Jonathan Trott continued his prolific tour with his second hundred of the one-day series as England made the most of batting on a hot afternoon to post a massive 6 for 333 at the SCG. His career-best 137 was the cornerstone of England's highest total against the hosts in Australia with Andrew Strauss providing the early impetus from a positive 63 and Ian Bell the later power in a fourth-wicket stand of 104 in 11 overs.
It was the third time in the series they had beaten their record total after the innings at Melbourne and Adelaide. Trott's hundred was his fourth of the trip following two in the Ashes series and his 102 at Adelaide last week. He took his time to play himself in and didn't strike a boundary until his 40th delivery in a first fifty taking 61 balls. But the next half of his ton came off 39 balls as he collected four boundaries during the batting Powerplay.
Shaun Tait thought he had him lbw on 82, but the decision was overturned on review with the ball sliding down leg, and Trott escaped again with a missed run out opportunity on 88. He started to have problems running from what appeared to be cramp as the hundred approached and, after passing three figures and slamming Mitchell Johnson through the covers, was allowed a runner until falling in the final over. The last 87 of his runs came from 65 deliveries.
Bell provided the innings with ideal acceleration as he got himself going in the batting Powerplay then showed his inventive skills by lapping Shane Watson and John Hastings for boundaries. He and Trott added runs at nearly nine an over, the sort of dominant partnership England have struggled to produce even in their previous hefty totals.
Michael Clarke used eight bowlers, including himself for a rare over, but none were especially effective and the fielding was ragged. Admittedly, Strauss won an important toss which meant his bowlers avoided the hottest conditions, but Australia lacked the edge of previous matches when the series was alive.
Matt Prior began unconvincingly against the short ball as he twice pulled just out of reach of fielders. He produced a couple of stinging drives before being removed in Johnson's first over when a delivery shaped back at him, struck the pad and cannoned into off stump.
Strauss was far more secure and wasn't afraid to use his feet against the quick bowlers as he advanced at Johnson and whipped him through the leg side. He repeated the dose as Johnson dropped short in his next over during an inconsistent spell where the ball was also pushed down the leg side.
Strauss reached a neat fifty, his second of the series, off 52 balls but knew that England's failing has been to build on starts. When Clarke introduced his spinners Strauss worked them around comfortably to keep the scoreboard ticking over. Having watched the batsmen throw away wickets during the series, Strauss looked intent on showing the way. However, having played with controlled aggression he clipped Steve Smith to midwicket to gift the legspinner another wicket during a productive series.
Kevin Pietersen was threatening to cut loose with two boundaries in three balls off Hastings, but his frustrating series continued when he drove the first ball of the batting Powerplay to mid-off. The fielding restrictions again threatening to be a curse rather than a blessing, but the five overs still produced 43 runs as Trott and Bell began their surge.
Eoin Morgan (21) kept up the momentum in the closing overs, as Trott laboured with his muscle problems, until reverse sweeping Watson to short fine-leg. Even with a depleted bowling attack England should defend this total.
Showing posts with label Takes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Takes. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
NFC Takes Down AFC in Turnover-Filled Pro Bowl
A tropical rainstorm moved in from the Pacific and cleared just before the Pro Bowl began on Sunday. What followed was a sloppy show that was not exactly riveting entertainment a week in advance of the Super Bowl.
The NFC's 55-41 victory, a game not nearly as interesting as that score would indicate, did nothing to repair the tattered image of the NFL's all-star contest.
New England's Bill Belichick, the AFC coach and a man of even fewer words than usual, might have come closest to summing up the game with his mumbled cliche, "It is what it is."
MVP DeAngelo Hall had one of his team's five interceptions and returned a fumble 34 yards for a touchdown to help the NFC match a Pro Bowl scoring record in a 55-41 victory over turnover-prone AFC. He gets a new Cadillac for his efforts.
"I was just about to buy another SUV," the Washington Redskins cornerback said, "so to come out here and grab one for free, I like that."
AFC quarterbacks Philip Rivers, Peyton Manning and Matt Cassel each threw first-half interceptions to help the NFC blow open a 42-0 lead in a performance ugly even by the historically low standards of this game.
Fittingly for this strange contest, center Alex Mack of Cleveland scored the final touchdown on a 67-yard pass play that featured two laterals with 16 seconds left.
Carolina's Jon Beason returned the fifth interception thrown by the AFC, and second by Matt Cassel, 59 yards for the NFC's final touchdown to match the single-team scoring record set in the NFC's 55-52 victory in 2004.
"It feels amazing. It was a lot of fun," Minnesota's Adrian Peterson said. "We came out and put up a bunch of points and had some fun doing it, so it was a good day."
Belichick, after his Super Bowl favorite Patriots lost to the New York Jets in the divisional playoffs, had to watch his AFC squad muddle through a first half that ended 42-7.
Pro Bowls are, by their nature, laid-back affairs, seemingly played at half speed by players whose biggest concern is to get on the plane home without injury.
The AFC, though, took that attitude to an uncomfortable extreme early on before coming back to outscore the NFC 41-13.
The NFC led 42-0 after Steven Jackson waltzed through the AFC defense for a 21-yard touchdown -- and there still was 4½ minutes left in the second quarter.
Rivers, starting in place of injured Tom Brady, was picked off twice in the first quarter, the second by Hall.
"You underthrow one just a hair and they intercept it," Rivers said. "You get a deflection for an interception. ... They had all the breaks early."
Manning, in his 11th Pro Bowl, came on briefly in relief and his second pass was picked off. Then Cassel got his chance and quickly joined in the spirit of things, throwing his second pass of the game directly into the hands of Minnesota cornerback Antoine Winfield.
But just when it appeared it would be the most one-sided game in Pro Bowl history, eclipsing the Joe Theismann-led 45-3 NFC rout of the AFC in 1984, the AFC scored three touchdowns in a row. The last came on the game's seventh turnover, when Devin Hester tried to hand the kickoff return to Hall, but the ball fell to the turf. Montell Owens of Jacksonville scooped it up and ran it in 10 yards for the score to make it 42-21 with 10 minutes left in the third quarter.
With his seven extra points, tying a Pro Bowl record, along with two field goals, David Akers moved ahead of Morten Andersen (45) for most career Pro Bowl points with 52. The Philadelphia kicker would have had more but his 36-yard field goal try in the fourth quarter bounced off the right upright.
"Morten Andersen was a mentor of mine and I competed with Morten for a job in Atlanta and he taught me a lot," Akers said, "so it means a lot to be able to pass a legend like that."
The game returned to its traditional home in Hawaii after a one-year detour to Miami, much to the approval of the players involved.
Eagles quarterback Michael Vick started but played only the first quarter, completing 5 of 10 passes for 59 yards.
Peterson rushed for 80 yards in 14 carries for the NFC, including a 14-yarder to set a Pro Bowl record with four career rushing touchdowns. Atlanta got good performances from Matt Ryan (9 of 13 for 118 yards and two touchdowns with an interception), Michael Turner (eight carries for 53 yards) and Roddy White (five catches for 69 yards).
Notes
The NFC's 55-41 victory, a game not nearly as interesting as that score would indicate, did nothing to repair the tattered image of the NFL's all-star contest.
New England's Bill Belichick, the AFC coach and a man of even fewer words than usual, might have come closest to summing up the game with his mumbled cliche, "It is what it is."
MVP DeAngelo Hall had one of his team's five interceptions and returned a fumble 34 yards for a touchdown to help the NFC match a Pro Bowl scoring record in a 55-41 victory over turnover-prone AFC. He gets a new Cadillac for his efforts.
"I was just about to buy another SUV," the Washington Redskins cornerback said, "so to come out here and grab one for free, I like that."
AFC quarterbacks Philip Rivers, Peyton Manning and Matt Cassel each threw first-half interceptions to help the NFC blow open a 42-0 lead in a performance ugly even by the historically low standards of this game.
Fittingly for this strange contest, center Alex Mack of Cleveland scored the final touchdown on a 67-yard pass play that featured two laterals with 16 seconds left.
Carolina's Jon Beason returned the fifth interception thrown by the AFC, and second by Matt Cassel, 59 yards for the NFC's final touchdown to match the single-team scoring record set in the NFC's 55-52 victory in 2004.
"It feels amazing. It was a lot of fun," Minnesota's Adrian Peterson said. "We came out and put up a bunch of points and had some fun doing it, so it was a good day."
Belichick, after his Super Bowl favorite Patriots lost to the New York Jets in the divisional playoffs, had to watch his AFC squad muddle through a first half that ended 42-7.
Pro Bowls are, by their nature, laid-back affairs, seemingly played at half speed by players whose biggest concern is to get on the plane home without injury.
The AFC, though, took that attitude to an uncomfortable extreme early on before coming back to outscore the NFC 41-13.
The NFC led 42-0 after Steven Jackson waltzed through the AFC defense for a 21-yard touchdown -- and there still was 4½ minutes left in the second quarter.
Rivers, starting in place of injured Tom Brady, was picked off twice in the first quarter, the second by Hall.
"You underthrow one just a hair and they intercept it," Rivers said. "You get a deflection for an interception. ... They had all the breaks early."
Manning, in his 11th Pro Bowl, came on briefly in relief and his second pass was picked off. Then Cassel got his chance and quickly joined in the spirit of things, throwing his second pass of the game directly into the hands of Minnesota cornerback Antoine Winfield.
But just when it appeared it would be the most one-sided game in Pro Bowl history, eclipsing the Joe Theismann-led 45-3 NFC rout of the AFC in 1984, the AFC scored three touchdowns in a row. The last came on the game's seventh turnover, when Devin Hester tried to hand the kickoff return to Hall, but the ball fell to the turf. Montell Owens of Jacksonville scooped it up and ran it in 10 yards for the score to make it 42-21 with 10 minutes left in the third quarter.
With his seven extra points, tying a Pro Bowl record, along with two field goals, David Akers moved ahead of Morten Andersen (45) for most career Pro Bowl points with 52. The Philadelphia kicker would have had more but his 36-yard field goal try in the fourth quarter bounced off the right upright.
"Morten Andersen was a mentor of mine and I competed with Morten for a job in Atlanta and he taught me a lot," Akers said, "so it means a lot to be able to pass a legend like that."
The game returned to its traditional home in Hawaii after a one-year detour to Miami, much to the approval of the players involved.
Eagles quarterback Michael Vick started but played only the first quarter, completing 5 of 10 passes for 59 yards.
Peterson rushed for 80 yards in 14 carries for the NFC, including a 14-yarder to set a Pro Bowl record with four career rushing touchdowns. Atlanta got good performances from Matt Ryan (9 of 13 for 118 yards and two touchdowns with an interception), Michael Turner (eight carries for 53 yards) and Roddy White (five catches for 69 yards).
Notes
- A 70-yard punt by Mat McBriar of Dallas in the first quarter tied for second-longest in Pro Bowl history.
- The state of Hawaii is paying the NFL about $4 million this season and next to keep the Pro Bowl team in Honolulu. Location for the contest is up in the air after 2012.
- Peterson had been tied with three career rushing TDs with Earl Campbell, Chuck Muncie and Mike Alstott.
- Tony Gonzalez added to his Pro Bowl record for career receptions (42) and moved into first in TD catches with his sixth.
- The attendance of 49,338 was just shy of a sellout.
St. John's takes over early, blasts No. 3 Duke
Teams that beat Duke have reason to celebrate. Teams that blow Duke out of the building should be able to party all night.
So, how long will the St. John's players be allowed to celebrate Sunday's 93-78 victory over No. 3 Duke - a game that wasn't as close as the final score indicated?
"Coach Lav said we had two hours to celebrate and then we have to get ready for Rutgers," senior forward Justin Burrell said, referring to first-year coach Steve Lavin and the Red Storm's next opponent on Wednesday.
Two hours? It will take longer than that just to go over the highlight plays of a game that St. John's had won by halftime. Those last 20 minutes were just a formality.
"I felt like we were ready. The guys wanted to play this game," Duke guard Nolan Smith said. "We wanted to be here but they came out from the jump ball and kicked our butts."
It wasn't that St. John's (12-8) beat the Blue Devils (19-2), it was the way it happened.
St. John's was finishing a stretch of eight straight games against ranked teams. This win gave them three wins in that span. It was enough to have Lavin waving his arms to the crowd at a media timeout in the second half.
"You're caught up in the moment of the game and I wanted St. John's fans to come to the party in terms of supporting the players on the court," Lavin said. "We had this arduous stretch of games and having lost five of six, at that moment it was just wanting to jumper cable the crowd and bring energy for our players because they deserved a pat on the back and some appreciation for the yeoman's effort and the cohesive brand of basketball they had been playing against the defending national champion."
The Red Storm, who had lost three straight and five of six, took control early and had a 46-25 lead at halftime. Duke, which came into the game shooting 40 percent from 3-point range, missed its first 10 shots from behind the arc and made one of 13 in the half.
The Blue Devils' overall shooting wasn't a whole lot better as they shot 29.6 percent (8 of 27) in the half - they entered the game shooting 48.1 percent from the field - and they were careless with the ball as well, committing 11 turnovers, one off their season average for a game.
St. John's had a lot to do with how poorly Duke played, using a three-quarter court trap to force the Blue Devils into low percentage passes that almost all seemed to either be stolen by St. John's or just thrown away.
"It's not an Xs and Os thing today," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "I felt we were not ready to compete, we had blank expressions on our faces and guys weren't talking and that's my responsibility. Our program didn't do well today and that is all our responsibilities."
There was plenty of praise to go around for the Red Storm, who gave the Big East a 6-1 record against teams ranked in the top 10 this season. They were 16 of 28 from the field (57.1 percent) in the first half, well above the 45.2 percent the Red Storm were shooting coming into the game.
Dwight Hardy had 26 points for St. John's, while Justin Brownlee had 20 points, nine rebounds and six assists and Paris Horne added 15 points and six assists. St. John's shot 58.2 percent for the game (32 of 55) and was 26 of 33 from the free throw line.
"I thought our team from the outset executed with precision on offense and brought great intensity to the defensive end of the floor," Lavin said, "and we were able to maintain a high level of basketball for 40 minutes and that was the difference."
Duke's loss continued the weekend of misery for members of the Top 25. On Saturday, four teams in the top 10 and 11 ranked teams overall lost.
Smith led Duke with 32 points and Kyle Singler added 20. Duke finished 5 of 26 from 3-point range -- they missed 21 of the first 22 attempts -- and had 17 turnovers.
"To sum it up they got whatever they wanted and we just weren't able to bounce back and match them," Singler said.
The sellout crowd of 19,353 at Madison Square Garden -- about 60 percent of whom were cheering for St. John's -- seemed to be waiting for a run by the Blue Devils, who had won four straight since its loss at Florida State, that would make their nightmare half go away.
St. John's came out and scored the first two baskets of the second half -- one on a dunk by D.J. Kennedy 10 seconds in, the other on a layup by Hardy off a nice pass from Dwayne Polee II -- to take its biggest lead of the game, 50-25 1:04 into the second half.
St. John's had doubled Duke and the Red Storm managed to score enough the rest of the way to keep the Blue Devils at bay. The closest Duke would get would be 11 points after they hit four straights 3-pointers to pull to 87-76.
"I was really excited," said Burrell who had eight points and five rebounds. "I'm one of those guys who really enjoys college basketball and I was excited to be a part of this."
The Red Storm started their run against ranked teams with a 61-58 victory over then-No. 13 Georgetown. After losses to Notre Dame and Syracuse, they beat then-No. 9 Notre Dame 72-54 in a rematch. Losses to Louisville, Cincinnati and Georgetown preceded the win over Duke. All three wins were at Madison Square Garden.
"This was an interesting stretch as a coach," Lavin said. "I don't think it had ever happened. The mathematical probabilities have got to be one in a zillion. "We've had to temper things with them and be mindful of that frustration. The concern was that our players realize this conference is really tough and you can lose five of six and not be playing bad basketball."
Duke had been as comfortable at the Garden as St. John's. The Blue Devils had won their last five and 12 of 13 there and were 25-14 all-time.
The game got chippy for a while in the second half and double technicals were called twice before things settled down.
So, how long will the St. John's players be allowed to celebrate Sunday's 93-78 victory over No. 3 Duke - a game that wasn't as close as the final score indicated?
"Coach Lav said we had two hours to celebrate and then we have to get ready for Rutgers," senior forward Justin Burrell said, referring to first-year coach Steve Lavin and the Red Storm's next opponent on Wednesday.
Two hours? It will take longer than that just to go over the highlight plays of a game that St. John's had won by halftime. Those last 20 minutes were just a formality.
"I felt like we were ready. The guys wanted to play this game," Duke guard Nolan Smith said. "We wanted to be here but they came out from the jump ball and kicked our butts."
It wasn't that St. John's (12-8) beat the Blue Devils (19-2), it was the way it happened.
St. John's was finishing a stretch of eight straight games against ranked teams. This win gave them three wins in that span. It was enough to have Lavin waving his arms to the crowd at a media timeout in the second half.
"You're caught up in the moment of the game and I wanted St. John's fans to come to the party in terms of supporting the players on the court," Lavin said. "We had this arduous stretch of games and having lost five of six, at that moment it was just wanting to jumper cable the crowd and bring energy for our players because they deserved a pat on the back and some appreciation for the yeoman's effort and the cohesive brand of basketball they had been playing against the defending national champion."
The Red Storm, who had lost three straight and five of six, took control early and had a 46-25 lead at halftime. Duke, which came into the game shooting 40 percent from 3-point range, missed its first 10 shots from behind the arc and made one of 13 in the half.
The Blue Devils' overall shooting wasn't a whole lot better as they shot 29.6 percent (8 of 27) in the half - they entered the game shooting 48.1 percent from the field - and they were careless with the ball as well, committing 11 turnovers, one off their season average for a game.
St. John's had a lot to do with how poorly Duke played, using a three-quarter court trap to force the Blue Devils into low percentage passes that almost all seemed to either be stolen by St. John's or just thrown away.
"It's not an Xs and Os thing today," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "I felt we were not ready to compete, we had blank expressions on our faces and guys weren't talking and that's my responsibility. Our program didn't do well today and that is all our responsibilities."
There was plenty of praise to go around for the Red Storm, who gave the Big East a 6-1 record against teams ranked in the top 10 this season. They were 16 of 28 from the field (57.1 percent) in the first half, well above the 45.2 percent the Red Storm were shooting coming into the game.
Dwight Hardy had 26 points for St. John's, while Justin Brownlee had 20 points, nine rebounds and six assists and Paris Horne added 15 points and six assists. St. John's shot 58.2 percent for the game (32 of 55) and was 26 of 33 from the free throw line.
"I thought our team from the outset executed with precision on offense and brought great intensity to the defensive end of the floor," Lavin said, "and we were able to maintain a high level of basketball for 40 minutes and that was the difference."
Duke's loss continued the weekend of misery for members of the Top 25. On Saturday, four teams in the top 10 and 11 ranked teams overall lost.
Smith led Duke with 32 points and Kyle Singler added 20. Duke finished 5 of 26 from 3-point range -- they missed 21 of the first 22 attempts -- and had 17 turnovers.
"To sum it up they got whatever they wanted and we just weren't able to bounce back and match them," Singler said.
The sellout crowd of 19,353 at Madison Square Garden -- about 60 percent of whom were cheering for St. John's -- seemed to be waiting for a run by the Blue Devils, who had won four straight since its loss at Florida State, that would make their nightmare half go away.
St. John's came out and scored the first two baskets of the second half -- one on a dunk by D.J. Kennedy 10 seconds in, the other on a layup by Hardy off a nice pass from Dwayne Polee II -- to take its biggest lead of the game, 50-25 1:04 into the second half.
St. John's had doubled Duke and the Red Storm managed to score enough the rest of the way to keep the Blue Devils at bay. The closest Duke would get would be 11 points after they hit four straights 3-pointers to pull to 87-76.
"I was really excited," said Burrell who had eight points and five rebounds. "I'm one of those guys who really enjoys college basketball and I was excited to be a part of this."
The Red Storm started their run against ranked teams with a 61-58 victory over then-No. 13 Georgetown. After losses to Notre Dame and Syracuse, they beat then-No. 9 Notre Dame 72-54 in a rematch. Losses to Louisville, Cincinnati and Georgetown preceded the win over Duke. All three wins were at Madison Square Garden.
"This was an interesting stretch as a coach," Lavin said. "I don't think it had ever happened. The mathematical probabilities have got to be one in a zillion. "We've had to temper things with them and be mindful of that frustration. The concern was that our players realize this conference is really tough and you can lose five of six and not be playing bad basketball."
Duke had been as comfortable at the Garden as St. John's. The Blue Devils had won their last five and 12 of 13 there and were 25-14 all-time.
The game got chippy for a while in the second half and double technicals were called twice before things settled down.
John Forte Takes His Brand Global
You know the name John Forté. You may know it from his past work with the Fugees in the '90s. (He co-wrote and produced two songs on the group's multi-platinum album 'The Score,' and Wyclef Jean produced his first solo album in 1998.) You may have heard his name in 2008 when President George W. Bush gave him a very last minute pardon from prison, where he was on year seven of a much-disputed 14-year sentence for drug possession and intent.
If you've become a fan of Forté recently then you may have downloaded one of his 60 new songs off of OkayPlayer.com or seen one of the nearly 100 live shows he has performed in the past two years. It would be an understatement to say Forté is making up for lost time. But starting next month he is straying from the beaten path of how fame gets made and taking his brand global, to Russia for nine weeks: to Moscow, St. Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Ekaterinburg and cities along the Trans-Siberia Railway in Siberia that you've never heard of.
In the crazy economic climate of today's music industry this "new business model" makes sense. Amid an era of lackluster record sales, Forté wants to do more than sell music. This tour, 'From Brooklyn to Russia With Love,' will be a multimedia venture that includes albums, a documentary and merchandise.
"We're going to have lots of ancillary products as a result of this trip: a live album, a studio album and a DVD of the live performance which will be its own movie. We will have a documentary which chronicles before, during and after this experience," Forté explained to PopEater. "The traditional model of promoting an album in an 18-month-cycle wasn't what we wanted. I would actually like four or five albums out at the same time around the globe."
But he's also offering his music for free.
"I have music on iTunes, but I am just as content releasing music at 2 in the morning from my living room because I can, and offering it for free and encouraging people to share it," Forté continued. "I know people under the age of 27 aren't buying music. Some of my contemporaries would say they are stealing it, but I know they think they are sharing it."
To make this tour possible, Forté has partnered with his friend and former Exeter classmate
Christophe Charlier, deputy CEO of Onexim Group and chairman of the Board of the
New Jersey Nets, who has been living and working in Moscow for the last 13
years.
"Like most things in my life, this one began with a conversation. I ran into an old buddy of mine from high school, and he said you should come to Moscow. I said, OK but I don't want to stop there, and what began as soup and salad turned into the continuation of my current business model, which isn't about selling music -- it is about getting on the ground and scoring a lifestyle."
To make up for lost time, for albums that could have been released, tours performed and a fan base won and lost, the artist needs to leverage his network.
"I have to leverage the network. When I was away in prison, friends of mine and people I respect and came into successes in their own right and now they are willing to introduce me to their circles and networks, and I think it is a question of synergy," Forté said, adding that before he went away to prison his potential business model was way different.
"It was about mass marketing and mass producing and mass appeal. When real life hit me and hit me hard it gave me something worth talking about."
The new approach to the fan base is smart, though risky. There is something to be said for building a loyal fan base through grassroots marketing and glad-handing. It worked for Barack Obama. And as pop stars continue to be flashes-in-the-pan, making a million dollars and then fading into obscurity or the secondary market of fame-reality television, Forté looks to be crafting a premium brand.
"I truly believe that the more the fans are invested, the more they will support the artist by purchasing merchandise and ultimately albums and DVDs," Forté said. "I think people support what they love."
If you've become a fan of Forté recently then you may have downloaded one of his 60 new songs off of OkayPlayer.com or seen one of the nearly 100 live shows he has performed in the past two years. It would be an understatement to say Forté is making up for lost time. But starting next month he is straying from the beaten path of how fame gets made and taking his brand global, to Russia for nine weeks: to Moscow, St. Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Ekaterinburg and cities along the Trans-Siberia Railway in Siberia that you've never heard of.
In the crazy economic climate of today's music industry this "new business model" makes sense. Amid an era of lackluster record sales, Forté wants to do more than sell music. This tour, 'From Brooklyn to Russia With Love,' will be a multimedia venture that includes albums, a documentary and merchandise.
"We're going to have lots of ancillary products as a result of this trip: a live album, a studio album and a DVD of the live performance which will be its own movie. We will have a documentary which chronicles before, during and after this experience," Forté explained to PopEater. "The traditional model of promoting an album in an 18-month-cycle wasn't what we wanted. I would actually like four or five albums out at the same time around the globe."
But he's also offering his music for free.
"I have music on iTunes, but I am just as content releasing music at 2 in the morning from my living room because I can, and offering it for free and encouraging people to share it," Forté continued. "I know people under the age of 27 aren't buying music. Some of my contemporaries would say they are stealing it, but I know they think they are sharing it."
To make this tour possible, Forté has partnered with his friend and former Exeter classmate
Christophe Charlier, deputy CEO of Onexim Group and chairman of the Board of the
New Jersey Nets, who has been living and working in Moscow for the last 13
years.
"Like most things in my life, this one began with a conversation. I ran into an old buddy of mine from high school, and he said you should come to Moscow. I said, OK but I don't want to stop there, and what began as soup and salad turned into the continuation of my current business model, which isn't about selling music -- it is about getting on the ground and scoring a lifestyle."
To make up for lost time, for albums that could have been released, tours performed and a fan base won and lost, the artist needs to leverage his network.
"I have to leverage the network. When I was away in prison, friends of mine and people I respect and came into successes in their own right and now they are willing to introduce me to their circles and networks, and I think it is a question of synergy," Forté said, adding that before he went away to prison his potential business model was way different.
"It was about mass marketing and mass producing and mass appeal. When real life hit me and hit me hard it gave me something worth talking about."
The new approach to the fan base is smart, though risky. There is something to be said for building a loyal fan base through grassroots marketing and glad-handing. It worked for Barack Obama. And as pop stars continue to be flashes-in-the-pan, making a million dollars and then fading into obscurity or the secondary market of fame-reality television, Forté looks to be crafting a premium brand.
"I truly believe that the more the fans are invested, the more they will support the artist by purchasing merchandise and ultimately albums and DVDs," Forté said. "I think people support what they love."
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Bruno Mars Takes Plea Deal in Vegas Cocaine Case, Avoids Felony Charge
Bruno Mars got a lucky break in court Friday. AP reports that the pop singer is accepting a plea deal that allows him to pay a fine, serve probation and have a felony cocaine possession charge against him dismissed.
The 25-year old crossed the line in Sept. 2010 when he was arrested in Las Vegas with possession of a controlled substance. Mars performed at the Wasted Space nightclub at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino before he was suspected by a bathroom attendant of doing drugs in the men's room. A security guard was alerted and Mars, confronted on the spot, allegedly reached into his jeans and handed over a bag containing more than two grams of cocaine.
The 'Grenade' and 'Just The Way You Are' singer told an officer he had acted foolishly and never tried drugs before in his life. If convicted, Mars could have been sentenced to four years behind bars.
Mars accepted a deal where he will pay a $2,000 fine, perform 200 hours of community service and complete drug counseling. If he has no other run-ins with the law for a year, no conviction will remain on his record.
Fortunately for Mars, this plea agreement allows him to step past the cocaine charge just in time for the 53rd Grammy Awards. He is nominated for seven awards, including best male pop vocal for his hit "Just the Way You Are."
The 25-year old crossed the line in Sept. 2010 when he was arrested in Las Vegas with possession of a controlled substance. Mars performed at the Wasted Space nightclub at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino before he was suspected by a bathroom attendant of doing drugs in the men's room. A security guard was alerted and Mars, confronted on the spot, allegedly reached into his jeans and handed over a bag containing more than two grams of cocaine.
The 'Grenade' and 'Just The Way You Are' singer told an officer he had acted foolishly and never tried drugs before in his life. If convicted, Mars could have been sentenced to four years behind bars.
Mars accepted a deal where he will pay a $2,000 fine, perform 200 hours of community service and complete drug counseling. If he has no other run-ins with the law for a year, no conviction will remain on his record.
Fortunately for Mars, this plea agreement allows him to step past the cocaine charge just in time for the 53rd Grammy Awards. He is nominated for seven awards, including best male pop vocal for his hit "Just the Way You Are."
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Levi Johnston Takes The High Road, Won't Bash Bristol Palin
Levi Johnston loves the limelight. Whether he's posing for 'Playgirl,' courting Kathy Griffin or vying for reality television domination, the 20-year-old Alaska native likes keeping his name in the news.
But now, according to Radaronline.com, Bristol Palin's former fiancee is "taking the high road" and keeping his mouth shut.
On Monday, Bristol didn't hold back saying that she was displeased with Levi's role in their 2-year-old son Tripp's life. The 20-year-old daughter of former Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin said, "Have I asked (Levi) to change Tripp's last name? Of course. Just sign over your (parental) rights. He just doesn't want to sign them over because it looks bad on paper."
Bristol also claimed Levi has only seen Tripp "at most three times" since her elimination from 'Dancing With the Stars' in November 2010.
But Levi's manager, Tank Johnson, says his client is taking "the high road" and refusing to dignify Bristol's accusations of him being an absentee dad. In addition to his claims that his client has spent as much time as possible with Tripp, Levi's rep offered up some advice for the Palin family.
"The Palins need to take the high road," he said. "There's a child involved in this and Levi is not going to stoop to this level. The Palins like to fight. They can say whatever they want to say. But Levi is not going to dignify their comments with a response."
Levi's rep added that he will not give up his parental rights or agree to changing Tripp's last name from Johnston to Palin. "Levi has his son, and that isn't changing," he said. "It is what it is."
A source claims that despite the rumors and Bristol's radio interview bashing Levi earlier this week, two two young parents "are actually getting along pretty well just now."
But now, according to Radaronline.com, Bristol Palin's former fiancee is "taking the high road" and keeping his mouth shut.
On Monday, Bristol didn't hold back saying that she was displeased with Levi's role in their 2-year-old son Tripp's life. The 20-year-old daughter of former Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin said, "Have I asked (Levi) to change Tripp's last name? Of course. Just sign over your (parental) rights. He just doesn't want to sign them over because it looks bad on paper."
Bristol also claimed Levi has only seen Tripp "at most three times" since her elimination from 'Dancing With the Stars' in November 2010.
But Levi's manager, Tank Johnson, says his client is taking "the high road" and refusing to dignify Bristol's accusations of him being an absentee dad. In addition to his claims that his client has spent as much time as possible with Tripp, Levi's rep offered up some advice for the Palin family.
"The Palins need to take the high road," he said. "There's a child involved in this and Levi is not going to stoop to this level. The Palins like to fight. They can say whatever they want to say. But Levi is not going to dignify their comments with a response."
Levi's rep added that he will not give up his parental rights or agree to changing Tripp's last name from Johnston to Palin. "Levi has his son, and that isn't changing," he said. "It is what it is."
A source claims that despite the rumors and Bristol's radio interview bashing Levi earlier this week, two two young parents "are actually getting along pretty well just now."
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Overlooked Shaun Marsh Takes his Chance
Australia's selectors have had a difficult summer and they were made to look foolish again when Shaun Marsh hit 110 against England two days after being left out of the World Cup squad. He may yet make the trip because Michael Hussey, the man he has replaced for this series, remains a major doubt due to his hamstring injury.
Marsh made a strong case that he should have been there by right, but his hopes of making the 15-man World Cup party weren't helped with the selectors able to select Tim Paine as a reserve keeper-batsman. Given Australia's batting woes this season, it's difficult to think why Marsh isn't playing a part across all formats. Mickey Arthur, his coach at Western Australia, rates him as talented as any batsman he has coached, although a first-class average 37.97, lower than his ODI mark, doesn't do him any favours
But even though his route to the subcontinent next month rests on the fortunes of others he isn't dwelling on being overlooked. "I'm never one to worry about selections," he said after Australia's 46-run win in Hobart. "I was disappointed not to get picked, but I see these games as an opportunity to improve my game at international level. It's given me a lot of confidence. I'm sure the guys who go over will do a great job."
England were due to face Marsh when they played Australia A, also at Hobart, in November but he pulled out due to injury. Andrew Strauss said they would need to come up with some new ideas. "He had a nice mix of getting ones and hitting boundaries," he said. "He's a player in good form and we'll have to look at how we could have done things differently."
By trade Marsh is opener, like his father Geoff, but his immediate chances for Australia appear to be in the middle order and he showed his adaptability in Hobart when he came in at No. 6 with the score 4 for 33. He added 100 with Cameron White then an unexpected 88 with Doug Bollinger for the ninth wicket to give Australia a defendable total.
"It was just a great opportunity for me," he said. "Huss going down was very unfortunate but it gave me my chance. It didn't matter where I batted for Australia, I just wanted to play. It's obviously different to opening but I knew once I got myself in, and started feeling good, I could play some shots. It was a lot of fun out there especially with Dougie at the end. We got our team to a competitive total and defended it well."
Marsh had plenty of praise for his unlikely tail-end partner. Bollinger had only batted four times in his previous 27 ODIs with a top score of three, but unfurled two cover drives during his run-a-ball 30. "Dougie was loving it out there," Marsh said. "It was a lot of fun. I was trying to tell him to rotate the strike and keep the ball on the ground. He played some wonderful shots, it was fantastic the way he went about it. Without him we probably wouldn't have got to 200."
Although Marsh is unlikely to break the opening combination of Shane Watson and Brad Haddin, Michael Clarke made it fairly clear that he wants to make use of Marsh's impressive form by using him higher up the order. "Shaun will definitely be playing in the next three games," Clarke said. "It's unlikely he'll be batting at No.6 as well, especially when he's hitting the ball as sweet as he is. He's in wonderful nick at the moment. He's certainly going to get opportunities if he plays like that."
Marsh made a strong case that he should have been there by right, but his hopes of making the 15-man World Cup party weren't helped with the selectors able to select Tim Paine as a reserve keeper-batsman. Given Australia's batting woes this season, it's difficult to think why Marsh isn't playing a part across all formats. Mickey Arthur, his coach at Western Australia, rates him as talented as any batsman he has coached, although a first-class average 37.97, lower than his ODI mark, doesn't do him any favours
But even though his route to the subcontinent next month rests on the fortunes of others he isn't dwelling on being overlooked. "I'm never one to worry about selections," he said after Australia's 46-run win in Hobart. "I was disappointed not to get picked, but I see these games as an opportunity to improve my game at international level. It's given me a lot of confidence. I'm sure the guys who go over will do a great job."
England were due to face Marsh when they played Australia A, also at Hobart, in November but he pulled out due to injury. Andrew Strauss said they would need to come up with some new ideas. "He had a nice mix of getting ones and hitting boundaries," he said. "He's a player in good form and we'll have to look at how we could have done things differently."
By trade Marsh is opener, like his father Geoff, but his immediate chances for Australia appear to be in the middle order and he showed his adaptability in Hobart when he came in at No. 6 with the score 4 for 33. He added 100 with Cameron White then an unexpected 88 with Doug Bollinger for the ninth wicket to give Australia a defendable total.
"It was just a great opportunity for me," he said. "Huss going down was very unfortunate but it gave me my chance. It didn't matter where I batted for Australia, I just wanted to play. It's obviously different to opening but I knew once I got myself in, and started feeling good, I could play some shots. It was a lot of fun out there especially with Dougie at the end. We got our team to a competitive total and defended it well."
Marsh had plenty of praise for his unlikely tail-end partner. Bollinger had only batted four times in his previous 27 ODIs with a top score of three, but unfurled two cover drives during his run-a-ball 30. "Dougie was loving it out there," Marsh said. "It was a lot of fun. I was trying to tell him to rotate the strike and keep the ball on the ground. He played some wonderful shots, it was fantastic the way he went about it. Without him we probably wouldn't have got to 200."
Although Marsh is unlikely to break the opening combination of Shane Watson and Brad Haddin, Michael Clarke made it fairly clear that he wants to make use of Marsh's impressive form by using him higher up the order. "Shaun will definitely be playing in the next three games," Clarke said. "It's unlikely he'll be batting at No.6 as well, especially when he's hitting the ball as sweet as he is. He's in wonderful nick at the moment. He's certainly going to get opportunities if he plays like that."
Friday, January 21, 2011
Pink Takes A Dark Turn In Her “F**kin’ Perfect” Video
Pink got the party started in her righteous, fun-loving “Raise Your Glass” video, but the party’s over, folks — the pop star gets pretty grim in her vid for “F**kin’ Perfect”, a single from her greatest hits collection. The clip starts off like it’s bound to be a new version of Christina Aguilera’s hopeful video for “Beautiful” (Believe in yourself! You are great! You make your own happiness!), but takes a really uncomfortably dark turn when — spoiler alert, though we feel the need to warn you — a girl brutally cuts herself in the bathtub. Vid below.
The video focuses on a young girl who feels like an outsider among her peers, who deals with her inner struggle by carving the word “Perfect” into her arm and chopping off her hair.
It’s extremely upsetting to watch — Pink even pauses the music so we can take in the spectacle of blood — and when she somehow is able to turn her grief into art, we guess we’re supposed to feel relieved? And yet the girl, now a woman trapped in a seemingly loveless coupling, looks upon her daughter with a worried expression on her face, as though the same strife is destined to happen to her child.
“F**kin’ Perfect” is a believe-in-yourself, inspiring type of pop song, but this video is just kind of sad.
What do you think? Do you see a glimmer of hope in here? Or is it just a total bummer?
The video focuses on a young girl who feels like an outsider among her peers, who deals with her inner struggle by carving the word “Perfect” into her arm and chopping off her hair.
It’s extremely upsetting to watch — Pink even pauses the music so we can take in the spectacle of blood — and when she somehow is able to turn her grief into art, we guess we’re supposed to feel relieved? And yet the girl, now a woman trapped in a seemingly loveless coupling, looks upon her daughter with a worried expression on her face, as though the same strife is destined to happen to her child.
“F**kin’ Perfect” is a believe-in-yourself, inspiring type of pop song, but this video is just kind of sad.
What do you think? Do you see a glimmer of hope in here? Or is it just a total bummer?
After a Busy Film Workload, Natalie Portman Takes a Pregnant Pause
Natalie Portman’s aware you might be getting a little tired of her face. But she offers a compelling reason for making the plethora the films she’s got in the pipeline.
“Well, you have heard that the Apocalypse is coming, right? 2012 – The Mayan calendar?” Portman explains. “I thought that I would get it all in right before.
A freshly minted Golden Globe winner and leading contender to take home an Oscar for last fall’s “Black Swan,” Portman will be seen at more than just awards podiums this year. She’s got the raunchy/romantic comedy “No Strings Attached” dropping this week, plus stints as the Thunder God’s love interest in “Thor” and a comely warrior woman in the comedy “Your Highness,” both due this year.
“I feel bad for boring people with my face for a while,” she conceded, “but in as an actress it was really an exciting thing to get to work on all of these things almost back to back.”
“I learned so much from doing all these different types of movies,” Portman said, “because you bring the research and the seriousness and the discipline of doing a drama into something like 'Thor,' and you bring the humor and the improvisational attitude from something like 'Your Highness' into 'Black Swan.'”
Along with expanding her film resume, Portman was pleased to reclaim her curvier personal proportions in “No Strings Attached” after getting scary-skinny for “Black Swan.” “You're like, 'How did you get fat so quickly?'” she chuckled. “It was pretty great. It was like a palate cleanser after all of that discipline and focus and a very serious kind of set, to a really playful, fun [film] – obviously everyone is still very professional on this movie, but there's an improvisational feel all the time and everyone is there to play. It was a really great atmosphere – and I didn't have to work out because I was like, 'She's a doctor. They don't have time.'”
Now she’ll be taking some time off, with plenty of new strings attached: she’s engaged to “Black Swan” choreographer Benjamin Millipied and is prepping herself for the off-screen role of mother. Asked about her upcoming projects, she looks at her expectant tummy and says simply “I'm cooking a child.”
“Well, you have heard that the Apocalypse is coming, right? 2012 – The Mayan calendar?” Portman explains. “I thought that I would get it all in right before.
A freshly minted Golden Globe winner and leading contender to take home an Oscar for last fall’s “Black Swan,” Portman will be seen at more than just awards podiums this year. She’s got the raunchy/romantic comedy “No Strings Attached” dropping this week, plus stints as the Thunder God’s love interest in “Thor” and a comely warrior woman in the comedy “Your Highness,” both due this year.
“I feel bad for boring people with my face for a while,” she conceded, “but in as an actress it was really an exciting thing to get to work on all of these things almost back to back.”
“I learned so much from doing all these different types of movies,” Portman said, “because you bring the research and the seriousness and the discipline of doing a drama into something like 'Thor,' and you bring the humor and the improvisational attitude from something like 'Your Highness' into 'Black Swan.'”
Along with expanding her film resume, Portman was pleased to reclaim her curvier personal proportions in “No Strings Attached” after getting scary-skinny for “Black Swan.” “You're like, 'How did you get fat so quickly?'” she chuckled. “It was pretty great. It was like a palate cleanser after all of that discipline and focus and a very serious kind of set, to a really playful, fun [film] – obviously everyone is still very professional on this movie, but there's an improvisational feel all the time and everyone is there to play. It was a really great atmosphere – and I didn't have to work out because I was like, 'She's a doctor. They don't have time.'”
Now she’ll be taking some time off, with plenty of new strings attached: she’s engaged to “Black Swan” choreographer Benjamin Millipied and is prepping herself for the off-screen role of mother. Asked about her upcoming projects, she looks at her expectant tummy and says simply “I'm cooking a child.”
"Bobby Fischer Against the World" Takes on Sundance
It’s hard to believe that Liz Garbus’ new film, “Bobby Fischer Against The World,” which is showing as part of the Doc Premieres at Sundance before heading to HBO in July, is the first feature-length documentary about the mercurial chess master.
“I think that a full retelling of his life with many of the players coming forward to talk had to happen posthumously,” Garbus told PopcornBiz. “Bobby was so private and a lot of people close to him just didn’t feel comfortable talking about stories that were really part of our collective history, even while he was alive.”
By the age of 14, Fischer had become the U.S. champ, a title he would win eight times in nine years. In 1972 he headed off the Reykjavik, Iceland, to challenge Russian Boris Spassky for the world title. Fischer took preparation for the showdown so seriously that he retreated to the Catskills to train with an Olympic strength and conditioning coach, and he was accompanied by Life magazine photographer Harry Benson.
“He had that kind of rock star charisma that I think Harry Benson’s photographs captured so well,” notes Garbus.
A collection of some of Benson’s never before seen photos of Fischer will actually be on exhibit at the Thomas Kearns McCarthey Gallery in Park City, beginning right after the film’s world premiere on Jan. 21. And if you’re interested in getting beaten like a rented mule by one of today’s grandmasters, there will be a few setting up shop around town as well. A "Grandmaster Chess Station" has been set up in the middle of Park City, and they are taking on all comers.
While winning the crown was unquestionably a turning point for Fischer, Garbus thinks Fischer’s abdication of his title in 1975 was the real bellwether.
“I think the beginning of the end was when he refuses to defend his title against Karpov, three years after the victory over Spassky. To me that’s when he really sort saying, “I’m done—I’m out.” I do believe if one’s entire psychology, to the exclusion of social relationships, of family relationships, of other sports or intellectual pursuits. —Is focused around this one thing. And then you’re reached the pinnacle of your dreams.”
Fischer was out of money by 1992, leaving him with no choice but to play an exhibition rematch against Spassky in Yugoslavia. But the games were in violation of U.S. sanctions imposed as a result of the war there, and so the State Department indicted him—for playing chess—but didn’t pursue the issue. At least not until 2001, when Fischer very publicly expressed glee over the attacks on the U.S. on 9/11.
“He was an American hero, he represented the western world against the soviets he was a real cold warrior, and there he was saying this stuff about the United States and thumbing his nose at them… I think, yes, after 2001, when he says those things, it was punishment for him,” opined Garbus, who noted that there were people openly selling arms in Yugoslavia without drawing the State Department’s ire.
Fischer would ultimately seek refuge in 2005 in Iceland, where he remains a national hero despite how poorly he spoke of the place in '72.
“Bobby Fischer is a hero in Iceland to this day. It’s unbelievable. Iceland is a relatively small country; their relationship to chess is sacrosanct. They have more chess masters per square mile than any other country in the world. Bobby Fischer put them on the map, he came there even though he disrespected their country, with small comments here and there, they didn’t have good enough infrastructure, he did play there. The whole world watched Iceland at that moment. He was a huge part of their history. In a lot of ways, he’s the most famous Icelander, even tough he wasn’t in fact Icelandic until the end of his life.”
“I think that a full retelling of his life with many of the players coming forward to talk had to happen posthumously,” Garbus told PopcornBiz. “Bobby was so private and a lot of people close to him just didn’t feel comfortable talking about stories that were really part of our collective history, even while he was alive.”
By the age of 14, Fischer had become the U.S. champ, a title he would win eight times in nine years. In 1972 he headed off the Reykjavik, Iceland, to challenge Russian Boris Spassky for the world title. Fischer took preparation for the showdown so seriously that he retreated to the Catskills to train with an Olympic strength and conditioning coach, and he was accompanied by Life magazine photographer Harry Benson.
“He had that kind of rock star charisma that I think Harry Benson’s photographs captured so well,” notes Garbus.
A collection of some of Benson’s never before seen photos of Fischer will actually be on exhibit at the Thomas Kearns McCarthey Gallery in Park City, beginning right after the film’s world premiere on Jan. 21. And if you’re interested in getting beaten like a rented mule by one of today’s grandmasters, there will be a few setting up shop around town as well. A "Grandmaster Chess Station" has been set up in the middle of Park City, and they are taking on all comers.
While winning the crown was unquestionably a turning point for Fischer, Garbus thinks Fischer’s abdication of his title in 1975 was the real bellwether.
“I think the beginning of the end was when he refuses to defend his title against Karpov, three years after the victory over Spassky. To me that’s when he really sort saying, “I’m done—I’m out.” I do believe if one’s entire psychology, to the exclusion of social relationships, of family relationships, of other sports or intellectual pursuits. —Is focused around this one thing. And then you’re reached the pinnacle of your dreams.”
Fischer was out of money by 1992, leaving him with no choice but to play an exhibition rematch against Spassky in Yugoslavia. But the games were in violation of U.S. sanctions imposed as a result of the war there, and so the State Department indicted him—for playing chess—but didn’t pursue the issue. At least not until 2001, when Fischer very publicly expressed glee over the attacks on the U.S. on 9/11.
“He was an American hero, he represented the western world against the soviets he was a real cold warrior, and there he was saying this stuff about the United States and thumbing his nose at them… I think, yes, after 2001, when he says those things, it was punishment for him,” opined Garbus, who noted that there were people openly selling arms in Yugoslavia without drawing the State Department’s ire.
Fischer would ultimately seek refuge in 2005 in Iceland, where he remains a national hero despite how poorly he spoke of the place in '72.
“Bobby Fischer is a hero in Iceland to this day. It’s unbelievable. Iceland is a relatively small country; their relationship to chess is sacrosanct. They have more chess masters per square mile than any other country in the world. Bobby Fischer put them on the map, he came there even though he disrespected their country, with small comments here and there, they didn’t have good enough infrastructure, he did play there. The whole world watched Iceland at that moment. He was a huge part of their history. In a lot of ways, he’s the most famous Icelander, even tough he wasn’t in fact Icelandic until the end of his life.”
Monday, January 17, 2011
'Company Men' Takes Haunting Look at Layoffs
Hollywood is a fantasyland, and the films it produces reflect that. "The Company Men" is that rare modern movie that actually takes a look at some of the hard realities of today's economy. Ben Affleck plays a Porsche-driving businessman who's suddenly laid off and must turn to his blue-collar brother (Kevin Costner) for work. Well yeah, so most of the people we know who were laid off didn't have a Porsche in the first place, but the film is earning raves. Rolling Stone's Peter Travers says "this haunting movie hits you hard and right where you live." (Opens Jan. 21.)
"The Way Back" sounds like one of those old-time war films you find on late-night cable and can't stop watching. Colin Farrell, Ed Harris and Jim Sturgess star as members of a group of prisoners who break out of a Siberian gulag in 1941 and must struggle through a blizzard, over mountains, and across the Gobi Desert to make their way to freedom. ViewLondon calls it "impressively directed, sharply written and beautifully shot." Puts our little daily worries in perspective. (Opens Jan. 21.)
TV
Science fiction, crime dramas, local kids' TV and westerns are the focus in PBS' new "Pioneers of Television" episodes. Sci-fi is first up, and that episode will take a look at three beloved shows — the original "Star Trek," "The Twilight Zone" and kitschy "Lost in Space." (Jan. 18, 8 p.m., PBS.)
Although Andy Whitfield had to step out of Starz's Spartacus series while he fights non-Hodgkin lymphoma, the show lives on through a new miniseries, a prequel to "Spartacus: Blood and Sand." The new show, "Spartacus: Gods of the Arena," stars Aussie actor Dustin Clare as a champion gladiator. Whitfield is expected to make a brief cameo as Spartacus. (Jan. 21, 10 p.m., Starz.)
"Heavy" sounds a little like "The Biggest Loser" meets "Intervention." Each week, the new A&E series looks at two people who are dangerously obese. The show is an hour long, but the episodes cover six months in each person's life. If "Intervention" is any guide, not all will reach their goals. (Jan. 17, 10 p.m., A&E.)
In "An Idiot Abroad," Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant force their friend Karl Pilkington (a personality in his own right) to visit the Seven Wonders of the World. A dream for many, but sheer torture for Pilkington, who stumbles across nude beaches, crucifixion and possible cannibals. (Premieres Jan. 22, 10 p.m., Science Channel.)
DVD
"Das Boot" took place inside a submarine, Hitchcock's "Lifeboat" in a small raft after a shipwreck. The critically acclaimed "Lebanon" has its own confined setting: It takes place inside a tank during Israel's 1982 war with Lebanon. Four young soldiers in the tank must confront the realities of war and their own fears. Roger Ebert compares its immersive experience to that of Oscar-winner "The Hurt Locker," writing, "This is what it means to be in the belly of the beast." (Out on DVD Jan. 18.)
"Animal Kingdom" is a highly praised Australian film about a teenage boy caught up in that country's criminal underworld. Guy Pearce plays the detective who tries to save him, and Jacki Weaver earned raves for her role as the boy's creepy criminal grandma. Andrew O'Hehir raved in Salon, "Brilliantly acted and intensely crafted, this movie will alienate some viewers and enthrall others, but it won't soon be forgotten." (Out on DVD Jan. 18.)
"The Way Back" sounds like one of those old-time war films you find on late-night cable and can't stop watching. Colin Farrell, Ed Harris and Jim Sturgess star as members of a group of prisoners who break out of a Siberian gulag in 1941 and must struggle through a blizzard, over mountains, and across the Gobi Desert to make their way to freedom. ViewLondon calls it "impressively directed, sharply written and beautifully shot." Puts our little daily worries in perspective. (Opens Jan. 21.)
TV
Science fiction, crime dramas, local kids' TV and westerns are the focus in PBS' new "Pioneers of Television" episodes. Sci-fi is first up, and that episode will take a look at three beloved shows — the original "Star Trek," "The Twilight Zone" and kitschy "Lost in Space." (Jan. 18, 8 p.m., PBS.)
Although Andy Whitfield had to step out of Starz's Spartacus series while he fights non-Hodgkin lymphoma, the show lives on through a new miniseries, a prequel to "Spartacus: Blood and Sand." The new show, "Spartacus: Gods of the Arena," stars Aussie actor Dustin Clare as a champion gladiator. Whitfield is expected to make a brief cameo as Spartacus. (Jan. 21, 10 p.m., Starz.)
"Heavy" sounds a little like "The Biggest Loser" meets "Intervention." Each week, the new A&E series looks at two people who are dangerously obese. The show is an hour long, but the episodes cover six months in each person's life. If "Intervention" is any guide, not all will reach their goals. (Jan. 17, 10 p.m., A&E.)
In "An Idiot Abroad," Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant force their friend Karl Pilkington (a personality in his own right) to visit the Seven Wonders of the World. A dream for many, but sheer torture for Pilkington, who stumbles across nude beaches, crucifixion and possible cannibals. (Premieres Jan. 22, 10 p.m., Science Channel.)
DVD
"Das Boot" took place inside a submarine, Hitchcock's "Lifeboat" in a small raft after a shipwreck. The critically acclaimed "Lebanon" has its own confined setting: It takes place inside a tank during Israel's 1982 war with Lebanon. Four young soldiers in the tank must confront the realities of war and their own fears. Roger Ebert compares its immersive experience to that of Oscar-winner "The Hurt Locker," writing, "This is what it means to be in the belly of the beast." (Out on DVD Jan. 18.)
"Animal Kingdom" is a highly praised Australian film about a teenage boy caught up in that country's criminal underworld. Guy Pearce plays the detective who tries to save him, and Jacki Weaver earned raves for her role as the boy's creepy criminal grandma. Andrew O'Hehir raved in Salon, "Brilliantly acted and intensely crafted, this movie will alienate some viewers and enthrall others, but it won't soon be forgotten." (Out on DVD Jan. 18.)
Miss Nebraska Takes Miss America Title
Tiaras, princess-cut dresses, and cutthroat competition--it’s all in a day’s work for the Miss America contestants.
And in the end, Miss Nebraska took the crown.
Teresa Scanlan, 17, of Gering, Nebraska, was awarded the Miss America title last night in Las Vegas, The Associated Press reported. The win comes with a $50,000 scholarship.
Her victory also marks the first time ever that Nebraska had a Miss America winner, said the AP.
During the competition, Scanlan wore a black bikini and white evening gown, performed a musical piece on piano, and offered her opinion on WikiLeaks.
A recent graduate from high school, Scanlan, whose interest is politics, plans to attend Patrick Henry College in Virginia when her stint as Miss America is completed. A pageant press release said that Scanlan's goal is to go to law school.
Alyse Eady--Miss Arkansas--was the first runner-up followed by Jalee Fuselier--Miss Hawaii--as the second runner-up.
In addition to the three top finalists, the competition's other semi-finalists included: Emoly West (Miss Oklahoma); Ashley Melnick (Miss Texas); Deborah Saint-Vil (Miss Rhode Island); Christina Lowe (Miss Utah); Jacquie Brown (Miss Washington); Kathryn Bulkley (Miss Arizona); Caitlin Uze (Miss Virginia); Arianna Afsar (Miss California); Claire Buffie (Miss New York); Kayla Martell (Miss Delaware); Djuan Trent (Miss Kentucky); and Stephanie Steers (Miss Oregon).
Entertainment Weekly’s Tanner Stransky argues that there was hardly any promotion for the broadcast, which aired on ABC. “Where are the billboards? The magazine advertisements? The hosts and last year’s winner Miss Virginia parading through the morning-show circuit?” Stransky writes.
The pageant did feel like it was thrown together at the last minute, from the lackluster beginning choreography, to the hiccups between the hosts. During the eveningwear segment of the show, the girls kept saying how the “real me” is someone who stays home in pajamas and frumpy shoes. But it seems like a lot of the “inner beauty”
“I love Lady Gaga’s meat gown, I kind of wish I had one,” said Miss Kentucky Djuan Trent.
Alyse Eady--Miss Arkansas--certainly had an interesting talent. While performing the yodeling/cowboy hit “I Want To Be A Cowboy,” she had two frightening looking dummies that she made yodel.
And in the end, Miss Nebraska took the crown.
Teresa Scanlan, 17, of Gering, Nebraska, was awarded the Miss America title last night in Las Vegas, The Associated Press reported. The win comes with a $50,000 scholarship.
Her victory also marks the first time ever that Nebraska had a Miss America winner, said the AP.
During the competition, Scanlan wore a black bikini and white evening gown, performed a musical piece on piano, and offered her opinion on WikiLeaks.
A recent graduate from high school, Scanlan, whose interest is politics, plans to attend Patrick Henry College in Virginia when her stint as Miss America is completed. A pageant press release said that Scanlan's goal is to go to law school.
Alyse Eady--Miss Arkansas--was the first runner-up followed by Jalee Fuselier--Miss Hawaii--as the second runner-up.
In addition to the three top finalists, the competition's other semi-finalists included: Emoly West (Miss Oklahoma); Ashley Melnick (Miss Texas); Deborah Saint-Vil (Miss Rhode Island); Christina Lowe (Miss Utah); Jacquie Brown (Miss Washington); Kathryn Bulkley (Miss Arizona); Caitlin Uze (Miss Virginia); Arianna Afsar (Miss California); Claire Buffie (Miss New York); Kayla Martell (Miss Delaware); Djuan Trent (Miss Kentucky); and Stephanie Steers (Miss Oregon).
Entertainment Weekly’s Tanner Stransky argues that there was hardly any promotion for the broadcast, which aired on ABC. “Where are the billboards? The magazine advertisements? The hosts and last year’s winner Miss Virginia parading through the morning-show circuit?” Stransky writes.
The pageant did feel like it was thrown together at the last minute, from the lackluster beginning choreography, to the hiccups between the hosts. During the eveningwear segment of the show, the girls kept saying how the “real me” is someone who stays home in pajamas and frumpy shoes. But it seems like a lot of the “inner beauty”
“I love Lady Gaga’s meat gown, I kind of wish I had one,” said Miss Kentucky Djuan Trent.
Alyse Eady--Miss Arkansas--certainly had an interesting talent. While performing the yodeling/cowboy hit “I Want To Be A Cowboy,” she had two frightening looking dummies that she made yodel.
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