Taylor Swift to Guest Star on 'New Girl' Season Finale

Just days after Justified Emmy winner Margo Martindale guest starred as Nick's mother, the sophomore comedy has enlisted Taylor Swift, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. Swift will play an "important guest" at Cece (Hannah Simone) and Shivrang's (Satya Bhabha) wedding and appear in the May 14 season finale of the Zooey Deschanel, Jake Johnson, Max Greenfield and Lamorne Morris starrer. PHOTOS: Up Close and Adorkable With the Cast of 'New Girl' For Swift, the New Girl cameo marks her latest acting role following a 2009 episode of CBS' CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and hosting (and performing) on NBC's Saturday Night Live. On the feature side, her credits include Valentine's Day and a voice role in the animated film The Lorax. She becomes New Girl's latest high-profile guest star this season, joining Martindale, Olivia Munn, Nick Kroll, Dennis Farina, Brooklyn Decker, Nate Corddry, Nate Corddry, David Walton, Josh Gad, Rob Reiner and Jamie Lee Curtis, among others. Seven-time Grammy winner Swift is repped by WME. New Girl airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on Fox.

News Source:www.hollywoodreporter.com

Dax Shepard, Kristen Bell welcome baby girl

It's a girl for Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard -- and no, the couple didn't name her Veronica, although fans of Bell's "Veronica Mars" TV show might've hoped for that. Instead, the little one's name is Lincoln Bell Shepard, as the new parents announced on Twitter Thursday. "She has mom's beauty and dad's obsession with breasts," "Parenthood" star Shepard, 38, tweeted. Bell, 32, joked that her "new roomate poops her pants and doesn't pay rent ... basically @daxshepard1 pre-sobriety." In more seriousness to another Twitter follower, the actress added, "she's kind of the best." The engaged pair announced that they were expecting their first child in November, and Bell told Ellen DeGeneres in January that Shepard was already planning daddy-baby bonding activities. "He is [excited], in different ways than I am," the new mom said. "He's just thinking about all the off-roading he'll have in this tiny partner." Get ready, Lincoln! Now all she needs is a stuffed sloth.

News Source:edition.cnn.com

Remember When People Loved ‘American Idol’?

There was a time when FOX’s American Idol laid a curse on any other TV show that shared a time slot with it. This was the curse of an ultimate crushing when it came to the ratings. But lately, American Idol is getting a taste of its own medicine. This week — even with Thursday’s reveal of its Top 10 performers .

Thursday’s episode had nearly 13 million viewers, which isn’t a bad number for today’s TV landscape, but compare this to the numbers from a few seasons ago and it’s about half.

What has happened over the last few seasons to shrink the audience? Could it be the new panel of judges that are turning people off? The contestants? The other singing competitions now on TV? Or is it just another side affect of our increased DVD and online TV viewing?

Regardess, the show had a golden age. So, Celebuzz remembers 10 things about American Idol that once made it really great.

1. Simon Cowell, a standout judge: How could Simon Cowell not be No. 1? His brutally honest remarks made him the judge to watch out for. When he was on, he was ON. The magic seemed to have faded for Cowell onThe X Factor. But, he was really amazing to watch over the years he was on Idol.

2. Paula Abdul, the unexpected: She was feeling emotions. She would cheer and she would cry, she would support. You never knew what to expect out of her, but that’s why you kept tuning in.

3. Simon and Paula’s relationship, the unpredictable chemistry: Two great things that were great together. Did they hate each other? Were they flirting? Is that sexual tension? This duo brought life and chaos to the judging panel.

4. Kelly Clarkson, a winner who moves us. The first winner of American Idol, ever. Her first single, “A Moment Like This,” was a song written for whomever became the winner of the show. Why don’t they do that anymore? To this day, we remember boo-hooing while she delivered her tear-filled victory performance of the song.

5. Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken, a rivalry that enlivened the audience: The Season 2 finalists were battling a very close competition. And there was a lot of controversy surrounding the number of votes that led Studdard to the win.

6. Carrie Underwood, undeniably charming plus talent: Cowell predicted that “not only will [she] win this show, [she] will sell more records than any other previous Idol winner.” His prediction was correct, and still stands correct seven seasons later.

7. Sanjaya Malakar, when America took the judges on. He was a finalist on Season 6, but wasn’t particularly popular among the judges. The viewers loved him and kept voting for him, until he was eventually eliminated in seventh place. Ratings instantly dropped for the next episode. Now, that is called caring.

8. Ryan Seacrest and his blonde ambition: Sure, he’s a staple on the show now and a media mogul. But, back in the day he shared the stage with (and then later pushed off the stage) co-host Brian Dunkleman. We should have known of his ambition back then. Showgirls, anyone? Today, everyone has been complimenting Seacrest on his longer, darker locks, but how could we forget his blonde days? Que boring.

9. One of a kind. Let’s face it. With the entry of NBC’s The Voice and The X Factor, the audience may have just reached its limit for talent competitions. Thus, the novelty is gone.

10. William Hung, because he just didn’t know. Nowadays, we’re subjected to people looking to become famous and the season’s big viral success. William Hung just wanted to sing. He had no idea how bad he was, but his naive confidence stole our hearts. He was the likeable underdog and we rooted for him.

American Idol airs Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 8PM on FOX.

News Source:www.celebuzz.com

Kim Kardashian's Pregnancy Diet: Kanye West's Love Is "Eating for Two," Focusing on Good Nutrition

Baby Kimye is precious cargo! Of course, mommy-to-be Kim Kardashian knows that more than anyone. That's why Kanye West's love is committed to eating healthfully for herself and her baby. "Keeping a healthy lifestyle has always been important to me," the E! star, 32, wrote on her blog Monday. "And now it's even more important because I am looking out for someone else's well being other than just my own." LOL! Check out Kim's "vampire facial" So what's a girl to do? "I've been researching recipes and healthy eating tricks to make sure that I get the right nutrition now that I'm eating for two!" Kim said. For her, that entails "maintaining a well-balanced eating and fitness plan." She's also looking to her trainer for advice. "My Kim Kardashian's Pregnancy Diet sent me this book [The Body Diet Reset] and I am so excited to read it! [It] will give you the tools you need to restart the way you are eating and boost your metabolism. I love his recipes and I know you guys will too!" Hey, if it's good enough for Kim and baby Kimye, we wanna try it, too. Don't miss Kourtney & Kim Take Miami Sunday at 9 p.m. on E!

News Source:www.eonline.com

Fan mail sent to Taylor Swift found in a recycling bin

Kylee Francescan was recycling her newspapers when she saw hundreds of letters addressed to the singer. "I didn't know if they were stolen or discarded," she said. "So I threw them in a box. And I'm like, 'Somebody needs to let Taylor know.'" She said that some of the letters had been opened but that the majority remained sealed. "It didn't bother me because I know how much her fans mean to her," she added. Kylee Francescan then forwarded them to a local television station, who got in touch with representatives of the pop star. 'Accidentally' recycled A spokesperson for Taylor Swift suggested that a mistake must have been made. ''Taylor gets thousands of fan letters every day and they are delivered to her management office," the spokesperson said. "After the letters are opened and read, they are recycled. "The only explanation for any letters being unopened would be that a small batch of mail that was supposed to be delivered to Taylor was accidentally put with letters headed for the recycling centre. "We sincerely appreciate [local television station] Channel 2 bringing this to our attention." Last year Taylor Swift scored the biggest first week sales for an album in a decade in the US with her fourth album, Red. She recently performed at the Brit Awards ceremony in London.Fashion Day

News Source:www.bbc.co.uk

Watch it! Kim Kardashian winces in pain after clumsy bodyguard accidentally steps on her foot

She's doted on by personal assistants and security guards every second of every day. But Kim Kardashian fell victim to a clumsy bodyguard as she shot scenes for Keeping Up With The Kardashians in Studio City, California, on Tuesday. The 32-year-old star, who is expecting her first child with boyfriend Kanye West, was seen wincing in pain after her bodyguard accidentally stepped on her foot outside her mother Kris Jenner's management offices.Quickly realising what he had done, the security guard raised his hand up in apology for the accident, before turning to check that pregnant Kim was not hurt. But Kim put the game face on and put the error behind her as she made her way into the offices, looking chic in a stylish maternity ensemble. The skirt featured a zip from top to bottom, which Kim was obviously a little worried about - keeping a close hand on the zipper to make sure it did not come inadvertently undone.Kim teamed the skirt with a pair of pale pink Louboutins featuring delicate straps at the ankle, and a matching blouse. The mother-to-be was all dressed up to film her reality show Keeping Up With The Kardashians. The show features a gruelling recording schedule and Kim is spotted most days being tailed by a camera.The reality star is documenting her pregnancy on her blog, where she is setting a good example by writing about the importance of a healthy lifestyle while expecting. 'Keeping a healthy lifestyle has always been important to me and now it’s even more important because I am looking out for someone else’s well being other than just my own,' she explained on Monday. 'I’ve been researching recipes and healthy eating tricks to make sure that I get the right nutrition now that I’m eating for two!'For me it’s about maintaining a well-balanced eating and fitness plan.' Never missing the opportunity to promote a product, Kim took the chance to promote her friend's new book. She wrote: 'My friend Harley Pasternak sent me this book and I am so excited to read it. The Body Reset Diet will give you the tools you need to restart the way you are eating and boost your metabolism.'

News Source:www.dailymail.co.uk

KELLY OSBOURNE Released from Hospital After On-Set Seizure

Kelly Osbourne was released from the hospital Monday night ... 5 days after suffering a seizure on the set of E!'s "Fashion Police." Osbourne's rep released a statement ... saying doctors were unable to determine what caused Kelly's seizure ... but they're confident it was a "onetime episode." Despite the lack of information, Osbourne's rep says the 28-year-old has been given a "clean bill of health by her doctor" and is currently in good spirits. "[Kelly] is looking forward to returning to 'Fashion Police' this week and getting back to business and life as usual," the rep added.

News Source:www.tmz.com

Box office:What drew filmgoers to 'Oz the Great and Powerful'?

This weekend, Sam Raimi's "Oz the Great and Powerful" became the first bona fide blockbuster of the young year (sorry "Identity Thief"). The reasons for any big hit are hard to categorize, and this one's a little more difficult than most. It's a big title that can't draft off the big title. It has four lead actors who are not quite A-listers but who may add up to more than the sum of their parts. (“We wanted to do something with a quartet that collectively said something to the audience,” said producer Joe Roth.) It was a Disney 3-D spectacle that, with James Franco and overtones to a 1939 musical, was also calibrated for audiences of a certain age. "Oz" filmgoers didn't lean one way or another on gender or age; as my colleague Amy Kaufman notes, ticket buyers were nearly 50-50 between men and women, as they were for those older and younger than 25. So what was the main draw for audiences this weekend? Some of the likely factors, and a poll for your interactive pleasure. Francophrenia. James Franco's fan base exists, but its composition isn't easy to discern. Is it young women? Hipsters? "General Hospital" devotees? How deep does his consistuency go, and did they turn out in numbers this weekend? Brand Oz. Raimi didn't riff much on Dorothy (a choice) or use iconic images like ruby slippers (a copyright). But thanks to L. Frank Baum's century-old novels, he still was able to put "Oz" in the title and use flying monkeys, munchkins and other things Emerald City. How many fans came because of these associations above all else? Three witches. Michelle Williams rarely acts in tent poles. Rachel Weisz hasn't been a force for on-screen evil since she sang in "Definitely, Maybe." Mila Kunis has become the people's choice ever since she talked chicken and bad English football. Did they bring in filmgoers? Disney do-right. Many a fairy-tale reinvention has failed in recent years--or, in the case of "Jack the Giant Slayer," recent weeks. But with "Alice in Wonderland" and "Oz," Disney continues to make it work. How many turned out because of the Mouse-y imprimatur? The look. Raimi and production designer Robert Stromberg took great care in making this look deeper and richer than most 3-D pics. But not all of that can come through on our old-fashioned 2-D sets, no matter how flat the screens are. How many people who saw the ads came because of the visuals? Family matters. Putting out a family-friendly movie generally gives you a little head start. Sometimes parents just need something to take their kids to, which is why we're unusually hopeful about our pitch for a live-action “Davey and Goliath” reboot. How many people came because they wanted to take the kids to the movies for a few hours and this was the most feasible option?

News Source:www.latimes.com

‘All-Star Celebrity Apprentice’ review: Omarosa cries, Dennis Rodman impresses

Is there something in the water on “All-Star Celebrity Apprentice”? Maybe the collective experience of some of these people on reality TV has led to us have some preconceived notions about the people on this show. For one, we expected Omarosa to be completely and totally tough-as-nails. However, she completely broke down this week after winning Project Manager, and it was one of the most emotional moments we’ve ever seen on this show. Meanwhile, who saw Dennis Rodman the game-player coming? After being a mess for his first time on the show, he may have really been the reason Omarosa’s team won. He was smart enough to ask the question to Universal Orlando during the meetings about whether or not they should use celebrities as a selling point, and this was really what guided them along the right path while Dee Snider’s team faltered. The whole North Korea thing aside, we really want to see Dennis do well on this season. He’s an interesting guy who clearly has some business savvy, but is often misunderstood.Before we get into the firing, we have to take issue for a minute with what La Toya Jackson accused Omarosa of doing after her challenge win: using her fiance’s passing as a means to get sympathy and advance in the game. Does she not realize that taping for this show began just around six weeks after Michael Clarke Duncan’s death, and that this would be very much on her mind? What a horrible thing to say, and we don’t care what your preconceived notions of Omarosa are. This would be like someone accusing La Toya a couple of months after Michael’s death of using him for some sort of benefit, and we do not believe anyone would really have the gall to say something like that. It was just unseemly, and you cannot just assume the worst of Omarosa because she’s the villain. In getting back to the actual firing itself, it was clear to us that (shocker!) Gary Busey really should have been sent home. He’s not much of a team player, he acts a little creepy around guests from time to time, and we don’t really know at the end of the day if he’s going to help in the long-term. However, Trump’s love for the Busey continues, and we are pretty sure the man refuses to do anything about this guy until at least week 4. Instead, the Donald went for the easy route and fired Dee, mostly because he was the Project Manager and he had a brilliant idea from under his nose that he didn’t bother to use.

News Source:cartermatt.com

James Franco's neighbours claim he is turning LA home into production house

With acting, directing, academia and musicianship among the myriad strings to his bow, James Franco may be the busiest man in Hollywood. Which is all very well – unless you happen to live next door to him: a couple who are neighbours of the star have accused him of running a "major production company" out of his LA home with scant regard for the disruption it causes. An anonymous email from the couple was recently published by website Curbed Los Angeles, detailing the alleged horrors of living next door to a figure who seems to have a new project on the go every five minutes. Moreover, the email claims, while a constant flow of his employees and collaborators streams in and out of the $750,000 compound in Franco himself does not appear to be living there. "At first, my partner and I were pleased to have Mr Franco living next door," the email says. "His work in Milk and his academic pursuits made us happy he was on our street. That is no longer the case." "If, in fact, Mr Franco has purchased the house next door, it does not appear to be inhabited by the actor; it does appear to be inhabited by several people who are working for him. In addition, over the course of the last weeks the individuals living on the property appear to be running a MAJOR production company out of the house and have also used it for shoots. To be fair, they did provide us with notice for one shoot. Unfortunately, the occasional film shoot comes with living in Los Angeles." "But this appears to be way more than just a film shoot: the property has become a production house. In fact, Iris, who works for the actor informed me that they are running production from the house. Iris is the same individual who, when we complained to her a few weeks ago about constantly blocking our driveway said, 'Have you guys met James?' Yeah, that's not going to make it better." The email goes on to claim that "crowds of people" constantly stream in and out of the property, while some use the area outside the couple's property for business meetings. "[They] treat us as if we are eavesdropping sycophants when we walk out our gate to our car; and as I write this, they've set up hair and makeup in their driveway," complains Franco's neighbour. "When I asked Iris about this, Iris basically informed me they could do whatever they want on their property. Really? Running a production of such impact and magnitude in a residential area doesn't violate any zoning restrictions? Are there no limits to the kinds of businesses one can run?" "We like James Franco and we like some of his movies," the anonymous complainant signs off. "But we're not so enamoured of his presence that we are willing to give up our sanity in our own home." Franco is a famously workaholic multi-hyphenate who, alongside his acting interests, finds time to play in a band, Daddy, has a recurring role on the US soap General Hospital and has taught film and English classes at academic institutions such as USC, NYU, UCLA and CalArts. The former New York University graduate film student debuted his directing debut, Interior. Leather Bar at Sundance in January, where it received a lukewarm response from critics. The festival also saw the screening of Linda Lovelace biopic Lovelace, in which Franco plays Hugh Hefner, and S&M documentary Kink, on which he was a producer. He recently revealed plans to adapt James Ellroy's 1995 novel American Tabloid, about a trio of government agents whose lives become entangled with the assassination of John F Kennedy. None of this presumably holds much water for those living next door to Franco's LA property. Neither the actor nor any member of his production company Rabbit Bandini Productions has yet commented on the complaints.

News Source:www.guardian.co.uk

‘Spring Breakers’ Generates Buzz, James Franco Presents ‘Interior. Leather Bar.’: SXSW

Harmony Korine‘s Day-Glo crime thriller Spring Breakers had its U.S. premiere Sunday night at SXSW, where stars Selena Gomez, James Franco, Ashley Benson, and Rachel Korine (minus Vanessa Hudgens) joined their director onstage for a Q&A. “I’d been collecting Spring Break imagery for a couple of years from fraternity sites and co-ed pornography for paintings and artwork”, said Korine, who wrote and directed the pic about college girls who commit robbery to finance their dream Spring Break only to become entangled in the dangerous lifestyle of a Floridian thug named Alien (Franco). “Here were all these hypersexualized, hyperviolent subjects with childlike details — nail polish, bags, stuff like that. So I imagined girls on a beach in bikinis robbing fat tourists”.Grumblings in the audience ranged from delight to bewilderment. The pic earned only a few walkouts — a slim margin for a film this aggressively provocative — and audience members in the post-screening Q&A roared the loudest when Franco obliged a “Spring breaaak” in the heavy drawl of his character, based partially on St. Petersburg rapper Dangeruss. Disney icon Gomez (Wizards Of Waverly Place) drew a contingent of younger fans outside the Paramount Theatre as she walked the red carpet. Inside she sobered the mood when asked about taking on the racy project given her tween idol past: “I didn’t really have too many reservations. I had been a part of something for a while that I was super blessed to be a part of and I wanted to do something that would be different for me”. Anticipation was so high for the SXSW premiere that tickets sold out quickly and lines wrapped around the block. (A priceless exchange came late in the Q&A moderated by SXSW head Janet Pierson. Pierson: “Do you know what ‘prurient’ means?” Korine: “No”.) Meanwhile, Franco made the most of his SXSW visit. After the screening Q&A and after party, he hosted a 2 AM screening and Q&A of his Sundance pic Interior. Leather Bar, programmed last-minute at the Alamo Drafthouse. Upstart distributor A24 and Annapurna Pictures release Spring Breakers this Friday in New York and LA, expanding to wide release next week.

News Source:www.deadline.com

Beyonce, Adele will sing at Mrs. Obama's 50th

Pop superstars Adele and Beyonce have been selected to perform for America's First Lady Michelle Obama during her upcoming 50th birthday celebrations at the White House. President Barack Obama's wife will reach the milestone on Jan. 17, 2014, and preparations are already underway for a major party in Washington, D.C. The star-studded bash will include a number of musical performances from high-profile artists, and Britain's Mail on Sunday newspaper reports Adele and Beyonce have both been invited to sing. "America's First Lady will be holding a huge celebrity-packed party for her birthday at the White House next year and, as she adores Adele and Beyonce, she has asked them both to sing. Adele has graciously accepted and waived her usual fee for the high-profile private performance. She will sing a selection of her most-loved hits for the first lady and her friends."

News Source:www.chron.com

Sarah Jessica Parker Reveals Perils Of Cheap Shoes

SARAH JESSICA PARKER says that there is a price to pay for wearing lower-priced shoes. The actress, who is accustomed to labels such as Manolo Blahnik and Christian Louboutin, tried cheaper styles when in character for working mother Kate Reddy in 2011 film I Don't Know How She Does It. "So I got shoes from [Aldo and Nine West] and the bottom of the shoes aren't leather, they are plastic, so I slipped a couple times and twisted my ankle," she said. "I went to a foot doctor and he said, 'Your foot does things it shouldn't be able to do. That bone there - you've created that bone. It doesn't belong there."' The Vogue cover girl also added that her role as a producer, as well as an actress, in Sex and the City paved the way for Lena Dunham to take on such an instrumental part in Girls - a US show that is also create by HBO. Dunham wrote, directed, co-produced, and also stars in, the hit series. "HBO was very encouraging of the beyond-camera role I played, and I feel that had we not done it, I don't know that would have existed for Girls," she told Net-A-Porter magazine. "It's a such a different way of thinking and it's not conventional. I also think that [Dunham] came along understanding her voice and with the support of a producing partner [Judd Apatow] experienced enough to say she is capable of this, that she needs to be in charge of the story as it's her voice. I do feel Sex and the City's success made that possible, and it would have been different otherwise."

News Source:www.vogue.co.uk

"Evil Dead 4" is Actually "Army of Darkness 2"

Sony Pictures recently revealed that it is moving forward with a sequel to the upcoming "Evil Dead" reboot. Meanwhile, Sam Raimi, who produced the reboot, is planning to begin writing the script for "Evil Dead 4," which is a continuation of his original "Evil Dead" trilogy. Now, Raimi's producing partner Rob Tapert has revealed that the two "Evil Dead" franchises will never have to compete against each other, because "Evil Dead 4" is actually "Army of Darkness 2." He said: "Everybody calls it 'Evil Dead 4' but 'Army of Darkness' wasn't called 'Evil Dead' anywhere except by the fans." Bruce Campbell, star of the original "Evil Dead" films, added: "[Both 'Evil Dead' franchises] co-exist beautifully. [Regarding the reboot,] Sam instructed us, 'Don't screw up my ability to make another movie with Ash.' So there's no Ash character [in the reboot], there's no Bruce, there's no cameo.

News Source:www.worstpreviews.com

Lindsay Lohan Offered House Arrest Deal

Lindsay Lohan has reportedly been offered a house arrest deal, but the troubled starlet is not interested. Prosecutors are allegedly offering Lohan the option of 90 days under house arrest to end her probation violation case and keep her out of jail, according to TMZ. However, the actress doesn't want to accept any punishment because she allegedly claims she did no wrong. In January, TMZ reported that Lohan was offered a six-month rehab lockdown, but she turned that offer down as well. If the case goes to trial and if Lohan is convicted she faces up to 19 months in jail plus 245 days for probation violation. The 26-year-old's current legal issues root back to a June 8 Santa Monica car accident. The "Canyons" actress was charged with willfully obstructing the investigation, reckless driving and lying to police in December, according to the New York Daily News. The judge revoked her 2011 probation stemming from the necklace-snatching incident. In May 2011, Lohan was first put under house arrest after she pleaded no contest to stealing the $2,500 necklace, People magazine notes, after she was released from jail due to overcrowding and good behavior. Lohan completed that 35-day house arrest stint at her Venice, Calif., townhouse, where she was "confined to the interior premises of her home at all times," according to People. Other celebrities who have gone under house arrest include Martha Stewart, Paris Hilton, rapper T.I., Bobby Brown and Joe Francis.

News Source:www.huffingtonpost.com

Holly Madison: My Daughter Won’t Be Traumatized By Her Name

She may not have chosen a girl next door name for her daughter, but Holly Madison says Rainbow Aurora‘s future is looking bright. After sharing that her inspiration came from a former school mate, the new mom — who welcomed her first child Tuesday — adds that if history does in fact repeat itself, her baby girl has nothing to worry about. “She was a perfectly normal, well-adjusted, sporty girl, by the way, so I’m not worried about my daughter being ‘traumatized’ by having an unusual name,” Madison, 33, writes on her website. Acknowledging all those knocking her name choice, the first-time mama says that the “smug haters” will only make Rainbow stronger. “I want my daughter to be proud of who she is and learn to speak up and stand up for herself at a young age,” Madison explains. “I spent most of my life being a people-pleaser who worried about what other people thought … and I don’t want that for her.” In fact, Madison is so proud of Rainbow’s moniker that she’s already showing it off to the world. “Got my nails done rainbow colors to celebrate my new daughter’s name!” she says.

News Source:celebritybabies.people.com

SXSW 2013: Untold stories of The Beatles in 'Good Ol' Freda'

She was in the employ of the Beatles longer than the existence of the group itself, though the film focuses most strongly on the period of their rise and early fame. Still working today as a secretary in Liverpool, Kelly gave away countless items of now-valuable memorabilia when she disbanded the fan club and kept only a few small boxes for herself. In some of the film’s most charming moments, she digs her keepsakes out from deep in her attic. “When I ended the fan club in 1972 and the Beatles had split up as a group, I wanted to go into another box, I wanted to be a housewife, I wanted more children, I just didn’t want to do that anymore, I wanted to concentrate on my family,” Kelly said in interview in Austin on Saturday morning. “And I thought, well that’s the end of it.” Filmmaker Ryan White had met Kelly through his family, his uncle being Billy Kinsley of the Liverpool band the Merseybeats, who also appears in the film. Though Kelly had always rebuffed all offers to tell her story, after the recent birth of a grandson she decided the time was right. “I didn’t know she was the Beatles’ secretary,” said White, who also directed the 2010 documentary "Pelada." “I just thought she was my aunt’s friend who was a solicitor’s secretary and very charming to talk to at weddings.” Filming some 40 hours of interviews with Kelly, White couldn’t believe the wealth of stories and information she was still able to recall. He also found that the discretion that had made her such a trusted ally of the band in their heyday still held fast, as she never revealed more than she thought proper. “I would often get asked as I was trying to get the film made, people would say, 'What’s new in this movie?' And my answer was always, everything’s new,” said White. “Nothing has ever been heard before. Freda has never talked about it. The movie isn’t about recapping Beatles history; that’s well told, what happened during the Beatles’ decade. So it’s a very personal film, Freda’s personal experience dealing with the Beatles.” White was even able to secure the rights to use four songs by the Beatles, “I Saw Her Standing There,” “Love Me Do,” “I Feel Fine” and “I Will.” The very morning he was first meeting with representatives of Apple Corps, who oversee use of the Beatles catalog, was the same day news broke of the $250,000 paid by the television show “Mad Men” to use only one Beatles track, “Tomorrow Never Knows.” “We’re very grateful they were willing to work with us,” White said. “We didn’t get it for free, but we didn’t have to pay $250,000.” Even after all these years, Kelly still considers herself a fan of the Beatles. And she remembers those early days the best, when they were playing rock 'n' roll in small clubs. “I just wish everybody could see the Cavern days,” Kelly said. “That was the real Beatles. To me.” With countless books, films, re-issues, compilations and the like, it would be easy to assume there are no new stories to be told about the Beatles. The documentary “Good Ol’ Freda,” which has its world premiere Saturday at the South by Southwest film festival, finds a previously unheard-from eyewitness to the entire history of the band. Freda Kelly was a secretary for the band and ran their official fan club for more than 10 years. Only 17 when she started working for the band, at first she made the fan club address her home address in Liverpool. When her father got upset by the incredible volume of mail that started pouring in as the band took off, she had to have it sent elsewhere. Kelly was right there in the rush of those early days, as the band moved from small local clubs like the Cavern to larger halls and international success. Working in the office of the band‘s manager Brian Epstein, she would distribute weekly stipends to John, Paul, George and Ringo while also collecting hair cuttings to send to fans or asking a band member to sleep on a pillowcase that had been sent in.

News Source:www.latimes.com

Sarah Jessica Parker on 'The Carrie Diaries': 'It's odd'

Sarah Jessica Parker originated the role of Carrie Bradshaw on HBO’s Sex and the City, but she’s not exactly a fan of the CW’s Sex prequel, The Carrie Diaries. In a new interview with luxury shopping site Net-A-Porter.com’s online magazine The Edit, Parker said that while Diaries star AnnaSophia Robb — who plays the young Carrie — is “lovely,” she’s “not sure” how she feels about the series. “You know, I think it’s one of those tests of your generosity,” Parker said. “[AnnaSophia] is a lovely girl and I want her to feel good about, but it’s… odd.” The 47-year-old actress, who wears pieces from designers like Victoria Beckham and Saint Laurent creative director Hedi Slimane in photos that accompany the interview, also noted that, while she believes the candid conversations between the original Carrie and company ”encouraged women to share more candidly,” she’s paying a price for playing the well-heeled character. “I went to a foot doctor and he said, ‘Your foot does things it shouldn’t be able to do. That bone there… You’ve created that bone. It doesn’t belong there,’” she said. “The moral of the story is, the chickens are coming home to roost. It’s sad, because my feet took me all over the world, but eventually they were like, ‘You know what, we are actually tired, can you just stop — and don’t put cheap shoes on us.’”


News Source: popstyle.ew.com