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Food Network Chef Robert Irvine Shares The Top 5 Reasons Restaurants Fail

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Robert Irvine 2

Anyone who has seen an episode of "Restaurant: Impossible" on the Food Network knows that restaurants need much more than mom's classic recipes to survive.

According to a frequently cited study by Ohio State University on failed restaurants, 60% do not make it past the first year, and 80% go under in five years.

Why is the restaurant business so tough? We reached out to celebrity chef Robert Irvine, the host of business make-over show "Restaurant: Impossible," to find out. Here are Irvine's top five reasons restaurants fail, in his words: 

Inexperience

"So many of the restaurants that I save on 'Restaurant: Impossible' are in their current situation because of inexperienced, but well-meaning, owners," says Irvine. "Potential restaurateurs do not realize or appreciate the specific set of demands that come along with owning and running a restaurant. Once realized, it is often way too late."

"The issue is further compounded," he continues, "by trying to fix this situation by bringing in someone with experience to save the sinking ship and ebb the money loss. This can be effective, but it also adds more of a financial burden to the bottom line by bringing in someone who expects to be paid relative to their experience."

Bad People Management 

"Unlike other businesses where you may find yourself managing just one group of people with one specific skill set, restaurants have a ton of moving parts requiring a diverse group of people with varying skills sets, talents, and personalities," Irvine says. "I have always found that the best managers are the ones who have worked their way up the chain of command and started at the bottom (again, going back to the experience factor)."

"Managers who have walked a mile in the shoes of the people they are overseeing are more understanding, compassionate, and seek like-mindedness while providing insight into how best to relate to, approach, and motivate each member of their team."

Lack Of Accounting Skills

"So many times on the show — when asked about food cost, labor, and P&Ls [income statements] — the owners just look at me dumbfounded," he says. "But you have to go further by not just knowing proper restaurant accounting procedures but to also maintain and check the numbers you are generating to ensure they are up to date."

"One particular owner was so proud of himself for being able to report a 33% food cost until I dug a little deeper to see that his costs were based on old figures and that the cost of ingredients had risen significantly since he last did his calculations."

Spotty Customer Service

"I don't typically give restaurants a second chance if I'm not given a great experience the first time around," says Irvine. "I feel that most people are very much like me in that first impressions determine repeat customership. The way you handle your customers along every step of their dining experience (from being greeted at the door to paying the check) determines whether you will retain that customer, and it is a well-known fact of business that customer retention is much more cost-effective than customer acquisition."

"Furthermore, with the proliferation of user-review sites like Yelp and Urbanspoon, having customers leave with a glowing experience is more important than ever," he says. "As the digital era continues to grow and expand, review sites will, more and more, become the gatekeepers to customer acquisition. The best way to maintain a positive reputation is to ensure flawless customer service and experience."

Sub-Par Food Quality and Execution

"As it is the cornerstone of your entire existence, it seems so simple that the execution of your food would be your top priority, but so often restaurant owners just do not realize that they are serving sub-par fare," Irvine says. "It's not from lack of personal taste or quality. More often it's because of a breakdown in the chain of command and quality control. Day-in and day-out food preparation and presentation becomes routine — sometimes almost a factory-like motion — and can lead to steps being skipped and key ingredients missed over a period of time."

"It's like de-evolution," he explains. "Very slowly your most popular dish can start to veer off its intended flavor profile and your cherished execution can stray from what is best for the end product. It's key to consistently re-evaluate dishes and the quality control measures that were set into place. I also insist on regular tastings before service to make sure that the quality of the product is top notch!"

SEE ALSO: The CEO Of 'Wichcraft Only Hires People Who Are Willing To Take Out The Trash

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Here's How Angelina Jolie Convinced Universal Execs To Let Her Direct 'Unbroken'

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Angelina Jolie tech room tom brokaw

Angelina Jolie sat down with Tom Brokaw on the “Today” show Tuesday to discuss the upcoming movie she directed, "Unbroken," about the incredible life of former Olympic runner and legendary World War II hero, Louis Zamperini.

“This has been the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” Jolie revealed while holding hands with Zamperini during the interview. 

So how did the actress, with just one director credit under her belt, land the directing gig of the film adaptation of the best-selling book of the same name? 

"I had all the hours of phone calls and things and made all these boards, I took my glue and tape and pictures off the internet and tried to — and I put all my boards in a garbage bag and I carried them to Universal myself and put them out and I pitched my butt off!”

“I felt such a huge responsibility to get it right,” Jolie said. “I love him so much and he’s helped me so much in my life.”

Ironically, the 38-year-old Hollywood starlet and 97-year-old former Olympian were closer to each other before filming than they even realized. Zamperini’s home overlooks Jolie’s in the Hollywood Hills.

“I imagine that for the last 10-something years, he’s been sitting there having a coffee in the morning and wondering who’s going to make this movie!” Jolie exclaimed. “And I’ve been sitting in my room laying there thinking, ‘What am I supposed to be doing with my life? I wanna do something important. I need some help. I need some guidance. Where is it?’ And it was right outside my window.”

Watch Tom Brokaw interview Angelina Jolie and Louis Zamperini below.

SEE ALSO: Angelina Jolie-Directed 'Unbroken' Previewed During Olympics

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Woman Behind @CondeElevator Reveals Herself

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Hot on the heels of @GSElevator being revealed as this gun-toting Texan, the woman behind @CondeElevator has also chosen to go public. 

Former GQ writer Lauren Bans is responsible for amassing nearly 76,000 followers by Tweeting humorous things overheard in the Condé Nast elevators.

Here's a taste of her work:

Conde elevator tweets

Condé Nast is, of course, responsible for titles such as Vogue, The New Yorker, Glamour, Vanity Fair, W, Architectural Digest, Wired, and GQ, among many others.

But unlike the man behind @GSElevator, who never worked at Goldman Sachs, Bans was an associate editor at GQ when she started the account. [For the record, her parody account came before @GSElevator.]

Today, Bans  who is currently pursuing a career in TV writing in Los Angeles  told her former employer, GQhow she became the mastermind behind the popular parody account.

I was at a bar after work with coworkers, and we were joking about something someone had overheard in the elvs that day. I think it was a lady seeing another lady’s cup of carrot sticks, and saying so enthusiastically, “That looks delicious!” I’ve never been so psyched on carrots, or any raw vegetables, so it struck me as funny. I brought it up that night over drinks—like, wouldn’t it be funny if there was a Twitter account for this? And I think I started it that night after work.

But she had no idea how popular and far-reaching the account would become.

"I just thought of it as an inside joke between coworkers," explains Bans. "I was really surprised when people from, like, Indonesia, started following the account."

Eventually, the account became so popular that media reporters started sniffing around and Bans soon quit Tweeting for fear of losing her job.

The last post on @CondeElevator is from August 2011.

RIP.

To read Bans' full interview about creating a viral Twitter account, read her interview here on GQ >

SEE ALSO: Here's A Photo Of The Guy Behind Goldman Sachs Elevator

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Here Are The American Phrases 'The Lego Movie' Changed For Foreign Audiences

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everything is awesome lego movie

"The Lego Movie" is absolutely crushing it at theaters.

After three weeks, the Warner Bros.' animated film is closing in on $300 million worldwide.

There are many factors that make it a big box-office appeal in the states— from huge cameos (Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman) to its catchy theme music.

So it shouldn't come as a surprise that the film made a few tweaks to appeal better to overseas audiences.

According to The Wrap, there were a lot of subtleties made in international versions of the film for moviegoers. Local comedians and stars' voices were subbed in place of lead characters and character names were altered. (Will Ferrell's Lord Business becomes Lord Control Freak in Hong Kong.)

A lot of the lines were even changed to resonate with other audiences. Here are some of the changes made to the Hong Kong version:

US: "Oh, come on, you can't be this stupid."
Hong Kong: "You are more stupid than a pig."

US: "Unless your instincts are terrible!"
Hong Kong: "Unless your instincts are a pot of porridge."

The most interesting change is one that makes reference to popular messaging app, WhatsApp:

US: "I will text you."
Hong Kong: "I will WhatsApp you."

Facebook recently announced they will purchase WhatsApp for $19 billion in cash and stock

SEE ALSO: Why "The Lego Movie" is crushing it at theaters

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The 10 Wealthiest Oscar-Winning Actors

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george clooney sandra bullock

International wealth management firm Wealth-X just revealed the top wealthiest Oscar-winning actors ahead of the 86th Academy Awards this Sunday. 

Among those on the list is current Oscar nominee Sandra Bullock for this year’s “Gravity.” 

Topping the wealthiest Oscar winners is Jack Nicholson who won three Oscars for his roles in “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest” (1976), “Terms of Endearment” (1984), and “As Good As It Gets” (1998).  

Nicholson is also the most honored living male actor with 12 nominations and 3 wins. Only Meryl Streep edges him out with 18 total nominations.

Check out the full list below from Wealth-X:

RankNameNet WorthOscar CategoryFilm
1Jack Nicholson$390 million1998: Best Actor
1984: Best Supporting Actor
1976: Best Actor
"As Good as it Gets"
"Terms of Endearment"
"One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"
2Tom Hanks$350 million1995: Best Actor
1994: Best Actor
"Forrest Gump"
"Philadelphia"
3Robert De Niro$310 million1981: Best Actor
1975: Best Supporting Actor

"Raging Bull"
"The Godfather: Part II"

3Barbra Streisand$310 million1969: Best Actress"Funny Girl"
5Sean Connery$250 million1988: Best Supporting Actor"The Untouchables"
6George Clooney$220 million2006: Best Supporting Actor"Syriana"
7Michael Douglas$200 million1988: Best Actor"Wall Street"
8Anthony Hopkins$160 million1992: Best Actor"Silence of the Lambs"
10Robin Williams$150 million1998: Best Supporting Actor"Good Will Hunting"
10Sandra Bullock$150 million2010: Best Actress"The Blind Side"

SEE ALSO: The embarassing roles of Oscar nominees before they were famous

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Twitter User Suspended After Posting 'Top Gun' Frame-By-Frame

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Twitter user @555uhz is a very devoted "Top Gun" fan.

Since January, the mysterious tweeter has been posting scenes from the 1986 Tom Cruise classic flick on his account — one screen grab at a time.Top Gun Tweet

Beginning with the opening credits, @555uhz uploaded each frame individually, even including captions for scenes that have dialogue.

Since posting the shots, the Twitter account amassed over 5,200 followers but was not following anyone else.

But despite the free publicity, Paramount does not appreciate their 110-minute movie being broken down for Twitter users.

On Tuesday, the studio's lawyers sent a take-down notice to the @555uhz account. "No one is authorized to copy, reproduce, distribute, or otherwise use Top Gun without the express written permission of Paramount."

Twitter has since suspended the account, and is directing inquiries to its copyright and DMCA policy, where the social media site says it processes DMCA notifications in the order in which they are received and those flagged are given the opportunity to file a counter-notice if reported material removed is believed to be in error.

The suspension has sparked a debate over balance between intellectual property, artist rights, and consumer convenience. It has also caused an Internet backlash, with many citing this "Top Gun" moment as a response to Paramount's actions:

Top Gun Tweet

Ironically, this film still was as far as @555uhz got in Tweeting out each frame, making it the final Tweet.

SEE ALSO: Here Are The American Phrases 'The Lego Movie' Changed For Foreign Audiences

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Disney To Film Marvel Series For Netflix In NYC As Part Of Multi-Million Incentive Package

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Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, The Walt Disney Company, Marvel and Netflix Inc. today announced that Marvel’s landmark live-action television series, which will bring Marvel’s ‘flawed heroes of Hell’s Kitchen’ characters to Netflix, the world’s leading Internet TV network, will principally film in New York State. Produced by Marvel Television, in association with ABC Television Studios, this groundbreaking series is Marvel’s most ambitious foray yet into live-action television storytelling and represents the largest film or television production project commitment in New York State history.

Filming is set to begin in the Summer 2014 and will create at least three thousand jobs in New York State including up to 400 full time jobs. The project will include nearly 60 one-hour episodes focused on the 4 Defenders characters: Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist.

“New York is where the entertainment industry started, and this unprecedented commitment from Disney and Marvel is further evidence that we’re bringing it back bigger and better than ever before,” said Governor Cuomo. “And when the entertainment industry thrives, it fuels dozens of other industries and businesses. The competition for these projects is fierce and Disney could have chosen to film these shows anywhere, but they knew that shooting in New York means getting to work with the best in world. These shows bring New York’s superheroes home where they belong – along with hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars in new business.”

“Since 2008 Disney has directly contributed almost half a billion dollars to New York’s economy through television and film production, along with approximately 9,000 jobs for New Yorkers,” said Robert A. Iger, Chairman and CEO, The Walt Disney Company. “The Governor’s policies make this great state a more affordable and attractive location, opening the door for even greater economic investment and job creation for New Yorkers. Our Marvel series for Netflix will inject millions directly into the local economy and create hundreds of new jobs.”

“We thank the Governor and the great state of New York for helping us create the ultimate backdrop to this epic series. Setting our production in New York City truly underscores the authenticity and excitement we plan to bring to The Defenders and their ‘flawed heroes of Hell’s Kitchen’ stories,” said Alan Fine, President, Marvel Entertainment.

Last November, Disney and Netflix announced an unprecedented deal for Marvel TV to bring multiple original series of live-action adventures of four of Marvel’s most popular characters exclusively to the world’s leading Internet TV Network beginning in 2015. This pioneering agreement calls for Marvel to develop four serialized programs totaling 52 one-hour episodes culminating in a four to eight episode mini-series programming event. Led by a series focused on “Daredevil,” followed by “Jessica Jones,” “Iron Fist” and “Luke Cage,” the epic will unfold over multiple years of original programming, taking viewers deep into the gritty world of heroes and villains of Hell’s Kitchen, New York. Netflix has committed to a minimum of four, thirteen episodes series and a mini-series event in which the Marvel characters from the first four series team up as “The Defenders,” much like “The Avengers.”

This new original TV deal follows last year’s landmark movie distribution deal through which, beginning with 2016 theatrically released feature films, Netflix will be the exclusive U.S. subscription television service for first-run, live-action and animated movies from the Walt Disney Studios, including titles from Disney, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Studios, Disneynature and Lucasfilm.

“The Defenders are classic New York characters; smart, resourceful and tough enough to always stand up for what’s right,” said Ted Sarandos, Netflix Chief Content Officer. “We’re delighted they’re coming to life on their home turf thanks to Governor Cuomo and his team.”

When Governor Cuomo took office in 2011, he made the attraction of the film and television production and post-production industries, and jobs and the economic impact they bring with them, a key part of his overall strategy to grow New York State’s economy. Since that time, he has signed into law several important changes to both programs to make New York more competitive in this global marketplace, and the results have been significant. Both programs enjoyed record-breaking years in 2013, bringing billions of dollars in new spending and thousands of jobs into the Empire State. The stability provided by multiyear funding has particularly encouraged the development of television series production work, like the new Marvel series, as well as long term investments in infrastructure, all of which creates thousands of jobs directly and indirectly related to the actual productions themselves.

During calendar year 2013, applications for 183 film productions were submitted that included 124 films, 33 television programs and 26 pilots. These projects will:

· Generate a direct spend of $2.11 billion in NYS;

· Collect a projected $477 million in credits; and

· Hire an estimated 128,165 actors and crew for the 183 projects submitted.

John Ford, President, International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 52 said, “The men and women of the IATSE look forward to participating in this ground breaking endeavor. Thanks to the vision of Governor Cuomo and the Legislature, the long term funding of the production incentives gives employers the comfort they need to invest in these new avenues of entertainment, which will provide thousands of new jobs with good wages and benefits.”

Thomas J. O’Donnell, President Teamsters Local 817 said, “Theatrical Teamsters Local 817 is thrilled that Marvel’s newest television series will be filmed in New York. This long-term commitment is an incredible accomplishment that will bring not just jobs, but also stability to our members work and family lives.”

SEE ALSO: The wealthiest Oscar-winning actors

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'Social Network' Director David Fincher In Talks To Direct Aaron Sorkin’s Steve Jobs Biopic

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David Fincher

Sony was so pleased with 2010's Oscar-winning "The Social Network" that the studio wants to reunite director David Fincher with screenwriter Aaron Sorkin and producer Scott Rudin on the upcoming Steve Jobs biopic.

Sources tell Variety that Fincher is currently in early talks to direct the untitled drama, based on the Walter Isaacson biography “Steve Jobs."

Sony acquired the rights to the best-selling book following the Apple mogul’s death in 2011 and Sorkin already completed the script earlier this year. 

Sorkin has publicly said the Jobs biopic will be divided into just three long scenes, each taking place in real time backstage before one of Apple’s product launches.

Real time, Sorkin explained to the Daily Beast in November, "is when a half hour for you in the audience is the same as a half hour for the character on the screen. There will be no time cuts. Each of these three scenes is going to take place before a product launch—backstage before a product launch. The first one being the Mac, the second one being NeXT (after he had left Apple), and the third one being the iPod."

steve jobs book“It’s a little like writing about the Beatles,” he added. “There are so many people out there that know him and revere him.”

Sony has high hopes that the untitled biopic will perform far better at the box office than Ashton Kutcher's 2013 "Jobs," which took in just $36 million worldwide — while Fincher and Sorkin's  "Social Network" raked in nearly $225 million worldwide.

The studio is also betting on the fact that the movie is based on the only authorized biography that Jobs gave his blessing to before his death, and is based on hundreds of interviews with the Apple CEO and his friends and family.

Fincher, who is currently in post-production on Ben Affleck's “Gone Girl” thriller, would apparently have time in his schedule to shoot the Jobs biopic "later this year," Variety reports.

Watch Aaron Sorkin discuss more of his ideas for the film  before he finished the script  below:

SEE ALSO: Twitter User Suspended After Posting 'Top Gun' Frame-By-Frame

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Spike Lee Attacks 'Christopher Columbus Syndrome' In Epic Rant On Gentrification

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Spike Lee

Film director Spike Lee was speaking at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn for Black History Month last night when an audience member asked for his opinion about “the other side” of the gentrification debate. 

Lee responded with a 7-minute expletive-filled rant about New York City's gentrification. He decried what he called the "Christopher Columbus Syndrome" in trendy, rapidly gentrifying neighborhoods like Harlem and Bed-Stuy in Brooklyn that wealthy white people purportedly believe they "discovered." From his rant:

Then comes the motherf---ing’ Christopher Columbus Syndrome. You can’t discover this! We been here. You just can’t come and bogart. There were brothers playing motherf---ing’ African drums in Mount Morris Park [in Harlem] for 40 years and now they can’t do it anymore because the new inhabitants said the drums are loud ...

Nah. You can’t do that. You can’t just come in the neighborhood and start bogarting and say, like you’re motherf---in’ Columbus and kill off the Native Americans. Or what they do in Brazil, what they did to the indigenous people. You have to come with respect. There’s a code. There’s people.

Lee's speech came a few days after a controversial New York Times article by a woman who wrote about being groped on the street in Crown Heights, Brooklyn but praised the "literary scene" there and a bakery where she can "banter" with the baker in French. Indeed, Lee called out the Times for playing up supposed "good of gentrification." (It's unclear what specific article he was referring to, though.)

The filmmaker suggested that places like Crown Heights and Bed-Stuy are just getting better schools and maintenance services now that white people are moving in.

“So, why did it take this great influx of white people to get the schools better? Why’s there more police protection in Bed Stuy and Harlem now? Why’s the garbage getting picked up more regularly? We been here!” said Lee.

Lee was prescient about the changing face of the city back in 1989 with his landmark movie "Do The Right Thing," which chronicles simmering racial tensions in Bed-Stuy. Check out this clip, which Lee name-checked last night:

The full audio is below, but you can check out the transcript at New York here:

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Sandra Bullock Will Take Home An Insanely Large Paycheck For 'Gravity'

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gravity sandra bullock

If Sandra Bullock doesn't take home the statue for Best Actress at Sunday's Academy Awards, the "Gravity" star will still be left with a $70 million consolation prize.

The 49-year-old actress is set to earn her biggest paycheck ever for her challenging role as an adrift astronaut in 2013's Alfonso Cuaron-directed space flick.

Studio sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that Bullock will walk away with at least $70 million for her role, when all revenue streams are factored in.

According to THR, Bullock earned "$20 million upfront against 15% of first-dollar gross," meaning that she got $20 million upfront plus 15% of box office revenue. 

Since its October release, "Gravity," which took over $100 million to make, has raked in more than $700 million at the worldwide box office and is expected to cross the $750 million mark. 

"Assuming Warners gets 45% of that, Bullock's take would be more than $50 million, including her upfront payment," notes THR. "But theatrical revenue is just one part of what she'll make, as she also gets a percentage from home video, TV and ancillary revenue."

One veteran finance lawyer explained to THR, "The theatrical window is going to generate a third of the total revenue a movie will earn; it will get another third on DVD; and then the final third comes from pay and free TV."

So even by a conservative estimate, Bullock will earn at least an additional $20 million from the outside sources.

"Bullock's first-dollar-gross deal is highly unusual in today's marketplace, where studios insist on recouping costs before sharing profits with talent," explains THR. The only other actor to score a similar deal is Robert Downey Jr., who earned $50 million for "The Avengers."

So how did Bullock pull off such a rare, lucrative deal?

There are a few reasons. First, Warner Bros was in desperate need of a female actress who would be able to carry the film. After Angelina Jolie dropped out of the role, the studio felt that Bullock's recent success with "The Blind Side," which won her an Oscar and grossed $309 million globally, made her one of the few stars who could carry so much solo screen time.

Secondly, THR reports that Bullock's "reps at CAA and the Ziffren Brittenham law firm closed the pact in late 2010 before the belt-tightening [at the studio] now taking place." And thirdly, with a cast of just two people [Bullock and George Clooney], the studio felt they could splurge on salaries — though it is still not clear exactly how much Clooney pocketed.

But it wasn't just Bullock who benefited from "Gravity," as the film's profits are set to total more than all of the other Oscar-nominated movies combined. 

To put Bullock's big payday into perspective, Angelina Jolie was Forbes' highest paid actress of 2013, but she made just $33 million last year with film roles and endorsement deals combined. Oscar-winning "Silver Linings Playbook" star Jennifer Lawrence, who came in second, netted $26 million throughout 2013.

Robert Downey Jr. took the top spot on Forbes' highest-paid actors list last year with his $50 million "Avengers" paycheck, while Channing Tatum came in second with $60 million earnings after "Magic Mike" took in $167 million worldwide on a $7 million budget.

Bigger paychecks come in the form of film franchises, such as Johnny Depp, who admitted he was "overpaid" for the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies, for which he's reportedly earned more than $300 million.

Bullock's rep has not responded to THR's report.

SEE ALSO: The 10 Wealthiest Oscar-Winning Actors

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Neil deGrasse Tyson: I Loved 'Gravity' But Here's What The Movie Got Wrong

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When "Gravity" hit theaters last fall, Neil deGrasse Tyson paid special attention to the Oscar-nominated film. The blockbuster, afterall, is set in space.

Upon viewing "Gravity," though, Neil deGrasse Tyson tweeted up a storm critiquing the movie's mysteries and inaccuracies. Tyson elaborates more on the inaccuracies of "Gravity" and explains how, despite his Twitter barrage, he actually "enjoyed the movie immensely."

Produced by Kamelia Angelova, William Wei, & Alana Kakoyiannis


StarTalk Radio is a podcast and radio program hosted by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, where comic co-hosts, guest celebrities and scientists discuss astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe. Follow StarTalk Radio on Twitter, and watch StarTalk Radio "Behind the Scenes" on YouTube.

NOW WATCH: This Video Proves Why Neil deGrasse Tyson Is The Coolest Scientist Alive

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20 Hauntingly Beautiful New 'Game Of Thrones' Posters

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"Game of Thrones" doesn't return until April, but HBO is moving full steam ahead with trailers, photos, and behind-the-scenes previews of the new season.

Now, HBO has revealed 20 new beautiful black-and-white character posters for season 4 along with three new teasers for the series. 

All of the posters are marked with the words "Valar Morghuls." While fans of the series probably know the phrase, for those who are unfamiliar, the High Valyrian expression means "All men must die."

The phrase is usually answered with "All men must serve" (also known as Valar Dohaeris in the fictional land of Westeros).

"Game of Thrones" returns April 6.

Check them out below along with the new teaser trailers.

Ygritte (Rose Leslie) 
Last time we saw her she was shooting arrows into Jon Snow as he fled from her and the Wildlings.

ygritte game of thrones

Jon Snow (Kit Harington) 
He's now back with the Night's Watch still separated from the rest of his family.jon snow game of thrones

Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead Wright)
His brother Bran has just left one of Snow's Night Watch pals and is on his way past the great Wall.Bran Stark game of thrones

Arya Stark (Maisie Williams)
She's traveling the country with The Hound while secretly plotting revenge against those who have murdered her family members.arya stark game of thrones

Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner)
Still stuck at King's Landing, the eldest Stark daughter has been forced to wed Tyrion in what made for a most awkward nuptial arrangement.
sansa stark game of thrones
Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage)
He's rather protective of Sansa, but is romantically involved with a former prostitute who just so happens to be Sansa's chambermaid. That's probably not going to end well as is hinted in the poster.tyrion lannister game of thrones

Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau)
He has just returned home to King's Landing, short one hand, and is probably one of the few friends Tyrion has left in the kingdom.jaime lannister game of thrones

Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey)
She has a rather incestuous relationship with her brother Jaime that will probably continue once the series picks up again.cersei lannister game of thrones

Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson)
The current pint-sized ruler of the Iron Throne should probably keep an eye on the many visitors in his realm in season 4.joffrey baratheon

Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer)
Set to marry King Joffrey, it looks like Margaery may have other plans up her sleeve as well.
margaery tyrell game of thrones

Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke)
Away from all of the other characters on the series, the "mother of dragons" is trying build an army while making her way to the Iron Throne and keeping her three dragons under control. daenerys targaryen game of thrones
See the rest of the posters here.

Here are the three teasers centered around the Starks, Tyrion, and Daenerys.

It appears Tyrion is going to get locked up.

SEE ALSO: More new photos (in color) from the new season of "Game of Thrones"

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What Musicians Actually Get Paid By iTunes, Pandora And Spotify Is Truly Pathetic

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Zoe Keating

Everyone has harbored dreams of being a professional musician at one time. But when you see the personal finances of cellist Zoe Keating— and the money she earns from online song and album sales via iTunes and Amazon — you'll think twice about giving up your day job.

Worse, the income she gets from streaming music services like Pandora and Spotify is so pathetic it's not enough to live on — even though her songs were streamed 2.8 million times last year.

All told, Keating sold 33,000 singles, 8,600 albums, and 2.8 million streams for total 2013 sales of about $82,000. That's not a bad income. But it's not exactly drive-a-Rolls-Royce-into-a-hotel-swimming-pool money. (Keating released her finances with this arch tweet, "2013 music sales & streaming numbers for a middle-aged mom in a non-album cycle.")

Statista put together this chart of Keating's finances for us.

Music Zoe Keating chart of the day

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'Girls' Actor Adam Driver Will Play The Villain In 'Star Wars: Episode VII'

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adam driver

Here's our first piece of official casting news for "Star Wars: Episode VII."

Adam Driver will play the villain in the next installment of the "Star Wars" saga.

Variety was first to break the news saying Driver is nearing a deal to sign. 

There's no word yet on who exactly Driver will play, but according to Variety his character will be "in the vein of iconic Darth Vader."

Driver is best known for his role on HBO's "Girls." 

The actor is the first official star to be revealed for the J.J. Abrams'-directed film due out December 18, 2015. 

Last month, Carrie Fisher confirmed to TV Guide she'll reprise her role of Princess Leia in the new movie.

The movie will start shooting this April in London.

SEE ALSO: Amazing behind-the-scenes photos from the original "Star Wars" films

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12 Documentaries On Netflix That Will Make You Smarter About Business

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Freakonomics documentary

Here's a quick and fun way to enrich your business knowledge: streaming documentaries on Netflix.

The online movie and TV service has a vast cache of business and tech documentaries that anyone with a subscription can watch instantly. The topics range from profiles of great tech innovators like Steve Jobs and Elon Musk to deep dives into industrial design.

Each of these 12 documentaries offers an entertaining storyline, as well as valuable insights into business success. 

How to create a culture that fosters creativity and great ideas

"Inside: Pixar," a 2013 film by Bloomberg, takes viewers behind the scenes at Pixar to show the zany corporate campus and key personalities that drive this multi-billion-dollar business. Chronicling the animation company from the Steve Jobs days when it was trying to make a name for itself to the more recent integration with Disney, the film shows viewers how Pixar leaders cultivate creativity and maintain a fun-loving culture where great ideas can spark.



How to become a millionaire before turning 30

"Elon Musk: Bloomberg Risk Takers" brings the viewer back to Musk's childhood in South Africa and chronicles his journey to stunning entrepreneurial success. The serial entrepreneur sold his software company Zip2 to Compaq for $307 million in cash and $34 million in stock options at age 28. Now age 42, he's a co-founder of PayPal and the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla Motors. 



How lifelong dedication and obsession with quality can pay off

"Jiro Dreams Of Sushi" profiles Jiro Ono, a Japanese sushi chef and restaurant owner who is widely revered for his skill and $300-a-plate dinners. It follows the 85-year-old master as he works with vendors to secure the finest ingredients, manages and mentors his staff, and prepares his son to succeed him when he retires. The movie brings viewers inside the dedication, obsession, and decades of hard work it takes to achieve perfection.



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Man Wears 'Breaking Bad' T-Shirt After Meth Arrest

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breaking bad shirt arrest

CHICAGO (AP) — A suburban Chicago man accused of operating a methamphetamine lab appears in his booking photo wearing a T-shirt from the television show "Breaking Bad."

Daniel Kowalski's mug shot shows him wearing a T-shirt for the fictional Los Pollos Hermanos chicken restaurant depicted in the show about a methamphetamine manufacturer.

The Cook County Sheriff's Office says deputies acting on a tip checked Kowalski's home Monday. They found beakers, burners, chemicals, and instructions for making meth in the house in unincorporated La Grange Highlands. Psychedelic mushrooms were also recovered.

The 21-year-old Kowalski is charged with felony possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine manufacturing materials and precursors. He was arrested in July 2013 on similar charges.

Kowalski's bond was set Wednesday at $100,000. It wasn't immediately known if he has an attorney.

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Seth Rogen Gives Touching Personal Testimony To Senate On Alzheimer's Disease

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seth rogen congress

Actor Seth Rogen offered touching (and sometimes funny) remarks to a Senate committee Wednesday that detailed his mother-in-law's struggles with Alzheimer's disease.

"Thank you for the opportunity to testify today and for the opportunity for me to be called an expert at something," Rogen said in his opening statement, before chiding the committee chairman for never having seen Rogen's film "Knocked Up."

"First I'll address the question I assume many of you are asking," Rogen said. "Yes I'm aware this has nothing to do with the legalization of marijuana."

Despite the lighthearted nature of his initial comments, Rogen quickly turned to how Alzheimer's had affected his family's life, although some humor made its way into his later comments on such a serious topic.

Nine years ago, Rogen began dating his now-wife Lauren Miller, who later admitted something was wrong with her mother Adele. She was diagnosed with the disease at just 55 years old.

Rogen's impression of the disease, he told the committee, was that it was something "only really really old people got."

"I thought the way the disease showed itself was in the form of forgotten keys, wearing mismatched shoes, and being asked the same question over and over again." 

Instead, his personal experience was much different.

"After forgetting who she and her loved ones were," Rogen said. "She forgot how to speak, feed herself, dress herself, all by the age of 60."

Even before his testimony, Rogen had been highly involved in Alzheimer's outreach for several years, acting as a celebrity spokesman and fundraiser for the National Alzheimer's Association. He and his wife also started the non-profit Hilarity For Charity to raise awareness and money for Alzheimer's among a younger generation.

"The situation is so dire that it caused me, a lazy, self-involved, generally self-medicated manchild to start an entire charity organization," Rogen said.

Rogen called on the committee and the government to take more steps in the fight against Alzheimer's, a disease with no cure and no treatment to stop it from progressing.

You can watch his full opening statement below via CSPAN:

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Seth Rogen Is Publicly Shaming Senators Who Ditched His Congressional Testimony

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Actor Seth Rogan gave an impassioned, humor-laced plea for more support and awareness of Alzheimer's disease on Wednesday, but he's not happy with the turnout.

"I think its indicative of the mentality that we find so frustrating ... ," Rogen told Chris Matthews on "Hardball." "It seems to be of the low priority. It seems like these people [the senators] don't care. That's the direct message they're giving by leaving during our testimony."

While a large crowd could be seen behind Rogen as he talked about his mother-in-law's struggles with the disease, in front of him sat only two senators — Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), and Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.)

"Not sure why only two senators were at the hearing," he later wrote on Twitter. "Very symbolic of how the Government views Alzheimer's. Seems to be a low priority."

Rogen was testifying before the Senate Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, of which there are 18 members.

This was the view while he spoke:

seth rogen testimony hearing room

After Rogen remarked that only two senators were present, the social media account of the Appropriations committee chimed in, telling him there were actually six. Not true, said Rogen:

At least one senator congratulated Rogen on his efforts, but that ended up inviting criticism despite his having a meeting.

seth rogen twitter

Even before his testimony, Rogen had been highly involved in Alzheimer's outreach for several years, acting as a celebrity spokesman and fundraiser for the National Alzheimer's Association. He and his wife also started the non-profit Hilarity For Charity to raise awareness and money for Alzheimer's among a younger generation.

"The situation is so dire that it caused me, a lazy, self-involved, generally self-medicated manchild to start an entire charity organization," Rogen said in his testimony.

Rogen called on the committee and the government to take more steps in the fight against Alzheimer's, a disease with no cure and no treatment to stop it from progressing.

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The WWE Digital Network Would Be Awesome! If It Actually Worked...

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World Wrestling Entertainment's new digital network arrived exactly when CEO Vince McMahon promised it would: Monday, February 24th.

Since then, however, the WWE Network has been struggling with technical issues that have made the would-be revolutionary multimedia application inaccessible to paying customers hungry for content.

For $9.99 a month, the WWE Network offers access to its massive library of video content.

This includes every Pay-Per-View event in the company's history, as well as Pay-Per-View events from its acquired companies World Championship Wrestling and Extreme Championship Wrestling.

The Network will also air live streams of future pay-per-views, including Wrestlemania 30, which retails at $59.95.

WWE would not provide Business Insider with specific numbers regarding subscriptions since the launch. The official WWE Network twitter account tweeted on Monday that the extraordinary demand was creating problems with processing orders.

 

By Tuesday we were able to successfully register and log in to the WWE Network, but that's when the real problems began.

Although the Network's live-streaming function seemed to be working just fine, its highly-touted on-demand library definitely wasn't. Although the content was organized in a practical, user-friendly interface, we couldn't actually watch it.

By Day 3 of the WWE Network's debut, we were able to successfully start an on-demand Pay-Per-View event. However, when we tried to scroll forward to navigate to a time code later in the title, it began a buffering process that spanned several minutes at least.

WWE continues to acknowledge the problems by engaging with users via Twitter.

 

The company would not release any specific details regarding the cause for the issues. Watch the video to see what the new site looks like and for a full review.

SEE ALSO: How To Use Hola App To Unlock Hundreds Of Movies On Netflix

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Here's The Most-Listened-To Artist In Every State

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most popular band by state

Music data cruncher The Echo Nest's Paul Lamere is out with a new map showing the most-listened-to artist in every state.

It's pretty straightforward: Using data from The Echo Nest's vast client base, Lamere tallied up the groups that get the most streams from listeners who shared their zipcodes in their profiles.

Earlier this week, Lamere published a map showing the most popular band by relative number of streams.

The headline on our write-up of that data, "Here's Every State's Favorite Band," generated some debate.  

We would ask this: What is your state's favorite beer?

If you live in Pennsylvania, you'd say Yuengling. If you live in Texas, you'd say Shiner Bock or Lone Star. In Oregon, you'd say your friend's beer.

That's what this map shows — scraping out the raw total of streams, which band gets listened to an extraordinary number of times?

distinctive artist map

The data set showing the most popular band in each state, measured by overall (as opposed to relative) streams, looks different.

And if we're being honest, much more boring.

BONUS: Lamere also broke it down by region. 

regional artist preferences lamere

SEE ALSO: The Most Embarrassing Best-Selling Singles Of All Time

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