Fear Factor

Test your horror movie knowledge here.

My score: 10/13.

He's BAAAACK!!!

Readers hungry for a good thriller can get ready to welcome an old friend: A new Hannibal Lecter novel, "Behind the Mask," is coming next fall.

"Thomas Harris is the premier novelist of psychological suspense of our time," said Irwyn Applebaum, president and publisher of the Bantam Dell Publishing Group, which announced the book's release Thursday.

"Millions of readers in 25 languages have wondered how Dr. Lecter developed his particular appetite for evil. This novel will satisfy their curiosity."

--Oh hell yeah. I'm so excited!

What's Your Favorite Scary Movie?

What's your favorite scary movie? And tell me why.

My reasoning goes a little like this: While some movies may make you jump, unless they could happen in real life, I don't view them as "scary." For example, the "Halloween" movies make me jump, and I love to be startled like that, but come on!!! He doesn't die. Not real. I like movies that play on my realistic fears...my sitting in bed at night and wake up and hear something fears. When I get startled in the middle of the night, I don't fear Chucky, the Mothman, the Ring, or Freddy. I fear Hannibal and Norman Bates.

Thus, I'm going to pick "Psycho" as my favorite scary movie. No one had seen anything like it when it came out. The music plays on your fears perfectly. And, Hitchcock was a genius. I remember the first time I saw the scene where she turns "Mother" around and Norman comes flying in with a knife. I about peed myself. Only to be topped by the look he gives at the end of the movie. Wow.

Rooney!!!!!!!!

Ferris Bueller's Day Off star Jeffrey Jones is set to return to court to face the boy he was accused of taking sexual advantage of.

The actor faced criminal charges last year for taking explicit photos of the boy - a charge to which he pleaded "no contest." Jones' was sentenced to five years of probation and the judge ordered him to register as a sex offender. But prosecutors never charged Jones with any physical abuse and believed the case had been fully resolved.

But now the boy, then 14, wants justice and he's suing Jones personally, claiming the actor's actions led to severe emotional problems. As part of the graphic lawsuit, obtained by American legal show Celebrity Justice, Jones is accused of touching the boy's genitals and demanding that he pose nude and touch himself for the camera. The suit claims the accuser, who is now 19, has a difficult time having relationships with women because of Jones' alleged misconduct.

--I'll have a hard time watching that movie now.

Party Time

I know this isn't PC, but I still think it's funny:

A judge who welcomed a former fugitive back to her courtroom with balloons, streamers and a cake defended her actions Wednesday, saying that getting a killer and abuser of women off the streets is reason to celebrate.

Judge Faith Johnson threw the party Monday upon sentencing 53-year-old Billy Wayne Williams to life in prison. Williams, who previously served time in prison for killing his wife, went on the lam a year ago while on trial in Johnson's court on charges he choked his girlfriend until she passed out. He was convicted in absentia of aggravated assault.

"A full year later, he was recaptured, off the streets, and no longer a community threat. And, yes, I threw a party," the judge said in a statement.

R. Kelly Servin' the Kiddies

R Kelly has been spotted moonlighting - as a McDonald's sales assistant.

The singer, who last year topped the UK singles' chart with Ignition, spent three hours working at the drive-through window of McDonald's just hours after coming offstage in St. Louis, Missouri.

Kelly "chatted up the manger of the McDonald's and wound up working the drive-through window for three hours," reported the New York Post.

--I can hear it now: "Hi little girl. Are you about 10? Would you like a happy meal? And a date with me?"

Paris playing doubles?

10SNE1?

American socialite Paris Hilton has been spotted kissing new lover Mark Philippoussis' tennis rival Andy Roddick.

Over the weekend it was reported Australian sports ace Philippoussis had begun dating the hotel heiress and the reality TV star had been declaring she was "head over heels in love".

American gossip site Pagesix.Com reports Hilton and American tennis star Roddick - who dated Mandy Moore earlier this year - were "locking lips" at Las Vegas nightspot Light on Sunday.

--NOT FAIR.

Big Dummies

With more high-end designers creating profitable lines for larger women, department stores are ordering bigger dummies to replace the skinny manis that traditionally modeled clothes of all sizes.

“Can’t relate to that tall, willowy, perky-breasted model in your favorite store? Fortunately, manufacturers are breaking the mold with fiberglass forms more representative of our curvier proportions and diverse skin tones,” writes A.J. Hanley in this month’s issue of Fitness magazine.

--I think that's a great move. There have been several times I've tried something on that looked great on a mannequin, and then realized it only looked good on the mannequin because it was a replica of someone who weighed 84 pounds.

Technical Difficulties

Sorry for the technical difficulties...I don't know what the hell happened!

Chic Worship

Rosaries are the new pearls:

The Roman Catholic church is trying to prevent rosary beads from becoming a fashion statement after both David Beckham and Britney Spears have been spotted wearing them.

While Becks wore four sets around his neck at a party recently and subsequently appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair wearing the $1,000 Dolce & Gabbana version, Britney was photographed in London wearing a white set of beads.

Now, with Christian shops being inundated with requests from fashion conscious teenagers, the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales has published a leaflet stressing the religious significance of the rosary. "We have sold more than 100 rosary beads in the past six weeks," Shirley Nicholls, manager of the Revelations Christian Bookshop in Ipswich, told The Telegraph.

"We normally sell about three dozen in April and May, when people have them for their first communion, and then the odd one during the rest of the year. But during the summer, they have been selling like hot cakes and the children keep asking me to order more."

Nicholson's New Book

Nicholson on women:

Jack Nicholson once stopped making love to a woman to eat an entire apple pie before returning to bed for more sex.

A new book claims the three-times Oscar winning actor could make love several times a night, according to the book titled Jack: The Great Seducer published by HarperCollins in the US.

"He could make love all night long. I stopped counting at seven," one unnamed woman says.

At one time Nicholson shared one lover, artist and actress Denise Beaumount, with Warren Beatty and film producer Robert Evans, but she broke off the relationship when she discovered the three men were trading stories about her.

Nicholson is unapologetic about lying to women, the book says.

His advice about dating is, "It's the other woman I would never lie to. You only lie to two people in your life: your girlfriend and the police. Everybody else you tell the truth to."

The Great Seducer has been written by a biographer who goes under the name "Edward Douglas", a pseudonym he used to help protect the identity of some of his sources, reports the New York Daily News.

Ashlee Vanilli?

Singer Ashlee Simpson's "extra help" may have been exposed when a "Saturday Night Live" audience heard her voice - singing the wrong song - while she held a microphone at her waist.

Her record company blamed a computer glitch and she blamed her band for Sunday morning's incident, which cut off her planned performance of the song "Autobiography" on the network comedy show.

Simpson had performed her hit single "Pieces of Me" without incident earlier in the show. When she came back a second time, her band started playing and the first lines of her singing "Pieces of Me" could be heard again.

She looked momentarily confused as the band plowed ahead with the song and the vocal was quickly silenced. Simpson made some exaggerated hopping dance moves, then walked off the stage 35 seconds into the performance.

NBC quickly cut to a commercial.

--Um, isn't the show called "Saturday Night LIVE??"

"Buh, buh, buh, buh , buh, buh, buh, Baby...don't forget my number!" Hee hee.

Condoms, Condoms Everywhere

Two stories involving condoms that caught my eye this morning:

1) A Brazilian artist makes clothes and sculptures out of different coloured condoms.

Adriana Bertini is to have an exhibition at the Museum of World Culture in Gothenburg, Sweden in December. A spokesperson for the artist told Clarin newspaper: "Adriana Bertini offers a different and poetic look for a material that suffers prejudice despite being so needed in our times.

"She transforms condoms in something sensual, energetic and alive."

2) A young Manhattan woman split open her breakfast muffin — only to find what seemed to be a condom baked inside.

Theresa VanHorn, a 29-year-old writer at MTV Networks, said she was eating a carrot-nut cream-cheese-topped muffin from her office building's bodega on West 50th Street when she found a piece of latex baked into the crumbly delicacy.

"I ate almost half the muffin before discovering it," VanHorn said. "Then it was like slow motion when I pulled it out — I was screaming."

Movie Weekend

I caught up on some of my movie-watching this weekend. I rented Monster, Saved, and Mystic River.

Here are some thoughts:

Monster--Charlize's acting was superb. The script could have been tighter. Additionally, I wish they would have shown a little bit more of the trial--specifically, the sentencing phase.

Saved--I seriously loved this. I really think Macaulay Culkin stole the show. The writing was great, and all of the casting fit well. It made me laugh, but it also made me think. I would highly recommend this movie. It's slightly mockumentary-like, a la Waiting for Guffman and Best in Show in how it accurately portrays people and their quirks.

Mystic River--It too deserved all of its praise. Tim Robbins outdid himself. However, I just wasn't shot in the ass with the movie, and I can't really put my finger on why.

Family Ties

Are Madonna and Celine Dion related?

That’s the claim being made by genealogist Troy Dunn, who traced back the ancestry of the two very different songbirds and found they shared roots.

Dunn, of MyFamily.com says that the company contacted both Madonna and Dion with the happy news. “Madonna’s people had no comment,” he said. “Celine’s people were horrified.”

Dunn also claims that George W. Bush and John Kerry are related. They’re distant cousins, he revealed on "The View," so the election “is one big family fight.”

--I guess the saying really is true--you can't pick your family!

Comedies Only for Affleck

No more action for Ben: Ben Affleck has declared he never wants to star in a high-action movie ever again.

Affleck, former fiance of Jennifer Lopez, has branched out into comedy with his latest movie Surviving Christmas, and he insists he has no desire to revisit the tough-guy persona he adapted for roles in such films as Armageddon and Paycheck.

He says, "I don't want to hold a gun in a movie or blow anything up ever again. I'm bored of those other kinds of movies. There's some irony to the fact that I want to do comedies and all these actors who already do comedies keep asking, 'When am I going to get to do my big serious thing?'"

NetShopping

Do you travel often for business or pleasure? If so, it's sometimes handy to have those travel-sized items.

Occasionally, I have a hard time finding everything I want in a travel size. Until now.

Check out Minimus.biz for travel sizes of all the items you need. Even food and drink!

Close Joins The Shield

Glenn Close will join the FX police drama "The Shield" as a series regular for its upcoming fourth season.

The Emmy-winning actress ("Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story") will appear in all 13 episodes, which will go into production in January. The new season of "Shield" is expected to premiere in March.

--That's great. I just LOVE her.

Doesn't Jail Seem Fun?

When life hands you crab apples, make crab apple rosemary jelly:

Martha Stewart spent some time last week picking crab apples from trees that dot the grounds of her federal lockup in West Virginia — and used them to make a tasty dish.

While the inmate didn't know the exact dish Stewart whipped up with the pilfered produce, she could have used the hot goods to make her famous crab apple rosemary jelly.

Sex Ban for the Governator

Arnold Schwarzenegger was hit with a two-week sex ban by his wife - for backing President Bush.

The California governor, 57, spoke up for the President's election bid at the Republican Convention.

Wife Maria Shriver, part of the Democrat Kennedy clan, was furious reports The Sun.

Arnie said: "When you're married to my wife, you're never your own boss."

--What the hell did she expect? He's, um, a GOP! Get over it, Maria. She needs to take a lesson from James Carville and Mary Matalin.

Gavin's Secret

Gwen Stefani is a (step)mom:

The London Mirror reports the No Doubt frontwoman's British hubby, Gavin Rossdale, has just learned he has a daughter.

DNA tests have reportedly confirmed the Bush rocker, 37, is the father of 15-year-old model Daisy Lowe (mom is London-based designer and singer Pearl Lowe).

"Yes, it's true but out of respect to all parties concerned, I've no further comment," Rossdale is quoted as telling the paper.

Gwen, who wed Rossdale in 2002, is said to be "devastated" by the news.

Says LL

L.L. Cool J is not one to shy away from sharing his sexual know-how.

In the November issue of Blender magazine, he reveals two of the oddest things that have been licked off his abs. "A couple of boxes of Jell-O in a tub of cold water and chocolate syrup," the rapper recounted. "That's the craziest."

He also recommends another way to liven your sex life: "Get yourself a brand new shower curtain, throw it on the bed, squeeze some baby oil all over that joint, and do a little slip and slide. I have done that many times."

A mother's love

A mother's love is truly special:

A Marion County judge on Monday sentenced an Indianapolis woman to 18 months in prison for helping her 5-year-old son smoke crack cocaine.

Andrea Wilkey, 40, oheld the lighter n Aug. 6 while her son inhaled from a homemade pipe, police say. Her son tested positive for cocaine the next day.

Wilkey told police she was smoking crack in a "bong" made out of a baby food jar, glass pipe and rubber tubing.

Wilkey left the room, court records say. When she returned, her son was sitting at the table near the bong and asking to use the drug. "Come on. Let me do it," he said, according to records.

The mother said she then struck a lighter to the cocaine and watched her son inhale, according to records.

South Beach

So the partners decided where our firm trip is going to be this year: Miami--South Beach. I'm really pumped because it will be a nice break from the December chill of Indiana, and I've never been there.

We'll be staying here, which I've been told is only 2 minutes from South Beach.

Has anyone been there? Are there any shops, bars, clubs, etc. you highly recommend? If so, let me know! Don't want to miss anything!

Quiztime

Congratulations! You are Gabrielle Solis, the
ex-model with everything she's every wanted a
rich husband, a big house and John, the
17-year-old gardener.


Which Desperate Housewife are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

--At first this was slightly disheartening because she has such an empty marriage. But, then I reminded myself that ALL the possible outcomes of the quiz have screwed up lives. And then again, I could handle having a gardener that looked like THAT!

--Stolen from Daniel.

S&M

How you know you've found "the one"--by Angelina Jolie:

Oscar-winner Angelina Jolie believes the man who understands her sadomasochistic needs and ties her up will be "the one".

The Tomb Raider star tried to engender trust in her marriages to actors Jonny Lee Miller and Billy Bob Thornton by introducing violence into their sex lives, and she wants to push the boundaries even further with her next lover.

Jolie explains, "A lot of my relationships just weren't honest enough. So I took them down different paths toward violence or wildness... to try to find somebody to hold me down and make me feel. S&M sex can be misinterpreted as violence. It's really about trust. I like to push boundaries, both emotional and sexual, with another person. That's when I've felt the sexiest. I've been in both submissive and dominant roles because I want more. I've never been tied up. I have a feeling the person that does it will be the one. I think that's what I'd like."

Rod's Rod

Rod Stewart has confessed he can't manage sex as often as he used to.

The star admits his stamina in the bedroom isn't what it once was and these days he actually prefers kissing. Rod is dating model and photographer Penny Lancaster.

According to Femalefirst quoting the Radio Times he said: "As the years go by we don't get it up as often as we used to. It's quality now, not quantity. Kissing is very important." The 59-year-old singer also admits on occasions he turns down his beautiful girlfriend Penny Lancaster's requests for sex because he is just too tired.

He added: "I just believe in a nice glass of wine in the evening, football and sex, and a lot of music in your life."

--I'm not sure why Rod felt like he needed to share all that. Doesn't he know there are drugs he can take to help this?

Broadway Update

Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes is bringing animation hit Shrek to Broadway in a musical adaptation of the Dreamworks movie.

The Road To Perdition star will have creative control of the New York production, while Tony-nominated stage director Jason Moore, who took charges of puppet musical Avenue Q, will direct the show in 2006.

Mendes told the New York Times newspaper, "There isn't the sort of corporate pressure being exerted that this has to be done for a set pre-release date." Moore enthuses, "'There's a supreme challenge in bringing an animated world to the stage and making it theatrical. But what's so wonderful about Shrek is that anarchic attitude placed in a fairy- tale world that I think will thrive onstage."
----------------------
Also, in Broadway News:

Former American Idol runner-up Tamyra Gray has been tapped to make her Broadway debut in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Bollywood–style musical Bombay Dreams. Gray plays a beautiful film director caught in a love triangle involving her fiancée and a handsome young Indian movie star.

Beauty Tips

Thought I'd share with you some of my recent better finds:

SlingStay: The invisible grip for keeping slipping sling backs in place while keeping you stylish and sexy.

GalPal Deoderant Remover: You know those stripes that show up on your sides after you slide on clothes? Get rid of deodorant streaks quickly without water. Gal Pal can be used over and over.

Stella, by Stella McCarney: Two sorority sisters got this for me for my birthday, and I love it. It smells great!

E.L.F. Cosmetics: Ladies, this is a golden find. I read about ELF online, as well as in magazines. I shared the website with the ladies at my law office, and we ordered some. We ALL love what we ordered. I'd highly recommend the glosses, eyeliner, eyeshadow. OH--and I forgot to mention the best part--EVERYTHING IS $1!!! No joke. It's not too good to be true. The products are great. Trust me on this one. If you can't find the line in your local drugstore, you can order online like I did. I ordered 3 glosses, a black eyeliner (comes w/ a sharpener too), and an eyeshadow quattro. Everything including shipping came to UNDER $10.

VB Rocks

Victoria Beckham, the former Spice Girl called "Posh" for her sophisticated persona and sense of style, is now passing her keen sense of fashion onto the world as a designer.

The British wife of superstar soccer player David Beckham will reportedly launch a new denim line called "VB Rocks" in Japan later this month. "I'm using my brain for the first time in a long time," she told The New York Post. "I'm doing what I love and know something about." The collection of jeans is also scheduled to hit the United States in a couple of weeks, during Fashion Week in Los Angeles.

--Using your brain for the first time in a long time? What? Being a Spice Girl wasn't intellecutally stimulating? That just shocks me.

--I'm also not sure what I think of the new blonde locks.

Beware

There are going to be a lot more lawyers in Indiana today. At 10 a.m., we all get sworn in--and then, we're official. I believe we even get our attorney numbers today. After what has seemed like an endless amount of hoops to jump through, I'm finally starting to see the end.

Ahhh, to be a member of the most loathed profession on the planet. :)

Pudding Strike

Man vows to eat only pudding until he can watch football in the Virgin Islands.

Read all about it here.

Do my buddies at Gamblin' and Ramblin' care to wager how long this will last? He's at 32 days thus far...

Mirror, mirror on the wall...

...who's the vainest of them all? Mary-Kate and Ashley!

From the Daily News: What's the one thing missing from NYU freshmen Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's fabulous new 5,725-square-foot, $7 million Morton Square apartment?

According to a Lowdown spy, the pint-size twins have asked an interior decorator to find and install "skinny mirrors" designed to shave off pounds from their already gaunt frames.

Quipped the spy: "If they appeared any skinnier, they would be invisible to the naked eye."

Friday Trivia

He's the voice of the "priceless" MasterCard commercials.

Be fair and don't look it up--it will be more fun to see people's guesses. I was SO wrong!

Voting Incentive

Here's a way to get men to vote:

Ukrainian voters are being offered a free striptease in a bid to win their votes for a presidential candidate.

Campaigners for current Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich organized the free striptease shows in the Santa Fe bar in Donetsk hoping they could get people to re-elect their man, local media reported.

One organizer said: "We hope the voters will remember who gave them this show for free when they go to the ballot box."

Sexual Healing

Who's gettin' some?

The French have topped a survey as being the people who have sex the most. A survey found the French have sex 137 times during one year.

Condom Company Durex has released the result of its latest world sex survey, Las Ultimas Noticias reports. The survey interviewed 350 thousand people in 41 different countries across the globe.

The Japanese got last place in the survey as they have sex in average 46 times during a year.

In Latin America Brazil got first place having sex 96 times in 365 days.

The British won the title for being the people who take longer getting warmed up for sex, 25 minutes in average.

The survey has also revealed that all over the world people have an average of 10.5 partners throughout life.

More Hilton Drama

And in the dysfunctional life of the Hiltons:

Newlywed heiress Nicky Hilton has reportedly split from husband Todd Meister after their quickie Vegas nuptials two months ago. The duo is working on an annulment, per Us Weekly. (Shocker).

Meanwhile, Paris Hilton has popped up in a third homemade porn video, according to London tabloid The News of the World, which claims to have footage of Hilton romping with "the daughter of a world famous pop star" and having sex with two men at the same time. (Shocker again).

Ralph Rises Again

Karate Kid star Ralph Macchio set to play himself in upcoming Fox comedy, The Ralph Show, according to Daily Variety. The show will explore the "humorous and vaguely humiliating aspect of celebrity," according to executive producer Todd Holland.

--I still think his best role was in The Outsiders.

She's so traditional

Britney Spears wants to change her name to Federline, but fears the move will upset her fans.

The "Toxic" singer - whose September 18 marriage to dancer Kevin Federline was made official last week - is keen to show her devotion to her new husband by taking his surname, and is determined to defy the objections of devotees. She told the German magazine Bunte, "I probably will, Britney Federline, I like that. Society probably won't allow me but I would like to change it."

--Society won't let her? Last time I checked she can do (and has done) whatever the hell she wants. Maybe she knows it will be too much paperwork to change it back in 6 weeks when this relationship implodes.

Lake's ashes

For years after the legendary screen siren's death, it was believed that Veronical Lake's remains had been scattered off the coast of Florida by her friends.

However, for mysterious reasons, it seems some or all of her ashes never made it to their intended destination. Instead, they were reportedly passed among friends and acquaintances and eventually ended up at a small antique shop in upstate New York. Now, the vintage store in the Catskills plans to honor the blonde bombshell with a look-a-like contest this weekend. After the tribute, the current owner of the ashes may reportedly try to sell them.

--I think I'd like to be cremated, but I guess now I need to put something in my will indicating what I'd like done with them. I don't want to end up somewhere random like that! On an unrealted note, didn't Kim Basinger play a Veronica Lake look-alike in LA Confidential?

Prince Video Controversy

The video for Prince's new song "Cinnamon Girl" is causing quite a stir before it's even been released, as it follows the hardships of a teen Arab-American girl in a post 9-11 America.

The clip, directed by video veteran Phil Harder, features Oscar-nominated Whale Rider star Keisha Castle-Hughes as an Arab-American girl who is fed up with the anti-Arab sentiments she encounters in everyday life. Disillusioned and angered, New Zealander Castle-Hughes' character detonates a bomb in an airport terminal, exploding herself and others. But a reverse motion immediately following the explosion reveals that it is only a thought of hers.

Prince, who only appears in the video intermittently, sings, "Cinnamon girl mixed heritage / Never knew the meaning of color lines / 9-11 turned that all around / When she got accused of this crime.

--Uh, not sure about this one. Not sure I think Prince has enough artistic integrity to do this the right way. Not sure I even see a real point to it, actually. I'll have to see the finished product.

Real World Birthday

Birthday update:

My first birthday as a real worlder in the working arena was a big eye opener: I got stuck in a hearing that lasted from 3 p.m. until (brace yourselves) 1 a.m. No dinner breaks, no nothing. I missed meeting my friends and family for drinks and dinner completely, but they partied without me!

I'd like to go back to being a kid now please. :)

JenMag

Bet you didn't know that there is an online magazine for LDS (Mormon) teens and young adults called Jen. You'll see that it claims to be a young person's alternative for Modest Clothing, Good Movies and Music, Positive Media, and the Latter-Day Saint Lifestyle.

--Um. Ok. Not sure what I think about this. What's wrong with YM or Teen? Part of life is being exposed to peer pressures, but standing up to them.

Martha says...

..."jail is a blast!"

Martha Stewart reportedly spent her third day in prison playing scrabble and charming her fellow inmates.

The lifestyle guru, who begun her five-month term at Alderson, West Virginia's federal prison camp on Friday, is "having a really good time" befriending other prisoners and enjoying visits from her daughter Alexis. A source says of Stewart's guests Alexis and an unnamed male, "They were having a really good time. Martha went outside and sat on the swing. She was swinging and they were sitting right next to her on a bench."

--Hysterical.

Big Day

It's kind of a big day for the Mills family.

1) I'm the big 2-6 today. Older, definitely not wiser. :)

2) My parents are moving from here, where we moved when I was 2 1/2, back to where they grew up here in Indianapolis. They're technically going to be here for 4 weeks, then move to their new home here.

We're all so sad (especially me) to be leaving such wonderful people in Vincennes, but we know we'll see them all a lot. It's only a 2 1/2 hour drive, and many of my parents' friends have already planned weekend trips to come stay with them. I know I'll go back often around the holidays to see old friends.

Here's a toast (of coffee, at this hour--I'm not celebrating the bday THIS early!) to this new phase of my parents' lives. It will be great to have them close.

The Bunny is Back

The Palms Casino Resort is building a two-story suite, named the Hugh Hefner Sky Villa, on top of a 40-story tower currently under construction. The Hef villa will have its own glass elevator overlooking the Strip, an indoor and outdoor pool and a facade that will feature a giant illuminated Playboy rabbit head.

Once again, waitresses will wear fluffy tails and pointy ears.

Scheduled to open in early 2006, the tower will also include a boutique casino and a retail store to hawk Playboy's vast collection of mugs, calendars, cocktail shakers and other logo merchandise.

New Hollywood Couple

Zach Braff and Mandy Moore are young Hollywood's new "It" couple. Sources close to the pair say they've been quietly dating for several weeks, even hitting Hollywood hot spots like Spider Club.

Braff, 29, who's currently filming his hit TV series "Scrubs" and working on the animated movie "Chicken Little," split from longtime girlfriend, "NYPD Blue" actress Bonnie Summerville over the summer. Braff and Natalie Portman were linked after starring together in "Garden State," Braff's writing and directing debut, but friends denied they were ever together. Meanwhile, Moore, 20, famously dated tennis ace Andy Roddick until last March.

--I think they are both really talented and cute. I hope it works out!

--P.S. Check out Zach's blog.

Good to be in DC

Jib Jab has a new parody out. Click here and then click on the link in the upper-right-hand corner of the screen to watch "Good to be in DC."

--It's just as good as their "This Land is Your Land" parody.

Hat tip: Queen of all Evil.

RIP

SuperSad.

Friday Fun Quiz

Stolen from Hunny Hive

Cher--Nude at 60

Posing for a nude pictorial isn't the way most women plan to spend their 60th birthdays, but Cher isn't like most women. In Touch Magazine reports that the leggy icon, who turns 60 in May 2006, will strip it all off in Hawaiian for a steamy photo shoot to appear in a men's magazine.

A tattler explains, "She looks amazing and wants to capture her physical beauty on film."

--You know, I say "You go, Cher." I think she's amazing. She has a great voice, is an even better actress, and has stood the test of time. I don't really want to see her naked, but I'd love to see her in concert. (Plus, I saw enough in the "If I Could Turn Back Time" video.

From Baywatch to Spongebob

Because I know you were all DYING to know what's going on with David Hasselhoff:

David Hasselhoff's role in The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, due Nov. 19, has the former Baywatch and Knight Rider TV star stoked.

Hasselhoff, 52, is the hero who saves SpongeBob and sidekick Patrick after they get landlocked upon leaving their Bikini Bottom home. "I'm the king of the lifeguards. No one else could play the greatest lifeguard in the world," he laughs.

--Milk that role for all it's worth. How's that album coming, David?

Shawshank on DVD

With its unwieldy name and some high-profile competition from the likes of "Pulp Fiction" and "Forrest Gump," "The Shawshank Redemption" kind of got lost in the shuffle in 1994.

But like "It's a Wonderful Life," the film found new life after its original theatrical run. Although the prison drama underachieved at the box office, it found its own "redemption" on home video, fueled by critical acclaim and positive word of mouth.

For its 10th anniversary, Darabont has spearheaded a bonus feature-laden special edition DVD (which came out Tuesday) and a limited theatrical re-release.

--I can't believe it's been 10 years! I'm going to have to get this new DVD!

Miami Vice Movie

Oh please say it isn't so:

Latino Review spoke with Jamie Foxx while he was doing press for his forthcoming release, Ray. The site asked Foxx about the rumors that he'll be playing Detective Ricardo "Rico" Tubbs in Universal's Miami Vice feature film.

"Yeah man, it's happening," Foxx confirmed.

Can you say, "OUCH?"

Sign it's time to buy a new mattress:

Shelly Neale was rescued by firemen after her buttock got impaled on a bed spring.

The mom, 24, spent three hours in agony after the six-inch coil speared her as she wriggled to get comfy. Her son Ewen, three, heard her cries in the night — but took an HOUR to find her mobile phone. She discovered the battery was flat and he then had to hunt for a charger.

Shelly finally summoned her dad Stephen, 15 miles away. But the spring had twisted through her left cheek and out again. He called the fire department. Shelly said: “I only had my white nightie on and it was a bit embarrassing. I just had to grin and bear it.”

For a Good Cause

Here's another buy that will not only benefit Breast Cancer Research (100% of the proceeds will go to the Foundation), but will make a statement! Wear it with your Lance bracelet!

The Sounds of Your Youth

What songs were popular when YOU were a senior in high school? Click here and find out!

Ahhh, 1997--Reflections of "Bitch," "Tubthumping," "No Diggity," "Barbie Girl," and "I Believe I Can Fly."

Stars and their majors

Here's an article highlighting famous people and their majors. Some of them may surprise you.

Some highlights:
James Gandolfini, Emmy award-winning actor, majored in communications at Rutgers.

Richard Gephardt, politician and former Presidential hopeful, earned a degree in speech from Northwestern University.

Hugh Hefner, founder of Playboy magazine, majored in philosophy at the University of Illinois.

Lee Iacocca, former head of Chrysler Motor Company, studied history at Lehigh University.

Mick Jagger, lead singer for the Rolling Stones, majored in economics at the London School of Economics.

Ashton Kutcher, actor, majored in biochemical engineering at the University of Iowa.

Lucy Liu, actress, studied Asian Languages at the University of Michigan.

Sandra Day O'Connor, Supreme Court Justice, majored in economics at Stanford.

Brad Pitt, actor and heartthrob, was two credits shy of a journalism degree from the University of Missouri.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California and actor, studied economics at the University of Wisconsin.

Denzel Washington, Oscar-winning actor, has a degree in journalism from Fordham University.

Gambling Movies

MSNBC has an article listing the Top 10 Movies about Gambling.

I think they totally missed the boat. I'll give them Bugsy and The Grifters. But where the hell was Casino, Ocean's 11, and Swingers? (Granted, Swingers isn't really about gambling, but how can you omit a movie that has the line, "Vegas, baby, Vegas"?

--Your thoughts?

Auction

The underwear worn by Britney Spears on her wedding day is being auctioned on website ebay.

The lacey white shorts and white bra were taken by a catering assistant at the singer's wedding in Los Angeles two weeks ago.

The seller claims to have a staff pass to prove identity reports The Sun.

Dozens of items from the wedding like invites, goody bags and a red rose are all up for auction on the website.

--Ahhh, doesn't their love make you all warm and fuzzy inside?

WTF?

In an effort to revive flattening sales and attract new drinkers, Anheuser-Busch Co. Inc. is unveiling a new concoction — a fruity-smelling beer, spiked with caffeine, guarana and ginseng.

The world's largest brewer said Monday its planned offering — pronounced B-to-the-E, with the "E" denoting something "extra" and shown as an exponent of B — should appeal to 20-something consumers looking for something zippy in their highly social, fast-paced lifestyles.

--WTF?? This is just SO wrong. Be to the E? Are you kidding me? If I ever hear a guy I know order a B to the E, they are getting smacked.

Material Bashing

Elton John and Madonna: Two people who it seems are NOT BFF

British pop veteran Elton John took a foul-mouthed swipe at Madonna on Monday, saying she cheated her fans by miming on stage. John launched into a rant when he heard the Material Girl had been nominated for Best Live Act.

"Anyone who lip-synchs in public on stage when you pay 75 pounds ($134) to see them should be shot," John said in reference to ticket prices for Madonna's Reinvention tour.

"Madonna, best f---ing live act? F--- off," said the singer renowned as much for his outrageous outbursts as he is for his outlandish outfits.

"Since when has lip-synching been live?" he asked. He ended his outburst by saying: "That's me off her f---ing Christmas card list but do I give a toss? No."

--I have to say I agree. I'm all for a good show and amazing dancing, and if artists have to mime the words every once in a while, I can handle that. BUT--this should be used EXTREMELY sparingly. Plus, having done much musical theater, I have little sympathy for artists who whine about how damn hard it is to sing and dance at the same time. Talk to a Broadway musical actor--they do it ALL the time. It CAN be done, and done well. Deal with it.

Shatner Sings

William Shatner's new album comes out today. He got Ben Folds, Aimee Mann, Henry Rollins, etc. to lend a hand.

--Wow. A new album and a new show (Boston Legal). Who knew a Star Trek actor's career would actually live after Star Trek?

--P.S. Hope Shat's album doesn't make us shat. (Sorry, Chuck--I couldn't resist.)

They Say It's Your Birthday!

Happy Birthday MOM!!!

I hope I look as good as you do and have as much fun as you do when I have an almost 26-year-old kid!

(Notice I didn't say, "when I'm your age." That makes it sound like you're ancient, so I refrained!)

RIP

Janet Leigh, the wholesome beauty who co-starred with James Stewart, John Wayne and Frank Sinatra in films of the 1940s to 1960s died Sunday at her Beverly Hills, Calif., home, the New York Daily News reported on its Web site Monday. She was 77.

The actress' daughters, Kelly Curtis and actress Jamie Lee Curtis were at their mother's side when she died, Jamie Lee Curtis' spokeswoman, Heidi Schaeffer, told the newspaper. Leigh had suffered in recent months from vasculitis, an inflammation of the blood vessels, the Daily News said.

Leigh gained her most lasting fame in 1960's "Psycho" as the embezzling office worker who is stabbed to death in the shower by cross-dressing madman Anthony Perkins. The role earned her an Oscar nomination as best supporting actress.

Hitchcock compiled the shower sequence in 70-odd takes of two and three seconds each, for which Leigh spent seven days in the shower. Rumors circulated that she was nude, but she wore a flesh-colored moleskin.

Leigh wrote in her 1995 book "Psycho: Behind the Scenes in the Classic Thriller" that the filming was easy until the last 20 seconds when she had to express total horror as her character was being slashed to death. She often said she hadn't been able to take a shower since the movie.

--She was amazing. While I can't say I'm too familiar with her other works, her association with "Psycho" made her an icon. She played that role perfectly.

She's Back?

Whitney Houston is making her singing comeback after almost "throwing it all away" with her addiction to drugs. The ballad singer, 40, is sober after her stint in a rehab clinic in March following several years of non-stop partying with husband Bobby Brown, which saw police being called to their home following a series of domestic bust-ups.

Houston explains, "I've emerged from a long, long fog. I'm clean, I'm sober, I feel reborn and I'm loving life. I came so close to throwing it all away. Now I cherish every second of the day. I have rededicated my life to my family and my career and I am happier now than I can ever remember being. These past three years have been a very long period. I thank God we have emerged back into the light."

--Oh we're so glad, Whit.

Great Parenting

Red Hot Chili Peppers' frontman Anthony Kiedis says he lost his virginity when he was 12 - to his father's girlfriend.

Kiedis reveals in a new autobiography that his father, a one time Hollywood cocaine dealer called Blackie Dammet, was always bringing home new girlfriends.

The singer's ghostwriter, Larry 'Ratso' Sloman, told the New York Post: "His girlfriends were always young, hot girls.

"One night, when Anthony was 12, he went with his father to the Rainbow Room and Blackie's girlfriend is there dancing for him.

"And Anthony asks: "Dad, can I have my first sexual experience with your girlfriend?" And Blackie says: "Sure, son!"

--Lovely.

Broadway Update

Revolution Studios will finance the movie version of Broadway's Tony Award-winning Rent , Variety reported.

The former Warner Bros. project is being written and directed by Chris Columbus, drawing on the Pulitzer Prize winning book, music and lyrics of the late Jonathan Larson. The 1996 musical continues at the Nederlander Theatre in New York City.

Variety reported Stephen Chbosky will share script credit with Columbus, and that production will commence in spring 2005 for a late 2005 release. No casting has been announced.

"Rent," the movie, will be produced by Tribeca's Jane Rosenthal and Robert De Niro, Columbus and his 1492 partner Michael Barnathan, and Mark Radcliffe, the trade reported.

Boobiethon

For a good cause: The Third Annual Blogger Boobie-thon

Find a cure or bust!

Jack hits the big screen

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the actor who plays "Will & Grace"'s beloved character Jack is set to play the lead in an upcoming comedy feature called Simon Says.

The award-winning Hayes will take on the role of a teacher, who tries to tame some pretty testy pupils. The movie will reportedly film during the hiatus for his NBC show.

Spaceballs

May the Schwartz be with you:

Mel Brooks has begun working on the script for a sequel to his 1987 cult Star Wars send-up Spaceballs. Brooks is rushing production on the pic to coincide with the release date of George Lucas' final prequel installment, Revenge of the Sith.

Spoiled!

Hate having to watch a movie to find out what happens at the end? Find your spoilers here, at MoviePooper.

Strangers on my flight

Click here for Ole' Blue Eyes' response to heightened security on flights.

Madonna going studious?

School days for the "Material Girl?"

Pop queen Madonna is so frustrated she sacrificed her education for pop music - she's allegedly enrolled at Britain's prestigious Oxford University for a degree in English Literature.

The Material Girl rekindled her love of books after writing popular children's series The English Roses, and is looking forward to studying for a Bachelor of Arts qualification from home, with the celebrated institution which counts four British Kings, 47 Nobel prize-winners, 25 British Prime Ministers and six saints as past students.

An insider tells Britain's The Sun newspaper, "Madonna was always irritated about giving up her schooling when her career took off. She is fiercely intelligent and incredibly well read and has always taken a keen interest in literature. She is determined to get a qualification. She sets herself new challenges all the time and the Oxford University course is her latest. It's an illustrious place to study and she was delighted to be accepted and will make the most of the opportunity."

Oops

Administrators of a tony prep school near Washington, D.C., were embarrassed to reveal last month that pupils had been served drinks — real, grown-up drinks.

It turns out that following a party for staff, faculty and trustees at the Alexandria, Va., school, a pitcher of leftover margarita mix had been placed in a cafeteria refrigerator.

Two days later, cafeteria workers thought it was limeade, and poured it out into small cups for children to drink.

--Ha! Kids and tequila--what a combo!