'Nutty Professor': The Musical

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Jerry Lewis will helm a new adaptation of "The Nutty Professor," aiming to land on Broadway during the 2010-11 season.

Marvin Hamlisch ("A Chorus Line"), composes the music while Rupert Holmes pens the book and lyrics for the show, based on the 1963 Paramount film that Lewis co-wrote, directed and toplined.

The plot of "Nutty Professor," also reprised in a 1996 remake starring Eddie Murphy, centers on an awkward science geek who invents a potion that temporarily turns him into a stud named Buddy Love.

Lewis has never directed for the stage. He previously appeared on Broadway in 1995, when he stepped into the role of the devil in the 1994 revival of "Damn Yankees."

Arab world grieves for Michael Jackson

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Michael Jackson's sudden death at age 50 provoked an outpouring of emotions from Muslims and Arabs who paid tribute to the pop star whose conversion to Islam and brief residence in the Gulf helped cement his popularity among a global fan base.

Despite ruling the charts and dazzling audiences with trademarks like the "moonwalk" in the 1980s, Jackson's career was overshadowed by his phsyical transformation and multiple allegations of child abuse.

Sheikh Abdulla bin Hamad Isa Al Khalifa, the Bahraini prince who had a falling out with the "King of Pop" in 2008, publicly mourned his death as a tragic loss to the music industry in a statement in the Gulf News Daily.

Jackson moved to Bahrain with his children after his 2005 acquittal of child molestation charges and lived there for a year as a guest of the royal family. But after disagreement over plans for a concert comeback fell through his benefactor filed a lawsuit against him for $7 million that ended in an out of court settlement in 2008.

Yet Bahrainis, many of whom were accustomed to glimpsing the reclusive Jackson sporting a black women's abaya, connected to Jackson on a cultural level as many felt he was one of them.

"He had many faults but he came to the Middle East and felt at home here. I respect his cross-cultural awareness which knew no bounds," a Bahraini fan said on a Facebook page dedicated to the star.

'Transformers' Rakes in $200 M During Opening Weekend

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Alien robots have transformed into box-office superstars with $200 million in domestic tickets sales in just five days.

"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" took in $112 million in the sequel's first weekend and $20.1 million since opening Wednesday according to Sunday estimates from Paramount, which is distributing the DreamWorks movie.

It was well on the way to becoming the year's top-grossing movie.

"Transformers" overcame harsh reviews from critics, who called it a visual-effects extravaganza without much story or human heart. Director Michael Bay has a history of bad reviews and big box office with "Armageddon" and "Pearl Harbor."

The sequel broadened the franchise's fan base. Females accounted for just 40% of the audience for the first "Transformers" but 46% for the sequel.

Britain Demands Release of Embassy Employees in Iran

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Iranian authorities have detained several local employees of the British Embassy in Tehran, a move that Britain's foreign secretary today called "harassment and intimidation" and reflected a hardening of the regime's stance toward the West.

Iranian media said eight local embassy staff were detained for their alleged role in postelection protests but gave no further details. British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said "about nine" employees were detained Saturday and that four have been released.

The detentions signaled a further toughening of Iran's dealings with the West, which has become increasingly vocal in its condemnation of a cracksown on opposition supporters.

World's ugliest dog winners announced

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

A prominent under-bite, scrunch face and floppy ears are the hallmarks of a winner. The winner of the World's Ugliest Dog contest, that is.

Pabst, a boxer-mix rescued from a shelter by Miles Egstad of Citrus Heights California, won the annual contest on Friday at the Sonoma Marin Fair in Northern California.

It was an upset victory for Pabst, who beat former champion rascal a pedigree Chinese Crested.

Pabst's owner took home $1,600 in prize money, pet supplies and a modeling contract with House of Dog. Miss Ellie, a blind 15-year-old Chinese Crested Hairless, won the pedigree category.

Neda: The power of Iranian women

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

The "ayatollahs' "thugs" may win in Iran, but only in the short run, said David Ignatius in The Washington Post. "But over the coming months and years, my money is on the followers of the martyred" Neda Agha Soltan. The young woman killed by a government sniper and the protesters angered by her death "have exposed the weakness of the clerical regime in a way that Iran's foreign adversaries--America, Israel, Saudi Arabia--never could."

Neda's death highlighted the vital role of women in the protests said Ali Scheikholeslami and Caroline Alexander in Bloomberg. Neda was among countless women, of all ages and backgrounds, who have taken to the streets to demand a recount of the presidential vote they and others say was won by Mousavi, a former prime minister. Mousavi made his wife, Zahra Rahnavard, a feature of his campaign and promised to give women more rights."

These women--"Not Obama, not Bush and not Twitter"--made this uprising possible said Anne Applebaum in Slate. Iran's leadership claims that it is legitimate--as is its "harsh repression" of women--"because God has decreed that it is so." But Iranian women's rights groups have exposed the lie in "this creed" and their years of hard work has opened the door for all Iranians to make their "public display of defiance."

'Bruno' Cuts Scene Mocking Jacksons Hours Before Premiere

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Michael Jackson's death sent producers of Sacha Baron Cohen's latest comedy "Bruno" into a tailspin Thursday as they scrambled to cut scenes in which the comedian takes more than a few shots at Jackson's sister LaToya Jackson, hours before the film's L.A. premiere, according to FOX news.

In "Bruno," Cohen convinces LaToya that he is an Austrian fashion journalist while poking fun at her but producers felt the joke was in bad taste after hearing of her brother Michael's death.

In the scene, watched by viewers in previous showings, LaToya Jackson eats sushi off the body of a naked Mexican worker acting as a table, was missing during Thursday night's premiere and will not likely be restored before the film opens in the U.S. on July 10.

"Bruno" is a follow-up to Cohen's smash-hit mockumentary "Borat" and sees the comic playing a flamboyant, celebrity-obsessed Austrian fashion journalist seeking to become famous in the U.S.

Police tow car belonging to Jackson's doctor

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Police towed a BMW belonging to a doctor from Michael' Jackson's home today and said it could contain drugs or other evidence offering clues in the pop star's death.

L.A. police spokeswoman Karen Rayner said coroner's investigators were seeking to interview the doctor but said she did not know the doctor's identity. She stressed the doctor was not under criminal investigation.

"His car was impounded because it may contain medications or other evidence that may assist the coroner in determining the cause of death," Rayner said.

Medical examiners prepared an autopsy for Jackson as a chorus of grief spread around the world, from statesmen to icons of music to legions of fans.

Briax Oxman, a former Jackson attorney and a family friend said today he had been concerned about Jackson's use of painkillers and had warned the singer's family about possible abuse.

"I said one day, we're going to have this experience. And when Anna Nicole Smith passed away, I said we cannot have this kind of thing with Michael Jackson," Oxman said on NBC's Today show. "The result was, I warned everyone and lo and behold, here we are. I don't know what caused his death. But I feared this day and here we are."

Oxman claimed Jackson had prescription drugs at his disposal to help with pain suffered when he broke his leg after he fell off a stage and had a broken vertebrae in his back.

New Attraction in Switzerland: Naked Hikers

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

An aerial tramway company in eastern Switzerland is advertising its Alpine rides with a new scenic attraction: there's a chance you might see a naked hiker.

Toggenburger Bergbahnen AG says that, apart from the usual breathtaking panorama and mountain wildlife, tourists might catch sight of ramblers wearing only hiking boots and socks.

The company released a new advertising campaign today claiming that "mountain goats, eagles and maybe even a few naked hikers make riding the aerial tramway a real experience."

The company's campaign would find little favor in the neighboring stae of Appenzell. Voters there passed a law in April banning naked hiking after dozens of nudists, mostly German, started rambling through their picturesque region.

Could 80's Rock Hit Be Rip-Off of Classic Children's Song?

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

One's a pub classic, belted out at top volume by tipsy patrons around closing time. The other is a more dignified affair, a favorite of youth choirs and choral groups.

Now, as unlikely as it seems, the classic children's song "Kookaburra," and the Men At Work hit "Down Under" are set to go head-to-head in court amid accusations part of the rock anthem is a rip-off, the Daily Telegraph reports.

Music publishing company Larrikin owns the "Kookaburra" song and claims the melody that accompanies the line "Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree" is reproduced in "Down Under." The case is due to start in full within days.

A fresh battle erupted yesterday with lawyers for "Down Under" songwriters, Colin Hay and Robert Stykert and music giants, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, SOny DADC Australia, EMI Songs Australia and EMI Music Publishing, claiming Larrikin doesn't actually have copyright to "Kookaburra"--the Girl Guides, an Australian scouting group, do.

The part of the "Down Under" song that is alleged to have breached copyright is the distinctive flute riff.

Saudi, Libyan leaders top gift-givers to U.S. Presidents

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

When U.S. presidents and their diplomats meet some Arab leaders, they come away with more than an earful about foreign policy. They also get exquisite baubles, objects of gold, robes, art--even a papier mache Santa Claus.

A new list of gifts bestowed by foreign leaders on U.S. officials show lavish treats from the Arab world. One eye-popper: a diamond ring, locket and musical instrument worth more than $212,000 from Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, longtime U.S. nemesis, to former secretary of State Condi Rice.

He gave the gifts a personal touch, including likenesses of his face. Alas, it's only the thought that counts.

Rules forbid U.S. officials from keeping most gifts given by foreign reps. They have to turn them over to the government. Most gifts given to a president quickly end up in a warehouse, only a sampling of them to emerge years later in a presidential library.

Superb bicycles given to former Prez George W Bush last year went to federal storage. Gift perfume never graced a VIP's writes. Wine and cigars after being courteously received, almost certainly were never consumed.

During Obama's July 2008 visit to Afghanistan, President Hamid Karzai gave him a $60 Jesus statue as well as two rugs, a vase and a silver palm tree figurine valued at $200 each. Following protocol, Obama turned the gifts over to the State Department.

The gobe-trotting Rice was showered with sparking gems and exotic scents: Lailque Crystal perfume from the French, Guerlain perfrume from the Armenians.

A small percentage of gifts ends up on display in government offices or presidential libraries. In some cases with inexpensive items, the recipient may be able to buy it from the government.

One of the most striking gifts: cash. A rep of the Holy See gave the U.S. ambassador to Switzerland $2,700 in Swiss francs in November.

Seinfeld star in Israel tells youth to "imagine' peace

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

American Jewish actor Jason Alexander, from the hit TV show "Seinfeld," was in Jerusalem on Wednesday to attend a OneVoice meeting where he spoke about a project in which Palestinian and Israeli youth "imagine" what would happen if a peace treaty had been signed in 2008.

Alexander was at the American Colony Hotel in east Jerusalem to meet with participants of the "Imagine 2008" project, started by OneVoice international peace movement.

The project, launched a year ago, called on Palestinian and Israeli youth aged between 13 and 18 to compose short stories imagining what the Middle East would look like in 10 years following a supposed peace agreement.

Out of 50 Israeli and Palestinian stories that were published in two books, several were chosen to made into films.

Alexander, who played the quirky George Costanza for nine season of his comedy Seinfeld, stressed that "if you can make people laugh, you can heal wounds." The actor said he believed the most important thing in any difficult situation was "the ability to laugh at oneself."

New Book Claims Jackie Kennedy Seduced Marlon Brando

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Marlon Brando enjoyed two nights of passionate sex with Jackie Kennedy and wanted to bare the intimate details to the world, a new book reveals.

"In Bobby and Jackie: A Love Story" which details a puported post-JFK assassination affair between Jackie Kennedy and Robert F Kennedy, C. David Heymann has obtained passages from Brando's account of how he hooked up with Jackie in 1964.

The first time, "according to Brando, their three-hour meal included a good deal of drinking...Jackie and the actor danced and drank. During their dance, Jackie, deeply attracted to Brando, 'pressed her thighs' suggestively into his. They danced again, then sat down and began to "make out," according to Heymann.

He related: "In Brando's words, 'From all I'd read and heard about her, Jackie Kennedy seemed coquettish and sensual but not particularly sexual. If anything, I pictured her as more voyeur than player. But that wasn't the case. She kept waiting for me to try to get her into bed. When I failed to make a move, she took matters into her own hands and popped the magic question, 'Would you likke to spend the night?' And I said, 'I thought you'd never ask.'"

A week later, Jackie again hooked up with Brando at a Sutton Place apartment he borrowed from a friend. Commenting on Jackie's "boyish hips" and "muscular frame," Brando said, "I'm not sure she knew what she was doing sexually, but she did it well."

Behind the Iconic Farrah Fawcett Red Swimsuit Poster

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Farrah Fawcett has died, but her swimsuit will go down in history. A record six million copies of the infamous Farrah Fawcett red bathing suit poster have been sold since its debut in 1976 turning it into the engine that drove two Ohio brothers from college to dropouts to multimillionaires running poster empire Pro Arts Inc.

Mike and Ted Trikilis were trying to make money selling black-light posters to hippies at Kent State before the swimsuit poster turned them into celebrities in their own right, with their services being sought by Hollywood stars. Ted was even crowned the "King of the Posters" by The Washington Post.

Early in the summer of 1976, the brothers received a package containing 25 shots of Fawcett in a red swimsuit. She had marked her favorite with a star. It featured gleaming white teeth, windblown hair and....her nipple.

Ted showed the photos around the office and took notes about differing opinions as to which photo they should use. In the end though, they went with the one Fawcett herself had chosen.

Once published the poster became an instant sensation and sales continued to increase exponentially over the following months. Pro Arts did $2 million in business that year. The blitz would later be dubbed "the Farrah Phenomen." For her one-season run on "Charlie's Angels" Fawcett was paid $5,000 per episode--but she earned $400,000 in royalities from the poster.

Pop Legend Michael Jackson Dead at 50

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Music icon Michael Jackson whose fame spanned from his childhood with the legendary Jackson 5 to a superstar solo career that earned him the nickname "King of Pop," died today at a Los Angeles hospital, a source close to the family told FOX news. He was 50.

Debra Opri, a former Jackson family attorney, confirmed the singers death after other media reported he had fallen into a coma. He reprtedly was taken by ambulance at 12:30 p.m. local time to UCLA Medical Center where he died at 3:15 p.m.

Multiple reports said he had gone into cardiac arrest, though the official cause of death wasn't immediately known. A news conference is expected later today at the hospital, where fans have gathered to pay tribute to the singer.

Jackson's death brought a tragic end to a long, bizarre, sometimes farcical decline from his peak in the 1980's when he was popular music's premiere all-around performer,a uniter of black and white music who shattered the race barrier on MTV, dominated the charts and dazzled even more on stage.

U.S. takes back July 4 Invitations to Iranians

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

The White House announced today that it has rescinded the invitations made to Iranian diplomats who may want to barbecue and watch fireworks to celebrate Independence Day.

"As you all know many weeks ago the White House extended an invitation to celebrate the freedom that this country enjoys. Not surprisingly based on what we see in Tehran, no one has RSVP'd," said White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.

The Iranian government's crackdown on protesters has raised questions about the propriety of opening U.S. doors to Iranian government officials.

The United States and Iran don't have formal diplomatic relations but Obama said that it's up the Iranian diplomats to decide whether to use an invitation to attend embassy festivities as an opening.

Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi Tells Magazine All

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi has told a gossip magazine he has never paid a woman for sex, denying that the later allegations stemming from his fondness for young models and starlets.

Berlusconi gave his first direct response to the claims in an interview with Chi magazine today.

"I have never paid a woman," Berlusconi was quoted as saying in the interview. "I never understood what the satisfaction is when you are missing the pleasure of the conquest."

Berlusconi said that Patrizia D Addario, the model at the center of the claims, was "very well paid" to make the allegations, which have prompted an investigation in the southern city of Bari into the local businessman accused of recruiting and paying the women.

In the interview with Chi, Berlusconi was quoted as saying that he was "sad, but serene," over the end of his relationship with his wife, Veronica Lario.

"It was a very painful wound. I don't know if time will be able to cure it," he was quoted as saying.

Kim Jong IL Puts Youngest Son in Charge of Spy Agency

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

North Korean leader Kim Jong IL has made his youngest son in charge of the country's spy agency in a move aimed at handing the communist regime over to him, according to the Associated Press.

Kim visited the headquarters of the State Security Department in March along with his 26-year-old third son Kim Jong Un, and told agency leaders to "uphold" the son as head of the department, the Dong-a libo newspaper reported citing an unnamed source.

Kim also told department leaders "safeguard comrade Kimg Jong Un with your lives as you did for me in the past," and gave them five foreing-made cars, each worth some $80,000, as gifts, the mass-market daily said.

It said Kim visited a college that educates spy agents last month and made similar remarks there.

Pyongyang's State Security Department is the backbone of Kim's harsh rule over the totalitarian nation. It keeps a close watch over government agencies, the military and ordinary people for sings of dissent. It also engages in missions abroad.

Two frogs marry in India

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Two frogs have been "married" in a ceremony in India to usher in the delayed monsoon rains, according to the Times of India.

Residents looked on as the groom, Raja and bride Rani were joined in a union in a solemn ritual over the weekend.

Similar ceremonies have been held across the city. Everyone was jumping for joy! (No pun intended).

Celeb Blogger Gets Earful Following Slur

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

After Perez Hilton's slur-laden reaction to an alleged assault by the manager of the Black Eyed Peas, even former allies of the celebrity blogger have turned against him.

Officials at the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation have called on Hilton to apologize for the "vulgar anti-gay slurs" he made in a video following a confrontation with manager Libor Molina.

But Hilton is insisting he's the one due an apology, not GLADD.

"I am saddened GLADD chose to victimize me further by criticizing me for how I non-violently dealt with a very scary situation that unfortunately, turned violent," Hilton said in a statement to FOX News.

I am just very fortunate and grateful that nothing more serious happened to me," Hilton's statement to FOX cotinued.

Rashad Robinson senior director of media programs at GLADD, denounced Hilton's usage of the "vulgar anti-gay slurs that feed a climate" of hatred and intolerance towards homosexuals.

"For someone in our own community to use it to attack another person by saying that is quote 'The worst possible thing that thug would ever want to hear,' is incredibly dangerous," Robinson said Monday. "It legitimizes use of a slur that is often linked to violence against our community. And it sends a message that is OK to attempt to dehumanize people by exploiting anti-gay attitudes."

Sarah Jessica Parker, Matthew Broderick Welcome twin Girls

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Sarah Jessica Parker's surrogate has given birth to twins.

The "Sex and the City" star and her husband Matthew Broderick are said to be thrilled after the baby girls were delivered yesterday in a hospital in Ohio.

It's thought the couple were with the woman when she gave birth.

They already have a six-year-old son, James Wilke.

The 44-year-old actress then said "We didn't expect it. I think after a certain amount of time you tend to hold your hopes at bay a bit so as not to be disappointed. One really would have been thrilling and we would've felt incredibly lucky. And two was a comedy!

"James is really excited. He's very much ready to be an older brother."

Spot and Fido are passe; make it Max and Sophie

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

According to an Associated Press-Petside.com poll, almost half of American pet owners gave an animal a humanlike name, such as Jack or Sophie.

In all, 49% of respondents, including 51% of dog owners and 50% of cat owners, had given at least one of their pets a humanlike name.

The most popular? Max got more mentions than other names in the AP Poll. There has been a move away from classic dog names such as Spot and Lassie, said VPI spokesman Curtis Steinhoff. He said the trend reflects a stronger bond between people and their pets.

Many people choose names based on the animal's appearance said veterinarian and author Wayne Eldrige.

Madonna set to bring Mercy to Jerusalem

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Forget sunshine and sandcastles, this summer superstar Madonna is taking her newly adopted daughter Mercy on holiday to Jerusalem so she can see one of Judaism's holiest sites, the Wailing Wall.

The mother of four is a devout follower of Kabbalah and wants to take her two adopted children from Milawi to the site to introduce them to the faith.

The 50-year-old mother is planning the trip for September to coincide with her final date of her "Sticky and Sweet" tour in the Israeli capital of Tel Aviv.

"Madonna wants to give Mercy enough time to settle into her new home. By September, she feels she will be ready to take the trip without the danger of upheaval," according to the British tabloid the Sun.

"The Wailing Wall is a very sacred place for anyone with links to the Jewish faith and she wants the children to see it," the paper quoted an unnamed source as saying.

Carla Bruni...Woody Allen's Latest Leading Lady?

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

According to the N.Y. Daily News, Woody Allen would like to make a movie with French First Lady Carla Bruni Sarkozy.

"I'm sure she would be wonderful," he said through a translator, as quoted by Reuters. "She's got charisma, she's already acted so she's not unknown to an audience. There are a lot of ways I could use her though I don't have a story for her at the moment," he said.

"But I'll certainly talk to her about it and I'll ask her if she's interested."

Bruni was a highly successful model who had affairs with Eric Clampton and Mick Jagger before she married French President Nicolas Sarkozy in 2008. She also has recorded two albums and has appeared on screen before, as herself in Robert Altman's "Pret-a-Porter."

Britney may star in Nazi WWII Flick

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

According to The National Ledger, Britney Spears could be set to follow her successful Circus tour with a role in a new film. The 27-year-old star is still touring the world with her Circus tour and it is claimed a script for a film called "The Yellow Star of Sophia and Eton" has been handed to Britney to look at.

If she accepts the role, Britney will reportedly play the main role of Sophia LaMont, who creates a time machine and travels back to WWII where she meets a Jewish man called Eton at a concentration camp.

They fall in love and travel back to the present day with the intention of getting married but they are both killed by Nazis. Brit appeared in the 2002 film Crossroads, but the film was panned by critics.

The 'Bruno' Controversy

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Talk about OUT-rage.

Comedian Sacha Baron Cohen's new movie, "Bruno," a satire of gay and homophobic stereotypes won't even be released until July 10, but already, everybody has an opinion.

Some critics have decided in advance of its release that it doesn't spoof homosexuals--it bashes them.

"I don't think he's helping the cause doing that character," comedian Jennifer Elise Cox said in an interview with FOX news. "It's a mockery." Fashion correspondent Nick Verreos agreed, calling Cohen's character "problematic."

Cox and Verreo's critical statements were two of many made by entertainment insiders. Other actors and comedians nodded along as a reporter suggested that the gay character Bruno was a kind of "blackface."

Bear in mind, a source says, that Sacha Baron Cohen is the same actor who portrayed "Borat" in 2006--so give him a break.

"He's earned enough street cred, as the kids would say, that you know to expect outrages from him no matter who his supposed target and you can't take anything too seriously," Colucci says.

24 Reporters Arrested in Iran

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Iranian authorities have arrested at least 24 journalists and bloggers since postelection protests began a week ago, and a media watchdog says reporters are a "priority target" for Iran's leadership.

Among the detained were the head of the Association of Iranian Journalists and a Canadian reporter for Newsweek. The BBC's correspondent has been ordered to leave the country.

"It's becoming more and more problematic for journalists." said a source from Reporters Without Borders.

The group released the names of Iranian journalists, editors and bloggers arrested since June 14.

According to the Associated Press, Iran's authorities have long kept a close eye on local and international media operating in the country and clamped down as protest engulfed Tehran last week over the June 12 presidential election.

Authorities have banned foreign media from reporting from the street and allow only phone interviews and information from official sources such as state TV. Many websites have been blocked. Iran is particularly sensitive about news reports, blogs and internet reports in Farsi.

"The regime has been visibly shaken by its own population and does not want to let this perception endure," RSF said in a statement.

Bullock's 'Proposal' takes in $34.1 Million

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Movie audiences accepted a proposal from Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds, who scored the summer's first big romantic comedy hit.

Bullock and Reynold's "The Proposal" took in $34.1 million to open as the weekend's No. 1 movie according to studio estimates today. The Disney flick delivered the biggest opening ever for Bullock nearly double that of her previous best of $17.6 million for the 2007 paranormal thriller "Premonition."

Bullock stars as a ruthless publicist executive who coerces her put-upon assistant into a fake marriage so she can avoid deportation back to her native Canada.

"June is officially comedy month at the theaters. Comedy is really ruling things," said Paul Dergarabedian, box-office analyst for Hollywood.com.

Woody Allan's latest comedy, "Whatever Works," had a strong start in limited release, hauling in $280,720 in nine theaters for an average of $31,191 a cinema. Released by Sony Pictures Classics, "Whatever Works" stars Larry David as a misanthropic New Yorker who forgest unlikely relationships with a conservative Southern family (Evan Rachel Wood, Patricia Clarkson and Ed Begley Jr).

Iconic Signed Photo of Albert Einstein Sells for $74K

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

One of the original signed prints of Albert Einstein sticking his tongue out at photographers has been sold by a New Hampshire auction house for $74,324.

Bobby Livingston, of RRAuction.com in Amherst, says the picture was taken in 1951 after a 72nd birthday celebration for the physicist.

Einstein had nine prints made. He signed the print that was auctioned on Thursday and gave it to journalist Howard K. Smith. In his inscription Einstein said his gesture was aimed at all of humanity. Livingston says it was also aimed at the Red Scare and the McCarthy anti-Communist hearings of the 1950s.

David Waxman of Great Neck, New York is the new owner. He is a specialist in important scientific books and autographs.

"I'm Down": A Memoir by Mishna Wolff

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Mishna Wolff grew up in a poor black neighborhood with her single father, a white man who truly believed he was black. "He strutted around with a short perm, a Cosby-esqe sweater, gold chains and a Kangol--telling jokes like Redd Foxx and giving advice like Jesse Jackson. You couldn't tell my father he was white. Believe me, I tried," writes Wolff. And so from early childhood on, her father began his crusade to make his white daughter DOWN.

"I am white. My parents, both white. My sister had the same mother and father as me--all of us completely white. White Americans of European ancestry. White, white, white, white, white, white, white. I think it's important to make this clear, because when I describe my childhood to people: the years of moving from one black Baptist church to the next, the all-black basketball teams, the hours having my hair painfully braided into cornrows, often their response is "So....who in your family was black?" No one. All white."

Unfortunately Mishna didn't quite fit in with the neighborhood kids: she couldn't dance, she couldn't sing, she couldn't double Dutch and she was the worst player on her all black basketball team. She was shy, uncool and painfully white. And yet when she was suddenly sent to a white school she found she was too "black" to fit in with her white classmates.

I'm Down is a hip and funny memoir that will have you rolling in the aisles and questioning what it means to be black and white in America.

Reports: Walter Cronkite gravely ill

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

CBS isn't commenting on reports that veteran newsman Walter Cronkite is gravely ill.

The 92-year-old former anchor of "The CBS Evening News," who has been ailing for some time, has reportedly taken a turn fo the worse, according to online websites.

Bob Schiffer said, "All of us are praying for the best and our thoughts are with Walter's family."

The face of CBS News for more than two decades, Cronkite was named "the most trusted man in America" in a 1972 "trust index" survey and he ended each broadcast with the reassuring signoff, "And that's the way it is."

Birkhead ready to celebrate third Father's Day

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Larry Birkhead will celebrate his third Father's Day with daughter Dannielynn, this coming Sunday.

In April 2007, he obtained custody of the beautiful youngster, just months after the death of her mom, Anna Nicole Smith. In the years that have followed, Birkhead's been tackling life as a single dad and in an exclusive interview with Access Hollywood, Birkhead said he cherishes every moment with his little girl, who turns three in September.

"She tapped me on my shoulder yesterday and she said, 'Dad are you healthy?'" Birkhead said. "I said, 'Where did that come from?'"

It's impossible not to notice Dannielynn's resemblance to Smith, a fact not lost on Birkhead.

"The older she gets, the more she's starting to look like her mother," he said.

Smith passed away just five months after Dannielynn's birth and Birkhead is determined to keep her memory alive for their daughter.

"She's at the age now where she starts, asking about mommy--"Where's mommy?" he revealed. "I painted a picture of her mom...She loves it. She goes over and kisses it every might and things like that are real heartbreaking."

World's Oldest Man Dies at 113 in Japan

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Tomoji Tanabe, the world's oldest man, died in his sleep at his home in southern Japan on Friday, a city official said. He was 113.

"He died peacefully. His family members were with him," said a source. Tanabe died of heart failure.

He was certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's oldest man when he was 111 years old. Tanabe lived with his fifth son and daughter-in-law.

His favorite meals were fried shrimp and Japanese miso soup with clams, the statement said. Tanabe drank milk every morning and read the newspaper. He also avoided alchohol and did not smoke.

Lincoln too had an encounter with a fly

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

President Obama launched his campaign from Abraham Lincoln's hometown, used his bible to be sworn in and quotes Lincoln at the stop of a stovepipe hat.

Now it seems the two share something else: an encounter with a fly.

Daniel Weinberg, the owner of the Abraham Lincoln Shop in Chicago, has a photo of Lincoln with a house fly on him.

Weinberg doesn't know if the fly survived the encounter or if it suffered the same fate as the one that had the audacity to land on Obama during a TV interview Tuesday and found itself on the business end of a presidential hand.

But Weinberg joked that Lincoln likely let the fly live, something that would have pleased the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which announced it was sending Obama a contraption that traps but does not kill bugs.

"He was the great pardoner," pointed out Weinberg.

North Korea May Fire Missile Toward Hawaii

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

North Korea may fire a long-range ballistic missile toward Hawaii in early July, a Japanese news report said today, as Russia and China urged the regime to return to international disaramament talks on its rogue nuclear program.

The missle, believed to be a Taepodong-2 with a range of up to 4,000 miles, would be launched from North Korea's Dongchang-ni site on the northwestern coast, said the Yomiuri daily, Japan's top-selling newspaper. It cited an analysis by the Japanese Defense Ministry and intelligence gathered by U.S. reconnaissance statellites.

The missile launch could come between July 4 and 8, given the North's propensity to launch on U.S. holidays. July 8 is also the anniversay of former leader's Kim II Sung's death.

Paris Hilton loves "hot, hot, hot" Dubai

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Dressed in a lime green Middle Eastern style abaya, or dress, American socialite Paris Hilton entered the conference room and bid the eagerly awaiting media with a "salam alaikum," Arabic for hello, a day after she arrived in Dubai to film a new season of her raunchy reality show.

The hotel heiress who has been in Dubai for only 24 hours is already besotted with the glitzy town as she told the press: "Dubai is hot, hot, hot and not just literally."

"I love the Middle Eastern culture and want to learn more about it. The women here are very beautiful and their dresses are certainly a lot more elegant than what women wear in Hollywood," Hilton told a press conference held at the Inter Continental hotel.

The socialite said she had big plans to enjoy the culture and wanted to go for a camel ride and get a henna tattoo as well as swim with the dolphins, meaning she would be headed to the luxurious Atlantis hotel, which launched last year with a massive celebrity-studded party as the financial crisis hit.

Billy Joel and Katie Lee Split

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Despite rumors of infidelity, Billy Joel is denying any claims that his separation from "Top Chef" host Katie Lee has anything to do with her questionable relationship with a hot, younger Israeli designer.

Yesterday, the Piano Man, 60, announced that he and Lee had separated after five years of marriage, but his spokeswoman was quick to say their decision was "absolutely unrelated" to any claims of her being unfaithful.

But according to a published report, the marriage had been on the rocks for some time. And Lee, 27, has been rumored to be involved in a romance with yigal Azrouel, a 36-year-old Israeli fashion designer.

The two have been photographed together and were reportedly spotted dirty-dancing together in Miami last January. Azrouel is even said to have referred to Lee as his "girlfriend."

But a friend of the couple told the New York Daily News that it was simply "the age difference" that forced them apart.

Two gay male penguins at German zoo

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Two gay male penguins at a German zoo have successfully hatched a chick. The penguins named "Z" and "Vielpunkt," were given an egg that a hetrosexual penguin couple had discarded, and they tended it for a month before hatching a healthy male.

The couple is now taking turns providing their son with the traditional penguin starter-diet of mashed fish.

"They have been behaving as you would expect a heterosexual couple to do," zookeepers said.

Dr. Christian Prosl, the New Austrian Ambassador to Washington

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Dr. Christian Prosl, the new Austrian Ambassador to Washington has had an eclectic diplomatic career with postings all over the world.

"I have been posted to the Austrian Embassy in Washington early on in my career. Later, in the early 90's, I was appointed Austrian Consul General to Los Angeles and now, some 30 years later, I am back in the U.S. for the third time. I always felt it was a true privlege to be posted to the U.S.," Ambassador Prosl told CONNECT: USA.

Q-Being without your children also means that you will be lobbying for Austrian interests around the clock--is the relationship between the U.S. and Austria a difficult one?

A-Generally speaking, Americans like Austria and the Austrians like the U.S. There is a lot of tourism going back and forth, so between the populations there exists a lot of sympathy.

Q- A number of Austrians have had great success in the U.S. in the past, someone who comes to mind immediatel is the current Governor of the State of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger. What are your views about him?

A- I believe you could characterize his career as the realization of an Austo-American dream, making it from a bodybuilder to a moviestar to a governor is certainly "Hollywood material." One cannot help but admire such an outstanding, "one-of-a-kind" career--I am looking forward to meeting him again in the near future.

Q-The relationship with the Jewish community of the U.S. will certainly be an important aspect of your job as Ambassador. How do you see this relationship?

A- Our relationship has greatly improved during the last 20 years. Austria closely cooperates with a number of Jewish organizations, let me just mention the American Jewish Committee (AJC) and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). Austria no longer avoids talking about a very dark time of her history: the era of Nazism. It is not sufficient to be proud of Mozart, Hayden and Schubert, we also have to be very clear about the fact that many Austrians actively contributed to the crimes and atrocities of the Third Reich. This is why the Austrian government has undertaken a lot of efforts when it comes to Holocaust education, an issue that hardly existed some 20 years ago."

Q-Mr. Ambassador, have you already met personally with President Obama?

A- No, I have not, but I will hopefully soon hand over my credentials to the President, I am certainly looking forward to that day.

Martin Weiss Austrian Consul General to LA: Next Post Cypress

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Martin Weiss the Austrian Consul General to Los Angeles is leaving his California residence for a new job as Austrian Ambassador to Cyprus, near Greece.

"We have made new friends, enjoyed the wonderful hospitality of so many people and look back at a great number of events, concerts, lectures and film screenings etc...the memories of which we would not want to miss. So to all of you who have been our loyal readers over the years, who have attended our events and have extended a hand of friendship: thank you for everything and good luck for your future endeavors!

If I have learned one thing in Hollywood, then it is that 'the show must always go on.' So let me assure you, our electronic newsletter will continue to appear every other month as it did in the past and my successor as Consul General of Austria, Ms. Katen Proidl, is already eagerly looking forward to adopting her new position in LA in the second half of August."

Sincerely,

Martin Weiss

Body of Mia Farrow's Brother Found in Vermont Art Gallery

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

The brother of actress Mia Farrow has been found dead in his Vermont art gallery and police say his death is suspicious.

Sixty-six year-old sculptor Patrick Farrow was found late Monday by police responding to an emergency call from the Farrow Gallery in Castelton, a small town near the New York border. A woman there had called asking for help.

An autopsy is planned to determine the cause of Farrow's death. Police say they won't release additional information until it's complete.

The Farrow Gallery is described on its Web site as selling jewelry and mixed-media works of art owned and operated by Farrow and his wife, artist Susan Farrow.

Alec Baldwin: I Was Suicidal Over Voice Message

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

"30 Rock" star Alec Baldwin said he was suicidal after a private telephone message where he can be heard calling his young daughter a "rude little pig" was released to the public.

In an interview with the July issue of Playboy magazine, the actor said he sought professional help to save his life.

"I was very serious...I spoke to a lot of professionals who helped me...If I committed suicide, they (Kim Basinger's team) would have considered that a victory. Destroy me was their avowed goal."

Baldwin added that the situation only neaerly drove him to quit his hot NBC show, but also avoid certain gossip sites and talk shows, like the "Today Show."

"When that voice-mail tape thing happened, Matt Lauer interviewed Harvey Levin of TMZ before he even called me. Lauer put Levin on Today and they never phoned me...I saw that and said,'My relationship with the Today show is over.' I'll never do Today again, ever. Life's too short," he said.

Instead he went on "The View" because he trusted his friend Whoopi Goldberg to give him "a fair shake."

"Whoopi is an impeccably decent person and I am grateful she gave me a forum," he said.

Still, Baldwin says the difficult time did not sour his opinion on domestic bliss.

Helen Reddy Speaks at Edgar Cayce's Headquarters

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

A DVD of famous 70's singer Helen Reddy's keynote speech and question and answer at Edgar Cayce's Association for Research and Enlightenment headquarters is now available.

In her talk, Reddy shares stories of her own spiritual awakening and speaks about our connection to a higher consciousness and the importance of forgiveness in our soul's growth.

For more information, visit http://arebookstore.com/product/asp?

Report: U.S. Journalists Entered N. Korea Illegally

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Two American journalists sentenced by North Korea last week to 12 years of hard labor were caught shooting video for what the North said was a politically motivated "smear campaign," state-run media said today.

The reporting team from Current TV crossed the frozen Tumen River dividing North Korea and China three months ago and walked up a river bank--all the while recording their transgression, the official Korean Central News Agency said.

"We've just entered a North Korean courtyard without permission," the Korean translation of their narrative on the videotape said, according to KCNA. One of them picked up a stone and pocketed it as a memento to the illegal move, the report said.

Two women--reporter Laura Ling and editor Euna Lee--were arrested in the North Korean province, the report said. A third person, Current TV exec producer Mitch Koss, and their Korean-Chinese guide managed to flee, KCNA said.

"The accused admitted that what they did were criminal acts committed, prompted by the political motive to isolate and stifle the socialist system of North Korea by faking up moving images aimed at falsifying its human rights performance and hurling slanders and calumnies at it," it said.

Current TV public relations director Brent Marcus said in an e-mail that the company had no comment.

Calvin Klein 'Threesome' Ad Draws oohs, Aahs and Protests

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Calvin Klein is under fire for a sexually explicit new billboard that's caught the eyes--and turned the stomaches--of many people who have seen it in New York.

The blue-jeans giant has unveiled a jumbo ad that shows two young men and a young woman entwined in a semi-nude threesome, as another man undresses.

The graphic image at the intersection of Houston and Lafayette Streets, in a hip neighborhood in downtown Manhattan, has some passersby oohing and aahing--and others averting their eyes.

"It's soft pornography is what is is," said Laurie Baranwshki who said she was in New York for a visit. "I don't think that just because you have Calvin Klein's name on it makes it acceptable. It's a beautiful picture but I don't think that that's the place for it."

But others said that in New York, pretty much anything goes.

Bruce Willis and wife pose in Avant-Garde Spread for W Mag

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Bruce Willis has a new outlook on love and life now that he is married to actress Emma Hemming.

"I went from F--- Love' to 'Love is truly the answer. I spent the last years single and for the most part unhappy. In a dark place. I never thought that being with someone else was the answer. I would say 'I'm alone, but I'm not lonely.' But I was just kidding myself. Then I started hanging around Emma, and on a day-to-day bases my life became much happier."

The actor and his wfie, 32, pose in a new provovative, avant-garde spread in the July issue of W magazine, on newsstands June 23.

Iran suppresses foreign reporting

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

According to Variety, Iran's hard-line authorities are attempting to suppress news coverage of the country's hotly disputed presidential election, but they can't quash the Twitter brigades.

Foreign media outlets have found themselves coming under attack as they attempt to report on protests ever since the official announcement that President Mahmoud Ahmadinenjad had won a resounding victory in Friday's poll.

But Iran's youthful and Web-saavy population has proven adept at using Twitter, blogs, mobile phones and social networks to spread the word about the post-election discord.

Foreign reporters in the country are finding the normally calm streets of Tehran resembling something more akin to a battleground as the Iranian government wheels out tough measures to stifle coverage of opposition protesters.

Journos for Italian pubcaster RAI and news agency Reuters were reportedly beaten by riot police in the capital. A CNN producer was hit by a police baton, BBC reporter John Simpson was briefly arrested after filming some of the protests and a Sky News team reputedly had a gun pointed in its direction.

Arab newscaster Al-Aribiya had its Tehran offices closed down Sunday afternoon with no explanation from Iranian officials.

Israeli comedian likens Muslims to cockroaches

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Outraged Palestinians have called for legal action against a prominent Israeli comedian after a guest on his talk show launched a scathing tirade against Muslims and compared them to cockroaches.

In an attempt at humor, a guest on Israel's "Tonight with Lior Shlein" mocked the way Muslims pray and to the audience's delight likened the way they looked when in prostration to a penis.

The guest continued his jibe to cheers and applause and went on to compare Muslims to cockroaches.

But for some, the jokes were not so funny as Muslim MPs and activists threatened to file a lawsuit against the host of the show for allowing his guest to make the comments broadcast on Israel's Channel 10, the London-based Asharq al-Awsat reported.

"Muslims and Christians alike should boycott Israel's Channel 10 as it deliberately derides religion and the prophets," said Sheikh Tayseet Tamini.

"These insults are done on purpose to hurt the feelings of Muslims and Christians," he said in a statement. "This proves Channel 10 is racist and demonstrates how low they stoop and how they can go against all religious and ethicial values."

Shlein has been under fire before for slurs against religion and in February he outraged Christians when he labeled the Virgin Mary "promiscuous" and joked that Jesus was probably extremely obese so he couldn't have walked on water.

Roy Rogers rides to bigscreen

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Roy Rogers' iconic presence may be riding back onto the bigscreen in a planned film trilogy to be launched by financier/producer 821 Entertainment.

The Nashville-based company has partnered with the Roy Rogers Family Ent. Corp to launch a "King of the Cowboys" film trilogy as well as animated TV, interactive game and merchandising efforts.

Rogers made more than 88 films with Dale Evans and his horse Trigger, and produced and starred in 100 episodes of his own TV show.

"Roy Rogers, Dale Evans and Trigger are quintessential figures of America and we will introduce this franchise to a new audience while capitalizing on the millions of Roy Rogers fans worldwide," said CEO Eric Geadelmann.

Anyone with an Elvis Story? Write us!

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Managers of Elvis Presley's Graceland are looking for people with personal stories to tell about the king of rock 'n' roll--people like John Bramlett who played touch football with Presley in the 1950s.

"I thought he kind of ran like a girl," Bramlett said. "It was just a funny way that he ran."

Graceland is gathering stories from former Presley friends, associates and fans for an oral history enterprise called the Elvis Presley Legacy Project.

The stories are being videotaped and will become part of Graceland's archives. Examples can be found on the Graceland Web site.

"If you have encountered Elvis and have a story to share with the world, we would love to include you in this project," Graceland says on the site, which has a "submit your story" link