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Joan Rivers Rips Anne Hathaway & Adele On 'Letterman' — Here's Today's Buzz

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the hobbit dwarves

    Watch her entire Oscars recap below:

SEE ALSO: Daenerys From 'Game Of Thrones' Looks Completely Different In Real Life >

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If Only 9% Of Jobs In Hollywood Go To Women, What Is The Future Of Women In Film?

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Jennifer Garner Anne Hathaway Jessica Biel

Seth MacFarlane took a lot of flak this week after his Oscar's hosting gig seemed to offend everyone from Jews and fans of Abraham Lincoln to the entire female gender.

But the "Family Guy" creator singing about female body parts during the most prestigious awards show of the year seemed to bring up a bigger issue in Hollywood, and specifically womens' role in the industry.

Here's where women currently stand in Hollywood:

According to the study "Behind-the-Scenes Employment of Women on the Top 250 Films of 2012" by Martha Lauzen, "In 2012, women comprised 18 percent of all directors, executive producers, producers, writers, cinematographers, and editors working on the top 250 domestic grossing films."

If the figure doesn't seem low already, Lauzen reports "This represents no change from 2011 and an increase of one percentage point from 1998."

"A historical comparison of women’s employment on the top 250 films in 2012 and 1998 reveals that the percentages of women directors and editors have not changed," Lauzen writes, "The percentages of women writers and producers have increased slightly. The percentages of women executive producers and cinematographers have declined."

Cathy Schulman Women in Film PresidentBusiness Insider caught up with Cathy Schulman, the president of industry group Women in Film and a producer who won a best picture Oscar for “Crash" in 2004.

"Women in front of the camera and behind the camera need to band together to create more opportunity," Schulman told us at Women in Film's pre-Oscar cocktail party in Los Angeles.

"When we're able to do that, we will see a lot more films that are directed at and created by women. I think that will change the culture and history that we're keeping because the storytelling you do as a country is what you will be remembered for."

Schulman tells us that not only is her organization "working to make sure the numbers are out there so people can look at their own organizations and question the bizarre, hideous statistics," but there are a number of programs being implemented, as well, from educational programs to mentors to grants.

Julia Roberts Emma Roberts Shirley MacLaine

Schulman explains that a recent study by WIF / Sundance Institute revealed that the biggest obstacle for women in the industry is not what people think it is.

"The study discovered that even though many people will say there aren't as many women working in film is because they can't juggle home and career, that actually turned out to not even be on the list of obstacles."

The main issue on the list?

Men don't want to give women money.

"Financial networks are usually controlled by men so it's hard for women to get through," says Schulman.

Peter Guber

But one movie mogul on board with WIF's mission is Peter Guber, the CEO of Mandalay Entertainment and a New York Times best-selling author.

Guber recently wrote an article "Why The Best 'Man' For A Job Is Often A 'Woman'" in which he discussed the success he has had with his female employees.

Here's how Guber's article starts:

In my experience, in the male-dominated entertainment world, women who I have hired, promoted or whose companies I’ve acquired including Stacey Snider, currently Co-Chairman and CEO of DreamWorks, Amy Pascal currently Co-Chairman of Sony Pictures, Barrie Loeks, Co-Chairman Loews Theatre circuit and Cathy Schulman, Oscar winning producer of Crash and currently President of Mandalay Pictures, leveraged their female competitive advantage along with their unique talent and experiences to propel my enterprise and its goals.

Clearly, Guber believes women should be more entrenched in the business.

But since Schulman assumed the role as WIF president, she says she has seen a shift in the industry's landscape.

We've broken the ceiling on only having to work on romantic comedies and children's movies, now we can be as rowdy as we want." 

Cathy Schulman Jacki Weaver Women in Film event 2013

As Jacki Weaver, "Silver Linings Playbook" Best Supporting Actress Oscar nominee told us, we have to look forward to the day when it's exactly 50/50. 

"I think that's what we have to look forward to, as we have to look forward to a female president of the United States," says Weaver.

SEE ALSO: How Media Outlets Are Using New Video App Vine To Deliver The News >

SEE ALSO: Roadmap To The Future

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Conan Made This iPad Ad That Shows How People REALLY Use The Tablet

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ipad conan ad

Apple is always hailed for its simplistic yet creatively rich advertising (with the help of TBWA Media Arts Lab), but Conan O'Brien thinks that he can do one better.

O'Brien premiered a fake ad on his TBS late night show that he says is a little more honest about how the device is used: to watch porn.

Although the late Steve Jobs once wrote that Apple offers users "freedom from porn," a quick Google searching "porn iPad" — which we don't suggest doing at work — indicated that most internet-friendly porn sites have created apps that stream on the device.

Watch Conan's video below:

SEE ALSO: A Video Conference Company Put Up A Billboard Just For Marissa Mayer

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Read Tori Spelling's Scathing Open Letter To Star After Her Kids Saw Divorce Headline

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Tori Spelling Star Magazine divorce headline

Former "90210" star Tori Spelling is blasting Star magazine for a false headline claiming she and her husband Dean McDermott are in the midst of a $300 million divorce.

Spelling took to her blog to dispute the report after her six-year-old son, Liam, read the headline in a grocery store check-out line and became upset.

“He was able to read two things out loud, the word DIVORCE (which he proudly sounded out) and the caption above his picture which read ‘Who will get the kids?’” She wrote.

“He became terrified. I had to hurry him and his confused 4-year-old sister Stella out of the grocery store and into our car. By the time he was fastening himself into his car seat he was asking, ‘Why is someone getting us?? Where are you and Dad going?’ He was anxiously biting his lower lip and his big blue eyes were filled with tears.”

Spelling made her point clear: “I’ve built up a pretty thick skin to the lies and trash talking at this point. But my children are another story. Keep them out of it!"

Read the entire "Open Letter to Star Magazine" below posted on Spelling's ediTORIal blog:

An Open Letter to Star Magazine

Here are the two things you learn quickly in the public eye when media publications are "reporting a story" about your life... That some publications are more reputable than others and they fact check their stories, and then one writes whatever story they want and repeatedly use the generic word "sources" to add an air of legitimacy. The second is that most publicists will tell their clients "no comment. This will pass". And it usually does. Then, the next week the tabloid is telling lies about another celebrity. Well, my publicists are as good as you can get and they aren't just business associates, I consider them close friends. But this time I had to comment because this time I'm answering not as a celebrity but as a mom. 

At this point you might be wondering what I'm referring to while others have already seen the hateful story on the cover of this weeks Star magazine claiming that Dean and I are divorcing and many more horrible claims against my husband. Yes, the story will pass but what won't pass is what happened in a local supermarket check out line.

My son Liam is turning 6 in a couple weeks. His proudest achievement so far in his young life is that he is learning to read. Until now, when that pride turned to sorrow thanks to Star magazine. He first spotted me on the cover, then Dad, and then a picture of himself and his 3 younger siblings. He was able to read two things out loud, the word DIVORCE (which he proudly sounded out) and the caption above his picture which read "Who will get the kids?" He became terrified. I had to hurry him and his confused 4-year-old sister Stella out of the grocery store and into our car. By the time he was fastening himself into his car seat he was asking, "Why is someone getting us?? Where are you and Dad going?" He was anxiously biting his lower lip and his big blue eyes were filled with tears. My heart sank. How would I explain to my children that what these 3 writers who have never even met us but who claim to know the ins and outs of our relationship and have proudly put their names on this article are flat out writing lies?

I've always had shots taken at me. It's been almost 24 years since I became a public figure starting at age 16 with 90210. It's the downside to this business but I've built up a pretty thick skin to the lies and trash talking at this point. But my children are another story. Keep them out of it! I wonder if any of those 3 writers have children? How would they feel if their child had to read something so hurtful and confusing as what mine had to read? How do they sleep at night knowing they've potentially emotionally scarred and if nothing else terrified innocent children.  

Driving home I repeatedly told my children, "That magazine doesn't know us. Daddy and I are very happy and in love. There will be no divorce and all of us will remain together as a family". Stella, my literal one, just kept saying "But then why is it on the magazine? Magazines are true." I wish that were always the case. 

I'm lucky my two oldest are only 5 and 4 and couldn't read the fine details of the article where horrific claims were made against my husband, their Dad.

Again, you want to make inaccurate low blows at someone Star? Go for me! I can handle it. I always have. But don't do it to a man that has done nothing but loved me and our children. He has stood by me during the good times and held my hand through the darkest moments of my life.  I'm so blessed to have him as my partner in life and love and he is the best father to our four children.  I'm aware that all that matters is that we know our truth.  It’s just sad that our actual happiness would probably be deemed boring to Star Magazine. What kind of society have we become where love stories and fairytales are dead? That others’ failure is what people crave and what sells? That’s not the world I want my children growing up in. But I digress.

What is the outcome of this story? Easy...  Next week they'll be reporting about some other couple splitting or someone having a breakdown and this will  "have passed".  And, Dean and I will continue to love each other and our babies and be grateful for the lives we have. I know that. But, our children should never have to bear witness to lies and fabrications that affect their lives so that a media outlet can make money. That will always be wrong!

SEE ALSO: Seth MacFarlane's 'We Saw Your Boobs' song outraged women in Hollywood >

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People Are Complaining That This Model For Banana Republic's 'Mad Men' Line Is Way Too Skinny

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coco rocha mad men banana republic

While "Mad Man" the TV series is known for highlighting women with hourglass figures, "Mad Men" the clothing line at Banana Republic is getting flack for being promoted with thin models wearing dresses Christina Hendricks would never fit into.

Angry consumers have taken to Banana Republic's Facebook page to complain: "That model is too skinny!!" and "Not loving the bony girl! Have you people watched mad men? Nobody looks like that. Thanks preppy brand for once again reminding regular girls that they just are not skinny enough. Cute print though."

Coco Rocha modeled the line, and she has actually made headlines in the past for being "too fat." The model says that she has been rejected from runway shows for being a size six.

But the issue shouldn't be about whether Rocha is "too skinny" or not, but rather if that depiction best captures the message of the "Mad Men" line.

Charlotte Cowles at The Cut notes, "One of the major reasons why everyone loves designer Janie Bryant's taste so much is that she makes womanly figures like that of Christina Hendricks, who plays Joan Harris, look so fabulous. For Banana Republic to show coco rocha mad men banana republicBryant's collection on a runway-size model, no matter how lovely and healthy she is in real life, seems like a wasted opportunity."

Rocha, however, defended the shoot to Entertainment Weekly. Her argument is that the photographer was going for a Twiggy (thin '60s icon) look rather than the Joan Harris "Mad Men" effect.

“It was fascinating because we also shot in a style that was heavily used in ’60s photos, and I’ve never shot in that kind of framing before," she said. "It’s a Twiggy sort of style where the [models' faces are angled] forward, and their bodies look smaller. I think we really got the essence of a ’60s campaign."

SEE ALSO: Conan Made This iPad Ad That Shows How People Who REALLY Use The Tablet Read

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Twitter Nerds Are Enraged About Obama's Failed Star Wars Reference

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Obama lightsaber Star Wars

During President Barack Obama's surprise sequester press conference, CNN reporter Jessica Yellin asked him why he couldn't do anything to stop the automatic spending cuts that start to take effect today.

Obama responded by answering with what was supposed to be a Star Wars reference — but he ended up confusing Star Wars and Star Trek.

"I can’t do some kind of Jedi Mind Meld on congressional Republicans," Obama said. 

A "mind meld" is actually a Star Trek reference — it's a technique that includes sharing thoughts, experiences, memories, and knowledge with another individual. 

What Obama was looking for, of course, was a Jedi "mind trick."

His mistake set Twitter ablaze:

UPDATE: The White House acted quickly on Obama's accidental viral gaffe, setting up www.whitehouse.gov/jedimindmeld, which redirects visitors to the President's plan to fix sequestration. 

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Michelle Obama On Oscar Appearance Haters: 'Absolutely Not Surprising'

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Michelle Obama Oscars 2013

First Lady Michelle Obama surprised viewers of Sunday's Academy Awards when she was beamed in via video from the White House to present "Argo" with the Best Picture award alongside Jack Nicholson.

But not everyone was happy to see the FLOTUS.

Conservative media pundits argued the awards show should have been "an Obama-free zone" and Twitter users created the hashtag #NextMichelleObamaAppearance, humorously suggesting the first lady will next be seen “Announcing the next pope” and “Driving the pace car at Indy 500."

But the First Lady appeared on the "Today Show" Friday morning and defended her Oscar's appearance.

"That's just the nature of life," Obama told "Today" contributor Kelly Wallace in Springfield, Mo., while promoting her Let's Move campaign. "I mean, we live in a time when there are bloggers and tweeters and 24-hour news and everyone has a voice in this town square and it's a big one."

"Overall, it's good," Mrs. Obama continued. "But that means that at any point and given time, somebody's not gonna like what you do. That's just the nature of things."

But perhaps Harvey Weinstein should be taking some of the flak too, as it's the movie mogul who arranged for the appearance from the White House after his daughter suggested the idea.

As for how the cameo was kept a secret, show producer Craig Zadan told The Hollywood Reporter"The planning [of a trip to D.C. for an initial meeting] of it was like 'Argo' -- it was a CIA mission, it was so complicated. We didn't even want anyone to know where we were going."

On show day, Michelle's appearance was intentionally kept off the show's run sheets so it wouldn't leak.

After Sunday's Oscar telecast, Zadan revealed to The Hollywood Reporter that when the idea was initially pitched to the first lady, her response was: "Yes, I think it's a great idea. We watch movies all the time at the White House. Let's do it."

Relive Michelle Obama's Oscar moment below:

SEE ALSO: Iranian news agency photoshops sleeves on Michelle Obama's Oscar gown

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'Oz The Great And Powerful' Could Be Disney's Next 'John Carter' Flop

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Oz the great and powerfulWhen "Oz the Great and Powerful" comes out next month, Disney hopes to rekindle the magic of its $1 billion film from two years ago, "Alice in Wonderland." 

After all, it's been heavily marketed to look like a carbon copy of Tim Burton's 2010 hit featuring Johnny Depp. 

Posters for the "Oz" resemble a near replica of "Wonderland," and that's no mistake. "Oz" used the same production designer and has the same producer as Burton's flick. 

In many ways, we can prepare to feel like we're going "through the looking glass" rather than stepping necessarily into Oz. 

And its easy to see why.  

john carterAfter its $200 million write off on "John Carter" last year, a film which cost a quarter of $1 billion to make, Disney has a lot at stake. 

It's taken a gamble on "Oz," a prequel to the 1939 classic featuring James Franco and Mila Kunis, with another high production budget estimated around $200 million and up to another $100 million in marketing costs 

If this film doesn't live up to the hype, it has anticipated blockbuster "Iron Man 3" come May to pick up the slack. However, there's also the long-troubled "Lone Ranger" come July, too. 

Despite its heavy push as the next "Wonderland," with incoming poor reviews and a director who hasn't seen a hit since "Spider-Man," "Oz" could end up being the studio's next "John Carter" misstep.  

There are a few signs that hint the film may come up short opening weekend: 

1. Director Sam Raimi's track record:

spider-man 2

Raimi's known for his horror films ("The Evil Dead" series, "The Grudge") and his original "Spider-Man" trilogy which has earned more than $2 billion worldwide. 

The last time Raimi was put in charge of a film with a large $200 million estimated budget, we received the underwhelming "Spider-Man 3" plagued by one too many super villains, emo-Peter Parker, and an odd jazz sequence. 

Other than his Spidey flicks, Raimi's track record as director on screen hasn't produced any other $100 million films (Raimi produced "The Grudge" which earned $187.3 million). His last horror flick, 2009's "Drag Me to Hell" earned $90.8 million worldwide.  

"Alice in Wonderland" has set the bar for "Oz." With the same projected budget, it earned an immense $116 million the same weekend in March 2010. 

"John Carter," which opened March 9 last year, earned $30.2 million opening weekend on a bloated $250 million budget. 

Raimi's opening weekends as director fluctuate immensely. Outside the "Spider-Man" franchise none are above $20 million.  

"Spider-Man 3": $151.1 million
 "Spider-Man": $114.8 million
 "Spider-Man 2": $88.2 million
 "Drag Me to Hell":  $15.8 million 
 "Darkman": $8 million

BoxOffice.com has seen a bump in anticipation for the film and predicts the film will open to a $65 million weekend, little more than half of "Wonderland."

2. Poor first reviews: 

A lack of reviews a week before the movie's projected opening March 8 may be signal of the Mouse House's trepidation about its costly film.  

The first reviews are just coming out today, and they're not good.

Variety say Rami's visuals impress, but falls miles short of the original, comparing it to the likes of George Lucas' "Star Wars" prequels.

The Hollywood Reporter calls the film an unimaginative prequel and lead Franco miscast.

That may be because ... 

james franco oz the great and powerful

3. Franco wasn't the first choice for the film:

Rather, he was director Raimi's third choice behind Robert Downey Jr. and Disney's blockbuster cash cow Johnny Depp ("Pirates of the Caribbean" series and "Alice in Wonderland") for the Great 'Wizard of Oz.'  

Unfortunately for Raimi, Depp had his prior commitment to Disney's "The Lone Ranger" out later this year.  

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Downey Jr. left the director unimpressed after seeing a plant he gave the actor dead upon a meeting. He'll also be in Disney's big money maker, "Iron Man 3." 

With five months to go before production began, Raimi acquired Franco, who he previously worked with on "Spider-Man" to lead his "Oz." 

kansas, wizard of oz, dorothy4. It won't be like the original: 

If you're expecting the film to reflect 1939's MGM hit, "The Wizard of Oz," don't. It's going to be very different. 

Warner Bros. currently owns the copyright to the film, so although Disney may want you to have the original hit in mind, it needs to be wary of what it includes. 

Upon visiting the set, blog SlashFilm said makeup artist Howard Berger came up with a specific shade of green named "Theostein" to please Disney's legal team.  The New York Times also noted Disney went to the lengths to make sure its Witch looked very different from Margaret Hamilton's. 

In addition, we won't see much of the Yellow Brick Road, the munchkins have been altered in costume, and the flying monkeys have been endowed with sharp fangs. 

Still, ABC cleverly inserted ruby slippers from the 1939 classic in its Oscar red carpet coverage, even though Dorothy's shoes won't be clicking anywhere in the upcoming prequel.

mila kunis oz the great and powerful5. How it could be a win for Disney: 

WARNING: MAJOR SPOILER AHEAD 

What could send "Oz" into "Alice in Wonderland" territory, is the film's twist ending.  

Early on, when trailers began rolling out for the film, Rachel Weisz' character, Elenora, quickly became pinned as the character to turn into the Wicked Witch of the West.  

After a one-sheet poster for the witch came out vaguely resembling Weisz with the green make-up, sites including Hitfix pit the actress as the Wicked Witch. 

However, earlier this month, Disney seemed to spoil its film with the reveal of Kunis's character Theodora in the anticipated role. The store's website is selling a Wicked Witch mug showing the actress in her transformation. 

If you want to see the image, click here. 

With an unexpected twist of turning the naive, peace-seeking Theodora into the iconic broom-wielding Wicked Witch, the film could generate a lot of word of mouth when it opens next weekend.

However, Variety points out that the films final transformation won't be a surprise at the end.

"Suffice to say that the transformation is poorly motivated at best, and the unlucky girl in question, sporting not only the requisite green skin but also an eyeful of cleavage, seems a better candidate for top honors at a West Hollywood Halloween bash than for the mantle of Margaret Hamilton."

"Oz the Great and Powerful" opens March 8.

SEE ALSO: The trailer for the movie >

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Buzz Media Lays Off 20% Of Staff

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celebuzzBuzz Media has instituted deep staffing cuts, which could mean pink slips for as many as 50 people, an individual with knowledge of the situation told TheWrap.

Employees were notified of the layoffs on Thursday, according to a memo obtained by AllThingsD

A spokeswoman for the company did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The 250-person company operates a string of pop culture themed blogs such as Celebuzz!, Just Jared and The Frisky and has offices in New York and Los Angeles. In July, it purchased Spin Magazine for an undisclosed sum.

The company has been adroit at raising money -- attracting a reported $46 million in investment from the likes of Redpoint Ventures and Interscope Records. It also has been skillful at drumming up pageviews, commanding an audience of over 30 million unique visitors.

However, it is at a crossroads. Buzz Media chief executive officer Steve Hansen, who took over the top job in December, portrayed the staff cuts as a painful step in the company's evolution. In an email to staff, he said the company is focused this year on increasing its audience, improving its advertising offerings and crating a new technology platform to support all its sites. 

"Transformation sometimes requires making very hard decisions," Hansen wrote. "Make no mistake about it, today will be difficult for all of us, but our success is dependent upon greater focus on our audience, evolving our portfolio of brands, all supported by powerful technology and data. We need to align the organization around those objectives and today is a first step, albeit a very hard one."

SEE ALSO: THE ACADEMY: We have no regrets about Seth MacFarlane's "Boob Song" >

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Diddy Confesses: 'I Used To Be A Bed Wetter'

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While promoting his new water product called AQUAhydrate with Mark Wahlberg on Friday's "Ellen DeGeneres Show," Diddy revealed a deep, dark secret from his past: "I used to be a bed wetter."

Apparently, the rapper-mogul drank a ton of sugar-filled Kool-Aid as a kid and "there's something about sugar that makes you wet the bed."

Mark Wahlberg joked that Diddy "didn't even know what water was" as a kid. But now, the duo are looking to hydrate America's youth with their new water.

Watch Diddy's full bed-wetting confession and get a glimpse into his childhood below:

SEE ALSO: Mila Kunis got really uncomfortable when Ellen asked about Ashton Kutcher >

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'The Wire Select' Delivers Everything You Need To Know About Entertainment

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The Wire Select

Get caught up on the latest media news with The Wire Select, a daily email newsletter.

What is it? A daily roundup of top headlines, analysis, and video covering the media and entertainment industry

Signing up is quick and easy.  Use the form below to enter your information then click the "Sign Up" button.

 

 

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3 Things Must Happen Before An Oscars Host Is Chosen For 2014

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Seth MacFarlane Oscars host

While Seth MacFarlane's Oscars hosting gig offended many, the "Family Guy" creator still managed to garner a whopping 40.3 million viewers during Sunday night's telecast — up 20 percent over last year in the all-important 18-49 rating, while gaining 3 percent in overall viewers.

While MacFarlane has since been touted "Oscars Ratings Gold," he says he will not resume the hosting role next year.

MacFarlane took to Twitter to announce his decision:

Seth MacFarlane Oscars tweet 

MacFarlane didn't elaborate, but he has been getting a lot of flak in the press after insulting everyone from Abraham Lincoln lovers to the female gender.

"Part of the interest in MacFarlane's presence was that it was so novel; an unguarded insult craftsman tasked with guiding his industry's most important and Respect-heavy evening," writes The Atlantic Wire's Richard Lawson. "The trick probably wouldn't have the same punch the second time around."

"But yes, with a ratings upgrade like this one, especially among advertisers' favorite people, we shouldn't expect to see Whoopi Goldberg or Steve Martin back on stage any time soon," Lawson elaborates.

Tina Fey Amy Poehler Instead of older, safer hosting choices, names currently being tossed around to host the 2014 broadcast are this year's successful Golden Globes hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler and late night talk show hosts, Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel.

Tina Fey told the Huffington Post there's "no way" she would host next year's 86th annual Academy Awards, adding "I just feel like that gig is so hard. Especially for, like, a woman — the amount of months that would be spent trying on dresses alone."

Pressed as to whether there's "at least a one in a million chance," Fey assured there's not. "I wish I could tell you there was."

Jimmy Kimmel EmmysBut the New York Post published a report on Friday saying their sources already know the frontrunner: "Jimmy Kimmel is already being lined up to host next year’s Oscars."

Kimmel's rep didn't respond to our email for comment, but according to the Post's sources, "Jimmy is favored to host the Oscars next year; ABC has been pushing him for the role."

The notion isn't a crazy one, as Kimmel, who hosted the Emmy Awards in 2012, received his best post-awards show ratings ever on Sunday night and "Jimmy Kimmel Live" airs on ABC — the network set to be home to the Oscars until 2020.

jimmy fallonJimmy Fallon, on the other hand, could be seen as a point of contention as his show, "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon," airs on NBC and is now in a competing time slot against Kimmel on ABC.

Meanwhile, an ABC spokesperson said, "This is a decision for the Academy. No conversations have even started on that yet, and won't for some time."

But a source close to the situation tells Business Insider the Kimmel reports are "100 percent not true" and "a complete fabrication."

What people don't realize is that before any talks of who the next host will be can even commence, there's a list of things that need to first happen:

  • First, the Academy elects a new president in the summer, most likely in July or August.
  • Then, the new president hires the producers of the broadcast.
  • The producers then go out and hire the host of the broadcast.

Last year, the Academy didn't even announce the host until October for February's show, so any reports of next year's host — less than a week after 2013's broadcast — are extremely premature.

And we're a ways away from 2014's 86th annual Academy Awards, as Vanity Fair points out, "with the Winter Olympics taking place from February 7 to February 23, the show will likely be postponed until March."

SEE ALSO: If 91 percent of jobs in Hollywood go to men, what is the future of women in film? >

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And Now Jonah Lehrer's Second Book Is Being Pulled From Stores

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Jonah Lehrer

Fabricated Bob Dylan quotes in his previous book, "Imagine" led to author Jonah Lehrer's resignation from the New Yorker, and to the publisher of that book, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, pulling it from store shelves. 

Now, according to Michael Moynihan at The Daily Beast, the publisher has decided to pull Lehrer's second book, "How We Decide," from stores as well, and will offer refunds to customers. The decision comes "after an internal review uncovered significant problems with the book," Moynihan reports. The publisher didn't reveal the exact reasons for their  decision to him.

However, after uncovering the fabricated Bob Dylan quotes in "Imagine," Moynihan looked into "How We Decide." He independently uncovered issues with passages purportedly from an interview with United Airlines Pilot Al Haynes that were nearly identical to a lecture he had delivered nearly two decades earlier.

Lehrer's first book, "Proust Was A Neuroscientist," did not have any problems in its review and will stay in print. 

This news comes just 2 weeks after the Knight Foundation controversially paid Lehrer $20,000 to speak at one of their conferences, which they later said they regretted.

SEE ALSO: Jonah Lehrer Fell Victim To His Own Cognitive Bias

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Twitter's Jack Dorsey: 'I Learn A Lot From Justin Bieber'

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Jack Dorsey in "Where the World Changes"

At the NYU Entrepreneur Festival tonight, Jack Dorsey, the founder of payments company Square and information network Twitter, spoke about the importance of design and having products resonate with people. 

At Square, all of those tiny details of the experience really add up, Dorsey says. They're the details that people don't perceive naturally, but they're the ones that that they remember.  

Dorsey pointed to the power of pop music and Justin Bieber to bring home his point.

"A lot of people my age and maybe my gender write him off, but Justin Bieber is an amazing artist because he has this deep, deep, deep soul about him where he has tapped into something that is just essential to humans and can speak about it and sing about it and it resonates with people," Dorsey said. 

"The concept of a pop song, a lot of us write off as it’s just sugar and candy and it’s superficial and meaningless, but they’ve found something that resonates with a huge majority of lot of people," he added.

The next step is applying that to things like ideas and companies, Dorsey says. 

“I learn a lot from pop and pop songs and Justin Bieber," Dorsey said.

Bieber is the top Twitter user at present, with 35 million followers.

SEE ALSO: Twitter's Cafeteria Gets Invaded By A Justin-Bieber Playing Flash Mob

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Georgia Man Charged With Killing Usher's 11-Year-Old Stepson In Boating Collision

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usherGAINESVILLE, Ga. (AP) — An Atlanta man has been charged with killing the 11-year-old stepson of pop star Usher in a boating collision last summer.

Jeffrey Simon Hubbard was arrested Friday, the day after a Hall County grand jury indicted him on charges of first-degree homicide by vessel in the death of Kile Glover. Kile was the son of Usher's ex-wife, Tameka Raymond.

District Attorney Lee Darragh tells The Times of Gainesville (http://bit.ly/YPMC11 ) Hubbard is jailed without bond pending a court appearance Saturday.

Authorities say Kile and his father, Ryan Glover, were vacationing at Lake Lanier when Hubbard crashed a personal watercraft into the boy's raft July 6. Kile died at a hospital July 21.

Hubbard's father, Simon Hubbard, declined to comment. He said he didn't know if his son had hired an attorney.

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If Ashley Judd Runs For Senate, She'll Join These 10 Celebrity Political Stars

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Reagan ChairThere's plenty of speculation over whether actress Ashley Judd will enter the race for U.S. Senate in Kentucky against Republican minority leader Mitch McConnell.

"I don't think you do what she's doing now unless you're pretty damn sure you're going to run," Rep. John Yarmuth (D-Ky.) told USA Today.

If she does decide to run, Judd will join an elite group of celebrities that made the transition into politics. 

We looked back at the biggest stars that have turned their star power into political capital.

Mayor Clint Eastwood (R)

Claim To Fame: Eastwood is best known for his roles in westerns and action films. Some of his best include The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly, Dirty Harry, and Gran Torino.

Political Career: After a local planning board blocked his attempts to remodel an office building next to the restaurant he owned in Carmel, Calif., he ran for mayor. His celebrity status gave him a landslide victory and he served a single two-year term, from 1986 to 1988. One of his first acts was to fire most of the planning board.

He also gave the most memorable speech of the 2012 Republican National Convention.



Rep. Sonny Bono (R-Calif.)

Claim To Fame: He's probably best known for his musical career as the male half of the 1960s musical duo Sonny & Cher. They expanded their celebrity into a television variety show during the 1970s, and Bono later went on to act in a number of small roles.

Political Career: Like Eastwood, Bono's career began out of frustration with the local Palm Springs, Calif. bureaucracy. He ran for mayor and won, serving for four years. After an unsuccessful bid for Senate in California in 1992, Bono won a House seat in 1994, and served until his death in 1998. 



Mayor Jerry Springer (D)

Claim To Fame: He's best known as the host of the tabloid talk show The Jerry Springer Show — a television series which often had guests shouting profanities, throwing chairs, and fist-fighting.

Best Quote: "It's just a show. It's not the end of Western Civilization. It's chewing gum."

Political Career: Before being the host of his talk show, Springer made a name for himself in local Cincinnati politics, winning seats on the city council, and ultimately served as mayor. His political career took a dive in 1974 however, after it was learned that he hired a prostitute.



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13 Early Oscar Predictions For 2014

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zimbio 2014 oscar predictionsIt's 358 days until the 2014 Academy Awards.

Actors have not performed and movies have not been seen.

Obviously it's too early to get a read on what films will be nominated in 2014, but with George Clooney, Cormac McCarthy, the Coen brothers, and Cate Blanchett in the mix, we can make some educated guesses.

Check out the predictions >

More From Zimbio:

Best Picture Prediction: 'The Monuments Men'

Predicted nominees:

August: Osage County
The Butler
Captain Phillips

The Counselor
Fruitvale
The Monuments Men
Nebraska
Saving Mr. Banks
Twelve Years a Slave
The Wolf of Wall St

As easy as it is to imagine August: Osage County winning Best Picture thanks to its huge cast (Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts), and Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning source material, we're leaning toward George Clooney's The Monuments Men and Tom Hanks' Captain Phillips as Oscar front-runners next year.

Monuments Men, like A:OC, has a star-filled cast (Clooney, Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, Daniel Craig), is a true story set during WWII, and, most importantly, tells an important, political story that's as relevant to foreign audiences as it is to those in the U.S. Captain Phillips, also a true story with an international setting, has Tom Hanks and when Hanks is on, the Academy comes calling.

Also for your consideration:

Dallas Buyers Club, Gravity, Rush, Inside Llewyn Davis, Her, The Place Beyond the Pines, Labor Day, Out of the Furnace, Untitled Terrence Malick Project, The Fifth Estate, Foxcatcher, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug



Best Actor Prediction: Tom Hanks, 'Captain Phillips'

Predicted nominees:

Leonardo DiCaprio - The Wolf of Wall St.
Benedict Cumberbatch - The Fifth Estate
Tom Hanks - Captain Phillips
Matthew McConaughey - Dallas Buyers Club
Brad Pitt - The Counselor

Lots of talent here, obviously. Hanks, DiCaprio, and Pitt stand out as three of the biggest stars in the world. Cumberbatch is in for a breakout year with five movies (including Star Trek Into Darkness), and his role as Julian Assange in The Fifth Estate may be the icing on the cake.

McConaughey's DBC role has drawn attention for the actor's weightloss, but at this point, we've got Hanks in the lead. His title role in Captain Phillips is just too perfect for the Academy. Directed by Paul Greengrass (United 93), the film tells the real-life story of Captain Richard Phillips, who kept the crew of the Maersk Alabama alive long enough for SEAL Team Six to rescue them from a group of armed Somali pirates in 2009.

Can't you just see Hanks' furrowed brow and worried eyes capturing Academy voters hearts and minds? Us too.

Also for your consideration:

Daniel Bruhl - Rush, Chiwetel Ejiofor - Twelve Years a Slave, Steve Carell - Foxcatcher, Ryan Gosling - The Place Beyond the Pines, Oscar Isaac - Inside Llewyn Davis, George Clooney - The Monuments Men, Christian Bale - Out of the Furnace, Bruce Dern - Nebraska, Michael B. Jordan - Fruitvale, Forest Whitaker - The Butler



Best Actress Prediction: Kate Winslet, 'Labor Day'

Predicted nominees:

Cate Blanchett - Carol
Kate Winslet - Labor Day
Meryl Streep - August: Osage County
Sandra Bullock - Gravity
Shailene Woodley - The Spectacular Now

Streep and Roberts lead the talented cast of August: Osage County, and either could easily claim an Oscar nod. In Gravity, Bullock tackles sci-fi as an astronaut stranded in space, and Woodley has already wowed Sundance audiences as a high schooler who falls in love with a hard-drinking classmate in The Spectacular Now.

Our pick, though, is Kate Winslet who stars in Jason Reitman's adaptation of Joyce Maynard's 2009 novel about a single mom who gives an escaped convict a ride against her better judgment. Academy voters always love Winslet and Labor Day seems like just the kind of perilous journey to elicit Oscar-worthy huzzahs.

Also for your consideration:

Julia Roberts - August: Osage County, Jennifer Lawrence - Serena, Marion Cotillard - Lowlife, Emma Thompson - Saving Mr. Banks, Jessica Chastain - The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Hers, Greta Gerwig - Frances Ha, Naomi Watts - Diana, Emma Watson - The Bling Ring, Rooney Mara - Side Effects



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Marina Abramović Wants To Make A Film Answering 'Who is James Franco?'

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Marina Abramovic james franco

James Franco -- a man of many talents and occupational endeavors -- is the subject of performance artist Marina Abramović's first film.  

The woman who describes herself as the "grandmother of performance art," told Elle at the Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday that she is in the early stages of creating a film to answer the question: "Who is James Franco?"

Also read: James Franco Travels By Bubble in 'Oz the Great and Powerful' (Video)

"I think he’s the most interesting actor of the moment," she said. "Why? Because he takes risks and when you take risks, you can fail. But he takes failure and risk all with the same intensity. He could just be another Hollywood actor and that’s it–like everyone else. But he’s crossing all kinds of borders and not always with great success. For him, process is more important than the result."

On top of acting in a number of high-profile films and being nominated for an Oscar in 2011 the same year he co-hosted the Academy Awards with Anne Hathaway, Franco is a published author, director, producer, editor and even a college teacher.

"And this is why I'm interested to explain to [people] 'Who is James Franco?' and 'Why is he doing what he’s doing?'" she continued. "He hardly sleeps or has a life. He just keeps going."

The Serbian artist, who won the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale in 1997, is known for her provocative work, including her 2002 "Nude With Skeleton" in which a naked man (or woman) lies flat underneath a human skeleton.

Abramović has been friends with Franco since 2010 and appeared with him on an episode of the Sundance Channel's "Iconoclasts" last fall. She attended the the Spirit Awards to support the film, "Marina Abramović: The Artist Is Present," which was up for best documentary. The film documented her work, including a 736-hour, 30-minute performance at the Museum of Modern Art in which she sat at a table without moving while museum visitors lined up to sit opposite her in the museum atrium. 

Franco will next be seen on screen in March as the titular character in "Oz the Great and Powerful" and as Hugh Hefner in "Lovelace." 

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'Modern Family' Cast Documents Being Stuck In Elevator For An Hour

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Jesse Tyler Ferguson Modern Family stuck in elevator

It wasn't a scene in "Modern Family," but it could have been Friday night as cast mates Julie Bowen, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet documented an entire hour they were stuck in an elevator together.

The three ABC sitcom stars were on their way to a charity event for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City when their crowded service elevator at the Sheraton Hotel jammed on the third floor.

And that's when they took to Twitter and Vine to document the experience.

At first, everything was going as planned as actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson tweeted:

 But then:

 And then the Twitpics turned to Vine videos:

Finally, Ferguson posted this video of the cast being rescued:

Watch a report on how the whole thing unfolded here:

SEE ALSO: Read Tori Spelling's scathing open letter to Star magazine after her kids saw divorce headline >

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16 Famous Actors Coming To Broadway This Year

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emilia clarke game of thrones

Can any of the major star-driven plays set to open on Broadway over the next few months match the off-stage drama that consumed the theater world last week? It would be hard for any play to top the rumors and Twitter meltdowns that accompanied Shia LaBeouf's eleventh-hour exit from "Orphans" with less than a month to go before its Broadway debut.  

But fret not theater fans, stars so big they need only use their first names ("Bette" and 'Tom" and "Alec") are still on tap to blaze across the greater Broadway area. After all, it's nearly spring -- that time of year when a horde of Hollywood stars make the cross-country pilgrimage to New York to prove their theatrical mettle -- and maybe pick up a Tony Award to boot.

Last season, theater producers benefited enormously from this talent infusion. Thanks to star-studded revivals, such as "Death of a Salesman" with Philip Seymour Hoffman and Andrew Garfield, which arrived with higher ticket prices, Broadway hit a record $1.14 billion in sales in 2011-12, according to the Broadway League.

Also read: Jane Lynch to Make Broadway Debut in 'Annie'

The lineup of plays and musicals hitting Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters is again a  star-studded one, filled with stage newbies and theater veterans. Tom Hanks and Jane Lynch will be making their Great White Way debuts this season (Lynch, jumping in as a replacement in "Annie"), while old hands like Alec Baldwin will again tread the boards.

A number of hot talents are making their presence felt behind the scenes. "Kinky Boots," a new musical from pop icon Cyndi Lauper, and "Matilda," a musical adaptation of the Roald Dahl children's book from Australian comedian Tim Minchin, are two shows are arriving with big expectations.

Also read: 'Aladdin' Coming to Broadway in Overhauled Version With New Creative Team (Exclusive)

For producers, the appeal of going with a star is obvious. Having someone like Hanks above the title can mean big money. Premium tickets for "Lucky Guy" are currently on sale for $350.

But the hazards can be great too, even for film and TV actors who were enthusiastically received in prior stage engagements. Take Scarlett Johansson: She won a Tony three years ago for “A View From the Bridge” but found that taking on the sultry role of Maggie in “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” left critics cold.

Here's a look at some of the stars soon heading for New York stages.

Tom Hanks will star in "Lucky Guy."

Where/When: Broadhurst Theatre. Previews begin March 1, opens April 24

Theatrical Experience: Pretty limited. This A-lister made his theater debut as a servant in a production of “The Taming of the Shrew” at the Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival, according to the New York Times. “Lucky Guy” marks his first time on Broadway.

Why We're Psyched: It’s Tom “Forrest Gump” Hanks in a play by the late, great Nora Ephron. Their previous collaborations include beloved romantic comedies like “You’ve Got Mail” and “Sleepless in Seattle,” so when they get together they have a history of sparkle. This play centers on a tabloid columnist in 1980s New York, a bygone era before Disney and Guy Fieri took over Times Square. Hanks and Ephron should make for spirited tour guides through all that urban rot.



Bette Midler will return to the stage in "I'll Eat You Last."

Where/When: Booth Theatre. Previews begin April 5, opens April 24

Theatrical Experience: The Divine Miss M got her start on Broadway singing “Sunrise, Sunset” as a replacement in the 1967 cast of “Fiddler on the Roof” and went on to win a Special Tony for her revue “Clams on the Half Shell.” But it’s been 30 years since she last appeared on Broadway.

Why We're Psyched: This one-woman show about chain-smoking super-agent Sue Mengers gives Midler a brassy part she can sink her teeth into. Mengers shattered every kind of glass-ceiling to become one of the most powerful women in Hollywood. Midler’s life story isn’t so different. Here’s betting she makes audiences remember what they’ve been missing for three decades.



Fiona Shaw from HBO's "True Blood" will be in "The Testament of Mary."

Where/When: Walter Kerr Theatre. Previews begin March 26, opens April 22.

Theatrical Experience: Shaw is known for her small screen work on "True Blood" and as Harry Potter's muggle aunt in the film franchise, but she's a legend among theater lovers, with a trophy case full of Olivier Awards to prove it.

Why We're Psyched: This adaptation of Irish author Colm Toibin's novella marks the reunion of Shaw and director Deborah Warner, who previously caused critics' pulses to gallop over their acclaimed productions of "Medea" and "The Waste Land." Their latest collaboration seems bound to stir controversy, centering, as it does, on Jesus' mother Mary, who in Toibin's telling is grappling with the death of her son and somewhat put off by his worshipful disciples. It could be Broadway's answer to "The Last Temptation of Christ," making it a must-see for any self-respecting theater devotee.



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