Cyrus hopes Tenn. can get 'Hannah' film

Cyrus hopes Tenn. can get 'Hannah' film

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Singer Billy Ray Cyrus wants his daughter's upcoming "Hannah Montana" film to be shot in Tennessee, but state officials say they might not be able to offer the producers enough financial incentives. The film based on the wildly popular Disney TV series is scheduled to start shooting in April and expected to be released in late 2008 or early 2009.

In the series, 14-year-old Miley Cyrus plays a high school student, Miley Stewart, who moves from Tennessee to Southern California and lives a secret double life as a pop star. Billy Ray Cyrus also plays her father on the show.

Cyrus said the movie is centered on the fictional Stewart family's return to Tennessee and it is only fitting for it to be shot in Tennessee as well. The real-life Cyrus family also has a home in Tennessee and was in town for Thanksgiving during a break on Miley Cyrus' sold-out tour.

"The thing of it is, Walt Disney really wants to film this movie in Tennessee," Billy Ray Cyrus said.

Perry Gibson, executive director of the Tennessee Film, Entertainment and Music Commission, said the state could benefit from having the movie shot locally.

"It would mean a real impact on tourism and it would be a family friendly film that would come to the state," she said. But Tennessee is limited in what incentives it can offer, she said.

Louisiana has had an aggressive program in recent years to bring film business to that state.

The Tennessee agency is still waiting for details from Disney about what Louisiana is offering, Gibson said. The Tennessee program offers rebates and sales-tax breaks to filmmakers based on a percentage of their in-state spending.

Aides choose royalties over loyalties

Aides choose royalties over loyalties

WASHINGTON - White House press secretaries, who speak for the president and appear before the nation on his behalf, have traditionally kept their secrets while their bosses are in office.
That unwritten rule has faded in the face of big advances for political tell-all books.

Scott McClellan, who served as White House press secretary for nearly three years of the Bush administration, surprised his former colleagues last week when his publisher released three teaser paragraphs from his upcoming book. The excerpt seemed to blame President Bush for McClellan's false statements during the early days of the CIA leak scandal.

"The old rules and old standards of what was considered proper and what was not are less and less abided by," said Jody Powell, who served as President Carter's press secretary. "That's true in all walks of life."

Plenty of press secretaries have written behind-the-scenes views of the West Wing. But such glimpses have traditionally been available only after the president has left office. George Christian, for instance, published "The President Steps Down," about the end of President Johnson's administration, a year after LBJ left the White House.

Others waited even longer. President Kennedy's press secretary, Pierre Salinger, wrote several books about the administration but only after the president's death. The diaries of James Hagerty, President Eisenhower's press secretary, were published after Hagerty died in 1981, a dozen years after Ike's death.

Once the president is out of office, the stories belong to history, said Marlin Fitzwater, who served as White House press secretary under Presidents Reagan and Bush and published his memoir in 1995 .

"In this day and age, there are so many books, the public hardly blinks an eye on the question of loyalty," Fitzwater said.

Veteran political consultant Tobe Berkovitz, the dean of Boston College's communication school, said loyalty has faded as the image of the White House press secretary has changed. Once merely a mouthpiece for the president, press secretaries have become political stars in their own right.

Fitzwater dates the trend to 1988, when his predecessor in the Reagan administration, Larry Speakes, published "Speaking Out." The memoir described the president as aloof, cast Vice President George H. W. Bush as a "yes man," and generally created ill will in Washington.

"I have no affection for these kiss-and-tell books," Reagan said at the time.

Speakes ultimately apologized, saying he regretted providing fodder for Reagan's enemies.

During the Clinton administration, political consultant Dick Morris wrote a memoir about the president's re-election campaign. Morris wasn't a press secretary, but White House communications director George Stephanopoulos still wasn't pleased.

"You have a responsibility not to embarrass the president," said Stephanopoulos, who often conducted the daily press briefings and acted as an official spokesman.

Yet Stephanopoulos fetched a $2.7 million advance for his 1999 memoir "All Too Human." In it, Stephanopoulos said he "felt like a dupe" for defending Clinton's character and painted an often unflattering portrait of the president.

"I think he's probably more comfortable being part of the professional critics of the Washington establishment," Clinton later said of his former aide.

More recently, George W. Bush's first press secretary, Ari Fleischer, published "Taking Heat." Unlike Stephanopoulos or Speakes, however, Fleischer described Bush in favorable terms and saved his harshest words for the media.

"I could have made a lot more money if I'd decided to write about clashes, or criticize the president, or even criticize the press more," Fleischer said after the book's release. "But I chose not to."

Whether McClellan's book, "What Happened," will follow his predecessor's lead or take a more incisive tone remains unclear. The book isn't even finished. The teaser quotes were released five months in advance.

Powell, Carter's press secretary, said he probably would read the book.

"I always had a great deal of sympathy for Scott," Powell said. "I felt like they gave the guy a broomstick and sent him out to hit major league pitching."

After the excerpt caused buzz on Capitol Hill, McClellan's editor offered a clarification suggesting the former press secretary wasn't modeling himself after Speakes or Stephanopoulos. PublicAffairs Books editor Peter Osnos said McClellan didn't think Bush deceived anyone. Rather, Osnos said, Bush himself was misled by White House aides.

Tributes flow for Bejart who revolutionized dance

Tributes flow for Bejart who revolutionized dance

GENEVA (Reuters) - French choreographer Maurice Bejart, considered one of the great

figures in contemporary dance, died on Thursday in a Swiss hospital at the age of 80, a spokeswoman for Bejart Ballet Lausanne said.Bejart, a former dancer who also directed operas and films, had been in and out of hospital in recent months, suffering from kidney and heart problems which left him exhausted.
"He died early this morning at Lausanne hospital," Bejart Ballet Lausanne spokeswoman Roxane Aybek told Reuters.
In a statement, La Foundation BBL and the city of Lausanne paid tribute to its late director as having "profoundly revolutionized 20th century dance."
"Many dancers have lost a father, a master and a source of inspiration. We have all lost a great friend, an exceptionally prolific creator and an artist of vision and humanity," it said.
Bejart put legends including Rudolf Nureyev, Jorge Donn, Patrick Dupond, Suzanne Farrell and Sylvie Guillem through their paces in bold productions on world stages from the Paris Opera to the Bolshoi.
In 1987, he moved along with most of the dancers in his 20th Century Ballet from Brussels to Lausanne, Switzerland, ending a 27-year stay. The Swiss lakeside city offered better conditions and hefty annual subsidies to the troupe.
Its 35 dancers are in rehearsals for a new production called "Around the World in 80 Minutes," to be premiered on December 20 in Lausanne. "We're all upset but the show will go on," Aybek said.
Bejart, born in the southern French city of Marseille, came to prominence with a celebrated production of Russian composer Igor Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring" in 1959.
Other creations, some allegorical, included "Bolero," "Songs of a Wayfarer," "Firebird" and "Souvenir of Leningrad." He also directed Verdi's "La Traviata" and Mozart's "Don Giovanni."
"...we have lost one of the great choreographers of our time, one of the most famous and one of the most admired," French Culture Minister Christine Albanel said in a statement.
At celebrations ahead of his 70th birthday on Jan 1, 1997, the bearded and mustachioed Bejart hosted a gala in Lausanne, appearing on stage in his signature black t-shirt and trousers.
His latest creation was performed, "The Clergy House has lost none of its Charm, and the Garden none of its Lustre," set to the song "Let me Live" by the rock group Queen. Costumes were by Italian designer Versace.
It is a tribute to Queen singer Freddie Mercury and Donn, an Argentine-born Bejart protege best remembered for his wild solo of "Bolero," music by Maurice Ravel. Mercury, Donn and Nureyev all died of AIDS, a scourge that has decimated the dance world.
A public memorial ceremony is to be held in Lausanne on Monday for Bejart, who converted to Islam and asked that his body be cremated, according to Aybek.
"He was demanding and often intransigent, not easy. But he shared his vast cultural knowledge with great simplicity," Michelle Bohin, his former spokeswoman of 15 years, told Reuters. "Some of his ballets left you with goosebumps." (Additional reporting by James Mackenzie in Paris) (Editing by Jonathan Lynn and Paul Casciato)

Hollywood Celebrities Faces that didn't Sell

Hollywood Celebrities Faces that didn't Sell

She may be in the news a lot, but Britney Spears does not sell. Magazine covers, that is. The Toxic star failed to make the Forbes list of ten top selling faces, which was topped by Friends star Jennifer Aniston.

Others who made the list (as a result of a first ever analysis of top-selling famous faces based on several factors, including newsstand sales of celebrity weeklies) include Brad Pitt at number two followed by Scarlett Johansson, Angelina Jolie, Reese Witherspoon, Katie Holmes, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson, Valerie Bertinelli and Kelly Ripa.

Here's a look at the other faces that didn't make the grade.

Socialite, aspiring singer and actress Paris Hilton also did not make the list despite being in the news for her jail time and hectic night life.

Up next, is the troubled star, singer and actress Lindsay Lohan, who just completed a stint at rehab.

The Dukes of Hazard star Jessica Simpson too failed to make the grade.

Miss Congeniality star Sandra Bullock seems to be slipping down the popularity charts.

Mother 'backs' Jolie's adoption

The mother of an Ethiopian baby adopted by Angelina Jolie has said she was happy her daughter had found a new home with the actress.
Mentawbe Dawit denied media reports that she wanted two-year-old Zahara returned to Ethiopia.

"I have never disputed the adoption," she told the Reuters news agency. "It was something I never said."

Ms Dawit said her words had been twisted by "so-called journalists" who had told her they worked for Ms Jolie.

The agency which approved the adoption in 2005 has insisted it was "legal and irrevocable".

It said that at the time of the adoption, Zahara's grandmother sent a letter to the court which said the child's mother was dead.

'No ill feelings'

Ms Dawit, who lives in the southern city of Awasa, told Reuters she ran away from her home five months after giving birth because she had no food for her baby.

"I decided to flee rather than watch her die," she said.

Ms Dawit's mother searched for her, but concluded that she must have died and put Zahara up for adoption.

Reuters said that Ms Dawit kissed a photograph of the actress during its interview with her at her home.

"This is to show I have no ill feelings towards her," she said.

"I think my daughter is a very fortunate human being to be adopted by a world-famous lady. I wish them all the success they both deserve."

In 2002, Jolie, who also works as a goodwill ambassador for UNHCR, the UN's refugee agency, adopted her first child, Maddox, from Cambodia.

Three years later Zahara was introduced to the family. Her partner Brad Pitt later applied to become their adoptive father.

Last year the couple celebrated the birth of their first biological daughter, Shiloh Nouvel, in Namibia.

In March, the actress adopted a three-year-old boy from Vietnam, Pax Thien Jolie-Pitt.

Kim Kardashian Celebrates Pl*yboy Cover

Have you ever had a dream where you show up to work/school/etc completely n*ked and freaked out? Well, Kim Kardashian had a party to celebrate her Playboy cover, and most of the people in attendance probably saw the spread.

When asked why she decided to do the spread for Playboy, Kim answered, “I wanted to do it. I wanted to show that I’m not some skinny girl, I have a healthy body image, and I’m happy with my curves and who I am.”

And funny enough, while Kim was jazzed to pose n*de for the men’s magazine, she says she won’t ever make another s*x tape because of how it affected her family.

The socialite told press, “My step-dad [Olympic medalist and Keeping Up with the Kardashians co-star Bruce Jenner] wouldn’t talk to me for three weeks. The stress that I know it put on my mom and my step-dad—just the whole family. If my dad were here to witness all of that, I don’t even know what I’d do. It’s just not worth it, basically.”

Kim says that doing the Playboy shoot should put to rest any “implant” rumors. “It bothered me when people would come up with rumors, like, ‘Oh, my god, she has butt implants, it can’t be real.’ Who gets butt implants? Come on. Do you know anybody who has butt implants?”

Stars unplugged without make up

What’s the power of make up? When a middle age actor with a receding hairline slipped into those tight fitting colorful trouser, jacket and fancy shoes, full make up, various imported jet black wigs for hairstyles in Sivaji: The Boss, it transformed a 58 year old aging middle age ordinary man to a superstar and stardom.

He struck at the very heart and pulses of the nation; it marked the arrival of a superstar and a phenomenon called Rajnikanth. It was not only his acting, or gimmicks that was debated, but his transformation and the credit goes to the power of his make up that did wonders to the aging superstar’s look and skin. Through this article we look at some of our most famous stars and see what they really look like off screen.

Meredith suspects' parents visit

The parents of two suspects held over the murder of Briton Meredith Kercher have visited them in prison in Italy.
US student Amanda Knox, 20, her Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, 24, and Congolese bar owner Diya Lumumba, 37, are suspected of Miss Kercher's murder.

Visits were made by the parents of both Miss Knox, who shared a flat with Miss Kercher, and Mr Sollecito, in Perugia.

Leeds University student Miss Kercher, 21, from Coulsdon, Surrey, was found stabbed at her flat on 2 November.

Knife collection

Mr Sollecito's father went to visit his son on Saturday morning.

He said: "He has a passion for knives, but nothing more. There are many forms of collections, but this doesn't imply anything."

On Friday, an Italian investigating judge said a pocket knife owned by Mr Sollecito was probably the murder weapon.

Miss Kercher was stabbed in the neck, and police say she died fighting off a sexual attack.

After five days of police questioning, Miss Knox has been able to speak to her mother.

Miss Kercher shared a room with Miss Knox, who has accused Mr Lumumba of knifing Miss Kercher to death.

According to the judge, Miss Knox said she had to cover her ears to drown out the British woman's screams.

Forensic evidence

Miss Kercher's body is reportedly being flown back to the UK this weekend, although the Foreign Office would not confirm this.

The three suspects will remain in jail for up to a year while investigations into Miss Kercher's death continue.

Police are waiting for further forensic evidence before deciding whether to charge them.

All three protest their innocence, but the investigating judge ruled that there was enough evidence to hold them.

In a 19-page ruling, the judge concluded that they should be held until a hearing is fixed to press charges.

Mr Lumumba has been in Italy since 1988, while Mr Sollecito was a student at the local university. Miss Knox is from Seattle, Washington state.

Moss mistook Cameron for plumber

David Cameron has told how supermodel Kate Moss asked for his phone number after mistaking him for a plumber.
The pair met at a charity dinner but the Conservative leader had no idea what to talk about so he started a conversation about flood damage.

In an interview on ITV's Parkinson, he said: "I went back to my table and said 'The good news is, I met Kate Moss and she wanted my telephone number'.

"The bad news is I think she thinks I'm something to do with drainage."

'Useful guy'

Mr Cameron said he was stuck for words when Top Shop boss Sir Philip Green introduced him to the top model.

"I went over to her table and on the way over I thought, what on earth am I going to say?

"And I remembered she actually has a house in my constituency and we'd had these terrible floods in West Oxfordshire and so I said, 'Very nice to meet you, very sorry about the flooding in your house.

"I know your local pub has been flooded, I've been to see the publican and I know you like to go to the pub and so I know it's going to reopen in six months.

"So I went on like this, twittering on, and she turned around and said, 'God, you sound like a really useful guy, can I have your phone number?'"

The Tory leader was a guest on Michael Parkinson's show alongside Formula One star Lewis Hamilton, singer James Blunt and actor Sir Ian McKellen.

Vanessa Hudgens Wants Lawsuit Dismissed

Vanessa Hudgens Wants Lawsuit Dismissed

Hudgens was spotted out on Friday afternoon visiting a friend's place in Hollywood.

It was announced earlier today that Vanessa is closing in on a deal with Disney to star in the third installment of the hit movie series, High School Musical.

Along with the HSM3 announcement, the 18-year-old actress is asking that a lawsuit filed by her former attorney, Brian Schall, be dismissed - as she was only 16-years-old when she signed a contract with him.

According to court records, papers filed by Hudgens' new lawyer, Evan N. Spiegel, tell that California's Family Code "provides that the contract of a minor is voidable and may be disaffirmed before (age 18) or within a reasonable time afterward."

Schall is contending that "he helped her earn more than $5 million by advancing her funds for her songwriting and recording career," going on to say that he has not been paid what he's owed.

Jessica Simpson Does NYC, Grease

Jessica Simpson Does NYC, Grease

If you're reading this from the Big Apple, get your shoes on and head over to Macy's Herald Square at 34th and Broadway. You just may get a glimpse of Jessica Simpson.

The former "Newlyweds" star was spotted yesterday headed through LAX, complete with Louis Vuitton gear and her dog Daisy, on her way to NYC.

The "With You" singer is doing an appearance at the famous department store and a few lucky attendees will get a chance to meet her. Jess will be on the 4th floor in the Juniors footwear department.

The catch? You had to be one of the first 250 customers yesterday to drop $50 on Jessica Simpson merchandise to get a pass to meet her today at 11am. But you can still gawk with the best of them, even if you don't have a pass.

Along with her merchandising gig, Jess is looking more and more into acting. And there are reports that she'll be starring in a remake of "Grease."

Michelle Pfeiffer spilled the beans that Simpson may be reprising Olivia Newton-John's role of Sandy. She recently told press, "It's a great idea and I hear they would like to get Jessica Simpson for the role of Sandy. She would be good."

Hayden Panettiere Works Out, Then Relaxes

Hayden Panettiere Works Out, Then Relaxes

With a busy schedule including dolphin rescues (she was almost arrested in Japan last week) and filming her hit show, Hayden Panettiere must make the most of her time off.

Yesterday, the Heroes babe was spotted on her way to the gym. She spent over an hour toning her killer body, and told the waiting paparazzi that she had a "good workout."

Later that afternoon, Hayden headed over to Thibiant spa in Beverly Hills. She spent about two hours getting relaxation treatments and massage.

And after all of that, Panettiere was hounded by the paps as she left the spa. So much for de-stressing.

Enjoy the pictures of Hayden leaving the gym and at the spa (November 2).

Jennifer Lopez Rocks Miami, Films Fizzle

Jennifer Lopez Rocks Miami, Films Fizzle
Miami, Florida was a little hotter than normal last night. Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony brought their act to town, and the audience loved every minute of it.

The "Waiting for Tonight" singer burned through her set list, with multiple costume and staging changes. There's no doubt she's hoping that a successful concert tour will help the sales of her latest album.

According to industry insiders, "Brave" isn't doing so hot in the sales department. And her recording career isn't the only thing suffering at this point.

Lopez's film collaboration with hubby Anthony "El Cantante" is also being classified as a flop. And her soon-to-be-released movie "Bordertown" isn't looking much brighter… there are reports that it will be a straight-to-video release, after having bombed at the Berlin Film Festival.

Well, at least she has the new baby to look forward to… oops, she still hasn't confirmed that either!

Reese Witherspoon Beats the Odds

Reese Witherspoon Beats the Odds

Part of being a celebrity is helping those less fortunate with your time, talent, and pocketbook. And Reese Witherspoon is making a difference for The Children's Defense Fund.

The "Legally Blonde" actress showed up at Thursday's Beat the Odds Awards at the Beverly Hills Hotel. As it turns out, Reese has quite a history with the CDF.

Back in college, she picked up a copy of "The Measure of Our Success," a novel published by the Children's Defense Fund. And when she was struggling to find a job in between filming "Election" and "Legally Blonde," she revisited the book for inspiration.

She told press, "(During that time) I was going though a little bit of a rough patch. It was before Legally Blonde, and I was having a hard time getting a job. There were all these questions about my weight, and I was asking myself, 'Why am I an actress? What is life about?' So I started reading the book again, and I called the Children's Defense Fund to see if I could help."

And she's been helping them ever since, with both financial gifts and lending her celebrity to their cause.

Beyonce Takes Cues From Rihanna

Beyonce Takes Cues From Rihanna

It's been well-publicized that rap mogul Jay-Z mentored Rihanna to her current position as the pop/R&B chart topper. And now his longtime girlfriend, Beyonce Knowles, is calling up a few favors from the "Umbrella" singer.

Namely, the "Bootylicious" one is enlisting the services of a new production team to take her to the next level in the studio. Sources say she wants a more "Rihanna-flavored" follow-up to her platinum "B'Day."

Dance producer duo The Freemasons are all set to work with Miss Knowles, and they're confident that the collaboration will yield some amazing results. James Wiltshire (of The Freemasons) told press, "The album is going to be huge. It will rival anything the likes of Britney and Rihanna have done recently."

Wiltshire added, "Beyonce and her team can see where mistakes were made on the last album. It was very American, very R+B and stripped back. They want to go for a more international sound this time. She wants to hit as many audiences as possible

Jessica Simpson Hits Macy's Herald Square

Jessica Simpson Hits Macy's Herald Square

As previously reported by the Fropki.com, Jessica Simpson is in New York City doing a little promotional work for all of her fashionable offerings.

The With You singer took to Macy’s Herald Square for an in-store appearance on Saturday morning, hoping to increase sales for her collections, which range from makeup and footwear to outerwear and handbags.

And just recently, it was announced that the Dukes of Hazzard babe is adding yet another product to the unending list that she already has on the market.

According to a press release, “Jessica Simpson has reportedly signed a deal with Parlux Fragrances to create her own line of fragrances becoming the latest in a long list to do so. Parlux is the power behind the successful scents from Paris Hilton. The company is also responsible for fragrances for tennis player Maria Sharapova. Twenty-seven year old Simpson’s new perfume is as yet unnamed but is expected to be available by summer 2008.”