ICON: Bette Davis

Bette Davis in Of Human Bondage

 

As the shrewish Mildred in Of Human Bondage (1934), Davis was acclaimed for her dramatic performance

 

·         1934: Davis's performance in Of Human Bondage (1934) was widely acclaimed and when she was not nominated for an Academy Award, several influential people mounted a campaign to have her name included. The Academy relaxed its rules for that year only to allow for the consideration of any performer nominated in a write-in vote; therefore, any performance of the year was technically eligible for consideration. Given the well-publicized hoopla, some sources still consider this as a nomination for Davis; however, the Academy does not officially record this as a nomination.

 

Bette Davis & Gary Merrill in All About Eve

 

Davis posing as Margo Channing in a promotional image for All About Eve (1950). She is pictured with Gary Merrill, to whom she was married from 1950 to 1960 (her fourth and final husband)

Paula Deen Hires Crisis PR Shop

Smith & Co., Inspiration for ABC's 'Scandal,' Brought in Amid Backlash

By: Alexandra Bruell

 

(Photo of Paula Deen from The Today Show)

 

Paula Deen has hired D.C. crisis firm Smith & Co. as she faces backlash and loses sponsorship deals amid allegations that she has used racial slurs.

 

Ms. Deen's management team reached out to the firm a few days ago, an executive familiar with the matter said, after she had already canceled her planned Friday appearance on "The Today Show" and issued a pair of poorly-received YouTube videos instead.

 

(Photo Judy Smith of Smith & Co.)

 

Smith & Co. CEO Judy Smith, who served as the inspiration for Kerry Washington's character on ABC's "Scandal," declined to comment.

 

In what was likely a first move by the new PR team, Ms. Deen rescheduled her interview with Matt Lauer on "The Today Show" this morning. She broke out in tears as she said she had only used the "N" word while being held at gunpoint.

 

But Ms. Deen, already scuttled by Smithfield Foods and The Food Network, was also dropped Wednesday by Caesars Entertainment, which has four Paula Deen-branded restaurants in its properties.

 

Smith & Co. will likely try to focus attention on the business partners that have stuck by Ms. Deen so far, including Novo Nordisk, maker of the diabetes treatment Victoza; Springer Mountain Chicken; Landies Candies; and Tasty Blend Foods.

 

"Tasty Blend Foods was very pleased with the Paula Deen interview given this morning on the Today Show," Tasty Blend said in a statement Wednesday. "We appreciate her commitment and how she stepped up and apologized to her viewers, fans and the nation. We personally endorse Paula Deen and what she stands for. We are very saddened that she is being judged by her past, everyone has made a mistake sometime in their lives. We look forward to our continued partnership with her."

 

Landies Candies President Larry Szrama also issued a letter of support. "Your interview this morning reaffirms who you really are and what you believe," he wrote. "We count it a privilege to be your friend and business partner and look forward to sweet success in the future."

 

A Random House spokesman said Monday that it is monitoring the situation but remains on course to publish "Paula Deen's New Testament: 250 Favorite Recipes, All Lightened Up" this fall.

 

Ms. Deen also has a line of food, cookware and other products sold at national retailers across the country, including Walmart, Kmart and Target. It is not yet clear whether the retail giants will continue to sell the products.

CASTING: Fifty Shades trilogy

Fifty Shades trilogy

 

Casting of Christian

Grey Although no official announcement regarding the cast has been made. Many actors such as Ian Somerhalder, Matt Bomer, Ryan Gosling and Henry Cavill have been rumored to be top contenders for the role of Christian Grey and are often mentioned by fans. Eddie Redmayne and Ed Westwick have also been mentioned. Additionally, Alexander Skarsgard and Chace Crawford have also expressed interest in the part while Jake Gyllenhall and James Franco said they would consider it. Michael Fassbender denied the possibility of him portraying Grey, and so did Armie Hammer.

 

My choices would be Henry Cavill, Ed Westwick, Michael Fassbender, Chris Evans or Chris Pine

 

 

Casting of Anastasia

Several actresses have also been rumored for the part Anastasia including Alexis Bledel, Emilia Clarke, Shailene Woodley, Emma Roberts and Felicity Jones. Other actresses such as Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ashley Benson, Lucy Hale, Katie Cassidy and Krysten Ritter. Aubrey Plaza, have all expressed interest in the role. Elizabeth Olsen, Emma Watson and Mila Kunis who were rumored to be attached to the role have denied their involvement in the film.

 

My choices would be Lucy Hale and Katie Cassidy. Mila Kunis may do a decent job (I use that loosely).

Fifty Shades trilogy

In early 2012, it was announced that there was professional interest in a film production of the Fifty Shades trilogy. Warner Bros., Sony Pictures, Paramount, Universal Pictures, as well as Mark Wahlberg's production company all put in bids for the film rights, with Universal Pictures and Focus Features eventually securing the rights to the trilogy in March 2012. Author E.L. James sought to retain some control during the movie's creative process. The Social Network producers Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti signed on to produce the film, having been hand-picked by E. L. James. American Psycho writer Bret Easton Ellis has also publicly expressed his desire to write the screenplay for the film. Kelly Marcel will write the screenplay. In February 2013, Universal chairman Adam Fogelson told The Hollywood Reporter about the release: "It's conceivable that we could be ready to release it as early as next summer."

 

In June 2012, it was reported that Angelina Jolie was interested in directing the film and was currently in talks to direct the adaptation. In April 2013, it was reported that director Gus Van Sant had shot a scene with Alex Pettyfer as Christian Grey serving as a screen test for the studios. On May 9, 2013, The Hollywood Reporter announced that Joe Wright was also considered as director. However, a few days later Mike Fleming from Deadline.com reported that Wright's schedule would not allow him to work on the film. Other directors who have been mentioned for the job are Patty Jenkins, Bill Condon, and Bennett Miller. At one point, Steven Soderbergh was also considered.

 

In June 2013, E.L. James announced that Sam Taylor-Wood would direct the film adaptation.

Naked man who went on BART station rampage arrested

 

The man who was videotaped during a bizarre and violent naked rampage at the 16th Street BART station last month was taken into custody Monday on multiple charges, according to authorities.

 

Yeiner Alberto Perez Garizabalo, who is a citizen of Colombia, was taken into custody at noon Monday by Immigration and Naturalization Services and investigators from the San Francisco District Attorney's office.

 

The charges stem from a May 10 incident at the 16th Street BART station where video showed a fully exposed man doing flips and handstands on fare gates.

 

 

He allegedly was harassing people, including kicking and pushing a BART employee and grabbing an elderly customer, injuring her lower back.

 

Following the incident he was taken to San Francisco General Hospital for observation. Upon his release, he was arrested on a battery charge.

 

 

The district attorney's office had been reviewing the case before filing that and other charges today, Bastian said.

 

Perez is set to be arraigned Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. on two counts of felony false imprisonment, four counts of battery on a BART passenger and one count of sexual battery.

 

His bail is set at $100,000 and he is being held in county jail.

 

A source close to the investigation indicates that he may face deportation proceedings back to Colombia.

 

Perez was arrested in San Francisco, though his last known address is Berkeley.

Fused Faces by Marc Ghali

FUSED FACES

 

For the project “Then & Now”, photographer and graphic designer Marc Ghali took individual images of celebrity pairs and combined them to create one image. The similarities are uncanny.

By Claudine Zap

 

 

President Barack Obama / Civil rights leader Malcolm X.

Photo illustration by Marc Ghali

 

 

Brad Pitt / James Dean.

Photo illustration by Marc Ghali

 

Leonardo DiCaprio / Paul Newman.

Photo illustration by Marc Ghali

 

 

Justin Timberlake / Elvis

Photo illustration by Marc Ghali

 

 

Rihanna / Diana Ross.

Photo illustration by Marc Ghali

Alicia Keys / Legend & Civil rights activist Lena Horne.

Photo illustration by Marc Ghali

Yeiner Perez: Naked Man Attacks BART Passengers and Performs Gymnastics

Yeiner Perez: Naked Man Attacks BART Passengers, Performs Gymnastics  

June 12, 2013 by NewsOne Staff

Yeiner Perez

 

The naked BART gymnast has been identified as Yeiner Garaizabalo, 24. He goes by the name of Yeiner Perez, a former circus acrobat who is believed to have suffered a nervous breakdown.

 

 

(Photo Credit: ClownSnotBombs)

 

According to Slim Chance, a friend of Perez’s who leads the Berkeley circus troupe ClownSnotBombs (http://clownsnotbombs.com), he had been going through tough times and stopped showing up to practice in May.

 

 

(Photo Credit: Yeiner Perez/facebook.com)

 

“He’s been through a lot of stress — he seems to have been having a breakdown,” said Slim Chance. “That seems to be the tip of it right there. I just can’t tell you anything more because I don’t really know what his state is. It’s not at all like his normal character.”

 

Chance described Perez as a “workaholic acrobat,” who was not known to do drugs.

 

“We’re thinking he may have even had a stroke sometime last year,” he said. “We’ve been trying to piece it together ourselves.”

 

According to SFGate.com, Perez was placed on an “emergency psychiatric hold following a psychiatric evaluation at California Pacific Medical Center, but was ultimately released.”

 

Perez was subsequently booked on suspicion of misdemeanor battery but was released within 48 hours because the district attorney was deciding whether or not to press charges, according to office spokeswoman Stephanie Ong Stillman said.

 

 

Video of a naked — and aroused man, according to witnesses — attacking Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) passengers and performing gymnastics on May 10 hit YouTube (http://youtu.be/tQUeZx82VmU) (16th st Bart man gone crazy) on Monday and the internet may never recover.

 

Mission Mission (http://www.missionmission.org), a website covering San Francisco news broke the story, and their Facebook followers describe it in harrowing detail:

 

 

According to Jonah Wajchman, "I was busking in the station at the time, and saw the whole thing unfold. I first spotted him standing at the top of the escalator, on the narrow concrete strip that runs along the left side of the handrail. He was making strange noises and wild arm gestures, and then he began prancing down the strip like he was walking a tightrope. At that point he still had his underwear on, and a station agent who was standing nearby yelled for him to stop. When he reached the bottom, he got completely naked, throwing his underwear to the side of the escalator."

 

Once he was down in the station, he hopped on top of the nearest garbage can and began bouncing up and down while continuing to make weird noises. The station agent was watching him closely, but at the time it wasn’t clear that he was going to turn sinister – it seemed like he could easily jump off and run back up into the world. I’ve never witnessed anything as crazy go down in a station before, but momentary bizarre outbursts do occur, and they often end quickly, with the culprit leaving promptly.

 

Unfortunately, as you know, that was not the case here. A woman entering the station walked by the garbage can, and he catcalled at her. When she ignored him, he spit at her. At this point I called the police, and they said they were already on their way. Then a wave of people exited the gates, and he jumped down right in front of a woman, and started grabbing her as she screamed and moved backwards to avoid him; the station agent was trying to wrestle him away from her, and in the confusion she fell, and he hit the station agent and wrestled himself free.

 

Next, he leapt onto the gates, and not only did the splits, but also a headstand. Then he went into the paid area, and out of my sight. Someone told me they saw him do a full backflip and land on his feet. Another person, who was entering the station, told me that the rampage began above ground, where Naked Man began shedding his clothes, running around screaming, and jumping on top of cars.

 

While witnessing it, it was also my guess that he was on PCP – he had super strength, appeared impervious to pain, and was quite sweaty, making it hard to get a hold on him.

 

But follower Bianca Starr said the account was scary, not amusing:

 

Wasn’t that “amusing” as you are depicting it. Just saying. Just left 16 and Mission Bart station and as I was approaching the ticket exit, a completely naked man with his penis hard was backing a woman coming from work I assume against a wall and he threw her down to the ground. Someone tried to stop him and he ended up throwing the guy to the ground and then got on the ticket exit/entrance thing and squatted over for everyone to see his anus and then and then and then….. the point is that no one could control the situation and then he started going after an older man and had him by the neck. He was obviously on PCP since he was so strong and out of it (I think???) WTF! Everyone ran out and no one could help. I heard “the police were on the ir way” but we all ended up getting out of there. I didn’t stick around. Thank god my kids weren’t with me. Sad world and fucked up people. Fuck 16th/Mission Bart. At your own risk!