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WATCH: Is Jay-Z An Example Of The American Dream?

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President Barack Obama and hip-hop mogul Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter have gotten pretty close -- Obama provided a video introduction for the rapper's inaugural Made in America festival, and, in return, Jay-Z and Beyonce hosted a campaign fundraiser at the 40/40 club. Jay-Z also appeared in a new campaign ad earlier this week, in which Obama called him an "American success story."

HuffPost Live's Marc Lamont Hill discussed Jay-Z's dramatic rise to fame Thursday with several pundits, questioning whether Jay-Z is now the example of the American dream.

"Jay-Z was the perfect person," Washington Post columnist and Urbancusp.com founder Rahiel Tesfamariam said during the segment. "He's the one person that can still connect to masses from all different sections from society."

"You can put this out to America and people don't blink," Toure, co-host of MSNBC's "The Cycle," said about the campaign ad. "You wouldn't put Kanye in an ad for obvious reasons and you start going down the list, well that person's too controversial."

Duke University professor Mark Anthony Neal, hip-hop artist and minister Marty Grace and Tom Cunningham, the creative director of Leadstar, also voiced their opinions during the segment.

Listen to what they had to say in the video clip above, or watch the full HuffPost Live segment below.


'Justice League' May Battle 'The Avengers' In 2015

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It looks like the battle between Marvel and DC will extend beyond cinematographers. According to the Los Angeles Times, Warner Bros. is hoping to release "Justice League" in the summer of 2015, the same summer that "Marvel's The Avengers 2" will arrive in theaters.

In a fashion similar to "Marvel's The Avengers," which grossed $1.5 billion around the globe after its release in May, "Justice League" would combine the talents of Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash and Batman into one film. "Gangster Squad" screenwriter Will Beall was hired to write "Justice League" last year, but no director or cast has been set. Ben Affleck was rumored to be in the running for "Justice League," both as director and potential star, but he shot down the notion as nothing but speculation.

"I'm not working on the 'Justice League,'" Affleck told the Canadian outlet 24 Hours. "One of the problems with entertainment web sites is that they need to fill pages, and that's how rumors get started. 'Justice League' sounds really exciting, but it's not something I'm working on."

"Marvel's The Avengers 2" is already locked in for a May 1, 2015 release, meaning that year could look a lot like 2012: "The Avengers" exploded out of the gate in May, and "The Dark Knight Rises," another DC Comics adaptation from Warner Bros., cleaned up two months later in July.

For more on "Justice League," head over to the Times.

[via LAT]

'AHS' Cast Before The 'Asylum'

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The "American Horror Story: Asylum" cast is made up of Oscar winners, nominees and all sorts of industry veterans.

Before he was clashing with nuns, James Cromwell was endearingly palling around with a pig in "Babe." And way before she was winning Emmys for her work in "American Horror Story" and "Grey Gardens," Jessica Lange played the object of Dustin Hoffman's affection in "Tootsie," taking home an Oscar for her work in the comedy.

Where else have you seen the cast before? Check out the gallery below to see what the stars did before they checked in to the "Asylum."

THE BOSS BACKS THE BOSS

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PARMA, Ohio — Lest anyone forget the importance of Ohio's white, working-class voters, President Barack Obama sent a clear reminder on Thursday.

Make that two reminders: Bill (Clinton) and The Boss (Bruce Springsteen), two aging baby boomers still at the top of their game.

"No retreat, believe me, no surrender," Springsteen sang, performing without the backing of his E Street Band in a darkened gymnasium lit by a spotlight. The lyrics seemed aimed both at the president and his supporters.

With less than three weeks until Election Day, Clinton and Springsteen took the stage to rally support for Obama among the critical middle-class voting bloc in this tightly contested Midwestern swing state.

"For 30 years, I've been writing about the divide between the American dream and the American reality," Springsteen said. "Our vote is the one principal way we get to determine that distance."

Clinton implored voters to reward Obama for bailing out the auto industry, which has deep roots in Ohio.

"When you were down, you were out, and your whole economy was threatened, the president had your back," said the former president and a top surrogate for Obama.

Ohio is at the center of both Obama and Republican Mitt Romney's campaign strategies. Winning the state would put Obama on the brink of the 270 Electoral College votes required to win the White House. Romney, who has fewer pathways to victory than the president, almost certainly needs Ohio's 18 electoral votes if he hopes to claim victory.

Both campaigns are paying special attention to Ohio's working class – many of whom are white and don't have a college degree. They've made up about half of voters in the state in each of the last two presidential elections.

And they were well-represented among the 3,000 people packed into a community college gymnasium for the Clinton-Springsteen appearance.

"I think Clinton is key," said firefighter Matt Sparling of Parma Heights, Ohio. "He's got an amazing way of keeping it simple." Springsteen, he added, helps draw the crowd.

As Ohio officials opened the event, some in the crowd bellowed "Bruuuuce" – a standard fan shout-out to the musical legend.

Clinton, too, reveled in the chance to serve as Springsteen's opening act.

"I am qualified because I was born in the U.S.A. and unlike one of the candidates for president, I keep all my money here," Clinton said, referring both to one of the rocker's classic songs and Romney's overseas financial holdings.

Polls show Obama with a lead in Ohio, but Romney has made gains following his strong performance at the first presidential debate.

Each candidate has struggled to connect with white, working-class voters, in Ohio and elsewhere.

Nationally, Romney holds a strong edge among white voters with jobs and no college degree. But his advantage is narrower in union-heavy Ohio. A recent NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll showed Romney ahead 51 percent to 44 percent among likely noncollege, white voters.

Those heavily-courted voters backed Republicans in the past two elections.

In 2004 in Ohio, 55 percent of white voters without a college education voted for Republican George W. Bush and 44 percent voted for Democrat John Kerry. Four years ago, they voted for Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., over Obama 54 percent to 44 percent.

This time around, Obama's team sees opportunities to increase its levels of support.

The campaign has blanketed the state with television advertisements portraying Romney as a corporate raider who moved manufacturing jobs overseas. The state's 7.2 percent unemployment rate is more than a half-point lower than the national average. And the auto bailout is credited with saving thousands of jobs in the state.

"I'm thankful GM is still making cars," said Springsteen, whose songs often reflect the stories and values of the people who work in places like auto factories. "What else would I write about?"

Clinton stayed in Ohio on Thursday for another campaign rally, while Springsteen headed to Ames, Iowa, for a second appearance on Obama's behalf.

In addition to that stellar duo, Obama is relying on Vice President Joe Biden to rally support among white working-class voters. Biden, raised in a middle-class family from Scranton, Pa., has been a frequent visitor to Ohio. He's scheduled to make a three-day swing through the state next week.

Romney has also relied on his running mate for help in Ohio. Rep. Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin native, has put his Midwestern sensibilities to use, dropping by college football tailgates and a Cleveland Browns practice. Ryan is due back in Ohio on Saturday.

Springsteen, an avid supporter of Obama in 2008, had planned to sit out this election. He never explained exactly what changed his mind in the campaign's closing weeks, saying only that he believes Obama understands the struggles of "everyday citizens."

The rocker kept his comments brief during a six-song set, which included "Youngstown", a song about the economic woes of the Ohio city. Seeking to hew a bit more closely to Obama's re-election message of shared prosperity, he also played a newer song that has become a staple at the president's campaign rallies.

"Wherever this flag is flown," Springsteen sang. "We take care of our own."

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Associated Press writer John Seewer in Parma and AP Deputy Director of Polling Jennifer Agiesta in Washington contributed to this report.

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Follow Julie Pace at http://twitter.com/jpaceDC

Brendan Fraser Lands A Starring Role On TV

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Brendan Fraser is officially TV-bound.

According to THR, The "Mummy" star has landed the leading role in TNT's drama pilot "Legends," from "Homeland" executive producer Howard Gordon. Fraser, who will also executive produce the pilot, will play Martin Odum, a deep-cover agent who has the power to become a different person for each job he does.

Mostly a film star, Fraser has voiced roles on the animated shows "The Fairly Oddparents" and "King Of The Hill."

In other casting news...

Kevin Dunn joins the "Veep" cast. Dunn will portray the president's practical Chief of Staff on Season 2 of the Emmy-winning HBO comedy. [Deadline]

Jake. T. Austin is "Fosters"-bound. The "Wizards Of Waverly Place" alum has landed a spot on Jennifer Lopez's ABC family pilot as Jesus Foster, the polar opposite fraternal twin of Mariana. [THR]

A "Fringe" actor will guest star on "Men At Work." Kevin Corrigan will portray Darryl, a "hard rock-loving, chicken wing-eating moonshiner," who sits next to Milo (Danny Masterson) at a wedding reception on the TBS series. [TV Guide]

Alysia Reiner is headed to "Orange Is The New Black." "The Law & Order: Criminal Intent" actress will recur on Netflix's new series "Orange Is The New Black" as the prison's assistant warden. [TVLine]

Patrick Dempsey Got 'Hand Slapped' For Tweeting 'Grey's' Spoiler

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"Grey's Anatomy" star Patrick Dempsey got in some hot water in August when he tweeted a massive "Grey's" spoiler: that Eric Dane's character Mark Sloan, aka McSteamy, would die in the plane crash that rocked the series' Season 8 finale.

Dempsey addressed the social media snafoo Thursday on "HLN's Morning Express." "I sometimes share the storylines a little too early. So I got my hand slapped for spoiling certain episodes. I gave an indication [McSteamy] wouldn't survive the plane crash."

For his part, Dane wasn't too upset that his co-star spoiled his big moment. On an earlier appearance on "Ellen," Dane said, "He took the picture, and he said, 'I'm gonna tweet this,' and I said, 'Well you should, that'll piss somebody off, so go for it.'"

Dempsey also told "Morning Express" that he expects "Grey's" has a season or two left in it, depending on how strong the ratings are this season.

TV Replay scours the vast television landscape to find the most interesting, amusing, and, on a good day, amazing moments, and delivers them right to your browser.

PHOTOS: Caught Kissing

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Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart kissed while hanging out at her new house in LA yesterday.

Andy Samberg Teams With 'Parks & Rec' Producers for New Comedy

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Comedian Andy Samberg is apparently following in the footsteps of fellow "Saturday Night Live" alum Amy Poehler -- he's set to team up with her "Parks and Recreation" executive producers Mike Schur and Dan Goor for a new comedy on Fox, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Samberg will reportedly play the lead role in the untitled Fox series, which centers around "an eclectic group of detectives in a precinct on the fringes of New York City." After an intense bidding war involving multiple networks, the project ended up at Fox with a put-pilot commitment, meaning that the network would owe the studio (in this case, Universal Television) substantial fees if they failed to air the pilot -- a sign that the show is almost guaranteed a pick-up next season. Samberg and 3 Arts’ David Miner will also executive produce the series, along with Schur and Goor.

“Andy’s hilarious, and he was the first guy we thought of when we designed the part,” Schur and Goor told Deadline, who first reported the news. “From the moment we mentioned his name, everyone at Universal Television and Fox was 100% on-board. Andy loved the pitch, and it all came together really quickly. We couldn’t be happier.”

Samberg spent seven years on "SNL" before departing the sketch show this summer, and in addition to feature roles in movies such as "Hotel Transylvania" and "That's My Boy," he is currently starring on the BBC Three sitcom "Cuckoo" in the UK.


Lea Black: Keeping Score at the Debates: Breaking Down the Town Hall Tussle That Boiled Over

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Who knew the Real Housewives would be outdone for TV drama on a political stage? The showdowns between President Barack Obama and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney have made them increasingly like the Real Housewives of Presidential Politics. The drama has built from the polite discussion in Colorado to last week's semantics smack down between supporting players before it boiled over on Long Island. The war of words featured finger-pointing, scolding and, at one point, the appearance that this was close to an actual war of table-flipping, chest bumping and verbal jabs. With more than 90 action-packed, tension-filled minutes of televised tussles that would make any Bravo producer proud, here comes this Real Housewife's 3rd in a series of debate recaps.

Fashion was foreshadowing for a night full of drama -- If things hadn't heated up with pundits on both sides slamming President Obama's opening performance in Colorado, you knew it was on when First Lady Michelle Obama and Ann Romney both entered wearing pink (Bitch stole my look!). Each political side will say their lady wore it better, so I won't jump into that fray, but if countless RH fans watching at home were saying, "Oh no she didn't!" then the two men who followed that entrance spent the following hour and a half all but yelling that phrase about the others' approach in the Town Hall discussion.

Can anyone get this kid a job? The opening question had the two candidates switching seats from the first debate. Romney never answered the concern of that first-time voter Jeremy Epstein about how the former Governor would ensure that he would get a job upon graduation (even if he'd want the 20-year-old to follow his early primary advice to just borrow money from his parents). Romney talked about Pell Grants and an old program he had in Massachusetts but nothing specific for his presidency after this kid gets out of school (saying you know what it takes isn't an actual plan, Governor!). Obama came out with specifics and listing off ideas just like Romney did in the first debate. I only wish the president started with, "Jeremy, did you notice that he didn't answer your question?"

Who knew energy policy could get so feisty? As charges flew back and forth on energy policy, it seems like these two were on the verge of drilling each other into the ground. Romney invaded Obama's personal space as he physically closed in on him with repeated questions in a manner disrespectful of a sitting president, but the officeholder didn't back down. When President Obama fought back, you could almost hear the music rising behind them in a Rocky movie as you saw that we finally had a real fight on our hands.

Did Women's Lib ever take place? It looked like Obama and Romney were debating in different decades. After President Obama talked of signing the Lilly Ledbetter bill to give women equal pay for equal work, Romney discussed his search for cabinet members as Governor of Massachusetts. He claimed he requested an extensive search for qualified females because his staff only gave him male options. The result was "binders full of women." Are you kidding me? "Binders full of women" sounds way more like a phrase from Fifty Shades of Grey than employment options.

All this doesn't even mention the quote of the night. Romney said he "recognized that if you're going to have women in the workforce, that sometimes they need to be more flexible." Let me repeat that: "if you're going to have women in the workplace!" What country is he talking about? This is crazy! It's no wonder that we still have a glass ceiling in America when its potential president still talks like this! Women in both parties should be furious at that attitude! Of course, that's just my take. What do you think?

Plus, we've now learned that he was less than honest in saying that he requested additional resumes because a women's group, MassGAP, say they had actually sent him and his 2002 opponent, Shannon O'Brien, viable cabinet candidates who were female as part of a different plan to get more women into higher positions in government. So, apparently it was not as a result of some big female search that Romney conducted (even though that would have made a great reality show!). Regardless, is he saying that after decades in business, he didn't personally know any highly qualified women? Then, he claimed that a Romney White House would have employers "so anxious to get good workers they're going to be anxious to hire women." WHAT??? If he thinks that's the best way to woo women, I'd love to hear about his idea of foreplay. It's like saying, "I can't be sexist. Some of my best staffers with flexible hours were women!"

Also, while I applaud the fact that he could make his female chief-of-staff's hours flexible to balance her personal and professional lives, his description of her request was condescending. Acting as a Governor's chief-of-staff isn't like starring on Leave It To Beaver! It's a demanding job and if she really did say she had to get home by 5:00 to be with her kids and cook dinner, that means she talked her way into great hours with a sucker of a boss whose views of women haven't changed since Russia really was our greatest enemy on the world stage. Also, what male executive would have to explain his responsibilities at home or request flexible hours? Mister Romney, you're way too smart for us to believe this is really how it happened and you lose points for pandering.

Sincerity can be your best friend or worst enemy. Our show features a lot of real women's reactions to heightened situations. It works because they are our genuine responses. If viewers don't believe it, they channel surf. Same goes for politics. If a leader can come off as sincere while discussing voters' real problems, they've got it made. Mitt Romney does not have it made. His talk of tax breaks on dividends, interest and capital gains rings hollow for most middle-middle and lower-middle class voters because they don't live off dividends, interest and capital gains. They live paycheck to paycheck! Each time he focused on protecting the 47 percent that he dismissed behind closed doors at a 50k per person fundraiser, it came off as either dishonest or naive about Washington, because even if he did mean it, Republicans (including the ones he "pals around" with behind closed doors) will never allow it to get through Congress.

Marriage can't stop AK-47 assault rifles. One of the weakest questions for both candidates was the talk of assault weapons bans. Both are so afraid of the gun lobby that they ran from the issue faster than Usain Bolt reaching for a finish line. Somehow they turned it into talk of marriage and parenthood, without strong proposals to fix the problem. Romney discussed the importance of marriage, yet he doesn't want to give that right to the gay community. That stance is as ludicrous as both of them failing to lead on sensible gun laws.

100 percent of Obama's 47 percent comment was a great close. The President held his 47 percent comment until summation, knowing he was going last and so Romney couldn't respond. But Romney did, well, 47 percent of the work for him. When he was asked about the biggest misconception about him, Romney said he cares about "100 percent of the American people." He teed it up for Obama, who drove it home.

Libya, Libya, Libya. These guys really don't like each other. I've talked before here about the power of the cutaway and these two had enough glares and bruising body language to fill a season's worth of Real Housewife "coming up" teases at commercial breaks. The president's anger over Romney's hasty criticism on Benghazi and the loss of life when facts were still coming in showed him to be presidential and Romney to be small ("petty" will never be the new "relevant!"). Republicans across the country had to be cringing as he flubbed what was a genuine weakness for the president and let our commander-in-chief flip the issue on him. Obama didn't hold back and was able to say that Romney's charges that the White House was playing politics with four dead Americans was one of the most stinging moments of the night. Regardless of whether you think the White House has botched the issue for weeks, you can't deny that Romney had a major miss. You can also bet he'll try a different approach at next week's foreign policy debate. It isn't just a coincidence that George Will (of all people) said on ABC that it was the best presidential debate he'd seen, with President Obama as the winner. Speaking of ABC, I should mention that a Book of Mormon commercial came on during the coverage, a funny little coincidence.

More Drama's on the Way. As both sides left some blood (or as we'd say in Housewife lingo, some hair extensions) on the floor, we're all in for another round as these two square off in the final debate on Monday in Boca Raton. You can bet they'll come out swinging as we head for the homestretch in a race that is sure to get even uglier before a winner emerges in November (let's hope without any hanging chads, this time!). Stay tuned and don't forget to check out my follow-up on the fight in Florida!

The Real Housewives of Miami airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET & Wednesday, October 28th on Bravo. Follow Lea Black on Twitter at @LeaBlackMiami.

Christopher Wilson: There's No Divine Right, Charles

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The chances of Prince William leapfrogging his father to the throne increased dramatically this week. As the Prince of Wales heads further and further into unconstitutional waters by demanding his letters to government ministers remain private, William started to look like a much more eligible candidate for kingship.

Attorney General Dominic Grieve's stay on publication of Prince Charles's controversial correspondence - there are said to be 27 'particularly frank' letters - does nothing beyond provide a temporary respite for the beleaguered heir to the throne. Indeed, while Grieve may have appeared to be throwing a protective cloak around Charles's shoulders in denying the Guardian's bid to disclose the prince's interfering in government business, his words said otherwise.

To state that publication of Charles's letters to ministers 'would undermine his ability to rule' is to issue a devastating critique of the prince's improper use of influence over impressionable MPs. But there, Grieve said it.

Under cover of what appeared to be a defence of the prince, the Attorney, in a 10-page judgement, declared it was vital that Charles maintained a political neutrality - "a cornerstone of the UK's constitutional framework". He added that any suggestion Charles "was disagreeing with government policy would be seriously damaging to his role as future monarch."

These apparently measured words - Grieve, after all, had to tread carefully in overturning the ruling of three Appeal Court judges who allowed publication of the letters to seven separate government departments - fooled nobody in Whitehall or at Buckingham Palace and Clarence House.

They were a warning shot from the government's most senior law officer to the heir to the throne - that he had grossly exploited the hospitality afforded him by successive administrations, and that such behaviour must stop if he is not to risk his future position as King.

This, from a politician, is brave stuff. Those of us who have witnessed at close quarters the interface between MPs and the Prince are all too familiar with politicians' generally lickspittle approach when it comes to royalty. The most senior figures are just as vulnerable to a kind word, a warm handshake, and a personal invitation as are the new kids on Westminster's block. It is a human frailty the prince and his advisors have come to recognise, and to exploit quite ruthlessly. And who can blame him.

Indeed his supporters could probably produce evidence that it was the politicians themselves who invited Charles to cross the line from constitutional propriety to institutional interference - so why should he now be subjected to such unwelcome scrutiny?

Few will deny that over the past decade many of Charles's outspoken views have found a resonance, at the time or later, with pockets of the population. GM crops, urban blight, the foxhunting ban, the plight of the Dalai Lama - many of these soft topics found a resting-place in the royal pigeon-hole. Sooner or later there would be a defiant explosion, usually coupled with an emotional rider - "I might as well leave the country".

He's entitled, of course, to his view. He's also a useful rallying-point for those who find themselves disenfranchised or dispossessed - and our society is not so perfect that there aren't a few of those around - but the truth is that, constitutionally, the prince has no greater claim to preferential treatment from ministers than any single individual whose vote put the ministers there in the first place.

Much hot air has been generated in defence of the prince's need to inform himself of the machinery of government. Indeed, the main excuse the Attorney General offers for suppressing publication of Charles's badgering missives is that he was 'educating' himself about the work of government in preparation for his kingship.

Two points are worth making here. The Queen, whose 60-year reign remains unblemished, never once lobbied a minister during the years in the run-up to her ascending the throne. She was 'educated' well enough by courtiers and senior political figures of the day, but saw no reason to play a part in a process which she saw as the realm of politicians.

Second, the nearest example one can find of the exhaustingly long wait in the wings Prince Charles has had to endure is that of a previous Prince of Wales, latterly King Edward VII. During his 59-year apprenticeship for the throne, the prince was denied access to Cabinet papers by Queen Victoria; yet somehow it did nothing to harm to his short but successful sovereignty.

With this in mind the Guardian newspaper feels, quite rightly, that it's improper in a more egalitarian age for an heir to the throne to seek to influence the political process.
You have only to look to the example of another Prince of Wales, subsequently King Edward VIII, and his 'something must be done' remarks on the plight of the Welsh miners in the 1930s to see their point. Nothing was done - save bolster the prince's reputation as a man of the people. This couldn't, surely, be Charles's motive too?

And here lies the danger. Successive political administrations strive their best to make Britain a better place - sometimes they get it right, often they get it wrong - but they are bound by a political and constitutional convention which means that if public confidence in them fails, they go.

The same cannot be said of the Prince of Wales, who's there for life and answerable to nobody. Thus, if ministers are weak and allow themselves to buckle to his opinions - they are, and they do - they will inevitably allow the prince to ride roughshod over fundamentals established in Magna Carta, a document whose hard-won liberties have served the nation pretty well for 800 years.

This week the Prince's supporters came out with guns blazing, insisting he will continue to fight for causes he believes in even when he becomes King. This is an act of surprising folly, given the dressing-down he has just received from a senior government minister. It implies an arrogance and a lack of judgement which could yet see his undoing.

It is Charles's tragedy that his undoubted skills have been wasted over the years. But his impatience - at having to wait for destiny to come knocking - has spilled over into interference.

In Prince William, the nation sees a willing and able player of the royal game - charming and compliant, not overbearing and headstrong. The years are not being kind to his father, whose demands to be heard seem to grow exponentially.

Without a fundamental change to this damaging mindset Charles may find that those who believe, like him, that he must succeed his mother for the fabric of royalty in this country to remain untorn, may come to see things another way.

Who's The Most Kick-Ass Woman On TV?

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While we wish there were more, there is an incredible group of kick-ass women on TV at the moment -- and now we can add another to the list.

"Hunted" is making its debut (Fri., Oct. 19 at 10 p.m. ET on Cinemax) and follows Sam Hunter (Melissa George) a spy working for a private intelligence agency who survived an attempt on her life and is back working with a vengeance. In her review of "Hunted," HuffPost TV's Maureen Ryan said, "It's fun to witness how often the wiry blonde can kick some meathead's ass."

Currently, the titular character on "Nikita" (Maggie Q) is also busting skulls and taking names, as is an unlikely lady on "Once Upon A Time," TV's favorite white-haired woman on "Game of Thrones," and Season 3's amazing addition to "The Walking Dead."

Who do you think is the most kick-ass TV woman in recent history? Cast your vote for the first group of combatants below! Don't see your favorite? Never fear -- we've got plenty more rounds and match-ups to come, so stay tuned.

Alec Baldwin's Alleged Canadian Stalker Speaks Out

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“My reputation was destroyed and my self-esteem eroded,” Geneviève Sabourin tells Huffington Post Québec as she kicks of a media blitz.

The 40-year-old actress from Quebec was arrested April 8th in front of American actor Alec Baldwin’s luxurious home in New York. She now faces five charges, including two for aggravated harassment. Sabourin met the '30 Rock' star about ten years ago on the set of 'The Adventures of Pluto Nash,' where she worked as a publicist.

Sabourin asserts she then begun a romantic relationship with Baldwin. In the indictment filed after her arrest last spring, U.S. prosecutors claim that Sabourin sent a series of emails to the actor, begging him to marry her. After a failed attempt to settle the case out of court, she will stand trial starting November 27th.

At her mother’s house on Montreal's South Shore where she is visiting for a week, Sabourin says it has been a living hell for her since her 36-hour incarceration in New York.

“I was stoned in the public square," she says. "They said I was crazy.”

In the days after her arrest, U.S. newspapers covered the story extensively. The New York Post even published a front page photo of her with the headline: “Stalker-In-Chief."

“I always had many dreams, but this incident stopped everything," she says. "My life is on hold. I am not the same person anymore.”

“Exile” In New-York

Since her arrest, Sabourin has lived in New York in order to be able to meet with her American lawyer on a regular basis and attend her hearings.

"At first, I tried to work with my lawyer over the phone from Quebec, but it was counter-productive,” she says.

She confirms she has spent more than $100,000 since her arrest, including costs for her furnished apartment in New York, plane tickets, car trips between the Big Apple and Montreal and travel insurance. She also spent $5,000 for a psychological profile conducted by a psychiatrist in preparation for her defense.

“In the papers, they said I was crazy, that I was a stalker," she recalls. "So in our process to settle the case out of court, we presented an eminent psychiatrist’s report that showed I had no personality disorder.”

During that period, she was forbidden from obtaining employment in the United States.

“I tried to get my papers to be able to work over there," she explains, "even if it meant to be a waitress in a restaurant. It was impossible.”

Sabourin, who had sold her house prior to the incident in the hope of moving to New York then had to scrape her savings. Relatives also had to help her financially.

During all these setbacks, it’s the loneliness that affects Sabourin the most.

“I am living a kind of exile in New York, far from my family and friends” the actress says. She says some of her family members and friends have distanced themselves from her since the incident.

Media Blitz

After remaining silent throughout the summer, Sabourin will begin a media blitz starting Thursday evening. She will first give an interview to Denis Lévesque on Quebec's LCN channel. She will address the legal aspects of her case there with her Montreal lawyer Jean-Pierre Rancourt. The Quebecor Group will then resume the interview in its papers. Sabourin will also be the guest of Isabelle Racicot on the TV show “Ça finit bien la semaine” ('The Week Ends Well'), broadcasted on TVA and also on “Face à Face” on V network. She will also give some interviews to U.S. media.

When she was questioned on the reasons of this media blitz, Sabourin replied she would have preferred settling the case out of court. A judge however rejected this request.

“I’m being pushed to the wall, I have no more options,” she says. She adds that she never wished to see her story played out in the media.

“I am a very private person," she says, "I find it very humiliating to tell all my personal stories in public.”

After her misadventure with Baldwin, Sabourin doesn’t think she will be able to pursue her acting career in film. The actress was seen in a few supporting roles in Quebec, such as a “shooter girl” in the TV series C.A.

“Here or elsewhere, my reputation is destroyed," she says. "I will never be able to work again, not here, not in the United States or in France. My professional reputation is ruined.”

Joshua Estrin: Jill Zarin Needs to Stop Complaining

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While I rarely share my opinion and rather choose to stick to the facts. I find myself compelled to offer my thoughts on the recent appearance of ex Real Housewife Jill Zarin on the hugely successful What Happens Live with host Andy Cohen.

Over 1.3 million viewers tuned in to see what? Surprise! Zarin still angry and needing to discuss the reasons she was fired as well as whether the network played favorites.

While no one likes to get fired and no one likes to feel unappreciated, Jill seems to hold steadfast to a grudge with no less tenacity than a Pitbull. Having exhausted her 15 minutes of fame over and over (and over) again it strikes me that she has acted less like a socialite and more like a mean girl.

With less than stellar rating this season, Jill contends that Bravo "should bring back me, Alex and Kelly and fire Carole [Radziwill] and Heather [Thompson]. Whoever was responsible for this disaster, should be fired," she said, adding, "I feel vindicated."

Vindicated? If that's the case why is she back on the airwaves bemoaning her terrible fate? As for a rehire... I have to wonder why is she begging to return to a group of people (the Bravo network) that clearly no longer wants her.

With a thriving business and a seemingly loving family Zarin has had more than a few opportunities to take the high road and yet she continues to live in a constant state of self-pity where she positions herself as a victim of a horrible wrong doing.

Why am I so angry? Admittedly Jill is not the first scorned reality star to be upset when the limelight shifts and she is no longer in the spotlight, but enough is enough. As a successful businesswoman, mother and wife she simply needs to let go, move on and show some grace, class and humility.

Bravo was a wild ride and when she was no longer the cause célèbre the network made a decision. Was it fair and was it just? Who knows and who cares, but isn't it time that Ms. Zarin stop playing the victim and simply keep quiet and move on with her life?

Dina Lohan Disgusted By Michael's LiLo Intervention

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Dina Lohan says her ex-husband Michael's attempt to stage an intervention with Lindsay was just another ploy to make himself relevant again ... and had ZILCH to do with LiLo's well-being.

Will John Hawkes' Performance In 'The Sessions' Get Him An Oscar?

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In The Sessions, opening in theaters this weekend, John Hawkes plays late poet Mark O’Brien, who was paralyzed from the neck down due to polio, and sought, in real life, to lose his virginity by working with a therapeutic sex surrogate. Hawkes is beyond emotionally and physically adept as O’Brien, restricted to laying flat in a huge iron lung, or being wheeled around on a portable cot, his face shifted to the side, his arms pinned to his sides.


Why Sting Moved His Big Concert Gig

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MANILA, Philippines — Sting has moved the location of his "Back to Bass Tour" concert in the Philippines following a petition by environmentalists who said the original venue is owned by a conglomerate that plans to uproot 182 trees for a parking lot and mall expansion in a northern mountain city.

The SM Mall of Asia Arena said on Saturday that changing the site of the Dec. 9 concert was "the decision of the artist himself."

"Understandably, the known environment advocate artist was left with no choice in spite of the SM representatives' appeal," it said in a statement.

SM Prime Holdings, which operates SM malls and the arena on Manila Bay, is owned by the Philippines' richest man, mall mogul Henry Sy.

Environmentalists said in their petition that as a champion of the environment, "Sting can't be saving rainforests and enabling SM to rape the environment at the same time!"

Sting and his wife Trudie Styler established The Rainforest Foundation in 1989 to protect tropical rainforests and the people who live there.

Arena business manager Arnel Gonzales told The Associated Press that the venue became "collateral damage" in the environmentalists' campaign.

"With this successful move to stop Sting from holding the concert at SM MOA Arena, and referring to the venue as an `oppressor,' it is now looking more like the court battle has extended from saving trees, to ruining a corporate giant's reputation completely," the arena said in its statement.

A local court has temporarily stopped the mall expansion plans in northern Baguio city.

Karlo Marko Altomonte, who initiated the petition, wrote Sting's foundation saying that removing the trees would significantly increase air pollution and the risk of landslides and flooding in an area near schools.

"Thank you, Sting, for helping us defend our environment, our heritage, our home," he wrote on his Facebook page.

Was Hitchcock Himself Scarier Than His Movies?

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BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- After a private screening of HBO's "The Girl" held for Tippi Hedren, her friends and family, including daughter Melanie Griffith, the reaction was silence.

Make that stunned silence, as the room took in the film's depiction of a scorned, vindictive Alfred Hitchcock physically and emotionally abusing Hedren during production of "The Birds."

"I've never been in a screening room where nobody moved, nobody said anything," Hedren recounted. "Until my daughter jumped up and said, `Well, now I have to go back into therapy.'"

Hedren, 82, as polished and lovely as she was taking her turn as a rarified "Hitchcock blonde" in "The Birds" (1963) and "Marnie" (1964), tells the story with a casual smile.

But her experience with Hitchcock, as detailed in "The Girl," debuting 9 p.m. Saturday, is as jarring to watch as one of the master's own dark suspense dramas. Sienna Miller ("Layer Cake," "Factory Girl") plays model-turned-actress Hedren, with Toby Jones ("The Hunger Games," "Infamous") as Hitchcock.

In one horrific sequence, the filmmaker withholds from Hedren that real birds, not mechanical ones, will be used in a scene in which she'll be attacked at close quarters. Then he subjects her to five days of shooting, take after take, leaving her injured and distraught.

A physician forced Hitchcock to suspend production for a week to allow Hedren to recover.

"Hitch said we had to keep filming," the actress recalled. "The doctor said, `What are you trying to do, kill her?'"

Hedren, who regrouped and worked with the British filmmaker again on "Marnie," said the HBO film shows only a slice of what was also a rewarding period and relationship.

"There wasn't time to show the wonderful people I met, the wonderful discussions Hitch and I had, the great gift he gave me being not only my director but my drama coach," she said.

But she lost her admiration for the man, if not the artist, when Hitchcock punished her for rebuffing his advances.

"I think we're dealing with such a devious mind, one of genius, of incredible creativity," she said, adding, "there is so much wrong with that mind. ... He was evil."

With the pair's irrevocable rift after "Marnie," Hitchcock refused to let her out of the seven-year contract she'd signed. That allowed him to quash her shot at other big films, including Francois Truffaut's "Fahrenheit 451" in 1966, Hedren said.

She insists, credibly, that she's never played the what-if game. While she couldn't capitalize on being a hot property post-Hitchcock, Hedren channeled her energies into family and her dedication to helping animals, including founding the Shambala wildlife preserve in Southern California.

"He ruined my career, but he didn't ruin my life," Hedren said, who has worked regularly in TV and appeared in some films.

Jones, who donned elaborate prosthetics and a fake belly to simulate Hitchcock's distinctive profile and girth, said the filmmaker can't be forgiven for behaving "appallingly" toward Hedren.

"But I also think he was very naive emotionally and I don't think it was sexual. There was something so beautiful and radiant about her that he worshiped her," the actor said.

Jones cautioned against making one chapter into a biography: "We're not saying this is Hitchcock. This is a section of Hitchcock's life based on verified, carefully research facts."

Director Julian Jarrold said Hitchcock biographer Donald Spoto, along with Hedren, were the main sources for screenwriter Gwyneth Hughes. Hitchcock died in 1980 at age 80.

Hedren, who offered high praise for Jones, Miller and "The Girl," said she never discussed Hitchcock's behavior with his other famous leading ladies, who included her friend, Kim Novak ("Vertigo"), Eva Marie Saint ("North by Northwest") and Grace Kelly ("Dial M for Murder," "Rear Window" and "To Catch a Thief").

She first brought herself to talk about it two decades afterward, Hedren said, and she's now counting on "The Girl" to carry her story further.

"I hope that young women who do see this film know that they do not have to acquiesce to anything that they do not feel is morally right or that they are dissatisfied with," she said. "I can look at myself in the mirror, and I can be proud. I feel strong. And I lived through it beautifully."

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EDITOR'S NOTE – Lynn Elber is a national television columnist for The Associated Press. She can be reached at lelber(at)ap.org.

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Online:

Famed Music Writer Dies At 78

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NEW YORK — Mary Campbell, whose childhood affection for the big bands and opera she heard on her radio set the stage for four decades as a music writer for The Associated Press, died Friday. She was 78.

Campbell died in Bloomington, Ind., according to her sister, Ruth Miller.

From symphony to rock `n' roll, from Duke Ellington to Beverly Sills to the Dixie Chicks, Campbell covered the entertainment scene, earning respect from the artists she wrote about and devotion from the public who followed her profiles and reviews.

"Mary Campbell is a most admired reporter, not only because she writes so well but also because she knows an interesting story when she hears about it," celebrated conductor-tenor Placido Domingo once said.

At a party for the folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary in the 1990s, Mary Travers politely greeted the many luminaries in attendance but spent much of the evening huddled in a corner with Campbell, catching up with her old friend.

"It will be hard to think of The Associated Press without Mary Campbell on its staff," said crooner Tony Bennett upon her retirement in 2000.

Many of her readers likely agreed.

In one of her final articles, she interviewed Joe Cocker and asked the veteran rocker, "Do you still make jerky movements onstage?"

Yes, replied Cocker, "playing an imaginary piano and air guitar. That was the frustration of not being able to play, really."

Campbell couldn't play a musical instrument, either, nor could she carry a tune. It didn't matter to her. She loved her role as a member of the audience, reporting on music for other music lovers.

"I write for an ordinary person like me," she told writer Tad Bartimus in an interview in 2000. "I'm not trying to be erudite. I'm trying to be enthusiastic and clear. I always feel like the person I'm writing for would be just as touched by the music or the play as I am if they were standing in my shoes."

A tall, gentle and sad-eyed woman, Campbell more fit the image of a reference librarian than of a music reporter, but she was a pioneering rock journalist who was covering the Beatles and other bands before the rise of Rolling Stone and other magazines, before there even was a "rock" press. And her kindly demeanor was a welcome change for many rock stars, who came to trust her and even request her for interviews. Keith Richards and Lou Reed were among the musicians who expressed surprise, and sometimes dismay, when an AP journalist other than Campbell turned up.

Few witnessed as much rock history as Campbell. She was there when the Beatles played Shea Stadium in 1965, reporting that their show was "better than the World Series, the All-Star Game and 50 grand slam homers rolled into one." She interviewed Elton John before he even had a recording contract. She would recall talking to Janis Joplin around the time of Woodstock, and how the singer confided being torn between the rock `n' roll life and her desire to raise a family.

One of her favorite stories was visiting the set of "Saturday Night Live" in 1976, when George Harrison was a guest. The ex-Beatle, seated in his dressing room, was initially abrupt with Campbell, offering one-word responses to her questions. Then, a second guest joined the conversation: Paul Simon, who greeted Campbell so warmly that Harrison, too, opened up.

"Mary was completely and authentically herself, which charmed her colleagues and the many performers she interviewed over the years, from Tony Bennett to Mick Jagger to members of the New York Philharmonic," said Kristin Gazlay, an AP vice president and managing editor. "If you met her, it's impossible to ever forget her. She is greatly missed."

She was born in Mount Sterling, Ill., in 1934. As a farm girl, she hid under the cover with her radio to catch the late-night big band broadcasts from Chicago.

On Saturday afternoons, she was transfixed by the Metropolitan Opera productions aired from the distant city of New York. And, even then the dogged researcher, she logged time at the local library, boning up on the next week's performance.

"We lived outside the town limits, so they wouldn't let me check the books out," she remembered. "When I was about 8, I discovered that all the opera stories were in the encyclopedia, so I'd stop by on my way home after school and read them."

Campbell attended the University of Illinois, earning a degree in journalism, and after joining the AP in Chicago in 1960, transferred to the AP's New York headquarters the same year.

There, she became a fixture as a music and drama writer and critic. She could be found most any night in a theater or performance hall in her customary seat (10th row on the aisle) and days at her desk, whose legendary mountain of clutter underscored her immersion in her beat.

Her retirement became a whirl of farewell lunches from colleagues and artists. (The musicians of the New York Philharmonic gave her a silver bracelet.) Then she took her leave from the cultural capital of New York to return to her Midwest roots in Bloomington, Ind.

Others worried that she might miss the nightly diet of concerts and plays, and the daily routine of rubbing elbows with the cultural elite.

But Campbell wasn't worried. She had the radio and CDs, TV and VCR.

"As long as I can listen to the music," she said, "I'll never be bored."

She is survived by her sister, Ruth, of Bloomington, and a brother, Allen Campbell, of Mt. Sterling, Ill.

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AP National Writer Hillel Italie contributed to this report.

Should Rihanna And Chris Brown Get Back Together?

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Reportedly, Rihanna has forgiven Chris Brown and is trying to work on their relationship, but a lot of people are skeptical of their rekindled romance.

The Huffington Post spoke to Z100's Elvis Duran from Elvis Duran and the Morning Show at the Jingle Ball 2012 Official Kick Off Party at Aéropostale Times Square yesterday (Oct. 19), and he gave his two cents on the singers' reconciliation.

"I do know Rihanna and I do know Chris Brown, but I don’t know either of them well enough to really comment on it," Duran told HuffPost exclusively. "It’s easy to make up in your mind what you think they should be doing in their personal lives and what they shouldn’t. We don’t know the full story, still it’s always fun to assume what is going on," he continued, adding, "She seems to have forgiven him to a certain point, but you never know."

The beloved radio host, who admits Rihanna is his favorite artist, is happy for her success and hopes she and Brown work it out.

"I love Rihanna," Duran gushed to HuffPost. "Her story has affected us all in one way or another so you hear her music, you see her videos, but also you know a little slice about her personal life that you don’t know about other people, tragic as it is. So you feel like you're a little closer to her."

"She seems to reinvent herself over and over and she’s come out with so many albums at such a fast pace, which is so unusual," he added. "I love to listen to Rihanna."

NBC Picks Up 'Office' Producer's Latest Show

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Greg Daniels, developer and executive producer of "The Office," is back for more with NBC. According to Deadline.com, the network has picked up a new comedy from Daniels.

With "The Office" in its final season, this project comes at a good time for series staple Craig Robinson, who plays Darryl Philblin in the show, and supervising producer Owen Ellickson. Ellickson wrote the script for Daniels' new show and Robinson is on board to star in it. Robinson will play a gifted musician who finds himself teaching music at a city middle school.

THR has confirmed that Deedle Dee's Tracy Katsky and 3 Arts' Howard Klein and Mark Schulman will serve as executive producers.

For more, head over to Deadline.com.

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