celebritybites

Octomom’s Reality

larrysims — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 16:19:41 +0000

When Nadya Suleman gave birth to 8 children she rose to the top of American attention. Her part in the debate about fertility drugs and ethics has long been over, but now like any good American in the spotlight she’s taking advantage of her notoriety and hitching herself and her 14 kids to the reality show bandwagon. Which leads to the question…Is Infamous just as good as Famous? In this celebrity culture we have all press really is good press, as long as it doesn’t drag you before a judge. I won’t get into the whole reality show vs. real life question, watching a train wreck in action isn’t my idea of good television. But with the Octomom story running well over her 15 minutes of fame mark, I have to wonder about what makes a celebrity these days.

Is Bruno the End of Reality Shows?

larrysims — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:48:08 +0000

Sacha Baron Cohen seemed to have the magic touch this weekend with his new film Bruno. Opening in 2,756 theaters it had a spectacular first day, but ticket sales slid through the rest of the weekend leaving people asking is that it? It’s a good question concerning the popular star who’s experienced an up and down career for the last decade. The big question I have to ask is, does this bode ill for the reality show genre it’s very much a spoof of? If even the antics of Sacha can’t get an audience when placed alongside real people, what hope for shows like Denise Richards’ “It’s Complicated.” Could be time for celebrities to go back into scripted acting.

LA Wants Its Money For Jackson Memorial

larrysims — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:12:06 +0000

The excessive price-tag for the city of LA to host the Jackson memorial is causing no end of trouble for the cash-strapped city. First it tried to gather donations from the general public, but its donation site crashed under the strain. Now its going after AEG who reportedly made $50,000 from the deal due to providing bleachers outside the stadium the memorial was held in for the use of the media. There really needs to be some sort of city ordinance passed that passes the costs of extra city services on to those who benefit. Otherwise the taxpayers of LA will continue to pay a hefty price for the celebrity culture their city hosts.

$4 million Pricetag for Beleagured City

larrysims — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:42:49 +0000

Estimated costs to the city of Los Angles for hosting the Michael Jackson memorial service at the Staples Center today…$4 million. And no one is complaining? I wonder how much it costs yearly to maintain LA’s celebrity lifestyle, with all the police escorts, crowd control, etc. necessary on an almost daily basis.

Jackson Funeral Update.

larrysims — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:36:50 +0000

Seems EBay didn’t find the sale of tickets to a funeral to be in the best of taste and has been removing Jackson Memorial tickets from the site as quickly as they’ve appeared. Other sites are still selling them however, gladly taking the business EBay has been rejecting.

Here’s a quick list thanks to TMZ of those who will be participating in the Michael Jackson Memorial at the Staples CEnter in LA:

Ron Boyd (family friend), Kobe Bryant, Mariah Carey, Andrae Crouch Choir, Berry Gordy, Jennifer Hudson, Shaheen Jafargholi (finalist on Britain’s Got Talent), Magic Johnson, Martin Luther King III, Bernice A. King, John Mayer, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson, Rev. Al Sharpton, Brooke Shields, Pastor Lucious Smith (family friend), Usher and Stevie Wonder.

LA officials are expecting record numbers in the city Tuesday, and have blocked off surrounding streets in order to control the crowd.

Michael Jackson Memorial Tickets Selling on EBay.

larrysims — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 10:30:35 +0000

It’s official. The Michael Jackson Memorial Industry has hit a new high in lows. Tickets for his memorial service have begun appearing on EBay following a lottery like giveaway for the coveted service spots. The way I see it, it’s the ultimate proof of celebrity as a commodity when you can sell tickets to a funeral. What’s next? Admission to visit his cemetery plot? While people are so busy remembering Jackson as an entertainer, perhaps they should think on what his sister Janet said. To them he was family. For all those who loved Jackson’s music, maybe it’s about time to think of him as the man rather than the myth and allow him to rest in peace.

Jackson Service Expected to Cause LA Havok

larrysims — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:22:04 +0000

Forget 10s of thousands for Michael Jackson’s memorial service at the Staples Center. LA Councilman Dennis Zin says that the service could draw up to 100,000, with the Center’s capacity at only 20,000. And considering the short time span before that 100,000 are expected to descend en masse, LA city officials are in scramble mode. All this over the 4th of July weekend. Just how much will all this cost, and who’s paying? I doubt LA has the money for the undertaking, the whole state has been suffering an economic meltdown with the city fairly hard hit by the recession. It’s great people want to show their love, but maybe a quiet private service with family and close friends only would have been a bit more acceptable than the circus this is looking to become.

Jackson Public Service Announced

larrysims — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 01:00:17 +0000

The public memorial service for Michael Jackson has been set for Tuesday, July 7th at LA’s Staples Center. There are tens of thousands expected with tickets provided and a simulcast on big screens located outside the arena. So those in the LA area will be able to mourn together at his loss.

Final Goodbyes For Fawcett

larrysims — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:35:06 +0000

Farrah Fawcett, Hollywood’s girl next door was laid to rest yesterday at an L.A. funeral, with longtime companion Ryan O’Neal accompanying her as pallbearer. The closed service lasted a little more than an hour while fans and media watched from across the street. Fawcett’s 24-year-old son was able to attend with judge’s permission and gave the first reading. O’Neal said in a statement last week. “Although this is an extremely difficult time for her family and friends, we take comfort in the beautiful times that we shared with Farrah over the years and the knowledge that her life brought joy to so many people around the world.” Her battle with cancer was documented in “Farrah’s Story,” which aired last month on NBC. Fawcett will be missed by her many fans.

Jackson’s Airplay Up 1735%

larrysims — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:20:42 +0000

According to Billboard.com Michael Jackson’s Radio Play has jumped 1735 percent in the days following his death. Sales of his music have emptied shelves as millions continue to mourn the artist’s death. But where was this outpouring of appreciation a week ago? Do you really have to die in order to get a bit of airplay these days? In the week before his death only one of his songs, Rock With You, posted more than 500 plays, since then 22 tracks have beat the 1,000 play mark, with Billie Jean topping the list at more than 4,500. I wonder if someone has an unreleased track or two? This would be the perfect time to get it out, all things considered.