandchildren, and homes in Boston and <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Martha's+Vineyard" title="More news, photos about Martha's Vineyard">Martha's Vineyard</a>, Mass. He says he had no plans to retire.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">He may write a book about reading and writing. (He worries that history and English aren't being taught well, though notes that one of his sons is a high school English teacher, "and we are so proud of him.")</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">He hasn't settled on the topic of his next history book. "It has to click," he says. "It's hard to explain."</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">After 52 years of marriage to Rosalee Barnes McCullough — "the first of my first readers and the best" — he says that deciding on a new subject for a new book is "like falling in love. You know it when it happens."</p><br /><p><i></i></p><!-- EdSysObj ID="SSI" FRAGMENTID="41603598" appadmin --><!-- /EdSysObj --><br /><br /><div class="bottom-tools" readability="1"><br /><p>Posted <span class="bottomPubStatus"> | Updated </span></p><span class="right"></span></div><br /><!-- EdSysObj ID="SSI" FRAGMENTID="41223454" rberthol --><!-- USAT RATINGS START --><br /><br /><!-- USAT RATINGS END --><br /><!-- /EdSysObj --><br /><br /><br /><!-- /EdSysObj --><br /><!--endclickprintinclude--> <br /></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/UsatodaycomBooks-TopStories/~3/1e1lNiZSebA/2011-05-25-david-mccullogh-interview_n.htm" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564154282510523694.post-42131520170780750882011-09-05T10:47:00.000-07:002011-09-05T10:47:00.964-07:005 Questions for author Albert Brooks <div><div class="story" readability="20"><br /><br /><!--End series_nav_bar div--> <br /><!--startclickprintinclude--><br /><br /><!-- EdSysObj ID="SandboxLede" FRAGMENTID="47078644" newsgate --><br /><br /><br /><p class="firstParagraph">Actor, screenwriter and filmmaker <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Albert+Brooks" title="More news, photos about Albert Brooks">Albert Brooks</a> is out with his debut novel, <i>2030</i> (St. Martin's, $25.99). He spoke with USA TODAY. </p><br /><div class="inset"><br /><div class="photo-block"><br /><div class="ppy ppy1"><br /><ul class="ppy-imglist"><li><a href="http://i.usatoday.net/life/_photos/2011/05/11/albert-brooks-9S45KQ6-x-large.jpg"><img src="http://i.usatoday.net/life/_photos/2011/05/11/albert-brooks-9S45KQ6-x.jpg" width="245" height="184" border="0" alt="Albert Brooks imagines a bleak future in his debut novel." /></a><span class="ppy-extcaption" readability="2"><p class="credit">Getty Images</p><br /><p><cutline>Albert Brooks imagines a bleak future in his debut novel.</cutline></p></span></li><br /></ul><br /><div class="ppy-caption"><span class="ppy-text" readability="2"><p class="credit">Getty Images</p><br /><p>Albert Brooks imagines a bleak future in his debut novel.</p></span></div><br /></div><br /></div><br /><br /></div><br /><p class="inside-copy"><b>1. You paint a pretty bleak picture of the future in your novel, yet you say you're hopeful?</b></p><br /><p class="inside-copy">I don't consider what I wrote as bleak. The fact that we're still here in my book is hopeful.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy"><b>2. Old people are targets in your novel. You're 63. Do you worry about this scenario?</b></p><br /><p class="inside-copy">Yes, I have. I've always thought because of our generation — the size of it — it's apparent that unless we're killed off by some Boomer flu, we're going to be here and people are going to have to deal with us.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy"><b>3. Was writing a novel more difficult than writing a screenplay?</b></p><br /><p class="inside-copy">I didn't sell it until I finished it, which took pressure off.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy"><b>4. Another novel in the works?</b></p><br /><p class="inside-copy">I've got two other ideas. I really like the form.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy"><b>5. You were the voice of Marlin, the fearful clownfish in <b><i><a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Finding+Nemo" title="More news, photos about Finding Nemo">Finding Nemo</a></i></b><i>,</i> because the director said you could make worrying appealing. Did you take that as a compliment?</b></p><br /><p class="inside-copy">I take anything other than "you big pig!" as a compliment.</p><br /><p><i></i></p><!-- EdSysObj ID="SSI" FRAGMENTID="41603598" appadmin --><!-- /EdSysObj --><br /><br /><div class="bottom-tools" readability="1"><br /><p>Posted <span class="bottomPubStatus"> | Updated </span></p><span class="right"></span></div><br /><!-- EdSysObj ID="SSI" FRAGMENTID="41223454" rberthol --><!-- USAT RATINGS START --><br /><br /><!-- USAT RATINGS END --><br /><!-- /EdSysObj --><br /><br /><br /><!-- /EdSysObj --><br /><!--endclickprintinclude--> <br /></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/UsatodaycomBooks-TopStories/~3/SNignhdqjAw/2011-05-11-albert-brooks_n.htm" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564154282510523694.post-66424368836408118172011-09-05T10:17:00.000-07:002011-09-05T10:17:00.393-07:00Toned-down Ferrell sells 'Everything Must Go' <div><div class="story" readability="35"><br /><br /><!--End series_nav_bar div--> <br /><!--startclickprintinclude--><br /><br /><!-- EdSysObj ID="SandboxLede" FRAGMENTID="47120966" newsgate --><br /><br /><br /><br /><p class="firstParagraph">If he isn't careful, <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/People/Celebrities/Actors,+Agents/Will+Ferrell" title="More news, photos about Will Ferrell">Will Ferrell</a> is going to become a bona fide actor.</p><br /><div class="inset"><br /><div class="photo-block"><br /><div class="ppy ppy1"><br /><ul class="ppy-imglist"><li><a href="http://i.usatoday.net/life/_photos/2011/05/12/Everything-Must-Go-movie-TH48LKC-x-large.jpg"><img src="http://i.usatoday.net/life/_photos/2011/05/12/Everything-Must-Go-movie-TH48LKC-x.jpg" width="245" height="184" border="0" alt="Will Ferrell stars as Nick Halsey, a man who tries to sell everything after his wife throws everything out of the house." /></a><span class="ppy-extcaption" readability="4"><p class="credit">By John Estes, Roadside Attractions</p><br /><p><cutline>Will Ferrell stars as Nick Halsey, a man who tries to sell everything after his wife throws everything out of the house.</cutline></p></span></li><br /></ul><br /><div class="ppy-caption"><span class="ppy-text" readability="4"><p class="credit">By John Estes, Roadside Attractions</p><br /><p>Will Ferrell stars as Nick Halsey, a man who tries to sell everything after his wife throws everything out of the house.</p></span></div><br /></div><br /></div><br /><br /></div><br /><p class="inside-copy">The loudmouthed comedian isn't there yet. He's still more at ease clowning in his underpants than shedding a tear.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">But with his restrained turn in <i>Everything Must Go</i>, Ferrell is demonstrating the understated chops that made colleagues <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/People/Celebrities/Comedians/Robin+Williams" title="More news, photos about Robin Williams">Robin Williams</a> and <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/People/Celebrities/Actors,+Agents/Jim+Carrey" title="More news, photos about Jim Carrey">Jim Carrey</a> jack-of-all-trade entertainers.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">Ferrell plays Nick Halsey, a salesman whose career is slowing but whose drinking has not. After losing his job, Halsey comes home to find his belongings on the front lawn, the locks changed and his wife gone, having filed for divorce.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">The film touches on what got Nick in this mess — he fell off the wagon and into bed with another woman — but it makes only glancing references to the infractions.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">Based on the short story <i>Why Don't You Dance</i> by Raymond Carver, <i>Everything</i> shies from the bombastic confrontations of many tales of addiction. If anything, first-time filmmaker Dan Rush, who wrote the script, has made a film so subtle that it borders on the laconic.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">The setup — after discovering his evicted items, Nick camps on his front lawn and puts his belongings up for sale — could have been fodder for Ferrell to become the Everyman Jackass he has played so well before. </p><div class="inset __NOTFORSYNDICATION"><br /><div class="va"><br /><h2>About the movie</h2><br /><div class="vaContent" readability="5"><br /><p class="va-subheading"><b><i>Everything Must Go </i></b><br /><b>* * * out of four</b></p><p><b>Stars:</b> Will Ferrell, Rebecca Hall, <br />Laura Dern<br /> <br /><b>Director:</b> Dan Rush<br /> <br /><b>Distributor:</b> Roadside Attractions<br /> <br /><b>Rating:</b> R for language and some<br /> sexual content<br /> <br /><b>Running time:</b> 1 hour, 40 minutes<br /> <br /><b>Opens in select cities Friday</b> </p><br /></div><br /></div><br /></div><br /><p class="inside-copy">Here, though, Rush keeps Ferrell's sharp tongue nearly mute as he encounters a parade of neighbors he barely remembers, let alone knows.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">We meet the pregnant Samantha (Rebecca Hall), whose husband has traits disturbingly similar to Nick's. Kenny (the wonderful Christopher Jordan Wallace) offers to help with the yard sale, in which Nick hopes to unload everything from his past, including booze.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">It's a fine line that Rush walks, one that doesn't always work. <i>Everything</i> can careen from sobering to silly so quickly that it's hard to keep up. The relationship with Samantha rings a little Hollywood-esque.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">The film finds surer footing in the relationship between Nick and Christopher. Rush gives Christopher the right mix of savvy and naivet to make him believable as a boy learning (along with his dazed neighbor) how to function in public.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">As he did in <i>Stranger Than Fiction</i>, Ferrell displays surprising range when he ratchets down the volume. And he can't help it in this picture, where there are no villains, heroes or seismic changes in worldview.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">Instead, we get an utterly restrained portrait of a man hoping to sell off his worldly goods along with his past. Most of it is worth the purchase.</p><br /><p><i></i></p><!-- EdSysObj ID="SSI" FRAGMENTID="41603598" appadmin --><!-- /EdSysObj --><br /><br /><div class="bottom-tools" readability="1"><br /><p>Posted <span class="bottomPubStatus"> | Updated </span></p><span class="right"></span></div><br /><!-- EdSysObj ID="SSI" FRAGMENTID="41223454" rberthol --><!-- USAT RATINGS START --><br /><br /><!-- USAT RATINGS END --><br /><!-- /EdSysObj --><br /><br /><br /><!-- /EdSysObj --><br /><!--endclickprintinclude--> <br /></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/UsatodaycomMovies-TopStories/~3/kg3ntUyPj34/2011-05-12-Everything-Must-Go-movie_n.htm" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564154282510523694.post-64455661436917183222011-09-05T09:55:00.000-07:002011-09-05T09:55:00.586-07:00USA TODAY releases iPad app update <div><div class="sidebox about" readability="8"> <br /><h2>About USA TODAY's Tech team</h2><br /><br /><a href="http://content.usatoday.com/communities/technologylive/post/2009/12/10934/1"><img class="about" src="http://i.usatoday.net/_common/_images/_communities/technologylive-bio-square.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><p>Technology Live covers computers, electronics, and the Internet, with a focus on cutting-edge technology that has a real impact on your life. Our reporters and editors -- based in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, New York, and Washington – offer news and tips to help you make the most of your digital domain. <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/communities/technologylive/post/2009/12/10934/1">More about the team</a></p><br /><br /></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/TP-TechnologyLive/~3/UxiXs0Z1OnA/1" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564154282510523694.post-23170319173346194872011-09-05T09:29:00.000-07:002011-09-05T09:29:00.377-07:00Report: Ashton Kutcher to join 'Two and a Half Men' <div><div class="item" id="permalink" readability="15"><h3>Report: Ashton Kutcher to join 'Two and a Half Men'</h3><!-- end pagetools --><div class="post-attributes"><div class="divPluck"><span class="njGrayTxtSm" readability="0"><span id="uslCtl|comments|170066.blog" class="uslArticleControl"><span class="uslDisabledCommentsLink">Comment</span></span><p><span id="uslCtl|recommend|170066.blog" class="uslArticleControl"><span class="uslDisabledRecommendLink">Recommend</span></span></p></span></div></div><p></p><p></p><p><img src="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/lifeline-live/2011/05/12/kutcherx.jpg" alt="" width="0" height="0" />Ashton Kutcher may be returning to prime-time TV in a big way.</p><p>According to <em>The Hollywood Reporter</em>, "two sources close to the deal-making" say Kutcher is <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sources-confirm-ashton-kutcher-will-188048">poised to replace Charlie Sheen on the popular CBS si</a><a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sources-confirm-ashton-kutcher-will-188048">tcom <em>T</em></a><a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sources-confirm-ashton-kutcher-will-188048"><em>wo and a Half </em></a><a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sources-confirm-ashton-kutcher-will-188048"><em>Men</em></a>.</p><p>According to <em>The Reporter</em>:<a href="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/lifeline-live/2011/05/12/kutcherx-large.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/lifeline-live/2011/05/12/kutcher2x-inset-community.jpg" alt="" width="230" height="340" cutline="Ashton Kutcher " credit="By Peter Kramer, AP" keywords="A ENT" /></a></p><blockquote readability="2"><p>The deal came together quickly in the wake of<strong> Hugh Grant </strong>passing on the opportunity to join the show. Now sources say <em>Men </em>creator <strong>Chuck L</strong><strong>orre </strong>has crafted a story line to introduce Kutcher in a way that satisfies the network and studio. "It's really funny," says one source. "People are going to love it."</p></blockquote><p>CBS has not confirmed the report, and Kutcher, who has nearly 7 million followers on Twitter, <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/aplusk/status/68809429608431616">posted the following message on Thursday night</a>:</p><blockquote readability="1"><p>I'm starting to become convinced that people put my name in articles just to improve their SEO or hoping I'll tweet it.</p></blockquote><p>As they say in television, stay tuned.</p><p><span><strong>UPDATE: </strong></span>At around 10:30 p.m. ET, Kutcher seemed to confirm the news, tweeting "What's the square root of 6.25?" For those not paying attention in math class...that's 2.5.</p><p>See photos of: <a href="http://mediagallery.usatoday.com/Charlie+Sheen">Charlie Sheen</a>, <a href="http://mediagallery.usatoday.com/Ashton+Kutcher">Ashton Kutcher</a></p><!-- USAT RATINGS START --> <br /><style type="text/css"><![CDATA[ .div-wrapper{margin: 20px 0 10px 15px;border:none; padding:0 0 0 0;padding-bottom:10px;direction:ltr;text-align:left;vertical-align:middle;font-size:12px;} .div-wrapper a {text-decoration:none;color:#00529b;}.div-wrapper a:hover {text-decoration:underline;}.rec-src-link{color:#666;margin-left:6px;}Legend.Outbrain_recommendations_legend {color:#000;font-weight:bold;font-size:12px;margin-bottom:6px}.div-wrapper li{list-style-position:outside !important;list-style-type:square;margin-bottom:2px}#usatRatings {margin-top:16px; margin-left:165px;}#usatRatings .outbrain-recommendationsFieldset{position:inherit !important;}]]></style> <br /><!-- USAT RATINGS END --> </div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/usatoday-LifeTopStories/~3/kwJcRfl4XwI/1" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564154282510523694.post-77515690787687138192011-09-05T09:13:00.000-07:002011-09-05T09:13:00.217-07:00The Week in Pop: My pop-culture picks (and yours!) of the week <div><div class="item" id="permalink" readability="22"><h3>The Week in Pop: My pop-culture picks (and yours!) of the week</h3><!-- end pagetools --><div class="post-attributes"><div class="divPluck"><span class="njGrayTxtSm" readability="0"><span id="uslCtl|comments|172190.blog" class="uslArticleControl"><span class="uslDisabledCommentsLink">Comment</span></span><p><span id="uslCtl|recommend|172190.blog" class="uslArticleControl"><span class="uslDisabledRecommendLink">Recommend</span></span></p></span></div></div><p>It's that time again for me to share my pop-culture picks o' the week. Take a look, then please share your own:</p><p><strong>Best TV show I saw:</strong><em> Oprah's Surprise Spectacular</em>. The stars certainly came out to say goodbye to <strong>Oprah</strong>'s show -- heck, <strong>Stedman</strong> even talked!<br /><strong>I also enjoyed:</strong><em> Game of Thrones</em>, <em>Saturday Night Live</em>, <em>Modern Family</em></p><p><strong><a href="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/pop-candy/2011/05/26/midnightx-large.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/pop-candy/2011/05/26/midnightx-inset-community.jpg" alt="" width="230" height="172" cutline="Carla Bruni, left, and Owen Wilson in 'Midnight in Paris.'" credit="AP" keywords=" " /></a>Best movie I watched:</strong><em> Midnight in Paris</em>. <strong>Woody Allen</strong> has made his funniest and smartest film in years (though I know that's not saying much after <em>Cassandra's Dream</em>).<br /><strong>I also enjoyed:</strong><em> The Trip</em><br /><strong>I plan to see:</strong><em> The Hangover Part II</em>, <em>Cave of Forgotten Dreams</em>, <em>The Tree of Life</em><br /><strong>Recommended:</strong><em>Bridesmaids</em>, <em>Thor</em>, <em>Bill Cunningham New York</em></p><p><strong>Best thing I heard:</strong> I'm fond of a band called <a href="http://www.hardlyart.com/goldleaves.html" target="_blank">Gold Leaves</a> right now, particularly the title track off their upcoming album, <em>The Ornament</em>.<br /><strong>I'm also listening to:</strong> The <em>WTF</em> podcast with <strong>Garry Shandling</strong>, <strong>Woods</strong>' new release (<em>Sun & Shade</em>, out June 14)</p><p><strong>Best thing I read:</strong> I can't remember if I mentioned this last week, but I do recommend <strong>John Waters</strong>' recent book/memoir, <em>Role Models</em>. It's funny, bizarre and uncovers a side of culture not often put into the spotlight. It's now in paperback.<br /><strong>I'm also reading:</strong><em> The Member of the Wedding</em> by <strong>Carson McCullers</strong>. It's summer -- time to catch up on the classics!</p><p>OK, what's under your hat this week? Chime in!</p></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/TP-PopCandy/~3/x27yjZ3S84U/1" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564154282510523694.post-83468863981539894302011-09-05T08:43:00.000-07:002011-09-05T08:43:00.326-07:00What makes Justin Bieber happy? <div><div class="item" id="permalink" readability="17"><h3>What makes Justin Bieber happy? </h3><!-- end pagetools --><div class="post-attributes"><div class="divPluck"><span class="njGrayTxtSm" readability="0"><span id="uslCtl|comments|172264.blog" class="uslArticleControl"><span class="uslDisabledCommentsLink">Comment</span></span><p><span id="uslCtl|recommend|172264.blog" class="uslArticleControl"><span class="uslDisabledRecommendLink">Recommend</span></span></p></span></div></div><p><a href="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/lifeline-live/2011/05/28/bieberx-large.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/lifeline-live/2011/05/28/bieberx-wide-community.jpg" alt="" width="238" height="198" cutline="Justin Bieber poses in the press room at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 22, 2011." credit="By Dan Steinberg, AP" keywords="A ENT" /></a>Ah, young love. Justin Bieber has much to warm his heart: presumably Selena Gomez, with whom he's had major PDA. And also, Pinkberry.</p><p>Bieber <a href="http://lockerz.com/s/105385424">Tweeted</a> a photo of himself enjoying the cold treat. Gomez, meanwhile, recently revealed to <a href="http://www.seventeen.com/entertainment/features/selena-gomez-interview-0411">Seventeen </a>that at the ripe age of 18, she's decided to be more open about her relationship with Bieber.</p><p>"I don't like hiding. I do like to keep certain things to myself, but at the end of the day, I'm eighteen, and I'm going to fall in love. I'm going to hang out with people, and I'm going to explore myself, and I'm okay with that," she told the magazine.</p><p>See photos of: <a href="http://mediagallery.usatoday.com/Justin+Bieber">Justin Bieber</a>, <a href="http://mediagallery.usatoday.com/Selena+Gomez">Selena Gomez</a></p></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/usatoday-LifeTopStories/~3/XZIdc66NjoY/1" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564154282510523694.post-80543286128965008862011-09-05T08:29:00.000-07:002011-09-05T08:29:00.477-07:00Lady Gaga scores again; Miley says goodbye to Jeff Conaway <div><div class="item" id="permalink" readability="16"><h3>Lady Gaga scores again; Miley says goodbye to Jeff Conaway</h3><!-- end pagetools --><div class="post-attributes"><div class="divPluck"><span class="njGrayTxtSm" readability="0"><span id="uslCtl|comments|172261.blog" class="uslArticleControl"><span class="uslDisabledCommentsLink">Comment</span></span><p><span id="uslCtl|recommend|172261.blog" class="uslArticleControl"><span class="uslDisabledRecommendLink">Recommend</span></span></p></span></div></div><p><a href="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/lifeline-live/2011/05/28/gagax-large.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/lifeline-live/2011/05/28/gagax-wide-community.jpg" alt="" width="264" height="227" cutline="Lady Gaga performs on ABC's 'Good Morning America' in Central Park on Friday, May 27, 2011 in New York." credit="By Evan Agostini, AP" keywords="A ENT" /></a>Happy long weekend, folks. USA TODAY's Donna Freydkin checking in from sleepy, warm New York City on this Memorial Day three-day break.</p><p>This fame monster is unstoppable. Lady Gaga's <em>Born This Way</em> is projected to sell a cool million copies in its first week of release, according to <a href="http://www.billboard.com/news/update-lady-gaga-s-born-this-way-projected-1005203872.story#/news/update-lady-gaga-s-born-this-way-projected-1005203872.story">Billboard</a>. Amazon.com had priced the album at 99 cents for its first two days of release, which helped boost sales -- if not Amazon's bottom line.</p><p>Notables took to Twitter to say goodbye to actor Jeff Conaway, who died on Friday.</p><ul><li>Miley Cyrus: "RIP Jeff Conaway. I'll see you in another life."</li><li>Marlee Matlin: "Love this line from #Grease "A hickey from Kenickie is like a Hallmark card." -Jeff Conaway Sad to hear he passed; he struggled so long RIP"</li><li>Dr. Drew: "looked like he might pull through last weekend, but unfortunately that was not to be. Please continue to send your well wishes and prayers"</li></ul><p>If you're pregnant, it helps to have Chanel and other top French design houses at your disposal. French First Lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, preggers with her second child, wore coolly chic <a href="http://celebritybabies.people.com/2011/05/27/carla-brunis-maternity-style-debut-high-fashion/">shift dresses</a> at this week's G8 Summit in Deauville, France.</p><p>See photos of: <a href="http://mediagallery.usatoday.com/Miley+Cyrus">Miley Cyrus</a>, <a href="http://mediagallery.usatoday.com/Lady+Gaga">Lady Gaga</a>, <a href="http://mediagallery.usatoday.com/Carla+Bruni-Sarkozy">Carla Bruni-Sarkozy</a></p></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/TP-LifelineLive/~3/gQtry_V6djg/1" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564154282510523694.post-21613477961381441562011-09-05T08:14:00.000-07:002011-09-05T08:14:00.296-07:00DVD Extra: Steve McQueen revs up 'Le Mans' <div><div class="story" readability="52"><br /><br /><!--End series_nav_bar div--> <br /><!--startclickprintinclude--><br /><br /><!-- EdSysObj ID="SandboxLede" FRAGMENTID="47690532" newsgate --><br /><br /><br /><p class="firstParagraph">In the 1960s and 1970s, cool was defined by two words —<a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/People/Celebrities/Actors,+Agents/Steve+McQueen" title="More news, photos about Steve McQueen">Steve McQueen</a>.</p><br /><div class="inset"><br /><div class="photo-block"><br /><div class="ppy ppy1"><br /><ul class="ppy-imglist"><li><a href="http://i.usatoday.net/life/_photos/2011/05/26/dvd-extra-steve-mcqueen-le-mans-P850QKJ-x-large.jpg"><img src="http://i.usatoday.net/life/_photos/2011/05/26/dvd-extra-steve-mcqueen-le-mans-P850QKJ-x.jpg" width="245" height="184" border="0" alt="Steve McQueen raced competively to support himself in the 1950s before his acting career took off." /></a><span class="ppy-extcaption" readability="2"><p class="credit">Warner Home Video</p><br /><p><cutline>Steve McQueen raced competively to support himself in the 1950s before his acting career took off.</cutline></p></span></li><br /></ul><br /><div class="ppy-caption"><span class="ppy-text" readability="2"><p class="credit">Warner Home Video</p><br /><p>Steve McQueen raced competively to support himself in the 1950s before his acting career took off.</p></span></div><br /></div><br /></div><br /><br /></div><br /><p class="inside-copy">He was always the handsome outsider whose quiet confidence, intrepid attitude and contempt for authority gave him a magnetism few stars could match.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">McQueen also had a penchant for satisfying fans' need for speed. Whether it was in <i>Bullitt's</i> often imitated, but never duplicated chase scene through <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Places,+Geography/Towns,+Cities,+Counties/San+Francisco" title="More news, photos about San Francisco">San Francisco</a> streets in a <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Ford+Mustang+GT" title="More news, photos about Ford Mustang GT">Ford Mustang GT</a>, or <i>The Great Escape</i>'s harrowing motorcycle flight from a P.O.W. camp on a Triumph TR6 Trophy with German soldiers in pursuit, he literally revved up the action. And though the studios forced him to give way to stuntmen for the most dangerous maneuvers, McQueen spent plenty of time in the driver's seat.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">The same is true in <i><a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Le+Mans" title="More news, photos about Le Mans">Le Mans</a></i> (1971, Paramount, G, $20; Blu-ray, $25), which has been digitally restored and is being released on Blu-ray for the first time in celebration of its 40th anniversary. The cult classic depicts France's annual 24 Hours of Le Mans, the world's oldest and most famous endurance auto race. McQueen plays a man oblivious to the inherent danger, and addicted to the rush that it gives.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">"What's so important about driving faster than anyone else?" McQueen's Michael Delaney is asked by the widow (Elga Andersen) of a driver who crashed and died in the race a year earlier.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">"A lot of people go through life doing things badly," responds Delaney, who was badly hurt in the same accident. "Racing is important to men who do it well. When you're racing, it's life. Anything that happens before or after is just waiting."</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">Waiting, it seems, was not in the actor's makeup. McQueen, who died of cancer at age 50 in 1980, spent much of his life racing motorcycles and automobiles. While taking acting lessons in the early 1950s, he supported himself by winning motorcycle competitions. In 1970, he finished second in Florida's Grand Prix-style 12 Hours at Sebring (won by Mario Andretti) with professional driver teammate Peter Revson in a Porsche 908 Spyder that would be used as a camera car during the filming of <i>Le Mans</i>. At Sebring, McQueen — who had broken his foot in six places in a motorbike crash two weeks earlier — drove wearing a cast.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">It's no idle boast, then, when the film's trailer (a bonus feature with the new release) proclaims: "Le Mans. The men. The machines. The motion picture. Steve McQueen stars in it. No one else could." Also included is the mini-feature <i>Filming at Speed: The Making of the Movie Le Mans,</i> hosted by the star's son, Chad McQueen (he too is an actor and auto racer, and as a child was on the set). <i>Le Mans</i> was made on the heels of his father's 1968 blockbuster <i>Bullitt</i>, and he said it was Steve's goal to make "the ultimate motor racing movie."</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">The filmmakers, including director Lee H. Katzin, went to great lengths to get everything right, bringing 20 camera crews to film the 1969 race just to learn how to shoot it the following year when they were making the movie. The first half-hour of the film (which has sparse plot and dialogue in general) doesn't have a scripted word. Instead, it lets you drink in the sights and sounds surrounding the 8.5-mile Circuit de la Sarthe, around which cars hit speeds in excess of 230 mph in the grueling endurance race. The camera takes you into the bustle of pit row, where fans, drivers, mechanics and journalists jostle each other, and to the tent communities of racing enthusiasts along the countryside route. What story there is centers on the fierce rivalry between the Porsche and Ferrari race teams.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">There are no CGI tricks at work here, but you can almost feel the ground vibrations and the whip of the wind as the Porsche 917s and Ferrari 512s fly by, swapping paint and navigating hairpin turns. The adrenaline rush is so palpable, the imagination seems to supply the only missing elements — the smells of sweat, burnt rubber and exhaust fumes. You may even catch yourself tamping the brakes as the gap between that guardrail or those tail lights up ahead rapidly closes.</p><br /><p><i></i></p><!-- EdSysObj ID="SSI" FRAGMENTID="41603598" appadmin --><!-- /EdSysObj --><br /><br /><div class="bottom-tools" readability="1"><br /><p><span class="bottomPubStatus">Posted </span></p><span class="right"></span></div><br /><!-- EdSysObj ID="SSI" FRAGMENTID="41223454" rberthol --><!-- USAT RATINGS START --><br /><br /><!-- USAT RATINGS END --><br /><!-- /EdSysObj --><br /><br /><br /><!-- /EdSysObj --><br /><!--endclickprintinclude--> <br /></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/UsatodaycomMovies-TopStories/~3/vywEz9jlnHE/2011-05-26-dvd-extra-steve-mcqueen-le-mans_n.htm" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564154282510523694.post-90487452922062993032011-09-05T08:02:00.000-07:002011-09-05T08:02:00.537-07:00Preview the new Tribe Called Quest doc <div><div class="item" id="permalink" readability="7"><h3>Preview the new Tribe Called Quest doc</h3><!-- end pagetools --><div class="post-attributes"><div class="divPluck"><span class="njGrayTxtSm" readability="0"><span id="uslCtl|comments|172153.blog" class="uslArticleControl"><span class="uslDisabledCommentsLink">Comment</span></span><p><span id="uslCtl|recommend|172153.blog" class="uslArticleControl"><span class="uslDisabledRecommendLink">Recommend</span></span></p></span></div></div><p>One documentary I'm especially eager to see is <em><a href="http://www.sonyclassics.com/beatsrhymesandlife/" target="_blank">Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest</a></em>. Directed by <strong>Michael Rapaport</strong>, the film follows the career of the iconic hip-hop group and its sudden break-up in 1988.</p><p>The poster was just released this week:</p><p><a href="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/pop-candy/2011/05/26/questx-large.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/pop-candy/2011/05/26/questx-wide-community.jpg" alt="" width="420" height="676" cutline=" " credit=" " keywords=" " /></a></p><p>And here's a snippet of footage:</p><p></p><p>The film's release is designed to "mirror that of a concert tour," and starts with New York and L.A. on July 8. Check the official website for a full list of release dates.</p></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/TP-PopCandy/~3/HGD3TY61PmQ/1" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564154282510523694.post-34640285956329642212011-09-05T07:42:00.000-07:002011-09-05T07:42:00.725-07:00Ke$ha, Linkin Park join Billboard awards lineup <div><div class="item" id="permalink" readability="17"><h3>Ke$ha, Linkin Park join Billboard awards lineup</h3><!-- end pagetools --><div class="post-attributes"><div class="divPluck"><span class="njGrayTxtSm" readability="0"><span id="uslCtl|comments|170044.blog" class="uslArticleControl"><span class="uslDisabledCommentsLink">Comment</span></span><p><span id="uslCtl|recommend|170044.blog" class="uslArticleControl"><span class="uslDisabledRecommendLink">Recommend</span></span></p></span></div></div><p></p><p></p><p><a href="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/lifeline-live/2011/05/12/keshax-large.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/lifeline-live/2011/05/12/keshax-inset-community.jpg" alt="" width="230" height="383" cutline=" Ke$ha arrives at the 28th Annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards at the Grand Ballroom, Renaissance Hollywood Hotel on April 27, 2011." credit="By Frazer Harrison, Getty Images" keywords="E ACE MUS AWD CEL ENT" /></a>Ke$ha will be hanging out in Las Vegas with some of her fellow recording artists in about a week.</p><p></p><p>She, Linkin Park, Far East Movement, OneRepublic with lead vocalist Ryan Tedder and Ne-Yo have joined the list of performers who will be taking to the stage at The 2011 Billboard Music Awards, which takes place Sunday, May 22, and will be broadcast that evening (8:00–11:00 p.m., ET/PT) on ABC.</p><p>They join previously announced musical artists Cee Lo Green, Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, Keith Urban, Pitbull, The Black Eyed Peas, Lady Antebellum and Taio Cruz.</p><p>See photos of: <a href="http://mediagallery.usatoday.com/Ke$ha">Ke$ha</a></p><!-- USAT RATINGS START --> <br /><style type="text/css"><![CDATA[ .div-wrapper{margin: 20px 0 10px 15px;border:none; padding:0 0 0 0;padding-bottom:10px;direction:ltr;text-align:left;vertical-align:middle;font-size:12px;} .div-wrapper a {text-decoration:none;color:#00529b;}.div-wrapper a:hover {text-decoration:underline;}.rec-src-link{color:#666;margin-left:6px;}Legend.Outbrain_recommendations_legend {color:#000;font-weight:bold;font-size:12px;margin-bottom:6px}.div-wrapper li{list-style-position:outside !important;list-style-type:square;margin-bottom:2px}#usatRatings {margin-top:16px; margin-left:165px;}#usatRatings .outbrain-recommendationsFieldset{position:inherit !important;}]]></style> <br /><!-- USAT RATINGS END --> </div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/TP-LifelineLive/~3/3CV7FiOIh4A/1" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564154282510523694.post-82357752155868218832011-09-05T07:24:00.000-07:002011-09-05T07:24:00.443-07:00Barbara Sinatra tells about her life with Frank <div><div class="story" readability="41"><br /><br /><!--End series_nav_bar div--> <br /><!--startclickprintinclude--><br /><br /><!-- EdSysObj ID="SandboxLede" FRAGMENTID="47732614" newsgate --><br /><br /><br /><p class="firstParagraph">Barbara Sinatra was her famous husband's fourth wife. Also his last. He died in her arms in 1998. They had been married 22 years.</p><br /><div class="inset"><br /><div class="photo-block"><br /><div class="ppy ppy1"><br /><ul class="ppy-imglist"><li><a href="http://i.usatoday.net/life/_photos/2011/05/26/lady-blue-eyes-barbara-sinatra-A351Q0F-x-large.jpg"><img src="http://i.usatoday.net/life/_photos/2011/05/26/lady-blue-eyes-barbara-sinatra-A351Q0F-x.jpg" width="245" height="184" border="0" alt="Frank Sinatra's widow Barbara, 84, dishes on what it was like living with Ol' Blue Eyes in her new memoir." /></a><span class="ppy-extcaption" readability="3"><p class="credit"></p><br /><p><cutline>Frank Sinatra's widow Barbara, 84, dishes on what it was like living with Ol' Blue Eyes in her new memoir.</cutline></p></span></li><br /></ul><br /><div class="ppy-caption"><span class="ppy-text" readability="3"><p class="credit"></p><br /><p>Frank Sinatra's widow Barbara, 84, dishes on what it was like living with Ol' Blue Eyes in her new memoir.</p></span></div><br /></div><br /></div><br /><br /></div><br /><p class="inside-copy">It wasn't always pretty, although she says she was the "luckiest woman in the world" to be his wife.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">Sinatra's widow, 84, is now telling what it was like living with Ol' Blue Eyes in her aptly titled memoir <i>Lady Blue Eyes: My Life With Frank</i>.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">If you're interested in celebrity marriages, this memoir is the predictable dip into such shallow waters. If you're not, you can at least pass the time counting the names dropped. There are thousands.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">Model, Vegas showgirl, wife of Zeppo Marx, Barbara had been out and about before she met Sinatra. He quickly won her over, but their long-term affair before their marriage did not please Sinatra's feisty mother, Dolly, who asked him, "Aren't there enough whores around?"</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">He was attentive, polite, but best of all he had a good eye "for stone," she writes. Meaning he could pick out amazing jewelry, including a famous Cartier necklace. And then there were the flights to Paris for dinner, the expensive cars, the suites in world-class hotels around the world. She calls it all "some candy jar."</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">There was a price to pay for all this, however. Sinatra could be a bully, screaming at <i><a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Organizations/Companies/Publishers,+Media,+Music/Washington+Post" title="More news, photos about Washington Post">Washington Post</a></i> society columnist Maxine Cheshire and pushing a man into a phone booth, punching him before sliding the door shut.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">She admits he was "definitely a Jekyll and Hyde" personality, recounting numerous evenings when he was overdrinking with his buddies, making scenes from <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Places,+Geography/States,+Territories,+Provinces,+Islands/U.S.+States/New+York" title="More news, photos about New York">New York</a> to <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Places,+Geography/Towns,+Cities,+Counties/Hong+Kong" title="More news, photos about Hong Kong">Hong Kong</a>, ripping phones from the wall and throwing them into windows.</p><div class="inset __NOTFORSYNDICATION"><br /><div class="va"><br /><h2>About the book</h2><br /><div class="vaContent" readability="3"><br /><p class="va-subheading"><b><i>Lady Blue Eyes: My Life With Frank<br /></i></b><br /><b>* *</b> out of four<br /><br />By Barbara Sinatra<br /><br />Crown Archetype, 388 pp., $24.99<br /></p><br /></div><br /></div><br /></div><br /><p class="inside-copy">He also wasn't the most romantic. She had to accept that fact when a prenup was delivered to her on the morning of their wedding. She signed it.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">Did he ever cheat? All she'll say is that she took <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Places,+Geography/Towns,+Cities,+Counties/Palm+Springs" title="More news, photos about Palm Springs">Palm Springs</a> neighbor Lee Annenberg's advice: Look the other way.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">As for his connections to the Mob, she only says he got frustrated with the press for always alleging it. The press was not his favorite.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">If you're a Sinatra fan, you'll learn he loved grilled cheese sandwiches, unfiltered Camels and <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Jack+Daniels" title="More news, photos about Jack Daniels">Jack Daniels</a>, but hated women who wore too much perfume. He also hated women who couldn't hold their liquor.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">Barbara Sinatra could.</p><br /><p><i></i></p><!-- EdSysObj ID="SSI" FRAGMENTID="41603598" appadmin --><!-- /EdSysObj --><br /><br /><div class="bottom-tools" readability="1"><br /><p><span class="bottomPubStatus">Posted </span></p><span class="right"></span></div><br /><!-- EdSysObj ID="SSI" FRAGMENTID="41223454" rberthol --><!-- USAT RATINGS START --><br /><br /><!-- USAT RATINGS END --><br /><!-- /EdSysObj --><br /><br /><br /><!-- /EdSysObj --><br /><!--endclickprintinclude--> <br /></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/usatoday-LifeTopStories/~3/pJhFB1UiIV0/2011-05-26-lady-blue-eyes-barbara-sinatra_n.htm" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564154282510523694.post-47643205627738900512011-09-05T06:55:00.000-07:002011-09-05T06:55:00.131-07:00Weekend TV: Memorial Day programming <div><div class="story" readability="22"><br /><br /><!--End series_nav_bar div--> <br /><!--startclickprintinclude--><br /><br /><!-- EdSysObj ID="SandboxLede" FRAGMENTID="47696416" newsgate --><br /><br /><br /><p class="firstParagraph">•<a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Events+and+Awards/Holidays+(non-religious)/Memorial+Day" title="More news, photos about Memorial Day">Memorial Day</a> weekend is the unofficial start of summer, and CBS kicks off the season with a double-run of <b><i>Chaos</i></b> (Saturday, 8 ET/PT), a spring failure scheduled to burn off its episodes in this slot.</p><br /><div class="inset"><br /><div class="photo-block"><br /><div class="ppy ppy1"><br /><ul class="ppy-imglist"><li><a href="http://i.usatoday.net/life/_photos/2011/05/26/memorial-weekend-tv-8D50JDG-x-large.jpg"><img src="http://i.usatoday.net/life/_photos/2011/05/26/memorial-weekend-tv-8D50JDG-x.jpg" width="245" height="184" border="0" alt="Gary Sinise: On hand to co-host concert." /></a><span class="ppy-extcaption" readability="1"><p class="credit">AP</p><br /><p><cutline>Gary Sinise: On hand to co-host concert.</cutline></p></span></li><br /></ul><br /><div class="ppy-caption"><span class="ppy-text" readability="1"><p class="credit">AP</p><br /><p>Gary Sinise: On hand to co-host concert.</p></span></div><br /></div><br /></div><br /><br /></div><br /><p class="inside-copy"> This unpolished <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Organizations/Government+Bodies/Central+Intelligence+Agency" title="More news, photos about CIA">CIA</a> comedy wasn't quite ready for seasonal prime time, but don't dismiss it out of hand.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">If broadcast networks produced scripted shows for summer, this is the <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Places,+Geography/Countries/United+States" title="More news, photos about USA">USA</a> Network-kind of show they'd probably be making — and it's better than the new USA shows you'll soon be getting.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">•One of the holiday's best TV traditions returns Sunday when <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Organizations/Companies/Publishers,+Media,+Music/Public+Broadcasting+Service" title="More news, photos about PBS">PBS</a> airs <b><i>The National Memorial Day Concert</i></b> (8 ET/5 PT, times may vary), live from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol.</p><br /><ul class="inside-copy"><li><br /><h3 class="inline-h3">STORY:<a href="http://transcripts.usatoday.com/Chats/transcript.aspx?c=2519">Robert's chat returns June 6; read the latest transcript</a></h3><br /></li><br /></ul><p class="inside-copy"><a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Gary+Sinise" title="More news, photos about Gary Sinise">Gary Sinise</a> and <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Joe+Mantegna" title="More news, photos about Joe Mantegna">Joe Mantegna</a> are co-hosts, with performances and readings by <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/People/Politicians,+Government+Officials,+Strategists/Colin+Powell" title="More news, photos about Colin Powell">Colin Powell</a>, <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/People/Celebrities/Actors,+Agents/Dianne+Wiest" title="More news, photos about Dianne Wiest">Dianne Wiest</a>, <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/B.B.+King" title="More news, photos about B.B. King">B.B. King</a>, <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Jason+Ritter" title="More news, photos about Jason Ritter">Jason Ritter</a>, <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Pia+Toscano" title="More news, photos about Pia Toscano">Pia Toscano</a>, <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Yolanda+Adams" title="More news, photos about Yolanda Adams">Yolanda Adams</a> and the <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/National+Symphony+Orchestra" title="More news, photos about National Symphony Orchestra">National Symphony Orchestra</a>, among others.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">•The live celebration continues in our nation's capital with the <b><i>National Memorial Day Parade</i></b> (Military Channel, Monday, 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT).</p><div class="inset __NOTFORSYNDICATION"><br /><div class="va"><br /><h2>TV Calendar</h2><br /><div class="vaContent"><br /><style type="text/css"><![CDATA[#zcc-grid-label { /* grid label CSS */font: bold 16px Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;margin: 0 0 2px;text-indent: 10px;}#zcc-wrap table thead th {font-weight:bold;font-size:11px;}#tms_widget_footer_wrap,#zcc-wrap {/* adjust width here *//*width: 300px;*/width:100%;margin: 0;}.zcc-primetime { /* Text within grid */border-collapse: collapse;caption-side: top;font-size: 10px;color: #000;table-layout: fixed;border-top: 1px solid #999;border-left: 1px solid #999;margin: 0;width: 100%;font-family: arial, sans-serif;}.zcc-primetime td,.zcc-primetime th {border-right: 1px solid #999;border-bottom: 1px solid #999;padding: 3px 4px 5px;overflow: hidden;}.zcc-primetime th {padding: 3px 4px;font-weight: bold;text-align: left;}.zcc-primetime a {color: #000;text-decoration: underline;}.zcc-primetime a:hover {text-decoration: none;}.zcc-primetime .zcc-station,.zcc-primetime .zcc-station .zcc-callsign {text-align: center;}.zcc-primetime .zcc-station img {text-align: center;}#tms_widget_footer { clear: both;color: #999;font-size: 9px;line-height: 2;text-align: right;border-width: 0 1px 1px;border-style: solid;border-color: #999;margin: 0;}#tms_widget_footer a:link,#tms_widget_footer a:visited,#tms_widget_footer a:hover,#tms_widget_footer a:active {color: #999;text-decoration: none;}#tms_widget_footer a:hover {color: #666;text-decoration: underline;}#tms_widget_footer2 {clear: both;color: #999;font-size: 9px;line-height: 2;text-align: right;margin: 0;}#tms_widget_footer2 a:link,#tms_widget_footer2 a:visited,#tms_widget_footer2 a:active {color: #999;text-decoration: none;}#tms_widget_footer2 a:hover {color: #666;text-decoration: underline;}#zipCode {border-top:1px #990066 solid;margin-top:10px;}.enterZip {font-weight:bold;margin-top:5px;margin-bottom:5px;}]]></style><!-- Grid Label - Delete all between these comments to remove Grid Label --><!-- End Grid Label --><br /><br /><!--Begin TV Listings Entry Form Code--><br /><br /><br /><div id="zipCode" readability="1"><br /><p class="enterZip">Enter your ZIP code below to see local listings.</p><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><!--End TV Listings Entry Form Code--><br /></div></div></div></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/TP-Bianco/~3/sxyfDwpkTpQ/2011-05-26-memorial-weekend-tv_n.htm" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564154282510523694.post-17468062940942015872011-09-05T06:31:00.000-07:002011-09-05T06:31:00.692-07:00Mermaids surface as the next big thing <div><div class="story" readability="37"><br /><br /><!--End series_nav_bar div--> <br /><!--startclickprintinclude--><br /><br /><!-- EdSysObj ID="SandboxLede" FRAGMENTID="47078676" bbarbrow --><br /><br /><br /><p class="firstParagraph">From books to movies to blogs to gatherings, mermaids are making a big splash in popular culture this summer.</p><br /><div class="inset"><br /><div class="photo-block"><br /><div class="ppy ppy1"><br /><ul class="ppy-imglist"><li><a href="http://i.usatoday.net/life/_photos/2011/05/12/mermaids-make-splash-E646799-x-large.jpg"><img src="http://i.usatoday.net/life/_photos/2011/05/12/mermaids-make-splash-E646799-x.jpg" width="245" height="184" border="0" alt="A teenage girl who is assaulted is transformed into a mermaid in the first installment of a trilogy by Sarah Porter." /></a><span class="ppy-extcaption" readability="1"><p class="credit"></p><br /><p><cutline>A teenage girl who is assaulted is transformed into a mermaid in the first installment of a trilogy by Sarah Porter.</cutline></p></span></li><br /></ul><br /><div class="ppy-caption"><span class="ppy-text" readability="1"><p class="credit"></p><br /><p>A teenage girl who is assaulted is transformed into a mermaid in the first installment of a trilogy by Sarah Porter.</p></span></div><br /></div><br /></div><br /><br /></div><br /><p class="inside-copy">Video trailers for <i>Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides</i>, out May 20, feature sexy mermaids who play a key role in <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Captain+Jack+Sparrow" title="More news, photos about Captain Jack Sparrow">Captain Jack Sparrow</a>'s latest adventure.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">Publishers are releasing a school of mermaid novels. And MerCon 2011, the first mermaid convention, will be held at the Mirage Resort and Casino in Las Vegas Aug. 12-13.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">Even Stephenie Meyer, who made her fame and fortune writing about vampires, told USA TODAY in March that she's writing about mermaids. (And, yes, she was wearing a silver mermaid necklace when she said it.)</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">"Publishers and readers are looking for the next big thing in the paranormal genre," says Mandy Hubbard, whose young-adult novel <i>Ripple</i>, about a seemingly normal teen who must hide that she's a mermaid (Razorbill, $16.99), is out July 21. "We've already done vampires and werewolves and angels. Mermaids feel a little more fresh and interesting."</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">Other titles rearing their heads:</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">•<b><i>Dreamland Social Club</i></b> by Tara Altebrando (Dutton, $16.99, in stores). A girl learns of her mother's dreams about wanting to be be a mermaid.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">•<b><i>Fins Are Forever</i></b> by Tera Lynn Childs (Katherine Tegen Books, $16.99, June 28). A teen wants to give up her royal mermaid status to become human.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">•<i><b>Lost Voices</b></i><i><b>by Sarah Porter</b></i> (Harcourt, $16.99, July 4). A girl is transformed into a mermaid.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">Carolyn Turgeon, whose <i>Mermaid: A Twist on the Classic Tale</i>, was inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's <i>The Little Mermaid</i>, is one of a growing number of women jumping fin first into the mermaid life.</p><br /><p class="inside-copy">She'll be at MerCon, but first, she'll attend Sirens of the Deep Mermaid Camp at Weeki Wachee Springs in Florida, where she and other mermaid wannabes will be fitted for tails and learn to swim like mermaids.</p><br /><p><i></i></p><!-- EdSysObj ID="SSI" FRAGMENTID="41603598" appadmin --><!-- /EdSysObj --><br /><br /><div class="bottom-tools" readability="1"><br /><p>Posted <span class="bottomPubStatus"> | Updated </span></p><span class="right"></span></div><br /><!-- EdSysObj ID="SSI" FRAGMENTID="41223454" rberthol --><!-- USAT RATINGS START --><br /><br /><!-- USAT RATINGS END --><br /><!-- /EdSysObj --><br /><br /><br /><!-- /EdSysObj --><br /><!--endclickprintinclude--> <br /></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/UsatodaycomBooks-TopStories/~3/qEp42z21ZYE/2011-05-12-mermaids-make-splash_n.htm" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564154282510523694.post-5853265640530930542011-09-05T06:16:00.000-07:002011-09-05T06:16:00.517-07:00Four for Friday: Carrie Underwood, Kris Allen, Kelly Clarkson and more <div><div class="item" id="permalink" readability="25"><h3>Four for Friday: Carrie Underwood, Kris Allen, Kelly Clarkson and more</h3><!-- end pagetools --><div class="post-attributes"><div class="divPluck"><span class="njGrayTxtSm" readability="0"><span id="uslCtl|comments|172223.blog" class="uslArticleControl"><span class="uslDisabledCommentsLink">Comment</span></span><p><span id="uslCtl|recommend|172223.blog" class="uslArticleControl"><span class="uslDisabledRecommendLink">Recommend</span></span></p></span></div></div><p><a href="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/idol-chatter/2011/May/27/Carriex-large.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/idol-chatter/2011/May/27/Carriex-inset-community.jpg" alt="" width="230" height="359" cutline="Singer Carrie Underwood arrives at Fox's " credit="By Frazer Harrison, Getty Images" keywords="Carrie Underwood" /></a>Note to Scotty McCreery: If Carrie Underwood gave you her phone number Wednesday, use it, dude. "I've done this every year, by the way, and no one ever calls me," <a href="http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b244237_carrie_underwood_gives_her_number_idol.html?cmpid=rss-000000-rssfeed-365-topstories&utm_source=eonline&utm_medium=rssfeeds&utm_campaign=rss_topstories" target="_blank">Carrie tells E! News</a>. "I think David Cook is the only one I've managed to become friends with and we swap stories and talk about stuff, but nobody ever calls me."</p><p>• <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/idol-worship/pia-toscano-kris-allen-performing-192784" target="_blank">Kris Allen and Pia Toscano will perform</a> at the National Memorial Day Concert in Washington, D.C., Sunday. B.B. King, Yolanda Adams and Hayley Westenra are also on the bill for the concert, which PBS will broadcast live, beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern.</p><p>• Kelly Clarkson calls herself a reality-show junkie. "You name it, I watch it!" <a href="http://www.popeater.com/2011/05/25/kelly-clarkson-american-idol-chain-of-confidence-tupperware/" target="_blank">the original <em>American Idol</em> champ tells Popeater</a>. She still watches Idol -- she particularly liked Lauren Alaina this season -- and is looking forward to Simon Cowell's X Factor. "I love all of those talent shows and think they are great for the whole industry," she says, "because they are all about the music and the voice. Everything it should be about."</p><p>• Anthony Federov has the title role in a production of <a href="http://florida.broadwayworld.com/article/Anthony-Fedorov-Headlines-as-Joseph-At-The-King-Center-618-19-20110524" target="_blank"><em>Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat</em></a> being staged at the King Center in Melbourne, Fla., on June 18 and 19.</p><p>See photos of: <a href="http://mediagallery.usatoday.com/Carrie+Underwood">Carrie Underwood</a>, <a href="http://mediagallery.usatoday.com/Kelly+Clarkson">Kelly Clarkson</a>, <a href="http://mediagallery.usatoday.com/Kris+Allen">Kris Allen</a>, <a href="http://mediagallery.usatoday.com/Scotty+McCreery">Scotty McCreery</a>, <a href="http://mediagallery.usatoday.com/Pia+Toscano">Pia Toscano</a></p></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/UsatodaycomMusic-TopStories/~3/RCvMF6J5so4/1" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0