News & General Info

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

President Obama speaks to Congress and the nation

  White House photo/ Pete Souza   President Obama’s first speech to a joint session of congress is being analysed and scrutinized today. So I’m having my say. First, I agree with a radio commentator who called last night’s address a “pep talk” to keep Americans inspired and focused on the tough job of rebuilding the nation’s economy and confidence in our financial systems. A New […]
Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Screen Actors Guild rejects producers’ last, best and final offer

Hollywood is once again facing a real life cliffhanger now that the Screen Actors Guild has turned down the producers’ so-called last, best and final offer. Remember a few weeks ago, the hard line negotiator in SAG  was tossed out by moderates who felt they could better work a deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. Well, what the moderates got was a […]
Monday, February 23, 2009

Condoleezza Rice gets a multi-million dollar book deal

Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is probably hammering away at a computer keyboard today as part of her new job, author. Several major media outlets, yesterday and today, report Rice has signed a three book deal with Crown Publishing, a division of Random House. According to the Associated Press, the deal is worth at least $2.5 million! The 54-year-old George W. Bush confidant will […]
Monday, February 23, 2009

Big Oscar winners: “Slumdog,” Penn, Winslet & Ledger

Heath Ledger as the Joker wins best supporting actor Oscar.   The late Heath Ledger, a talent that left us much too soon, was honored for his incredible performance as the “Joker” in the blockbuster, “The Dark Knight, ” at the 81st Academy Awards last night in Hollywood. Ledger was found dead in his New York apartment a year ago last […]
Sunday, February 22, 2009

Tyler Perry’s “Madea” kills the competition at the Box Office

Critics slammed it, but movie fans packed the theaters this weekend to see, “Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes to Jail.”  The new over-the-top comedy racked up a huge $41 million to easily become the number one film in the country.  Variety reports that this is the seventh Perry film distributed by Lionsgate. So far those films have grossed $300 million at the domestic Box Office. Perry is a writer/producer/director/actor. The […]
Saturday, February 21, 2009

Rihanna finally speaks out after alleged assault

  Google Image    Pop star/model and suspected domestic violence victim, Rihanna, is speaking out. Rihanna’s P.R. firm released a statement yesterday. It was the first from Rihanna and her representatives since the February 8th street fight incident in Los Angeles. A story on the People website includes part of the statement: “At the request of the authorities, Rihanna is not […]
Saturday, February 21, 2009

Election Tuesday: Hot race for Burbank City Council

FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove — Burbank City Council candidate, Lee Dunayer, smiles and chats with folks at a campaign meet and greet on January 29, 2009, at the popular Porto’s Bakery & Cafe on West Magnolia Blvd.   You can tell there’s a city primary election coming up by just driving or walking through the neighborhoods of Burbank. Candidate signs dot the […]
Saturday, February 21, 2009

Schwarzenegger, the new state budget, and Hollywood

  photo from http://gov.ca.gov/  02/20/09  — Governor Schwarzenegger holds news conference yesterday to sign the new state budget into law.   After a painful three months of bitter debate, the state legislature finally approved a budget on Thursday and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed it into law yesterday. The budget reportedly solves a $42 billion deficit by raising taxes and cutting spending. The […]