Celebrity Feuds

[BobbyD 2]

Sean Penn Attacks Jean For Failing To Accept Presidential Dream Is Over

 

52 minutes ago | WENN | See recent WENN news »

 

Sean Penn has fired up his war of words with Wyclef Jean after learning of the hip-hop star's plans to contest a decision that will keep him from running for president of his native Haiti.

 

The former Fugees star first irked Penn, who has actively been part of the relief effort in the earthquake-ravaged nation throughout the past six months, when he first announced his plans to become the country's next leader earlier this month.

 

The Oscar winner and activist criticised Wyclef's apparent absence from his homeland in the wake of the devastating earthquake during a recent appearance on CNN news show Larry King Live. And now Penn has written a commentary about the hip-hop star's bid for the presidency online after learning the Gone 'Til November hitmaker is fighting a decision by Haiti electoral officials that rules him ineligible for high political office.

 

In the piece, published by TheHuffingtonPost.com, Penn writes, "(I am) someone who has spent most of the last six months following the devastating earthquake, side by side in that country (Haiti), with so many others, doing whatever we could to lend a hand. I have never met Wyclef Jean, and all I really know of him on any personal level has come through the fond comments of a few mutual friends.

 

"Wyclef Jean gave indispensable world attention to Haiti's incredible misfortune (but) I was there for those 6 months after the earthquake and so many of us on the ground wondered where he was when that kind of attention was so necessary and absent, and why he was Not helping to keep this desperate situation in the news.

 

"None among us felt or expressed anger toward it, but rather a universal sadness for his silence, as he is America's most admired cultural link to Haiti. As the six-month Anniversary (of the earthquake) approached, it triggered the return of the world media, and of Wyclef Jean to Haiti."

 

He insists Jean is the wrong celebrity to be running for office in Haiti, adding, "It's clear that Mr. Jean can have an important place in drawing attention to Haiti's needs. However, when New York press agents circle wagons of ignorance and sell as deep insight the advertisement of that which charms them about a client, the lives and needs of the Haitian people are sidelined."

 

And Penn then attacks Jean for comments the singer/songwriter made regarding his opposition to the former Fugees star's presidential bid.

 

The actor adds, "When he chose to attempt to discredit me, claiming... that my time in Haiti had been restricted to 'one particular area', that area he was referring to is the 55,000 person Idp (Internally Displaced Person) Camp that I and my organization were tasked to manage by the International Office of Migration...

 

"Jean said the following: "I would like to tell Sean Penn I do not react on emotions when it comes to the Haitian people. I do not have to sacrifice my life and live inside of a tent to prove that I am for the Haitian people." No, he doesn't have to live in a tent. But it would be nice if he visited once and awhile."

 

Penn concludes, "These elections are crucial, and I have no part in them. Neither should Mr. Jean."

[chuzhuchichezhan 0]

Are Joan Fontaine (b 1917) and Olivia de Havilland (b 1916) still not talking to each other? That must go down as the longest celebrity (family) feud.

 

And a while after I posted the above, apparently they are still feuding

Edited September 13, 2010 by chuzhuchichezhan

[BobbyD 2]

Tim Gunn on His 'Gossip Girl' Cameo: Taylor Momsen's 'Pathetic,' Everyone Else Is a 'Delight'

by Jean Bentley, posted Sep 15th 2010 10:45AM

 

By now, the contestants on 'Project Runway' know better than to ignore the advice from wise sage Tim Gunn. So perhaps notoriously independent 'Gossip Girl' 17-year-old star Taylor Momsen will listen to Gunn's guidance as well.

 

When making a cameo appearance on 'GG''s fourth episode this season, Gunn observed Momsen's bratty behavior firsthand."What a diva!" he told E! News. "She was pathetic; she couldn't remember her lines; and she didn't even have that many. I thought to myself, 'Why are we all being held hostage by this brat?' "

 

Though he didn't say anything to her at the time, Gunn said he does have a few words of wisdom for the actress."I'd say, 'You know young lady, there are hundreds of thousands of girls who are just as attractive and even smarter than you. Why are you acting like this show is a huge burden on you?' She was on her phone during every break, I wanted to tell her, 'If you weren't on your BlackBerry, you can retain this stuff.' ''

 

Apparently Gunn wasn't the only one annoyed by Momsen's behavior. "At one point the director leaned in and whispered to me, 'This is day in, day out, my life.' She annoyed the entire crew."

 

Thankfully, Gunn had kinder words for Momsen's costars, calling them a "delight" to work with.

[Freckles 79]

Yesterday, we got an interesting tip about the ongoing battle royale between LeAnn Rimes and Brandi Glanville. According to the tipster, LeAnn watches what Brandi wears very carefully, and tends to copy the look days later. There’s probably photo evidence to back this up, but I’m too lazy to dig through archived photos. Suffice to say, I tend to believe it - LeAnn is incredibly immature and petty (and crazy), and in her mind, the war is very real and she’s going to fight it like she’s in middle school.

 

Speaking of, In Touch Weekly had this interesting/sad story about LeAnn confessing to someone at her gym that while she (LeAnn) takes her boxing classes, she often fantasizes that she’s hitting Brandi in the face. Er… someone needs to go back on their meds.

 

LeAnn Rimes confided to a pal that she has a secret workout partner in her boxing classes - her boyfriend Eddie Cibrian’s ex-wife, Brandi Glanville.

 

LeAnn stays in shape with high-impact boxing classes, and she whispered to a friend that when she really wants to let off some steam, she just imagines Brandi’s face on the punching bag!

 

“LeAnn hates Brandi,” the friend says. “She thinks that she leaks negative stories about her and Eddie to the press, and it makes her angry. She’s tired of being portrayed as a home wrecker all of the time, so she takes out her frustration in the gym and finds it bery therapeutic.”

 

[From In Touch Weekly, print edition]

 

Granted, I’ve never boxed. I have delicate wrists! They would snap. But tell me, ladies who box: is this common? Do you imagine someone face on the punching bag? Okay, I’ll assume your answer is yes. So imagining your enemy on the punching bag is one thing, but why not go for… Osama bin Laden or something? Why your boyfriend’s ex-wife? Oh, right. Because LeAnn is f-cking obsessed.

 

- from Celebitchy

[Cutielb99 0]

Tim Gunn on His 'Gossip Girl' Cameo: Taylor Momsen's 'Pathetic,' Everyone Else Is a 'Delight'

by Jean Bentley, posted Sep 15th 2010 10:45AM

 

By now, the contestants on 'Project Runway' know better than to ignore the advice from wise sage Tim Gunn. So perhaps notoriously independent 'Gossip Girl' 17-year-old star Taylor Momsen will listen to Gunn's guidance as well.

 

When making a cameo appearance on 'GG''s fourth episode this season, Gunn observed Momsen's bratty behavior firsthand."What a diva!" he told E! News. "She was pathetic; she couldn't remember her lines; and she didn't even have that many. I thought to myself, 'Why are we all being held hostage by this brat?' "

 

Though he didn't say anything to her at the time, Gunn said he does have a few words of wisdom for the actress."I'd say, 'You know young lady, there are hundreds of thousands of girls who are just as attractive and even smarter than you. Why are you acting like this show is a huge burden on you?' She was on her phone during every break, I wanted to tell her, 'If you weren't on your BlackBerry, you can retain this stuff.' ''

 

Apparently Gunn wasn't the only one annoyed by Momsen's behavior. "At one point the director leaned in and whispered to me, 'This is day in, day out, my life.' She annoyed the entire crew."

 

Thankfully, Gunn had kinder words for Momsen's costars, calling them a "delight" to work with.

I feel like this is the answer to a blind vice.

[BobbyD 2]

Carter plays off Fox’s Wonder Woman slam

Younger actress previously called TV icon a 'lame superhero'

"Who trashes Wonder Woman, right? What is there to trash?” Lynda Carter said.Access Hollywood Access Hollywood

 

updated 17 minutes ago 2010-11-11T19:00:36

Lynda Carter isn’t paying too much attention to Megan Fox’s rip of her iconic Wonder Woman character.

 

After Fox previously called Wonder Woman a “lame superhero,” claiming she had no interest in stepping into the red, white and blue outfit and gold wristbands for David E. Kelley’s upcoming reboot, Carter simply shrugged off the critique.

 

“To be honest with you, I was really offended,” Carter told "Access Hollywood Live’s" Billy Bush and Kit Hoover on Thursday morning, before breaking out in laughter. “No, I’m teasing.

 

“I thought that her comment — she just didn’t really get it. Like, who trashes Wonder Woman, right? What is there to trash?” Carter added.

 

While Fox may be a household name in the fanboy sector, Carter said she wasn’t necessarily familiar with the young actress’ work.

 

“I didn’t really know anything about her. I think she’s beautiful and I think she’s got a certain look and everything, but shoot — you can’t get a job if you’re trashing it already,” the 59-year-old actress said.

 

As for what makes Wonder Woman such a beloved character that has stood the test of time, Carter suggested it was because the everyday woman could relate.

 

“I think there’s that secret person in us — all of us women have that secret self — and, you know, she kicked butt. She was the first of her kind. When I played the role, I didn’t want her to think that she had all that — she was just really approachable,” she explained. “Either you wanted to be her, or you wanted to be her best friend.”

 

When it comes to who should step into the role for Kelley’s upcoming TV reboot, Carter said she has spoken to the producer — but has been sworn to secrecy.

 

“I spoke with David E. Kelley and he told me all kinds of secret things, but I can’t tell you any of them! I promised!” she smiled, when asked if she knew who would be a good fit for the role. “I asked David E. Kelley what he wanted me to say when people asked me, and he said, ‘Tell them to be patient.’”

 

Copyright 2010 by NBC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[BobbyD 2]

Soap star responds to Harris' 'D-bag' Tweet: 'You can get your teeth knocked in for that kind of nonsense,' he tells THR.

 

Iconic daytime actor Eric Braeden did not take to kindly to being called 'a D-bag' by How I Met Your Mother star Neil Patrick Harris on Friday.

 

Following Harris' Twitter attack, Braeden shot back with some well chosen words of this own, saying that Harris "needs to be spanked" and that he could "get his teeth knocked in for that kind of nonsense."

 

"It was utterly inappropriate. He's a little boy," Braeden tells The Hollywood Reporter.

 

The Young and Restless star said he would not administer any beating or spankings to Harris.

 

"I need a worthy adversary," he says. "I don't even know who this fellow is."

 

Harris had objected to Braeden dropping out of an episode of How I Met Your Mother at the last minute because the part was not "substantial" enough -- and then wrote the offensive Tweet.

 

Harris did apologize, Tweeting later: "Now I feel bad for the D-bag comment. Don't know the guy personally. I'm just fiercely protective of our show."

 

But the damage was done.

 

"I don't have a Twitter thing," says Braeden. "But you have to be careful in this world."

 

Braeden did confirm he dropped out of the program because he was "exhausted" due to work and recent hip surgery and because the part only required two lines -- which he found out about at the last minute.

 

"Two lines, I don't do that for anyone," he says.

 

But in the end he called for peace on Earth.

 

“It’s Christmas time and I will forgive him for my verbal transgressions," he says.

[BobbyD 2]

Neil Patrick Harris Regrets Bashing Actor on Twitter

By Alla Byrne

 

Saturday December 18, 2010 10:30 AM EST

 

FacebookTwitterE-mailIt's the stuff that soap operas are made of.

 

Neil Patrick Harris and The Young and the Restless actor Eric Braeden exchanged barbs after Braeden backed out of a guest appearance on How I Met Your Mother.

 

"Eric Braeden is a D-Bag," griped NPH, 37, on Twitter Friday. "The actor, (Robin's dad) agreed to a cameo, then last night bailed, saying the part wasn't 'substantial' enough."

 

Braeden, 69, fired back, telling in an Entertainment Weekly, "His choice of words bothered me."

 

"It seems to me like a young whippersnapper, having seen himself on a few covers, who's received a few awards, is now suddenly suffering from the first signs of hubris," he said. "I've been in the business for 50 years. I've seen people come and go and I'm still here."

 

Braeden said he "truly enjoyed" his first appearance on sitcom in 2008, but explained he's "exhausted" from recent hip surgery and, "I was not about appear on a show for two lines."

 

Three hours after his initial Tweet, Harris backed off: "Now I feel bad for the D-bag comment. Don't know the guy personally. I'm just fiercely protective of our show."

[branchop 319]

"I was not about appear on a show for two lines."

 

No, but you had what three lines in Titanic?

 

A cameo is just that, and establishing yourself as a recurring character on a extremely popular sitcom on the same network that has paid your mortgage for the last 100 years may be good enough reason.

 

As a long time soap opera fan, Every interview I read with Eric Braeden turns me off. I have to agree with the NPH assessment. He was spot on.

[BobbyD 2]

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes May Boycott Oscars Because of Anne Hathaway

By PopEater Staff Posted Jan 10th 2011 02:45AM

 

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes may boycott the Oscars, as they are reportedly upset with Anne Hathaway, who will be co-hosting the ceremony this year. The Daily Mail quoted a source saying, "Tom and Katie don't want to have to cross paths with Anne."

 

Hathaway allegedly upset Holmes when she impersonated her in a comedy sketch on 'Saturday Night Live' in November. The source said that the couple used to be friends with Hathaway and supported her when she split from her then-boyfriend, Raffaello Follieri, in 2008.

 

The source continues, "Katie feels they were really supportive at a difficult time, so she feels let down that Anne took to national TV to make fun of her. Anne didn't even warn her it was going to be on TV." Watch the SNL skit after the jump.

 

The source added that the whole thing left a sour taste with Cruise.

 

A spokesman told the Daily Mail that the 'Mission: Impossible' actor has yet to decide whether he will be attending the Oscars. "It's too early to confirm – it depends on shoot schedules."

 

Hathaway, 28, along with James Franco, 32, will host the 83rd Academy Awards show Feb. 27. They will be the youngest tandem of Academy Award hosts ever.

[alpierce 9]

Personally I would go, just to show everyone I could take a joke. What would be better if both Tom and Katie went on SNL doing a skit about Hathaway and that pseudo boyfriend of hers.

[Hoyaheel 1,874]

Cruise has shown himself willing to be the butt of *some* jokes - that role in Tropic Thunder that he reprised at the Academy Awards - but this is being a cry-baby. Anne didn't "warn" them she'd be on tv? Those SNL promos aired everywhere......

[WillyWonka 0]

From E Online:

Catfight Alert! Christina Aguilera Goes After Julianne Hough

Mon., Jan. 17, 2011 11:11 AM PST by Brandi Fowler

 

Me-ouch! The claws were out this weekend as Christina Aguilera and Julianne Hough had a hissing match at a pre-Golden Globes bash.

 

And, sources tell E! News, it looked like Aguilera was one the who wanted to do the bashing.

 

So what went down?

 

The confrontation took place Friday at a party hosted by CAA at the Soho House in West Hollywood attended by the likes of Julia Roberts, Colin Firth, Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore. Ryan Seacrest, Hough's boyfriend and a CAA client, was not present.

 

But Aguilera was, and she apparently wasn't too psyched to see Burlesque costar Hough.

 

"Christina really got in her face," an eyewitness told E! News, saying that Aguilera unleashed a verbal barrage at Hough.

 

Onlookers said Aguilera even grabbed Hough, leading the Dancing With the Stars hoofer to snap, "Don't touch me!"

 

Before the two separated, Aguilera threatened to torpedo Hough's burgeoning country singing career. Hough was said to be "visibly upset" by the incident, according to one insider. "The whole thing was troubling. People felt bad for Julianne."

 

Aguilera's rep, however, described the report as "nonsense."

 

Reps for Hough could not be reached for comment.

 

No word on what touched off the CAA fracas, but a source familiar with the situation tells E! News that despite reports of a budding friendship between the two, Aguilera never got along with Hough during the making of Burlesque.

 

Too bad the movie wasn't this interesting.

 

And from CDAN:

Christina Aguilera & Julianne Hough Hate Each Other

 

I guess while filming Burlesque, Christina Aguilera must have discovered what a troll Julianne Hough is. Yeah, Ryan it's true. Face it, you must have figured that out by now. Anyway, Julianne missed out on the whole Burlesque promotional tour because she is not a big enough part of the movie and because no one outside the US even knows who she is.

 

At a pre-Golden Globes party, Christina had a few words with Julianne who had a few words back and the next thing you know Christina grabbed Julianne. People separated the pair and Christina's people said nothing like that happened. I'm not sure Julianne has people. I guess she does. She is the kind of person who if she had Camille money would be ten times worse.

 

I have a feeling that Julianne has been saying things behind Christina's back about what happened during filming with her assistant and Christina took exception to it.

[WillyWonka 0]

I have a feeling that Julianne has been saying things behind Christina's back about what happened during filming with her assistant and Christina took exception to it.

So I must have missed this story. What supposedly happened with whose assistant during filming???

[fykeylicious 1,099]

and why is fakey calling Julianne a troll? I haven't heard anything bad about her, but Christina, on the other hand...

[Hoyaheel 1,874]

So I must have missed this story. What supposedly happened with whose assistant during filming???

Well, that (production) assistant is Christina's "Boyfriend" now, so presumably she was boffing him during production, while still married to Bratman......

[WillyWonka 0]

So I must have missed this story. What supposedly happened with whose assistant during filming???

Well, that (production) assistant is Christina's "Boyfriend" now, so presumably she was boffing him during production, while still married to Bratman......

 

Ahh, I didn't realize that's who that guy was.

 

Maybe Julianne didn't like that Christina was cheating on her husband with this guy during filming and was just saying so. I guess if Christina doesn't like that getting around, she should keep her knees together until she's at least separated.

[BobbyD 2]

Kings Of Leon Vs. 'Glee': Nathan Followill FIRES BACK At Ryan Murphy In Homophobic Rant

Posted: 01/26/11 01:59 PM

 

The 'Glee' vs. Kings of Leon rivalry just grew serious.

 

A number of months ago, the rock band declined to allow the FOX series 'Glee,' about a high school choir, to cover its songs in a future episode. 'Glee' creator Ryan Murphy, in a feature in The Hollywood Reporter published Wednesday, hit out at the band.

 

Here's how Nathan Followill, the drummer of the band of brothers, replied via Twitter: "Dear Ryan Murphy, let it go. See a therapist, get a manicure, buy a new bra. Zip your lip and focus on educating 7yr olds how to say fuck."

 

Murphy is openly gay, and the show deals with many issues faced by homosexual students in high school.

 

Realizing how his comments could be seen, Followill later tweeted: "I'm sorry 4 anyone that misconstrued my comments as homophobic or misogynistic. I'm so not that kind of person. I really do apologize."

 

Still, he hasn't taken down the original post.

 

Followill was enraged by this quote from Murphy:

 

"F--- you, Kings of Leon," Murphy said via the magazine. "They're self-centered assholes, and they missed the big picture. They missed that a 7-year-old kid can see someone close to their age singing a Kings of Leon song, which will maybe make them want to join a glee club or pick up a musical instrument. It's like, OK, hate on arts education. You can make fun of Glee all you want, but at its heart, what we really do is turn kids on to music."

[Hihomumio 168]

Kings Of Leon Vs. 'Glee': Nathan Followill FIRES BACK At Ryan Murphy In Homophobic Rant

Posted: 01/26/11 01:59 PM

 

The 'Glee' vs. Kings of Leon rivalry just grew serious.

 

A number of months ago, the rock band declined to allow the FOX series 'Glee,' about a high school choir, to cover its songs in a future episode. 'Glee' creator Ryan Murphy, in a feature in The Hollywood Reporter published Wednesday, hit out at the band.

 

Here's how Nathan Followill, the drummer of the band of brothers, replied via Twitter: "Dear Ryan Murphy, let it go. See a therapist, get a manicure, buy a new bra. Zip your lip and focus on educating 7yr olds how to say fuck."

 

Murphy is openly gay, and the show deals with many issues faced by homosexual students in high school.

 

Realizing how his comments could be seen, Followill later tweeted: "I'm sorry 4 anyone that misconstrued my comments as homophobic or misogynistic. I'm so not that kind of person. I really do apologize."

 

Still, he hasn't taken down the original post.

 

Followill was enraged by this quote from Murphy:

 

"F--- you, Kings of Leon," Murphy said via the magazine. "They're self-centered assholes, and they missed the big picture. They missed that a 7-year-old kid can see someone close to their age singing a Kings of Leon song, which will maybe make them want to join a glee club or pick up a musical instrument. It's like, OK, hate on arts education. You can make fun of Glee all you want, but at its heart, what we really do is turn kids on to music."

 

What the hell is wrong with people? They said no when asked so why did this Murphy guy need to start shit over it now? People do stuff like this then wonder how come they get into the messes they do No usually means no.

 

 

ps not a fan of Kings of Leon and couldn't name a single song they do.

[BobbyD 2]

What the hell is wrong with people? They said no when asked so why did this Murphy guy need to start shit over it now? People do stuff like this then wonder how come they get into the messes they do No usually means no.

 

ps not a fan of Kings of Leon and couldn't name a single song they do.

Totally, agree. I think Ryan Murphy pitched a big ass fit. I mean, c'mon dude...so ONE group doesn't want u to use their songs on your crappy show. You have so many other stars lining up to kill to be on your show or use their music. Yes, I think Glee is crappy...also couldn't tell you a song that KOL have sung either. I watched the Glee Pilot and was like, not bad...but don't see how I could sit through that mess weekly.

 

But most of my female & gay friends think it is delightful. :4biggrin:

[BobbyD 2]

EXCLUSIVE: Inside the Hot Business of 'Glee'

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hot-...ee-75593?page=3

3:10 PM 1/25/2011 by Shirley Halperin

(Page 3)

 

Credit for the show’s music choices belongs almost entirely to Glee’s resident music nerd: Murphy himself. He says his only formula for considering the three to five songs that might appear in an episode is that they “offer something for everybody.” Murphy tends to favor show tunes and standards because, he says, “a lot of that stuff isn’t taught or the young audience is not exposed to it.” He first noticed a reaction from the show’s predominantly teen audience when Michele sang the Broadway showstopper “Don’t Rain on My Parade.” “It hit the Top 5 of iTunes, and I could see the Funny Girl original soundtrack rise through the ranks,” Murphy recalls of the December 2009 Season 1 finale. “That was pretty amazing, to reinterpret something that I have great fondness for and give it a whole new audience.”

 

Artists are seeing a ripple effect, too. While synch rates are down — the price tag for a hit song is in the vicinity of $25,000 (a fee the songwriter splits with his or her music publisher) — exposure through Glee often results in a dramatic jump in catalog sales. After September’s Britney Spears episode, the pop star sold 35,000 incremental units among five songs, one of which, “Stronger,” saw a spike of 1,160 percent, according to David Bakula, senior vp analytics at Nielsen Entertainment, who recently submitted a 70-page report titled “The Power of Glee” to Sony Music for analysis. Spears’ 2004 greatest-hits album also saw increased sales of 413 percent. “The halo effect is pretty significant,” Bakula says. “It isn’t all about tracks. Our research found that it was more about the artist as a whole.”

 

Still, even with Glee’s undeniable popularity and selling power, certain artists demand a premium for their songs. “We went after Eminem’s ‘Lose Yourself,’ and it was jaw-droppingly expensive,” Murphy says. “Around $200,000. We couldn’t do it because the episode would’ve been so over budget.” Then there are artists whose catalogs are off-limits. Glee’s best-known rejection: Kings of Leon, who rarely license their music. Murphy’s message to nonbelievers the Followill brothers? “F--- you, Kings of Leon,” he says, raising the volume of his monotonal interview voice ever so lightly. “They’re self-centered assholes, and they missed the big picture. They missed that a 7-year-old kid can see someone close to their age singing a Kings of Leon song, which will maybe make them want to join a glee club or pick up a musical instrument. It’s like, OK, hate on arts education. You can make fun of Glee all you want, but at its heart, what we really do is turn kids on to music.”

 

 

Kings of Leon frontman Caleb Followill tells THR: “This whole Glee thing is a shock to us. It’s gotten out of hand. At the time of the request, we hadn’t even seen the show. It came at the end of that record cycle, and we were over promoting [“Use Somebody”]. This was never meant as a slap in the face to Glee or to music education or to fans of the show. We’re not sure where the anger is coming from.”

 

Another rock star on Murphy’s black list? Former Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash, who recently revealed that he draws the licensing line at Glee. “Glee is worse than Grease, and Grease is bad enough,” he said in an interview. Murphy’s response: “Usually I find that people who make those comments, their careers are over; they’re uneducated and quite stupid.” Worth noting: GNR allowed a hokey Glee-like arrangement of “Sweet Child O’ Mine” to be used in the 2008 Will Ferrell comedy Step Brothers.

 

Besides, Murphy adds, tons of top-notch talent are clamoring to get on Glee. The latest to approach him for guest spots: Stevie Nicks and Jennifer Lopez, both of whom he’s trying to write in, and Anne Hathaway was recently announced (she plays Kurt’s lesbian aunt). Even former Idol judge Simon Cowell requested a sit-down with Murphy. "I went to his house, and the meeting was simply: How did you come up with this, and why didn’t I think of it?"

 

In a way, Glee has out-Idol’d Idol. It gets its music to market faster, and those songs are burning up the charts. It’s the sort of forward momentum few Idol alums get, and as Idol struggles to regain its credibility, it could look to its former follower for direction. Murphy insists he never saw it as competition. "We couldn’t touch Idol’s numbers," he says. "People are unnecessarily harsh on that show. I bow down to it."

 

Perhaps in a nod to Idol’s impact, Murphy is organizing a charity effort called Glee Gives Back. “We just got approved for a million dollars over the next three months to fund arts-education organizations,” he says. “It’ll also include proceeds from DVD sales. It’s very important to me and to Fox that we establish scholarships in schools.”

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ryan’s got a sick brain: sick in a good way, sick in a bad way, just sick." — "Glee’s" Matthew Morrison

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Even though one of the main criticisms of Glee is that its portrayal of high school is unrealistic, in looking back at Murphy’s experience in Indianapolis, where he was "out" during his teens, it plays like a signature script. Take Murphy’s first concert: Hall and Oates in 1981. “I put eyeliner on to go to the show, and my mother hit the roof,” he recalls. “My parents were very Midwestern Catholic, so to be doing a pop star new-romantic look? Altar boys don’t do that. But I said, ‘No, I’m not changing how I look,’ and I got in a lot of trouble.” Once he arrived at the venue, Murphy found a community of like-minded people and "had a ball" in one of the first times it felt normal to be different.

 

"I don’t think Glee reflects the real world all the time; it reflects the world I wish it would be," he says. "Within that utopia, I want every episode to end with the viewer uplifted." For Murphy, that means rewriting the Beverly Hills, 90210 rulebook. At Ohio’s McKinley High, the kid in the wheelchair (Artie, played by Kevin McHale) can dance, the girl with Down syndrome (Becky, played by Lauren Potter) is a cheerleader, and the outcasts are popular. Even the jocks, led by sweetheart quarterback Finn (Monteith), steer clear of stereotypes, prompting us to wonder, what was Murphy’s relationship like with the football players at his school? "I dated them," he says with a laugh. "I was popular because I was really confident. The jocks were my allies. And I had quiet little relationships with a couple of them."

 

The football fetish — which started with Episode 4 in which Colfer re-enacts Beyonce’s "Single Ladies" dance with the rest of the football team as a field-goal try — continues with the Super Bowl special. Initially, the idea was for Murphy to do a supersized episode, with Fox and NFL sponsor GM kicking in an additional $2 million. But though the sky was the limit and the network was clearly putting its faith and muscle behind his high school musical, Murphy resisted.

 

"We’ve taken a lot of criticism for doing tributes to Madonna, Britney Spears and Rocky Horror Picture Show … and everyone thought we were gonna try and out-top ourselves," he says. "But no matter how big you get, you’re not gonna please everybody, so the consensus was, let’s not do a big episode of Glee, let’s do a really good episode of Glee.

 

"We’re editing now, and it feels similar to the pilot: a lot of heart. It’s important in that it deals with the gay bullying theme, and it’s about music bringing disparate people together. It’s quite a beautiful little fable."

 

For all its warm and fuzzy intentions, Glee is not without its controversy. Murphy constantly pushes the envelope with racy scenes and she-didn’t-just-say-that zingers like the time cheerleader Santana (Naya Rivera) coos “You can drill me anytime” to a dentist played by John Stamos. “There is a line, and Ryan has upon occasion stepped over it,” Walden admits. “And when he does, he is told so by his viewers. But no risk, no reward. They don’t know where the line is unless they are pushing up against it. My kids are 7 and 10, and they aren’t allowed to watch every episode. This is a show about high school students, and the appropriate audience starts in high school, as far as I am concerned.”

 

Singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge is a fan of the show and says her 13-year-old daughter “lives and breathes Glee, Lord have mercy!” Yet Etheridge, a major advocate of gay rights, admits to finding some of the subject matter a bit risque: “The teenage sex and the pregnancy, these are at the forefront of a mother’s mind.” Still, Glee advocates like Rock of Ages executive producer Janet Billig, a music industry veteran and a mother of two, say that, at the very least, racy story lines “start a conversation. I let my 8-year-old watch Glee, and we’re able to talk about relationships, being dumped by friends and boys and Kurt being gay.”

 

It’s a responsibility Colfer, who’s often described as the heart and soul of Glee, appreciates; his Globes acceptance speech pretty much said it all. "I get hundreds of e-mails every day from kids all around the world,”"he says. "One 7-year-old wrote me that watching Kurt makes him feel like he’s not alone; others say: ‘This story line saved my life. … I felt worthless until Kurt stood up for himself.’ It means the world to them, and that makes my job so gratifying. It’s a great gig."

 

One of the show’s rare missteps was the steamy October cover of GQ featuring Michele and Dianna Agron half-dressed in schoolgirl outfits and suggestive positions. “We really didn’t get a chance to handle it; it was an after-the-fact thing,” Newman says. “If we had our choice, we would have liked to have avoided it; it wasn’t great for the brand.”

 

For his part, Murphy was blissfully oblivious at first. “I must be so liberal and out of touch because when I first saw that cover, I said to Gwyneth Paltrow, who was with me on set, ‘Oh, Lea looks so pretty,’ ” he recalls. But even Paltrow could see the storm clouds coming. “She said something like, ‘Get ready.’ It didn’t cross my mind there would be this big controversy. … But I never judge the actors because I know they all felt bad about it. And I think all parties involved learned a lesson about how parents look to the show as something inspirational and aspirational. We all realized that we have to be a little more careful when it comes to sexuality.”

[iheartgossip 1]

What i have never been able to rationalize is that Kings of Leon licensed their song for a dorky show like "The Sing Off" (yes, i watched it. It was on Hulu, and i don't have cable. I'm desperate, what else can i say?) It was hosted by Jessica Simpson's ex-husband, can't remember his name off hand. But, they wouldn't let Glee use it, which IMHO is a bit subversive and much more interesting.

Edited January 26, 2011 by iheartgossip

[BobbyD 2]

Kings of Leon Drummer Suggests Ryan Murphy Go ‘Buy a New Bra’ [update]

http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2011/...commented-24h-5

1/26/11 at 12:30 PM

 

Consider it broughten! Yesterday, Glee creator Ryan Murphy said, "Fuck you, Kings of Leon" in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, slagging the band for not giving the show permission to use their songs. While singer Caleb Followill was quoted trying to ratchet down the tension with Murphy ("This was never meant as a slap in the face to Glee or to music education or to fans of the show"), drummer Nathan Followill is having none of this measured-response business. Nathan just tweeted, "Dear Ryan Murphy, let it go. See a therapist, get a manicure, buy a new bra. Zip your lip and focus on educating 7yr olds how to say fuck." Anyone curious how to best lose the high ground, note that telling a grown man to "buy a bra" is a very effective way to go. UPDATE: Ryan Murphy has given a response to, ahem, Perez Hilton.

 

Murphy wrote:

 

"Just read Nathan Followill's Tweet…in which he implied I should ‘get a manicure and buy a bra.’ Wow. That's a homophobe badly in need of some education. I'm all for manicures, don't wear a bra. Would guess most gay dudes don't. But it's telling that Nathan can reduce a group of people to a mean-spirited cliché, in a time where young gay men are killing themselves all over the country because of hatred like this.

That said, I would love to sit down with Nathan or any member of Kings and Leon, and tell them how on Glee we actually love their music, and support their artistry…but cannot condone or even laugh at their clear disdain of gay people."

 

Followill then tweeted in response, "I'm sorry 4 anyone that misconstrued my comments as homophobic or misogynistic. I'm so not that kind of person. I really do apologize."

[Caz1310 0]

Oops - someone (Murphy) is believing their own hype. How long do you give Glee to be on air...2-3 years at most? So what if a band says no to Glee? ACDC declined to perform at the Sydney 2000 Olympics opening ceremony and the Spice Girls won't be doing London 2012 Olympics either. They're much bigger audiences than Glee. I don't know Kings of Leon and it's absolutely their perogative whether to accept or decline an offer. Glee is not a barometer for the music industry.

[sueli 10]

That's fine that KoL said no, they had that right. Murphy was upset and over-reacted with the one comment, but considering his plea to begin with was to bring kids' attention to possible musical outlets at school and community, imo, says as much about how full of themselves that KoL and the like are as anyone claims Murphy to be.

 

[sorry, that made sense in my head]