Comic-Con: Day 3
Brian's reporting again from Comic-Con, with everything from his prediction for the first big blockbuster of 2009 to dishing about clips from Wolfman to what Kevin Smith said is the most important comic book ever. Click read more below for all the scoop.
July 25, 2008
'Eureka' new season spoilers
If you’re a fan of the Sci Fi channel's Eureka then I bet you're excited to see the premiere of Season 3 on July 29. Our intern Lisa Gartner joined a press conference call with the show’s star, Colin Ferguson (at left), and exec producer, Jaimie Paglia, and came upon a few spoilers. Click on read more below for Lisa’s full report.
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Comic-Con Day 2: Samuel L. Jackson, G.I. Joe
What's the biggest lesson our Brian has learned since hitting Comic-Con on Wednesday? Teenage girls can be REALLY loud. Clearly he's never been to a Jonas Brothers concert. Thursday was a day of even more crowds, but a day full of interviews and press conferences didn't allow Brian much time with the costumed titans. He plans to take more pictures today. In the meantime, click on read more below for the latest, including his interview with Samuel L. Jackson and some inside secrets from two new G.I. Joe projects.
'Twilight' players at Comic-Con
It all started with a dream. A dream about a young girl and a vampire boy. The girl falls in love. The vampire wants to kill her. That's the premise of Stephanie Meyer's Twilight, the book-turned-movie that rivals Harry Potter as a publishing phenomenon. And, no surprise, everyone involved with the movie is at Comic-Con, where our Brian Truitt got to hear from them all. Click below for his full report, including Meyer's reaction to being called the next J.K. Rowling.
Kathy's Weekend Outlook: 'Mad Men', movies
After last weekend's travel frenzy and a very full week I'm planning a low-key weekend. Plus I need to rest up, because next week is Shark Week! As Tracy Jordan says, we should live every week like it's Shark Week, but when the real one rolls around it's extra special.
Excuse me while I geek out for a second, but I am psyched that Mulder and Scully, at right, are back on the big screen today. I was such an X-Files fan when I was younger, though it always scared me so much that I didn't want to turn my bedroom lights out. I hope I've outgrown that and can walk out of The X-Files: I Want to Believe without needing a nightlight.
If you're looking for a slightly goofier movie experience, check out Step Brothers. It's gotten decent reviews and anything with Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly deserves a chance.
Keeping on the theme of just sitting and watching things, Mad Men is finally back this Sunday! We've expounded on our love of this show plenty of times so I'll just tell you it's on AMC at 10 p.m. ET. For a fun behind-the-scenes look, check out this TV Guide story.
Will Kim Kardashian spend her weekend practicing her dance moves? Rumors are flying that she'll be on the next season of Dancing with the Stars. We love that show here at Who's News (in this week's issue we talk about Tom Selleck's chances) and I have a sick fascination with E!'s Keeping Up with the Kardashians, so, for me, this would be a great match.
Here's a history lesson for the week: The phrase "panty raid!" was made famous in Revenge of the Nerds, but do you know
where the actual act originated? According to the University of Michigan, its students were the first raiders of the lost, um, underwear.
Speaking of nerds, apparently Samuel "Screech" Powers - I mean Dustin Diamond (at left) - is writing a tell-all book about Saved by the Bell. I talked to Mark-Paul Gosselaar for our upcoming look at the new TV season and have seriously not ever been more excited about an interview, so this obviously piques my interest. But I'm not sure I want to hear seedy back stories about the Bayside gang. Like Jessie Spano once sang, "I'm so excited...I'm so excited...I'm so scared!"
Is there going to be a D.C.-based Gossip Girl knockoff? No one's totally sure where this trailer comes from or what it's for, but wow does it look like guilty pleasure perfection.
(X-Files photo by Diyah Pera/Twentieth Century Fox; Diamond photo courtesy NBC)
Celebrities go global with giving
Celebrities have long found ways to parlay their fame and fortunes into helping others. Now there's a new generation taking that charitable inclination all over the world. In this weekend's issue, Jeffrey Ressner writes about stars like Jewel (at right), Tea Leoni, and, of course, charity powerhouses Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, who are going global when it comes to doing good. His take:
“I first met Jewel more than a decade ago, hearing her perform at L.A.'s Troubadour club before she landed a record deal, then interviewing her for the cover of Time in 1997. When I spoke with her for this article, we caught up a bit, talking about all the enormous changes in our lives. Despite family struggles and some career turmoil, however, she still vividly remembers a vow she made to herself when she was 18 and had kidney problems — to help others who needed clean water. She's kept that vow, funding several clean water projects in places like Tibet and Tanzania and a well for the Masai tribe in Africa's Serengeti plains. Tea Leoni also recalled how her generosity began at an early age. What I learned from both women was that it's never too late to return to your youthful idealism and do something that can make a real difference in other people's lives."
(photo courtesy Valory Music Co.)
Top U.S. Olympians past and present
Here at USA WEEKEND we've always loved the Olympics. This year, we decided to pair a name we think the world will soon know, Shawn Johnson, with one you'll remember from not so long ago, Shannon Miller. Miller, you'll recall, won gold in 1996. Johnson is America's best bet for a gold medal in women's gymnastics this year. Read what Miller has to say about this young contender in our special Olympics cover story.
Also, don't miss our day-by-day spotlight for all the events happening in Beijing, kicking off with the opening ceremonies on Aug. 8. You'll find insight from a varied group of Olympic insiders and experts. Be sure to check out NBCOlympics.com for a full schedule, and click below to read more from those experts on Team USA.
Celebrity birthdays: Iman, Matt LeBlanc
Two quick birthday shoutouts today: Iman celebrates turning 53, and Matt LeBlanc celebrates his 41st.
July 24, 2008
Comic-Con photos: Day 1
Want to feel like you're at Comic-Con? Peek at Brian Truitt's snapshots taken on the convention floor. Brian was a little shocked at the sheer amount of stuff — from James Bond's car to Iron Man himself — and he sent us these photos to prove his point. Click on the picture to find the captions for each and let us know in the comments section what or whom you'd like to see more of. Brian likes to play shutterbug.
Celebrity birthdays: Anna Paquin, Jennifer Lopez
Happy birthday to Anna Paquin (at right), who told us last year that she had no concept of what it meant to win her Oscar at age 11. Now she's 26 and excited about her new HBO show, True Blood. Jennifer Lopez turns 39 today, Laura Leighton turns 40, Lynda Carter turns 57 and Karl Malone turns 45.
(photo by John P. Johnson/HBO)
