Obviously, the only actor who can pull off Justin Bieber as a fat, middle-aged has-been is Jim O'Heir (a.k.a Jerry from "Parks & Rec.") Jimmy Kimmel showed us this exclusive trailer for "Bieber 2051."
'Bieber 2051': Jim O'Heir Plays Middle-Aged Pop Star On 'Kimmel'
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Bruno Mars To Sing At Super Bowl Halftime: AP Source
NEW YORK -- Grammy-winner Bruno Mars will sing at halftime of the Super Bowl in February, a person familiar with the NFL's entertainment plans told The Associated Press on Saturday.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement had been made. The official word is expected to come at an event in New York's Times Square on Sunday. The NFL's regular season began Thursday, and the first full slate of games is Sunday.
The Super Bowl will be played Feb. 2 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. Halftime shows have drawn more than 100 million television viewers in the United States alone in past years.
Beyonce was the star of this year's Super Bowl halftime show in February in New Orleans, where the Baltimore Ravens beat the San Francisco 49ers 34-31.
Some recent halftime performers at the NFL's championship game were Madonna in 2012, The Black Eyed Peas with Usher and Slash in 2011, The Who in 2010, and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band in 2009.
Mars is one of pop music's top acts, with several No. 1 hits, including his most recent, "When I Was Your Man."
The 27-year-old singer-songwriter-producer was honored for best male video and choreography for "Treasure" at the MTV Video Music Awards last month.
Mars, who was born Peter Hernandez, released his platinum-selling debut, "Doo-Wops & Hooligans," in 2010, and released his second album, "Unorthodox Jukebox," last year. His hits include "Locked Out of Heaven," `'Just the Way You Are" and "Grenade."
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Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich
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Liam Hemsworth Wants To End Things With Miley Cyrus? Breakup Rumors Resurface
Is Liam Hemsworth really fed up with fiancee Miley Cyrus' raunchy behavior? That is indeed the case, if you believe the rumors.
According to latest reports, the couple -- who've had to deal with their fair share of breakup/rebound rumors since getting engaged in June 2012 -- are more roommates than lovers these days and Liam is ready to call it quits for good.
"He is over her and wants to make a clean break," a source told Us Weekly while another source adds that though they are still living together at Miley's home in L.A., "They're not even sleeping in the same room." Liam has also reportedly asked for the ring back.
In addition, gossip site HollywoodLife claims the two "barely see each other," quoting a source that says: "I wouldn't be surprised if they split for good soon." According to the site, Miley doesn't even care at this point if Liam decides to walk.
On Twitter, her playground of choice, Cyrus is maintaining business as usual. Yesterday she retweeted Pharrell Williams, telling her fans and followers:
Followed by some PDA with yet another giant teddy bear:“@Pharrell: Do what you feel in your heart to be right, for you'll be criticized anyway. - Eleanor Roosevelt”
— Miley Ray Cyrus (@MileyCyrus) September 5, 2013
A request for comment made to both Cyrus and Hemsworth's reps was not immediately answered.PJ with @BooTheBear ✈✈✈ pic.twitter.com/I0Bje42GYy
— Miley Ray Cyrus (@MileyCyrus) September 6, 2013
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Fox To Debut Character Mashup Videos Bringing Together 'The Mindy Project,' 'New Girl' And 'Bones'
Fox just made our alternate-TV-universe gal-pal dreams come true. Haven't you ever imagined what would happen if your favorite female protagonists crossed over into each other's shows? And what it would be like to have Mindy Kaling on relationship speed dial?
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Kendall Jenner Takes Video Selfies While Driving, Posts Them Online
A year ago, Kendall Jenner was caught texting while driving on a Los Angeles freeway. Instead of growing wiser as she grows older, Jenner yesterday posted a video of herself driving -- which means she actually took a video of herself on her cell phone while on the road. When she should have been looking at the road.
So dangerous.
In the 27-second video below, posted on the Kardashian-Jenner outlet of choice Keek, Kendall is seen making her way to her car, then climbing into it, and finally driving. The camera is turned to her as she makes funny faces and looks directly at it at a slightly upward angle, instead of straight ahead.
The law that was applicable last year is still relevant, by the way: In California, "all drivers [are prohibited] from using a handheld wireless telephone while operating a motor vehicle."
Kendall's younger sister, Kylie, crashed her $110,000 Mercedes just last week. Think before you drive, will ya, girls?
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Teresa Scanlan, Miss America 2011, Finds Fit At Conservative Patrick Henry College
PURCELLVILLE, Va. -- It's a startling contrast to some observers – the glamorous, bikini-clad Miss America from 2011, Teresa Scanlan, finding her home at the tiny, super-conservative Patrick Henry College. The school requires students to dress modestly and "seek parental counsel when pursuing a romantic relationship."
But the match has been a good one. Scanlan returned to campus in late August to begin her sophomore year. Among the things she loves about her classmates and her campus: "I've never had to sign an autograph, and I've never had to take a picture. Here, I can be just another student," she said. Blending in is not always easy for Scanlan, who won the Miss America Contest at 17, representing Nebraska. The youngest Miss America in more than 70 years, she spent a year fulfilling her duties and enrolled at Patrick Henry in 2012. She says the school's workload matched the grueling schedule as Miss America.
The school was established in 2000 with the goal of giving home-schooled Christian conservatives a foundation to help them effect change in government, the law and journalism.
The school started with 90 students and a single major – government. It is still a tiny campus in the outer suburbs of Washington, D.C., but now has 320 students and five majors, including journalism, literature and history. The SAT scores of its students are comparable to top-tier state universities.
Scanlan, who came from a homeschooling family, says she wanted to go to Patrick Henry ever since she was 8.
She said she's frustrated by stereotypes that some hold about Patrick Henry students. She recalled a recent photo essay published about the school that she felt went out of its way to depict students as cloistered weirdos. The reality, she said, is that while the students are Christian, they come from a variety of backgrounds.
"There's this idea that we don't struggle with the same problems, that we don't understand real world problems ... that everyone comes from wonderful, happy families, that we're close-minded and brainwashed. That kind of pushes my buttons," she said.
The degree to which some people are willing to make snap judgments about her has occasionally taken her aback. As a teenager, she admits her schedule as Miss America and some of the accompanying expectations, wore on her. The negativity she faced from anonymous Internet critics was hurtful.
"To have someone look at a picture of you and decide just based on that picture that they hate you, and that they're going to tell the world that they hate you – that takes some getting used to," she said.
During her year as Miss America, she began to feel depressed and, at times, even suicidal. The depression continued during her freshman year, she said, when she found her coursework grueling, with a heavy emphasis on reading and writing. She earned a 3.75 grade-point average, but was disappointed because she had set a goal of a 3.9 or higher, which she feels she needs to get accepted into Harvard Law School.
She reached out to her parents for help during her spring semester, and she's now taking fewer classes and worrying less about others' expectations.
"I'm finally starting to let go of some of the stress, some of the responsibility," she said.
While she loves her school, she said she has occasionally received criticism from some there who feel the Miss America pageant, particularly the swimsuit competition, is not compatible with a Christian lifestyle because it shows too much skin or objectifies women. Scanlan respectfully disagrees.
"I have never violated my conscience. I was never compromising my morals," she said. "For myself, I have never believed it's wrong for a female to wear a swimsuit that would show the same amount of skin a man. It's a bit of a double standard."
The school's founder and chancellor, Mike Farris, also said he received sporadic complaints that Scanlan's status as a Miss America was supposedly contrary to the school's code and values.
"I don't view getting into the pageant world to be incompatible with Christian values," said Farris – who made his name as a lawyer defending homeschooler families.
Farris never had any doubts that Scanlan would be a good ambassador for the school. Farris sensed she could be a starter on Patrick Henry's Moot Court team, which Farris coaches and regularly wins national championships.
"She's very bright, a great communicator," Farris said, noting she placed third in a regional in Moot Court championships as a freshman. "Yeah, no doubt I expect a national championship out of her."
Kira Clark, a Moot Court teammate of Scanlan's and now a roommate, described Scanlan as "a caring, incredibly ambitious, smart, compassionate person who puts her friends first."
On the small campus, she said students don't dwell on the fact that Scanlan was Miss America.
"We see her as a sister we can be proud of, rather than a celebrity we can be taking advantage of," Clark said.
Despite her plans to reduce stress, Scanlan remains ambitious. On her LinkedIn profile, she lists herself, among other things, as "2028 presidential candidate." She would be 35, the constitutional minimum to serve as president.
Farris, who designed the school with the idea of launching Christian conservatives into the public sphere, said Scanlan and many other Patrick Henry students set such goals and he encourages them to aim high.
"If they mess up and only get to be governors and senators, I'll live with it," Farris said.
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Tyra Banks' Cindy Crawford, Kate Moss Impressions Are Pretty Darn Good (PHOTOS)
Leave it to Tyra Banks to debut a project awesome enough to distract us from the craziness that is New York Fashion Week. On Saturday morning, the model tweeted the following announcement:
![kate moss]()
![cindy]()
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"So U know when U R gonna announce an OMG-that-is-so-COOL PhotoProject 2day U'VE been working on 4 a year that'll BlowPeople'sMinds"This was no understatement. Apparently, Tyra's labor of love was a photo project that had the legend dressing up as other model legends Cindy Crawford and Kate Moss -- and the modeling world's hot young thing, Cara Delevingne. Ever the chameleon, Tyra's impressions are nothing short of amazing. Compare her master modeling with the originals:
Hid my booty & boobies like a pro, for a pro - all to look & pose just like #SuperModel Kate Moss! #NYFW #Tyra15 pic.twitter.com/aCP6xxEMvz
— Tyra Banks (@tyrabanks) September 7, 2013
It was amazing to be physically transformed into my idol, @CindyCrawford... #Fierce mole, hair & all! #NYFW #Tyra15 pic.twitter.com/ZnCb9WulHY
— Tyra Banks (@tyrabanks) September 7, 2013
Tyra's beautiful just the way she is:4 hours of hair & makeup later, I've become übermodel @Caradelevingne! Fierce & love to #LA & #London. #NYFW #Tyra15 pic.twitter.com/yxS0l6ocNX
— Tyra Banks (@tyrabanks) September 7, 2013
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Azealia Banks On Syria: 'America Will Never Have Another Black President' If Obama Invades
Azealia Banks' Saturday-morning Twitter rant about Syria makes Madonna's recent remarks look tame. The 22-year-old rapper unleashed a series of statements about the ongoing crisis, including the assertion that "America will never have another black president" if Obama invades the Asian nation.
Banks is no stranger to controversial Twitter activity, having recently sparked a mild feud with Lady Gaga after the "Applause" signer's MTV Video Music Awards performance. She also called Perez Hilton a "faggot" earlier this year. Now her comments on Syria have prompted an array of responses from her followers. Take a look at what the 22-year-old rapper had to say.
So there's no PROOF the Syrian gov used chemical weapons but the US, France, Britain & Germany have 'high confidence' they did....
— AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) September 7, 2013
Obama threatens Syria, then Russia and Iran threaten to counter-attack if U.S or Israel attacks Syria.... (Am I following?)
— AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) September 7, 2013
IF they did use weapons, America can't let such a worldly crime go unpunished but now that Russia & Iran are promising to be involved.....
— AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) September 7, 2013
And are kinda trying to (keyword:trying, {sort of} ) to punk Obama.. I really hope it doesn't turn into some really diabolical ego race.
— AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) September 7, 2013
America should mind it's business this time.
— AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) September 7, 2013
For the World's Sake....
— AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) September 7, 2013
World War's 3-10 are INEVITABLE... But can't we just wait until AFTER I drop my album in January ? #reallywannabealiveforthat
— AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) September 7, 2013
And FORREAL, Obama is like the black American superman. He can't ruin the end of his presidency with this.
— AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) September 7, 2013
I THINK: If Obama invades Syria, America will never have another black president.
— AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) September 7, 2013
The stuck up academics & crazy christian rightwing folk will find some clever crafty way to tie obamas blackness into cheapening his legacy.
— AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) September 7, 2013
I see it now.
— AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) September 7, 2013
America loves sensationalism.
— AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) September 7, 2013
My tweets about Obamas legacy and the situation in Syria are TWO SEPARATE THOUGHTS...... In case it's confusing.
— AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) September 7, 2013
OBAMA NOOOOOO
— AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) September 7, 2013
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Pink's Seriously Amazing Rock Hard Abs Steal 'Women's Health' Cover
Just in case you needed a reminder of who has one of the best set of abs in town, Pink is featured on the October 2013 cover of Women's Health.
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Hugh Hefner And Wife Crystal Harris' Disneyland Adventure Includes Scooters
No one is ever too old for Disneyland. Just ask 87-year-old Hugh Hefner, who recently took a trip to The Happiest Place on Earth with his wife Crystal Harris.
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Kaley Cuoco Jets Out Of LAX With Boyfriend Ryan Sweeting
Kaley Cuoco is cute and chic while catching a departing flight at LAX Airport with her boyfriend Ryan Sweeting on Friday (September 6) in Los Angeles.
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12 Photos That Prove No One Was Cooler Than Jonathan Taylor Thomas In The '90s
"Home Improvement" heartthrob Jonathan Taylor Thomas turns 32 Sunday, though he's hardly aged since his days on the hit ABC sitcom. In honor of his birthday, we present photographic evidence that no one was cooler than JTT back in the '90s.
He had seriously perfect hair.
![jtt]()
And could pull off a variety of 'dos.
![jtt]()
He was a sharp dresser.
![jtt]()
![jtt]()
![jt]()
He was the voice of young Simba in Disney's "The Lion King."
![jtt]()
He hung out with models, like Tyra Banks.
![jtt]()
And Heidi Klum.
![jtt]()
He had an athletic side.
![jtt]()
He usually had a lady on his arm.
![jtt]()
![jtt]()
![jtt]()
And could pull off a variety of 'dos.
He was a sharp dresser.
He was the voice of young Simba in Disney's "The Lion King."
He hung out with models, like Tyra Banks.
And Heidi Klum.
He had an athletic side.
He usually had a lady on his arm.
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Brad Pitt On '12 Years A Slave': Director Steve McQueen Asked 'Why Aren't There More Films About Slavery?'
TORONTO — The upcoming film "12 Years a Slave" is a harrowing look at slavery, but its stars, including Brad Pitt, say it's a subject that needs to be explored more on the big screen.
Pitt, whose Plan B company produced the film about a free man sold into slavery, was at its premiere at the Toronto Film Festival. Pitt said he was first drawn to the film because of its British director, Steve McQueen, known for such films as "Hunger" and "Shame." "We started talking to him about what he most wanted to do next and he asked the question, asked the question that no American asked, why aren't there more films about slavery?" Pitt recalled on Friday night. "And that's what he wanted to do. And that's where it started and that's what led us here tonight."
British actor Chiwetel Ejiofor is earning rave reviews for his performance as Solomon Northup, a New York violinist kidnapped and sold into slavery in 1841.
The film, which is already generating Oscar buzz, is based on Northup's memoirs and unflinchingly depicts the physical and psychological trauma he endured during his dozen years as a slave. Pitt plays Canadian carpenter and abolitionist Samuel Bass, who helps Northup gain his freedom.
"It means everything," said Ejiofor about his personal attachment to the film. "I was shooting a film called `Half of a Yellow Sun' in Nigeria, we were down in Calabar, and I knew I was traveling over to Louisiana the next day to start on this movie. So on the last day I popped into the slave museum in Calabar ... because I was aware that not only were a lot of people taken out from there in West Africa, but a lot of those ships ended up in New Orleans, into Louisiana, and that I was going to be traveling on that same journey obviously by different means.
"A lot of my family are out in the east of Nigeria, so I felt very connected to it all. And then to get out to Louisiana and spend time on the plantations was an amazing experience to me and to tell such a rich story with an incredible array of people was very powerful."
Alfre Woodard, who makes a brief appearance in the film as Mistress Harriet Shaw, spoke about her pride in playing a small part in bringing the story to life on the big screen.
"This picture is long overdue and it's a gift that Steve McQueen has crafted and brought to us," she said. "I think people are going to be so excited. Yes it's a tough subject because most people don't want to think about slavery, but I think that leaves a void in us individually, personally and collectively."
Some critics have already questioned whether the film is too graphic to find a large audience, but Sarah Paulson, who plays the wife of a plantation owner, was quick to dismiss that argument.
"To not watch something simply because it's painful seems irresponsible to me, and dumb," she said. "I feel like as a culture we so want everything to be watered down so it's easily ingestible, digestible, and that's just not what parts of our story as a nation is, as a country is. I sort of feel like it's important to tell the truth in your art, and this movie is a great truth teller and that may not always be comfortable, but I think it's very necessary."
Actor Michael Fassbender plays the vicious plantation owner married to Paulson. The film marks the third time he's worked with director McQueen ('Hunger,' `Shame').
"Hopefully it touches people and they sort of walk away and discuss things with each other," he said. "I don't know the answers, but maybe it poses some questions."
"12 Years a Slave" opens around the world in October.
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Zach Galifianakis Is Having A Baby With Wife Quinn Lundberg Any Minute Now (REPORTS)
Zach Galifianakis is going to be a father very, very soon, according to recent reports, as his wife Quinn Lundberg is said to be in labor this afternoon (Sept. 7). But unlike most celebrity couples, these two never announced they were even expecting.
According to E! News, which got confirmation from director Matthew Weiner (who directed Galifianakis' movie "You Are Here"), the actor skipped his movie premiere at TIFF today to be by his wife's side at the hospital.
Us Weekly corroborates the report, quoting a source that said "They have been keeping the baby a secret ... Zach is going to be an amazing father. They are looking to get a bigger place down the road."
This will be a first child for the funnyman, 43, and his wife, 30, who got married in Aug. 2012.
Most recently, comedian Jimmy Fallon surprised fans when he and his wife, Nancy Juvonen, welcomed a baby girl, Winnie. In that instance, too, no one knew the couple was expecting.
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Instagram Fashion Week 2013: Fashion's Finest Gather 'Round The Runways (PHOTOS)
Saturday was kind of like New York Fashion Week's blockbuster day. (Though we reserve the right to say that again tomorrow... and the next day... and the next.) With household names like Prabal Gurung and Alexander Wang presenting their spring collections, excitement was at an all-time high.
And as you know, when we're excited, we Instagram. Below, our favorite moments of Day Three, on and off the runways, and everywhere in between:
How does today compare to Day One?
Want more? Be sure to check out HuffPost Style on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest and Instagram at @HuffPostStyle.
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Miley Cyrus Vogue Cover Axed? Rumor Mill Seems To Think So
Did Miley Cyrus have a Vogue cover in the works? Dubious "sources" seem to think so, according to the Daily Mail -- but the same "sources" report that the Miley cover has been called off.
"Editor-in-chief Anna Wintour had been eager to champion [Miley] as a new fashion icon," the Mail writes in the most laughable sentence we've seen all week. (But hey, plenty of people thought Vogue would sooner fold than feature Sports Illustrated stunner Kate Upton on its cover... and that happened.)
Perhaps the idea isn't the wildest -- recall that Cyrus has covered Harper's Bazaar and Vanity Fair already. Yet in the wake of Miley's infamous VMAs twerkathon, Wintour may have reconsidered. Per the Mail:
Want more? Be sure to check out HuffPost Style on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest and Instagram at @HuffPostStyle.
"Anna found the whole thing distasteful," a source says. "She decided, based on Miley's performance, to take the cover in a different direction."Well, we're certain the first half of that statement is true. Plus, we find it hard to believe that Miley would earn the glossy's acclaim before noted Vogue campaigner Kim Kardashian. What do you think will happen first: Miley covers Vogue, or Vogue folds? It's her party, she'll do what she wants to:
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'Riddick' Box Office Tops The Weekend, Besting 'The Butler'
LOS ANGELES — "Riddick" is seeing light at the box office.
The sci-fi thriller starring Vin Diesel as an intergalactic criminal with built-in night vision debuted in first place with $18.7 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. "Riddick" is the third installment in the series, following the $11.6 million debut of 2000's "Pitch Black" and the $24.3 million launch of 2004's "The Chronicles of Riddick." "Riddick," which finds the alien anti-hero stranded and pursued by bounty hunters on a hostile world, served as a passion project for Diesel and series writer-director David Twohy. After the studio originally passed on funding a third chapter, the pair acquired the rights to the character from Universal and independently secured their own film financing.
"I don't think there were any mistakes made here," said Nikki Rocco, head of distribution for Universal, which returned to the fold to distribute "Riddick" in North America. "Vin wanted to do it. He had to do it on his time. He was very, very busy with `Fast & Furious,' and I think everything came together as he wanted it to come together."
"Riddick" also fared well internationally, bringing in an additional $7.4 million in 22 markets such as the United Kingdom and Hong Kong.
"Lee Daniels' The Butler" fell to second place with $8.9 million in its fourth weekend at the box office, bringing its total domestic haul to $91.9 million. The Spanish-language comedy "Instructions Not Included" earned third place in its expanded second weekend with $8.1 million, giving it a total of $20.1 million in U.S. and Canadian theaters.
"Typically, the weekend after Labor Day is one of the slowest weekends of the year," said Paul Dergarabedian, box-office analyst for Hollywood.com. "By Universal releasing a brand-new sci-fi movie with one of the biggest stars in the world, they took advantage of that and came out on top with the No. 1 movie. It gave the weekend a nice boost."
Dergarabedian said box office totals are up more than 26 percent this weekend over last year when "The Possession" scared up $9.3 million in the top spot in its fourth weekend. "Riddick" will face stiff competition next weekend when horror sequel "Insidious: Chapter 2" and "The Family" starring Robert De Niro and Tommy Lee Jones hit theaters.
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Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers for Friday through Sunday are also included. Final domestic figures will be released on Monday.
1. "Riddick," $18.7 million ($7.4 million international).
2. "Lee Daniels' The Butler," $8.9 million.
3. "Instructions Not Included," $8.1 million.
4. "We're the Millers," $7.9 million ($9.9 million international).
5. "Planes," $4.3 million ($7 million International).
6. "One Direction: This Is Us," $4.1 million ($7.6 million international).
7. "Elysium," $3.1 million ($21.2 million).
8. "Blue Jasmine," $2.7 million.
9. "Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters," $2.5 million ($6 million international).
10. "The World's End," $2.3 million.
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Estimated weekend ticket sales Friday through Sunday at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada) for films distributed overseas by Hollywood studios, according to Rentrak:
1. "Elysium," $21.2 million.
2. "White House Down," $12.6 million.
3. "We're the Millers," $9.9 million.
4. "The Conjuring," $8.5 million.
5. "One Direction: This Is Us," $7.6 million.
6. "Riddick," $7.4 million.
7. "The Smurfs 2," $7.3 million.
8. "Planes," $7 million.
9. "Grown Ups 2," $6.7 million.
10. "The Spy: Undercover Operation," $6.4 million.
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Follow AP Entertainment Writer Derrik J. Lang on Twitter at . http://www.twitter.com/derrikjlang
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Universal and Focus are owned by NBC Universal, a unit of Comcast Corp.; Sony, Columbia, Sony Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics are units of Sony Corp.; Paramount is owned by Viacom Inc.; Disney, Pixar and Marvel are owned by The Walt Disney Co.; Miramax is owned by Filmyard Holdings LLC; 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight are owned by News Corp.; Warner Bros. and New Line are units of Time Warner Inc.; MGM is owned by a group of former creditors including Highland Capital, Anchorage Advisors and Carl Icahn; Lionsgate is owned by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.; IFC is owned by AMC Networks Inc.; Rogue is owned by Relativity Media LLC.
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'Made In America,' TIFF: Ron Howard Talks Jay-Z Concert Doc At Toronto Film Fest Premiere
“When you think hip-hop, you think Ron Howard,” Toronto International Film Festival programmer Thom Powers quipped as he introduced last night’s world premiere of "Made In America," the legendary filmmaker and actor’s documentary about the equally legendary hip-hop mogul Jay-Z’s Philadelphia music festival of the same name.
Indeed, it seems like an odd combination at first. The man who won the hearts of audiences worldwide as Opie on "The Andy Griffith Show" and Richie Cunningham on "Happy Days" before moving on to direct massive films like "Apollo 13," "The Da Vinci Code" and "A Beautiful Mind" (even winning an Best Director Oscar for the latter) seems about as removed from the music scene celebrated in Jay-Z’s massive Philadelphia festival as you can get.
Howard wasn’t even really a fan of hip-hop before taking on the project, although he’s at least been aware of the genre since the eighties thanks to his partner at Imagine Entertainment, Brian Grazer, who is a huge fan. It’s hard to imagine just what Jay and his people (and "Made In America" sponsors Budweiser, who helped to set the film up) were thinking when they offered Ron Howard, of all people, carte blanche to cover the inaugural edition of the festival.
But after seeing "Made In America," it’s hard to imagine anyone else at the helm, though. In his own introduction to film, Howard urged the audience to think of him as “a kid in a creative candy store, and also a stranger in a strange land,” and emphasized his sense of wonder about the whole thing.
The reminder, while about as charming as everything else the first-time documentarian had to say about the project, was hardly necessary. That wonder and enthusiasm are apparent in every aspect of the film. Whether he’s interviewing Hova himself, learning to DJ with Skrillex, talking to a local roadie about his struggles, or visiting a 103-year-old Philly local about the horrible racket that all of this “bang bang music” at the concert is causing, Howard approaches his subjects with an endearing and surprisingly thoughtful mix of giddiness and respect.
Article continues after slideshow
As a whole, it makes for a unique and refreshing take on the concert film genre. "Made In America" isn’t just about Jay-Z and the other artists who performed that weekend -- even if Tyler The Creator’s antics and Run DMC’s insights about everything from the current political climate to Aerosmith’s “hillbilly lyrics” arguably steal the show. It’s about the very idea of what it means to be made in America, a portrait of the American dream as something that can both falter and fly.
In a post-screening Q&A with the CBC’s George Stroumboulopoulos, Howard said that it was Jay-Z’s vision for "Made In America" as a way to break down artistic, political and personal barriers that inspired him to reach out and talk to people behind-the-scenes and in the crowd as much as he approached the people on the stage.
“I certainly wanted people with something at stake,” he said. And what he found among the food vendors, tech staff, security guards and crotchety-but-kind neighbours was a prevailing sliver of hope in the face of often brutal odds. “There was, to a person, a sense of ‘it’s tough, but I don’t believe I’m a victim,” Howard told the crowd. “It was surprising to me how pervasive it was.”
Howard admitted that he wasn’t exactly the best interviewer during the course of the shoot. “Your job is hard!” he confessed to Strombo at one point. “I think I could have done better.” But his somewhat awkward softball style does lead to some of the film’s more playful moments, including a little bit of ribbing at the hands of Odd Future’s Tyler The Creator.
Howard’s staff actually asked him if he wanted to remove the part where the controversial rapper made fun of him during the editing of the film, but he refused. “I said ‘No! That’s the best part!’” he laughed. The director went on to praise Tyler both as an artist and a person. “He’s awesome!” he enthused. “I admire his audacity and the way he lives.” He even compared Odd Future to the freewheeling and wild subjects of his F1 blockbuster "Rush," which will also have its world premiere here at TIFF.
The filmmaker saved his biggest praise for Jay-Z himself, though, saying that he was particularly impressed by the artist’s connection with the audience. He went so far as to compare Jay-Z to Frank Sinatra, which is an association that’s at least a little less random than Ron Howard and hip-hop, even if Howard himself thinks it’s a bit out there.
“I was watching Jay-Z and I thought of Frank Sinatra,” he said. “Which doesn’t really make sense. But good is good."
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LeAnn Rimes Bares Legs In Short Shorts
LeAnn Rimes is one stylish soccer mom.
The 31-year-old singer bared her legs in a pair of cutoff short shorts as she cheered on her stepson Mason at his soccer game in Tarzana, Calif., yesterday (September 7). Rimes also rocked a "Wild At Heart" t-shirt and fedora while sitting on the sidelines with her husband, Eddie Cibrian.
Looking good, LeAnn!
Check out her trendy look below:
![leann]()
![leann rimes]()
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Katy Perry Hits The British Singles Chart With 'Roar'
LONDON, Sept 8 (Reuters) - American singer Katy Perry has secured her fourth number one in the British singles chart with her latest release "Roar", sales figures showed on Sunday.
Already a number one hit in the United States and around the world, the song knocked "Burn" by English singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding off the top spot in its debut week.
Perry, whose previous hits include "Firework" and "I Kissed a Girl", sold 179,500 copies in the last week, making it the third fastest selling single of the year, according to the Official Charts Company, which compiles the weekly list.
"I love the UK," Perry said in a statement. "The UK is so ahead of the zeitgeist. They are the zeitgeist. The UK is where a lot of music trends start."
In an otherwise little-changed top 10, Swedish DJ Avicii slipped one place to number three with "Wake Me Up".
English indie-rock band The 1975 took the number one position in the album chart with their eponymous new release.
They saw off a challenge from American rockers Nine Inch Nails and their latest album "Hesitation Marks".
English hip hop duo Rizzle Kicks' "Roaring 20s" was another new entry at number three. (Reporting by Peter Griffiths; Editing by Andrew Roche)
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