Rose McGowan Defends Renee Zellweger

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Aside from Rose McGowan’s arbitrary assault on Howard Stern, the actress made some serious sense when defending Renee Zellweger, who had her looks insulted by a writer for Variety. The original article, entitled, ‘Renee Zellweger: If She No Longer Looks Like Herself, Has She Become a Different Actress?” spurred a response from McGowan in an article for rival trade, The Hollywood Reporter, saying, “”You are an active endorser of what is tantamount to harassment and abuse of actresses and women. I speak as someone who was abused by Hollywood and by people like you in the media, but I’m a different breed, one they didn’t count on.” She furthered:

Renee Zellweger is a human being, with feelings, with a life, with love and with triumphs and struggles, just like the rest of us. How dare you use her as a punching bag in your mistaken attempt to make a mark at your new job. How dare you bully a woman who has done nothing but try to entertain people like you. Her crime, according to you, is growing older in a way you don’t approve of. Who are you to approve of anything? What you are doing is vile, damaging, stupid and cruel. It also reeks of status quo white-male privilege. So assured are you in your place in the firmament that is Hollywood, you felt it was OK to do this. And your editors atVariety felt this was more than OK to run.

As for the Howard Stern part, McGowan said, “I am someone who was forced by a studio to go on Howard Stern, where he asked me to show him my labia while my grinning male and female publicists stood to the side and did nothing to protect me.” First, I am a massive Stern fan, and he asks everyone about their genitals, male AND female. In fact, he’s so obsessed with the small size of his own penis, he often harasses men more than women about the size of their privates. As for the rest, it’s important to note that commenting on the looks of anyone is ridiculous. It has nothing to do with the movie part, and the uproar over Zellweger’s looks is extremely exaggerated. If an actress has had such extensive plastic surgery that she is no longer recognizable, it MIGHT be worth mentioning, but writing an entire article about it is tantamount to bullying and it’s only purpose is to go viral. Lastly, does Rose McGowan have a podcast? She needs one.

Quote of the Day — Jeffrey Katzenberg

“For sure the bloom is off the rose for a moment in time, driven by a singular and unique characteristic that only exists in Hollywood, greed. And, you know, so I think there were, unfortunately, a number of people who thought that they could capitalize on what was a great, genuine excitement by movie goers for a new premium experience, and thought they could just deliver a kind of low-end crappy version of it, and people wouldn’t care, or wouldn’t know the difference. And anything — you know, nothing could have been further from the truth.” Jeffrey Katzenberg on Hollywood’s obsession with 3D.

Ginnifer Goodwin has a “Southern Woman’s Ass” — I Love Her

In a recent Marie Claire interview to promote her film, Something Borrowed, Goodwin discussed her body image. Of her weight, Goodwin said, “I am genetically predisposed to be a bigger girl than I am. If I didn’t live in Hollywood, I would be. I have very real hips and a real southern woman’s ass.” I don’t know about you, but I love when an actress admits to losing weight for Hollywood. It’s certainly better than trying to convince everyone that your hot body is the result of eating endless pizzas and hamburgers all day. Hats off to Ginnifer Goodwin. And since I love me a curvy girl, here’s hoping she puts on a few pounds sometime soon.

Is Charlie Sheen Being Courted to Return to ‘Two and a Half Men’ — I Guess Yes

Despite everything you read in the press about Charlie Sheen’s Two and a Half Men firing, I’m still 100% convinced CBS wants him back. Though I have no inside information on this one, I know Hollywood — which means I know that it’s ruled by money, and no amount of shenanigans is worth losing hundreds of millions of dollars for. And let’s be clear — Charlie Sheen’s firing will cost CBS that amount of money, because he slaughtered their cash cow. Sure, they could “replace” him, but it will never be the same, and those shows without him will hurt CBS’ syndication money. If I were Les Moonves, I’d take Charlie Sheen back in a second. Yes, he’s crazy. But the combination of Charlie’s 60 million dollar loss, along with CBS’ lost syndication money — makes a perfect match for his return. Crazy or not.

Sarah Lake on 20/20 — Still Won’t Keep Quiet About Black Swan

Oh Sarah Lake . . . you still don’t get it. I’ll explain it to you again so that you understand why your behavior is inappropriate. It’s absolutely none of your business if the movie studio wants to portray Natalie Portman as a ballerina. You were hired to be her dance-double, and you did your job. Now be done with it. To go on national television and expose who really did all the dancing is ridiculous and unprofessional. In the interview below, Lake explains that she’s discussing the issue because she wants to “stand up for the art form,” so people don’t think they can become a professional ballet dancer in a year and a half. Here’s the problem — no one thinks that. And what if they do think that? What’s the harm? If I think I can become a professional ballet dancer in a year, then maybe I’ll take up the sport and get in shape while trying. Maybe more people will become interested in ballet, which only helps the art form. But if I’m convinced that it takes me 20 years, then why bother? Get my point Ms. Lake? Learn the business of Hollywood before you run your mouth.

Natalie Portman’s ‘Black Swan’ Body Double Speaks — Bad Move Sarah Lane?

Even though It’s gutsy when the lone wolf stands up to the big bad Hollywood studio, it’s also career suicide.  Sarah Lane is making the interview rounds to discuss just how much work she did as Natalie Portman’s body double in Black Swan.  Lane says Natalie Portman did only 5% of the work, contrary to the 85% claimed by  Benjamin Millipied, Natalie’s choreographer and fiance.  She claims she wants to clear this up, not because she’s jealous of Natalie’s success, but because she thinks it’s an insult to dancers everywhere to suggest that someone could become a professional ballet dancer in only a year.  She’s also unhappy that she’s not even credited as Portman’s body double, having only been mentioned at the very end of the credits as a “Lady in the Lane.”  Nothing pleases me more than defending the little guy, but I’ll make an exception this time around.  First, it’s really none of Lane’s business how Fox Searchlight Pictures (the movie studio) wishes to portray Natalie Portman’s dancing ability.  If they want to stretch the truth to make their movie sell, then so be it.  Sarah Lane was paid for her work, and that’s all she’s entitled to.  Furthermore, if she wanted to be credited as Natalie Portman’s body double, then she should have a long talk with her agent that negotiated the deal.  These things are worked out in advance, and it’s therefore not the studio’s fault for billing her as a “Lady in the Lane” —  it’s her agent’s fault.  And lastly, as previously mentioned, this is career suicide.  Do you think a major movie studio is going to hire Sarah Lane again after she exposed information they didn’t want released?  Probably not.  When you have a job, do your job, keep your mouth shut, and get out.  Let this be a lesson.

Alec Baldwin to Charlie Sheen: “Beg for Your Job Back”

When people ask me if I’m a “writer,” I always say no. I tell them I’m “aspiring.” The reason? Every so often I read articles like the one Alec Baldwin just wrote for Huffington Post, and it’s confirmed that I have a lot of work to do before I get there. Baldwin wrote an open letter to Charlie Sheen, and it’s brilliant. He told Sheen to “beg for his job back,” and he shared a very personal anecdote that illustrated his own frustrations with the entertainment industry. When I studied film in college, my professor actually discussed this story about Baldwin, and he told the class that Baldwin turned down the opportunity to star in the sequels to The Hunt for Red October, because he wanted to star in A Streetcar Named Desire on Broadway in hopes that it would solidify his status as an A-list actor. My professor said it’s considered one of the greatest blunders in Hollywood history. After reading Alec Baldwin’s recanting of what really happened, I’m convinced that Baldwin would kill my professor.  It turns out the the movie studio (Paramount) was negotiating simultaneous deals with Alec Baldwin and another A-list actor for the same part, thus breaking the law.  The movie studio owed this unnamed actor money for a previous deal that fell apart, and casting him in Alec’s role would not only save them money, but potentially help their film by casting someone who’s a bigger box-office draw.  The studio knew Alec wanted to star in the play, and they insisted that the production schedule could not accommodate Baldwin.  The implication from Baldwin’s letter is that the studio played hard-ball in hopes that Alec would drop out so they could employ the other actor.  If that’s true, it worked.  So what’s the thesis of Baldwin’s lesson?  “You can’t win,” and “no actor is greater than the show itself when the show is a hit.”  He therefore thinks Sheen should “sober up,” “get back on TV” and “buy John Cryer a really nice car.”

The Paley Center — Hot in Cleveland — Recap

I was lucky enough to get invited to the Hot in Cleveland panel at The Paley Center.  The panel included: Betty White; Valerie Bertinelli; Wendie Malick; Jane Leeves; and series creator Suzanne Martin.  This was probably the best event I’ve ever been invited to since moving to Los Angeles.  First, it was incredible to see Betty White’s improvisational comedic brilliance in action.  I’ve seen her execute this unique talent on various talk-shows, but seeing it in person will be forever etched in my memory.  White discussed how she only planned to star in the Hot in Cleveland pilot, because her intense work schedule didn’t allow her time for the series.  Because she “has the backbone of a jelly-fish,” as White put it, she relented after much coddling from the studio.   When an audience member asked the panel to choose their all-time favorite co-stars, White said, “Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty.”  I’m not embarrassed to say that I got slightly choked up by her response.  After seeing these women interact, it’s clear to me that they actually like each other’s company.  I can spot a Hollywood lie when I see it, and these ladies are legitimate.  Wendie Malick was also a favorite, not only because she snorts when she laughs, but also because she had a very funny description of Susan Lucci, saying, “Lucci’s so tiny, her leg is as big as my arm.”  Malick also had a hilarious exchange with Valerie Bertinelli.  When Bertinelli said she removed the part of her wall where she measured her son’s height because of its sentimental value, Malick asked, “did the house fall down?”  The panel laughed, at which point Suzanne joked that she gets her material from the actors true personalities.  It’s always fun to see the origin of how great television shows are made, and these ladies certainly delivered the information in an entertaining way.  My only critique involves the moderator, who wasn’t equipped for such a hefty task.  When I turned to my friend to lambaste the moderator’s terrible questions, a woman behind me barked in my direction, saying, “I completely disagree.  She was good because she got out of the way.”  If “getting out of the way” means excessive gushing coupled with impertinent questions, then yeah, she got out of the way.  Thank goodness these comedic veterans were equipped to run the show.

Jennifer Lopez Cries on American Idol — Has a Heart After All

For years Jennifer Lopez has fought her difficult-diva-reputation in Hollywood.  It’s impossible to decipher whether she’s actually a demanding celebrity, or whether she’s surrounded by a team of people with ridiculous demands on her behalf.  Sometimes actors are completely unaware that their teams make them look bad, and by the time they figure it out, the damage has been done in the press.  When Lopez decided to take the judge job on American Idol, I was initially against it.  I thought her star-power was too big for the show, and it would ruin her brand.  After watching the clip below, I’ve changed my mind.  Lopez had to reject a contestant with a heart-breaking back-story, and she didn’t take it well.  After the rejection, she cried (you know — the ugly cry where you’re embarrassed for people to look at you) and told Randy Jackson and Stephen Tyler that she felt “she didn’t say it the right way” and she just “didn’t want to say no.”  It’s fair to say that I officially like Jennifer Lopez, and I think it was a good choice to judge American Idol.  It chisels away her ice-queen reputation (pun intended), and it makes her likable.

Ricky Gervais Was Asked to Host the Golden Globes Again — Trust Me

I will make this post short and sweet.  Ricky Gervais announced that he’s being pursued to host the Golden Globes again, but he isn’t sure he’ll accept.  In response, the Golden Globes powers-that-be insist that they never extended an offer his way.  Here’s what I know for sure.  The more hullabaloo, the better the ratings, and the better the ratings, the more likely Ricky Gervais is to be asked back.  I can only guess that the Golden Globes are denying it because Hollywood doesn’t like to discuss behind-the-scenes matters until the dotted line is signed.  But controversy doesn’t get people fired in Hollywood, it gets them hired (with the exception of Mel Gibson, of course).