Even Wesley Snipes would want to bitch slap Reverend Wright-

by Shannonn Kelly

Barack Obama spiritual mentor, Reverend. Jeremiah Wright Jr., preaches last sermon at…. “Polls show Barack Obama damaged by link to Reverend Jeremiah Wright

I usually do not discuss my politics out in the open, but I’m so not pleased Right now with Reverend Wright.

He needs to be stopped.

And, Shame on you Bill Clinton for letting your wife okay such backhanded bullshit by supporting her. (read: ’saying nothing’) Letting this 15 minute fool ramble on at Monday’s National Press Club is a national horror show.

Her dirty tricks campaign strategy will ruin your legacy. Who am I kidding, it already has. Seriously, Bill, how much longer will you have to show you’re sorry for playing in (yes, I mean in) someone else’s turf?

Every bad move made in her campaign has and will continue to come back and stick to you like flies on a pie. You know, I know it and the informed American people know it-

The National Press Club event was “organized” by Barbara Reynolds who is a what—a HUGE Hillary Clinton supporter.

Hillary is a snake in the grass. Wake up America! Do you really think Reverend Wright thought of this event on his own, in the same time frame that Hillary won Pennsylvania, yet still lagged behind Obama in delegates?

Gee, uhm, Jon Stewart, you take this one:

(imaginary dialing) “Hello Babs, this is Hill’s. I was thinking…you know that Wright guy that BO once looked up to as a mentor– well what do you think if we, oops, I mean you…”

The Clinton’s are down in the dirt biker chicks looking for a bar fight. They have their eyes on the eloquent, educated, well researched, witty Kennedy-esque Barack Obama; to take him out with whatever cheap sucker-punch they can get away with. Reverend Wright is that sucker-

Obama has denounced Wright’s most inflammatory comments, but Wright insisted to reporters, “He did not denounce me. He distanced himself from some of my remarks, like most of you, never having heard the sermon.”

Obama kept his distance yesterday. “I have said before and I repeat again that …some of the comments that Rev. Wright has made offend me,” he said.

Still in the face of all of this, Obama is keeping his patience and not getting down in the gutter with team Hillary. I applaud him!

America—it’s not another Clinton is the White House you need. Bill could come back if a) it was possible for him to sit another term; b) promised to not make any weird arms deals. But definitely not if it’s Hillary. She’s got too many axes to grind when the boys club kept quiet about Bill’s shenanigans.

Barack Obama has no axe to grind– only a country to heal that’s been chopped to death by every body else wielding axes…

Heath Ledger’s hauting portrayal of “The Joker” in the new summer blockbuster has every one talking.

“Heath was an incredible actor and he brought a very, very scary Joker to life. Heath shocked us as the Joker and his death shocked all of us.”, says actor Christian Bale who reprises his role as Batman in the The Dark Knight being released in July 2008.

Sadly, Ledger was discovered dead in his New York apartment on January 22 after an accidental overdose of where numerous drugs in his system.

The Dark Knight is the last feature film he completed before his death. He was filming Terry Gilliam’s The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus days before he died but wasn’t able to finish the film.

During filming, Ledger said the darkness of the role had troubled him. “He’s just out of control - no empathy, he’s a sociopath, a psychotic, mass-murdering clown,” said Ledger in his interview with New York Times writer Sarah Lyall

“Jack (Nicholson) was like a really scary old, nasty uncle with a funny face. Heath’s like the most murderous psychopath you’ve ever seen on the screen.” says Michael Caine who also stars in the film along with Maggie Gyllenhaal, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman and Bale who reprises his turn as Batman.

Chilling promotional images of Ledger portraying the Joker from the upcoming The Dark Knight, have been released - nearly three months after the Perth-born actor was found dead in New York.

In one scene, Ledger is dressed in a white nurse’s uniform, wielding a gun and wearing a surgical mask. In another, his face painted with the Joker’s trademark evil grin in red, he points a gun directly at the camera.

These are just two of the many images film company Warner Brothers Releasing is using to promote The Dark Knight, to be released in Australia, Heath’s home soil on July 17, 2008

From the movie’s promotional material to the trailer, Ledger appears to be the main attraction, with Christian Bale, who plays Batman, taking a back seat. One poster for The Dark Knight features Ledger as the Joker, creepily peering through a frosted window with the catchphrase: “Why so serious?” written in blood.

To view the trailer for the upcoming The Dark Knight click here

Diagnosed with a neurological disorder with symptoms resembling Alzheimer’s disease, Charlton Heston died Saturday in his home in Beverly Hills, CA with his wife of 64 years, Lydia, by his side. Heston is also survived by a daughter, a son and three grandchildren.

At 6 foot 3 inches tall, Heston was large in life as well as on screen playing heros both fictional and historical on the big screen. “I’ve played cardinals and cowboys, kings and quarterbacks, presidents and painters, cops and con men,” Heston once said.

He played the lead in “El Cid” 1961 and starred as Michelangelo in “The Agony and the Ecstasy” (1965), Moses in the blockbuster 1956 film “The Ten Commandments”, and Roman chariot-racing epic “Ben Hur.”

Heston even had a cult following for his turns in memorable roles as a marooned astronaut in 1968 science-fiction film “Planet of the Apes” and a detective in another futuristic cult classic, 1973’s “Soylent Green”.

Even Heston couldn’t escape Michael Moore’s scrutiny when Moore ambushed Heston in his home for an interview in “Bowling for Columbine” on the topic of guns, showing Heston pictures of children killed by guns. Heston was often in the spotlight for his outspoken political views and his support and leadership of the National Rifle Association (NRA).

He achieved notoriety in 2000 when declaring at an NRA convention that his guns would have to be pried away “from my cold, dead hands.”…

As I watched last evenings Academy Awards, I became increasingly anxious realizing that there were going to be some pretty wet eyes in the Kodak Theater when they flashed this year’s departed film industry professionals.

From set designers, to agents, to directors to actresses and actors, I watched as everyone did, while the names and images of people flickered by from film industry lobbyist Jack Valenti, to Hollywood musical staple Betty Hutton, to cinematographer Lazlo Kovacs (Easy Rider, Five Easy Pieces, to smoky voiced Suzanne Pleshette (The Bob Newhart Show, The Birds).

As the images flickered by and got closer to the most recent departed I held my breath to see the youngest actors up there on the screen who had passed away just last month memorialized alongside their mature counterparts.

I waited until the last two actors images that should’ve appeared one was glaringly omitted. Heath Ledger was the last face we saw, before the memorial tribute montage faded to black and we went to commercial.

Where was Brad Renfro? WTF. Where was Brad Renfro…?

I was angry. Why was the mention of one actor taking prominence over another? Is the academy saying that even in death, there is an A-List and a B-List- If so, shame on them.

Let’s face it, Brad and Heath died of the same thing: an accidental drug over dose-

Why memorialize Heath and not Brad Renfro.

Brad gave for his craft. He started acting when he was 10 or 11 years of age, probably 7 years before Heath started acting around 18. Heath got discovered for his looks and charm. Brad got discovered while in a school play.

Was Brad so unceremoniously ignored because he came from a poor family? A dysfunctional family? If this was the case, lets kiss the careers of 80% of ANYONE in the film industry good bye.

It’s the dysfunctionality, the challenges, the stress; the hardships that make gifted people blossom.
Renfro was was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, the son of a factory worker. He was raised by his paternal grandmother, Joanne Barron a church secretary, who died less than two weeks after Brad’s January 15^th, death earlier this year.

Brad should have been remembered along with his acting colleagues last night. To openly dismiss him and forget him is to dismiss his contribution on film.

Shame on you Hollywood.

Renfro was a solid actor. He signed on to approximately 21 movies in his short career. Heath Ledger (not counting TV episodes) made about the same amount of films.

Mali Finn, a casting director for Joel Schumacher discovered Renfro when he was ten. Cast by Finn for Schumacher’s The Client, Renfro acted alongside Susan Sarandon and Tommy Lee Jones.

The movie was based on the bestselling John Grisham novel and became one of the top-grossing films of 1994. In 1995, Renfro won Hollywood Reporter‘s “Young Star” award, and was nominated as one of People’s “Top 30 Under 30.”

In 1996, Renfro was cast in Sleepers, based on the novel by Lorenzo Carcaterra. The film was directed by Barry Levinson and also starred Robert de Niro, Kevin Bacon, Dustin Hoffman and Brad Pitt.

In 1998, he starred opposite Ian McKellen in Apt Pupil, directed by Bryan Singer. Renfro other high profile films, included 2001’s Ghost World and Bully and 2005’s The Jacket. Renfro’s final film was the yet unreleased movie The Informers, co-starring Winona Ryder and Billy Bob Thornton.

I have this argument often when I sometimes cannot get over the personality of artists. I’m told I must separate the artist from their behavior. In the art world it’s hard for me to do this with a painter such as Matisse for instance, because of his predilection for young Tahitian girls.

I can make the separation here. The majority of actors and entertainers are self-destructive. Renfro was self-destructive. Ledger was self-destructive. Hell, even I’m self-destructive. We all are in some way-

Both of these actors abused drugs. Legal and non-legal drugs. That behavior led to their immediate and untimely deaths.

Both men however, are and were from all accounts artists to be respected. They both took their craft seriously. They both possessed natural talent and a both made their presence while on screen, unforgettable. Both of these young actors were in some kind of emotional pain. Both of these young actors left behind small children and people who loved them while they were on this earth.

Brad Renfro was an American actor and should have been honored as such on America’s most prestigious night - The Oscars.

Shame on you Hollywood-

Shame on you Academy Awards…

Ashley Pearson, a writer for the Daily Mail UK has built a great article on what Hollywood stars (mostly female) go through before appearing on the Academy Awards red carpet.

Tomorrow morning, the conversations will be about the Oscars, the wins, the wardrobe and the glamour. Beneath the glamour, writes Pearson, is where things really get interesting.

Months before the Oscars are the busiest in the cosmetic surgeon’s diary. Dr Renato Calabria, a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, pioneered the new One Stitch Facelift, which lifts loose facial skin and anchors it via one stitch under the hairline on each side of the face.

“The effect is more subtle than a full facelift and popular among clients in their late 30s,” Dr Calabria says.

Actresses who’ve hit 40 but don’t want to look it are turning to plastic surgeon Dr Richard Ellenbogen. He uses the Volumetric Face Lift to make the face look young again by treating it like a deflated balloon. Taking fat via a needle from a patient’s abdomen, he inserts it under the eyes, in the cheeks or between the nose and mouth to sculpt full features.

The most crowded waiting room pre-Oscars is at the Beverly Hills clinic of celebrity skin specialist Sonya Dakar - where stars line up for her signature $2000 facial.

Madonna and Hollywood stars like Drew Barrymore and Gwyneth Paltrow swear by the extravagant procedure, which includes a diamond scrub (using diamond particles to exfoliate the skin), an exfoliating skin peel, green tea face mask and red-and-blue UV light therapy to prevent acne.

If a celebrity suffers an attack of spots the night before the Oscars, Sonya is ready. “I use the blue light, get rid of the inflammation, put medication on and they’re ready,” she explains. “Next day, the skin looks like it never had a breakout.”

On the eve of a recent Oscars, one TV star decided she was less than thrilled with her designer gown - or rather the way she looked in it.

It seems there was a tiny bump of fat, which stuck out over the back of her dress. Rather than change her outfit, she dialed Manhattan dermatologist Dr Patricia Wexler, who says it was easier to do a little liposuction than to fix the dress.

With liposuction treatment often taking only a day, Dr Wexler admits this is not uncommon: “I have had designers demanding liposuction for an actress who didn’t look as good in their gown as they wanted her to.

“One designer rang ten days before the Oscars complaining that it was impossible to change the dress. It was a really low-back dress and the star’s waistline wasn’t smooth enough. The dress required this long, elongated waist.

“I did the lipo and by Oscar night she looked great.”

Stylists regularly advise celebrities to grow their hair longer before the Oscars. The other option is hair extensions.

John Frieda stylist Demetrius Pombo is doing Helen Mirren’s hair this year.

“I’m planning a Twenties or Forties look, a single wave with a bit more movement, so I asked her to let her hair grow.” Stars such as Jennifer Aniston and Gwyneth Paltrow often opt for temporary extensions that can be removed quickly.

Celebrity trainer David Kirsch is known in Hollywood circles as “the master of the a**” for his workout regime.

David says: “If their schedule allows, they’ll come in a month beforehand, but on average it’s 2-4 weeks before the big night.”

He consults with his client about the gown they’re wearing and works from there. “I want to make sure the exposed area is at its best, bearing in mind the camera will add a little weight. There can be no jiggle.”

David says that, with the popularity of Spanx and other “magic pants,” the red carpet has been transformed.

He adds: “I have just finished an intense three weeks of training with Ellen Barkin; we focused on her arms, legs and lower back. She is going to blow everyone away.”

Another popular pre-Oscars trick is the Suddenly Slimmer body wrap. Stars are wrapped in bandages soaked in a special mineral solution (said to remove toxins) and then jump on an exercise machine for one hour. The inches are guaranteed not to come back unless they gain weight.

Helen Mirren confessed before one Oscars ceremony that she’d been “dieting for a month” to get into her dress. And she is not alone. For most actresses, this weekend is going to be especially nerve-racking.

With the Hollywood writers’ strike paralyzing productions, everyone took holidays and gained some weight so some actresses are panicking right now.

Most of the women in LA have been on the Master Cleanse (that’s lemonade with cayenne pepper and maple syrup, a saltwater drink and laxative tea) all week.

A top trainer admits: “One Oscar presenter spent three weeks eating meal replacement shakes for breakfast and dinner with a small salad in between.”

Kym Douglas and Cindy Pearlman, authors of the Hollywood Black Book Of Diet Secrets, say that celebrities such as Heidi Klum eat salads spritzed with vinegar to kill their appetite before heading onto the red carpet, and sniff grapefruit essence to stop sugar cravings.

Kym says: “I know of one actress who gained a lot of weight with twins and when she ordered an organic baby food delivery service she ordered it for three. She ate the extra serving of baby food herself and got the weight off fast.”

While last year everyone clamored for the best “eyebrow specialist,” this year it’s all about having your own “eyelash expert.” Jennifer Lopez began the trend by gluing on red fox-fur lashes at a recent Oscars.

This year, LA make-up artist Valerie Sarnelle has created thick and furry mink and squirrel fur false eyelashes, in blacks, browns and blondes.

“They look like butterflies, but they’re not overdone,” said Sarnelle. “It’s the ultimate accessory.”

However, Madonna recently sported custom fake eyelashes made from mink fur and diamonds. A single pair of mink eyelashes costs $10 grand and is good for wearing up to seven times.

Botox isn’t just used on foreheads any more. It also prevents sweat stains around armpits. About eight to ten injections in the area can do the trick.

“When you’re on the red carpet,” says Beverly Hills surgeon Dr Nicolas Nicolev, “and perhaps feeling nervous, the last thing-you want is to get perspiration on your gown.”

The Botox lasts for up to a year-and each treatment costs about $1000. “But when you’re wearing a $20,000 gown it’s worth it to stay dry, plus it saves on the cost of deodorant and dry cleaning,’ said Dr Jessica Wu, a dermatologist who treats celebrities.

Cosmetic dermatologist Dr Patricia Wexler also uses Botox to tighten the skin on the breasts and create younger-looking cleavage.

She even applies Botox under the breasts to give a sagging cleavage a much-needed lift. “It works the same way as on the face - it paralyzes the muscles, pulling your breasts down and therefore pulling them back up!”

Have you ever wondered how celebrities stand all night on the red carpet in 4-inch designer heels? They get stiletto foot surgery!

Foot surgeon Dr Suzanne Levine is known as the queen of Hollywood’s feet. She says: “Celebrities come in about a month in advance for the procedure on the bottom of the feet. It’s a way of creating internal padding - like pillows for your feet. It lasts up to nine months.”

Dr Levine also does a lot of “foot facials.” This involves salt scrubs, a foot mask, peel and massage, and even whitening the toenails.

For celebrities with unsightly bunions Dr Levine injects an anti-inflammatory the day before to get swelling and redness down. “You don’t want that on show when the cameras are focusing on your Jimmy Choos.” says Levine.

She’s had some odd pre-Oscars requests: “One actress wanted liposuction on her big toe. I told her no, it was ridiculous.”

Top off your treatments from dr. Levine with a pedicure from La Prairie Spa in the Beverly Hills Hotel. Cost - $11 a toe.

Stars also turn to cosmetic dentists for power bleaching, so they can look their pearly white best on Oscar night. During the one-hour procedure, whitening gel is applied to teeth before the patient sits in front of a light that promotes absorption.

Hollywood dentist Kevin Sands says: “I’ve done hundreds of one-hour whitenings this week. I can take off a whole year of coffee stains. People have even asked me to put diamonds in their teeth.

And it was not for a rap star - in this town everyone wants a little extra bling. An actress wanted diamonds in the centre of her teeth and even had them chauffeured over from LA jeweler Harry Winston.”

The Oscars air tonight at 8PM EST - Who do you wan to win? Who looked the hottest? Who looked the nottest?

As a big Jon Stewart fan, we here at ReelHeART, really enjoyed Stewart’s performance as emcee of the 2006 Academy Awards. Of course our favorite parts of that evening besides some great wins were Stewart’s jokes.

To prep you for his upcoming Oscar appearance, next Sunday February 24, 2008, here are a few choice bits from 2006-

Stewart on Politics:
“Björk couldn’t be here tonight,” he said, referring to the sometimes flamboyantly dressed singer/actor. “She was trying on her dress and Dick Cheney shot her.”

“How nice it is seeing so many stars in one place “without having to donate any money to the Democratic Party.”

Stewart on George Clooney:
Honoring George Clooney’s three nominations, Stewart noted that two were for “Good Night, and Good Luck,” which he said also happened to be the line Clooney uses to end all his dates. “I kid because I envy,” Stewart said as Clooney laughed.

Stewart on Journalists:
Talking about best picture nominee “Capote,” Stewart said, ” ‘Capote,’ of course, addressed similar themes to ‘Good Night, and Good Luck.’ Both films are about determined journalists defying obstacles in a relentless pursuit of truth. Needless to say, both are period pieces.”

Stewart on Spielberg:
“Munich is a film about Israeli soldiers in pursuit of the men who killed Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympic Games. “From the man who also gave us ‘Schindler’s List,’ ” he said. ” ‘Schindler’s List’ and ‘Munich.’ I think I speak for all Jews when I say, ‘I can’t wait to see what happens to us next!’ Trilogy!”

Stewart on Gay Subject Matter in Films:
“I have no problem with gay-themed movies but I am offended with how “Brokeback” ’s gay love story “tarnishes the noble Western tradition.”

“I’m sorry, I just feel like there’s nothing remotely gay about the classic Hollywood westerns,” Stewart said as he and the audience watched a montage of clips from famous cowboy movies in which men were seen stroking their guns, admiring each others’ rifles, winking at fellow cowpokes, unbuckling their belts and staring longingly at each other.

(If you remember this cracked the whole audience up)

Stewart on Russell Crowe:
After the award for makeup was handed out Stewart feigned surprise when Russell Crowe’s boxing flick, “Cinderella Man,” didn’t win. Stewart quipped;

“I imagine the difficulty of making Russell Crowe look like he got into a fight,” he said, adding, “I’m going to be pummeled later this evening, aren’t I?”

Stewart on Three 6 Mafia:
After Three 6 Mafia, performed “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp,” from “Hustle and Flow.”, Stewart joked:

“You know what? I think it just got a little easier out here for a pimp,” he said.

When “Pimp” won for best original song, Stewart asked:

“How come they’re the most excited people out there tonight?” he said. “That’s how you accept an Oscar!” Stewart said.

Stewart on Scorsese:
Later Stewart added, “For those of you keeping score at home, Martin Scorsese, zero; Three 6 Mafia, one.”

What were some of your favorite moments from the 2006 Academy Awards- Please feel free to give us your comments…2006 Academy Awards

Writers Guild of America members voted 93 percent in favor of ending the walkout that began 14 weeks ago, Patric Verrone, president of the union’s western unit, said Tuesday night at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills, California.

Union leaders wrote an email to urge writers to return to work on Wednesday, the day before Valeintine’s Day. The WGA said 3,775 members voted yesterday in New York and Los Angeles, with only 283 against ending the strike. Members will vote to ratify the new contract by mail or at Feb. 25 meetings, the guild said.

“We expect the agreement to be ratified overwhelmingly,” Verrone said.

The contract gives writers a pay raise and compensation for the use of shows aired over the Internet and mobile devices. The proposal, similar to an agreement reached by the Directors Guild of America last month, was outlined to union members over the weekend at meetings in Los Angeles and New York.

The union reached the accord with the studios’ Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, representing CBS; Disney ; Twentieth Century Fox owner News Corp.; Viacom Inc., owner of Paramount studios; General Electric Co.’s NBC Universal; Sony Corp.; and Time Warner Inc., owner of Warner Bros.

The Writers Guild of America, West and East divisions, represents more than 12,000 movie and television writers in their contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

Among the Writers Guild’s members are television writer-producers who take home up to $5 million a year. On the other extreme are junior writers who ­ if they work at all ­ make $50,000 or less

About 48 percent of West Coast members are unemployed, according to guild statistics. (No such statistics exist for East Coast members.)

The union went on strike on Nov. 5, 2007, after three months of acrimonious negotiations. It was the first industry-wide strike since writers walked out in 1988. That strike lasted five months and cost the entertainment industry an estimated $500 million…

As the Writers Guild of America has moved to end its three-month-old strike, Hollywood writers could be back behind their desks as early as Wednesday. Patric Verrone, president of the guild’s West Coast branch said membership meetings will be held Tuesday in New York and Los Angeles.

Since Sunday WGA membership maintained that there will be no picketing Monday or Tuesday, suspending all picketing until the WGA membership votes to either end or continue the strike. There will be lots of news this week about shows, deals and more. Click on the links below for more articles about the effects and chatter on the 3-month long Writers Guild of America strike.

• Read the Cynthia Littleton article on how it breaks down the WGA deal, analyzing things like “imputed value” and revenue formulas. For WGA voters - and SAG-AFTRA members - only
• WGA settlement will make an actors strike less likely
• Read the Brian Stelter article about Union leaders give up demands on animation and reality television
• Read about which shows might come back and which ones might not