WebProNews

Tag: Entertainment

  • Contestants Angry Over “Biggest Loser”, Twitter Reaction

    Recently NBC announced a secret twist on their hit show, ‘Biggest Loser’ where celebrities compete to see who can shed the most excess pounds. The show’s producers leaked word that it may allow previous contestants to return to the show to compete for the $250,000 grand prize. Immediately the current stars were pissed off! To express their great displeasure they coordinated a walk-off and left the set during filming for the latest episode. According to TMZ, the producers of the show have halted production this week in order to figure out what to do next.

    It sounds like another publicity stunt to me. Apparently a representative from the NBC network had no comment on the events. Let’s see what fans are saying on Twitter:

    Seems like fans of the show don’t care either way. I guess the main point is to see people drop a lot of weight. The money is just there to motivate them. I like seeing what happens after they leave the show and they are no longer motivated to diet and exercise. Hello fatso!

  • Whitney Houston’s Death Coverage Examined By Lewis Black

    Lewis Black isn’t happy. This fact is evident anytime he opens his mouth. Black, known for his angry rants, while simulating a mental breakdown, has a segment on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, where he examines various aspects of our society. On last nights episode, his segment “Back in Black”, took a look at how the media handled the death of Whitney Houston.

    “The media observed her passing in the tradition of the Native Americans — by using every part of the tragedy!” Black said. “For instance, did you know with very little skill you can turn a song catalog into hours of terrible segues?”

    Check out the video for yourself below:

    What did you think? Does Lewis Black have a point? Let us know in the comments.

  • Will Sacha Baron Cohen’s Dictator Crash The Oscars?

    Will Sacha Baron Cohen’s Dictator Crash The Oscars?

    UPDATE: Has Sacha Baron Cohen been banned from the Oscars?

    ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Sacha Baron Cohen’s new film, The Dictator, is “the heroic story of a dictator who risks his life to ensure that democracy would never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed.” If you’ve seen the trailer, you know that it’s probably going to be a wild and unpredictable as Cohen’s previous hit films Borat and Bruno.

    Apparently Cohen wants to bring his character, Admiral General Aladeen, to the most dignified award ceremony of the year – The Academy Awards.

    The Hollywood Reporter is quoting sources that say Cohen has already expressed his desire to Paramount Studios. In a room of black ties and fancy dresses, Cohen would arrive in full-faux-middle-eastern-military garb. The reason Cohen is attending the Oscars this year is his role in Martin Scorcese’s Hugo, which has been nominated for Best Picture.

    The Academy says that they have no knowledge of such plans.

    Of course, Cohen strutting down the red carpet looking like Muammar Gaddafi would probably be entertaining – but you have to think that it would infuriate some of the Academy’s old guard. Plus, I can’t even imagine how mad some starlets would be to have their spotlight stolen.

    This definitely wouldn’t be Cohen’s first foray into stunts like this (just ask Eminem’s face). Every time Cohen does something like this, it’s highly circulated around the interwebs and it ends up being great publicity for his upcoming project. The Dictator is already being promoted heavily online. For instance, the fictional country from the film, The Republic of Wadiya, has its own website.

    There, you can check out Admiral General Aladeen’s biography: “Aladeen righteously declared his father Eternal President of the Republic and called for free elections to determine who would serve as Vice-President under his dead father. Aladeen won with only 99.999% of the vote. After an exhaustive government investigation, it was discovered that the one dissenting vote came from Aladeen himself, who deliberately misspelled his own name as an ingenious test of the system.” You can also learn the history of the country as well as the weather forecast (Sunny with a high of 112 degrees for the next 500 days).

    General Aladeen also has his very own verified Twitter account, where you can find gems like this:

    @RepublicWadiya
    General Aladeen    As a romantic Valentine’s day gesture, I today allowed the boyfriend of our captured American hiker to watch her pleasure me via Skype 7 days ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    Check out the official trailer and decide if you think Admiral General Aladeen would be a good addition to the red carpet. The film is set to release on May 11th.

  • CM Punk Feuding With Chris Brown Via Twitter

    On Sunday, April 1, CM Punk will take part in quite possibly the biggest match of his professional wrestling career. He’ll be going up against Chris Jericho at WrestleMania 28 to defend his WWE Championship.

    It appears as though Punk cannot wait for a brawl, and has started taking shots, via Twitter, against R&B singer/dancer Chris Brown. Why you ask? Punk doesn’t feel that Brown has paid his debt for assaulting then-girlfriend, Rihanna. In a move, that seemingly came out of nowhere, Punk tweeted the following:

    @CMPunk
    CM Punk    I would like @chrisbrown fight somebody that can defend themselves. Me curb stomping that turd would be a #wrestlemania moment. 2 days ago via Twitter for iPhone ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    In response, Brown tweeted the following: (The tweet has since been removed — good move PR team)

    @chrisbrown
    Chris Brown     CM punk needs more followers. He’s such a leader! Not to mention the roids hes on has made it utterly impossible for him pleasure a women. 2 days ago via Twitter for iPhone ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    Only adding fuel to the fire, Brown also tweeted:

    @chrisbrown
    Chris Brown     Positivity regardless of how u feel! @CMpunk contact my assistant and I’ll have em send u an autographed pic for my biggest FAN!!! 2 days ago via Twitter for iPhone ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    At this point, Punk wasn’t done with Brown… not by any means. He uploaded a two minute video directed towards Brown clearing up some of the accusations that were made in earlier tweets. As Yahoo Sports reports, Punk is a straight-edge individual, as he’s never taken drugs, steroids, or even drank alcohol.

    In the video, Punk challenges Brown to a fight, with all proceeds going to a women’s shelter.

    In probably the most, “yeah, he just said that moment“, Punk says: “I will choke you out and I will make you feel as weak and as powerless and scared and alone as any woman who has the misfortune of knowing a sad cowardly little boy such as yourself.”

    Seemingly trying to blow it off, Brown tweeted:

    @chrisbrown
    Chris Brown     @cmpunk the video u just posted was cute! It’s so funny how defensive u are. 14 hours ago via Twitter for iPhone ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @chrisbrown
    Chris Brown     And the fact that I really don’t know who you are and could give a shit is the funny part! 14 hours ago via Twitter for iPhone ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @chrisbrown
    Chris Brown     I really hope this 15 minutes of fame is paying you for the long run becuz music last forever! Wrestlers come and go according to ratings! 14 hours ago via Twitter for iPhone ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    It’s unclear at this moment if Brown will take the offer presented in the video. According to Punk, it probably won’t since Brown “isn’t a man“.

    What do you think of this Twitter feud? Do you feel it’s heartfelt, and Punk just wants redemption for Brown’s domestic abusing ways… or is it simply a publicity stunt? Let us know in the comments.

  • Mardi Gras, Brady Quinn, and Doritos Tacos

    Mardi Gras, Brady Quinn, and Doritos Tacos

    Twitter is a wonderful place for one-liners. To be funny on the site, you’ve got to be sharp and practice economy of language. You’ve only got 140 characters to make an impression.

    And what better way to wind-down the work day than with a selection of some of the day’s most entertaining tweets.

    Enjoy!

    @jennabrom
    Jenna Bromberg    I don’t know, king cake. I prefer not to put myself in situations where surprise babies may emerge at any time. 1 hour ago via Twitter for Mac ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @rienfertel
    Rien Fertel    ‘Girl, you look as good as a King Cake. Let me put a baby in you.’ Top pickup line of the season/century. 1 day ago via Twitter for iPhone ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @brendonwalsh
    Brendon Walsh    Not to sound all high & mighty, but I just smoked a bowl and bench pressed 200 lbs 28 minutes ago via TweetCaster for Android ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @morninggloria
    Erin Gloria Ryan    Mardi Gras, St. Patrick’s Day & Cinco De Mayo are the 3 most important religious holidays for belligerent drunks everyone hated in college. 5 hours ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @itsthereal
    itsthereal    Nicki Minaj gave up rapping for Lent, even before it was Lent. She’s truly devout. 1 hour ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @DamienFahey
    Damien Fahey    It’s almost Lent which reminds me of when God said, “A few times a year, to prove you love me, do some weird stuff.” 44 minutes ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @PeytonsHead
    Peyton’s Head    GQ should ask Brady Quinn about something he’s qualified to answer, like his thoughts on David Beckham’s performance as an underwear model 1 hour ago via Twitter for iPhone ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @sportspickle
    SportsPickle    The fact that Brady Quinn dumped on Tebow is not news. The news is that for some reason someone interviewed Brady Quinn. 2 hours ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @davecaughey
    Dave Caughey    I’m hoping to give up celibacy for lent. 1 hour ago via Tweetbot for iOS ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @DrunkAshKetchum
    Drunk Ash Ketchum    Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday. Awwww yeah. 4 hours ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @sportsguy33
    Bill Simmons    I’m rooting for the divorced girl to win “The Bachelor.” It would be more improbable than Gonzaga winning March Madness. 2 hours ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @PaulyMortadella
    Pauly Miller    Anyone who can stand Chris Brown has obviously never had the shit beat out of them or they are Rihanna. 1 hour ago via twicca ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @FakeAPStylebook
    Fake AP Stylebook    To avoid further controversy, people of Asian descent should only be described as “Linscrutable.” #Linsanity 1 hour ago via HootSuite ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @FirstWorldLife
    First World Life    I can’t walk through Costco without constantly being offered free, delicious food. #FirstWorldProblems 2 hours ago via iTweet for Android ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @CandyWarhole
    who cupped my boobs?    Eating McDonalds is like bungee jumping: you know theres a chance you may die, but you take a leap of faith and hope you dont shit yourself 3 hours ago via twicca ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @hihough
    James Hough    How did anyone convince us that Nature Valley granola bars are food? 3 hours ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @BorowitzReport
    Andy Borowitz    Just re-read the Book of Revelation, and there are at least sixteen different references to sweater vests. 3 hours ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @mileskahn
    mileskahn    If there’s life on other planets, they probably had the technology to create Doritos Locos Tacos hundreds of years ago. 5 hours ago via TweetDeck ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

  • Bill Maher To Kick Off Yahoo Comedy Channel With New Standup

    Bill Maher To Kick Off Yahoo Comedy Channel With New Standup

    On Thursday night, Bill Maher will take the stage for his new comedy special, CrazyStupidPolitics: Live From Silicon Valley. The show will take place at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts, but you can watch it live, and for free via Yahoo.

    Actually, you can only watch in through Yahoo. Bill Maher’s new special marks the debut of Yahoo Screen’s new Comedy Channel. The Yahoo Screen initiative was launched as a way for Yahoo to bring users video content from sports, TV shows, and gaming, and more. Their Comedy Channel will feature short videos – original and licensed content from the likes of Funny or Die and Lorne Michael’s Broadway Video.

    But it all kicks off with Maher, who as the long-running host of Politically Incorrect on ABC and the current host of Real Time With Bill Maher has amassed a loyal fan base with his pull-no-punches take on American politics. That style has also led him to find plenty of detractors. Yahoo has definitely made an interesting choice by kicking off their new channel with a polarizing figure like Maher. But I guarantee you that he’ll entertain.

    @billmaher
    Bill Maher    Doing #CraigFerguson tomorrow, putting finishing touches on #CrazyStupidPolitics live StandUp concert thurs nite on Yahoo! Funny shit!! 14 hours ago via Twitter for BlackBerry® ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    Here’s what you can expect:

    The special will stream live on February 23rd at 10:30 pm EST on Yahoo Screen.

  • Weinsteins Team Up with Netflix for Film Deal

    Netflix and The Weinstein Company announced an exclusive, multi-year licensing agreement that will make foreign, documentary and certain other films available for streaming for U.S. customers. This will prompt some movies to be released directly to Netflix, instead of traditional cable channels.

    Critically acclaimed film, “The Artist,” which has garnered 10 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, will make it’s first showing on TV via Netflix. Also on deck is the Oscar-nominated documentary “Undefeated,” which portrays the struggles of a Memphis high school football team, as they try to win a playoff game.

    Other specialty films set to appear exclusively on Netflix include the French World War II drama “Sarah’s Key,” starring Kristin Scott Thomas; the recent French box office hit “The Intouchables;” the romantic drama “W.E.,” directed by Madonna (?); the Shakespeare-adapted “Coriolanus,” directed by and starring Ralph Fiennes; and “Bully,” a documentary about the American school system.

    Exact details of the deal have been kept under wraps, and Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos goes on to say, “we couldn’t be happier to be working again with Harvey and Bob, who have an unmatched track record of creating critically acclaimed and commercially successful movies.” Netflix plans to offer a diverse playlist of Weinstein Company produced streaming content, which will likely please their customer base, in contrast to various other directions the company has been trying out.

  • Simpsons 500th Episode Sets Records, Creates Buzz

    Matt Groening’s cartoon creation and The Fox TV series “The Simpsons” has set another record with the running of it’s recent milestone 500th episode on Sunday, February 19th. “The Simpsons” is now one of the longest-running sitcoms in television history, saddling up next to “Gunsmoke,” which holds the record with 635 episodes and closing in on “Lassie,” which was on for 588 episodes. The pop culture phenomenon has been creating laughter on the airwaves and couch potatoes for 23 straight seasons. To honor fans, the show opened with a montage of some of the best couch gag scenes from the past 23 years.

    Sunday’s celebratory episode delivered an impressive 30% spike in viewership for Fox on an otherwise slow weekend evening. In honor of the show, two Super Simpson fans, Jeremiah Franco and Carin Shreve set a new Guinness World Record for longest continuous television viewing by watching a marathon 86 hours and 37 minutes of The Simpsons. The hoopla around this animated achievement has created an impressive buzz online where the Simpson’s has a remarkable presence and some 40 million Facebook fans.

    In a Q&A with the Los Angeles Times on reaching the 500th episode, Matt Groening explains how the Internet enables constant criticism and analysis of every single episode of the show. Even if sometimes painful, Groening believes the great thing about the web is that it allows people to participate.

    A surprise for the show was the guest appearance of controversial WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange. In the episode, the residents of their beloved hometown, Springfield, decide to send the Simpsons into exile by kicking them out of town for all the trouble they have caused over the years. Marge and Homer go to Assange in an attempt to clear their names. The show’s executive producer Al Jean told Entertainment Weekly, “There was discussion internally whether or not to have him on the show, but ultimately we went ahead and did it.”

    The response to the 500th episode has been mixed but very nostalgic. Even the strongest critics have to admire its longevity and faithful fans joke that it could go on forever. Bill Oakley, one of the longtime veteran Simpsons writers treated his Twitter following to a list of episodes that were written but never made it on air.

    @thatbilloakley
    Bill Oakley    In honor of 500th #Simpsons I searched my old files & will Tweet the Top 10 episodes that were pitched, discussed, written but not aired… 3 days ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

  • Mardi Gras 2012 Takes Over The Twitterverse

    For all of Mardi Gras’ religious implications, it always winds up being one of the best parties of the year. And not just Fat Tuesday, of course – that’s just when we stuff ourselves so full of food that we long for a few-week fast. The Mardi Gras season has been in full swing for a while now in famous hub locations like New Orleans, Rio de Janeiro, and various Spanish cities.

    And Mardi Gras has taken over the Twitterverse as people both inside and outside the party have taken to the network to talk King Cake, booze, and preparations for Ash Wednesday.

    @rienfertel
    Rien Fertel    ‘Girl, you look as good as a King Cake. Let me put a baby in you.’ Top pickup line of the season/century. 18 hours ago via Twitter for iPhone ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @ShooterMcGavin_
    Shooter McGavin    If you see someone eating a salad today *walk over* *plate launch* “WEAK SAUCE BABAY!” *hand red lobster coupon* *single pistol* #FatTuesday 37 minutes ago via Tweetbot for iOS ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @untappd
    Untappd    Happy #FatTuesday! Check-in your favorite beer on @untappd today to celebrate and get a special badge for #MardiGras 2012! #drinksocially 1 hour ago via CoTweet ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @chad_m91
    chad tyler miller    I wish I was in new Orleans today #fattuesday 2 minutes ago via Twitter for Android ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @akeady
    Ainghne Keady    Maybe if I flash the Orono PD in honor of #FatTuesday they’ll wave the 8 tickets I have to pay … #worthashot? 4 minutes ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @MayorLandrieu
    Mitch Landrieu    Jumped off the float to toast Harry Connick Jr., Hillary Swank, Mariska Hargitay and Cyndi Lauper. Hail Orpheus! http://t.co/p2KWXNvL 11 hours ago via Twitter for iPhone ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @BorowitzReport
    Andy Borowitz    Happy Mardi Gras, or as I like to call it, Drink Like Rick Perry Day. 44 minutes ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @PeytonsHead
    Peyton’s Head    “Show me your blitz!” ~ Tim Tebow at Mardi Gras 43 minutes ago via Twitter for iPhone ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @nasimiyu
    simi    At this point, Mardi Gras has become a way of life, and I will be confused and disoriented when it’s over. 9 hours ago via Twitter for iPhone ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @abumuqawama
    Andrew Exum    It’s really inspiring watching the masses in New Orleans protest President Obama’s War Against Catholicism. #OccupyBourbonStreet #courage 14 minutes ago via TweetDeck ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @LynnBeighley
    Lynn Beighley    Is that a plastic baby in my king cake or are you just happy to see me? 15 minutes ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @cdashiell
    Chris Dashiell    I love how New Orleans responded to Ash Wednesday by creating Sin Like Hell Tuesday. 1 minute ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @TheBeanCast
    Bob Knorpp    Happy Mardi Gras! Eat, drink and be merry! For tomorrow you’ll walk around with ashes on your forehead. Hangovers help that apparently. 1 hour ago via TweetDeck ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @DRUNKHULK
    DRUNK HULK    PANCAKE DAY! IF YOU NEED SPECIAL DAY TO REMIND YOUSELF TO LOVE PANCAKE! THEN YOU LIVE LIFE WRONG! 1 hour ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    If you can’t make it to New Orleans, don’t worry. You can always watch the live stream of the parties on nola.com and feel super depressed that you’re missing out on all the fun.

    Have a Happy Mardi Gras, everyone – eat some crawfish!

  • Viral Videos: Goldeneye 64 Mod, Tim Tebow Reads Dr. Seuss, & Sun Tornadoes

    A viral video is one that becomes popular through the process of Internet sharing, via social media, sharing sites, or good ‘ole email. Everyday we highlight some of the best that are currently viral and some that are trending that way.

    Today’s videos feature a dancing russian mom, a surfing turtle, a cat and chick hanging out, & Mr. Zulu checking out The Hulk.

    Kids today, with their competent A.I. scripting and regenerating health. In my day, characters walked into walls and your health stayed the way it did until you walked over a health pack. Lazy punks. Also, I think I remember breaking a controller on this stage.

    Where you fall on the Tebow Love/Hate spectrum will determine your reaction to this video. Me, I just want to see Jeremy Lin read ‘Where The Wild Things Are’.

    Here’s some facts to go along with this video. These ‘sun tornadoes’ reach up to 30,000 MPH in speed, and are over 15,000 degrees (fahrenheit). Oh, they also can get bigger than the planet Earth. Wicked stuff.

    So much punching in Road House. What I’ve always loved about this movie is it’s the film that made it ok for guys to like Patrick Swayze.

    I hope every mom in Russia is as awesome as this one.

    Whoa, I hit the wave…and was like YAH. Brah, it was radical. Name’s Nemo…’sup?

    Cat meet snow.

    So adorable, but how many of you were secretly wanting the cat to just snap and snatch the chick up and eat it? Be honest.

    Floppy drive instrumentals + Gerudo Valley theme from Legend of Zelda: OoT = nerd symphony.

    R-R-R-U-U-B-I-I-I-O-O-O

  • Presidents Day, Kurt Cobain, and Cookies

    Presidents Day, Kurt Cobain, and Cookies

    Twitter is a wonderful place for one-liners. To be funny on the site, you’ve got to be sharp and practice economy of language. You’ve only got 140 characters to make an impression.

    And what better way to wind-down the work day than with a selection of some of the day’s most entertaining tweets.

    Enjoy!

    @BorowitzReport
    Andy Borowitz    If Kurt Cobain saw “Happy Birthday Kurt Cobain” was a trending topic on Twitter he would probably kill himself again. 32 minutes ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @FamousCeleb
    Celebrity    Happy Birthday Kurt Cobain, the Foo Fighters have never been the same without you 2 hours ago via Twitter for Android ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @boring_as_heck
    stefan    Happy Birthday Kurt Cobain. Your career sort of stalled, don’t know what you’ve been up to recently. Hope you can get back to makin’ music! 2 hours ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @Joan_Rivers
    Joan Rivers    Happy President’s Day! There should be a “First Ladies Day” to honor the women who suffered while their husbands slept around with interns. 1 hour ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @JensenClan88
    Jensen Karp    President Obama makes $400,000 a year while in office. Paul Walker made $7,000,000 for 2 Fast 2 Furious. Happy President’s Day, everybody! 2 hours ago via Tweetbot for iOS ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @ShawnGarrett
    Shawn Garrett    Happy Birthday, Kurt Cobain. If you were alive now, with a face that survived a gunshot blast, you would make better music than Chris Brown. 2 hours ago via Echofon ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @MrJChrist
    Jesus Christ    This year Im giving up Lent for alcohol 1 hour ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @juliussharpe
    Julius Sharpe    “Aaah! It’s a trap!” – Lint 11 minutes ago via Echofon ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @birbigs
    Mike Birbiglia    Sometimes I wish the United States could “clear history.” #presidentsday 18 minutes ago via TweetDeck ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @DannyZuker
    Danny Zuker    I have this tradition where every Presidents’ Day I eat like William Howard Taft for 12 months. 38 minutes ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @robdelaney
    rob delaney    Getting something “trending” on Twitter is roughly as useful as writing it in lipstick on the side of a bag of dog food. 53 minutes ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @shariv67
    Shari Vanderwerf    I changed the preferences, but my mouth still accepts all cookies. 🙁 1 hour ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @FirstWorldLife
    First World Life    My mom tossed my allergy medicine because she thought they were ecstasy pills #FirstWorldProblems 2 hours ago via iTweet for Android ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @Coastiefish
    Matt Smith    I’d rather have have that face-ripping-monkey rip off my face than to be stuck behind one of those extreme couponers in the grocery line. 3 hours ago via TweetDeck ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

  • Stupid Man Attempts to Steal iPad In Michigan

    Bad news for an iPad thief who turned out to be less than a mastermind of petty crime. This past saturday, the aspiring thief lured a prospective iPad seller to a meeting place in Ann Arbor, MI. where he intended to gain an opportunity to steal the product. When the victim arrived at the meeting place, the 600 block of Armstrong, the thief was ready. The seller presented the product for inspection and the thief snatched it up and fled the scene. No doubt the seller was distraught, but the story didn’t end there.

    When the mastermind executed his cunning plan he inadvertantly left behind some key evidence. During his daring escape the suspect left behind his cell phone. The victim gathered up the evidence, alerted authorities, and waited for action.

    When the police arrived at the suspects home, he knew what they were there for and put up a struggle. Eventually freeing himself, he once again fled the scene. Found a few blocks later, he was taken into custody and booked on charges of assault and larceny. The iPad is said to be worth about $500.

    So if you are going to commit a crime, it is best if you don’t leave all your contact information behind with the victim. This is a rookie mistake. I’ll look forward to seeing the outcome of this case.

  • More Hollywood Films to be Released in China

    China has added 14 slots to the 20 Hollywood blockbusters they already allow into the country per year, as long as the additional films are in Imax or 3D. At the close of China vice president Xi Jinping’s recent visit to the U.S., some Chinese trade sanctions on Hollywood were lifted, which could lead to more 3D and Imax movies being greenlit. Hollywood films currently account for 40% of China’s box office, even in their small number. The new agreement now allows foreign filmmakers to keep 25% of profits, up from 13%. “The industry has been living with the numbers in terms of percentages and quotas for 20 years. It begged for a conclusion,” says Chris Dodd, chairman of the Motion Picture Association of America.

    After spending the day with Jinping in Los Angeles, Biden pressed on the trade dispute in question as the two had dinner, stating “we’re really close,” said an official who was present. “It would be great to get this done.”

    Jean Prewitt, president of the Independent Film and Television Alliance adds, “we do think it’s a breakthrough,” according to the Los Angeles Times. “For the first time we really have the building blocks to begin to work competitively in that marketplace,” she added. Presently, about 40 foreign indie films get a release in China each year, along with the typical 20 from Hollywood, with producers haggling over 2-3% of the gross. Now, they will be able to get roughly what they get elsewhere, in China. The new agreement might not only affect revenue – Su Mu, a professor at Beijing’s film academy, claims Chinese cinema has basically been ‘tricking’ moviegoers into theaters through the use of big name movie stars as of late, instead of making worthwhile films with actual production values and plots. “More U.S. movies may force domestic producers to take a correct attitude toward their works and learn from others,” Mu tells the Guardian.

    Market trends suggest that Hollywood blockbusters are in demand in China, and in 2011, 803 new theaters opened, many of which were equipped to handle Imax and 3D movies. “This is a very big deal,” adds Chris Dodd, describing the new arrangement. Biden and Jinping agreed the new rules will be under review in 5 years.

  • The Bodyguard Stream Pulled From Netflix Instant

    While there may not be a law against capitalizing on the death of famous entertainers, it certainly feels like an unethical approach, especially when it comes from a company that clearly cares more about milking money out of consumers than it does making 20 year old content available to them.

    That’s right. As detailed in a Google+ post by Dan McDermott, Netflix no longer has streaming rights to Whitney Houston’s The Bodyguard, and according to McDermott’s post, it has everything to do with making money off the famous singer’s untimely death. While you may want to take the following explanation with a grain of salt, considering the relationship between Warner Brother and Netflix, then again, maybe not.

    From McDermott’s post:

    So I called Netflx and the rep confirmed what I suspected:

    Netflix rep: “Okay Dan, I just went and talked to my main supervisor as to why the movie had been pulled and the reason it was pulled was the production company pulled the streaming rights from us because all the publicity after Whitney Houston’s passing there was an opportunity to make really a very large amount of money on the DVD sales of her movies. So they’re going to pull all the streaming titles we have of Whitney Houston so they can make more money off the DVD sales of her movies.” [Emphasis added]

    A quick glance at The Bodyguard’s IMDB page reveals the production company, Kasdan Pictures, is indeed owned by the infamous thorn in the side of Netflix’s index of rentable movies, Warner Brothers, a company that has made no bones complaining about the lack of revenue the physical sale of DVDs has generated.

    And now that Whitney Houston is once again the talk of the town — for whatever reason — apparently, Warner Brother sees this as an opportunity to make money of the singer’s death. Again, in a free market, Warner Brothers is well within their rights as a company to repackage whatever movie they see fit, but removing it from Netflix’s streaming index is almost a slap in the face.

    Essentially, Warner Brothers is saying if you want to see Houston in her most famous theatrical performance, you’re going to have to pay for it. No wonder these companies fail to generate sympathy for themselves when they complain about the decrease of sales for physical content like DVDs. Is such behavior like what was exhibited when The Bodyguard stream was pulled supposed to generate support for Warner Brothers?

    Of course, considering Apple’s “accidental” reaction to Houston’s death — raising the price of her music on iTunes — this shouldn’t come as a surprise, but at the same time, it shouldn’t be surprising when these same companies can’t generate the necessary support for bills like SOPA and PIPA. When you piss off your consumers just to turn a quick buck, it has a way of coming back to bite you, especially when you need these same people to agree with your position on Internet regulation in order to stop piracy.

    With all of this in mind, I’m sitting in slack-jawed amazement that Warner Brothers hasn’t complained to YouTube about the I Will Always Love You video still being accessible. With that in mind:


    You might as well get it before it’s too late.

  • Mardi Gras Tweets: Beads, Boobs, Beer and Babies

    Mardi Gras Tweets: Beads, Boobs, Beer and Babies

    Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez!

    Tomorrow is the “Tuesday” in Fat Tuesday. King cakes are being baked, boxes of beads are being sold, bras are being left at home.

    As people get ready for the parades and wild abandon of Mardi Gras, they’re taking to Twitter to announce their intentions and scope out the action.

    We’ll start you off with this one from the inimitable Dr. Ruth…

  • Mark Zuckerberg Has Linsanity, Too

    Mark Zuckerberg Has Linsanity, Too

    As you can see, the world clearly belongs to Jeremy Lin and we’re all just living in it because he allows us to exist. The glow from Lin’s swagger is so bright, tech industry mavens are even drawn to it. Just ask Mark Zuckerberg. Who knew the kid who was portrayed by Jesse Eisenberg as being socially inept would one day rise to the point of commanding seats behind the New York Knicks bench?

    Another question, I wonder if those NBA players in front of Zuckerberg realize the guy two rows behind them is rich enough to buy the entire team and pay their salaries out his spending money fund?

    Some more food for thought: do you think Lin is on Zuckerberg’s “Friends” list? Does Zuckerberg “Like” the New York Knicks Facebook fan page? Does he “Like” Jeremy Lin’s fan page? Does Zuckerberg’s power give him some influence over the Knicks? You know, something like a silent partner who has incredibly deep pockets?

    Who knows? Maybe “Zuck” is looking to branch out, just like Mark Cuban. Or, maybe because Lin went to Harvard, Zuckerberg feels a special kind of kinship. Whatever the case, if he is truly a Knicks fan and not someone who’s trying to catch the Lin wave, perhaps he should update his wardrobe to represent his choice in basketball teams… Just a thought.

    Whatever the case, Spike Lee is certainly down with Zuck:

    Spike And Zuck

    While the phrase “real recognize real” applies here, perhaps “rich recognize rich” is more appropriate. H/t to 30fps for the screencap and the NBA’s TwitPic account for the image of Lee and Zuckerberg.

  • ESPN’s Overreaction Indicates A Linsanity Tipping Point

    Over at FreeDictionary.com, the word/term “chink” has a number of definitions, including the word’s racial epithetical implications. There’s also this specific example — 1. a small narrow opening, such as a fissure or crack, chink in one’s armour, a small but fatal weakness — while the armor relation was bolded, perhaps the following phrase, “a small but fatal weakness” best describes what happens if someone uses that phrase in relation to Jeremy Lin.

    Especially at ESPN.

    What we have are not one, but two instance of that particular phrase being used in relation to the white-hot (trend-wise) Jeremy Lin. Over the weekend, Lin’s New York Knicks lost the to New Orleans Hornets, and much like they were quick to trumpet his ascension to this month’s most popular athlete status, it seems the guys at Bristol, Connecticut, were ready for Lin’s inevitable failure — no one goes undefeated in the NBA, folks.

    The use of the phrase “a chink in armor” was used to describe the point guard’s performance, and because of Lin’s heritage, the proverbial waste hit the fan. Not only did an on-air anchor use the phrase, but it appeared on ESPN’s website as well. First the anchor and then a screenshot of ESPN.com when the phrase went live:

    And:

    ESPN Oops
    Image courtesy

    The anchor in question, Max Bretos, has apparently been suspended for his remarks, which in no way come across as a “hey, watch me make fun of the Asian kid” attack. Brestos has even taken to his Twitter to defend himself, and to send thanks for all the support he’s received, and to let the world know there’s no way he meant that in a racist manner because his wife is Asian:

    @mbretosESPN
    Max Bretos    Wanted 2 apologize 2 all those I have upset. Not done with any racial reference. Despite intention,phrase was inappropriate in this context. 1 day ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @mbretosESPN
    Max Bretos    My wife is Asian, would never intentionally say anything to disrespect her and that community. 1 day ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @mbretosESPN
    Max Bretos    Wanted to thank all those for their support. Has meant a lot to me and my family. 17 hours ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    While the “my wife is Asian” thing comes across a little like “but, but my best friend is black,” it’s pretty clear Brestos wasn’t trying to offend anyone with his use of the saying. As for the unfortunate web developer who used the phrase in the ESPN.com headline, writer Antony Federico, he was fired for his mistake. Much like Brestos, Federico apologized, saying, “‘This had nothing to do with me being cute or punny. I’m so sorry that I offended people. I’m so sorry if I offended Jeremy.”

    For what it’s worth, it’s clear Lin has moved on as well, ““They’ve apologized and so from my end, I don’t care anymore.”

    Hopefully, this will be the end of it, although, if Rex Chapman keeps going down the path he’s currently on, it might only get worse.

  • Man Trapped In Snow 2 Months- Twitter Responds

    Peter Skyllberg, age 44, of Sweden was found Friday trapped in his car in the snow. He was about a mile deep in the woods, and claims he had been stuck there since December 19!

    Details on how he became stranded, whether or not he had been reported missing, etc. are very sketchy-to-nonexistent at this point. Lots of questions are being asked about the case. Skyllberg claims he had nothing to eat but snow for two months. Temperatures were below freezing. So far, there seems to be less asked about whether or not this really happened as he states, and a lot of speculation about “human hibernation” and the upper limits of starvation and fasting in below-freezing temperatures.

    News reports say that Skyllberg was found by someone who happened to be passing by on a “snow scooter” in the woods. No word yet on why he was a mile off the road into the woods. He had a sleeping bag and was huddled up inside.

    Skyllberg is reportedly awake and able to talk. Given all the time that reporters have had to get opinions and statements from scientists and doctors about how he could have “hibernated” and benefitted from an “igloo effect” in his car, you’d think someone would have asked if there was a missing persons report filed on the poor guy since before Christmas. The headlines don’t read, “Man, Missing For Months, Finally Found Alive In Snow”.

    A search for a Facebook page for Skyllberg, though likely in Swedish, only turned up a picture of a little girl flipping her middle finger. We’ll spare you that.

    Then, there’s this, which I will be interested to keep an eye on…

  • Academy Awards: Biggest Snubs of All Time

    It’s understandable, occasionally, that a great film might not win a Best Picture Oscar. Sometimes, there is something else that year that just outshines it. For example, Star Wars lost to Annie Hall. Fargo lost to The English Patient. And, Philadelphia lost to Schindler’s List. In a year like that, everyone can go home with their head held high.

    But, what about awesome films that were never nominated? For anything?

    For example, The Big Lebowski. Never nominated. Not for Best Picture. Not for Best Supporting. Nothing, period. Despite being a Coen Brothers film (the Coens have been nominated for 7 of their films), Lebowski took home nihil.

    Here are some other movies that are commonly considered great, but that were never nominated for any Academy Award in any category. Read ’em and weep:

    J. Edgar (2011)

    The Others (2001)

    Reservoir Dogs (1992)

    The Shining (1980)

    Rio Bravo (1959)

  • #whyyoweave Funniest Twitter Trends

    #whyyoweave Funniest Twitter Trends

    It’s the latest version of “Yo Mama” jokes. You remember “Yo Mama” jokes, right?

  • Yo mama so ugly that she looked out the window and got arrested for mooning.
  • Yo mama so fat that when she wears a yellow raincoat, people yell “taxi!”

    • The modern update is Why Yo Weave…? With the hashtag #whyyoweave on Twitter, the jokes are aimed at making fun of other people’ hair-dos. Among the funniest:

  • Mary Kay Ash Pink Mansion For Sale

    Mary Kay Ash Pink Mansion For Sale

    Mary Kay Ash sold beauty products to millions of American women. And, she got a lot of them to sell the stuff for her. She drove a pink Cadillac, and she gave away more than a few of those to super sales-ladies. But, would you buy her pink mansion for $3.3 million?

    Ash died in 2001 after a lifetime as a successful businesswoman. Her Mary Kay Cosmetics line of beauty products formed the basis for women all over the world to start their own businesses as Independent Beauty Consultants.

    Ash’s mansion is almost 12,000 square feet, 6 bedrooms, 6 baths and has one acre of yard around it. And, it is pink.