Tomorrow, Thursday Feb. 7, starting at 10:30 a.m., William Shatner of "Star Trek" fame will conduct a conference call with the Canadian Space Agency Astronaut Commander Chris Hadfield, who is in charge of the International Space Station, which is currently orbiting more than 200 miles above the Earth.
The chat will feature video of Hadfield, and Shatner will be on the phone. You can watch it live at the Canadian Space Agency's website.
The chat was spawned by this Twitter exchange between Shatner (who plays a future Starship captain on TV) and Hadfield (who commands the International Space Station RIGHT NOW).
@williamshatner Yes, Standard Orbit, Captain. And we're detecting signs of life on the surface.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.The National Rifle Association has come under fire once again this week, this time over its published enemies list, a bizarre lineup of more than 300 celebrities and groups who, at one time or another, have expressed opinions that differ from the pro-gun lobbying organization.
Although there are some obvious names on the list, others — including several long-forgotten celebrities and athletes — are a complete mystery.
In 2002, Scott Neeson was the President of 20th Century Fox International overseeing films like "Titanic" and "X-Men."
The Scottish-born executive had a million-dollar salary, a yacht, a Porsche, and lived in Los Angeles' ritzy Brentwood neighborhood.
But in 2003, everything changed when Neeson went to visit Cambodia's Steung Meanchey garbage dump and saw children playing with syringes and broken glass.
"How could anyone survive here?" Neeson recalls to People magazine. "I couldn't look away."
During a second trip to Cambodia, Neeson was trying to help sick children near the dump when he received a call from an agent whose A-list client was "having a meltdown before boarding his private jet because it wasn't properly stocked with his favorite amenities."
It was a wake up call to Neeson, who tells People, "The kids I was with were very sick and here's this movie star yelling. If I needed a sign, that was it."
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.So Neeson left his high-paying Hollywood job and started a nonprofit called Cambodian Children's Fund.
"Since 2004, Neeson's charity has helped house, educate and provide health care for more than 1,450 children in the country's most desperate slums," according to People.
Now 53-years-old, Neeson has lived in Cambodia for the past ten years, where he says his one luxury is an espresso machine.
"I guess I identify with [the kids] never believing they could do anything with their lives," says Neeson, who gew up in a working-class household and dropped out of high school to deliver movie posters to theaters. "They've been through so much, but they're so hugely energetic and joyful. I've got more love in my life than I ever thought existed. My fear is what would have happened to me if I was still living a life all about me."
"I miss a lot of things about Hollywood," Neeson tells the mag, "but I wouldn't change this for the world."
Beck started the campaign — which spawned many of his followers doing the same — because of a controversy that befell Kardashian last weekend.
On her Instagram account last weekend, she posted a picture of a diamond-studded gun. She quickly deleted it, but not before some news organizations had picked up on her photo and some negative fan reactions to it. Some of her followers were upset that about two weeks before, she had tweeted a link to a pledge to reduce gun violence.
In a post on his website, Beck's staff explained that the #sweetkimgunpic campaign is pushback to that criticism of Kardashian:
Kim Kardashian came under fire from liberals for tweeting a picture of a diamond-crusted revolver. She deleted the picture, but that didn’t stop the hate. So Glenn decided to start a hashtag #SweetKimGunPicand encouraged listeners to tweet pictures of their favorite guns!
Watch Below: Our Exclusive Interview With Glenn Beck About His Career And The Future Of Television
Freeborn, who brought iconic "Star Wars" characters to life, including Yoda, is known as a pioneer throughout the industry.
Freeborn has been responsible for revolutionizing the makeup of characters ranging from "Oliver Twist" in 1948 to "Superman IV," for more than 50 years.
Freeborn is most known for leading the makeup department for "Star Wars."
See how Mama June feeds her family for $80/week by feeding them 'sketti, butter, ketchup and roadkill:
Mama June recently said on Honey Boo Boo’s official Facebook page during a live chat with her fans, “FYI I've loss 100lbs... does that sound like I want to [lose] weight? of course I do.”
Actress Tatum O’Neal has sold her condominium unit inside the converted Jewish Daily Forward building at 173 East Broadway for $1.72 million, according to public records filed with the city today. Tim Cass of the Corcoran Group had the listing for the 1,435-square-foot home.
The two-bedroom, two-bathroom home has spent some time as a rental, first in 2011 with a $6,000 per month asking rent, Streeteasy.com shows. Last June, the home was listed again as a rental—this time for $7,000 per month—but was no longer available as of Sept. 13, Streeteasy shows. The following day the home went on sale with a $1.65 million ask.
Reached by phone, Cass confirmed that he had the listing for the mezzanine-level home, adding that it prompted a bidding war, though he declined to comment on how many offers he received for the unit.
“It got a lot of attention,” he said. “It’s a very unique property.”
The unit has a domed ceiling, which was originally part of the lobby of the Forward building. It is the only unit inside the 45,000-square-foot, 29-unit building that has direct elevator access from the street.
Built in 1912, the property was converted to condos in 2006 by a developer named Ron Castellano, who preserved original details, as the property is landmarked, Cass said. For example, stained-glass windows inside O’Neal’s unit were updated with a double pane so that they can open. The bathrooms also have coffered ceilings, he said.
“They maintained the original integrity of the building,” he said.
O’Neal, who listed a Beverly Hills residence, purchased the home in 2006 for $1.43 million, records show. O’Neal, who in 1974 became the youngest person to win an Academy Award, has appeared in such films as “Little Darlings” and “Basquiat,” the biopic of artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.
More recently, she has become tabloid fodder, reportedly being arrested near the Forward building for buying crack cocaine. She was released without bail and pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct, previous reports say.
The deed for the condo shows the sale entered contract on Nov. 13 and transferred on Jan. 17. Daniel and Abby Ziluca are listed as the purchasers. Cass said he also represented the buyers, but declined to comment further on them.
O’Neal could not immediately be reached, nor could the Zilucas.
The daughter of megastar Will Smith may only be 12 years old, but the singer and actress has been featured in movies and television shows for the past five years.
She's appeared opposite her dad in "I Am Legend" and most recently made an appearance on Nickelodeon's "True Jackson, VP" in 2010.
When Smith recently spoke at Temple University in Philadelphia, he revealed that tour didn't go over so well with his daughter. As a result, she decided to step down from her role in "Annie."
"Willow was supposed to be doing Annie, we got Jay-Z to do the movie, got the studio to come in and Willow had such a difficult time on tour with Whip My Hair and she said, 'You know Daddy, I don't think so,' and I said, 'Baby, hold up!' I said, 'No, no, no, listen, you'll be in New York with all of your friends and Beyoncé will be there. You will be singing and dancing,' and she looked at me and said, 'Daddy, I have a better idea, how about I just be 12."
Recently, Willow Smith has undergone a massive overhaul in look and style, shaving her head and stepping out in LA in all black garb.
She was expected to release a self-titled album last April entitled "Willow," (later reworked to "Knees and Elbows") but nothing ever came of that. Instead, she released three more singles including "21st Century Girl" and "Fireball" featuring Nicki Minaj which were poorly received on the Billboard charts.
Her most recent music release, "Sugar and Spice" also showed a shift in tone from 2010's upbeat "Whip My Hair":
"I sat in front of the TV screen Sad he’s always screaming at me They wanna puncture me and then wonder why I bleed The big city everyone is looking for Step on my ladder and bathe in glory Inject my soul with darkness And take my heart and go market it."
Smith added at Temple that his daughter may be taking a break from the limelight for a while.
"I'm really learning through Willow the necessity that we have to snap ourselves back and refocus on the emotional needs of the people that we love. Someone's emotional needs can be very, very different from your dreams and what you think they should be doing and where they are supposed to be."
In 1988, Michael Douglas won an Oscar for playing Gordon Gekko in Oliver Stone's "Wall Street."
On Wednesday, Douglas returned to the New York Stock Exchange to ring the closing bell and deliver a speech on behalf of The Windward School, where his children attend.
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Douglas kicked off his speech in the Euronext board room by jokingly saying, "It’s so nice to be back at the scene of the crime."
Douglas' speech was in order to elevate the conversation around dyslexia and celebrate the White Plains-based school's expansion to a Manhattan campus.
The Windward School is an independent school for grades first through ninth, tailored for students with language based disabilities – primarily dyslexia.
Not only does one of Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones' children attend the school, but so does Harvey Weinstein's offspring, a source tells Business Insider.
Douglas says he and wife knew the school was a place they wanted to support because the academic program is designed to enable 98 percent of their students to return to mainstream education.
See photos of Michael Douglas and Harvey Weinstein at the NYSE below:
Bryan Singer has donated $5 million gift to the USC School of Cinematic Arts (SCA), the university said Thursday.
In light of the donation, the school will name its critical studies division the Bryan Singer Division of Critical Studies.
Singer earned a bachelor’s degree from the school in 1989. He went on to make a name for himself first as the director of the low-budget breakout "The Usual Suspects" (1995), and later on comic book movies like "X-Men" (2000) and "Superman Returns" (2006). He was also executive producer on the long-running medical drama "House M.D."
His next project, "Jack the Giant Slayer" hits theaters in March.
The critical studies division of the film department examines the history and cultural impact of moving image media, ranging from classic Hollywood films to YouTube viral videos.
Singer’s dedication marks the first time one of the school’s six divisions will be named for an alumnus.
“In a way, I began my career in the Division of Critical Studies at USC,” said Singer. “Watching great films and learning how to think about film from the faculty transformed me as an artist and as a person. I am honored to give back to the division and the school, which gave me so much.”
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Law enforcement officials are inspecting a package CNN's Anderson Cooper received from a former Los Angeles police officer who allegedly killed three in a shooting spree.
CNN spokeswoman Shimrit Sheetrit said Thursday that a parcel containing a note, a DVD and a bullet hole-riddled memento were sent by Christopher Dorner and addressed to Cooper's office.
LAPD Cmdr. Andrew Smith says LAPD robbery-homicide detectives will inspect the package for clues.
The package arrived Feb. 1, days before the first two killings Dorner is accused of.
It contained a note on it that read, in part, "I never lied."
Dorner was fired from the LAPD in 2008 for making false statements.
A coin typically given out as a souvenir by the police chief was also in the package, and riddled with bullet holes.
In each of his movies, Day-Lewis seamlessly transforms into his characters on screen, sometimes going to extreme lengths to prep for his parts and stay in character.
And, it works. His efforts earned him two Oscar wins and another nod this year.
However, he isn't the only actor to go to extremes for his roles.
Anne Hathaway was willing to do anything to understand the misery of her tuberculosis-ridden prostitute in "Les Misérables," while Rooney Mara and Kate Winslet found themselves taking their characters off set.
From dropping acid to strapping their knees with belts, these actors prove they're willing do anything to play the part.
Daniel Day-Lewis texted as Abraham Lincoln.
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Day-Lewis is known to do extensive research before any and all of his roles.
His efforts have worked, because Lewis has won two Oscars and is on his way to a third.
Leonardo DiCaprio cut his hand -- and continued filming.
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DiCaprio didn't let a few shards of glass in his hand slow him down.
During the filming of "Django Unchained," producer Stacy Sher told Variety the actor accidentally slammed his hand on a table so hard he broke a glass, injuring his hand in the process. Instead of stop, DiCaprio carried on and the performance made it into the final edit.
"Blood was dripping down his hand," said Sher. "He never broke character. He kept going. He was in such a zone. It was very intense. He required stitches."
Anne Hathaway actually lost 25 pounds for her role in "Les Mis."
“I had to be obsessive about it — the idea was to look near death,” said Hathaway. “Looking back on the whole experience — and I don’t judge it in any way — it was definitely a little nuts. It was definitely a break with reality, but I think that’s who [my character] Fantine is anyway.”
Good morning, AdLand. Here's what you need to know today:
Justin Timberlake is the new creative director of Bud Light Platinum. Anheuser-Busch made the announcement with the release of a new commercial featuring Timberlake's "Suit & Tie" single, which will debut during the Grammy's Sunday. According to the beer maker, Timberlake will provide "creative, musical and cultural curation." Translation agency, which is run by Jay-Z's good friend Steve Stout, brokered the deal. It's now a big thing for celebrities to take on the role of "creative director" in a promotional deal. In fact, Alicia Keys is now Blackberry's global creative director.
By fall this year, Mattel will unveil a new home for Barbie, and hopefully the California real estate market will cooperate and she'll be able to move in.
But for now, feast your eyes on the inside of the most famous house in all of Malibu, Calif.
Barbie's Dreamhouse is three stories tall — which is unusual for a beach property.
In a review for actress Melissa McCarthy's new movie "Identity Thief" co-starring Jason Bateman, longtime New York Observer reviewer Rex Reed attacks the actress’s weight throughout his scathing piece. After calling the film “trashy” and a “chunk of junk,” Reed calls McCarthy’s character “tractor-sized." He also refers to the "Bridesmaids" star as a “female hippo" and adds that she is “a gimmick comedian who has devoted her short career to being obese and obnoxious with equal success.” Rude!
The threat of Snowstorm Nemo is already wreaking havoc on New York Fashion Week.
There are serious logistical problems.
Marc Jacobs postponed his show until Thursday, saying that bad weather could postpone some deliveries and keep staff from being able to travel.
Meanwhile, designer Jenni Kayne is stuck in Los Angeles because her flight was cancelled, so she probably won't make her runway show, reported Charlotte Cowles at The Cut.
Those tweeting from the front lines at Fashion Week had a wide range of reactions.
Celebrity photographer Nigel Barker and designer Michael Kors put on an air of bravado:
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Meanwhile, others reported inconveniences because of the storm:
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And one man offered a good solution:
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We'll keep updating as the Fashion Week implosion develops.
If you have a crazy storm experience you'd like to share, tweet @ashleylutz or email alutz <at> businessinsider.com.
The New York Post reports that "Mean Girls" star Lindsay Lohan and her mom Dina were slapped with a foreclosure notice from Chase Bank at the Long Island home this week.
The Post reports that a bank rep left documents in an envelope that said "Important Information Enclosed" on the gate of Lohan's mom's mansion in Merrick, Long Island yesterday.
Williams is the star of David E. Kelley's new pilot "Crazy People," in which the comedian will play a man who runs an advertising agency with his daughter. CBS just commissioned the single camera pilot.
For every Don Draper, television needs a Mork from Ork.
While "Mad Man" is a hit, Ad Age noted that other shows revolving around advertising have had significantly less success.
TNT's "Trust Me," which revolved around a creative team at a fictional ad agency, only lasted one season. AMC's advertising-based reality show, called "The Pitch," also didn't make the cut.
Approximately 132,000 tweets go out about Kerry Washington's ABC show "Scandal" in a one hour span.
The show's January 31 episode was able to receive 2,200 tweets per minute, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The way they're getting those tweets is from a lot of cast help. THR reports the entire cast from Kerry Washington to Dan Bucatinsky will live tweet during the show using hashtags like #AskScandal and plot lines to generate online buzz.
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The result has given "Scandal" increased ratings in its second season practically solidifying the show as a mainstay show on the network (even repeat episodes are performing well). It's January 31st episode earned the series second-highest ratings ever and gave it its sixth consecutive week as the number one show at the 10 o'clock hour ahead of CBS' "Elementary" and NBC's "Do No Harm."
And, that's good news for creator Shonda Rhimes considering her show "Private Practice" just took its final bow in season six and long-time ratings hit "Grey's Anatomy" is now in season nine.
Though the 2,200 tweets of "Scandal" may seem like a lot, it pales in comparison to other shows.
ABC Family's season 2 finale of "Pretty Little Liars" last March pulled in 32,000 tweets per minute, resulting in 645,000 at the end of the show's first broadcast.
"Scandal" also isn't the first show to get its actors, or the network itself in on creating clever hashtags to gain viewers involvement on a second screen.
AMC's "The Walking Dead" airs a buzzworthy hashtag for the night via "Talking Dead" aftershow host Chris Hardwick during a commercial break.
"The Walking Dead" actor Norman Reedus has been counting down the days to the series return to fans.
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And, before it's long return from hiatus, NBC's "Community" faced one of the biggest tasks—keeping fans entertained through social media alone. It recently began promoting its season four return with the hashtag #TheHungerDeans in honor of the episode's direct parallel to the 2012 Jennifer Lawrence blockbuster "The Hunger Games."
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The cast from Alison Brie to Joel McHale get in on it, too.
Any fan of the show on Twitter will be familiar with its long array of hashtags including #coolcoolcool #streetsahead and #sixseasonsandamovie.