Category: General
Tabloid Gossip: Your Week of Links
Brad Pitt’s custody value landed him a victory. OK! Magazine
Heidi Klum and her boyfriend enjoyed Disney. TMZ
Britney Spears posed for a very cute family photo. Too Fab
Mel B. is in love. Page Six
Will Smith and his ex-wife still vacation together. BET
Chris Hardwick’s ex-girlfriend Chloe Dykstra accused him of sexual assault. EW
Pete Davidson and Cazzie David were on a break when he fell for Ariana Grande. The Cut
Jennie Garth is on the road to divorce. Inquistr
Catherine Zeta-Jones is feeling herself. Wonderwall
Jason Mraz is “bi your side.” Dlisted
Val Chmerkovskiy put a ring on it. Brides
Sophia Bush Talks Chad Michael Murray — He IS NOT PLEASED
Andy Cohen Asks About Chad Michael Murray
I like Sophia Bush. I think she’s a strong career woman who’s unafraid to speak her mind, and my heart breaks for her and her costars, who have been bravely forthcoming about their experience in the Me Too movement. The actress sat down with Andy Cohen for his Sirius XM radio show, and the ‘Watch What Happens Live’ host predictably asked her about her short-lived marriage to her ‘One Tree Hill’ costar Chad Michael Murray. Bush is understandably sick of the question, but her answer was . . . odd.
Continue reading “Sophia Bush Talks Chad Michael Murray — He IS NOT PLEASED”
John Cena Will Make the “Sacrifice” of Children for Nikki Bella
Continue reading “John Cena Will Make the “Sacrifice” of Children for Nikki Bella”
Maroon 5 at The Forum — A Full Review
Let me begin this post by assuring my readers that at one point in my life, I was a massive fan of Maroon 5. In fact, I’d say I was one of their first, and my love began when Adam Levine stood front and center on ‘Last Call with Carson Daly’ to debut ‘Songs About Jane,’ their first record. That album was almost entirely written by Adam Levine and Jesse Carmichael, the latter of which is the band’s pianist and rhythm guitarist. The two also almost exclusively wrote the band’s second album, ‘It Won’t Be Soon Before Long,’ which was also a success. But in 2010, everything changed. They released ‘Hands All Over,’ which debuted far below expectations. This was especially surprising given that it was produced by legendary veteran Mutt Lange. In an interview with Howard Stern, Levine referenced a rift with Lange while making the album, implying that once they worked out their differences, it was smooth sailing. Did Levine tie Mutt’s hands, thereby hindering the creative process, or did the two simply not get along — and the resulting album reflected their rancor? It’s hard to say and sometimes things just don’t land, but the experience seemed to have hit Levine hard given that for their next three albums, ‘Overexposed,’ ‘V,’ and ‘Red Pill Blues,’ Maroon 5 opened their doors to a daunting amount of songwriters outside their band. Was that the right decision? Perhaps. I certainly enjoyed those records. But I cannot help but think when you employ the industry’s heaviest hitters to keep you relevant, you move from a bunch of friends in their garage doing what they love to a group of guys trying to be famous no matter what the creative cost.
When I arrived at The Forum to see Maroon 5 live, I had an open mind. I promise. As soon as Adam began singing, I noticed his live vocals seemed far too low for the venue, which I first blamed on the front of house engineer. Then my friend asked if he was lip-syncing, and it was as if my mother just confessed Santa isn’t real (I’m Jewish — but you get the point). “It’s far too perfect,” she said. Later, when it felt as if he was in fact singing live, the vocals sounded astoundingly different. Though I have no direct confirmation that Levine lip-synced, I’ll say that I pay a hefty ticket price for a reason, and if Sheryl Crow can give an incredible performance at The Greek with a cold and cracked voice, Levine can sing that entire concert live. But let’s assume he sang live, for argument’s sake.
It’s no secret that Adam Levine is often the target of “haters.” Though celebrities will always deal with negative press, these types of attacks start from somewhere. Even Jonah Hill (a longtime friend of Levine) told Howard Stern that though Levine gets a bad reputation, he’s an extremely kind, genuine guy. So why the misconception? For starters, Levine seems arrogant. Why? Because he took the stage in sweatpants (literally), a wife-beater, and sneakers. This is a far cry from the suits the band was known for wearing during their rise, and it’s not acceptable for a grocery store run let alone the stage at The Forum. It’s as if Levine is so hot he’d look good in anything, and so famous he can’t be bothered to forgo his pajamas while performing. At one point he even took a swipe at James Valentine’s (lead guitarist) jumpsuit, which was actually damn cool. In fact, Valentine was the best part of the show, given that the man seemed to purely want to play his instrument, rather than artificially hamming it up for the audience. Speaking of hamming it up, Levine did this in all the wrong places. For starters, he almost exclusively played downstage right, despite having an underutilized stage (in the shape of a “V”) in the center of the audience. When he sang “She Will Be Loved” beside Valentine for the encore while standing on the unique stage mid-audience, it provided a rare authentic moment that could have been duplicated throughout the show to provide a more dynamic experience, rather than a light-assault akin to a South Beach club. Sit on a stool and sing a ballad, or do anything other than burn through your material while barely addressing the audience. I’m not there to see you hit the play button on your record and call it a concert. Speaking of which, I’d have loved to see more of the Maroon 5 band, but because of the on-stage setup, they were basically hidden like Hollywood Squares. Okay — I’ll stop now. I seem angry.
‘Book Club’ Review: The Fierce Foursome Delivers
Sometimes all you need to adequately judge a film is to sit inside a theater, and listen to the room fill with laughter. Such was the case with Book Club, directed by first-time director Bill Holderman, and written by Holderman and Erin Simms. The film stars Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candace Bergen, and Mary Steenburgen. Given that all four women have been nominated for Oscars, with three winning, it is certainly no surprise that they would be a box office draw. It is a surprise however, that Hollywood would recognize them as such, given the industry’s blind quest for youth. With the success of Grace and Frankie on Netflix, and its age-spanning audience, it’s ever-the-more clear that there is a market for this type of comedy.
Keaton plays Diane, a recent widow with two overprotective daughters that are angling for their mother to move into their basement. Steenburgen plays Carol, a chef and loving wife to Bruce (Craig T. Nelson), who is emotionally struggling with his recent retirement. Jane Fonda plays Vivian, a power woman who is rekindling an old flame (Don Johnson). Candace Bergen plays Sharon, a divorcee who has discovered the world of online dating. The fierce foursome come together for their book club, and this time around they’ve chosen 50 Shades of Grey for their read. Though the trailer for this film would lead you to believe that their chosen book is merely a gimmick to bait the audience, it’s actually lovable background noise to a much more enjoyable plot-line. This is a fun story about friendship, and it proves that reinvention doesn’t discriminate based on age. These four women are famous for a reason, and given the right material, they will remind you of their prowess. Plus, you cannot go wrong with a lighthearted rom-com that delivers the laughs.
David Letterman Highlights Madison Ryann Ward
If you watched David Letterman’s interview with Jay-Z for My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman, then you would have noticed a very beautiful and talented singer by the name of Madison Ryann Ward, who stole the show during a segment with mega-producer Rick Rubin. So just how did Ward cross paths with one of the most elusive and celebrated producers in the business? According to an interview with Billboard, Ward got her start with a series of uploaded covers on YouTube, which were noticed by Zac Brown Band, who invited her on tour upon her move to Nashville. Later, one of Ward’s managers arranged a meeting with Rubin, and the rest is history. When Letterman arrived to shoot the episode, he was also met by Lukas Nelson and the Promise of the Real, who are currently on tour with Neil Young. It’s of note that I personally interviewed Lukas Nelson. That’s only of note in an effort to brag, because Willie Nelson’s spawn is just as talented as you hope he would be. You can see their beautiful duet in the second video below. Though the vocals were not originally written as a duet, Nelson came up with the idea when he heard Ward singing backup vocals off to the side. The result is a masterpiece. Watch below.
Tabloid Gossip: Your Week of News
Alicia Silverstone is getting divorced. Radar Online
Tiffany Haddish has an angry ex-husband. TMZ
Kit Harrington and Rose Leslie set a wedding date. E! Online
Nikki Bella was not excited to try no wedding dresses. Mail Online
Ariana Grande is dating Pete Davidson. Dlisted
Kendrick Lamar is at odds with Spotify. Vibe
Are Tristan Thomas and Khloe Kardashian on the outs? OK! Magazine
Ryan Reynolds reunited with his father because of Blake Lively. Page Six
Liam Gallagher met his daughter for the first time. BBC
Stacy Keibler is pregnant with her second child. Just Jared
The Angelina Jolie/Brad Pitt custody battle rages on. The Stir