Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Friday, November 5, 2010
Conan O'Brien ready to break in cozy new studio
BURBANK, Calif. – Conan O'Brien
is ready to reach out and touch the audience in his cozy new studio — if the lawyers don't stop him.
O'Brien says he wanted an intimate atmosphere for his late-night TBS show, which launches 11 p.m. EST Monday. At NBC's "Tonight Show," he was given a large studio that held more than 300 people. For "Conan," O'Brien is holding court in a smaller, 250-seat house and will stand about a dozen feet away from the audience during his opening monologue.
"I really want to be able to walk over and touch people, which probably I'm going to get in trouble for. I'm finding out through my lawyers that not everybody likes that," O'Brien joked.
It was his post-"Tonight" comedy and music tour that pointed him toward a smaller set, one that evokes the atmosphere of theater spaces in which he played nationally, O'Brien said. The audience seats are on a sharper rake, or slant, than usual to add to the studio's theater ambiance.
"I really like the feeling of a theater and I liked the sense that the show had a `this is happening right now feel,'" O'Brien said. "Sometimes in television you can get separated from the audience, there can be a distance, kind of a 'you all just sit back and be quiet while I do my thing.'"
Otherwise, the Warner Bros. studio is decorated talk-show traditional, with a desk for O'Brien and sofa for his guests. The set is clean and simple, with the dominant feature a nighttime seascape depicting the California coast under the glow of a full moon.
In a flip-flop from "Tonight," the "Conan" show house band will be to O'Brien's right, with guest musicians performing to his left.
The studio, with adjoining dressing rooms for O'Brien, sidekick Andy Richter and the show's guests, was built in three months, Drew Shane, a spokesman for the show, said. That's in contrast to the lengthy and costly construction for O'Brien's "Tonight" studio that he used for a mere seven months.
He left the show rather than move his time slot back a half hour to allow Jay Leno to return to late-night after Leno's prime-time comedy venture flopped.
Stage 15 has a long history, starting with "Golddiggers of 1935." It's also where the 1976 "A Star Is Born" with Barbra Streisand was shot, as well as "All the President's Men" and "Ocean's Eleven."
For "Conan," the Monday debut guests will be Seth Rogen, Lea Michele and Jack White.
___
Online:
http://www.teamcoco.com
http://www.tbs.com
is ready to reach out and touch the audience in his cozy new studio — if the lawyers don't stop him.O'Brien says he wanted an intimate atmosphere for his late-night TBS show, which launches 11 p.m. EST Monday. At NBC's "Tonight Show," he was given a large studio that held more than 300 people. For "Conan," O'Brien is holding court in a smaller, 250-seat house and will stand about a dozen feet away from the audience during his opening monologue.
"I really want to be able to walk over and touch people, which probably I'm going to get in trouble for. I'm finding out through my lawyers that not everybody likes that," O'Brien joked.
It was his post-"Tonight" comedy and music tour that pointed him toward a smaller set, one that evokes the atmosphere of theater spaces in which he played nationally, O'Brien said. The audience seats are on a sharper rake, or slant, than usual to add to the studio's theater ambiance.
"I really like the feeling of a theater and I liked the sense that the show had a `this is happening right now feel,'" O'Brien said. "Sometimes in television you can get separated from the audience, there can be a distance, kind of a 'you all just sit back and be quiet while I do my thing.'"
Otherwise, the Warner Bros. studio is decorated talk-show traditional, with a desk for O'Brien and sofa for his guests. The set is clean and simple, with the dominant feature a nighttime seascape depicting the California coast under the glow of a full moon.
In a flip-flop from "Tonight," the "Conan" show house band will be to O'Brien's right, with guest musicians performing to his left.
The studio, with adjoining dressing rooms for O'Brien, sidekick Andy Richter and the show's guests, was built in three months, Drew Shane, a spokesman for the show, said. That's in contrast to the lengthy and costly construction for O'Brien's "Tonight" studio that he used for a mere seven months.
He left the show rather than move his time slot back a half hour to allow Jay Leno to return to late-night after Leno's prime-time comedy venture flopped.
Stage 15 has a long history, starting with "Golddiggers of 1935." It's also where the 1976 "A Star Is Born" with Barbra Streisand was shot, as well as "All the President's Men" and "Ocean's Eleven."
For "Conan," the Monday debut guests will be Seth Rogen, Lea Michele and Jack White.
___
Online:
http://www.teamcoco.com
http://www.tbs.com
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Audrina Patridge signs up for VH1 reality series
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – Freshly eliminated "Dancing With the Stars" contestant Audrina Patridge isn't spending too much time feeling sorry for herself.
Staying true to her roots, Patridge has signed a deal with VH1 to star in and produce a still untitled reality project following the aspiring-actress and her family as they navigate through celebrity and Hollywood.
The former star of sister channel MTV's "The Hills" teamed up last year with "Survivor" svengali Mark Burnett to develop the series. Filming will begin early next year.
The announcement came a day after MTV confirmed it had canceled "Hills" alumna Whitney Port's reality spinoff "The City" after two seasons.
isn't spending too much time feeling sorry for herself.Staying true to her roots, Patridge has signed a deal with VH1 to star in and produce a still untitled reality project following the aspiring-actress and her family as they navigate through celebrity and Hollywood.
The former star of sister channel MTV's "The Hills" teamed up last year with "Survivor" svengali Mark Burnett to develop the series. Filming will begin early next year.
The announcement came a day after MTV confirmed it had canceled "Hills" alumna Whitney Port's reality spinoff "The City" after two seasons.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Sarkozy chides US on economy, dominance
NEW YORK — France's President Nicolas Sarkozy called Monday for US economic reforms, and in comments echoing Franco-American spats of the past, said Washington cannot "run the world" alone.
The French leader used a visit to New York, where he met with students at Columbia University, to deliver what he called "home truths" to his hosts.
Sarkozy, accompanied by his wife Carla Bruni, a former supermodel, was in New York a day before meeting President Barack Obama at the White House in Washington on Tuesday.
With his popularity diving at home and his party reeling from defeat in regional elections, the US visit is seen as a chance for Sarkozy to regain momentum.
Sarkozy has generally worked hard to rebuild ties with Washington, but his comments to Columbia students recalled a more prickly past.
Rocky path of Franco-American relations
Saying "there is no single country in the 21st century that can run the world alone," he urged the United States to join Europe in "inventing the rules for the economy of tomorrow."
Reiterating traditional European skepticism of US economic free markets, he said: "We need the great American people to understand that the absence of rules kills liberty."
"The world economic regulations cannot go on as they are. We can't accept a capitalist system without rules any more," he added. Lack of rules, he said, "will be the death of capitalism."
Sarkozy said he would discuss with Obama ways to stabilize commodities markets and to define "a new international monetary order."
"The dollar is not the only currency in the world," he said.
While he was careful to lavish praise on Obama, he appeared to have a less upbeat view of ordinary US citizens, pleading with them "not to lag behind" behind their Democratic president on financial regulations, defense and the environment.
Even his congratulations for Obama's hard-fought victory in pushing health care reform through a divided Congress came laced with criticism.
"Welcome to the club of countries that does not dump its sick people," Sarkozy said.
"But if you want me to be sincere, seen from Europe, when we see the US debate on health care reform, we find it hard to believe."
France, he noted, had "resolved" the health care problem half a century ago.
Meanwhile, Sarkozy urged worldwide support for Russia following the deaths of 38 people in two suicide bombings in the Moscow metro.
The French president said the attacks were no different to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, which killed nearly 3,000 people, most of them in New York.
"Do you think there's a fundamental difference between the lunatics who blew up innocent victims in the Moscow metro and the insane people who flew planes into the Twin Towers of New York?" he asked.
"When New York was attacked, all the world's democracies were attacked. And when Moscow is attacked, we are all attacked," Sarkozy said.
The direct comparison between 9/11 and Monday's rush hour suicide bombings in Moscow was unusual for a Western leader.
The West has regularly condemned bombings and other terrorist attacks in Russia, many of them carried out by militants linked to Chechen rebels.
However, Western capitals have also been deeply critical of Russia's anti-insurgency campaigns in Chechnya and other areas of the mostly Muslim North Caucasus over the last 15 years, in which tens of thousands of civilians have been killed and thousands have disappeared or been tortured.
called Monday for US economic reforms, and in comments echoing Franco-American spats of the past, said Washington cannot "run the world" alone.The French leader used a visit to New York, where he met with students at Columbia University, to deliver what he called "home truths" to his hosts.
Sarkozy, accompanied by his wife Carla Bruni, a former supermodel, was in New York a day before meeting President Barack Obama at the White House in Washington on Tuesday.
With his popularity diving at home and his party reeling from defeat in regional elections, the US visit is seen as a chance for Sarkozy to regain momentum.
Sarkozy has generally worked hard to rebuild ties with Washington, but his comments to Columbia students recalled a more prickly past.
Rocky path of Franco-American relations
Saying "there is no single country in the 21st century that can run the world alone," he urged the United States to join Europe in "inventing the rules for the economy of tomorrow."
Reiterating traditional European skepticism of US economic free markets, he said: "We need the great American people to understand that the absence of rules kills liberty."
"The world economic regulations cannot go on as they are. We can't accept a capitalist system without rules any more," he added. Lack of rules, he said, "will be the death of capitalism."
Sarkozy said he would discuss with Obama ways to stabilize commodities markets and to define "a new international monetary order."
"The dollar is not the only currency in the world," he said.
While he was careful to lavish praise on Obama, he appeared to have a less upbeat view of ordinary US citizens, pleading with them "not to lag behind" behind their Democratic president on financial regulations, defense and the environment.
Even his congratulations for Obama's hard-fought victory in pushing health care reform through a divided Congress came laced with criticism.
"Welcome to the club of countries that does not dump its sick people," Sarkozy said.
"But if you want me to be sincere, seen from Europe, when we see the US debate on health care reform, we find it hard to believe."
France, he noted, had "resolved" the health care problem half a century ago.
Meanwhile, Sarkozy urged worldwide support for Russia following the deaths of 38 people in two suicide bombings in the Moscow metro.
The French president said the attacks were no different to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, which killed nearly 3,000 people, most of them in New York.
"Do you think there's a fundamental difference between the lunatics who blew up innocent victims in the Moscow metro and the insane people who flew planes into the Twin Towers of New York?" he asked.
"When New York was attacked, all the world's democracies were attacked. And when Moscow is attacked, we are all attacked," Sarkozy said.
The direct comparison between 9/11 and Monday's rush hour suicide bombings in Moscow was unusual for a Western leader.
The West has regularly condemned bombings and other terrorist attacks in Russia, many of them carried out by militants linked to Chechen rebels.
However, Western capitals have also been deeply critical of Russia's anti-insurgency campaigns in Chechnya and other areas of the mostly Muslim North Caucasus over the last 15 years, in which tens of thousands of civilians have been killed and thousands have disappeared or been tortured.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
African Union warns Nigeria army on power transfer
ADDIS ABABA — The African Union urged the military in coup-prone Nigeria on Thursday to respect a decision to hand power to the country's deputy leader until the recovery of ailing President Umaru Yar'Adua.
In a statement, African Union commission chairman Jean Ping praised the move to install Goodluck Jonathan as acting head-of-state for demonstrating "respect for the constitution, good governance, democracy and the rule of law".
"In so doing, the government and people of Nigeria have, again, resolved a delicate and sensitive political situation within the constitutional and legal provisions available and without recourse to violence or unconstitutional means," the statement added.
"The chairperson of the commission encourages all the stakeholders in Nigeria, including the military, to continue in their firm support for and practice of constitutionality."
Nigeria's cabinet had initially opposed the idea of the vice president being formally appointed as acting head of state in the absence of Yar'Adua who has been treated in a Saudi Arabia hospital for a heart condition since November.
But ministers rallied round Jonathan on Wednesday, the day after both houses of parliament had voted to hand him the reins of power.
Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation and one of the world's biggest oil exporters, has a long history of coups and mililtary leadership, and only returned to civilian rule a little over a decade ago.
After his installation as acting president, Jonathan commended the security services for "their loyalty and devotion to duty during this trying period".
The debate around the crisis arising from Yar'Adua's absence has brought to the fore the political battle over the delicate power balancing act in Nigeria.
The situation in Nigeria is further complicated by an unwritten rule under which the presidency traditionally switches between the north and the south at every two elections.
Yar'Adua is from the predominantly Muslim north and Jonathan from the mainly Christian south.
In a statement, African Union commission chairman Jean Ping praised the move to install Goodluck Jonathan as acting head-of-state for demonstrating "respect for the constitution, good governance, democracy and the rule of law".
"In so doing, the government and people of Nigeria have, again, resolved a delicate and sensitive political situation within the constitutional and legal provisions available and without recourse to violence or unconstitutional means," the statement added.
"The chairperson of the commission encourages all the stakeholders in Nigeria, including the military, to continue in their firm support for and practice of constitutionality."
Nigeria's cabinet had initially opposed the idea of the vice president being formally appointed as acting head of state in the absence of Yar'Adua who has been treated in a Saudi Arabia hospital for a heart condition since November.
But ministers rallied round Jonathan on Wednesday, the day after both houses of parliament had voted to hand him the reins of power.
Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation and one of the world's biggest oil exporters, has a long history of coups and mililtary leadership, and only returned to civilian rule a little over a decade ago.
After his installation as acting president, Jonathan commended the security services for "their loyalty and devotion to duty during this trying period".
The debate around the crisis arising from Yar'Adua's absence has brought to the fore the political battle over the delicate power balancing act in Nigeria.
The situation in Nigeria is further complicated by an unwritten rule under which the presidency traditionally switches between the north and the south at every two elections.
Yar'Adua is from the predominantly Muslim north and Jonathan from the mainly Christian south.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Woman who saved Anne Frank's diary dead at 100: website
THE HAGUE — The woman who saved Anne Frank's diary from the Nazis, Miep Gies, died Monday after a brief illness, her website announced. She was 100 years old.
Gies was the last surviving and best known of the group who helped Frank and her family hide from the Nazis during World War II. She collected and hid the teenager's diary after the Nazi secret police discovered their hiding place in an Amsterdam office building.
Anne Frank died from disease at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, but her father Otto returned from Auschwitz and Gies gave him his daughter's diary.
The teenager's memoir, first published in 1947, became one of the most renowned accounts of Jews hiding from Nazi persecution and has been translated into 70 languages.
Born Hermine (Miep) Santruschitz in Vienna in 1909, she moved to the Netherlands at age 11, according to a biography published on her website: www.miepgies.nl.
In 1933, she began working for Otto Frank at his Opekta trading company.
At great risk to her own safety, she helped bring food to the Franks and another family who went into hiding in a secret annex of Opekta's office building from 1942 until their discovery and arrest in 1944.
"I'm not a hero," Gies was quoted as having said in a statement upon her 100th birthday.
"It wasn't something I planned in advance, I simply did what I could to help," said the statement published by the Anne Frank Museum.
Gies received numerous honours for her role, including from the Netherlands, Germany and Israel's Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial centre.
Gies was the last surviving and best known of the group who helped Frank and her family hide from the Nazis during World War II. She collected and hid the teenager's diary after the Nazi secret police discovered their hiding place in an Amsterdam office building.
Anne Frank died from disease at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, but her father Otto returned from Auschwitz and Gies gave him his daughter's diary.
The teenager's memoir, first published in 1947, became one of the most renowned accounts of Jews hiding from Nazi persecution and has been translated into 70 languages.
Born Hermine (Miep) Santruschitz in Vienna in 1909, she moved to the Netherlands at age 11, according to a biography published on her website: www.miepgies.nl.
In 1933, she began working for Otto Frank at his Opekta trading company.
At great risk to her own safety, she helped bring food to the Franks and another family who went into hiding in a secret annex of Opekta's office building from 1942 until their discovery and arrest in 1944.
"I'm not a hero," Gies was quoted as having said in a statement upon her 100th birthday.
"It wasn't something I planned in advance, I simply did what I could to help," said the statement published by the Anne Frank Museum.
Gies received numerous honours for her role, including from the Netherlands, Germany and Israel's Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial centre.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Mental exam ordered in first lady threatening case
HONOLULU — A mental competency examination has been ordered for a woman accused of threatening to kill first lady Michelle Obama.
The exam for Kristy Lee Roshia was ordered Wednesday by U.S. Magistrate Judge Barry Kurren at the request of prosecutors. The motion wasn't opposed by federal Deputy Public Defender Shanlyn Park.
The 35-year-old Roshia will remain in custody. Kurren scheduled another hearing in the case for Feb. 9.
Wednesday's hearing came one day before President Barack Obama and his family are expected to arrive in Hawaii for a Christmas vacation.
Roshia was arrested Saturday and charged with threatening a family member of the president. The Secret Service says Roshia threatened to kill Michelle Obama in a call last month to its Boston office.
Information from: The Honolulu Advertiser, http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com
The exam for Kristy Lee Roshia was ordered Wednesday by U.S. Magistrate Judge Barry Kurren at the request of prosecutors. The motion wasn't opposed by federal Deputy Public Defender Shanlyn Park.
The 35-year-old Roshia will remain in custody. Kurren scheduled another hearing in the case for Feb. 9.
Wednesday's hearing came one day before President Barack Obama and his family are expected to arrive in Hawaii for a Christmas vacation.
Roshia was arrested Saturday and charged with threatening a family member of the president. The Secret Service says Roshia threatened to kill Michelle Obama in a call last month to its Boston office.
Information from: The Honolulu Advertiser, http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)