His publicist has announced that Swayze died peacefully with his family at his side. Swayze was diagnosed with the particularly virulent form of cancer in March 2008, and doctors originally gave him little time. Swayze survived 20 months, even filming 13 episodes of the A&E original series “The Beast” in 2009.

People magazine reported when Swayze was diagnosed his wife, Lisa Niemi, a licensed pilot, would fly him from Los Angeles to northern California for treatments.

There is no word about a possible public service for the actor. He leaves his wife of 30 years and his mother.

By the way: Grammatical and style errors were corrected in this version of the story

We don’t much care about this story, but the real story here is Emma’s smart and candid response to a wardrobe malfunction that left her designer dress opened at the middle, giving fans and photogs a legs and undies glimpse of the 19-year-old star.

She appeared on “The Late Show” last night. She blushed when David Letterman asked about it, but she smiled and replied smartly.

“This was a small wardrobe malfunction that happens,” she said. “At least I’m wearing underwear.”

She was clearly embarrassed, saying she’s “still learning.”

We disagree. We think Watson’s learned plenty. (A) She WAS wearing underwear. (B) She DIDN’T do it on purpose. (C) She responded to it on national television.

Smart girl. There’s a corps of American female celebrities that could learn a thing or two from Miss Watson.

But still … nice legs.

But if one Australian celebrity tabloid has it right — and we know how spot-on these tabs usually are — not only did Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson get it on, but she’s pregnant with his child.

The New York Daily News reported that an “insider” quoted by Australia’s New Weekly said that Stewart was, uh, late, and “she obviously started to thinking that she could be pregnant. And because of the timing, she thinks Rob could be the father.” The tabloid also reported that Stewart had a friend buy her a home pregnancy test.

The magazine also reported that Stewart is getting hate mail from fans because she has an “official” boyfriend named Michael Angarano.

It is important to note that neither Stewart, nor Pattison, nor any of their spokespeople have ever gone on the record, at any time, ever, to say that the two are romantic with each other.

Also, there is no evidence that anything in this story is true. But you can’t get enough, can you?

On the afternoon of June 25, music icon Michael Jackson’s heart suddenly stopped at his Hollywood home. Paramedics and doctors could not revive him. The media competition began. Gossip website TMZ.com reported it first, and soon ABC and NBC were quoting the celebrity gossip site as if it were CNN or BBC —  as if it were a colleague. CNN confirmed it last, but the news was true all the same. The King of Pop was gone forever. Michael Joseph Jackson, age 50.

Fans responded quickly.

A swarm gathered at UCLA Medical Center with pictures of his face and shirts with his name.

As news of his death sent shock waves the world still mourned the passing of Farrah Fawcett, who lost her battle with cancer, and Ed McMahon, whose combination of medical illnesses took his life several days ago. Three icons in a matter of less than a week, and in its wake the public still grapples to cope with it. Yet it was Mr. Jackson’s death which proved to overwhelm the public.

Jackson once revealed in a televised interview that the most honest song he has ever written, the song he feels people should examine when it comes to him, is “Childhood” from the album HIStory. The first verse of the song reveals a poignant fact, “no one understands me.”

And in the aftermath of his sudden death, questions still abound in attempts to understand how this King of Pop, the artist who enamored fans with his dancing and music, could have fallen from grace so tragically.

Although we may never know the truth to the molestation charges pressed against him, the scandal was detrimental enough and made a lasting impression. Mr. Jackson lost credibility among many fans and friends as his antics grew increasingly questionable — from wearing pajamas while on trial or jumping on the roof of his car before onlookers outside the courthouse.

What does remain is a prolific body of work which has inspired generations of musicians, artists and actors.

The beginnings of Michael Jackson, as one of seven musically gifted children, hail from Gary, Indiana. At age five, Mr. Jackson began to reveal his flair for singing during school recitals and eventually became a part of his father’s dream team later known as The Jackson 5. Michael quickly became the most adored brother, captivating audiences as the years went by and fame grew quickly.

After a momentous meeting with legends Barry Gordy, Smokey Robinson, and Diana Ross, it appeared that Mr. Jackson and his brothers were on their way to being stars with hits like “ABC,” “I Want You Back” and “I’ll Be There.”

The price of fame eventually came at a cost. Unlike most children his age, Mr. Jackson’s catapult toward the limelight cheated him from normal childhood experiences — a factor that would become a recurring theme in his music and life.

Where most child stars fall into the shadows of entertainment history, Mr. Jackson developed into a man and flourished. And it appeared, with the success of his solo project “Off the Wall,” that he might do well after all, but no one could have predicted what would happen in 1982.

Thriller, a compilation of songs that fused his R&B roots with rock and pop, forever bridged the gap between rock and soul. The diverse tracks and addictive melodies pushed the album to record heights. It remains the top selling album of all time. Added to the appeal of his music was the timing of another trend: MTV. Jackson saw the potential in using music videos and was one of the first to use it heavily to promote his work. The apex of this phenomenon came with the featurette video of “Thriller,” an homage to classic horror films, in which Jackson incorporated his own style, music and choreography.

This also marked a period of Michael Jackson’s change in appearance. Mr. Jackson, who was rumored to have undergone excessive plastic surgery, suffered from a debilitating skin disorder called Vitiligo which causes one’s skin pigmentation to become patchy in appearance. This would be the first in a string of social dissections of his eccentricities. Even though his life was often plagued by public scrutiny, the popularity of his music throughout the course of the 80s never faltered, as legions of fans copied his moves and style as “The Gloved One.”

In the end, while most people permanently decided to love, admire, or loathe Michael Jackson, it was the media that truly had the mood swings. There’s no doubt he was often the center of attention by tabloids and the press — a fickle beast that one moment adored him and the next shut him down.

But the boy from Indiana, whose humble beginnings rooted in a band of brothers, who captivated the world in the 1960s, is gone. And the performer who showed us how to moonwalk, dance the Thriller, and ask the tender question, “Who’s Lovin’ You?” is long gone. And so, too, is the eccentric, increasingly insular celebrity. The legend of Michael Jackson will never be forgotten.

John M. Guilfoil and Brooklynne Peters of the Blast staff and Blast correspondent Ashley Dean contributed to this report.

In the future, video games have evolved: Only the best can be gamers, and they control the movements of Death Row prisoners in a real life battle. If the gamer wins, the prisoner gets his freedom. If he loses… game over.

And in the middle of this gaming dystopia is actress Mimi Michaels, playing the champion gamer’s biggest fan. Blast got to chat with the actress about her new movie, which comes to the silver screen in September.

BLAST: “Gamer” is a futuristic thriller about real people used as video game characters. What can you tell us about the movie?

M: It’s a future world where humans are in control of other humans who are on Death Row. They play them, and it’s really cool. I just recently saw a trailer for it and it looks amazing, and Gerard Butler is phenomenal in it. I think people are really going to love this movie. My character is a big fan of one of the best players, who is this kid who plays Butler’s character. I’m a very quirky, silly girl. She’s supposed to be stoned. I’m known as “Cute Stoned Girl.” She’s just out in the ether and says some silly things to this kid.

B: You mentioned Gerard Butler. Did you have any scenes with him?

M: Not in this one, but I worked with him on another film, “The Ugly Truth,” and I got to work with him on that one, so it was nice that I finally got to have a scene with him.

B: Was he a nice guy?

M: Oh, he’s a class act. He was so sweet. In the scene we did, there were a lot of extras, and it is always nice to see when one of these big, A-list actors is so kind to everyone. He talks to everyone, so thoughtful and warm, and it’s just nice to see him so down-to-earth like that.

B: Do you think real video gamers will enjoy the movie?

M: Oh I do. It’s just a really cool concept that we’re playing people — they have microchips in them, I think that’s how it’s done. I think that for people who are into video games, this will be a great movie to see.

B: Are you a gamer?

MI think I am now! Actually, yesterday I played Wii.

B: What did you play?

M: I was at this charity event and there were a bunch of kids playing Wii, so I said, I’m just going to play with them! So we played bowling and tennis, and I was just terrible. The kids were just beating me left and right, but at least I tried!

B: Trying counts! So, besides video games, what do you do with your free time?

M: I like to bike around LA a lot, as much as I can. Actually as soon as we’re done here I’m going to go for a hike with a girlfriend of mine. I like reading, but on my off time I go back to school and take classes at USC. I love learning new things and taking classes.

B: Are you on Twitter?

M: I’m not. I’m not on Twitter, not on Facebook. I still haven’t succumbed to any of those. I know if I signed up for it I would just be on my computer all the time.

B: It’s addictive. We’re almost out of time. I can’t wait to see “Gamer.” But one last question: What’s next for you?

M: I’ve worked on a couple of web series, one which is called “House of Heather.” I’m really looking forward to this one. It’s a parody of “The Hills.” It pokes fun at that show, and it’s really funny and cute and I think they’re going to be possibly looking for a place for it on television. So look out for that because it’s really cute.

Check out “Gamer” in theaters on September 4.

McMahon has survived decades in an industry that eats its own young. Yet it is no surprise that the Detroit born and Massachusetts raised entertainer made it far. The star not only had a unique ability to charm audiences on television with his humor, but his down to earth demeanor made him likable. Mr. McMahon’s appeal is definitive of an era driven less by sensationalism and more by wholesome images; a fantasy, untarnished by scandal.

He earned loyal friendships like that of Johnny Carson. At the end of the day with his famous pearly white smile, he never resorted to pretentiousness or snobbery — a stark contrast to the current trend where twittering and blog posts of hate toward celebrities and their bad behavior are all the rage. Mr. McMahon has lived scandal-free as a consummate television personality for decades.

For decades, Mr. McMahon entered homes late at night with the famous words “Heeeeeeeere’s Johnny!” the catch phrase announcement for his long-time friend Johnny Carson on “The Tonight Show.” The duo was not only an iconic fixture of television, but their rapport and sketches set the standard for late night television. Children of the 80s will also remember him fondly as the host of “Star Search,” in which a legion of current pop stars like Christina Aguilera and Usher made their debut.

It seemed Mr. McMahon’s name would always be associated with the industry of dreams. In recent news, he fell on hard times with the pending foreclosure of his estate after a serious injury. Fortunately, an undisclosed benefactor stepped into to help him.

Mr. McMahon had this to say about success: “Honesty is the single most important factor in having a direct bearing on the final success of an individual, corporation, or product.” And there is no greater proof as viewers all over still remember him as an honest, wholesome entertainer.

On Twitter and social networks, where celebrities are vilified and ridiculed, news of his death remains a top trending topic. And, fitting for his career, television stations all over memorialized him after his death.

In the end, Mr. McMahon was the good, honest guy whose persona was rooted in a warm smile and those infamous large-framed glasses. He will be much missed, and most certainly unforgotten.

Farewell, Ed McMahon. The stage you take tonight is among the best and most exclusive one; for it is one reserved for icons.

In February, the former pair were no-shows at the Grammys and it quickly got out that not only had Brown been arrested for assault, but that Rihanna was badly injured. Since then, there has been no concrete evidence that Brown beat Rihanna. The couple even reunited briefly, much to the shock of fans. However, the circumstances make it very hard to believe the incidents were unrelated.

MTV.com said the 21-year-old singer was served with the subpoena on Tuesday, and on Wednesday, Brown tried to have the hearing delayed. He was unsuccessful, and is pleading not guilty to felony assault charges.

Based on this hearing, a judge will decide whether there is sufficient evidence to proceed with the trial, which a legal expert told MTV.com would be 30 to 90 days later.

Donald Etra, Rihanna’s lawyer, told People.com that “If the preliminary hearing indeed goes forward, she is now legally required to be there, she will be there, and will answer all questions truthfully.”

Of course, the hearing could end at any time with a plea bargain, but if Brown is convicted, he faces up to four years and eight months in a state prison.

Conviction or not, the incident and speculation have already done serious damage to Brown’s wholesome image. His former fans, especially young girls, have denounced him and rallied around Rihanna. Her testimony will most likely seal his fate.

The world of martial arts entertainment lost one of its most important and influential stars today as David Carradine was found dead in a hotel room in Thailand on June 4 at the age of 72. He was in Thailand shooting his new movie “Stretch” when he was found in his room dead of an apparent suicide.

Carridine was most know for his role as Kwai Chang Caine in the genre-breaking Kung Fu/Western television show “Kung Fu.” It was there that the term “Grasshopper” became synonymous with the martial arts and Carradine’s career was forged.

From there Carradine led a very successful acting career, becoming a four time Golden Globe nominee. Though known best for his roles as kung fu masters, Carradine was a multi-talented man, working with such greats as director Martin Scorsese and Robert Altman. He also became famous for portraying such great American icons as Woody Guthrie in the 1976 movie “Bound for Glory.”

Carradine was also not above playing humorous roles. From the self parodies of his famous Kwai Chang role appearing in everything from Lipton Iced Tea commercials to Jonas Brothers’ music videos, to his voice acting in several cartoons, including Nickelodeon’s “Danny Phantom” and “King of the Hill,” Carradine was noted for his sense of humor as well as his action star fame.

In his final years, Carradine never stopped making movies. In fact, he seemed to average almost a dozen a year since the turn of the century. Most famously he appeared as Bill, the ladies man leader of the Deadly Viper Assassin Squad, in the Quentin Tarantino classics “Kill Bill Volumes I and II.” He also appeared as the host of the TV series “Wild West Tech” on the History Channel, a show that went over everything about old west technology from faster six shooters to failed cures for dysentery.

Carradine was a known supporter of small budget films, appearing in many direct to DVD action titles. He was once quoted as saying, “Independent movies are just loaded with an enthusiasm that you usually don’t find in a big feature.” In 2005 he was honored for his list of over 200 roles when he was awarded the Action on Film International Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Award.

The last movie released featuring Carradine was titled “Break,” an assassin thriller in which Carradine appeared along side his long time acting partner and friend Michel Madsen. Madsen, who had appeared with Carradine previously in both “Kill Bill” and “Money to Burn,” was known to be extremely close to Carradine, so much so that Carradine’s marriage to his wife occurred on Madsen’s Malibu estate.

What is lost in the death of David Carradine is not just an icon of the kung fu genre. What is lost is a truly enjoyable man to see in any form of media. He may not have been considered an A-lister by the standard definition, but you’d be hard pressed to find anyone who in the very least didn’t recognize his face and smile when he came on screen. He was a pioneer of his genre, a man of good humor, and will certainly be missed by all who knew his work.

Let’s get this out of the way right now: Eliza Dushku is so cool. She gives a firm handshake. She talks to everyone around her, even the burly security guard. And she gets really into watching people play her game.

Anyways, on with the beans we got her to spill.

BLAST: Is this your first video game?

ELIZA DUSHKU: No. I was in Buffy and and then the Yakuza game.

BLAST: What do you think of Wet so far?

ED: I’m into it, and I have a friend that came down to test out the game. He’s 14. His name is Kyle. He says it’s really good and I trust him.

BLAST: Is there a big difference between doing a video game voiceover and a movie voiceover and then just plain acting?

ED: Um. It depends. It’s just a whole different — it’s you, but it’s not. It’s kind of like for this video game I didn’t do all the body muscle stuff. I knew she already sort of had a rhythm, and I felt in a way more like I was getting into her established character and trying to find the right fit, you know what I mean, to give her.

I actually decided that I should smoke a few cigarettes each time we did it. My friend was like “your voice is so low,” and I was like “yeah that’s the cigarettes.” I quit smoking, but I was like “eh, it’s for work.”

BLAST: Have you had a chance to play through Wet and see yourself in action?

ED: Just a little bit. It’s awesome and I love, you know, that Tarantino, “Kill Bill” look to it — the whole 70s, grainy, the music. I think it’s really sexy. It’s sexy and it’s exciting and she’s a real working class Lara Croft, Jack Daniels-confident, tough, hard as nails, she’s international. She’s in Hong Hong and the UK, and she’s going wherever she needs to go to take care of business.

BLAST: Actors oftentimes say they put a lot of themselves into their roles. Are you able to do that in a video game role?

ED: Yeah. Every time, you know, she’s crazy I got to get crazy and hit record. It was a great anger release.

BLAST: Do you see yourself doing more video game roles now that you’ve got this one done?

ED: I was sort of holding off after the first two and then this one came to me. I like the idea of seeing this one sort of go farther and go deeper. I definitely feel a real identification with [the character].

BLAST: Did you play video games growing up?

ED: Not as much as I wanted to, because I was a little sister. I liked Metroid, and I liked Mortal Kombat, and I liked the Mario Bros.

BLAST: I want to talk about Dollhouse a bit. What was the most challenging thing about season one?

ED: Well if you asked me like three weeks ago I’d say the Friday night time slot. Because, you know, it’s Friday night, the people weren’t necessarily showing up and seeing it on their TVs on a Friday night, but then when they woke up we were the most DVR’d show in history or something.

I started realizing how many people were watching. Now it’s just kind of gravy that we get to go back and do anther season. We don’t have to worry sort of about what the numbers coming in on Friday are. We’re reaching our audience, you know?

BLAST: Does your producer role change your relationship with Joss Whedon at all?

ED: Yes. We’re so serious. We’re so business oriented there’s no fun and games anymore. (laughs) Not even. I think I’m going to go back and bring them all pizza. He just texted me last night and said “we’re officially en fuego.”

BLAST: What’s been your favorite imprint so far?

ED: I had a lot of fun playing the assassin. I fought FBI agent Ballard in, what was it, (episode) six, “Man on the Steet.” That’s also the episode where the show really picked up and found its voice. That was like a high episode.

It’s also cool in the end, “Omega,” where I played like 38 personalities at once.

BLAST: Do you ever feel that the show is too risque?

ED: No. I have three older brothers, and they saw the whole dominatrix opener one day and were like “really sis? Really?” but, you know, it’s part of the “we give the people what they want” on the show, and they want that.

BLAST: What are you looking forward to in season two?

ED: I feel like we really found a groove toward the end of the season and we just have so many stories that we want to tell and so many places we want to go and now we just get that chance and now we just get to make the show we want to make.

BLAST: Is there someplace new you want to go with the show in season two?

ED: There’s a little bit less of the dumbed-down doll and a little more of this young woman now being able to figure out what she’s going to do.

BLAST: So you’re filming in Boston soon. Boston’s trying to become this like Hollywood East. Do you like filming at home with us becoming more of a hub of the entertainment industry?

ED: I love it. Boston’s my favorite place on earth.

Eliza said she’s filming a psychological drama in Boston with Ben Barnes based on what she called “a really beautiful script.”

She is also dating somebody. No, she didn’t say who, but the Boston Herald announced today it is ex-Celtic Rick Fox, and we’re pretty sure we caught a glimpse of him playing Wet before the interview.

She currently owns a Nintendo Wii and is addicted to BrickBreaker on her Blackberry.

Blast Magazine staff writer Kellen Rice contributed to this report.

Then, their “Twilight” trailer spoof, which was the lesser-known cousin of the Batman spoof, earned them a hearty 2,000,000 YouTube hits. In the seven months that have passed since then, Deering and the rest of the Evil Iguana crew have become enveloped by Twi-Hards, and earned themselves free front-row tickets from MTV to the MTV Movie Awards Sunday night.

Bailey “NoMoreMarbles” Gauthier, beloved “Twilight” YouTube personality and friends of Deering and EIP, received passes to be seat fillers at the Movie Awards from her contact at MTV. She was allowed to bring some “friends,” and chose to invite Deering and EIP members Joe Korbel and Tom Latvys. “Of course we weren’t going to say no to that,” Deering said.

Though the foursome were originally supposed to be seat fillers for the cast of “Twilight,” the company behind filling seats said it would be nearly impossible to guarantee those seats. MTV pulled a few more strings and got them seats at the front row of the pit, “10 feet from everyone,” Deering said.

They didn’t get to meet any of the cast — or make a swipe at Megan Fox’s behind like Deering had joked on his Facebook — but while they were in L.A. they did get a chance to talk to Christian Serratos who plays Angela in the “Twilight” films.

Deering, who is petitioning Summit to play the role of Riley in next year’s “Eclipse,” said he will get a chance to meet the cast of “Twilight” (sans Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson) July 4 at a Make-A-Wish fundraiser in Portland, Oreg. and during Twi-Con in Dallas July 30 to August 4.

When the “Twilight” YouTube spoof originally debuted, Deering and the EIP gang never had any plans to get involved in the Twilight fan culture, but he said he is glad things have changed.

“I’m loving it,” Deering said. “I didn’t think I was going to be a part of this Twilight universe thing, but making that spoof was one of the best ideas we had to do.”

Deering told Blast EIP will be making a 15 to 20 minute long “Twilight” scene they will debut at Twi-Con. He also said they are very strongly considering making a “New Moon” trailer spoof, but need some more scenes than the one minute trailer to make an adequately funny spoof. “We might as well,” he said.

Though EIP has never worked with or been approached by MTV before, they had the opportunity to make a video before the Movie Awards that MTV put on their Movies Blog site and MTV asked them to continue sending them their videos. Deering said he will be sending MTV the “Eclipse” YouTube petition video in the hopes MTV will get behind their campaign.

Blast previously reported on the “showdown” between “Twilight” screenwriter Melissa Rosenbaum’s choice for Riley — Channing Tatum — and fan pick Deering. Tatum was also at the MTV Movie Awards, and Deering said he was apparently sitting about 15 feet away from him.

“I said to Bailey, ‘Hold me back, I’m going to jump him,’” Deering told Blast with a laugh. “‘I’m going to challenge him to a dance off.’”

Deering said that originally his idea to play Riley in “Eclipse” was a just a joke.

“The fans we were talking to thought we were serious, and they started spreading the word around, and it just got bigger and bigger,” he said. “Now we’re going full force and trying to get into this movie.”

EIP got to meet up with T180, a Disney-owned studio that makes a lot of spoofs and parodies, while they were in LA. Turns out not only Blast, MTV and Twi-Hards have had their eyes on Evil Iguana, but Disney has as well. The people Deering, Korbel and Latvys spoke to said they had been planning on reaching out to EIP previous to the Movie Awards experience, and talked about making some spoofs together in the future.

Deering also shed some light for us on the Bruno/Eminem fiasco at the Movie Awards. “I personally think it was scripted because I went back and I watched it to hear everything and [Eminem] was miced the whole time,” Deering said. “I wouldn’t know why they would mic someone if it wasn’t. It was very chaotic in the actual awards ceremony when it happened.”

Korbel and Latvys both thought the incident was unscripted, Deering said.

Deering not-so-subtly implied in his post-Movie Awards blog for MTV that he would be interested in participating in more MTV events. With attention from big shots like MTV and Disney, it looks like Evil Iguana is ready to dominate more than just YouTube and “Twilight.”

Fans can check the guys out when they are featured at Twi-Con in Dallas July 30 through August 4. Keep an eye on Blast for up-to-date news on Evil Iguana Productions.

Multiple media reports, including Sky News, indicate the rising star appeared to commit suicide.

The young actress had 10 films to her name, including two in the works, and a television appearance. She debuted in 2001’s “Perfume.”

Gordon was lauded as talented with model good looks.

Though the “Fringe” roundtable interview with Jackson at New York Comic-Con didn’t leave much of an opportunity to get a question in edgewise about “Grey’s” versus “Fringe,” I got the opportunity to talk to Jackson before he was rushed off to the “Fringe” panel.

After informing him how, as enjoyable as Kevin McKidd is on the show, I couldn’t help but watch and think how much different (and better?) the show could have been with him on it, he wistfully responded with, “You know, the day we were supposed to start filming was the day the writer’s strike began.”

It is clear that Jackson is in his element on “Fringe.” If you watch our video clips from the interview, he is off at 100 miles a minute about the intricate nature of the science of the show.

Declaring that “The X-Files” was one of his favorite shows ever and comparing the hidden connections of “Fringe” to how Beastmaster’s third sword was the same as He-Man’s, (”Because it was,” he assured us) it is clear that a sci-fi show could be more up his alley than the adult, hospital version of “Dawson’s Creek.”

He did assure me he regretted not having the opportunity to work alongside Christina Oh – he was supposed to be her love interest in “Grey’s Anatomy” until filming was put on hold due to the strike and he eventually went to “Fringe” and McKidd replaced his character – and he would take any future project where he could work with her.

Maybe if Shonda Rhymes ever does make a second spin-off starring Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh’s “Grey’s Anatomy” character) she could give Jackson a call and have one of her characters live happily ever after. That is, if she doesn’t decide to make a spin-off where Izzie and George (if T.R. Knight gets the same send-off it looks like Katherine Heigl is being sent towards) hang out with Denny Duquette and Ellis Grey and ride unicorns across rainbows over rivers of chocolate joy. Both options seem entirely plausible at this point.

But what happens when those geeks just happen to be celebrities as well? The large majority of the actors, directors and producers who are being featured at NYCC are huge nerds themselves and undoubtedly would rather be watching through the exhibit hall than sitting up on a panel listening to people ask for autographs and spoilers.

There’s nothing more obvious than a pack of security guards wrapped around someone who is trying to be seen, so these two tried a different approach to roaming unnoticed through the artist gallery.

Meet Tony Stark, exhibitor for Marvel Entertainment, otherwise known to we lesser mortals as Seth Meyers, writer and star of Saturday Night Live. Alongside him is Bill Hader, also as an “exhibitor” with Marvel Entertainment.

Drink that milkshake!

Here’s an excerpt that ABC sent over:

MCFADDEN: Nominated for the Oscar again. Sixth time’s a charm, do you think?

WINSLET: I can honestly say, for a start, I’m  tremendously lucky that in my life I have received these nominations and got to play these extraordinary parts but I think this year more than any other year that I have been aware of it feels very, very special.

MCFADDEN: Do you expect you’re not going to pretend you don’t want it? That you do want to win this year?

WINSLET: Well, I said I’d like to at some point in my life.

SHE CONTINUED:   But now it would be a feeling for me if it were to happen at some point in my life on just personal satisfaction.  What an amazing feeling that would be for me to have been doing this for 15, 16 years and to now what it feels like to lose a great many times.  It would be nice to know what it feels like in that situation to win sometime.

MCFADDEN: Indeed, if you don’t win this year you’re going to get a distinction all of its own.  The most-nominated non-winner.

WINSLET: The most-nominated loser, which is what I’ve been hearing people saying.  Yes, no, I don’t really want to be the most-nominated loser…

MCFADDEN:  Did it hurt a little bit not to get nominated for “Revolutionary Road”?

WINSLET: I can’t say that — I am so genuinely happy that I have been nominated for “The Reader.” I really, really am.  I mean, it was a huge turning point for me, that film, because I — when I first read the script, you know, I really thought, oh, no, no, I can’t do this.  I mean, I really

don’t think I’ve got the stuff to do this.  I don’t have enough — I don’t have enough tools with which to play this part.

On her Golden Globe win:

MCFADDEN: We all know you were surprised by the second win. ..So when you got to the podium, unprepared we might say..

WINSLET: Completely unprepared. She continued: So you win some, you lose some.  I mean — the one thing that has surprised me about this thing of winning awards is that I  thought that people just reviewed the films.  I didn’t realize that they reviewed speeches, too.  I mean, I really didn’t know that.  Call me stupid but I had no idea.  I don’t tend to read reviews of things but  when people are reviewing a speech and being somewhat unkind about it,  well, what can you say, but no, I wasn’t prepared at all.  I really didn’t think I was going to win and I was genuinely overwhelmed…

On Her Role as a Nazi Prison Guard:

MCFADDEN:  How did you come to feel about her at the end of the day?

WINSLET:  I can’t say that I liked her, no.  But I can say that I understood her fully. ..I do think it is crucial as an actor to understand the role that you’re playing, really, and to empathize with them and the choices that they do or they don’t make.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

On Body Image:

WINSLET: I don’t know a single woman who doesn’t look at herself in the mirrorbefore she walks out, whether it’s for a date with her husband, boyfriend, girlfriend, whatever, red carpet event.. I don’t know a single woman who doesn’t stand up and check the tushie before she walks out the door and those women will go, uh.  You know?  Most do. I’ve decided I am going to start loving my backside, really just saying, yes.  Because I don’t know anyone who does that, you know?  And for my daughter I want to be able to say to her, I love this, I love this, look, my belly does this because I had you guys and this is what happens to breasts when you nurse two children.  Gravity and nature takes its toll and I don’t want to be batting her away, saying, no, no, no, no, no.  I don’t want to do that.  I want her to say, yeah, yeah, great.  No one ever did that for me.  Never.

(Courtesy of ABC News “Nightline”)

The full interview will air on “Nightline” Feb. 6 at 11:35 p.m. (ET/PT).

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Actor Benicio Del Toro (and his mad-scientist hair) appeared at the Kendall Square Cinemas over the weekend as part of a special screening of his new film, “Che.”

The “roadshow” screening, which was held here January 18 and 19, gave audiences a chance to see both parts of the film, and take part in a question-and-answer session with Del Toro. The actor discussed the making of the two-part epic, and about his role as Cuban revolutionary Ernesto “Che” Guevara.

“I was drawn to the story, the history, the people involved,” he said, “I think also being Latin American, having Latin American roots (Del Toro is Puerto Rican) made me think it was a story that should be brought to cinema.”

Directed by Steven Soderbergh, the film is broken up into two parts. The first is called “The Argentine,” and chronicles Guevara’s involvement in the Cuban Revolution of the 1950s, which overthrew the regime of Fulgencio Batista and established a Communist state. The second part of the film, “Guerrilla”, shows Guevara’s failed attempts to establish the same revolution in Bolivia.

“He was willing to give his life to a cause that was bigger than him,” he said. “But I also see him as truly human. I don’t see him as anything perfect. I see faults in him.”

Del Toro traveled to Spain, Puerto Rico, Mexico and Bolivia to research and shoot the film, and was given special permission from the U.S. government to do research in Cuba. The preparations took seven years, during which time Del Toro, Soderbergh and writers Peter Buchman and Benjamin A. Van der Veen met with family and friends of Guevara, people who had fought alongside him in the Cuban Revolution, and three survivors from his campaign in Bolivia.

“Taking advantage of the fact that a lot of the people who participated were still alive, we went out and met with a lot of them, and sort of knew we were on to something.”

Del Toro also said that meeting Guevara’s contemporaries gave him a unique perspective into Guevara’s psyche, and helped him prepare for the role.

“It affected me in that I could get information from people that actually knew him,” he said. “I could sit down across the table and actually look at them. And get that feeling that I don’t think film can do, or that a book could do.”

The biggest challenge, according to Del Toro, was the responsibility that he and those involved in production had for preserving history within the film. Del Toro said that while some characters in the film had been condensed or changed in some way, and that specific events were chosen over others, every event that occurs in the movie is the best representation of truth they could create.

“With fiction, everything you do is real, is how it’s supposed to be,” he said. “With a movie like this, you’re painting within the lines. You don’t want to invent anything.”

In the end, Del Toro said, it was Guevara’s humanity, and even his weaknesses, that appealed to him and drew him to the character. He added that the key to playing a historical person is to go back to that character’s very beginning, using a story from Guevara’s childhood to illustrate.

“He [Guevara] was born in a town called Rosario, in Argentina. In his first year he has a series of asthma attacks. His family decides to move the child to a town called Cordoba – Cordoba is very dry and is better for his asthma. So there you see that he’s surrounded by this love. You’d think this guy’s beginning was being born in a cage with a lion. But it was very different; he was surrounded by this love, by this nourishment. He had a really nice childhood. And this, to me, is interesting to use as a beginning.”

Summit Entertainment, the studio behind the “Twilight” franchise, allegedly paid leading man Robert Pattinson too much money to keep him for the next three films and could not afford the rest of the cast, Seacrest said.

“Twilight” director Catherine Hardwicke was confirmed to not be returning for “New Moon” last week because she could not commit to the release schedule Summit wanted for the film.

In “New Moon,” Jacob (who Lautner played in “Twilight) plays the leading man role in the absence of Edward (Pattinson) — the love interest of main character, Bella.

Since its release on November 21, “Twilight” has grossed over $140 million, nearly quadrupling its $37 million budget.

Blast’s Editor-in-Chief John Guilfoil contributed to this report.

And what a media circus it has been for Britney, essentially since the day she stepped onto the scene back when she was just 16 years old in 1997. While her latest album “Blackout” fell short of expectations and took a backseat to her custody battles and driving violations, there were a few hits that helped her maintain afloat. Circus, however is sure to pack a punch that will throw the critics and surprise the masses. 

“Phonography” at first hear has silly, innuendo-filled lyrics, but the beat is so intoxicating it completely makes up for it and you end up loving the lyrics, giggling at Britney’s utter honesty. Sometimes, it’s easy to forget she is a nearly 30-year-old mother of two, rather that teen girl growing up in the spotlight and being awkward and naive. The song hints at Ace of Base’s beats and melodies, and it actually works. With self-proclaimed unapologetic lyrics that border on the extremely inappropriate, this song is for adults only. 

“Amnesia” has a bit of an 80s throwback vibe, and is wistful and fun. Forget hinting at Ace of Base’s heyday in the early 90s with electronic sounds and a sugary feel, this song emanates their sound and it actually lends a new dimension to Britney’s sound. ”Kill the Lights” is a feisty lash out at the paparazzi. Thanks to a male announcer saying at the beginning of the song “here is a message from the world’s pop princess now pop queen …” the song showcases Britney’s arrogance, which actually might end up being mis-judged confidence.

There is nothing wrong with confidence, even over-confidence, especially when you have the dancing talent, wow-factor and resurrection chops to back it up. Granted, Britney never was the best singer, but that’s not what she is. She is not a singer, she is an entertainer; pure and simple. Yes she can carry a tune, and she projects fairly well, but the nitty-gritty is the girl can perform and after all of the bad press and judgement passed on her these past few years, she has come back and is saying to the world “Want to talk about me more? Talk about how great this album is!”

Other standouts on the CD include “If You Seek Amy,” “Lace and Leather,” and of course the first single “Womanizer” a radio favorite which receives frequent airplay in clubs and bars since its arrival a few months ago. This album is not just an effort by what can be mildly labeled a pop diva, but is a very sharp comment on her life in the limelight, and how she is knowingly an exhibitionist and in many ways, a masochist.

Overall the music on this new album is classic Britney, filled with evocative lyrics, enticing dance beats and thanks to the help of her production team, complex sounds that only add. While I’m positive not everyone out there is looking forward to this album to drop, Britney fans will be pleased with her ability to survive and to put out a CD that will make for a great show when she goes on tour, expected in early 2009. As many onlookers wait with bated breath, they may be turning blue at the potential success of Circus.  

She can thank all of those producers who helped make these songs three-dimensional and irresistible for any and all praise she may or may not receive. Those producers include including Max Martin, The Outsyders, Danja, Bloodshy & Avant and The Underdogs who lend much needed artistic direction while maintaining Brit-Brit’s dance queen image. She can also thank all of the personal trainers and what has to be a ridiculously patient entourage to help her with the everyday demands of being a pop star worth millions. Not to mention her quirky personality, outbursts and foibles that make her a media magnet, mostly for negative exposure. 

Circus will arrive in stores in the U.S. on the heels of the documentary Britney: For the Record airing Sunday Nov. 30 at 10 p.m.  on MTV. The film follows the Spears for three months, beginning Sept. 7, the day she appeared on the MTV Video Music Awards. 

Whether you love her, hate her, are apathetic, or waiting on the edge of your seat for her to fail, the fact is Britney Spears is back, and perhaps better than ever.

To enter, go to www.thephoenix.com/twilight and register yourself. The winners will be drawn Friday night and will win a dinner with the characters Saturday night.

“Twilight” opens in theaters Friday November 21. Both Lutz and Gathegi will be at the midnight release Friday morning at Boston’s Regal Fenway Stadium 13 theater.

BLAST: Where you prepared for the fact that there were going to be mobs at your last two events and they’d have to get shut down?

RP: No, not at all. It’s not even the last two anymore, it’s been all of them.

BLAST: Since Comic-con. I was at Comic-con, and I remember when you came out there were just cheers.

RP: It hasn’t died down at all. It happened in [Italy], it happened in Mexico. It’s completely ridiculous.

BLAST: What do people at home think about it? Are your parents laughing, thinking you’re the new George Clooney?

RP: Well my sister was. She was just thinking, “Oh, what road did you take?” They think it’s like completely ridiculous.

BLAST: Have you talked to anyone else who’s on tour, like Kristen or Taylor or anyone?

RP: I haven’t actually. Do you how they’re doing? [laughter]

BLAST: They have not had the same response that you’ve had. That’s why I was asking. Are they-

RP: Are they what? Are they pissed off? [laughter] Um, I don’t know. I haven’t actually asked them.

BLAST: The movie’s coming out in less than a week. Is there anything that you’d go back and change about it? Or prepare for it to come out?

RP: No, I wouldn’t change anything about it. I mean, if I was doing it now, knowing it was going to be this audience, I think I probably would have done it differently. I’m not sure how. But I think, at the end of the day, it’s a good thing I went into it thinking it’s a small thing because it essentially is. It’s a small story, it’s an intimate story, and I think it comes across as being very human rather than being a big epic thing, which I think no one would have really appreciated. I think it looked very organic when you look at it. I hope people aren’t expecting to be like some like, “Waah!” like some like huge, you know, “E.T.” thing, because it’s really not. It seems very personal. The book is very personal. Hopefully, hopefully, you know, it will live up to its hype.

BLAST: In previous interviews, you [and Kristen] said that producers said, “Don’t take it so seriously, make it more of a teen flick.” Did you guys make it more of a serious movie or is it going to end up being more of a [teen movie]?

RP: I think the fans of the book would be kind of upset if it was too too serious, because it’s not exactly “War and Peace” or something. I mean, it’s funny. I had Catherine give me a copy of the book with all the instances where Edward smiles and jokes and stuff. They were all highlighted, because I was so determined to make him like the most depressing character in the history of fiction. I think that’s the point. You don’t know how something is coming out, you don’t get in the edit room or whatever. So no, it’s good how it turned out. I think the beginning is how I wanted it to be, and I think it’s better. No girl would ever think the perfect guy would be some kind of manic-depressive.

BLAST: Depends on the girl.

RP: Well yeah. If I was a girl, I’d love it. I love manic-depressive girls. But you know, I don’t really.

BLAST: Are you prepared for the girls out there to be like, “Rob, will you go to prom with me?” because I’ve had a couple say that’s what they’re planning on asking.

RP: When is prom?

BLAST: May? Something?

RP: Well, that’s quite a long way off.

SAUGUS, Mass. — The teenage girl came out of the Hot Topic store, eyes glazed with a silly smile on her face. Her mother ran up to meet her, just as the words started tumbling out of the daughter’s lips.

“He talked to me,” she gasped, as her mother smiled along but tried to calm the teen down.

“She has epilepsy,” the mother explained, “and I don’t want her to seize.”

Then she scooped up her daughter and hurried away, without giving her name, to make room for the next giggling girl.

Fan dedication: defined.

She was just one of hundreds who flocked to the Square One Mall north of Boston on Friday. The object of their fanaticism wasn’t one of the Jonas Brothers or Miley Cyrus, but rather a soft-spoken, spiky-haired Brit named Robert Pattinson.

In the words of one indignant passerby who was turned away from shopping at the barricaded Hot Topic: “He isn’t even famous.”

Though Pattinson, 22, may not be a household name yet, to the fan community of Stephenie Meyer’s vampire “Twilight” series, (and hardcore Harry Potter fans who remember he played Cedric Diggory) he is second to none. Playing the lead male character Edward in the upcoming vampire film “Twilight,” the fan hysteria has reached peak heights.

“At first I thought maybe he wasn’t as good for Edward, but now I think he’s perfect,” said Selys Rivera, 14, of Worcester. “He’s completely perfect for Edward. He’s amazing.”

Pattinson, along with co-stars Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner, Edi Gathegi and Rachelle Lefavre, is headlining the Hot Topic-sponsored movie tour to promote “Twilight” in the final days before the film’s release on November 21. The Saugus event was Pattinson’s third and final stop on the tour after the event scheduled in San Francisco was canceled after fans mobbed the mall.

Pattinson, Stewart, and the trio of Lautner, Gathegi and Lefavre toured to 13 cities across the U.S. from November 10 through November 15.

“[The hysteria] hasn’t died down at all,” Pattinson told Blast in a brief interview at the Saugus Hot Topic. “It happened in [Italy], it happened in Mexico. It’s completely ridiculous.”

Here in Saugus, the crowd was much tamer than the events in San Francisco and Chicago. Wristbands were given, starting at 9 p.m. Thursday, to the first 500 people who bought the Hot Topic official “Twilight” tour T-shirt. The Saugus police were no-nonsense about the event and were a steady presence around the mall throughout the night.

“We got here at about 9 p.m. yesterday and we were there like all night long,” said Attleboro resident Amanda Pease, 20. “We only left to go to Starbucks.”

At 5 p.m. Friday, a crowd of a couple hundred girls had gathered around a stage that was set up for Pattinson to speak to the fans for the question and answer portion of the event. Some had camped out for more than 20 hours just for the chance to meet their beloved “Edward,” while others had arrived only moments before to wait around until Pattinson spoke at on the stage.

A security presence was felt. A barricade was set up like a moat around the stage to protect Pattinson from the overzealousness of any rabid fan-girls.

Half are standing, and half are sitting. But they all look comfortable preparing to see their beloved “Edward” and have him possibly answer one of their own questions.

Scattered among the crowd you can see the lucky few people with their special “Twilight” t-shirts that signify that they will be one of the 500 who get to see Pattinson in person and get an exclusive poster signed by him.

The crowd this afternoon is tame compared to uncontrollable scenes reported in San Francisco and Chicago earlier.

This isn’t really the mob scene we were expecting, but it’s still early.

Blast met Pattinson this afternoon at a photo shoot in Boston and we’re here at the Square One Mall. Blast will bring you more, including a special TWILIGHT EXTRA issue of Blast Magazine featuring our Twilight coverage, movie review, interviews, photos and more!

“It was only 1:15 and all these people were arriving and were so excited because there was no line and they thought they were first – but it was already sold out. There were people that had driven 10 hours to get there, and got there at the specified time, and were turned away.”

Security was strict in making sure all of the twi-fans left the premises, telling them that they were trespassing on mall property. Waters was confused by the mall’s change.

“We were told that we could start lining up at 4:30 and that anyone camping out before hand would be arrested. Instead, they gave wristbands to the people camped out at midnight and turned away the people following the rules.”

While anyone can attend the Q & A session with Rob later tonight, only those lucky 500 fans will be able to meet him or get a poster signed.

The tour, headlined by the top 11 dancers from the show’s fourth season, consists of the best and favorite routines from last season.

“I like the fact that they have the best dancers and the best routines,” said Barry Cosloy, an audience member at the show.

The show was emceed by video recordings of Cat Deeley, the show’s host, and Nigel Lythgoe, one of the show’s judges, as well as by the cast themselves.

One of the dancers, Katee Shean of San Jose, Calif., said that each of the dancers on tour had to come up with their own lines to host the event. Shean was the favorite female dancer from the fourth season of “So You Think You Can Dance.”

“So You Think You Can Dance” is now holding auditions for its fifth season on the air. The show was created by Simon Fuller, creator of the “American Idol” franchise. “SYTYCD” is organized similar to “Idol” – it airs twice a week and the American public vote the first night for their favorite performers and tune in the next night to see who didn’t make the cut. While the show has judges, it is the viewers of the show who decide who stays and who goes.

“I changed a lot [on the show] personally I guess,” said Mark Kanemura of Honolulu, Hawaii, another one of the show’s dancers. “[You realize] you’re capable of so much more than you thought you’re capable of.”

The show tests the versatility of each dancer by forcing them to perform outside their comfort zone. Of the 11 dancers at the performance Thursday, eight said that they were trained as contemporary dancers and two said they were trained as hip-hop dancers, with dancer Gev Monukian of Utah the only one who was a break dancer. However, “SYTYCD” made the dancers perform dances that they were not familiar with under limited time frames. Each contestant only had a week to learn their routines in the television show, so dancers who were unfamiliar with ballroom dancing or the samba or Broadway dancing had to apply themselves even harder.

For the tour, the dancers and show producers took the best routines from the show and chose those as the ones to perform. Monukian said that the dancers practiced for three weeks before the tour began.

“I think [the tour] is better because they have more time to practice and perfect the routine,” said Cosloy.

The tour has been traveling around the country for over a month now. The troupe performed at 28 venues previously and has 12 performances left, as shown on Ticketmaster.

“It just goes by so quickly,” said Monukian.

Dancer Will Wingfield of Nashville said that each set of dances changes night by night, so that each venue gets a different performance than the one previous.

One of the most memorable performances of Thursday’s show was the Bollywood routine, where Shean and Wingfield came out and performed a classic Indian dance, and then were followed by the rest of the cast as they performed an impressive and beautiful ensemble Bollywood routine.

“I think in real life it makes you appreciate how athletic it all is,” said Holli Roth, another audience member.

Roth, who has watched the past three seasons of the show, was at the performance with her mother, who does not watch the show.

“It’s different. It’s fun,” said Roth about the show. “It does make you appreciate the camera work [on TV].”

The dancers hold an optimistic view of their futures after the conclusion of the tour and the end of their time with “SYTYCD.” Each expressed the sentiment that they expected to continue dancing after the tour ended.

“Who knows what the future holds,” said Wingfield.

Known to many as Adam Davies, the archenemy of Jeremy Piven’s character Ari Gold, Jordan Belfi joined the cast of Entourage in its first season. Over three years, he has become famous on the show for getting Ari fired from their agency and making life a living hell.

Now in season four, he returns to continue the never-ending hatred existence that has become Adam vs. Ari.

Since Belfi is loyal to his producers, Blast could not obtain juicy revelations about this season’s story line. All we can share is the polite, “great things to come,” quote. But Belfi did say that in the likeness of the first and second episodes (where a car race surged between Adam and Ari) there will be more action and continuous shock.

Now, back to Belfi.

Born and raised in Southern California, Belfi decided to take a route many actors leave behind and attended college before going to castings. In wanting a change of scenery he enrolled at Wesleyan University in Connecticut and studied film and theatre.

“I went to the snow because Wesleyan proved to be the school I wanted to attend. What I took away was pretty invaluable, not because of who I met but because of who I became. I wanted to go away and grow and I always had the sense that I’d come back to L.A., so I wanted to be out of my element,” said Belfi in a recent chat. “College helps form who you are, it gives you time to grow and it’s something you can bring to your work as an actor. I think bringing knowledge back to your work helps color things and inform the choices you make. It was very important to me.”

Now, as an accredited actor, Belfi is trying out different settings in front of the camera. Belfi has managed to act in major television shows, star in blockbusters and be part of independent film casts.

He has a recurring role in the popular vampire drama Moonlight, aside from his Entourage gig, and he has appeared in Smallville, Shark, Gilmore Girls and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This summer, production finished on the Touchtone Pictures sci-fi thriller “The Surrogates,” where Belfi performs opposite Bruce Willis and Ving Rhames.

As if that didn’t keep him busy, Belfi also finished work on the WWII-based, indie-drama “Christina,” which tells the story of an American soldier and what occurs when he brings his German lady love to the states.

Without being pretentious, Belfi is carving a path to act at various levels, while remaining under the radar. Like others who have acted in different mediums — Natalie Portman or James Franco — Belfi is obtaining new roles, playing them accordingly and taking time off afterward to do what he enjoys: backpacking.

Recently, he enjoyed a solo European tour where he stayed at hostels and traveled by train for what he called, “one of the great thrills of his life.” Although he could have stayed at swanky hotels and gotten the VIP service, he chose the normal way to backpack and even stayed at random people’s homes. As he put it, everything created a fantastic trip that kept him grounded and gave him a local’s perspective.

And it seems that he wants to remain grounded in every aspect.

“Entourage has been the best experience of my career it and took me to a whole new level. The prestige of HBO and the quality all around makes things feel like we’re making a movie every week, and in a way we really are making mini movies each week. To be surrounded by talented people, writers and directors is all I can ask for. I feel great to be working at all levels, from the biggest of the big, to small indie films, to hit TV shows,” Belfi said.

In “The Surrogates” Belfi will portray a crooked exec. The movie, based on a comic book series, is set in a futuristic world where humans live in isolation and interact through remote-controlled artificial bodies (surrogate robots). After someone begins murdering these robot images, a cop (Willis) is forced to leave his home for the first time in years to investigate the crimes. Belfi plays the VP at the company that manufactures these robots.

“The experience, itself was great. This is a huge science fiction studio movie,” he said. “Working with [Bruce Willis] was the best part because someone you admire comes face to face and suddenly all the nerves go away, for a period you are just peers — actors working together. Working at that level was exciting.”

Belfi may choose to remain under the radar – acting and living a relatively Hollywood-free life – or become the next “it” star. Whatever ends up happening he said he wants to be noticed for one thing only.

“I think it’s simple: I just want to be known as a really good actor, in the end that’s the most important thing to me,” confessed the blue-eyed hunk.

Catch Belfi’s menace of a character on Entourage Sundays at 10 p.m. on HBO. Watch Moonlight on Fridays at 9 p.m. on CBS.

LONDON, /PRNewswire/ –   Miss Macpherson emphatically denies that there is any romantic association between her and Mr Brian Burgess.

Miss Macpherson is disappointed her friendship with Mr Burgess has been so casually misrepresented for commercial sensationalism. Furthermore Miss Macpherson has a reasonable expectation of privacy in relation to her personal life; in the absence of a romantic element, the publication of the photograph and the innuendo created by it is a gross interference of Miss Macpherson’s rights.

Miss Macpherson is aware of Mr Burgess’s past conduct and also that Mr Burgess has and continues to take significant steps towards restoring his life.

Any continued misrepresentation or invasion of privacy is likely to be the subject of legal proceedings.”

Source: Alexander Carter-Silk, Speechly Bircham

###

Burgess, 56, is a British businessman and a reported convicted drug smuggler. European tabloids have been pumping up a possible relationship since a photo emerged of the pair together.

A joint statement was issued on behalf of the couple stating that, “Madonna and Guy Ritchie have agreed to divorce after seven-and-a-half years of marriage … They have both requested that the media maintain respect for their family at this difficult time.”

After a tumultuous year where Madonna was linked to baseball player, Alex Rodriguez’s, own divorce and allegations that she and Ritchie had been leading a separate lives for years, the couple now only talk through their personal assistants.

According to reorts from “insiders” and British newspapers, Ritchie has stopped work in his latest film to return to the UK and tell his family the news. Amidst the problems that surged because of Rodriguez, Ritchie’s mother talked to the media saying the pair would not separate earlier this year.

Rumors of the divorce continued and, apparently, the couple wanted to wait until the end of Madonna’s world tour to announce the divorce and finalize it by Christmas. However, the couple did not have a prenuptial agreement so the settlement over monetary and property goods may take longer than desired.

Madonna, 50, has already contacted Paul McCartney’s divorce lawyer, Fiona Shackleton. Legal experts speculate that Ritchie could receive up to 50 million British pounds ($100 million). Madonna’s wealth is estimated at about 300 million British pounds (close to $600 million). The pair have spent most of their married life in London and Wiltshire with children Lourdes, 12, Rocco, 8, and David, 3, who was adopted from an orphanage in Malawi.

I first heard of Notch by word of mouth after he did a performance in New England. “This guy is hot,” is what I heard, and apparently I should have heard it sooner. When researching for a press contact for the singer, who mixes Jamaican, hip-hop and Latin beats, I was greeted by Fan sites, YouTube videos, MTV profiles and an artist album pre-sale website.

The question: How did I miss out on this? Thankfully, here are the answers so you don’t have to.

The former lead vocalist for the hip-hop/reggae duo Born Jamericans, Notch joined the music scene in the 90s. The Hartford native’s racial background is a combination of African American, Cuban and Jamaican. 

Always interested in music, he grew up listening to Bob Marley in a largely Latino community. As a boy, he learned the Jamaican dialect Patois, was immersed in Spanish and created his own little dialect (Spatoinglish) as a result. 

“I got influenced by all the dancing, the dialects, the people. I just expressed myself by mimicking what I saw and sharing when it was needed the most, to entertain or to liven the day,” he said in a recent interview. “I learned to appreciate the beauty of a melody or the pain, and I created fusion words.’

His early success with Born Jamericans allowed him to fuse words with the passion of music to create a tool to connect to people.

Known then as Mr. Notch, Born Jamericans singles like “Boom Shak-a-Tak” and “Send My Love” introduced the artist as sultry, smooth-singing counterpart to his partner, Edley Shine, and his rugged rhymes.

For five years the duo grew popular and achieved international notoriety by offering dancehall music to American urban radio.

But with fame came commercialization. With more use of hip-hop and R&B, dancehall diehards began to turn on the duo as they became more mainstream and the group dismantled in 1998.

Notch decided to go solo, tap more into his Latin roots and make unique music.

In 2000 he jetted to Jamaica to record authentic dancehall and reggae. By listening to other bilingual artists, he experimented with his dialect and recorded Hay Que Bueno, a hip-hop/reggaeton song that is perfect for dancing. The multilingual hit became popular on both Latin-based and reggae mediums. With the success the singer moved to Puerto Rico and started to work with reggaeton producers.

The single started playing on Latin radio stations too and found its place on the Billboard Latin charts.

Shortly after, Notch was featured in the albums of Daddy Yankee, Luny Tunes, Beenie Man and even ska rockers Sublime and Thievery Corporation. The success lingered. 

“A lot of Hispanics love reggae music and they sing along to it many times not understanding the words well or they decipher what is being said, but it gives them a chance to poke into their curiosity and learn about the reggae language and maybe their own language.” Notch explained. “I’ve come along and offered more of a window for people to procure their curiosity.”

Curiosity that can form bonds amongst people. 

“We all got dropped in the western hemisphere and got shuffled as dominoes, but anyway I can find words that are close to the roots of our native people and use them I try to do just to show our historical commonality,” Notch said. ”It puts more soul to the melody … and it’s helping Jamaicans learn Spanish too,” he added with a laugh.

In 2007 Notch released his first solo album, Raised by the People, making it on Billboard’s 14th Best Selling Reggae albums and 9th Top Reggae Artist of 2007. The single “Dale ‘Pa Tra” (Back It Up) made Top 100 in Latin charts and Top 5 in Reggae charts as well. The production is a mix of merengue, cumbia and bachata in addition to urban-pop and hip-hop to his interchanging medley of reggaeton and dancehall. Songs like “Que Te Pica” and “Rosalinda” are as playable as the single and although not easily understandable to English speakers, still addictive.

“I’m making headway now, but it’s been really hard doing what I’m doing and I’m not playing clean or fair. I am able to cheat by bringing out the karate side of me and show all the things I can offer, but at end of day I believe music is the universal language,” he said. “I know melody is internal and can cross any lines. Anyone needs a song to pump up with in the shower, on the way to work or just to bring back the spirit in their lives.”

The road has been somewhat long and less than perfect after he left Born Jamericans. As the singer says, though, the ability to record music he is proud of is worth crossing any red tape.

“With the group there was a lot of pressure from the label to make R&B present to get more airplay, to be more amicable instead of cultural and ethnic which was harder to sell. We were a group and we packaged the product so I strayed away from what the label wanted and showed them my art can be different and that as an artist I can show other pallets,” recalled the singer. “When I was going back [to Jamaica] and learned about war and drugs, teenage pregnancy and school dropouts I came out with songs like Rosalinda and other songs that had social commentary that I felt needed to express the message and show things form my cultural bag of tricks.”

As he continues to remake his image and grow as a solo artist, Notch has the advantage of knowing what is like to be at the top. He can survive in the music industry jungle and take it one day at a time as well. He says that all these years he’s been dropping hints of his return and now the pieces are connecting through the Internet, through his album, through his music connections and through fan support. 

“I have more optimism and look forward to taking this industry by storm and getting people to sing my songs; but I have to take it day by day because I may be the most popular person now and later you may see me at the post office working!” he said. “The most important thing I aspire to is getting people to mumble my name, keep me in their minds, and its like getting a portrait of me in everyone’s house.”

Notch is debuting a new official website, where fans can order his album, preview new tracks and vote for their favorite songs.

The clean shaven and attractive, 30-something, also established his own music label. As he puts it, he has to deal with paying taxes and hiring personnel so he does not see the need to have his nose, “up in the air.”

“When people make a big deal about the dialect or the music or my business and ask me what I am like, one thing people keep forgetting is that I eat Italian food and French fries; I get my hair cut by Dominicans, play baseball with my Black friends and chill out with my Asian friends,” he said. “I’m like everyone, but I take time unwrapping my gift of mimicking the beauty of the people around me.”

Whether he continues being an underground sensation or becomes the next Daddy Yankee, one thing is clear. Notch is an artist who made it to the top and back and is still able to stay human. His music, like his personality, is energetic and magnetic.

Goldstein, 35, was sent to Joseph Still Burn Center in Augusta, Ga. after the plane he, former Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker were flying in crashed during take-off at the airport in Columbia, S.C.

Four people were killed in the crash including the crew.

Last night, Barker’s business partner and hip-hop producer Jermaine Dupri told reporters that it is likely that Barker will be released from the hospital as well within the next two weeks.

Goldstein was said to have suffered second and third-degree burns to his upper body and head from the fire that occurred after the plane crashed.

Nominated for 10 Academy Awards ranging from 1959 (”Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”) to 2003 (”Road to Perdition”), Newman has made a lasting mark on Hollywood and will not soon be forgotten. Newman won his only Oscar in 1987 for his leading role in “The Color of Money.”

In addition to his acting career, Newman is well known for his race car career and food company. In 1982, Newman became co-owner of Newman-Haas racing. He also founded the food company, Newman’s Own, in which all of its proceeds go towards charity. His philanthropic tendencies did not stop there, as he also started The Hole in the Wall Gang Camps, an organization for terminally-ill children.

Newman cited health issues earlier this year when he turned down the opportunity to direct a production of “Of Mice and Men” in the fall.

Born in Cleveland, Ohio in January of 1925 to Arthur and Theresa Newman, Newman’s interest in acting was a derivative of his mother’s and uncle’s interest in the creative arts.

It was at age 25, after Newman moved his then-wife Jackie and son Scott to Conn. to pursue a career in acting at the Yale University School of Drama. There, while doing a play, Newman was spotted by two agents who invited him to come to New York City as a professional actor.

In New York, Newman has several guest appearances in various TV shows before landing his big break in 1953 as an understudy to the lead role in the Broadway play, “Picnic.” It was in this play that he met his now-wife Joanne Woodward, but he was still married to Jackie, who had just given birth to their second child, Susan.

During this time Newman was also accepted into the New York Actor’s Studio, regardless of the fact that he didn’t technically audition.

In 1954, landed his first film role in “The Silver Chalice,” a role he mocked throughout his life. His next role in 1956’s “Somebody Up There Likes Me” landed him critical acclaim, and from there on out, his film career is history. It seems like somebody up there really did like him, because he has won the hearts of millions with his iconic blue eyes and his portrayal of the American rascal.

Newman is survived by his wife, Joanne, and six children. Burial plans are unknown.

Lindsay Lohan has officially confirmed that she is dating Samantha Ronson and has been for ”a very long time.”

Lohan, 22, told the host of syndicated radio show “Loveline” that she’s been dating she 31-year-old DJ for years.

“You guys, you and Samantha, have been going out for how long now?” the co-host, DJ Ted Stryker asked. “Like two years, one year, five months, two months?”

“For a very long time,” Lohan said after laughing.

Brad Pitt leads the pack on a list that includes Jessica Alba and Katherine Heigl.

“Fans searching for “Brad Pitt,” “Brad Pitt downloads,” and Brad Pitt wallpaper, screen savers and pictures have an 18% chance of having their PCs infected with online threats, such as spyware, spam, phishing, adware, viruses and other malware,” McAfee said. “Cybercriminals are using A-listers’ names and images, like Beyoncé and Justin Timberlake, to lure Internet users who surf the Web for the latest gossip, screen savers and ringtones to “fake” Web sites that look legitimate.”

The list includes:

1. Brad Pitt – When “Brad Pitt screensavers” was searched, more than half of the resulting Web sites were identified as containing malicious downloads with spyware, adware and potential viruses.

2. Beyoncé – Inputting “Beyoncé ringtones” into a search engine yields risky Web sites that promote misleading offers to gather consumers’ personal information.

3. Justin Timberlake – Interest in his high-profile relationships makes him an easy target for spammers and hackers. When searching for “Justin Timberlake downloads” one Web site advertised free music downloads that were flagged as directly leading to spam, spyware and adware.

4. Heidi Montag – “The Hills” star is a popular search term when it comes to searching for wallpaper. A host of wallpaper Web sites contained hundreds of malware-laden downloads.

5. Mariah Carey – Spammers and hackers are using Mariah Carey screen saver Web sites to link to other sites proven to contain spyware, adware and other threatening downloads.

6. Jessica Alba – Red-ranked risky sites were identified when searching for “Jessica Alba” and “Jessica Alba downloads.” The sites contained hundreds of malicious downloads, links to other bad sites, misleading offers to gather information, and a high number of spam emails when an email address was provided.

7. Lindsay Lohan – This young Hollywood starlet is as dangerous to search online as she is famous. Searching for “Lindsay Lohan downloads” resulted in several dangerous Web sites laden with hidden adware.

8. Cameron Diaz – Cybercriminals use download Web sites related to Cameron Diaz’s image to link to other harmful sites containing spyware.

9. George Clooney, Rihanna – The technology found one Web site embedded with hundreds of dangerous wallpaper and photo downloads after inputting “George Clooney downloads.” “Rihanna pictures” was also a risky search term, as McAfee identified a site that spammed its test email address.

11. Angelina Jolie – When “Angelina Jolie downloads” was searched, the software highlighted a risky site with 978 hidden malware-infected wallpaper and photo downloads, as well as links to other potentially dangerous URLs.

12. Fergie – A Fergie screen saver site was flagged as offering 111 risky downloads that could seriously compromise a PC’s privacy with unwanted spyware and adware.

13. David Beckham, Katie Holmes – The “David Beckham” search term generated a great deal of wallpaper and screen saver downloads veiled with malware. Consumers should also exercise caution when searching for “Katie Holmes” online – one download site advertised free screen savers that, if downloaded, would infect your computer with malicious programs like spyware.

15. Katherine Heigl – Hollywood’s big headliner in recent years is now susceptible to Internet lurkers too. “Katherine Heigl” was searched and a site was identified containing hundreds of malware-infected pictures.

 ”Cybercriminals employ numerous methods, yet one of the simplest but most effective ways is to trick consumers into infecting themselves by capitalizing on Americans’ interest in celebrity gossip,” said Jeff Green, senior vice president of McAfee’s Product Development and Avert Labs. “Tapping into current events, pop culture or commonly browsed sites is an easy way to achieve this. And because of Americans’ obsession with following celebrities’ lifestyles, they are an obvious target. We have to take precautions in casually navigating the Web since many subtle sites may be rife with malware for consumers’ computers.”

The list was compiled using McAfee SiteAdvisor, which can be downloaded for free at www.mcafee.com/siteadvisor.

Apparently, they do. Because of it, rapper Kanye West was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport Thursday. He was arrested on charges of vandalism along with a road manager after they took a paparazzi’s camera and lighting tool and smashed it to pieces.

He was later released on $20,000 bail. According to TMZ.com, West arrived in Hawaii that same night.

The artist mentioned the altercation in his blog briefly saying, “We back in the lab!!! I’m cool with the paparazzi. This guy wasn’t cool. I gotta work now … I’ll rant later!”

West’s latest album, 808’s & Heartbreak, will apparently have a release date of December 16 and has already been offered on pre-sale at online music stores.

As a college student at the University of Southern California, Lucas was at his most inventive. Over the course of three years, Lucas created nine short films:

1965 – Look at Life
1966 – 1:42:08: A Man and His Car
1966 – Freiheit
1966 – Herbie
1967 – Electronic Labyrinth THX 1138 4EB
1967 – Anyone Lived in a Pretty How Town
1967 – 6-18-67
1967 – The Emperor
1968 – Filmmaker

Among those was “Electronic Labyrinth THX 1138 4EB,” Lucas got the opportunity to recreate in 1971 as “THX 1138,” his first true film. The plot evolved from an Orwellian-type story of a man identified only as 1138 trying to escape a totalitarian future, to a more involved tale of “1138″ rebelling against his society’s structured rules and, by not taking the drugs used to control their emotions, accidentally impregnating LUH 3417. They get thrown into jail and plan their escape.

Coming only two years later in 1973 was “American Graffiti,” the defining story of its time. Still shown in rock history classes around the country, “American Graffiti” tells the story of two high school students’ last wild night before their first day at college. With its iconic soundtrack featuring the likes of Chuck Berry, The Beach Boys and Buddy Holly, “American Graffiti” is a 70s classic.

And then, on May 25, 1977, “Star Wars” was released. Back then, it wasn’t “Episode IV,” and an entire generation of super nerds had not spent their time ingesting the hundreds of books, videogames, comics, and films that had been spawned from Lucas’ genre-changing film. Back then, it was still just an imaginative political statement. That’s when things began to change.

After creating a follow-up to “American Graffiti” entitled “More American Graffiti,” Lucas made a sequel to his money-making and Oscar-winning Star Wars franchise called “Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back” and it was clear with its ridiculous cliff-hanger (”Luke, I am your father”) that there was going to be at least one more film in the series. But with “Star Wars IV: A New Hope” being only the fourth episode, Lucas had left himself open to create episodes one through three, and also a hypothetical seven through nine taking place after the events of “Return of the Jedi.”

At the same time, in 1981, Lucas’ good friend Steven Spielberg asked him if he wanted to team up with him and create the franchise that eventually became the Indiana Jones series (named Indiana after Lucas’ own dog). “Raiders of the Lost Ark” was followed by “Temple of Doom” in 1984 and (seemingly) concluded with “The Last Crusade” in 1989.

A promising start to a successful career.

So what happened between then and now? Sure, Lucas’ has had continued success, and has never had to scrape pennies together from his couch in Skywalker Ranch, but still, there is a certain quality drop in the films being produced. At first, George Lucas was creating some of the most important films of our time with important political statements that showed his range of creativity. But “Star Wars” stopped him. At age 33, Lucas hit his peak.

Since 1977, Lucas has worked on 13 “Star Wars” features, five “Star Wars” TV shows, 16 “Indiana Jones” features, and one “Indiana Jones” TV show. That doesn’t include the countless spin-off novels, novelizations, video games and comic books.

And he’s only worked on three other projects.

Of those three (”Captain EO” in 1986, “Willow” in 1988, and “Radioland Murders” in 1994), only “Willow” made a splash big enough to be reminisced about today. Lucas created nine individual projects over three years in college. He’s created seven individual projects over 37 years in his professional career.

Please, Lucas, we beg you: something new! Give us something powerful along the lines of “American Graffiti” or “THX 1138″. Give us something to redefine our generation by like “Star Wars” or “Indiana Jones” did in the past.

Just please, please, please stop giving us the same old shit.

Below is a list of films Lucas has worked on in his professional career. The ones with one star are Star Wars related, and the ones with two stars are Indiana Jones related.

1971 – THX 1138
1973 – American Graffiti
1977 – Star Wars IV: A New Hope*
1979 – More American Graffiti
1980 – Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back*
1981 – Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark**
1983 – Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi*
1984 – Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom**
1984 – The Ewok Adventures*
1985 – “Ewoks” (TV series)*
1985 – “Droids” (TV series)*
1985 – Ewoks: The Battle for Endor*
1986 – The Great Heep*
1986 – Captain EO
1988 – Willow
1989 - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade**
1989 – Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation**
1992 – Indiana Jed**
1992-1993 – “The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles” (TV series)**
1994 – Radioland Murders
1995 – Young Indiana Jones and the Attack of the Hawkmen**
1995 – Young Indiana Jones and the Treasure of the Peacock’s Eye**
1997 – Star Wars Animated Adventures: Droids*
1999 – The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Adventures in the Secret Service**
1999 – The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Masks of Evil**
1999 - The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Spring Break Adventure**
1999 – The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: The Trenches of Hell**
1999 – Star Wars: The Dark Redemption*
1999 – Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace*
2002 – Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones*
2004 – Treasure of the Hidden Planet*
2003-2005 - “Star Wars: Clone Wars” (TV series)*
2005 – Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith*
2007 – The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: My First Adventure**
2007 – The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: The Perils of Cupid**
2007 – The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Journey of Radiance**
2007 – The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Demons of Deception**
2008 – “The Clone Wars” (TV series)*
2008 – Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull**
2008 – Star Wars: The Clone Wars*
2009 – “Untitled Star Wars TV Series” (TV series)*

BLAST: So how goes shooting?

JG: It goes well. We’re having a blast. It’s totally just a pleasure and so much fun to come to work and work on this set because it’s a great set. It’s a fun set.

BLAST: Does Morgan get to get into the action a little bit (in season two)? Maybe?

JG: He gets into his own action. He doesn’t go out in any of the Chuck world stuff as of yet, and I don’t know if he ever will, though I’m sure he’d love it, between you and I.

BLAST: I think we’d love it too.

JG: Yeah. Some of the action comes to him at the Buy More whether inadvertently, like he doesn’t know, or like the rest of the stuff gets mixed up at the Buy More. And then there’s a few things that are like things that are specifically centered around the ‘B’ story and the Buy More and sort of Morgan and some enemies, but like Michael Strahan from the New York Giants, and he kind of plays a big jock guy or whatever and him and Morgan get into it. So he gets into his own trouble at the Buy More.

BLAST: What about him and Anna, because that kind of tapered off at the end of season one. Does that continue into season two?

JG: It does. Yeah, it definitely does. And so is the fun little romance. It’s pretty bizarre. She’s definitely the uh… she wears the pants, or leggings.

BLAST: The short skirts in the relationship?

JG: She wears the short skirts and leggings in the relationship. Yeah, so it’s pretty funny. Exactly. Everyone kind of wasn’t sure, well, what happened? And I think that was a lot to do with the strike. I think that those episodes weren’t as fleshed out as they could be because they only had to go off of the outline that they really had through whatever episode. I think that’s the reason why the last episodes are kind of like “Huh?” We are kind of where we left off where Morgan and Anna were at. There’s some fun stuff that happens between those two. It’s pretty cool.

BLAST: I was a little worried. I was like “Did I miss something in here?”

JG: Yeah, I think a lot of people felt that way. Exactly. When we first started to do little tests for the beginning of this season, that was one of the first questions. It was like “What the hell is going on with you and Anna; where did she go?” I think everyone was kind of like hoping that that wasn’t going away. So yeah, no, it’s good.

BLAST: What about Morgan and Ellie?

JG: Mmm, now we’re getting down to it. No, at this point I think it’s just he’s good with Anna and Ellie’s now engaged with Captain Awesome. But I think in Morgan’s brain, it’s just one of those childhood absolute infatuations, first love kind of deal, and she’ll always be that. I think he loves Anna, and I think all that’s cool, but I think that if Ellie was like “Hey, what’s up Morgan?” he might not hesitate. I think he’ll always love her in that young boy’s dream kind of thing. It’s very sweet and very childlike love.

BLAST: Especially in the first few episodes of the first season you definitely got that puppy dog sort of “Oh, you want to hang out?” type of thing.

JG: It’s less of that now between Morgan and Ellie. It’s almost brother and sister, and that’s exactly what it was. She was like big sister to both he and Chuck. So I think that there’s more of that now Anna’s around. I kind of get off her case a little bit. I think there’s still a sweetness between (Morgan and Ellie) that’s unspoken. It comes out here and there. But yeah, it’s good. Another great relationship.

BLAST: I heard Josh Schwartz talk at Comic-con and I believe he said that this season takes up pretty much right where the last season ended. Is that true?

JG: Yeah.

BLAST: Can you kind of set us up for where we’re going to be starting episode one?

JG: Basically the government has kind of constructed another working Intersect. So it does pick up where we left off which is that “Okay now what happens?” Is John Casey going to get the orders to, once the Intersect is completed and fully operational, now what do we do with Chuck kind of a deal. Is he going to have to be eliminated or quarantined? I think that’s where we kind of left off and that’s exactly where we pick up with season two. Literally I think it picks up with Chuck being held out of a building and while he’s hanging there the audience will get a little recap through his panicked words. There’s not much of a gap there. It’s sort of, if the Intersect is completed, what’s going to become of Chuck? And part of that is kind of good; part of it is Chuck going like “Oh my Lord, to be free of this thing.” But I think he thinks that if the Intersect is finished, he’s a free man. He can go back to his normal life. That’s where we’ll probably pick up from.

BLAST: At the beginning, right when Chuck did download the Intersect, there was some talk of removing it. That tapered away though, and they just used him as a tool. Does that come back in this whole “We have a new Intersect” conversation? Or is it basically just “You’re going to die”?

JG: Not so much of a removal. The removal I don’t think worked and it never really comes up again. I think it’s basically “We can’t have two Intersects”. We can’t have some guy walking around knowing all these things in his head because that’s still way too much of a (danger). It doesn’t come down to removal as much as removal of him completely.

BLAST: Do we have any new characters? Maybe in the Buy More or new agents that are coming that might stay for a little bit longer or become more main?

JG: Yeah. Most of the characters that you’re probably familiar with in the first season become a little bit more present. Most of the Nerd Herd and obviously like Anna and Jeff and Lester and Big Mike and all those guys are recurring regulars or regulars or whatever. They’re going to be playing a little bit more of a role in the whole thing especially at the Buy More I think. And then of course Tony Hale comes on; Tony Hale from Arrested Development, who is just so much fun and such a cool dude and so funny. He comes on to play this really cool character called Emmett Milbarge who is brought in from corporate Buy More as an efficiency expert and as he spends more time at the Buy More you realize we are not friends. That’s the cool stuff. We had C.S. Lee played Harry Tang and he was great character for the Buy More and an adversary for Chuck and Morgan at the Buy More. Emmett’s that kind of character. This story is playing out much more like Morgan has… I hate to use the word “grown up,” because not quite yet, but he’s maturing and taking on a little more responsibility, he gets a little bit more responsibility, people are now coming to him. Chuck’s by now left the Buy More because I think the spy world is really starting to consume him a little bit more this season. At the Buy More, people like the Nerd Herd and the gang and stuff are turning to Morgan now and he does the best he can in his Morgan way, and so it usually leads to some fun times at the Buy More. And so Emmett becomes this really cool adversary for Morgan and the guys and Tony just fit right in and is just great right off the bat. It’s fun.

BLAST: What kind of character does Tony play? Is he channeling the whole “Buster” persona or is he going to be more along the lines of a serious [character]?

JG: Well, both. He’s definitely a new deal but he plays his character so well it’s easy to imagine that this is the guy that if he finds a piece of lint in his pocket he would blow a gasket. Emmett is this like ridiculously anal [character] and takes his job way too serious and the rest of us couldn’t take it any less serious, including Big Mike. You’ll definitely find some elements of [Buster], but I think it’s a whole new deal and a whole new character. It’s pretty funny. It’s pretty good stuff.

BLAST: So he’s the big new character; there’s no one else super surprising?

JG: He’s not until the fourth or fifth [episode] right now. He’s not in every episode. He doesn’t start the season off in the show but he eventually kind of comes in. As far as new characters though, nothing changes too much. As far as the spy world is concerned you still have Chuck, Casey, and Sarah, the three of them are sort of out there, so no one really gets added to that gang. A lot of cool guest stars though, a lot of people coming on board: Michael Clarke Duncan and there’s an episode where John Laroquette plays an ex-spy who has to come in and teach Chuck how to be more suave and how to seduce women and once again, a great premise, a great actor coming in. And him and Zack together are just great because they’re both so freaking cool. So yeah, you got a lot of cool guest stars, but the cast’s pretty much the same as it was like I said with the addition of some recurring like Tony Hale. That’s about it. That’s about it so far.

BLAST: What about the plot? Is there a more definite destination that we’re going towards? Is there going to be a nemesis introduced?

JG: What’s funny is that I tried to talk to the guys all the time, whether it be Josh Schwartz and mostly with Chris Fedak who I see a lot. I love trying to get answers out of them, the writing staff and stuff. But it’s like, they’ll give you little niblets. You know they have a plan. You know, they’ll pull out their Chuck bible and… I know they have their whole history ready to go. I think there’s going to be stuff they’re going to introduce, people they’re going to introduce, roads they’re going to go down, but I just don’t think they’re going to give it up to us. Every script that I get is the same as what you guys are going to be seeing every week, watching it. It’s just like “Okay, okay. Interesting, interesting.” I mean there’s a few things they’ll tell us in advance but as far as any big things like that where are we going to find out what really happened to Chuck’s parents or is his father alive and is he out there? I’m sure they have a map and a blueprint, but they sure as hell aren’t telling me.  But I’m sure whatever it is, it will be good. I think we’re shooting episode nine right now and there’s some kind of cool revelations and some cool things. And of course Bryce Larkin, who kind of is the nemesis, he’s popping in and out. There’s always Bryce lingering, kind of causing havoc, kind of helping Chuck and also hurting him at the same time. I would say that if there is a nemesis, it would still be Bryce Larkin. As far as anything new, again, perhaps, but I don’t know.

BLAST: Well once again, thanks for talking to us. We look forward to watching Morgan wreak havoc at the Buy More.

JG: [laughing] Well, you will. You will.

LeRoi Moore, the sax player in the Dave Matthews Band, died Tuesday, the Associated Press confirmed. He was 46.

Publicist Ambrosia Healy told the AP that Moore died Tuesday at Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in Los Angeles.

Moore was critically injured in an ATV accident on his farm near Charlottesville, Va. June 30, suffering a punctured lung and broken ribs. According to TMZ, he went back into the hospital last month with complications

TMZ said Dave Matthews Band will perform a scheduled concert at the Staples Center in Los Angeles tonight. 

TMZ published the following remarks from a band publicist:
“LeRoi Moore, saxophonist and founding member of Dave Matthews Band, died unexpectedly Tuesday afternoon, August 19, 2008, at Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in Los Angeles from sudden complications stemming from his June ATV accident on his farm near Charlottesville, Virginia. Moore had recently returned to his Los Angeles home to begin an intensive physical rehabilitation program.”

Comedy Central will air the roast America’s favorite dad and one of the dirtiest comedians out there, Bob Saget, on Sunday.

“It’s an honor…My ass is already sore,” stated Saget.

“Bob Saget is one of the true nice guys.  I’ve apologized to him in advance for what this evening holds in store for him,” said Elizabeth Porter, senior vice president of specials and talent for the network. The roast was taped in Los Angeles and will be aired for the first time.

Saget struck green when he stared in two top-ten primetime television shows at the same time: Full House and America’s Funniest Home Videos.

Those who have seen his stage show know him as a slightly more adult-oriented entertainer.

In 2007, Saget kicked off a national theater tour that continues through 2008 and starred in the one-hour HBO special, “That Ain’t Right,” which is available on DVD.  For more information visit www.BobSaget.com.

His “Theme from Shaft” won both Academy and Grammy awards in the early 1970s.

Mr. Hayes died today at his home in Tennessee. He was 65.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office says a family member found him unresponsive by a treadmill, according to the Associated Press.

Mr. Hayes was perhaps best known to this generation as “Chef” from the hit animated series South Park.

His publicist, Danica Smith, confirmed the actor’s death in a statement from Los Angeles.

Smith said that the pneumonia he was suffering from was unrelated to his previous condition of sarcoidosis, an inflammatory lung disease, that Mac said went into remission in 2005.

Bernie Mac’s television, movie, and comedy careers earned him numerous awards such as the Television Critics Association Award and Image Award for “The Bernie Mac Show”. He also earned a Black Reel Award for his performance in the film “Mr. 3000″.

Mac was born Bernard Jeffrey McCullough on Oct. 15, 1957 in Chicago.

He is survived by his wife, Rhona McCullough, and one child.

He was never really a leading man, and he always seemed happy with the lovable roles he played, notably as Major General George Hammond on Stargate SG-1.

What we did not know, and what we certainly did not expect, was that we would produce his last media interview. Mr. Davis died June 29. He was 65 and had been in declining health, causing him to reduce his acting duties since 2003.

Mr. Davis has been a warrior, educator, actor, artist and much more. His inspirations come from his military background and his upbringing in Aurora, Mo. in the Ozark Mountains.

“It’s a small town filled with good people in a beautiful area,” Davis told Blast in March. “It’s a beautiful area with picturesque towns and farms set among rolling hills, which are crisscrossed by many rivers,” he writes in his biography on his art website, donsdavisart.com. “The towns and farmsteads contain wonderful old homes, barns and other buildings that provide nearly limitless opportunities for artistic inspiration.”

“So many of you have been touched by not only the work and art of Don S. Davis, but by the man himself, who always took the time to be with you at the appearances he loved,” his family wrote in a statement after his passing. “On behalf of his family and wife, Ruby, we thank you for your prayers and condolences.”

His fans always said it best.

“Mr. Davis will always be one of my very favorite people because he cares so much for Stargate and for the fans,” said Patricia Stewart, a fan from British Columbia who met Davis at a convention last August. “And when I saw him later that day, he remembered my name! He’s a real gentleman.”

We will remember Mr. Davis, the actor, artist and gentleman.

A private memorial service will be held in the coming weeks. His ashes will be cast into the ocean.

Blast Magazine correspondents Manuel Uribe and Sarah Gantz contributed to this report