Headlines (Scroll down for complete stories):
1. Snoop Dogg's Tax Dodge
2. Beyonce’s 'Obsessed,' an Unoriginal Hit
3. Lindsay Lohan: 'I’ve Been a Target'
4. Blago Goes to Hollywood
5. Ron Howard's 'Demons & Angels' Incenses Catholics
1. Snoop Dogg's Tax Dodge
Calvin Broadus may have to sell some bling.
The rapper and “Girls Gone Wild” star, better known as Snoop Dogg, has had a tax lien filed against him by the state of California, and it’s in excess of $284,000.
He’s not the only celeb who’s in hot water over taxes. Singer Dionne Warwick was included in the list of top 10 worst tax offenders recently released by the Golden State. And “Dancing With the Stars” contender Lil Kim is in her own tug-of-war with the Internal Revenue Service.
Maybe Dogg is hoping that authorities will be inspired by his hit tune “Drop It Like It's Hot” and the same will be done with his case.
In any event, he should look on the bright side. Now he qualifies to be a Cabinet member in the Obama administration.
2. Beyonce’s 'Obsessed,' an Unoriginal Hit
Beyonce Knowles’ new film, “Obsessed,” illustrates a couple of things: 1) the lady is loaded with talent; and 2) lack of originality is an epidemic in Hollywood.
The story has been told a gazillion times before, more often than not with Michael Douglas playing the lead role of terrorized philanderer.
Unfortunately, “Obsessed” makes no attempt to twist the story structure or alter the inevitable climax.
The end result? Zero surprises.
Audiences have always been fascinated with tales of irrational home wreckers.
In “Antony and Cleopatra,” the Egyptian queen toys with the married Roman general. In “Gone with the Wind,” Scarlett O’Hara flirts non-stop with sweet Melanie’s spouse, Ashley Wilkes. And in the 1980s film, “Fatal Attraction,” Glenn Close’s Alex character goes after already hitched Michael Douglas’ Dan with a vengeance.
Using the same plotline with a multicultural twist, “Obsessed” clawed its way to No. 1 at the domestic box office, taking in more than $28 million.
Still, the movie ends up being a typical exploitation film and becomes so exaggerated it inadvertently transforms into one of the campiest films to hit theaters this year, complete with a double-beauty catfight.
Beyonce will make a lot of money off this pic, but she’d be wise to jump genres as quickly as her sparkling stilettos can carry her.
3. Lindsay Lohan: 'I’ve Been a Target'
In what appears to be a pity ploy, Lindsay Lohan recently tried to explain why she’s having trouble finding work.
It’s not the ailing economy or any mistake she herself may have made.
No, according to Lindsay, she’s a victim of a media conspiracy.
In a recent appearance on the “Ellen” show, the “Mean Girls” star spoke of a specific gig she had lost.
“I had a really good opportunity with an amazing actor and it's been put on hold because of this coverage that's been coming out,” Lohan contended.
Somewhat disgusted, she added, “I didn't get into this to be a celebrity on the cover of tabloids and I've been a target and I'm not that interesting but it's distracting; it distracts people, studio heads, everyone — they get nervous.”
Someone should tell Lindsay that when execs read reports of eating disorders, drug abuse and unstable relationships, it’s their job to get nervous.
Still trying to make her case, Lohan had a message for her prospective Tinseltown employers.
“I'm ready to work and I'm responsible,” she said.
4. Blago Goes to Hollywood
Rod Blagojevich says that a federal jurist has rescued him from a terrible fate.
The former Illinois governor claims that the judge saved him from having to eat bugs.
That’s because the judge in question refused to allow Blago, who has pled guilty to a host of federal crimes, to travel to Costa Rica.
It was there in the Central American jungle that the impeached public official had hoped to appear on the reality show “I'm a Celebrity . . . Get Me Out of Here!”
Contestants are put through competitions like the above-mentioned insect munching.
Instead of going to Costs Rica, Blago headed to L.A., where in order to promote the show he participated in stunts in front of a “green screen” and posed with “The Hills” stars, Spencer and Heidi, who are set to appear on the new edition of the reality show.
Since the judge put the kibosh on Blago’s reality show plans, maybe the former gov can sell his spot to Joe Biden.
5. Ron Howard's 'Demons & Angels' Incenses Catholics
Ron Howard has been doing his best Opie impression while running around claiming that his upcoming movie, “Angels & Demons,” is not anti-Christian or anti-Catholic.
Howard is in denial and perhaps a bit distracted by the box office.
In the film, the Catholic Church and the Vatican are depicted as secretive, conspiratorial, ignorant, and violent.
Brown is the same author, and Howard, the same filmmaker, who brought us “The Da Vinci Code,” a blatantly anti-Christian book and film.
If people of faith purchase tickets for “Angels & Demons,” it will put more money into Brown and Howard’s already bulging pockets and send a message that this kind of content is acceptable and, regrettably, profitable.
On the first page of "The Da Vinci Code," Brown claims that the book is based on fact.
He also claims some “facts” in “Angels and Demons,” for example, that “Christians got Holy Communion from the Aztecs” and “got the name for ‘Satan’ from the Islamic language, [sic] which they considered dirty.”
Canadian priest Bernard O'Connor indicated that a “production official” had told him, “Like most of us, Brown often says that he would do anything to demolish that detestable institution, the Catholic Church.”
Defenders such as Howard often point out that the movie and books are fiction and that folks shouldn’t get exercised.
But Brown continues to suggest that his anti-Christian ideas are factually based.
Maybe getting exorcised is something that Brown and Howard might contemplate.
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