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Mila Kunis Gives Incredible Interview To Novice Reporter

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During a press junket while promoting her new movie "Oz the Great and Powerful," Mila Kunis encountered a reporter from BBC Radio 1 who was doing his first ever on-camera interview.

"Seriously, I'm petrified," reporter Chris Stark of the "Scott Mills Show" kicked off the interview by confessing.

Kunis took the bait and the two continued to have a long conversation about his nerves, sports, their favorite beers and even his friends.

But when publicists intervened to get the two back on track, Kunis goes on a minute-long rant answering every canned reporter question about the film, saying "Let me just give you answers that I know you're gonna ask."

Watch Kunis kill it below. She answers all movie questions in a single breath at the 4:50 mark:

SEE ALSO: Jamie Lee Curtis blasts Seth MacFarlane's "Boobs" song in new blog post >

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FIRST LOOK: The 'Mad Men' Season 6 Promo

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"Mad Men" just released its promo for the sixth season of the AMC series.

And although the two-hour, April 7 premiere is highly anticipated, the promo itself is highly underwhelming. 

Displaying black and white cast stills that were released in January, the promo serves more as a save the date card than anything else. "You're invited to the affair of the year," the video proclaims.

Luckily there will be five more videos to look forward to before the premiere.

Watch the promo below:

SEE ALSO: There's Now A Volkswagen Harlem Shake Commercial In The Middle East>

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Jon Stewart Misfires In 'Too Big To Fail' Segment

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Jon Stewart

There's been some rumbling in Washington about Too Big To Fail (TBTF) lately, mostly stemming from Elizabeth Warren's cross-examination of Ben Bernanke, and some new anti-TBTF bipartisan legislation presented on the floor of the Senate last week.

Consequently "The Daily Show" took a stab at the topic late last week in a segment on mergers and acquisitions.

The segment mostly crashed and burned.

It opens with a montage of clips from financial media about "Merger Mania" — the idea that Warren Buffett's Heinz deal, Michael Dell's announcement that he wants to take Dell private, Office Depot's merger with Office Max, the American Airlines merger with US Airways, and more, signal that the M&A market is back.

Stewart points out that in the 1980s M&A deals weren't always good for the economy.

"These mergers aren't good for the economy so why are these financial reporters...so excited about these mergers?" Stewart asked.

John Hodgeman dressed in 1980s style, Gordon Gekko getup, helps him out.

"Why would they put themselves in the position that by merging with other companies they become so big...too big... so big that they don't operate efficiently..." Stewart muses.

"Too big to fail," Hodgeman interrupts. "Too big to fail, it's like the rich man's YOLO."

It's a good line but it has nothing to do with some of the deals Stewart mentioned, our current M&A market, or the connection between corporate America and Wall Street banks.

The merger between American Airlines and US Airways has been discussed for a long time. Heinz was a value acquisition by two of the richest men on the planet — Jorge Lemann and Warren Buffett — who do deals regardless of the economic climate. Office Max and Office Depot are companies with the same struggling business model. Finally, Michael Dell has contemplated taking his company private for years.

These are separate deals that may not even signal the M&A market is back. That in itself is something up for debate.

There are many reasons why these companies are merging — dismal business models, low interest rates, what have you — but TBTF isn't one of them.

Watch the clip below (The Daily Show via Bing):

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Russell Brand's Beautifully-Written Blog Post About What It's Like To Do Heroin

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Russell Brand

Actor-comedian-former drug addict-deep-thinker Russell Brand posted a poetic blog Tuesday morning titled "Give It Up" about his current desire to do heroin — and why he doesn't.

It started with this:

The last time I thought about taking heroin was yesterday. I had received “an inconvenient truth” from a beautiful woman. It wasn’t about climate change – I’m not that ecologically switched on, she told me she was pregnant and it wasn’t mine. 

[Sidebar: Does this mean his ex-wife Katy Perry is pregnant with boyfriend John Mayer's baby?]

After hearing the news, Brand got in his car and turned on Morrissey as he wound his way through the Hollywood Hills. But a car ride wasn't easing his pain the way heroin used to, he says.

I cannot accurately convey to you the efficiency of heroin in neutralizing pain. It transforms a tight, white fist into a gentle, brown wave. From my first inhalation fifteen years ago it fumigated my private hell and lay me down in it’s hazy pastures and a bathroom floor in Hackney embraced me like a womb.

This shadow is darkly cast on the retina of my soul and whenever I am dislodged from comfort my focus falls there.

Brand, now sober, then explains that he recently saw video footage of himself as a young drug addict living in London.

I sit wasted and slumped with an unacceptable haircut against a wall in another Hackney flat (Hackney is starting to seem like part of the problem) inhaling fizzy, black snakes of smack off a scrap of crumpled foil.

russell brand

But his present-day reaction wasn't what he thought it would be.

... What is surprising is that my reaction is not one of gratitude for the positive changes I’ve experienced but envy at witnessing an earlier version of myself unencumbered by the burden of abstinence.

It is thanks to support groups that Brand says he is able to remain sober.

Without these fellowships I would take drugs. Because, even now, the condition persists. Drugs and alcohol are not my problem, reality is my problem, drugs and alcohol are my solution.

... I look to drugs and booze to fill up a hole in me, unchecked the call of the wild is too strong.

Brand, still feeling lonely and sad after the news of a lost love now moving on, waxes poetic about what it would be like  and how easy it would be  to go back to using to ease his pain.

I think of places I could score. Off Santa Monica there’s a homeless man who I know uses gear. I could find him, buy him a bag if he takes me to score.

I’d leave him on the corner, a couple of rocks, a couple of $20 bags pressed into my sweaty palm. I get home, I pull out the foil, neatly torn. I break the bottom off a Martel miniature. I have cigarettes, using makes me need fags. I make a pipe for the rocks with the bottle. I lay a strip of foil on the counter to chase the brown. I pause to reflect and regret that I don’t know how to fix, only smoke, feeling inferior even in the manner of my using. I see the foil scorch. I hear the crackle from which crack gets it’s name. I feel the plastic fog hit the back of my yawning throat. Eyes up. Back relaxing, the bottle drops and the greedy bliss eats my pain. There is no girl, there is no tomorrow, there is nothing but the bilious kiss of the greedy bliss.

But once again, it's a "mate" in London, a former user, who picks up Brand's phone call and keeps him on his path of sobriety.

It is ten years since I used drugs or drank alcohol and my life has immeasurably improved. I have a job, a house, a cat, good friendships and generally a bright outlook.

To read Russell's moving blog post in its entirety and learn more about his “Give It Up” fund within Comic Relief, click here >

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Moving Jimmy Fallon Into Jay Leno's Late Night Spot Could Be A Great Move For NBC

The Final 'Iron Man 3' Trailer Shows More Of Villain Mandarin

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Things aren't looking so great for Iron Man in the final trailer for the film.  

Tony Stark is getting worried about protecting his girlfriend Pepper Potts, he can't sleep, and the Mandarin is out to ruin his life.  

"Iron Man 3" comes out May 3. 

Now, that you've watched the trailer, here are some bits you may have missed:

The Mandarin has a following: 

iron man 3 mandarin

A glimpse at Aldrich Killian's (Guy Pearce) lab. Mini-spoiler: It looks like Extremis testing is taking place.

iron man 3 extremis lab

Was Pepper Potts also among those experimented on?

iron man 3 pepper potts

Cue this scene from the first trailer last year:

pepper potts iron man 3

The mark around Tony Stark's eye:

iron man 3 tony stark eye

Here's a better look at Iron Man's legion of Iron Men from last week's poster. From the trailer, it looks like they're on his side. Look at the suits!

iron man 3 iron men

SEE ALSO: The legion of Iron Men in the film's latest poster >

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FunnyOrDie's Hilarious 'Dow Jones' Video Is Awesome, But Teaches You Nothing About Stocks

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Earlier today, the Dow Jones Industrial Average hit an all-time high.

Some pundits criticize the Dow for being a price-weighted index of 30 randomly selected stocks.

But the haters probably aren't considering this hilarious Dow Jones personification put together by the humorists at FunnyOrDie.

"The Dow always goes back up for the ladies," says the narrator.

Check out the trailer here:

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Big Talent Agency Signs 'Caine's Arcade' 10-Year-Old YouTube Star

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Caine Monroy Caine's Arcade

Last year, a YouTube video of Caine Monroy — a 9-year-old who created his own arcade out of cardboard boxes and trash in his dad's L.A. auto shop — went viral.

The adorable pint-sized entrepreneur's story has over 3.6 million hits on YouTube, over 132K likes on Facebook and has even been tweeted about by Justin Timberlake.

And now, William Morris Endeavor Agency has signed the now-10-year-old, the talent agency confirmed to People magazine.

WME also reps huge stars such as Denzel Washington, Ben Stiller, Tina Fey, and Steve Carell — and the short film's filmmaker, Nirvan Mullick.

Now Mullick and Monroy often appear at speaking engagements together and just last month traveled to France to speak at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity – where Monroy was the youngest speaker ever.

On WME's website, Monroy is touted as a speaker who is:

"an example of what is possible in today's digital age. In this moderated Q&A format, Caine shares the story behind his idea, vision and dream that has become a wonderful example of human connection and what amazing things can happen when people join together to help someone fulfill a dream." 

"The success of the 11-minute video has also given way to a scholarship fund for Monroy – which has raised almost $230,000 – and the Imagination Foundation, an organization created to help foster creativity and entrepreneurship in children," reports People.

Now watch the video that started it all below, it's worth the whole 10 minutes:

If you're wondering how Caine became such a well-known entrepreneur at such a young age, here's his tips on how others can achieve similar success:

5 Lessons (on a Barf Bag) for Entrepreneurs: 

  1. Be nice to customers.
  2. Do a business that is fun.
  3. Do not give up. (Caine circled and underlined this one three times)
  4. Start with what you have.
  5. Use recycled stuff.

SEE ALSO: How Caine Monroy became the hottest entrepreneur in America >

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Chevy Chase Convinced Brian Williams To Be The First Funny News Anchor

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brian williams and jimmy fallon slow jam the news nbc

Embattled former Saturday Night Live star Chevy Chase was the one who convinced NBC News anchor Brian Williams to let his guard down, let us in, and have a little fun. 

Speaking with Alex Baldwin on the actor's WNYC podcast "Here's the Thing," Williams explained how SNL's original breakout star was the one who convinced him to first guest host the show, back in 2007, before he became a regular guest in our funny lives.

He had been mulling the decision for six whole months, and was on the way to talk with the godfather Lorne Michaels when he ran into Chase. Williams was worried about flushing "25 years of... my credibility down the toilet," before speaking with Chase and Michaels that day. 

"[Chevy] said, I watched Dan Rather for 20 years, and the day he retired, I was no closer to knowing who he was than he was the day he started. I think you should do it," Williams recalls. "And so Chevy, in a way that he does not yet know, decided that, and that was a big—that was a big dam to break in my life. The courage it required, that is not my trade."

So that's what led to Williams saying yes. He wanted to be friends with us. He knew he could be loved, if he let us see the real him. But he was still nervous, and Lorne still needed to convince Williams to go out on stage.

Williams almost got cold feet after the show's dress rehearsal, but before Don Pardo's signature introductions started the show. He appealed to Williams' catholic school roots. "Lorne gave me a great locker room speech, between dress rehearsal and the live show," he said. "'Mr. Williams, I think you said you went to a Catholic high school. Is that correct? Did you have a talent night with say, the parish priest, wearing a coconut bra, just making a fool of himself wearing a coconut bra?' I said, 'Well, we didn’t have an actual coconut bra like Bloody Mary in South Pacific, but we had a night like that. Yes, Lorne.' 'I need you to be that priest. I need you to show these people you’re willing to make a fool out of yourself, and be a good sport.'"

And thankfully, Williams kept up the funny long after his time as SNL host. He told Baldwin earlier in the conversation that things have changed for news anchors. They "have to be more accessible," Williams said. He became everyone's favorite Weekend Update cameo, and everyone's favorite 30 Rock guest. Chevy was right: if he let us love him, we would. Also, his Lorne Michaels impression is top notch, and really should be heard. It's just another reason to like the guy. 

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Carly Rae Jepsen Cancels Boy Scouts Concert Over Gay Member Ban

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Carly Rae Jepsen

"Call Me Maybe" singer Carly Rae Jepsen has pulled out of a performance she had scheduled at this July's Boy Scouts of America Jamboree, citing the organization's ban on gay members.

The 27-year-old Canadian singer tweeted Tuesday:

"As an artist who believes in equality for all people, I will not be participating in the Boy Scouts of America Jamboree this summer. I always have and will continue to support the LGBT community on a global level and stay informed on the ever changing landscape in the ongoing battle for gay rights in this country and across the globe."

Just yesterday, the band Train also opted out of the jamboree for the same reason.

The band released the below statement explaining their stance:

Train the band

"When we booked this show for the Boy Scouts of America we were not aware of any policy barring openly gay people from participation within the organization. Train strongly opposes any kind of policy that questions the equality of any American citizen. We have always seen the BSA as a great and noble organization. We look forward to participating in the Jamboree this summer, as long as they make the right decision before then."

Both musical acts pulled out of the concerts after a petition begun by a former Boy Scout leader fired for being gay sought support in condemning the organization's discriminatory policies  went viral on Change.org.

The petition currently has over 3,000 signatures.

SEE ALSO: Here's why the Supreme Court let Boy Scouts ban gays in the first place >

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5 Reasons Why 'Jack The Giant Slayer' Failed At The Box Office (TWX)

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jack the giant slayer

"Jack the Giant Slayer" was the latest high-budget film to bomb opening weekend.  

In what has been a six-week slump to the start of year, Warner Bros. fairytale-inspired film earned $27.2 million on a bloated $195 million budget. 

Jack's tumble from the box-office beanstalk shouldn't come as much of a surprise.  

The film not only changed its title months before opening, but also underwent changes in director and multiple delays ahead of its March release.

Here's five other factors that contributed to the downfall of "Jack the Giant Slayer":

1. Catered to the Wrong Audience:

Originally titled "Jack the Giant Killer," a nod to the 1962 movie of the same name, "Jack" was supposed to be a grittier version of the fairytale for older audiences.  

jack the giant slayer

However, the studio opted for a more family-friendly name after the film was pushed back last year (more on that in a minute). 

As a result, the film seems to have suffered from much of the same demographic issue as DreamWorks Animation's recent "Rise of the Guardians."  

Based off a children's nursery tale, the idea of seeing a reimagined "Jack and the Beanstalk" may have seemed too childish for older audiences. At the same time, the film may have come across too scary for young children with the word "slayer" or "killer" in the title.

2. Rewrites, delays, and change in directors:

bryan singerIn January 2009, D.J. Caruso ("Disturbia," "Eagle Eye") was named to helm the adaptation. 

A few months later in September, Bryan Singer ("X-Men: Days of Future Past") became attached to the film as director instead. When he signed on, there was a complete rewrite for the project 

While production was set to begin summer 2010, it became delayed until 2011 after Singer voiced concerns for the visual effects along with a budget crunch. 

The film's release date then moved around a couple of times.  

"Jack" was set to release last June after the successful "Snow White and the Huntsman" and before Disney's "Brave"; however, last January, Warner Bros. pushed the film back to March 22, 2013 to focus on reshoots. 

Instead, Tom Cruise's eventual flop, "Rock of Ages," took its place.  

Later in October, the film was moved up to the first week of March with the altered title "Jack and the Giant Slayer."

3. Too large of an investment:

$30 million isn't a bad opening weekend, until you consider that $200-million budget. "Jack" fell far short of other productions with similar budgets:

Movie

Budget

Opening
Weekend            

Facebook Likes

"Alice in Wonderland"

$200 million

$116.1 million

13 million

"Spider-Man 2

 $200 million 

$88.2 million

1 million

"Tansformers: Dark of the Moon"               

$195 million $97.9 million389,000

"Terminator Salvation"  

$200 million $42.6 million1 million
 "Jack the Giant Slayer"$195 million   $27.2 million 1,590

The majority of these films were either sequels or well-known franchises with large A-list actors in the lead. (Granted, "Jack" had star power from Ewan McGregor which was underplayed in marketing.)

Rather, the film becomes the latest in a trend of movie studios taking gambles with large inflated budgets ("John Carter," "Oz the Great and Powerful").

snow white and the huntsman4. Too many fantasy titles: 

Jack's run at theaters came less than a month after Jeremy Renner's fairytale adaptation of "Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters" hit theaters.  

The film received negativereviews and opened to $19.7 million which may be a sign to studios that audiences aren't interested in nursery rhymes and Grimm fairy tales being adapted and altered for adults on the big screen.  

There's a reason why "Alice in Wonderland" and "Snow White and the Huntsmen" became huge sellers for Hollywood as opposed to these recent two flicks.  

1. Both fairytales aren't pulled from toddler tales. 
2. Despite darker takes, both "Alice" and "Snow White" have the luxury of popular and profitable Disney characters before them so its less of a risk at the box office. 

Of course, "Hansel & Gretel" picked up overseas, as "Jack" may do in the coming weeks, but neither will come close to the billion dollar hit of "Alice."

5. The box-office slump:

For the past month and a half, the box office has been down.  

Week2013Week2012
Feb 1-3

$68.9 million

Feb 3-5 

$94.1 million

Feb. 8-10

$86.2 million

Feb 10-12     

$173 million

Feb. 15-17    

 $126.1 million    

Feb 17-19

$143.2 million

Feb. 22-24

$88.3 million

Feb 24-26

$114.2 million

Mar 1-3

$92.8 million

Mar 2-4

$152.4 million

Five of the past six weekends have totaled well under $100 million for the box-office top 12. Last weekend alone, the U.S. box office showed a 38 percent decline from the year before.  

With no "Hunger Games" or "Lorax" hit yet, no single film has seen a weekend gross close to the $70 million of the March Dr. Seuss hit last year.

The largest hit of 2013 so far has been poorly received "Identity Thief" with a $34.6 million opening weekend.

With "Oz" out this weekend, and estimated to debut between $65-$80 million (not "Alice in Wonderland" huge) Disney's hoping its $200 million film will breath some life into theaters. 

SEE ALSO: 'Jack' is a giant flop at theaters >

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Jon Stewart Taking Hiatus From 'Daily Show' To Direct A Movie He Wrote

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Jon Stewart hosting the 78th Academy Awards.

Jon Stewart is taking a break from "The Daily Show" this summer in order to make his feature film directorial debut with "Rosewater"  the story of BBC journalist Maziar Bahari's 2009 arrest by the Iranian government while covering an election protest.

Stewart wrote the screenplay for the film based on Bahari's New York Times best-selling memoir "Then They Came for Me: A Family’s Story of Love, Captivity and Survival" which discusses his 118-day interrogation and torture.

"One of the reasons we are in this business is to challenge ourselves,” Stewart explained to the NY Times. “And I really connected to Maziar’s story. It’s a personal story but one with universal appeal about what it means to be free.”

“One of the things that appealed to me about the story is that it does have lighter moments,” Stewart continued. “One of the things that kept Maziar alive was his ability to keep his sense of humor – to remember about joy and laughter – and see the absurdity of his situation.”

While Stewart is away shooting the film overseas this summer, "Daily Show" correspondent John Oliver will take over hosting duties for 12 weeks — eight of which the show will produce new episodes.

The Comedy Central series tapes and airs original episodes Monday through Thursday.

Not only is this Stewart's first time directing a feature film, it's also his first extended period of time away from the show in his 14 years as host.

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Beyoncé's 'Zoo Shoes' Are Made From 5 Different Animals

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PETA is furious about a pair of Beyoncé's sneakers, which are made from five different animals. 

She wore the Rubin Singer shoes at the Superbowl Halftime Show. 

A graph we found on Reddit describes the different materials in Beyoncé's shoes and how much each one costs.

Materials include Ostrich, Cow, Anaconda, Stingray, and Crocodile. Crocodile alone can cost more than $600 per foot. 

Here's a YouTube video screengrab that shows all the animals: 

sneakers beyonce

SEE ALSO: Anne Hathaway's Prada Oscar Gown Ruffled Feathers At Valentino >

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The Duchess Of Cambridge May Have Accidentally Revealed The Sex Of The Royal Baby

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Kate Middleton at a mosqueIt was the merest slip of the tongue, but the Duchess of Cambridge may just have given away the sex of her baby as she chatted to a member of the public on a visit to Grimsby on Tuesday.

After being given a teddy bear as a gift, the Duchess said: “Thank you, I’ll take that for my d ...” She stopped herself before going any further, but when a well-wisher asked if she was in the process of saying “daughter” she replied: “We’re not telling.”

The Duchess, who is due to give birth in July, also claimed not to know the sex of her baby, who will one day be monarch, but her comment will be seized upon by royal watchers the world over who are eager for any clues about whether she is expecting a boy or a girl. Precedent dictates that the sex of royal babies is never announced in advance.

The Duchess also said her baby had been kicking “very much” and joked to a fan that she might have to wait a long time before she is queen.

On only her third day of official engagements this year, the Duchess visited the National Fishing Heritage Centre in the Lincolnshire port, where she went on a walkabout among the 2,000-strong crowd who had waited up to six hours in freezing fog for her arrival.

Diana Burton, 41, handed the Duchess a white teddy bear, which the Duchess accepted with a smile.

Sandra Cook, 67, who was next to her in the crowd, said: “I distinctly heard her say 'thank you, I’ll take that for my d ...’ then she stopped herself. I said to her: 'You were going to say daughter weren’t you?’ and she said 'No, we don’t know’.

“I said 'Oh I think you do’, to which she said: 'We’re not telling’.”

Mrs Cook, who had been waiting three hours for the Duchess’s arrival, said: “It was worth every cold minute of the wait. She is just beautiful and so lovely and friendly.”

Bobbie Brown, a 42-year-old Sainsbury’s shop worker who was also in the crowd, said: “I asked her if the baby had been moving or kicking and she said 'Yes it is, very much so.’”

The well-wishers were kept waiting for 70 minutes longer than expected because the Duchess had opted to fly to Grimsby by helicopter rather than taking the train, and thick fog prevented her leaving London on time.

St James’s Palace defended the decision to use the Royal Flight’s helicopter, at a cost of up to £4,000, rather than buying train tickets for £216 return, which would have enabled the Duchess to arrive in good time for her first engagement of the day.

A palace spokesman said: “A number of factors are always taken into account when considering royal travel arrangements, including what the member of the Royal family is doing before and after the engagements, and it was decided that the best way to travel was by the Royal Flight helicopter.”

As she arrived at the National Fishing Heritage Centre the Duchess was introduced to dignitaries including the Labour MP Austin Mitchell and his wife Linda McDougall, who had bumped into the Duchess in a London branch of Top Shop a week earlier.

Mrs McDougall said: “She was looking at jeans and tops in Top Shop. I reminded her that we’d met in there and she said 'I bought a few things’. No one else in the shop realised it was her, she was wearing a sheepskin coat and boots, with no make-up, and I was amazed to bump into her there.”

The Duchess, whose pregnancy bump was covered by a favourite brown Hobbs coat and a Great Plains dress, later visited a fire station in Grimsby, where the invited guests included patients from a local hospice.

Claire Moss-Smith, 86, told her: “I’m waiting for you to be Queen.” The Duchess replied: “You might be waiting a long time!”

She was given a bouquet by 11-year-old Evie Oxley, whose father, a fireman, is being treated for cancer and whose mother has recently been given the all-clear from breast cancer.

She said: “The Duchess said I had been very brave, with my Dad being poorly. It’s tough at times but you just have to get over it sometimes and just be brave. If you’re not brave then the person that’s ill is not going to be brave either.”

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Sean Penn Mourns Death Of Hugo Chavez: 'I Lost A Friend'

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Sean Penn tan

Controversial Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez had a fan  and friend  in American actor Sean Penn.

Penn, known for his left-wing political and social activism, first met Chavez in 2007 in Venezuela and in August 2012, joined Chavez at an election rally.

When Chavez was sick in December, Penn made a surprise appearance in Bolivia to attend a candlelight vigil for the health of the President.

At the time, the actor said, "He’s one of the most important forces we’ve had on this planet, and I’ll wish him nothing but that great strength he has shown over and over again. I do it in love, and I do it in gratitude."

Following Chavez's death Tuesday, Penn released a statement to The Hollywood Reporter:

"Today the people of the United States lost a friend it never knew it had. And poor people around the world lost a champion. I lost a friend I was blessed to have. My thoughts are with the family of President Chavez and the people of Venezuela. Venezuela and its revolution will endure under the proven leadership of Vice President Maduro."

Filmmaker Oliver Stone, who championed Chavez in his 2009 film "South of the Border" was also a fan of the controversial political leader.

''I mourn a great hero to the majority of his people and those who struggle throughout the world for a place," says Stone in a statement to Business Insider. "Hated by the entrenched classes, Hugo Chavez will live forever in history."

"My friend, rest finally in a peace long earned," he adds.

SEE ALSO: "Mary Tyler Moore" star has terminal brain cancer and 3 months to live >

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Shia LaBeouf Leaks Private Emails In Epic Twitter War Against Alec Baldwin

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Shia LaBeouf a-okay symbol

It all started in late February when "Transformers" actor Shia LaBeouf abruptly dropped out of the Broadway play "Orphans" due to what producers called "creative differences" with co-star Alec Baldwin.

After walking away from the play, LaBeouf posted private email exchanges between himself and his co-stars and director, Dan Sullivan, to Twitter.

LaBeouf wrote a rambling note to Sullivan titled “Apology,” to which the director emailed back:

"I’m too old for disagreeable situations. you’re one hell of a great actor. Alec is who he is. you are who you are. you two are incompatible ... This one will haunt me. you tried to warn me. you said you were a different breed. I didn’t get it.

apple alec baldwin iphoneBaldwin kindly replied, "I don’t have an unkind word to say about you. You have my word.”

But when Baldwin recently compared the "Transformers" star to a “celebrity chef” who doesn’t take his craft seriously to Vulture, LaBeouf fought back Wednesday morning by posting more private email exchanges to his Twitter account.

The first one is titled "celebrity":

[Director Dan Sullivan writes to LaBeouf: "Don't be too surprised if Alec doesn't look up from his script much for the first few days. I suspect he's not nearly as prepared as you are. Not unusual at all when actors have a good long rehearsal time like we have. I just don't want it to throw you. I did a reading of another play once with Alec and about 10 minutes in I thought, 'Oh, I guess he's just going to read it.'"]

The second post was simply captioned "chef" in response to Baldwin's remarks:

[An email chain between Baldwin and LaBeouf, which is then forwarded to Sullivan, goes like this: First, Baldwin tells LaBeouf that he's "so fucking tired." To which, LaBeouf responds: "I'm a hustler. I don't get tired. I'm 26, chief." Baldwin doesn't just accept that: "Listen, boy. I'm not your fuckin' chief. You got that? Ha. Hahahahaha. Let's go." It's clear that then LaBeouf forwarded this exchange to Sulyboy, the director. Sullivan's response on February 12: "I thought it was a very good first. Even if Alec never looked up."

Baldwin has yet to respond to the Twitter attack. Stay tuned!

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Steven Tyler Is Pushing A Bill That Would Shield Celebrities From Paparazzi

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Steven TylerHONOLULU (AP) — The Hawaii state Senate passed the so-called Steven Tyler Act Tuesday, a bill that seeks to protect celebrities from overeager paparazzi by creating a civil violation if people take unwanted photos or videos of others in their private moments.

The Aerosmith frontman from Massachusetts asked Sen. Kalani English to sponsor the legislation after unwanted photos were taken of him and his girlfriend last December and published in a national magazine, causing family drama.

Tyler owns a multimillion dollar home in Maui, which is part of English's district. English said the proposal could help increase celebrity tourism in Hawaii.

Twenty-three of the state's 25 Senate members voted in favor of the bill, which now goes to the House for consideration.

Sen. Sam Slom, the body's only Republican, opposed the measure.

"We have been the butt of many editorials and jokes across the country for this proposed legislation," he said.

Slom said senators had fun with the bill, but Hawaii has adequate laws protecting privacy and this proposal is an attack on First Amendment rights.

"My final remarks to Steven Tyler as he sang so eloquently are, 'Dream on, dream on,'" Slom joked.

Sen. Les Ihara also voted against the measure.

Besides Tyler, other celebrities have supported the bill, including Britney Spears, Mick Fleetwood and the Osborne family.

They say intrusive paparazzi make it difficult to enjoy simple activities with family and friends.

But national media organizations worry about the proposal's impact on freedom of the press. The National Press Photographers Association and the Society of Professional Journalists were some of several national media organizations that submitted testimony opposing the bill.

The Senate Judiciary Committee responded to criticism of the measure's vague language by replacing the original version with the text of an existing California anti-paparazzi statute.

But longtime media lawyer Jeff Portnoy said the bill is still problematic.

"It's better, but it doesn't change its fatal flaws," he said. The measure's language is still ambiguous and it is unnecessary, given Hawaii's existing laws, Portnoy said.

"Our only chance to get some sanity into this is in the House," he said.

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Movie Studios Are Setting Themselves Up For Huge Losses

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giant slayerWhen DreamWorks Animation released "Rise of the Guardians" last year, the studio took a gamble on a $145 million film about holiday mascots.

The film performed poorly opening weekend, grossing $23.8 million — short of its $60 million expectations — and the company's stock dropped five percent.

When fourth quarter earnings were reported at the end of last month, "Guardians" took an $87 million write-down, DreamWorks reported losses of $83 million, and 350 employees were laid off.

The result shows how much studios have riding on the success or failure of one film.

"They [DreamWorks Animation] spend as if every movie they produce is a new 'Shrek,' but it's unreasonable to spend as if you are making big, big tentpoles when you really aren't," Vasily Karasyov, an analyst for Susquehanna Financial Group, told TheWrap. "They need to cut production and releasing costs to make it less risky."

DreamWorks Animation's recent misstep brings other plus-sized studio budgets under scrutiny. 

Last year, Disney's $250 million "John Carter" bombed opening weekend, grossing $30.2 million. If it weren't for "The Avengers," which went on to become the highest-earning movie of the year with more than $1.5 billion worldwide, Disney would have been in trouble.

Movies didn't always cost this much to make.

James Cameron broke the mold with "Titanic," which cost $200 million to produce in 1997. It wouldn't be until 2003 that we'd see another big $200 million project with "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.

Since then, there's been a rise in the number of films produced each year with multi-million-dollar budgets.

Granted, the majority of them are sequels, hoping to piggyback off the success of a previous installment, but more recently the films are new fodder inspired by games and fairy tales, which doesn't always result in big box-office magic: "Battleship," "Prince of Persia," and "Jack the Giant Slayer" are examples.

thor captain america avengers

In 2009 there were five films with budgets at or above $200 million ("2012," "Terminator Salvation," "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen," "Avatar," and "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince").

In 2010, six films including two animated pictures cost upwards of $200 million ("Tangled," "Toy Story 3," "Alice in Wonderland," "Iron Man 2," "Robin Hood," and "Prince of Persia").

By 2012, eight films had budgets of $200 million or more.

Here's a look at some of the biggest film budgets of the past three years and the differences in how they fared opening weekend:movie studio gambles

As you can see, sometimes the risk pays off. "The Avengers" and "The Dark Knight Rises" grossed more than $2.5 billion combined.

So far this year, seven films are estimated to have larger-than-life budgets:

movie budgets

Only two in the above list are sequels — "The Hobbit" and "Iron Man 3". 

"Man of Steel" is expected to be another hit coming off of director Christopher Nolan's success with the "Batman" franchise. Disney is hoping "Oz the Great and Powerful" will ride the success of "Alice in Wonderland" in 2011.

However, "G.I. Joe: Retaliation" and "The Lone Ranger," were both delayed until this year.

Paramount has "Star Trek: Into Darkness" to fall back on this summer. However, if both "Oz" and "The Lone Ranger" don't fare well in theaters, Disney could be facing similar situations to DreamWorks later this year.

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Leonardo DiCaprio Does An Incredible Impression Of 'Jack Nicholson Eyebrows'

The 9 Most Annoying Quotes From Taylor Swift's Vanity Fair Cover Story

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Taylor Swift Vanity Fair cover

Taylor Swift appears on the April cover of Vanity Fair.

In an online preview from the 23-year-old singer's interview with VF contributing editor Nancy Jo Sales, Swift talks everything from her love life and the house she reportedly bought next to the Kennedys in Hyannis Port to Amy Poehler and Tina Fey's Golden Globes jab.

But instead of coming off sweet and humble like her public persona so desperately wants you to believe she actually is, the interview is aggressive and very defensive.

Swift better be careful, she's getting dangerously close to love-to-hate Anne Hathaway territory in the public eye.

9. She throws Katie Couric under the bus while dissing Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.

THE QUOTE: After being asked about an incident at this year’s Golden Globes, where Amy Poehler and Tina Fey mocked Swift's ever-changing love life, the singer says: “You know, Katie Couric is one of my favorite people. Because she said to me she had heard a quote that she loved, that said, ‘There’s a special place in hell for women who don’t help other women.'”

WHY IT'S ANNOYING: Don't throw Katie Couric under the bus! Couric was probably just trying to be nice, but we highly doubt she was specifically dissing Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. And you know what, Swift? Your comments aren't helping fellow woman Katie Couric, either.

While Couric hasn't responded to Swift's comments, Amy Poehler has. In an incredible response, Poehler said, "Aw, I feel bad if she was upset. I am a feminist, and she is a young and talented girl. That being said, I do agree I am going to hell. But for other reasons. Mostly boring tax stuff."

Way to alienate all of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler's millions of fans.



8. The serial dater says she has only dated two guys since 2010.

THE QUOTE: “If you want some big revelation, since 2010 I have dated exactly two people. The fact that there are slide shows of a dozen guys that I either hugged on a red carpet or met for lunch or wrote a song with ... it’s just kind of ridiculous.”

WHY IT'S ANNOYING: Because it's false. If you take a look at our carefully-crafted timeline of Swift's age-inappropriate romances, she has dated at least FIVE guys since 2010: John Mayer, Cory Monteith, Jake Gyllenhaal, Conor Kennedy and Harry Styles.



7. She blasts the tabloids — but talks to them.

THE QUOTE: “It’s why I have to avoid the tabloid part of our culture, because they turn you into a fictional character.”

WHY IT'S ANNOYING: If you don't want to be talked about in the tabloids, don't write thinly-veiled songs about your famous ex-boyfriends á la "Dear John" about John Mayer — and don't talk to the tabloids.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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