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In Ten Years We'll All Agree That Damien Hirst Is A Joke

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Damien Hirst Shark

Damien Hirst – artistically talentless but a showman and salesman of genius – has been asked to design (or “reimagine”) the statuette for the 2013 Brit Awards. (For readers who live a sheltered life, that’s the annual pop music awards of the British record industry.)

Before I sound off, I’m declaring my interest. I’ve just published a novel ridiculing Hirst and his world and of course I want everyone to read it. I think you’d like the jokes as well as the savagery.

Ever since the 1970s when I first saw an exhibition of dirty nappies reverentially displayed in the Oxford Museum of Modern Art, I’ve been incredulously watching how the art establishment embraced the self-evidently absurd notion that if a so-called artist says a turd is art, it’s art. (I’m not exaggerating. The likely winner of this year’s Turner Prize is, we’re told, displaying ‘a dystopian world where people become turds and turds become people’.) This led to the destruction of art education and the promotion of the Young British Artists (the YBAs)– self-promoters who spotted that to succeed you just had to shock. Hirst did maggots and smelly meat, Tracey Emin did dirt and stains, Martin Creed did lights switching on and off in an empty room and so on and on. Such people flourished, while original, creative and talented young artists – whose brushes the YBAs are not fit to clean– were ignored, derided and left starving in their garrets.

Hence my Killing the Emperors, a satire on the whole cynical, money-grubbing, sensationalist world of conceptual art, presided over by Sir Nicholas Serota of the Tate empire and the Turner Prize, who puts great paintings in storage to make room for the garbage his indoctrinated curators laud to the skies in laughable language that the brave, dissident Jackdaw magazine rightly calls “art bollocks”.

But back to the latest example of useful idiots bowing to fashion. David Joseph, industry supremo and Brits chairman, explained that Hirst "is truly one of the most important British artists ever, and his unique vision will make winning a 2013 Brit an even more special proposition".

The most recent shock-horror production from the artisans Hirst hires to do the work he’s incapable of doing (the poor chap can’t draw, paint or sculpt) is Verity, a 65 ft, 25 tonne statute of a hideous pregnant woman with her insides on display now dominating the hitherto inoffensive harbour town of Ilfracombe. She’s a larger version of Virgin Mother, which Hirst displayed in the Royal Academy courtyard in 2006. For good measure, Hirst’s equipped her with a sword and scales and trumpets her as “a modern-day allegory for truth and justice”.

Since no town council in its right mind would buy anything like this, Hirst has kindly lent it for twenty years. His objective is to bring visitors to the town, not least to his sea-front restaurant. Apparently he also has a vision of building there a large ‘eco-estate’ of expensive houses. He’s thoughtfully made Verity ten inches taller than Anthony Gormley’s Angel of the North, so that’ll be a draw for day-trippers who like gigantism.

Whatever he produces for the Brit Awards will no doubt be hailed by Joseph and his gullible chums as a work of genius. The bad news, Mr Joseph, is that Hirst’s prices are tumbling as people begin to grasp that his work is repetitive, cynical, pointless and mostly extremely ugly. His reputation is diminishing steadily – if too slowly – but with a fair wind, in a decade or so the nakedness of him, most of his fellow conceptual artists and the whole rotten art establishment will be visible to everyone.

Read all Ruth Dudley Edwards' Telegraph Blog posts here

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20 Gifts For The Movie Fan In Your Life

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Movie themed giftsGifting in general is difficult enough, but pinning down the perfect present for a film fanatic is like Mission: Impossible.

What do you get someone who has literally seen it all?

Zimbio.com — a top five leader in online entertainment news — scoured the web for the coolest, most unique items that your movie manic (and your wallet).

Pipcorn

Few things are as well matched as popcorn and movies, but if you hate the way it gets stuck in your teeth, you might want to try Pipcorn. It's about half the size of normal popcorn, comes in flavors like Lemon Truffle and Rosemary, and is less likely to require post-snack flossing.



Mockingjay 'Hunger Games' Brooch

Maybe you won't be shooting a bow and arrow through the forest like Katniss, but you can wear a Mockingjay pendant like the fearless Hunger Games character. And you don't even have to go shuffling through the Hob to get it. 



The 'Feminist Ryan Gosling' Book

The book inspired by the meme inspired by the REAL sexiest star in Hollywood can now be the perfect gift for the lady in your life who unabashedly displays her copy of The Notebook at the front of her DVD home library.



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Conde Nast Gets Friendly With Another Fashion Startup, Invests In Rent The Runway's New $20 Million Round

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jennifer hyman rent the runway

Earlier this year, Conde Nast financially backed a startup that lets people buy clothes directly from runway shows, Moda Operandi. Today, it has invested in another fashion startup, Rent The Runway, a site that lets people borrow designer dresses instead of buy them outright.

Rent the Runway has raised a new $20 million round of financing. All of its existing investors are back in, including KPCB, Bain Capital and Highland Capital Partners. Conde Nast invested too, and Its president, Bob Sauerberg, is joining Rent The Runway's board.

"We are excited about diversifying our portfolio through an association with Rent the Runway which allows our readers a new way to access luxury brands and we look forward to creating unique consumer-centric programs with them,” says Sauerberg. Conde Nast is the magazine giant behind brands such as Vogue and Glamour.

"This is a partnership beyond just being an investor," says founder Jennifer Hyman. "We will be integrating with their organization to take advantage of marketing and sales prowess they have, and help create brand awareness for Rent The Runway.”

Hyman's company has three million members and 170 designer brands. It has raised more than $50 million to date, and it recently launched a search tool that shows designer clothing on everyday people instead of models, so users can see how an item truly fits.

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We've Identified By Name All The Robots In The New GE Ad

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GE has a great new ad from BBDO celebrating "brilliant machines," in which a diaspora of robots comes together outside a vast warehouse full of light.

Many of the robots are taken from TV and the movies, and some are from real life. (BBDO tells us that many of the robots are the real props from the original movies, not replicas.) We've tried to ID them all.

First, this is Robby the Robot from "Forbidden Planet":

GE robot

Next, KITT from "Knight Rider":

KITT

The first of NASA's Mars Exploration Rovers:

mars rover

Johnny 5 from "Short Circuit":

short circuit robot

Class M-3 Model B9, General Utility Non-Theorizing Environmental Control Robot, from "Lost in Space":

robot

Data, from "Star Trek":

Data

We may have missed a couple -- the lonely robot at the bus station bears a passing resemblance to Wall-E, for instance -- and a lot of the robots appear to be original to the ad. If you can ID any more of them, please let us know.

Here's the ad in full:

SEE ALSO: Can You Spot The Biggest Photoshop Fails Of 2012?

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Rihanna's Back With Chris Brown And She Doesn't Care Who Knows It—Here's Today's Buzz

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Rihanna Chris Brown PDA Twitter

  • Rihanna confirmed she's back with Chris Brown by tweeting a pic of the pair canoodling after his concert in Germany with the caption: "@F*ckyopictures i dont wanna leave!!! Killed it tonight baby!!!” Rihanna just scored her first No. 1 album this week — selling 100,000 more copies than Brown's "Fortune."
  • New CNN President Jeff Zucker says of his future at the news network: "If we don't try something different, we won't succeed ... There’s no doubt that I made some mistakes in the entertainment world and I own those, but I'm really excited to return to news."
  • Halle Berry and Gabriel Aubry have reached a truce in their war over the Thanksgiving Day blowout between Gabriel and Olivier Martinez. Halle's attorney Blair Berk walked into the hallway outside court Thursday and held up a piece of paper with this handwritten message: "The parties have reached an amicable agreement. There will be no further statements regarding this matter."
  • French actor Gerard Depardieu, 63, was detained in Paris for drunk driving ... on a scooter. 
  • A Korean restaurant in Los Angeles has re-named itself "Gangname Style" — but instead of suing, singer PSY is just flattered.
  • Clint Eastwood's reality TV star  and USC student daughter, Francesca, has been named Miss Golden Globe 2013. Miss Golden Globe, who is traditionally the child of a celebrity, assists during the Golden Globe Awards ceremony.
  • Miley Cyrushas a teeny-tiny dog named Penny Lane.
  • Matthew Perry spoofs Angus T. Jones’ religious testimonial in a new Funny or Die video, mockingly urging people to stop watching his NBC show “Go On.” Watch below: 

SEE ALSO: 20 gifts for the movie fan in your life >

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Injured 'Expendables 2' Stuntman Sues Filmmakers For Over $25K

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expendables-2A stuntman who was injured on the set of the action movie "Expendables 2" during an October 2011 explosion is suing for more than $25,000, according to court papers obtained by TheWrap.

Nuo Sun filed his complaint in Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday against Millennium Films and other entities involved with the production. According to Sun's complaint, he was injured while filming a stunt on a rubber boat near the Ognyanova Reservoir/Dam in Bulgaria, when an explosion occurred.

Also read: Parents of Stuntman Killed in 'Expendables 2' Sue Filmmakers

The incident left him with "severe shock and injury to and upon [his] nervous system, neck, head, body, arms and injuries, all of which may be permanent," the suit says, along with "great mental, physical and nervous pain and suffering."

Sun also says he has incurred medical expenses and suffered lost wages following the accident.

Claiming negligence and liability, Sun is seeking general damages "in excess of $25,000," plus medical expenses past, present and future, compensation for loss of earnings and income, plus the costs of the suit.

A spokeswoman for Millennium has not yet responded to TheWrap's request for comment.

The October 2011 explosion also killed another stuntman, 26-year-old Kun Liu. His parents filed suit against the "Expendables 2" filmmakers in July.

Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.


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RUMOR: Warner Bros Is Planning A Sequel To Casablanca

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casablanca still

Plans are in process to make a sequel to the 1942 classic Hollywood film Casablanca.

Nearly 70 years after the release of the original film, plans are in process to make a sequel to Casablanca, the famous romantic drama starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman.

Current rumor is that Warner Bros is considering making a sequel to the timeless classic, entitled either Return to Casablanca or As Time Goes By.

Its plot revolves around Richard Blaine, the illegitimate son of Humphrey Bogart's Rick Blaine and Ingrid Bergman's Ilsa Lund, who were separated at the end of the original movie.

Blaine, who has been raised in the US by Lund and her husband Victor Laszlo, returns to North Africa to find out what became of his biological father.

The project is the brainchild of Cass Warner, a Hollywood producer, who was a close friend of the late Howard Koch, one the movie's three screenwriters.

Koch, wrote the guidelines for a sequel in the Eighties. Cass Warner, granddaughter of Warner Bros co-founder Harry Warner, was reportedly given the script by Koch and is pressing the studio to make a sequel.

However, sequels often involve the same actors, actresses or directors. In the case of Casablanca, director Michael Curtiz passed away 50 years ago, and the leading actors and actresses have all died as well. So will this be more of a remake?

Commenting in the Independent, Cass said: "There will be flashbacks, but it's a film about the next generation; a son going back to find what happened to his parents. I wouldn't want to touch the original for the world."

Naturally, film purists aren't happy. Fans frequently cite that the loose ends left by the original movie are one of its greatest charms. A new film would only compromise its predecessor.

Meanwhile, the piano used in the Oscar-winning film is expected to fetch more than £650,000 when it is sold next month at auction in New York.

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Lindsay Lohan's Assistant Urges Her To 'Get The Help You So Desperately Need'

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Lindsay Lohan

On Wednesday night, Lindsay Lohan was arrested for assault at a New York City nightclub after allegedly hitting a woman in the face.

While Lohan has since been released from police custody, her friends and family are voicing their concern for the 26-year-old's well being after the actress, who has been to rehab and claims she is sober, has reportedly started drinking again.

"Lindsay's become so stressed by her dire financial situation and the impending probation violation — stemming from her PCH crash this summer — that she's turned to alcohol for relief," sources revealed to TMZ.

And it's not just one drink to ease stress, sources close to Lohan reveal to TMZ that she is drinking up to two liters of vodka per day, starting in the morning when she wakes up and continuing to drink throughout the day.

As for the nightclub brawl, which happened after she attended a Justin Bieber concert earlier in the night, TMZ reports "Lindsay was drinking all day and showed up at the Bieber concert already hammered. She continued to drink throughout the night, and got extremely sloppy ... she tends to get violent — which makes sense in light of her arrest for assault."

And now even Lohan's assistant, Gavin Doyle, is taking to Twitter to express his concerns:

Lindsay Lohan Gavin Doyle Tweet

Never press-shy, Lohan's father Michael chimed in, echoing Doyle's sentiments:

Michael Lohan tweet

After Doyle bailed Lohan out at the poilce station, the actress kicked her assistant out of the car, yelling “Gavin get out of the car, get out of the car Gavin! Get him out of the car, now!"

Gavin seemingly replies, “Okay. Never speak to me again,” before walking down the street with his jacket over his head. Watch below.

Lohan was also hit with three separate criminal charges on Thursday after the club drama, all stemming from her June car crash on the Pacific Coast Highway.

Lohan is still on probation for her jewelry theft case, but with these new charges it could be revoked and she could end up in jail.

Lohan's new PR team at Rogers & Cowan — the ones who made her pull out of the Barbara Walters interview  have so far not commented.

SEE ALSO: Lindsay Lohan arrested for assault at a Chelsea Nightclub >

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Subscribe To A Newsletter For A Chance To Win An iPad Mini From Business Insider

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ipadmini

Just in time for the holidays we're giving you have a chance to win an iPad mini.  Become a newsletter subscriber now and you'll have a chance to win Apple's latest tablet.  If you're the lucky winner you will have all of these great features at your finger tips and can stock up on our favorite iPad mini apps.  Click below to enter and to start receiving one or more of our newsletters to keep up to date with the news you need to know.

Entry deadline is December 21.

As a newsletter subscriber, you'll get daily updates and alerts on topics that matter most to you. You must subscribe to at least one newsletter to be eligible, so if you have not already, be sure to choose one or more newsletters before submitting your entry.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER >

On or before December 21, 2012, we'll announce the lucky winner.

You must be a legal resident of the U.S. and a newsletter subscriber to win.

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What Does It Mean To Be “Mobile First” In E-Commerce? Find Out At Social Commerce Summit

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Walt Doyle, CEO of WhereMore than one billion people globally have smart phones—and the smartphone revolution has only just begun. Commerce companies are waking up to this reality, realizing they need to rethink their strategy to win in an increasingly mobile world.

But how? PayPal and its parent, e-commerce giant eBay, are reorienting to be mobile first, shifting everything to capitalize on the potential of the burgeoning mobile marketplace. With a focus on checkouts, wallets, and location-based payments, and recent acquisitions in loyalty, personalization, and shopping startups, PayPal is emerging as a leading mobile-first player.

At Business Insider's second-annual Social Commerce Summit on February 6, 2013, in New York, Walt Doyle, General Manager of the PayPal Media Network, will talk about PayPal’s strategy in a one-on-one interview on the Intersection of Mobile Advertising and Commerce.

Reserve your ticket for Social Commerce Summit now and you'll score the extra-early bird rate, which expires TODAY. Startup leaders, investors, and Fortune 500 executives will discuss the evolution of the digital purchase funnel, from discovery to click-and-buy. Speakers for 2013 already include:

  • Doug Mack, CEO, One Kings Lane
  • Chris Bolte, Head of Demand Generation, Walmart Labs
  • Will Young, Director, Zappo’s Labs
  • Ben Fischman, CEO, Rue La La
  • Rich Lesperance, Head of Digital and Emerging Media,Walgreens
  • Kirsten Green, Managing Partner, Forerunner Ventures
  • Yirong Xu, CEO and Founder, Meilishuo
  • Jeff Richards, Partner, GGV Capital
  • Jared Hecht, Co-Founder, GroupMe
  • Daniella Yacobovsky, Co-Founder, BaubleBar
  • And PayPal’s Walt Doyle.

Social Commerce Summit speakers will delve into topics that include product discovery via social media on Web and mobile; demand generation using social platforms, features, and tools; customer acquisition on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram; customer retention in era of digital shopping; and ROI, going beyond vanity metrics and understanding your impact.

Here's who should attend Social Commerce Summit:

  • E-commerce and digital executives who need to know about new developments
  • Social commerce investors who want to source new opportunities
  • Entrepreneurs who want to meet the competition -- or defeat them
  • Publishers who need to learn about integrating commerce into content
  • Consultants and agencies who are responsible for delivering maximum social-media value to their clients

Get your ultra-discounted ticket now >

Follow us on Twitter @BI_Events for program updates and discounts. See you in February!

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Alec Baldwin Blasts NY Post As 'Morally Bankrupt Trash' After It Alleged He Had Affair

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apple alec baldwin iphone

Alec Baldwin really did not appreciate when New York Post writer Andrea Peyser wrote a column Thursday alleging the newlywed actor had an affair and called him a “bully-boy.” 

In the column "Drop it, Alec! Baldwin 'Lover Gal' Has Suffered Enough!' Peyser writes Baldwin is a "bloviating psycho who seduce[s] small women and bash[es] puny photographers,” while defending his "busty Canadian cutie" alleged summer stalker, Genevieve Sabourin.

Peyser writes that Sabourin, who spoke to her exclusively, was not a stalker, just a scorned ex-fling: "She told me that when their romantic evening was done, after they’d gone to Central Park, to the theater, to dinner and to bed, the guy dumped her — with a text message!"

Baldwin hasn't denied the fling, but is currently trying to keep Sabourine in jail on $5,000 bail for allegedly Twitter-stalking Baldwin and what Peyser writes is "his temporary wife," Hilaria Thomas. Harsh.

Baldwin took to his Twitter to express how he felt about Peyser's column.

"Everyone who breathes air knows the Post is the worst newspaper in human history ... But shame on them for politicizing a criminal case ... and shame on the morally bankrupt partisan trash Andrea Peyser, who demeans all women by inferring that a charge of criminal harassment is overkill when the defendant is a woman. The 'lovesick' defense."

Baldwin has since deleted his series of tweets, but luckily The Hollywood Reporter caught them before they vanished:

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6 TV Shows President Obama Keeps On His DVR

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President Obama Modern Family TV

Sure President Obama is busy running the country by day, but at night, the POTUS still finds time to watch a few shows that he and his family make sure to DVR.

Obama opened up to TV Guide about his viewing habits, revealing "I am a big fan of 'Homeland' and 'Boardwalk Empire,' and I think The Wire is one of the greatest shows of all time — and I confess I am an avid watcher of 'SportsCenter.'"

But the President hasn't appointed anyone to be in charge of recording his favorite shows — other than his daughters.

"For the most part, we program our own shows on our DVR, but it wasn't always this way," he says. "Sasha had to teach Michelle and me how to program it because we didn't know how to do it ourselves."

Here's what Obama has to say about his must-see TV:

1. "Parks and Recreation": Obama says the NBC comedy starring Amy Poehler gives him "a good laugh." In March, series co-star Aziz Ansari attended a fundraiser event in New York City and Obama informed him that he has a fan in the White House. "Aziz Ansari ... now this is big because Malia is a big 'Parks and Recreation' fan," the president said at the fundraiser. "So having Aziz here is like the only thing she thinks is worth me doing. I want to thank him for what he said earlier. I know he's backstage, but I just want to say that I have more Twitter followers than you, man."

2. "Modern Family": "Michelle and the girls and I love watching 'Modern Family,'" the President told TV Guide, while the First Lady revealed to Us magazine that she recorded the show to "to catch up on after the election."

3. "Boardwalk Empire": "I am a big fan," Obama says of the HBO prohibition-era drama.

4. "Downton Abbey": Michelle Obama has an advanced copy of the show's new season, according to Us magazine.

5. "SportsCenter": "I confess I am an avid watcher of "SportsCenter," Obama told TV Guide, adding "We usually watch it when we're working out. Michelle also likes watching 'The Biggest Loser' because the contestants inspire her."

6. "Homeland": "'Homeland' my favorite TV show," the Prez told Us magazine of the Showtime hit starring Claire Danes.

SEE ALSO: President Obama hosted a screening of 'Lincoln' in the White House >

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The 'Girls' Season 2 Trailer Was Just Released And Everything Is Different

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Hot off the heels of her $3.5 million book deal, Lena Dunham's hit HBO show "Girls" is back for a second season January 13.

It's still the tale of four twenty-somethings dealing with love and life in Brooklyn, but it appears season two brings some major relationship changes for the characters: Hannah wants to be single, Marnie is struggling with being single, Jessa is happily married and it looks like not only has Shoshannah lost her virginity, but she's getting a boyfriend.

Watch the two-minute trailer below, appropriately set to Ellie Goulding's "Anything Could Happen."

SEE ALSO: 'Girls' creator Lena Dunham signs an enormous book deal >

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Get Ready For A Follow-Up To The Anti-Islamic Film That Sparked Protests Around The World

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Terry Jones

Back in September, anti-Islamic movie "The Innocence of Mulsims" set off protests across the Islamic world, possibly spurring on an attack on U.S. consulate in Libya that killed a U.S. Ambassador and three others.

Now get ready for the sequel.

Controversial U.S. pastor Terry Jones, who appeared to play a key role in promoting the "Innocence of Muslims," is planning a follow-up movie that he hopes will create just as big of an impact.

The movie, titled "The Innocent Prophet," is due to be released on December 14. While Jones is primarily responsible for the promotion of the film, the creator of the film is a man living in Spain called Imran Firasat. The pair described themselves as 50/50 partners on the film.

Jones, pastor of Dove World Outreach Center in Florida, is perhaps best known for his plans to burn Qu'rans on the ninth anniversary of 9/11, and has become notorious for anti-Islam publicity stunts.

Business Insider reached out to Firasat to understand a little more about his background and his film. He spoke over the phone from his home in Spain, and clearly had a lot to say about Islam and his relationship to it (he answered one question with a 10-minute answer).

"Originally I'm from Pakistan. I was a Muslim. I was born as a Muslim in a Muslim country in a Muslim family in a Muslim society," Firasat told us. A decision to move in with his Buddhist wife, however, apparently led to harassment — Firasat says he was detained by police and tortured. The couple eventually fled to Spain.

Angered by his experience, Firasat began blogging and giving interviews denouncing Islam. Before long, he says, he was getting death threats and was attacked physically. He decided to leave Spain, and, somewhat bizarrely, fled to his wife's homeland in Indonesia, despite it being the country with the largest number of Muslims on earth. More legal trouble ensued in Indonesia, as Firasat says he was detained for blasphemy. Fearing for his life, he paid a bribe to police to escape back to Spain.

Although it could seem like Firasat has a personal vendetta against the Muslim world (he recently became somewhat notorious in the country for an attempt to ban the Qu'ran), he says that his decision to make this film was directly related to the death of U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens in Libya in September. He saw the film as an act of defiance.

"I decided on the moment when I heard about the American ambassador being killed... I will make a movie." Firasat told us. "Ok, you do violence, we will still make more movies... One day one [of us] has to lose," he said.

Firasat is funding the movie himself, and admits he doesn't even have the money for an "Innocence of Muslim"-type dramatized film — however crude. Instead, the film is largely done with voice-over and images, and seeks to show the "real Mohammad" that he feels Muslims around the world don't understand.

In order to research the film, Firasat said that he read the "English Qu'ran, Spanish Qu'ran, Hindi Qu'ran, Urdu Qu'ran, [and the] Indonesian Qu'ran." He later added that the film will be translated into English, Spanish, Urdu, Indonesian and Arabic.

"It's not only a fifteen-minute movie, just offending Muslims, slapping their faces," he said. "It's an hour and fifteen minute movie. So, as you can imagine, there's a whole story filled with [information] about his mother, about his father, about his uncle, about his suffering, that he was an orphan. Everything."

Firasat refused to acknowledge the potential harm a film like this could cause. He said that Muslims don't commit violence "because of movies." "They need an excuse so they can take revenge and they can show how much [they] hate you," he said. He added that he was not scared of threats from Muslims, but was afraid of dying.

Firasat's partner, pastor Jones, was apparently more concerned about violence, but hoped for the best. He told us by phone that though he saw similarities between "The Innocent Prophet" and "The Innocence of Muslims," he hoped that this film would not lead to violence and death.

"We would of course be very happy if it ["The Innocent Prophet"] would have a similar impact as far as raising an awareness of Islam," Jones said. "We of course do not want, and would be unhappy, if radical Islam used this as an excuse to promote their violent agenda."

True to his reputation, Jones seems keen for the film to get widespread attention — though it seems unlikely that this film, with its even lower budget, will have the same impact as "Innocence of Muslims" seems unlikely.

Jones said he doesn't believe the new film will produce violence.

"Sometimes [Islamic extremists] do absolutely nothing," he said. "I have had several hundred death threats against me and a reward, and I have not had any type of violent acts perpetrated against me. That doesn't mean they might not still come, but I would have to say — they will not."

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Even Jeff Zucker Isn't Sure How He Can Save CNN

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Jeff zuckerJeff Zucker's new position at CNN allows him to focus on the journalism he says has always been the best part of his career – without having to worry about the entertainment decisions that darkened his tenure at NBCUniversal.

At CNN, just as he did at NBCU, the former "Today" executive producer will lead a vast portfolio of successful cable channels -- but also as a flagship network that lags its rivals in the ratings. NBC spent most of the Zucker years in fourth place, just as CNN now trails MSNBC and Fox News.

Also read: Jeff Zucker Named Head of CNN

Most criticisms of his term at NBCU involve his handling of entertainment. But at CNN, Zucker won't bear the burden of trying to find replacements for "Friends" and "Seinfeld," or trying to navigate the Conan O'Brien-Jay Leno fiasco.

His work in news has received generally high marks.

"The best years of my career were spent as a journalist, and in news, and in some respects this is a return to a daily form of where I felt most comfortable and had some really successful years," Zucker told TheWrap on Thursday. "There's no doubt I made mistakes in the entertainment world, and I own those. But I feel really excited about being able to return to daily news both on television and in digital."

"I'm very familiar with all of Jeff's successes and all things he probably wishes might have turned out better," said Phil Kent, chairman and CEO of CNN parent company Turner Broadcasting System. "I was looking for a very specific talent here which would be someone who would be a great leader of a news organization. Whether Jeff Zucker was the greatest head of the NBC entertainment businesses or not was irrelevant to my search."

But CNN still desperately needs to entertain in order to draw fickle viewers who flock to the network for major stories, then drift off during slow periods. What's unclear is how Zucker plans to draw a larger, more consistent audience. The most obvious way would be adding more big names.

"My guess is way down the road he would like to recruit Katie Couric," said former NBC News president Richard Wald, a Columbia University journalism professor whose son, Jonathan Wald, executive produces CNN's "Piers Morgan Tonight."

Couric is an obvious possibility since Zucker executive produces "Katie," her new daytime talk show on ABC. He will leave the show in January when he starts his duties at CNN.

A rep for Couric did not respond to a query Thursday about whether she might one day follow Zucker to CNN, which previously tried to hire her when her contract ended with CBS.

The network has already landed one big personality in Anthony Bourdain, the "No Reservations" host who left the Travel Channel for an upcoming CNN Sunday show.

Zucker said he liked the Bourdain hiring, especially for a lighter, weekend show.

Today ShowHe declined to name other people he'd like to bring to CNN.

"His eye isn't on one person or two people or three people," said Wald. "His eye is on the whole field."

Wald noted that CNN is already filled with "highly competent people who can produce anything anywhere in the world. … He's not going to throw them all out."

In a conference call with reporters Thursday, Zucker and Kent echoed the longstanding CNN dictum that journalism is more important than viewers. But Zucker conceded -- in a response to a question from a CNN reporter -- that he would like to beat Fox News and MSNBC.

Pressed on how to do that, he said at one point, "I've been here for an hour."

What CNN won't do is go the partisan route. Fox News and MSNBC hosts have no trouble ginning up passionate, partisan arguments on even the slowest of news days. But that doesn't make sense for CNN, which boasts a global reach of 2 billion people, many of whom are uninterested in domestic squabbles. The network also espouses a traditional journalistic disdain for choosing a team.

So how will CNN appeal to short attention spans?

The models might include "Today," which Zucker led to ratings dominance at NBC, and "Katie."

Under Zucker, "Today" began 16-year streak of being No. 1 in morning shows that ABC's "Good Morning America" finally broke in April.

Zucker helped establish the winning "Today" mix of hard and soft news. Anchors Matt Lauer and Couric switched easily between chit-chat with celebrities, outdoor concerts, and hard nosed interrogations. The show has struggled to find that balance since, a factor in Ann Curry's exit.

But while "Today" has slipped since the Zucker years, NBC overall has made improvements. Zucker departed as chief of NBCUniversal at the end of 2010, as Comcast completed its acquisition of the company.

Since then, new entertainment chief Bob Greenblatt has helped the network tie for third place in the ratings last season and take first place so far this season – a position it is likely to lose when CBS airs the Super Bowl and Fox brings back "American Idol."

Partly because of its daytime format, "Katie" often emphasizes human-interest stories over the serious news stories that CNN does best.

Zucker said no one should expect CNN to limit itself to hard news.

"News is not just about politics and war," he said.


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The Most Iconic Cars From Movies And Television

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back to the future delorean

As the Batmobile goes up for sale, we look at 30 great cars in films and TV, from 007 to Laurel And Hardy.

The Batmobile

The Batmobile was a 1955 Lincoln Futura concept car adapted by George Barris.

It featured the Batphone, a Bat Eye Switch and Bat Smoke and was used in the television series starring Adam West.



Ghostbusters

The Ectombile, or Ecto-1 was used in the 1984 comedy Ghostbusters.

The paranormal exterminator service Ghostbusters used this converted 1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor ambulance to drive to places in New York that were overrun by evil spirits.



Genevieve

Genevieve is a 1904 Darracq that regularly takes part in the annual London to Brighton Veteran Car Run.

It was the star of the 1953 romantic comedy starring John Gregson and Dinah Sheridan.



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Now There's A Murder Mystery Starring A Puppet Version Of The World's Most Beloved Tech Reviewer

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mosspuppet

If you're unfamiliar, Mosspuppet is a puppet parody of beloved Wall Street Journal tech reviewer Walt Mossberg.

It started with a Web series and a goofy Twitter account, but now the puppet has found a new outlet—a novel.

Written by Brian Hogg, "A Phone To Die For" is a murder mystery that follows "the best damned tech journalist in the world" as he attempts to unravel a conspiracy.

You can buy it for your Kindlefor $2.99 right here >

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Supermodel Karlie Kloss Drops $1.97 Million On A West Village Co-Op

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karlie kloss west village apartment

Supermodel Karlie Kloss just closed on a $1.97 million co-op apartment in the West Village, according to The New York Post

The multi-level pad, which has two bedrooms and two bathrooms, will be the supermodel's first home.

The apartment features 12-foot ceilings, an eat-in kitchen, and 20 feet of master bedroom closet space — perfect for someone as fashion forward as 20-year-old Kloss.

SEE ALSO: The Most Outrageously Expensive Apartments For Rent In New York City

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SPOTTED: Elizabeth Taylor's Custom Made 1956 Continental Mark II

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Lincoln did not have any new cars to debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show this week, so it brought some classics to show off instead.

Among them was a 1956 Continental Mark II, custom made for Elizabeth Taylor (explaining the license plate), with a paint job and interior designed to match her eyes.

Other famous owners of the 285 horsepower Continental Mark II included Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Dwight Eisenhower, and Nelson Rockefeller.

Have you spotted a rare or unusual way of getting around in your travels? Did you take a photo? Do you like sharing? Let me know via e-mail:adavies@businessinsider.com or on Twitter: @adavies47.

elizabeth taylor lincoln continental mark ii

elizabeth taylor lincoln continental mark ii

elizabeth taylor lincoln continental mark ii

SEE ALSO: Car Reporters Went Crazy For The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series

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Tina Fey's Real Life Daughter Played Young Liz Lemon On Last Night's '30 Rock'

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Tina Fey's seven-year-old daughter, Alice Richmond, made her TV debut Thursday in the "30 Rock" episode "Mazel Tov, Dummies."

Alice, whose dad is Jeff Richmond — the NBC show's executive producer — played a young Liz Lemon in a flashback scene revealing the origin of her character’s signature eye roll. The couple also have a one-year-old daughter, Penelope, who has yet to make a cameo.

But Alice has been her mom's inspiration for countless other episodes after originating the catchphrase "I want to go to there."

Check out the dueling eyerolls below, the lemon doesn't fall from the tree!

Tina Fey 30 Rock

Now see if you can catch Alice in the this week's episode:

 

SEE ALSO: Alec Baldwin blasts NY Post as 'morally bankrupt trash' after it alleged he had affair >

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